Thursday, October 30, 2008

Life at The Funny Farm

First of all, I have been in a grand funk for over a week. It all started when I had to go to see a rheumatologist. The bloodtests that were taken during my yearly physical in July showed markers for this stuff. The R doc informed me that I probably have the beginnings of lupus, not too common, but possibly hereditary. Figures, my father had it. Of course there are things that go along with it like dry eyes that itch and burn, and fatigue. Well, that I have definitely had for a while and my thumbs are driving me crazy because they hurt all of the time. I told him there was no way I was taking any more medicine than I was already taking and he said that was fine, drew some blood and said...see you in 6 months. Don't have the blood test results yet.

So, I promptly came home and went to bed and have basically done nothing to speak of but sleep for most of the past week. I did manage to take a short quilting class Friday, but that is all. Made a cute wall hanging which I will show a picture of soon.

Saturday I watched football games all day, played games on the computer, and finally decided to start reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. I finished it up tonight. This book was one of Oprah's choices, which means doodley to me, but I did read some of the reviews on it, and thought I would try it. I have a Kindle and it is such a joy to decide you want to read a book, go find it on Amazon, download it and voila, instant gratification. If you don't know about Kindles, just type in Amazon.com and go read about them. Great "inventions"!!! Oprah likes them so much she gave all of one of her studio audiences one and there is a $50 coupon on her site for them. It will be there for a few more days, but not long.

Aud informed me on Monday we needed to return her Ugg boots; they didn't fit right. Ok, fine, we can drop the Buick off to have the a/c fixed.....especially since it is only 58 degrees outside and we might need the a/c....and then we will return the boots. So off we go. She drives the Buick to Smicklaus Chevrolet and then we go to Dilliards. We return the boots, she buys another pair of shoes, we both try on lots of shoes which don't fit, get some cosmetics and then go to a restaurant in the mall that we both like to have "lunch". Of course it is 4 because we didn't get up until noon.

Had a great lunch. Chicken alfredo sandwiches with an olive relish of some sort and a green salad and wonderful raspberry tea. Then I go get the car and drive up close to the door so Aud doesn't have to walk too far. She has packages in her hand, and when she sits her cane down to open the door it falls down. A very nice man stops and picks it up and she thanks them, gets her packages in the car, and off we go.

I want to stop at Staples, I need some glue for a project and Aud wants some colored paper clips. We get to Staples, I walk in and ask the clerk at the register, who isn't busy, where the glue is. I don't know, it's down one of these isles and he starts walking along the front of them.....ok...which one.....I don't know. He looks back toward his register and a woman has approached it so he turns around and heads back. Wait, where are you going, I don't know where it is, ask that woman, and he points toward another clerk who is helping someone on one of the aisles. She is busy, you look it up, you are supposed to know where things are.

He is frantically looking around, I am glaring at him, the woman at the register is looking at us both like we are crazy, and he hollers at another clerk who has shown up down the way and asks him where the glue is. It is on isle 5. Ok, fine, of course it is in the back of the store, but I trudge down there, and they must have 50 kinds of glue, but not the one I am looking for. I wander around and find another clerk coming out of the storeroom and he helps me look and he can't find any either, so I thank him very much and head toward the front. I have decided I am not going to buy the paper clips there, they are too expensive and I am really irritated now!!!

I stop and ask the clerk that knows where the glue was if he is the manager. No, but can I help you? Yes, I don't appreciate the idiot at the front not knowing where the glue is. I thought the purpose of people who work in stores was to know their merchandise and to help people. He did neither, and I think someone needs to get him trained properly. Yes ma'am, and I get another one of "those" looks. As I walk toward the exit, the idiot says, are you ready to check out now, and I give him one of my best "steely" look and tell him I didn't find anything I wanted, and left.

I walk out the door and there is Aud, white as a sheet, standing outside of the car. What's wrong, I have lost my purse. What? You haven't been anywhere, where did you lose it. Now that is a dumb question of course, but one that you always say when something like this happens. I don't know, I must have left it on the curb when I dropped my cane and put my packages in the car. Well it won't be there now, but we'll go back and look. So we head back to the mall. Of course it isn't on the sidewalk, so I drop her off at the entrance and tell her to see if she left it in the restaurant. I get the car turned around and head back so I can pick her up and a few minutes later she comes out with purse in hand.

When she walked in the restaurant the couple that was sitting there said your waiter put it in the back, so Aud retrieves her purse from someone else, our waiter was busy, and comes out to get in the car. Did you give him a tip Aud? No, didn't think about it, well I think he should get one, ok, here, take him this. So, I leave the car running, go in the restaurant, find the waiter, give him a tip, which really pleased him, and we leave.

By now Aud is so stressed she is beside herself and I feel so sorry for her. We did have a laugh, more of relief than anything else. I told her we didn't need to have another adventure so close to the last one, lol. I am so glad she found it; she had all of her credit cards in there and quite a bit of cash. So we go home and crash.

We have been out every day this week and something silly has happened every day. As Aud says this evening when we were coming home from having dinner with my daughter and one of the grandsons, this has been the longest week, and it is only half over. Do you think we will make it through without any more "things" happening? Don't know Aud, tomorrow is hair day, who knows. And I need to buy groceries, oh, I will go with you, ....ok....well, that will probably be the next adventure, it always is when we go buy groceries together, lol.

Hope you are all having a great week. For those of you who read my blog and don't have an email for replies to commments, thank you for stopping by, I always enjoy reading them.

12 comments:

ranette said...

I've been wondering what's up with you. I'm sorry that you've been down, but Lupus is a managable condition...I've had it for 18 years and I do pretty good most of the time. So glad that Aud found her purse (thought you were going to say that the man who helped her took it). Have a great day!

Anonymous said...

Oh my, what a shopping experience, altogether typical of some stores too. Some days just go smoother than others. Glad Aud recovered her purse, that could have been scary. I've gone the rheumatologist route too with symptoms of lupus and had abnormal findings on my blood tests but did not get diagnosed with it although my R said I might have it but he instead dx'd a 'nonspecific connective tissue disease' because he wanted to be cautious. I tried some of the meds they use and I did feel better but opted to discontinue for reasons of side effects I had and asked him if I could see him on a PRN basis. The past few years whatever I have has been in a remission and the really bad symptoms left and I can deal with the lighter ones easily. So I hope you find good results and feel better. Good luck on your next shopping excursion!

Anonymous said...

Perry,
I always enjoy your blog.....I was getting worried about you and Aud when you hadn't posted . Lupus is a very managable problem.....I pray that the rest of your week is less adventurous.
Hugs, B

Candace said...

Sounds like a typical shopping day, and it will probably get worse as they try to make do with less help in the stores. I hope that you are feeling better, I don't know much about Lupis, but a doctor years ago mentioned it as a possibility for me. It hasn't been mentioned since so I figure it was a false alarm. Maybe yours is too.

Julia said...

You always make me smile! It seems that here lately a new adventure is just around the corner for you and Aud. *smile*

Take care! (((((Hugs)))))

Carol said...

OMG Perry...bless your hearts! You all take care of yourselves. I think another day at home watching football will help...Saturday is almost here! YIPPEE!

quiltmom anna said...

HI Peri,
Poor Aud and Poor you- what a set of adventures you had- I am glad that Aud's purse was found- it is always so frightening to lose your wallet or purse- they are so much a part of one's self.

I hope that you are feeling better and that you have a few less adventures while you are shopping-
This week at school is always exciting with the anticipation for Halloween and all the treats. Tomorrow the trick or treaters will be around - I finally got some treats... It will be fun..
Regards,
Anna

Red Geranium Cottage said...

OMG do you two need me to come there and take care of you??? At least I'd have my camera aimed and ready for some good blogging!!!! LOLOL You two are a pair indeed. You should not go out together!!! Lucky Aud found that purse. I just knew you were going to say it was gone!!! Can't wait till you go grocery shopping. You know tomorrow is Halloween. Maybe you better stay inside.
And I'm sorry that your not feeling well. Hopefully your test will come back ok. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Gena in Dallas said...

Keep us posted on what the tests show. Thank goodness the purse episode ended happily. Could have been so much worse. You're in my thoughts.

Sherry said...

Sorry to hear you have been feeling a bit down...hope things perk up for you soon. What an adventure with you & Aud! It reminded me of some outings I've had with my Mom (lost purses & such)! Happy Halloween...feel better soon!

MARCIE said...

Hi Perry, You sure do tell a tale! Good luck on your next adventure, you funny lady!

G'G'ma said...

So sorry to hear of your health problems. Hope you and the doc and get it all figured out soon. Why can't our real doctors get things figured out in 1 hour like the TV doctors?

Hope things went well at the grocery store!