Chatting 9-16-2014

No way, Jackie. Your dogs are not spoiled.

I had a dentist appointment yesterday - no cavities. Had a doctor appointment today, just routine. Next will be the mammogram. My life is so exciting.

No surprise, I didn't even see this new thread when I replied to the posts from Karen and Jackie on the previous thread.  

What I posted there (besides lamely trying to defend my own obsessive attention to anything amiss with Ruby) was that I'm rushing to finish some things at work today before going to the airport to pick up my mother.  I plan to take a lot of time off over the next 10 days, but I'll have to come in to work periodically, since there's no one else who can do my job when I'm gone.

Thankfully, the horribly smokey air we had yesterday (due to really bad wildfires and the pattern of the wind all day) has dissipated.  In all the years we've lived here, I don't remember it being that bad before.  It was visibly smokey, it smelled like a campfire, and it was making a lot of us feel some pretty bad symptoms in our eyes, nose, and respiratory systems.  I can't imagine how bad it must be closer to where the actual fires are!

Tina, I think when we reach the ages we are, those medical-related appointments do seem to fill the calendar more than they used to.  I had an eye doctor appt last week, and I go to the dentist Thursday.  Oh, and DH has an MRI tomorrow for his injured arm/shoulder.  Such fun.

wow, they changed the forums again? I haven't been here in a while! And now the quick reply automatically shows the last post in quoted text? ugh.

hope you are all doing well. Not sure this post will go through since the site seems to be slower than molasses in January.

Julie, I've been meaning to tell you about a book I saw that you might like.  It's called What the Dog Knows:  The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs by Cat Warren (no, it's not a joke, despite the author's first name!!).  It's a look at dogs involved in work like S&R, recovery, other police activities.  I guess she wrote it after her experiences on a cadaver team with her GSD who came from a litter of one and needed somewhere to focus his energies.  I thought of you as soon as I read the blurb about it.  I might have to track it down on Amazon for myself!

That's a good book Tracy.

I'll add that book to my LOOOOONG list of titles to read.  One day if I retire, I will really tackle that list!

It's no secret how out of it I am when it comes to technology (I don't have a smart-phone, I don't use Facebook or Twitter, etc. etc.).  Every now and then, I get a huge reminder of just how behind the times I am.  My mother has a layover in Minneapolis today.  She just texted DH to say she's boarding her connection and to get the wine chilling.

My mother is 75 . . . I am a quarter century younger than she is.  She texts.  I do not.  Something is wrong with this picture!   

Bless you Tracy.  You just made my day!  I only graduated from what I lovingly called my dumb phone back in October, and only because my boss was a PITA about getting one.  I can text, but it takes forever even on a smart phone.

So, today was the Independent Medical Evaluation.  My driver picked me up at noon for a 1:40 apt.  Got there about 1:25.  By 1:33 I was finished and out the door, and my poor driver almost dropped his burritto when I walked in.  He'd expected me to be at least an hour, and in my experience with these things, I did too.  Since I had to hire an attorney to even get paid WC, the first thing I did was call her and let her know what a joke the IME was.  3 plus hours travel time for that.

Tracy that author is local to here and I missed an opportunity to hear her speak. Let me know how you like the book.

Kate?? So Kate sent me this turtle tile - it is soooooooooooo awesome. I love it.

Very neat tile, Karen.

Not much excitement here. I'm finally getting my hair trimmed up today. Starting to look like Shaggy.

Not much excitement here, either! Karen, I have a student this semester who loves sea turtles. I encouraged her to visit a rookery if she gets a chance. Good picture!

Tracy, I finally learned to text when my student teachers texted me and I had no clue what to do to answer!  Glenda, I sure hope you get some results soon!  Doug, your pictures from the other day are gorgeous--the little one is getting big! Jackie, it seems Rex clearly knows how soft his bed is supposed to be. I'm glad Belle's tummy is better. They're not spoiled--just well cared for :-)

Not much going on here either.  My therapist was out today and I missed the phone call, but, another one I've never seen had a cancellation and she did the deep tissue massage AND taped the shoulder.  Put me in some funky positions so that the muscles were relaxed and then actually taped them into the relaxed position.  Kind of cool being able to move the shoulder without any thunking or grinding!

Since the ortho I've been seeing....and not one I like one bit....has determined that I should be 100% better by now, I made an appointment for a second opinion in about a week and a half.  This fool actually tried to tell me that the muscle spasms I'm having in the shoulder girdle....where the upper trap is.....are not part of the shoulder girdle!  Ummmm, ok.  Strangely enough, my therapist says it is, online says it is.......Every member of my family has had a bad experience with this particular practice.....if they can't cut, they don't want to be bothered.  And, its a huge practice with almost EVERY ortho in the area connected with the group.  My second opinion is in Albany.  It's worth the trip to get a doc who doesn't see improvement by some predetermined time line.

TGIF!!

@sharismom

TGIF!!

I'll second that!  Even tho I'm working from home, the days can seem really long and hard.  Much more fun to actually go SEE people.

Finally getting in front of the computer for a little while.  Been crazy since my mother arrived Tuesday evening.  

The big news is that DH had an MRI and learned he severed a tendon that goes from his pec muscle to his bicep (I think that's what they said!).  Surgery was recommended by the ortho docs, but not required.  After talking with 2 doctors, 2 physical therapists DH knows, a personal trainer, and a couple coworkers who had similar type injuries, he has decided to have it repaired.  He's simply too active to risk letting it "heal" (as much as a severed tendon can heal on it's own) and end up having significantly reduced use of a chest muscle.

I think Ginger has her surgery Monday, correct?  So along with mustering those iDog good vibes for her hip procedure, I'd appreciate if you could keep them going on Tuesday for DH. He's a little concerned about the recovery:  his job is not physical, but he has to drive for much of the day to work sites for bids and estimates, and the doc is saying no driving.  That might work for a few days, but he's not going to stay home for 4-6 weeks.  Not sure how it'll all work out . . . but at least I was going to be off next week anyway with my mother here, so he won't be home alone those first few days.  

On a much lighter note, that turtle tile is beautiful!  I love it!