Landscaping

 The summer of 2019 was not a good year for tending my garden.  After returning from our Ireland/Scotland vacation during which time would have been good to work in the garden, it was very rainy, too wet to work in the garden.  Unfortunately, the weeds thrived.  I was too involved with doctor appointments and fatigue took over.  Little did I know that it all related to my kidney infection.  My garden never looked so bad.

Time to bite the bullet and have all this mess cleared out.  I called Bluemel's and Igor evaluated the situation.  He would put sod in most of the garden, plant hydrangeas and grasses in front and hostas next to the garage.  He would leave a small planting area next to the front door for a cost of $2,015.64.  He scheduled the work for the first part of November.  On October 31st we had 6" of snow!  Then bitter cold.  So much for my landscaping.  He said it would have to wait until spring.

May 11, 2020

On a bright Monday morning Igor and his crew of four arrived to do the work.  Igor and I reviewed what would be done, then he left to let them proceed.  I was so pleased with their work and the finished effect.  I hung four $20 bills, one for each of the workers; they were very appreciative.  I don't think too many people make that gesture.

Gulf Shores, Alabama 2020

 February 16, 2020. 

 22755 miles

7:45 am. We are on our way on an overcast, cold day 23 degrees.   

On the road again at 11:05 after a substantial breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  That should hold us over until dinnertime. 

Very bright sunshine in Indianapolis. 1:34 pm.

I could have finished another cap in the time it took me to untangle an entire skein of yarn.  What a waste of time.  We switched drivers at a rest stop, but for only a short while. The GPS went haywire whenever Peter touched it.  Then I was driving too fast. It's really better that he drives and I navigate. The rest of the ride went very smoothly, light traffic, excellent roads.

We arrived at the Quality Inn at 6:15 p.m., just as Peter predicted.  Mexican food appealed to us among the myriad of restaurants to choose from.  Plaza Mexican Grill got us seated with some taco chips and hot salsa. We started out with Margaritas then ordered a vegetable fajita for Peter that was very colorful and a fajita taco salad for me that was very good. I got a call from Heather with our condo code, directions and dining suggestions. Beds were comfortable,  room was satisfactory.  It didn't take me long to fall asleep.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

We woke up at 6:30 am. The shower was very good.  We had scrambled eggs that cooled off quickly, sausage patties, toast, an orange,  yogurt and coffee. We were on our way at 8:08 a.m., after filling the gas tank.

The day started off very sunny, then became overcast with a light drizzle.  We stopped for a light lunch at McDonald's and filled up with gas.  The rain got harder the farther we went.  It pretty nearly stopped when we got to Island Sunrise.  We are very pleased with our arrangements, very spacious and we should be very comfortable.  We met Mike and Mary Jane from Eau Claire as we were unloading.  I did my unpacking then we headed for Mikee's seafood, a very casual place.  We shared one pound of broiled shrimp and baked beans, very enjoyable.

Monday,  February 17, 2020

Very foggy, 57 degrees.

We managed to have our breakfast with what we brought from home: oatmeal, milk, cuties, and bananas.  We would have had eggs if Peter had remembered if the X on two of the four eggs meant cooked or raw.   Neither was right, all were raw.

We found a Walmart and bought our supply for most of our two-weeks' stay.  They had everything I needed, but I didn't know how to use the Pay app.  By the time we put everything away, it was time for lunch, with the usual summer sausage sandwiches. We rode to Orange Beach and made a loop, exploring the area.  I made a pepperoni and cracker platter to take down to the 4:00 pm Happy Hour.  The gathering was in a sheltered area with plenty of tables and chairs.   There was a nice assortment of  finger food.  We met a few nice people.  Next week will be the last Monday Happy Hour. There was also a trio playing that added to the enjoyment.  I even joined in a trail dance.

We didn't think about going out to eat, so I made a big kettle of vegetable soup with Texas toast that satisfied us nicely.

I received a beautiful bouquet of roses from Don and Masako on Valentine's Day, and hated to leave them behind.  I wrapped them well and they are gracing our table.

Tuesday,  February 18, 2020

Peter took a walk, I started breakfast.  I put the portabella mushroom in the oven to precook.  REMEMBER TO OIL THE PAN!  I sautéed the garlic, tomatoes and spinach, and when Peter got back and while he took a shower I filled the mushrooms and added the eggs. MAKE A DEEP WELL BY PUSHING THE FILLING TO THE SIDES.  I kept checking the eggs for doneness and they came out perfectly.  This dish is a keeper.

The day was foggy all day, not a hint of sunshine. I sat on the porch and read a while, but mostly stayed indoors.  We warmed up the soup for lunch.

We went to the Drunken Shrimp for dinner, based on the great ratings.  It was very low key. Peter's flounder and shrimp were served in a plastic basket, but there were plenty of shrimp that he shared. My crab cake was served on a plate with very good potatoes and so was the crab cake. Only plastic forks were available.

Wednesday,  February 19, 2020

The day is warm and overcast,  with a promise of sunshine.  We finished  off one jar of juice, sunny side eggs, bacon and yogurt with strawberries.  I'm doing some laundry.

The day was very gloomy; we stayed in all day except to get some mushrooms for my pork recipe.  We found a nice market similar to Publix and also got some bread. I made two thick cut bone-in chops with fried potatoes and broccoli that turned out very well.  We finished  the day playing dominoes.  Peter won,7 games to 6.

Thursday,  February 20, 2020

Today was a real wash out.  To salvage the day and see something,  we drove to Pensacola and the Naval Air Museum. There was a line up of cars that seemed to be turning around. We got as far as the sentry and we had to turn around also.  It's closed. Peter said there was some shooting some time ago. We drove through the downtown area and checked out where Peter will get his oil changed on Monday and drove back home, all in the rain, sometimes pretty hard.

It was getting towards lunch time so we stopped at Bubba's in Orange Beach. Peter had grilled shrimp   I had a combination dinner of shrimp and crab legs with boiled potatoes and sweet corn.  I enjoyed every morsel.  We took two pieces of Key lime pie for home.  It was good to get into our dry condo. I took a nap until a stupid phone call awoke me and then continued reading Before We Were Yours, excellent reading.

Friday,  February 21, 2020

On a cool breezy day, we drove to Bellingrath Gardens.  We walked around a while

before taking the 1:00 pm tour of the mansion. We had a great guide that seemed to be a part of the estate. 

We did a lot of walking and covered a lot of the grounds.

We shared a ham sandwich and ate it outdoors before heading back home.  I made some breaded chicken breasts for dinner.

Saturday,  February 22, 2020

We were expecting someone at 10:00 am to look at our unit, but the place is rented for all of February next year so that won't be necessary.  We were looking for a place to mail a Birthday card, since there is no pick-up at our condo. I spotted a place on our way to Gulf Islands National Seashore.  We passed through Pensacola that was getting ready for the Mardi Gras parade.  We'll have to come through here again when we go for the oil change on Monday.  The headquarters was closed so we drove to Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island.  We were driving along a narrow strip of land surrounded by sand dunes and water.

I showed the Ranger my park pass to get into the fort. We read the posted information and watched a video about the canons and parts of the fort. We headed back to a picnic area by the water.  It was pretty cold, since we were in the shade, plus there were kids yelling on the playground equipment.  Across the street were many picnic shelters that would have been warmer.  I took a few pictures before heading back.  I tried taking a nap when we got back, but there is a lot of outside noise.  We went to the Oyster House for dinner. We had very good service and I enjoyed my combination of fried oysters and shrimp. Its hard keeping warm.

Sunday,  February 23, 2020

We had scrambled eggs mixed with bacon, yogurt with bananas and strawberries,  toast and coffee. We were not too early for the 10:30 am mass at Our Lady of the Gulf; we squeezed into a pew, but there were a lot of people standing.  We did some grocery shopping at Rouses and picked up a paper at Walgreen's.  We finished off the soup and some sandwiches at lunch. The day was getting very nice and  warm with a lot of sunshine. We gathered our gear and parked in the lounge area near the sand dunes.  There is a wooden bridge going to the beach in order to preserve the vegetation.

I still haven't seen the beach.  We are evaluating some of the pluses  and minuses of this place

I think it's too noisy, being on the main street.

The pool is poorly located, always in the shade.

There is no bathroom on the main floor.

No mail pick-up

We like the coded entry system

It is near everything. 

We were outside until almost 4, when it started getting overcast.

We had pizza for dinner.

Monday, February 24, 2020

We had Cheerios, yogurt with bananas for breakfast before heading for Anderson Subaru for an oil change.  Good thing we allowed more time, because we hit a traffic snag and we were at a standstill. A lot of cars were turning around for an alternate route.  Peter did the same and we didn't have far to go for a parallel road.  We got there with 5 minutes to spare. Very good service got us out in about an hour and a half.

We headed for Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park and Cultural Center. On the way we found a Ruby Tuesday and shared shrimp fajitas.  We were really pleased to have two apiece with our own container of hot shrimp filling plus toppings. We could have parked closer to the center, as we had a little farther to walk in the light rain. The Temple Mound was closed but we enjoyed the museum. It was compact and nicely arranged with a collection from the area's prehistoric Native American cultures. We stayed until the 4 PM closing and headed back in the rain and heavy traffic.  As we approached the high bridge, Peter said, “The rain stopped, Sweetheart”. In less than a minute, the skies opened up and there was a downpour that lasted almost until we got home.  We shed our wet clothes while I put together a quick supper of fried potatoes,  ham steak and a salad.  

Fat Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Cut-up ham in scrambled eggs with toast, yogurt and bananas made a hardy breakfast before we headed to the Mardi Gras parade. We found a place near the curb and I went to the Dollar Store to borrow a shopping basket to invert as a seat; Peter went back to the car for blankets. By the time he came back the crowd had moved close to the hastily erected fences. Some ladies were very kind and offered their chairs while we waited for the parade to start.  The day was overcast and warm; we were comfortable in light jackets.  We had a prime viewing site as the parade passed

I took pictures as Peter gave high fives to the marchers and caught beads.  It was a lot of fun.

We went back for chicken bacon tomato sandwiches.  Took naps.

Looking for rentals in this area to take advantage of next year's Mardi Gras,  I saw that most condos were rented during those dates.  We found a beautiful place in Fort Walton Beach and secured it.

Wednesday,  February 26, 2020

Cold and very windy. I wrote to Annika and we stayed in until it was time to go to the Cobb Theater for the 2:00 pm showing of "The Godfather".  Peter never saw it.  There was only one other couple in the theater.  We got out just after 5, in time for dinner. Fish River Grill was in the neighborhood  next to Rouses. I had a shrimp platter with a pint of pineapple Margarita; Peter had blackened catfish.

Thursday,  February 27, 2020

The sun woke me up at 6:45, very bright but cold.  Peter went for a walk along the beach.  

We stopped at the Visitor's Center to pick up their literature, even though we'll be leaving on Saturday.   It was a beautiful facility with lots of brochures and attractions. As I was waiting for Peter, the attendant gave me a discount coupon for the battleship Alabama and museum in Mobile.  It was only a 55  minute drive so that seemed  like a good idea. 

We did a self-guided tour of the ship, the museum with many aircraft and a lot of video stations showing various battles and operations, including 911.

Next we boarded the submarine Drum, and I struggled going through a number of passageways where I had to crawl through each doorway.

  

We stopped at a restaurant, but changed our minds when we had so much food at home.  We weren't hungry after Peter polished off his takeout from yesterday, potato salad, kielbasa and fried onions and a salad. 

Friday, February 28, 2020

Cold and windy. Stayed in most of the day.  Did some laundry, started packing, cleaning up.  We bundled up to watch the sunset at 5:49 p.m..  We had to walk up to the water's edge to see it, because buildings blocked the view.  There were a few brave souls also out there, but not for long. We had dinner at the Island Grill.  I started out with a great martini.  I had grilled shrimp with a grilled pineapple slice and other sides; Peter had another shrimp dish.  We saved the best for the last. The staff greeted us just great, with high fives and a wonderful service.  The bartender jumped for joy when I gave her a dollar for a great martini: people at the bar also gave her a cheer.

Saturday February 29, 2020 

7:08 am We are leaving our condo, heading for the Diner, 49 degrees. The diner was very bright and clean. We each had eggs, ham, hash browns and a biscuit with coffee, surrounded by music blasting from the 50s.  Now I appreciate my quiet breakfasts even more.  Leaving Streamliner at 8:10; 57 degrees, and very clear sunny skies.

The roads are excellent and traffic is light.  We stopped at a rest stop and found a sunny spot to have our lunch. We had plenty of odds and ends with some left over. We had only one backup,  but once we got passed it we had smooth sailing. We got to the Quality Inn at 5:00 pm, rested a while before deciding where to go for dinner.  We could almost have walked to the Rice Box, a cozy Asian restaurant in a strip mall.  The Mongolian Beef with two helpings of brown rice that we shared was plenty, along with a pot of tea.

Sunday,  March 1, 2020

On the road at 8:08 am, 37 degrees, a mild, clear day. Quality Inn breakfast should hold us for a while. Roads are very good, but traffic is heavier than I expected.  We made a rest stop in Indiana thinking we could polish off some leftovers in the 59 degree temperature, but it was very windy.  We've had luck with city parks and Google found one in Lafayette, but it looked like it was in someone’s backyard.  We settled for a McDonald's and headed back on the freeway.

Before getting home we stopped at the Brat Stop in Kenosha and enjoyed a nice cold beer with delicious hot dogs.  Really hit the spot.

z

Virus-free. www.avg.com

Happy 2000

 Peter and I were really planning on spending New Year's Eve at my house with a dinner and watching videos.  I especially don't like going out when the weather will be bad and coming home late at night.  Peter did suggest going out to an early dinner, but I didn't care for that idea either.  At the Vagabond breakfast Ron asked if we were signed up for the Vagabond party; we said "no".  He urged us to sign up.  We both looked at each other and started thinking about it, but not for very long.  What the heck; let's do it.  I signed up on line on Sunday. 

Peter picked me up at 7:30 with five yellow roses. I was overdressed in my black gown and jacket.  I changed into a more casual outfit.  Ron was very pleased to see us.  We sat with Marilyn and Jim, Janice from dominoes, Mary, Gail and another woman.  The music was very good, with alternating fast and slow pieces and good volume.  There were relishes with chips and pretzels, then ham sandwiches and coffee with small cakes.  We danced a lot.

  Ron passed out hats and noisemakers for the midnight fanfare along with champagne.  All in all, it was a very pleasant evening.  Going home was not at all bad with a clear, crisp night.

We had eggs, toast, tangerines, stolen and coffee for breakfast.  We watched the Rose Bowl parade and football games.  The featured game was the Rose Bowl where the Badgers lost to Oregon.  It was disappointing, but with fumbles, an interception and penalties, they were bound to lose.

Christmas 2019

 My Christmas began with Claude making pierogi on Christmas eve.  Claude came over the night before to mash potatoes and mix the filling.  The garage was too warm to keep the filling overnight, so I had to make room in the frig. 

The next day we started about 9:00 am and made 105 almost perfect pierogi.  We had about four split, not at the seam seam, but in the middle,  Perhaps the dough was stretched too much.

I lectored at the 10:00 pm mass after enjoying and singing carols along with the choir.  There was a pretty good attendance at the mass.

I had a very nice breakfast, but I think Sendik's Polish sausage was a little too salty.  I filled my table favors and set everything aside for our afternoon with the Dorns. 

I was at Peter's house at 1:30 and we took some pictures.

The temperature hit 60 degrees.  We don't have Easters that warm. 

Michele and Kevin were at Janice and Brad's and we had a warm greeting.  But then it went downhill.  I make sure I have fresh batteries in my hearing aids so that I catch all the conversation, but I should have removed my hearing aids.  After a while Michele's voice got the better of me...non-stop.  Laura contributed delicious appetizers

I prepared the pierogi

and we had a very complete dinner.

Beside the pierogi, Janice had a vegetarian meal of beans, fruit and a broccoli salad.  We finished everything off with an assortment of cookies.

Janice had some pull toys that made a noise with little tokens inside, plus crowns.  Here we are, minus Laura, because there is always too much fuss when I pull out my tripod.  Annika was also missing, since she was spending the day with her boyfriend.  Aleksei Skyped us from CA.

Celebrating Life and My Birthday

 October 30, 2019

Even though it was a month past my birthday, we celebrated it today together with my recovery from my kidney operation.  On a beautiful fall day, even though overcast, we started with luncheon at Eddie Martini's.  I had stroganoff; Peter had salmon.  The meals were delicious and the service impeccable.  We lingered and were in no hurry.

Next we drove close to Holy Hill to view an outstanding Halloween display, very humorous.

We thought Fox and Hounds would be open to have another drink, but they open at 4:00 pm.  So we drove to the Corners at Brookfield to see the shops.  Parking was scarce, almost like Bayshore, with mostly boutiques.  A dessert and coffee would finish our day, so we stopped at a place that looked like it specialized in bakery.  The selection was nothing to rave about.  I had a small apple pie; Peter had a lemon poppy seed cake that he said was dry.  We walked across the street to a very large Sendik's and were sorry we didn't have our dessert there.  There was a nice eating area with a lovely selection of bakery.  I bought a few groceries.  We drove to Peter's house where I had parked my car, and I drove home. 

What a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

We need to do this more often.  Instead of having a dinner shen the day is over, by having a lunch with something else to do really makes for a longer time together.

Kidney

 July 14, 2019
I don't know exactly when this all started, but I felt some pain in my back, thinking that I pulled a muscle or strained myself somehow. I would favor my right side when sleeping, but could sleep on my left side if I was in the right position.  I felt a dull pain, but nothing that I was overly concerned about. Towards the end of our Ireland/Scotland trip I felt a small growth on my left lower back. I made an appointment to see Dr. Gudamaraj on July 19.  She didn't seem overly concerned and asked if I bumped or injured myself in some way; I did not.  She ordered an ultrasound for Friday the 21st.  The results were negative.  Next, she ordered an MRI which was scheduled for July 2?. I needed to give a lot of medical information, which included a stent that was put in some years ago. A few days before the MRI I got a call from scheduling to get more information about the stent, like what was the model number. I said that was the most ridiculous question that I ever heard.  How would I have that information?  I pulled up my spreadsheet and gave her the exact date and doctor that did the procedure, 9/7/2008?  Still they would have to reschedule, but this time at St. Luke's on July 9th.  By this time the small growth had more than doubled in size, was red and very painful. I was in pain driving when I put pressure on my left side; I sat with a pillow on my right side to ease any pressure on my left.  I had no ambition, and just was idle most of the day.  Only Peter knew of my condition and he was alarmed when he saw the growth. 

Usually it takes a couple of days for the radiology results to get to the doctor, then the patient. At 9:00 am on Wednesday, the day after the MRI, Dr. Gundamaraj called and said that I should see a urologist as soon as possible, or check into West Allis Emergency to get started with tests immediately.  The latter seemed the most sensible, so I ate a quick breakfast, got myself ready, called Heather to see if Lanie could take care of Dolly, called Jerry to look after the house and called Claude and Janice, with instructions to not inform Laura and Jay who were on a dream vacation in the UK.  

I checked into West Allis at 11:5 on July 10th. I was directed to an emergency room and put through a lot of preliminary tests that included a CAT scan.  When someone first looked at my back he said, Whoa! we don't see that too often.  The cat scan revealed that I had a fluid buildup around the kidney, a huge kidney stone and infected kidney.  I would not be leaving.  

A nurse practitioner explained what was going on and I would have to have a surgical procedure to drain the fluid and antibiotics to combat the infection.  They did that under some anesthetic before I was assigned a room.  I might have some of the sequence mixed.  I called Terry as all this was going on and she is very concerned.  I was able to order some food, barbequed chicken breast, before 7:00 pm.  I was hooked up to two drainage tubes in my back and one IV in my arm.  My back is a little painful, especially trying to sleep.  I was monitored frequently all through the night.

July 11, 2019
I had problems getting in and out of the bed with these tubes iny back.  Meal service is very strange.  We can call 3663 from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm and order from various items in the menu.  It takes about 45 minutes for our tray to be delivered.  Toast is barely brown and limp.  I didn't have much if an appetite.  Lunch wasn't much better, with grilled ham and cheese barely grilled.  An infection specialist came and said that I had a very serious infection and should be much sicker than I am.  Everyone is amazed at how well I'm doing with that infection. I'm very closely monitored, but am able to move without as much discomfort.  Other than the needles in my back, I have no other pain.  I received Holy Communion.

Friday, July 12.
More of the same basic routine.  A nurse practitioner associated with the urologist came to see me to prepare me for what the urologist would tell me, that my kidney is so infected that it would have to be removed.  That was a shock. I called Claude, but not Janice because she was planning to come for a visit.  I was surprised when Claude came first.  Janice came with Brad before picking up some things from my house.  Janice brought some red grapes.  Janice was extremely concerned about the surgery and would like to grill the doctor about other options. My nurse took Janice's number and said she would have the doctor call her when he comes to see me.  

Saturday, July 14
Dr. Kadalac came to see me and he made a three-way call with Janice.  He told us that my left kidney is non-functional and I'd either have to live with a drainage tube which would limit my mobility or have the kidney removed and I could have a normal life.  He said that it's a very serious surgery with risks, with possible fatality.  He was very thorough, and I think Janice is satisfied that I am making the right decision.  My IV wasn't working, so they had to find another vein.  I was like a pincushion with all the probing and poking they did. They could see a vein, but it would roll away. It took a few people to finally find the right spot.
I spend most of the day reading, very little TV.  I'm in a very quiet corner room.

Sunday, July 14, 2019
My IV was causing some problems because it is in the crook of my elbow and I shouldn't ben my arm when it's connected.  But I get the antibiotics for only 30 minutes at a time.  A Eucharistic Minister from Blessed Sacrament gave me Holy Communion; naturally he knew the Zienteks.  
The plan is for me to go home tomorrow and will be getting nursing care until my surgery is scheduled.
Janice called either Saturday or Sunday suggesting that the surgery didn't seem urgent and I should wait until Laura, Claude and she were with me for this serious surgery.  I said that I would discuss it with the surgeon.  Had a hard time sleeping wondering how I'll manage with these tubes hanging down, and will I survive the surgery.

Monday, July 15, 2019
A very confusing morning. I am scheduled for discharge today. The urologist nurse practitioner told me what would be happening and it looked like surgery wouldn't happen for a few weeks, which would be good news for Janice who wanted it later.  Then shortly after the infection specialist came and said he would like it to be sooner instead of later.  He explained the different procedures to me, but now wanted to confer with the urologist to see what's the best way to proceed.  My daily visiting doctor was also in the room, Dr. Takele.  Then Dr. Tamale talked to me privately and said the CAT scan showed a mass around my liver and gall bladder and they don't know what that is. When I get to St. Luke's they will so another scan.  It might be a tumor.  The blood just drained all the way down with that news.
I had more scheduling and rescheduling.  It looks like we will be sticking to the original plan with Dr. Kadilac. I had another tube inserted to take the place of the other IV.  It was done in the room by Monica under sterile conditions.  It was rather painless.  The social worker came to go over my home care options. The co-pays would be $200. a week, plus medicine, and she couldn't begin to put a price on that. I opted for outpatient care, which means I would have to drive to West Allis Hospital every day.

July 24th, 2019

Janice and Brad were in Eagle River and always manage to get together with Jim and Carol, also Rodney and Mary.  Janice asked me if I could tell them of my medical problem and I said that she could.  Rod didn't waste any time by suggesting that I get a second opinion.  He would contact someone at Froedert, Dr. Peter Langenstroer if I would like to do that.  I gave him my name and birth date and the process was started.

August 8, 2019  Second Opinion

Claude met me at Froedert to meet with Dr. Langenstroer.  I had the preliminary test on vitals before an assistant talked to me, then Dr. L.  He said that the treatment I was getting was excellent and that I was making good progress.  He also gave me another option.  I could have a drain put into my kidney to see if it produces urine; that also involves a bag.  If it produces enough urine, the kidney may not be that far gone.  After that the kidney stone that is the cause of all my problem would have to be removed surgically.  If the percentage of urine would determine how salvageable the kidney is.  Otherwise, it would have to be removed.

August 15, 2019 Nyphsostomy

I was check on at Froedert by noon and prepped for my procedure. One of the original tubes was not positioned correctly and wasn't doing an effective job.  One tube was removed and another inserted.  It was not painless, a lot of pushing and probing.
I'm in a recovery room getting the best of care.  My blood pressure was getting on the high side, which was of some concern, but eventually stabalized.  Other vitals were all good.  I did not have any pain following the procedure,  was able to eat and sleep well.  I t seems that all I want to do is sleep, and even after sleeping so much during the day, I sleep soundly at night, even with the interruptions to checm vitals.

1. I was scheduled to go home on Friday, but when I got up to go to the bathroom my nurse had to steady me because I was losing my balance.  I felt slightly feverish for a short while and it was verified.  A couple of meds came and said that I needed to stay a couple more days.  Then I was moved to a regular patient room on the 9th floor with a nice view.  Aides helped me walk holding a belt, and I took a short walk in the hall.  Janice and Brad came to visit after Colin's baseball game.
2. During the night I went to the bathroom a couple of times with no problem.  By morning, I was told I could be discharge.  Because this is a teaching hospital there is a parade of people in and out of the room and checking vitals and my back.  Unfortunately,  the left kidney is not producing urine, absolutely none.  The discharge went very slowly, with all the directions to prepare.  Finally I was wheeled directly to my car.  I drove to West Allis to make my future appointments,  but Out Patient was close

 August 19, 2019  Cardiologist

On one of my recent visits to Dr. Gundamraj I said that I was short of breath.  Shr recommended an ultrasound of the heart and to see a cardiologist.  She also gave me a prescription.  Since I've been om antibiotics,  I'vs noticed that my breathing is easier and I can do more things.  So I figured my problems were all related to my kidney infection. 
I had my IV treatment, but the bags and dressing of the tubes is my responsibility.   Terry keeps offering to help, so here's her chance.
I had my appointment with Dr. Kostopoulis at St. Luke's and the report wasn't very good. He was able to pull up my ultrasound that was never forwarded to to Gundamraj and showed me the irregularities that he was seeing.  I have some heart problems and he would like to do a special procedure, some catherization to thread a line from my wrist to my heart, but I don't remember what that's supposed to do.  The doctor recommended having a family member accompany me on my next visit in four weeks.  This could also determine if my heart could survive the kidney removal operation.  He said that I should be taking Ensure to increase my protein, because lack of protein causes fluid to build up around the heart.

 

 

 

 

The Wheels of Justice Need Oiling

 April 8, 2019

I was summoned for jury duty today and tomorrow.  I left my house at 8 00 am, but could have allowed extra time for rush hour traffic, parking and security.  Another woman asked me directions and we ended up asking a man who led us on our way.  There was a long line through security, then to the jury assembly room where we checked in and found a seat.  There were a number of jury rooms where some of us watched the information on TV: how important we are, how grateful the county is for our service. etc.  

After some waiting a group of about 25 people were called along with a number.  In the hall, there are  numbers on the floor and each person stands on his/her respective number.  I got called along with 15 others about 11:00 am.  A sherriff took us to Judge Dugan's courtroom where we waited in line until we were admitted.  I'm  Juror 9 and sat in the second seat of row 1. This was going to be a two-day civil trial where only six jurors and one alternate were required, and the decision did not need to be unanimous. We were asked many questions and raised our hands if our answer was affirmative.  The judge said the next group of questions would take longer than 15 minutes, so we were given instructions for lunch and court would resume at 1:30 PM. I walked to the museum to get my parking ticket validated.  I could have gone through the museum and it would have been shorter.   It was a beautiful, sunny day.  I had a hot dog with my water and found my way back.

We assembled after 1:00 PM until someone opened the door to the jury room.  We didn't get summoned until after 2:00 PM and waited again almost 15 minutes to get into the courtroom. The questions continued followed by each of us standing, giving our name, marital status, children and their ages, occupation, where we live and our hobbies.  Next the prosecuting attorney asked a series of questions to one I answered that our drunken driving laws are too lenient, especially for repeat offenders.  Some other jurors concurred with my remarks.  Then the defense attorney asked his questions and singled me out about how I felt about first offenders.  I thought first offenders should be given some consideration.  When the questions were over, the attorneys and judge went into her chambers and stayed there for about 15 minutes, with instructions that we weren't to talk among ourselves.  When they came back, the attorneys passed the jury list back and forth, where each would strike out jurors.   Finally the list was given to the judge who told the juror numbers to stand when called.  I was not called.  We walked back to the jury assembly room where we started our day.  I did some knitting, but it was like watching a room of zombies.  Most were on their phones, some reading magazines from the rack, others just staring in space.  No one talked to each other, with the exception of a woman who asked about Master Gardening as my hobby, and I told her about the plant sale.  One large group was called to the desk, and I was the last one called with a small group.  My jury duty is over!

I had  no trouble finding my way out, but I walked farther than I  needed to find my car.  I need to write my location.