I'm sitting here sniffing, sneezing and wiping my eyes. I seem to have come down with a lil sumptin'. Yesterday I woke with a swollen throat and itchy eyes. I wrote it off to allergies, even though I've never really had allergy issues. I rationalized that maybe I had developed something since the relocation. Imagine my dismay when I awoke this morning with the runny nose and coughing and sneezing. I'm guessing I've run up on an old fashioned cold. It'll be fine as soon as it runs its course.
Earlier this week---Tuesday--I went to have some blood work done for my physical on Friday. I checked out my test results online. I don't know what the acronyms mean but I could tell things are looking good because in one column they'd list stuff like >40 and my actual reading was 42. Or if it said a normal reading is <140 mine would be 120. So like I said, I'm on the right side of all the stuff for which they examined my blood. I know one of them had something to do with cholesterol.
While I was there I decided to pick up the STD results I had done last month. I ended up going to the doctor because I had a swollen lymph node in my groin on the right side. I was bathing one day and ran across a lil lump. My first instinct was to check the other side of my groin to see if I had a matching lump on that side. I did not. I instantly had a Highlights moment (remember that magazine?). I knew this didn't belong in the picture. I made an appointment to go find out what was up.
The doctor told me it was a swollen lymph node caused by a bacterial infection. He let me know that it was not uncommon. My major concern was to make sure that it wasn't cancerous or a cyst or something like that. He gave me some amoxicillin and said it should be fine in a few days. I half took the prescription that was supposed to last me 10 days. I was supposed to take 2 pills per day 12 hours apart but ended up taking pills when I remembered. I still have probably 10 pills in the container and started the prescription February 18, 2009. Yeah, so as you can see, I didn't exactly follow doctor's orders, but fortunately I'm fine.
Because of the nature and location of my health concern, the doctor recommended a full STD screening. I agreed and gave them all the blood and urine that they needed. So fast forward to Tuesday of this week. After I gave blood for my physical I went up to medial records to get the results from the previous month's screening. I was a little nervous. You know how in those moments before you review the documents you have that silent time to replay the tape? You start thinking about everything that you've done and all the what ifs. Anywho, everything checked out fine. No herpes, syphilis, HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, etc. I was relieved.
Good health. You are why I find pleasure in the simple things in life.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Achoo!
Monday, March 23, 2009
As Promised, Christmas Story
Three blogs ago I said I'd tell you all what happened when I went home for Christmas. Being a man of my word, I'll do just that. So we typically always meet up for Christmas at either my mom's place, my deceased grandmother's place or one of the aunts' places. Christmas 2008 was held at an aunt's place in Albany, Georgia. This place is about 4 hours from where my mom stays in Georgia so it didn't make a whole lot of sense for me to fly to my mom and then ride down to Albany an additional 4 hours. I decided to fly to Atlanta and drive to Albany from there--about 2.5 hours. A direct flight to Albany would have probably cost me about $150 more. I have family in the A, so it was not problem for me to hop a ride with one of the cousins.
Anyway I arrived in Albany on Christmas morning. My mom and him arrived maybe around 1:00 p.m. When they came in the house I greeted everyone in their party. Three uncles and him accompanied my mom. All though I spoke to him grudgingly, I did at least acknowledge his presence. It was all I could do to muster that up. Him's hearing is going bad in addition to the myriad of other health related, evilness induced challenges he has. As a reminder, ever the consummate teacher, let's have a quick review. Double amputations in both legs, kidney failure, on dialysis, legally blind and I think one or two fingers are missing too. Anyway, he apparently didn't hear me. Not my issue.
We ate and opened presents. The tradition is that we all sit around and read off each name and ooh and aah over every single gift. It usually takes 3 - 4 hours but it's time well spent. I heard him ask my mom if she checked on 'that situation' they discussed. Let me bring you up to speed. JayBee = 'that situation'. So anyway, him told her she didn't have to say anything, just be observant. I figured that their conversation centered around me not speaking to him and how he felt about it. Clearly I don't give a sh@t about how him feels about anything so I made no moves to make him feel any differently.
(time elapse, you know like how they do in books)
So when it was about time for them to leave, my mom asked me if I spoke to him. I told her that I did. Ever trying to be the mediator she asked if he heard me. Of course I told her that I couldn't speak for him and wouldn't attempt to do so. She requested that I tell him goodbye before they pulled off to go back to my grandmother's. I was lying down when we had this conversation. I remarked that she could just leave and go back and pretend that I was asleep because if I were asleep I wouldn't be expected to wake up and give a benediction over the day. Of course I can't really say no to mama so I complied, but not without trying to help her understand more about how I feel.
I let her know that him has no right to make a big deal out of me not speaking to him. I never do. Why would him's expectation be that today would be any different? Him's issue with me not speaking to him is 'how it looks to the [extended] family.' That's just the bullshit I'm talkin' about. Everyone else is fully aware of how I feel. This imaginary audience for whom we're supposed to be performing DOES NOT EXIST. It is this fakeness that I rebelled against as a child and I'll not continue to participate in it as an adult. Moreover, with him acting like I'm such a disrespectful muthafucka of a son, it allows him to play the victim. As if someone drug him through years of a horrible existence and not the other way around. Unacceptable.
She understood that. I didn't use any profanity, but she clearly understood what I was saying. It seemed to be a turning point in our relationship because I had began to withdraw from her because she continued to try to push me to engage with someone with whom I didn't desire. She doesn't push it anymore and hasn't since that date. Three months strong. Not a single mention of 'talking to your father' or any of its derivatives.
Peace of mind. You are why I find pleasure in the simple things in life.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Calling You to Enter the 21st Century
I finally got a new cell phone. I owned the Treo 700wx with Windows mobile for years. I liked it and all but there were some problems. For one, I couldn't send pics or video via text message. I couldn't talk on the phone and be on the Internet at the same time. I didn't have a way to permanently record my contacts. With the advent of the Treo Pro all of those issues and more have been corrected.
I dropped the old phone (700wx) in water Sunday after I got back from the liquor store. (I did go to church but ended up drinking with some peeps.) I sprang into action to pull it out of the water quickly, removed the battery, shook out excess water and let it dry out. It started working again Monday morning and held out all the way until I left lunch around 2:20 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. Once it had it's final hurrah, I rushed to the Sprint store to see what I could get and decided on the aforementioned.
It feels good to have a phone with all the neat stuff. Pictures by text message. So common for many, yet never before a reality for me.
You are why I find pleasure in the simple things in life. Truly He is the center of my joy.