Changes

Well for openers tonight, let's start with this change - I switched my blog over to the beta version. I've heard some in the writerslife group complain about problems they had after they switched, so considering I'm a bit on the computer illiterate side, let's hope all goes well with my switcheroo here!

I figured since it was nearing time for me to "hit the hay" as they used to say about it being bedtime or darned near it, I thought I'd take a few minutes to comment about my day today.

I had a checkup appointment this morning in Pittsburgh to see the surgeon who did my colostomy back on Oct. 23rd. Originally, the appointment was scheduled for 11:15 a.m., but earlier this week, the dr's receptionist called to tell me they had to change my time and they upped it to 10:15 a.m. Now, I tried to explain to her that this might be tough for us to get there that much earlier, but she insisted we had to try because the dr. was scheduled already for some surgery at 11 a.m.

Ok - my son was to be my chauffeur and I told him yesterday that we would have to leave by 7:30 the latest, preferably by 7:15 to give us ample time to be there and be on time.

Now, normally, my son is pretty good in the punctuality department. It's the older daughter who tends to have timeliness "issues." But this a.m, when he wasn't here by 7:15 I called him and got his voice mail on his cell phone. I left a message and waited and no response from him.

When Bill, my son-in-law, left for work, I told him to stop at Clate's place to make darned sure the squirrelly son was up. Good thing he did too because Clate was still sacked out on his couch, just a z'ing away! He arrived at the house at about 7:40 and we left within 5 minutes of his arrival. Had to stop and get gas though too so that slowed us down a tad!

He looked like he had just crawled out of bed too I might add - which is exactly what he had done! He had enough time to take a whiz, toss on some aftershave or cologne and brush his teeth but his hair - sticking up all over the place, his shoes - untied - jeans, the same holy ones he had worn to work at the bar last night. Well, you get the picture! If he wasn't my "favorite son" I might have been more than slightly ticked off at him! LOL

We got to Pittsburgh about 10:30 but ran into a problem finding a parking place. Gee, go figure but all the parking garages were filled. The one place, the attendant gave him a card with directions on another place to go try and he ended up dropping me off at the intersection of Terrace and Lothrup Sts - just above the entrance to Presbyterian Hospital and I walked down the hill then to the entrance, while he drove off to try to find a parking spot.

Talk about a fun walk! This street - Lothrup - is a really steep hill and here I am, wearing a wedge-type shoe - a slide no less - and trying to make some decent time walking while trying to maintain my balance as I kept feeling all the while that my body was going to topple forward and I would end up rolling down the damned hill! But, thankfully, I made it to the entrance without that happening and up to the dr's office then too only about 1/2 hour late for my appointment.

I registered at the desk in the reception area and no more than finished doing that when I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to come face to face with Dr. Hughes, my surgeon. He was on his way out of the office to do the surgery or whatever it was he had to be at to do at 11 a.m. so only had time to talk to me for a couple minutes there then.

He asked immediately how I was feeling and I have him a big old grin and a huge hug and asked him if that gave him any clue as to how I was feeling! Then I explained that since the surgery, my legs feel like they are just about brand new - no aches, no cramps, no pains! Just pure peace 95% of the time with them! And he was very happy to hear that! Also was pleased to learn I had no problems since being discharged with anything except those stinking old shingles and a slight head cold the past week. Otherwise, I feel darned near like a whole new old lady!

So anyway, my checkup then consisted of his nurse/physician assistant, Julianne, taking my vitals, talking to me to see if I had any questions/concerns and after that, the ostomy nurse came in and talked to me, asked if I had any questions/concerns too and by noon, I was done and out of there!

Thankfully, my son found a parking spot and also, was able to find his way from the garage to the dr's office too. That kind of had me worried because he had never been to the dr's office before but when I saw he had made it there, it also eased my mind about how he will do with his future employment as a truck driver too. He's currently enrolled in a truck driver training program to get his CDL license and will finish that up the beginning of December and hopefully, will then be gainfully employed by the end of the year then! I figured if he could find his way to the dr's office in the maze that UPMC Presbyterian Hospital is, he can find his way most any place! Right?

On the way home, we stopped in Brookville, PA - just off Interstate 80 - and ate lunch at a really nice buffet restaurant there - Plyor's. If anyone reading this is ever travelling on Interstate 80 in PA, looking for a good place to eat, I would very much recommend this place!!! Prices for the buffet are quite reasonable and the selection of foods is very large as well as very good! Clate and I both made two trips through the buffet - ok, we made pigs of ourselves some might say.

All that food, the travel and stuff though did get me a bit worried the rest of the way home - abotu a 45 minute drive from the restaurant to the house. I could hear and FEEL my stomach acting and reacting and what's more, I could visibly WATCH the reaction too as the bag started to swell. Now this was also beginning then to worry me too! My neighbor had told me the other day that her dad had a colostomy about 16-18 years ago (he died about 1-2 years ago) and at some time or other after he had the colostomy, his bag had actually exploded! Boy, talk about something to worry about when you are sitting in a car, seatbelt across your belly and you see this balloning thing growing and growing!

Needless to say, as soon as we got home, old Mom made one heck of a beeline for the bathroom! What a relief!

But overall, the day was good. The bag didn't balloon and explode - thank goodness. The weather was just fantastic - sunny, warm but not hot - just nice to ride and see the sights along the way. And, as always, it was fun to spend that much time in the company of Clate, my "favorite son." He's sure a sweetheart and I wish some nice young lady would come along and realize too what a great young man he really is too!

But all in all, I'm just glad the trip is done, day is over, and now - I think I will head off to bed to dream of some topic I can write about tomorrow that might not be as boring and mundane.

Nite!