The Dr. The Dentist. The Cops.The "Noise", Kelli, Greg, Casey, and The Furnace

Better grab a cup of coffee- I have gotten a bit longwinded...

Hi All! 
It has, once again, been way too long since I have written a real blog. And if it weren't for my camera, I would probably forget half this stuff.

1.
Know that after 14/16 injections to my back in the past few weeks, I have been unable to sit long enough to blog. In the event that I can sit, it is hard to type as I have my weight braced on my forearms.
But today I even sewed a little (sometimes a different chair, and sometimes I just roll my office chair around). hehehe

So... on to my "ketchup-ing".  Forgive me if I get a bit sloppy at times. hehehe


2.
Casey had an emergency dentist appointment last Wednesday.
Calling on Tuesday, in the late afternoon, Oneida got her in at 7AM on Weds.
(She has 4 teeth in the back that need to be removed).
That day, they decided to remove only the 2 that were driving her past distraction.  -And by 'past distraction' I mean that they were throbbing, intensely, even above and beyond the painkillers she is on for her tummy!

Her dentist at Oneida wanted nothing to do with extracting these 2 lower teeth given that he knows everything she has gone through for the past 6 years.
hehehe
He referred her to an oral surgeon.

And that, my friends, was when all the silly stuff began to happen...

As you know, Casey is fortunate enough to live on the reservation, so all of her referrals are covered.
But, in order to have her referred to an oral surgeon, they had to verify her address since it hadn't been updated since December '10 ?- (that made NO sense to either of us), but off we went to her apartment to get a more recent envelope that had her name and address on it... Good grief, like she'd moved since? Having had surgery again in January, I highly doubt she could have moved...

Anyway...
3.
On the way back to the clinic with her Federal Social Security letter, Casey begins to laugh hysterically- She then grabbed the camera and began taking pictures.
Of the car in front of us.
Up til then, I'd seen nothing as I was watching the road.
hehehe

        

This car had a mirror on the passenger side that kept flopping up and down- depending upon the speed of the car- One moment it hung straight down, then with speed it would begin to look like a someone's shoe sticking out of the window...
Up and down-Up and down- Just flopping in the windchill. Casey also had taken a video- TOO funny! (My apologies that I cannot post vids on here). OH!, we were laughing so hard...

Back to the clinic and finally the referral appointment was made- for 3 that same afternoon. They further assured us that in case anything opened up sooner that she would be first to be called. (Cool).

4.
We stopped over at Randy's after all that just to chat a bit about getting our duplex- I kind of need his help as there are a few things that I might not see as we look at them. He agreed to go with us...

He has a crab apple tree in his front yard; with a few crab apples left hanging on to feed the squirrels throughout winter.
Casey took this picture as we were leaving-


Noisy and obnoxious- But they make a yummy meal too. Taste like chicken.
hehehe


5.
By this time, it was near to noon; and since we hadn't eaten (or shot that squirrel), a stop for some fast food was in order.  We grabbed some sandwiches in Suamico and were heading home. Casey was just counting the minutes she had left to fill her tummy, before getting those antagonizing teeth pulled.

On the way home from Suamico we saw a County deputy on the side of the road- (obviously trying to issue a few speed tickets). 
I pulled over to talk to him... I offered either of my driveways to him to park in- (The speed of the cars past my home being quite ridiculous)! 
We chatted a while longer- nice young cop. By ordinance, they are not allowed to park on private property without the owners consent. He not only has my consent, he has my blessings-
He thanked me profusely- and Casey and I were once again on our way home to eat a bite...

As we pulled into my driveway, her cell phone rang. As luck would have it, it was Dr. Zent's office, and could Casey come in ASAP to have her extractions?
I said I could be there in 20 minutes. (Only if I was speeding that is).
Casey said 'to heck with not brushing her teeth after lunch', she wanted those offending OUT. hehehe
So off we were once more.
Karma confirming that had we not stopped to chat with the cop we would have already been inside my house-
Under my tin roof Casey has very little reception and does not get (m)any of her calls or messages.
As she hung up, I immediately backed out of my driveway, turned around and took off down the road...
We were traveling a little over 50mph (in a 45mph zone)... Oops.
But hopefully no biggie either, the cops are generally pretty decent about a few MPHs over the limit...

Somewhere in Flintville a vehicle had pulled out behind me; and rode my backside- trying to get me to go faster? (That never works for me). 
Through Flintville there is a double~yellow line. He was unable to pass me. 

About half a mile onward, he decided to pass me anyway. Bad choice on his part. He gunned his engine and literally 'flew' by us. & RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE FRIENDLY DEPUTY!

Seeing those flashing lights go on, I slowed down so that our new friend could pull out in front of me. hehehe



Aw... "too bad, so sad."
And HAHAHA  too.
 
Casey and I hadn't laughed so hard since the broken mirror that morning-


6.
On Thursday I had an appointment with my pain management doctor- This, for refills, and to check up on whether those last 2 injections had worked. They had- but only for a week or so. It had been a gentler week.
By the time I had this appointment though, my pain score was, at best, an 8.

That very night I had woken at midnight, barely able to move, even using both of my canes...
After I had gone about 25 feet on my way to the bathroom, I suddenly heard and felt that all too familiar noise and pain. Those of still another crushed vertebrae.
A very sharp painful & sickening feeling- My pain level was off the charts!
It has remained thus since.
Once more Casey has been out to take care of me, and to make sure I could get showered too. 
I have thanked God, many times, that at least I have one daughter (of 4) that gives a decent damn about their own mother.


7.
I also thank God for Kelli!
Kelli has also been there for me- Even bringing the dogs so Punk can get outside and play a bit.



































Kelli also came today- Asking if I needed anything before the storm came? She had to go into town- and did bring me a few things-
Between herself, Casey and Greg, I should be set until we get dug out- Maybe Monday? Maybe Tuesday? We already have upwards of a foot of new snow.


8.
I'd had Punk to the vet earlier this week because i thought she had an ear infection- It was stinky even after I had cleaned it out and used Similsan in it.
Vet says no more infection! Yay!  just to keep doing what I have been doing.
Similsan Earache Relief™ homeopathic ear drops are intended for humans-
Similsan has Chamomilla 10X: calmative, pain reliever--Mercurius solubilis 15X: pain reliever -- Sulphur 12X: pain reliever, anti-itch
Other information: Active ingredients are manufactured according to homeopathic principles and are therefore non-toxic and have no known side effects.
Inactive ingredient: Vegetable glycerin

Dr. Spires did say that Punk has gained 8+ pounds-  My backs fault!  Needless to say I am thrilled when Kelli does bring the dogs over!
Happily I must also add that I have lost those same 8+ pounds! hehehe


9.
I'd taken a shower before Casey left yesterday afternoon- A friend of Greg's was in town and had wanted to have dinner with them- I'd asked Casey to turn the heat up a wee bit so I wouldn't get so chilly in the shower, like I usually do.
 ... I never heard it go on- Silly kid forgot.
I also had "silly kid" bring the socks/underwear basket from the laundry room to the living room so I could sort them all later on.

So later, while I am dry and dressed in my warm and cozy jammies, -and am sorting this basket, I realize I am half freezing to death. 
Hmm... (remember that "silly kid")? hehehe

I grab both my canes and hobble on over to check the thermostat-
Casey had turned it up to 72°- That's surely warm enough. (Silly me now). hehehe

But wait a dang minute! I am still freezing? Leaning over, I turn it up a little more.
Still, it does nothing.
Checking the temp in the house, it was barely near 60°-
Grabbing those same darn canes, I manage to get down to the basement- There is a fuse on the furnace that goes out every now and then- and I haven't had to replace that in years and years. (And damn, Isure hope I have one)!
I remove it so I can get a good look at it.
The fuse is good.

There is only one more possibility -check the oil drum.
It was so empty that I couldn't even see the float to measure it!

Knowing this snowstorm is coming, I had no choice but to get oil on a Saturday night- and to beg the furnace-man to come out, bleed the lines, and fire it up. 
Before i called him, I texted Casey at the restaurant, and heard nothing back.
I hunkered down on the couch with 2 of my quilts and fell asleep. I woke at 9:30. Dog barking... Casey and Greg are here.
In the meantime, she had called Olsons- After they ate, her and Greg had picked up 10 gallons of oil- and brought it along
They'd called Alan Olson then, and he led Greg through the whole bleed and fire thing.
Suffice to say that I was never so happy to hear that furnace kick in!
Thank you Casey, Greg, (and Alan too)! Olsons will be here tomorrow to fill my tank up.

Yet, there is a reason that this all happened too...
When Casey and Greg got here, I had so much pain that I simply could not get off the couch. Had the house burned down I would have gone with it. It was that bad- even Greg tried to help me up. Casey finally got me up. I still do not know how. I only remember the pain.

As mentioned earlier,  have not slept decent in over 2 and a half weeks.
I just cannot get comfortable enough...
However, today, I sat in the recliner and slept ALL afternoon long!
That helps- Just that I am not tired now- Oh well.

I have been up and down about 17 times since I started writing this. I actually began this yesterday morning, at 6:20 AM -Will have to copy/paste it when I am done, which won't be long now...
Not sitting, sleeping, standing (anything) for too long still is one of the downfalls of my back.
*Not that there are ANY positives that I can think of right now either)...



10.
Waking earlier I had a message from Casey in my email.
"...This Blizzard is HORRIBLE! :(    I hope you're staying warm and dry. It's absolutely awful outside.  Greg went to Wal-mart at around 3pm. He'd been planning on stopping at KwikTrip too, but texted & said he was just going to the store because even at that time he said the roads were awful. He only got a few things and when he came back out to his car he said a layer of ice had formed on all his windows! In less than ten minutes! I am heading to bed now. I got an hour or so earlier but didn't want to sleep too late, and not sleep tonight. Seems to have worked because I'm super tired. I'll make sure Greg texts me when he gets to work tomorrow & I'll let you know that he made it. Call if you need anything. Love you MUCH MUCH!

Time for that copy/paste.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.
My love to all

XOXO
Me

PS
If there could be a #11, it would HAVE TO BE about our "Dictator" guvna Walker; and all of what that damned idiot is trying to do to my friends, and to our beautiful state of Wisconsin.
Sorry but #11 will wait 'til later...