Sunday, January 22, 2012

Pats are in the Bowl!

Well, the Pats squeaked by Baltimore and will be playing in the Super Bowl!  What an ending!  Now the Giants and San Francisco are locked in a toe to toe battle...you know, just as in the Final Four, sometimes the most exciting games are played in the semi-finals....not the final. 

Charmine and I will be watching the Super Bowl from the Marriott Hotel bar in Costa Rica.  Should be fun.  I've already packed my Pats t-shirt, so I will be dressed appropriately for the occasion.

We leave for Costa Rica a week from Tuesday.  We'll be gone ten days.  I went on line and looked up the hotels where we will be staying and they all look great!  It's going to be an action-packed ten days...I just have two wishes...the weather cooperates and my body cooperates!   I will have opportunities to rest on the bus rides and every day there is "free time" to relax at the hotel pool...which I plan to take advantage of as much as possible!

We got a foot of snow overnight Friday to Saturday.  Sandy had to run the snow blower for the third time this week....she loves it!  The doggies don't love it though.  Rocket went out the back door and jumped down one stair, landing in snow up to his neck, he turned right around and trotted back inside!  I didn't blame him.  He snuggled under the blanket on my lap and slept like that the rest of the day, barely going out to pee. 

We don't have a "snow dog" anymore.  Lily was the snow dog...she loved it when the weather turned cool.  She would go outside while Sandy shoveled and ran the snow blower and she would sit out there the whole time.  She would be coated in white and loving it!  She was big so she could also plow through the deep stuff without problem...the little dogs would follow in her trail, using her like their own "Mr. Plow."  Now they have to wait for Sandy to plow the paths out back for them. 

On Friday I successfully completed another half hour workout session with my personal trainer.  We did aerobic on the treadmill, then lifting the pipe overhead, step work, squats against the wall and stair climbing.  I felt pretty good afterwards.  I go again on Tuesday for another half hour and maybe will schedule another session for Friday.  Then I will be gone--to Costa Rica and then to Putnam to care for Bob while Wini goes to Florida.  I'll start up again in March.  I plan to sign up for at least four more sessions.

Speaking of Wini, she agreed to meet with the woman that Cindy told me about.  This is a woman who knows them from church.  She has experience with providing care for elderly people in their homes, cooking, cleaning, transporting, etc.  I asked Wini if she would at least meet with the woman with me and she said yes!  She is now willing to have help.  Dr. Botta had spoken with her about it, I spoke with her and other people have too...it's all working!   She told me the other day that she feels like "the old Wini" which is great!  I think it's because she is letting go of some responsibilities and it is lightening her load.

I'm already thinking of things to do with Bob, besides transporting him to all his activities....I think we'll go to Worcester and get us some Coney Island dogs...it's been forever since he's had those.  I'll take him shopping for stuff he needs and maybe see about getting some adaptive equipment in there...for the bath especially.  And clean....I will clean out that bedroom, so he can move around in there without having to crawl over boxes, etc.  Maybe I can even figure out something to do with the light, so he can't knock it over and break the bulbs....he keeps breaking bulbs. 

I think I will go "doctor shopping" when I'm up there, too.  I'm thinking I will go to Dr. Wreschner first and then get my name on the list for Dr. Botta.  I have just about had it with my current doctor.  I like my Nurse Practitioner, but it's not always easy getting in to see her and I no longer trust my doctor or the other nurse there.  I don't really want to go to Backus if I have to be hospitalized.  From all I know about that place, I have to say it isn't safe to be a patient there.  I would rather take my chances in my small, hometown hospital.

I used to be Dr. Wreschner's patient when he first came to town.  That should count for something.  Dr. Botta sees anyone over 50...he is my Dad's doctor.  I absolutely love and trust him.  He works hard for his patients (as does Wreschner) but it is hard to get onto his patient list and I think you have to pay out of pocket some....but it is definitely worth it. 

So, ch-ch-changes....all good.  Things are rolling along now quite nicely.  It feels good.

Speaking of feeling good, I can't tell you how great it is to not have my stomach hurting constantly.  I noticed it when it stopped hurting.  What a difference!   The area that I though had herniated again, is clearing up nicely...I think it was muscle strain from the dry heaves.   Thank goodness!  I wasn't looking forward to my trip to Dr. Valin and have him find me herniated again!   He would NOT be a happy camper!

Okay, back to the Giants/San Francisco game....

GO PATS!

Later...