Diversion

At Christmastime, I spent it with my niece and her family in S. Carolina. We went to midnight mass (at 10 p.m.) and it was a bit dark outside, a bit rainy, a bit of a bad night. So. We were walking towards the church when everyone else was on the sidewalk, I opted to walk in the parking lot aiming to go up the ramp walkway. Well, I did not make it. I tripped and fell. I think I was more embarrassed than anything, and needed to just settle my nerves a bit, but two men grabbed each side of me and lifted me straight up while my niece was telling them to be careful, I had a bad hip. I could stand, I could walk, sore, but I could stand and walk. I was good.

That night we cleaned my scraped knee, put hydrocorticone on it, and I went to bed. The next day it was swollen, so we started with the ice  bags and elevated my leg. I could walk, so I thought I was good to go. And I was and am.

I drove home to Florida, and continue my routine of ibuprofen, ice, and elevation. The swelling is not going down, and when I lay down, there feels like little bugs are crawling around that area in my leg. Ewww!!! But, I can walk and stand. Finally, after three weeks, I give in and go to the doctor today, actually the Physician Assistant. I have cellulitis from falling on the cement. She ordered antibiotics, and I should continue with my regular routine of ibuprofen, ice, and elevation. Next Wednesday I will go for an ultrasound to rule out any blood clots. Who woulda known???

That's one thing I am blessed with -- I am in good health, except for stupid mistakes. And arthritis, but osteo doesn't really count because most people have some form of it. So, I am good to go. I am lucky. Also, because I do not have any pressing ailments, I will defer a doctor's appointment until it is really necessary. I do go for my yearly, but other than that, I will doctor myself until I know I really need the doc. Then, I go. And medicine, don't get me started on that. Again, I am lucky. I take so little medicine that the drug companies would be out of business if they had to depend on me. And I hope it remains like that. My mom took little, my older sister took little; I think it runs in the family. But I hear some friends, I hear how their medicine has doubled in the past year. I hear about the medicine bills into the thousands for a month. And I wonder what will happen in five years, in ten years. Where is the cap, the ceiling for these people?

This piece is a bit out of order, but it definitely is part of Chapter 14 -- the first doctoring without anyone around. Makes me think that I just might need a plan if something serious was to occur. As Scarlett said, "I'll think about that tomorrow."

About tomorrow -- my niece and her family are coming from S. Carolina and we are going to Busch Gardens in Tampa, so I doubt if I will be around to write tomorrow. But I will be back and I will start Chapter 14.

Have a great day.