Rehab center

     From the last time she was in physical rehab it was at a near by nursing home.  It was the absolute pits.  Lots of reasons.  I've had 3 experiences with that place from people I know who have been there.  Not one good thing to say about it.

     The food.  Ever see gray broccoli?

     This one was new to us.  It was literally across the street from the hospital.  I'd never set foot in it.  She was moved there around 7 Thursday night.  Told us not to bother coming up as she was tired and settling in.

     Friday, I was at work when the first phone call came.  Some time in the late morning.  She'd basically been in her room and had not seen one person yet.  She didn't know what the Hell was going on.  I prepared myself for having to leave work early to come to the rescue.  At this point someone came into the room. She said she'd call me back.

     Later in the afternoon the second call came.  She was unhappy, T.V. didn't work right and she was not sure what was going on.  I told her I'd see about it when I got off work.

     Got a call when I got home.  She was in tears, confused, wanted me to come up right away.  Please note that last sentence.

     Off I went, it was the first time I'd ever been on the property.  I drove to the back with out knowing it was the back.  Drove past one cat.  Well I said to myself there are cats in suburbia.  By the time I'd parked my car I'd seen no less than 7 different ones.  Yes I counted.

     Met the security guard, it was her first day.  Got it straightened out where my sister was and I proceeded down the hallway.

     Bleak, ugly hallway.  Lot of people just literally walking around.  It apparently was also a nursing home and a place that people went to just before hospice.  Got to my sisters room.

     Not the prettiest room.  Spackling on the walls.  Nice view out the window at least.  She was in a state.  No one had come in to talk to her.  She didn't know what was going on.  I said I'd find her nurse.  Took me a bit but I did.

     Brought her in and clarified a few things.  Including that she and my sister already spoke.  And physical therapy had come in to do an assessment that morning.  Now remember that sentence.

     I'd been there maybe 15 min.  My brother in law walked in with supplies.  Apparently between the time it took me to leave and arrive at the center.  He'd arrived home.  And my sister gave him a laundry list of what she wanted brought up.

     After awhile I bid her good night and promised that I'd come in Saturday to have a word with the physical therapy people.

yes,

t.b.c

We may be rehashing hash...no not hashish...would be nice tho.

     I'm really in an awkward position.  Physically.  I'm twisted in a chair.  My right forearm is barley on a desk.  My left arm is just hovering having no real place to land.  Not to mention that I am twisted to the right, no room to put feet straight.  Part of why I don't blog from here I reckon. 


   Going to try something.  See if I can record a few blogs every so often so's to give you something to read daily.  See if that happens.


    We'll start with my sister.  She's taking up a vast majority of my time now.  You may recall that a few posts back I told you my company was relocating.  The same night I went to see her in CCU.


     It took 2 days for my brother in law to find out, thankfully he asked before he could spill the beans.  She still doesn't know.  She eventually came home briefly from that hospitalization.  And I mean briefly.


     She was in no shape to come home.  Worse than that the hospital made me go home to get her an oxygen tank to bring her home with.  Mostly due to discomfort right now, I'll spare the details.  She lasted 30 min in the house before we had to call for an ambulance to bring her back.


     Turned out in part she had a new bladder infection.  She had just refused physical therapy rehab when she left.  She know realized she needed it.


     Had to break the news to the brother in law when he got home.  Expecting to see his wife.  I don't really remember how long the next hospitalization lasted.  But room was found for her in the rehab center literally across the road from the hospital. 


t.b.c.

     See how long I can last.


     Hiya!  Sucks to be away like this.  But I'm going to try to put a coherent blog down. 


     Sister was in rehab, for physical therapy.  A very bumpy transition actually.  Called for my intervention.  Long story short she'd arrived late on a Thursday.  Didn't know what to make of Friday.  I went in, had a nurse come in to explain.


     This place sort of made me cringe.  Understaffed.  Obviously a dumping ground for people.  Didn't seem to be clean.  But....by Monday the P.T. had begun.  She actually had a good week.


     Was walking and such.  Then it happened.  The Fu#%%$@  tumor started making her bleed.  It was one of those phone calls where the phone rings at 4 in the morning.  You know it's never good news.


     Well she's been in the hospital for a week now.  Still loosing blood.  Word is she's going to be moved this week to another to start some kind of radiation.  Hoping that helps.


     House and job situation has not changed.  And I should tell you about my other adventure, sort of.  But my back and arms hurt twisting at this angle to type.  Maybe tomorrow?

Sitll kicking.

     Hey.  Totally needed a mental health day today.  Just have been so exhausted.  I'm doing okay.  My body just wouldn't start today, had the chills.  So I thought I'd do what was best.


     A sucky kind of thing.  I'm missing a job fair today.  And unless I have a week off, I never take Wednesdays off.


     Sister is in a rehab place.  Started some physical therapy.  Really  can't go into it.


     I'm at her gross computer and my wrists are already hurting.  No support here at all.


     Still have the house.  Still broke.  Just wanted to say Hi.

Not quite sure it's a goodbye post.

     Editor's note.  Today I go offline. For good?  No.  I may get set up with something soon.  And I've decided, even though it is disgusting as Hell, I may use my sisters computer.  She by the way got out of the hospital for a good 30 min before re-entering.  She needs rehab for her legs.  Sad.  So this may not be quite final yet.  In that I may be back sooner than expected.  Until then remember the fun we've had and check back

     The following entry I had marked Post for Saturday the 29th.  It is a brief synopsis of last weekend.  Enjoy and til I blog again.

     I'm writing this a week before.  Easier to have a few in the can.  And since today so far hasn't been terrible just thought I'd do it.

     I didn't get out of the house until about 10:30.  Just didn't feel like it and there was plenty of coffee.  One of those sunny/cloudy/sunny/cloudy sort of days you know.  Also one that was clear to me that said it's a lot colder inside than outside.  Turned out to be true.

     I spent some time gathering thoughts on what I wanted to do today.  Well clearly it was 2 cigars.  Then I saw an Oliva special on a website, under $3 a stick, had to you know.  The weather is getting nicer and it will be time to smoke outdoors once again.  As I write this I am considering not going to the lounge tomorrow.  But I seem to say that a lot.

     Check from the trustees never arrived.  Brother in law was fuming.  The kind of childish fuming where nothing can be done.  But we'll get to money soon.

     Started off at my Sunday spot in the summertime.  Stayed in the car, windy and chilly.  Thought about the monetary fix I was in.  I then went to the mall to go to Sears.  Wanted to see where I could take my craftsman hose in to be replaced.  The one good thing about them is they have a life time warranty.  Was shocked when they said I could bring it in there.

     Did some driving around and also took a peek in Trader Joe's.  I've been doing a lot of thinking about shopping there.  That and a conversation I'd had on Thursday night about organ meat.  I went in search of Chicken Pate.  Yes you read that right.  Didn't find it.  

     I mean I asked and was shown where it should have been.  But it wasn't.  I looked at some of the other stuff too.  Not to bad.  I know there's a very limited budget for food this week.

     I checked the house account.  $89 says it all.  I told his trustees last month.  We were short $789 for the month.  They didn't even flinch or hear me out.  Will getting his name on the deed be worth us all losing this house?  I surely don't know.

     Received a call from the electric company.  They'd like their money.  Sorry no can do. 

     About 11:30 I realized I was hungry.  And I wasn't to far from a certain place.  You see at my job, there was a woman who had just spent a year in China.  It was part of her job.  Well she came back in the beginning of December and they didn't have any thing for her to do.  But she still got paid.

     Well last week, or 2 weeks ago depending on how you read this.  She got a new job.  She came in to say good bye on Friday.  Hugged her and got her number to keep in touch.  Also I asked if she found a good Chinese restaurant yet.  Food that was like she experienced in China.  She had and it's not to far from me.

     Took a little doing to find the place.  At first I thought it was the sushi place I used to frequent.  Used to really enjoy their miso soup.  It was actually just further along in the shopping center.  Not to far from a Korean BBQ joint I didn't know existed.

     I walked in and liked it immediately.  It was a nice place.  Not to many tables.  Decorated very nicely.  Not the usual posters of the food with some description.  I got a table, 1 out of 7.  There was an Asian couple eating, I decided this was a good omen.

     The young lady came over and I asked for some tea.  Upon her return I told her that someone had raved about the dumplings here.  What would she recommend.  I knew I was in the right place when she said it and I ordered it.

     So many other places you ask and the server gives you a canned "Well what do you like" response.  I'm asking because I think you eat here and what do you recommend.

     It took a little time to get my dumplings.  2 of the other tables had been now occupied.  This was all before 12 noon on a Saturday.  I got my dipping sauce and waited.  Enjoying the warmth of the tea in my hands.  Nothing terribly notable about the tea except that it was a good strength.  

     Someone brought out a bamboo container that held my 6 dumplings.  Right away I saw a difference.  Unlike so many other places, the dumpling looked soft and tender.  Oh and it was.  Also let me say they had chopsticks and not silverware on the table.  Took me a moment or 2.  And yes I observed the first couple to see the trick.

     The sauce had ginger in it.  Was far from salty.  The filing was tender and gorgeous.  I ate slowly, savoring each dumpling.  I do want to look up the etiquette of eating these things.  There was another piece of China? that was a spoon shaped item.  I was unsure what to do with it and didn't ask.

     The entire sumptuous feast came to $8.66.  I will go back.  Actually can't wait to tell my sister.  She likes Chinese food. Of course the kind that dot the landscape.  My other place that I loved, well this one can give it a run for their money.  So we'll see.

Hello darkness my old friend....

      I'm sitting here sort of numb.  Sister is still in the hospital.  Job still in jeopardy.  And yet here I sit.  In a pile of shit that I cannot foresee a quick escape from.  

     I may be going dark on this blog.  I must turn in the cable modem I use.  It costs near $90 per month.  Which is okay.  Afterall this computer is old.  Windows XP will no longer be supported next week.  And crap like that.

     So if I disappear you now know why.  I'm leaning towards a laptop anyway.  But we'll see.

     No money for house bills.  I owe $1,000 to a credit card.  No money for my bills.  Yup in deep.

     And somehow I'm rather calm.  Not fearful like the brother in law.  Not scared.  Not depressed.  I guess it's that inner strength.  I've never been so glad to have it.

     I've a lot of cleaning to do around here.  Especially if I'm to loose the house.  And yet by magic I may be able to pull it together in 3 months.  A plan you say?

     Nope.  Just faith.  Odd I know.  I just wanted to keep you abreast.

 

The lost weekend.....no not the movie.

        I wrote this a week after.  Thus making it Saturday the 15th.  My intent was to show that if you try you can make little happiness pieces.  Not sure if I'll continue next Sunday.  I will continue for the past week after.  Then back to randomness that is my blog.  Oh, and coffee says hi.

       The weekend itself, as memory serves a week later, was okay.  Got up on Saturday and had the morning coffee.  Breakfasted, hit the bank, did errands.

      There were little highlights along that day.  The sun was out, light wind.  That teasing March weather.  The kind that sends whispers of Spring.  Then turns damned cold the next just because it can.

      I had one particular errand I was looking very forward to.  One that I knew I'd need money for.  I was going to Whole Foods.  Not my favorite place mind you.

      For 1, they're expensive unless you're just trying to feed 1 person.  2 I think they tend to drive business away from smaller health food stores.  Now mind you it may just be the one I go to.  But it's a reason.  3 I can't stand the thought of paying so much money just to eat well.  And yet off I went.

     One of my friends at the lounge had mentioned a sandwich. One that actually intrigued me greatly.  I'm not a big sandwich person ordinarily.  My sister when she worked, and my brother in law, they could eat one every day for work.  Nope not me.  Hell I even like to be able to put it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds.  Just to warm it up to make it appetizing.  Anyway...

     Today's errand was for the making of this sandwich.  I navigated the very crowded store.  I was looking for the deli counter.  I'd heard they have lamb that they carve like a cold cut.  The only reason I didn't just blow off the idea was because of this store.  Yes the one 2 paragraphs above I spoke against.

      Well damn they had it.  And it was not cheap by any means.  $14.49 a pound.  Okay I figured if I got 3 sandwiches from it the cost would be like $5 per.  That would be akin to going to one of those fast food sandwich shops.  I bought half of a pound.  The young lady slicing it was very nice.  I of course sampled a piece before trying it.  It was pleasant, but then I do love lamb.

     Cheese counter.  I found a chunk of danish blue cheese, this was integral to the sandwich.  On the now rare occasions we go to the pub in town, I always get their Danish burger.  So I knew what I was in for.  A nice $5 piece, of which I still have some left in the fridge.

      Bread.  Down the bread aisle I went.  I was actually disappointed.  Not a great selection.  Aha! I thought to myself.  So they fail here.  Well intrepid adventurers like myself do not balk in the face of adversity.  I knew I must make sure.  So I asked.  Hell they had an entire area of fresh baked breads. I'll spare you the details and just say I went with a rounded whole wheat bread.  Still have some left in the fridge.

     Back at casa of life is I waited on dinner.  The idea was to make a nice sandwich of this.  I toasted the bread.  Even put some crumbly slices of cheese on the bread once I flipped it.  So it could get melty under the broiler.  Then 3 pieces of lamb.

     It was heavenly.  Mind you I knew that it was probably just the anticipation that made it that way.  The true test would be the next day's sandwich.  But for just that moment, it was the most delicious thing I'd eaten in a long time.

-diminishing returns?