Oct
30
2008
The Presidential race is almost over. I, for one will be somewhat relieved from the barrage of information stuck in my door, endless strings of recorded phone calls, and visits from various supporters.
Last night, while walking Cali in my neighborhood I came upon this “homemade” replacement sign from an apparent Obama supporter. A few doors down, someone had stolen another Obama sign. People steal - and not just campaign signs. It seems that a ceramic owl is missing from someone’s front yard with a cardboard plea to “just return it.” (I doubt that’s going to happen.) The guy that lives next door to this “signowner” came out and asked if the residents were in “trouble?” Uh, for what?
I said the election is “almost over.” In reality, my involvement (except for watching the media) is over since I voted this evening after work.
Oct
28
2008
A couple of times a week, I go to lunch at NMSU at the Taos Buffet. The cost (including tax) is $5.35. Yes, it’s the feeding grounds of the university students who have paid (or their parents) for the school year. However, I like going over to the campus and there are “stations” at the buffet.
There’s a pasta and homemade pizza station, a burger (with turkey burgers) and fries station, a deli sandwich station, a burrito/taco station, a hot selection of the day with veggies, and a nice salad bar. Not to mention the desserts from which I try to steer clear. I can eat a quick healthy meal (if I decide to do so) and the price is right. They even serve Starbucks coffee.
However, today I noticed that students were eating C*E*R*E*A*L either alone or along with their meal. Seriously, about 1/2 of the college student there were eating cereal - some with (sacrilege) chocolate milk. Don’t get me wrong - cereal is OK. I have it for breakfast sometimes, and also I’ve been known to have it for dinner if I don’t want to be bothered. Why would someone choose to have cereal for lunch when there’s so much other food around? Gee, I really feel old…
Oct
27
2008
“It seems the hardest thing in life to learn is which bridge to cross and which to burn.”
~ David Russell
It seems as of late, I’ve run into somewhat of a “dry spell” in relationship to social media. My blog, Flickr, and Twitter have all taken a back seat to day-to-day existence. Not to worry, I’m still here mulling over recent events and which bridges to “cross” and which to “burn.”
OK, that’s a little too dramatic - not really bridges to cross or burn, but rather decisions to make after hearing recommendations. Note to self: Do not go to more that one doctor who even remotely has an opinion on how to treat something that has already been decided upon. Orthopedic hand surgeon won’t do wrist osteotomy until shoulder impingement improves - go to physical therapy. Arthritis/osteoporosis specialist want to do cortisone injections , then possibly physical therapy. Arthritis/osteoporosis also wants me to take “scary” medications that contradict what reproductive endocrinologist prescribed.
A round of calls later, I’ve decided to go with the original opinions of the orthopedic hand surgeon and the reproductive endocrinologist. If I need cortisone injections later or a different osteoporosis medicine, I can “cross that bridge” when I come to it. Now, we can go back to our “regular programming!” 
Oct
27
2008
is hosted by Fleur-de-Lisa
What is the greatest value that guides your life?
- Faith, Hope, & Love - sometimes they seem non-existent, but they’re always there waiting to be rediscovered.
Fill in the blank: If I could be anybody besides myself, I would be ______.
- Me - only more free and much wiser.
What is one item in your house that you should really throw out but probably never will?
- One item? Gee, I go through “stuff” all of the time and just replace it with more “stuff.”
Oct
21
2008
I saw this meme on Flickr from one of my contacts and liked the content…
- What is your occupation right now? - Assistive Technologist
- What color are your socks right now? - I don’t have any on - it’s still pretty warm in Southern New Mexico.
- When was the last time you took time for yourself? - I did some mindless browsing after work today.
- What was the last thing that you drank? - Wine - uh, like right now!
- Can you drive a stick shift? - Yep - my Honda CR-V is a 5-speed.
- Last person you spoke to on the phone? - Dang, it was the endocrinologist’s secretary in Albuquerque.
- How old are you today? - None of your freakin’ business - OK, 56…
- How old were you when you got married? - I was a young lass of twenty…
- What is your favorite drink? - Vino…
- Have you ever dyed your hair? - No, but my hairdresser does at every appointment!
- Do you like to dance? - I loved dancing before I broke my wrist.
- Are your parents still living? - No, they are both gone.
- Favorite day of the year? - Call me a sappy romantic, but it’s Valentine’s Day.
- What was your favorite toy as a child? - I got a Betsy Wetsy doll one year for Christmas!
- What is your favorite season? - Summer!
- Cherries or Blueberries? - Blueberries - just think of all of those antioxidants!
- Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? - Por favor?
- Who is the most likely to respond? - The ones who really care about me.
- Who is least likely to respond? - The ones who really don’t care about me.
- Living arrangements? - I live with Cali, my “terror-mix.”
- When was the last time you had a good laugh - I can’t say I really remember…
- What is on the floor of your closet? - Desert Diva’s “World of Shoes!”
- What did you do last night? - Designed tags for the photo exhibit I’m part of in November.
- What are you most afraid of? - OK, I’m superstitious - not going to say…
- Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? - Not very often, but I love a good green chile cheeseburger!
- Favorite dog breed? - The ones who come from dog pounds or rescue centers.
- Favorite day of the week? - Lazy, perfect and sunny Sundays!
- How many provinces/states have you lived in? - Two - Indiana, and New Mexico.
- Diamonds or pearls? - Neither - I love amethysts and turquoise.
- What is your favorite flower? - Sunflowers - they’re so happy and perky!
Oct
20
2008
is hosted by Fleur-de-Lisa
How long does it take you to get out of bed in the morning?
- Some days I jump right out of bed, other days it takes “a little longer.”
Do you usually sleep on one side of the bed or another?
Something you wish to accomplish before the end of the year:
- Well, it was to end the several month saga of my damaged wrist by having surgery. However, now that’s postponed until the first of the year.
Oct
19
2008
I have to admit that I agree with Fleur-de-Lisa - doctors are evil, evil, evil. Thursday I spent three hours (albeit some of it was waiting) with the orthopedic hand surgeon at Texas Tech, and Friday another three hours with an arthritis/osteoporosis specialist.
The orthopedic hand surgeon is delaying my wrist osteotomy because I’m having shoulder “issues.” He doesn’t want to do surgery when I’m having pain in my shoulders and suspected an impingement. I got a prescription for physical therapy and was sent on my merry way with an appointment for January.
The next day I went to see the arthritis/osteoporosis specialist. Gee, and I thought the day before was stressful. I had an ultrasound of my shoulders, an order for blood work (which I tried to do Friday but had only coffee to drink and they couldn’t hit the vein - tomorrow I have that to look forward to), x-rays of my shoulders, and last but not least a 24 hour urine study to see how much calcium I’m excreting. There’s a plastic jug in my refrigerator that looks like a 7-11 Big Gulp.
The ultrasound showed the impingement and the doctor recommended steroid injections to the site, then the physical therapy to strengthen and support the shoulders. In the meantime I have these “patches” of Flector and Lidoderm to see which one gives the greater relief. Then he got “mean.” In discussing my osteoporosis he wants me to take a drug called Forteo. It’s actually not a drug, but a recombinant form of parathyroid hormone. You have a “pen” that you subcutaneously inject yourself daily for two years, and it has to be refrigerated within certain temperatures. Why two years? Well, it comes complete with a black box warning. My answer is “no” for several reasons. There are other drugs I can take (and am currently taking) and my bone density scan was so low because I hadn’t taken anything for five years due to GERD from Fosamax.
Like I said - doctors are evil, evil, evil…
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