Friday, November 11, 2016

"I'll have to go to work now"

Yesterday morning I got up and took my shower.  I made sure Ron washed his feet and legs (because the doctor would be examining his knee, and I couldn't talk Ron into a full bath).  However, I forgot to remind him to change his sweatshirt, which kind of contraindicated the whole "fresh and clean" thing I had hoped I started. 

Oh, well.  He "Looked like he usually did" to quote Ron's boss. 

Ron was once summoned to a meeting for all the vendors in the area, and the boss said "Don't show up looking like you usually do". 

We got to the doctor's office almost an hour early.  Better early than late. 

We didn't have any paperwork to fill out because Ron had just been there for his back, a couple months ago.  They had us verify our information, copied his Medicare and ID card, and gave the cards back to us. 

I am picking up a lot of international readers lately so I may sound a little redundant to you Americans. 

We waited.  They took his vitals, which were good.  He lost a couple of pounds.  148. 

They took us back to an exam room.  I read a booklet on how to have a healthy pregnancy and was happy to see they had a page on alcohol use and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.  Good. 

No sense more kids ending up like me.  I wonder if that's how the Thalidomide kids feel? 

Doc came in and did his exam.  One tendon was tender.  Doc wanted to run some diagnostic tests before Ron used a knee brace, so I'm glad I didn't get one.  Doc sent us for X-rays. 

We had to wait a couple minutes (the facility had some lab areas), and they took us back.  The guy didn't try to pronounce our last name, he just called Ron's first name. 

I told the tech Ron could walk a little and he looked very relieved.  He got Ron up on the table and had me wait off to the side.  I assured him no way I was pregnant. 

He positioned Ron several times, and took several x-rays of his right knee.  They were digital, and I could clearly see the huge metal rod in Ron's tibia.  I'm surprised his knee hasn't hurt before all this.  It looked barbaric. 

Pretty soon the guy was putting Ron back in the wheelchair and giving us the billing sheet to take to the nice lady up front. 

Her name was also Heather.  I chatted with her a little about that. 

Ron's share of the bill was $25.  If he has to have an MRI I'm not sure how much he will have to pay. 

I wonder if the rod in his leg with affect anything on the results.  But it's titanium so it shouldn't. 

We left and went to Starbucks.  I have had a little trouble with dairy in the past (bad abdominal cramps), so I got a soy steamer.  Boy, that was awful.  I gagged it down because Ron had paid so much for it but I am never getting one again. 

Ron had a latte.  He didn't drink much of it until Chuck "No beverages in the vehicle" showed up, then he chugged it like a frat boy at a drinking party. 

We went to work.  Snacks were pretty desperate and the coffee machine was out of grounds.  I was busy for a while. 

We went home, arriving home around 4.  We had to get up very early today, about 2, so I just went to bed (sorry for no blog). 

I didn't sleep well, partly because Torbie and Biscuit were sleeping on my "new" wool blanket.  You may remember me talking about ordering this from a tool company back in 2009.  It is surprisingly warm and comfortable for a $10 "safety" blanket.  I like it a lot in the wintertime, it is cozy and warm.  It isn't very soft but I just layer a fleece blanket underneath. 

Importantly, for the cats, the wool is on the top, and they love the wool.  Or maybe it's the fact that Ron started running the heater (lows in the 50's here).  At any rate, that bed was crowded.

I kept waking up very thirsty, too.  I would drink water and go back to bed, only to wake up later, having to pee.  I have had my blood sugar and AIC checked, they're fine.  Ideal, in fact.  It's just the lithium.  Frustrating. 

The heater may have also dried me out, as well.  I may get the humidifier going again. 

I woke up exhausted (pretty standard for me, I try not to whine).  I reset my alarm to later because I had a sweet Torbie and Biscuit with me in the bed.  I got up and took my shower, dressed, ate a protein bar, and left. 

We got picked up at 3:45 and they immediately rode us down to Acres Homes, dozens of miles out of the way, to pick up a guy to go to dialysis.  He complained about the election results the whole way.  "Why didn't more women vote for her?"  I could have answered him in great detail, but I didn't.  "I'm going to lose my Section 8 (housing)".  "I'm going to have to go to work".  If you can work you ought to be working.  He could walk, he could see and hear, his arms and legs worked. 

If all of us just whined "I'm disabled" and sat on our asses, the taxpayers couldn't support us, and they shouldn't.  Each of us can do something, and we ought to, even if it's only part time.  A blind person or someone in a wheelchair can run a phone line for people in crisis or something. 

I was taught a strong work ethic and I respect that. 

I was happy to get rid of him when he got to his clinic.  I wonder if he appreciates how many taxpayers pay for his treatments every week. 

I sure appreciate all the people who helped pay for Ron's back surgery, and rehab.  I bought his wheelchair with my own money. 

We were supposed to pick up someone else "Who goes to the medical center 3 times a week, and is always ready on time" per the driver, only to find ourselves waiting outside her house for 20 minutes.  He knocked on her door.  He had them call her "I'm coming right out".  Another 10 minutes.  Nothing. 

We have to get to work.  We made that clear to the driver, we can't wait here all day for her to "decide" to be ready.  We have a delivery coming in 20 minutes and we have to be there.  Are we going to be there for our appointment time?   It was already well past the pickup time and they are only supposed to wait 5 minutes past the pickup time. 

He finally called for a code 5 "cancel the pickup because the client never showed" and they granted it.  She will just have to call for another ride whenever she is ready. 

I understand people are sick, but other people can't wait an hour on you to finish your preparations. 

I pride myself on always being ready early.  Today I was ready on time, which is late for me. 

We got to work.  I got Ron in the building and moved the carts out of the stockroom so Dr Pepper could stack up my new inventory. 

I started doing my work and pretty soon the deliveryman showed up.  Good thing they got us there when they did.  We received the delivery and he put it away.  We paid him and got our receipt.  I helped Ron stock sodas. 

Snacks didn't need a whole lot of work so I didn't really worry about them.  I put some hot fries into an empty coil I had.  Pork rinds are hanging up in #2, so I may need to stop carrying them.  I don't want my customers ripped off. 

I helped Ron with the bottled vendor, which didn't need a lot of work. 

Ron has been verbally abusive lately at work, accusing me of "insulting" him.  I tell him I'm not, if I'm going to call him a name, not ask him if he remembered he left a vending machine open.  It's insulting, he says.  I'm attacking him. 

I told him, that's how you perceive it but there's no intent to insult or harm you in any way.  I am just, generally, asking him questions about his work process so I can help him. 

Tonight he gave me a big speech and apology: he forgets I have brain damage.  It's not my fault I'm so messed, up, etc.  Talk about insulting.  I was very tempted to react, but I didn't. 

Rude, rude, rude. 

Hopefully this means an abatement to the verbal abuse.  Or at least he will think twice.  What's happening, I think, is that I say something, he takes it as an insult, and he reacts as though I did insult him. 

God doesn't want us to do that but he won't hear that.  If I reacted every time he verbally abused me all we would do is fight. 

We finally finished up. We had a good ride home. 

I took a nap for a couple of hours, with the cats.  Torbie loves that wool blanket.  She occupied the center of the bed and looked so pretty with her orange and black fur against the red blanket (what I could see, without my glasses). 

We had a good time. 

I got up and did my God Time, then Ron and I went out for burgers.  Well, I ate a burger and he ate fries.  His diet is horrible.  I will need to start asking him "What protein have you eaten today?" assuming he won't find it insulting. 

Ugh.  It can be very hard to love someone with narcissistic personality disorder. 

We had a pretty good time and came home.  I am exhausted, but waiting up to see what is going on tomorrow. 

My Dad and his siblings (my aunt and another brother) are having a mini-family reunion this weekend.  My stepmother (adoptive Mom) is out of town, taking care of her mother.  My "other" aunt is still recuperating from a knee replacement. 

So, my aunt said, they were thinking of having a big lunch tomorrow with the "kids" that could make it.  Sounds interesting, if someone can pick me up.  Ron already said he wants to stay home. 

We'll see how that goes. 

Now I need to go check my email for questions from a lady writing a paper on FAS.  She wanted to interview me. 

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