Story 22Jan2022: Troubled Saturday

The morning was difficult as my ears were filled with fluid and messing with my hearing and my balance to a lesser amount. I managed to sleep most of the night and felt, except my ears making hearing difficult, not too bad. Today I will just cover a few essential moments as I spent most of the day trying to not get worse.

I dressed and traveled to Susie at the Forest Grove Rehab and Care Center at 3900 Pacific Highway, Room 44A. Corwin needed a ride, and I delayed just a few minutes to make that work. I dropped Corwin, who lives with us, and I often call my nephew at the Hawaiian food place he works.

Once at the facility in Forest Grove, as usual, the entrance was not covered on the weekend, and someone finally noticed me and let me in after passing the temperature check and having my entry recorded.

Susie was in a wheelchair and not in her room. I found her by the nurses. I then wheeled her all over the facility, getting her some different views and me some exercise.

The nurses let Susie see the new puppy they brought in at one point. Sarah, the weekend nurse, apparently was getting a new dog.

I also managed to connect Susie to her mother, Leta, by FaceTime and somehow managed to snap a pic of the moment of Leta and I chatting.

My ears at this time were getting worse. So I sent a note to Richard and Kathline that I could not make gaming on Saturday night. I needed to rest and do some self-care.

Susie was getting tired and needed to rest, and soon the nurses had her back in bed. She started to get sleepy. I was sitting in the wheelchair now by her bed.

I awoke with Susie tapping my leg with her hand. She was worried when I stopped moving and talking; I had nodded off while watching her sleep. Susie and I agree I should head home and get some rest.

I took Air Volvo home without incident, no imaginative use of the roads today by my fellow drivers, and the trip took no time. I was enjoying the nice view of the mountains through a clean windshield.

I had washed the car at the automatic car wash yesterday. The crows, I call them Pollock‘s, had used my vehicle as a canvas for their latest work. I was tired of driving with a dirty windshield, but the now 50% increase on car washes to $15 since the pandemic started has me delay the car wash and drive longer with the art displayed. Gas is just under $4.00 a gallon for regular unleaded. Everything car is more expensive.

I reheated the smoked turkey soup that Eric Enders and his family sent me. I had a bowl with freshly cooked noodles. It was wonderful.

I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to not let my ears, now plugged and making me uncomfortable, remove any chance for rest. I did manage to sleep a few times.

I ordered dinner from Gyro House for Corwin and me. I wanted something nice to eat as my ear issues made me unhappy. Food always helps. I had the lamb kabobs, and Corwin had another plate. I also ordered hummus and more bread.

I watched the first 1 and 1/2 episodes of Succession on HBOMax while eating. The story is about a family that controls a vast empire of entertainment. The head of the company starts a high-level reorg and then has a stroke. It was interesting.

I spend the rest of the night reading and trying out some ear drops to improve things. Sleep is interrupted, and my dreams are vivid and troubling (and sadly forgotten). It will be hard going on Sunday!