This, that and the other

It’s been six years since my last herniated disc.  I have beaten the average, which, until now, has been a herniated disc every five years.  (Remember, that’s an average- they came hot and heavy in the 80’s but left me pretty much alone during the 90’s.)  I spent my 50th birthday in an ambulance en route to Centennial Hospital, suffering from the last, and most painful, of the herniations, a thoracic one.  Happy birthday to me… this was also the hospitalization where morphine sent me into a psychotic episode, but that’s another blog.

Why am I writing about this grisly medical history?  Well, first of all, because I think it makes me unique.  At least I don’t know anyone else who has had four herniated discs.  The second is that I fear a fifth one is eminent.  

My neck was aching for a couple of days before we left for San Diego, but I just figured it was stress.  It is stressful, tying up loose ends, providing for Mama in our absence, trying not to forget anything… and dealing with the week-long guilt trip Mama lays on me every time I travel.  If we had left Mama in Michigan- not an option, obviously- things would have continued as they had for years.  She would have seen us once or twice a year.  She lives with us now, and has our complete attention for two weeks a month, and provided care daily- but to hear her tell it...  Oh, never mind, it’s making my neck hurt to think of it.

Anyway, my neck was grouching on the way to the airport, and complaining louder than Mama by the time we got to Dallas.  Dave bought me a neck pillow which was very helpful, but my neck was as stiff as a board by the time we reached the apartment.  Two Lidocaine patches helped, as did Ibuprofen and the neck pillow, but I can feel the bones shifting when I move my head.  Not a good omen.

Other than that, it is good to be back.  Kelly has the apartment super-organized- I can’t find anything, but when she tells me where things are, it makes perfect sense.  She is preparing for her starring role in “Boy Meets Girl” and it is enlightening to see everything that goes into preparing for a role.  We will be doing some costume scouting soon.

I am working on the Club reports, which is always slow going and tedious.  I am being disciplined- I am doing no crafts until the reports are done and in the mail.

We had dinner at the Shakespeare Pub and Grille last night with Jeff Bromfield, a Cubite formerly from San Diego but now back in his home of origin, good ole Tennessee.  What a lovely man.  The Pub is almost authentic (the ceilings aren’t low enough), the food and drink and atmosphere are as Englandish as one might hope, and there is a British stores store for any ex-pats who are craving Marmite or Weetabix.  A little slice of London on the bay of San Diego.  You gotta love this place.