Fending, Finding, and FUBAR**

FUBAR - FTW!

Friday turned into an epic FUBAR day; equal parts Fellini and The Marx Brothers at their best - with a little Doris Day thrown in for balance.  Without going into confusing detail, let’s just say that between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. chaos, computer glitches, dumb decisions, were the norm rather than exception.  Beaucoup stoopid, as I say. And on top of all the rest, a last-minute discovery that platelets were low caused more hysteria, yet another delay

Anyway, after 22 hours without food or drink I was beyond hungry or thirsty and closer to numb.  Beyond feeling discomfort or pain. Since the day went longer than anyone dreamed it could, my offer to buy Kelli’s lunch went out the window. By the time she fetched me at the hospital, it was late and she still had work to do at the office. I was dropped off at home and had to fend for myself.

Fine. While still coming out of the anesthetic haze, I microwaved some frozen Beef Daube, covered it with rice and along with copious amounts of water - had dinner. 

After the small meal I hit the bed and was out almost immediately. Slept long and deep, thanks to the goddess. Today it all seems so surreal.  But, it all happened. 

There are three patches on my chest - there should only be 2 - only the goddess knows what was done to me in all the confusion. In any case, I survived, am aware (to a degree), walking, talking (when necessary) and functioning as normally as any human could after such an experience. 

Of course, I am sore, but none the worse for what the old body was put through.  Breakfast was scrambled eggs, toast and a coffee. Today it’s back to the routine of drugs, (some were suspended prior to surgery) foods (even though it’s 90’F outdoors, I crave a heavy chicken with veggie soup), and a little light exercise.

There were six items on my gay agenda today:

• Walk the Boardwalk at dawn.
• Appointment at the Center for the Neupogen shot.
• Pick up new prescriptions at the Pharmacy.
• Prepare Chicken soup.
• Order a telephone answering device for the land line.
• Upgrade the memory in the MAC MINI.

The weather was ideal for the walk. Cool, cloudy, with a light fog. It's nice to have the boardwalk and ocean almost all to myself. Though the ocean was calm, one could still enjoy the sounds and smell while walking in the light fog. It was a peaceful bit of heaven.

One of the Lab Techs at the Center tried to scold me for not showing up for the second Neupogen shot yesterday.  After I chewed her face off for 5 minutes, she walked away with tail between her legs.  Came by as I was leaving later to apologize. Never judge anyone’s actions or inactions, especially if you don’t know the reason or cause.

The pharmacy was an interesting experience, as well. The two pharmacists - both of African Heritage - are very kind, helpful, and generous with their time and knowledge. Their names are Aousten and Ougwan.  Both are gentlemen of about my age. 

They always greet me with a smile and floored me today,  telling me how nice it is to serve me. That they were sorry a person like me am going through what I am at present. They were clearly having a bad day, customer-wise.  It is July, after all. Still, it’s nice to receive such a rare compliment anytime.

With the upgrading of cables Verizon is doing in my neighborhood, the landline and DSL service have been problematic over the past weeks (or months, who can remember?), as a result I’ve been missing calls.  Not good in the current situation. I decided I needed a digital answering device to collect any missed calls, so went hunting at Radio Shack & Staple’s. 

There is no doubt in my mind why both those companies are about to go belly-up. The staff is clueless and as bright as a bag of hammers. (One had never heard of a digital telephone answering device, vaguely knew what a wired phone was. Honest!) So, getting nowhere fast, I tried the usual suspects - K-Mart, and finally Wal-Mart, only to come up empty again.

On to Amazon (why don’t I ever think of this option first?) and found one within seconds. They’re more sophisticated these days, offer more recording time and more bells and whistles, too. So, ten minutes and $10.00 later, an answering device will be arriving at my home on Monday.

Have to make a note to think of Amazon first when it comes to obscure, uncommon items.  I’m a Prime member - for the free Kindle Library, movies, and 2-day shipping, but it’s never first in my head for situations like this  There were many options to choose from and the item descriptions usually covered questions one would normally ask an informed sales person, who, unfortunately, exist only in the shadows of the past.

Picked up the fresh veggies for the soup on the way home, resisting temptation to munch on the raw *celery and carrots;  whimpering as I dropped them into the Dutch Oven with the broth. Soup will be ready by suppertime.  Yay!  Me!

Always the procrastinator! When I purchased the MAC MINI last year, the sale price included only 8GB of memory. The money saved by going with the 8, instead of 16GB upgrade was enough for the purchase of the super drive DVD.  I thought the 8 would be sufficient for my needs.

A go-to friend at the restaurant, and self-proclaimed MAC MANIAC wasn't so sure.  He thought the 16 would be more efficient and faster. I couldn’t afford the added expense - especially dealing with a then unknown illness - so the (on sale) MINI with the 8GB won out.

Well, not to be dismissed, my friend gave me the 16GB modules a few weeks later. He had removed them from a non-working MAC and wouldn’t take a penny for them.  Just insisting I install them and see the difference.  Well, 9 months later and I finally switched them out - the 16 for the 8 - and you know, he was absolutely right. 

It’s a snap to do, requiring nimble fingers, and no tools.  Totally unlike a Windows PC. The no tools thing I could handle, the nimble fingers thing was another story.  Still, I got it done and am a very happy camper. Now I have to suck it up, call Eddie to tell him the deed is done and listen his “I told you, so” reprimand. It'll be worth it.

This post is longer than expected, but there’s been more activity these past 48 hours: Port removed, New Port embedded, Fresh Soup, New Telephone answering device, improved MAC, and a much higher platelet count, to boot.

That last bit may be the reason I have more  energy this evening than usual. I graciously accept any and all.

And so it goes.

*

**FUBAR = fucked up beyond all recognition.