The "Memorial Day and I'm Not in the Chair!", edition.

Good Monday morning. Back to back editions. How about that?  I had no intention of writing today.  But deep water fitness is off for the week so we're not trying to get the Henderson by 8:00 AM today. We're not quite twiddling our thumbs, but we are just chilling this morning. So why not write? 

So yesterday I went to a picnic. The Phirst Pham picnic, sponsored by the Las Vegas chapters of the AKAs and the Alphas. All Greeks were invited. I saw members from all of the Devine 9, except for one. I may have just not noticed them. Loved seeing all the colors and folks representing by wearing their shirts. And with all of the people there..and there were a lot, the pink and green was strong!!!  The strongest, in fact. Ivies, pearls and pretty girls! Since 1908. 

The Alphas supplied the meat and the AKAs provided the sides. So many people. So much food. Shredded chicken, rip tips sausages , baked chicken, hot dogs, greens, green beans, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, peach cobbler, watermelon and drinks galore!  And I may have missed some items. I wish I could guess how many people were there. Maybe 200-300? More? 

And there was the requisite DJ. He was pretty good. We watched him and his crew bringing the equipment, including a generator to his spot. He set up and was playing within 5 minutes!  He was pretty good. The music was good R&B. Although I heard some Drake and Busta Rhymes..and some remixes. Sometimes he didn't let a song play through. I was all set to sing with Jodeci, but he played only the intro and moved on to another song. Boo. Lol. But he had us all moving. You know. When people walk with a strut while music is playing or folks sitting down moving that head. 

Every now and then my sorors would jump up and dance. We like a good party. You'd think a picnic in the desert would be a problem. But. It is still "cool" here..at least by Las Vegas standards. That means we haven't reached 100 degrees yet. And the picnic was under a giant canopy. And there was a nice breeze. Probably because we were at the foot of a mountain.  For reference, the park was at the far northwest area of the Las Vegas area...it's called Centennial. Anyway. We were quite comfortable. Although as the sun moved, people in the  sun moved. Brian and I selected a good spot so that we'd never get hit by the moving sun. Hey I now east and west,  lol. 

There was one hitch. When it was time to eat, they asked that the ladies get served first. That kind of happened.  But there were still a lot of ladies (and men) in line. And I got bunched up in the middle. I'd be standing a while. I asked the guy next to me if it would be ok if I leave for a moment and he'd let me back in. He was a sweetie and said sure. As I stepped out of line, the basileus grabbed me and took me to the front of the line. <3. She was aware that standing in the sun and dialysis wasn't a great combination. She made sure I had 2 plates, one for me and one for Brian. And I was off and running getting food for us. I let my basileus know how much I appreciated that. I was really overwhelmed!  

After we ate, it was time to go. Yes we were in the shade. Yes it was a nice breeze. Yes. We were having a good time. Yes we had our own comfy chairs. But I was getting tired. And I'd been there 3 hours. And that was a good thing. I'm glad I went. Brian and I had a great time.  And of course being with my sorors is always wonderful!  

On the dialysis front, we'd plan on doing dialysis Saturday, my regular off day so I wouldn't have to worry about treatment on Sunday. But we forgot to prep the machine. So once Brian prepped the machine Saturday evening we just went to the jacuzzi.  Lol. The machine prepped while we slept. I started treatment Sunday morning. Early. 7:00 AM early. Get all this nonsense out of the way so I'd be able to attend the picnic without issues. And it worked. Yay!  

Today is a quiet day. Carl isn't coming for dinner. :-(  I planned on a fish fry, but since it's the three of us, we're going to do a build a burger dinner.  Oh and sweet corn is on sale again. You know what's going to happen!!! 

I took photos at the picnic, but they turned out too dark. Bah. Anyway. Have a great holiday!!

The "Time is Precious", edition.

Good Sunday morning. We're planning our dinner for Memorial Day. I'd invite my seniors over. But we've lost 2 of the 3 seniors and the 3rd one isn't doing well. Pauline passed away just after Easter. And Herbert passed away last week. When Dad talked to Carl about coming over tomorrow, Carl said he wasn't feeling well and his eyesight was getting worse. Dad visits Carl about every other month. Carl lives in an independent assisted living complex...if that makes sense. The complex has 3 areas. One for independent seniors, one for assisted living and a nursing home.  Carl and his wife, Gloria, moved there to an independent living apartment a few years ago. Gloria died a month after Mommy. Anyway. The complex has a dining plan. Dad visits Carl on Sundays and they have brunch in the dining area. Then go back to Carl's apartment and watch sports. 

I enjoyed spending the holidays with my seniors. And I will miss the time spent with them.   But I'm glad I did it. I'm glad I got to know them. And as much as Brian and I enjoyed spending time with them, they enjoyed each other's company even more. And the stories they told!  Walking and talking living history! Time is precious and the time we spent with my seniors and the time they spent with each other was time well spent. 

We spend time with Dad. We do our Saturday morning run to the casino. One hour a week is more than enough time. We do Sunday brunch every Sunday. We alternate who selects the location. Dad likes PF Changs....and Brazilian steakhouses!  We eat dinner together almost every night. Brian and Dad watch track and field. We'll watch Family Feud with Dad. I'll wander into his room and talk about whatever. I like spending time with my daddy.  I also like spending time with Brian. I like spending time with Shawn. We're going to visit her in a few weeks and I can hardly wait.  But then when we're there time will move way too fast. :-(  

My point is enjoy and cherish each moment. Right now I'm sitting in my recliner with needles in my arm. Not one of my favorite things to do. But. I am just chilling. Watching the news. Writing this blog. Watching Brian doing whatever he's doing. Thinking about the picnic I'm going to today. How am I going to spend my time. My precious time. 

Attack your days with a smile.  And even if you think you're wasting time, you aren't. Your time is always precious!  That's it for today. I think I'm nuts for trying to go to a picnic. It's going to be hot. Not yet triple digits. But still. Lol. Taking my own cooler of ice and a hat. I WILL enjoy myself!!!

On the dialysis front..nothing. Isn't that great?  Well..my blood pressure is still crazy low even with the raise your blood pressure meds.  The nurse has me taking them just before treatment. But a lot of meds are cleared out of the system because of treatment. You know. Because the blood is moving in and out of me during the process. When I was incenter, one if my partners had pain meds for a toothache. Within a half hour the med was cleared from his bloodstream. :-(  He wasn't happy. 

Well. That's it for today. Enjoy your day and enjoy the holiday!  

My seniors. <3

The "I'm Liking The Facebook Memories Feature", edition.

Good Tuesday morning!  First I have sad news. One of my seniors passed away over the weekend. We received a call about Herbert, the Chinese fellow who grew up on Hawaii on Saturday. We've lost him and Pauline since the new year. I'm still having dinner Sunday, but it will be Dad, Carl, Brian and me. I'll update you on that later. 

The Facebook memory feature is pretty cool. It jogs the memory and has details about events that may have been forgotten. Today the memory was us taking Shawn to the archeology field school in New Philadelphia, Illinois. She'd applied for the program (she hadn't told us until she was accepted). It was funded by the National Science Foundation for the University of Illinois (UIUC). The project was headed by a faculty member of UIUC. 60-70 students applied and 6 were selected. My kid was one of them!  

The project had the students at the site for four weeks, then at the University of Illinois in Springfield for four weeks. Not only was room and board included, but they got paid!  When she returned to WSU, between this project and the project from the previous summer (Buffalo Soldier research in New Mexico with Howard University) she had a cartload of experience. WSU has a project at the old train station and it was discovered that Shawn had more experience in excavations than some grad students. She also ended up as lead on a project that researched The Purple Gang of Detroit before she graduated. 

She decided she wanted to go to grad school, but her dilemma was most schools didn't offer just a masters degree.  They were doctorate programs. She wasn't interested in that. Anyway. She applied to schools she was interested in and schools that had faculty she wanted to work with. Yes, she'd met these people at archeology conferences.  She knew their work. She got letters of recommendation from the staff at WSU. She also asked the faculty member from the Illinios field school for a letter of recommendation. He agreed but asked her why hadn't she applied for admission to the archeology graduate program at UIUC. I told Shawn go ahead and apply. It sounded like the faulty member was sending her a message. Did I mention that he was on the graduate admissions committee?  Lol. 

So yeah. She got accepted at multiple schools and with grants and fellowships. But check this out. UIUC was the last school she applied to and the first one to send the acceptance letter. Also with a fellowship. Then they started flying her to Champaign-Urbana. Several times. Other schools wooed her. And the only school she would have selected if things had lined up was Wayne State. She wanted to continue her research there. But Wayne State was the only school that didn't offer a financial package. And I have to add, that every other school she was accepted at was a public state school which did offer fellowships. The state of Michigan lost an asset.  Anyway. She accepted the offer from UIUC.  And now the faculty member who led the New Phiadelphia project she was a part of five years ago is now her faculty advisor. 

And this year as with the others we will be visiting Shawn at her field school. This time she will be there as a member of the lead team instead of a student...an assistant to her advisor. This year they'll be in Edgefield, South Carloina.  And our travel plans to Edgefield are complete. More on that soon. 

So yeah. 5 years ago. How far we've come. I marvel at my child. Did I mention that during the doctorate  program  the students are awarded a masters degree?  If you get a chance to talk to her, she is wealth of information about history and locations. On many topics. Brian and I continuously learn from her!!  

That's it for today. The dialysis update...the meds to raise my blood pressure haven't kicked in yet..boo.  Hopefully they will soon.  Well. Time to run errands.  Have wonderful day!!  

The "Out and About", edition.

Good Sunday morning!  I like to sleep with the blinds open.  The window faces east. This means the sunrise peeks through our window. We both sometimes wake when it gets light, but before the sun crests the mountains, coincidently named Sunrise Mountain. When the sun is in full effect, we have to shut the blinds, else we get blinded by the sunlight. Today we overslept. Woke up to full on glare!  Lol.

So out and about. Thursday was haircut day. Our barber is in downtown Las Vegas. We like the atmosphere of downtown.  It reminds me of Ferndale or Royal Oak. Lots of restaurants. There are four businesses in the building that houses the barbershop. 3 are restaurants. Zydecos, which I've raved about and is on our Sunday brunch rotation. Then there is Vegenation, which is, of course, a vegetarian restaurant.   And I've learned about raw dishes and cooked dishes.  My daughter's vegan friend has a preference. I digress. Selections include portobello sliders with sriracha aioli and sweet potato quesadilla with black beans and chipotle crema. And they are open for breakfast. Next door to Vegenation, is Glutton. Glutton features made from scratch pork rinds and a kimchi beef and rice bowl that has intrigued me as does the caramel corn profiteroles. No, we haven't tried Vegenation or Glutton, but will one day. 

So where did we go after the barbershop?  Well I'll start off with someone delivered a box of donuts to the barbers, which prompted Brian to say he wanted donuts. Retired cop joke. Lol lol. But we'd get the donuts after we ate lunch. Did I mention that the donut store was 1 block east of the barber shop? While watching Food a Paradise a while ago, a pizza restaurant from Vegas was featured, Pizza Rock. It featured a pizza the restaurant made only 23 for the day and then that was it. We finally made our way there on Thursday. We entered the restaurant. The hostess sat us in a little private salon booth thing with curtains. They had quite an extensive menu. We passed on the "special" pizza. We settled on the Detroit Red Top. It sounded like a sort of Buddys or Shields pizza. We were told it would take 20 minutes. Hey. We're retired. We got nothing but time!  We got a house salad while we waited. 

The pizza came. Not quite a "Detroit", but it was a deep dish with the crusty parts. And cheesy. So cheesy. And it was delicious!!  We'll call it a reasonable facsimile. :-)  The size was what usually cuts into 8 slices at Buddys . Here, they cut it into 4. So no, I couldn't even finish my 1 slice. Needless to say we will be back. So many other pizzas on the menu to try. By the way, there was a large group near us and we watched the giant Strombolis  and calzones large than people's heads being served. 

Afterwards we went the The Donut Bar. Brian came back with a box that looked like it held a dozen donuts. He said it bought 3. I was confused until we got home and he opened the box. The donuts were huge!  Anyway. He got 2 salted Carmel donuts and a Homer. He admitted he didn't see anything else besides those and was especially mesmerized by the Homer. Lol. We'll go back one day and see what else is there. Probably when we get our hair cut again. Oh yeah. The salted Carmel donut was Devine. And Brian enjoyed his Homer. 

On the dialysis front, I am now taking meds to increase my blood pressure. Go figure. But. The cost of the pills are an issue. The cost before insurance was $350 plus. ;-/  After insurance it was $50.  WTH is  it with the cost of meds. Geez. We'll see how it goes.  Never in my life did I imagine I'd have to take meds to raise my blood pressure. And here's something to chew on. A cruise to Alaska is being planned for home hemodialysis patients is being planned for June 2017. We're pondering the idea. 

That's it for today. Just a few photos from our Thursday food adventure. Enjoy your Sunday. 

Our semi-private booth. 

The "Homer". :-D

Detroit Red Top.  Not quite Buddy's. Still good. 

Salted caramel donut. Notice the size. I ate 1/4 of it at a time. 

The " Martha's Vineyard Trip", edition.

Good Thursday morning.  Brian has left for Crossfit and I'm watching the news.  So I was thinking about the time we went to Martha's Vineyard. Mom and Dad had gone several times before they moved to Las Vegas.  They made Martha's Vineyard sound interesting. Plus, I'd never been east of New York.  I don't recall how it was brought up but somehow we planned a family trip. Mom made the reservations for our lodging on the island. I made the reservations for the minivan and hotels along the way. And Dad planned out the route. Yeah. I liked traveling with my parents. We picked up a Chrysler van with New Hampshire plates and we were off to Martha's Vineyard!!

Our route took us though Canada, via Port Huron and Saline. Canada highway 402 to highway 401 eventually making our way to cross back into the United States through Buffalo, New York. I don't remember what city we stopped in for the night. It may have been Buffalo.  I do remember the next night we stopped outside of Boston. And McDonald's had lobster rolls (!). I digress. The morning we left Boston, we had about a 3 hour drive to Woods Hole, MA to catch the ferry to Martha's Vineyard.  Yes, Martha's Vineyard is an island. 

Dad had made reservations for the ferry, so we were on a timeline to get to the dock.  We made it with lots of time to spare. We stopped at a store and picked up some wine and snacks and waited to board the ferry. When the time came, dad drove the car on to the ferry. We got out and went to the upper deck.  Got some good seats and enjoyed the 45 minute ride to the island. We arrived on the island and  it felt as if whatever stress you may have had just disappeared. 

We drove to our residence for the week, which was a bed and breakfast. A large 3 story house with an enclosed huge wrap around porch. Mom and Dads room was on the first floor.  Brian, Shawn and I had a suite on the second floor. Two bedrooms and a huge bathroom. The biggest claw foot tub I'd ever seen in an enormous bathroom. We were maybe a quarter mile from "town", Oak Bluffs.  We had breakfast every morning at the B&B, but we at lunch and dinner in restaurants on the island. There are several towns on the island and we visited them during our visit. I had lobster bisque at every meal.  Lol. Shawn was on a Caesar salad kick, so that's what she had. We all had our fair share of seafood. We noticed that there were no chain restaurants on the island. 

We had a delightful time. We visited the only vineyard on the island. We visit the doll houses. We went to  Edgartown, near Chappaquidick. We visited a cliff area where you can look out over the water...and the nude beach(!). Brian, Shawn and I spent some time on a beach. Yes, the water was cold. We stayed a week. Shortest week in history.  It was time to take the ferry back. But. Dad didn't make reservations for the return ferry trip. Uh oh. We ended up staying an additional night. And we had to be at the dock by 6 AM to get one of the few openings on the ferry. Well Mom and Dad were able to stay the night in their room at the B&B, but our suite had been booked. We got moved to the 3rd floor....that had no bathroom. And yes, I had to go up and down the stairs in the middle of the night to go. Lol. 

Anyway.  We got on the ferry the next morning and headed back home. We stopped at Niagara Falls for a few hours. It was impressive. We ate at Red Lobster in London, Ontario. Went through Windsor, passed a restaurant called "Crabby Dicks" (!) which caused my child to giggle. Lol. And finally returned home. Yes. It rates in one of my best trips/vacations ever. I'd never had more fun doing nothing!  And I was with my family. :-). Maybe one day we'll return. 

So dialysis. My blood pressure is low...go figure.  So at my monthly care team meeting, my nephrologist prescribed some meds to increase it. Lol. 2 years ago I was on meds to lower my blood pressure. Kidney failure really messes with you. My body can't regulate worth anything anymore. Heed my warning. Take care of your kidneys. 

That's it for today. Time for a haircut. And high temperatures in the mid 80s, it's unseasonably cool here. Lol. Have a great day!! 

The "Helicopter Family", edition.

Good Sunday morning. Yeah, I know. Sunday. We're on a new schedule and well, some days I just don't feel like writing. MWF we're out of the house by 7AM or so. I know I know. We're retired. Why the heck so early?  Deep water fitness starts at 8AM. And the class is at the southeastern edge of Henderson. It's quite the distance from our condo. Theoretically it's like driving from Detroit to Pontiac. Realistically it's not nearly that far. Yes, I'd love to go to a class that is closer but eh. We did go to one closer, but it was Tuesday, Thursday.  But I wanted 3 times a week.  So here we are. And for fits and  giggles,  the last week we had to deal with the car dealership and credit union which are on the other side of town....and still across town from each other lol. 

And then Brian has Crossfit on TThS at 6AM. Yes I wake up with him. See, when we both worked, he left before me, but I was always up to kiss him before he left for work...at the very least. I'd try to have a cup of coffee with him. I see no reason why that should change now. And we hop in the hot tub when he gets back home. ;-)   Helicopter wife! 

So helicopter family. You already know Bryan hovers over me.  Like this past Wednesday morning. I was feeling out of sorts. We made it to the aquatic center. I changed and dragged myself to the pool from the locker room.  That day it required more energy that I was able to muster up. We had to wait for the earlier class to finish. I dragged myself to the bleachers and sat down.  When Brian came out I could tell by his expression that he knew I wasn't feeling well. I was actually just hurting and couldn't get comfortable. I assured him once I got in the water, I'd feel fine. And I did.  The deep water takes the pressure of my spine...my entire body actually..and the pain is gone. Of course the exercises bring on a different type of pain.  Lol. Anyway. Once the brutal workout hour is over, I feel much better. There has been a benefit.  Initially I couldn't pull myself out of the pool. I'd swim to the shallow end and use the steps to get out. This pool doesn't have that option. So...pulling myself out is getting easier now. Yay!  

Dad is also being a helicopter. We're funny checking in on each other. And Dad and Brian don't like leaving me alone in the apartment. Lol lol. Dad races ahead of me to open doors. He won't sit down at a table until I sit down. He also sees when I'm feeling out of sorts.  When I'm not feeling well, he checks in on me. I love them both very much. And even though sometimes the helicopters can be annoying, I know it's out of love and I understand it and I appreciate it. And yes, I helicopter them, too. Brian stays so busy and drives so much. Sometimes I'll do the driving. And we both cook so Dad has a nice dinner every day. 

Dialysis angle?  Brian is with me for almost every appointment.  He's in the exam room, except for lady parts exams. He is included in every discussion with gaggle of doctors and health care partners. It's important that he understands my condition.  There are times he needs to respond to my medical needs. And he needs to know and understand symptoms and limitations. He certainly needs to know what to do when my blood pressure drops. Eh. It's chronically low now. We need to know why. It's so low that the numbers I'm posting now, used to cause me to pass out. (!!!). 

We haven't hit triple digits in the weather yet, but getting close. I was dismayed to read that some parts of Michigan had snow this morning. (!)  I love Michigan and it certainly is a beautiful state. But snow?  I just can't. I broke out the tank tops this past week. And it felt good! 

 Oh oh. Our watercolor teacher showed us how to paint a Westie this week. My first attempt,  I created alien dog!  Lol lol. But I now have the tools to do it. I'll be practicing and working on it. One day I'm sure I do a reasonable facsimile and only then I'll show you my handy work!  That's it for today.  Have a wonderful day!! 

The "TMI", edition.

Good Tuesday morning!  It looks like I'll be writing on Tuesday and Thursday.  For a while anyway. Deep water fitness is at 8:00 AM, Monday, Wednesday and Friday  on the other side if the world.  Lol it seems that way far away. That's the price one pays for following an instructor one likes. On the other hand, our original, closer aquatic center is offering deep water fitness again..and that pool is closer. I think we'll check it out.  The deep water fitness workout is pretty intense. Of course, you get out of the workout what put into the workout.  And I put out, baby!  Lol. I actually start whining the first 10 minutes, but then me and my body adjust and I keep in pushing.   Yesterday we had a 1 hour "marathon". We were attached to bungee cord tethers and swam nowhere fast.  Lol. Well we'd swim 2 minutes, then do several exercises, then the swim time would increase.  I think by the end we were up to a 6 minute nonstop swim. The exercises included bicycle with breast stroke, or just legs only. Recumbent bike, legs only, butt kicking.  The resistance if the water makes the movements challenging.  

By the time it's over I'm tired. In a good way. Oh oh!  There has been a benefit. Initially I couldn't hoist myself up the ladder to get out of the pool, so I'd swim to the shallow end to walk out the pool using the stairs. Now I can climb out of the pool. And it's getting less difficult. Yay!!  Anyway. We got home yesterday and I slept for 2 hours. I slept hard. :-/  the good news is I don't always crash like that. Oh yeah. In the therapeutic (?) pool next too us, there is a therapeutic water class. Lots of walking and easy movements.  And music. They walk so much that I suggested to Brian that should be playing The Time, "The Walk". "Everybody walk your body..."  Hehehe.  

So what is TMI ( too much information )?  I don't urinate. That's right. I don't pee at all. That is an effect of ESRD ( End Stage Renal Disease ). Let's think about this. My kidneys failed. They don't work, so they can't process some waste products,,, that's why I do dialysis. And dialysis does what?  It removes wastes and....FLUID.  Oh. Yep. Now granted, when I first started dialysis I did pee. And I peed a lot. But it was just residual fluid. It wasn't the good waste removal kind of pee. For the record, it was clear.  Real clear. :-(   The nurses and nephrologist informed me that clear pee meant nothing!  And urinating was basically a symptom of inadequate dialysis. Once I started home hemodialysis and more frequent dialysis, the scant urination I did do stopped. I gotta tell you. It's an odd feeling. Sometimes I may feel the urge, but the result is nothing. Nada. And yes, the vast majority of people with ESRD have no urinary function. As a matter of fact, the first thing doctors look for after a kidney transplant is the production of urine. It's referred to as "waking up the kidney". Heh. I look forward to hopefully peeing again. Lol. I never thought that peeing would be one of my dreams and goals. TMI for ya?  Adventures in Dialysis, ya'll!!!  Lol. 

Finally, while at the car dealership, there was a pink Thunderbird parked next to our car. It attracted a nice crowd. Brian and I took our phones out and took some photos. I wasn't sure how'd they come out because it was so sunny (neener neener),however the photos aren't bad at all. 

The "I Get Angry When I Get Tired", edition.

Good Thursday morning. Well. Since our deep water fitness is early on Monday Wednesday Friday, im trying to get into a blog rhythm. It may be that this week is the outlier because we had some things to take care of. All I know is as much as I'm enjoying my water workouts, they're pretty brutal.  But I'm getting ahead of myself. 

Our car lease is over on May 17. We weren't able to visit the car dealership before this week. But we'd discussed the car model we wanted. We had a Ford Fusion. And I liked it a lot. But since I've transitioned to home hemodialysis we have to consider transporting my "portable- hahaha" kidney. We decided on an SUV, specifically the Ford Escape. Brian has had an Explorer and an Edge, but we don't need that size anymore. Nor do we need the higher gas mileage. The Escape fit the bill. So after visiting Kelly Blue Book and the Ford site for builds and inventory, we were on our way. 

Tuesday we went to the dealership. We were greeted by salesman before we even got out of the car. He ushered us into the showroom where a 2017 Escape was on display. Of course it was the most expensive version available. We don't need a car that can park itself. Parallel parking while not nonexistent in Las Vegas, it is rare. Yes we parallel park downtown. And the open roof is something I've never used so I'm not into paying for that.  Or a trailer hitch. You get it the idea. So Alex ushers out to the car lot. Rows and rows...and rows of cars. And Escapes. Lots of them. I'd told him I was looking  for a base Titanium model.  Apparently I was asking for too much. The cars come with added, unnecessary junk. So Alex brings us inside, gets us bottles of water and then another guy comes over. He says we're going to get a new salesman. Alex has been on the job for 6 months... A salesman In training. Lol. 

Now we have Sergio.  We go through the same motions with Sergio. *sigh*. We go look at more cars. Test drive the different engine types.  And then like magic, 2 models with my specs and more appear. Not only do they appear, they have "Managers Special" tags on them. ROFLMAO. The vehicle is $8000 less than the cars they'd been showing us. :-/  Later on I told Brian while we were in the giant lot being difficult, they moved the other cars over. And we wouldn't have seen it because they were both hidden by a Ford pick up truck. He accused me of being a conspiracy theorist. Lol. We told them we'll take it We went inside and negotiated even more, called him out on some numbers and calculations. Then made a deal. We told him we'd return on Wednesday to complete the process. See, we'd spent over 3 hours there and I was tired. Yes, 3 hours. WTF???? Yes. I was tired afterwards. Did I mention the temp shot up to the 90s and were outside for a while looking and test driving?  Ugh. 

Well Wednesday dawns and we head to Henderson for our 8 AM deep water fitness class. That class had us moving nonstop for 1 hour and were using resistance equipment. The buoys are brutal.   Everyone is frowning while working out. Lol. We leave there and head to the credit union. Which is waaaaay on the other side of town. Then we  head to the dealership, a fair ways away too. We arrive there just before 11 AM. I'm already tired because of the class. And now we start the second marathon. Let's just say we finally left the dealership just after 1:00. A little over 2 hours there. :-/   After dealing with at least 5 people. Geez. In Detroit the process was about 45 minutes...with just one person. The salesperson. I'm glad we won't have to do that again for 2 years. Oh. And we have to wait a week for the registration with The DMV and have to return to the dealership for that. <massive eye roll>. Because yes, in Detroit, the salesperson took care of all of that, including putting the license plate on the car. Lol. /end rant. 

In the end I was so tired I could barely function. I was also hurting. I was really upset because I was so tired. I came home and ate a light lunch, then staggered to the bed. Too tired to even fall asleep, I watched a little tv. I eventually fell asleep. Brian woke me up for dinner. Did mention hell cover me up while I'm asleep?  <3. I ate some dinner then went back to sleep. We had watercolor Wednesday evening. I was too tired to go. I couldn't fathom sitting and painting for the next 3 hours. He left and I fell asleep again. I finally recovered around 7:30. And still had a good nights sleep. Yes.  I feel fine today. And Dad, Brian and I went to the hot tub this morning. It felt good!  

So this entry is the dialysis angle. ESRD is what makes me unexpectedly tired. I can start tasks with great intentions, but my body will stop me when I'm over extended. And I can't anticipate when that is. And I'll get episodes of light headedness. Like this morning.  Dad called me and I jumped up. Whoa!  The world started spinning.  I'll keep trying and going, but when my body says enough, I'll listen to it. So if it looks like I'm punking out, well maybe I am, but remember, it's not intentional. I'm not apologizing because this is what my life is. I hope you understand. 

That's it for today. I think we're going to Arizona to find lottery tickets. In our new car!  Woot. I'm looking forward to winning $350,000,000. :-D  Have a wonderful day!  

The "Cinderella, Part 2", edition.

Good Tuesday morning. Yes.  Tuesday. I want to try and finish this story. I left off with us receiving our table assignment. Table 17. It was a good table. Near the stage and podium, close to the dance floor, and close to a bar. I counted 3 open bar stations.  No lines!  There were 2 vendors selling Greek paraphernalia and a photographer station. And not as much pink and green as you'd expect. But lots of sequins!!  My dress had a sequin overlay. 

Once we sat down, Brian got me a Bloody Mary. I changed into my fancy shoes. Then we headed to get our picture taken. The DJ played music until the program started. Once the introductions were made, the band, Chocolate Thunder, started playing. A band and 3 female singers.  Talented and gorgeous. My sisters turned it out!  Brian wanted to dance, and I did too, but I knew my legs would protest. I did get up once a slow song started. I like slow dancing with Brian. <3  After a few songs dinner was served. 

We were served a combination salad. There was a small wedge and an arugula salad with tomatoes and candied walnuts with a raspberry vinaigrette. And we had rolls, of course. The entree was green beans, mashed potatoes, baked chicken and salmon in a dill sauce...the salmon was kinda tasty. Desert was a chocolate cake bombe and cream thing and berries. Lol. Something for everybody.  

Before this time I started to get tired. My back started to hurt. The chairs weren't comfortable. I went outside the ballroom I search of a comfortable chair. And found one. During the evening I'd get up several times to find relief.  I made it through dinner and part of the way through the awards ceremony. ESRD caught up with me. I was tired and I hurt. And I was getting light headed (I'm sure the Bloody Mary didn't help, but I didn't even drink half of it). I had to call it a night. Doing that made me sad and pissed me off. I wanted to stay and dance some more. My body said no. I turned into a pumpkin. :-(   

So this is the reality of End Stage Kidney Disease. I like to think I can still do stuff. But my body just shuts down after a while. Sometimes I barely have enough energy to make it back to the apartment. I'm walking sideways and bouncing of the walls like a pinball. I race to the bedroom flop down on the bed. I was looking forward to nice evening of glamour and glitz. After 3 hours I was done. I guess I keep on pushing. I'll continue to try to raise my stamina and energy levels. Do you know how much I miss because walking and just standing makes me tired?  Ugh.  

So like Cinderella I got dressed up for the ball, had to leave around 9:00 I turned into the pumpkin. I probably looked like a pumpkin when I got home and flopped down on the bed!  Lol. Anyway. There you have. And yes, I'll keep trying. But I know I'm slowly going downhill. I'll keep going until I can't. 

Well that's  it for today.  I have some errands to do today and our car lease is ear the end so it's time to look at cars. We'll have a good day and I hope you do too. 

My fancy shoes. 

Our party picture. 

The "In The End I Felt Like Cinderella", edition.

Good Monday...afternoon! It's afternoon for me. We switched deep water fitness from Tuesday Thursday to Monday Wednesday Friday. And it starts at 8:00 AM. And the location is the furthest yet. Lol. We had to take a practice drive yesterday and had to return the tux so we saw areas we'd never seen before. Let's start from the beginning. 

My sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpah Sorority, Inc.,  the Las Vegas chapter, had its annual Emerald Ball on Saturday. I opted not to attend last year for several reasons, but I planned to attend this year. And I did. The first order of business was the event fell on a Saturday evening. That worked right in with my treatment schedule...meaning I don't do treatment on Saturday. Yay! The theme was glitz and glam. So I needed to get glitz and glam. 

My challenge was shopping. Yes. Shopping. Sad but true. I get tired easily and going to stores trying stuff on is tiresome. I actually start hurting. Anyway.  The Internet has a treasure trove of "shops". Search and she shall find!!!  So yeah, my dress was purchased online. My shoes came from DSW.  I did go to DSW. I needed to make sure the shoes fit well and I could walk through a casino without dying.  My accessories came from the craft fair.  Unique jewelry. My purse was actually a gift with perfume that Brian gave me for Christmas. Score!!  Nails and toes done on Wednesday. Haircut was several weeks ago, so the hair was a fine length for the event. 

Brian needed a tuxedo. We didn't do the formal stuff my parents generation did and it was pretty difficult anyway with him in the Detroit Police Department and working odd shifts or weekends. So owning a tuxedo was not a priority. Although he eventually has the seniority for Day shift. Anyway. He rented a tuxedo. He got a black tux with the pink tie and vest to go with me and AKA..pink and green. I must say, he looked pretty dapper.  He cleans up nicely. ;-)

As we get dressed Saturday, Las Vegas experiences a storm of epic proportions!!  Thunder!  Lightning!  Raining so hard, you can't see out of the window!   What that really means is massive flooding. Uh oh. By the time we left, the storm has subsided, but streets were flooded. We could see the water racing through the drainage canals.  It looked like rushing rapids!  And even though our parking is under the building, it was still wet enough that I needed to lift my dress up. 

The event was held at the Monte Carlo, an MGM property. I think I told you about how MGM started charging for parking at all of its Las Vegas facilities. $10.00 to self park. And up to $30.00 for valet. Yes I know. Outrageous. I get it.  But there is also a method to their madness. The new arena is right behind the Monte Carlo and New York New York. Concert goers have to pay for parking. They could cheat and park for free at the nearby MGM property garages or even better get valet parking. You see where this is going?  Well our event got caught in the dragnet as there was a Billy Joel concert, . We we informed that prepaid parking would be $10.00, $20.00 for not prepaid and $30.00 for valet. I vowed that would be my last time at the Monte Carlo. But a deal was made and if we said the magic word, valet would be free. Just remember to tip. Yay!  

We arrive, pull up to valet, a hotel rep greets us and asks if we're here for the event. We say yes, he directs us to the valet area and we're off. We walk through the casino to the elevators to the ballroom.  We enter the ballroom. The items for the silent auction are laid out. One of the items was a date with a fireman(!). There was also a coffee date with our U.S. Representative and assorted baskets. I presented our tickets and we were directed to our table. The room was beautiful. I noticed an AKA emblem ice sculpture. I wish I'd taken a picture. Ah well. 

Well, I'm going to stop now. This is long and I'm still tired from deep water fitness. We were attached to bungee cords so we were going no where fast. Literally no where. Fast. Lol. Dialysis was fine last night. It was a blood draw night......Four vials of blood taken with out an issue.  I'll finish up Cinderella story on Wednesday, but I'll leave you this photo of me as we're getting ready to go. I'm tired and a photo of Brian. Fine Brian. <3. Enjoy your day!  :-)