Letters to Mom

Happy New Year Missing you terribly, Mom.  Not surprising as we're heading into fall.  Two days ago I was in boxer shorts, sleeveless t-shirt and sandals.  Today I'm in furry lined boots, sweat pants, t-shirt and flannel shirt.  It was a pretty good drop and my body is really telling me about it. Today is the New Year in Judaism. It's rather fitting that we're starting a program to get healthy by totally revamping what we eat.  We'll go through a 3 day cleanse (low impact food - not imposed colon cleansing).  Then foods are slowly added to see if they flare the inflammation we both suffer from. From the base line temp when i first wake up tells us that I have a slow functioning thyroid and we already know my liver is enlarged and the numbers in one area are off and has been.  I'm continuing the higher dose of Vitamin D and taking a B-12 supplement in addition to dandelion tea to jump start the liver functions.  I've gone from 3 cups of str...

Hey, Mom; I've been more determined lately to focus on my writing.  I'm reading a couple of books that will help with that - some mistakes that can reduce reader enjoyment.  It also helps that Steph is posting erotica stuff on Amazon. I started to revamp Killing with the Bard (pun intended).  Did a basic first edit and read through and found I don't relate to the characters or the story.  Puzzling considering how much time I spent on that thing.  Then I found that I'm not interested in rereading Hallowed Crossing or Nikki and Case.  Okay, what's going on? I frequently re-read my stuff, usually for my own enjoyment. I think it's because those stories were what they call "uber" Xena/Gabrielle - taking the characters, changing them only slightly and put them in modern situations.  My head isn't in that space.  I'm also not sure "uber" Buffy would work - those characters are so defined totally in their universe.  It could be don...

I screwed up today, Ma - Jackie and I felt pretty decent so I asked her to sweep the floors and I'd focus on the mopping and doing dishes after I took a load of donates to the thrift store - after my tea of course.  I found a message from cousin David asking about Grandpa's oldest, someone in the tree we know little about.  That led to FB messages back n forth - he's very interested in family tree stuff so this is exciting. He posted pictures of Grandma and Grandpa that I don't remember (including one of me when I was 4).  Right in mid reply to him the power went out - while the computers were running.  The power guys were running a line from our transformer box to the neighbors.  Terrific. I called David to explain why I had disappeared.  over an HOUR AND A HALF later we finally ended the calls.  You know when I'm on the phone, I pace.  I don't know why but I pace or sit leaned back in my chair with my legs up on a sewing table in ...

Hey Ma; Got the main work done, now on to the fine details.

Mama; We lost Alice Sunday.  I thought we could stay on top of it when she got sick, she was up and walking and drinking the kitten milk and water and then she was gone when I went back into the laundry room an hour later. G-d, this really hurts. The last of the bottle fed babies, Mama.  I feel like we let her and you down. We should have gotten her to the vet over the weekend but, truthfully, I don't think it would have helped in the end.  Alice, oh Alice, named for my favorite rocker.  We're going to miss you, especially the joy you felt and showed when dancing on Mom's robe. Love you Alice, love you, Mama

Words of Wisdom when dealing with the VA: 1) never assume the VA will send over/FAX/Mail or carrier pigeon a copy of your records/MRI film/X-rays/lab results to the outside doctor they sent you to. 2) never assume the outside doctor they send you to is the right kind of doctor for your problem. For example, let's say.....you need to see a specialist for a spinal problem and the VA can't fit you in timely. They send you outside to a specialist (after you wait a couple of months for your MRI and X-ray tests). You get to the office of your new doctor and discover they know nothing about you except you have an appt. - no MRI or x-rays, no history, no medical records.  Right.  You fill out all the appropriate forms and have x-rays done (if their office does that) and go over the history with your new doctor. Your new doctor is likely to be upset at this point. He has no MRI to consult, only the x-rays and you're describing problems with your disks. He's upset because you...

Hey Ma; I injured my elbow. Want to guess which one?  grrrr we had a big truck from the power company coming up behind the house on the slope.  Grady was hunkered down and frozen. I was worried he'd bolt under the tires so I grabbed him. He went left, I went right. Want to know who wins when you're struggling with a heavy cat? It isn't the human. I've got a badly strained arm that was hurting bad enough so that I took meds during the day. Not common for me. I'm just waiting for the arthitis in that elbow to get worse. We knew that would happen when they had to rebuild my elbow with pins and several surgeries when I was 5.  I can't clean, I can't garden, I can't cook - argh.  I also couldn't focus on writing, art or embroidery work like this.