The "I Know Some Interesting People (Everyone I Know"), edition.

iPod shuffled to "I Just a Want to Be", Cameo. Party over here...at 6:40 AM. :-D.  This weekend was about interesting people...friends, family and people I just met. Everyone I know is interesting...there is something interesting and special about everybody.

The discussion started on Friday while I was having a discussion with my social worker.  I was telling  her about how on all sides of my family, we can trace significant history.  My cousin traced the genealogy of the family back in the sixties....before it became an "in" thing. She had younger relatives assisting in the research.  She was a children's author. Her first published book included some of the family history. And her title character's surname in that book is the family name. She went on to become an award winning author, winning the Newberry Medal".  "Green Light", John Legend and Andre 3000. I'd never consider that collaboration, but it works. 

While cleaning out a closet, my husband found a large framed certificate.  It was from the Supreme Court of the United States.  Apparently my grandfather tried a case in 1962!  Why didn't I know about this??!!  My grandfather, a Black attorney was arguing a case in front of the Supreme Court.....in 1962!!!!  I took a photo of the framed certificate, because I'm giving the certificate away. Giving it to my cousin,  his grandson, who is an attorney, who was named after his father, who was named after his father, making him the Third. :-)

While I checking Facebook last night,  a friend, who is the daughter of a wonderful woman who I met gaming almost 20 years ago (!), posted that her dad was going to be on Dateline Discovery last night.  Well of couse I know her dad.  During the course of friendship with her mother, I met her dad. :-)    My friend (her mother) and I have so much in common, including being married to cops, our mothers shared the same first name. Our birthdays are just days apart. We each have one child..a daughter.  The list goes on.  Lol. We both even make the same comments at the same time. Lol. We just accept it and laugh.   Anyway, her husband was on TV last night, and we watched him. He had told us about some of his cases..that wasn't one of them. Lol.

 "That's the Way of the World", Earth, Wind and Fire".  Another friend asked a few days ago to name your favorite EWF song.  I drew a blank, but I think there are too many to select just one.  I'll hear a song I may not have heard in a decade an declare, "That one, that's my favorite", until I hear another EWF song. Lol.  

So last interesting person of the weekend.  Did I tell you that I was asked to be Dialysis Peer Mentor?   I'll give more details later. ;-)  We had our first meeting yesterday. Yes on Sunday. Dialysis patients get treatment on MWF or TThS.  Anyway, I met the most delightful lady.  During the icebreaker we had to tell something about ourselves. The lady had been a Motown recording artist, signed in 1965!  I'd never heard of her, but that doesn't mean much.  She didn't dwell on it, she more interested in mentoring about dialysis and kidney disease. When I got home I looked her up.  There was a Wikipedia article about her, a chock full web site, and several entries on YouTube.  I listened to a couple of songs.   Her voice is great!! 

 "A Heart is a House a For Love", The Five Heartbeats...or The Dells.  Your choice - lol.  Everyone I know is interesting and special.  If you ask me what I find interesting and special about you, I will tell you. It may surprise you, what I think is special about you, but you special to me. <3.  

Signing off with Frank Sinatra, "Luck Be A Lady".  Lol.  Loved to be in a Vegas, The Fremont Experience, and this came on.  Everyone started singing. :-D.  Have great day!  

The "Go Tigers, But Please Don't Choke", edition.

Ipod shuffled to "Knights in White Satin", The Moody Blues. I thought this was such a pretty song. Still sounds good to me, but it sure is a song of the 70's. :-)   I've been a baseball fan and specifically the Tigers since I can remember. On the porch at night listening to games with my dad.  Or on a road trip falling asleep to a game. My grandfather taking us to twinight double headers at what he called "Briggs" Stadium" .  Remembering the 1968 Tigers, Willie Horton, Earl Wilson, Mickey Lolich.  The first date I had with Brian was early in the 1984 season. The Tigers were playing Cleveland. The game the night before went into a lot of extra innings. They won and they won the game we attended. Brian and I attend many games that summer.  Remember Willie Hernandez?  "Don't Be Late for Love", The Whispers. Another "look for my slow dance partner song".  ;-)

During one of the 1984 World Series games, we parked near the Chrysler Freeway and Jefferson and "strolled" to Tiger Stadium on Trumbull and Michigan. I think our original destination was American Coney Island. Lol. When arrived at the stadium, there was a party going on. Lol. People milling about. There was a limousine parked on Trumbull with a TV on top to watch the came in addition to a photographer taking pictures, for a price, of folks in front of the limo.  While we were there, Kirk Gibson hit a home run.   The crowd got bigger and rowdier.  We decided to stroll back to the car. By the time we got home, the Tigers had won the World Series!!!  Lol and a mini riot started around the stadium.  We were pretty smug about reading the crowd and getting the heck out of there. :-)   "Lala Means I Love You", The Delphonics. Another 70s's R&B classic. "Let me hold you in my arms and thrill you with my charms ".  

Once married, we attended quite a few games.  One time I got tickets on 3rd base. We got caught in a hail of Lance Parrish hits. Forget about catching one of those rockets, we were ducking. Lol. Once we had seats on right field. I could reach out and touch Dave Winfield (swoon...and yeah Brian knew. Lol).  The year the Pistons were in the playoffs..early 1990's. People brought portable TVs to the Tigers game. We were watching both a Pistons game and the a Tigers game. The Tigers weren't doing so good and it looked like the Pistons were the better team that night. We decided to leave. As we got to our car on the other side of the freeway, we heard a massive cheer from the stadium.  Turned on the radio when we got in the car. Alan a Trammel had hit a grand slam. :-/. The Tigers won.   We missed it.  So let's add insult to injury. Got home to watch the Pistons lose. Lol. :-(

I'll miss Tiger Stadium. The ramps seemed to go on forever.  It always smelled like stale beer, but I have these memories.  The first time we went to Comerica Park, we got Tiger Den tickets. Wow!  What a difference!  Comfortable chairs, with a little table between us to put your stuff on.  A server to take orders. And a brunch buffet in a dining room.  Now we didn't always get Den seats, but they sure were a treat!  

I wanted to attend a game this summer, as I started feeling better, but we just never got around to it.  So we may not be listening to the games on the back porch, but we have a good time watching them in the recliner on the TV. Lol. So "Go Tigers". Let's get through the playoffs!

The "Strolling Down the Healthy Road", edition.

Hah!  iPod shuffled to The Delpnonics, "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind Your Mind This Time). The epitome of the 70's music arrangement with impeccable harmony. Still wondering what a delphonic is, though. ;-).  So yeah, I've stumbled into being healthy. I've stopped smoking. Haven't had a cigarette in almost a year. I'm eating more vegetables and fruits...actually preferring them (!).  I'm moving more, but I was active before this kidney failure thing. I've lost weight and am keeping it off. Lol. Because I had lost so much weight because of the failing kidneys, it was expected that I'd gain back some weight, and I did.  When I got my appetite back, it really came back. I was eating like a 16 year old boy!  Or like it was my job!  Lol lol. I finally stabilized after gaining about 10 pounds.

Jodeci, "Come and Talk to Me". My nieces and I would debate who was better, Jodeci or Boyz to Men. There really wasn't much debate though. We all preferred Jodeci...but for different reasons. ;-).  My choice for being active has always been water related ever since I learned how to swim.  I think I started swim lessons when I was about 7 years old, at the YWCA in Highland Park (how's that for a trip back in time).  It seems I went there every weekend forever and attended the summer day camps.  I eventually moved on to the downtown YWCA when I was about 9-10 years old, now the site of a Tiger Stadium - Comerica Park.  I even took the bus. The Hamilton route. Lol. My brain is sending up smoke by pulling out these old memories. My cousin from Valdosta was staying with us for the summer.  Mom rode the bus with us to show us how to get there.  I can't even imagine putting my kid on the bus at that age.  I've digressed. 

I eventually went to overnight camp. Swimming and other water based activities were the activities of my choice. Even better than arts and crafts and just a tad over archery.  But clearly better than hiking or overnight camping outside. Bleah.  At the cottage we spent almost the same time in the lake as riding the bikes. What's "the cottage", you ask?  The short answer is we had a summer cottage at Shay Lake, about 8 miles from Kingston, Michigan.  Not familiar with Kingston?  Ok it's  30 miles east of Saginaw. More on that another day.  We swam, water skied, jet skied, rode on the rudderless ski board, boated, canoed, fished, lazed in our giant tractor inner tubes and drifted on our inflatable rafts.  Yeah. I like water sports.  Ha!  iPod shuffled to "Summer Madness", Kool and the Gang.  Most of vacations seemed to be close to a beach or a water park.  And yes, my daughter had swimming lessons starting at 2 years old. Did I mention that my husband and I used to be lifeguards?  I swim. :-)   Once I started feeling better and getting cabin fever, I was looking forward to 1 - getting the chest catheter removed so I could 2 - get in a pool. :-D. 

So here I am. Deep water aerobics. Yeah, deep water not shallow water ( yes, just a touch of disdain for the shallow water..bad Pat ).  Here I am craving green beans, greens, corn, peppers, apples, grapes, broccoli, arugula, tomatoes, carrots, celery, cucumbers, strawberries, peas, peaches, cantelopes.  The list goes on. I'd like spinach, banana, sweet potato, or avocado, but they're  off limits.  Way too much potassium.  I'm sure I could have some in moderation, but I'm ok.  We make our own tacos..with real beef - lol.  So no Taco Bell cravings.  We use fresh ingredients when cooking and have almost done away with processed foods. Although I keep a stock of Rotel (yum).  I had a Honeycrisp apple yesterday.  It was like manna from the gods.  Lol. I'd never thought I'd prefer that over a bag of chips. Roflmao. Apparently it's never to late to change. ;-)

Have a great day and try a Honeycrisp apple. Good crunch, juicy and just sweet enough. Signing off with The Main Ingredient, "Rolling Down the Mountainside". Cuba Gooding's voice so smooth.  "Keep the truth in sight".  "We all count".  :-)

The "It's Monday and I'm Back at Dialysis", edition.

iPod set on The Dramatics (no surprise there), "Fall in Love, Lady Love". This song was on that album that I played the grooves off. :-)   <3.  Friday, I got a flu shot. The nurse was peddling the shots the previous week.  I wasn't allowed the shot at that because I had the cold. This time I got. I was tickled when she came to the module and asked if anyone wanted a shot and everyone said yes. Dialysis patients are prone to infections and anything else floating around.

When I was in the hospital it seemed as if every nurse on every shift was trying to give me a flu vaccination and a pneumonia vaccination. I was bombarded with so much information AND I was trying to wrap my head around "kidney failure and dialysis".  I declined all vaccinations. I could tell the nurses wanted to lecture me  -lol. But they didn't. For my part, the last (and only time) I had a flu shot, I got the flu. 24 hours after the shot my temperature went up, I got nauseous and could barely move. Of course this was in 1976. Lol. Never got another flu shot after that. 

By the time I hit the dialysis center in November 2012, the nurses accosted me about flu shots. I smiled and said no thank you.  Finally one did lecture me and made me see the error of my ways. I was ready for the shot, but one came by after that. Lol. 

So I got the flu vaccination in my right arm, because my left arm has the life saving, life sustaining, life giving, arm scarring fistula. Cannot sleep on it, cannot take blood pressure on it, cannot insert an IV in it, cannot put pressure on it.  Getting the shot was fine. I've been stuck, pricked and poked ( get yer mind out of the gutter, I'm speaking in a medical sense!!) so many times that needles don't faze me...much.  It was the after math of the injection. My arm hurt.  Like someone socked me in the arm. I felt bruised. So I couldn't lay on my right side all weekend, and the left side was out because of the fistula. I managed. It is just a nuisance now, and I'm vaccinated. :-).  "Door to Your Heart"  The Dramatics. The harmonies and the arrangement....close your eyes and get lost in the music. 

The other thing was the upgrade of Apple's IOS.  I updated it on Saturday, rather than Friday.  I didn't want to be without the iPad if for some reason the upgrade had an issue. Well, on Saturday morning I checked the iPad. Mission accomplished. :-)  The IOS is different enough that I have to look for stuff and even if I've "it", I haven't committed "it" to memory. 

Signing off with...The Dramatics, "Fell For You".  "Your kisses make me dizzy in the head".  Lol. Temptations indeed. No contest!  Photos of fistula when I first started it, and fistula now.  Yes Im mutilated, but what's a girl to do?  

The "I Like Thunderstorms at Night", edition.

"U Can't Touch This", MC Hammer. Royalties for Rick James.  "Stop.  Hammertime ". Or is it "Superfreak"?  ;-)  One of my side effects fro ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease" is the inability get much sleep at night. This has been consistent since I got out of the hospital. I might argue that the nap(s) I took during the day would affect nighttime sleep. However, I am not napping near as much as I was 8 to 9 months ago.  I'll go to bed around 11PM.  I won't go to sleep until after midnight. Then I'll wake up every hour and a half or so. On days when I've been very active  may sleep up to four hours straight. Yay!!  Last night was a pretty much sleepless night. I was treated to the thunderstorm.  When it started the dog next door let the neighborhood know. Lol. What we do without Bubbles?  My dog responded with a "woof" that I interpreted as, "Hush!".  Lol. 

What I've discovered is other ESRD patients and people with other types of kidney disease also suffer with insomnia. Those toxins running through our bodies just cause all kinds of havoc. "Testify", Common. He can always tell a story.  My nephrologist prescribed Ambien, but I'm not keen on taking anymore medications.  I already take the phosphorus binders, an anti-hypertensive, something to lower my parathyroid level and a vitamin. Hopefully it'll work out. 

I was thinking of how my body was affected from my kidneys failing over time. I can pinpoint when things started happening, but I don't think it was the kidneys initially.  In March 2009, I went to my orthopedic surgeon. My knees hurt. My feet hurt and I couldn't move my shoulder. The diagnosis was arthritis, plantar fasciitis, and frozen shoulder.  The remedies were Celebrex, foot exercises and physical therapy. The worst was the frozen shoulder.  I couldn't lift my arm, and therapy was painful also. Lol. The heat did feel good. The PT had to get my shoulder joint moving. It felt like grinding bone on bone. ;-(    The good news is in 3 months I had full movement. :-). I'm pretty sure this was not related kidney failure, but this is the point I started collecting doctors. 

One day, my PT noticed I was walking funny.  I told him my thighs hurt. He said it cold be sign of spinal problems and suggested I go back to the orthopedic surgeon, who promptly sent me for an MRI. Sure enough, I had spinal stenosis.  "Groove in the Heart", Deee-Lite. Featuring Q-Tip and Bootsy Collins. Time to chair dance :-D.   From there I was sent to the pain clinic. Oh yeah, I also got steroid shots in my knees. By fall 2010 I got a steroid shot in my back.  I think I had a total of 3 shots. I was prescribed painkillers between shots. 

I noticed my appetite diminishing in November 2011. I was using a cane by then.  By February, I wake up trying to vomit, but I hadn't eaten. It was like the most brutal form of morning sickness. It would last about 15 minutes.  That would wear me out for the rest of the day.  Sometimes I'd have to call in sick. I was having problems getting up out of chairs (I told the story of DPD command officers helping me up.  Lol. These guys are now an assistant chief and a deputy cheif). My clothes were falling off of me (and when the assistant chief and deputy chief helped me up, my pants tried to fall off - lol).  I was tired. I retired because I was tired. By September I was itching and had this weird metallic taste in my mouth that wouldn't go away. By October 2012, I had pulmonary edema. The fluid and toxins had found their way to my lungs. I was drowning the last week. All the doctors were treating each symptom separately. The blood test came 2 days before I ended up at the hospital. 

Well, the great news is the ESRD was identified and treated.   Oh yeah, the back doesn't hurt anymore. My feet don't hurt anymore.  My knees don't hurt anymore.   My shoulder is fine. All is well. :-)

Signing off with "The Dramatics", Ocean of Thoughts and Dreams". Of course. <3. Have a fabulous weekend. 

The "A Hodge Pot of Tidbits", edition.

iPad shuffled to "Ladies First", Queen Latifah with Monie Love. I also like MC Lyte.  I forgot to charge the iPod so I am using the iPad. I actually have more songs on the iPad, thanks to the "cloud". I have to hook up the iPod to the computer to download new songs. I can download music to the iPad. I probably can hook up the iPod to the iPad. I'll check it out.....one day. Eh, that paragraph had to many  iThings.  Lol

Friday I was concerned that three of my module partners were missing. One returned on Monday, but two were still MIA. One has been hospitalized, but that left one still missing. He is back today. He had been in the hospital also. I'm still missing one. The one who is still missing and I race to see who finishes bleeding out first.  Lol. This is what my life has become. Roflmao. But..he's still in the hospital :-(

I received a letter from the dialysis's company, Greenfield Health Systems. I've been asked to be a peer mentor. I saw that the third social worker is part of that program. The company maintains several dialysis centers  in SE Michigan and Ohio. I guess I'll go and see what it's about. When I worked, I was a manager and have actually been trained in mentoring. Lol, but I hadn't told anyone here. I'm not clear how I'm supposed to mentor anyone while I'm imprisoned in a chair. < shrug> 

There are three social workers here. I'll refer to them as Mine, Lead and Other. Mine helps with travel and whatever else she is supposed to. Like make me take a psychological assessment.  I'm not as well adjusted as I think I am. Lol   In fairness, that's the result from February.  Lead is my soror.  She's the one that gets me to participate in walk-a-thons. Other caught me weeping during treatment one day. It was in March, think.  I was listening to Malagueña on the iPod, and I teared up. She saw me as she was walking by. "Be Ever Wonderful", Earth, Wind, and Fire". Well, that was a soothing song.  Other asked if I was ok. It old her about the song, how I played the song at my dad's request and how it was the song I played at last recital, my swan song, if you will. I still love to hear it. My tech was nearby and let Other know that Mom had just died. I guess it was just an emotional release. By the way, whenever the song shuffled on, I'd pass it by. I just started listening to it again. I think you know by now that music is a powerful force in my life. :-). 

Other and I talked for a while. She asked for the name of the song. I told her the name of the song and composer.  She wrote it down.  On my next treatment, she came by and told me she had listened to it (!). She enjoyed it. So anyway, Other is part of the peer mentoring program. I suspect all three social worker are in on this. :-/   "Hey Nineteen", Steely Dan. Donald Fagen's voice has such a nice wail. Lol 

Monday, as I finished, my blood pressure was playing teeter-totter. :-(  It would spike high sitting, the drop when I stood. Wild spikes. It finally stabilized, so they eat me go.  I made it about 20 feet and my BP started dropping. *sigh*. I was pretty sure I could make it out the treatment area, through the reception area, down the wall, wait for the slowest elevator in the universe, get on said elevator, walk through the entrance area, through the parking lot to the car.  Apparently I looked like my BP had dropped. A RN stopped me. <grrrr>.  She had me sit down and take my pressure. I was no longer in my module. Anyway, I ended up drinking some really salty chicken broth and being attended to by three techs and two RN's.  I was quite embarrassed. The salt immediately raises the blood pressure.  When I stabilized, I got the hell out of there. Lol.  

Signing off with Bobby Womack", California Dreamin'".  Have a great day!!  

The "This is my 100th Entry!", Edition.

iPod shuffled to Chaka Khan, "And The Melody Still Lingers On (A Night in Tunisia). The lyrics on her version are specific to her. I wasn't sure there even lyrics, but Ella Fitzgerald has different lyrics. I'm going to check a few more versions. It looks like it was covered by over 20 other artists! O.o

100 entries!! Oh my. Actually 99 published.  There is an entry I've started, but I can't focus on it. It's about my mom. The blog came about after writing entries about being in dialysis in late January.  I'd been on dialysis since early November.  By January I feeling more like my self. "I'm So Proud", The Main Ingredient", pre Cuba Gooding. Few people knew I'd been ill.  Not because I didn't want friends and family to know.  We were just trying to get a handle on the enormous change we'd just experienced.   My entire (little family) were affected.  As mom and wife, I was accustomed to being the primary caregiver...taking care of my family. Now I was utterly dependent on them. The very last thing I wanted was to interrupt my daughter's life.  I'm not her responsibility. Brian still had to go to work.  I protested and apologized for having to take care of me. They weren't having it. 

I initially had to use the walker to get around the house. Even to the bathroom. I needed help getting up. If I sat in a chair, I listed to the side. I needed help getting dressed and undressed. I needed help going up and down stairs. I had to use stairs to get in and out of the house. Someone had to drive me to dialysis Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for my 2:15 appointment.  After I passed out, I needed a wheelchair when I left treatment. "Pump it Up", MC Hammer...lol great song to come to break this serious train of thought.  "Pump it up......LOUDER" "Identify snakes". Lol. With some James Brown sampling. :-).

When Shawn and Brian had to go to work and school, I was home alone for 8 or more hours. I'd have breakfast, but I'd get hungry around lunch time. I made it to the kitchen with the walker, but was too weak to make a sandwich.  The pitcher to pour water was way to heavy.  Yes, sandwiches were left for me eventually. :-).  I remember that it took so much effort.  I started to make popcorn.  I was so tired afterwards. 5 minutes of standing wore me out.  By the end of January, I'm much better. I'm not sure when I ditched the walker, but I am stronger.  I am motivated to get better. Mom is in hospice.  I was told she had 2 months at best. 

I told my tech, social worker, vascular surgeon and nephrologist I need to get to Las Vegas to see her. Everyone was accommodating. My travel forms for dialysis were expedited.  We were scheduled to leave on February 15, 2013. Mom died on January 30, 2013.  I want write about her last 13 months, but can't collect my thoughts, so 100th the entry sits unfinished in draft form. Maybe one day.

So I know by this time, I'd ditched the walker. I also needed to vacate the downstairs bedroom for dad. It was time to tackle the stairs to our bedroom (much to Brian's delight-lol). "Keep on Lovin' Me", The Whispers. Love me those little twins, Scotty and Walter. :-)  I had crawl up the stairs. It was some kind of exercise, I guess. Lol.  I needed to get and be stronger anyway. And I am. :-)

I miss my mom. I would lay in bed, cuddled up to her. She'd call me Baby and would hug me. We'd both laugh at her 50+ year old "baby". That being said, I'm glad I had her as long as I did. :-). 

Signing off with The Dells, "Stay in My Corner".    

I will. 

The "I'm Trying to Convince Summer to Stay a Little Longer", edition

iPod shuffled to "Smooth", Rob Thomas and Carlos Santana. Back to jeans and a jacket. Time to put the sandals up. Time to turn off the central air. :-(  Summer went by quick. Shawn's graduation. Disney World. Port Huron.  The Oakland County Fair.  Frankenmuth. Several trips to Champaign Urbana (getting intimate with the drive there...and massive corn fields). It was a great summer. A convergence of Brian and I both being retired. Shawn passed on a summer job and a summer orientation at UIUC. She did work on a project at Wayne State researching the Purple Gang, but we were able to wake up and say,  "What are we going to do today?".  Shawn figured she'd be in school for the next years. Take a break. :-)

"Andalusia (Suite Espanola):Guadalivir", Ernesto Lecuona. One the songs I played on the piano. I played the entire suite of songs. Big ole music book. Dad wanted me to play Malagueña. I ended up liking all of the songs, so I learned them all. Lol the songs that were at least 6 pages each.   Now, I prefer to listen, rather than play. I'm sure my piano feels neglected. Lol. 

Anyway, we were able to do all those trips and activities in spite of the failed kidneys and dialysis three days a week. I've never missed a treatment and don't plan to. I'm looking at 3 empty chairs in my module and I can only shake my head. The missing folks had dialysis on Wednesday. The next session  will be on Monday. 4 days missed. Toxins built up for 4 days :-(   I'm not trying to take that chance. Which leads to my next point....  I'm thinking that kissing death has given me a new perspective on life.    I'm enjoying my friends and family. I'm enjoying living. I felt so bad that feeling good, feels good. Lol. Nelly, "Hot in Herre".  Not only is that a chair dance song, the head bops, and you want to sing it loud and strong. I'd wake up everyone if I did that. My singing voice is awful. Lol. 

Now granted, some dialysis days I feel kinda punky after treatment. I resent..hate dialysis, but I'm here.  I'm here with Brian. I'm here with my baby <3. I'm here with my dad. I'm here with my brother and his wife. I'm here with my cousins and family...on all sides, and Brian's family is my family <3.  I'm here with fabulous friends. They all prop me up when I'm pissed about my failed kidneys.  So I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. Doing dialysis, no matter what city I'm in. Taking my meds, doing what the nephrologist wants me do. Listening to the dietician. "Just Gets Better With Time", The Whispers. That's a song that has me looking for Brian to dance. :-).  I've adjusted to not using salt. Looking at labels. I've found I can have most foods on moderation, except absolutely no beans or V8. V8, salt in a can..lol. And Bloody Mary's were the drink of my choice..oh well. 

So we've planned our next trip and will probably make another trip to Illinois. Lol. Trying to stay away for a while.  Lol, I want my child to be independent, but I sure like being with her. She's good company.  I know I was determined to see her graduate.  Now she's set another goal that I need to reach...seeing her get her PhD. So some days when I'm feeling I hate this, what's the point, I remember that goal she's set. And Brian has convinced me that we'll be just fine. :-). 

Signing off "Going in Circles", The Friends of Distinction". Have a great weekend.  

The "We Got the Dog 12 Years Ago on September 10", edition.

iPod shuffled to "Always And Forever", Heatwave. When was the last time you heard the long version? It's over six minutes. This is one of those songs that you sing in the car by yourself. You know, in case you miss a note or three.  Lol.  And I know...Heatwave..gonna be over 90 degrees again today. The iPod has mind of its own. 

On 9-10-2001, I left work from downtown, picked up Shawn from school in the cultural center and headed to Howell, Michigan. Brian was working midnight shift, so he was at home. We'd  seen the puppies on Sunday, selected the one we wanted. Monday I was to return with the payment. I should have a little bit of forethought before we picked her up...like having a crate. :-/  I think Shawn held her on the way home. 55 miles.  I don't remember. We got home. I dropped Shawn and puppy off at home and went to the pet store. I bought a crate, puppy food and some toys. We pulled out the baby gates. Raising a new puppy just started. 

Brian left for work, we put puppy in the crate , took her upstairs and went to bed. Well we tried. Puppy howled....non-stop. I took her downstairs. We could still hear her. I took her to the basement to the room furthest from my bedroom. Shawn wasn't happy.  She wanted instant love. I wanted sleep. Lol. 

We woke the morning, started our new routine. It kinda worked out with Brian and I on different shifts. We put puppy in the crate, I took Shawn to school and I went to work. I arrived around 7:30 AM. The early crew was already there, hard at work. I had been there about an hour?  I walked out of my office.  One of my programmers was reading the CNN website. He says, "Look at this.  An airplane flew into a building in New York". Eric Benet, "When You Think Of Me". Roy Ayers is making that xylophone sing. :-).  We're looking at the photo. He thinks its a small plane. I didn't think a plane was even allowed in that airspace. I went to run my errand when I came back, the employee confirmed a plane did fly into one of the towers. A large plane. We headed to the conference room, to catch the news. Other people started streaming in. So yeah, we're watching it as the second plane came in. 

We eventually get people to back to their desks, but the day was shot. And wasn't even 10 AM.  By now everyone is on edge. Parents want to go and get there kids. My office faced the Detroit River.  I had my radio on.  I looked out the window. I saw a plane coming from Canada do a U-Turn. :-(  Brian calls me. He should have been asleep. He says DPD called him.  The mobilization plan was in effect.  He needed to report back to work. I told him what happened and to turn on the TV.  

Downtown basically emptied out. The building was officially closed. I called the school. They said parents could come and get their kids if they wanted. I went my car parked in the underground garage. Let me tell ya.  With everyone trying to get out, we were sitting ducks. :-(  After out 20 minutes, I got out and went to pick up Shawn. We went to the grocery, because, we'll we didn't know where this was going. Bobby Womack, "Looking For a Love". Who doesn't like Bobby? :-) 

We head home. The priority is the new puppy. So there you go. The date of when we got her is imprinted on us. 12 years later, she is clearly not a puppy.  She's stiff when she wakes up. She can't jump upon the chair any more. It looks like she doesn't sniff as well.  She still barks, but not as much.  Oddly when I was at my sickest, she got pretty sick also. She's doing better and so am I. :-)  I let her know we're on this together. I know she understands and you won't convince me of anything different. ;-)  

Singing off with Isaac Hayes, "Joy". "You're my joy, you're everything to me-e-e-e-e".  Enjoy the heat wave!  

The "Don't Park or Stand At A Handicap Ramp", edition.

iPod shuffled to Stevie Wonder, "Superwoman". 1973? I recalling hearing this on WDRQ. 40 years ago. Do you ever marvel at saying you remember something from that long ago?  This morning, as Brian dropped me off at the center, there were two cars in front of us. The car immediately in front dropped off a gentleman using a rollator. What's a rollator, you ask?  It's a walker with wheels. Anyway, the ramp was blocked by the first car. I get really pissed about stuff like that, especially coming from where I've been. The gentleman attempted to step up on the curb, but was unsuccessful.    :-(   I looked for a non-patient when I got in. I pass four modules to get to my chair, but I didn't see anyone. That was so fricking rude. The only people showing up at this place at this time of the morning are dialysis patients. And quite a few have mobility issues. If you or your passengers need the ramp, assume others do.

It's an interesting mix of people here. I don't even try to guess the ages of people. Brian won't give it a shot either. I think I look younger than I am, but that's just vanity speaking ( and I'm not talking about Prince's Vanity...rim shot ). "Bring It On Home To Me", Sam Cooke (and Lou Rawls). The song has been recorded by 20 artists. I won't even hazard to guess why people have mobility issues. Some look like strokes. Different levels of amputees.  Canes, walkers, wheelchairs. More men than women.  Even when I got treatment out of town, there were more men than women.  

Within the first month in-center, I was bombarded with information. Did I want a transplant? You're a good candidate for home dialysis. We'll supply the machine and chair. Or you can do peritoneal dialysis. You need to get the catheter out. This is a list of what you can and cannot eat. What are you injecting in my access line? Iron.  We're taking blood today. Here's your report from the first day. Your PTH (parathyroid) levels are high, but don't worry. Well give you some pills for that. Your phosphorus levels are high. Have some pills. "I Just Want To Be", Cameo. Chair dance...and try not to sing to loud. Lol. 

I tried to do everything. Thanks to my vascular surgeon for having me put the brakes on.  "Virtual Insanity", Jamiroquai. Great video!  Ha. My life was virtual insanity at that time. Lol. Oh, the dietician just came by with my monthly report (card). I got a star for the 2nd month. My PTH, phosphorus, albumin, potassium, calcium, and URR are all normal. Yay!!  I will be transitioning to home dialysis. Brian will be my care partner.  We'll both will have to learn how to cannulate (stick the needles in me).   I'll be doing this until I get a transplant.  Oh yeah. It was my social worker who contacted University of Toledo to start the process to get on the Ohio transplant list.  

I promise I'll detail the difference between home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis on the near future!  Signing off with The Dramatics (no surprise there- lol) "Welcome Back Home". This song highlights Ron's voice and the fabulous harmonies. Enjoy your day!!

The "I Have No Focus Today, But The Symptoms Are Under Control", edition.

iPod shuffled to Isley Brothers, "Harvest For The World".  I went o a mega concert at Cobo, back in the day. The Isley Brothers were one of the groups, sling with Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes. Took you back, didn't I.  You are old school if you can recall O'Kelly Isley just walking back and forth on the stage during the set. :-). 

Well, on Wednesday, I asked the nurse what I could take for the cold. The nephrologist walked in just I asked. The official cold medicines for dialysis patients (at least patients of my neph) are Robitusdin DM and Zyrtec.  And now I'm symptom free....and loopy. I gotta tell ya, that scratchy throat sucked. I could barely talk.  

I've tossed the cane!  Lately, I've been forgetting the cane. When we checked out of the hotel, as soon as the door closed, I realized I left the cane. Of course we did express check out, so the key cards were left in the room. Of course. The front desk made a card and we retrieved the cane. I'd been forgetting the cane all that  week. Starting this past Monday, I just left it at home. My walking has improved. Stairs are a bit of a challenge, but much more doable. Getting up from is chairs so much easier. The Delphonics, "Ready or Not". The names of groups from the 70's sometime make no sense.  What's a "delphonic"?  Nevertheless, the music is great, so I'll let the name slide. :-). 

Well, this a short entry. I planned on going over the types of dialysis, but the meds have control of me.  I selected that topic because one of the members of the Facebook group I belong to is having crazy serious complications from peritoneal dialysis. I was considering that. I'm not anymore. I'll go over the different types next week. 

Signing off with "Who Am I ( What's My Name )?", Snoop Dogg. That'll wake you up!  :-). Have a great weekend. 

The "I Caught a Cold. Who Threw it To Me?", edition.

iPod shuffled to The Moments, "Love On a Two Way Street".  The Moments morphed into Ray, Goodman and Brown.   The cold started with that raw sore throat, then morphed into lots of congestion..but the congestion is better than the sore throat.  I'm coughing, too. Bleah.  Also had trouble sleeping. I have to ask a nurse what I can take. NyQuil wold be nice.

A friend asked a great question on Facebook regarding transplant donors. "What if the remaining Kidney of a donor fails?".  According to the United Network of Organ for Organ Sharing, should the donor need a kidney transplant, the donor gets points. This in fact, moves the donor up the list. 

I know 2 donors. One is my cousin ( I was named after her...I just got the irony ). She donated a kidney to her brother close to 45 years ago. She's doing well.  There is also a friend whose brother donated a kidney.  The donor brother was walking the last walk-a-thon I was in.  He's a practicing attorney and doing well. 

If someone chooses to donate a kidney, they go through at least as many tests as a recipient.  Perhaps even more.  Not only for compatibility but to make sure the remaining kidney is healthy.   I've included a link to the National Kidney Foundation's FAQs about living donations.  I've also included a link to a site with information about living donations and the experiences of those who have donated. If you have any questions , please ask. 

iPod shuffled to The System, "Don't Disturb This Groove". I went to two Labor Day dinners. Lol. Just like when Brian and I got married. We traveled to different houses all over the city for holiday dinners. Still doing it after 25 years. :-).  My aunt wanted us over sorta like the way it used to be. It was great being there with her and the cousins I grew up with..the closest I had to siblings.  Both were in my wedding, and the oldest one was my matron of honor. 

Then it was off to my mother-in-law's house. She's a sweetheart. Back in the day all 4 of her children and all of the grandchildren would be at the house. She loved it. I'd get tickled when she would call one of the boys names (son or grandson) and they all would come to her , grown men or little boys - lol.  The older set of grand kids are grown now, and most are out of town.  Shawn was the youngest of that group. We enjoyed being there with her, her sister, and Brian's younger brother's family. :-)

Agin, if you have any questions about living kidney donation, or kidney disease, ask away. Signing off with The Jacksons, "Blues Away". I am such a J5 fan.  I have no shame whatsoever. Lol. 

http://www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors/infoQA.cfm?id=6

The "Yes, It's Labor Day, and Yes, I'm Dialyzin'" edition.

iPod set to The Dramatics, "Whatcha See is Whatcha Get". The only other album I played as much was the first Jackson Five album. That's saying a lot. I took that album with me everywhere. Lol. Yes, I'm at dialysis on Labor Day. Just like I was for the 4th of July Monday. Heh. The term "life goes on" takes a literal meaning.

We drove to Champaign on Friday to deliver the rest of Shawn's things.  We left directly from dialysis. I have hit or miss days. Friday was a close hit. I like to help with driving, but wasn't able to assist until just south of Chicago, and then it was for only 45 minutes :-(  But it was a little break. The return trip was much better on Sunday. 

So yes, I wanted to see my baby.  (Shawn tells me "You're such a mom".  Yes I am, so what?  Lol)   Yeah, yeah, I'm letting go. That's the ultimate plan, to see you're  child self sufficient.  Her apartment looks nice, and she's still decorating. However, she's learning major budgeting. So far so good.  Of course, Brian and I took her grocery shopping. ;-).  Oh yeah, she spent Friday night with us in the hotel. So I'm guessing she wanted to see us, also. Lol. Did I mention that I reserved the room during our previous stay?  What??  We knew we had to bring the rest of Shawn's stuff, that couldn't fit in the Explorer on the first trip. Lol. Quit judging. (I really am "such a mom" - lol).  

I suppose I'll give a shout out to Hawthorne Suites. We stayed at the chain in Alexandria, VA when Shawn attended Howard U. Now we're staying at the one in Champaign.  The hotel is the closet hotel to the airport...we'd see the pilots at breakfast. It's also the closest hotel to the football stadium. Did I mention that Saturday was the first football game for UIUC?  Did I mention UIUC is a Big 10 school?  Did I mention that Champaign is in the middle of nowhere making UIUC football the ONLY game in town?  Well, I'm going to tell you how Saturday started out for us. 

"Door to Your Heart", The Dramatics. Lol. Just cutting to the chase, I'm playing my entire Dramatics playlist this morning. No shuffling the iPod. :-)   Brian and I got up to get breakfast. A bunch of tennis equipment was dropped in the lobby.  The dining room was full.  It was the UIUC tennis team. We also saw the UIUC football team coaches and staff coming down the stairs headed to their catered team breakfast. I saw three fancy buses outside...there may have been more.  Lots of people in orange and navy blue milling around.   Note - the tennis team had the complimentary breakfast..it des have an omelet station, but the football team has a catered breakfast. 

After Shawn had breakfast we went grocery shopping. Everyone in the store, customers ad staff, were wearing Illinois shirts or orange and blue. Illini bow ties!!!  Lol we were not fitting in.  The plan was to not go back to Shawn's apartment the usual way, because we'd encounter some traffic. Of course we forgot it, probably as soon as we said it. Lol. Anyway heading back, we see the people hawking parking spaces, highest was $15.00.  A sea of orange shirts heading toward the stadium.  Lots of alumni. Oh by the way, UIUC's record from last year was 2-12. Lol lol lol lol roflmao. I'm a Michigan woman!!  I'll even  follow MSU. A 2-12 record?  The Illini suck.  Lol. But they're the only game in town. They played Southern Illinois. They barely won.  Lol lol. Ok, I've wiped the tears of laughter from my eyes. 

We cooked Shawn some food.  She wanted the Greek pasta salad.  We also did some chicken wings.  Season wings with salt and pepper and bake.  In a pot, heat up equal parts of Franks Hot Sauce and honey, and butter. Add everything into the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours. Yum. :-)  So she has leftovers for a while and everything we couldn't finish from the restaurants we went to.  I'll tell you about Biaggi's another time...so so good. 

She didn't spend the night with us.  She had a department party. She's part of the staff.  Lol. My baby is grown!!  She met us for breakfast on Sunday at Le Peep.  Then Brian and I headed home.  Tired and happy, with Sirius keeping us company.  And no trips to Champaign planned for the future. My helicopter has landed. :-)

Signing off with "Sun Goddess", Ramsey Lewis and Earth, Wind, and Fire". Enjoy the holiday.  :-)