July 16, 2013

My jaw pain returned massively this afternoon. I have spent the time since trying to reduce it without noticeable results. Thankfully, I have a dental appointment at 9 o’clock tomorrow morning.

I missed taking new photographs of the kittens today. When I finally went back into the walk-in closet all three were huddled together beneath the hanging clothes. I decided not to awaken them with the flash from my camera.

I am beginning to miss not having a television set. In recent days I have been watching the BBC series Wallander on Netflix. Actually, at a cost of less than $9.00 a month, Netflix is much superior to Direct TV at over $100.00 per month. I do miss some cable programs, such as Chelsea Lately, baseball, and soccer.

In the last episode of Wallander that I watched, his father, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, says to him: Find someone to sit with. You’re not strong enough to do it alone. Nobody is. Those words struck a note, if not a chord, within me.

I have now been living alone for about 16 years. I joke about being a hermit and perhaps I have become one. A gentleman hermit, I would like to think: a cat gentleman. A gentleman hermit living with cats. That’s me, I suppose.

Little Girl licking my forehead

Alex and I touching foreheads

Sugar snuggling

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Sleeping Beneath Kitty KIds

This is generally what happens when I sleep in my lift chair:

That is the Little Girl sleeping on my chest and Alex between my legs. At times Sugar also comes aboard my body; however, then a wrestling match usually breaks out between at least two of the Kitty Kids.

The Kitty Kids being on top of me isn't really uncomfortable, except when Little Girl intertwines herself into my beard or sleeps on my face. She also tries to lick my face, an act with which I do not accept.

Tests

I feel as if I am being tested:

• I have been quite ill—nausea, body aches, headaches, muscle weakness, exhaustion, sore throat—for the post three weeks.
• I have not had a VA-supplied—or anybody else supplied—care giver in 3 months; I thought that I could do it all by myself, but being ill haa gotten me far behind.
• My hearing aid has fallen from my left ear and I haven’t been able to find it.
• For each of the past two months, unexpected (once a year type) automatic withdrawals have been taken from my back account leaving me overdrawn and without funds for the last three or so weeks of each month.
• Today my 14-year-old washing machine began leaking.
• My 11-year-old TV is losing its picture.

Those are the issues. I am handling them the best that I can, which hasn't been too great thus far.

Kitty Kids Update:

Alex is now nesting on the comforter that I keep on the floor beside my lift chair, leaving me kinda cold.

Little Girl has recently been following me everywhere, including napping on my chest and/or face when I sleep.

Sugar is well-named: all she wants to eat these days is kitty treats and Catmilk

I have decided that I shall be victorious over these challenges!

Up All Night, But It Was Worth It

Yesterday I was harassed by all three Kitty Kids for cat treats. We had run out of their favorite wet food as well as their treats. My pension, which is due to be in my bank account on the first day of the month, was not in my bank account because yesterday was a holiday. Thus I had to wait until today to purchase cat and people food.

Alex held on to me waiting for treats

Alex could not understand this delay or our financial insolvency and kept reminding he that he wanted treats by scratching me with his claws, drawing blood three times. He would have continued his attacks except for Divine intervention: while throwing away what I believed to be empty plastic bags, I found one can of their favorite wet cat food.

Alex's favorite wet cat food

Later Little girl and I both fell asleep – she was on top of me, sleeping on my chest – watching the Rose Bowl game on TV. I awakened about 11 PM and moved from my living room chair to my bed in the bedroom. I fell asleep relatively quickly only to be awakened by a cat - Little Girl, of course - pouncing on my chest and then walking around in circles, kneading me with her claws. Since it was then about 2 AM, I decided to get up and check my online banking account, hoping that my pension check had been credited. It had not.

Of course, once I was up all three of the Kitty Kids got up and it wasn't long before they were again harassing me for cat treats, which I didn't have. I continued to check my bank account; by a little after 4:00 AM – alleluia – the pension fund check was  credited to my account. I was out the door and on my way to the grocery by 4:20.

When I returned I discovered all three cats sitting on the window side of the Venetian blinds waiting for me. Sugar and Little Girl were at the door when I opened it, Alex had already jumped up on his eating table.

I put the carton of wet cat food on Alex's dining table, but before I could open it, Alex was trying to get into it. I opened a can of food and before I could put Alex's share in his bowl, my buddy was licking the can's top. When I pointed out to my silly cat that there was more food in his bowl than on the inside of the can top, he began chowing down. I then filled Sugar and Little Girl's bowls and went into the kitchen to put away the people food. Before I completed that chore, all three crazy cats were harassing me for treats, which of course I gave to them,

The Kitty Kids' favorite treats

Sugar & Little Girl chomping on treats

As I have been writing this post, I have also be giving Alex and Sugar treats. 

Have I ever mentioned that I have spoiled my Kitty Kids?

Just in care you're interested, these are Alex's absolute favorites:

In my half-awake state in the wee hours of this morning, I attempted some apartment cleaning. In the process, I have misplaced my reach extender which is serious because the kitty kids have spent much of this morning pushing stuff onto the floor.

A little after 2:00 p.m. I had my daily telephone conversation with my mother. She doesn't sound good. I wish we still lived 15 minutes apart. Now my sister lives 10 or so minutes from her, so I telephoned her: no answer  so I left a message suggesting that she check on Mom.

December 13, 2012

I am using Dragon software, my only Christmas present, for the first time. This is a very enlightening experience. While using Dragon I am having to rethink how I write. 

This is a very interesting situation in that I can usually think faster than I can type; however, to make sense of what I'm doing, I really need to have a full sentence in my mind before I start to dictate. 

I'm really glad I have at the moment. With the On my desk eating treats there is no room for my keyboard!

My buddy Alex had a problem last night. It was a real dramatic experience for him; he was sleeping underneath my lift chair while Sugar and I were in the chair and when I tried to set up the little fella got caught between the foot of the chair and before. Alex is okay now, but it was really scary for both of us.

I forgot to purchase treats while I was out; now Sugar is expecting some. So I now must go out and get some treats for the Kitty Kids.

Little girl has just awakened from her afternoon nap; I think that she wants some kitty treats, too. I really must get going if I am to keep the kitty kids satisfied!

December 7,2012

One of my first tasks each morning in to take and record my vital signs. I keep the devices in a wire basket.

This morning, just as I had begun the process, Sugar dashed across my desk, knocking the basket and its contents upon the floor. That was frustrating; however, even more exasperating was her objective: to sit in my new chair before Little Girl took it over for herself. [SIGH]

My vital signs were all within acceptable ranges. 

While I was involved with the above task, the History Channel was presenting a program on the 71st anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.

USS Arizona, 7 December, 1941

  

Day Ninety-nine

Today has not begun well! I'll not go into details now. Thus far by 9:30 AM the following has happened:

• I awakened at 6:AM to find Little Girl sitting outside my bedroom door and that the last of my oxygen tubing had been ripped open to the point that duct tape can't repair it. I am using bottled oxygen and the portable oxygen converter with a short hose until the oxygen folks arrive later today with replacements.
• My back hurts to the point that I can't stand or walk without great pain...
• so I'm sitting at my desk because the portable oxygen isn't compatible with my lift chair and it hurts too much to stand and make it compatible.
• For some unknown reason, last night Alex decided to defecate on the rung below his window perch.
• I'm into another fit of sneezing that the saline solution and blowing my nose doesn't stop.
• My agenda includes a couple of must-do items that are urgent, but I must be able to walk/drive to do them.

The good news is:

• the oxygen tubing is promised to be here by noon.
• my MD2U doc is to visit me at 1:00 PM.

Meanwhile, I have been able to feed the kitty kids and myself (a banana and my morning meds). The kids now eat regularly out of each other's food dishes, which make my feeding them much easier. Alex, however, still wants me to go to his dish and point out his food before he'll jump on his table and eat it. (Silly cat!)

After their breakfast, Sugar jumped on top of the printer, which sits beside my desk, and stared at me until I noticed her and placed on kitty treats on the printer top. Before she could eat them, Little Girl showed up and proceeded to eat Sugar's treats:

Sugar requested more treats. I gave her some more after Little Girl went exploring for some more trouble to get into.

Good news! I have ten replacement nose hoses, which is twice what I am allotted each month. Now if I can just keep the cats from chewing and clawing them.

A substitute MD2U PA visited me this afternoon. My regular PA had a baby two weeks ago and will be away another four or so weeks. I went over all of the medical stuff that has been bothering me the past several weeks and he said he'll call in two prescriptions, one antibiotic to deal with the infection in my lower left leg and one muscle relaxant for the pulled muscles in my lower back. 

He also confirmed that the nail on the big toe of my right leg in ingrown and needs attention. He can have someone visit me at my apartment, but it would cost me $35.00, which I don't have. I do have an appointment at the VA hospital in late December to have my toenails trimmed, so I telephoned and requested an earlier appointment. I've yet to receive a response from the VA.

As tomorrow's election draws near, I feel frightened and very anxious. If the GOP gains control of the federal government, I know I shall no longer have VA medical treatment and, in time, no Social Security income. The radical right-wing of the GOP has vowed to do away with both Social Security and the Veterans' Administration plus anything else that aids the poor, the elderly, and the infirm.

I am so sick of the deceit, deception, disinformation, and defamation of the GOP dirty tricks factory that thrown me into a deep depression, so deep that I can't watch TV and may even skip tonight's Monday Night Football. 

Day Ninety-seven

Things are changing among the kitty kids. Alex is no longer hiding from Little Girl; in fact, last night they were playing together. I love it when the kitty kids are at peace with one another!

I just awakened for the 2nd time today. My adventures on Thursday wore me out and I slept most of Friday. This more is I was again awakened by Little Girl licking my face around 4:00 a.m., but went back to bed after feeding the kitty kids and slept until after 11:00. I'm still quite weary, but must find the means of waking up and having some energy!

Sugar and Little Girl have been chasing each other and playing together much to the morning. I love it when the kitty kids are at peace with one another!

My tiredness that began after Thursday's adventures finally departed this afternoon with some help of  5 Hour Energy . I receive a 12-pack from Amazon.com once a month; however, this month's will not arrive until next week so I purchased two bottles when I went grocery shopping this afternoon. 

With the energy I have had I've gotten quite a bit done today. Besides filling my cupboard with food for the month, I have also gotten ride of all remaining garbage bags and rearranged the kitty kids' feeding stations.

Alex, as I wrote above, is no longer hiding out and has been communing and playing with Sugar. Little Girl still avoids Alex (normal, since my old buddy bops the kitten on her head whenever she is within range), but she hops on Sugar and me, licking us until we push her off.

I watched my alma maters in two football game at the same time this afternoon: the University of Louisville (M.S.S.W.) defeated Temple University in a 45-17 win to extend its undefeated season to nine games. 

Unfortunately, the University  of Kentucky (B.A.Ed.) was humiliated by Vanderbilt by a score of 40 to O.