By Gates Johnson
What does one my age do when the holiday chaos has passed? Remember all those appointments and meetings and lunches and whatnot that got put on the back burner while attending to more pressing things? Well, the time has come. So, here I go.
First off, those visits to specialists that were referred by my GP. One is a consult about a little heart thing that sprung up when I had COVID last fall. That should be fun. Luckily, I have a good friend, a retired nurse no less, who will accompany me and hold my hand during the visit. She will also ask the questions I am sure to forget. It sure is great to have friends who will step in when needed.
Next are two visits to a sleep clinic in Gig Harbor. I had my first visit via a Zoom call, my first ever. Those calls are sick! This doc was a good guy. When I told him I go to exercise class three times a week, he asked if I went to the Vashon Athletic Club. I said yes. He then told me that he keeps getting pop-up ads for the club on his computer, even though he lives in Gig Harbor. Darned algorithm.
Anyway, it seems that now a sleep study can be done in the privacy of your own home. No more trying to sleep in some clinic office hooked up to a bunch of machines that have to be unhooked every time you have to pee. The downside is a trip to Gig Harbor to pick up the machine, and another trip the next day to return it. The upside is there is a Costco near the sleep clinic!
I did have to reschedule a physical therapist appointment due to the sleep appointment. I will keep doing my exercises until I can see him again for a new slate of things to do and not do.
I have to drive to Onalaska to meet up with my daughter and granddaughter to get my belated Christmas present. This probably won’t shock those who have known me for a few decades, but the present is … they are gifting me getting a tattoo! My daughter offered me a choice of gifts: a beautiful painting by a close friend, or a tattoo. I chose the tattoo.
A couple of my personal idiosyncrasies and obsessions: I love cows and I am sure there are aliens in spaceships out there. So my daughter suggested that since I have a knee replacement scar running down the front of my knee, why not get a flying saucer at the top of the scar and a cow being beamed up at the bottom? I LOVE IT! I have the pictures all printed out to show the tattoo guy what I want. Side note: if it turns out like I hope, I may never wear long pants again.
Back on the Island after the tattoo adventure, I will have more put-off appointments. Counselor. Dentist. And perhaps a trip to the foot doctor, just so he doesn’t feel neglected.
Once my calendar has cleared up a bit, I may have time to schedule some social activities. There are at least three, if not four, meal get-togethers that have fallen by the wayside. Times like these, I really miss the old Chinese restaurant and the Red Bike. Sporty’s and Casa Bonita are good for lunches, but some good old American Chinese food and Red Bike fish and chips would be welcomed to the mix. If you want to really deep-dive into the past, the Alibi made kick-ass real French dip sandwiches and real milk shakes in the 1970s. The good old days.
Oh, if The Rock would make pho again during these cold, rainy winter days, that would be a treat, too. Another side note: I wish there was someone who could teach me how to make real pho. If you are out there reading this and know how to make real pho, let me know if you are willing to teach me.
That about wraps up my current ramblings. Now, back to knitting an afghan for my granddaughter. It’s almost done, just working on the border. Problem being that the border is an intricate cable pattern that I keep goofing up. Have ripped it out three times and counting. Let’s see how far I get his round before I make a misstep and have to start over once again.
