In My Next Life ...

1. Who are these people?

2. Where are they, and why do they look so content?

3. They are all white - so ... where is this, geographically?

4. Am I the only one who thinks the female patient almost looks like Carmen Miranda, with that plant above her head, looking almost like a hat??

5. Spoiler alert - the person who made this illustration has likely never visited a doctor's office or medical waiting room.

I had an appointment yesterday for my annual mammogram and a breast ultrasound. My appointment for the mammogram was for 9:30 a.m., and the ultrasound was at 10 a.m. I arrived as instructed by 9:15. I got home at 2:30 p.m.

My appointment was in a brand, spanking new, high-end, all-the-bells-and-whistles new building. Previously, I had gone to another building about a block away, and though it was likely about 40 years old, it wasn't an awful place to wait and/or have the appointments. So I was curious to see how the new place was so much better and more wonderful.

By the time I left, I decided that I should become a "patient consultant" to places building new and "better" facilities. Because this one had lots of issues.

Aesthetically, it is fine - new and "modern" looking, but not in an overly offensive way. No one would mistake it for anything other than a 2000s medical building, at least here in the U.S.

You enter into a glass-enclosed atrium. There are upholstered chairs placed in different areas of the lobby, along with the requisite large potted plants. And as you look around, there are kiosks situated along part of one wall, and tucked wayyyyy into a corner is a very small desk console with "Information Desk" on it in barely visible signage. There are three different elevator banks, again with barely visible signage, telling you what elevators go to what floors.

The kiosks are apparently where you initially "check-in." My instructions said to bypass those and head directly to the 4th floor. I was grateful for that, because I could tell that many people trying to use the kiosks (some quite elderly, and some for whom clearly English was not their first language) were having troubles, and there were lines behind them of 4-5 people each, which I'm sure didn't help.

I got to the 4th floor, and for the first time saw a decent sign telling me where to go. However, once there, it was unclear if someone worked there to check you in. I did find that person, behind a screen, and got checked in. 

After waiting a while, my name was called and I was directed to the Changing Room to change into the hospital gown for said procedures. The "lockers" provided to store your clothes, etc., were the size of a cubby at a pre-school. So you were supposed to put your winter coat AND your clothes in there. The person directing me said to bring my purse and any valuables with me, because the locking systems on said lockers didn't work. She vaguely pointed down the hall to the waiting room. And the hospital gown was in fact not a gown, but a cape - I spent an inordinate amount of time looking for something resembling a sleeve until I figured THAT out!

The waiting room as a) tiny, and b) had couches. Only. No individual chairs. Now I don't know about you, but I don't really enjoy sitting on couches with people I dont' know. Plus, couches encourage people to spread themselves and their belongings out, and there was a lot of woman-spreading happening. There was absolutely nothing else in the waiting room - not even a fake plant. And at one point, a couple of people had to stand, because the room was small and there was not any seating left. I was in there for an hour and a half, and let me tell you, I got really tired of just looking at my phone. There weren't even any "paintings" on the wall to stare at senselessly.

Then I got called for the mammogram. Holy crap, that room was HUGE! I am not kidding when I say it was approximately the size of our first floor in our house. And yes, there was lots of equipment, but there was also enough space to host a gathering. 

Then I was sent to another waiting room to wait for the ultrasound. Same set up as the first room. I waited in there for 2 hours. Finally got called to the ultrasound room, which seemed much more reasonable, size-wise. Then sent back to the waiting room to wait for the doctor and get the report from both tests. Another 2 hours. 

Once that was over, I was told to go back to the changing and leave by the "exit door, not the same door you came in when you first arrived." So I wandered down a poorly-marked hallway until I saw a small sign that said "Changing Room." It looked vaguely familiar and fortunately, it was the right place. Then I had to find my way to the exit, which was once again a) circuitous, and b) poorly designated, signage-wise.

When I FINALLY got home, I decided that in my next life, I should set myself up in business as a person who represents "the public" whenever someone is planning a new building. Because this new building may have been bigger, brighter, and contain more/better (?) technology, but it was a disaster as far as design usage was concerned for patients. I was honestly appalled, because the older building I was used to was only frustratingly the same as far as the small, cubby-sized lockers. It was the one thing I had expected to be an improvemenet in the new building.

Once again, I told myself that in a Bridget-centric world, that building could have been so much better. Unlike most of the time, I hope I get one of those surveys they send after an appointment - I have a lot to tell them!

On top of which - I have to go back for another test at the end of the month - GAH! I told The Tim that maybe I should pack a lunch ... 

Last Cast On of 2024

Hello and I hope for all of you celebrating a holiday season, that it has been a good one so far for you. Ours has been lovely.

I thought I'd show you my final cast-on of 2024. Late in the afternoon on Christmas Day, I cast on this sock. I'd been wanting to get a sock going for a while, but between finshing up a gift for The Tim, and then all of the other preparations, I didn't get to it. So I decided to start while I was sitting in the living room and he was in the kitchen fixing our Christmas dinner. 

I got the cuff started on Christmas, and have made some good progress, even since this photo was taken. I'm getting ready to do the heel, and deciding between a heel flap and gusset or a shadow wrap heel. I'm liking the way the yarn is knitting up. And since I started this pair of socks on the first day of Christmas, I'm calling them my 12 Days of Christmas Socks. (Not that they will be finished in 12 days ...)

Have you started any new projects? I have some ideas swirling around in my head of how/what/why I want to knit this coming year, but they are not yet completely clear, so I'm going to work on organizing a very loose plan.

Today I had a DEXA scan - my favorite medical test! You just show up, lie still on a table for a little while, and you're on your way!  You don't even have to change your clothes. 😊 I'm not so sure that I'll get great results this time, but that won't be a surprise.

As for the rest of the day, I want to put away some of my gifts, and pay some bills, so as usual, it's a life of glamour and excitement that I doubt many of you can imagine ...

Enjoy your day!

I Think This Will Work. I HOPE This Will Work.

You may or may not remember that not that long ago, the doctor that I had been seeing for about 10 years decided to become part of MDVIP.

I did some research based on the information she gave to me, and there was no way I could afford it. And to be honest, it bothers me on principle. I get it from her standpoint, because it supposedly gives doctors more control over their patient loads, and their time, along with being able to know their patients better, and lots of other stuff. My doctor has a young child, so I could appreciate that she wanted to feel more in control of her life and her schedule. 

And there are plenty of things that are pluses for the patient too, but it's yet another example of people who can afford things having access to better care than most people in the country. I don't blame those who can afford it for signing up, but like I said, even if I could afford it, I would not be likely to enroll, because that kind of thing just goes against what I think it should be.

But that is another topic altogether. For this post, I wanted to talk about how hard it is to find another doctor that you feel in sync with after so many years. Sadly in this area, a lot of doctors, nurse practitioners, etc. have had to stop taking new patients because they are already overloaded. So that's the first thing. 

Also in this area, because there are so many teaching hospitals, there are tons of residents who are building their skills and experience. Which is actually a plus, because you can feel that you are not just helping them learn, but they are generally very thorough because they are learning and don't want to miss anything. The only problem there is that in 2-3 years, they move on and you are starting over again.

So when my doctor left for MDVIP, I first thought I would just "sign up" with another one in that practice who was taking new patients. The problem was, that doctor and I did not click at all. He was an old-school type, and not interested in answering questions, because the only important thing to know was that he was in charge.

I finally found another doctor somewhere else. She is/was lovely. Very personable, willing to discuss things and answer questions, and spent time explaining things to me. But except for my annual checkups, I never go to see her; instead, it was always a different nurse practitioner, some wonderful, some not so much, but it seemed that there was no real continuity. And when you have my medical background, continuity means you can save at least 20 minutes each time you meet a new healthcare provider because you don't have to do the Litany of Medical Issues.

So a kind of perfect storm of things happened recently. You may recall that I had a respiratory infection, and the particular nurse practitioner that I saw the day they had me go to the office was less than helpful, and seemed to think that I was just looking for drugs.  About a week prior to that happening, I got an e-mail from my original doctor's practice saying that four new nurse practitioners had joined the practice and were accepting new patients. 

Now, excepting the old-school guy in the practice (who I think has since retired), anytime I had to see someone else there (which was infrequent), they were clearly of the same overall philosophy and vibe as my doctor. And I have no problem seeing a nurse practitioner, if there can be continuity - meaning no repetition of the Litany each visit. So I made an appointment to "sign up" with one of the new people, and had an appointment scheduled for yesterday. I was a bit nervous as to how things would go.

Well. It was such a good experience! The nurse practitioner who is now my "doctor of record" was just wonderful. She was so kind, so personable, and extremely proactive and ready to discuss things. I was thinking on my way home that I had the same initial feeling after my first visit with her as I had years ago after my first visit with my original doctor. 

So, I'm feeling that I may be in a pretty good place again. I hope so. 

Now, if I could just get The Tim to sign up with someone there. His doctor he had seen for three years was one of the residents who has since moved on. He was "assigned" to another resident who was already booked for 1 1/2 years as far as appointments were concerned. So he didn't make an appointment, and now has not been to the doctor for going on three years. This concerns me. He is overall very healthy, but he's not getting younger, and he had a couple of issues before that need to be watched. Every time I bring it up, he says, "I'm OK don't worry about it." And I know if I bug him too much, he'll dig in and it will be worse. I considered making an appointment for him, but he would likely cancel it. So I have to think on that some more.

Hopefully before too long, both of us will be set. But in the meantime, I'm kind of relieved, feeling that I might have that part of my medical care resolved.

++++

We have no real plans for the weekend. Sunday is the Odunde Festival, so it's not worth trying to leave the neighborhood and then try to get back into it later. I'm guessing that a lot will depend on the weather. If it's a decent day on Saturday, I'm planning to try and fit in a nice long walk. Regardless, I have plenty to keep me busy at home, so it's not a problem. The Phillies are playing the Mets in London, so I'll probably watch those games to see what happens (Go Phils!). 

I hope your weekend is a good one, I'll see you next week.

Clarification and Pretty Yarn

Hello all - I hope you had a good weekend. Mine was productive - well, at least for me lately. 

Today was bill-paying day. Which is fine, I know that if you are alive on the planet, even if you are not someone who buys a lot of stuff, you still have at least a couple of bills to pay. And I don't mind it if I am organized, but today was not one of those days and it took a lot longer than usual. Plus, I had a really big medical bill to pay, and I thought at first that it must be a mistake - surely they had not yet submitted it to my insurance/Medicare. But then I checked online and they had submitted it, and the amount was what I owed AFTER that! Yikes. And after spending a stupid amount of time on the phone with my prescription insurance over another ridiculous amount, I was wondering if I could just go live in a hut somewhere. It would have to have indoor plumbing though, so the whole cycle is just a circle in the end. 😉

Anyhoo, I wanted to make a clarification before I go any further, related to my time at the yarn store. A dear friend pointed out to me that I may have led some people to think it is/was a terrible place with awful people in charge. I reviewed what I wrote and realized it did kind of sound like that. 

I'm here to say that it is an absolutely fabulous place, with more nice, fun, and cool yarn that you could imagine being fit into such a small physical footprint. One of the best things about working there was that you would walk in, see all the colors, and just feel better - even if you had felt OK before! The owners/managers have kept it going like that for nearly 20 years,  and I've known them for that long. You can probably imagine, with so many yarn stores closing, that it's no easy thing to not just stay in business, but make it a place where people want to keep coming back. 

Did I like/get along with/make friends with everyone else that worked there? Nope, but that's never been the case in any job I had. Some of them I will miss terribly. Others I have kinda sorta already forgotten about ... 

So please do not think it's a terrible yarn store with terrible people. Far from it. Some of the issues are the kinds of things that happen everywhere, even when the staff is small - heck, maybe you notice it more when there are fewer people working with you.  But for the record, I have every intention of shopping there when I decide I absolutely positively must have yarn* for one thing or another. (Yes, if you are wondering, I will miss the employee discount!) So you should as well, either in person or online. 

And if anyone had their feelings hurt, I do apologize. It was not my intention.

Onward.

+++

Speaking of pretty yarn, every time I work on my Anker's Summer Shirt, I think the colors in the yarn I'm using are so very pretty:

I don't care how you slice it, that's just pretty yarn! (And you shouldn't slice yarn, to be clear.) I bought this last summer at an end of season sale at Loop. It's Noro Kakigori, which is cotton, silk, rayon, and nylon. (I will regale you with the colorway next time, as currently there is a cat on my lap, and we all know you can't move until the cat does.)

With such pretty yarn, and the fact that I made this pattern a couple of years ago, I'm enjoying it more this time around. Still not a huge fan of 1 x 1 rib, but now I "get" the way the pattern works much better than I did in my first attempt, meaning there is a whole lot less ripping back and re-doing things. Which is nice when you have 200+ stitches. My progress this time around is much better. In fact I may finish while there is still some warm weather. Not that I currently have anywhere to go and wear it, other than to Dr appts and at least for the first wearing, that would be a waste. 

I worked on this project yesterday for about an hour, and about every 5 rounds, I'd say out loud "This is looking so pretty!" Since I was home by myself, and the cats were all elsewhere, no one disagreed with me, which is always nice. 

That's it for now. Now that I have sent all of our money to other people, I think I'll read for a while and try to figure out what to have for dinner tonight. I have a sneaking suspicion that it may be pasta, because when I don't have something already in mind, 9 times of our 10, pasta is the answer. 

Enjoy the rest of your day, and I hope that whatever you fix/eat for dinner is something you enjoy. 😊

*No, in reality I do not actually need any yarn. I'm sure you understand what I mean there ... 

Indeed

Well, Blogger and/or my e-mail seem to have decided to gang up on me as far as blog comments go. I am suddenly getting four copies of each comment. Then, any comments I have tried to respond to have come back as undeliverable. I even broke down and tried to respond *in* the comments, and when I would go to publish them, ZAP! they disappeared into the ether.

So again, apologies if you have commented recently and I have not responded. I'm not ignoring you, but at least for the moment, it seems that any type of response just isn't working.

To quote The Tim, "Technology is great, except when it isn't." Sigh.

In any case, I am going to try to move on from my annoyance and frustration and enjoy my day with nothing to do but laundry. I went out for a walk earlier, hoping to get out before it got too hot or too smoky. There was a nice breeze, but it was already pretty smoky so it wasn't as long a walk as I may have wanted to take. But I did get outside, so I'm glad for that.

Kim has lately been lamenting the prospect of many visits to the dentist as well as the many dollars such visits will cost. I feel her pain. We have dental insurance - technically - but it pays about $10 in benefits. One of my favorite (not really) things was recently when I needed to get [yet another] crown, and learned that it would pay a very small amount towards a metal crown, but zero towards a ceramic crown, so which did I want? I am vain enough (and now poor enough) to not want a metal crown on a front tooth - I mean, it's not like it was gonna be gold or something. And I'm not a rapper anyway. 😉 I dread the dentist enough without feeling like I'm going into major debt just because I showed up for an appointment. Ugh.

I haven't gotten new glasses yet because I'm too busy paying for my teeth! Fortunately I can still see with my current prescription, but when you are planning to keep the same frames and the lenses still cost hundreds of dollars, it just seems like something in that equation is wrong, you know?

Well, enough complaining. I hope you are getting along better with your e-mail and blog platform providers. And please keep a good thought for Mabel, Vera's sweet kitty who has been missing for a few days. Please come home, baby!

No Joy In Mudville

Or in Philadelphia, either. Sigh. Our Eagles looked good, until the end of the second half of the game when the defense apparently forgot there was still time left that they were supposed to play. It was at least a close game that could have been even better. Sigh. 

Oh well, it was a good season, and it was all fun while it lasted.

I guess it's also just as well, since it rained all night here, and those celebrations could have been even messier ... 😉

Moving along, I have been trying to psych myself up to start the pair of replacement fingerless gloves for The Tim. I think the fact that the weather has failed to feel like winter has left me devoid of the inclination to get them going. I'm telling myself - and him - he'll at least definitely have them by next fall.

When I went to come into the house yesterday after my shift at the yarn store, I noticed this in our on-the-street planter.

I love daffodils, and normally I'm thrilled to see the first one, but this is just way too early. We very well may not have a serious enough cold snap again to damage them, but if they start now, they likely won't last much into March. Stupid climate change.

The funny thing is that every year, we pull out a bunch of daffodils because they get green but never bloom. And then the next year, we have even more come up and bloom, like they are mocking us. Or maybe they're just saying, "Whew! Thanks for giving us some room." (I don't speak fluent daffodil, so I can't know for sure.)

This afternoon I have my annual appt with the gynecologist, which I'm not looking forward to because, really does anyone look forward to that? I really like the dr and most of the time it's no big deal, but there are plenty of other things I can think of that I would rather do. But the good news is that since that's today, it will be out of the way first thing, and the rest of the week is clear of any appts, which after the past few weeks, is a nice feeling. I feel like I've spent all of the time I haven't been at work in dr's offices, or waiting to have tests done someplace. To have a few days with absolutely nothing will be a treat.

I hope all of you have a good week coming your way as well. Hang in there.

Seriously These Past Couple of Days ...

Oh dear, you may have noticed I was MIA yesterday, which was unplanned, but also no big deal.  This week is clearly trying to get me, but HA! I am prevailing.  At least for now ...

Tuesday I wasn't at work, but I was at two medical appts - one that took all morning, after which I had 1 1/2 hours reprieve, before another appt that took all afternoon!  Neither were anything serious, it was mostly waiting while the respective physicians were behind on their schedules.  But nonetheless, I was really tired on Tuesday evening - waiting with no indication of how long it will last stresses me and wears me out.

The good thing is that on Tuesday evening, I finished the first of the pair of Christmas socks I'm knitting for myself:

I truly lurve this - both the sock and the knitting part!  It's Lollipop Yarns in the Christmas Waltz colorway.  Since I knew there was a good chance I'd want to knit yesterday, I immediately started on sock #2, so I could at least get cast on and the cuff ribbing underway.

Yesterday, not to be outdone by Tuesday, more medical stuff - but this time, it was for The Tim.  He had his colonoscopy scheduled, and I was the "support person" designated to accompany/wait for him.  Things looked promising, as they took him back to get started right on time.  But then it actually turned out to be 3 hours until he was finished!  He said there was a code called at one point, and then who knows what else was/was not happening.  The good thing is that they have a computer board set up in the waiting room and you can see exactly what part of the whole thing your person is in - for example, it shows the first three letters of the last name, first initial, and then, "In Prep, "Procedure in progress," and "In Recovery."  So it's not like I thought the procedure was taking that long.

I got started where I'd left off the night before:

And, by the time he was finally finished and we could go home, I had made it to the place where I will start the heel flap!  So although it all took a long time, I did get lots of knitting done!  

However, by last night, I was *really* tired - I mean, I'd still been catching up with the day before!  Today I have to be at work until 6:30, because I'm part of a program presentation, so it's even a better thing than usual that tomorrow is Friday, you know???

Yesterday, when we got home, this was happening.  All's well that ends well.  😊💖

Good Thing It's Friday

Because frankly, if it was not Friday, someone would have to pay.  OK, let's just admit that it would probably be The Tim.  He is the victim of so many of my "pay" days.  Because you know, making someone pay at work is frowned upon, and I don't have any kids whose lives I could ruin ... 😉

Seriously though this week has just been loooonnnng.  And annoying.  And I was done with it by late morning on Monday.  

So yes, I'm glad it's Friday and the weekend is here.  But then again, not as much as usual.  That's because on Monday, I have a colonoscopy.  Which means that after breakfast tomorrow, no food until after the procedure two days later.  And of course, the vile stuff you have to drink ("now with fruit flavoring!' - puhleeze, like that's an improvement) only adds insult to injury.  Ugh.  You may wonder why I have to do a two-day prep when most people just have to deal with one day.  Well, apparently I have an extra long colon - because of course I do - and it takes longer to "clean out," and sadly sometimes even that doesn't work.  But I hope it does because I just want it all over with and to be able to eat a meal and move on.  

Dear Modern Medicine - 

Please do something about this dumb and disgusting prep. 

 Signed, Me and My Gag Reflex.

ANYWAY.  I am hoping that this means that since I will be more or less required to stay at home, that I will make significant progress on knitting, reading, and whatever other things strike my fancy.  And at least I can still have cups of tea because if that was forbidden ... well, it wouldn't be pretty.

In other, more pleasant news, the weather has been my friend this week. It's been sunny, and cool, and just perfect for being cozy at home. The nights have actually been cold, and I do love getting into bed with the covers over me.  So good!

Do you remember my nephew who was having such terrible health problems? It was determined that he needed a double hip replacement, and the first one was a couple of weeks ago.  Everything went really well, and he is already so improved, that things are looking up for him.  Which is such good news because he is a good guy and normally really active.  It's looking like it won't be long until he can not only just walk around the block without problems, but get back to golfing and hiking in the mountains.  

Dear Modern Medicine - 

Good job there.  

Signed, Our Family.

Here's hoping that your weekend is a good one.  Feel free to overindulge on my behalf, so the universe evens out. 😊

Extra Long Long Weekend

First of all, before I go any further, a wish for a very Happy Thanksgiving to my friends in Canadia!  I hope you have a really lovely holiday, and that it's full of the food, family, and friends that you hope it to be.

Whenever it's Canadian Thanksgiving, I get excited, because it means that the holiday season has really and truly started!

My weekend was a long weekend, made extra long by having the day off on Friday.  I had to have a nuclear stress test at 7 a.m., and they told me it would take approximately 4 hours.  Rather than worry about how long it was taking in the work day, and how I might feel afterwards, I just used a sick day.  It wasn't great, but it wasn't wonderful.  I finished about 1:30, came home and took a nap until The Tim got home from work - so a day off, but not full of fun and hilarity.  But meaning a four-day weekend!  And on Friday evening, I did finish the stitching of the cross-stitch piece for my niece Amanda, so framing can commence!

Saturday was the day we were headed to The Tim's brother's house in the 'burbs because his daughters arranged a family get-together for his 70th birthday.  I would say it was as good as it could have been.  The Tim asked his brother if we could bring Hamlet, and so that helped.  Hamlet had two mega-fans there:  6-year-old Fiona and her sister 3-year-old Kira, who had as much energy for playing as he did.  We stayed for about 2 hours, which was the plan, and it was pleasant enough.  

The Tim's family worked really hard to be close while his parents were still alive.  Once they were gone, since all of the siblings were not truly close, we only heard occasional updates.  It has always been a contest apparently as to who is the most well off, most successful, has the best job, etc.  The Tim was close with his oldest sister Sheila, who died a couple of years ago.  It was truly nice to see everyone, and see what all of the nieces are up to, meet their boyfriends, etc. and I did enjoy that.  They took lots of photos, so once I see some of them, I'll share them.  The weather was nice enough that we spent most of the day on the porch, and the food and drink was amazing, so I was pleased.  

I'm glad we went, because even though The Tim is not overly keen on his siblings, we made an appearance, had a nice time, and now have done our Clancy family duty for a while.  ;-)

Sunday, The Tim was at work for the bulk of the day.  I worked on some things in the house that I wanted to do, took a long walk with Hamlet, and then walked up to the Fine Crafts Fair in Rittenhouse Square (it's crowded, and going with Hamlet would have been unpleasant for both of us).  Most things are not in my price range under the best of circumstances, but I did buy one thing that I gave to the Tim to put away for Christmas.  I'll share a photo when I officially receive it, since I forgot before I handed it over.  Then I watched the Eagles lose :-(, but the Steelers won :-), so that's football.  I also finished the pair of toddler Christmas socks I'd been knitting for my great-nephew Oden, that I am saving for their own post.  

Today I hope to start another pair of Christmas socks, as well as a hat that I want to give to The Tim for his birthday in November.  I also hope to do a good clean of the second floor, and start pulling out some colder weather clothes since it sounds like fall is actually here.  I have a couple of errands to run, but otherwise, nothing that is required.  It's nice to have today off (we get Columbus Day as a holiday, which I know is controversial, but a day off is a day off as far as I'm concerned), and I plan to enjoy it.

This week will be a long week at work, even with the holiday today.  Friday night is Members' Night, which means that you go to work at the regular time, but don't get home until after 9 p.m., when the event is over and you've put everything away.  It's a LONG day and constantly busy - the only break is lunch and a short dinner break before it all starts.  It's mostly enjoyable, with the occasional grouchy person who has an axe to grind or lives to trip you up on information, but it's also really exhausting!

So that's the news from here.  I hope you had a lovely weekend, and that your upcoming week will be a good one, with normal working hours the whole time!  :-)

First It Was Bad. Then It Was Good. Then It Was Frustrating.

And now it's Tuesday ...

Anyway, our weekend trip to Baltimore started out on a bad note, as Friday morning when we were supposed to have a "covering" of snow showers, it just kept snowing, and by Friday late afternoon when we left to get on the road, there was about an inch of snow and it was really slippery.  The weather reports said that the snow stopped as you went south, so we carried on.  Except the snow didn't stop, it actually snowed more!  A trip that is usually pretty quick and uneventful was instead very slow and stressful.  But we got there safely, which in the end is the only thing that matters.

As soon as we arrived, things got good.  Pat and Amanda had ordered in sushi for all of us, and they have a really good place near there house, so that was a treat.  They were thrilled to meet Hamlet, and he of course was incredibly excited to see them.  One of their neighbors came over for a few hours, and we had a great time talking about everything, and learning about the year he lived in South Korea.  All thoughts of the snowy trip completely disappeared.

Saturday we started with breakfast at one of our most fave bagel places.  Then we all settled for a while before deciding to go to the Baltimore Museum of Art.  We'd never been there at all, and Pat and Amanda hadn't been for a while.  Amanda called her sister Annie, and we met her, her boyfriend and her boyfriend's daughter there and walked around with them.  It was great.  I wish we could have spent more time, but we still would not have seen everything, so I guess we just will have to make a return visit sometime (such a sacrifice!).  All of us headed back to Pat and Amanda's for pizza, and we ended up watching a Netflix documentary about the Fyre Festival.  I had heard of it and what a disaster it turned out to be, but until seeing this documentary, I had no idea of the details.  Never let a narcissistic bro plan anything is the lesson I took away from it.  (Not that I would let that happen anyway, as I stay as far away from any types of bro as I can.)  Hamlet got a ton of love and attention, as well as many many ice cubes (which are his favorite treat).  I'm pretty sure that everyone wanted him to stay in Baltimore.  As if ... :-) 

Of course, we were so busy having fun, this is the only photo I thought to take, but it's a good one - Hamlet *loved* their wood-burning stove and just wanted to sit in front of it the whole time.

We headed back home on Saturday evening, since The Tim had to work on Sunday.  The kitties were very excited to see us, and Pip in particular had a very long story about the neglect and starvation they endured while we were gone.  Sunday I spent the day catching up on laundry, paying bills, and other things people with a glam lifestyle do on their weekends.

So that's the bad and then the good.  Now comes the frustrating.

I had taken the day off on Monday, because I had an appt and x-ray with the orthopedic surgeon, then a session of occupational therapy, and then a bit later in the day, I was going to have a crown finally put onto a tooth that has been needing it, now that I can use my dental insurance again.  I figured it was easier just to take the day off than to worry about time, etc.

I got up bright and early and headed over to my dr appt and x-ray.  But that was not to be.  Why?  Well, apparently all of a sudden I needed a referral from my primary care physician, and I didn't have one.  This was puzzling, since that was never the case before.  The receptionist said that since I had switched my health insurance, the new one required referrals.  Um ... I had not switched insurance, so I was puzzled.  In any case, after about 15 minutes, it was determined that I would need to get things straightened out and call to reschedule the appt.  Sigh.  I headed upstairs to go to my occupational therapy session, and guess what?  Same problem (even though for all of January I had been going without any questions), I needed a referral, etc.  The woman at the front desk was apologetic, but said they couldn't treat me unless I was willing to pay out of pocket.  Which of course I cannot afford, so I headed home to work on getting things figured out.

First I talked to the insurance company.  They informed me that my employer had sent them the information about the option I had chosen back in November during Open Enrollment.  I had a printout from when I completed that, showing that I had enrolled in the same insurance I always had.  So I called Human Resources, and after getting shuffled around for approximately 20 minutes, I finally got a person who would a) speak to me, and b) said she could try to resolve the issue.  She said she was relatively new, but would try her best to help.  According to their records, I had switched insurance.  I told her about the printout I had saying I had not.  We went back and forth for a bit, and it was deteremined that somehow it was my fault even though of course it was not.  Anyway, to sum things up, I had to send an e-mail to the head of HR requesting a Benefits Appeal to see if I can go back to what I have had for the past few years.  The young woman I talked to was actually very helpful, and after I sent the e-mail, she sent me a response saying that it had been received, and "expedited."  So now I have to wait and see if my appeal is granted before I can do anything else at all.  Just one of the 4 billion reasons I wish we had national health insurance though of course why would we because "the American healthcare system is the best in the world."  Grrrrrrr.

OK, that was at least underway and will hopefully be resolved sooner rather than later, so I moved along to getting ready for my dentist visit.  I have dental insurance, but thankfully it is a different thing altogether from my health insurance.  Then about 1/2 hour before I was going to leave for that appt, the office called to cancel.  It seems that due to the snow problems on Friday, FedEx was behind on deliveries, and my crown had not been received and was still "in transit."  The person at the dentist's office said she would call when it finally arrived to reschedule my appt.

In the end, the day off was not just frustrating but wasted.  Which would be annoying under the best of circumstances, but me making arrangements for a day off is such a hassle due to my co-workers that it's not even funny.  And now at some point, I'll have to do it all again, and who knows if I'll be able to get it all done in one day.  Ugh.

That good time over the weekend sure seems far away now ... on the other hand, surely it can only go up from here, right?  RIGHT????

In Which I Try To Figure Out Why I Leave the House; or, To Quote My Mother, "Oh For God's Sake!"

Seriously, I just have to wonder sometimes.

This coming weekend is the Women's March on Washington.  When it was first announced, I really wanted to go, but I knew it would be a tricky thing for me financially. Then they announced that there would be a march in Philadelphia as well.  I was so excited, and signed up right away!  I was thrilled that I would have a chance to do something active to show that I was not a supporter of the ascendancy of the Orange One.  Some friends were also planning to go, and whether or not we went together, I was just happy that so many were participating.

I encouraged people to sign up.  I supported the whole Pussy Hat idea though it's not my cup of tea.  I kept thinking that the whole experience would make me feel like I was and could be doing *something* even if it was not everything I could or would hope to do.

But as it turns out, while everyone else is at the various marches, I'll be at home, able to support them in spirit only.  You may be asking yourself, "WTF, Bridget?  Why the change in plans?"

Let me introduce you to The Broken Ankle of Doom.

Or, as it is more commonly known, my own right ankle.  Which is now broken.  Because why not?

Last Wednesday, I was walking home from work, and walked past a bunch of the workers building the new(er) Comcast Building (as soon Philadelphia will likely become Comcastadelphia, but I digress).  One of the men bumped into me, and I turned my ankle.  It hurt, but it often hurts when you turn your ankle.  I continued home, did some stuff that evening, and when I went to go to bed, I noticed that my ankle was really swollen.  I put an ice pack on it overnight.

In the morning, it was even more swollen and incredibly sore.  So I determined that I should have it looked at, in case it was a really bad sprain.  Rather than spend tons of time at the ER, I decided to stop at the Urgent Care place on the way to work.  Where they took x-rays and determined that I had a broken ankle.  (Thanks, Comcast.)  They put a temporary splint on it and told me to get a permanent cast within 24-48 hours.

I called the place they suggested, which is a really well-known orthopedic institution, and was told they could see me on TUESDAY (remember, I was calling on Thursday).  I told them that the Urgent Care place said I should get it set and cast within 24-48 hours, and the woman on the phone said, "Oh, they always say that, it doesn't matter."  This just rubbed me the wrong way, so I called the orthopedist I'd seen for a problem a few years back, and her office scheduled me on Friday morning.

The good news:  it's a clean break, and in alignment.  The dr said it was the best possible outcome, and would mean it would be very unlikely that I would have to have surgery.  Also because of that, she put a walking boot on it, so I can still take a shower (for which I - and anyone else around me - am truly grateful!).  I'll wear it for four weeks, they'll do more x-rays to see if it's healing properly, and then if all is well, I'll wear it again for 2-4 more weeks.  She also said as time goes on, I will likely be able to switch from crutches to a cane.

So though I am depressed and frustrated about the whole thing, I'm also incredibly grateful and relieved that it is not as bad as it could have been.

Today was my first day back to work (we had MLK Day off), and it was pretty brutal.  Not the least because none of the elevators in the building were operational. Which is not a completely uncommon occurrence.  And I had to go back today, or be placed on temporary leave and not be paid.  Ugh.  I managed, but what a mess!

ALL I WAS DOING WAS WALKING HOME FROM WORK.  So I have to ask myself, WHY do I leave the house???  Sigh.  I can hear my mother saying not just "Oh for God's sake!" but also hear one of her favorite expressions, "It's either an *ss or an elbow."

So that this is not a complete self-pitying post, I can say that at least I've been able to finish two books I was reading, and the pair of socks I am knitting for myself are nearly finished!  Not that I'll be able to wear them anytime soon, but I was kinda thinking of doing the thing where you try to knit a pair of socks each month, but put them away and don't start wearing them until next year.

And the crutches have been a joy for the cats, so there's that.  Now instead of just weaving in and out of my legs as I walk, they can also weave in and out of the crutches!  And Jack is having a wonderful time attacking them and knocking them over while they are propped up next to the bed overnight.

And when you think about it, isn't all worth it, if you can entertain family members?

For any of you marching this weekend, Godspeed.  I'll be there in spirit at least.

Almost There!

Well, on a day that could have been better, but was not expected to be (I'm referring to the Electoral College), let's see how things are coming along this Christmastime.  I don't know about you, but it will definitely make me feel better ...

All of our packages have been sent, and we already know that one has arrived safely.  :-)  I am hoping news of the others will be the same.  Frankly, once that is done, The Tim and I have a nice long stretch all to ourselves to relax and enjoy the wait for Christmas Day.

This past weekend we finished decorating the tree and putting out all of the decorations.  Then yesterday I [finally] cleaned the house so a) it would look nice for the rest of the season, and b) Santa would not be appalled.  It makes such a difference!  The house gets to be sooo gross with the two of us and our furry companions.  But at least right now, it's looking good.

Today I took a sick day, not because I was sick, but because I had a few medical things to take care of, and they were gonna take the better part of the day anyhow.  First up was my yearly mammogram, very early this a.m.  I took this photo of Rittenhouse Square as I was walking through, because I think it looks so lovely.  I got an all clear result, for which I am extremely relieved and grateful.  (I always think I should get 50% off, and just get a "mam-gram" but apparently that isn't how it works ... )

Then this afternoon I had my eye exam.  Usually it doesn't take all that long, but the person who I had the appt with had called out sick, so they had one optometrist for all of the appts.  My future cataracts have not advanced much, but my Rx had changed pretty significantly, so I have to get new glasses. I can live with that.  The funny thing is, this is the first time for a few years my eyes had not been bothering me prior to going.  Those years, the other Rxs had been affected (computer and reading); this year, it was my distance vision that had apparently changed a lot!  I guess I figured the distance was just naturally a little blurry?

This is a nice short week for me, with today off and Friday taken as my last personal day for the year (I didn't want to lose it by not taking it before the end of the year!).  That is just fine with me.

We have had one casualty, though.  We actually did not put out some decorations, thinking that maybe waiting until next year would work better with Jack.  But this morning, I did come downstairs to discover that a snowman ornament had departed this earthly plane ...

RIP, snowman ornament.  We hardly knew ye.

Cookies.  Cards.  Wrapping.  That's what's left.   I love Christmas!  (In case you hadn't noticed ...)

The Good, The Bad, The Stupid

It's been so nice to have a long weekend!  I've gotten some things done around the house, but still had time to just relax - I even took a nap today!  (Which proves I'm exhausted - usually even if I am dead on my feet, as soon as I try to take a nap, I'm wide awake).

But anyway ...

The Good:  It finally feels like winter!
The Bad:  Everyone else is whining about it.
The Stupid:  People who walk around without a hat, scarf, or gloves and seem to be amazed that it's cold outside.

The Good: I had a dr appt today, and didn't have to take time off work, since it was already a day off.
The Bad: The dr thinks I'm having problems with my elbow because the tendon is deteriorating.  I have to get an MRI.
The Stupid: The woman who gave me the number to call to schedule the MRI said, "Whoa, that can't be a good thing."

The Good: Since it's a new year, I can get a new pair of glasses with my new prescription so I'll be able to actually see!
The Bad: The frames I like are at a place that doesn't take my insurance.
The Stupid: I can't find said prescription!  (Fortunately, the office is sending me another copy.)

The Good: We have all of the Christmas decorations put away, and the tree was recycled.
The Bad: The house needs to be cleaned.
The Stupid: I cannot to save my life remember where I put the regular, every day coasters ...

The Good:  I took some pictures of the yarn I have for some new projects I'm ready to start.
The Bad: I can't figure out how to edit photos since I've switched to Windows 10.
The Stupid: I won't see The Tim to be able to get help until Wednesday because of our work schedules.

And that's pretty much how things have been around here.  None of these things are truly tragic or horrible, more frustrating and annoying.  I'll live, you know?

But ... it would be nice if things always went my way ... ;-)

Have a good week!