Surgery--Again

Tai, I've asked everybody, older and not older. I'm telling you, they've gone from one or more in every home to endangered.

Report: The bedroom is done. I went through 12 drawers and sorted and tossed. Got three empty drawers and a few uncrowded ones. Went through 9 feet of closet plus the two shelves and the closet floor.

Sorted through all the clothes that had formed a mountain. Everything is now hung up or folded and put away. I got a lot of nice new duds. If something was a bit small and I really liked it, I kept it. I've been eating like a sumo wrestler and gained some weight. Part of my manic state. I'm expecting that this will subside, and I'll be able to remove a few pounds.

Uncovered by mother's white silk wing chair. She had it covered with a fitted plastic slip cover. The moment the chair arrived here, I removed the plastic. By the next day, Mikey was working on the chair. He made a hole. I threw the handmade afghan I found in the linen closet over the hole. It looks vunderbar.

Thanks to each of you who sent me clothes. I've got jackets, a raincoat, hats, tops, some pants. Smiling.

Kvetch of the day: I'm trying on sweaters and jackets and wool stuff and it's almost 90 degrees. The sacrifices I make--just to get free stuff. Schvitzing like a . . . what? A major league schvitzer.

Grin..

Wow!!! This likely IS mania, but it is the best use for mania I have ever heard of!

Mania. You don't know from mania.

What I described above happened yesterday and earlier today. Tonight, after I finished my work for the day, I decided to clean off one of the two mountains of papers in the living room. The smaller mountain. Somewhere under all that stuff is a table. Granted it was my mother's table and I never liked it much, but it's a surface.

I thought it would take me a few days.

DONE. Never discount insanity.

I encountered something I should have filled out and returned. Didn't do it. I will call on Monday and plead insanity. Maybe I can get an extension.

With all the papers flying, the floor needs to be swept. I will try to control myself until tomorrow. I'm tired--I think.

Note: When you try to wash a shadow off the kitchen counter, you're nuts. Guilty and charged.

BTW, I've had three job offers--as a cleaning lady. Who knows. It might pay better than editing, and you get a free lunch.

Indeed...but a lot of manic behaviour is destructive...yours, though I think you'll have a droop, at least leaves you in a much better space than you were before.

Does it feel like you are clearing layers of sadness and despair from your home and spirit?

But, if not sleeping, do you need some slower downers?

Hell, if this continues, will you feel comfortable for me to visit you at home?

You like Oreos, bunny? Let's just hope that I'm still in my apartment. I'd hate to have done all this cleaning and then get thrown out. Trying not to worry.

The psychiatrist suggested that I may need to be taken off some stuff. Of course I'm already off the steroids, but I don't see much of a difference.

Finished cleaning out the file cabinet. I estimate that I'll be shredding until 2012. Next up. The Everest of papers.

Also gotta make two unpleasant calls on Monday.

Tuesday I'm going for some kinda test. I think it's a bone density test. I'll show up and get poked. That's all I know.

Not an oreo fan.

Good luck with the calls and the poking.

still smackin' 'em outta the park?

try to don't poke back.

they get kinda testy 'bout that...

((B))

The calls went well. On the phone (a lot of holds) for almost 90 minutes with one of them.

Reg, I always was a good hitter. It's the fielding that left a lot to be desired. And I like those pitches not too fast straight down the middle. Hand-eye coordination is not one of my strengths. But when I make contact, watch out.

I wrote to a friend who lived even closer to Yankee Stadium than I did. We could hear the loudspeaker from her room. She and I went to lots of games together. Told her about the steroid mania. She wondered what professional sports would be like (especially baseball) if EVERYBODY was taking that stuff. Rather not think about it.

RH, If I wanna poke back, I will. Chances are I won't.

when my doc put me on steroids, I took them for 10 days but the effect seemed to last one month.

Good to know. Thanks, kid. I can expect to be manic a while longer. I'll tackle the Everest of papers without batting an eye. Hope I can plow through them all before the effects fade.

(((((((((((((Boida)))))))))))))))) been thinking of you so much and your manic moments... I'm not sure if you're manic - or feeling rejuvenated after a long hard slog of it. Whatever it is, I hope it lasts and doesn't tire you too much - you have been sounding soooooooo good which, is SIMPLY THE BEST - tho it's good to see the occasional kvetch;)

Hope you managed to sort the phone calls.

Hugs goil and all my love. x

Philodendron? I've got a philodendron. It took over the family room at one time so we cut it back to a little sprout. Now it's back to taking over a corner. Happy to send you some. I should probably root it first. I'll start a baby philo and keep you posted.

Things are going well between Roberta and me. To prove this, I present you the jacket I wore when we went out to dinner this evening. It features a huge smooch of lipstick.

I wonder what she will give me on our next date: A hickey perhaps?

Things are going well between Roberta and me. To prove this, I present you the jacket I wore when we went out to dinner this evening. It features a huge smooch of lipstick.

I wonder what she will give me on our next date: a hickey perhaps?

Sorry about that, kiddo. I hope that lipstick comes out.

A hickey?

Hickey shmickey. When I'm finished with Everest, you're getting some Roberta-made chopped liver. If I paid closer attention when my Grandma was baking, I'd have made you some challah too. Sorry about that.

In full depression, I probably would not have made both calls in the same day. Too much to deal with. The first call was to ask for an extension on some financial form I have to fill out for the hospital I stayed in in 2008. I was given the wrong number. And I was given the wrong number again. Finally got the right guy. Turns out it was the guy who helped me get Medicaid. He remembered me. Gave me the extension. No problemo.

The former me would have stopped there. I played a game, and then I called the IRS. Was on hold a lot. Reached somebody. Transferred to somebody else. This took at least 30 minutes. Reached the right person and got lots of help. I was expecting to be asked to fill out a form. Instead I answered questions over the phone and got the status I was after. The woman I was dealing with wanted to help me in other ways. She's sending me a mountain of stuff. I will see a fat package from the IRS and not have a heart palpitation. Not have a moment of nervous nausea.

I was on a roll. I did a job in April. Where's my steenkin' check. Already sent two e-mails. The person I'm dealing with was nonresponsive. Called an old friend who works at the same place. Asked for advice on my check. Also kvetched about the lack of work. Lined up two jobs. Phooey. Now I gotta do them.

At this point, I had to get ready. Thomas was waiting for me. Shoulda left off the lipstick.

JPB, This is wonderful! My porcelain springer spaniel will have his philodendron. Looking forward to hearing how it's doing.

T'was a Bellevue miracle.

My appointment for the bone density test was at 2:30. I was done and headed for First Avenue at 2:45.

Obviously no waiting. I had to change. No I.V. Just lie on a platform. I had to hold my leg in an awkward position for a few seconds. When the machine was done scanning it, I had to hold my arms at my side. The machine did the rest. Some kinda fancy X-ray scanner.

Izzie and I obviously had different procedures.

Thomas's speculation that they would saw off an arm and a leg to get a look at the bones was not quite on target.

No waiting. This never happened before!