Author: alohawild

I rose multiple times as I am still recovering, and normal has been found. I sleep a few hours, then get up and prove hydration or that the pills that cause the poo to flow without pushing (much) are working. After that, I will need some painkillers as this is about balance and restoring it. Those are eight hours apart, but I don’t want (like I have right now) to have the pain of moving to the surface and being contained in my thinking. Tonight, I was nearly sleepless as the pain came and stayed. Interestingly, the pain is different and seems more about bruises and discomfort; it may be another improvement.

Linda, my sister who is staying and caring for me, checked on me at about 8, as I had gotten up at 4-5 and then crashed for three to four hours. I woke tired and feeling weak, and soon rose and climbed into the comfy chair in the living room with a blanket. Next, I made, it is not that hard, steel-cut oats on the stove top with little of Linda’s help. You measure oats and a pinch of salt, put in a pan with water, heat, and let cook on low for twenty minutes or so. Dondrea was happy to hear I was cooking today, a love we share, and we both love steel-cut oats.

The thrush (I think it is thrush) in my mouth makes eating anything a trial, but I managed half a bowl with the addition of some brown sugar, walnut pieces, and raisins. It is Memorial Day, and Linda is surprised by the military overflights, but there are parades all over, and the military provides a flyover for many. The Pacific War (1941-45) was fought here, and many Americans were surprised by our attention to detail. The thousands of sailors who died in this theater were local sons, husbands, and even wives and daughters. It was a total war here. The torpedoed merchant just off the coastal cities are still commanded by the locals whose ships they were.

Moving away from the sad holiday, I put on Grease—yes, that one (ENJ and JT)—and once again marveled at how good it was and also at how dated some of the dance moves were. Stockard Channing steals the show, as always, while John Travolta makes it all look easy. Today, I am already running out of steam, and it is just soon.

Matt V also comes by to see me. He has no symptoms but wears a mask, as he is fresh from an Alaska Cruise with his wife, Nikki. She managed to work from the ship and also do all the fun things. Matt said it was a sort of perfect trip for them. Matt is retired, but Nikki is enjoying a revitalization of her career and wants to keep working for a while. It pays the bill!

Matt V, after checking with Nikki, will arrange to drive me to Northern California. Natash’s wedding party is near San Jose, Matt’s old stomping grounds, and we have been meaning to travel together, so Matt will make all the arrangements. Originally, I asked Corwin, but let’s go with the two retired guys on the road instead.

I have two roses that need to be planted, and Matt is happy to make a hole and put them in it. He will be back on Tuesday for that, as he will bring his own gloves. Linda and Matt decided where to put them.

Thanks, MattV! Exhaustion soon took over, and Matt left with a plan for the next couple of weeks. Excellent!

Linda served a salad for lunch, and the Caesar dressing burned my mouth some. I ate the cheese anyway and finished the bowl with croutons. I have probably racked up a few hundred calories, and this may be a high for me in a week. Everything burns my nearly empty energy level, so it has been hard to want to eat everything. I want instead to just rest and go slow, very slow.

Aside: Yes, I know. Eat! But it sucks with mouth pain and the energy levels draining away so fast. I try to sleep, but I am beyond that now. Sleep will be about comfort now, and that is hard to find. Yes, another page has turned, but this is get’r’done page and is hard.

Having done a musical, I go for the next Doctor Who episode; Matt seemed to think (we talked about shows to watch) it was at least pretty. It was a dark, terminal story, scary, mysterious, and sad. After watching, Linda had many questions about the Police Box, which I answered but likely left her with little new information. The standalone stories can be some of the best stuff you see on Doctor Who, especially the scary ones, and I thought it was good. An acquired taste, so it is recommended to a connoisseur of Who.

The Moroccan Preserved Lemons and olives (with pits!) were delivered from Amazon. Linda would cook while I would direct. I was failing, but Moroccan dinner was planned, and I was going to get it made, or, well, Linda would. We had three chicken breasts to split, but first, we would slip into American cooking. One green pepper was cut up, and a matching amount of onion and celery was chopped. This was put in my large Dutch Oven and cooked in olive oil on the stove. This is known as the Trinity, but we did not include The Pope (garlic). This is always a good base–we have plenty of flavor. I don’t want browned, but sweated. Two salty lemons were sliced for the meal. Fingerling potatoes were added, as were rough and large cuts of carrots (I love them large and meaty). The lemon followed with handfuls of olives.

Finally, raw chicken was layered and then liberally (how else in my kitchen?) sprinkled with Ras al hanaout, a spice powder from North Africa. I bought some packs in Marrakesh, and while this powder is meant for lamb or beef, I used it on chicken. This went into a 450 Convection Roast oven in The Stove’s second oven.

We then took a bottle of couscous sauce —I have no recipes or even good sources for this—and heated it slowly in a pan. While looking like a red pasta sauce, it is something else and hints at olives, lemons, and other African flavors. This sauce is recommended for grain-like couscous and brighter flavors. That heated slowly and politely for an hour.

Couscous takes no time. We made a lot. I season it with Gram Masala, almond slices, and cardamom. I toast the grain in a hot pan with butter and cook the spices to make them stand out. Once the butter is gone and the grain darkens, just pour on hot water. Done. It will be set in a few minutes. Get some chicken on the cutting board and slice.

Take the couscous and put it in a bowl. Add the carrot, olives, potatoes, and juices from the pot. Cover with the now-cooked but still bright couscous sauce. Top with sliced chicken still brown with the Ras al hanaout. Try not to come back for thirds! Watch out for pits!

Linda loved cooking together and then getting to eat it, too; that was better! It is the first dinner I have finished in a week.

I slipped into old habits today and put on PBS news, and the world angered me again. I listened to many angry people telling me what I should believe. I happen to know that this conflict, let’s call it the Middle East, is a century old, having been created in the mess of the end of World War I. I happen to know that if you bomb and kill long enough, you will destroy your enemy despite claims to the opposite, but you may also plant the next enemy. While some would claim that this is total war (which side doesn’t matter), the civilians are not to be victims of new atrocities; this is agreed to by all outside of the conflict. Thus, I am angered that more civilians were exchanged for, I am sure, the most blood-stained of people. The IDF official who explained the deaths was clear: the price, to them, was worth it. How terrible to be here. I have no answers, just tears, and in my mind’s eye, I look for a way away from this most terrible place the conflict has arrived at.

Aside: My Jewish friends, you are in my thoughts and prayers, too.

Also, on the news, the Democratic polling suggests our candidate (I am a liberal and a Democrat) is old, uninteresting, and not what anyone wants. Yup. The only thing we have in our corner is that their candidate makes ours look good (some of you might disagree). The conflict above, the higher prices, and just grumpiness have Americans relooking at Trump. The election will be a close one, according to folks who sell polls. Buy more.

After being depressed and happy (Americans having doubts about Biden reassures me–yes, I am voting for him, but still), I went to bed early after managing to shower. My shower has a built-in seat, and I use it now as it is safer and leaves me with some energy left. As I wrote at the top, sleep and rest did not come.

Thanks for reading. Please pray for peace!

Dear readers, we knew this would be a difficult surgery and the recovery would be harsh for the first few days or, in this case, the first week. Today, a week out from the surgery, I am just finding the focus and the energy to communicate with you, my dear readers. I am leaning on Grammarly for the wording as it is hard for me to think of the correct word, spell it, and then type it in.

So, the first question is about my recovery; it is about balance. Pain vs painkillers vs nausea vs nausea drugs. The hearing is gone (forever) on my left side, but as my doctors suspect, the hearing was already crushed by the tumor, and while I have to be careful when I move my head, the balance, too, seems to be long lost. So, I skipped the vertigo and loss of hearing. We, Linda, and the nurses at the hospital managed to get the balance in the first few days and to keep it up most of the time. Late at night, the balance was often lost, and it was miserable, but with multiple options, we soon stopped the pain (me, often sleeping off the heavy painkillers and taking an anti-nausea for the hard painkiller). The head still agues and needs more basic painkillers, and thrush (I think) is visiting my mouth. The movement of fat from my belly to my ear (so many jokes!) left a new mark and soreness. I am using a walker to be safe, and I am very attentive to proper procedures and staying in my walker. I am on stool softeners so that I don’t push when using the restroom, and this means the facilities need to be nearby (more jokes about brain pressure from defecation go here).

Exhaustion and healing are the main remaining issues. I am tired and sometimes more exhausted, and then the day is full of difficult choices, making it hard to go on. Every choice is a use of energy that will run out before the day ends. Nights are a change of location and the effort to sleep in my bed. I am not sure if I sleep or just pass out and wake up hours later. I wake tired and force myself to put on my slippers, stand without using my walker to balance and start again.

I am improving, and the hard drugs have been avoided for 24 hours. The pain is moving to the background. While the exhaustion and lack of energy make for a dull day, I am hopeful by the second week, it will be a more long-term recovery, and I can manage again.

While this is a short blog for me, it took an hour. Focus is purchased now. Thanks for reading!

I am not ready to write a story yet, but maybe later today. I am home and safe and trying to manage my pain. The pain in my head is quite tough. The reactions to various drugs and IVs and other insults to my arms are starting to heal.

Thank you all for reading and following along and prayers.

 

Here is the Google Doc that will be maintained while I am in the hospital: Status Document.

Here is a song to remember me: Fly With Me.

And for the future: Some Like It Hot.

I rose at 6:30 and made coffee using all the Columbia coffee (thanks, Kramers). Later, I made NYC bagels for Linda and myself with cream cheese, of course. I finished the blog I had started while traveling. It feels so strange to finally get to these days I have planned for so long.

I dressed for church while Linda set up her office and worked out how to connect her device. I selected a sweater vest, pride tie, and grey-blue button-down shirt for church. Air Volvo had me there early, and I spoke to a few folks. It was easy for me to sing hymns today, and Pastor Ken continued with his discussion about the book of James. He had a bad cold and said the six-year-old himself was running the show today due to the cold. Anything could happen. We went over the second set of introductory verses that talk about the rich and temptation. Again, Pastor Ken said that God and Jesus did not promise an easy life but quite the opposite. In these verses, the rich are described as transient flowers that a hot sun will destroy and that resisting the temptation of the rich is worth merit. It is not about wealth but what one does with what one has to help make the community better. James is telling us to remember who we are and why we are here; we belong to God.

After the service, Pastor Ken led me in a healing prayer, with Dondrea putting her hand on my shoulder. Thank you!

Next, I picked Linda up, who was vacuuming and rearranging the furniture in the living room, to BJs for lunch/dinner. Linda had a ribeye steak, and I had prime rib. We shared a pazookee, which is a large hot baked cookie with ice cream for dessert.

Next, we took Air Volvo to Trader Joe’s to restock some easy frozen meals and get other goodies. My colon problems returned as I had not followed my usual process, and now I rushed to the restroom two times (and again at home) as the contents were unloaded. The cork and champagne problem had returned. I avoid this by just ensuring I use the restroom in the morning and early afternoon. While traveling, I could not do this. I will try to be more disciplined next trip.

I managed to avoid any embarrassment, and we restocked by returning with our goodies to the Volvo Cave. Corwin helped to put away the groceries. Next, Air Volvo left for the hospital. I had to do my imaging and leave the markers on overnight. I made a mistake, and we took a more scenic drive, but we arrived early.

I was tired, and while waiting for my MRI, now dressed in hospital garb, little stickers placed all over my head (to make a 3D map for the surgeon), and an IV in my arm, I nodded off. It was not until after 5PM that I finally got stuck in a tiny space and exposed to loud buzzing for thirty minutes, twice. You have to not panic and think happy thoughts with all the noise and the vibrations. At least the air is cool and fast, making it feel less confined. I keep my eyes shut so as not to panic as I try to imagine larger open spaces. Even with the supplied earplugs, it was terrible. Worse, I only heard the noise on one side. I am completely deaf now on the left side.

Linda and I decided ice cream was in order. We found Salt and Straw not that busy, and soon, I dropped ice cream on my shirt. I drove and ate, and soon we were home. I then stripped the bed and got all that going in The Machine. I need clean PJs and sheets for tonight.

I also saw that my roses are blooming. Here are some shots of the roses in the backyard.

 

 

Sorry, I am so tired. It is 10PM, and now I have no more food or drink. I need to stop. Thanks for reading.

I rose at 6:30 after the sunrise had woken me multiple times. I was not ready to give up the Graduate East Lansing, do Susie’s Concert, and then rush home. But that was what the plan for today was and would be. I rose, identified the suit and related items to wear today, and then cleaned up, dressed, and packed. This was a short trip, so I was not near the bottom of my clean clothing. I assembled everything, put it away, and was ready for the day. I was wearing my black suit which I bought with the blue and grey suits. I bought the black suit thinking of this day in the future and was saddened to finally reach the last of Susie’s Concerts. The black suit’s first use was for the unexpected passing of my good friend Cory and then again for P Giessner. I will have to find a happy occasion to wear it to make it feel less sad when I put it on. I added the gold-colored chain and pocket watch to lighten up the outfit, as it looked too somber for me.

I headed to the Graduate East Lansing lobby and ordered a veggie burrito. Remembering how long the sausage one stayed with me, I switched to a veggie one. I ate that, finished the blog, and even edited some more Howard stories. Finally, it was time to leave the green and white embrace of the hotel (still reminding of a gone-Spartan-mad version of the hotel in John Wick movies, “We hope you enjoyed your stay”) and cover the cost of the valet parking. I used Expedia to produce cheap hotels and flights, and the flight and hotel are paid for by that process. As we have seen, car rental is still a work in progress, and it is unlikely that I will use Expedia again for that.

With the luggage in Leta’s car’s truck delivered in a mass of cars stacked in front of the Graduate East Lansing, I started a search for a few Thank-You cards. Frandor no longer has the Community News or any shops I would usually visit, and none that could supply a few cards. I decided to travel to the Lansing Mall, nearer Grace United Methodist, which is a good place for someone in a three-piece suit to walk in AC. It also includes, in this dying retail property, as most malls are dying, an excellent Barnes and Noble with all the options, including cafe and vinyl records. I soon crossed Lansing without issue as I remembered my aggressive why-are-you-not running that light Midwest driving (I did not risk any lights as Leta would not be happy about that).

The bookstore had cards, and soon, I had what I needed. I then walked to the mall at 10:30 and discovered most things closed and few stores of interest. I was looking for a DVI to USB C Apple converter, but I talked to Barb and was told we did not need one. There were none in this mall. I saw a group of guys in a line at the shoe store. I stopped and asked and learned Jordan (a Nike brand) was having a release of a special shoe today, and this was the line to get them. They thought it cool that I was retired Nike, and I wished them well.

I was a disconcerting fellow in my brown hat and black suit with a goldish chain on my vest. One guy, I think, wanted spiritual counseling and wanted to know if I was a preacher (looking the part with a black suit). I told him I was not and that I was just visiting for my wife’s memorial and just killing some time. He wished me well and soon was walking the mall with a group of slightly sketchy folks. It appeared that they were using the walking as something to do together and as some form of group help.

Time went fast, as it does on days like this, and soon I was at Panera Bread having a Strawberry Poppie Chicken salad with iced tea. Even with the AC, the walk made me a bit warm, but the iced tea worked. Peter Koper called me to say that they were at Grace UMC early. It was time to start. I took Leta’s car, following the Maps app on my iPhone, to the church. John Nilsen had just arrived, and we talked about Morocco and my trip there until the rest of the folks arrived.

Soon, I was in the whirlwind of seeing old friends and directing people here and there. We stalled as one important guest, Harvey, was late coming from Detroit Airport. The pastor soon started us, and the service ran like clockwork, with John’s playing, setting the mood and feeling I often find missing in more scripted services. John’s kind words brought many to tears. The final words, harvested from the usual service in the Methodist Book of Worship, of committing Susie to God are always hard to hear again (tears, even when writing this).

Punch, no-bake cookies, and grilled cheese sandwiches were now available in great Methodist-like quantities (Methodists are not good on doctrine, but we do food well). Susie’s pictures, albums, passports, elementary school report cards, and the like were scattered on tables. My laptop played a loop of Susie’s 1980 long and short programs. I wandered around and shared my time with friends and family. John sold a few items and made more friends and maybe a few fans.

I grabbed my luggage, gave Leta her keys, and changed out of the suit into traveling clothing, repacking my suit and luggage. Harvey, Eva, and John all offered a trip to Capital Airport, and Eva drove me.

Linda met me there, and we followed the usual process. Soon, various luggage was checked (I paid the $30 fee last night). Linda said goodbye to her husband Jesse and their daughter Meg. We then proceeded through security with laptops remaining in their bags, but shoes and belts had to be removed. I kept my hat on this time. After some reassembly, Linda and I found our gate, and the one bar and food joint was not open on Saturday afternoon. F**k. Soon, our tiny plane arrived fifteen minutes early and was quickly loaded (about 50% full), and we were soon landing in Chicago. The taxi and waiting took almost more time than the flight!

The plane is so small that you must use the valet check for any bags for carry-on. We did have to wait for those to be retrieved and offered. Linda managed to be in the last bag with me, with only one ahead of her. We then had more than an hour to reach our gate at the same terminal. We did rush and reached the gate as the plane arrived and was deplaning the current inbound batch from Las Vegas. The nearby McDonald’s was flooded, and I saw nobody had food. So I am glad that we broke out my chicken salad lunch snacks. These are little cans of chicken salad already prepared with crackers to smear it on, which I always add to my carry-on.

Soon, Linda, who had a better ticket class than me (I had the cheapest tickets), boarded before me. I was in the last group, and a stewardess impressed me with her 3D problem-solving skills. She sorted the items in the overhead bin (directing me to move this here and that there) to fit my roller bag. Snap, and everything is safe and away. I am not sure we did not violate some rules of time and space. I was thinking it was a Douglas Adams or Doctor Who moment.

The Boeing 737-800 promised to be uncomfortable, and it was. I felt my discomfort was helping Wall Street see American Airlines make another earning number–hate to waste any money on customers, and with my super cheap ticket, I took it in stride (I am certain my cheap flight did not improve AA’s bottom line). I took off my leather shoes and tried to get comfortable. I believe I nodded off a few times as the hours disappeared quickly. I also worked out how to reach the WIFI-based entertainment and tried to watch a movie, but I kept nodding off.

Linda and I were starting to show the travel as we hit the carpet at PDX.

I am out of time for the blog. We made it home and got some chicken from Poppies. Corwin had not completed the tasks I asked him, and Linda set up the inflatable mattress that was last used by Glenda (I think) in the home office and managed to sleep well.

I did my special surgery soap and soon was asleep, too.

Thanks for reading.