The Scenic Route To Torture

Highway Nine, the scenic route,

We all know what that means.

Beautiful vistas, crooked roads, few guard rails and wonderful photo opportunities...on the way to another doctor.  I remember when this road was gravel and I rode in the back of the truck with my sisters going to visit kin in Stone County.

Imagine this with no rail, rolling gravel,

 and meeting a vehicle.

Twenty-two miles of crooked and steep,

takes me to the beauty of White River.

Sylamore creek feeds into White River

with a mansion on the bluff.

I'm sure you're wondering where the torture comes in...We're there...another wonderful doctor.  Shakes my hand, I scream.  He pokes my wrist, I scream.  He leaves the room and returns with a needle, and I scream some more. Tendinitis, he says, as if it were nothing. Just a tiny prick here, he says. (Afterwards, I wondered if he were describing himself)  After hours (it seemed) of probing with a needle as big as my arm (if it had been bigger, I would have said it), pop! goes the needle into the tendon.  He said, well, that tendon was a little tight.  The king of understatement!

I am wrapped elbow to thumb tip so I cannot move my right arm nor my thumb...for  ten days...but he releases me to return to work!  I don't know about y'all but I have to have a thumb to work.  I need two hands.  If thumbs weren't important in working the mail then they could hire armadillos.

THEN they want to charge me $15 to complete the required paperwork!  I asked, do you charge for filing the insurance?  No, that is a customer courtesy...no ca-ca!  That is the money paperwork.

Disheartened, hurting like crazy and embarrassed that I cried more than the eight-year-old with a broken arm, I left to drive my STANDARD home.  I took the less scenic route this time.

Down the mountains and  up the mountains, across White River, through the small town of Guion (which only had twelve miles of  crooked and steep) back home...only to get in the car again to return to my doctor to have her do the paperwork.

That went well, she was appropriately sympathetic and said, I still have the F disease but fixing the arm will help.  I return home and  find out she didn't SIGN the paperwork.  I know, I know, stupid!  I didn't check.  I decided it can wait til Monday. I am officially, legally off until after Christmas and can't do anything!

I must say the day is brighter, the arm pain has lessened, and I am lucky to still own two arms.  How did I write this post???  Very  slowly, one handed...I couldn't leave y'all hangin'...Merry Christmas.

Adventures In Hell

I posted early and things just went down hill from there. One daughter and her family showed up, both my sisters were here, and I was still tired, all I wanted was peace and quiet.

Today was hubby's birthday and I guess I bought shoulder surgery for him. Anyway he rubs my arm and I knew he wanted something! Am I getting fried chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes and gravy for lunch, only if you make it, my dear.

The house is full, every one is having fun, playing with Zander. Luke and Andrew playing video games. Hubby getting all the attention he can get, the phone ringing off the wall. Maria doing her laundry, noise, noise, noise.

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Then #1 daughter calls and says I can get my car out of impound for only $266 today. Sorry, I don't have it (I did but trying to make a point here). She was all cheery until I said that, sorry, you are being weaned as all the people in my life. Sorry, I can't, I have hospital bills, Dad has hospital bills, you will have to figure this out.

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Daughter #2 asleep on the couch while everyone is keeping baby. Come through the lodge, she is on the computer, Zander in the floor playing.

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I leave...that's right, just up and left! I had some collies I wanted to look at and I was going, hell or high water. Hubby pouts and says the nurse is coming to show you how to dress my wound, no, sorry, a professional should do that, I am not a nurse. So long, good bye, Happy Birthday, love you and I am out the door.

I passed over the Norfork Dam and took some flying pictures of the lake just for your enjoyment. Go to the collie lady and she is not back yet so talk to the dogs out my window. She had some Blue Merle Smooth Coats that I was interested in seeing, not puppy puppies but not grown either. The blues were shy but the alpha male let me know he was boss by repeatedly telling me from his side of the fence. He was a beautiful full coated tri. I saw two blue merles peeking out at me but they did not come to greet me as I called....shy is not good. She also had sables in smooth and rough coat. I waited awhile and said okay, not meant to happen.

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I went to the town bought KFC and came home and told hubby happy birthday, here's you meal. He is still cranky, why did I think that would change?? The house is still full, #2 is on the computer with baby playing in floor, boys are on games...still.

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I promptly sent them to unload the feed still in Marcy's truck and gave instructions of what, when, where, and how much and where to stack it. They did not argue.

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Every one had a nice plate of KFC but when Bev and I finally went to eat, there was one wing left, I let her have it cause she is much skinnier than me and needs all that extra grease and fat.

And because Bev is mopping my floors, doing my laundry and washing my dishes.

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I thought the day would never end, I don't like crowds, especially non-productive crowds!

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Finally, only the family of three and Beverly left. I came into where Zander was playing while his mom was on the computer. A box of Decon, which is kept way back under a dresser was out and strung across the floor. Oh, God, did Zander eat some?????

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I jump in the car and run to their house and walked into the shower where Maria was and asked did you see Zander with the mouse poison? Did you get him out of it, did he eat any and how did he get it out? No one knows, no one noticed! I said come call poison control, better safe than sorry.

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So they pack up and come back to the house to call poison control...did he eat a mouthful...don't know...how much did he eat....don't know, well watch for bruising and bleeding and if that starts take him to the emergency room.

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I went back in my mind to the poison I cleaned up and remembered there was a scatter pattern and it was not moved around like it would be if a nine month old had got into it so we are praying he was too busy doing other things and did not take a bite.

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Den says I saw him playing at the door, Z's Dad said he was playing with a green thing, Mom says he was not in there long enough.

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Am I the only responsible adult in this immediate family?(My sisters are responsible) I raised my girls right, but some how they haven't gotten it yet. Mom always fixes things, Mom will know what to do, Mom will write a check. Sorry, girls, you are in you thirties and I am weaning you now, cutting the apron strings, cutting that umbilical cord...you are on your own!

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I did not get KFC, I did not get a pup, I did not get a rest, I did not get to paint, I ate a cold link sausage and a fresh sweet pepper and said to hell with it, I am watching tv, in my room, alone, in the quiet with only me for company.

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Of course, my mother would tell me, I trained them so it's my fault, oh, well, I supposed it is, but I am not admitting it, not at all.

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I sure hope tomorrow is better!!!! At least the sky was pretty, Thank God for that.