One of Those Nights

I composed this haiku in my head this morning before 7 a.m.

Sometimes you just have one of those nights when you can't sleep.

I Don't Think So

My favorite is "Mary Did You Know" with the Carpenters singing

I pointed out to D that Karen Carpenter died in 1983, before "Mary Did You Know?" was composed. She answered back that she had heard it somewhere but couldn't remember where.

Maybe D heard it from the grave?

from Wikipedia:
"Mary Did You Know?" is a Christmas song with lyrics written by Mark Lowry in 1984, and music written by Buddy Greene in 1991. It was originally recorded by Michael English in 1991.

Restless Night

-  woke around 12:30 a.m.; dozed back to sleep

-  woke couple hours later - old-age body aches and pains - thought about the Italian sausage in the fridge and what I could make with it - pretty clear I'm wide awake

-  2:36 a.m., got up and settled into recliner - read for a little bit - tried to doze - thought about a new blog I might make: Googled and YouTubed how to add a search box to a blog; in my head named the blog, then changed the name and wrote and rewrote my first post

-  turned on TV to see how the Queen's lying-in-state was going; looked like it was it ok so switched off TV

-  twiddled my thumbs

-  4:20 a.m., J gets up; it's a workday for him

-  read my book some more - J finishes with newspaper; I look thru it

-  take a look at Facebook; D has not yet started her series of shares so I guess she's not up yet (she's in Eastern time zone and starts FB shares as soon as she gets up)

-  thinking about watching something that I've dvr'd

-  it's now 5:45 a.m.

It Pays to Shop Around

Early June I had a breast surgery. I came to in Recovery wearing a hospital-issued bra that would promote comfort, support, and faster healing. It was meant to be worn 24/7 until I was told differently.

My first post-op appointment a week later was with a nurse who supplied “wound care.” She asked if I wanted a second bra. If I’m wearing this garment 24 hours a day, a second would be convenient to have.

-  According to my hospital bill, the charge for the bra that I wore home was $146.
-  The charge for the bra from the doctor’s office was $221. The two are identical.
-  The cost of this exact same bra on the company’s website is $49.95.

Coming To*

*Not to be confused with "coming out."

About a month ago I had an unexpected surgery. It was fairly simple, and I was under anesthesia for possibly less than an hour. As I was coming to, I thought I was dreaming. There were no people, no activity, just a lot of frantically moving shards of glass (or something). My dream was lots of moving angles.

I heard someone saying my name. And maybe they also said "open your eyes" 'cause that's how it happens in movies and tv shows. Then I heard, "What is your last name?" I croaked out the two syllables of my last name.

Then I heard, "What year is it?" For some reason, I really wanted to say "two thousand twenty-three," but I correctly replied "two thousand twenty-two" (2022).

Then the surgeon spoke to me before I was wheeled out of the operating room. He told me (1) everything had gone well, (2) there was a lot of fluid, and (3) he was glad he had done the surgery that day and had not waited.

Just more interesting medical stuff that I am experiencing this year.

Guess I'm a Champion

About a month ago there was an obituary in the local newspaper that included: the deceased could "answer Jeopardy questions faster than the contestants."

Well, yeah. The contestants have to wait 'til the clue is completely read by the host. Duh.

I have on very rare occasion given a correct answer to Final Jeopardy when the category is revealed, before the clue is presented.  Now, that would almost be impressive in an obituary.

Book: My Turn

Last night I finished reading Nancy Reagan’s autobiography, “My Turn.” It was interesting and an easy read. I found the chapter on her breast cancer especially à propos in light of my current situation.

She had a mammogram (October 5, 1987) that "showed something" that is "probably malignant." She was told they would need a biopsy, but from what I read it was not done before surgery. She was given the option of lumpectomy or mastectomy, and she chose the latter. She was scheduled for surgery less than 2 weeks later.

She spent the night in the hospital the night before surgery. Jessica McClure was rescued from the Midland well that night. Apparently it was during the surgery the next day (October 17) that they determined her tumor was malignant. She woke from surgery and found she’d had a mastectomy.

The next day she walked in the halls. “Everyone was amazed that I was walking only twenty-four hours after surgery.” The drains came out the next day, and she could take a shower. October 22 she went home.

Wow – so different than my experience. It took almost 4 months from the 1st mammogram until my surgery. Maybe they moved quickly because of who she was. Mrs Reagan went to surgery before knowing if the tumor was malignant. (Altho I had read a book in the 70’s when I was working at Moyer Library, a memoir of a breast cancer survivor. She said she knew her breast had been lobbed off when she asked what time it was, and it was a few hours later than when she’d been taken to the operating room.) Apparently, too, Nancy R’s drains were attached to machinery that sucked the liquid stuff out. Not the plastic bulb like I had for 2 weeks.

Things have certainly changed.

Book was first published in 1989. I would have been interested in reading about life with Ronnie after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

It Takes a Licking .....

..... and keeps on ticking.

These lines are from 1950s-60s TV commercials for Timex watches.  Perhaps it also applies to my Fitbit Zip.  I usually carry my Fitbit in my shorts/pants pocket.  Sunday I discovered I had forgotten to remove it before sending the garment through the washing machine.  This was particularly annoying because just the day before I had mentally cautioned myself to remember to remove the Fitbit to avoid such a fiasco.

My Fitbit has seemingly survived my blunder.  I should try harder to value my mental cautions.

Over $5.00

As they say, there is a first time for everything.

Yesterday was the first time I have ever seen gas priced above $5.00.

Not what one hopes to witness.

Just for Walking Through the Door

I have recently experienced Carle Hospital's/Clinic's double billing.  For one office visit, I was billed  $550 for Physician Services and $300 for Hospital Services.  A total of $850.  I do not understand the concept.

 

Letter to the Editor,
The News-Gazette, 05/27/2022

This is one reason why I avoid Carle.  As the writer of the letter said, a fee "for nothing more than walking through the door" charged simply because they can.

To the World

Although this image does not look familiar, the saying is.  I may have posted it already, but it bears repeating.

The Cat's Meow

This was a post on Facebook yesterday.

Note:  Yesterday was April Fools' Day.

Haiku: Snowflakes

I composed this while walking at the rec center this morning and seeing snowflakes through the windows. Admittedly I don't think of cottonwood fluffs as signs of Spring -- usually see them in May or June -- but that's what the snow made me think of.

Twosday

 02-22-2022

Not only is it a bunch of 2's, but it's Tuesday, too.