Mood:
d'ohNow Playing: Day 758-The Final Road To Survival
Do you think by the photo taken this afternoon that we need anymore rain?...
The past 8 days have been stressful and its no wonder my GP is still in an uproar. I woke up inflamed as all heck and laid down just the same. Even while doing my best to increase physical activity still doesn't help. Looks like the only last resort of hope will be the ole Drano treatment tomorrow to force my GP back into remission. I was always told over the past eight years from my specialists that stress is fuel to the GP fire. DITTO TIMES 1,000,000,000 but darn am I doing my best not to panic in a very bad situation! My friend...well his patience jar might take months to refill. I am also finding myself once again grinding my teeth. Luckily I catch myself and stop because my teeth have already taken a big enough beating from the weekly intestinal treatments.
Today was post-flood inspection day. I like to call it, "Dread-Day." After that inspection I am surprised I didn't grind my teeth all the way down to the gums, hahahahaha! Thankfully the garage drain decided to open this morning and the standing water receded however there is mud once again in the back of the garage to clean up. There was a hole near the drain on the left side of the house that was patched which hopefully is the cause to the water coming into the side door. There are some roof shingles that need replaced, two glass block windows in the basement to be installed next week, new gutters on the left side of the house, gravel to be put down around the house foundation and lastly after one wall was cut into there appeared to be no mold "HOWEVER" they need to climb into a few other crawl spaces outside to find out the extent of water damage to the other basement wall which is bowing. WHEW! On top of the not so great news an Air Quality company needs to come out within a week to test the air inside the house for mold-black mold. Since there has been so much water damage inside and around the foundation the city inspector has concern of his own that there might be black mold growing. This of course isn't always visible by the naked eye. Today no one was able to find the mold smell culprit but thats not to say it isn't there.
I did find online this evening a do it yourself mold testing kit at a local Home Depot store and indoor mold cleaning products. You know what tomorrow has in store for us right? R I G H T!!...More like-for my friend seeing its not safe for me to be in the basement nor around the mold once it gets a good cleaning and sanitizing. Luckily they are predicting cooler weather with no rain and plenty of sunshine for the next four days so it will be a great time to get the mold cleaning started. At least we have plenty of fans now to circulate the air to go outside the basement door to help quickly dry things out.
Desperate times call for desperate measures...
I have dealt first hand with black mold almost nine years ago when I lived into a three level townhome that picked up the mold via a joining air duct from my elderly neighbors home. My neighbor was very, very sick and was suffering from Crohn's disease and kidney failure so she had no idea there was black mold in her air ducts which was picked up by my furnace until the air conditioner got serviced and POOF! it was found! Needless to say it was a very quick evacuation and all contents had to be sanitized by a professional cleaning company and hazmat crews. We are just praying this isn't going to be another townhouse mold situation. S I G H...I am expecting the worst but hoping for the best however it might be inevitable that a move is in our very near future seeing the last thing I need is to live in hazardous air again. Maybe I need to start playing the lottery? AMEN!!!! Or maybe I just need to get that new three room tent, queen size air mattress, large sleeping bag and comforter out that I bought before my GP took a nasty turn and put it all to good use! Like making it my new outdoor home. Hahahahahaha! If the air tests show black mold that tent might just be my new home starting next week-YIKES!
After a long and stressful day me and my friend decided to head up to the local park. Walking is not just great for Gastroparesis but also for stress. Too bad it didn't walk my flair up back down but there is always Drano hope tomorrow. The way things are going I might not have to worry about cutting the rest of my hair next month. The house stress just might do it for me. Hair today. Gone tomorrow...
lyrical
10 Minutes Later...
Much like my intestines, "FOLKS! WE CLEARLY HAVE A PLUMBING/DRAIN PROBLEM!" Hahahahaha! Yes, I did make a joke out of it in front of my friend and we both laughed seeing it was better than screaming. I told him, "There are far worse things that can happen in life and I have been through my fair share." He has been there during some of those hellish times so he totally agreed. Tomorrow we have a few people coming over to start "doing" instead of 'thinking' of how to repair everything. At this point I am more than ready to move out west!
Not that this wasn't a bad enough day I went to use my medication this evening and came across a bad needle. Thank goodness the needle broke off in the medicine vial and not in my stomach. YIKES! It had me so paranoid I almost skipped today's dose but luckily the next needle wasn't a faulty one. The only one who was clearly smiling about the situation was my next Hell-In-A-Jug treatment. Maybe he set me up? Hahahahaha! Since my GP is still in a flair I settled for a limited liquid diet today which consisted of juiced veggies/fruits, decaf coffee-GI mix, watered down Slimfast and a diet IBC root beer. Hey, its better than just drinking low sodium chicken broth. AMEN!
bright
Littleblue sure couldn't get comfortable last night but I assume it is because shes still in heat. She has been driving Oreo nuts too! Littleblue constantly wants outside to find herself a boyfriend but that sure isn't happening. Last thing we need is a house full of puppies. YIKES! Soon enough instead of puppies we will once again have HEDGEHOG PUPPIES! Hee,hee,hee,hee...Since this is her fourth heat it has become the normal ritual. Its back to collecting of the hedgehogs and placing them in a pile while she Mother's and protects them. Its still cute to me! 
Since it was an earlier start to the day than usual we made a list of things to do regarding the water damage from last week. Today it was time to clean out the mud in the garage from water backing up through the drain. Speaking of drain...I finally figured out how to get the top part off and my friend-Caregiver was able to manually clear it out the best he could although you can clearly see there is some serious problems with the drain system. Call it another "temp fix." The garage was another story. Since the water got up to a little over a foot the mud was a huge mess to clean up. Everything had to be moved out of the garage first then items that could be cleaned up were taken in the backyard while the rest went out to the top of the hill near the street. Let's just say within five minutes a bike, grill and firepit were POOF! GONE! I bet by tomorrow everything else will also disappear. I was able to help hose off the muddy things in the backyard while my friend took over the big clean up which took him a little over three hours. At least the garage nightmare is 100% cleaned up and this time we rearranged things a bit differently just in case the garage floods again so we don't have to live through another nightmare. The garage drain was also a huge mess since there was mud literally caked in the main drain. Thank goodness one thing is finally done on the list with four more to go!
My Gastroparesis is still in an uproar this week and today is no exception. Even with increased walking time I have yet to get any relief. This means next treatment coming up is going to be extra wicked! Slimfast has been my sole means to getting some sort of vitamins and nutrition but still it takes me almost half of a Smartwater in order to get the consistency thin enough to drink. This evening I attempted some fudge but once again I quickly found out me and fudge are no longer friends. What went down or "tried" to go down within an hour came right back up. Note to self: Scratch off any fudge possibilities and don't ever entertain the idea again. I have been adding edible mint oil to my Smartwater to help a bit with night time nausea. Now if only the makers of Slimfast could come up with a Chocolate-Mint flavor it would really save me from adding mint oil to my Slimfast or buying MetroElectro Mint water to water it down. Hey, anything in the future is possible! I miss the old Slimfast in a can and all the different flavors. With only having five things a day I can tolerate with my Idiopathic Gastroparesis things are getting old, "QUICK!" For now I will continue like I have over the past eight years with my GP diet. "TRIAL & ERROR." 
Later this evening after dropping by to celebrate another May birthday I headed back home to find my friend working on the basement wall. What a job! Instead of this project taking a few days it might take four. Spackling old concrete-plaster walls is harder than we thought.
Either this temporary fix works to hold the foundation together during the next storm or we are going to be in big, big trouble! Hahahahahaha...Look out next week because I see plenty of projects to come! Watch out GP! Ummm...Another note to self: You can fix walls but you can't fix Gastroparesis. DUH!!
incredulous
Me and my friend-Caregiver had plans to head out this weekend starting our weekend ritual of finding new places to go however when the GP Monsters come calling there is no stopping them. Instead of going out we decided to start off the afternoon catching up on some yard work. The peach tree in the backyard is full of peaches but at the same time my backyard is now being frequently visited by Mr. Groundhog. I have a hunch he will be the first next month to try out the fresh peaches. Since we have to keep spraying the tree once a week to rid of any fruit flies it does help keep any animals away but once the peaches are ready to eat I doubt the wildlife will care since I won't be able to use any repellent starting next month. I still vow to buy the apple tree I saw last month but I must add that to my "Post-It note" list on the kitchen cabinet door because I keep forgetting. There is so much going on this month even my friend is having a hard time keeping up! At least the roses aren't getting any unwelcome visits from Japanese beetles. In fact we noticed quite a few new blooms today and have yet to ever seen such huge roses but they sure are beautiful!
The place where she is getting rehab is super nice and the staff was very friendly. Her roommate even had a visit from her Granddaughter who brought up her beloved fur kid. The little one was too cute! We all had a very nice time and I hope to visit her again next week.
The drains are meant to "drain" the water from around the house not store it. Water was almost to the top of the drain so surely there is some sort of blockage and luckily it will be looked at tomorrow instead of Monday. The side of the house might need to be fixed where the new awning was built last year but at least the home made moat last night did help with the rain by keeping it away from the window well. 
rushed
Looks like more rain is on the horizon so its going to be a very humid and wet weekend. Ugggg...This weather sure reminds me of being in Panama and visiting the rain forests. One trip in my 20's I will never forget along with many others happy memories. At least the roses and wildflowers in the front yard and around the landscaping are enjoying all this rain. This is the first year in quite awhile that the blooms on the rose bush are huge! My peach tree in the backyard is also doing quite well and looks like there could possibly be peaches to pick come mid June. Hope my new neighbors are ready! Homemade peach pie for all! YUMMY! Well, at least for those who can eat.
Its hard to believe they will all be 14 years old this year. Where did the time go? They are quite energetic and Bear kitty still has his "Crazy-Cat hour" which starts around midnight and continues till 2am. Thank goodness I am on VAMPIREEEE time due to my medical condition because if I was still able to work Mr. Bear kitty would have to find a different play time.
With the rain heading in for the weekend me and my friend-Caregiver made some quick decisions on how to temporarily hold off having flood problems once again in the basement. The last clean up was enough of a pain and with the weather channel showing quite a bit of rain it might be a great idea to temp fix the failing outside drain and basement wall. After going to Lowes then running a few other errands we came back home so my friend could begin doing some quick patch work. So far. So good! If all else fails at least we now have more than enough buckets and mops. Hahahaha! My neighbors are also getting ready for the rain by stocking up on old towels just in case the dirt that was put down around the house foundation doesn't work. Looks like both of us will be seeing lots of repairs starting early next week. THANK GOODNESS! Its been a real challenge on my patience but I must remember there are far greater things in my life to be worried about. Amen.
happy
My dear friend John also had some GREAT news to share with me today! He not only got a letter back this past weekend from a government job he applied for two weeks ago but today was told he got the position. WOOHOA! John will now be living his dream in Napa, California and also starting a new chapter in his life. Add his beloved fur kid to sharing a new life out west too! He will be looking for a new home in the next few weeks then officially moving by the end of June. I am so, so, so happy for him! If anyone deserved some true happiness and positive changes in their life it is my dear friend John! That now makes it official as one of us starts heading out west this year so I better start looking a bit more seriously into Nevada because life waits for no one!
Health wise things remain the same. My kidneys are still filtering blood and red cells but only as expected. Everything else as a result from my Idiopathic Gastroparesis progressing remains the same. Not any better but not any worse. I have yet to get over this last Drano treatment so once again this evening it was back to trying the rest of the new injectable medication. My spine will always remain a problem when it comes to sitting and standing but with the travel season almost here I sure do wish I could take a longgggg vacation. Since I do better by keeping myself mobile and moving around maybe I could just walk to my next vacation destination. Hahahahaha!
One can still dream can't she?...
celebratory
Talking about some rain!! 4 inches of rain in less than 12 makes for one heck of a flood! History may have built this house but obviously they needed to add outside the walls a moat!!
THANKS TO MIKE, FRANK & DANIELLE FOR SUPPORTING THOSE IN NEED
down
Here we go...It's another treatment day! It was also another failed attempted trying the new injectable medication. Any good news since using it late last night? Nope. 
Since I didn't get up until later in the afternoon I got a late start with the ole Hell-In-A-Jug treatment. My friend-Caregiver had an appointment to drop off his car to get the oil changed and I had to pick up a few prescriptions before heading back home to take a shower before chugging Drano. This wasn't a particularly good treatment nor has it been anymore successful as the injectable medication so looks like this will be a very longggg night...Add to the mix none stop storms with hail and high winds that have just started moving into the area.
Once again I woke up with the shakes, chills and feeling dizzy. After taking my blood sugar its no wonder seeing I just can't get my blood out of the 60's range. There seems to be no end in site and it even has my doctors scratching their heads although we both know my Idiopathic Gastroparesis is to blame. When the fire mechanism is gone organs can't work at 100%. Chocolate used to be a favorite sweet of mine but lately even I have grown tired of it. Glucose tablets and gel? Same. They only provide me temporary relief. Its a struggle keeping on top of everything. A great example is I was suppose to run up so my doctor can check red cells and blood in my urine today but guess what? I forgot. AGAIN! It gets tiring so I totally understand how other GP'ers feel. Looks like its "Post It Note Time!" At least this way I won't be forgetting things. Important things.
Just because I am still trying the new medication it doesn't mean I can skip the Hell-In-A-Jug treatments. My doctors were hoping I wouldn't have to keep doing the treatments on a weekly basis however it doesn't look very promising for this new drug and me. Such as life. GP life. 
Me and my friend-Caregiver have been having a very interesting time with the new EVP recorder. Last night we did three sessions in various parts of the house and in the backyard. During each session we had at least one clear response. Inside the house we see a pattern with questions being answered by the same female voice. I tend to think someone possibly could had passed away in the house years ago. When asked if they knew who I was their reply, "E RIC." Let's just say my friend was so startled by the response on the recorder that he sure didn't sleep very good last night. Hee,hee,hee,hee...At least they know who he is so its a good start! The bar area still remains the most active part of the house. I was never very good in school when it came to Science but I have been intrigued learning about this new technology and how it works with radio frequencies/earths natural energies. 
Today was the last day my friend-Caregiver had to work double duty and is looking forward to catching up on his sleep tonight. The rain finally moved out but it looks like summer-like temperatures with humidity will be back next week. I sure am not looking forward to more frequent Gastroparesis flare-ups and seizures due to the heat and sunlight. Looks like my tremors will be back sooner than later so I better catch up on the rest of the chores today! I have been doing my best to finish up the rest of the house cleaning but boy! do I lack the energy. Thank goodness once my friend got home from work later this afternoon he was nice enough to help me finish the last bedroom upstairs taking care of the wood walls and baseboards. Cleaning is soooooooo much easier doing it as a team!
In my unique situation I can take in glucose products as well candy but still find myself an hour later back down to low sugar levels with my blood. Seems I am far from alone. Surely one day soon someone can start piecing together the GP-low blood sugar connection. I know how frustrating it is for me so I can only imagine how it must be for other fellow GP'ers!
I got some wonderful news this evening from my dear friend John. He recently sent in his resume for a government job in Napa, California and got a response letter back over the weekend. He is super excited since it was always a dream of his to live out west. I am so happy for him and keeping my fingers crossed that he lands the position! Maybe sooner than later me and my friend can meet him a few states over in Nevada and he can visit us at our new home. You just never know what the future holds. Dreams can only come true when you make them your reality. Amen!