2020

2020 what a year! Let me try to do this sequentially with an occasional meander off topic. January – I stopped driving in January because I found that I could not discern movement in shadow. I was terrified that I would hit a pedestrian. This all due to my cataracts. Eeesh, husband is a wonderful chauffeur. February – we started to hear about Covid 19, out of China. They buttoned up pretty well. Built huge hospitals to treat Covid patients. It spread very quickly. March – On Friday the 13th I had an appointment with Dr. Kumar. We went, I had labs done and Dr. Kumar told me to report to the hospital in Roseburg because I needed dialysis. I went, the dialysis tech said he did not like the looks of the dialysis shunt. So I was scheduled to have a carotid cannula put in the next day. That went well. I was admitted after for observation overnight. Discharged the next day. That night I went up stairs to sleep and developed severe shortness of breath. Husband took me to the hospital. I was seen in ER. The doctor looked over my record for Mercy Medical Center and reasoned that I received too much of a medication and he would give me something to counteract that med. However I got a little too counteracted, the nurse kept reminding me to breath. I was transferred to Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay. While there, they determined that I needed a higher level of care because I had developed long pauses in my heart beat. I do not remember anything after that. I was transferred to Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg to have a cardiac pacemaker put in. That went well. I was awake for that and felt like an elephant was stomping on my left chest. I was discharged with 19 medications! Husband ordered a large plastic storage container with five drawers to hold all of those meds as well as my supplements. I got home and did well getting all the meds sorted out. The next part I do not remember (Self diagnosed with petit mal, more later. At any rate, I probably took an additional dose of my meds having forgotten that I had already taken them). Husband says I was not responding so he called 9-1-1 and I was sent to ER at CVH. From there I was sent to Mercy Medical Center. I remember most of that visit. I told every old joke that I could think of. I was discharged. Within two days I was directed to go to Bay Area Hospital for dialysis because Davita was working on paperwork. I was told to report to Davita two days later to begin dialysis there. We got lost and got better diretions to find the correct clinic. We really needed a map. That session went well. April – it was during this time that I realized that I had petit mal. This is a strange little neurological diagnosis that involves a sort of seizure in that something triggers a total loss of memory. I was watching Wheel of Fortune one night and I realized that I had missed the last fifteen minutes. So I Googled “absence” and it took me straight to petit mal. I informed my PCP, Dr. Holland who scheduled me for an EEG and referral to a neurologist. Eh, I can cope without that. I have begun to record more TV. Oh, and this usually only happens when I am watching TV. It has happened a couple times at dialysis. I lost a half hour and an hour. Meh... May – I did not blog for May, perhaps I forgot? June – nothing. Covid. July – nothing. Covid. August – Had my cataracts removed. Got new glasses. So lovely, now I can read the Klingon subtitles on the screen. They were not actually arguing about ingredients to spaghetti and meatballs. Black Lives Matter happened somewhere in here. It was about time. I think police need repeated training in descalation and should probably carry tasers more often. More young black men would wind up alive. That is not the solution but it is a good start. September – Gale and her MIL came to visit. I can't believe I did not blog about that. We had a lot of fun. She brought her four month old Golden Retriever, Betty. She was a hoot. First thing that happened is that Gale locked herself out of her car. We were milling around outside. Joann asked our neighbor if there were any locksmiths. Yep, use Triple A , use my card. The Triple A guy came in about an hour and during that time my neighbor had volunteered to puppy sit miss Betty. The next day we got breakfast and set off for a day of entertainment. We went to Bandon and every place we went to eat was closed. So we drove to Coos Bay and ate at Shark Bites. They have fabulous fish and chips, I had black cod. Gale had halibut. The dishes came with cole slaw, mine is better. Dressing as follows; half cup may, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, four packets Splenda. Stir, pour over slaw. Delish! Got that recipe from a friend in Dillingham. The next day was dialysis day so the girls dropped me off and went exploring. When they picked me up, we went to Charleston for seafood. They had wonderful clam chowder. I had the scallops and prawns in a wonderful sauce. Next day they returned to Idaho. Hope they can come again next year! Also while they were here, Gale helped me clean out the upstairs bedroom closet. She liked a few things but we filled up ten huge bags of stuff to take to Bree's a local charity shop that raises funds for women who cannot afford mammograms. October – Covid. November – dreams. Reminiscing about Clover Drive. Mom and Dad's first home. Scheduled for procedure at BAH. Revision of upper vessels of the shunt. Dr. Rogalsky tied off two branches to force blood in to the remaining branch so it will enlarge. Thirty days Davita can begin using the revised shunt. Yay. Eventually will get the carotid cannula removed. December – weird little family mystery solved. A few months ago, I called Aunt Wanda to chat. She told me that #1 brother had called her to ask if Mom had ever been married before she met Dad? Nope, I didn't think any more about it. A few weeks ago, I found an Emmett Highschool website. I decided to post a question. I asked if any of my classmates of 65 knew if a grandfather or great uncle had married Virginia Horn. She may have been known as Ginny. I got an answer, Francis Frisbee. So I told #1 brother about it. He reported that he had applied for a copy of a Gold Star family drivers license for mom. He received a notarized copy of an affidavit for correction of a birth certificate. Mom's last name had been submitted as Horne and was corrected to Horn. Also her last name was changed from Frisbee to Berglund. Huh. I do wish I knew more about Mr. Frisbee, where did he serve, etc. Brother #1 is still investigating. Perhaps there will be more to talk about in future.