The "I'm Loving Seeing The Sun Rise Over The Mountains", edition.

iPad shuffled to Tom Browne, "Funkin' For Jamaica". "Take it to the cosmos". Wake up funk. :-)  Im living in a condo is a gated community about 2 miles east of the strip. When my family would visit, we'd always chuckled  at the sign above the guards gate.. "55 And Over". Lol.   Well we're there now. I'm cool with that. I'm certainly enjoying my life. (Didn't see that one coming, did you?).  I know the burning question is how did we end up moving in with my dad. Trust me, it wasn't the original plan.

Cameo, "I Just Want to Be". Still funkin' in the morning.  Well it's 6:10 AM here.  Brian and I had planned to move to Vegas after we retired. We discussed this about 15 years ago.  Mom and Dad moved to Vegas almost 25 years ago.  After visiting we liked it. Especially the no snow and ice feature. ;)  After mom died it was clear Dad was going to stay in Vegas. I got sidetracked by the kidney disease.  But we managed 3 trips out here within a year of mom passing. I was concerned about my dad. He is 88 and lived by himself.  

Seal, "Kiss From a Rose". Lovely song. I found out Dad had no shopping and cooking skills. Mom spoiled him. Lol. We talked every day on the phone.  I'd ask him what he planned for dinner. After hearing kielbasa and salad and baked potato for a week I asked him about why so much kielbasa. He says it was on sale so I bought 10 pounds. ;-(    Lol. I immediately searched for meal delivery services.  Omaha Steaks to the rescue. I could buy him 3 months of food for less than $125.  He'd get beef stroganoff, chicken salsa pot pies, assorted chicken beasts, beef stew, lasagna and other stuff.  If you met a threshold, you'd get extras. Like 12 hamburgers, 4 filet mignons and even a knife set. Lol. Most of the meals were microwaveable, but not the steaks and burgers.  But he sure did learn how to cook them. Lol. He found the seasons we'd bought when we visited and used them. He's now ready for his chefs hat. Lol   Also when we visited, we'd have cook-a-thons. We...and I mean me, Brian and Shawn...would cook meals every day and freeze it.  Spaghetti, red beans, chilli, roast beef, cubed steak enchiladas and more I don't remember. We taught him how to shop. When I went shopping yesterday, he was right there with me. :)    Oh yeah, Brian got him a microwave rice cooker. He's an expert now.  Lol.  I've digressed. 

Al Green, "Love and Happiness".  I can name that song in 2 notes. We'd talked about me and Brian moving out to Vegas. Shawn was settled, so it was time.  I asked if he  wanted to move in with us. He said of course.  I asked if he could look for condos for us since he was here. He said sure, but he had conditions.  My only conditions were 3 bedrooms, single story living quarters, and accept pets. At the time we needed to accommodate Jade, our previous fur baby.  Dad added gated community, 55 and over, at least 1500 square feet.  Well that proved to be damn near impossible.  3 bedrooms, senior community?  I guess builders think seniors don't need more than 2 bedrooms and less than 1500 square feet.  

The Floaters, "Float On". They morphed from the Detroit Emeralds.  Detroit's own. And we can talk about them, but will defend them to the death.   Dad's  apartment is 2 bedroom 1500 square feet.  But, in the condo there are 3 bedroom units. And they were 1500 square feet. He declared the bedrooms too small. Lol.  He says why don't you just move in with me and you can look when you get out. I think that was his plan all along.  Lol. I got duped. So here we are.  Dad is as happy as a pig in slop. Lol. We'll settle in and see where it goes. :). 

Signing out with Nelly, "Hot in Herre". Heh. I'm freezing. Oh I miss my heated chair. /cry.  I have to bring my own pillow.  Having my arm resting on the chair shelf for 3.5 hours irritated my elbow. :(    Oh my the preview of Sharknado just played. Sharks raining on New York. Roflmao.  Temps have been over 100 since I've been here. Told Brian he needs more shorts.  Lol. Have a great day. And no I haven't been to a casino...except with dad on his once a Saturday morning visit. And not thinking about it either.  :)

The photos. The circle area on the map is where we're located.  The other photo is some of the amenities. 

The "Starting Over. Week 1", edition.

 iPad shuffled to The Isley Brothers, "Make Me Say It Again Girl, Parts 1 and 2". Lol. What is it with The Isleys with the Part 1 and 2 songs?  Anyway. Here I am. My news dialysis home. The bad news is there is a treatment center very close to where I live, but they don't take my insurance.  But then again they never did. The good news is, this is the center I've come to every time I visited Las Vegas.  There are techs and nurses who remember me. It's a large center.  I think the number of patients is comparable to Detroit Northwest.  The physical layout is different.  One big  ole giant room.  In Detroit we had seven modules of 6 patients.  We had 1-2 techs per module and 1 nurse for 2 modules and floating techs and nurses. Not so much here.

Little Beaver, "Party Down". I don't know why I like lthis song so much. I think it's the guitar and the way Little Beaver has to stretch to find the note. Lol. No shame. I like it. So there. I had to get the network access to get to the internet here at the new center.  No doubt Detroit Northwest is my benchmark.  And my preference. But we'll see how it compares over time.  What Detroit does that trumps this center is the patient comfort. My chair is not heated....and I'm cold already. :-(  There is no pillow fir my immobile arm. :-(  We have hospital TVs. In Detroit every patient had a flat screen full HD Comcast.  No, I'm not whining. There will be differences. Detroit Northwest was part Greenfield Heath Systems which is part of the Henry Ford Health Systems, non profit.  Davita is the largest (for profit) dialysis provider in the country.  When you drive around you should now notice Davita centers since I've told you about them. You should also look for Fresenius, another dialysis provider. 

Big Daddy Kane, "I Get The Job Done".  "I work, baby!" Old school. Ok enough with that   How was my first weekend.  Friday morning I  woke  up at 5:00 AM. Dialyzed and left at 10:30 AM.  Got lots of hugs. :)   Went to Noni's for breakfast. Got home, finished the last of my packing. Took a short nap. Got to the airport around 2:00 PM. Plane left around 4:00 PM. It was 1/2 hour late. Got to Vegas around 6:00 PM, Las Vegas time. While Dad pays for parking I get in the car to start it and get the air condoning going. Lol. When we walked down the walkway to get off the plane, the heat slapped me in the face!!!!!  Before I could get out of the door, dad jumps in the passenger seat then asks me if I wanted to drive to Boulder Station for dinner.  Lol. I said sure. I get to drive in rush hour traffic. And I run into construction. He swore it wasn't there the day before.  Sure.  Lol.  I. got to condo after dinner, about 8:00 PM. Vegas time (11:00 PM Detroit time)  and crashed.  Of course I was still on Detroit time and woke up at 5:00 AM Detroit time....which was 2:00 AM Vegas time. Sigh. It's getting better. I woke up at 3:30 this morning. 

Beyoncé, "Love on Top". Waking up that early this morning. I was 40 minutes before the time I set for the alarm.  I had to be at dialysis at 5:15 this morning. I left at 5:00. Drove myself. Took longer than I thought.  Lol. And that was without the Vegas traffic. I was 5 minutes late, but it didn't matter. I got called in to the treatment area at 5:30. Signed papers and was on the machine by 5:30. I'm a happy camper. :)   I'll be done at 9:15 and should be out just after 9:30!!

Jill Scott and Anthony Hamilton, "So in Love". Brian gave me wake up call. <3.  Miss him and can't wait for him to get out here. I'm enjoying being out here with Dad. I think he's enjoying it too. :)  it's crazy hot out here.  My wardrobe of jeans is put aside for now. Shorts, capris, sundresses and sandals is what I'm wearing. I need to find a nail salon. I need to find a hair salon.  I'll get there.  

Signing off with The Whispers, "Keep on Lovin' Me".  I still like the song even though my nephew posted a meme about them that makes me laugh every time I hear it.  Stay cool and watch for storms. We had thunderstorms all night and I could see lightening on the way to dialysis this morning. It's the "monsoon season" out here in the desert. Flood watches in effect!  

The "Pat Has Left the House! Deuces!!!", edition.

iPad shuffled to The Main Ingredient, "Rolling Down the Mountainside". Cuba Gooding's voice is so distinctive.  Love it.  My partner is back today. Wednesday I asked a nurse if he was ok.  The issue was transportation. He had to come in on 3rd shift.  We have to be here at certain times, but his transportation is very cavalier about when they pick him up.   "Oh we'll be there in 40 minutes". Well after so much time has passed, it's not viable. The chair schedule is messed up for the rest of the day and/or the treatment time is cut.  Partner is at Defcon 1 now. He had to take a cab. ;-(   Anyway, I'm glad to see him before I left.  I gave him a handful of Smartees. :)

Heatwave, "Always and Forever". I'm all packed. The final tally?  1 large suitcase, 3 shoebox size plastic containers and 2 boxes that have already been shipped.  That's it.  Talk about purging!!! The house is empty. We can hear echos when we talk.  I got my meds refilled.  That'll last me while I get settled onto my new center and new nephrologist. 

Stevie Wonder, "Another Star".  It's nice to come back to Stevie. Genius.  I got a call from Davita.  Davita is the for profit dialysis group that runs a majority of centers in the country. I got my dialysis assignment for Las Vegas.  Meadows Center. What a surprise. That's the center I go to every time I was in Vegas. I know the staff there!!  Lol. Now I'm not visiting, I'm permanent. I also got my chair time.  My preference was morning (1st shift ) but I knew I'd be stuck with whatever time they gave me. When the call came, we were at Comcast returning  a cable box.  I was having trouble understanding the lady.  It took about 4 tries for me to understand she said Davita. (I don't think  I'm losing my hearing?). She gives me my time.  She says my time was 5:45AM. I about fell out of the chair. I asked her to repeat. She repeats 5:45 AM and says be there at 5:15 AM to check in for the initial visit. Do you know what this means?  I'll be out by 10:00AM. Watch me do flips of joy.....well you'd have to have projections of my mind to see the flips. Lol. Use your imagination.  You are free to laugh hysterically!  I digress. 

Average White Band, "If I Ever Lose This Heaven".  Talked to Dad last night.  He's excited.  As am I. I told him my flight lands at 5:00PM, PST. He says tell be there at noon.  Lol lol. <3. Told me I didn't  have to cook.  Lol. I need to cook to stay on my renal diet. I'll need to go to the grocery store and I need to get toiletries. I wasn't interested in toting half used bottles of lotions, shampoos, etc across country. Let's make a heavy bag heavier. :(  

Rare Earth, "I Just Want to Celebrate". Geez. I just started singing. Lol. My voice is an assault on the ears. Lol. Oh yeah Dad also tells me he's glad we're coming. He doesn't have to drive anymore. I see what's happening here.  Lol. Then in the next breath he says he'll drive me dialysis. :)  I could hear the panic in his voice when he misunderstood something I said. "You're not coming????????????"  I assured him I'll be there. 

Brian will follow me in a few days.  He's staying to tie up loose ends. I'll miss him so much. I don't like to be away from him for too long. But we need to do what we need to do. He was in the Air Force National Guard and would go on 2-3-4 week assignments. ( ask me about that time his unit was sent to Aruba during the 1st Gulf War ). Lol?

The blog is all over the place today. I'm sorry. I'm still going over if I've done everything I need to do for the move. I want to thank everybody for helping us.  The social workers at Northwest Detroit Dialysis Center for facilitating the move. The stick team techs for facilitating my new button holes. The techs and nurses who have taken care of me, educated me and advocate for me.  I want to thank the friends who helped us so much with the packing and removal of the furniture. That was huge!!  And thank the friends and family for their love and support.  Thank you so very much.  

Signing off with Guy, "Groove Me". Head boppin', foot tapping...all in the dialysis chair.  The blog will be back with a later time.  We'll see how it goes.  Have a great day and really great weekend!!!  "Deuces!"

The "I Like Central Air and I Cannot Lie", edition .

iPad shuffled to Larry Graham, "The Jam".  Loved it the first time I heard it. FUNK. "Shugah!!!"  My partner hasn't been here since last Wednesday. To say I'm concerned is an understatement. I know his transportation was being fickle.  I also know that he will make up missed treatments on alternate days. I'm going to ask a nurse if he's ok.  Last time I saw him I told him I'll miss him.  He helped me learn how take charge of my treatment and speak up.  Maybe using less expletives. Lol. "my name is Larry Graham, but they call me...."  Insert bass solo here.  Sorry, I got distracted.  I hope I see my partner on Friday.  That's my last day here.  Oh yeah, the groundbreaking for the center is today.  I told the charge nurse thanks a lot. You start construction on the new and shiny center just as I leave.  But yeah, I'll take the move to Vegas over a new center in Detroit " 2014 Most snow in the state ever", Michigan.  Lol.

Santana and Rob Thomas, "Smooth". Now that's a good combination. :)  It was hot and muggy yesterday. This summer is screwy.  It hasn't been really hot. It's actually been quite comfortable, but you still expect a few days in the 90s.  That's how you know it's really summer. Well we got the one day yesterday...a bit muggy with temps over 90.  That's the weather that makes me glad we have central air.  Even if it's just one day, the AC has paid for itself!!!!  Actually, we got it installed in 2003.  Let me tell you a story.......

The Dramatics, "Fell For You". "Your kisses make me dizzy in the head". That winter (2003) our furnace gave up...it was DOA...on what seemed to be the coldest day ever recorded on earth.  I went to bed wearing a knit hat. :-(   We did get it repaired, but it wasn't trying to go much further. It was the original furnace, over 50 years old.  It had a good life.  I told Brian,  as God as my witness I would never wear a hat to bed again. 

Peabo Bryson, " I'm So Into You". Now on another front, Mom and Dad would return to Detroit every summer. In the summer we had every window in the house open and a flock of fans. I'd come home from work  and she'd be cooking feasts. Both ovens going and 2-3 burners going on the stove.  She'd be all hot and sweaty. The kitchen was hotter than it was outside. Betcha thought I was gonna say hotter than hell.  Well yeah, that too. Lol lol.  We'd tell her not to, but she didn't listen to any of us. Of course.  

Well we knew we'd be getting a new furnace.  I suggested we just go for the gusto and get central air also.  Lol. I got no argument from Brian. That summer we priced out vendors, selected one and work started Monday, August 11, 2003.  All kinds of people showed up. Folks to disconnect the old system and electricians and a whole different crew for the installation.    In order to the get the old furnace out, it had to cut in half.  Four people struggled to get each half up the basement stairs and out the door.  That thing was HUGE. Lol. I was stuck in the basement for a while (I was on the computer. And it was cool down there.)   And we also had a central air unit from when the house was built. Didn't use, to expensive. That had to be moved.  That unit was huge also. All of a sudden the furnace room was huge!!  Also the electric system was updated to accommodate the new heating and cooling system. And we moved from fuses to circuit breakers.  That was cool because we couldn't use the microwave and toaster at the same time.  I digress. 

Steely Dan, "FM". It took 3 days for the installation. They finished around 3:00 PM. On August 14. The final instructions from the installer was to run the AC on high at 68 for 24 hours.  We put on sweaters within 15 minutes. But we sure liked that instead of the heat. So a little after 4. My mom was in the recliner watching Judge Judy. And yeah, I'm on the couch watching. All of a sudden the power goes out.  Then it comes back on....for about 15 seconds and then it goes out for good. I thought we blew a fuse or some thing. Stepped outside and my neighbors were stepping outside. Uh oh. Then I get a call from my friend in California. She says hey your power went out.  Lol. Well at least we weren't responsible for blowing the power for the neighborhood .... Or the Eastern Seaboard!!!!!  Anyway, the furnace and central air have paid for itself for 11 years.  And the bills decreased from using a much more efficient system. But just our luck, we got brand new air conditioning and it went out that same day. :(

Signing off with "You Send Me", Roy Ayers. I just really like this song. I downloaded a lot of Stevie Wonder, but I guess it didn't make it to the shuffle...at least not yet.  And what the heck?  94 degrees yesterday and 75 today?  Blah. Have a great Wednesday!!!!!

The "Weekend Update", edition.

iPad shuffled to "Enjoy Yourself", The Jacksons. Chair dance at 6:30 AM!  I heard The Main Ingredient on the radio this morning. I said to myself I'll shuffle to them this morning. Cuba Gooding's voice is so smooth.  Well guess what?  I had no Main Ingredient. :-(   That really puzzles me because I have/had the CD.  Oh well.  I'll download them later today.  Wow. I'm leaving in 4 days.  Once we committed to a date it was full steam ahead.  And it's even more frantic now that the departure date is close.  Since the For Sale sign went up, we've had about eight views.  The real estate agent will get back with us today.

Cameo, "I Just Want To Be". Lol I may not be in a chair dance mood, but the iPad seems to be forcing the issue. Saturday was incredibly busy. The agent had scheduled several views.  Views were also scheduled by other real estate agents. It started at 10:00 AM and continued through 7:30 PM.  In addition we'd scheduled most of the rest of the furniture to be moved.  And my beautiful niece was stopping by to pick up some photos and sorority stuff...my paddle, my mom's paddle(!) and some AKA bookends. How's that for legacy?  Apparently mom called her while she was attending Michigan State...often...to remind her she had no choice but to pledge pink and green.  Lol.  

Jamiroquai, "Virtual Insanity".  The video caught my attention, but the song is good. My dear friends have been helping us pack since April.  They found a taker for most of the furniture.  A member from their church who recently got married, bought a new home, but had very little furniture.  They come with a crew, truck and tools and work hard.  They made 2 trips about 6 weeks apart. As of this past Saturday we are left with a brass bed upstairs a day bed, a TV and a rocker recliner in the master bedroom. There is a card table in the breakfast room and the rocking chair we bought in 1988 at the Ann Arbor Art Fair in the family room.   :)  See my friends want and will receive these items. For all of the hard they've done, it's the least we can do. 

Gang Starr, "Words I Manifest".  They helped pack 4 generations of china, glassware and knick knacks.  Some of the items found their way to a church sale.  And that's fine. I love the idea that these items have found homes where they'll be used. The lady that got the formal dining room suite showed me photos.  I loved seeing the suite being loved and used.  She even got the mirror placements. Look, I wasn't taking the furniture with me. And we weren't interested in eBay.  Giving the "stuff" away  was the right thing to do. We have no regrets.  We've even emptied the pantry and donated the canned goods. Lol. Moving is no joke. 

Nicole Henry, "Waters of March". A nice soothing, jazzy song. Today I drove myself to treatment. Lol. Much to Brian's chagrin. I had to.  The City inspector is scheduled to come between the hours of...check this out...8:00AM and 4PM.  Lol. And you thought Comcast was bad. I start packing the suitcase today.  I've shipped most of my clothes and was left with a weeks worth. I need to pack what I'm taking on the flight and what's going into the car.  Yes, we're shipping the car. No one wants to do that drive, plus it cuts into my dialysis time. The logistics of planning stops and treatment along the way made my head hurt. Plus dialysis on the road makes a long trip even longer. If we left on Friday, we'd have to leave Detroit after 10:30 AM. Taking 3-4 hours off the drive time.  I'll leave the rest of the logistics to you.  So yeah, when I do home hemo I can just carry my stuff and be a whole lot more spontaneous. Looking forward to it. Will start in September.  Have to finish my summer travel.  Although now that I think of it, the trips to Denver and New Orleans are weekend trips.  I've digressed. 

Signing off with Whitney Houston, "I'm Your Baby Tonight".  A Babyface song. Have a great day. I'll be tossing out more stuff today.   I'll also be marveling at the empty house. And packing.  Look around your house.  Start purging now.  I know you have things you don't use or don't need. Keep up with the clutter.  When something comes in, make something goes out!   Next time I'll go over what we're not taking and why.

The "It Got Really Busy Yesterday.", edition.

iPad shuffled to New Edition, "If It Isn't Love". I always want to imitate the moves from the video. :)   Well the house is officially for sale as of Wednesday!  Yay!!  I'm marveling at the lack of clutter. It's been a real chore clearing out 4 generations of stuff.  Lost track of the number of trips to the Salvation Army. Three visits from The Junk Commander and there will be more visits.  Brian delivered the fourth box  of photos to be be put on CD. 500 photos per disc.  And I've discarded at least as many.  Now before you start fussing at me let me tell you what we've found.

The Whispers, "Keep On Lovin' Me".  My mom taught for 40 years.  It appeared she took lots of photos of each class for those 40 years.  And remember, she taught kindergarten. Up until the the last 10 years or so, she had two half day classes each day. And I didn't include the summer Headstart classes she taught. I estimate she taught about 80  classes. AND. Most of the classes had at least 30 students. Lots and lots of photos. Those got trashed. Also tossed were photos from my moms first marriage. Her first husband died in 1954.  That was before my time. I have no connection to him nor his family.  I wouldn't know how to find them.  Oh yeah...many photos from sorority functions. Whew. 

Rachelle Ferrell, "With Open Arms". She has a beautiful and powerful voice and this song highlights it.   My estimate for the number of photographs we found is 5000. Dad sat she has boxes in Vegas he wants me to go through....sigh. 

Yesterday we went downtown to pay property taxes...I really would have like to have sold the house by now but the clean up has been more than a notion. I also scheduled a buyers inspection (yay!). Then we headed to Ann Arbor for the Art Fair. We hadn't been in about 12 years. This was going to be our last opportunity. I don't see us coming back just to attend. I'll  write how we've started to frame everything as "the last time in Detroit , like trying to set up memories. :)    "I'm so Detroit..." Lol.  Anyway, I mapped out our route, determined which fair we'd attend...that would determine where we park, which determined which route we'd take to Ann Arbor.  Lol. Plan, do, review. Once a project manager, always a project manager. Oh, in case you don't know, art fair is actually four different art fairs. They extend from the main campus of University of Michigan all the way to downtown Ann Arbor.  We went to the South University area. That tends to be my favorite fair. It was just large enough for me to walk without getting tired or start hurting. 

Aerosmith, "Dream On". The only thing I purchased was a jaunty brimmed straw hat.  My head got hot. This after I told Brian I never liked wearing hats. Lol. Karma always bites me in the ass.  Lol.  We walked. Oohed and ah-ed at the the different artwork and media. We saw a pen made out of computer circuits, handmade leather binders filled with linen paper.  A blacksmith demonstration, 3D paintings, beautiful water colors, acrylics and oils. Pictures made for cloth rolled around cat tails ( she collects the cat tails in November. Takes about 3 weeks ).  We collect lots of cards. We also had a great time. We had lunch at The Little Brown Jug. I never went there while I attended UM.  But I'm positive it used to on the other side of the street. Lol. Many things have changed since I lived there and many things are still the same. :)  The drink menu reminded me that I was indeed in a college town. It was massive, names like Lindsay Lohan, Red Headed Slut and vodka. I'm afraid to find out if Red Headed Slut is actually a real liquor. Lol.  We had a great time and the weather was perfect. 

Tamia, "You Put a Move on Me".  We drove down Michigan Avenue on the way back.  The number of old time diners still standing tickled me. I got home I had several messages. The ones that stood out was from my best friend and....drum roll...the realtor. She was bringing someone to view the house!!  In an hour!!  What!!!??  The house was listed just the day before!!!  Lol. Well, the person actually called from info on the for sale sign on the front lawn.   Let's see what happens!!!   And yeah, best friend came by later and took us out to dinner. And yes, by the time I got home around 8:30 PM I was tired.  Slept well, though.  :)  

Maxwell, "Ascension". Dialysis angle?  I walked, I stood waiting in line for the shuttle bus. I couldn't do it last year. We didn't use the handicap spaces in the shuttle parking lot. Walk a nice distance..uphill!!  I was a little winded, but I regulated my breathing.  I wasn't tired.  And standing had been an issue, but I stood!!  Lol. One day I'll explain why standing was much more difficult than walking. And I still limited my fluid intake.  Hah!!

Signing off with Player, "Baby Come Back". Have a great weekend. Most of the furniture will be moved out this weekend. We'll be down to a bed, a card table, some trays and 1 television. Lol.

The "Updates and Odds 'n Ends", edition.

iPad shuffled to Tower of Power, "So Very Hard to Go". Love.the.horns!  Let's start with the updates.  Last entry I had a kerfluffle with my tech. I was late to my chair because I had "digestive" issues.  You know I mean. Dialysis patients are prone to those issues.  Some worse than others.  Anyway I took some Immodium in the morning when I realized it started. I was pretty much ok by the time I left for treatment.  Once inside the building I stopped in the restroom for a just in case.

So I really was late.  By 5 minutes. The trade off could have been getting disconnected while in the chair, going to the restroom, then getting reconnected. Gee, that would have added time.  By the way I don't like using the 1 (one) bathroom for patients in the treatment area...old men and stuff..ugh.  There's a public womens restroom just outside the clinic.  Because it's on the lower level and it's early in the morning, it's nice and clean.  I've digressed. 

The Moments, "Sexy Mama". This the incredibly long version of the song. Lots of moaning by the group. Lol. I can do without it.  So I get hooked up. And all is well.  The tech tells me..and that is key. She TELLS me that she has to cut my time by 25 minutes.  How does 5 minutes late translate into taking 25 minutes off of my machine?  My chair time is 6:15 AM.  I walk in at 6:20. I unpack my bag...iPad, blanket, candy and phone.  I go to weigh my self. I turn on the tv. Go wash my access.  Get my standing blood pressure taken.  Then my sitting blood pressure. The tech goes to get the senior tech I want to stick me (I'm quite picky now). I have to wait for the preferred tech because she has her own patients. I'm a patient patient (lol). Preferred tech sticks me. The other tech returns to hook me up to the machine. That's how 5 minutes translates to 25 minutes. 

America, "A Horse With No Name". Yeah, yeah, I know what it means. I still like it. About 30 minutes later I get told about the time reduction. I respond, " absolutely not". I went into the techs explanation on Monday. After I told her I wasn't giving up my time and that was the end of the discussion and if there was an issue, I'll talk with a supervisor.  She runs to the supervisor. Lol. Then she comes back and TELLS me she was requesting an adjustment to my time. WTF is it with her with TELLING me, instead of asking. The she launches into the damn domino effect again. I told her I was not an idiot. You will not cut my run time and you will not adjust my start time. I also told her I wasn't discussing it anymore. Lol and did the talk to the hand motion with my free hand. 

Will Downing, "Send For Me". A little while later the head floor nurse comes by and asks to talk with me after treatment.  Lol. I got told on. After treatment, in another area, the nurse asked what happened. We talked and she understood. All is well.  The tech is here this morning. I got in a little early. I actually got hooked up at 6:20.  I usually don't get hooked up until 6:30.  All is well. I have an idea about why the tech reacted in the first place. I'll go into that on another day.  Oh and a preferred tech had to come to cannulate me. Mondays actions were pure bullshit. 

The Dramatics, "Oceans of Thoughts and Dreams". Odds and ends. Real estate agent will place the "For Sale" sign out today. I've sent the bulk of my clothes to Vegas. The last of the furniture will be gone this weekend. The replacement of the front porch is completed. During the initial inspection, the City required us to add a handrail. That's completed and it passed inspection.  The City also requested us to add a CO monitor. That has nothing to do with a porch, but it's a great idea and it's been installed. :)

Finally during the great purge, Brian found something I wanted to keep. See, I worked Derrick Miller. He was actually a very good boss. One day he calls me into his office. He says, I know you're an AKA (member of Alpha Kappa Sorority) and I got something for you. The sorority had its national conference, the Boule, in  Detroit that year. He got one of those banners that was on the light poles for me!!!  Lol. I've thrown or given away a lot of stuff, but I'm keeping that banner!!!  Brian is holding the banner in the photo. I guess it's about 6 feet tall.  

Signing off with Quincy Jones, "Cool Joe, Mean Joe (Killer Joe)", with Tone Loc, Queen Latifah, and Nancy Wilson.  Nice flute. Horns!!!!! Have a great Wednesday. I'm getting excited about moving. As is Dad. Lol. I think he wants me to hurry up so I can start cooking for him.  Oh yeah, we went to Toast in Ferndale for breakfast yesterday. Breakfast goodness. I now understand the lines on the weekends. 

The "I'm Ok. How Are You?", edition.

iPad shuffled to Isaac Hayes, "Joy, Part 1". Had to crank up the volume to fully appreciate the timbre of his voice. :)  We're not supposed to eat or drink during treatment, but that seems to differ between treatment clinics.  Most clinics let you bring candy and they supply crushed ice. When I started at my clinic, the rule were pretty specific about not bringing food or drink into the treatment area.  The rules are posted in the waiting area, and at the entrance to the treatment area.  I asked if I could bring my Jolly Ranchers.  That was fine. During dialysis fluid is sucked out of me and I get a little dry.  Ice is not supplied here ... Apparently patients at my beloved ghetto clinic were stealing ice (wtf?  Lol).  But we can bring candy.

Usher, "There Goes My Baby".  Most patients comply...at least I thought they did. On first shift people bring candy...jolly ranchers, lemon heads, licorice...and I've switched to smarties.  Second shift it all changes.  People bring snacks.  Or they have snacks delivered them. I noticed some of drivers bringing snacks to patients and taking orders.  They'd come back with pop, Cheetos, Doritos, chips, Subway, etc.  Now look at that list. Sodium and phosphourus. At least the sodas weren't colas.  Now the rules are being enforced. I haven't seen any push back.  

Jimmy Ruffin, "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted".  So right about now I'm pissed.  I was late to my chair this morning by 5 minutes. A very, very rare occasion. I get called out. WTF??  I'm 5 minutes late because of "digestive" issues. Of course I could have come to the chair on time and relieve my self in the chair....seriously.  When I'm on time, I'm never hooked up to the machine at 6:15. NEVER.  Oh geez...as I write this I'm getting more and more pissed off. I need to calm down. I'm itching for a fight. <breathe>.  The tech tells me I need to cut my treatment by 25 minutes. Um, no. Repeat after me. Your kidneys work 24/7. I'm hooked up to an artificial kidney for 10.5 hours a week.  I want all of my time.  Especially on days when I've waited up to an hour?  Bullshit.  

I tell her if it's a problem I can talk to a supervisor.  She explains that the later patients have to wait and dominoes for the rest of the day. No shit Sherlock. I've experienced 3rd shift....remember when I went off on the tech because I waited so long?  You know, shit happens on the floor. Bleed outs, crashing because of low blood pressure, clots, etc.  Anyway the tech wants to keep talking about it. >:-(

She wants to keep explaining. I told her I wasn't an idiot. And I was through discussing it with her.  Lol now I'm stuck with her for 2.5 more hours. I could train her in more effective customer service.  My partner reminded me I'll be gone in less than 2 weeks. I guess I'll go out with flair. 

Signing off Young MC, "Bust a Move".  Oh yeah, we went to see "Tammy" yesterday. We'd seen so many 3D movies that I was expecting the glasses for "Tammy". Lol.  We also previews for more movies that weren't 3D.  The movie was funny and enjoyable. The surprise was Kathy Bates and Dan Akroyd.  Yeah, writing about the movie made me smile and calmed me down. My blood pressure spiked for a while.  Enjoy your day. I know I will. :-)

The "Thinking About Golfing Again", edition.

iPad shuffled to The Dramatics, "Door to Your Heart".  The Dramatics kill it on this song. The vocals are fantastic. The arrangement is great. The instrument is kicking. The harmonies are tight, as usual.  I used to golf. I was the quintessential mediocre golfer.  Lol. I had fun, though. How did I start?  Of course  there is a story behind that.

This happened before Shawn was born. Brian joined a league.  Back in the day, the City had a men's golf league. The flyers said come join. Even if you don't know how to play. We'll teach you. Brian said cool. It worked for him.  The next year, one of my coworkers was dating a guy that golfed...a lot. She noticed a flyer for a City womens golf league. She convinced me that we needed to learn how to golf so we can spend quality time with our men. (Snicker).  And yes lessons were offered for the newbies.  And yes the lessons were free.  Unfortunately the first day of league play was before the first class. 

Tee time was after work at Chandler Park. Yes, we had to get from CAYMC (City County Building) to Connor and I-94 in rush hour traffic.  Add to that I was a straight up west sider. Lol. I learned many east side routes. We get to the course. At least we had golf clubs.  I think I used my dad's old clubs. I had some old knowledge from my dad showing me how to hold a club when I was a teenager. Let's just say that my friend and I were delighted if it took us only 10 strokes to get to the hole. Lol. We were just that bad. Lol. We didn't even have the decency to be embarrassed. At least we were n different foursomes.  Lol. Oh yeah. In my foursome was a manager from my department. A woman who invoke fear and terror when she walked down the hall. She eventually would become my manager. She was patient as hell as she helped me that first day. And she was a kickass golfer. Lol. 

Robin Thicke with Pharrell and T.I., "Blurred Lines".  I pulled up the video. I now know there are 2 versions. Enough said. That weekend we had the first of several lessons.  The lessons actually lasted for the duration of the league..8 weeks I think.  We got a lot of instruction and it was worth it.  Lol i eventually to actually par on some holes.  Plus it helped that we played the same course so we got familiar with the holes.  Eventually my friend I would golf with our fellas.  Brian and I spent quality time at Chandler Park that summer.  That's where we both were learning the game.  

Sir Mix-a-Lot, "Baby Got Like". Lol. My head started bopping and the chair dancing is on. Lol. Doing everything I can to not start singing along.  Lol.  "Red beans and rice didn't miss her!".  I eventually got better clubs, golf shoes, golf glove, and better balls...pink, of course.  :)  The next year we drove to Disney World ... Yeah no Shawn, but I was pregnant.  That's another story for another day.  We took our clubs and stayed a Disney resort that had 2 courses, The Disney Inn...it's now reserved for the armed forces. Anyway, we pull up, the valet took our clubs to the pro shop. Brian scheduled a lesson with the pro.  I passed. I was pregnant and the humidity sucked the life out of me.  I was happy being Brian's golf groupie. <3.  

When he retrieved his clubs, they were cleaned and we had Disney World tags on our golf bags. We were now traveling golfers. We had proof!!!  Anyway, his lessons were taped so he could he how he did and what he needed to work on.  A few days later I did go out and played a round with him. There signs near the trees that said "Beware of Alligators".  We lost a few balls that day.  Balls that went astray in the woods or near the water...we just took the penalty. Lol. 

Barry White, "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More".  "I'm so in love with you there's no way out". Wooo!!!   We continued golfing for quite several years. I took private lessons.  I drugged  my best friend into golfing.  Shawn had golf lessons. I got better, but I was mediocre. I liked golfing. People ask how can someone possibly like golf.  Well for me it was the idea that this little ball was getting the best of me!!  Humph.  It was my mission to show that ball who was in charge.  Lol. I guess I need to complete the mission. 

The Whispers, " I Only Meant My Feet".  I had a vendor who also golfed.  I joined her league and ended up being a member of the Executive Women's Golf Organization.  The vendor also invited me to a womens golf weekend in Port Austin, Michigan.  This also included night golf.  Bring flashlights and beer and don't be surprised when you go to hit your ball and a cow greets you on the other side of the fence.  Lol. I went several years. I had a great time. 

The Isley Brothers, "Hello, It's Me ".  Remember the fear and terror manager I ended up working for?  She'd send me to golf tournaments to represent her. I liked the scrambles. :)  When I was a manager, my staff and I would go play after work or on the weekends.  That was clearly team building. :)   Eventually life got in the way and I stopped playing.  As I finish I'll tell you my favorite hole. It's at Rouge Park. You come to the tee.  You look for the flag. There's the Rouge River in front of you and a hill behind the river.  As you look up the hill, you notice a lot of balls imbedded in mud in the wall.  You look up and see the flag. OMG. It's par 3. Straight up.  Holy crap.  Lol.  Let's just I've never parred that hole!!!

"Butterflies", Michael Jackson.  So much golfing stuff I've left out...anyway the move to Vegas has me thinking about playing there....not when it's 110 degrees, but eventually. It's decent exercise and I'd be outside. And no I haven't mentioned this to Brian. I think he'll like the idea.   <waves to Brian>.  :-D

Signing off with George a Benson, "Turn Your Love Around".  Dialysis tie in?  I want to get more active.  At least while I can. I don't know when or if I may experience complications.  I feel like I need live my life to the fullest while I can!!!I.  I've always done some kind of sport since I can remember.   In the last throes of emptying out the house. Look for the "For Sale" next week.  :)

The "It Occurs to Me That I'm Enjoying Being Retired Despite the ESRD",edition.

iPad shuffled to Al Green, "Love and Happiness".  True R&B. Always liked the organ.  Yesterday I went to a fundraiser for MOTTEP - Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program.  It was sponsored by Alpha Rho Omega, a local chapter of Alpha Kappa Sorority.  It was held at BDs Mongolian Barbeque in Royal Oak.  Lol. That was a mouthful. There will also be a walk and run at Belle Isle on July 26, 2014 for MOTTEP.  I'll miss it this year.  I have a one way ticket to Las Vegas for Friday, July 25, 2014.  :-D

Kool and the Gang, "Summer Madness".  My favorite song by them. I prefer the jazz and R&B cuts.  Didn't like their disco phase as much, but it was quite profitable for them and showed just how versatile they are. No hating at all. Ah. Listen to the synthesizer.  I had no clue what kind of instrument that was at the time. :)  Sometimes I can't write because I get distracted by the music...like now. New paragraph coming up.  

So yes, I've been enjoying my retirement. It took a little reflection to realize that.  I'm doing much more than I had during 2-3 years preceding the kidney failure. Everything took so much effort. And I hurt. My back hurt and my knees hurt. Mobility was such a huge issue. I'd be tired by the time I got to work.  Well let's fast forward. Once we knew what the diagnosis was, treatment started.  I felt better, but I needed to get to a functioning state. I needed to get to Vegas to visit Mom. I couldn't get there before she died. Well then I needed to get out there it support Dad. I made a few trips, but I didn't like him being out there alone.  

Oh oh!  Something entirely irrelevant.  Every Wednesday...and I mean every Wednesday, the nephrologist checks up on us. He usually rolls in around 8:30 - 9:00. But another doctor just came in.   But I know this doctor!  He is a partner of my nephrologist!!!.  When I was in dialysis at the hospital, he checked in on me. What was so special about him?  He's a dead ringer for my primary care physician (PCP) . So yeah, I'm sick and hooked up to a dialysis machine and I called out the kidney doctor for looking just like my PCP.  So when I see him walk into the module today, I called him twin. Lol. He chuckled.  

The Dramatics, "Be My Girl". Back to happy retirement.  My point was I had too much to do to feel sick and be sick.  I hated being confined to the house. Shawn was graduating from college. I needed to work with that. At that point it seemed the only places I was going was to see the doctors and to dialysis. Ugh.  Somehow I decided we were going to Disney World.  See, we had planned to go the previous December. That didn't happen.  Well it happened in June!  I used an electric cart while there, but I did my fair share of walking. I decided I was going to participate in a  couple of walkathons.  We took several day trips in Michigan...Port Huron, Frankenmuth, Monroe.  Oh yeah, even before that I'd just ride with Brian while he ran errands.  I did the first of several road trips to Urbana Champaign for Shawn .. Like getting an apartment and moving her. 

Now we're moving to Las Vegas.  The whole process of moving has been daunting, but we've made so much progress. We've had a lot of help.  We had to replace the front porch.  That was even fun.  Especially negotiating prices!  

Tom Browne, "Funkin ' For Jamaica".  Chair dancing.  Bass.  Air guitar. Hey!!  So last evening, after we left the restaurant, strolling through Royal Oak, I realize I'm basically happy. I'm happy being retired.  We're enjoying ourselves doing stuff. Water aerobics, acrylic and water color painting. Trying new restaurants. Visiting Shawn because I want to and because I can. Having the time to take a train.  Involved with fundraising and volunteering for kidney disease awareness and transplant awareness and kidney disease prevention.  Moving to Las Vegas. Planning to go to Denver and New Orleans this summer.   Life is good.  Yes, my kidneys have failed and I have treatment 3 days a week....in the center up to 5 hours...but I realize it could be much worse.  I'm grateful and I'm happy.  In addition, I'm ready to start doing my treat myself at home (with help from Brian, of course!). 

Signing off with Frank Sinatra, "Luck Be a Lady". Watched Guys and Dolls this weekend. This is one of my favorite musicals.  We question Marlon Brando singing, but with his acting and good looks we can overlook the quasi-singing.  Lol. Marlon Brando actually "sings" "Luck Be a Lady". Fortunately Frank recorded it. Lol. He is soooooo much better.  7 more dialysis treatments left here!!!   

http://motteplifewalk.org

The "Who Knew I'd Like The Transformers?", edition.

iPad shuffled to Heatwave, "The Groove Line" .  How was your holiday?  Had ribs at my mother-in-law's house. Brian's brother did the ribs.  Always good. Brian and I planned our own holiday dinner.  We had it on Saturday. Red hot sausages, green beans, sauted corn and potato salad.  I'm pleasantly surprised that I made everything except the sausages.  Well Brian did help with peeling the potatoes, dicing the onions and mixing the potato salad. 5 pounds of potatoes and all the fixins are a heavy stir.

Sunday was movie day.  Except for Malificent, I've deferred to Brian's choice. They've turned out to be entertaining. Yesterday was no exception.  We went to AMC Star John R.  The theater with the reclining seats. <3.  We got our (way to much) popcorn and (way to much) cups for drinks and settled in for The Transformers...in 3D of course.  The movie did not disappoint. We were in it for the special effects.  I am a bit taken aback that I enjoyed robots with personalities turning into trucks and cars. When the cartoons were out, I was not only out of age, but it marketed to boys. What a waste by Hasbro.  Girls could really get into strong female Transformers. I digress. 

The Delphonics, "Trying to Make a Fool Out of Me".  The movie was like a live action cartoon. Mark Wahlberg has giant forearms. Kelsey Grammar was suffiently evil.  The teenage girl was a girl, but she had balls when necessary. Stanley Tucci's female assistants kicked ass...literally.  My feminist side considered that the movies could have more female super heroes, but that's a discussion for another day.  Optimus Prime and his crew were pretty cool. 

Michael Jackson, "I Can't Help It". Written by Stevie Wonder.  There's a version on Youtube of Stevie playing this song. Check it out. The other thing about The Transformers is noticing Detroit in the movie! Lol. I forgot that some of the filming was done here. My first clue was in an early scene where a boat that looked like Boblo boat. Especially a boat named Ste. Clair.  I was going to ask Brian, but it was loud and the movie moved kinda fast.  A while later during a chase scene Brian says that's the Packard plant.  Later on I saw the People Mover.  It looked like it was facing east near Woodward.  I know the critics didn't care for the movie, but sometimes all you need just a great special effects and the ability to follow a story without thinking too hard. :)

The Dramatics, "Toast to the Fool". Welcome back.  I guess iPad put them back on the shuffle rotation!  Lol. As I was thinking about the scenes shot in Detroit it reminded me of another movie shot here.  You knew I had story, didn't you?  Some of my readers may remember this one. I had to look up the movie.  I remembered it starred Harrison Ford and I knew the filming took place in the late 80s or early 90s. The movie was "Presumed Innocent". 

We were at work at CAYMC...City County Building at the time.  It was Good Friday. For some reason, the director, deputy director and all of the managers were gone.  A seminar I think?  Our offices were in mid expansion. We acquired more office space on the north side of the building. Anyway, the uber tech guys were on that side of the building.  One comes running over to our side, opens the door and hollers, "Harrison Ford is filming!"  Whoa.  My side of the building empties.  A stampede of programmers.  Lol.  We line up at the windows.  See, since the remodel was in effect, there was no furniture in the room.  It was just a long line of windows.  Just enough space for all of us camp out and watch!!!!  To say we were excited was an understatement.  And the uber tech guy was (in theory) supposed to be in charge.  Lol. 

"Let The Good Times Roll", from Q's Jook Joint...assorted artists, but you can bet it's Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles, and Q's big band. The horns. The horns!!!!  Now this was when the Greyhound bus station was still standing. So we're on the fifth floor looking slightly down on the rooftop parking of the bus station.  A scene was filmed where some folks hosed an area wet and  simulated rain. Harrison Ford and Bonnie Bedalia ran through the rain under an umbrella. We thought that was the coolest thing ever. Apparently we were easily entertained.  Lol.  

 Tina Turner, "Proud Mary".  After the scene was completed, Harrison Ford came over to our side of the building, lit a cigarette and looked over the side, looking down on Larned.  As if on cue, we all started yelling and banging on the windows. Roflmao. This windows are thick and double paned.  I have no idea why we though he'd hear us.  Well guess what?  He did.  I can only imagine that employees on other floors may have done the same thing, but there were at least 30 of us. Lol. Harrison Ford looked up, smiled and waved at us!!!!!!  OMG. There was no more work done that day.  We talked about what happen for the rest of that half day......like none if us were there and saw it.  Rofl.  Did I ever see the movie?  Eventually, when it was on cable.  I smiled at the running the rain scene.  I saw it when it was filmed.  :)

So where's the dialysis tie in?  It's in the meals. Yes the sausage is not on the good for me list, but every now and then I splurge.  Besides I had the green beans and corn...no baked beans.  Potato salad?  I boil the hell out the potatoes. Bye bye potassium.  And popcorn at the movies...no salt. I do need to watch the portion. I didn't want anything to eat for the rest of the day.  Bleah. And even though they gave me a gigantor cup at the theater, I loaded it on ice and didn't come near to filling it up. I avoided the cola and had ginger ale!!!  Next time, though, I'll ask for a smaller cup...or get a bottle of water.  

Signing out with  Five Special, "Why Leave Us Alone". That's Tony on bass. :)   Have a great day.  I have 8 more dialysis sessions left here!!!! 

The "Of Course I'm at Dialysis On July 4th", edition.

iPad shuffled to Whitesnake, "Here I Go Again".  Lol. Song title matches the blog title. Here I go again.  Dialysis stops for no one.  As you know, or maybe not, the only holidays that we don't dialyze are Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day.  And  we don't skip treatment, the schedules are just adjusted so we have those days off. See, dialysis clinics are closed only on Sundays. To accommodate those holidays, the clinics close on the holiday and open on Sunday. So yeah, I dialyzed on Christmas Eve day in Las Vegas. On a side note...the clinic I went to in Vegas was in a building at Meadows Mall. We had to compete for dialysis treatment center parking with Christmas shopping parking.  Back to here. A few folks aren't here today...holiday.  What a surprise (sarcasm).

"A Real Mother For Ya", Johnnie "Guitar" Watson. "Rents gone up higher, got the parents lyin".  Story time!!!  You know by now I went to concert at Chene Park Wednesday evening. Last time I went to Chene Park was maybe 15 years ago?  Saw Will Downing and had backstage passes. That's another story for another day. Prior to that, Brian and I went there on a date...I think he had just finished the police academy. Yes it was a real date. Lol. He stopped at a party store and got a bottle of ...something. I don't remember. We get to the park.  I get searched..carrying a big ass Coach Bucket bag (remember those?). Brian didn't get searched!!   He gets in with the bottle of .. Hennessy?  I'm like wtf?  Lol.  It's the story of our relationship.  I'm the troublemaker and Brian's the angel. More like I'm the fall gal and Brian ends up looking like a really hood guy. And I'm sure no one will believe me. That's ok. After 30 years I'm used to it. Lol. And no we've been married for almost 27, but we met in 1983. :)

"Sun Goddess", Ramsay Lewis and Earth, Wind & Fire. This stands the test of time, too. So back to Wednesday.  I have a friend from childhood, Tony. We met when his family moved to the neighborhood. We were about 7 years old. Fast forward to the late 70s.  I go to a club, he's there with a band he's producing. Heck, I hadn't seen him in years and had no idea he was a musician or was producing groups.  Was nice to see him.  Moving into the early 80s, my best friend and my cousin went to Orthea's Place. Guess who's there with his band?  Tony!  And his band was Five Special (remember "Why Leave Us Alone"?).  He was the bass player and the leader. My friends thought it was kinda cool I knew the band leader.  I did too because my cousin is gorgeous and I'd always considered myself her wingman.  Lol. 

"Gold Digger", Kanye and Jamie Foxx. Lol, Kim Kardashian came to mind. Ok, I'll go sit in the corner. I was bad. Well, the next time I saw Tony was around 2007 and the Facebook thing. Finally, we'd see him at the neighborhood restaurant we go to after dialysis. He told me about his show.  I'd been trying to go see him for years, but with the effects of the failing kidneys, I just couldn't go.  This time he let me know about the concert. I told Brian. And Tony caught him too. So we went and got some tickets. 

I was a little concerned because the concert was on treatment day. That meant some walking from the car to the seats. And sitting 3 or so hours for the concert. Of course I'd be able to leave, but I not only wanted to see T Money Green and Roadwork and the main act, Morris Day and the Time!!  The middle act, not so much...I digress. We left early, got a close parking spot...lol. They're all reasonably close. So the walk was a nonissue.  Just a few stairs to navigate. So far so good. The seats, eh.  My back hurt after a while, but I didn't crash or get tired. Lol. I went deaf, but that's another story. 

"Feel the Fire", Peabo Bryson.  Tony's group came on.  Old school G-Funk. Oh did I tell you?  He worked with Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre?  That's his bass you're hearing on their songs. :)  Great set and then he did his solo thing on his bass. OMG. His bass was the best of all of the evening acts. He made that bass sing and dance!!!  The next act was ok.  I thought the singers were a little screechy, but the horns rocked.  

Finally Morris Day and the Time.  I'd seen them at Cobo in the early  80s...with Vanity 6 and Prince. They've been performing for over 30 years.  And they put on a show !!!  The suits, the fedoras and of course, "Somebody Bring Me a Mirror". "WHAT TIME IS IT?"  Lol. I probably forgot more songs than I remembered, but once they started playing, it came rushing back. And no, I have none of their music on the iPad. That will be fixed very soon!!  I had a ball.  And my hearing returned within 30 minutes. Lolololol. Also the crowd tickled me. These were my (age group) people. Lol. I'm looking forward to more concerts.  :-)  For record the other band was Larry Lee and the Back in the Day Band. No, they weren't horrible. 

Signing off with Chaka Khan, "And The Melody Still Lingers On (A Night in Tunisia)".  Photos of the marquee, T Money Green, and Morris Day and the Time.  Have a great 4th of July.  I already made the potato salad. Recipe handed down from my grandfather....and yes, Shawn can make it also!  4 generations. :-D

The "Stopping Dialysis?", edition.

iPad shuffled to Grandmaster Flash and Furious Five, "White Lines". "Don't do it".  The same group that did "The Message". You know, "don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge".  You know I belong to several groups on Facebook that are all about dialysis.  I'm also involved with several advocacy groups such as The National Kidney Foundation of Michigan, The Americam Kidney Fund, and Dialysis Patient Citizens.

The Dells, "The Love We Had (Stays on My Mind)".  The Dells. :-)  Volume cranked up.  Lately a subject keeps surfacing on the Facebook groups. More often than I'd like to see, people are asking what happens if they stop dialysis. People are seriously thinking about stopping dialysis. More people than I'd imagine. With more reasons than I'd imagine.  People can't deal with having to do dialysis the rest of their lives. They don't have any support from family and friends...or they have no family.  A significant number of people relay that their friends and family have abandoned them after the diagnosis of ESRD. Some people will never be eligible for a transplant due to health reasons. Some people are eligible for transplants, but they'd be responsible for 20% of the cost. Or the cost of drugs are prohibitive 3 years after the transplant. Some people are perpetually tired from dialysis treatments. Some are turned off by the succession of life  threatening infections.  Some have been on the transplant list for over 5 years and are just tired of waiting.  The list goes on....

Aerosmith, "Crazy". No one judges. We can only relay experiences.  The experiences run from what I went through before the ESRD diagnosis to family members who witnessed loved ones who stopped treatment.   Other experiences include missing treatment for a week, 2 weeks, having being victims of hurricanes and other natural disasters where getting to a treatment location isn't possible.  The experiences are different, but a high percentage are affected by fluid build up....in the lungs.  This is not a pleasant experience. It clearly is not a peaceful way to die. :(

After 7, "Ready or Not". Love Kevon Edmonds voice.  However there is a process if a patient wants to stop treatment.  No one is pressured to continue treatment  but the patient is given a lot of information to make an informed decision. A preferred method is to use palliative care, rather doing it yourself at home and probably being more miserable than you can even imagine. And yes on bad days I'm ready to pull the plug.  I'm fortunate to have someone to pull me out of the black hole and I allow myself to be pulled out of the black hole.  That's important, isn't it. Being allowed to be pulled  back. 

War, "All Day Music". Released in 1971.. Over 40 years ago.  It stands the test of time!  Support means a lot to dialysis patients. Dialysis and kidney disease is pretty daunting. We have a condition that can NEVER be cured. A kidney transplant is not a cure, it's just one method to keep us alive. Granted, some of us think it's better than being at the mercy of a machine....which is dependent on electricity, and being dependent on an assortment of technicians and nurses.  Patients are aware that something can wrong during treatment and we'll die on the spot.  

Bobby Womack, "Looking For a Love". RIP.  So when members of the group ask about treatment we don't judge.  The best we can do is support and offer options.  

Signing off with Michael Jackson, "I Wanna Be Where You Are."  I forgot to mention that on the train trip to Springfield, Illinois, the train followed Route 66.  We passed some original diners and there were some Burma Shave signs. Your family were raid warriors if you remember the Burma Shave signs. :)