Just Checking-In

Was sick as a dog all weekend. I think I slept for about 16 hours a day for three days. Feel much better but still a little congested. Hopefully I am no longer contagious as I have resumed elder care duties.

In fact I'm off to the store and then back to the elders...

Exile

Woke-up on Thanksgiving morning with a sore throat and a fever. By the end of the day it had morphed into a good ol' fashioned cold. Don't think I've had a cold in over a year - another good thing about retirement and the avoidance of those virus-laden workplaces...

In any event, my bug has put me into self-imposed exile - can't expose the elders to these things. Thus, I missed the family turkey extravaganza although I did send a carrot and sweet potato puree and a chocolate peanut butter pie over via cousin Sandra. Just as I was cooking-up my holiday bacon and eggs a big plate of turkey and all the trimmings was delivered to my door by Andrew and Samantha - my landlord's kids. Delicious.

I still feel crappy this morning - seriously into sniffling and snuffling. But I'm sure I'll be fit as a fiddle in a day or two.

In other news, Sarah Palin did not disavow the possibility of a run for President in 2012 in an interview on Fox. In fact, she coyly mentioned a dream ticket of herself and Glenn Beck. Where can I send a check to support the undertaking of this most excellent adventure?

In a similar vein and further circumstantial evidence that some of our Thanksgiving turkeys may have been spiked with some sort of powerful hallucinogen, Lou Dobbs continued to promote himself as a candidate for President in 2012. Indeed according to Politico, his interview on the Hispanic Network Telemundo was truly surreal.

“I want to engage in a meaningful and constructive dialogue and work with those who will work toward real solutions,” said Dobbs, who once falsely accused illegal immigrants of carrying leprosy into the United States.

Later in the interview, Dobbs made an impassioned plea to the Hispanic community, urging them to reconsider their previous views on him.

“Whatever you have thought of me in the past,” he said, “I can tell you right now that I am one of your greatest friends, and I mean for us to work together.”

One hardly knows where to begin giving thanks for our blessings in the year 2009. Ain't America great?!!!

Baja Update

DATELINE CABO SAN LUCAS....THIS JUST IN....

First report from Dougie and Alison at the Cape:

Pretty good crowd here. A couple of cute college-age girls in front of us in the check-in line couldn't wait for the party to begin and ordered beer delivered from the lobby bar while they were waiting. And who says these kids today have no initiative?

Dougie was a victim of some good ol' fashioned flim-flammery:

On our walk we had the bite put on us in a new way. An American (of course) comes racing across the street at us, and in an out-of-breath voice insists that he needs 200 pesos to get his car out of impound, but he only has 180. He shows us a set of keys and a handful of small bills and change. He was sunburned, of indeterminate age (probably because he clearly wasn't wearing his dentures -which gave him that Walter Brennan look), somewhere bewteen 55 and 75. Anyway, it was a good act and 20 pesos is about $1.60, so I passed him a couple of Washingtons and off he went -- in the opposite direction from where he had earlier indicated his car was jailed. He was, however, headed in the direction of a sports book that I am acqainted with, and I had the feeling he was less intereted in his car than he was in the spread on the Monday night football game. In any event, it was a story and an act worth paying for and, as Augustus McRea once said, but in a slightly different context, 'If a man won't cheat for a poke, he doesn't want one bad enough'."

Sounds like tough duty in Cabo...

In other news, tomorrow is Turkey Day. I will be making side dishes - the classic green bean casserole, sweet potato and carrot puree, an auxiliary ham (auxiliary to sister's turkey), and chocolate peanut butter pie. Cousin Sandra is making a spinach salad and punkin' pie. Linda has got Turkey, mashed taters, gravy, stuffin', and cranberries. Good and good for you. Yum.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

My Mother the Wobbly

Perhaps it's the Percoset talking, but nonetheless, I believe my mother is ambling towards the left-end of the political spectrum at a rate that frankly astounds me.

She's getting into a serious "tax the rich" frame of mind. I heartily applaud the sentiment, of course, but her vehemence is something to behold. On the other hand, I never had to go to bed hungry - and she did - which is a great equalizer in any debate one cares to have on this subject.

My mom was raised in rural Arizona. She did not get enough to eat on more days than she cares to recall. She lived in a shack. For most of her childhood there was no electricity. No running water. I think she had finished the 8th grade when she moved to Juneau in September, 1941. She was fifteen years old. She went to work at the Baranof Hotel - first as a dishwasher and ultimately working in the pantry. She made the sandwiches that one would eat when one flew out of Juneau on a Pan Am flight to Seattle.

My mom has the heart of a lion and is as tough as nails.

Neither one of us understands the health care debate. How can our elected representatives be so stupid? So oblivious to the obvious?

Mom says "tax the rich" - I think she's on to something...

Most Fun in Weeks

A pretty fair day. Did physical therapy on/for mom twice today and I could see a measurable increase in her knee mobility. Think we're up to around 80 degrees...from no more than 70 two days ago. And she's more cooperative...

I was finished with my last PT gig by 4 PM and headed to town for cocktails with Laura Beason, Dougie, and Shelly and John Manguso. Most fun I've had in weeks. Doug was at his debonair best, Shelly and Laura as cute and vivacious as they were 30 years ago, and John witty and amusing.

OK...perhaps I exaggerate just a tad...but it was sure nice to enjoy the company of my contemporaries for an hour or two at least.... Friends are good!

The most amusing story of the evening was last week's winter trek by John and Shelly on North Douglas where they stumbled across a deer begging to be shot. John was carrying a rifle - more for bear protection than for deer hunting - but when they spotted the deer Shelly gave permission to fire. In fact, she was apparently filled with something approaching blood lust - hungering for fresh deer heart and liver. Who would have ever thought?

Unfortunately for them - and fortunately for the ungulate - John's rifle was not equipped with a scope and the sites were ice-encrusted - the deer just stared at them quizzically as John squeezed off four or five rounds.

But it's snowing tonight so perhaps better luck this weekend if they are so inclined...

In other news, I will be ferrying Dougie and Alison to the airport tomorrow as they depart on a two week vacation to Cabo San Lucas. Perhaps Dougie will furnish us with amusing tales from Baja...

One Step Forward...

...and one step back. A tough day yesterday. Mom had both a physical therapist's and doctor's appointments at the Juneau Bone and Joint Center. Cancelled. She just didn't feel well enough to make it. The fundamental problem is that she has been practicing medicine without a license - as she has been doing ever since I have made her acquaintance - decided she didn't need the stool softener as directed. Big problem. So we spent yesterday getting that squared away - the breakthrough came early this morning... She seems much improved today although she still feels queasy.

I am worried about falling behind in the PT department. I put the odds at 50/50 that she will ultimately have to go back to the hospital and under anesthesia to have her scar tissue broken up. She will not like that. Neither will anyone else in the vicinity. But that may well be the course we are on... The physical therapist from home health will finally be able to see her on Thursday. We can only hope that she will be able to make-up for lost time.

Dad is doing fairly well. And he's being more-or-less cooperative. Can change at any moment, of course.

My cousin, Sandra, is in town for ten days so she gets to argue with Auntie. Good luck with that, cuz.

Oh yeah, and today is mom's birthday - 83 years young.

Well, chores are done at the elder's. Gonna check my email and then head to the store. Gonna make a shrimp saute.

The Wind Blew and the Shit Flew

YIKES! A serious shit storm in Juneau last night. Southeast wind and heavy rain caused tree falls, mudslides, and the traditional power outage. Power was out at my place for almost three hours from around 6 AM until shortly after 9 AM. I coped in the most sensible manner I could think of - I stayed in bed.

Two elderly ladies who live down the street from my folks and who are participants in my informal meals on wheels program had a tree fall on their trailer about 4 AM. Fortunately they were not injured and the tree removal guy was there early this morning and a general contractor was working on the crumpled roof before noon. They did not have to move out. This evening I am taking them a dozen oatmeal scotchies for consolation...

Downtown was apparently a mess today with several slides on Gastineau Avenue which also closed South Franklin. One house damaged. A number evacuated. Nobody hurt.

Dad recalls a very serious slide in the same area back in the 30's. He was working for the AJ Mine and had gone to a movie. They paged AJ employees during the movie to get to their equipment to help dig out houses - the slide came all the way down to the beach where the Juneau Cold Storage used to be. That whole hillside in unstable. You can tell where the old slides were by looking at the vegetation.

As for the immediate climatological future...it's snowing at the moment and the prediction is for rain, snow and mixed rain and snow for the foreseeable future. And did I mention dark?

Later kids.

Lou, Lou, My Old Buddy Lou

Adios to Lou Dobbs who has fouled the airwaves on CNN the past few years with his xenophobic Latino bashing and loud-mouthed populist demagoguery - putting me in a black mood on more afternoons than I care to recall as I marched on the treadmill at the Club in mid-afternoon. I generally like to watch the news when I'm marching; but have forsaken CNN in favor of the Food Network as the TV monitor of choice whenever Lou's mug is on screen.

Lou has apparently been playing footsie with Fox News (gee, what a surprise) and has some sort of radio gig planned. Perhaps he can co-anchor a program with a certain former Alaskan Governor we all know and love...

It is one butt-ugly day in Juneau. Rain and serious wind. Gusts to 85 mph at Eaglecrest and a gust of 113 mph on Sheep Mountain. Lovely. The extended forecast calls for mixed rain and snow tonight, then more rain, and possibly some snow early next week. And it's pretty dark by 3:30 PM.

In other news, elder care continues pretty much as previously described. We had a little 911 drill on Tuesday when mom had an allergic reaction to one of her medications. Her eyes got puffy and swollen and her throat began to constrict so it was off to the ER via ambulance. This was the first time she had been in an ambulance and I think she was a little disappointed they didn't use the siren... The medics and ER doc pumped her full on anti-histamines and steroids and she improved rapidly.

Yesterday I took her to her first physical therapy appointment. It went well. The therapist seemed to think that she was NOT all that far behind where she should be at this stage of the proceedings. This morning I get to be the therapist which will be interesting, I'm sure.

Last night I was paroled long enough to enjoy pizza with Joan Kasson at the Island pub. Adult company between the ages of 18 and 65 was a refreshing change.

Well, off to the salt mine...

Woke Up, Fell out of Bed, Dragged a Comb Across My Head...

A day in the life...

Got up around 7 AM. Did my morning routine and headed over to the elders around 8 AM. Mom had an appointment at the doctors at 9 AM - her 10 day post operative check-up. While she and Linda were getting her organized I got dad situated - weigh him, poke him to check his blood sugar, and get him into the living room.

The appointment was fine. Doctor Schwarting is a little concerned with all the bruising; but no bleeding or sign of infection. We jettisoned the leg immobilizer - good riddance to about three pounds of gear.

Back to the house and time to give dad a sponge bath and change his urostomy pouch. Went fine...a minimal amount of grousing. He doesn't think he can get dirty because he "doesn't do anything."

Clean-up the bathroom and pass all the laundry on to Linda for processing. Put ice in mom's "arctic pack" to keep the swelling down on her knee.

Off to the club with a stop to check the folks' mail. A good workout. A message from mom when I'm finished, "Please pick up the scrip at the doctors and take it to the Walmary Pharmacy." Done. A nice chat with Ross Soboloef in the Walmart parking lot - hadn't seem him in a year or so.

Off to Fred Meyers for grocery shopping. Shitty produce. They must not have anything from this week's barge yet. The asparagus was as woody as a raspberry cane.

Drop a few groceries off at my place and pick-up a few things I need for cooking supper at the elders. Back to the elders.

Cook dinner - Asparagus with mustard vinaigrette, peas, red potatoes, Chicken Kiev, and fresh deer heart sauteed in butter with garlic and shallot. Deer heart courtesy of Mr. Dave Gray - and dad and I really enjoyed it.

Wash dishes.

Just got home at 7 PM and in an hour I'll head back to poke dad again and then put him to bed around 9 PM. I think mom will be able to sleep in her bed tonight now that she's rid of the major appliance.

Priority for tomorrow: Arrange for physical therapy. The Hospice and Homecare folks can't get here until the 19th and that's way too long a delay. She needs to see someone this week. I'm guessing that will mean more trips to the clinic.

Kinda tiring. But I feel that I'm actually being useful - which makes it A-OK!

All the Planets are Back in their Orbits

Well, sprung mom from the hospital yesterday afternoon. She was ready to go home! Her left leg is sheathed, wrapped, bandaged, immobilized and water cooled. We have a contraption that outwardly very closely resembles a half-rack sized beer cooler; but is in actuality a "polar pack" designed to circulate ice water around her knee. You fill the cooler with ice and water, fit a pump into the chest, put the lid on with a plastic hose coming out of the pump that connects to a series of plastic tubes wrapped around her knee. Plug the puppy in and it continuously circulates ice water. This is a considerable advancement over the technology we used five years ago when she had her right knee replaced. The old system consisted of two bags of frozen peas which would alternate between her knee and the freezer.

Mom is enthroned in a recliner we moved from the living area to the dining area. She has considerable pain but the meds are controlling it reasonably well. So far...so good... I have no doubt she will successfully captain the family ship from her throne.

I am now sleeping in my own bed but am spending lots of time at the elders. I need to put dad to bed at 9 PM and help him get up and organized in the morning - around 8:30 AM. I'm also in-charge of other intimate dad duties that my sister Linda prefers not to even contemplate.

Dad is very weak and is utterly dependent on his walker for stability and support. He sleeps in a chair in his bedroom. Just getting him into "bed" is a thrash - and somewhat humorous when you think about it. We put a little pillow on the floor in front of the chair for height. I carefully center his "doughnut," an inflatable round pillow with a hole in the center, in the middle of the chair. He then climbs on the pillow on the floor using the walker and my arm for support. I then push the back of the chair forward as far as I can to lower the front of the chair. He then carefully takes aim and plops his ass (hopefully) on the center of the doughnut. Sometimes we have to do this two or three times before we hit the bulls-eye. It's kinda like a game of chance and skill that one might find at Coney Island. Hmmm. Wonder if I could market this?...

Otherwise Linda and I are splitting household duties - cooking, cleaning and so forth. Although we approach virtually everything from very different perspectives, I certainly have come to appreciate her 24/7 trials and tribulations. She's tired and needs a vacation. Mom and dad live a very regimented life - everything gets done in the same order and in the same way every day. Monday through Sunday. Three hundred and sixty-five days a year.

As a semi-outsider I am able to challenge some of the more bizarre and pointless ways of doing things - sometimes with success and sometimes not. Comfort zones are pretty tiny...

In any event everything is chugging along satisfactorily.

In other news, I spoke to daughter Amanda a couple of days ago and she is doing well. Busy, busy, busy. She has decided to stay-on at the camp through next spring although she will have a month off between Thanksgiving and the New Year. Would sure like to see her but I don't know how that's possible given the state of things otherwise...

Leah is not getting as many hours with the Clackamas County Health Department as she had hoped. The swine flu program is operating in fits and starts due to the unavailability of sufficient vaccine. She's had a cold the past couple of days.

Finally, last weekend when I was at the hospital I encountered Kurt West who was in the waiting area with his son poised to become a grandpa and an uncle respectively. I understand all went well and he is indeed now officially gramps. Congratulations to all concerned!

Well, time for a workout. Then the store. I'm cooking steak for the elders this evening.

Very Busy

I've been very busy...just a quick post from my sister's computer while the chicken marinates.

Mom's still in the hospital. She was bleeding from her incision yesterday which concerned the doc. They stopped the blood thinner and today it's much better. She may be able to come home tomorrow.

The other elder is doing fine - or perhaps more accurately he's doing as well as he's going to do. No pain. Good appetite. Looking forward to Game 6 of the World Series tomorrow night. We're both rooting for the Phillies.

Looks like the Democrats are going to be in serious spin-control mode tomorrow. It appears that the off-term elections are not breaking their way. No surprise...and meaningless, of course, but I'm sure the talking head's tongues will be wagging tomorrow.

While I was at the club today I saw some Republican Congresswoman who appeared to be suggesting that the health care reform legislation pending before the House was more dangerous than terrorism to this country. I'm sure that will have tongues wagging as well.

Actually, in one sense I suspect the honourable gentlelady is correct. Certainly for those pols who have been contentedly suckling on the Big Pharma and health insurance company campaign contribution teats; health care reform may well be regarded as a serious threat.

Well, gotta go peel spuds and slice broccoli.

Hope to catch-up with everyone soon...

A Quart Low

Well, life goes on...albeit at a very S L O W pace. Not much going on at the elders. Everything is very routinized...you can pretty much set your watch by the various activities. Dad is doing OK...his weight was down a pound this morning...which is a good thing although he's still retaining lots of fluid.

Mom is doing well at the hospital. They gave her a transfusion yesterday...she was a tad anemic...but that was no surprise since she was a bit on the low side when she went into the hospital. The physical therapist had her walking yesterday and that caused a considerable amount of what the nurse calls "discomfort" and what you and I would call pain. But that's what painkillers are for... Mom wants to come home - and that's a good sign. Perhaps tomorrow or Tuesday.

I'm headed to the store. Gotta get ice cream. Dad clipped a coupon this morning for me and was positively giddy that we would save a couple of bucks. Think I'll buy stuff to make cookies and applesauce - something to keep busy. I can't stand just to sit on the couch...

A real snoozer of a Halloween. Three kids came to the door. The folks' place isn't much for trick-or-treating. No streetlights and no sidewalks. And it was raining. We had a little snow yesterday morning (didn't stick); but this morning it looks like the snow level is around 1500 feet.

TallyHo!