Snowstorm

Alas, lake effect snow is making the world a white nightmare. I have to get out later to go to my primary-care doctor's office on the other side of town for the pre-surgical check-up. Last night Maggie, my student who is a nursing supervisor, was letting me know what I was in for: heavy-duty painkillers, iced-down shoulder, much discomfort. Oh, boy. Something to look forward to.

On my drive to Big Rapids on Tuesday, the windshield spritzer stopped working. A little light came on to let me know something was wrong, but I figured the solution had run out or was clogged. I called my spouse to let him know the problem, and lo and behold, the man showed up at the end of my noon class to trade cars with me so he could take mine to be repaired. I was so startled to see him entering the room as my students were exiting that I nearly lost it. I felt sure someone had died, and with the current problems my sister's husband is having, that was the first thing in my mind. Happily, it was just my Esteemed Spouse being wonderful and considerate.

But speaking of my brother-in-law, the diagnosis is congestive heart failure. I don't know much about it, but the doctors seem to think they can fix him. They put him on even more diuretics, so finally he started getting rid of the fluid build-up. I have often thought he had Marfan Syndrome because of his odd height and build, and heart problems are common with such folks. Who knows? I just hope he'll start to take better care of himself. A diabetic who eats two honey buns a day is not going to live for a long time.

We're nearing semester's end, and with the medical procedure in my near future, I'm having to tailor my courses down, cutting out the last assignment in all of them. I just can't grade papers under the influence of major pain killers. Meanwhile, my schedule for next semester has changed. I now have three classes on Tuesday-Thursday that begin at noon and go nonstop until 4:15 p.m. At least that means I can drive up to Big Rapids Tuesday morning and leave for home on Thursdays at 4:15, a decent time. I won't feel as if I'm living elsewhere as much as I do now.

I forgot to mention that the orthopedic office called me Tuesday with the results of the MRI on my neck. Since my husband had forwarded the home phone to his cell, and the cell was ringing just as he entered my classroom, I took the call in my state of surprise and don't recall much of what was being said. Something about arthritis in my neck and pain management. I'll have to have them tell me again when I see the doctor in January for the post-op appointment.