Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 03 Feb 10 - 10:40 AM Tee hee! She shoulda seen Hunt and me on the way home from a music camping trip, car filled to the gills, one day last summer. Me: Stop the car! There's a toilet by the side of the road! Hunt did a U-ie, sure enough, a workable toilet (with neatly lettered sign). We unloaded the instruments, sleeping bags, etc., loaded in the toilet, crammed back in all the stuff, and this, friends, is the toilet we use to this very day! |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Ebbie Date: 02 Feb 10 - 09:38 PM A quick aside here: When my niece as newly married she and her husband bought a stripped down house. One day they went to the shop and bought a toilet and hauled it to the 'new' house. Karl set it right side up in the back of their van, looking for all the world like they were traveling with all the amenities. She was mortified. But she has never been bored by that young man. |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 02 Feb 10 - 07:33 PM Make sure you get a close up of the hairy legs. How is Tom? |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: gnu Date: 02 Feb 10 - 03:13 PM Linn... send us a pic, eh? |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: jacqui.c Date: 02 Feb 10 - 02:45 PM Welcome home Tom. |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 02 Feb 10 - 07:53 AM And oh, it's so very lovely. And so fun to transport upside down in the back of a station wagon- I hope the tail-gater on Rt. 4 from Portsmouth to Durham was following so closely so he could get a better look at it! |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Bat Goddess Date: 01 Feb 10 - 08:10 PM It's a FOOT stool -- top part upholstered in a plaid flannel shirt. The bottom is supported by male legs with wool socks and what I can only describe as well worn "barn" shoes. I love it! Linn |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: John MacKenzie Date: 01 Feb 10 - 01:09 PM Who said CELLAR ?? |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: John MacKenzie Date: 01 Feb 10 - 12:27 PM Who is wearing the flannel shirt, and who has the hairy legs?? |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 01 Feb 10 - 10:42 AM Is that something new L.L. Bean has come out with, Sins? Flannel shirts with hairy legs??!! |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 01 Feb 10 - 08:50 AM Feet resting comfortably on a flannel shirt with hairy legs? SINS |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: VirginiaTam Date: 01 Feb 10 - 08:35 AM Welcome home Tom and Linn please catch up on some well deserved rest. |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Janie Date: 01 Feb 10 - 06:32 AM Welcome home, Tom! |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 31 Jan 10 - 11:57 PM That first meal probably was weighed down by all of the baggage (distractions) of the last three weeks. Too many expectations piled upon it. I braised a pot roast, and when it was good and cooked down then I added the onion, carrot, and potatoes, and it was wonderful. Added a few glugs of red wine near the end, and made the juices into a light gravy. Nothing spicy or exciting, but very satisfying, just the same. Bake some bread tomorrow. That'll get your cooking back on kilter. Good that you're home, Tom! SRS |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: gnu Date: 31 Jan 10 - 06:41 PM Missed it! Welcome home, Tom!! |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Bat Goddess Date: 31 Jan 10 - 06:14 PM I'm really looking forward to someday actually getting to meet Hunt! If he's suspecting I'm a fictional character, who do you suppose made me up?!? Linn |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: wysiwyg Date: 31 Jan 10 - 05:56 PM !!! ~S~ |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 31 Jan 10 - 04:54 PM It was great to see you, Tom! Keep on mending. Linn, sometime soon Hunt and I will make a trip when we know you are going to be there, and we can all hang around for awhile! |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Charley Noble Date: 31 Jan 10 - 11:37 AM I'm getting an urge to cook up some Mexican food for lunch! Good to hear that Tom is home. Charley Noble |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: John MacKenzie Date: 31 Jan 10 - 10:02 AM Sorry to hear that Tom, it's always a bummer when food turns out not to be as you hoped. I roasted a very small chicken last night, and I stuffed it with left over haggis, chopped red onions, tomato pureé and a drop of lime juice. It wasn't very exciting hot, but cold, it has turned out very tasty indeed, so keep the faith. Nice yo be home though isn't it? Keep well. John |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Bat Goddess Date: 31 Jan 10 - 07:40 AM I was the one wearing pajamas (sweats) with cats playing musical lap -- Tom was doing the wood schlepping (after a 3 week hiatus) and he's the usual family cook. (He lets me do most of the baking but he bakes the pies.) He'd been so looking forward to a) cooking (which he truly enjoys) and b) decent food after hospital and (much worse!) nursing home fare. The Mexican-style dish he made SHOULD have been much better. It ended up mostly tasteless instead of tasty -- all the flavor came from added salsa and the cheese (we were both craving lots of cheese) got lost. He was very disappointed. Linn |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: maeve Date: 31 Jan 10 - 12:55 AM Welcome home, Tom. Congratulations, Linn. I'm glad you are both home tonight. maeve |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 30 Jan 10 - 11:04 PM wot a thing to complain about! didn't he work up an appetite carrying wood? pajama-wearers with cats on lap can't be expected to cook! sandra |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Bat Goddess Date: 30 Jan 10 - 07:04 PM Tom got home just before 11 this morning. It's not only great having him home, but it's really nice to have someone else in the house (besides the cats, of course). Tom also gave me an INCREDIBLE coming home present -- a pajama day!!! When he got here, I was on the phone with my sister in Milwaukee, and noting that I would REALLY soon have to put some real clothes on (instead of pajamas, I was wearing sweats) and go out to bring in some more firewood. Tom arrived just in time to get back into winter exercise mode -- and for the first time in 3 weeks I didn't have to brave the elements (such as yesterday's brutally cold wind) and schlep wood into the house to keep the woodstove burning bright. So I read, played with the cats (even had both of them in my lap at the same time), took a very short nap (one cat under the covers; one on top next to me), read some more, got a couple small things done that needed doing, read some more -- in short, had a delightful day. Right now he's curmudgeoning because the dinner he just planned and prepared turned out to be less tasty than he expected. Linn |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: katlaughing Date: 30 Jan 10 - 06:16 PM Must feel good to be home. Welcome back, Tom! |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: curmudgeon Date: 30 Jan 10 - 06:02 PM "Lickety-splish!" as Alan Rottman once said. Actually, I've been home for a few hours, but it's been too cold to post till now, and still too cold to post much. I see from reading this thread that Linn has posted much that I would not have remembered, and some I should forget. Thanks to all for suppoirt and good thoughts. I should stop here ere the typos exceed the correct words and go cook some food. A grand weekend to all - Tom |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 30 Jan 10 - 08:28 AM Still room at the inn here if you change your minds. M |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 30 Jan 10 - 08:00 AM Welcome home, Tom! Are you up for a short visit tomorrow? |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Bat Goddess Date: 29 Jan 10 - 09:15 PM Still can't type with mittens on -- and my mittens are in the other room! Maybe in the morning, when I'm less tired and less cold. (Although if the wind keeps blowing the way it is, this room may NEVER warm up!) Linn |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Charley Noble Date: 29 Jan 10 - 05:01 PM Definitely hasn't been a beach day where I've been today. Maybe tomorrow! Charley Noble, outward bound for a gig |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 29 Jan 10 - 04:57 PM The wind is howling here too, Linn. Blew away my oil delivery bill right out of the envelope. Unbelievable. Home again tomorrow, Tom. Good on you. |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Bill D Date: 29 Jan 10 - 01:50 PM **reading regularly with not much to say....but commiserating about all of the hassles*..(except the blue cheese, about which I can only add my father's line: "You look good in everything you eat.") |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Bat Goddess Date: 29 Jan 10 - 08:28 AM Can't stay here long -- it's too cold in front of the computer. I think that howling north wind is aimed straight at me through the north wall. Besides, I don't have much time to bring in a few loads of firewood, stuff the stove and head to work. I'll tell you about Rufus' 2 a.m. antics later -- he wanted to be petted, he wanted to play. Didn't care that I was asleep and really wanted to stay that way! When I talked to Tom this morning, the first thing I noticed was a new "voice" -- there's a louder, clearer, the only thing I can call it is a thread within his voice. Something is trying to work -- like his "growly" voice, but different. I think it would please Dr. Z. Anywho, gotta go -- can't type with mittens on. Linn |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Charley Noble Date: 29 Jan 10 - 08:24 AM Blue cheese was my delight, Blue cheese my heart of gold Blue cheese was my heart of joy But now it's all over my front and sleeves. Charley Noble |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: John MacKenzie Date: 29 Jan 10 - 05:25 AM Blue Cheese, you saw me dressed to go out So when I pressed you, your spout Blocked up, and made me squeeze more Blue cheese, you lurked in ambush and when I squeezed you harder, again You popped your cork, thank-you friend Blue cheese that wasn't what I was there for You ruined the clothes that I wear for The winter warmth that I care for. |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: My guru always said Date: 29 Jan 10 - 04:48 AM Lovely to see so much good news!! Except the 'bleu cheese' of course... Keep on doing what you're doing Linn, sending you both love & big hugs and hoping Tom will be home tomorrow! |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Bat Goddess Date: 28 Jan 10 - 09:28 PM I usually make my own blue cheese dressing, too. This was a bottle that I knew (store brand Chunky Blue Cheese) that I knew had preservatives and would last in the fridge for sporadic use when I didn't make my own for some reason. And the kicker was, at the time it happened, I was THINKING "Why did they put a restricted exit squeeze top on a chunky dressing?!?" Arghh! As it was, there were obvious oil stains on the sweater when it was partially dry, so I put grease-cutting dishwashing liquid on the spots and will deal with them maybe tomorrow morning, maybe Saturday. But IMMEDIATELY I had to figure out what to wear instead -- preferably just a different sweater that would go with everything else (turtleneck, jewelry, etcet etcet) because I didn't have TIME to change clothes completely. That was the high point of my day, by the way. I had the kind of customers that reminded me (and made me grateful!) why I never had kids. The drive home was slippery and tedious. And windy. Just talked to Tom -- he doesn't yet know when they'll give him his last treatment or when they'll remove the PICC or when he'll be released on Saturday. Right now I've got to get a couple more loads of wood -- it's supposed to be pretty cold tonight. At least I don't have to be to work until 10 tomorrow (no optech conference call at 9:30). Later! (But not tonight -- I'm running way late and hope to get to sleep before 11.) Linn |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: gnu Date: 28 Jan 10 - 05:09 PM Besides the blue? |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Charley Noble Date: 28 Jan 10 - 04:23 PM I always knew there were additional reasons to avoid blue cheese. Charley Noble |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 28 Jan 10 - 12:17 PM Last time I had a salad at Mass General (with Linn I think) I ran up against the glob of blue cheese stuck in the pump catastrophy. Ended up with a half a jug of dressing on my salad...much to everyone's amusement. When Burger King first introduced salads on their menu, I ordered one at a rest stop on the Jersey Turnpike. It came with a little bag of salad dressing - pre the notch to open it. I tried and tried but could not open it. In frustration I put it over the salad and squeezed. The whole envelope exploded - on me, my hair, my clothes and maybe some on my salad. A little boy nearby was laughing out loud while his mother tried not to. I had to go to my next appointment covered in grease and smelling of vinegar. |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Jan 10 - 11:56 AM Spaw, try the bleu cheese in the wide-mouth jar that you buy from the refrigerated salad area. It's much better (and bigger chunks of cheese that they can't get into the squirt bottle). Maries or Litehouse or NatureMade or something like that. SRS |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: catspaw49 Date: 28 Jan 10 - 11:49 AM LOL......Two days ago I was adding some store bought bleu cheese to my salad mix because I was out of bleu cheese to crumble. As I tried to squirt a bit on, the damn thing blew and blobbed dressing all over the salad and assorted other splash points, my face being one. So as I try to scrape and spoon some of the crap back into the bottle, I asked myself these two questions: 1-What kind of dumbass puts a chunky dressing in a sqeeze bottle? 2-What kind of dumbass tries to squeeze chunky dressing from a squeeze bottle? The answer to the first appeared to be Wishbone and the answer to the second was wiping bleu cheese off his face. Spaw |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Bat Goddess Date: 28 Jan 10 - 10:33 AM Just had a brief morning adventure while preparing my lunch (salad w/chicken) for tonight at work. While THINKING about the possible cheese clog in the squeeze top of storebought blue cheese dressing (I usually make my own balsamic-red wine vinegrette, but I'm out of extra virgin olive oil), the damned thing exploded all over me -- on the counter, on my shoes, on the floor...and all over ME, freshly dressed for work. Wiped it all up. Sweater is now in the dryer, with the hope that it won't be embarrassing when I put it back on again to go to work. Now I've got to go out -- sweaterless in cooling temps (but with jacket & gloves) to get more firewood. Arghhh! (It's the little things...) Charlie, I like the shanty. Ah, yes, Mary, a HUGE to-do list consisting mostly of stuff he's put off for YEARS. And, believe it or not, I think I have him excited about getting some of that stuff accomplished. Later, Linn |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 28 Jan 10 - 09:17 AM Home again Home again Jiggity Jig. Is the Honey Do list at the ready? |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Charley Noble Date: 28 Jan 10 - 08:35 AM Linn- Thanks for the update. We're still hauling away for you both but we're running out of shanties! Guess we'll have to compose some new ones: My home theater system's all in pawn, Go down, you bloodsucking bastards, go down! And it's mighty drafty when the oil's all gone! Go down, you bloodsucking bastards, go down! Ohhhhh, you pimps and posers! Go down, you bloodsucking bastards, go down! Just a thought! Charley Noble |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Bat Goddess Date: 28 Jan 10 - 06:53 AM Sorry I didn't post here yesterday afternoon or evening. When I got home from a delightful lunch with Tom, I was just too sleepy to be social or communicative. Tom's morning started up with a bit of a cock up at Wentworth-Douglass. He got there between 8 & 8:15 for his 8:30 procedure -- keep in mind, he had to be back at Dover Rehab for his next antibiotic treatment less than 4 hours later. He was ignored for 45 minutes. Then the techs said no one had told THEM that he had a schedule to adhere to. (Of course, no one in scheduling/reminding knew the day before that he was at Dover Rehab, not at home.) Anyway, he got it all accomplished -- not a "regular" stress test, but with dye injected and pictures taken. I'll let him explain it if necessary. I got to Rehab at 1:00 just as he was finishing up with the treatment and we headed off to Durham (in his car, so I wouldn't have to clean out my car's passenger seat filing system yet again; can't find my ice scraper from LAST time!) because Tom wanted a Chinese fix at China Buffet (a cafeteria-style, plentiful and inexpensive restaurant in Durham, which is home of the University of New Hampshire). Alas, since we'd last been there, it had morphed into Mei Wei ("Fine Asian Cuisine -- Grill - Sushi - Bar). But...it had a weekday lunch buffet for which we were just in time. What a difference in the place, though, from personality-less hall with ranks of tables chockablock to each other and faded posters of China on the walls to rich, dark wood and walls, upholstered booths, a forest of "lucky bamboo", etcet. Mei Wei had only been there since December. The buffet was sparse compared to its predecessor, but Tom said it was the best General Tso's Chicken he'd ever had. Everything else was really good, too, even though we'd come in right at the end of the buffet. Nice flavor of ginger in several dishes, the dumplings were wonderful (wish there had been more of them -- earlier next time!). It was a lovely "date" with my darlin' -- really looking forward to having him home on Saturday. His last antibiotic treatment is, I think, on Friday. On Saturday they'll remove the PICC and release him; don't know what time. Came home and built a fire in the stove as the sun had disappeared and it was getting chilly. Took the opportunity to sweep the debris off the deck that had been under the ice that melted in the past few days. (Usually it's March that I hate -- when the whole world looks as if it needs to be scrubbed down.) Earlier in the day, when I took the trash up to the road for pickup, I looked for snowdrops on the bank on my way back down the driveway. No, I didn't really expect them in January, but the day was warm and sunny, the driveway muddy and the moss on the bank quite green. Talked to Tom later in the evening. He had actually been visited by Dr. Thompson, his primary care doctor. (I'm impressed -- I know he's overworked at Avis-Goodwin, which is a Community Health organization.) He'd spoken with Tom's regular cardiologist and with Dr. Zeitels, too, and talked to Tom about radiation if he can't have the rest of the surgery. I know how both Tom and I feel about radiation is colored by Kendall's experience, but Dr. T explained (as had Dr. Z) that radiation has come a long way since then. And it actually has a better chance of totally iradicating the cancer than the laser surgery (something like 97% to 85%). I also had a phone message from the surgical coordinator at Dr. Oram's (vascular) office -- she faxed his report to Dr. Zeitels' office yesterday, too. Dr. Thompson also reminded Tom that no matter what happens, his voice is not going to be what it was before. And what he DOES get back is going to require a lot of work on both Tom's and Dr. Z's part. I just think, though, that between Tom's determination and Dr. Zeitels' skill, they've got a pretty decent chance. I DO believe in miracles! Whatever happens, I have confidence that everything will turn out for the best. In my experience, even if what happens looks totally black, at some point in the future, it turns out to be the best thing that could have happened. Linn |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: Bat Goddess Date: 27 Jan 10 - 10:37 AM Lay abed til 6:15 -- did a quick downstairs reconnoiter (prolly not keep a fire in the stove today, either), cuppa, email, FB and Mudcat check (to report to Tom) and back upstairs for a slightly early good morning call to Tom since he has to be at Wentworth-Douglass for that stress test by 8:15. Interesting note, there was a voice mail on our phone yesterday from W-D about calling them before 4:30 yesterday for prelim info re: stress test. You would THINK they'd have a clue that he's NOT at that phone number -- for the past 2-1/2 WEEKS, fer-pete's-sake, he's either been at W-D or Dover Rehab where they stuck him!!! When they called, he was probably meeting with Dr. Mendoza AT the hospital!!! He'd already pointed out to Scheduling that he hand't been home for over 2 weeks and was supposedly under the care & knowledge of the hospital. Arghhh! (That's actually just a minor case of the communication problems we encountered while he was actually IN room 348 at the hospital.) Before I got back upstairs, I scrubbed the butcher block countertop and used a toothpick to clean crap out of crannies around the kitchen faucet and sink, but then I got to lay abed reading Sue Grafton's "U Is For Undertow" til 9:30 when I got dressed, emptied the litter boxes, got a load of laundry in, and I'm about to walk the trash up the driveway for today's pickup. (I forgot last week -- that's one of Tom's jobs.) Will drop off some more cubic footage at Goodwill on my way over to meet Tom. Not sure where he's got in mind for lunch, but it might be Chinese since he asked for one of his extra diuretics -- he's on a low sodium diet, of course. Later! Linn |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 27 Jan 10 - 09:26 AM Oh, good- enjoy lunch, and good luck with stress tests, surgery schedules, and all. Give that good man a hug from me! |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: jacqui.c Date: 27 Jan 10 - 09:22 AM Great news! Here's hoping that things are on the up at last. |
Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Medical Woes - Winter 2010 From: SINSULL Date: 27 Jan 10 - 09:10 AM Good news, Linn. |