Corolla For Me

  I laid in bed at Rex Hospital for over two weeks, losing over 20 pounds, getting weaker by the day, and thinking of home and our upcoming trip to Corolla. The head nurse came into my room and told me she talked to my care team and they recommend a discharge date two weeks away.  I told her that I was going home tomorrow.  And I did.  And I  immediately gained weight and got stronger. And we did drive to Corolla for a group vacation with over 15 friends.  I was on a walker and friends tried to help me in the kitchen--I told them doing it myself was part of my occupational therapy but I felt wonderful with the offers to help.  I even baked a cake for the group to contribute and to prove to myself that I could. When I got home, my doctors were amazed at my progress.  Thank you, Corolla.

When Aloma and I were walking through the parking area to our car to drive home, a fast-moving cloud hid the sun.  I felt a chill and had a thought that I would never see Corolla again.

Corolla 2023

 Once again. over 20 friends gathered on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to spend a week together.  This is our 30th year we have vacationed as a group, renting a big house, cooking meals, playing sports and cards, praising God, and mainly just enjoying being together.

from our great room, We watched the sun set in the sound and rise out of the Atlantic hours later  We played putt putt  golf and ate at our favorite hot dog restaurant (tradition), 

But This year was different.

Several members of the group said this was their last year. We’re not in our 30s and 40s anymore.  Most of us are in our 60s and 70s and Aloma and I and several others are in our 80s.  Our friends say it’s getting too hard to pack and drive for four to six hours.

But Corolla is more than a vacation.  When the mild North Carolina winter ends and the Dafadils and Crocus bloom, we know that Spring is here and we will leave soon for Corolla.  We will see friends and enjoy walking on the beach and watching the ocean from our room

.  COROLLTime is a season as much as spring or fall.  

Aloma and I have decided that if any number of couples want to go, next year, we’re in.  We can rent a smaller house or even stay in a motel and eat our meals out.

COROLLTime Time is a season between spring and summer.  We don’t want to disturb the rhythm of the seasons.

PS       Midweek: the group decided this morning to reserve the same house for next year  

The season of COROLLA TIME is safe.  We will return next year.  YEAH  

Seasoned Man

April 28, 2023

Back on-line

 When I posted a blog in November 2022, I didn't realize that it would be my last one for months.  I developed a health issue and couldn't type or think clearly.  My health is improving so my goal is to return to my blog, but at s reduced frequency.

Elections

 There are only a few more days until the election.  The election commercials on TV are non-stop and  I’m tired of them.  I especially dislike the negative ads that tear down their opponent without any backup data.  I’ve decided on a strategy to decide who to vote for.  I keep track of negative ads and will vote for the candidate with the most negative ads against them.

One of the worst negative ads shows the candidate’s photo and next to it, “Rapist, Murderer, Thief.” His name is Wiley and he is an attorney who defended criminals during his career.  That ad is so bad and misleading that I decided to vote for him even though he was not someone I would usually vote for.

Aloma and I went to our voting site two days ago for early voting.  It was set up like voting day, but only two other people were voting while we were there.  We were in and out in about ten minutes.  But, I was disappointed.  The attorney with the stupid negative ads against him was not on the ballot.  While our address is in Cary, North Carolina, and if we go into the yard behind the house, we are in Wake County.  If we go out the front door, we’re in Chatham County where we have to vote.  The attorney is on the ballot in Wake County, not Chatham County.

I’m an independent and am not fond of either the Democrat or Republican party.  I tend to vote across party lines and usually for a conservative or moderate candidate.

But, next Tuesday, I will cheer for Wiley, a liberal candidate.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Puzzled

 In March 2016, the CDC published guidelines for reducing the use of prescribed Opioids for reducing pain.  The goal was to reduce the abuse of Opioids and reduce addictions and overdose deaths.  I remember thinking that it was a shame to restrict the drug for those who need it in order to protect the few abusing it.

Did it work?  Yes, the use of prescribed Opioids dropped dramatically and deaths from prescribed Opioids are lower than in 2016.  Last year when I had surgery, I was prescribed five Oxycodone pills.  If I needed more, I had to return to the doctor who would hand me a written prescription that I would hand-carry to the pharmacy.  Instead, I lived on Tylenol.

Since deaths from prescribed Opioids are down, the crisis in drug overdose deaths is over.  Right?  Wrong!  The deaths from overdoses exploded from about 20,000 in 2016 to about 92,000 in 2020 and over 100,000 deaths from April 2020 to April 2021.  It seems people turned to Fentanyl which is synthesized in illegal labs, mostly in other countries, and smuggled into the United States.

Would hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths be saved if the CDC hadn’t recommended restricting the use of prescribed Opioids?  Would people still choose Fentanyl even if prescribed Opioids were readily available?

I’m no expert.  I’m just puzzled.,

Source of information https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/National_Drug_Involved_Overdose_Deaths_1999-2020.pptx

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Old Age

 When I retired, my brother, five years older than me, gave me a sign that said, “Old Age Ain’t For Sissies.”  As the years go by, I understand it more and more.

I read that the 50s are the new 30s and the 60s are the new 40s.  I’m guessing 83 is the new 84.  The 80s are just old.

Case in point--on Monday I had steroid injections in two trigger fingers and the thumb on my right hand (injections were painful, by the way).  The doctor told me that since I had steroid injections before, these were the last ones.  Surgery would be next.  I’ve already had joints surgically frozen on my hand and big toe.

The next day, I was at a surgery center to have squamous cell cancer removed.  It hurt like the blazes until the numbing injection took over.  The hole left by surgery is so large that a golf ball cut in half would fit perfectly in it.  But they got all of the cancer.

I have more issues that need work, but I’m holding off until next spring.  Maybe when I turn 85 years old next year, things will calm down.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Scientific Discussions

 Since Aloma has a BS in Biology and I have an engineering degree, we never shy away from complex, scientific discussions.

For instance, we were sitting outside on the deck last week, and Aloma said, “When the sun came up on September 22, It was exactly behind the trunk of the oak tree.  Just three months ago the sun came up way other there.”  She pointed to the left.  “And it’ll come up behind those pine trees in three months.”  She pointed to the right.

“Yeah,”  I responded.  “At the Autumnal Equinox, the sun comes up due East and that is behind that oak tree.”

Not to be outdone, I said,  “Okay, I’ve got another Fall Equinox observation.  You know the lever that controls the hot and cold water in the shower.  During the summer months, I move it to the right because the water coming into the house is warm and we don’t need as much hot water to take a shower.  On September 22, I had the lever straight up.  In a few weeks, we’ll need more hot water for a comfortable shower and the lever will have to be to the left of vertical.  That’s the opposite direction that the sun moves.”

Aloma looked at me and rolled her eyes.  “If you’re looking for a Nobel Prize for that observation, I wouldn’t hold my breath.”  She got up and went inside.  A minute later she poked her head back out and laughed and said, “Don’t worry.  I’ll give you a Nobel Prize for your shower observation.”  

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com