Oh my goodness!! Haven't blogged in a month and a half! Is that a record? I could look back and do the math but if I do that, odds are I won't get back to the post. That's life lately - start one thing, move on to something else and dart around doing a ton of stuff.
I've started keeping a daily to do list but it's still a crap shoot. The joy of retirement.
Lots of things to document and update.
I had my 'throat scope' (every three years) on October 4th - it went fine. The doctor did a few biopsies including the tissue that is near where I used to have a tonsil. I haven't seen the results yet but he said he wasn't concerned. Sent to lab and we'll see. I had an office visit scheduled to go over results which would happen after my colonoscopy. They changed their procedures and since the doctor was going to (possibly) dilate my esophagus, they wouldn't do both procedures on the same day - so I had the throat scope and then had to dread another prep process for the colonoscopy.
I was scheduled to have a colonoscopy on October 11th. I woke up on the 9th and started the process. Felt fine all day - full of energy and piddled around the house productively. I decided to make myself some ramen and used low sodium chicken broth as the base. I didn't add the seasoning packets - I felt like it was essentially noodle soup and that seemed fine. The next day would be my day of 'no solid food' so I wanted to eat something satisfying. Noodles are my go to. Ate some mid-day and then around dinner time.
At 10PM as I was heading to bed my stomach felt pretty 'off'. I started throwing up shortly after getting ready for bed. I thought 'well, I've emptied my stomach and feel better so I'll sleep and be fine'. At 3AM, I woke up vomiting again and had pain in my lower right 'flank' as well as pain radiating up my back. I woke up J. and said we should call 911. I was scared. The pain was bad and I'd used the restroom....but it didn't abate. Thankfully, I did another bathroom visit and the pain radiating up my back stopped. I felt OK enough to say we'll drive to the ER - it's literally across the street from our house - we see it from our back patio.
They did all the things they do - including an EKG and eventually a CT scan. Thankfully, though there were some blood things as 'red flags' - higher white blood count was one - the CT scan ruled out anything major. They gave me IV fluids and medication for the pain and nausea and we were home by 7AM. The ER doctor said 'you can still get the colonoscopy tomorrow' and I said 'there is no way I'm going to spend today doing the prep and go another night without sleep. I just don't think I can do it'. He said 'that's OK. Just get it done as soon as you can'. He referenced how doctor's in this area are so backed up - but I hadn't had any issue making the appointment so I was confident they would be able to get me rescheduled fairly soon.
J. called the doctor's office and told them I was sick and the procedure was moved to this Friday, 11/3. And I'm dreading it but it is what it is.
J. is winding down the 2023 golf season - he and his friends took a Geezers Gone Wild trip to a couple California courses. He will start playing 'winter golf' next week - a schedule that will very much depend on precipitation, temperature and availability of places to play.
We had one trick or treat visit this evening - that's it. With the new housing development next to our neighborhood, I wondered if we'd have more kids this year - but no. The new houses are on smaller lots but still family friendly - and there are a lot of them.
H. is doing well - he had a job interview at a grocery store and has a 2nd interview on Friday. Also has an interview at Walmart on Thursday. Praying so much that he secures a job - not only because earning what he needs to support himself is important but because he will feel so much better with a job to go to. Getting out of the house and being productive will be so good for him.
B. is also doing well. He's started his instrument training classes for flying and is excited to be working on getting his instrument rating.
With now two pilots in the family, I find myself very interested in all sorts of You Tube videos about flying. J. and I queue up a couple most nights after we finish our TV watching.
Temps dropped into the low 20's this week (in the mornings) and boy, do we feel it. We've got the heat on and are grateful for it. This morning, J. had a doctor's appointment and then took his car for maintenance so I was hanging out in the kitchen with the cats. We got a visit from a group of blue birds splish splashing in the (thankfully) thawed out bird bath water. The cats are so enthralled - both of them 'talking'. Nala chittering and Muf doing some quick meows. It's always so fun to watch the birds. So beautiful - bright blue tail feathers.
On September 30th, we attended a graduation party of our neighbor's daughter (graduated with her Bachelor's in Nursing and is now working in the ICU of the hospital I mentioned) and her boyfriend (graduated top of his class from the Reno Fire Department Academy and now working as a Fireman). Two amazing young people and all the people who encouraged them. It was a blast. We had a fun time and spent time with neighbors which was a lot of fun. Met some neighbors I've never met before. It was a beautiful party and a bit of rain did nothing to lessen the celebration. The hosts (parents of the boyfriend hosted at their house and parents of both of them hosted the food) were such nice people and wow, the house was incredibly beautiful - in Gardnerville.
I'm in a psychological struggle on and off about adult friendships in retirement. We have confirmation of events where we were excluded - and even as I rationalize all the 'why's and what's' that might create that situation, what is incredibly hard is feeling like it's being rubbed in our face. As neighbors post pics on their Facebook and all the 'ah-ha' moments of 'wow, I was right. I don't know what everyone does or why, but for me, if I had hosted an event where other friends weren't included for some reason, the last thing in the world I would do is post pictures all over the place so that the people excluded know they WERE excluded for sure.
We had great neighbors in Tracy - but we never socialized with them so these situations never happened. Our current neighbors? Well, we're completely devoted to one set, thought we were friends of the other set but now realize apparently not. I feel devastated in a way that is hard to describe.
I wasn't expecting my retirement to feel very much like high school - I'm not in the popular crowd; never will be in the popular crowd and it appears some people just like to rub it in your face - also like high school.
I'm getting around it by not following (on Facebook) one neighbor in particular - I won't see what she's posting so I won't care. But it still stings.
Guess that's it for now. I've drafted some of the 'retirement is a lot like high school' stuff before but never 'published' it. I know I am blessed with a handful of dear friends who read this blog - friends I've had FOR DECADES - so if any of you have any words of wisdom, please leave a comment. Any thoughts will be appreciated.
Bring it on, November. Knowing 2023 is going to be over in the blink of an eye is stunning - time goes so incredibly quickly these days.
