Tavavilla's Journal

It really has been quite a week.  Charlie had his physical on Monday and all of his blood work, except his cancer marker, came back normal.  His liver levels and pancreas levels all look good.  His diabetes appears to be under control.  His cancer marker, Chromogranin A, will not be back for two weeks.  It really is so nice to go to a doctor's appointment and get all good news, especially, when we have to go to Moffitt this week.

We decided to switch dentists, so I put together all the information and x-rays from our old dentist.  One of the woman at my PCP office recommended a new dentist.  He is out of network, but we both need a good dentist.  This week was Charlie's first appointment.

I went to see my pulmonologist.  Despite being on a CPAP titrated with oxygen, I am still oxygen and sleep deprived.  Last night I got up every two hours and finally decided to stay up at 5:30 a.m.  During the last oximeter test, I dropped below 90 for nine consecutive minutes.  My lowest reading was 78, not good.  The doctor raised my oxygen from 2 lpm to 4 lpm, but I don't notice any difference.  The next step is another overnight sleep study , I absolutely hate these.  I wish there was another way to test my CPAP level.  I told him that I would do another one in January.  With Charlie's stuff and the holidays, I am just not in the mood to deal with this.

I saw my psychiatrist this week.  My meds are stable, but we had to fill out a forms for the DMV.  Currently, I have a conditional license, which means I can drive for a year and then I have to have my medical conditions reviewed by Medical Review Board.  They want to see if I am still capable of driving.  Jeeze, I just don't know what I would do without my license.  So once I submit it, then it will take about four weeks to find out their decision.

My social security claim is still up in the air.  Six years and counting.  I talked with my lawyer this week and she said that she had followed up a number of times with the Judge's clerk, but they had not returned her calls.  We are waiting for a hearing date, but it is taking a really long time.  It's really just one more stressor I could do without.

The week got really exciting when Kenya, our foster mini pin, ran into the weedwacker.  Exactly why she did this is a complete mystery to us.  Wonder of wonders, only her eye was hit, but she has three lacerations on her cornea.  So now three times a day I have to put drops in her eye.  She is not a happy camper.  Every time I try to do it, she tries to snap at me.  The poor little girl.

Well I was able to get ten thank you notes written this week.  At first I was so proud of myself, after all it has been a month since Andrea's Memorial Service.  Then I started second guessing myself about what I had written.  First, my hand writing is so awful because of my tremors and second, did I say the right things to people.  They say to write from the heart.  I really tried to do this, but the perfectionist in me wants to re-write each one until it is perfect.

I've been thinking alot about Thanksgiving.  Last Thanksgiving I spent with my brother, Joel.  This year he is gone.  I'm going to New England to spend time with my little brother, Jack.  Both of us miss Joel alot and I hope Thanksgiving turns out okay.

Last, but certainly, not least I had a falling out with my therapist.  Not good.  I am so angry at her I could spit nails.  I typed her a four page letter and when she got it, she said that it was all a misunderstanding and she had just trigger some old childhood stuff.  I am not buying it.  I am good and angry with her so she can take her psychobabble and shove it.

I am pretty sure that that covers this week, so I'll try better to update every day.