Turkey time

Thanksgiving 2007

Spent at home. With the cats. And the remnants of a
sinus / ear infection that kept me off work several days.
Very unusual. Stayed home Turkey Day to avoid passing
it along to anyone else. Fortunately they did bring me a
plate of food, which I did eat from the following day.
After all, sick or not, one has to have turkey, cranberry,
sweet potatoes and homemade noodles, among other things.

Thanksgiving night I made a dash to the Animal Emergency
Clinic. They are only open during the times Vet's offices are
closed - at nights, weekends and Holidays. Tamara, one of my
4 cats, was severely constipated. They took care of the problem,
and we returned home. As I was leaving the following day for
Grand Lake and then on to Kansas City, I felt better about
taking her into the regular Vet for boarding while I was going
to be gone. I do have a great cat sitter, but with Tamara being
diabetic, and that can lead to other problems, I knew the Vet
would be able to keep a close eye on her.

She did fine all weekend. So I brought her home last night
(Monday), and she was rather out of it. I knew this had to be
from the anesthesia they often give to the animals when they
clean their teeth, or some other procedures. She started acting
funny and convulsing, so I took her back to the ER. Turns out
she had low blood sugar. They got her back on track, and again
I took her home. I think I've paid their electric bill for this
month with my visits. It was a year ago the 24th that I lost
Allie, the other diabetic cat I'd had. And it was 13 years ago
on the 24th, that year it was Thankgiving Day, that my Dad
passed away. Needless to say, Thanksgiving Weekend can be
nerve racking for me.

I did make it up to Kansas City for the rest of the weekend.
That is always a great trip. I had a great dinner Friday night
with a friend at the Capital Grille, at the Plaza. Saturday
afternoon watched OSU let OU win in football while we were in
Tomfoolery's, and Saturday night had a great steak at Ruth's
Chris Steak House. Sunday we watched Kansas City Chiefs
give the Oakland Raiders the first victory in that series in 6
years. I think the Chiefs are now trying for the best draft
position. They may not win again this year at this rate.
After the game, it was off to George Brett's for burgers and
salad. Then home, and back to reality.

I'm weighing my decisions on getting some plastic surgery
done. After the dramatic weight loss, there's the sagging skin
that can pose some health issues as it overlaps in places, etc.
I'm most comfortable so far with a Doctor in Los Angeles, but
not sure I want to spend 2 - 3 weeks out there after surgery.
So I'm still searching for the right fit - a Doctor I am very
comfortable with in their capabilities, plus closer to home,
plus the best job possible. I've come this far, so it's time to
go the last mile for completion.

Upcoming I do have a trip planned to Crested Butte in
mid December. Other than that, it's just trips to Stillwater
for OSU Basketball (not the power house we once were at
this point), and trips to the lake as well. The landscaping
project up there, which grew to include a garage among
other things, is nearing completion. It is after all, almost
Memorial Day weekend, right ? Oh yeah, I wasn't told
which Memorial Day weekend. Obviously the weather was
a significant delay with the ice storm blowing in just as we
were starting the project, which led to several weeks power
outage. Then the rains came and stayed for so much of the
Spring, along about the time the water line got cut to the
house, and was very difficult to get repaired with all the mud
and rain. Of course, I've added / changed / eliminated things
along the way. That's my trademark for doing things. It
will be done soon though, and now all I have to do is pay
back the bank. For many years. That's the American way,
isn't it ??

Wally

all over the place

11-1-2007

Wow. I cannot believe it's been over a month since
my last entry. In that time, I've been all over the
place.

Dallas (Michael McDonald concert), Kansas City
(Kansas City Chiefs game plus Elton John concert),
Grand Lake (because I can), Stillwater (OSU football
games), and out to Los Angeles (see below).

Time flies. Things change. Yet, some remain the same.

Seems the bleeding problems I was having have gone away.
Now they have linked it to the 81mg chewable aspirin I was
taking. I've quit them, and the bleeding has quit. Hopefully
that was indeed the cause, and not coincidence. Supposedly
I should have been told after the gastric bypass not to take
aspirin. However, it was not listed on the paperwork I had.
I also had been in to that Doc's office several times since the
surgery, and I always list medications I am taking, for
their paperwork update. I am quite sure I would have listed
aspirin, but apparently it went without notice. Of course, the
trade-off is, that now I get a headache easier, as well as
more aches and pains, and I will be more prone to a heart
attack. But hey, I'm not bleeding internally. So that's a good
thing.

Next chapter. I'm getting seriously close to considering
possibly scheduling a "body lift". Then again, I may not.
This is a process where they cut out the flabby hanging
loose skin on the stomach (so often present after an
extreme weight loss, such as gastric bypass surgery).
Basically, they slice you open, cut out a wide swatch of
skin all around the front, and narrowing as it goes on
around to the backside. They then tighten up muscles, etc.,
inside the body, do liposuction if needed. They then "lower
the curtain", basically connecting two continents that were
worlds apart, reforming a new belly button, and putting the
scar down below the bikini line. (As if I'm going to ever
wear a Speedo).

I flew out to LA this past Sunday, and had Consultations
with 2 Doctors out there, one Monday morning, and one
Monday afternoon. The afternoon appointment impressed
me more, in regards to the facility, the Doctors, professionalism,
etc. However, I learned a lot from both in"getting my feet wet"
about such surgery. Why Los Angeles ? My regular Doc here
had been rather insistent about having it done in LA, as they
have the latest techniques, and of course, do such procedures
much more often. Seems most of the plastic surgeons here
in Tulsa (and surrounding areas) do face lifts, etc., but not the
body lift. I tried finding a local one on my own, and just finally
yesterday found one that claims to do a body lift, for about
1/3 the price of the one in California. Perhaps his price is
just for him, and does not include the hospital costs (the
one in California included everything). Perhaps it's just
cheaper here. Perhaps it's just not as high quality here either.
I am going to schedule a Consultation with the local Doctor,
just so I know I've checked it out.

That's the latest on me.