ANOTHER SURGICAL PROCEDURE
I had to have more toenail surgery today, this time on my right big toenail -- just along one edge. However, it is still deadened, so I expect that it will start feeling pretty rotten before long. I may not be able to be online tomorrow night; I certainly don't expect to work. This is not fun! So long until maybe Thursday!
Showing posts with label toenail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toenail. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
TWO REVIEWS FOR THE PRICE OF ONEWithout a computer at home, I
TWO REVIEWS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE
Without a computer at home, I have had quite a bit of time to read. Consequently, I have read two books in the last three days. They were both riveting and difficult to put down. Each introduced me to a different world.
The first was "Free Food for Millionaires," by Min Jin Lee, a young Korean-American writer. This was her first novel, and it has been highly acclaimed. The world it opens up is that of the Korean-American community in New York City, as seen through the eyes of the heroine, Casey. She has been raised a Christian but by adulthood is a closet one, if at all. She lives quite a free lifestyle as she becomes involved with several boyfriends and the high-flying world of investment banking. She is an interesting and strong character -- she loves fashion and especially making hats with her personal flair, although there isn't a strong demand for them. It is a book about love but also about growing up, maturing and forgiveness. Unfortunately, it was a bit on the sensual side for me, but other than that, I enjoyed it a lot.
The second was "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. It paints a vivid picture of the world of the traveling circus in the Depression Era. It is told from the viewpoint of Jacob Jankowski, both as an elderly man and in his reveries about his youth and the circus years. This one I read today -- I couldn't put it down. Again, there were a few details that were difficult for me to read but they were apparently accurate to the era, according to the research done by the author. I love elephants, so this was a great book for me.
Now I am out of books except for a self-help one, but that might be a good change. ;-)
*****
There is news on my friend, Les, in Australia. He is able to sit up and eat now, although his talking is still garbled. He has a sore, possibly from lying on the floor (they think he might have been there for two days). I don't know what his future has in store. My grandfather had a bad stroke and he fully recovered except for numbness in the tips of his fingers, which frustrated him badly, but my grandmother was there to button his shirts and so forth.
*****
I am doing fairly well. I scared a friend by telling her that I was rinsing out my foot-soaking pan with Clorox water, as she felt that could be harmful to my toe. I told her that I rinsed out well afterwards but she alarmed me enough that I quit using it and am using a bit of alcohol instead. Then the looks of my toe also scared me yesterday so I called the after-hours Urgent Care advice nurse -- I thought it could be infected -- and she called my doctor, who was fortunately on call. He told her that these things almost never got infected so I was most likely fine, and she relayed the message to me. After asking me a few questions and her liking my answers about what was happening, it sounded like things were as they should be and I hung up feeling very relieved and happy. Just tonight, though, another friend who I had told about the Clorox water rinse e-mailed me an article about how even slight contact with broken skin by water containing bleach could be damaging, which has me a bit nervous. I don't think that I have done anything that could permanently harm my foot but I am sure glad I quit using even the well-diluted Clorox rinse on the soaking pan!
*****
It continues to be too warm for me here. I keep waiting for the cool-down they say is coming, but so far it hasn't arrived. I will be glad if and when it does! But it is summer, after all, and so things will generally get worse before they get better. I am a spring and fall person!
Without a computer at home, I have had quite a bit of time to read. Consequently, I have read two books in the last three days. They were both riveting and difficult to put down. Each introduced me to a different world.
The first was "Free Food for Millionaires," by Min Jin Lee, a young Korean-American writer. This was her first novel, and it has been highly acclaimed. The world it opens up is that of the Korean-American community in New York City, as seen through the eyes of the heroine, Casey. She has been raised a Christian but by adulthood is a closet one, if at all. She lives quite a free lifestyle as she becomes involved with several boyfriends and the high-flying world of investment banking. She is an interesting and strong character -- she loves fashion and especially making hats with her personal flair, although there isn't a strong demand for them. It is a book about love but also about growing up, maturing and forgiveness. Unfortunately, it was a bit on the sensual side for me, but other than that, I enjoyed it a lot.
The second was "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. It paints a vivid picture of the world of the traveling circus in the Depression Era. It is told from the viewpoint of Jacob Jankowski, both as an elderly man and in his reveries about his youth and the circus years. This one I read today -- I couldn't put it down. Again, there were a few details that were difficult for me to read but they were apparently accurate to the era, according to the research done by the author. I love elephants, so this was a great book for me.
Now I am out of books except for a self-help one, but that might be a good change. ;-)
*****
There is news on my friend, Les, in Australia. He is able to sit up and eat now, although his talking is still garbled. He has a sore, possibly from lying on the floor (they think he might have been there for two days). I don't know what his future has in store. My grandfather had a bad stroke and he fully recovered except for numbness in the tips of his fingers, which frustrated him badly, but my grandmother was there to button his shirts and so forth.
*****
I am doing fairly well. I scared a friend by telling her that I was rinsing out my foot-soaking pan with Clorox water, as she felt that could be harmful to my toe. I told her that I rinsed out well afterwards but she alarmed me enough that I quit using it and am using a bit of alcohol instead. Then the looks of my toe also scared me yesterday so I called the after-hours Urgent Care advice nurse -- I thought it could be infected -- and she called my doctor, who was fortunately on call. He told her that these things almost never got infected so I was most likely fine, and she relayed the message to me. After asking me a few questions and her liking my answers about what was happening, it sounded like things were as they should be and I hung up feeling very relieved and happy. Just tonight, though, another friend who I had told about the Clorox water rinse e-mailed me an article about how even slight contact with broken skin by water containing bleach could be damaging, which has me a bit nervous. I don't think that I have done anything that could permanently harm my foot but I am sure glad I quit using even the well-diluted Clorox rinse on the soaking pan!
*****
It continues to be too warm for me here. I keep waiting for the cool-down they say is coming, but so far it hasn't arrived. I will be glad if and when it does! But it is summer, after all, and so things will generally get worse before they get better. I am a spring and fall person!
Saturday, July 12, 2008
MY NEW COMPUTER HAS SHIPPED!I was very happy to get an e-mail
MY NEW COMPUTER HAS SHIPPED!
I was very happy to get an e-mail from Dell yesterday telling me that my computer has shipped and should be here on Wednesday, 7/16! That is much earlier than I had expected! I am hoping that one of my sons, J.D. or Jeff, will be able to hook it up for me soon. Then it's a matter of learning to use Vista. I plan to check out the inexpensive tutorial that an earlier anonymous commenter mentioned and see about ordering it today.
*****
I heard from my podiatrist this morning (which was nice of him) not to worry about the coloration I was concerned about, and that everything sounds fine. He said that if I had any more concerns, to call Monday. I don't think I do. So hopefully the gross entries are all behind me now! ;-)
*****
I got my work done this morning in 1 1/2 hours -- faster than I expected -- after having worked an hour last night. The weekend is now mine to be on the computer, read, or watch my movie.
I was very happy to get an e-mail from Dell yesterday telling me that my computer has shipped and should be here on Wednesday, 7/16! That is much earlier than I had expected! I am hoping that one of my sons, J.D. or Jeff, will be able to hook it up for me soon. Then it's a matter of learning to use Vista. I plan to check out the inexpensive tutorial that an earlier anonymous commenter mentioned and see about ordering it today.
*****
I heard from my podiatrist this morning (which was nice of him) not to worry about the coloration I was concerned about, and that everything sounds fine. He said that if I had any more concerns, to call Monday. I don't think I do. So hopefully the gross entries are all behind me now! ;-)
*****
I got my work done this morning in 1 1/2 hours -- faster than I expected -- after having worked an hour last night. The weekend is now mine to be on the computer, read, or watch my movie.
Friday, July 11, 2008
GOOD NEWS (I THINK)I had an e-mail from my doctor today, and
GOOD NEWS (I THINK)
I had an e-mail from my doctor today, and I believe that everything is okay with my toe. I think that the nurse misspoke or that I misunderstood her Wednesday when she talked about the discoloration, and from what the doctor said, it was okay that it be gone by the time I removed the bandage 2 hours later, although I have sent him a return e-mail just to verify that. I probably won't hear from him again until Monday evening to be sure, but he didn't order me to Urgent Care, and I'm sure he would have if he had been at all concerned!
One other matter that we discussed at the appointment Wednesday was the fate of my right big toenail, which he had removed last summer, although temporarily. He asked me if it bothered me and I said it seemed sensitive, so we discussed removing it permanently later on, maybe this fall. I realized when I got home, though, that it's the tip of that toe that's sensitive, where the toenail hasn't entirely grown in yet. My verdict on permanent removal of that one: Not in this lifetime! LOL!
I am relieved to be having little or no pain, although I am wearing socks and sandals as I can't wear my runners for another 10 days. My doctor wasn't crazy about the idea of my wearing sandals because he said every child and grandmother would be stepping on that toe, but when I got home and read the instructions, it said to wear clean, white cotton socks and clean shoes. I was able to dig out and wash white cotton socks but clean shoes? I don't think so. LOL! I would have had to go buy some and that would have been painful right now. So sandals it is and I'm staying away from people as much as I can for the next while.
*****
I was quite riveted to the NW Newschannel last night as they were focusing on the local news in Spokane, which was covering a big fire in the Spokane Valley, near where I went to my last year of junior high and high school. I had to wonder if any of my old classmates had stayed in that area and been affected. One of the roads in the middle of the fire area was Dishman-Mica, and I went to Dishman Junior High. The Red Cross had set up a relief area at University High School, which was my high school's old rival (and not that far from me; I think I lived near the borderline). Today it looked like the fire was under control but 7 homes were lost, which is sad.
*****
I will be working much of the weekend, and that is all right with me. I read a lot yesterday and today, although I can't remember the name of the book right off. It is the first novel of a Korean-American young woman. I also have a movie to watch sometime this weekend. I will be on the computer off and on, you can bet, thanks to Jeff!
I had an e-mail from my doctor today, and I believe that everything is okay with my toe. I think that the nurse misspoke or that I misunderstood her Wednesday when she talked about the discoloration, and from what the doctor said, it was okay that it be gone by the time I removed the bandage 2 hours later, although I have sent him a return e-mail just to verify that. I probably won't hear from him again until Monday evening to be sure, but he didn't order me to Urgent Care, and I'm sure he would have if he had been at all concerned!
One other matter that we discussed at the appointment Wednesday was the fate of my right big toenail, which he had removed last summer, although temporarily. He asked me if it bothered me and I said it seemed sensitive, so we discussed removing it permanently later on, maybe this fall. I realized when I got home, though, that it's the tip of that toe that's sensitive, where the toenail hasn't entirely grown in yet. My verdict on permanent removal of that one: Not in this lifetime! LOL!
I am relieved to be having little or no pain, although I am wearing socks and sandals as I can't wear my runners for another 10 days. My doctor wasn't crazy about the idea of my wearing sandals because he said every child and grandmother would be stepping on that toe, but when I got home and read the instructions, it said to wear clean, white cotton socks and clean shoes. I was able to dig out and wash white cotton socks but clean shoes? I don't think so. LOL! I would have had to go buy some and that would have been painful right now. So sandals it is and I'm staying away from people as much as I can for the next while.
*****
I was quite riveted to the NW Newschannel last night as they were focusing on the local news in Spokane, which was covering a big fire in the Spokane Valley, near where I went to my last year of junior high and high school. I had to wonder if any of my old classmates had stayed in that area and been affected. One of the roads in the middle of the fire area was Dishman-Mica, and I went to Dishman Junior High. The Red Cross had set up a relief area at University High School, which was my high school's old rival (and not that far from me; I think I lived near the borderline). Today it looked like the fire was under control but 7 homes were lost, which is sad.
*****
I will be working much of the weekend, and that is all right with me. I read a lot yesterday and today, although I can't remember the name of the book right off. It is the first novel of a Korean-American young woman. I also have a movie to watch sometime this weekend. I will be on the computer off and on, you can bet, thanks to Jeff!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
RESULTS OF MY PROCEDUREI don't want to gross everyone out,
RESULTS OF MY PROCEDURE
I don't want to gross everyone out, so my details may be a bit sketchy for now, but I wanted to fill you in on how my toenail removal went. My toenail had to be removed permanently, which means a much longer recuperation period (4-6 weeks). I may be having a complication develop -- the coloring isn't what I was told it would be, although I wasn't given a timetable on that -- so I have e-mailed my doctor asking him about that as well as another question. I don't expect to hear from him before tomorrow evening, though. If something is wrong, I will have to go in to Urgent Care over the weekend, which I definitely don't want to do. At least, I am having little pain; or else the Naproxen I take otherwise is doing its job. Your thoughts and prayers that the complication doesn't develop would be very much appreciated. My appreciation goes out to all of you who have sent me your best wishes and who have remembered me in your thoughts and prayers thus far. This has been quite stressful for me so I'm praying that the healing will go as it should!
I don't want to gross everyone out, so my details may be a bit sketchy for now, but I wanted to fill you in on how my toenail removal went. My toenail had to be removed permanently, which means a much longer recuperation period (4-6 weeks). I may be having a complication develop -- the coloring isn't what I was told it would be, although I wasn't given a timetable on that -- so I have e-mailed my doctor asking him about that as well as another question. I don't expect to hear from him before tomorrow evening, though. If something is wrong, I will have to go in to Urgent Care over the weekend, which I definitely don't want to do. At least, I am having little pain; or else the Naproxen I take otherwise is doing its job. Your thoughts and prayers that the complication doesn't develop would be very much appreciated. My appreciation goes out to all of you who have sent me your best wishes and who have remembered me in your thoughts and prayers thus far. This has been quite stressful for me so I'm praying that the healing will go as it should!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
THE APPEALI am writing from nephew and bookkeeper Nick's
THE APPEAL
I am writing from nephew and bookkeeper Nick's computer at the office right now, because Jeff's mouse isn't working. I will be bringing my mouse from home down for Jeff as it is almost new and I will also be getting one with the new Dell. Thanks to both Nick and Jeff for the use of their computers.
I am not feeling real well tonight -- nerves about tomorrow and my toenail removal. I will review John Grisham's book, "The Appeal," which I finished yesterday and today, briefly.
I enjoyed the book quite a bit, although I don't think it is Grisham's best. He weaves a skillful story, however. This one was about a small Mississippi town where a huge corporation has polluted the groundwater with chemicals over the years, and by the time it is discovered and lawsuits filed, many in the county have sickened and died. The story is about the up-front and behind the scenes court battle from both sides. I was a bit confused by the ending and it took some thinking to figure it out -- I don't think I was totally satisfied with it, even then. But it is a different twist and John Grisham fans will probably enjoy being surprised.
Wish me luck tomorrow afternoon!
I am writing from nephew and bookkeeper Nick's computer at the office right now, because Jeff's mouse isn't working. I will be bringing my mouse from home down for Jeff as it is almost new and I will also be getting one with the new Dell. Thanks to both Nick and Jeff for the use of their computers.
I am not feeling real well tonight -- nerves about tomorrow and my toenail removal. I will review John Grisham's book, "The Appeal," which I finished yesterday and today, briefly.
I enjoyed the book quite a bit, although I don't think it is Grisham's best. He weaves a skillful story, however. This one was about a small Mississippi town where a huge corporation has polluted the groundwater with chemicals over the years, and by the time it is discovered and lawsuits filed, many in the county have sickened and died. The story is about the up-front and behind the scenes court battle from both sides. I was a bit confused by the ending and it took some thinking to figure it out -- I don't think I was totally satisfied with it, even then. But it is a different twist and John Grisham fans will probably enjoy being surprised.
Wish me luck tomorrow afternoon!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
MORE ABOUT SKEEZIXI mentioned in my
MORE ABOUT SKEEZIX
I mentioned in my Father's Day post about my dad that he had been unnamed and just called Skeezix for the first 6 months of his life. My son J.D. said he had a theory about why, and when I asked him what it was, this was his response:
"During the early 1920s, there was a comic strip called Gasoline Alley. It was mostly just a funny gag strip about cars. The newspaper publisher decided that he wanted a wider audience, though, so he asked the strip's writer (Frank King) to do something to attract women readers. To do this, King deposited a baby on the doorstep of the main character, Walt Wallet.
Walt was a bachelor and had not experience with babies. The strip gradually shifted its focus from cars to the relationship between Walt and Skeezix. The characters aged in real time. (They still do. The strip is still going.) So, readers got to see Skeezix grow up.
Skeezix means "motherless calf", but I don't think that's why your father got that nickname. I think he got that nickname because Gasoline Alley was hugely popular at the time of his birth, and Skeezix must have seemed like a fun nickname to give a boy. Sort of like how some kids might have been nicknamed Calvin when Calvin and Hobbes was at its height.
Anyhow -- that's my theory! :)
--j.d."
I believe he makes some valid points. He sent me the above comic, showing Walt finding Skeezix on his doorstep. (Knowing my Grandpa Mac's sense of humor, and that of other family members, this may have also been a reason for the nickname.) I have a letter ready to go to my Uncle Linc, at 92 the only living sibling, (which I will send after I get a picture that I want to include), in which I am mentioning this and asking a bit more about it. I don't know if I will get an answer as he has difficulty seeing and writing but perhaps one of his DIL's or grandchildren could type out or write an answer for him.
*****
Just a quick note that there is another "down" event coming up in my future, as I will have minor surgery (toenail removal) on my left big toe in 3 weeks. The worst of that is soaking it in Epsom salts afterwards, which stings like h*ll! It must be done, however -- I will not take a picture of my toenail and make you look at it! LOL! At least my arm is quite a bit better! :-)
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