Tax-free weekend

It's tax free weekend, no sales tax on (moderately priced) clothes and school supplies. 

I went to Walmart with Ron.  I am sleeping a little better but I still have a ways to go.  At least, last night, we got the reservation made for the conference coming up in a couple of months. 

We still need to renew our ID cards and file our monthly report.  [sigh] We'll get it done. 

I really want to get all this done before Ron has his surgery. 

So. 

We went to Walmart.  I bought candy for the nurses (never hurts)

Oh, yeah, we have to go to the doctor and have him fill out Ron's paratransit paperwork, and then we need to deliver it to them.  Something this important I only trust to us. 

Walmart: sorry. 

I got the candy, some notebooks, etc.  I got some hygiene supplies for Ron, a little deodorant, stuff like that.  Now all he needs are a change of clothes and his radio.  I bought a small black duffel bag (20 inches) to put it in.  Now the nurses can dig around in there when they are helping Ron and get his supplies without any hassle.  A hospital is not a hotel, and they usually (in my experience) don't have things like soap, shampoo, and hair brushes. 

Ideally, I can just pick it up and go, the day of surgery, and Ron will be set for a couple days' inpatient stay at the hospital.  I'm trying to cover all the bases. 

What about me?  Well, I bought some notebooks and those "prong" folders, the plastic ones that have the pockets.  I meant to get pens but I forgot.  I am always looking for a pen. 

What about clothes?  Well, I spent (let me add it up) $67.75.  I got 2 pair black jeans, a package of black pocket t-shirts (I really like those), and two packages of underwear.  That seemed like a good deal to me.  I should be fine for another year, now. 

Generally speaking, I only spend a lot of money on clothes when I'm manic.  Now that I'm "very stable" clothes are generally a well-thought out purchase.  Now I have 4 pairs of jeans (one is pretty beat up and will most likely be retired this winter, another is a little small but I'll get there) in my wardrobe.  In my current size. 

That's plenty.  I have some in a 20 W (a size small for me now), too, when I get there.  I just need to watch the snacking. 

I have a very bad habit of not eating during the day and then eating it all at night, or snacking at work.  I need to figure that out.  I will. 

I will have to watch anxiety eating as we approach Surgery Day.  It is very easy to fall into, and other people tend to encourage it "Oh, you need to eat".   I probably need to cut back on the aspartame (sugar free drink mixes), as that's not helping either.  I know I will be vigilant about my caffeine. 

When I think of my younger self, after Ron's accident, slamming back Dr Peppers like free shots at a bar, I'm amazed I was functional at all.  I was an anxiety-ridden mess.  Then I used to compound it by taking a Sudafed (the old kind, that made me jittery), and a Mountain Dew.  Yike.  It's a miracle I didn't end up in a hospital bed of my own.  I really abused my body.  I don't plan to do that again. 

Doc says keep it under 450 mg caffeine, a day.  I try to keep it under 300.  For this, I will endeavor to keep it under 200.  That means 2 bottles and a can.  I'm learning to tally, just like I watched my carbs, I watch my "caffines". 

I will be looking to recruit rides, it shouldn't be too hard.  Some will help just because they can.  Some will help for pay.  But I'll get there and back somehow.  It should only be a couple of days. 

Worst case I can mention this to our church, that I could use rides going up there and back.  Most of the church people live to the west of me, and the hospital (which is pretty directly north about 20 miles), but some of them could help, I'm sure.  I mean, come on - disabled woman trying to see her husband in the hospital - if they can help I'm sure they will. 

Although I do think it would help if I were older - right now I don't look very needy, and I appear very "able". 

That's kind of the curse of my life.  In some ways I appear far more functional than I am.