Friday, April 1, 2016

What I remember. And what I don't...

Weird happenings. For me. I went to my neurologist this week to hear the results of my MRI brain scan. With some relief I heard that I did not have Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. What is happening is my brain shrinking (they all do) and the ventricles don't. The ventricles have not enlarged as first thought to be the case.

While at the doctor's office I had to have a 'brain health' test. This is done yearly and it is meant to show early signs of dementia and other terrible diseases. I was doing fine, I thought, with just minor mistakes. Then it was time to 'identify'. The assistant would point to an object and ask me to tell her what it was. Again, I thought I was doing fine...until she pointed to an object hanging from a hook on the door. What was it? I didn't have a clue, yet I knew that I should know what it was. I tried and tried to dredge up the name of the object without any luck. She finally relented and told me that it was a stethoscope. Yes! Suddenly it was clear to me. But why this object, an object that I wore around my neck when I was in the Navy? How could I forget that? Even with that error on my part I was told not to worry and that I had done better this year than last.  

The doctor also told me that he wanted a MRI of my neck. Less than a month ago my neurosurgeon had me have an MRI of the upper and lower back. Followed by the MRI brain scan a week later. That's three MRI's in a month. Once I had the spinal cord stimulator removed, it seems as if everyone wanted to se more of me...internally. The neurologist wants to see if there is any narrowing of the vertebra within the neck and if so that could explain why I am sometimes unsteady. If I don't hear from him, that means all is well and he will see me in six months.

I know that's too much 'medical talk' for this blog. But 'medical' describes our lives lately. If lately means the past year. Appointments, appointments and more appointments. We looked at our tax form and we spent over $18,000 for medical last year. And that is with Medicare and a supplemental. So don't ever tell me that I'm lucky to be getting the free Medicare and that everyone else is paying for my health care. Not! These figures just made me  fully aware of just how deficient Medicare is. I can pay the $18k but what about the elders that can't? Why don't we have universal healthcare? We could, but it would upset some Generals and the defense industry.

Speaking of art. I wasn't but I will. I'm finally going to have my gallery wall(s). My son-in-law is coming over on Sunday to get up on the ladder and hang the high work. The living room wall is 12' high and I'm devoting 5' plus of that height to art. The wall is also about 18' long and I'm using 12' of it. We arranged all the art on the floor and then I took photos of our arrangement; I think it will speed up the process.

Since I didn't sell any of my large pieces, they will take up a good portion of the wall. I do love to paint 'large. But what do you do with them afterwards? I would like to sell (some of) them but opportunities are rare. Yesterday, I went to Aaron Bros to pick up some earthquake adhesive to anchor the frames so they are level and stay that way. And while I was there, I saw that they were having a sale on canvas. I tried to say no but I came out of the store with three 30"x48" canvasses. Three beautiful blank white canvasses! Now I need some inspiration...

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