My new rehab doctor...

Today was a very productive day.  I had an appointment with my new rehab doctor and she recommended a urologist.  I also found a primary care doctor, my new primary care doctors nurse is my new part-time caregiver, and I have a wheelchair in evaluation for my new chair tomorrow.  They are going to write me a prescription for a new bed frame, the one I have right now is not compatible with my rotating air mattress.  During my appointment with Dr. Jet I mentioned that I used to go to a support group at Valley Medical Center and that I really miss it.  She told me that they do have a support group at Dominican and she gave me the number of the guy that runs it.  She said that there's not a lot of females but that was a good group, I always seem to get along better with males anyway, I'm really excited about the fact that I might be going to support groups again.

Somebody told me that they had computer classes at the Senior Center so I want to find out more about that.  My aunt happened to be going by so she stopped to talk to them and found out that the computer courses were only for seniors but they were looking for volunteers to teach them how to get on the Internet and maneuver their way around, I think I would like to do that so I am going to go down and see when they need volunteers.

Heather came by today with some kind of fish, I cannot remember the name, that she's that you cannot buy and it sure tasted good.  She also brought some prawns and made some rice and some mixed sautéed vegetables, I can not brag about this woman enough.  She made me another veggie wrap and she said she will be by tomorrow.

A new place to journal

I was really sad when I found out that AOL was shutting down the journals but a friend of mine I met through journaling told me where everybody was going so I set up an account there... thank you Betty.

http://www.blogger.com/profile/12758037329103356793

A cruise to the lighthouse...

Today I decided instead of turning left at the top of the hill after cruising through the lagoon to turn right and head out towards the lighthouse and I'm so glad that I did.  It was so beautiful out there, you can't help but stop several times just to stare at the ocean and watch the surfers.  There wasn't a lot of people there which made it even nicer.  I just can't get over how beautiful of a walk that is.  I thought that the lighthouse with a lot further than it was.  By the time we got back Brodie was exhausted but I know that she also loved it.  Next time I go I'm going to be sure to take my camera and see if somebody will take a picture of Brodie and I, I hope they don't try to run off with my camera.

When I got back Heather came over to fix me up with food for couple of days.  She brought me some chicken, some squash and some KILLER pasta salad, I think it was the best that I have ever had.  She made me a bunless hamburger with salsa, avocado, horseradish\cheddar cheese and grilled onions, it sure was delicious.  She also made me a wrap with salami, Swiss cheese, pepperchinis, lettuce and pimentos, I can not wait for lunch tomorrow.

Teresa's first day...

Yesterday morning was Teresa's, my new caregiver, first day of training and I think that she is going to work out great.  She's not afraid to jump in and she's very knowledgeable about just about everything.  Unfortunately I was having some unforeseen personal care problems which is always embarrassing but she was so sweet about it.  Susana is very good at training and it's going to be so great to have a caregiver and be able to get up every day.  She also loves to decorate and I am really excited about that, I was getting worried that I wouldn't be able to find anybody to help me decorate.

Charlie and Terrie came by yesterday morning and although it was really great to see them they didn't stay very long.  They brought by the guy who did the cabnet work for this place, Larry, to measure for a portable cabnet for my computer system so I don't have to live in the corner of my bedroom to operate/play with my computer system.  Charlie brought by a drawing and it looks like it's going to be perfect... pretty much like everything Charlie does.

I ended up staying in bed and I'm really hoping that everything goes smoothly today so I can get up and out of here.  It looks like it might rain but I have never been afraid of a little rain.

Milking this journal thing as long as I can...

Hopefully yesterday is the last Thursday that I have to stay in bed.  Tomorrow we are training a new girl, Teresa, and I think he's really going to work out well.  Then all of my shifts will be full and I can get up every day if I want.  It sure is a lot harder to stay in bed living here and it was in San Jose.

Heather came over last night and said that she was marinate in a pork butt for tacos tonight.  She came over this morning and made chicken stuffed with goat cheese, some yams and some rice and of course it was very good.  When I came back from my cruise around the wharf it already smelled really good in here.  Heather was making some pork cutlets, some spinach, my favorite potatoes and a couple of wraps... she is getting very creative with the wraps and they are just getting better and better.

Whenever Brodie and I cruise the wharf we know that we are sure to meet some very interesting people.  Today we met a poet and his girlfriend, I wrote a poem about a dog with a red bandanna and since Brodie wears a red service animal bandanna he decided to share it with us.  I gave me has card that had his web site on it and we talked for a few minutes and then we came back home, I cannot wait to check out his web site.

Sneaking in another entry...

Yesterday Heather came over with some mushroom raviolis and some Mexican prawns and at first she was going to make shrimp scampi and some more garlic bread but then she decided that since there was still some of her cream sauce left she would make raviolis with prawns, it was soooooo good, she also made some eggplant ratatouille.  I always wondered what ratatouille was ever since I saw the cartoon.  She also made some chicken salad and some egg salad in case I needed sandwiches before she comes back.

Today turned out to be really nice.  Brodie and I went for a really long cruise across the lagoon and the wharf.  They have a lot of the Tule grass cleared away from the lagoon and you can see for ever, it looks so beautiful.  They're supposed to be done by the eighth of this month but I think it's going to take them longer than they expected.

After I got home my aunt called and said that she was going to drive me to pick up my records from Valley Medical Center so she talked my mom into going.  I called this morning to make sure my records were ready and they were.  When we got to Valley Medical as they went around the corner there was Cindy.  I have known Cindy for a very long time but we just started to become friends in the last months before I moved.  I've never really had anybody that I consider friends and I don't know why, I have a lot of acquaintances that I love to see but none that I keep in contact with unless I run into them... I guess I just must be a loner.  I always felt really comfortable around Cindy and I can see us becoming good friends.  We talked for a while and then she had an appointment and I needed to go pick up my records.  My mom and I were sitting by the entrance waiting for my aunt to come out of the bathroom and I heard a voice "there's somebody that looks familiar", I don't know if people say that to be funny or because they truly don't remember your name.  I turned around and that was Vicky, Vicky was my nurse when I was first injured.  She is such a neat lady and so compassionate.  I remember wanting my hair wash so bad right after my injury and nobody would do it... Vicki did and I think she got in trouble for it but that's just how she is.  I found out a few years later that Vicky's aunt and uncle lived on the same cul-de-sac as my aunt and uncle.  After Vicky left I heard another familiar voice and when I turned around there was Lynn, my OT who also got me through a lot, it was so great to see her.  We got to catch up a little and she told me about one of her patients that is looking for something similar to the system I have that runs my house.  Of course I told her that I would be glad to talk to anyone and to give her my phone number and e-mail address.  When I lived in San Jose they used to bring the new injuries to my house so they can see that I not only live alone but I'm able to take care of everything through a computer program and voice activation, it used to really make me feel good.

We went to the Spirits Store by where we used to live to get me a costume for Halloween, I decided to be a Queen since I'm already sitting on a throne, my chair, and Brodie's going to be a court jester.  We met Ellen at Holders Country inn for dinner and then came on home.  My mom and I used to eat there every Wednesday because she loves the Chicken Cordon Blu, I Had key lime Prawns, Squash and Cauliflower and Rice.

Cribbage...

Heather came over Wednesday to set me up for a couple of days, she is really busy this week but she always makes time to help me out, she is such a sweet lady.  She had some fresh cod that was just caught and man was the amazing. She made this great sauce for it and also made some chicken soup, sautéed spinach, sautéed eggplant, roasted potatoes and of course a couple of wraps to last me until Sunday or Monday.

On Friday my mom and I went to Claudius shop to get a haircut and a manicure, we were supposed to play cards on Saturday but my brother and his daughter were going to come down for the weekend so we decided to play cards on Sunday instead.

Heather came by on Friday and we decided to go shopping and get stuff to make ravioli and garlic bread.  I had raviolis in the freezer from Costco, spinach and mozzarella cheese, and Heather was going to make the sauce and the garlic bread and some green beans.  The sauce was some heavy cream, artichoke pesto and mushrooms... needless to say it was awesome.  She makes the best garlic bread too.  Stanley and Corinne arrived on Friday night but it was really late so we just all said hello and went to bed.

Whenever Stanley is here he makes breakfast.  There was some left over cream sauce from the night before so he made its own version of eggs Benedict with scrambled eggs and bacon and it was delicious.  Unfortunately I had made an appointment to interview Teresa on Saturday so we got a late start at the boardwalk, Carrie, the girl next door, and Corinne wanted to spend the day together.  The interview went really well and Teresa will start on Friday evening but by the time I finished interviewing it was almost 1 p.m.  Stanley, Corinne, Carrie and I headed for the boardwalk and had a great day.  We stopped to have dinner at a restaurant on the corner called The Ideal.  Corinne and I have been there once before and the waitress remember us, I think mostly because of Brodie.  She remembered Brodie because I told her that I always bring my Barcuum cleaner when I go out to eat to clean up after me, she thought that was hilarious.  I had clam chowder and calamari and it was pretty good.  I guess every Saturday they have karaoke and it was so much fun to listen to everybody sing, I wish we could have sat somewhere and watched it.

On Sunday we met Lee and Claudia, my aunt and uncle and Ellen at our favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner and then came back to my aunt's house to play cards.  About halfway through the games I started feeling really bad so we had to leave early.