05-31-17 It's all about preparation

Wednesday 05-31-17 @ 6:31AM

Good Morning.  I think.  We were up about 1 ½ hours ago, but we’ve gone through a rough spell with Rich this morning already.  We were so fit to be tied.  Maybe we can start off gentler though.  My name is Ann, we’re a Multiple and it’s been two days since we’ve last written.  *sigh* That’s better.

Just took a second … trying to clear our head.  We went over to the emails and cleared the ones we didn’t want, and then we checked our Google calendar.  We did the bottle of stuff we need to drink at 4 pm for our colonoscopy procedure tomorrow.  That’s where the trouble started with Rich … he woke up very argumentative.  I don’t think he wanted to deal with me.  He also has other business concerns going on this morning, so he was short and snappy.  We were like trying to focus on something that was becoming overwhelming.  We were both arguing … he saw no problem in adding tap water to the mix (ONE GALLON) that I had to drink.  I was like I drink water out of a bottle and we filter the coffee, why would you think I’d do my mix out of the sink.  I think he was trying to compensate because we didn’t have enough filtered water prepared. 

Then it got worse, because we told him we had to have some over the counter things before 4 pm.  I hadn’t looked closely at this part of the instructions because we thought everything was in the bag he’d brought home with the gallon jug. But, this morning, when we checked there was nothing extra.  5 min break

@ 7:07AM We’re back.  We decided to clean-up the bag that goes with us, and then in the process, we made a new Medical/Medicine Sheets.  We did a little updating – especially moving around the medicines.  Did seem right to have the expired stuff at the top – we figure we’ll give that like a month from expiration, and then we’ll take those off the list too.  Then I put the medicine in a better order like over the counter just on top of the (temp) stuff for tomorrow’s procedure and the diabetic – especially, insulin at the top.  AHA!  Just a sneaky thing.  We put the written notes (post-it) on Rich’s phone for the medicine I need.  Hopefully, we’re done fighting about that.  He’s just getting out of the shower now.  So, back to the other, we read the list once more, printed it, and then put it in our backpack.  We want someone at the Y to know about us if anything were to happen.  I think especially the back and diabetes need to be known.  I will also always have a copy in my purse, but I want them to have it on record so they can KNOW how to treat me.  I think it goes back to the days that before you started a new extra-curricular sports event, you needed to have an updated physical.  Same with people who were coming into the center we used to work.  Just if people are going to have some “physical” responsibility for you, they need to know that kind of thing.

We need to jump in the shower soon ourselves.  We’ll wait until Rich leaves.  I know he’s headed out the door soon.  I figure 2 hours and 15 minutes before we leave to the gym.  I’m a BIT nervous.  I think you know, but if you don’t – we enrolled at the YMCA for their Enhance program.  I will be in for 16 weeks and it is a course for older adults with arthritis problems – WHICH IS ME!  WooHOO!  I finally fit in a group.  I’m really looking forward as WELL as being scared.  The class is on M, W, & F though I understand people don’t always show-up every day.  We’re going to try if other appointments don’t come up like doctor – fortunately, Dr. Marvin is on T & TH.  Our nurse Amie appointments need to take a second-string position, because she runs late so often.  We’ll see if she can handle being on time, otherwise they will all have to be rescheduled for the afternoon.  I’m not going to be pressured before these classes wondering if she’s going to be on time and therefore bump my schedule.  We will be very firm on this … we’ve already talked to her about being late.

Ok, we’re good now.  Amie will be here today at 2:30 pm.  Hmm, maybe we’ll move her there for all the appointments, though last time she was scheduled in the afternoon – she sometimes came at dinner time.

Rich just came by and handed me a bottle of the anti-gas medicine which was one that we had put by his stuff.  Ok, one off the list, but he gave me back the wrong post-it … so we had to talk a few words.  What ever happened this morning is now over I think.  He said he gave me the wrong note and he took back the note for the other medicine he must pick-up.  One down one to go.  Glad he realized he’d gotten this other medicine before.  I didn’t know it was in the house.  He’s gathering his things … hold on.  Hmm, we’d stopped to watch him and wait to say good-bye, but he said he’ll be right back.  He went out to put his brief case in the car – AND we know he USUALLY leaves his coffee mug out there and must retrieve it so he could fill-it up.  I’m still not feeling overly friendly, but we love him very much EVEN if he gets super obstinate and grouchy.

There!  It’s over!  Officially.  He came back WITH his coffee cup from the car, and then he filled-it and then he came for his kiss.  He ALWAYS gives me a kiss before he leaves.  Then he said, wipe that frown off my face, and we were holding back a smile (good girl), so we smiled out loud instead and then there were some words back and forth like we told him not to be so … fill-in the words here, and then as he was walking toward the door – there was the traditional “I love you” and then “I love you too!”  That’s the way people SHOULD end arguments.  But for the record, we did tell him not to be so grouchy any more. 

7:30AM I think we’ll wait on that shower for a half hour.  We asked Alexa to set the timer for us.  We are a little concerned because we must do that springy thing women due in the shower.  That’s right … got to shave.  YEEKS! It goes with that first time of the year one wears stretchy capris in public.  I figure that will be our regular gym uniform.  I know we have a black and a blue pair that we’re prepared to wear, but we might have to get a few more for regular time in the summer.  We’ve got a couple like red and orangish pair, but we’re not really wearing them out so much.  Just for around the house.  And I think we have a couple that aren’t stretchy, but those we won’t wear to the gym.  Might get us through the “other times” though.  Maybe later we’ll have to look closely at our lower rack items. 

Right now?  25 minutes to shower time Again, we’ll be leaving at 9:30 am, but will be taking things at a leisurely pace.  AND, we’ve already packed.  Two bottles of water.  Hmm.  What am I going to do for Dakota to drink?  I don’t know where his old pink thingy went, and I don’t know what I did with the one the twins bought.  Maybe we should look again.

Hmm, we couldn’t find it, but we did look.  Maybe it will show up in the back seat of our car of something – thought it was in the back seat maybe of ONE of the two cars.  We grabbed his plastic dish which is harder to carry, but we switched bags to one he had gotten from his official’s time – dark blue with an IHSA stamp on it.  It isn’t too big, but is big enough to carry a couple books, my purse, some water bottles and a hand towel.  It’s not very conspicuous like my dirty white one.  It’s a real gym bag – just small like the size of a laptop bag AND it’s soft. Better safe than sorry.  I think I could carry it wherever.   BUT, there is just a few moments before the shower.  It’s almost time and it’s going to be OK, right?  Going to need the washroom in a few moments anyway.  We’re on a liquid diet GRUMP.

8:31 am BACK!  YAY!  No not from the gym – haven’t gotten that far yet.  Just made it past the shower, dress and prepare the next time.  Always things we’re forgetting … This time packed the phone and a THIRD bottle of water.  Should consider BOTH Dakota and we are going to get thirsty.  Right?  Now, we must chill a bit.  Might want to look at some of those routines. We’ve been checking the rescuetime and now we did the MyFitnessPal … we’re on a liquid diet for a day and a half.  BOO!  We’re too nervous to eat … we just took our 7 am medicine 1 ½ hours late.  Everything is out of sync, and we then also had to go back and give ourselves the insulin we forgot, though it was half as much because of the liquid diet today.  That reminded us that we should pack the diabetic testing kit.  We have no idea the results of liquid diet, half the insulin and an hour of exercise to our system.  We do have the special tablets with us if we run low on sugar.  Should probably tell someone that.

AND, we remembered this time to pack a brush.  Good girl!  Now, we should probably … do routines to get us back in shape.  We still must carry on AND we must be driving.  Need to settle down. Glad we remembered the medicine.  My foot started aching, so we loosened the shoe.  I took a picture of the bruise barefoot, in case it should come-up that we show the instructor what we’re working with.  I don’t know if she’ll or “they’ll” (there’s two of them that teach the class), but if they will be sociable and interested, or more cold and aloof. Could be something in-between?  I figure they are at a gym and have heard every excuse in the book.  They probably also know that new people are a besides themselves.  Ok, should move on … I would like to soothe this along, but know it’s better to look at routines.

Next, back to the mail.  BUT, just a quick one!

9:09 am YAY – got through the list.  It will be back as AOL emails are prone to do, but, at least, we have the important things to tie off the morning with.  AND, the inbox only has 4 things.  I’m not sure if everything made it over yet, but we’re on our way … 2-3 items got listed in our “to-do” reading list (links) and one item got purchased.  It’s called “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport.  It came with good recommendations.  I take a lot of stock in recommendations.  This one wasn’t read by the author, so we took the Kindle version – though it still cost $15.  It’s like #9 in Kindle Time management.  You know we LOVE time management books.  Just one thing at a time. 

It’s now 9:14 am I’m thinking that in 5 minutes we’re going to use the washroom, and then take out Dakota.  I set the time for 9:30 am to leave, but it only takes 15 minutes to get there and we’re already a half hour early.  She said to come early to fill out the paperwork she was going to leave at the desk.  Maybe I should wait until 9:30 am to do the bathroom trips.  I don’t want to rush TOO much.  Need time to stay chilled, AND we like the idea that we get 14 more minutes YAY!!!

Maybe check the inbox now.

9:32AM We got now 8 minutes we figure.  Dakota and us both used the washroom and he has on his vest so, he’s laying right under my left elbow.  Everything is ready just need to pick up the bag to go.  I know general where this is and it’s supposed to be just a 15-minute drive, but we put it in the map anyway, because we get confused easily and rarely go to even the gas station without directions.  We set the screens to continue when we get back.  We did the inbox items, and we numbered them, AND we got them to the Master notes after fixing an error.  But, we still must fix the last several days of the monthly overview.  We got lost and didn’t trace our food/liquid intake for two days.  Maybe we discussed this already?  We’re going to let it go as an example that we’ll live through it, though it’s the first time, we’ve messed up and should look for reasons why.  Maybe just getting too involved in other things. Today is marked.  That’s simple, right?  Just correct the problem.  The stats will work out in the end.  Maybe a LITTLE more analysis, but not now.  I think we’re going to go with the wind and leave 3 minutes early.  Later!  Wish us good luck!