Reporting in: random notes and pictures

I write this from the second floor of my house. YES, that means I conquered the stairs last night. It felt so good to be in my own bed.

Earlier in the day I saw the nurse-practitioner. I'm going to have to get an MRI (ugh) and meet with a surgeon. I was referred to Physical Therapy but can't get in for a month (sigh). I was supremely nervous about going down the steps to the backdoor but it went ok. Later, when they took my blood pressure at the office, it was very high. I couldn't help but think that if they had tried it when I was in my kitchen before I started to head out, I bet it would have been WAY higher!

I did ok with the walker. Although I don't use it all the time in the house, I did need it for this longer outing. I feel more confident when I'm moving, I get nervous when I'm standing still.

Yet again, you, my family of friends, have been incredibly kind and supportive. Beautiful flowers (!), little bottles of bourbon, beautiful food, money for gas (those trips to Barnes aren't cheap, not that I'm complaining about high gas prices, mind you), etc. And the messages of support and understanding. Understanding because God knows, we're all juggling some kind of challenge.

^{my new view #viewfromthewalker}

I was sitting in the doctor's office waiting and I realized that I was sitting in a chair resting my arms on the walker in front of me...just like I'd seen my mother do a million times. I shook my head again. Mind you, I don't hate the fact that I'm turning into my mother. I adored my mother. Life is just... unexpected. Always unexpected. Sometimes because I couldn't see something coming, sometimes because I should have seen it coming.

Best encouraging tough love comments:

"Don't be embarrassed about the WALKER. It's just a TOOL!"
– Mary Sack

"Don’t be shy or proud. Useless shit."
– Renee Pollock

We, uh, actually, ERNIE made some beautiful chicken broth the other day as he was on a liquid diet before his biopsy. It turned out really good and we had some leftover broth so last night we had vegetable soup. Sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, kohlrabi, potatoes, peas and green beans. That and a bit of salt. Tonight I might add some hot sauce or lemon juice as some of those vegetables are pretty sweet. It was good and comforting.

^{Bob, waiting patiently}

I was so happy to be back in my own bed.

^{and there was the shadow of my bannister back chair, just waiting to say hello}

Ernie goes back down to Barnes on Friday for a fancy PSMA scan. Leo's taking him down which I appreciate so much. I'd probably be fine but I'm still a teensy bit freaked out and I hate to miss another day of work. So it will be just me and the cats, and my laptop, on Friday.

Onward.