I Spoke Too Soon

A few days ago I posted about taking Bob to the ophthalmologist. After visiting with him I felt I could go forth with confidence, wrong. I spoke too soon.

Soon after that visit Bob mangled another pair of his prescription glasses. Three times he's done this. I know he sat on them one time but don't know what happened the other times. Everytime this happens I have to take him and the glasses back where we got them and ask them to repair and realign them.

I decided I would fix that so I got a cord for his glasses. Surely that would keep his glasses safe. Nope, like glasses, you have to wear it for it to be successful. That idea was a fail.

When I had my cataract surgery the doctor told me if I didn't want prescription glasses to get 2.50 strength reading glasses and I would be fine. This morning I went to Dollar Tree and bought five pair of reading glasses for a total of $5.

Go ahead Bob, lose and mangle those prescription glasses all you want, I can get more where these came from. This is it for you.

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HELP

I am commenting on blogs, I really am, but when I press publish the comment goes away, never to be seen again, perhaps eaten by Blogger?  Anyone else having this problem? Know a solution?

Daughter is Gone

Daughter was here for a week but left this morning. This is the rainy season in Oregon so, as expected, it rained every day but one that she was here.

The zoo gods smiled upon us for a day so we were able to visit the zoo in sunshine without a single raindrop! We wanted to visit Nora, the polar bear, and the three otters we've grown fond of through zoo videos. 

I think every person in this part of the state with small children was there. You could hardly walk for little ones zipping around. The zoo has very little flat surface, you're either walking up or walking down. I wasn't sure how I would do given I've exercised very little this winter but I made it. I did take my walking stick (stick, not cane), and it was very helpful.

Every time I visit a zoo I wonder why I put myself through that. Most of the time the animals I'm interested in are not out for viewing or have chosen that time to sleep. Thus was our visit this time. The polar bears were not out for viewing. One otter was out and provided us with quite a show but I was left to wonder if it was worth the effort. Perhaps I'll just keep watching videos.

The next day it was back to rain. I think we've had rain every day for about a month. Pools of water are standing everywhere. That's the norm for this time of year so I'm not complaining. About the time I think I can't stand one more day of rain this place will burst forth in the beauty of spring and I'll forget all about these dreary, rainy days.

Daughter helped me buy frames for new eyeglasses. Only twice in 40 years have I had frames I've dearly loved. I'm hoping that's going to be the case with these. I've had cataract surgery and don't necessarily "need" glasses but I need them just enough it really annoys me. I wear the reader glasses you can buy everywhere but I'm tired of keeping up with them. I often wind up with a pair on top my head, a pair on my face, a pair in my purse, a pair in the car, a pair by my recliner, a pair by the computer, and a pair on the table beside my bed.

What I'm missing is the middle part of trifocals. I've worn trifocals so long I'm lost without them (with lines please). I prefer putting my glasses on first thing every morning and taking them off as I'm crawling into bed at night.  I'm more than sick of chasing glasses.

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Heads up Democrats, we have a problem.

Senator Diane Feinstein

I love this woman and can hardly bear to think about the Senate without her,  BUT,  she was born in June 1933. Figure that and you'll see she will be 84 in a few months. She's up for reelection in 20118 for another six year term. 

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi

She has said if Hillary had been elected she would have retired. That did not happen. She was born in March 1940 which means she'll turn 77 in a few days.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer

Born November 1950 he will turn 67 later this year.

Senator Bernie Sanders

In September Bernie will turn 76.

Senator Elizabeth Warren

Born June 1949 she will turn 68 this year.

In the past few days I've hear a few names mentioned for possible 2020 candidates. 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (60)

 Senator Elizabeth Warren (68)

Former Gov. Martin O'Malley (54)

I ask you to look instead at these names for possible 2020 candidates.

Senator Kamala Harris (53)

Rep. Seth Moulton (39)

Jason Kandor (36)

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Democrats Strike Back in the Redistricting Wars

Much Improved

Yesterday morning I decided Bob needed to actually see the urologist. Not an easy thing to accomplish but I was up for a challenge so I started at 8:30 a.m. and by 3:00 p.m. we were sitting in the office of the urologist.

Things began to break our way once the urologist entered the room. He ordered Bob's catheter out, and talked at length with us. We returned early this morning for some tests. At this moment in time Bob is managing fairly well. There are still future appointments ahead of us and some work to be done learning to deal with incontinence supplies but we're in a much improved place today.

Every doctor's office has its own personality and generally I do well adjusting to the wishes of a clinic but not so with this group of urologists. I don't think it's our doctor, but either the other doctors or the office manager has given the office staff some very rigid guidelines. They absolutely cannot deal with a situation that does not fit within their rules.

I tried to get Bob in the next day after we were in the ER but could not get past the severe wall of office staff there to guard against people like me. I could scale Donald Trumps 'wall' easier than I could get past the guards in that office. They absolutely would not break the rule that a catheter had to be in 14 days before returning to see the doctor. Since he'd never seen the doctor in the first place I thought that was a dumb rule.

Yesterday was it for me, enough was enough. I spoke with the doctor about the situation when we finally saw him, and explained I wanted to be nice but I simply could not figure out the system for working with his office staff. He said to me "Don't try to be nice. When you think you need to be seen just show up. They will not send you away." It could be the office manager but I'm thinking it is more likely the senior doctor in the group who's responsible for these rigid rules. Perhaps he's a rigid person himself and likes a lot of protection from his patients.

In the future I will 1) just show up, or 2) leave a message for our urologist's assistant, and work through her. You live and learn. We are exhausted, and I feel like I've fought a war, but that damn catheter is gone!
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We picked up Bob's new glasses. He said they were better and we came home. He told me he would try to wear them all time like everyone seemed to think he should.

A few minutes later I see him with four pair of glasses, three of which were older prescriptions. He was trying all four pair to see which pair was best! I told him his new glasses were as good as it was possible to do for him, that he needed to put the other three pairs away and use only the new ones.

Just now I caught him reading the paper with an old pair. He clearly did not realize he had an older pair. Said he just picked up a pair that was on the table. Since he did not put away the old glasses I will.

He is back to wearing his glasses in his pocket.
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I'm interested in Donald Trump's trip to Mexico today. I was amused to see he was taking Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama with him. He is about the most rabid anti-immigration person in the senate. Fine choice there Donald.  The other person he took was former NYC mayor Giuliani, who's gone completely off the rails lately. What a group. Don't believe it if Trump comes back and reports Mexico agreed to pay for the 'wall.'