SOME THINGS YOU NEVER EVER WANTED TO KNOW

I'll try to be as delicate as I can. While in hospital in Tiberius, the docs decided that I am constipated because I don't 'go' every day. My definition of constipated is not being able to go when you feel you have to. I remember clearly, my Uncle Doctor Kiddy Quack, aka, Uncle Maury, or The Yankee Clipper (he did circumscisions) telling my mother not to worry if us kids don't go every day, that what went in, will come out, and that that is one nuerotic obsession we don't need.
Right. So, while I've never gon every day, I can not remember a time when I had to go, but couldn't. Since March, things have been well and truly messed up in that department. Every single thing I ate came right back up, so nothing was getting through to make me go. Then I had the great shite bomb squits. Until yesterday, I was pretty much back to normal. I woke up feeling like I had to go. My morning coffee intensified that feeling, so I parked myself in the loo and waited. Nothing. Not a damn thing. I was up and down all day, had several coffees in the hope that they'd get things moving in the right direction. Nothing. I ended up staying in all day, just in case.
Things started off the same way today. While I was sitting there, it finally struck me that I was suffering from pschosomatic constipation, thanks to the docs in Tiberius. They put the idea in my head and my guts adopted it! So, I thought to myself, let's see if I can fake out my body. I got up and mixed up a glass of psyllium(Metamucil) and drank it right down and chased it with more water. It worked! I was out of the loo and off the bog in no time. I told my doc at the clinic about it and he had a good laugh over it with me.
I am quite pleased with myself

THIS TIME I'M READY

It looks like I've finally learned my lesson. Tomorrow I go back to the hospital in Tiberius for yet another endoscopy. After finding myself admitted to the hospital with pretty much only the clothes on my back, the last time, if they decide to admit me I'll be ready for them. The car has a full tank, and just for good measure I had it washed. I have my meds, a whole carton of cigarettes, baby butt wipes, water, clean jammies, cell phone charger and stuff to read. As I am ready for them, it remains to be seen if they are ready for me. The way I figure it, if they want to hack and wack, I'll be staying, if they don't.......I get to come home. I vote for the latter, but am ready for the former!
While out collecting the last few odds and sods that I need, I swung into the clinic to find out how much I weigh now. They always want to know at hospitals. The good news is that I'm down another 5 kilos. Only 15 to go to get down to 'normal'. I'm not sure I want to be normal, even if it is healthier. I hate normal and average. I just might try to hold things one kilo above normal, just for my peace of mind!

IT TOOK LONG ENOUGH

If it's not one thing, it's another. I went to the hospital in Tiberius for what should have been a routine endoscope. They couldn't do it because there was too much food left in my stomach to see anything. They sent me home with strict instructions for preparing for another one attempt on Sunday. I did everything they said, and more. This time they could see a little better even though there was still food in there. They decided that as there were signs of inflamation, edema and maybe something else (they took a biopsy) it was decided to send me upstairs to the surgical floor. Just what I didn't need. I kind of wasn't exactly ready for that. They gave me stuff that they thought might help get the stuff moving out of my stomach, and on Wednesday, after almost 4 days of fasting, sent me for a flouroscope. Still not empty. On Thursday they sent me home with strict instructions for yet another endoscope on July 3. This time I'm ready for them. I have a bag all ready just in case, with cell phone charger, fags, jammies, and a few other essentials. Being ready for them, they probably won't want to keep me.
The hospital in Tiberius is so much better than the one Safad that it's sacrelige to mention them in the same sentence. The staff is wonderful. The only bad part was no charger for the phone. Then I found out that one of the women in my room actually had one that fit my phone! I was back in business! As to fags, I bummed as many as I could and managed to get along that way. I was consoled by the fact that I wasn't the only one stuck without in the only hospital in the country that doesn't sell fags. So, here I am, back at home and running around like a mad woman with all kinds of gimp events to go to. I'm so busy that I didn't get around to looking at my burn until 0230 this morning.
The first picture is of the burn before treatment of any kind.

This is the burn after three months of treatment.

And this is the burn today. Almost all better.

Now all I have to do is put Eucerin on it several times a day. And the only things left to take care of are the hematological and gastro issues. I'm 99% convinced that Safad did my stomach in when they stuck that nose hose in to empty my stomach the last time I was there. Time and the hospital in Timerius will tell.
Holy Christmas trees in July! I have to get ready to go to another gimp even.

BUSY, WHO ME?

I was a very good girl and followed the pre test instructions for the gastroscope and started what should have been a 12 hour fast 20 hours ahead of time. We even got there a little early. So, the test should have been just fine, right? WRONG. They got me up on a bed and all arranged the way they wanted me, asked why this test now. I showed the doc the CT results and she gave me a strange look. Then she gave me a go to sleep shot, then woke me up to tell me that she couldn't do the test because there was too much food in my stomach, and we'd have to try it again. Ok. This time I get to fast for almost 48 hours. Just broth and water. I started things yesterday with some apple sauce, and plan to make some cabbage soup later today.
I now have the paperwork for the next attempt on Sunday. The only bad thing about that is that I will have to miss the big demonstration. The big mall in town where my clinic and bank are is rebuilding only heaven knows what and the main entrance is blocked to everyone. Not that we could ever be sure to get in that way. Anyway, they built a wooden ramp for us to use and everything was just fine. Some bright bulb at city hall decided that the ramp was dangerous and gave the mall two options. Remove the ramp or build a safe one. They removed the ramp and it's been over a week since we've been able to get to the bank (the one I use) and supermarket on the ground floor. We decided that if they don't solve our problem by end of business tomorrow, we will demondtrate and close off access to the mall for everyone. The owner has counter hreatened that he will not allow us in on our scooters. Oops. Our scooters are defined by law as electric wheelies, so if he tries to do that, we'll be able to get a court order to close the mall. It's all too insane. As I'll have to leave for the test at about the same time as the demonstration, I'll just have to miss it.
Yesterday morning there was meeting of the Access Kiryat Shmonah group at the community center to prepare for an even we've been working on for several months. Then, in the evening we had a meeting with the two top people from one of the larger gimp groups.
I must say that it was quite nice, when, after I introduced myself, the spokesman for the group added that I'd been active in all the big demonstrations. That was a very nice ego boost. We had a good meeting and they will be up here again soon for a day long meeting.
I had a private chat with the chairman and threw out a few ideas that might be helpful. We'll see.
This morning three of us decided to go to the police and get a license for Sunday's demonstration. That involved a lot of waiting around in the sun until everyone arrived. The relevant cop is now pressuring the mall owner to get a ramp sorted and if he doesn't by our deadline, we close the entrances to the mall on Sunday. Except that I won't be there. I'll be getting a tube stuck down my throat.

YEAH YEAH YEAH

Like I don't know that I've neglected my blog. It's just that I really don't feel much like writing. This has not been a good two or three weeks.Strange things happened. Liat wrote that she and Adee would be over here, but didn't say when. Alberto built a new pergola and had a porch roof thing that is perfect for my ramp. So, how to get it over here? Who has a pick up? After a few minutes of hard thought the answer popped into my head and I rode over to Liat's parents and asked her father if he could bring it for me. I also asked when the girls were coming and almost fainted when he told me that they are here now, but not in town. So, the big question is what happened that they didn't tell me, I had to find out by accident? As they were coming back to town late Thursday, I made a midmorning appearance there. Adee still wants nothing to do with me. It doesn't help at all that everytime she looks my way, the other granny jumps in to distract her. It's so far from subtle that no one can miss it. I did ask Liat if she could find an hour for just the three of us to be together and she agreed, and said that she'd call.I ended up having to keep my foot up because it swelled up on account of the stairs I had to manuever at their house. In the end I only got to see Adee twice. The last time Liat did get her to let me give her a kiss. They had a double birthday party for Adee and another little girl. Of course I wasn't invited.I just don't get it. Ok. So, her parents pay for the tickets for them to come over, and they stay with them. They couldn't let me know they were coming? I had to find out by accident that they were already here?
Then, just for added interest, the CT results were a little strange and the doc at my clinic went ballistic and had the endoscope moved from August to today. It seems that whatever they saw on the CT could be nothing, or very very bad. At least I get the results today. One thing we do know is that I have kidney stones. No biggy at this point. They don't bother me at all.
The only good news is very very good. We finally stumbled on something that works on the burn. It's getting better by the day.
So, dear, three faithful readers,don't worry if I disapear for a while.

THE RESCUE CREW IS BACK

I was happily sitting on the edge of my bed yesterday morning when McGyver, (Alberto) yelled from outside for me to get my butt in gear, we have workd to do! Someone had called him to tell him that there was a scooter that needed rescuing. While I was getting dressed, he went to get to get Moshe to join the rescue party.
The scooter in question had broken down on the street behind his house, which is a good 20 minute scoot from here. Moshe loaded his tool box onto his scooter, and off we went. When we arrived, we were faced with the oldest scooter any of us had ever seen. After a quick check we realized that there was no hope that it would ever run again. McGyver called the owner and so informed him. We got his permission to take the batteries and charger, and any other parts we might want. The batteries were not new. Well, they were new in 2007. We removed them and transported them to Mc's house, where he got the charger running. We'll know later today if the batteries are salvagable.
When his kids got home from school we all had a lovely lunch of couscous. It was great fun to be back in business again.
Mc is getting a new van soon and offered me his wheely lift box contraption. We call them Gottliebs after the company that makes and installs them.

He is now trying to get the company to give me a better price to install it. It was given to him, and he is giving it to me. All I have to do is come up with enough money to have it installed. We could probably do it ourselves, but, it really is a better idea to get it done by experts. With any luck, we'll get it done next week. He, Moshe, Golan and I are planning on going together and making a day of it.
That Gottlieb will give me a whole new level of independence. The wheely now lives in the trunk and I simply can not manage it on my own any more. That means that I have to have someone go with me whenever I go to one of my out of town doctors, or any place else. With the Gottlieb, I'll be able to have the wheely come down and go back up from right next to the driver's door! Won't that be loverly?

NEVER MIND THE NAKED CHEF

Now we have the naked dog! Poor Pegasus hasn't had a bath or hair cut for at least two years. I made an appointment for him to get beautified today, and we just got back from the two things he hates most in the world. A car ride and bath/shave. The first thing we did when he came down all hairless was to go get him an ice cream cone at McDonald's, as promised. He scarfed it right down and is now recovering on the living room floor.
Before and after pictures.


They are the same dog! Golan had to help me get him in the car, and again, to get him out. He laughed at poor nakey Peg until I told Peg to just ignore him because he's jealous! At least now there won't be huge fur balls all over the house for a good long time, and he won't get mess stuck in his rear skirts.
I am feeling much better these days, but this little excursion kind of tired me out a little. Not that I had to much of anything except drive and wait, but, I'm still not quitte back to full strenhth. I'm getting there, but, still have a way to go.
I really don't know how it happened, but, for the first time in my adult life I made a stew that was edible. I've never managed to do that before, but, did make a pretty good one on Friday. Just a few chunks of beef, onions,garlic, carrots, potatoes, salt and pepper. It was quite good. Maybe for my next trick, I'll figure out how to cook rice! That will have to wait for a few days. I'm not up to the ultimate culinary challege quite yet.