Week of Medicine

This past week is notable for it's doctor and varied medical appointments.

Tuesday morning I went to see my GP about some varied mild medical concerns. She gave me a couple of prescriptions and sent me for blood work to check my hormones and an ultrasound. She is also going to give me a referral to an allergist. One of the prescriptions required compounding so I took it to a small local pharmacy across the street from her office. The pharmacist graduated from UT Pharmacy school in 1980 where I had briefly attended in 1981. We chatted about it for the few minutes it took him to fill the prescription. I had only 10 minutes to drink 32 oz. of water and hold it for an hour before my abdominal ultrasound. Then I drove around the block before realizing I should go the blood-letting place next which was in the same center where I started. Excellent phlebotomist, I barely felt the needle. Then a short drive to the radiologist and wait till my appointment for the abdominal ultrasound which was followed by a vaginal ultrasound which I never hear of and wasn't expecting. My feeling on the vag ultrasound - All the goo and none of the fun!

Tuesday night after turning out all the lights and everybody tucked in bed, I leaned over to pet Arwen good-night. In the dark I didn't see her leg up in the air and thus poked her toenail with my right eyeball! I can't even begin to describe the pain! I was unable to utter a sound. Being a ranch dog, she runs around on 150+ acres, drags up dead things and chews on them, sometimes kills small creatures, mice, rabbits and such and steps in fetid water, wild animal excrement and the like. This made me terribly concerned about infection.

Arwen's Playground

I tried to wash my eye out with eye wash but it was painful. I went to bed and managed to get some sleep. I knew I had to get to an eye doctor the next day so I didn't bother to get up when the alarm went off. When I did get up I went to wash my eye out again because it was crusted up a little. It hurt even more than the first time. I could hardly blink my eye. Digging through the medicine cabinet I found an eye patch that had been there so long I couldn't remember why I bought it in the first place. I stuffed an kleenex under it to keep my eye closed, texted the boss and carpool, took 4 ibuprofen and went back to bed since I figured an optometrist wouldn't be open till around 10 am. In the morning I searched the internet for an nearby eye doctor (which isn't easy with one eye and that my weak one). I finally settled on the eye doctor at Wal-Mart in Seguin who opened at 9:30. I called and was told they would try to get me in around 10:45. I got in to see the doctor a little after 11, which really wasn't so bad. I liked the doctor very much and I may start seeing her for my regular exams. She prescribed some ophthalmic antibiotic ointment. I mentioned I thought I might stay home and she thought it was a good idea. I waited longer in Wal-Mart for them to slap a label on a tube of ointment than I had waited for the doctor. Long enough for me to buy a few new tops and a pair of pants.

My GP called Wednesday evening to let me know I have uterine fibroids which are quite common and very rarely malignat. The results of the blood tests will determine how we proceed.

Oh, did I mention this last week I was appointed our Division representative to the Safety Committee at work? It's a little more involved than I previously thought. I will have to attend quarterly meetings and be liason to our division. The committ decided to have the spring Safety Conference at Parrie Haynes Ranch this April. That should be interesting and I hope, fun.

Kent, my neighbor, has been emailing David Veale the TPW Wildlife Biologist for Gonzales and Guadalupe Co. to make an appointment for him to come out and look at our adjoining properties to discuss Wildlife Management and Prescribed Burns. Got email from David about the possibility of participating at a prescribed burn at Neasloney next Tuesday. We won't know for sure until Monday if the weather conditions will be correct and then only the first few email responders will get to go. Tim gave me permission to take off if I'm selected. But the whole thing could still be called off Tuesday when we get there if the conditions aren't right.

Also, I bought tickets to the San Antonio Rodeo to see Gary Allan on Feb. 6. Our seats are up in the nosebleed section but at least we have seats! Last time we went to see Gary Allan it was at Stubbs and it was standing room only! We wandered up as close to the stage as we could and had to stand through the opening act, too. I thought Ana was gonna pass out. It was quite warm. Ana and I are thinking about taking half or all day off on Friday for the Rodeo. Meet in San Marcos, drive to San Antonio, maybe have a late lunch/early dinner at Mi Tierra. Enjoy the vendors at the Rodeo and maybe check out the Livestock show.