I look bad enough for 911? (after nap)

33 minutes till nap time….GO!

The new sleep plan is working.  I’m adjusting well to it, and usually get up before the clock. 

I’ve been more focused with my time in the morning, since I know that I have so little of it.  So far this week I’ve

• sorted then watched Nanny Julie label school supplies
• used duct tape to fix last years backpacks (kids dragging for one year does not create a NEED for a new backpack every year)
• sorted thru 3 full bins of school papers.  Thrown away a box of paper (into the recycling bin, of course)
• Sighed as I looked at three empty bins, ready to be filled in a few weeks with new schedules and rules and work
• Filed a monster pile of paid bills.   Grant pays, I file.  It’s been 6 months on my part.  Good thing I don’t pay or we’d have no lights. 
• Started 2 letters of stuff that I’ve found better homes for. (old, cute school papers to Grandparents, forgotten notebook to sister)
• Gone to Costco to fix these

• ended up getting a whole cart of stuff that I remembered we needed.  

I must have looked tired at the checkout, because an employee came and emptied my cart.  I didn’t even try to help.  Then after I signed my life away for the groceries, I met….um…lets call him Burt.   “Burt here will help you to your car,”  I was TOLD, not asked.  Again, I was grateful for the help, since my pain was building.  Burt asked if I would sit and he’d get me some water first.   I protested.  Mainly because I didn’t want my ice cream to melt.   Part of me was just embarrassed and wanted to drive home FAST.

Burt took me to my car, half way to the far lot.  We talked, he told be about his  mother.  I told him about my last 2 years.  Burt continued to look worried.   I opened up the car to fill with the groceries, then turned to help.  Burt confidently told me he could do it.  He asked me to sit in the car, relax, open all the windows (it was a cloudy day, but sure), and take deep breaths. 

While Burt unloaded my cart, I kept glancing in the mirror.  I must have looked worse that I thought.  I know I felt horrible.  I hadn’t done a lone Costco trip in…a long time.   It hadn’t even been 3 weeks since surgery either.   But the girl in the mirror didn’t look that bad. 

Sitting felt good, so did the water from my car’s cup holder.  Burt finished, shut the doors, and came to my drivers window. 

“Is there someone I can call?  How close do you live?  You’ve got some color in your cheeks, but you still don’t look so good.  You shouldn’t be in such a hurry to get back to life, rest from the surgery.  Take time to heal.  Can I call your husband?  How far do you have to drive?  Do you feel faint?  I would feel better if we called someone.”

Every question, I said, I’m fine, no, I’m fine.  I was SO EMBARRASSED and wanted to get my ice cream home.  After I refused to call someone to drive me home, he switched tactics.

“Lets get you checked out, I would feel better if someone checked you out.  It won’t take long to get your blood pressure checked, and make sure you’re okay to drive.  Better safe than sorry.   You looked like you might faint as we walked to the car, and I don’t want you to faint while driving.  Really, it’s not a big deal to make sure you are okay, and we can get you checked out.”

Oh, I got it.   Since I wouldn’t call Grant, he wanted to call these guys:

 

Oh.  Now my color REALLY came back.  I was not going to have 911 called and get a pointless check out, and perhaps not get to drive myself home, not get to open up a yummy Danish, and put some friend out, and have my ice cream melt. 

Burt kept insisting.  I finally said, I’m fine, I just want to go, can I go yet?   I said it three times.  He continued to ask two times.  Then he moved.  And I left. 

My ice cream didn’t met.

My ego was bruised. 

It really freaked me out.  To have my health questioned like that, to stand out in a non-medical place………..sucked.  I hate being sick.  I hate STILL being sick.  Not sick, just, not healthy.

And I really did hurt my body.  90 minutes in Costco, the big carts, walking all over….TOO MUCH!!!   And this morning is reminded me that it did not like Costco.  

Or Bert.  Or Ambulances.

Now, I will nap.  My 33 minutes are up.  maybe when I wake up I’ll show you a photo of Alex’s 2nd glasses of the year, which led to my visit to buy a 3rd frame. 

To Sarah: 

Yes, I’m driving!

My mind has been very clear since before the last surgery, so I would drive if not on pain meds.  Then after visiting with pain med doctor, I felt confident from German research and time and experimenting with Grant to drive.  Pain keeps me close to home.   That doesn’t bother me as much as before…before when I had to schedule doctor appointments and rides to and from them.  Talk about stretching friendship.  Thank you for the rides, Tammy R, Tina P, Sarah L, Amy B, Diane D,  hmmm…and you if I forgot you!