Random Thoughts & Checking Off Lists

The innards have finally settled down pretty much after the bout with the side effects from the Augmentin. The stomach is still a bit queasy at times and I’m not eating much solid foods, but well, “every day in every way”  as the saying goes…

Organizing the new desk I’ve decided that I need to go back to a laser printer for the crisp, clean copies I am used to. I don’t trust inks to be permanent - they still run when wet - anything I need to print must be either filed here or sent to the hospital for filing.  Laser toner once heated binds to the paper permanently.

I’ll use some of the tax refund for the purchase. $100.00 will cover this small footprint job at right (includes extra toner cartridge) which will fit snuggly on the "Z" shelf next to the desk. Since the Epson is my MAC scanner, a good and fast printer is all I need. Toner cartridges have dropped in price, too.  I wonder if the price drop has to do with the increased popularity of the inkjet printers. Dunno, and don’t care. I’ll take the lower price and better quality. Maybe fools will catch on later.

I’ve discovered that I am up to my gonads in wires and chargers associated with all the ‘wireless’ devices accumulated over the years. Though the chargers belonging to the old cell phones went with those phones to their new home via the State Police program for battered women, I still have more than enough to contend with. There are also old mice and keyboards from the PC days that I keep trying to give away but no one seems to want.

Years ago, Ron - the dear gossip - at Retired in Delaware, insisted that I purchase a web camera so we could video chat via Skype.  So I bought one.

Why?  I don’t know.  We lived about a half mile from one another, so I gathered it was just a fun toy he wanted to play with.  Then the old PC died and the old web camera wasn’t compatible with the new one.  Ron’s Skyping calls had dwindled by then, but I bought a newer web camera just to have it handy.  A wasted investment.

A year later Ron made the jump to the MAC and that was the end of Skype. So, there are 2 Logitech webcams floating around this place, too. Now that I have the MAC iPad, iPhone, and iPod, they are gathering dust and sometimes under foot at the most inconvenient times. Yes, now I have FaceTime, which is more sophisticated than Skype ever was, not that it matters.  

Now that I think of it, I wonder if the newest web camera could be used with the MINI…my monitor isn’t an Apple, therefore has no builtin camera.  I’m wondering if I could plug the camera into a USB port, check for new drivers and see what happens.  Seems a waste to throw the thing away. 

There are 3 stand microphones from the old (?) days of early voice recognition, which again, are of no use any longer. I could go on and on, but it's making me depressed so I'll stop for now.  Anyway, you get the idea.

The old PC is waiting for Eddie to return from Romania to remove my personal files and photos from the HD before chucking it, or repairing it for someone else. Yes, it's been sitting by the front door for over a month (where else can I put it?) and I can't wait for his return next week before Easter.  

When I have the strength and energy the old Laser Printer needs to go to the tech & electronics recycle center, which is not nearby anymore.

Anyway…I’ve gotta get rid of all this stuff!!?!!

I’ve organized all the relevant cords, cables, wires, and chargers with the devices I use today; they sit neatly wrapped and labelled in two covered, plastic containers on a shelf where all such things live. Nice and clean.  Though these items too, seem to multiply for some unknown reason.  Sigh!

Got a call from the Oncologist’s office acknowledging that I discontinued the Augmentin over the weekend and letting me know the doctor will be looking into a replacement.  They also told me that they called a prescription for an antidepressant, which I can pick up either this afternoon or tomorrow.  

I guess that may be in response to my complaints of short-temper while on the Prednisone, which may be carried over to the Danazol - but I haven’t detected increased agitation since I made the change.  Don’t know what the new drug is, so I can’t look it up, but I’ll find out soon enough.

I may have mentioned this before, but you know a year ago I was only on ONE prescription medication - for the high blood pressure.  Now I am washing down 9; some are taken more than once daily. This new antidepressant will bring that total to an even 10.  

Say, do I get some kind of award for that?  New washer and dryer? Trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico?  Hoboken, NJ?  Hey, I ain’t fussy.

The sister’s birthday is tomorrow so I caught her this morning by phone before she had the chance to leave the apartment.  She was happy for the call, but remains quite scared about the open heart surgery coming up next week.  Can’t say I blame her, but she’s strong, asked lots of questions, and her medical team has been available for anything she needs going into this last week prior to the operation. They’ve covered every inch of what will be her physical domain during recovery and there’s no more they can do, except be there for moral support.  Me too.

I really need to put some solid food into my system today, but nothing sounds interesting or the least bit appetizing.  I’ve down the last yogurt and I am tired of canned fruits.  Maybe something will jump out at me when I do the shopping tomorrow.  Trouble is, I can feel myself getting weaker every day.  

That said, I don’t think I’ll be driving to the drug store for the new prescription today.  Just not up to it, is all.  

And so it goes.

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