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Intense Heat / Imminent Excess / CT Scans, My Scene

Nothing Unusual to See Here

OR

Naked, and Not Afraid (anybody will care)

The heat has been on all night. I've been perspiring like crazy. Yes, it's only 80° Fahrenheit, but to keep it dialed in there, it's been necessary that the door to our room be kept open all night so that it stays below 85° .. of course, the noise out there (moaning 100 year old woman, and the ever persistent "help" guy) mixed with Jeff's all night television in here (both sound and light) has made sleeping a near impossibility.

And now I'm completely naked (chewing pure ginger gum to help mitigate the tooth pain), my fan blowing across my full breadth, and the CNA is performing clean-up duties upon my roommate while engaging in running commentary.

Of course I'm up. I've BEEN up. Who wouldn't be? So Let's do some serious writing, for your sake and mine. Let's also describe what was (mere hours ago) a journey to a place both nearby, yet reasonably far away from here.

BULLETIN: roommate Jeff (the Often Frozen) asked the (Always Speaking Louder than Necessary) CNA to open his window. And she did. So the 49° out there, and the 81° in here, and the 71° out in the hallway are in effect, committed to an unholy battle of temperature attrition.

And have no fear, I'll report back with additional updates as far flung variables are made known.

Touching and Tripping

I cannot tell the whole detailed story here (although I did tell one person.. I had to.. but she's been sworn to forever secrecy. Well, maybe not sworn, but she understands the possible ramifications). In effect, you cannot keep absolutely everything to yourself. At least I can't. Well, I can… and often do, but sometimes I don't want to.

In any case, the full story will come out in my forthcoming book... the exposé.. the mini-novella. Whatever it turns out to be (sorry for holding out on you, but trust me, it's for your own good).

But right now, I'll share all that is necessary to make the story work for you and I in this present moment.

As you likely already know, my last two CT scan appointments had been derailed due to a lack of generalized comprehension. Some of those issues were resolved today, but not all of them. So how about we explore the many facets of Howard's CT Experience?

Tabula Rosa

My tag-along CNA is the CNA who was supposed to tag-along with me the last two times I never ever achieved lift-off. Make sense? And they call her... Rosa. Remember her? She's the one who generously gave me the bottle of vanilla spray (Gingerbread Latte) several weeks ago. And the spray is still going strong. And it seems, Rosa is, too.

Meanwhile, In the transport vehicle (and on the way to the appointment), we talked ceaselessly as we crossed over into far North Scottsdale. I sort of almost wanted to look quietly out the windows and enjoy the landscape, but she kept reeling me back into the conversation. Smiling. Nodding. Eyeballs blinking. The usual stuff. So I connected, related, and enjoyed.

We arrived at the appointment five minutes early, yet the girl at the desk advised that they were running 30 minutes late.. waiting on special equipment to accommodate me. So I had the transport driver roll me back outside into the nearly open desert environs.

I was situated in the shade, sun behind us, breeze pulsing and blowing all the while. And the CNA and I resumed our running conversation.

BULLETIN #2: my roommate buzzed the CNA again, requesting that she shut our door, because Rambling Annie began erupting all over the place, a full volume spewing acrid consonants, even penetrating my inefficient ear muffs, ear plugs, and remnant ear wax.

The front desk woman came outside with that 'I'm afraid I've got bad news' expression splashed across her face.

"I'm afraid I've got bad news," she begins. "We need the transport to be with you the entire time, but they (she points) are only scheduled to drop you off.. not remain with you."

"So, you'll have nowhere to put me?"

"Exactly."

I'd been through this drill before. Several times previously. What's to be done with Howard.

"It looks like we'll have to cancel the appointment," the administrator suggests.

"No, we won't! No, we won't," Rosa exclaimed, her Spanish accent conveying a spirited defiance.

The conversation went back and forth and side to side from there. Options. Potential anecdotes.

BULLETIN #3: We are now back into the low 80s.. and I am sweating and shaking a bit. The heat is impacting me negatively (and probably the sleeplessness). At least the TV has now been turned off. And the lights, too.

And I just remembered that I have a couple of ice packs from earlier, tucked into the bin on my bed. And I've placed these ice packs upon my chest… hoping they become coolingly effective.

After a time, our driver retreats back to his vehicle in order to engage his dispatcher. You see, according to the driver, dispatch pulls the strings. They are in charge. And here at the Imaging Center, the Chief Radiologist is in charge.

"Hello, I'm in charge. You must be Howard!"

It is she, the Radiologist Extraordinaire.

"I must be, and I am." I offer, holding out my hand. And she takes it… making a hand sandwich, before realizing.

"It's quite alright, I appreciate physical interactions. I've been deprived."

She nods, then continues holding my hand in a gentle way. It is then explained that I'd recently moved into a nursing home. And then the three of them discuss my appearance, my improbable age. And then I am asked to tell my story. Which I do. A very brief version. One that seems to amuse and intrigue each of the three.

After holding court with threesome (speaking nonsense, employing my improvised routine) for an additional 10 minutes, the employees head back indoors.

Rosa reinitiates our conversation in between calls to an angry transport company dispatcher, and intermittent conversations with our desperately quiet transport driver.

Eventually the joyful radiologist comes back out, and I suggest to her that we commandeer a stretcher from one of the other outfits next door or nearby. Basically, we were in the midst of a medical plaza, so why not?

BULLETIN #4: 84° and rising, and yet I've still been able to maintain consciousness!

Nothing much happens in the meanwhile. I'm happy to be outside. Happy to be communicating with other humans. But eventually we reached the crisis point, the breaking point, the point where the bough breaks and Howard comes crashing down.

"I am bringing you inside. If they don't take you right now, I am bringing you back to the facility."

That's what the driver said. So back inside we go. And the driver's anxiously pacing back and forth. He has a job to do. And right now, I am that job. And I'm not getting done.

Meanwhile, Rosa is tugging at her jacket. And I'm hoping these imaging people will somehow come through. Which they do.

In a neon bright hallway, the team rolls me onto a special (and especially uncomfortable) gurney of sorts (and the transport driver is off like a shot, never to be seen again).

"We need to take off your shorts."

"Well… okay. Everyone at the facility has seen everything I own and operate, might as well show the three of you as well."

They seem unreasonably amused.

"What about my shirt?"

"That's all right, you can leave it on."

Who am I to argue with highly trained professionals? Haha!

Note: they did eventually give me a take-home sheet

The gurney was rather uncomfortable, despite the extra bandaged padding on my coccyx (I had the nurse apply it before I left the facility). And then strapping my head inside the brain scan apparatus was .. additionally restricting.



Ending Inconclusive

Hours later she was finished with me, but … things weren't what they seemed (cue mysterious bongo music) - What were they going to do with Howard's Radioactive body?

You see, other patients were lined up to be scanned. And there was no place to put me. Yes, Rosa called to have the transport company return, but apparently, they were an hour out.. probably somewhere in and around Ahwatukee. Or at the donut shop.

Radioactive Howard Options Discussed:

Wheelchair (impossible)
Floor (unclean)
Loveseat (in radiologists office)
Breakroom table (possibly)
Bed of a pick-up truck (indeed)
X-ray table…

YES! The X-ray table in the other room!

Fast-forward ---- It's a Wrap

On the way back to the facility, Rosa and I maintained accelerated conversational status throughout as the sunset landscape showed.

And overall, it was another joyous life-affirming experience. And yet again, the journey was the destination, including happenings unexpected and never imagined. I'm truly alive, as others have made me be.

BULLETIN #5: It's 86 F#@$!!$ degrees in here now!!! I AM MELTING. My ice is no longer cold. My lips are parched. My skin is peeling off in clumps. My legs are now cramping up. Who would have thought.. I got murdered by heat death in a nursing facility during a midwinter's night.

NOTE: ^ exaggerating ever so slightly!!!

FINAL BULLETIN: Saved by the morning CNA! She just opened the door, opened the window all the way, and now the cool air floweth unto me.


Anyway, I'll soon be heading outside into the morning coolness to sleep coolly and quietly.

Tabs

Oh. I had my friend purchase the $45 tablet for me. I offered him my bass guitar in return (wherever it may be at the moment), but he volunteered to pay for the tablet out of pocket.


Take care,
Howard


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Comments

:rofl:
I’m amused…merely …unbelievable amused:D
I’m looking forward to your book, I’ll be the first one to by it:woot:
Ps..give your tablet - friend a chocolate ?

It's funny. I forgot how crazy life is being around real people. All sorts of different unpredictable things are happening all of the time!

Yeah, I've got to get those chocolates hung up on the wall. I do need to wait and see what comes in first, so there is proper spacing. :)
 
Well, Howard, I'm glad the window opens all the way. Imagine if it had been painted shut? Your goose would have been truly cooked then.

Obviously you have the same heating/cooling system we do. We cool it way down at night, then turn it off although it doesn't help much in the early morning hours. Winter's better....at least it's cool all of the time. I guess you have no use for an electric blanket....I use mine constantly.

You had an excursion....I hope you're keeping a notebook about these, what you talked about with Rosa even (and what do you talk about with her?). Yes, though, I can appreciate that you simply want to look at the sky and what must be the beauty around you....the world! As it is.

All that waiting can't be good for anyone's mood, can it? That's the problem with having to go for tests, etc. At least the crew should know they can't just assume you'll be in safe hands and go wandering off....well, to the coffee shop maybe. Perhaps it's better that no one's around....they'll make more of an effort to accommodate you for testing.

But faithful Rosa stayed with you. Give the woman a few candies....she deserves them.

What exactly is a mini-book? I've never one heard described that way. Even if it has 100 pages (large type) it's described as a book. In other words, don't sell yourself short.

Nice of Jeff to buy you the tablet....can he eat chocolate? So the ex(tra) woman in your life is showing up with a few clothes today? Good.

See, that's why you need more than one pair of shorts...athletic ones would be good b/c they wouldn't have to be removed b/c of no metal (if that's the reason...perhaps they just wanted to check you out). So that's the point....they aren't even that expensive. The new color is believe it or not, lavender, and the shorts are back to being really short (and almost look obscene after looking at long, baggy ones for so long). So do bear that in mind.

Don't mind me bugging you all the time. Just go about your day and file me under "to be ignored." Reassess what you want at your own leisure, but do think of things as they come up. More important...tell us, just directly tell us. It's easy. Even if you move, you'll still want certain things. Not a lot, granted....but some. Get some sleep. Oh, and by the way it's oil of cloves to be put in your sore tooth. I'm sure there's some hanging around somewhere (not!). But it's not ginger, unless that's a new one. Yours, Lenora.
 
A major question I had was: Do the windows open?

Being unable to get the window open and obtain real air is at times why I always carry a spare brick with me,

(my ex boss, an Olympic rower, we found ourselves on the 14th floor of the Century City Plaza Hotel, work is paying, and the sliding door window is closed for outdoor repairs.

My boss, lifts the entire door off the window frame and we have an open window, now we can sleep.)

(I stayed in one of the famous circular Holiday Inns. The window opens about two inches. Ever been in a room which is wedge shaped and the walls get narrower and narrower so basically its like a Alice in Wonderland distortion experience and the room might close in on you and then plus the dang window won't open).

Rosa likely really enjoyed the field trip, sounds like.

Now kudos for the classic line- "I've been deprived".

Clear, direct, to the point. And these caregiving angels get it.

I'm looking forward to the Novela version, but meanwhile, Congrats on scoring the notebook~
 
Thank God for Rosa and all the people who worked together to get the job done.

What an adventure though. I don't think anything in your life goes exactly as planned, does it?

Very proud of your unflappability.



Edit: Wonder if they put the heat so high in the facility because of that cold going around. Older people tend to get really cold when sick. :(
 
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It's funny. I forgot how crazy life is being around real people. All sorts of different unpredictable things are happening all of the time!
Yep normal life is an entertaining thing to experience. And to me thats what you are living now. Might sound starnge to say that, as you are ill and in a care home, but people are that same wherever they might be living and being ill does'nt change their nature (much).
 
The highest volume setting on Jeff's TV is 100 - yet he's somehow managed to surpass that, topping out at an even 120!

In comparison, the loudest volume I've utilized thus far is 24. Yep.

I am currently modeling ear plugs, my industrial strength ear muffs, two different cross-thatched bandanas (as a means to tightly secure the ear muffs to my skull .. which is now squished and squeezing my skull), and midnight dark sunglasses... 'cuz, why the hell not!!!????

Again, I am considering ways to permanently disable my hearing.

BEFORE the noise onslaught... and DURING -----


Which is Which????

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20211128_183250.jpg



Will resume writing and responding once my super loud roommate ___________ ____ _______ ___ _________!!!

Fill in the blanks.


Okay. I realize I am stimuli sensitive due to this illness, but this.... THIS, is excessive.

Eh. I'll live to see another day. As shall we all. I'm merely complaining to an audience who understands. Here (at this facility), not a single solitary soul gets it.


H
 
My roommate eased off the throttle and now The Volume is down around 76. And thus came the words a'flowin out my virtual pen -
Vestigial Pen?
Vestigial Penmanship anybody?
Talk about talent!!!

..I hope you're keeping a notebook about these, what you talked about with Rosa even (and what do you talk about with her?).

Everything with her was above board with her. It's just that she kept asking me questions (while smiling a lot). So I did my best to reverse the emphasis, questioning her instead… but she was rather adept at reversing the reversal.

And waiting around (at the appointments) isn't ever a problem. In essence, I've been waiting around for six years already. I'm used to this. It's just that now I have an audience… sometimes it's one, sometimes it's several more. Or in the least, the venue has changed.

There's a whole thing about the new tablet. I'll write about it later though. It's evolving.

And with the shorts removal thing, them girls were messing with me. Long story.


I stayed in one of the famous circular Holiday Inns. The window opens about two inches.

That experience sounds familiar. Very familiar. My Holiday Inn experiences cover Valdosta, Georgia.. Tucson, Arizona, Orlando... Murfreesboro, Tennessee. And I think, Bowling Green, Kentucky. So, it had to be one of those. Although it may have been Tucson, some time ago.

"Let's get down to some serious window crackin' .." I may have said back then.

And I don't think that Rosa necessarily understood what to think of the whole trip, but she seemed happy enough. LOL

Although, perhaps that's her thing, Everyday and Always. Besides gifting me the scented spray, I have very little context to work with ---


I don't think anything in your life goes exactly as planned, does it?

Yeah, so many things seem to go sideways in my reality. In a sense, that's what makes life fun. But sometimes, fun needs to wait its turn.

Unflappable?

I think what happened is that I flapped a little bit too much when I first became ill. And I wore myself out. :)

So it appears as though M.E./C.F.S. is more or less, a flapping illness. PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

We need "Stop Flapping" t-shirts. I think.

people are that same wherever they might be living and being ill does'nt change their nature (much)

You're right, the nature of people doesn't seem all that different. But the nature of me has changed since the last time I experienced people. Or so it seems. Haha. :)

H
 
Valdosta, Georgia

Did they have that King Frog cafe there when you went? Miles and miles of billboards promoting the food and then yuk. I'm a bad cook but even I can cook better than that.
(Still the billboards were funny--there must have been 30 of them. Plus, a radio station!!!...all just promoting the restaurant. SMH.)

And I don't think that Rosa necessarily understood what to think of the whole trip, but she seemed happy enough.

She got a chance to deal with just one patient for a while. Those aides run to and fro so much. Plus, she got to get out and enjoy the weather. It was a field trip for her. :)

I think what happened is that I flapped a little bit too much when I first became ill. And I wore myself out. :)

I think there are a lot of us who have arrived there too unfortunately.
 
THIS, is excessive.

Are your headphones actually noise cancelling or just noise blocking?

Do you have to charge them or replace the batteries because from what I'm reading if you don't then you probably just have noise blocking headphones.

And if your headphones are only noise blocking, it sounds like noise cancelling would be better.
 
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So it appears as though M.E./C.F.S. is more or less, a flapping illness. PROBLEM SOLVED!!!
:lol::rofl::rofl: You're hilarious.

Gosh, Howard, I would have blown a gasket long ago. You have my permission to start flapping.:lol: Oh, but there are those psychiatrists, and they might hear about it.

You could try asking for a room change again and again and again until it finally happens. Jeff obviously needs hearing aids. He should use headphones for his T.V. I'll admit I've wished for deafness too, and I've never come close to experiencing the constant noise you are now.
 
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Did they have that King Frog cafe there when you went? Miles and miles of billboards promoting the food and then yuk.

Nope. "See Ruby Falls" .... Hundreds of miles... all directions.

And of course, Stuckey's billboards and barns painted ever 3 miles. Restaurants every 30 or so miles.

Sound

The new TV headphones aren't noise cancelling, so I cannot really use them unless my roommate is unconscious.

My ear muffs aren't either. Ear plugs are rubbery. Earphones are only effective if I am playing louder music than the TV. Which defeats the purpose.

The constant noise isn't life threatening, just stress inducing. I cannot relax much at all. But really, I only have to deal with it for 8 - 10 hours per day, at most (as long as I spend most of my time outdoors). :)

I shouldn't complain. And I know what I'm supposed to be doing is let the sound pass through me. Acknowledge, and let it pass.

TV just went off!!! 11:28pm ---

ANNNNNDDDD the lights just came on at 11:29pm ----

The War is Waged
Sound v. Light

Now... lights out again.
 
You could try asking for a room change again and again and again until it finally happens.

Right. Right???

Except that there are worse available matches. And yes, I've poked around a fair bit. The word is out. But the men mindlessly watch TV (upon waking and into sleep). The women (generally speaking) are more considerate and watch less TV.

And otherwise, we get along now (he and I). At least. :)
 
Hi Howard.....well, aren't you dressed up with nowhere to go (the bandanas).

Yes, you do need noise cancelling headphones, but I gather you were most likely wanting to watch a game, is that right? Perhaps you're the one who needs the TV headphones. Just lift them off when it's too loud and put them back on when the action's good....but then you'll have to watch the TV carefully.

No, the candies aren't to be taped up, but since it's your gift you can do whatever you want with them. They're in a special box for people to help themselves, but I guess some people may help themselves more than others.

Did the BB ever get taped up with the help of the Gorilla tape? Cards are to go on the BB (I'm a woman, remember)....although I look at pics that Rod's sending me from CA and realize that my daughter is nothing like I am whatsoever when it comes to keeping a house. So each to their own, I guess.

Still, the BB is still to be hung, or am I only guessing at that?

I have a fridge full of half-eaten food and my husband can't bear to see anything go to waste. Heaven knows what his mother said to him when he was young! Anyway, I must get rid of it somehow or his stomach will burst upon his arrival home.

To top it all, this man still weighs what he did on our wedding day...now that's depressing to go up against! Personally I think he must be the proud carrier of the largest tape worm in the world.

Junk on TV at the moment anyway. Netflix is to have a new line-up at the end of November....a lot of old ones from Amazon. Anyone with any ideas (not you, Howard, not games...please).

I'm supposed to be sending out Thanksgiving letters instead of Xmas cards and letters, thus far there has been a total of one. Not helping the post office here, am I? I was thinking the other day about how the invention of the telephone must have really cut into the profits of said Post Office. Now an even worse slam....we'll be back to the Pony Express (which didn't last any time at all, out of interest). Imagine mailing something from Mars? Talk about a collector's item! OK...must get on with those letters to people I've actually met.

Howard, be good and yes, I can smell Rosa from here! You are so blessed....noise at one end, perfume and a smile at the other. You actually need nose plugs too, don't you? Take good care....and no sunburns. Where are your t-shirts? Or in your case, Hawaiian shirts? Yours, Lenora.
 

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