big surprise!

 Let me tell you the list of titles I mulled over:

1.  I'm spending all of our money!

2. In fact I am NOT a big fat baby.

3.  It's a good thing I love needles!

4.  I'm a Christian, and I'm normal...

5.  Appointments lead to more appointments...

6.  I'm old!

7.  I'm too young!

Confused yet?  Okay.  This fine morning, I drove Miss Cam to her test, then went to Walmart, in search of a birthday present for Tennyson, and a wedding card for Paul's co-worker.  I dawdled and meandered as much as I could before my knees hurt too much, then rested in the car...drove to Starbucks, got an iced Americano, then to Aldi.  I had rested up enough for a trip around a small store like that.  

Back in the car, it was 10:49, I decided to finally-inally call the dr. about my knees/back/mobility issues.  Well, the receptionist said, we have an eleven o'clock open, can you come in?  Since I was five minutes away, already in the small city, I said I could.  Now, Cam was due to be done with her tests at noon, so I thought no problem.

To the dr. I went, surprised to be going so soon, glad to be going quickly before I could try to talk myself out of going, (anyone else always tempted to cancel dr. appointments?)  glad to be getting it over with, dreading the heck out of it, but being a big girl and just walking in all normal-like.

X-rays first, then of course Miss Cam texts me, she's all done and ready to be picked up...um, I am in the MIDDLE of an appointment, oops, so sorry.  Poor girl had to wait for me.

The dr came in, sat down, looked straight at me, and said, "You have some of the worst arthritis in your knees that I've ever seen.  You are way too young for knees like this."  He mentioned thinking something else MUST be going on for them to be so bad.  I told him I was heavier previously, and that I had 16 kids.  WHAT?  How many twins?  none?  Are you Mormon, or Mennonite?  No, I said, I'm a Christian, I'm normal.  (This is when I lose track of what he's saying, wondering what the heck I meant...I'm normal?!)(Completely no offense meant to any Mormon, or Mennonite!)

I told him my back hurts too, and that I've got pain running down my leg, down the back of my knee, making my lower leg and foot ache...he said I've probably got a spine full of arthritis.  I then mentioned the hip, at the risk of sounding like a really old granny, but he had me lie on the table...one press in the right spot, OUCH!, and he said it's bursitis.  

He thought some cortisone injections might help, and who am I to say no to a nice long needle?  His assistant came in and set it all out, then left, saying the dr would be in to give the injection, which took a good fifteen minutes. I sat there looking at them and deciding whether to just leave to get Camille or hide under the exam table.  

But I'm a big girl, and I took my shots.  The ones in the knees were fun, because after the first one you know there's a second, but the hip shot took the cake...the Pain Cake.  If you ever get one, don't say I didn't warn you.  

So I left there with an appointment with a spine specialist next month,  a follow up appointment in three months to see how things are going, and three boo-boos with bandaids.  

He said he doesn't like to jump right into surgery too fast, likes to see how things are first.  I told him I'd have my knees replaced tomorrow if I knew that was the whole issue, so we'll see what the spine doc says.

Also, #1. is very true, it's expensive!  We have good insurance, but a high deductible, and the copays add up!  

I picked up poor Camille who had been waiting for me outside on a picnic table for over an hour (she passed all portions of the New York State Equivalency Test, so she's done with high school!). I felt so bad for her, I offered to take her to lunch anywhere she wanted to go!  We also had to celebrate that she was done with her testing.  She chose Chili's.  It was really fun, strange with just the two of us, but nice.  I made her go into Ollie's with me after, she hates that store, but I got some Tide for a decent price, and good book for one of the grandchildren (buttons to push for the farm animal sounds!), and some purple gumballs for Tennyson's birthday bag.

Home...ahh, home.  I put some towels in the wash, and vacuumed the stairs and downstairs hallway and the guest room, as one of Jon's friends might be staying here.  

I am not hungry for dinner, even though I only had one chicken crisper...(but that's because of the chips and salsa, dang it's good).  I bought a cauliflower crust pizza, sounds good, but later I think.  

We're going camping tomorrow, I have to finish packing...oh, it smells yummy in here, wax warmer pumpkin spice....:). I ordered a rechargeable book light from Amazon, so I can read when we're camping...no electricity for this site on this trip.  It's supposed to rain Saturday, and we're right there on the beach on Lake Ontario, we can listen to the rain drum on the camper while we stay dry and cozy, and read our books...

I drove by the prison today...can you imagine living across the street from this wall with guard towers?  It's the only city in the USA with a maximum security prison within city limits.  

Anyway...off I go to putter around....don't like to sit too long in my chair.  Here's the thing:  I try to be healthy.  I swim, I go places and walk as much as I can, I never sit too long without getting up and doing something, I eat pretty healthy, avoid cookies and cake and chips for the most part.  I mostly eat meat and veggies and a little bit of fruit once in a while.  I can't help wondering what I've done to be in this kind of shape...what could I have done better...but that doesn't help.  I am SUPER thankful, by the way, to live in this country where I can get such good healthcare.  There are things I don't like, but there are things I love...calling and getting an appointment for in TEN MINUTES.  

Ah well....rambling on and on, because shh, my chair is SO comfy, and Old Kitty is purring on the arm of it, Paul went to the dump, Cam is washing her bedding, no one else is here...but, I have to get up and move a bit...have a good afternoon!