Update about blogCa

Who knew all this would happen afterwards! First 2025 snow, the path around Lake Tomahawk passes a fenced garden of a B & B.

Saturday, November 30, 2024

Goodbye November 2024

 So the pulmonologist wanted to do some more extensive tests to see if my intermittent fevers could be related to some kind of micro-infection. That meant taking little samples of what I cough up, spitting into labeled little jars, then return in to his office to be sent off to the lab. It will take a while to get results. In the meantime he prescribed another antibiotic. Since I take several a year, I hope this will help me have more energy, and not cause major side effects! I couldn't take the antibiotic until I finished making 3 samples over 3 days. To you all fellow bloggers who recommended more tests, we're finally going that direction.

November of '24 has been an interesting month.

I learned that setting a goal and working toward it with my best efforts doesn't always work. I tried exercise to extend my stamina, and found it set me back instead, with the fever occurring twice this month. Hadn't had it during any of my evacuation time of 16 days, so it's kind of related to my home and my own practices.

My goal that I didn't reach was to drive to Ohio for Thanksgiving with my family. I still tear up when writing this, because of course it hurts that I missed being with them. But I figured I wasn't becoming more fit in the stamina of breathing than I was failing at it. The body has spoken. 

Me and my three granddaughters and my son at his Thanksgiving table in 2018. The girls have sure grown, and I've lost weight, but Russ looks much the same! 

Here's the version from this year at their house.


My friend and medical care coordinator, Rob, said I should just consider this as a postponed trip. So maybe I can look at it as a positive in that way, though I am invited for Chirstmas as well. Not sure if a month from now (or less) will change things.

This month has also been one of acceptance of the dregs of the hurricane that are all around us still, while efforts for retails and restaurants to become normal are happening. A strange juxtaposition.

Having Thanksgiving late in the month did feel strange also.

But I've been starting Christmas shopping too, at the local stores. I gifted myself some beautiful pottery made by a friend.

Mmm, I also got a few little things for granddaughters in OH. Easy to ship. Will look at local shops Saturday to see what else I might send them, since I can't count on seeing them for Christmas.

And of course there's the depressed feelings and fears as a result of the  election. No more need to be said. Except that it came on top of the survival dealings following catastrophic flooding and winds in my part of North Carolina...individuals certainly lost more than I did, but I didn't feel all that great getting through the month of October and into November.

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A good report from a Charlotte TV station. I hadn't heard or seen many of the clips that came out the first week, because of living with no electricity or wi-fi.


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And for more philosophical interest, Wendell Berry interviewed by Bill Moyers.
 

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And just to record the strange dream I had Thanksgiving morning...there were 6 little hand blown amber glass dishes, with squared off edges...maybe about 2-3 inches on a side. They were very rare, and I was going to smuggle them through some guarded situation. So I wore some tight elastic undies and put all 6 dishes against my rather bountiful belly...with the bow of the dishes such that the edges were against my body. Of course in the dream several of them broke, and the pieces cut me...such that doctors were called to do surgery to remove the glass. 

I think this was the first night I took my new antibiotic. My gut was sending me a message that it's about to be attacked. Poor ole gut. I hope it doesn't have any glass edges while it survives this necessary medication. Enough, you're screaming! Enough of this personal stuff!

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Today's quote:

Stephen Jay Gould, naturalist, said, “Homo sapiens [are] a tiny twig on an improbable branch of a contingent limb on a fortunate tree.”



12 comments:

  1. Can´t your family visit you next time for Thanksgiving/Christmas or just for a little vacation with you? What a sad post and eek on that dream. Dreams can be nasty. I tonight dreamed I sectretly moved out of my parent´s house and I was still a teenager. Maybe because I am officially "on hold" at work since Friday? Our brains process real nasty at times.
    Listen to your body I´d say. Best wishes you get fitter soon!

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    1. Thanks for good wishes, Iris. I'm trying to listen to the body, but it just wants to stay in bed all the time. Thus will power is needed there. No more dreams here. You got your right on the money.

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  2. Good, my grandmother went through tests like that..partly to check that she hadn't picked up T B from a friend she visited. I can't remember what the results were apart from no TB.

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    1. Yes, same kinds of tests. Hope the results are negative, but again, if they do show something then it's treatable, and otherwise I'll continue in limbo.

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  3. How disappointing for you to miss the event. I do hope that you have some good days soon.

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    1. Thanks. I appreciate your good wishes AC. I'll keep looking for a silver lining in this cloud of poor health!

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  4. Hello,
    I hope these test will help you find a treatment. I am sorry you missed Thanksgiving with your family. It would be nice if you can make the trip to visit during the Christmas holiday. Take good care of yourself. Have a great weekend.

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    1. Thanks Eileen. I'm looking forward to seeing my family whenever it can happen.

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  5. ...I miss This Week with Bill Moyers that was aired Fridays on PBS!

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  6. I too hope these test produce results that are treatable, Barbara. I can understand how you were disappointed to miss the holiday with family and perhaps you will share Christmas together.

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  7. Yes, listen to your body. You only have one. I’m sorry you didn’t get to travel for Thanksgiving

    Is it possible that your building has mold?

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