Yup, we're gonna start this Post off with a Well, Shit... since, it started our rough and never got better. When I woke up the Morning of The Man's Surgery and having Mando have to get The Granddaughter to Work by 6:00 a.m. for us, The Son's Car wouldn't start! It was working fine last Night after Mando fixed it, but, by this Morning, couldn't get him to Work... Shit!!! Fuck!!! Dammit!!! Kicks Tire of said Car and swears at it!!! *Winks* So, I was racing him to Work, which is a long ways off, clear over in Deer Valley, since he has to be to Work by 4:00 in the Morning!!! Fun Times!!!
I'm in my Leopard Print Jammie Pants and a gory Graphics favorite Halloween T-Shirt, Dreadlocks not wrangled into submission yet, and was almost out of Gas! So I was a Vision at the Northeast Side QT Gas Pumps, filled with Cops in the Morning getting their Coffee and Donuts... I looked positively Insane! So, just Smiled and silently just nodded to them. The very Young Officers, who look about 12 Years Old, awkwardly Smiled back, like you just do to Crazy People on the Streets who make Eye Contact. *Bwahahaha*
The Son's Back was still bothering him but he had the Rx Muscle Relaxers to ease the Pain so he could return to Work. I raced back Home so I could get back in time to Wake everyone else up and get them ready for Work/Surgery/Transportation Duty. *LOL* The Daughter is almost in Tears, she's got a Migraine and is Stressed and Wound Up about her Dad having Heart Surgery this Morning, Mentally she's not in a good Head Space. Gave her something for the Headache and told her it was Stronger than it is, Placebos do Work Wonders on Crazy folk. *Winks and shhhhush! Our Secret* She settled down right after taking it. *Whew*
The Cat is howling The Song Of His People, I think they pick up on Human Stress Levels, so he's joining in on being hysterical this Morning. *LMAO* So, I brushed him to Calm him down, he's such a Vain Cat and will look at himself in her full length Mirror whilst being Brushed and have this smug look of pure Vanity on his Face that's hilarious, narrowing his Eyes and almost Smiling. All the while I'm telling him what a Handsome Cat he is, the Most Handsome Cat, Everybody says so... I sound rather like Donnie Two Dolls, I'm thinking to myself, talking all that exaggerated Bullshit, and to a CAT... but Eli eats it up like a MAGA World Cult Member would. *LMAOROTF*
I've got The Man Dressed and ready to go, we'll be leaving in a few Minutes, he seems Calmer than I expected for him to be, I don't know that he's quite Awake yet? *Whew* The Kiddos will meet me at the Hospital after they drop Princess T off to Work. We'll worry about who will retrieve The Son from Work later on in the day, depending on how things go with the Surgery? It's quite the Cluster Fuck of a Day already, so I brought a Book I'm trying to finish, TREJO, about the Life of Actor Danny Trejo, good Book, I'm just a lousy Reader of Books.
Okay... so, The Man got thru his Surgery, but, not without complications again that were pretty major. They did surprisingly let him come Home after 5 Hours of Recovery Post-Op, which, I wasn't sure how to Feel about? He seems to be doing fine tho', so all Body Parts Crossed he continues to with no further complications? What happened was, they had to Shock him Twice thru the Surgery!!! Yikes, that's terrifying and I'm sure Dr. Singh needed exceptional skill to bring him back and finish the procedure successfully. They had told me they were prepping both his Arm and his Groin, coz they were hopeful they could go in thru the Arm and have a less invasive procedure to implant the Stent.
Well, that failed and since they had to Shock him Twice, they went in thru the Groin to get it done without further risks. *Whew* But, that also meant, now TWO areas of Post-Op Risk. *Fuuuuck* Well, when he finally came out of Surgery, I'd been at the Hospital for so many Hours that The Daughter and Mando had switched out with me so I could go Home and rest a little bit. I'd been up since 3:00 a.m. due to having to get The Son to Work when his Car wouldn't start again. I was exhausted, had been at the Hospital since 6:00 a.m. and Tapped Out by around Noon.
I got Home and took my Wallet out of my Purse to do something, then got The Call to Rush back to the Hospital, he was out of Surgery, but, not doing so well! I was so flustered I forgot my fucking Wallet on the Table I'd laid it on but didn't realize it. When I got to the Hospital, which is within sight of our Home, it didn't take long, but I could see the Male Nurse was applying pressure on his Arm entry site and had been doing so for over 20 Minutes to stop the Bleeding!!! Yikes and Fuuuuck!!! Part of the Problem is that The Man wasn't being Mindful to keep flat and his Arm and Leg Still like you HAVE to.
So, he'd started Bleeding... and they were concerned he'd do the same with his Groin as he'd just done with his Arm, coz he was very animated in Recovery and should be laying Still. So, The Kiddos had told all the Staff that he Behaves when I tell him to, coz he sure as fuck wasn't behaving and complying with any of them, including The Daughter and Mando. They were being a bit too Soft with him and I came in like a Marine Corps. Drill Sergeant! *Winks* Knock it off now, lay Still, I don't Need you to have any more complications, so, BEHAVE!!! I had to keep gently reminding him constantly, but he was more compliant and less agitated, and explained about the Dementia and TBI making it harder for him to remember what to do.
This was my main concern about him being sent Home, if the Arm wound started hemorrhaging I could apply enuf pressure to mebbe stop it myself before calling 911. But, on the Groin, if he got that to start bleeding uncontrollably, he could fucking Bleed Out before a 911 responder could stop it or get him to the Hospital just up the Road. So, anyway, Dr. Singh extended the Recovery Period there Post-Op, but, they decided he was Behaving better for me than for Staff and I could see that. They'd need Eyes on him constantly and they don't have the Staffing to do that One-On-One for any Patient.
Well, during all of this, once I got him Calmed Down and they stopped the Bleeding of his Arm, I told Mando and The Daughter I'd Buy them a Lunch at the Cafeteria. They have good Food there and I'd had my Breakfast there while he was in the longer than usual Surgery, I knew he wouldn't be the 45 Minute Patient going in... even tho' typically it only takes 45 Minutes to an Hour for most. So, Mando said he'd stay Bedside with The Man while we went to get the Food. Now, remember, my Wallet was at Home but I didn't know this!!! *Ruh Roh*
So, it's Lunchtime at the Cafeteria and it's slammed busy and when we get up to the Register is when I realized, fuuuuck, I'd accidentally left my Wallet on the Table when I got the urgent call to quickly get back to the Hospital coz there was a problem!!! I was Tired as Hell, and about to Cry at that point... we had a surly Cashier who was NOT Happy and a Line of People behind us now NOT Happy either! She couldn't, or wouldn't, back out our Transaction so just stopped waiting on anyone else. The Daughter ran upstairs to see if Mando had enuf Cash on Hand to pay the $22? Thank God he did coz The Son had Paid him to work on the Car. *Whew*
So, disaster averted but all he had was a Fifty Dollar Bill, so now our Cashier casually wanders off to get "Approval" to fucking accept it! OMG, by now a Customer had walked up to us and asked what was going on? I just explained about the Cash Situation needing some kind of Supervisor Approval for the Cashier to make Change. The Customer said Okay and everyone in Line seemed to be sympathetic to our plight, tho', I felt horrible we'd held the Line up a long time now and most of the people were Hospital Employees on a limited Lunch Break, Bless 'em!!! By the time we Paid I wasn't even Hungry anymore coz my Stress levels had killed whatever appetite I had!
I had Minestrone Soup and a Salad, it was good, but, I had to force it down. Mando said his Hamburger, Salad and Onion Rings was exceptional and it looked fantastic too. The Daughter had a huge Salad and Onion Rings and loved hers too, so, it was all Good. But, The Man was having trouble with eating his Meal the Hospital brought to him, he had Fasted since Midnight and was Hangry, but can't eat laying flat without choking. He has choking episodes a lot anyway, and so now was getting agitated to remain laying flat, so I had to be The Heavy again coz Mando had been too Kind about not making him lay as he should and so he was doing what he shouldn't!
They brought in the Big Male Nurses to get him to lie flat to no avail, he was not sufficiently intimidated, it's hard to intimidate The Man. He can be very combative and ornery when he's agitated or confused. So they were all relieved when I rolled up with the Food for the rest of us and took over to get him compliant again. *Whew and LOL* I told him I had some Bit O'Honey Candies and I'd ONLY let him have One to suck on until his Four Hours was up to be able to finally sit up and eat his Meal. I knew he was so Hungry, by now it was around 3:00 p.m., but Candy is a good Bribe for him and why I'd brought it. *Winks, I'm cunning like that, Smiles*
So, my Ninety-Nine Cent Store Bit O'Honey Candies were Priceless to get him to comply and it only took Two of them to pacify him for Four Hours of having something Sweet to suck on happily. *Whew and Huge Sigh* I had a couple myself, they did take The Edge Off. *Bwahahaha* By now I'm having to coordinate picking Children up from Work too, coz, well, now they were both getting off their Jobs. The Son way over in Deer Valley, so I sent Mando & The Daughter to go get him first. Then I sent a Text to Princess T to hang out at her Store and just Shop 'til her Mom and Boyfriend could get her after they got her Uncle. The Son and Princess T were very worried about him, but relieved he'd be coming Home for us to keep an Eye on.
They knew I couldn't leave the Hospital since he wasn't Behaving for anyone else but me. So, Dr. Singh felt confident I had things up under sufficient Control to release him to my Care. I think he saw his Staff were having a hard time of it, and he knows how stubborn The Man can be, he's a very good Doctor and we like him. He has a Wicked sense of Humor and looks so Young to be so skilled, but I knew The Man had the best Man for the Job that was going to be Complex and very, very risky. The Man cannot even have Elective Procedures anymore coz they're too risky for a Fatal Outcome. So, I commend Dr. Singh for getting him thru Two Heart Surgeries so far that went sideways, but, he pulled him thru.
Now The Man is happily watching Food Network and I'd bought some more Treats to pacify him and parse out sparingly IF he continues to Behave. So he has the Halloween Sized Holiday Oreos, Two to a Pac parsed out, with jazzy Holiday Colored Filling. *Smiles* I'm not beyond Bribery rather than engaging in Outright Battle with someone being difficult, sneaky and requiring Extreme Caregiving, so, don't Judge. *Winks* He can be like trying to Herd a Cat. I think he's gonna be Fine, I just have to get him and us thru the first 48 Hours of highest Risk.
I took a Nap right here in the Room with him, I HAD to get some Sleep... so I'd be Semi-On-High-Alert within Feet of him. I sometimes am told I Sleep with my Eyes kinda Open so he never knows if I'm fully Awake or fully Asleep and it's enuf to keep him Honest and Behaving. *Bwahahahahaha* Just about 3.5 Hours of Nap is enuf when you're ADHD and Bipolar on a Manic Bender, I don't require a Straight Eight. But, at my advanced Age I no longer can stay up for Days like I used to on an ADHD Bipolar Manic Bender either. And Caregiving, as anyone knows whose done it, especially Extreme Caregiving, means, you have to learn to not have the Luxury of Sleep, just like a Newborn's Parent.
Only your Newborn is Forever that way... when a Loved One has Special Needs since Birth or a permanent Disability or Condition. And I've got a houseful of 'em so I have acquired the capacity to be rather like The Walking Dead Zombie Person who keeps coming even tho' they should be Toes Up a long time ago. *LOL* I tried to eat my Leftovers from that "Curry Corner" Restaurant I'd gotten at Takeout after seeing it profiled on Guy Fieri's show. This is the 2nd Local Restaurant he's profiled as excellent that I disagree with tho'. Another was a Thai Restaurant in Central Phoenix called "Wild Thaiger", not horrible Thai Food but certainly far from the Best Of Phoenix of Thai Food. We got a LOT of Superior Thai Restaurants I'd recommend that are better.
Anyway, my critique was, tho' it all smelled Sublime and was fragrant, only the Garlic Naan was exceptional. The Three other Sides I'd bought to try, the Two Vegetarian Options were too damned Spicy HOT as fuck for the Average American Palate! I can take HOT, but these were Crazy Hot to the point I had to throw half of both out and drink Milk, I couldn't feel my Tongue and therefore, couldn't Taste anything after that much Heat hit it! The one Meat Option was Chicken, and it was very Dry and so overcooked as to be mostly inedible... and, also, way too Spicy so that it wasn't enjoyable or able to be Salvaged, it too got thrown out.
If I pay for Food, I don't wanna be wasting it by having to throw it out coz it's inedible. The Tamarind Sauce was very good, whatever the 2nd Sauce was, Crazy Too Hot to dip anything in. Suffice to say it would be my 1st and last visit to said Restaurant, I bought Four things and could only really eat and enjoy ONE of Four, not a good Value or Experience that would be favorable. So, I disagree with Fieri yet again and wonder if he doesn't just always say a place has Great Eats when he does an Episode on them? So, you're not really getting an Honest critique? I suppose it would kill any Business to have an Episode where you Bomb, and Taste is Subjective, clearly. But, air only those Joints Episodes that are what you say they are, or I can't take you Seriously as a Food Critic or Chef.
Yes, I AM a Food Snob and I was Raised by a Master Chef, so, I was spoiled and have high standards when it comes to Food and don't give anyone a Free Pass if the Food don't cut it with me. And, I wouldn't even steer my peeps here in The Land Of Blog Wrong if they were to come to the Valley and pick out Restaurants I recommended here. Granted, any Critique of literally anything being Judged is Subjective, be it Beauty, Taste, Fashion, Food, Locations... so it's up to each of us to decide what we Like best and what we just don't. I've been to places that People I know raved about and it didn't impress me personally, but, clearly, they were impressed enuf to make a high recommendation. It happens.
These adorable little "Emotional Support Ghosts" I got for Free at "Barnes & Noble" becoz I had amassed Frequent Shopper Credit Bonus Money to use, I still have Nine Dollar of it left coz I'd amassed a considerable amount. Their Skeleton Parts Glow in the Dark. As you can see, we had Fun at the Shops just Photographing a lot of the Halloween and Holiday Merch. A lot of it this Season is overpriced, likely due to Tariff Taxes. I wouldn't have even Paid what these little Ghosts cost had I not had the Comped Credits to get them for nothing. They only had One of each thing, including this, so if you didn't get it while they still had the single item left, you wouldn't be able to either. Most places had only 1-2 of just about everything, which was also very Telling about the Supply Issues due to Tariffs and Import Penalties impeding getting much of a Supply of anything even if you were willing to overpay for any of it.
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You can see I got my other etched Wine Bottle in the Pinks to go with the one I got earlier in Greens. The Daughter keeps adding to everything so there's a LOT going on, but, she's having such Fun with it all and is as Hopeless about being Editorial as I am, clearly. *Bwahahahaha* If we ever get to Just Enough I'll be pleasantly Surprised, coz, it will be a Process for the both of us. *Winks* Plus, we have a lot of things and if she's willing to help with Displaying them and then taking them down when it's time to, we're both All In for going for the Extreme Halloween Decorating, why not? *Smiles* We're both very Extra and not at all Basic in anything we do. The Adult Kiddos are already getting into the Halloween Candy, as I knew they all would, and it's Fine, we probably won't get that many Trick-Or-Treaters, tho' each Year we've gotten more, it's still a reasonable amount of Kiddos coming Door to Door. At the Villa McManse you'd get a slew of Kids coz they had big Fundie Families out there. And Halloween was a lot of Fun out there, it was one of the Positives.
Tho' I didn't LIKE the Community, on Halloween it was very participatory and Community Based. Which Surprised me since there were so many Fundamentalist Religious Families and I didn't think most of them would participate or celebrate Halloween. Plus, the rest of the Year it was not a strong Community Based Neighborhood, so, Halloween did bring out the best in that Community, too bad and a pity they didn't sustain it thruout the rest of the Year. They Decorated extensively for Halloween and for Christmas. So, I always still drive out there to see the Decorations every Holiday, it's one of the few times I do visit that Old Neighborhood. I visit the Historic Barrio Neighborhood often that our Old Historic Home is in, I miss that Community and Home more, I had stronger Attachments to both, so harder to let it go as we Moved On. I miss the Villa McManse too, but, not the Community it was in. I've Loved all the actual Properties I've ever Bought and made Memories in.
There's a comfort in thinking this is the Forever Home tho' and I won't have to give it up and miss it due to having to Move On. Feeling Settled and staying put is more important when you're in your Final Season of Life I think. I didn't mind being Nomadic and not putting down solid Roots when I was Younger, in fact, Wanderlust was strong and I never FELT Settled enuf to stay put for a very long time, until Retirement actually. Then, once Retired we felt we needed to find a Forever Home to just Grow Old in, within a Community we felt Connected to. And, would be a Safe Space to grow Old and more vulnerable in too, which is crucial at some juncture as well. That everything is close by that you'll Need, that your Community has Caring Neighbors looking out for the more Vulnerable Members as they're Aging, that the Home is manageable as you become less able to maintain things... all a delicate balance. Sometimes you even get it Right...
Happy Autumn... Dawn... The Bohemian
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