Any good Dentists out there?

I went to the dentist today, or at least I tried to. I made the appointment two weeks ago. And I spent all morning just getting me ready to go. ($9 round trip for nothing!)

Now I need to interject that I've been going to this dentist for the past 4 years!

I got there to find that the Dental Office had moved to a completely different part of town! The offices were empty! There was not even a sign on the door saying when they had moved, or where.

So I called them from my cell while sitting on a side street that seemed to have less traffic. Sure enough, the dental practice had moved! When I inquired as to WHY I hadn't been informed of this when I'd made my appointment, or sent a card or letter, I got the usual Chicano minimum-wage-employee response: excuses and platitudes.

They then were actually upset when I cancelled my appointment! I had to point out to them that not everyone had a car to jump into and race across town, that I had SCHEDULED a return trip on disabled transit, and had to be in that location to be picked up and returned home. Even after I'd explained why I couldn't just go to their new location; she didn't get it, didn't have a clue!

I had to wait two hours for my 'ride', and luckily I was in a part of town where I could buy a cup of coffee, and window shop. Still, I got too chilled being outside that long.

By the time I got home, I was angry, frustrated, and absolutely exhausted.

IHHS

Well, my current 'provider' called me this evening and quit without giving me any notice. This one had worked a whole month!

I realize that MOST of these women only take these part-time care provider jobs to 'fill-in' till something better comes along. Still, I think they should show some responsibility to the people they help care for by at least giving two weeks notice. It really ticks me off...

In 2006 I've gone through In Home Supportive Services Providers like a chocoholic through a bag of M&M's. I can't even remember how many there have been. Or their names.

It probably takes about 4 - 6 weeks to find a replacement. The hours & energy spent getting the lists from IHHS, calling the people on the list, doing telephone interviews, setting up and conducting in-person interviews, and checking on references probably would be better spent on other items.

So not only do my floors get dirty quickly, but I have less energy for fixing meals, taking a shower, or playing with the girls. (Not to mention Blogging!) Clean laundry quickly piles up on the dining room table, delivered groceries that I don't have the energy to put away live UNDER the table, dust layers the furniture, and sacks of trash, neatly stack up on the patio chair.

This all sounds chaotic, but not so! It's my system of coping with life all by myself. A system I've developed by trial and error over the years. And somehow I muddle though; though I must admit, I've never gotten used to living in a 'dirty' house.

But one MUST have priorities! And though I don't 'like it', the above things are not high on my list anymore.

Without help, my priorities change drastically. I try to shower 3 times a week, do up the dishes every other day, the laundry I do as I can, putting it in laundry basket on the dining room table and draping things that need to be hung over a chair. I empty the trash and get the mail a couple of times a week. If my energy level is REALLY low, and my muscles really weak, I need to lie down in the middle of the day.

Often I will ignore the phone and email till I can 'get to it'.

I eat mainly microwave frozen entries, adding cottage cheese, canned veggies, fruit cups, diet jello, etc. Oatmeal, toast, eggs, and sandwiches. Easy fix, easy clean up, easy carb count stuff!

I 'pooper scoop', and feed the girls daily, as usual; but their dishes pile up in the sink with mine! And sometimes days will go by without me really 'playing' with them.

It's amazing what one able-bodied (meaning: not ill) IHHS Provider can get done in the 4 hours a week I'm 'allotted'. When I don't have it, there is such a difference in how I live, even to maybe being out of milk or some other needed commodity, for days.

A hell of a way for a perfectionist, type-A person to live, but sadly I've come to accept it...

Jake's Birthday

Jake turned 13 today! A 'real' teen now. They live outside Indianapolis, IN. A very long way from here...

Jake is my son Jon's oldest (he also has a daughter, Katie). These are my two YOUNGEST grandchildren, and now one of them is a teen!

By next year, I will not have any grandchildren under 'Middle-School' age. I feel so very old...

Thanksgiving 2006

Another Holiday spent alone...

Thanksgiving was always 'big' with my family, then my kids. When they grew and flew, I used to invite folks in and I still 'cooked'. Over the years, it just became physically impossible for me to do all that cooking and clean up; so Thanksgiving eventually downsized to include only me. For a couple of years, I tried 'going out' for this celebratory meal, but it just was not satisfying, and there were no leftovers. I'd rather have what I can cook and eat!

This year, as usual, I fixed my by now 'standard' diabetic holiday meal: baked chicken thighs, a box of cornbread dressing, sugar free Cranberry Jello, brown & serve dinner rolls with butter, and a cold diet coke. Food that will provide a yummy dinner for several nights!

Basically, it's a good Thanksgiving meal, and one I enjoy. Of course, I don't 'pig' out on this sumptuous stuff. That's not allowed. I do measure/weigh my food...

Notice the LACK of goodies that I would have enjoyed 20 yrs ago, ie turkey with homemade dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, Waldorf salad, canned cranberry sauce, etc.

Still, have NOT given up my pumpkin pie covered with Cool Whip (Lite!), I have it as a bedtime snack, and not as part of my meal. In fact, I buy a small pie, and have this snack for 4 nights, and pay for it with a higher morning blood sugar. But it is worth it.

My son Jon in Indianapolis did call me today, and I got to talk to both of those grand kids.

T.C.O.Y.D.

Take Care of Your Diabetes! Even though these conferences started in San Diego, CA in 1995, by Dr. Steven Edelman, I'd never been to one. There was always some reason not to go...

From their web site:
T.C.O.Y.D. "invites people with all types of diabetes to its 12th annual flagship program for a full day of seminars, workshops and one-on-one opportunities with leading experts in diabetes care, to the San Diego Convention Center on November 18. This is the 78th conference nation-wide."

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But this year I did attend TCOYD, San Diego, and it was great! It was held at the San Diego Convention Center where Diabetics, family members, all kinds of medical folks, suppliers, etc. took over a large part of the 2nd floor.

Billed as the "Nationally-renowned patient conference on latest treatments for diabetes", after attending, I have to agree!

I have no idea how many people were in attendance, but my guestimate would be HUNDREDS! You spent the day literally 'rubbing' shoulders with other people.

I was diagnosed with DM type 2 about 15 years ago (though I truly believe that I developed it by age 8), and have been injecting insulin for much of that time. (By the time I went to this event; I'd been using my new Deltec Cozmo pump for a couple of weeks!). My point being, I've ALWAYS taken care of my Diabetes by conferring with my docs, reading the latest studies, taking my blood sugars, et al. So I can't say I learned anything 'new' here, but I'm sure a lot of people with Diabetes did.

When the day's event was over, I was exhausted. And, I came away with a heavy shopping bag FULL of freebies, handouts, coupons, booklets, etc. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I took home with me a renewed commitment to TCOYD which is something EVERY Diabetic, perhaps especially those of us who are 'long time Diabetics', who tend to suffer 'burn out' need most!

I urge you; if you have Diabetes or have a loved one that suffers from this horrible disease. Please, please attend a TCOYD event!

The Sisters finally have all shots!

Today, a friend came and took the Sisters in their big, old, airline crate to get the second half of their initial shots!

We are done with 'shots' for a year!!! Yea! And next year I will 'stagger' them. Lucy one month and Ethel the next, so it won't be so hard on the bank account.

What a long hard road it's been with them! Had I known they were sooo ill, and that it would be sooo long before they were well; I might never have 'adopted' them.

They are 2 1/2 years old now, and just finishing up their 'baby' shots! The URI virus they were born with (and the vet said that it was the worst year for virual pneumonia, uri, etc, that she'd ever seen!) ruled our lives for almost two years!

The could NOT go outside, nor be exposed to other animals (even if immunized animals!) till they'd had their own shots. They could not GET their own shots till they were free of all viral symptoms for a month! And it took 2 years for that to happen...

Just when I thought I could get them immunized, one or the other would come down with a runny nose, runny eyes, sneezing fits, or a cough! It's been gruesome.

Then, because they were WAY past the age to be immunized, they had to have TWO sets of half dose (but not half price!) vaccines.

But they are not only healthy now, but immunized! So hopefully they won't be getting all that kitty URI stuff again.

The next step? To get Advantage in here. Then I will start taking them outside! They can have a 'real' kitty life, chewing grass, laying in the sun, chasing blowing leaves, etc.

I will really have to be careful though, as they have NO experience with cars, other people, etc. I will only take them out when I can go out! They may not even 'like' it out there...

I am only planning on doing this because they are so well trained to come to me when I shake that Kitty Caviar can! And the only time the will get it is when they COME inside for me...

This Blog need pruning!

Spent a brief amount of time reviewing this blog, as BlogSpot has some 'new' features I'd like to incorporate. So I was looking over 'evvy's blog'.

I think I need to dedicate a couple of hours to 'pruning' and tweaking!