Medical Minutes:

Mom

My mother had a stroke. It happened around five months ago. She woke up one morning and had double vision -- double vision that would be ten times worse if it weren't for her bad cataracts. Yesterday my little bro drove Mom and Frank to Duluth (the first time they have left the state since 1973), to have several eye specialists take a look inside her head and behind her eyes.

There really isn't anything she can do about it. The said to wait for two months and see if it doesn't try to correct itself. Then they will consider prism glasses or a surgery of some kind. I don't know the specifics.

But, it's just SO freaking weird to me that she had a stroke. She is so lucky that double vision was the only side effect. :( I just keep thinking back to that ER episode with that Sex and the City girl who suffered a stroke and had complete control of her mind -- just a body that wouldn't cooperate.

Anyway. I wish she would take better care of herself, but she won't. She just wants doctors to magically fix her up and cure her, time and time again.

Innsmouth

She went into the vet in the morning, and peed in the crate when we shoved her inside. Of course Migo and Arkham had silently vanished moments after they heard me touch the crate. Migo stayed vanished for the whole day -- she REALLY hates the vet and has a long, long memory.

At the end of the day, we were out $230 bucks, but got a case of prescription cat food, frontline and liquid antibiotic medicine. Thank goodness for the liquid format -- Innsmouth was becoming a pill to pill. Heh. She is going to be eating this cat for 6 weeks, followed by another x-ray and then a lifetime of specialized prescription catfood (not as high dosage as the canned right now...but it still isn't something you can get at Petsmart). I guess we can count ourselves lucky that she didn't need an operation, and that she isn't diabetic. I can't imagine giving our cats shots every day. Still...sucky.

Insurance

We are going with Cobra cos it's "easier" than filling out a bunch of questions from nosy blue cross people. I mean, blue cross would help if a horrible accident happened, but then with the insurance we have through cobra -- we could prevent the horrible accidents. What it all really means is that we have to write/pay 700+ a month (although that is offset by DH's current place by 40%). Silver lining on this? Hopefully we can quickly earn the last three thousand miles in order to get two, fully paid roundtrip tickets for our vacation this fall.

Misc

I ordered books from Dover's hobby catalogue, as in, I filled out the paper sheet, wrote a check and sent it in the mail! How old school is that? I have NO idea when my shiznit will come. It's all a very mysterious surprise and rather exciting.

Last night I remembered that with spring/early summer comes the blossoms of dogwood trees. And that reminds me of a friend I once had who passed away. She was a wonderfully sweet, creative, and spunky woman. I think it's neat that an object can remind you of someone. Other things: red indian nose flowers remind me of my Aunt Diana -- they were in full bloom when she passed on. Frogs remind me of my grandmother -- and as for my Aunt Janice....I can't say there is an object. I just didn't know her well enough.

But, I should go take a shower now and see if I can't get in some raking of the dread lawn and some sprinkling of grass seeds before it rains this afternoon/night.