Co-Op business and a trip to the store

 

I didn't want to start moving to go outside.  The weather forecast was terrible, and I didn't feel like getting dressed.  However, I had an exercise dress waiting at Macy's for me to pick up, and I didn't want to waste any time.

- - - - - -

Around 2:00 pm, I received an email from my co-op's president, telling the board about some issues people were having with our managing agent. (No, I won't go into any details here for privacy concerns.)  But this triggered my need to check in with her, resulting in a set of questions we need answered by our site representative, and a task for this person to take care of.

Next, I called my doctor's receptionist, and she established an account for me on their system.  Although I am connected, I can not yet send messages to the doctor via this portal.  Luckily, I'll be speaking with the receptionist again this week, as I have to schedule another appointment with the doctor (as well as scheduling a liver scan at Northwell's local office).

Now, I was ready to prepare to go to the store.  But I lallygagged a little, and it wasn't until 6:00 pm that I decided to go into the shower.  By the time I was ready to go out, it was raining.  But I didn't know hard it was raining until I got to the front door.  In for a penny, in for a pound - and I was out the door in the pouring rain.  Things got even worse, as my car's accident prevention system couldn't see through the pouring rain.  If I made it to Macy's by 8:00 pm, I'd pick up my dress.  If not, at least I was driving slow and safe.  

I arrived at Macy's around 7:40 pm, and the rain had eased off a little.  10 minutes later, I was out of the store, and the rain started up again.  So I drove home slowly and safely.  By the time I got home, the rain had eased off again, so I wasn't soaking wet as I got in my door.  But this is a trip I should have  deferred until the morning, and will do so next time it's raining this hard.

- - - - - -

On other matters, I was originally scheduled to see DCD tonight for dinner.  Now that he's late in making his monthly car payment, he is avoiding me.  Since I know that his car is off the road due to his actions, it serves him right to try to make it home in this rain via public transit.  Karmic justice....

A visit to the doctor - aargh!

 

Today's post should  be a short one, as I have to run down to RQS's place in a few minutes....

I had an appointment with my doctor, and I knew he'd read me the riot act because I gained a few pounds over my vacation - and he did.  However, I mentioned my issues with the liver scan, his portal, and a couple of other things, and he said that the ultrasound lady doing the liver scan should have called her supervisor.  (Not much I could say - I am a "civilian" in these affairs, and he knew that I wouldn't know what to say to this woman in this circumstance.)

- - - - - -

By the time I get to RQS's place, her new refrigerator should be installed.  She is looking forward to having an appliance that works well.  Hopefully, she'll have fewer problems than I have had.  Mind you, some of my problems might have been of my own making, as the hidden magnets that help keep the door closed (yes, all refrigerators use them these days) are not strong enough to deal with a slightly overstuffed ice box.  (I can't prove my ice box is overstuffed, but I can see a difference after shifting something inside further back - long story.)  It's a shame that her landlord isn't paying for the replacement.  But, given NYC Rent Stabilization laws, it makes sense for her to keep her landlord happy receiving her below-market rent check at the beginning of each month.

I was supposed to get a Liver Scan but....

 

When I last went to my doctor, he wanted to have me get a liver scan.  Today was supposed to be the day.  However, events conspired against this from happening as planned....

- - - - - -

The last time the doctor gave me a script for a liver scan, I was hesitant in doing so.  There is a part of me that avoids doctors, and it took me a bit of time to get in the habit of letting a doctor monitor my health.  As I've said before, part of the reason I don't like doctors' visits is that I know that I'm not in the best of shape, and I haven't been willing to make the sacrifices needed to get into better shape.  (Round is still a shape, isn't it? 😀)  It's so much harder to do so in my middle 60's than it was in my early 40's.  But it can be done.  I just haven't done so.

To prepare for this test is simple - just avoid ingesting any fluids or solids between midnight and the morning of the test.  This is what I did.  My alarms woke me up after 3-4 hours of sleep, and I was at the clinic by 9 am.  Shortly after I arrived, the Ultrasound technician called me in and told me there was a problem with the script.  I was not the only one that had this problem.  Doctors are asking for a Fibre Scan, and the technician said that her group does not do this test.  Nor do they have anyone in the larger group that does this.  Something was wrong, and my doctor's office wasn't answering the phone.  So I was sent on my way with a simple question on my mind - what did my doctor really want done, and where could I get this done?  I figure that I'll let the doctor answer this question when I see him next week.

My morning was shot, as I had already gone out as Mario when it wasn't needed.  But there was one saving grace.  I could finally get some breakfast....

The doctor wants to run another test on me - a short post

 

I went to the doctor today, and he saw signs that made him want to have a liver scan done on me.  I've put this off for a long while, and don't relish going in for a simple scan.  Why, you might ask?  Maybe, I'm hiding from reality.  And maybe, I simply don't care.  This is why I wish I had a good therapist I could trust with both my eating issues and my gender issues.

Years ago, I broke up with Patty, then Ex-GF-M because of eating issues.  Both were good people, but they were triggering my food addiction.  Since then, I've never been able to restore the drive I once had to lose weight and live a more healthy lifestyle.  I've simply become complacent.  And I'm paying the price for being complacent.

Hopefully, this will be a wake-up call in the nick of time, as I want to stay healthy enough to live a longer life than I expect to live, now that I have someone I really care about in my life.  But it will take major changes in my life to do so.  At least, there will be one major non-health related benefit - I will be able to buy a new wardrobe that fits me well and looks better on me.

Catching up on things.

 

Catching up on things going on in my life....

1. This past weekend, RQS came up earlier than usual for a Friday.  Although Friday's schedule became open due to DCD's car financing issues (he didn't have enough money saved to register the car), the rest of the weekend's schedule would be affected due to DCD's problems in getting his car (my old Honda) out of my parking spaces.
   
   Although it rained most of Saturday, we had to stay around the house because DCD was supposed to come up with a car carrier and take the car away.  Sadly, he screwed that up, as he was supposed to have a friend come with him - and the friend's no-show prevented DCD from getting to U-Haul on time to get the car carrier.  We were a bit frustrated, as we could have spent the day at the movies, instead of watching reruns on TV.
   
   Sunday came, and DCD finally came up with the car carrier after work.  Although he was later than expected, we got the car running enough to get it on the car carrier, and finally out of the parking space where it dwelled for the past 5 weeks. However, he misplaced the car keys, and this proved to be a problem for him.
   
   DCD had lost the keys to the car, and was going to go to Honda to get new keys cut and programmed.  Luckily, on Monday, the car keys were found, and I arranged to give them to him tomorrow.  (DCD was a topic of conversation between RQS and I until I dropped her off at the train station Monday morning.)
   
   
2. I got in contact with my friend Vicki, and we were able to have an impromptu dinner on Monday.  Something happened to her that will have her thinking about her future and what she wants to do with it.  Since something like this happened to me a while back, I gave her the benefit of my experiences, and hope that she finds a way that is best for her in her forward path.
   
   
3. An appointment with my GP is coming up, and I am not looking forward to this visit, as I gained a few pounds on my last cruise.  (Normally, the increased physical activity on cruises causes me to lose weight.  But not this time.)  Part of me wants to postpone this visit, but this would likely be a mistake.
   
   
4. The two garments I expected from Universal Standard came on Saturday.  One of these outfits (a jumpsuit) looks good on me - especially if I'm wearing the right color bra and wearing my jean jacket over it.  The other garment, a sleeveless dress, doesn't look as good on me, and I'm thinking of returning it for credit.  Will I do so?  Who knows?  Maybe RQS can give me her opinion when she comes back here on the weekend.
   

The new car is finally mine!

 

Today, I felt like the day had more than 24 hours.  Not only did the night before allowed me just 4-5 hours of sleep.  But I felt like I needed to go back to bed for most of the day.

- - - - - -

The day started by me waking up early, and trying to go back to sleep without luck.  Given that I had a doctor's appointment at 10 am, I knew that it was going to be a long day for me.  So, I got showered and dressed as Mario, and off to town to see the doctor.  When I arrived, I found the place unusually empty, as if the doctor had come to the office for only a handful of patients.  

Lately, the doctor has had quite a few student interns from various medical programs assist him in his office.  Today, he had a new person, a young woman training to become a nurse practitioner.  And she introduced a different routine for the day, asking me a lot of questions that she could answer from looking at the doctor's records.  (She has to learn how to ask questions, as well as what questions to ask.  So I am not complaining.)  Then, the doctor came in, and asked his questions - and looked to put me on a new drug.  AARGH!  At least, I have renewed the supply of my old drugs, so the new prescription will have to wait.

Once done with the doctor, I returned home and prepared to remove the license plates from the old car, so that they could be placed on the new car.  Only one problem - I couldn't unscrew the fasteners holding the plates to the car, and I was in luck - my co-op's superintendent had just pulled into a vacant spot, and he was able to remove the plates with a little bit of effort.

- - - - - -

My next stop for the day was the car dealership.  Vicki came by around 1:30 pm, and off we went to complete the deal on the new car.  When I arrived, the salesman made sure to take a lot of pictures of me in front of my new car, and then started the process of showing me around the dealership before depositing me with the sales manager who sold me a couple of add-ons.  $1750 later, I was out the door, and the salesman showed me around the car, so that I could get the car home safely.  By then, Vicki was leaving, so I had the salesman to himself.  (Vicki noted that the fellow who sold her the car she was driving didn't take the time to make sure she knew the features on her car.  It's no wonder that he's now working at a used car dealership....)

When done with the salesman, I drove home to rest for a while.  And then, I got into a conversation with one of my neighbors.  It could lasted quite a bit longer, save for the fact that I looked at my watch and saw that I had to open the co-op's zoom meeting in 20 minutes.  So I rushed inside, and took care of co-op business for the next 2 hours.

- - - - - -

After the meeting ended, I was feeling exhausted.  But I figured that I'd make a run to BJ's as an excuse to see how well the car's automatic lights worked.  (There are a few things I have to be aware of with this setting, but I'll get used to it in time.)  What really gets to me is that I have to learn a whole new way to deal with the car's infotainment system and with its driver safety systems.  And this will also take some time.  (I just have to remember to turn the collision avoidance system off before going into a car wash, as the brakes will mistakenly hold the car in place to protect the car and what's in front of it....)

I think it's going to take a while to learn the ins and outs about the car, and I'd better be careful while doing so.

2023 Bermuda Cruise - Day 4 (Port Day)

Wednesday, November 22, 2023.

The day started with the crowing of a rooster. No, there were no live chickens onboard the ship. Instead, it was my alarm trying to wake us up early enough for RQS to make it to the ship’s infirmary while they had clinic hours.  Like yesterday, the sky was cloudy when we awoke, but neither of us wanted to get moving. Both of us heard my phone’s obnoxious alarm, and it roused both of us as intended. Getting showered and dressed was hard for RQS, but she was out the door before me, as I was still dressing while she hobbled to the clinic.

When I arrived at the clinic, RQS was still filling out paperwork prior to being treated. Shortly afterward, RQS was brought into the examination room while I waited outside. The waiting area was sterile in more than one sense. In this case, all the furnishings were in the same color scheme as the walls - a very light beige. The floor was a light creamsickle orange, and the seats were a non-descript shade of gray. About the only things that could be said to stand out in this area were the pictures on the walls and the bright red biohazard bucket. This is where I waited, when I would have preferred to stay in our cabin until called for.

RQS came out several hundred dollars lighter than when she entered the clinic, with some pain killer pills, instructions to stay off her feet, and to use an ice pack on her ankle. This would not be a pleasant way for her to spend time on the ship. And then, ship security arrived to record our accounts of the embarkation day incident. If we’re lucky, we might be able to use a copy of the security investigation and the medical bill to have RQS’s medical expenses reimbursed by our travel insurance company.

And then we were off to have breakfast. Breakfast at O’Sheehan’s, a casual dining area on the ship, was mediocre, as both service and food quality was lacking.  Next time we'd decide to have breakfast on the ship, it would be at one of the other complimentary dining rooms, where they will deliver all components of a meal in a timely manner.

While RQS was relaxing in our cabin, I went to the buffet looking for some cookies.  In the process of heading to the buffet, I met someone with whom I struck up a conversation. By the time our chat was over, the buffet was setting up for lunch. And this gave me an opportunity to bring RQS something to eat. But I found no cookies! WHERE ARE THE COOKIES ON THIS SHIP???? On the way back to the cabin, an attendant was delivering cookies to several cabins, and if by magic (with a friendly ask of the attendant), RQS now had both the cookies she asked for and her lunch.

After lunch, I decided to and take a long walk. One of the stops I made along the way was a shop in the Clocktower mall to buy some jewelry for myself (when presenting as Marian). I figure that it will go well with the blue dresses I enjoy wearing. (I’m making a note to take care of some purchases I need to make when I get home.) While out, I checked my email, and found that there were a couple of messages of unknown origin that I have to check out. The first was likely a scam, as I know no one in a foreign country that I’d want to talk to. The second was a person who had my name who claimed to be from the Social Security office. This is one call that I must be careful to fully verify its origin before giving out any information - including that which I could consider harmless. (Let’s see if there is some snail mail in my box when I get home, as I believe that SSA uses that to establish first contact.) I don’t want to have a scammer spoof my identity before I am even able to collect my first SS payment.

Near the far end of my walk, I passed by the local prison. That was one place where I decided NOT to stop for a rest. A few minutes later, I passed by Pulpit Rock (no, I don’t have a picture of it) where I was able to take a few more photos. At that point, I decided to return to the ship, as it was getting late and I wanted to be back onboard before the sun went down. 

On the whole, it was not a day that I would have planned to have. But it was productive, as I got in more walking than I usually do in a typical November week.

2023 Bermuda Cruise - Day 3 (Port Day)

 

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

As we were getting up, RQS had something important to say. Due to her ankle injury, whe probably would not be able to visit the Crystal Caves on this trip. I didn’t mind too much, as we can always visit them on a future trip. As usual, we didn’t get up until it was lunch time, and we went to the buffet - a big mistake. Normally, I won’t make a big deal about buffets. But I often eat too much at buffets, and today, I did just that. RQS, on the other hand, ate light, as she had GI Tract issues of her own. Once done with lunch, we left the ship and started our exploration of the Bermuda Dockyard area.

The Bermuda Dockyard area has been transformed into a multi use area. Yes, there is the old fort. But many of the old buildings have been repurposed into stores, restaurants, and even a museum area. Since RQS was unable to see the ship’s doctor while the clinic was open, we went to the local pharmacy so that RQS could purchase a cane. Since Bermuda is an archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic, prices here would be more expensive than on the mainland - and we both had sticker shock when she told me the price of her cane.

After leaving the pharmacy, we decided to visit the Clocktower mall and walk around a little. Thankfully, the cane was helping RQS a bit, as she wasn’t in much pain walking while using the cane. Soon, we decided to go back to the ship, and got caught up in the rain. So we took the free shuttle back to the ship and decided to relax. When we arrived at the pier, RQS almost misplaced her ID, and Bermudan authorities were expecting her to show it when we went back to the ship. Luckily, she had kept it with her cell phone, and we were soon onboard the ship. 

Once onboard, we made the mistake of going to the ship’s version of a restaurant serving pub food, and we suffered with mediocre service. Sadly, when we went to one of the ship’s main dining rooms later on, we also suffered mediocre service. This time, in both settings, the food was underwhelming - a significant drop in quality from the last time we cruised NCL.
 

Since we walked over 2 miles today, we both thought that taking the time to rest was a good thing, so we called it an evening after dinner. Hopefully, we will get to see Hamilton (Bermuda’s capital) tomorrow, and have the time to enjoy it….

I went to the hospital today and came out with an appointment

 

I had some GI Tract issues a fewweeks ago, and I had to visit the hospital for a triage appointment to determine how soon I could schedule a procedure.  Today was that appointment.

My alarms were set to wake me up at 8 am, so that I could get myself ready to go to the hospital for a 10:30 am appointment.  (I was supposed to be there at least 15 minutes early to fill out paperwork.)  When I started filling out paperwork, I noticed something I haven't seen before - not only were they showing respect to the LGBTIQ community by asking both legal and preferred names, but doing the same for biological and identified gender related questions.  Although I went to my appointment as Mario, I could have gone as Marian without any problems.  This was a very pleasant surprise.  If I didn't have another appointment later in the day which required Mario's presence, I might have wished that I knew about this policy in advance, so that I could have presented myself as I want to be seen.

15-20 minutes after I arrived, I met with the nurse practitioner who would be examining me.  I talked about my symptoms, and she told me what likely happened.  Instead of repeating a procedure done in my doctor's office, she took my description of what was done as truth, and then told me that I was about 5 years overdue for the procedure,  So it was off to the front desk to schedule my procedure, then go on my merry way.

As I left the hospital, I made 2 calls: to Vicki, so that I have transportation to/from the hospital on the day of the procedure, and to RQS, so she knew what was going on.  I guess that I'm going to be living a busy life for a while....

I went to NYC today ...and left 15 minutes after I arrived.

 

A while back, I reported here that I left my backpack in the washroom at Croton-Harmon station and that someone picked it up.  Usually, it takes 3-5 business days for a lost item to make its way from a MNRR railroad station to their Lost and Found office at Grand Central.  This week, it will take longer, due to the mudslide over the Hudson Line's tracks that too place over the weekend. 

- - - - - -

My day started with a visit to the doctor (I referred to this in the past 2 days' posts), followed by a call to a credit card company, ending up with a call to make an appointment to see a doctor about new GI-Tract issues I'm having.  This was not a pleasant start to the day.  But, with a co-op board meeting coming up in the evening, I made a decision to try to make it into Grand Central and back within a 4 hour window, so that I could start the board meeting at 6:00 pm.

Given that I didn't want to trust travel on the Hudson line, I chose to drive to a convenient subway station where I knew I could park for free.  Luckily, I found a spot in front of the station entrance, and swiped my Metrocard to get in the fare control area - and not much too soon, as the train came about a minute later.  Around 3:30, I got off the subway and made it to the lost and found office.  Unfortunately, my backpack did not make it to Lost & Found yet.  They haven't been bringing "found" items from the Hudson line to Grand Central for a while.  Things are backed up, and the mudslide just made things worse.  The man at the front desk updated my claim form to mention the computer, and said that I may have a good chance for backpack/computer recovery.  (Keep your fingers crossed....)

Once done with Lost and Found, I made it back on the subway, and was back at my car by 4:30.  However, it took me almost 90 minutes to make it from the Bronx to Croton due to rush hour traffic.  At least, I was able to start the co-op board meeting "on time", and conclude it in less than 90 minutes later.  What a relief to NOT have the old site representative in our meetings!  Our average meeting time has been cut in half.  And we might be getting better service from the firm as well.

The other day, I saw a vision from the past.

 

Sometimes, one sees the remnants of businesses that no longer exist, that were around in one's youth.  Bohack supermarkets is one of those long shuttered businesses.

- - - - - -

I can still remember seeing Bohack stores in the New York area.  Yet, I always wondered what happened to them.  When I did some research, I found that this business was larger than I remembered, as it had expanded into auto products and restaurants before the great depression.  (These businesses were dropped because of the depression.)  Later on, it was taken over by Gulf and Western industries, and over expanded into bankruptcy, finally shutting down in the 1970's.

Why is this important?

It's  a given - all things have a definite lifespan. I worry about my lifespan, given health issues such as my weight, blood pressure, etc., that are risk factors that could shorten it.  Right now, I am dealing with one issue that scares me a bit.  I feel well, but there is an unmistakable sign of a serious problem that must be taken care of - and soon! By the time this post is public, I will be in the process of seeing a doctor about it.  (I should say, at first, only a front line practitioner is doing triage regarding medical symptoms, and that I expect that I will need to see the specialist shortly afterwards.)

Hopefully, I will be OK after I am examined in depth, and that nothing is found that can't be fixed.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Another day without leaving the apartment.

The other day, I went to my doctor and my blood pressure had spiked a bit.  One of the things he told me to do was to take and record my blood pressure readings on a daily basis and have him see it when I see him next.  So, when Amazon delivered my blood pressure monitor, I had to try it out to find out whether my blood pressure was under control or not.  And after 4 readings throughout, I consistently got numbers that said that the medicines I take were working.  So I'll have something to say to my doctor when I see him next month.

But this was one of many little things that made up my day....

Given how dreary the weather was expected to be, I figured that this would be a good time for a Jammie Day.  And I stayed in my PJ's and relaxed.  One of the things I wanted to do was find a duster that I could use as a dress like garment worn over a unitard.  Unfortunately, I might have given this away in one of my donation bags.  If so, I will need to look for another garment I can use in its place - but it won't be as pretty.

Late in the evening, I received a long awaited phone call from my ex-GF Patty.  We've maintained a friendship over the years since we broke up, and I think that her husband is a great fellow.  The phone call came just before I was scheduled to call RQS, so I texted RQS to tell her what's up, and that I'd call her immediately after finishing things with Patty.  Patty has had a very busy summer, and hasn't been able to keep up with her correspondence.  So, Patty apologized for not getting back to me sooner, explaining that the house that she lives in is being sold.  Luckily, she doesn't have to move, although her rent may change.  We caught up with the other details of what's been going on in our lives, and agreed to try and get together again sometime soon.

Next, it was my delayed phone call with RQS and I told her about Patty and her apartment.  We caught up on our daily events, and called it an early night.  Knowing me, I'll have trouble sleeping again and only get a few hours of sleep before seeing the dentist.  Hopefully, I'll be wrong and have a good and restful sleep....

The day started off with a visit to the doctor

 

I hate doctors' visits - especially when I receive bad news.  Today, I found out that my blood pressure spiked, and that my doctor wants me to do daily monitoring.  AARGH!   It's hard enough for me to remember to take my medications in a timely manner....

But enough of that.   After leaving the doctor, I went to BJ's to do some shopping, followed by a visit to Trader Joe's to buy some food for the week.  And then, I had time to kill before this month's co-op board meeting.

- - - - - -

Tonight's board meeting would be the first one with the site manager in training, and I was hoping that we could start off on the right foot. First, we had to interview an applicant to buy an apartment, and that went quickly.  And then, we met with the new site manager.  This time, things went quickly, as he understood what we were trying to do, and we understood what he was trying to say to us.  What a change of tome from our prior meetings!  After he left, we took care of some remaining co-op business, and ended the meeting in record time.

Next on my list of things to do would be applying for social security.  As much as I expected that I'd have problems with the process, it went smoother than expected.  For example, when I had to enter data in regard to my late wife, the application form made it easy for me to bypass data that I don't have anymore - such as her social security number.  Now, I have to wait until money starts flowing into my checking account.  Then, I'll deal with fixing the tax withholding on both my pension payments and my social security payments.

- - - - - 

As I've said in other posts: Most of what goes on in a transgender person's life has nothing to do with being transgender.  We still put our trousers on one leg at a time.  But we also have to deal with other issues which would not have been expected for us if we were cisgender.

Taking care of medical business

One of the problems that I've had over the years is keeping my prescriptions straight.  No, I'm not talking about which drug to take and when to take it.  Instead, it's getting the orders in sync enough, so that I can expect all of my prescriptions at the same time when I am ready to reorder them.  This is not usually something that can easily be done, as none of the processes in place are geared to sync up prescriptions A, B, C, and D that are prescribed at different times, so that they can be delivered in one periodic shipment.

As much as I have to live with the headaches of a system not designed for patient convenience, I am most annoyed by a system that relies on inefficient mechanisms to confirm that a doctor wants to renew his/her patients' prescriptions.  When a recent drug (noted above) needed physician approval for refill (my 3 x 30 day orders were up), the system depended on me to contact the physician instead of providing him/her with a list of patients/drugs up for refill, and an easy way of checking off everything needed for the approvals. (This is how I see it.  It may be much easier from my doctor's point of view.)  So I had to chase down my doctor, and have his office send in the renewal.  To make things worse, is that there is no way for me to switch a prescription to go to the mail order pharmacy - I must go through the doctor.  (Even this is reasonable, but inconvenient for people like me.)  But what happens when a prescription is lost in limbo, like the one above?

Last Friday, I noticed a problem with the above prescription.  Unfortunately, my doctor was off for the weekend.  So I had to make a phone call on Monday morning.  The problem wasn't fixed on Monday (a slip up by the doctor's office), and I had to supply even more information to the office, so that they could get things straight.  Luckily, after my call back, things finally got fixed.  With only 7 pills left in the old prescription, I'm glad things are moving forward again.

There has to be a much better way.  Is this a problem in other countries?  The American medical system is extremely inefficient, and I wish I had access to something better.  We aren't getting our money's worth.  Doctors, Nurses, and other medical staff are not getting their fair share of monies being spent on health care.  The only people making out in our system are the big players: the major hospital chains and big pharma.  Hopefully, market pressures will eventually force our system to provide better value for monies being spent on it.  But I don't see that happening in my lifetime.
 

Forgetfulness

Retirement has done a lot to my memories for things on my schedule.  Unless something is very important to me, I seem to be retaining less and less of "trivial" matters.  For example, the president of my co-op was going in for surgery.  Although I remembered this fact, what she was going in to the hospital for completely slipped out of my mind.  As soon as it came up in conversation, the memory was easy to retrieve.  Yet, I'm bothered by this age related change in affairs.

In the past, I had a photographic memory.  I could read a computer program, and then identify a single one of the hundreds of pages of code where the bug was likely to be found.  Today, I can not absorb as much knowledge as I did in my 20's.  To make things worse, without a regular routine, I am more likely to forget semi-regularly scheduled events for which I've committed myself.  And I have been very embarassed when this has happened.

The other day, I went in for a periodic doctor's appointment, and mentioned that the one thing I am afraid of most is memory loss.  My grandmother (on my father's side) had dementia, and my aunt (not a blood relative) suffers from a form of dementia as well.  I don't think that my doctor really understands my fears in this area, as I have no one to take care of my affairs when I am unable to do so, as I don't have children who'd have an interest in doing so.

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Today, I read a NY Times article about a family who shared a genetic mutation for Fronto-Temporal Dementia.(FTD). It's sad when one knows that they have a 50/50 chance of losing one's ability to take care of one's self, to lose family because of this ailment, and to be isolated from everything worthwhile in life. Even though this is a genetic disease, many in the family wanted to live in denial.  I might have wanted to do the same.  But then, who knows?

There are so many moral issues imposed by others in the names of their faiths that get in the way of preventing diseases caused by genetic traits.  What if we could isolate sperm and eggs carrying these mutations before conception, and prevent the mutations from being carried on to future generations?  Imagine what would happen if Sickle Cell, Tay-Sachs, Hemophilia, and other genetic carried diseases were preventable.  Yet, organizations such as the Catholic Church are against "Test Tube Babies". I certainly don't think that Louise Brown would be upset that her parents used IVF to conceive her, although I think there are quite a few priests who would consider her birth an abomination.  In the case of the family with the FTD mutation, IVF with implantation of FTD-Free embryos (or aborting the fetuses with the mutation) would eliminate this disease from their blood line.  Wouldn't this be more humane than the heartbreak and suffering that will occur when this mutation is passed on to future generations.

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So, I go back to myself....

I don't know what I will do if I am ever given a diagnosis of early stage dementia.  But I think I will try to be like the main characters in the movie "The Bucket List" and enjoy as many valuable experiences as I can while able to enjoy them.

By the time you read this....

 

By the time you read this, I will have both gone to a doctor to see about my persistent cough and have gone on my California cruise with RQS.  And I'll have much to report when I get back.

I'm not one who is comfortable going to new doctors, dealing with new procedures, etc. when it comes to my health.  So, it took a badly abscessed tooth to get me going to a dentist on a regular basis.  It took me almost getting pneumonia to start seeing my internist on a regular basis.  It took a former girlfriend to get me to see a sleep doctor. And it took a former friend to get me to see a dermatologist (who I should see again soon). As you can guess, I am nervous about going to the Doc in a Box today, and may write another post about it later on.

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Tomorrow, we'll be flying to LA for our cruise.  On our one full free day in LA, we intend to see my uncle, and then do a little of the tourist thing.  Unfortunately, many of the attractions will close at 5 pm, not giving us enough time to do more than one museum or attraction.  But then, I never loved LA.  Its sprawl befits the description, "LA is a suburb in search of a city." I prefer to be in a traditional city.

Afterward, we will go on our cruise and stop in San Francisco for a couple of days. In a way, this trip is our way of connecting with family on the West Coast. First, we'll visit the place where I scattered my late wife's ashes. RQS won't mind that, as I was with her when she scattered her husband's ashes. (Of course, we'll spend the better part of the two days in San Francisco doing the typical tourist thing.) Then we will sail off to San Diego, where we'll meet up with RQS's cousin for the day. And all too soon, we'll be home.

It's been hard to identify why I am ambivalent about taking this trip.  And now I think I've figured it out.  It will likely be the last time I see my uncle while he's alive.  It may be the last time I visit San Francisco and go where I scattered my late wife's ashes.  It may be the last chance that RQS gets to meet her older cousin.  In short, it's a trip with a set of "Lasts" that is giving me a sense of sadness before it begins.

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A while back, FCP criticized me, saying that I had nothing going on in my life. (I take this slightly out of context, as I don't want to rehash old wounds.)  I think she'd now say that I have a life of my own. It's far from perfect, but it's my life and I'm living it.

RQS makes me glad that she's in my life.  Unlike Ex-GF-M, RQS is willing to try new things when with me.  She is willing to get a little lost along the way, and explore what serendipity brings to us.  Unlike XGFJ, she's willing to force the issue and make me tell her how I feel.  And unlike my relationship with Patty, our relationship is built on solid ground - we both feel secure.  It's a shame that it took me almost 25 years to find a relationship that really works for me. But as they say, "you've got to kiss a few frogs before you find a prince(ss)."  

I may be going to a "Doc in a Box" tomorrow

I haven't been feeling well for a little over a week.  First, I felt that I was getting over a very mild case of the flu. And when I felt better, a cough set in that won't go away.  So, I will likely go to a local "Doc in a Box" before trekking down to RQS's place later in the day.

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It's frustrating when one has too much planned for a day, and then lets an important thing slip.  In my case, I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to be back on time to start the co-op board meeting, especially when vendors were calling in from 3 pm onward.  So I put things off, and will need to deal with this persistent cough tomorrow morning.

Luckily, the co-op board meeting went well.  We got much more done than usual, because we had done a lot of the leg work beforehand.  We also took a more active part in vendor selection than we had done in the past - and we now are reasonably sure which vendor we will use for work scheduled to start in the Summer. In addition to interviewing prospective vendors, we interviewed a prospective buyer.  In this case, we were unable to come to a decision, as there were complicating factors to be considered.  So when in doubt, ask for more information and see what shows up.

By the time this overly long meeting ended, my coughs were bothering me.  Even TCL said that I should have seen a doctor today when she called, and RQS recommended that I make the Doc in a Box my first stop after I get up tomorrow morning.

Keep your fingers crossed for me....

A "Half and Half" day

 

I hate having to dress as Mario and then change into Marian (or, vice-versa).  Today was one of those days that I had to see the doctor in the morning, and then change into Marian before going to game night in Yonkers.  So, I had to partially make myself ready for the day to see my doctor. And then, I had to finish the job after I was home....

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My doctor has been looking for a way to get my blood pressure where he'd like it to be for several years now.  And today was a day that I knew he'd likely hector me a little about exercise and losing weight. What I didn't expect was that he ran a little bit late before seeing me, and that we'd be talking about vacations - specifically, him thinking of taking the same Hawaii cruise that I took.  The good news for the day was that the new medicine I am taking did what it was supposed to do with my blood pressure. This made him comfortable telling me to come back in a little over 2 months this time - something that I didn't expect.

Once done with the doctor, I picked up an egg sandwich at the local deli.  However, there was a minor mishap.  Just after I placed my order, a mob of teenagers came in to place their lunch orders (the high school is less than a block away) and that created confusion at the deli.  I was given the wrong order, and had to go back to the deli to get the right order.  Luckily, they didn't hand my sandwich to someone else.

I then went home and relaxed for a while before getting dressed as Marian for game night.  Luckily, I made it there early enough for me to play in the single game the group played this evening.  Although I didn't win, I wasn't in last place.  And that was a miracle for me.  When things broke up, I mentioned to the hostess that I finally have pierced ears, and will soon be able to wear the earrings that they gave me a few years ago.

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On the way home, I chatted with RQS and we discussed our plans for the next few weeks.  Yes, we will be quite busy going back and forth between our apartments.  But it will be fun....

Lots of stuff is on order - some needed, some just wanted, and some that may not make perfect sense.

This is a lousy picture of me. I finally got the chance to go out tonight as Marian, and decided to try on this Universal Standard "Mystery Box" dress after I got home, while I was still made up to go out.  I'm not so happy with this color, and I am not that happy with the way it drapes on me.  But maybe, it's because I'm tired and looking to get ready for bed.

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Right now, I have a similar dress on order, as well as a body short.  I think that the above dress will look OK in a darker, stronger color, and may be good for wearing in the summer.  As for the body short, it doesn't make sense unless I find a local yoga class for beginners that I can go to which accepts gender non-conforming people in the class.  (And I have been looking!)  In addition to this, I have a couple of bracelets from Lane Bryant on order that I know I'll be wearing often.

It is not only clothing and jewelry that I have on order.  I also have my daily medications coming from the mail order pharmacy.  However, my doctor just changed my prescriptions, and some of what I'll be receiving will simply get stored away until a possible future need.  It's hard to believe how expensive some medicines can be.  On my last visit, my doctor suggested that I try a heavily advertised drug to see how it works.  Since I couldn't get refreshed information on which drugs to stop taking when taking the new drug, I skipped it and stayed on the old regimen.  This is just as well.  My doctor found out that the new drug costs $500/month and is not covered by my insurance.  I'm glad that I didn't place an order for this drug!

My doctor runs a small private practice.  He has avoided joining the big chains, and has figured out how to stay relevant in an age of large medical chains.  He also hates "Big Pharma", but  was unable to engage him in a long enough conversation to find out what his issues with the medical establishment are.  Given that he is a conservative person a few years older than I am, I have no intention of presenting myself to him as Marian.  I'll start presenting myself as female to my next doctor when that day comes.

I figure that I still need to find a small gift for RQS within the next week.  What I get may not make much sense.  But I must make sure that she feels good when she gets it. 

Doctors - a short post

 

Today was a boring day with only one theme that carried through the day - Doctors.  First, I had to check whether I needed to renew my CPAP prescription before buying a new CPAP machine. Next, I received a call from my internist's office asking me whether I would be able to change my appointment. And then, the daughter of the couple hosting game night was dressed in a plague doctor's uniform.  It seems like doctors in one form or another set the tone for the day.

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Being serious, I hardly thought of medical issues today.  Instead, I rested all day until it was time to prepare for game night.  Since I didn't get out of the house until 5 pm, it made sense for me to go to the local Shoprite to pick up something sweet to bring to game night and something substantial to eat tomorrow night.

I  ended up getting dressed twice tonight, as I wanted to wear something that didn't pinch me on my waist line.  The first pair of leggings I wore were too tight, so I switched into something more comfortable that I could wear while sitting down for a few hours.

When I made it to game night, I saw the host's daughter wearing the above plague doctor costume.  I had to take a picture and send it to a couple of my friends. After that, I chatted with the host for an hour and a half, as there were not enough people attending to start a second game.  It was the longest chat I've had with him for a while, and it was a serious chat about work, family, and other assorted things. Eventually, the first game broke up, and I was able to join in a second game  - which I won.  It was a nice way to end the day.