Happy Monday!!

I went to the gym this morning instead of the city pool. I got done and showered and dressed and in the car to come home at 8 am. Gym to home is also the same route that a gigantic neighborhood gets from home to work every day. And, of course, 8 am is the peak.

On my way to the pool last week, even leaving here at 9:30, the other side of the road (homebound direction) was packed bumper to bumper most of 4 miles.

Today, it was clear sailing at 8! It took me 11 minutes to get home. It felt like a time machine!

One of the regulars at the pool asked me where I had been. So nice to be missed.

Today's big deal is my doctor's appointment. I need to ask him about the itching and about the Spiriva. And then hear him tell me to quit eating white things, including sugar and also lose some weight, please. I really like my doctor and am so grateful to have him.

My horrible haircut from March is now grown out enough that I think I can go get it trimmed back into something way less Holy Heck, We You The Victim Of A Sneak Scissors Attack???? Maybe this week.

Graduated!

About 5 years ago, I got pneumonia and discovered I had COPD and had lost about 45% of my lung capacity. I sucked down medicine of all kinds and gradually (really gradually) got better. I did take up swimming which helped tremendously with breathing. And every year I got better and better. I graduated from seeing my doctor constantly to only 4 times a year to only 2 times a year!

In March, I convinced my lung doctor to let me try dropping the two inhalers I've been using. Dropping the first one was fine - no penalty at all. Dropping the second one was pretty good.

So today was another 6 month visit (the big one - the interim one is in December). He convinced me to go back on Spiriva. Which is ok. He gave me steroid cream for my itching and told me to use Cerave lotion and Dove soap. OK. He didn't seem at all worried about my sugar levels or weight (although I'm sure he'd be happy if I dropped a bunch of it) and thought that the kidney issue might be an anomaly so wanted to test again. I got a booster pneumonia vaccination.

But, he was most impressed that I was doing so well and told me we could skip the December visit!!! "Come see me when you need to or I'll see you next May!"

Yahoooooo!!!

I figured the kidney test was another urine sample so I drank up some water and then went to the pharmacy. 10 minutes wait. So I drank up some more water and waited. Then on to the lab where the kidney test turned out to be a blood test... Oh well, the water wouldn't hurt that and I got another good vampire - she heated up my arm and then got it in one stick. I had to pee before I left but it was for nothing!

So now I'm home and all is fine. I'm really relieved to 1. have that behind me and 2. be good for a whole year!

Terrace leak. Turns out my neighbors upstairs have, apparently, neglected to maintain their deck and so caused my leak. The building manager - the same one who pisses me off regularly - has it firmly under control and let me know with a very nice, and tactful email. I can't complain.

I should go out and get some Cerave and Dove but one more day won't kill me and the good pharmacy is right by the pool so I'll get it then.

I think I'll go sew!

P.S. I forgot to mention one more doctor thing. I took him a copy of the end of life document my brother asked me to create. I gave it to his assistant before I saw him. He actually read it first which I thought was kind. And he asked me a couple of very specific questions. If CPR was needed did I want it. NO. If my heart rhythm needed shocking did I want it. NO. And he thanked me for being so crystal clear and for taking the trouble to provide documentation. He filled out a Washington State Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment and had me sign it. I love this guy. He gets me.

My tweets

• Sun, 19:21: Photo https://t.co/73BVu6NDCT
• Mon, 08:16: OMG EB West Seattle bridge so open at 8 am I thought it was Sunday. I got here nearly before I left! YEAH!! @westseattleblog #99closure
• Mon, 13:19: KK started in the town where I grew up. I went to the 6th… https://t.co/T11xPFnv40 https://t.co/ULkL6vKj3g

New Doll

Wanna see the rest of the dolls? Flickr or Google

It just gets better

I just got an email from my doctor (and oh how much I love that feature) with the results of kidney test #2. Perfectly normal. Yahooo!