"Good to the last drop"

Well, that was discouraging. 

I spent a whole day bagging up candy with Scripture booklets and it rained.  Hard. 

I got maybe a dozen kids.  I handed out the New Testaments to the older kids (NT, Snickers bar, 2 handfuls assorted candy), Scripture booklets to the younger kids. 

The creepiest award goes to the young man, taller than me, wearing a serial killer costume and mask.  I gave him a New Testament in a bag of candy.  I had some older teens who also got the NT.  Younger kids got Scripture booklets. 

I have about 80 things left so I will be busy handing them out for a while. 

First, the start of the day.  We went to work.  Work was pretty rough; as I've said, there are 2 televisions in our work area.  Both were turned up loud, to the same channel.  One had a bad echo, as it lagged about 10 seconds behind the other one.  It was aggravating.  Ron had several small meltdowns as a result. 

We took some change out of the vending machines to deposit, and put it in a bag in Ron's lap.  Now, the door is interesting.  Everyone with a standard badge has to go through the turnstile.  If you have a special "permission" on your badge, you can go through the regular door.  It is also a fire door, it can be opened without a badge, from the inside, in an emergency. 

Now they look at the badge swipes on the door.  During your shift, you had BETTER be inside the building, unless it is a break or lunch.  People have gotten in trouble for leaving during their shift, because, as I said, the door notes "Heather B left at 10:01 and didn't come back until 11:30"  That will get you fired when they catch it. 

So, people wanting to sneak in/out, either because they DO NOT have a security badge (everyone must) or they want an extra break-lunch, will often try to sneak in when I'm taking Ron out the door.  I literally wrest the door away from them, say "NO" firmly, and shut it.  Then they whine and I remind them it is security. 

I don't tell them, but it's true: I'm not getting fired because you wanted to run to the convenience store.  99% of the time, I do not even KNOW the people trying to get in on my badge. 

I have talked to security about it.  They say I am reacting appropriately. 

As we all know, I had a shooter at my Dad's office when I was 13 so I take security VERY seriously.  This bothers me more than the fake refund people, or non-customers trying to tell me how to run my business. 

On our way out, we were approached by a woman wearing a suit, and pushing a U-cart.  U-carts are not allowed in the employee parking lot.  So she's already breaking one rule.  Then she asked us to "hold" the door.  Ron shouted "No, don't you have a badge?!" 

I firmly shut the door so she could not get in.  I did not see an ID badge displayed (another violation).  She tried to make us feel bad about being rude to her, but I said "It's a security thing." 
"I know" she responded, rolling her eyes.  Then, to Ron "You must be having a bad day". 

I got him out of there quick, before he could reply.  Then she went to the counter, like she should have done to begin with. 

It really bothers me.  It's security.  You don't really get it, I guess, until you are staring at your loved one's work on television, watching them bring out body bags and wondering if he is in one of them.  It leaves a scar that does not heal. 

And an intense desire to keep work safe.

We went to the bank.  We got a "good" teller.  We conducted all our business, there was just enough money to pay me.  Good. 

We went through a drive through and home.  I took a nap.  I got up and organized the garage, got some stuff together for Salvation Army.  Then I did Halloween. 

As I said, I only had about a dozen kids, we had a weather front, it was raining.  But I did give away evangelism materials, including about 4 New Testaments to older kids.  Everyone got their item (Scripture booklet, New Testament) in a bag with a full sized Snickers and two handfuls of assorted candy.  I felt good about that. 

The rest will go to drivers and service providers.  I won't have to bag anything for weeks. 

I wrapped it up around 10, I had the last kids at 8:30 but I wanted to give everyone a chance.  I went to bed and slept pretty well, but I woke up with a nasty headache. 

It must have been the honey bun I ate at work.  My list of edible non headache foods is narrowing.  I have yet to get a migraine off of quinoa, or broccoli.  It's just the "bad" stuff that triggers. 

I took a nice long hot shower and got ready to take Ron to the doctor.  Today was the iron infusion.  I brought a light blanket in case he got cold, I know the dialysis people are always bringing heavy blankets with them. 

We had a long ride to the office.  Our driver was new, and late.  Ron decided to ride in the back of the vehicle, in his wheelchair.  It was a good call.  In addition to us, she had 3 other pickups.  We rode for about an hour.  It was a small minivan.  Happily I grabbed the front passenger seat, the others had to ride 3 across in the back seat.  One woman was moderately overweight (about my size), with an African accent and a terrible wet cough that made me think of infectious disease.  Then we had a slow young man, about average weight.  The last client was enormous, well over 500 pounds.  I still don't see how she managed to squish in the backseat, but she did it. 

Then the African woman complained we were passing her location to go to our dropoff.  Well, we had an earlier appointment time.  But that didn't stop her from complaining (she wasn't going to be late).  Ugh. 

Finally got there.  We unloaded and went in the building.  I gave the office staff some candy, they were delighted to see it. 

They took our copay $122, and we waited on the nurse in the back.  When she was ready, she came and got us.  They have nine vinyl recliners in the infusion area.  One woman was getting chemo on the far end.  Ron transferred to the seat.  He liked it, nice and squishy.  If he has to sit in one place for a couple of hours, at least it was luxurious.  I would love a recliner like that at the house, but the cats!  Oh, it wouldn't last long. 

She started his IV.  She has done his blood draws in the past so I knew she was "good".  She chose a vein in his wrist instead of the "elbow" vein.  I expected her to take the elbow, shows I was wrong.  She started him on some saline.  Then they paged her to the front to translate, she came back.  The chemo patient needed her, she did that.  Then she had to go in the supply locker and find Ron's iron. 

She got it and hung it up.  It didn't look like something you'd want to put in your body.  I looked at the label when her back was turned.  510 mg.  Then I sat down.  She gave Ron some medicine before she started the iron, let it kick in (some benadryl, etc), then started the iron. 

I knew (I hadn't told him) he could have a reaction, but he didn't.  In fact, he got very hungry as he was infused.  He wanted a granola bar.  I unwrapped one of "his" granola bars.  I carry 5 in the bag on the back of the wheelchair.  Nature Valley Protein Salted Caramel Nut.  He loves them.  He ate it with his "bad" right hand, it was pretty amusing to watch him try to use his mostly-paralyzed, "bad" right hand, but he got the bar up to his mouth again and again.  He never once moved his left arm (IV) during the entire procedure. 

He ate one bar.  Then he asked for another.  And another.  I kept unwrapping them and putting them in his hand.  No one was yelling at us about eating, so I guess it was OK.  He ate a total of 4 bars before I ran out - he gave one bar to the nurse.  It took about an hour and fifteen minutes, but he got all the iron.  He got impatient at the end and I told him "Don't you want all the iron you paid for?  If it was me I'd want my money's worth".  The nurses liked that. 

They even flushed out the iron bag with saline to make sure he got it all.  Good to the last drop.  When they shut it down, I reminded the nurse he was on blood thinners.  She said "Oh, OK" and got a compression wrap.  She put the gauze on him and then wrapped it tightly - it worked. 

Then we called our usual cab driver, Arturo.  He came pretty quick.  We got in the cab and Ron said he wanted tacos from Jack in the Box.  This, after four granola bars.  Ron never eats this much. 

So, we got him an order of tacos.  We got some for Arturo, too.  I got a sourdough Jack but my headache hadn't improved, so I planned to save it for later.  Good thing I hid it from Ron, the appetite. 

We got home and I put my burger in the fridge, we both laid down for a while.  I woke up, got dressed, took some headache pills with caffeine.  The plan was to go to Walmart.  But Ron wasn't feeling well - said he ate too much.  I bet.  I kept telling him to go easy on the granola bars.  They have a lot of fiber.  I finally told him they have protein (during his treatment) and he said he didn't care. 

At any rate, he felt like crap.  He was irritable and wanted me to cancel.  I told him I needed to go to Walmart, and I could wait until tomorrow.  He said OK.  Then I told him I needed at least an hour.  He balked at that and we had an argument.  I told him if he felt bad to cancel, and if he didn't want to spend one hour at Walmart tomorrow then I would need cab fare.  He said fine and threw it at me.  He is still in bed but he isn't moaning or vomiting so I guess he is OK. 

My headache is finally better.  Tomorrow I plan to combine two trips into one.  I need to run by the vet and get some flea medicine for the cats - the good stuff.  My poor guys have been digging and itching on the other stuff.  It's on the way to Walmart, so I can have the cab stop and wait while I run in and get the medicine, then take me to Walmart.  I will pick up Ron's needles and get my stuff, I can take my time. 

I found a bra at Walmart I really like, and I want to see if I can find another one.  It has good support, is comfortable, lightly padded, and very reasonable price.  If I can find another one I want one.  I have some underwires I got last time I went underwear shopping and they work, but are uncomfortable.  I also have to take an eye to the fact that antipsychotics (including my new one) can cause breast size increase, so I may jump up another size (I hope not!).  I don't want to invest too much into lingerie as a result. 

I also need to buy cat litter, which is going to make me really popular with the cab driver coming home.  But I will make it clear I will do all the lifting, I don't want anyone messing up a back.  I pick up 40 # things all the time at work. 

I can take as long as I'd like and come home. 

As far as I know, all Ron wants are granola bars.  He told me to buy him 5 cases if I can.  So I will.  He is, after all, paying for cab fare which is a lot more expensive.