July 14, 2013

This is my third attempt at writing this Journal post. [SIGH]

I just remembered that today is Bastille Day.

liberté, égalité, fraternité

In discussing my health in recent days, I have centered on the pain in my jaw/head. As such, I have neglected mentioning my left leg, which is always we can painful. If you have been a reader of Nick’s Bytes, then you are well aware of my leg. No matter what my total pain level is, the minimum is three out of 10 based exclusively on my leg.

In recent days my leg is been unusually swollen, week, and painful. I postponed going to the Veterans Administration emergency room because of my leg. My recent trips to the VA hospital and Newburg clinic have been made more difficult because of my leg. It is not only the weakness of the leg but also extreme pain that I have whether I am walking, standing, or even sitting. I am sitting at the moment, and my leg is throbbing: it is much more painful at the moment then my jaw.

Due to my leg, I have been unable to do the apartment cleaning that needs to be done, especially since I no longer have a caregiver. Just as troublesome, is that I have not been able to pick up my mail for over a week. I drive from my apartment to the mailboxes; however, my boxes in the back of the building and I find it too painful to walk the distance from the parking lot to my mailbox.

Tomorrow morning I have scheduled a visit here at my apartment by my MD2U physician. My jaw is number one on my list; my leg is number two.

If you are interested in the tank accident that began my leg problems, you find the comedy at Nick's Bytes: The Rogue's Tale.

I can’t end this journal post without adding the photographs I have taken of the Kitty Kids and Little Girls kittens. The little ones are beginning to move around and explore a few feet beyond the back of the closet. I would love to pick one up; however to do so would require putting down my cane and I am concerned, with my leg in his present condition, of falling on a kitten and badly injuring it. So I must wait until my legs are stronger.

Donate a penny 

to help support SSN, 

his 3 Kitty Kids, 

& LG's kittens?

Day Seventy-three

I've been wondering: Is Columbus Day a Federal Holiday? Will mail be delivered today? (Not that I'm expecting anything, I just don't want to waste the energy going down to the mailboxes if there is no mail).

If Congress won't change the name of Columbus Day (too many Italian-American voters?), perhaps we should at a new holiday:

The hospital bed did relieve all of the swelling in my legs. And, I had a good night's rest. At the moment I am cold. It's 45 F outside and I have just turned the heat on.

Things with the kitty kids seem to be back to normal. Alex slipped outside today for the first time in weeks. He was out about an hour until I called him and he came back inside. Then he got on my desk and had some treats, just as he has done for many years.

Sugar ate lots of treats that I put on top of the printer.

Meanwhile, Little Girl was playing everywhere!

Day Thirty-eight

Today is Labor Day. It has been 9 years since I "retired" from pastoring; for me, today is just the same as any other day. I understand what is meant by phrases such as without darkness there can be no light and without sorrow there can be no joy. For me, there is no holiday since I have no work day.

My primary celebration of today has been sharing some of the songs of the proletariat on my Nick's Bytes blog, Facebook, and Twitter. I've alos tried to share some of the stories that go along with those songs. It's a shame that so few Americans know the history and significance of the Labor Movement in the United States, especially since the Republican party has been steadily taking away the hard won rights of working folks.

Alex has been quite needy today. I have been wondering if my pal is ill or just growing old. Through most of the day he has been sleeping as close to me as he can.

I have expanded my home farm on FarmVille but, with six farms to manage, I've yet to do anything with the new space.

Alex has been hanging close to me all day. I wonder if he is ill (his nose is cold and his ears are warm which is normal I think) or insecure (the two young cats were very active this morning) or maybe it's just that the old fella (he's 9, you know) loves me.