I have been sick for almost 8 weeks and am tired of coughing. Really tired. And think about the people around me. It is disgusting when I cough - it sounds like I am coughing up my lungs. The reason I held off going to the doctor's was all the articles I have read about overprescribing drugs for bronchitis - you just have to work through it. But 8 weeks? When the symptoms exploded last week I finally went - and guess what? I don't have bronchitis. Nope, not at all. I have a sinus infection that needs antibiotics and now, 4 days later, I see light at the end of the tunnel.
Note to Donna: Remember this next time. Remember this. Remember this. DUH.
Okay, so is there anything good about this experience? Well, even though I have had no energy for doing much and have been coughing, coughing, coughing, things have been happening:
#2 I had a wonderful week-long visit from one of my friends from the Monterey Peninsula, right at the beginning of this illness. Emily was the absolute perfect guest. Remember my place is 421 square feet. She didn't blink about the "dorm" conditions. We swiveled the love seat 90 degrees (I bought a new red leather loveseat that is more comfortable than the original futon that was in the unit when I moved here) and moved the twin bed sent up from housekeeping into its place. The coffee table served as her bedside table. We could still sit on the loveseat and use the table. It was amazing how well it worked. So, friends, if you are willing, a bed is waiting. Come visit.
And we had so much fun. While I did my volunteer work and babysat, Emily, on her own, saw much of Portland. I added the bus app to her iPhone and she was off exploring the city. I gave her my bus tickets and would drop her off at a coffee shop (this is Portland, mind you) at 8:00 a.m. and would pick her up at 4:30 wherever she found herself at that time. When we finally had days to share she helped me deal with the fact that I have seen little of Oregon in my two years here. We made a dent in my education. We drove east to Mt Hood to visit Timberline Lodge (one of the "great lodges" of the national park system) and stopped en route to tour the Columbia River Gorge and participate in the pear festival in the Hood River area (part of the "Fruit Loop" of the Gorge).
The next day we drove west to Astoria. The history teacher in me was ecstatic when we visited Fort Clatsop where Lewis and Clark spent that incredibly wet winter after finally reaching the coast. I was thrilled to walk in their steps.
More amusing was crossing the Columbia to Washington state to take a photo of the site where Lewis and Clark first landed - the spot THEY named Dismal Nitch. Isn't that a great name AND an indication of their feelings about the area?
#3 Time for a hair change - I chopped it all off (well, Jane, my lovely hair stylist, did) and am having so much fun. I haven't had short hair in maybe 4 years and, oh my goodness, all those products out there make it so much more fun.
#4 The grandchildren - they remain perfect in all ways. Finn, at almost 9 months, is the happiest baby I have ever met. All he does is smile and google and laugh. His face breaks into a grin when he makes eye contact with us. He adores Wesley, in fact his eyes follow Wesley when he is in the room. He is happy, happy, happy so the fact that he may be dealing with a cold (which I probably gave him) kills me. This lovely child who only radiates happiness to everyone does not deserve this (of course, does anyone?).
I adore playing with 4-year old Wesley. Such creative, unselfconscious play comes out of 4-year olds. I love that he isn't embarrassed by talking aloud to imaginary friends who are playing with us, his 4-year old explanations of motivations for the next steps in whatever we are doing, his belief that the world is good and fair.
Today he was home sick (yes, I may be responsible) and I was babysitting. When he woke up from his nap he decided that the couch we were on was a boat on the ocean. He warned me that we had to keep our feet up out of the water. All was fine until he remembered "Uncle Lee's five foot butt squids". I looked at him questioningly and then remembered - ah yes, the discussion with Uncle Lee and Michelle ("Titi" to Wesley) about their new sailboat. This new boat is bigger than their first sailboat and actually has a toilet. However the toilet is a bit small and problematic so Lee said that Wesley might prefer to poop in a bucket or, as always, can use the standard method of hanging his butt over the edge. Wesley is utterly fascinated by this possibility and suggested that, because this boat was bigger, his butt wouldn't get as close to the water. Lee responded that, "yes, but what about the 5-foot leaping butt-biting giant squid that searched the oceans for soft butts?" Wesley blinked. We assured him Lee was joking but it stuck in his mind and today came back as the "five foot butt biting squid".
So, I was the squid that made the butt attacks as Wesley screamed in delight. Then he decided the squid had slithered down to the basement where Dan works. Poor Daddy. Thankfully, Dan came up with a solution - Wesley should catch it, fry it, et voila - calamari. We now added this twist - Wesley went fishing by throwing out a measuring tape, dragged the squid in, cut it up with his play hand saw, fried it and ate it - over and over and over again.
So I cough, cough, cough but am having lots of fun.
Note to Donna: Remember this next time. Remember this. Remember this. DUH.
Okay, so is there anything good about this experience? Well, even though I have had no energy for doing much and have been coughing, coughing, coughing, things have been happening:
#1 If I had read Chapter 9 in the Ham Radio Exam Prep Guide when I first started my ham radio endeavor, I would have immediately stopped the process. Chapter 9 describes the many creative ways I can electrocute myself. Granted I never intend to climb a tower to attach an antenna or go up on the roof of my building to adjust current antennas (well, actually I might have done this but not now). And from now on I will let someone else open up any radio equipment that needs adjustments. In fact I would prefer to be out of the room. However, I read the chapters in order and am way too far into the process to back out now. My license exam is Nov 3 - at a local pizza parlor. Can you believe it? Test-taking in the booths? Easy, though, for my fellow ham club members who will accompany me. Assuming I pass, I pay for their beer and pizza. Wish me well.
 |
| The new love seat - but the light is wrong (hey - remember my limited abilities as a photographer) It is actually ox blood red |
The next day we drove west to Astoria. The history teacher in me was ecstatic when we visited Fort Clatsop where Lewis and Clark spent that incredibly wet winter after finally reaching the coast. I was thrilled to walk in their steps.
 |
| The woods at Fort Clatsop. Imagine the area in perpetual rain. |
More amusing was crossing the Columbia to Washington state to take a photo of the site where Lewis and Clark first landed - the spot THEY named Dismal Nitch. Isn't that a great name AND an indication of their feelings about the area?
#3 Time for a hair change - I chopped it all off (well, Jane, my lovely hair stylist, did) and am having so much fun. I haven't had short hair in maybe 4 years and, oh my goodness, all those products out there make it so much more fun.
 |
| Before |
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| After Fun with an app on my phone. |
#4 The grandchildren - they remain perfect in all ways. Finn, at almost 9 months, is the happiest baby I have ever met. All he does is smile and google and laugh. His face breaks into a grin when he makes eye contact with us. He adores Wesley, in fact his eyes follow Wesley when he is in the room. He is happy, happy, happy so the fact that he may be dealing with a cold (which I probably gave him) kills me. This lovely child who only radiates happiness to everyone does not deserve this (of course, does anyone?).
I adore playing with 4-year old Wesley. Such creative, unselfconscious play comes out of 4-year olds. I love that he isn't embarrassed by talking aloud to imaginary friends who are playing with us, his 4-year old explanations of motivations for the next steps in whatever we are doing, his belief that the world is good and fair.
Today he was home sick (yes, I may be responsible) and I was babysitting. When he woke up from his nap he decided that the couch we were on was a boat on the ocean. He warned me that we had to keep our feet up out of the water. All was fine until he remembered "Uncle Lee's five foot butt squids". I looked at him questioningly and then remembered - ah yes, the discussion with Uncle Lee and Michelle ("Titi" to Wesley) about their new sailboat. This new boat is bigger than their first sailboat and actually has a toilet. However the toilet is a bit small and problematic so Lee said that Wesley might prefer to poop in a bucket or, as always, can use the standard method of hanging his butt over the edge. Wesley is utterly fascinated by this possibility and suggested that, because this boat was bigger, his butt wouldn't get as close to the water. Lee responded that, "yes, but what about the 5-foot leaping butt-biting giant squid that searched the oceans for soft butts?" Wesley blinked. We assured him Lee was joking but it stuck in his mind and today came back as the "five foot butt biting squid".
So, I was the squid that made the butt attacks as Wesley screamed in delight. Then he decided the squid had slithered down to the basement where Dan works. Poor Daddy. Thankfully, Dan came up with a solution - Wesley should catch it, fry it, et voila - calamari. We now added this twist - Wesley went fishing by throwing out a measuring tape, dragged the squid in, cut it up with his play hand saw, fried it and ate it - over and over and over again.
So I cough, cough, cough but am having lots of fun.
