Return of the Dishwasher

At last, after waiting a week my dishwasher is running again. Turns out it was never installed properly. The hose was bent, it wasn't level, and some other nonsense with the "seals".
That's what I get for trying to encourage a person who took early retirement to start up a home reno business. I paid him good money too and now I'm having to pay others to correct his mistakes.

A dishwasher really is a labour saving device for me. I have a small pokey kitchen, do lots of cooking and there's always a ton of dirty dishes. It's also great in the morning to be able to shove the breakfast dishes in there and any other bits and pieces from the night before. I come home to a reasonably tidy kitchen, make dinner, and then after wards do one big wash. Plus you really do use much less water with a dishwasher compared to hand washing. Hey! if my cheapo ex thinks that, it must be true.

Feeling better today All my wounded body parts are healed and no longer attacking me with weird pain pulses. Still, even with the Amantadine I'm very tired. I'm also concerned about how absent minded I'm becoming. It's getting worse. I'm no longer able to multi task like before, always trying to do three things at once. I use to be good at it. Not anymore.

Here's a good "blame the patient story" from the NYT. I get that "you don't want to get better" routine from my family and I think at work they think the same thing. They just don't come out and say it directly to me. I know there are people who fake illnesses to get attention, which I find strange. Why Oh Why ! would you want to hang around doctor's and hospitals if you didn't need to. If I could get back all the time I've spent in the last four years going to doctors, going for tests, I'm sure it would total about three months. I would love to have that time back.

A couple of weeks ago somebody was commenting on how the hospitals don't keep patients in as long as they use to. I said that was a good thing. Better to be at home suffering than in a hospital. Not that the staff don't do a good job. It's just that no matter how hard they try, hospitals aren't cheerful places, aren't meant to be enjoyed.

I'm still in health care limbo, waiting, waiting , for decisions to be made about my fate.

The first snow of the season today

The Last Test

Today I had the last of the tests, a lumbar puncture, which was no big deal. I had a reaction to the freezing. Everything was going fine and suddendly I felt so hot and faint. Luckily I was sitting on a bed so the doctor had me lie back for a few minutes. I sat up again and he finished taking the sample. .When he was done I felt faint again and was sweating like crazy . I've always been a fainter. My astrology friend tells me it's a Libra trait

I was pleased when they took a blood sample, in that the nurse took it from the top of my right hand instead of in my arm. It's so much more comfortable that way. After wards I had to lie there for about an hour just to make sure I was no longer wobbly. The doctor came back to check on me and then told me to go home and take it easy.

My doctor is a great guy .I'm so in love with him. Before he did the test he sat down and had a talk with me . It's a good feeling to have a doctor who actually listens . (No not THE Dr. Who, although I wouldn't mind if he were my doctor) . His voice is so soothing and I really do believe that he cares. Once the tests results are in he's going to suggest treatments (read drugs) he already knows that I''m not a believer in the MS drugs so it will be interesting to find out what he has in mind. He's pleased that many of my symptoms have calmed down but is still concerned about the fatigue and cognitive issues.

I also have to compliment Hamilton General hospital. The staff are friendly and professional.
It comes a close second to St. Mike's in Toronto . The only thing that is the same at Hamilton General, like all hospitals, they have lousy signs ! Trying to find your way around is like a maze.

Not much else to comment on . We have another Conservative minority government, which means most likely another election soon. The Greens didn't make any headway even with Elizabeth May taking part in the debates.
I haven't been watching or reading the news much, as all they talk about is economic doom and gloom.

I feel pretty good More positive than I have felt in a long while.

The Doctor Calls

My neurologist called today. The good news is, no new lesions according to the latest MRI.
The bad news is, I have to have the EVP tests done again as the old ones are defiantly lost. Don't really mind those tests, lying around have electric current run through me. I actually like it on my feet. It's like a super massage. I'm just annoyed that it's duplication caused by ineptitude.

After telling the doctor how much time I've taken off work ,he convinced me to at least try a medication for the fatigue. I'll be starting that on the weekend to see how it goes. I know it sounds silly, but I feel like I'm caving in. When I commented that a drug will just mask the symptoms, he said sometimes masking is good. Regardless, I can't go on this way and am at least willing to give it a try. Then like a silly ass, I started crying telling him about other symptoms that I don't really want to mention here. He was very re assuring and I did feel better afterwards.

If anybody out there takes drugs for fatigue I would welcome your comments.

Other health news: Hamilton General Hospital has received a federal grant for a heart research centre. Read about it here. Seems our sort of Prime Minsiter, smells an election coming and is handing out candy. Ha! trying to make out like he cares about healthcare. If he and his conservative buddies had their way the whole system would be privatized. It's only because most Canadians flip out when you even suggest taking away their universal health care system that he stays quiet now on that issue . The only reason he's still in power(minority gov.) is the other parties are so pathetic right now. I vote Green. I figure they can't do worse than the rest so why not give them a try.

I got 6/8 on the health quiz this week. Wow ! 50% of pregnancies are unwanted. I thought it was much less.

Medicaid Fraud and the Homeless

Read about it here.

For profit hospitals in The U.S. , sending recruiters out to bring homeless people to the hospital for bogus or minor treatment . Some of the treatments even made healthy people sick. This scam sucked millions from the government medicare system.

So many who can't get medical care and hospitals are stealing money from the system.

Still want two tier health care in Canada?

At least St Mike's hospital in Toronto has an actual out patient clinic for the homeless. You can
get treatment there for anything even if you don't have a health card. Real care, not fake care for profit.

Orderly Chaos

I thought this picture of one of the baby falcons, named Elstone was very cute . He's learning how to fly. Check my hobby links for the Peregrine Falcon site.

Decided to go to the vampire lab at the hospital today instead of the local clinic. The clinic has crazy hours I can never keep track of. It was chaos in the out patient area of the hospital, or at least it looked that way. The waiting room was packed . The line at reception was long and of course I chose the wrong line . I had a very old man with a cane jump the queue ahead of me , as well as an even older woman in a wheelchair. Not like I can yell at them or anything and who knows maybe they take advantage of that ?
Ended up at the hematology lab desk and it was quick getting processed. The staff do a good job of keeping the pedestrian traffic moving . The nurses all seemed very calm and were pleasant enough. I always get nervous when they take my health card and keep it with the file . It kind of feels like giving up your passport in a hostile foreign country, never knowing if you'll get it back, and if you don't you could end up in jail. If you lose your health card not only is it a hassle to get any care, it's an even bigger hassle to get a replacement. In fact replacing a passport is easier.

Only had to hang around the waiting area for about ten minutes. Got a couple of compliments on my Elvis purse. I notice when ever I have it with me I either get very young woman saying they like it, or older women asking me if I bought it at Graceland or in Las Vegas. They are always surprised when I say I bought it at the little dumpy mall downtown. Maybe I should fib and say I did get it in Vegas ?



So I gave my tribute of blood and was out of there in less than half an hour, not bad.
In the evening we went to see the movie "The Happening". Tuesday is cheapo night at the theater so I'm willing to go see a movie I might not pay full price for. Strange coincidence that I had just read that article about plant communication a couple of days ago . You'll know what I mean if you see the film. I don't want to be a plot spoiler.

Now I just have to wait for letters confirming appointments for the MRI and EVP.

It's Getting Hot

Little annoyances of the day.
1. No good mail , only bills
2. Rain and heat had it feeling like a steam bath outside .
3. City workers idling trucks in front of my house while eating their lunch
4. Movie channel messed up, advertising Martial Arts Monday and showing a western instead.
5. postponed trip , postponed again.
6. someone asking me how much "work" I've had done (plastic surgery- answer : none)
7. Dry, dry, feet that no amount of cream seems to help.
8. Accidentally gluing a finger on to a toe (long story)

Otherwise I can't say I accomplished much, which leaves me oddly dissatisfied with myself.

Reading this article in the paper didn't help either. Notice how a little thing can drag us down and have us thinking long lost memories ? I don't know why it reminded me of when I was a girl and was in the hospital. I had surgery on my feet. I wanted to get up to go to the bathroom but wasn't allowed. I was stubborn and kept trying to get up so the nurses tied me in my bed. I was very young but I'll never forget that feeling of helplessness and humiliation.
My dread of losing my independence must go back to that time.

Tomorrow is supposed to be mild which is good because I have loads of errands to do. Have to figure out a way to go to the Farmer's Market and not see anybody from work. I know that sounds silly, yet I can't handle seeing any of those nosy people.

I fixed the link to London Calling , not a bad blog .Check it out.

Hmm I think I hear a raccoon fight in the yard. Should I break it up ?