I believed This week was going to be as equally busy as in previous weeks. I made a dermatology, and I got an alert to sign up online. That was unsuccessful. The mammogram still needs to be scheduled, along with the endocrinologist.

I have my daily work, between the claim forms scanning, mail etc. There wasn’t much mail delivered but I have until Thursday to make sure all of it is up to date. We are having a bosses’ Day lunch on Thursday, and I bought soda on Tuesday

I got the scanning for refund requests all caught up. I have a few piles for the denials that are almost ready. Everything else is done.

It was very cold this week. I don’t want to pull out a heavy coat, but it is getting to the point where I may have to. It was cold in the office as well. Today GA sent out an email letting us know there was a call to fix it.

ON Friday is my echogram and then my trip to Allentown. I will be at their house by three.

Well I have some stuff to do because the vacuuming isn’t getting done tonight.

 

Left on Thursday just before  1030.  Made stops at the bank and dunkin donuts.   Then headed to the highway .   I took my regular  route.   Traffic moved pretty well. 

There were brief moments I started to doze.  So I had to make a few stops.   The first was to a rest stop.got coffee in Greenwich.  I was not far from. NY  so got going.  I still had two more hours to go. As i got through NY into New Jersey. I had to pull over a couple times.   I finally made it to my brother and sister-in-law’s house by 215.

Janis Had text early letting Me know jim was going to be released to the rehab  sent that day.  She invited  me to come along.  By the time I got to their house it was decided I would meet them at the hospital. 

So I got there probably by 2: 30.  He was still  In bed.  He was still having some issues with cognitive and memories.   I sat with him and chatted about  the Colonoscopy he mentioned to Liz earlier in the week.   He explained how the latest  fall happened.    Janis confirmed  it when we were driving home.

All the while the nurse was preparing for discharge to the rehab.  The Transport  came after Janis arrived maybe after 430.

We all drove together to phoebe  nursing care rehabilitation. In Allentown.   It is beautiful.   It has assisted  living Across  the street and long term Short  term Rehabilitation.   We dropped him off.  So that he could get settled in⁰

We went back around 7  to visit  jim until he got tired.  Then we went home.  Got ready for bed and did some laundry. 

On Friday Janis and I slept  in .  Then we went to the waffle house at 10.  After that we went to see jim.  While we were there he was  being assessed for his care.   We drove around parts of allentown  .   We also went to a knitting store.   Then we ordered a late lunch early  dinner from panera and headed home to eat and relax. 

We went back to see jim.  He was a bit grumpy.   He told us about the nursing staff taking care of his  arm that seems to Be infected.

We talked about lots of stuff.  He was still having some memory  issues  but it was better than a couple  days Ago. 

Saturday Janis Had to go to work At weight watchers so I slept in a little then I went to see Jim.  Then we went to an apple festival  at Burnside plantation in Bethlehem.  Then we went back later in the day to See jim. 

On Sunday we slept in but I got packed up. Then we went to see jim. We went in separate cars as I was planning on leaving by noon for home.  I did get gas before leaving Allentown, and then made a few stops on the way home.  One was the Phillipsburg IHOP for Lunch and a couple of pit stops.  There were a few slow downs one nearest the Gov Cuomo Bridge, and I guess the regular spots that anyone in the NY, CT area will know.  I did manage to get home by 4:30.

I will be returning to Allentown in mid October while Janis goes to rhinebeck NY for the Sheep and wool festival .  I am not sure if jim will still be in rehab or he will be home but I have offered to be here for him. 

Of course going  down at thanksgiving.  

 

Now I remember what else was going on Saturday!  I got phone calls from Both Dr. Yang and Dr. Gordon Dole.  They told me my sugar levels are up and I need to get more blood work.  I also had to cut the sugars out and to call MY PC.  Dr. Yang changed up the meds.  I am taking a new one atovaquone 750 mg/5 mL suspension.  Commonly known as: MEPRON.  It's gross (like everything else) and messy.  I reduced the prednisone but I have a feeling I needed to wait a little longer.

I did call Internal Med Saturday and had to leave a message.  I got a call in the last couple of days.  They reminded me gently that prednisone is known to raise the sugar levels when using it long term.  THat’s how it is for now.  I am also going to have to get a monitor. 

 Liz Suggested that I look up a different one that they recommended.  To see if the insurance covers it.  I tried but couldn’t find anything on it in my benefits or programs.  I will have to keep trying.

I saw the cardiologist Wednesday.  He is pleased that the BP is down. He wants me to wear the compression socks (did one night) and raise my legs when I am lying down or whatever

I have to admit.  I have still been eating.  I had ice cream after the appointment.  ADding to the bagel and what ever else I had this week.  As I was leaving my meetup on Wednesday I (I hope) Diarrhea.  I had just had shrimp wrap and fries.  I gave up the rest of the fries before leaving.

I had the weird Leg cramps that night too.  I did everything to get rid of it.  Since then I have eaten bananas and made sure I drank water.

 

I was meeting my sister at the Nephrologist.  We got as far as the lobby and I was ahead of her and realized I needed to bring her closer to the elevator.  I turned and tripped over a threshold that was coming up off the floor (and not lifting my foot high enough) and did a complete faceplant on the floor.  Liz helped me up as much as she could.  I had bruises on my face, wrist and knees.  They gave me ice and after the appointment sent me to the ER.

My sister took me over and dropped me off and waited for a bit (parking was limited) . She offered to come inside but she was sort of annoying me.  After about an hour I sent her home.  I finally got triaged about 5:30 and sent back to the main ER.  Where I was put in a hallway in a chair and then eventually on a gurney in the hallway by the nurses station. From time to time checking in with Liz and some of the girls from the meetup.

I was able to get a dinner of cereal,milk, fruit, juice and a sandwich.   It was nearly 10 when I got the CT Scan that took all of 2 minutes.  The results followed soon after.  .  

Liz came and picked me up and took me to my car and I was home by 11 that night.

Good news, no concussion, but a contusion bruises still  remain on the right knee.  forehead the wrist  seems to be hurting for repetitive motion but yhe bruise gone. 

 

Yesterday morning I went to work and by 9:30 I was heading home.  I had a stomach bug.  I am not sure exactly what caused it but you know how sometimes we wonder what may be causing it.  I figured it was the buttered noodles I had a lot of.

So I came home, laid on the couch and then made the first of several trips during the day to the toilet.  As the day progressed it seemed that the events were farther and farther apart.  The only thing I had was water.  I was getting dry mouth too.  I also had a headache..in the back of the head when I slept on a particular pillow.  

I didn’t even go out last night but I did manage to get some sleep so much that I was awake at 4 this morning. I did manage to lay in bed a little bit longer as I do on a daily basis.  Today the headache is gone.

Another thing I need to come clean about is I haven’t been taking my meds for the lupus and BP like I should.  I did take them last night.  It's not that I forget them, it's that I tell myself oh I will take it later by then it's nearly bedtime. 

When I went to the infusion last week as usual the BP was up.  When I saw the Pulmonary Doctor he said that your BP would not be up if you used the cpap machine.  As usual I promised to use it.  I haven’t since then.  Guess what I plan on doing tonight?

I was 226 lbs when I checked in for my infusion last week.  I knew right then what it was.  Not eating the right foods, having too much red meat.  THis is the guilty conscious talking here. I am going to have to do better. 

Liz is still struggling with her health issues.  I am sure Nelson is too.  THey are easily tired by the end of the day.  Liz had her infusion the day after mine.

Rich is home from the hospital now about a week now.  He is back at work and seems to be doing fine.

I am sure everyone else is good.

 

Not the best start to the New Year

 

 

• It seems lately I haven’t been feeling great.  Between the sniffling, sneezing and dry coughs.  I had some gastro pains (definitely food related) and my hands cramped up on me a few times at work.  It could be the foods I eat and the stress.  Yes I have been stressed because of work.  There I said it.  That will be under the work entry later.

•  

• Anything that doesn’t go smoothly for me I get really frustrated.  If I am typing and the wrong key gets pressed-stupid shit like that.  I dropped the laptop  and that aggravated me.  

One good thing is I did call Standard to get my FMLA application renewal they sent it. But I did have some hard time getting access to it but today got it to work.  It's in the hands of Dr Sonia and hopefully it will be processed by the beginning of March.  I have a number of appointments

 

Even though I am making progress with the mail I am still behind.  I am also trying to keep up with the claim forms but the printers have not been working since the upgrade.  So I have a couple of patients to scan to the rep.  I am also trying to keep up with CD uploading and it’s hit a snag with one of them.    Good thing? We have Monday off for Martin Luther King’s Birthday.

I almost missed the staff meeting and basically making sure we had our vaccines and boosters uploaded for them to have on record.  I did mine at lunch time.  Supervisor reviewed protocol for the time we can use (they pay for five days) it’s a one-time deal.

The printer that prints out the HFCA claim form was working by lunchtime so after the meeting and after finishing the CD uploads (yes I caught up with those) I worked on mailing out the claim forms.  I think I was done by 2:30-3 and right about then I got an email from Supervisor asking me if the printer was working.   I explained yes they were and the one claim form for one of our Reimbursement people was scanned to her (but she doesn’t have access to email as she and a few others took even longer weekend then I am. 

I still have to finish the mail I was working on and sort it.  I still have to work on the Health logic correspondence as well.  Then work on everything else.  My hope is to go in early on Tuesday.  I will do the claim forms first and then the mail.

AT lunchtime I wrote another email to Attorney B2 to see if there was any progress made with Lawyer man 1.  I haven’t heard from him yet.   I am already preparing a strongly worded email to him if he doesn’t respond to this one.

It looks like I will have to do another sleep study.  The last one failed.  She is not sure what happened but it has been known to happen which it only recorded 59 minutes of sleep and that’s not enough so we scheduled another one for the 26^th.  This time it will be in the lab in West Haven.  The follow up appointment was moved to February 15^th in West Haven.   So I will come home and feed the cats and pack an overnight bag.  I am thinking I will take a personal day off for that week.

My fellow LH Alumnae continue to have a sad week.  One of my classmates lost her husband this week.  I don’t know the circumstances but I need to get her a card to her and her family this week.  There is an obituary finally for Mrs. Herr.  I learned many things from this obituary.  For Example she is also a member of the GFWC international organization.  She was part of woman’s club in Lititz.  I wonder if she attended any of the International conventions. I am trying to read up on Manheim. 

OH and I discovered that my meetup friend Krystal was not in the Waterbury fire but this one.  I am familiar with the area.  I have been further North of there were there were some beautiful homes and such.

I had coffee tonight and surprisingly I am tired.  So I am going to take the hint and go to bed and listen to Profiles in Folk before falling  asleep.

 

It certainly has been awhile hasn’t it?  I hope your holidays have been excellent.  Mine so far have.  Thanksgiving I spent it with Jim and his new Bride in Allentown.  The ride down was not bad.   I left work just around 3 and made it to the Connecticut Border by 4.  The traffic was slow moving an basically because of the Sun setting before 4. The Drive to the bridge formerly known as Tappan Zee was good but slow. I had only one problem and I missed the exit I needed I happened to be talking to my sister at the time.  I took the next exit and I was right as rain.  I made it to J&J’s by 7:15.  After some visiting and meeting a couple of the cats I headed to bed.

Thanksgiving began with a breakfast for us and getting acquainted with the cats (who came into my room at night) we got ready for our late afternoon meal.  We had to pick up our catered meal from Wegman’s Grocery Store.  We had turkey (it was sliced), we had string beans, gravy and stuffing, and butternut squash with spinach, and garlic mashed potatoes and an assortment of pies.  Janis’s Daughter Laurie and her boyfriend joined us.  I can’t remember when they left but after they did my brother went to bring a meal to a friend of theirs

On Friday we had a quiet morning and then made our way to Bethlehem for the ChristKindlemarkt festival. It was held at the Bethlehem Stacks.  Although it wasn’t snowing it could have easily because it was so cold and windy.  WE were there for two hours looking at all the vendors and crafts.  I don’t usually go to these things but I figured when I am “In Rome you do what Rome does.  I just did window shopping while Jim bought a few things including a handmade wooden ornament in the shape of a cat for me.

This area was really cool.  Youngling beer donated a tall tree built out of kegs for the area.  There was a cultural arts theater, and gallery plus the local PBS station in this area.  Every time I looked at the stacks I couldn’t help but think of the scene in the Wiz….in the factory?  Oh and for all you casino lovers Wind Creek was down the street from this.

After the Festival we came home I think it was nearly 5 or 6 and we ordered pizza from Wegman’s (they have everything there).  WE finished our meal with left over pie.  The rest of the night we did our own thing.  J&J got rid of cable so they either get on their computer to watch things or meetings and I got on my computer for a while.  Did I do any writing? No. 

I did get packed up for my trip home the next day and called it early night.

Saturday morning we had a semi early breakfast and then Janis had to go to work at Weight watchers.  After some sibling time I left for home.  Jim had given me a suggestion about where to get gas but as I was leaving I didn’t listen to the gps and ended up taking a wrong turn but still ended up on in the right direction an was on my way.  I stopped in Easton for gas.  The rest of the ride was fine.  It got busy by the time I got to Connecticut but I was home by 12:30.

When I arrived I found my stoop decorated.  Actually I was warned by Liz that my phantom decorator had been over and put a wood and apple wreath on the door and got rid of the plant and filled it with metal stand that has a gift wrapped on it. 

When I came inside the cats didn’t move much from their spots.  Sky was under the blankets of my bed and Tiger was under the coffee table.  While I was away Liz watched them for me.  She kept me apprised of the days.  She did notice a few of my concerns with Tiger (will explain shortly) and she says they basically ignored her or didn’t come out of their hiding spots.

The rest of the weekend was quiet.  I did get some cards down from upstairs.  I haven’t done them yet but I will I hope this weekend.

Since I have been home I haven’t done much in the way of the holiday.  I did look up a couple of things for the holiday but I am hoping to get them next week.

I have been trying to focus on the budgets and it’s still a challenge.  I did apply and was approved for the balance transfer and began making payments on that.  My hope is that the budget will get under control by the New Year.

Some of my appliances are beginning to show their age.  The washing machine continues to make a noise.  The stove shuts itself off while I am cooking at times.

HOA Board elections are coming up.   They sent out notice and self-nomination bids for those who want to nominate themselves.  I was thinking about it but decided not yet.  Then we got word recently that the fall clean-up was halted because the guy who does it for us just disappeared and hasn’t been returning any communication.

A couple of the board members came to look for the outdoor spicket for the hoses outside.  Apparently there isn’t one in my unit.  This was the longest amount of time that President Frank and Carol were in my unit. J

We got more news on my brother’s latest cancer diagnosis. If I haven’t mentioned it yet it’s in the bladder slow growing.  It’s not fatal or metastases’ but will keep an eye on it.  He doesn’t seem worried about it so I won’t worry about it either.

His kids are okay.  All Busy and getting into the holiday.  I will hate to break it to them but I won’t be getting them presents this year.  MY advisor really feels A) they haven’t gotten me anything in a few years and neither has Jim.

Liz woke up to a cold this morning.  She has been keeping busy and had a fairly quiet holiday.  She watched the twins for me.  She said they were rude to her.  She did notice that Tiger is struggling more than before.

WE discussed the budget this past week and I told her how I have been doing and she asked if I used the CC and I answered her.  She suggested that I make the CC payments both at the beginning of the month and on Time.  The first one is questionable but I will try and  the second is a no brainer.

I was able to see a few of her kids this past weekend.  First it was Rich and then Adam and his son Josh stopped by and also my cousin DLH.

Both Liz and I agree that Tiger is struggling more and more.  A number of times I have watched her and she will walk and all of a sudden stop and then drop her head to the floor.  Its not like when she is sleeping and her head turns upside down.  I can see she struggles to get her footing.  Then she starts walking (with some limping).  She is starting to not finish her food when given to her but she does eat from Sky’s bowl.  She does get up on the bed sometimes with no problems.  She gets on the couch with no problem most time and then sits down.  She has been sitting under the side table by the recliner or behind the entertainment center.  I am not sensing she is dying yet or she needs to be put down.  I do have to order more meds this week so I will mention it to the vet when she calls to get an update.

Sky is his sweet self.  Sleeping with me most nights and cuddling up with Tiger. Sometimes they get feisty with each other but every time I leave the house I talk to him like he can understand that I need him to take care of his sister but at the same time don’t aggravate her.

Work is going fine.  Some days are busier than others.  We are still preparing to move to the third floor but I recently learned that now we won’t be moving until after the recess. That’s okay by me because I haven’t made time to get rid of stuff I don’t need anymore. 

WE were informed last week from High up that parking for those who have to come to the campus will not have to pay until July 2022.  Right now I am relieved because I can use that money for something else.

New Covid regulations have come down as well.  Those who are working remotely have to follow the covid protocol. 

End of semester and holiday parties are starting.  We have a couple next week and few retirements as well.  I was supposed to go to one on Monday but it was cancelled.

The ladies guild has one more activity or two going before the New Year comes in.  I believe the lawn angels (that the lead priest has been complaining about) fundraiser is going on now.  We have our last general meeting this coming Tuesday and I think I picked out a nice spiritual prayer.  I just have to bring some type of appetizers.

The DTC has been quiet for the last couple of weeks. Actually it looks like I missed a Holiday gathering alert for this Tuesday but I already have the ladies guild. We had to clean out the campaign Headquarters but I couldn’t do it.

My meetup groups have been busy.  Walk with buddy has been having mini fests, and toy drives.  The hiking group has had a few hikes on weekends but I have been either busy with The finding friends activities or taking care of the house.

I think I am over the latest Lupus flare up.  I got a call just before I took off for Allentown from the Dr. Letting me know that the recent blood tests indicated I was in the midst of a flare up.  That would explain the aches and pains and me being tired a lot.  I have been going to bed early and taking my meds fairly regularly.  I have my infusion next week.

I actually have a number of appointments next week and I think the week after but I am not sure. 

 

 

 

 

Sometime after lunch I got the results of my test.  I checked in before I got the email alerting me they were posted.  These and all medical tests never can be in layman’s terms.  The gist is I basically don’t have it.  As usual they caution you about still taking precautions and stuff like that.

So I let Liz know, and the girls from the group know.  I hadn’t told J&J but I will another time.   Now the coffee visit with Liz is on for tomorrow.  So I did the grocery shopping this evening.

I took the time to order more litter.  I tried to change the item to a different brand but I was doing something wrong.  I was rushing through it and it was aggravating me.

Gillion just offered a Christmas/Holiday Movie night at her house in December.   It’s the first weekend of December.  Oh I wonder if I could bake something for that weekend.  It will be a week after Thanksgiving and I may have only the Board meeting to do.  I am a cohost and will be bringing wings.

I managed to get dusting done and went grocery shopping around 4; 30 5 pm.  I got a lot of stuff and I got some I didn’t need.  I ran into Susan from the Finding friends Group.  I also met this nice lady whom I kept running into in all the lanes.  It turns out we parked next to each other and had a nice chat.  I finally got home around 6.

I put the groceries away and fed the cats and ate the ice cream.  Later on I had open face grilled cheese.  It was a bad idea.  It didn’t sit well with me.

I spent the evening watching Polar Express.  I think it was a tad early for this but with all the Macy’s Christmas ads and JC Penny Christmas ads and the rest of them why should I be surprised.

Since I didn’t clear off my bed of the laundry, I decided to sleep on the couch.  So I am going to sleep now.