Damn It's Hot!

Y'all are probably real tired of this heat song and dance... We were cooler today than yesterday however, 103 as opposed to 107 yesterday. All temps you read here are Fahrenheit because I was a generation late to learn Celsius as well as Fahrenheit and too damn lazy to remember the conversion ratio. All I know is the heat is wiping out our garden.

We are on water rationing and can only water every other day except on Wednesday and Thursday then no one is to water on those days. We can run the sprinklers on our day until 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m. We can hand water on any day if you can stand to stay out and water long enough to do some good. I got up yesterday at 7 a.m. to let the girls out and stayed up and watered and even did some weed eating around the fence and the trailer. I just am about to get on my own last nerve with being cooped up between the heat and the feeling lousy so I just said to heck with it and way overdid yesterday. I am paying for it today but the good news is that I think they finally got the injection in the right spot in my hip as I've been able to get up without the quick hitch of pain and trying to get straightened up to walk without looking like Grandpa McCoy... It is so nice to move without pain grabbing me.

So this is my basic report for today. It is also nice to WANT to sit down and drop you all a note so that is a good sign. Of what I'm not sure other than it is nice to want to do something.

Oh yes, I wanted to tell you that the cucumber that had hidden from me long enough to take on the reddish hue, for those of you that wanted to know, it had taken on a bit of a bitter, strong taste so it didn't make it into a salad.

You all try to stay cool... or stay warm for you all that are down under. Catch you next post!

Good News, Bad News...

Today was the day I went to see the orthopedist for the results of my MRI. The good news is that there is NOT a tear in the cartilage like the nurse told me. I have a cyst. I was surprised by that and didn't think to ask how big the cyst was and was it in the cartilage. I have to assume that it was not at all big because he didn't say we need to get it out of there. He said we could try another injection or he could order an abdominal/pelvic cat scan to try to get a different look at the area to see if there was something else he wasn't seeing. I told him that they had done that test when they were first trying to figure out what caused the liver readings to go up. Since it was done at Norman Regional Hospital he said he could get those and go over them.

I told him that my GI had ordered a liver biopsy because, while two of the enzymes or whatever they are called had headed back down, the one the GI was concerned the most about had gone up some more. I told him that the GI had said this particular enzyme could be elevated by a problem in either the liver or bone and he said the name right off the bat. And naturally since I didn't write it down I can't remember what he called it but he is going to look at the lab results also. What we decided to do was inject me again because they obviously missed the hot spot the first time and I'm to call him after I get the liver biopsy results to remind him to pull those up and see if they might give him a clue as to whether or not it might be bone/hip related.

I told him that we needed to figure out something because I had to go buy me some granny panties because where my bikinis like I prefer to wear rode in the area of the hot spot and would often make the pain worse and I was too young to be having to wear granny panties. He and his PA that was in the room getting the shot drawn up both cracked up and she allowed as how she hadn't heard that term in a long time. You know me, when I'm fretting about something I have to pop a funny.

So not having a tear is good news but the bad news is I don't have a tear and don't know yet what is causing the pain so it is more hurry up and wait for the liver test results. So that is what we are gonna do. I told Carol that I've about had it with all this crap. I've been very cautious about how I walk, not carrying heavier stuff, not digging in the garden and I'm about to say screw it. If I'm hurting I might as well carry on with my life and do some of the things I haven't been doing but have been wanting to do. If I hurt, I hurt. If I hurt too bad I'll take pain drugs but I hate feeling useless and not making my keep around here.

So I'm putting all this on the back burner of my mind and all I'm going to worry about now is whether or not I'm gonna get my social security check next month. In fact I think, just for the hell of it, I'll blame all this crap on the politicians. After all they are the ones stressing me out now...

I'll keep you posted on it all.

Dag Nab It All...

These are cucumbers that I picked a couple of days ago. The one on the left that is reddish looking had been hiding real good. I'm curious to see if it tastes 'woody' like okra that is too big. I'll let you know.

What I was dag nabbin' it all about was my GI. I called yesterday to make an appointment to find out the results of the biopsy and she made the appointment on Aug. 11th... I asked why so long because at the hospital they said the doctor would get the results in two to three days. The girl said 'oh they have to do several different stains for the tests the doctor ordered'. Well, bull pucky. I figure he's gone on his vacation and they didn't want to say that the doctor would be out of the office when they know they have a worried old crotchety woman on the other end of the phone. So no results until that time. My sister Sue, who is a pediatric nurse practitioner, said he must not be thinking it's the big C word or they would have expedited all of the tests so maybe no news is good news. That is how I've got to look at it to stay somewhat sane and not become a total blithering idiot.

Monday I go see my orthopede to find out options for the torn ligament in my hip so at least I can get something settled in my head about that and barring any other idiocies that my body decides to pull on me it will then be hurry up and wait for biopsy results.

It's hotter than the dickens here in Oklahoma... I know it's a good excuse to stay in but I'm getting cabin fever. I think today is the 29th day of +100 F. heat here in Oklahoma. Unfortunately the heat cap over Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, etc. is moving slowly, and I mean slowly to the east. Am I the only person that thinks our weather has gotten really wacky in the last 20 years? Used to be you'd pretty much know when spring, summer, fall and winter was going to come around. Now it seems like it's a crap shoot like this year we seemed to go from winter to summer with the early heat.

I'll try to come up with something other than medical ails and how hot it is on my next post. I swear I do have other things to talk about that are way more interesting. Thank you for hanging in there with me...

Done!!!

My liver biopsy is done, done, done and it turned out to be much less of a deal than what I had imagined in my imaginative mind. I got to the hospital early for my 9 a.m. appointment. They got me registered, identity bracelet and paperwork done then sent me to the lab because there were lab tests they needed done before the procedure could be done. Okay, I didn't expect that but blood draws had never particularly bothered me... until today.

I don't know if I drew a newbie phlebotomist, a young man, but it seemed my veins decided to duck and cover. He first tried on my right arm. No blood. So he tried moving the needle around in my arm, not a pleasant thing. He gave up finally on that attempt and I told him it wouldn't bother me if he wanted to try the veins in my hands. I'm one of those folks who have veiny hands and feet, so he tried on my hand. Nope, no dice. So a lady that I assumed was his supervisor came in and she tried my left arm. By this time I think every vein in my body was practicing the stop, droop and roll method generally used if your clothing catches on fire. No luck. She finally switched to the smaller needle called a butterfly that has a tiny plastic hose from the needle to the port where the put the tubes in to collect what they need. She went back to the back of my right hand and hit pay dirt or blood as it were...

I walked out of the lab to the waiting room with my right arm looking like a cotton freak had decorated it. It was kind of interesting seeing the looks of other patients waiting to be called in for their draws. Then the lady who would be my nurse for the procedure called me back to do her paperwork. We did all the questions, signings and all that stuff and she went on the computer to get the results of the blood work. It wasn't there. The last entry was back in March so she got on the phone and then ended up having to go to the lab to track my blood down. I just groaned. No way did I want to go through that again today. She found the blood and the results that she needed to continue the process. So away we went.

We went down to the lower level of the hospital, the nuclear medicine area, where they have the cat scans and MRI equipment, got me all set up for the cat scan including getting the medicine port in my arm on the first try, thank you Lord, and they got the cat scan photos they needed for the doctor to see where he wanted to go and get his samples. Then it was wait on the doctor while laying on that narrow table... about 15 minutes. Went right along with the rest of my morning. He was kinda cute though when he did get there... I asked him if he had a good lunch and he said actually he hadn't eaten yet but that oddly enough he usually has had his lunch by 11 a.m. because his day starts early but he had a couple of procedures before mine that took longer than expected. I forgave him... like I said he was kinda cute and not pretentious at all.

So I got my little shot of kickapoo joy juice, the doctor deadened an area on my side where he was going in for the samples, I drifted a bit and it was all done. I was carted to recovery where I finally got something to drink and then about an hour later they brought me lunch, a burger and fries and apple pie. I don't know if it was as good as I thought it was but after no food or drinks from midnight the night before, it tasted pretty dang good. They kept me in recovery longer than with most procedures, checking my blood pressure and other vitals every 15 minutes and checking the bandage that was on the area where the doctor went in for the biopsy to make sure there was no excessive bleeding. Finally they cut me loose about 3:30 p.m. It was a long day. I came home with instructions to do no lifting or straining for the next 24 hours which is obviously no problem for me. I'm to call my GI in the morning to make an appointment to get the results of the biopsy which should be to him by Friday at the latest so we have more waiting but at least I'm through the procedure.

Don't 'cha just love blow by blow medical procedure descriptions? I can guarantee it was more fun for you all than it was for me, until the blood draws were finished anyway. The rest was kind of interesting. Thank you for your good wishes, prayers and sending me the light. It went a lot easier than I thought it was going to go. As soon as I get the results I will share those as well.

Farm Report, Obit And Happy Flowers...

Things are looking bleak for my 'good day' cucumbers. We are on our 27th day of + 100 F. heat and most days there has been at least a 5 to 10 m.p.h. wind to further dry things out. I tried to make sure that I was getting both the 'good day and bad day' plants the same amount of water but the way the 'good day' plants have faded I must have miscalculated. I'm still gonna pour the water to the 'good day' to see if I can bring it back because the first cuke that Carol found was very good flavor, not at all bitter and Carol is the connoisseur of cucumbers in this house. I enjoy them in salads but I don't have the discernment of flavors like Carol.
This poor brown twig is my wigelia. It couldn't withstand the heat. It is a first year plant, it even flowered for me but it was one the tail end of where our sprinkler range was and it got even less water than the good day cucumber, and this was the result of me being down or having doctor's appointments and not checking every day. Needless to say I repaired the cut hose and now can get water to the far end of the back yard but I'm afraid I'm too late for this youngster.





Now here are the 'bad day' plants. There are two of them that came up as opposed to three 'good day' plants and these are going nuts. They got more water due to the hose being okay where they were but I'm amazed at how many blooms and babies cukes are loaded on these two plants. So, Tipper, while my experiment with planting by the signs was flawed this year due to my health problems but hopefully if you do another experiment next year you will keep me in mind... after all, you got me back to blogging and I can't thank you enough for that.


The flowers on one of the bad day plants. The leaves are mostly looking good. There are a few burned up leaves but for the most part it is holding up good.

Be sure to drop by Tipper's blog, Blind Pig And The Acorn, to explore how other intrepid gardeners have done with their experiment. There's always good stories, good music and recipes.







The white cone flowers are loving the heat.













As are the pink cone flowers...
















The plumbago and the yellow and white lantana are enjoying the heat.


















I love the blue with the yellow and white...














And, of course, the sunflowers are loving the sun and the heat.

You know I'm not loving the heat. I have trouble dealing with it so I stay in most of the day. I go out and move the sprinkler around and go back in the house. Then later in the evening I do hand watering if it's needed. Carol gets up way earlier than I do and she goes out and waters early in the morning so that is probably why we've managed to keep the things alive that we've kept alive so we are a pretty good tag team when it comes to gardening. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this Sunday stroll. Come back and visit anytime.

Update And Update...

The first cucumber... and I didn't find it. Carol was out in the yard and she checked out the vines and found this fat little guy. Being the size queen that I am you know I have to put something in the photo for you to be able to get an idea of the size hence the cellphone. Carol is cutting it up for salad so I will be able to give you a report on it's tastiness. This came off the 'bad day' vine which is probably triple the size of the good day vines now. I tried to make sure they were both getting the same amount of water but the only thing I can figure is I misfigured on that facet of their growing. We had 21 consecutive days of 100 F. heat or higher, only getting broken yesterday when we, thank God, got about 2 inches of rain. It has been hard getting water to everything on a daily basis. I have felt so punk that Carol has had to do the major portion of the yard with the exception of the garden and I have managed to go out and set the sprinkler and move it periodically. I've done some of the weeding and grass pulling but Carol has done a whole lot more and from her wheelchair... makes me feel pretty useless some days.

My liver biopsy has been scheduled. I'll go in on the 19th for the biopsy. I don't know how long it will be before I get results but I don't imagine more than a day or two. It's amazing what the medical people are capable of doing nowadays and I So know my GI is as anxious as I am to get this resolved. I don't think it's because I asked him where my kiss was before my colonoscopy... He told his nurse that was her job. You should have seen the look on her face before I cracked up. I just told him when I was there for my blood test results that I was ready to find out what was going on and he said, "So am I", so I know he's concerned and wants to get to the bottom of this liver business.

So you all know as much as I know now and it's all just a matter of hurry up and wait... but that's okay because I know you all are supporting me and standing with me. I can't tell you how much that means to me, nor can I thank you enough.

Lullaby

I have been known over they years to write a bawdy ballad or change the words to a song to make a dirty ditty... The other night after finding out about the new baby and being unable to sleep I had words running through my head and finally got up, turned on the computer to put them down so I could share with you all my craziness. And a sign my head is getting better because I haven't done any creative, if crude, writing in quite a long time. So hopefully you'll get a giggle out of this little bawdy ballad... I was singing it in my head to the "Beverly Hillbillies" but you can just read it if you want. I don't want to push my insanity on anyone else. Hear now for your amusement, I hope, is the results of my 5 a.m. no sleep mind wanderings.



Jenny was out grazing and watching over the herd
When a stray little Jack came wandering up the road.
We don't know where he came from or where he had called home
So Merri put him in the pasture to get him off the road.

Jack is what we call him, he was as gentle as could be
but when he met sweet Jenny that was all his eyes could see.
We could see that she was eying him while munching on some grass
He ambled over to her and said you have a mighty fine ...

Home, that is, lots of grass, hay in the winter and cows to guard, too

Jack says you need some help a-guarding I think I'll stay a while
Jenny raised her head and I swear I saw her smile
They grazed together over here and then over there
Jack decided to show Jenny just how much he cared.

He'd rub up against her and she would walk away...
if nothing else he was persistent in in his own sweet jackass way.
He got her cornered, he thought, down beside the crick
He made his move, she wasn't ready and she kicked him in the...

Belly that is... didn't want to hurt him bad, just show that she was boss.

Nature finally won out and Jack, he had his way,
Had himself a grand old time out standing in the hay.
Up by the fence, over by the corral the two of them got wild
And 12 months later she welcomed her new child...

A jenny, that is, and special like her mom and a great addition to the cattle farm.