Mike

[Guest guest]

Hey, Bratty Pooh, Isn't life grand? I am so relieved to be able to just get up out of bed and breathe.

I actually went outside and started the sprinkler this morning without even thinking about it. Before

they took this fluid off my body, I couldn't even walk that far, much less bend over and turn the

faucet on. Sounds funny to get so worked up over something so simple, but when you haven't been

able to do anything for months, it is like a miracle. I am taking each day as it comes, trying not to

plan ahead, and doing exactly what the docs tell me.

I have dropped 46 lbs. in ten weeks, more than half of it water. Boggles the mind, doesn't it?

So, the goal is to heal this ulcer so my blood count will go back up to normal, then I'll have the energy

to get around enough to keep my circulation going better and keep the fluid off more naturally.

Interesting, isn't it, how each system in the body is connected to the others? So, I take my new

meds (I am up to 27 pills in the a.m. and 16 in the p.m.), do what they tell me, and I'm doing very

well and this is day three out of incarceration. I barely made it through one day without fluid build

up after the heart cath. so this is looking good for me.

How are you, my friend? Haven't been able to read more than a few posts. I put myself on NO EMAIL before going into the hospital, but I came home to more than 500 emails, anyway! Wow!

Tell me what's going on with you. Love you, MM

P.S. It was so nice to hear your voice while I was medically incarcerated. I had calls from Normi and

others, too. Sure cheered me up.

[Guest guest]

Brat, my Brat, Start looking for another Rheumy now, while you still have your old one. That way

you can get a chance to discuss the change with your retiring doc. I did that and it really helped me

make the transition. Good luck. Love you, MM

[Guest guest]

Brat, Alrighty, then, come on along. We will expect you here bright and early on Sunday morning.

Hugs, MM

[Guest guest]

Well, honey, you'll be getting a lot of the same from the west coast. LOL MM

[Guest guest]

Brat, Yeah, well, I am only taking non-perishables, so that wouldn't be a big deal since most

of it was already in the van. The tent, well, I have been known to build a lean-to when needed, so I

guess that wouldn't be a big deal either. LOL MM

[Guest guest]

Brat, Yeah, well, I am only taking non-perishables, so that wouldn't be a big deal since most

of it was already in the van. The tent, well, I have been known to build a lean-to when needed, so I

guess that wouldn't be a big deal either. LOL MM

[Guest guest]

Brat, Yeah, well, I am only taking non-perishables, so that wouldn't be a big deal since most

of it was already in the van. The tent, well, I have been known to build a lean-to when needed, so I

guess that wouldn't be a big deal either. LOL MM

[Guest guest]

>Leaving behing the tent and food would be a bit of a surprise when you unpacked!

But I bet the boys wouldn't forget them the next time (if they lived for a next time, that is!)

Sue (the doggy one in PA)

---Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).Version: 6.0.734 / Virus Database: 488 - Release Date: 8/4/2004

[Guest guest]

Ok, Brat, you asked for it...Here is our itinerary: Day One - Drove down HWY 101 through San Francisco, San , etc. to Hill where we got a hotel and spent the night so my Randy (16)

could have a short visit with his girlfriend. Her family lives in Hill. I got to meet her mother,

and really like her a lot.

Day Two - Got up early, drove the rest of the way down 101 to Paso Robles, then headed west to

the coast. Met our friends at San Simeon about 10:30 a.m. We had to hang around outside the

park until check out time (Noon) to find out which campsite we could get, but had a nice visit while

we waited. Checked in at Noon, got the site we wanted, and set up camp. With my boys' help, and

her kids' help, we got set up in about an hour, and the rest of them headed off to the beach to

explore. I was still putting my bed together in my tent when they left. Since the sun was strong and

high, I avoided going to the beach until later.

I took another fall, while they were gone, but did not get hurt. At least, no one was there to witness

my injured dignity. LOL I was walking to the door of the tent, still inside it, then bending down to

unzip the door, when down I went on my hands and knees. The ground under that part of the tent

floor slanted downward unexpectedly, and I couldn't save myself once I over balanced. I just crawled

slowly and painfully (my knees are really bad) to a spot between my bed and the camp chair and

hauled myself up. I'm getting good at using that camp chair for other reasons than sitting.

The people who came into the site next to us were a Jewish youth group who were travelling for

the summer. The counselors were college students who were teaching cooperative teamwork, coping

strategies, and independent living skills to troubled kids. The counselors were musicians, singers, and

the whole group sang lots of Hebrew and Yiddish songs while they worked. They came over and

introduced themselves to us at campfire time, and we all sang together for a while. Great fun.

We let the kids build the camp fire, roast hotdogs, and make S'mores so they got all that jazz out of

their systems the first day in camp. I sure slept hard that night. (I have to keep a large plastic jug

in my tent so I can pee in privacy at night. With these damned diuretics for the CHF, there's no way

I'd be able to walk the 100 ft. to the bathroom in time. During the 48 hour period that the booster

diuretic is working I can fill a half-gallon jug overnight.) I only got up once to use my little jug.

Day Three- Went exploring along the coast to Cambria, Cayucos, and Morro Bay. Also, did the

grocery shopping for ice and perishables that I couldn't do before leaving home. My friend, ,

had told me not to bring any cooking gear, etc. as she had everything, and I had the longer drive to

get there. So, I didn't bring my camp coffee pot. I usually get up before everyone else, build a fire,

heat water in the camp pot and make coffee for myself. Well, no coffee pot for the campfire. She

brought a good one to use on her camp stove, and all of her pots and pans were for that cooking

arrangement, and she had the stove inside her tent trailer where she and her girls were sleeping.

I couldn't get in to get anything without waking everyone, so the first day I suffered without my

coffee. Then while exploring the area, I hit every hardware, grocery, second hand shop, etc. looking

for an old coffee pot that wouldn't be hurt by getting fire blackened. No luck, and then dug

out an old camp pot from her trailer that she'd forgotten was in there. I was in business!

My friend, , is the former foster mother to my youngest son, Reesey. She had him from the

birth hospital until I adopted him at age two. She currently has one adopted son age 14, and three

foster siblings ages 12, 13, and 15. The eldest is the only girl so she brought a friend, a very mature

12 year old girl. The three siblings have two half sisters (Are you keeping all this straight?), one of

whom came to camp with her hubby, and the hubby took the middle sibling deep sea fishing on Sunday. The kid is 13, got the biggest fish so he won the jackpot pool. He and his BIL caught 21

cod between them, and had them all filleted. I spent over an hour frying it all for the crowd that

night. Boy, was it good, though. We had a little left over and made sandwiches with it next day.

That kid was so proud he almost exploded. Went around telling everyone in the park about his day

out on the ocean, showing off his pictures, and bragging about his prize money and how he had

taken the BIL out to dinner to thank him. We ate fish until WE almost exploded. LOL

Day Four- The kids had been eating and leaving their messes, not picking up the trash that fell on

the ground, leaving tents open and unattended, etc. since Day One, and after nagging them to do

their part, getting surly replies or outright "noes" from them, and I declared a strike, and left

them to fend for themselves for the day. We left and went our separate ways to do whatever struck

our fancies. The kids were responsible for getting their own meals, cleaning up the campsite, and

looking after each other for the day. You should have seen the shocked looks on their faces when

we drove off. It was priceless. told them all that if things were not in good order when we

returned that night, they would be without access to the camp food containers, and have to go out

and fish and pick berries for their meals the next day. I told them I had no problem going on strike

for the entire week.

I took off and spent the day exploring the beaches and bays nearby, took some pics, read a book, and

just generally enjoyed my own company. I went to a fruit stand and got blueberries, some cheese

and crackers (unsalted, of course), prawns, and a salad, and that was my day's meals. I had taken

the littlest ice chest, because I needed to get more ice, anyway to take back to camp. I sure did

have a nice day. The weather was great, foggy and cool in the evenings and mornings, but sunny

and mild during the day. I did have to watch myself in the sun, and with the thin layers of overcast,

but it was worth all the sunscreen, etc. You have to dress like an onion, with layers you can take off

and put on all day on the coast. The weather is so changeable, and so quick about it, too.

Day Five - We took both vans, and all the kids and drove into Morro Bay so the kids could spend their

souvenir money. Of course, my Randy tried to renegotiate his amount upward to cover the cost of

a fancy cap he spotted. It took an hour to convince him that I wasn't coughing up any more money.

No surprise why we call him the Arab Negotiator, Mr. Yeah-but-can-I? Pronounced Yabbit Kinai.

Reesey was his usual loud self. He kept the other tourists entertained with his silliness. Lived up to

his nickname, My Son, The Mouth. LOL The boys finally compromised on things they could afford.

However, we had a problem in a candy store later in the afternoon. All of the kids had gotten these

gigantic jawbreakers at one store earlier in the day, and Reesey had his in it's bag when we entered

this other candy store. He looked around, then picked out some candy to purchase, and I chose

some for the other adults in the group that day. When we got to the register, the clerk accused

Reesey of putting his old jawbreaker in the bin and taking a new one. She wanted to charge him for

it, and for the "contaminated" candy in that bin. When I told her that he still had his original candy

ball in it's bag from the other store, she told me off publicly, saying she had her eye on him from the

minute he walked in. So, I looked Reesey dead in the eye, asked him out loud if he had even taken

his jawbreaker out of it's bag, and he looked me right back and said, "No, Mama. I did bend down and

look at the others in the bin, but I didn't put my used one in there. Yuck." Then, I took his old bag

from the other store, opened it, and dumped the used jawbreaker out on the woman's counter. You

could see where it had been licked most of the day, it was flat on one side, etc. I told her to keep

the other candy, we would shop elsewhere, and the rest of the customers applauded and followed

us out. You see, she had profiled Reesey because he's black, not because she saw him do anything

wrong. It was so obvious, especially when she saw that I am white, and not going to take any guff

from the likes of her. She lost twenty or more customers with that one action. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

We took the kids for fish and chips, and then headed back to camp. They had made friends with lots

of other kids in the park, and were anxious to get back and party at those campsites. Was kind of

nice for and me, as we could enjoy the fire, talk in private, and just relax a little bit.

An added bonus, 's sister owns a summer home in Cambria (about two miles from camp) and

she and another sister came out from Bakersfield to visit. Had a great time talking and laughing

and comparing aches and pains.

Day Six - had to do the two hour drive home to Wasco to register her daughter for high

school. They wouldn't let her do it early, had to do it on that day. So, she took Reesey with her so

he could see his foster dad, and they were gone until late that evening. I took the rest of the gang

into Cambria to explore the old part of town, took them to lunch, and then back to camp. We had a

good time, just me and the four other boys. They kept the waiters entertained where we went for

lunch, a place called Mustache Pete's. Great Italian food. I found a hat that screens more UV rays

than straw hats. It also can be crushed up in your suitcase and returns to it's original shape.

and the other kids got back around 10 p.m., and we all fell into bed. I got pretty tuckered out

each day, but sure did enjoy it anyway.

Day Seven - The sisters came back and joined us for breakfast, so cooked the whole big deal,

eggs, bacon, hash browns, etc., and I indulged in some eggs, potatoes, and unsalted side (instead

of bacon). I don't usually have more than cereal, or a poached egg on toast, but I was hungry for

a real camp breakfast, so I compromised. Sure tasted good. We went to the beach for the last

time, and then started packing things to make the next morning easier on ourselves.

The traffic on 101 was so bad when we drove down, I was reluctant to go back home that way, so

and I talked it over, and she suggested I spend a night or two at their place in Wasco and then

go home on Interstate 5. That suited me, so after we packed up camp on Saturday morning, we

headed back to Paso Robles, had breakfast there, and then went on to Wasco. It had been in the 60's

at the coast, but was in the 100's in Wasco when we got back there. Good thing her house is air

conditioned. I am not good in the heat.

Anyway, rested up for a day, cooked for everyone Sunday night (enchilada casserole), and got up

at 4:30 a.m. Monday morning and took off for home. We got in about 11 a.m. after stopping for

a few groceries on the way in. We had breakfast in Santa Nella, about two hours out of Bakersfield

on the interstate. Other than that, we only stopped once or twice for a bathroom for me. Diuretic

was working overtime that day. LOL

I am paying for all my fun, now, though. Am in a minor flare, and very tired and sore. It was worth

it, though. We really enjoyed the week. Are you sorry you asked, now? Love you, MM

[Guest guest]

That MM can really put them in their place when it is necessary can't she? I agree, I would love to be able to watch her in action.

barb

"(Brat)" wrote:

Sounds like a wonderful time was had be all! I would have loved to have seen the shopkeepers face when you got done with her! Way to go Mike!

"The LUPIES Store" Come check out our store...http://www.cafepress.com/thelupies"The LUPIES Web Page"http://www.itzarion.com/lupusgroup.html"The LUPIES online photo albums!" Check out what your fellow Lupies look like...http://www.picturetrail.com/lupies __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

That MM can really put them in their place when it is necessary can't she? I agree, I would love to be able to watch her in action.

barb

"(Brat)" wrote:

Sounds like a wonderful time was had be all! I would have loved to have seen the shopkeepers face when you got done with her! Way to go Mike!

"The LUPIES Store" Come check out our store...http://www.cafepress.com/thelupies"The LUPIES Web Page"http://www.itzarion.com/lupusgroup.html"The LUPIES online photo albums!" Check out what your fellow Lupies look like...http://www.picturetrail.com/lupies __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

That MM can really put them in their place when it is necessary can't she? I agree, I would love to be able to watch her in action.

barb

"(Brat)" wrote:

Sounds like a wonderful time was had be all! I would have loved to have seen the shopkeepers face when you got done with her! Way to go Mike!

"The LUPIES Store" Come check out our store...http://www.cafepress.com/thelupies"The LUPIES Web Page"http://www.itzarion.com/lupusgroup.html"The LUPIES online photo albums!" Check out what your fellow Lupies look like...http://www.picturetrail.com/lupies __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hey, Brat my brat, I don't see any wings on that kid. Hahahahaha. MM