Decisions to Be Made on Every Corner

It’s Wednesday already. It shocks me how fast Mon and Tuesday go by. The weeks are flying. And you know that is ok by me. I’m already pondering my schedule in retirement in my mind. And I’m already contemplating what I want that to look like, and how much time I’m wanting to put into each facet of my life and how much I’m not, what’s in, and what’s out! I want to sit down and write long form in a journal about it with paper and pen – my feelings about such. I want to break down every aspect of my life and write about what I want that to look like. When I’m finished I’ll go through and take bullet notes for next year’s 2025 goals. I already know that exercise is going to come first in the morning after feeding the pets. For once I want to begin to prioritize it. I have not ONE inch of time to devote to such while working FT with a commute, taking care of Mom’s needs, and running the YouTube channel.

I’m wearing down little by little from this schedule I’m keeping. We all know that. That last three years or so have been challenging with this well oiled schedule I’ve created. I was exercising for 15 to 20 min each morning until we obtained Maddie. What changed was my getting up time. Maddie is up when I’m up and the day starts churning from there. Before, I could get up and could take Dexter out and George could sleep. But truth be known, Dexter also got bigger and harder to contain and now George has to take him out anyway. So I stay in bed longer so George doesn’t have to get up before 5 in his retirement. I’ve needed the sleep anyway. So we end up staying up 30 min later at night. lol

Anyway those things have been on my mind.

My Health

Doc visit. So, I had to go to the doctor last week to get renewed for my BP meds. My doc’s schedule was busy so they asked if I’d like to see his nurse. Sure. Why not. Much to my surprise, she treated my visit like an annual check up —almost. It was just very good. She was tolerant of my lack of trust in modern day vaccine, understanding of the confusion since the virus and those shots, and somewhat tolerant of my lack of trust in some of the pharmaceutical drugs out there. I have refused to take statins. However, have not done a very good job of lowering cholesterol despite my efforts. I’ve been able to lower sugar and cholesterol a little but after the ability to eat again since the appendix removal, we’ve gone hog wild, literally. So my numbers are bad and so are George’s. So we have done a poor job lately but committed to trying again.

Instead of just “crossing me off” like my current doc. I can just see that he’s crossed me off in his mind. I get it though, and understand his behavior somewhat. But his nurse didn’t cross me off, and she is trying to help me because she is understanding of my fears. She has asked me to take a low dose of aspirin and even prescribed it so it was free for me, and she gave me info on the statins, ran some extra blood tests to try and convince me how important it would be take the statins if I’m in a high risk category for stroke or heart attack (test showed I am). And she said “how bout taking Red Yeast Rice then?” which technically is one of the statins in one particular prescription. So I agreed to take it. I’ve ordered it and began taking it yesterday. She said some people have luck with it and some don’t. So I was appreciative of her. She also said to keep taking my Omega 3. I told her all the supplements I’m taking and she said that was fine. I told her I take a multivitamin but usually have extra D and B complex, and calcium. I only take C when we haven’t been to the store to by fruit. I didn’t have enough time with her to tell her that I squirt a couple squirts of melatonin before bed, magnesium about every other night, and a probiotic. It’s amazing how many supplements we need as we get older. I remember my Dad having a Tupperware of vitamins. And now so do I. Supposedly they don’t work well unless taking with certain fats etc which seems to be a conundrum.

Shingles Shot. She also asked if I would consider taking the 2nd shingles shot as they can cause nerve damage she said. The side effects of the shot means it is working, she said. She gave me printouts on all this as well as the things mentioned above. I was appreciative of the time she took to give me reading materials, knowing that I needed to read for myself to make my mind up. However, I also posted on Facebook to see what my friends did. It was all over the place mixed with “yes absolutely” versus “hell no’s” and people with varying “friends” who had this or had that, or their own personal experience. I was once again confused. Men seem to get both and not have any issues. Women seem to have the issues – either way. I remember after my first shot I made the decision not to have it again because I was afraid it kicked off a series of unhealthy internal events in my body. I have no idea whether that was it or not. But I made the decision then only to revisit it now. I’ve prayed about it and slept for two nights. I’ll pray again, but as of today I’m just afraid with my system, me personally, that it will kick off some things with my nerves and my auto immune responses and I’m just afraid to do it. So I guess I won’t. I’m still a little undecided. Even if it has been over six months they said the 2nd shot will still take. But my body has been through so much.

Maddie’s Teeth

So Maddie has some really bad teeth. They are going to want us to have her teeth cleaned. George is taking her to the vet for her check up and her shots for this year. And to discuss this. Maisy, another rescue dog we had, had very very bad teeth and very bad bad breath. It’s likely what caused her liver disease, which ultimately led to her break down and death (we let her go because she was suffering, not eating, starving, and very very sick). On the flip side, my Mom lost a tea cup poodle due to having her teeth cleaned. She didn’t make it. Maybe they gave her the wrong amount of dose? But Maddie is a smaller dog too – not as small. She also has some respiratory issues at times. However, she made it through her spay surgery fine. I’m assuming it is the same anesthesia but not sure.

So George and I have decided that we should do it and try to help her so that she does not have the issues that Maisy had. But it IS a risk. If we are going to do it we need to do it now while she is still younger and spry!

Mom

So Mom has now decided that she wants a scooter cart thing for about $800 +. She sits and dreams of what she wants to buy next. I guess we all do that to an extent but she really can’t afford it unless she begins to close some investments. I have no idea what all she has in investments but I’m worried she is going to blow through her money. She will have no choice but to sell her house and do assisted living or nursing home at that point.

The bank accounts seems to burn a hole when any amount of money shows a balance. She’s on top of trying to figure out what to spend it on when money arrives. The tax rebate on property taxes have not come in yet, taxes (expensive) will be due again around the first of the year, plus all the quarterly auto and home insurance, and it takes a while of not spending for her balance to be caught up as she usually spends about $300 to $600 more than she brings in each month. I think there have been only two months where she was able to spend less. She has closed a couple of things out already and jiggled some things around.

I also worry due to her poor eye sight that she will pull out in front of a car when crossing the road to her mail box or run over a person. I’m sure the people would get out of her way, lol. I remember Granny trying to run over us in Sam’s Club. I stayed far away!

Anyway, I don’t know what to say, but I told her “hey it’s your money, your decision, but you might want to be thinking about closing some investments”. I hate to see her blow through her money but she’d rather spend than save. I kinda remember it being that way most of my life. I remember the lack of prioritization. I know she bought a concrete picnic table out back instead of buying my sister’s brides maid dresses once. I was so afraid my sister would have to wear some odd looking different dress than everyone else, because they were sold out, but I think she finally ordered it before they ran out of that style. lol. I don’t think anyone much ever used the concrete table. We didn’t use ours either. Just another ploy of retail enticement for your money.

But yes, it’s her money and her decision and if she needs to blow through it she can but eventually things are going to come to a head with her money and she’ll have to make some tough decisions. If I were her I’d sell her car. We really prefer to drive our cars when we take her places. The car is older, we have better safety features now and updated screens and maps, and it just takes up valuable space in her garage. If she sold the car that would help a bit. But one dares to mention it. She loves that car but it’s just older now and she needs the money and we hate driving it now. But have to on occasion to keep it running. It’s about to need some work too. I just wish she’d sell it and take the money. She can’t drive it anymore.

Anyway, I better go. I’m officially running behind now as I’ve typed too long. I love being able to sit and type away my thoughts. But when I do it makes me later as I just really don’t have the time anymore to finish any one given task. But I kinda push it through. I am determined to finish this blog entry. Life can wait a few more minutes. Otherwise my psyche will combust. I hold too much in now as it is.

Hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week and I’ll see you on Saturday Lord Willing, in which hopefully I will have a free day to do what I want (which usually means laundry and working in the house). There really is little free time for my things other than the video work.