WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY'S POSTS.....I WASN'T AS LUCKY WITH MY LITHIOTRIPSY PROCEDURE THIS TIME

It was late and I was in not the best of shape when Kelly finally got me home from the hospital Wednesday night.  I just couldn't put a post together as I had planned.  I'm writing this paragraph for Thursday's blog, it's 5 a.m. and I'm not doing as well this time as last time I had this done in 2012.  Nausea is gone but OMG the sporadic pain in my lower back, but more about that later.  First let me get you up to speed with Wednesday.

A STEALTHY PHEEBS SNEEKS UP ON A GRASSHOPPER

CHICORY

SOME FLOWERS HAVE ALREADY GONE TO SEED

Wednesday morning Pheebs and I took full advantage of the morning's sunny cool weather and spent another pleasant hour in the countryside.  Home again I spent a more time on the van before Richard and Gayle picked me up to take me to the Stratford Hospital.  Great conversation all the way.  Thanks guys.

FIELD OF BEANS

BEFORE A BEAN IS A BEAN IT'S A FLOWER....NOTICE THE HEAVY DEW

NOW I KNOW HOW JACK IN THE BEANSTOCK FELT 

FARMERS ARE STILL VERY BUSY IN THE FIELDS

It was high noon when I found 'Surgical Services' on the second floor, took a number, and signed in at the registration desk.  I don't know how many times I patted myself on the back for remembering to bring my Kindle reader.  It certainly shortened my next two hours and fifteen minutes before my number was finally called.

NICE OUTSIDE AREA AT THE STRATFORD HOSPITAL AND I'M SURE I WILL BE SPENDING TIME RIGHT HERE FRIDAY

ON MY WAY TO THE SECOND FLOOR REGISTRATION I PASSED OVER THE 'IMAGING' WAITING ROOM WHERE I HAD MY PROSTATE BIOPSY AND CAT SCAN AWHILE AGO

IN THE WAITING ROOM I HAD TO GET AS FAR AWAY FROM ALL THE TALKERS I COULD TO CONCENTRATE ON READING MY KINDLE

I was led into the pre-surgery waiting room where I disrobed and slipped into the usual backwards blue hospital gown.  Propped up in bed there was more paper work to be done and blood drawn.  (By the way it was a bi-lateral Lithiotripsy) procedure I was having done.  Wished I had been asked for a urine sample before putting on my awkward flowing gown.  That was quite a juggling act in the washroom.  Back on my bed and thankfully propped up a lady with a portable machine on wheels stopped by and painlessly relieved me of some right arm blood.  An 'ouchy' intravenous line was later plugged into my left arm.  More self pats on my back for having my Kindle with me because again it no doubt shortened up the next two and three quarter hours I spent in the pre-op room.  I knew we were coming down the home stretch when the pleasant  anesthesiologist guy dropped by with a few questions and saying it wouldn't be long.  He dropped by again about 20 minutes later apologetically saying I had been 'bumped back' due to another emergency patient.  Oh well, back to my Kindle reading.  Ten minutes after that he was back again saying things had been worked out and I was ready to roll.  Hmmmm, wondered what happened to the other emergency situation.  A pleasant operating room nurse appeared at the end of my bed and minutes later she pushed me off to the operating room.  I asked her what time it was and she said 5 o'clock.  (I would be in that operating room for over an hour) Parked in the hall outside the operating room I struggled my stiff self off the bed and hobbled through the doors and climbed myself onto the operating room table.  I saw four people in there including Dr. Bukala.  Sure glad it was Dr. Bukala I saw and not Dr. Frankenstein.  My arms were stretched straight out like on a cross with a blood pressure band on my right arm and something on my left arm.  Monitoring pads on my upper chest.  Nobody was messing with my parts swabbing on the yellow disenfectent stuff this time.  Thankyou.  It was done after I had soared off into space somewhere.  Looking up at the configuration of lights above me which were not turned on yet I slowly became aware of faint voices and sounds from somewhere out of a distance mist.

WELL HERE I AM AGAIN IN ANOTHER GUCCI' HOSPITAL GOWN

TUCKED INTO MY WEE TRUNDLE BED

THAT WAS THE ONLY 'OUCHY' I HAD FOR THE WHOLE PROCEDURE

I'VE GOT MY WHOLE KIT AND KABOODLE IN THAT PLASTIC BAG BEHIND THE KINDLE....EVEN MY SHOES

LAST SELFIE READING MY KINDLE BEFORE BEING ROLLED INTO THE OPERATING ROOM ABOUT AN HOUR LATER

As those few remote sounds edged closer I began making a bit of sense out of where I was.  And I wasn't in the operating room looking at the lights anymore.  A voice near me asked me how I was feeling.  Yep, the laser procedure was over, it was 6:15 and I was safely back in the recovery room.  And this time little did I know this recovery was going to be different from the easy recovery I had from this same procedure seven years ago.  Comparing time lines with Kelly later it seems I was nearly an hour and a half in the recovery room.  After a couple great tasting cookies and a slap of orange juice I began feeling sick and that was to stick with me for the rest of the night.  I had no pain but felt very weak and fragile.  It was a struggle to get myself dressed and the nurse had to put my socks on.  Thank heavens they had a wheelchair right there.  Thought for sure I was going to throw up several times and almost did.  They wheeled me over into a washroom where I was clumsily able to maneuver myself around to urinate and yes there was blood in the toilet but luckily it only felt like I was peeing some slightly hot water.  There was no screaming pain from the kidney stone shards.  Luckily two stents had been put in to help with that.  I have to go back sometime in the near future to  have those stents removed.  As I recall from last time that removal wasn't a problem.  Now about the sickness I was experiencing.  I think it was my own fault that I was sick.  The week before in Doctor Bukala's office the lady said I was to have a 'good' breakfast Wednesday morning and drink lots of fluids.  Guess I forgot that part because all's I had to drink was a cup of coffee and my morning shake probably didn't qualify as a solid breakfast.  My sick my fault.  And let me add once again here about the medical staff. Everyone I've met and come in contact with has always been great.  Friendly and caring.  And the two shift change nurses who looked after me were no exception.  From the washroom I was wheeled down a couple hallways to the elevator.  Down we went to the first floor, through the hospital lobby and out the front door.  Recognized the Jeep right away and there was Kelly on the sidewalk and Holy Smokes there came Pheebs running to greet me.  How about that for a nice feeling.  I clumsily exited the wheelchair and hauled myself into the Jeep.  Still feeling sick they sent a barf bag along with me.  Luckily I didn't have to use it but I was sick and groggy all the way home tipped back in my seat with my eyes closed.  I remember Kelly talking to me and Pheebs snuzzling me from the back seat.  I also remember Kelly saying something about some nice clouds but I felt too sick to even open my eyes or reach for my camera.  Finally home I slowly wobbled my way into the house and headed straight away for my living room chair where I stayed.  Still no pain but feeling weak I never even got out of my clothes for the night.  However.........when I got up around 3 a.m. to use the washroom the kidney stone pain (which I am very familiar with) in my lower back doubled me over all the way there but then quickly vanished by the time I got back to my chair.  There is still one more kidney stone to come out at a later date and I'm hoping it isn't that one which is causing the pain.  I did dig out some old out of date 800mg Ibuprofen pills from 2012 that had really helped me out with kidney stone pain in Tucson Arizona at that time.  But not this time.  I think they were too old.

HERE I AM TAKING A PICTURE OF KELLY WHILE SHE IS TAKING A PICTURE OF ME (BELOW)

AND HERE COMES THE PHEEBS TO GREET ME:))))

FEELING VERY SICK HERE I SLOWLY BACK MYSELF INTO THE JEEP.....DID YOU SEE PHEEBS NOSE

GUESS MY HAND WAS LITTLE SHAKEY TAKING THIS PHOTO OF LITTLE MISS HAPPY FACE

Okay it's now Thursday and I wrote all the above paragraphs early this morning while things were still reasonably fresh in my memory.  So how are things now Thursday afternoon.  In a nutshell, not the best.  No pain urinating except for a slightly hot feeling.  Legs a bit on the weak side still and the nausea is gone.  But OMG the sporadic lower back kidney stone pain spasms are bad doubling me over at times.  Luckily they only last for about ten seconds at a time but I don't know when they will hit.  Could be the shattered bits of kidney stones moving along on their way out.  I was lucky enough not to have any of that happen last time.  Somebody slipped up somewhere in forgetting to give me a 'required' pain med subscription and I of course never thought to inquire about that while at the hospital Wednesday.  Anyway the pain was so bad this morning Kelly phoned Doctor Bukala's office in Stratford and they immediately faxed a prescription to my Pharmacy at Walmart in Goderich.  I didn't waste any time in getting up there to pick it up.  I had one spasm in the store where I gritted my teeth, hung on to a shelf in the Pharmacy department and tried to look as normal as I could in case anyone was looking my way.  Soon as I got my pain killer pills back out to the Jeep I popped one of them in my mouth just as a second really bad spasm hit me.  I was so glad nobody saw me writhing and contorting around in the Jeep because if they had they would have been on the phone saying there's a crazy guy in the Walmart parking lot.  Good thing I had the windows closed up tight too.  A third spasm nailed me just as I got out of the Jeep back home but it wasn't nearly as bad as the one that dinged me in the Wally World parking lot.  I had one more bad one about 20 minutes later followed by a much lesser one half an hour after that but I think by then the pain killer was kicking in.

SOME YOUNG BLONDE AND RED HEADED CORN COBS EMERGING FROM THE STOCKS

Okay back to first thing this morning and yes I know this getting confusing but I want to keep things in order.  Pheebs and I started our day off on wet roads after a few early morning showers.  Headed to Clinton's Tim Hortons for a coffee to go and motored over to the Hullett Marsh where I let Pheebs out for a run and took a few photos.  We weren't there long before my kidney stone pain sent us scrambling for home again.  I worked away on the Freedo Vandito Van's exterior for awhile until I headed off to Goderich for the pain meds.

LOTS OF NICE WILDFLOWERS IN THE HULLETT MARSH THIS MORNING

SOMETIMES FLOWERS BLOWING IN THE WIND NEED A HELPING HAND TO STEADY THEM FOR A PICTURE

Tomorrow (Friday) I will be back to the Stratford Hospital again for approximately another five hours undergoing a bone scan for my prostate cancer.  That is the final test needed before meeting with my urologist Doctor (Bukala) on August 14th.  That is when I will find out what treatment I will have to undergo for the cancer.  Sounds like two options so far.  Surgery or radiation.  Nothing said about Chemo Therapy.  Gotta love all this Golden Age stuff eh!!!!  Hope I haven't confused you all too bad but that happens whenever I miss a blogging day...……….

HERE STORMY SKIES LET A TRAVELING SUNSPLASH TOUCH DOWN AND RACE ACROSS A HARVESTED WHEAT FIELD

I LOVE SKIES LIKE THIS

JUST AROUND THE CORNER FROM OUR PARK

GROANER'S CORNER:(( “Turkeys cannot speak, so they usually take their secrets to the gravy.”
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GREAT START TO THE DAY UNTIL I GOT IN THE WAY OF MYSELF AND IT ALL FELL APART

TURNS OUT THIS WAS ABOUT THE BEST PART OF MY DAY

Forgot to check our live weather radar feed before going to bed Monday night and had I done so I would have seen the approaching rain front.  It was 5:15 this morning and there I was outside in my pajamas and rain coat racing around closing van windows and quickly gathering up cleaning supplies like paper towels, my shop vac, and leaf blower, etc.  I later thought about it and welcomed that sudden little slice of involuntary exercise.  In hindsight it was kind of a nice active way to start the day.

EVEN THESE CANADA GEESE APPRECIATED THE EARLY MORNING RAIN

Needing a few additional automotive cleaning supplies Pheebs and I headed for and splashed our way to Goderich's Canadian Tire Store but not before doing our usual harbor and beach tour.  A couple small cans of touch of paint, a few small paint brushes, a jug of CLR and some masking tape and we were on our way home again.

THE ALGOMA BUFFALO WAS IN PORT THIS MORNING FOR A LOAD OF SALT

LOOKS LIKE THE OLD BUFFALO IS NEEDING A LITTLE SPRUCING UP

ENTRANCE TO ROTARY COVE'S DOG WALKING AREA

'SMELLS LIKE A GOOD OLD ROTTEN DEAD FISH OVER HERE SOMEWHERE DAD'

'YIKES THAT WATER IS GETTING MIGHTY CLOSE TO MY PAWS'

Not one of my better days and I blame it on my lack of patience, the heat driven humid day again and maybe being over tired.  And, probably a whole lot of other stuff too.  If I picked up something I dropped it, if I set something down I couldn't remember where it was two minutes later and numerous times I went to get something and by the time I got to where I was going I couldn't remember what it was I had come to get.  If it happens once in a long while well then Okay but when it happens repeatedly like these last few days I get very very upset with myself.  I even had to dash my hat upon the ground at one point this afternoon.  Last time I did that years ago I broke my favorite Arizona baseball cap!!

IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE ONES FARM MACHINERY COLOR MATCHED THESE DAYS

THIS IS A COMBINES WHEAT HARVESTING HEAD RESTING ON IT'S TRAILER

My good buddy Richard is driving me to the Stratford General Hospital tomorrow.  Have to be there  by 12:30.  Kelly will pick me up sometime later in the day.  Because I am on an emergency surgery list I have no idea when they will do the laser procedure.  Depends how many emergency surgery people are ahead of me and how urgent their emergency is.  Didn't want Kelly coming to the hospital and then getting stuck just sitting there waiting for hours and hours.  Doctor Bukala's office lady last week told us Dr. Bukala didn't get home until 10 o'clock one night recently.  Kelly will be in touch with the hospital and they will let her know when I am hauled off to the recovery room.  Depending on how many people are ahead of me they said I might have to be kept overnight.  Oh horrors, I can't go that long without seeing the Pheebs.  Now I'm not going to go into detail of what takes place with this particular laser kidney stone procedure because if I did most every male reader out here would see his life flash before his eyes, his knees would go week, an audible gasp would be heard, his hands would instinctively form a defensive position in his crotch area and he'd collapse groaning to the floor with his legs tightly crossed and shaking.  I know this because I had this same procedure done once before seven years ago.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Three vampires walk into a bar and sit down at a table. The waitress comes over and asks the first vampire what he would like. The first vampire responds, "I vould like some blood." The waitress turns to the second vampire and asks what he would like. The vampire responds, "I vould like some blood." The waitress turns to the third vampire and asks what he would like. The vampire responds, "I vould like some plasma." The waitress looks up and says, "Let me see if I have this order correct. You want two bloods and a blood light?"
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“Undercooked steaks are a rare situation. Be careful or you will get a raw deal.”
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Clovis' Consideration of an Atmospheric Anomaly: 
- The perversity of nature is nowhere better demonstrated than by the fact that, when exposed to the same atmosphere, bread becomes hard while crackers become soft.
- Cohn's Law: The more time you spend in reporting on what you are doing, the less time you have to do anything. Stability is achieved when you spend all your time reporting on the nothing you are doing.
- Cooke's Law: In any decision situation, the amount of relevant information available is inversely proportional to the importance of the decision.

- Correspondence Corollary: An experiment may be considered a success if no more than half of your data must be discarded to obtain correspondence with your theory.

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