I have Frankenstein's stomach, other weirdness and for 19 things there is a first time

Wednesday morning I got a call from someone named Colleen, my "case manager" at UPMC.  I almost didn't take the call but I'm glad I did, she was knowledgeable and honest.

She had a pretty good understanding of my week in the hospital, and asked what my stomach was looking like.  I said it looked like Frankenstein's stomach, with red slashes and covered in green, blue and brown bruises.  

I said it was also tender to the touch and EXTREMELY swollen. I've eaten so much less since this whole thing began yet my stomach feels and looks like I was 9 months pregnant.

I'm not making this up--I came very close to sharing a photo of my monster belly here but was too embarrassed.

She told me the average patient gains between 10-15 pounds following surgery and a stay in the hospital (from being sedentary and receiving IV bags of various nutrients 24 hours a day).  As for all the swelling and soreness, I have a lot of enflamed organs right now. 

I told Colleen that I was just concerned why I'm not feeling lots better.  A few people have sent me articles or videos on what to expect following gall bladder surgery, people often go home the same day or the next morning, not a week later.  She said "Yours was emergency surgery, not elective.  Plus you underwent two surgeries two days in a row.  And then you got those infections and the pneumonia, so your outcome was different."

I asked her how soon I can begin doing some light exercising again (I always liked to do arm & leg stuff while watching tv) and she said "Nope, none of that.  You can start taking some light walks in 2-3 weeks."   Oh well, I'm still being forced to sleep upright because of breathing problems.

Colleen said I also run the risk of getting a hernia right now, and to avoid picking up anything heavier than a gallon of milk for another 3 weeks.  Easier said than done.

The surgeon wants to do a follow-up with me on June 25.  I hope I'm well enough to go, my dear friend Kim has graciously agreed to go with me.  

As long as I'm doing a health update here, I'm still wrestling with these long covid symptoms.  The left eye and temple inflammation have been subdued for over a week now, but still lots of soreness and weirdness inside my mouth, tongue & gums.  Things like chocolate, salt, tomato sauce are like eating red pepper.  It sucks, but could be worse.

And finally, something I never thought I'd do--I bought groceries online today from Walmart.com.  There was an extra $15.00 added to my bill for delivery & driver's tip, but all the items I requested showed up at my doorstep.  (And no broken eggs.)  A nice convenience but I like my walks to Kuhns.

This past week has been a thing

Before I say anything else, I wanted to thank everyone who expressed concern at my vacancy from these parts.  It meant a lot to see your comments appear on my recent blog post, and to get personal emails from ones like Margaret, Sharon, Robin, Siobhan, Tom... Thanks again everyone.

By Thursday I was showing some real whiskers

Last Sunday (June 7) I'd just finished washing up my dinner dishes, and was here in my living room on my laptop, putting the finishing touches on my next blog.

It wasn't anything too special--some family pics, some chili I'd made, and a radical idea my sister Shawn had passed along for treating my long covid.  Maybe I'll go ahead and post it anyway.

Around 6:20pm, I noticed I was taking quicker breaths.  I thought "Please God, don't let this be a gallstone."  It's usually the first symptom.  I've gotten them on occasion the last 4-5 years.  The pain is off the charts, you pace back and forth and breath hard, but it's usually over in 90 minutes.

So the pain did set in, and I shut off my computer, filled up my hot water bottle (to hold against my stomach, it helps) and basically just stood there as the tsunami started.  It gets so bad, you don't dare move a muscle.  Anyway--90 minutes later it felt even worse.  This had never happened before.  I told myself I'd call for an ambulance if it didn't improve by 11pm.

The view from my hospital bed this past week

I didn't make it to 11pm.  By 9pm the pain was so horrendous, I could barely gasp my name and location to 911.  They had a couple paramedics here in 5 minutes.  Several of my neighbors watched them strap me down on a stretcher while I cried out like a maniac, a couple even followed me and the paramedics outside.   

They couldn't have moved faster in the ER.  Pumped me full of drugs and asked if I had a history of kidney or gallstones.  Yes.  I spent the next 6-7 hours getting chest x-rays, CT-scans again & again, an ultrasound and then an MRI.

The resident physician said "It's gallstones alright, but you have a ruptured gall bladder.  You've got stones everywhere.  We're concerned about your bile duct as well.  You're looking at a couple surgeries here, and if we don't do them soon... those drugs in your system will only help so long."

They moved my bed to the Observation Deck, and Monday morning at 11am  Dr. Singh introduced himself and told me he'd be cleaning out and repairing my bile duct.  (He told me mine had several "scary large" ones.)   I don't want to spend a lot of time on this one.  When I came to, I was in my appointed hospital room, nauseated, dizzy and burning all over uncomfortable.   I pulled back my covers, and was literally soaked from the stomach down in urine and feces.  Boy did I cry out for a nurse, and a young man named Starling rushed in with a bucket of water and suds and assured me this happened all the time.  I later learned the doctor may have poked my intestines which caused the avalanche.  

This looks nice a nice view outside my bed, but I had to give this up and sleep in a chair a couple nights later

Tuesday morning, I was weak as hell (but cleaned up at least) when I met with the surgical team who would be removing my gall bladder.  They told me the procedure would be done laparoscopically.  Several inch long incisions would be made across my torso and belly (4 in total) then using cameras they'd go in and tug that monster out.

What they DON'T tell you is that they pump a ton of carbon dioxide gas into your belly to "swell you up", to have better access to things.  It is very painful and takes 2 months on average to return to normal.

My surgery was on Tuesday at 2pm.  They said it went well but I woke up in such horrendous pain I regretted having it.  They filled me up with IV bags of antibiotics and other solutions, I swallowed dozens of pills, but by Wednesday morning every inch of me hurt and I had a very high temperature, over 104F.  I was informed an infection had set in.

By Wednesday night, I felt like I was drowning.  I couldn't catch my breath.  A pulmonologist was brought in, ordered another CT-scan and said "You have post-op pneumonia."   She gave them new antibiotics to pump into me and said I'd have to sleep upright in a chair for awhile.  Here it is, 4 days later and I still cannot lie down.  

They wheeled in a special "hard seat" leather recliner, I sure could use one of those now.

Saturday afternoon, my surgeon came in my room and said "I know you're not in great shape and Pulmonology wants you to stay here awhile longer.  But I think you can heal faster at home.  We'll send you home with all the antibiotics and pain killers you need.  Do you have an upright recliner similar to this one for sleeping?"  I said I did not.  He said "I'm sure you'll figure something out. "

Mercy arranged for a cab to pick me up, and when it arrived I was still so weak a couple of orderlies had to lift me from my wheelchair and place me inside.  (That cab driver did not look happy.)  When I got home, I apologized profusely for the delay and took 10 minutes crawling out of his vehicle.  It took me nearly 20 minutes to get upstairs.

I shuffled into my apartment Saturday night, shocked how barren & plain everything looked.  I have some healthy savings, this place needs fixing up.  Anyway, I'd give anything in the world to lie down right now but when I do my chest gurgles and I can't breathe.  I sure hope this clears up soon.  I'm just glad I have plenty of groceries in the house (not that I have any appetite anyway).

They gave me a couple of breathing apparatus to exercise my lungs, and told me no baths and no lifting anything heavier than a gallon of milk for the next 2 months.  They also gave me a bag of blood thinners, water pills, antibiotics, Oxycodone.  I refuse to take any more of those opioids.

That's it for now.  Thanks for letting me share my story with you.  I am wiped out.

A few random images from a random Wednesday afternoon

Truth be told, I'm not really up for doing any writing right now.  But I wanted to put something new on here, just to say hello.  I hope everyone is doing well.

1. This morning's breakfast (and yes, I'm quite fond of black pepper).  I enjoy guacamole with everything.  

2. This is my sister Shawn & her husband Jim at a friend's wedding 2 weeks ago.  Speaking of weddings, these two recently celebrated their 26th anniversary on May 20.  They're the parents of my 21 year old niece Sophia, who recently returned from a trip to Italy.

3.  I signed up for a Netflix account this morning.  (I love Sally Field as much as I do my family.)  Do you know I was one of Netflix' first members in the 1990s? They had an obscure website advertising "We have over 500 dvds!"  Half of them were foreign and that's why I joined.

Anyway, I quit a long time ago but I'm anxious to check out what they have now.

4.  I'm so out of touch with things, I just noticed I never updated my wall calendar (on the right) from April and May is almost over.  Meanwhile, my dining room wall is pleading with me to hang some artwork on there.  I think I found something I like, more on that soon.

(My friend Patty saw the photo above and said I needed a third chair.  Here it is Patty, around the corner!)

5.  And finally, here's my early dinner.  I got the recipe for that macaroni & beef from a 1940s Readers Digest in my dentists office umpteen years ago.  It's made with cream of celery soup, ketchup and Worchester sauce and beats Hamburger Helper every time.  That's it for now, thanks for stopping by.  

A big setback.

I'm not in a good place right now.  I know I've been talking a lot about this long covid since it's return last September, and many of you have been kind and supportive.  It's been very much appreciated.  But it's especially difficult right now.

I've been living daily with varying degrees of discomfort, 3-4 on a scale of 1 to 10.  Not bad enough to prevent me from sitting on my living room floor and blogging, or doing mild exercises, or a walk to the store a couple times a week.  But enough to prevent me from going on long walks or family visits or meeting up with people.  They call it a "hermit's disease" for a reason.

But this past week it's been steadily building in symptoms.  I woke up Saturday morning in some severe distress, Sunday morning even worse.  (My head feeling like it's in a painful clamp, aching cheekbones.  Burning dry mouth.  Lots of inflammation.  My jaw muscles are swollen and hurt a lot.)   

I've been spending my time in my bedroom with the door shut and under a blanket with my tablet, listening to podcasts with old celebrities like Linda Blair, Barry Williams, Melissa Sue Anderson, Crystal Gayle.   I just have this strong need to hide away from everything, everybody.

I don't know how long this is going to continue.   I'm hoping it dies back down a bit and I can go back to posting blogs.  But right now I don't know if that's 3 days, 3 weeks or 3 months.

Just wanted to put it out there.  As always, thanks for listening.  

20 million people can't be wrong...

Things could be worse, but things could be so much better.  A couple days ago I tried going to the store (for some items I didn't really need, was just looking for an excuse to go somewhere) and couldn't do it.  Too much pressure in the temples and inflammation in the face.

It hurts to put on my eyeglasses and I cannot go outside without 'em.  

Tried again yesterday... nope.  So I went today (and here's my sore mug, trying to look normal) after coming home, and now my head and eyes are super hot and I am wiped out.  Just for a walk to the store and back.  

It's hard to believe, but this time a year ago I was finally showing signs of real improvement.  I was experiencing good days every 2-3 days.  By mid June things were mostly good.  I was 90% my old self and started visiting the senior center again.

I still waited 3 months before seeing a dentist in mid September for a couple cavities.  If I had known those shots of Novocaine would reactivate the long covid virus, I would've waited a year to get those fillings.  

(I only found out afterward that people recovering from long covid and undergoing dental work or injections to the head or face were experiencing full relapses.)

Anyway, since it's return this past September... it's like back to square one.  I get good moments here and there, but have yet to get any good days.  I worry this isn't going to get fully better anytime soon.  Just continuing to take things one day at a time.

Two nights ago, I was in my kitchen washing dishes and heard the term "long covid" on the news and came dashing into the living room to see who said what.  A health expert said the latest covid variants were showing less risk of developing into long covid, but it's estimated 20 million Americans are currently living with this condition.  They're known as silent sufferers, as they've stopped seeking medical treatment.  

It made me think of my first trip to the doctor in January 2024 and being misdiagnosed with a severe sinus infection.  I went back in February 2024, then to the ER in March then to a neurologist that summer.  After that, I knew no one had any answers.  

In all honesty, everything after 2023 seems like a dream.  Like none of this was meant to happen.  I guess a lot of people in car accidents or slip & falls say the same thing.  It just feels like this could've been so easily avoided.  I'll never know for sure.

And finally, a friend of mine noticed my post with Eve Plumb's book had gotten a lot of comments, and jokingly asked if I was becoming an 'influencer'.  I'm not even sure what that is.  She said if I was trying to sell the book on my blog by talking about it and getting a kickback, I had to disclose that.

No, I was just writing about it, that's all.  Meanwhile, have you tried these Ricola Lemon-Mint Drops?  Not only are they sugar free, they're made with natural ingredients, soothing Swiss herbs and the perfect oral anesthetic for someone like myself with inner cheek and oral inflammation.  I just love them. 😉

Meanwhile, on ApacheDug's Island.. there is meatloaf (finally) and Eve Plumb is paying a visit

Do you remember a few years ago (March 2023 to be exact) I blogged about getting a coffee table, as in should I or shouldn't?  Last night I was sitting here on the floor in front of my couch--my "island" in my apartment--wondering about it again.  I just like being down here, sitting cross-legged or legs stretched out.  It really helps prevent swollen feet and ankles.  

But I can't help wondering if it's time I got more civilized and got a table so guests will have somewhere to set their teacup down after I recover from this damn long covid and become social again.   

On the other hand... I've never been comfortable having more than one guest in my home at a time.  That will never change.  And I don't have any teacups. 

If need be, I have this sturdy hemp ottoman to set cups on, and a cool guest chair 

So what else... I finally decided to sully my sparkling oven with one of my big juicy meatloaves.  My cooking will never make it into Bon Appétit, but it was still pretty tasty.  I tossed in some baby carrots at the last minute.  I usually have corn or green beans with meatloaf, but these worked just fine.

Some chopped parsley for the potatoes and carrots would've been nice, but my meal was still good.  I put nearly half of this meatloaf in the freezer and still had plenty for meatloaf sandwiches this week. 

I was surprised at how little splatter there was in the oven, but in my ongoing effort to keep that shiny and clean, I wiped the insides down after it cooled.  I think I can keep it this way as long as I don't cook chicken or bacon in there.

And finally, look what I got today. I am such a hypocrite.  After I finished reading Jennifer Grey's book (her saucy autobiography) last week, I said "No more. My days on this planet are numbered, and there are better ways to spend my time than reading some tell-all from an actress who starred in one popular movie in the 1980s."

Then the very next morning while watching tv, I see Eve Plumb (who played middle child Jan Brady on The Brady Bunch) being interviewed on the Today show about her new book that just came out.  Another tell-all, another actress who starred in one popular tv show in the 1970s.

I said to heck with it, went online to Barnes & Noble to buy the ebook for my Nook, then changed my mind and paid the extra $5.00 and got the hard copy instead.

Why Doug, why?  I admit to having a thing for her, but that was 50 years ago.  Also, if I'd waited a couple years like I did with Grey's book, I probably could've saved a few bucks.  Oh well!

This one was different though.  I always related more to Jan than the other kids on the show.  I think a lot of people did.  

I do know when Jan was forced to get glasses (because she had to in real life) so did I, and I felt like we were kindred spirits.

Way back in 2015, I did a special "birthday blog" to Eve Plumb (with some pretty mental memes) you can check out here.

She also bears the distinction of being my last post on Facebook before I closed my account there in 2016.  I shared an article where Eve was donating her teenaged bedroom door to a pop culture art museum in California.  The door was covered top to bottom in 70s stickers and decals, and her parents left it that way, after she grew up and moved out. 

So I've just finished the first chapter of Eve's book, and it's a sweet and quiet read, nothing like Jennifer Grey's juicy word dive.  Eve writes she was a real surprise to her parents when she came along in 1958; they were in their forties and had a son and daughter in their mid-teens.  (She also says that aside from new carpeting, her parents kept the same paint, wallpaper, curtains and furniture in their home over 50 years, from 1950 to 2001.) 

There's lots of photos too, and Eve claims many of these have never been shared before.  I'm certainly looking forward to more of her story.

A puffy face, pioneer rigatoni and you've come a long way, Baby: Jennifer Grey in her own (sometimes dirty) words

I just got a haircut (which was long overdue) and I'm feeling downright civilized again.  I can't say I'm too happy with my puffy cheeks here, they are pretty sore and swollen right now.  But I suppose things could be worse.

This past Saturday was a mostly good day long covid wise, until sunset when the inflammation in my temples and cheeks sprang into action.  I awoke Sunday morning feeling better, only to have those same symptoms returning at noon and hanging around until 7pm before mysteriously vanishing.

Long covid is a strange and persistent animal, but I'm convinced I'm heading in the right direction.

Speaking of long covid, shortly after I was diagnosed in March 2024, I was filled with regret:  "If only I hadn't asked Typhoid Susie for that ride to Giant Eagle, I wouldn't have gotten infected..." 

I began watching videos on YouTube of people expressing regret for various things like getting bad tattoos (or worse, getting Lasik) to see how they cope, and that's when I saw an interview with actress Jennifer Grey, talking about her infamous nose job.  She said it changed her looks so much, Hollywood dropped her like a hot potato.  She said it was probably one of the worst decisions she'd made in her life.

The interview was for her book Out Of The Corner.  You know where that title came from, Patrick Swayze telling her father "Nobody puts Baby in a corner" in Dirty Dancing.

I put my name on the waitlist for the e-book at Carnegie Library, but after waiting two years, went on Barnes and Noble last week and bought my own copy for $7.99.

She doesn't waste any time getting down to the business at hand.  There's a 20 page prologue before Chapter One, where she discusses the surprise success of Dirty Dancing in 1987.  Why wasn't she being offered more acting roles?

She was convinced to get a minor nose job which made it fuller but less long (that's it on her book's cover).  She absolutely loved it and was soon offered a movie role right away.  But one year after that, cartilage began to grow on the tip of her nose.

When she returned to the same surgeon in 1990 to have it corrected, he went too far and she came out with a different face.

Filled with panic and despair, she was shocked to discover no one recognized her.  Invited to the Golden Globes, she approached other celebrities and was treated like a stranger.  Her plastic surgeon even admitted he'd never seen such a radical change in someone's features.

End of prologue.  The book is 310 pages long and I'm currently at the halfway point.  But for the first 140 pages it's only about her privileged upbringing, growing up with a celebrity father (Joel Grey) and living in big apartments in New York City or on the West Coast, in Malibu.  I'm not a prude by any means, but boy did she have a wild youth, especially her teenage years!  Everything is sex, cigarettes, booze, sex, "blow" (cocaine and she stresses she only snorted the primo stuff), more sex, Studio 54 while living with her fortysomething hairdresser at age 17 and getting every STD in the book.  

I never thought I'd say this, but frankly I'm sexed out.  Where's the acting career, the girl I fell in love with in Dirty Dancing?  Okay, I just started Chapter 21 where it's now 1984 and she lands her first acting gigs in The Cotton Club and Red Dawn.  Finally!  

I didn't know Jennifer was 18 months older than me, she just turned 66 in March.  Wow.  I can still remember my sister Shawn coming to visit me in 1987 and telling me we were going to see this movie Dirty Dancing.  Last night I watched it (probably for the first time in 30+ years) on Peacock and was surprised how charming it still was. 

EDIT:  I'm in the second half of Jennifer's book, discussing her acting career and backstories to Dirty Dancing, and it is much, much better.  She really is a good writer.

Finally, I thought I'd show you what I had for dinner Monday.  A couple weeks ago I decided to stop watching The Pioneer Woman's cooking show, but not before making her homemade pasta sauce and loving it.  She only uses crushed tomatoes (which I had a hard time finding, but got 2 generic cans), adding tomato paste, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, peppers, basil & ground beef.  I cooked it for 2 hours and filled 4 freezer bags of the stuff, and added one of them to a pot of cooked rigatoni.

Throw in a garlic breadstick, some lettuce with some Bleu cheese dressing... yep. 😋

It's an old subject, but you have to look for hope where you can get it

This is a YouTube short, only 2-3 minutes long.  Shortly after I was diagnosed with long covid in March 2024, I began following this guy on YouTube, also wrestling with long covid.  He did everything under the sun trying to beat it.  A couple times he thought he did (like I did, last summer) only for it to come back.  

Anyway, he stopped posting videos a year ago--until this short this past week.  He says it took him 3 1/2 years, but he's now been symptom free for a year and feels he's made a full recovery.  I got the opportunity to talk to him and he was very understanding.

Mine has been ongoing for 2 1/2 years now.  A week or so ago I was feeling good 3 days in a row and just when I began to wonder if this was something encouraging to blog about, the symptoms returned.  But those good days and what he says below give me hope.

Thinking out Loud: The storm before the calm (well, I hope it's what it is)

Before I say anything else, can I offer a couple small apologies... my first is for another blog post with my big head at the top.  I just don't have much of an outside life at the moment.

The second is for the content that follows, which I'm sure is going to be more of the same old / same old.  I feel the need to write, but I don't really have anything to write about.

Ever since my long covid relapse last September (why) I've been dealing with "swollen face mornings", then inflammation in the eyes & mouth that subside a bit around sundown.  

A couple of ice packs or cold washcloths get me thru the night until bedtime at 11:30.

Last Friday (the same day I posted my movie blog) things went off course and there's been a lot of flare-up in both of my temples.  I'm trying to remain optimistic and hoping it's a looney last push of sorts before dying out completely.  

Would love to see it gone by summer, keeping my fingers & toes crossed.  I'd appreciate it if you could do the same. 😉

Y'know, it just occurred to me that I'm now the same age as my Grandma Morris was in this photo.  (Around 64 1/2 years old.)   

This was the night of my high school graduation in June 1979.  That's my Grandpap Morris in front, Grandma, myself, my beautiful Mom & my very dark Dad in the rear.  

Gosh this seems like a hundred years ago.  

Here's a strange little story.  For years my grandpap carried a little leather coin purse in his front pocket.  He passed away 3 years after this photo was taken, in October 1982.  (He was 71.)  

At the viewing the night before the funeral, I asked Grandma if I might have his coin purse after all was said & done and she said "Of course McDougall, Ace would love for you to have it."  

We parted company, and went off to talk to other friends and relatives.  A bit later, Grandma came over and took my hand, and pressed something into it.  I look down, it's Grandpap's coin purse.  I said "Aw, thanks Grandma!  I didn't know you had it with you."  She just smiled but didn't say anything.  She walked back over to Grandpap's open casket to talk to Uncle Kenneth (Grandpap's brother) and it hit me.  He always carried it with him.  

To this day I wonder if Grandma fished it out of Grandpap's pants pocket when no one was looking.  I'm pretty sure she did.

FYI, after I finished school and moved to the city, I carried it every day in my own pants pocket.  I'm retired now, and don't have much use for coins, but it still sits on my dresser next to my billfold.

Right now I'm waiting for someone from Maintenance to come to my apartment.  This past weekend, I had my kitchen window open and the wind was gusting in, and I had my window blind stretched out as I was trying to clean it when SNAP!  The string broke.

I reported it on Steiner's website, and was told to expect someone on Tuesday.  They said "You may be charged if a replacement blind is necessary."  

Charge me, charge me!  This blind has too many layers of grease & grime!

Well, I was just informed my guy is running a couple hours behind schedule and I'm starving, so I went ahead and prepared my Early Bird dinner.  

Pasta with dried herbs (basil & parsley) with ground turkey meatballs, steamed broccoli and chopped cocktail tomatoes.  Shaved parmesan cheese over everything.  It's pretty tasty stuff.

Finally, here's my new window blind--the timing couldn't have been more perfect, I'd just finished washing up my dinner dishes.  I thought I'd have to beg for a new blind, but Manley brought a new one with him.  I like this one, there's no drawstring--it's very sturdy and you just push it up, pull it down.

That's it for now--thanks for letting me share my day, everyone.

A couple thoughts on a windy, sunny Sunday afternoon

This is me on a Sunday afternoon, around 3:30pm.  It was a beautiful day in Pittsburgh, 73F with returning birds chirping happily away.

(News alerts say thunderstorms are on their way in the next hour or so.  I love a good storm, don't you?) 

It's hard to believe that just 4 days ago, we awoke to 2 inches of snow on the ground and a frigid temp of 20F.  My friend Diana said it was "Winter's Last Hurrah".  I had a haircut appt at 10am, and walked thru a blizzard to get there.  

Afterwards I sat in my barbershop another 30 minutes, waiting for the snow to die down.  Just another Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

I tried going outside earlier today for a bit, but my scalp and face had a pretty adverse reaction to all the sunlight.  Came back inside, laid down for an hour or so... it's just a waiting game.

I wish I had a clue how long these long covid symptoms plan to continue.  Aside from a couple afternoons in early December and February, it's been a pretty constant battle since it returned September 12.  

It makes me feel abnormal, isolated.  I was already weird before all this, and this doesn't help! 

I've never minded being a hermit, but when you don't have a choice... anyway, I just need to remind yourself, it could be worse.  I am hoping, hoping this will end by summer.

Hey, can I include a little rant here?  Do you see this "Very Local" app on my tv screen, second row, far right?

It's for locally produced programs--a little bit ago I watched a documentary about rehabilitating inmates by having them train guide dogs at the prison downtown.  But I suppose my favorite feature is the news. It airs the most recent local broadcast from WTAE-TV, our ABC affiliate.  

However, every commercial break--EVERY ONE--is for one of those cheesy, awful gambling apps you can download to your smartphone.  I think those things are the absolute worst, and you just know some poor sucker is going to blow the few bucks they have for a hopeful "big score".  Phones are too convenient for gambling!  I think that people who want to use these apps should be required to register and prove they have the resources to waste if they're married with a family.  End of rant.

Speaking of addictions, as long as my tv is up there... a couple weeks ago I signed up for "You Tube Premium Lite".  It's $7.99 a month and allows you to watch everything on YouTube (with the exception of music videos) ad-free.

Those ads are what kept me from watching more than a few YT videos in one sitting.  (They aired twice as many ads if you watched YouTube vids on your tv instead of your computer, so I never did.)   Now I catch myself watching that YT app a good hour a day or longer.  It's why I'm on here writing another blog post so soon instead.

Today I'm having a Sunday dinner of chicken tenders (I made a pan of these a couple weeks ago and froze 6 baggies worth), garlicky spinach and white cheddar mashed potatoes.  A friend recently asked why I go to the trouble of cooking every day.  She said if she was single like me she'd be having cold sandwiches or cereal for dinner.   

What can I say, I like a hot meal to end my blog with.  Thanks for letting me share.  I wish I could share this chicken too--it's good.

Soup Thursdays aren't for everyone, and patience isn't a virtue--it's a necessity

Here was my Thursday dinner.  A crusty roll and bowl of Mexican Style Street Corn Soup.  It was very tasty with several cheeses and jalapenos, and the can suggested I add a dollop of sour cream so I did.  I never thought I'd be eating Campbell's again, but I do like their Home Style soups.

I eat soup every Thursday.  This began a couple years ago, when I would eat a light dinner on Thursdays because I did a weekly weigh-in Friday mornings.  (It's no longer official, but I still do those Friday weigh-ins.)

Anyway, Wednesday night I'm talking to a friend on the phone while looking at the cans of soup in my cupboard and trying to decide.  She said "Why must you have soup on Thursdays?  You know what--never mind."

What's the problem here?   I said "I don't have to have it only on Thursdays.  On Monday I had a BLT with butternut squash soup for dinner.  But Thursday will still be Soup Thursday.  It doesn't have to be one flavor, one week it could be a bowl of Tomato Bisque and a grilled pepper jack cheese sandwich, the next week a ham sandwich and broccoli soup."  

All she said was "Okay Sheldon."  I admit it, I've become a creature of habit, particularly while waiting for these long covid symptoms to abate.  I'll admit something else; Fridays are Fish Fridays.  That's not during Lent, that's year round.  It might be fried haddock one week, baked flounder the next.  But Thursdays are Soup Thursdays and Fridays are Fish Fridays.  I don't understand why this would bother anyone, do you?  

Part 2:  These things take time... too much time

This past Sunday after finishing that blog about my childhood church, I was eager to get cleaned up and head outside.  We were having our first day of blue skies and warm temps in months, and I wanted some.  But while putting on my shoes, I began "smelling covid", that strong odor of burnt hair and diesel fuel & baked beans.  (That means a flare up is fast approaching.)  I wound up turning everything off, going into the bedroom and shutting the door.  I laid in there until almost 5pm.

This has been a daily thing since my big relapse in September.  A mild burning in the eyes and face in the morning,  it rises and falls during the day, settles down around 10pm.  But every couple days it's a crazy-ass flareup day; I honestly wonder if this will ever go away.  It did last summer.

Monday morning, my barber sent me an article about long covid and "micro clots" in the blood, which scientists say are causing the long term symptoms.  It was a scary but interesting read and meant a lot that Roe took the time to read the article and send it to me.

Anyway, after getting up and starting my Sunday dinner (cheesy rice with roasted green peppers & baked chicken) I turned on the tv to catch the next episode of "Pioneer Woman".  I began watching her cooking show a couple years ago with Season 1, Episode 1 and vowed to watch every show.  I am currently on Season 7, Episode 3.  My 81st episode!

I don't think my Soup Thursdays are "Sheldon-esque", but I admit I'm pretty anal about finishing things I've started.  After this one was over, I noted there were 10 more episodes of Season 7.  There are 13 episodes per season.  How many seasons are there in total?  

THERE ARE 39 SEASONS.  (She must do 3 seasons every calendar year.)

I did a manual count of remaining episodes to watch.  I have 416 more shows.  It took me 3 years to watch 80, I'm not sure I want to watch 416 more.  I turned off her show, turn on the news... this is not a joke.  They said "In entertainment news, for you fans of the Pioneer Woman, she just started filming her 40th season."

This will probably be one habit I can break!

Has anyone else done this? I'm giving it a go

Have you heard of this?  Getting prescription meds over the internet without seeing a doctor first?  A couple weeks ago I was watching a news story about online pharmacies, and how 95% of them were bogus--selling questionable or phony drugs.  I couldn't help but wonder if any of them were legit.  And how did this work, anyway?

I've been taking 10mg Amlodipine daily since 2019.  I'd gone to the hospital for a kidney operation, and they informed me there was a problem, my blood pressure was too high.  They put me on two meds, monitored me for a couple days then did the surgery after.

I was then prescribed amlodipine, which came with side effects like swollen ankles and dizziness when I stood up.  When I complained about the swelling, they gave me a smaller dosage but my BP numbers shot right back up.  I went back on 10mg.

In 2022, I checked into the hospital for a 2 day drug screening to try other BP meds.  They were unable to find an equally effective drug.   They would write me a 3 month prescription, sometimes with a refill for another 3 months, then require I come in to renew the prescription.

In 2024 when I got long covid, my pill supply was shrinking and I had no refills left--I was in too much pain to leave the house, my primary care physician would only say "I'm sorry but you have to come in to get your prescription renewed" so I took my remaining 1 month supply and cut them in half to make them last 2 months.  Smart, huh?

Then one day soon after, I was feeling better and went to the senior center to see my friends.  A nurse was there checking people's BP numbers.  She did mine and said "You need to go to the hospital right now. Your blood pressure is in heart attack or stroke territory.  I mean it, go now."

I called my PCP, he saw me the next morning and I stopped chopping my pills.  My BP was back to normal in a couple days.

So here's my current story.  I called my PCP a couple weeks ago to see about getting a refill.  He said he already did this over the phone 3 months ago, for my next refill I had to come in.  I told him I couldn't, I was sick with the flu.  I asked if I could have a Facetime appointment like I do with my neurologist.  He said sorry, it would have to be in person.

That's when I began checking out online pharmacies prescribing drugs, and found the one above (TelyRX).  I asked AI about them and got this:

TelyRx appears to be a legitimate, U.S.-based telehealth platform and online pharmacy, featuring LegitScript certification, HIPAA compliance, and a 4.9-star rating on Trustpilot. It offers FDA-approved medications without prescriptions, but requiring a review by a licensed U.S. doctor. Users generally report fast, reliable service.

At first I said "No way.  I get my prescription at NO COST thru my current insurance plan."  TelyRX is charging me $49.00 for a 90 day supply--but they were offering a 20% discount on my first order, and an even bigger discount on refills.  

It's actually a bargain, as my doctor's office is in West View.  It's $35.00 to get an Uber ride there, another $35 to get a ride back.  My PCP is $25 for a standard visit. 

So it would cost me $95.00 to get my refill the traditional way, or TelyRX who is sending my prescription in the mail for $44.00.  I know I can't do this forever, but if this can save me the hassle (and added expense) of going to the doctor for now... why not?   In several months I'll be switching from private insurance to Medicare, and hopefully a new doctor with a closer office.

I still don't get how this is legitimate though.  TelyRx asked my height, weight & age.  They didn't ask for my medical history, or how much I take of the drug.  I had to sign a declaration that it's a prescription drug I already take, the Amlodipine is only for myself and I would use them in a responsible manner.  

These just arrived in the mail ten minutes ago.  I asked if I could get a six month supply instead of 90 days and their doctor approved it.  Let the pill popping begin.

This is a day of independence....

I was sitting here this morning, watching Wizard of Oz and eating my breakfast, and around the time the Mayor of Munchkin City said "This is a day of independence, for all Munchkins and their descendants"  I got dinged by my bank app that two direct deposits had been made to my checking account.  

One was my Federal tax refund (which came surprisingly fast, I just submitted my taxes a few days ago) and the other was my very first Social Security payment.  Am I really going to get that every month for the rest of my life?  Sweet!

I just saw something on the news the other night that the average social security payment is $2,071.00; so at $1,994.00 mine would appear to be $77.00 below average.  

But for someone like myself who early retired at the age of 54, I'm fine with that.

Anyway I'm sure this is tacky on my part, sharing these numbers; I'm not boasting about the amounts, but genuinely surprised I am considered old enough by the government to get social security.  (I was eligible 2 years ago, but held off until my monthly amount was close to $2000.00)   I swear to God, when my long covid isn't acting up I feel like a 14 year old kid inside.  

In fact, the last week or so I've been watching these paranormal videos on YouTube late at night and I'm starting to develop a fear of ghosts again, doggone it.  Do you believe in ghosts?  I'm not saying they're the spirits of dead people, but there's some strange things going on out there being caught on all those digital cameras... 💀

Alright, I'd better stop yapping and get dinner started, I'm having chicken tenders, leftover scalloped potatoes from Sunday and roasted broccoli.  Thanks for letting me share, that's all!  😊

Doug the Handyman at your service

The other day, my blogger friend Margaret posted a picture of her guy John installing a new thermostat in her refrigerator and it inspired me to be a handyman too.

For the last couple years I've been wanting to replace my toilet seat.  You can't tell from the photo above, the lid is closed--but the seat is a real mess.  

DO NOT USE CLOROX BLEACH WIPES ON PAINTED WOODEN TOILET SEATS.

Over the past 3-4 years, the bleach from those wipes ate into the white enamel, causing streaks and splotches.  It gave the appearance of being an unclean seat.  

I walked up the street to my local hardware store (and was woozy and soaked when I arrived, I think I'm still recovering from that flu last week) and was surprised at the number of toilet seats they had.  Plastic, wood, soft close, padded, round, elongated.  Those padded seats looked nice, but I worked in Home Improvements in the 1980s, and padded toilet seats never seemed to last long.  

Also, I need the ability to stand on the lid if need be, to hang Damp-Rid bags in my bathroom ceiling in the summer.  Seats ranged from $14.95 to $32.95, mine cost $25.00.   I thought they'd be more.

Ta-da!  To be honest, I had a heck of a time removing the bolts from the old one, you definitely need a wrench for both the removal and installation.  But this new seat fits like a charm and now I won't have to go into a frenzied explanation if a houseguest asks to use my powder room.   

My work for the day is done, think I'll go make a late breakfast.  🛠

Recovery from the flu, love in the afternoon & I can't forget LC now

Friday morning I awoke with a damp undershirt and wet hair; took my temp, 98.6.  I guess I was cured?  Got out of bed, woozily stumbled into my kitchen and made a cup of coffee.  Went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth... I was out of breath.  Went back into the bedroom, began pulling my germy blankets off my bed.  Had to stop & catch my breath.  Sat down for a break, turned on my tablet and read a morning email from my sister Shawn asking how I was doing.  

I said I was recovered but pretty weak and had trouble catching my breath.  She said she was worried I may have developed pneumonia.  I didn't know how to respond to that.  As the morning moved into afternoon I got progressively pooped and canceled my plans for the day.  I read mostly and slept, and was in bed by 8pm.

This morning I awoke around 4:30am with a SOPPING WET undershirt, soaked bedsheets and a dripping head.  I guess yesterday's "break" was only a trial run.  I scrambled out of that wet bed and into the shower, put on some fresh clothes and stripped off my sheets.  Sprayed my mattress topper with Tide Sanitizing Spray (I love this stuff) then pounded that new topper for good measure, flipped it and turned it and remade the bed with my favorite crisp Indian cotton sheets.   

Feeling a lot better than the day before, I sprinted down the hall to the laundry room (it was empty and no one was on the calendar until noon).  Took all my germy bedclothes down there, got some hot suds going and came back to my apartment and made a cup of coffee.  Sat down on the couch and turned on my TV for the first time in a week when I heard a knock at my door.

When I opened it, there was Sally--a special needs woman who lives on the third floor.  She's in her late fifties and is a tiny thing, not even 5 feet tall.  She was holding a red envelope and smiling, and gave it to me.  It was this nice Valentines Day card above.  I read it and thanked her for the sweet card, and said "Sally I wish I could give you a hug, but I've been sick with the flu all week and just made a recovery this morning.  When you have a cold you're only contagious for 3 days, but when you get the flu you're contagious for a week."

She nodded okay while slowly tip-toeing backward.  I know Sally pretty well, she's a real germaphobe.  Good for her.  

After Sally left, I headed back to the laundry room to put my washed bedclothes in the dryer.  The right side of my face began to hurt and swell along the jawline.  Hello LC (long covid).  I felt like it's saying "Hey pal, I gave ya a break but you didn't think I was gone for good, did ya?"  Nope.  Came back to my apartment, got an ice pack for my lower face, worked on my shopping list for tomorrow.  I'm craving crusty rolls and polish sausage and hot mustard, potato chips and maybe some grapefruit soda.  This has been a long week.  I'm having microwave chocolate cake tonight.

Finally, turned on Peacock to search for something good to watch and found this movie that was just playing in theaters at Christmas, Song Sung Blue starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.  

They play a real life couple from Milwaukee, Claire & Mike Sardina who fell in love and formed a Neil Diamond tribute band that lasted from 1989-2006.  How is it I've never heard of this before?  I just finished watching this and it's so special, so wonderful my heart's about ready to burst.  I love these two.

I hope this wasn't too boring a read, I really wanted to thank everyone for your kind comments to my flu-post earlier this week.  It really came out of nowhere, but I suppose things like the flu always does.

I hope everyone reading this is enjoying their Valentine's Day, thanks again.

It's the flu, at least that I know for certain

This is going to be a first for me. I'm going to post a blog while laying on my back.  I just wanted to say I may not be writing or reafing other blogs right now, apparently I've got thr flu.

The irony here kills me--my last post I wrote about being good from the neck down (because of probiotics).  And then on Sunday, I'd just finished a nice dinner of baked chicken, roasted broccoli & mashed potatoes and was settling in to watch the Superbowl (of course I'm a Steelers fan but my friend Margaret's Seahawks was playing) when I got an increasingly painful stabbing in my stomach.  Gall bladder attack.

It's been awhile but it's not something you forget.  It lasted from 8:20 to 10:30, by the time it ended I was so worn out I went to bed,  Fell asleep, woke up at 1am with a bad fever and every inch of my body in awful pain.

And this is the only place I've been since Sunday night, in this bed. It takes everything in me just to get up to use the bathroom or to get some juice & water.  The fever has been awful, keeps climbing up to 103.8 then dies down after a couple hours, then back up again... last night I could not get a wink of sleep, I asked AI what to do.  It suggested a very cold wet washcloth on the head and that did the trick.

I haven't had any coffee since Sunday mormng, and this is from someone who drinks 4-5 cups a day.  I just realized, is my brain having caffeine withdrawal?  It's been aching nonstop since Monday.

Also haven't had a thing to eat--well, 2 bites of the top half of a Thomas' English Muffin.  Just the thought of any food makes me queasy.

Anyway, this morning it occurred to me--what if this is covid?   I had a couple test kits in my medicine cabinet, took one, it came up negative (below).   But the box says "EXP DATE:  11/25".  That's only a couple months, right?  That shouldn't be a big deal right?

Okay I need to close this up and try to eat a bowl of cereal or something.  (It jsut has to be cold.  No hot foods.)  Thank you for reading, hope everyone out there is well and Margaret I sure was glad to hear who won that game. 😊