At The Moment, I'm Pretty Bummed

Things are not improving here. I'm not losing the water, or any weight. I'm on a low sodium, diabetic and restricted liquid diet here, and my weight may actually be rising a tad. It's hard to tell, because I have to use the wheelchair scales because I'm too freaking big for the other kind, and these are less than reliable. We can get about a fifteen to twenty pound spread depending on where I stand on 'em, so I've been trying to be consistent and be in the same place. One thing is clear no matter - I'm not losing a damn thing.

So what is going on?

Several things. I apparently have kidney disease. What specific kind or if there is one, I have no idea - they all just say I have have kidney disease brought on by diabetes. So, they don't function as efficiently as they should, and one reason why the diuretics are less than effective at times. Because of the risk of damage to my kidneys, they decided to stop one of the diuretics - but they've been injecting these rather than giving them to me orally like I have been doing. Thus the increased risk. The cardiologist apparently decided that I needed the other drug and risk damage to my kidneys, because he reinstated one of them today.

Plus, they think I was eating too much sodium. I didn't even have a salt shaker in the house until recently when I bought one for a guest. I do not salt a damn thing.

But apparently what I've been eating has been too salty.

Personally, it does not seem logical that would be the problem because I sure as hell ain't getting any salty crap right now, and I'm not losing the water. If that was the problem, less salt would be an effective strategy for the solution. But it's not working, regardless of the cause.

But what do I know.

The local cardiologist has been after me in the past and is definitely looking at a leaky heart valve as a major contributor to the problem. The cardiologist I've been seeing told me I wasn't leaking enough for it to be worth the risk of an operation, and it wouldn't be causing me any trouble. When I repeated that to my main doctor she pointed out immediately that I was back in the hospital for congestive heart failure within a couple months, so maybe that was a pretty good indicator that it was a problem. And that is why I'm here - my heart is surrounded by too much fluid. At least that's what the xrays show.

Kinda hard to argue with that.

I like this particular cardiologist, but his office calls are higher and he wants to see me a lot more, and his labs are all higher priced, etc. Above and beyond what my insurance would pay.

So, back in the past, I got tired of that.

My main doctor told me I could sure get a third opinion and had a recommendation for another cardiologist that does valve work all the time and is quite familiar with fixing 'em up. But it sure seems to me I'm looking at some sort of heart surgery. Maybe they can do that with scopes and not have to open me up, I just don't know.

I just know that after my last open heart surgery I swore I'd rather die than go through that again - my time in the ICU was one long nightmare I don't care to repeat ever, ever again.

I had to ask why the leaky valve was a problem in this case as well, because I had no clue.

Apparently, there is a sort of backwash in pressure when the valve doesn't close completely and that increased pressure causes fluid to be forced into tissues in the lungs. It ain't my lungs that are hanging way the hell over my belt or raising water blisters on my shins along with edema everywhere, but apparently it travels. And fixing the valve may or may not decrease that back pressure.

Remember when I had the bright idea of having lap band surgery?

That is all right out until this crap is straightened up. I'm too weak for that kind of stuff. So that is also out as a strategy for improving my overall health - not gonna lose weight doing that real soon.

And I have no clue what my future here is. I still cannot walk very far at all without becoming winded. I can get around my house ok, but shop for groceries or go to the Post Office?

It wasn't happening before, and things aren't improving now anyhow.

I haven't seen my main doctor yet today, so you can imagine I'm full of questions. I also need something different for diabetic neuropathy in my legs. Yannow when your leg falls asleep, and when it wakes up you feel like it's got tons of pins and needles pricking you? Now imagine this going on all the time, and instead of pricks the needles are being driven in, and imagine your legs involuntarily jumping from the pain.

Yeah, it's kinda like that. She's put me on a particular drug that worked quite well for a while, but it's a pretty short term thing now. So in order to sleep, I have been taking Percocet to supplement gabapentin. I'm not wild about taking that kind of drug considering my past, and we need to try something different. I don't like the idea of runnin' around half baked all the time. This all came on after my fall earlier this year - I don't have much feeling left in either foot, but those ol' nerves still fire in pain.

Then, the edema has the skin around my knees all full of water, so it hurts to bend my knees back all the way. The skin on my belly is tight - so full of water. Some patches are all red and quite painful - they're trying to start up some stretch marks. I've got some already, and they're all full and inflexible as well. The veins on the back of my hands have disappeared, and my feet don't fit into my house slippers anymore. I honestly think I get so winded partly because I've maxed out weight wise beyond my ability to haul it around.

So, I can't get out and walk in order to get some exercise. It does more harm than good - stressing my heart, for instance.

And while trying to write this post, my left hand cramped up badly. This happens fairly frequently. It's usually a potassium deficiency because the diuretics really use that up. I already take Klor Con, which is a prescription potassium supplement. I also have to take magnesium supplements. I ate a banana and one of my pills, and it seems to have subsided. It generally reduces me to cursing and pulling the cramps out with my right hand.. I have had both hands go south, and that is no fun at all. That happened during one of my visits here, and it took an Act of Congress before anyone would do anything. We had to call my doctor and have her authorize the pills as well as a banana - that had to come from  food service and was delivered when they were darned well ready. The nurses could lose their jobs if they don't go through channels, so it's really not their fault something like that takes so long. They weren't happy that I didn't wait when I had a solution in my possession already, but I got kinda testy about it and went ahead and did it anyways. I had some friends bring me several bananas and I have my weekly supply of drugs with me. So, yeah, sit there and watch my hand twist and shout, or take a pill I already had. Gee, what a choice.

So, whose fault is all of this?

Well, I'm the one who didn't take care of himself until apparently it's too late, so you won't hear me crying "Why me, God?!?" Nope, I take responsibility for it all, and I really don't feel like I deserve a whole hell of a lot of sympathy other than I have been trying the past few years, and it ain't cuttin' the mustard.

So, I'm bummed.

Really?

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I've seen several stories about this situation on different news programs for the past couple days, and one thing they all seem to share is the lack of someone, anyone, saying: "You know, if I'd have ordered this stuff a week earlier, none of this would have happened."

Yes, I realize that UPS and FedEx said they'd get the package there by a certain date.

Has anyone consulted the terms and conditions posted on both company's sites? They aren't responsible for overwhelming demand and bad weather tying up their air shipments.

Frankly, I have little sympathy for these people. They ordered stuff at the last possible second during the busiest time of the year during winter with all it's problems with disabling storms and expect the best possible outcome? What happens if they send the wrong size/color/whatever?  Talk about your sense of entitlement - it's on display here big time.

So, cry me a river. Maybe next time you'll allow enough time to account for unexpected delays.

Update Time

Ho ho ho! Santa is full of air, at any rate

I was feeling full of pi$$ and vinegar Sunday so I decided to put out my astounding collection of Christmas decorations freshly purchased from Wally World. I was just in my t-shirt and underwear, and just slapped on a pair of gym shorts. As the day progressed, that was really not appropriate attire. Brrr.

This picture lies

You'd think I put lights up the whole length of my gutters on the side of the house, but you'd be wrong. I just put up about thirty feet on the part of the house that is most visible from the street. I might have felt good, but not "hang lights on the whole house" good.

While I was out near the street tying ol' Santa down, one of my friends came riding by on his bike - and he stopped in for a visit. I'm mostly a hermit, but on the other hand, it was great to see him and shoot the breeze.

Monday was a pretty decent day too. It was a tad warmer than Sunday, so I buttoned up a heavy windbreaker and jumped on my bike for about an hour or so. I didn't ride around town - I headed out towards Dodge and came back on a back road. By the time I got home, the wind had finally driven into my clothing. Sixty degrees is just beyond the abilities of my clothing to keep me warm. I ordered a leather biker jacket later on - we'll see if the thing fits.

Yesterday was a big trip to Wally World. After sitting in a bed for some time and more or less being house ridden for a while has really put me behind as far as any kind of stamina. I was really kinda pooped from the past couple days, and today I'm really suffering.

Part of the trouble is my leg muscles have had to change how they are used. I've pretty well lost the feeling in my toes. It feels like I'm walking on the balls of my feet, and my toes are not touching the ground. That ain't what's happening - they're on the ground as normal - I just can't feel it. So, that means I'm no longer balancing on my toes - I'm balancing on the balls of my feet. So, since that requires rather a tad more torque outta my leg muscles in my shin just below the knee - by nighttime they are screaming. It will just take time to get used to it. I've had diabetic neuropathy long enough to be extremely familiar with all this - I hate climbing on ladders because I have no real sense of where my feet are on the rungs. I can do it, but I have to be very careful and look down once in a while to check and see if what I'm feeling is actually correct.

Tomorrow I've gotta go to Wichita. My opthamologist found that I've got some damage in the right retina - diabetic retinopathy is the cause. Last time I saw him, he noted it, but it wasn't affecting my vision. Now it is. Apparently I've ruptured a small blood vessel, and the specialist in Wichita will probably zap it with a laser. So, no big deal, just another doctor and a bill. I'd certainly like to get that fixed.

At some point in January, I'll be going to an orientation class at Via St. Christie in Wichita for bariatric surgery. I just can't help but feel that is my best choice. I can't exercise because I'm too heavy, I have no willpower to lose weight, a lot of my health problems would be considerably relieved if I lost weight, exercising would be far easier, and on and on and on. All my doctors agree.

So that is what I'm a gonna do!

When?

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When was the last time a friggin' tag irritated your skin?

Yeah, Hanes is hardly the only men's clothing manufacturer to stop using tags and go to printing right on the article of apparel. But just what do you suppose is cheaper, printing the info on the material, or purchasing additional material, cutting it to size, then print the necessary info and sew it into place? You betcher ass it's cheaper the "new" way.

My daddy had a saying that most certainly applies here:

Don't piss on me and tell me it's raining

I'm Free

Y'all probably have guessed by now that I'm out of the horse pistol. They actually let me go late Wednesday night - about 10:30 or so. I had Cuzzin Tom take me to Wally World for a few supplies - I stayed in the pickup. However, we ended up going back to the hospital for him to get his pickup, and  I drove home. Since it was so late, I was unable to fill any prescriptions, so I had plans to do that Thursday. Until I more or less slept until noon or one, and went back to sleep and didn't wake up until 5pm. I had a couple doctor appointments on Friday, so I went to those and made it to WalMart.

Looking back on what I've posted, I did say I fell, but I didn't say why. For some odd reason, I could stay on my feet fully clothed, but at home in underwear and a t-shirt my legs would shut down. I've got a pinched nerve. I could feel it coming on, and generally sat down for a couple minutes and things went back to working for another ten or fifteen minutes. I could feel my thighs going dead and thought I could make it to my chair. Nope. I dropped like a rock.

After living in the crappy bed and furniture at the hospital, I find that I'm more or less numb in my lower back. The bed had my ass asleep most of the time, and moving around didn't help. I can't tell if things have shifted enough to help, but it does seem to be that I can get around half nekked now. Just too numb to be sure. Since I have diabetic neuropathy, none of this is any surprise. Just something else to live with.

Officially, I was admitted due to congestive heart failure. In practice, that means I've filled up with fluid so much that when I ate something, it cut into space for the lungs to expand when I breath. My heart would also be surrounded by way too much fluid. Nothing actually failed, but things were certainly labored. By definition, I have COPD.

I also have borked kidneys. All the drugs are taking their toll on my major organs, and the kidneys are on the front lines, as it were. Diuretics force the kidneys to work harder, and eventually the drugs lose their effectiveness. The main test for kidney function is to check the creatinine levels. Creatinine is a waste product from the cells burning energy from food. If that is high, then the kidneys aren't functioning properly. So, my doctors had to try several different strategies with different drugs to still take water out of the blood, and retain effectiveness. Another thing that was borked was my red blood cell count - I was pretty anemic. They gave me two units of whole blood cells to help fix that. Apparently healthy kidneys signal blood marrow to produce red blood cells, and if the kidneys are out of whack, this does not happen. So anemia is another indicator that things ain't right with the kidneys. Now, however, my creatinine levels are normal, and I'm slowly losing water weight. I've also got an appointment with a nephrologist. I also have an appointment with the podiatrist that drained my infection in my foot as well. Since I've lost a lot of feeling in my feet, having someone look 'em over isn't a bad idea.

When I went to see my doctor, I told her I was sick of living like this and wanted to change things. One of the things I was aiming for was for some sort of bariatric surgery, probably of the lap band variety. All my doctors seem to be on board with this thinking, and she's working on getting me in to Via Christie's program in Wichita. Honestly, it's either do that or die within a few years. I may kick the bucket at any time anyways with the borked ticker I have, but if I don't do something, I'm stressing too many crucial systems by continuing to live the way I do. And if I do lose the weight, I'm removing most of the stresses.

I've managed to give up just about every vice I've ever had except for eating. Quit smoking cigarettes? You just don't smoke 'em anymore. Lose weight? You still have to eat something to survive. Very different. I guess that's my excuse for not having any willpower.

Which, for me, is the crux of the dilemma. Honestly, I have only myself to blame - I've blown right past common sense when it comes to taking proper care of myself. I don't exercise and eat way too much. I could rail on my parents for not blessing me with the genes necessary to pull that crap off, but I knew my decisions were bad when I made 'em. You will NEVER hear me cry out "Why ME, God?!?!?" I know the answer to that question already. It's my fault.

I can fix it, though, if I work at it. Do I wanna live or die? Pretty simple.

It's a Pissah

Well, probably gonna be here a while yet - my doctor says somewhere towards the end of next week that she'll probably send me home.

So, this is the story.

I definitely broke my middle toe, and I just had another CT scan to determine if I'd broken something in the arch of my foot. I just cannot put any weight on it without it screaming at me not do do that. The local podiatrist suspected there would be some fluid buildup with an infection, so he numbed 'er up and did some poking and he was right. Had quite a bit of fluid. I've also got an infection on my shins that is often part of problem edema. They've got an IV port on me and shove two different antibiotics through.

My right foot just appears to be sore with a gash on the big toe. It's healing up nicely. I'm also on massive amounts of diuretics, which have been introduced intravenously. The same diuretics in pill form have let me down, but if ya shoot 'em up, they work great.

Which brings me to the worst part - the damn catheter. I hate 'em. Feel like ya gotta "go" when what you really wanna do is pee the damn thing out. I'm on number two bag - one developed a leak. Guess it had been leaving a hard life.

So, I can't walk, can't pee normally, and am pretty well bedridden.

Someone tried to call the room phone earlier today. Pshaw. After I've dropped the bed, squeezed the boys sliding across the blanket, and obtaining an Act of Congress to move, the phone would have quit ringing.

Long story short - I ain't gonna answer that thing. I've got a cell phone within reach, and if you can't call on that, I don't have the ability to answer a landline.

Thirty years ago, I'd think part of my treatment would have been pretty damn cool, but not so much now. I speak of Percocet. Jeebus Kee Riste is that shit powerful. It's about all I can do to stay awake, much less pay much attention to anything else. I sure as hell don't hurt - which is a good thing. These damn beds are so not supportive - I've got dangly bits and limbs going to sleep all the time.

They wanted me to use a sort of air pressured circulatory "socks" and I did try 'em. Sticky, clammy and then I really am rooted to bed, because those damn things have to be disconnected to get out. Sometimes, I just like to sit on the edge of the bed, and that about requires help. I hate having to use that call button as well - I know they're pretty busy and my wanting a diet pop is pretty low on their totem poles.

But I can't get out on my feet just yet.

And I've been taking off a ton of water - for some reason my weight isn't dropping as fast, but they can only push my kidneys so far. Earlier, I had some pretty severe cramps in my left arm - the first time lasted about fifteen minutes, but the second time was close to three hours. I just had to give up trying to straighten that hand out. All I could do was watch it writhe and twist into new and artistic shapes. But, my potassium and magnesium dosages have increased considerably, which seems to have done the trick.

I'm sure that after I'm dismissed, I'll be headed to an appointment with a weight loss clinic in Wichita. My concerns about being unable to go there two and three times a week appear to be unfounded - apparently they all use Skype for their conferences.

We shall see, eh?

Google Finally Updated

The aerial views in this vicinity. I can assure you that the bales you see are new crop - there was nothing there after the fire. And you can see the only thing left standing (besides the windmill, which you really can't see from the vertical perspective) is the grain bin. All the buildings and most of the trees - rubbed out.

Oh well

A Tad Peeved

Don't you know it.....

Picked up my mail the other day, and lo and behold, I have a bill from a bill collection agency. It's for my emergency hospital stay. All the bill said was that the total was such and such, and I owed so and so. No itemization or squat - no indication of individual items and what the insurance paid, had not paid, or was pending. Just a bill.

From a collection agency.

Made me stew for a while, and I did have plans to call them and ask for an itemized bill, and then this morning, after I fired up my cell phone, I had a voice message.

From the bill collection agency.

Are you f$#@ing kidding me? I just got this bill in the mail about three days ago, no bill before, and already I've got bill collectors after my ass? For what?!?

I have no plans of NOT paying this thing - but I'd like better information. So I called 'em back and told 'em I did NOT get an itemized bill, and before I paid the complete balance, I expected to see one.

I've had this problem before - it's the voice of experience. This time it's the hospital, last time it was a certain medical center in the certain town with Boot Hill and Wyatt Earp Blvd. off to the east. When checking in there, they require you to at least make a payment on any outstanding bills. I was seeing a doctor there fairly regularly. I was paying every time I went in. Each time, they required at least fifty bucks. Finally, one day, I got an itemized bill. They were into me for several hundred dollars - there was no need to keep adding money to my balance. They'd been billing me for the full amounts before the insurance settlements, getting the settlements, and never letting me know I had a balance. So, the next time I went in, I was told I had to make a payment. I asked why? Well - because I owed it. Really? You want fifty bucks when I've got over two hundred on account? You tell me why again.

Oh. Well. We don't look at that.

Well, that little experience let me know that the billing side of their business is set up to draw in as much money as possible, legit, owed or not.

I was highly peeved and let the person know about it. They could have given a rat's ass. They've all justified their despicable behavior so they can sleep at night.

So, this gal today would send my itemized statement right out. I told her I'd put five hundred down (the bill is over $1800) just so they knew I was gonna pay. Of course the next thing was to get me to agree to monthly $500 payments.

Nope, not gonna happen until I get the itemized bill, and make sure the insurance company is through paying.

Honestly, I'm sure that my health insurance had paid off, and this is the final bill. But I don't know that for sure.

Y'see, this whole mess is one reason why I grate my teeth when the subject of uninsured patients come up. Why in the wide wide world of sports do ya think this crap goes on? Why do you suppose that bills are padded, services are overcharged and people who actually pay bills harassed? Why do you suppose that many doctors take cash payments that are severely discounted compared to what insurance companies pay (excuse me - partially pay).

It's to cover the uninsured who do not pay their bills. It's to pay for the illegal aliens who register under a false name and no billing company on earth can track 'em.

This is hardly the most equitable of income redistribution, but it is happening. Most of these for profit health organizations are quite healthy in the ol' balance sheet, and it's not because they're such Good Samaritans when it comes to people who can't afford their bills. They've just gamed the system to have the rest of us cover it.

And now Barry and the Democrats want us to cover even more expenses, and we're gonna have the IRS as the collection agency.

What could possibly go wrong?

Been Gettin' Some Doctorin' Done

such a happy face

My new temporary bridge. Y'all may have noticed my toothless smile if you've into me in the past year. I had a crown that would come off, and rather than go to the dentist, I'd just glue it back on with some carefully selected gooey super glue. But, when it would inevitably come loose, it took some of the supporing incisor with it. It also had a post in there, and when it came loose, the whole thing started going downhill. I couldn't get it to hold for more than a few hours, so I saved it all and went on.

Well, then the house burned down, and I never had the money after that. Now I do. My dentist is using an incisor that already had a crown, and the little one next to the mostly absent tooth. The tooth that had just a tiny bit projecting past the gum line was pulled.

So I'm a tad sore right now, but what's been bothering me more is the dying skin tags I had frozen off  Monday the fourteenth. They've been shriveling up into little black mouse turds and every time I move in a t-shirt, they are irritated. I had more than thirty around my neck, several under both arms and in the pits, several at the back of my neck, and even one on my inner thigh. Most have now come loose, but it looks like I've got a ton of wasp stings. Be glad I didn't want to share a visual earlier.

So, in six weeks he'll make a cast for a permanent bridge when the swelling all goes down. In the mean time, I've got to be pretty careful what I bite on. In other words, corn on the cob is right out, and apples will have to be sliced. Probably hamburgers and about everything else, for that matter.

And I gotta say I really like my dentist. He is basically the same age as me - we played sports against each other in high school, and we share a lot of the same friends. He's been my dentist for years, and we have gotten to know each other fairly well. I feel damned comfortable with him rootin' around in my mouth, not only because of what we have in common, but because he's good.

So, I'm finally getting some of these piddly arsed problems solved.

If I Were In This Commercial

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Yeah, yeah, yeah. A fine set of wheels should be kept clean.

Just not with Armor All's crap.

If this a$$shole came to my garage and tried to run off with my pickup because I hadn't kept it clean enough to suit him, he'd be staring down the barrel of a caliber that starts with four and ends with five. Then, I'd tell him to clean it up using the crap that his company sells as car cleaners and protectants. Stuff I have already.

For instance, the disposable interior cleaning sheets. Are you kidding me? All you get done is to clean some of it off, then smear the rest of the dirt around. When it dries, it looks like crap. So, lather, rinse and repeat until it becomes obvious that it will never get clean - those little white sheets are gonna come up dirty each and every time you wipe it across that door panel you've already wiped off about thirty seven times.

You think that crap is hot $hit? And you're willing to steal my wheels to prove your point? Prove it, mother&*%^)#.

And the scantily clad girlfriend?

If she's so willing to drop me for some role playing nitwit, she too can get to cleaning, and when they're done, just go ahead and run off with him. I don't need you, either. Might miss your assumed mad skilz in the bedroom, but as for the rest? Loyalty means nothing to you?

Eff you and the horse you rode in on too.

Insurance Companies. Feh.

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I'm sure y'all will be shocked to find this commercial pisses me off. What in the wide wide world of sports do I need an insurance company for if they're just gonna watch the thieves run off with all my crap? I could give a rat's ass whether or not they replace it as new or whatever - just don't let it happen in the first place. And our lithe Nationwide reverse cat burglar could easily trap these fools.

At least she's easier on the eyes than the insipid green lizard with the fake British accent.

The "star" of the commerical is Jana Kramer. Okay, she's a lot more than just easy on the eyes, she's flippin' hawt! Looks impressive in black tights, I've noticed.

Calling Dr. Bombay!

Or maybe that's Freud I'm needing.

I had a pretty vivid dream that even now, sixteen hours later, I remember. For whatever reason, I had to drive Dad's old hot rod, the 1949 F6 Ford. It only had a partial load of wheat, but I still had to take it to town. There was some completely logical reason - I was going to bring it back out the next day - but that part escapes me.

So, I'm cruising along and the old warrior was just chuckling along. In fact, I wasn't even on the gas, and it was running right at 55mph. Since the normal speed limit was a far safer 45mph on gravel, particularly considering the aged, weatherchecked tires, well, this was beginning to concern me. Also, the road was becoming more and more neglected. Not only were the road ditches covered in weeds and overhanging trees, the road itself was gradually becoming covered in vegetation that needed mowing.

And here I am just cruising through all this crap effortlessly.

I started down a slight grade when I noticed little rivulets of water running down the road, cutting tiny paths in the dirt between the grass and weeds.

So traction was gonna be an issue. Didn't seem to bother the ol' girl, she just kept chuckling on.

I could see my corner was coming up, but I could in no way shut this thing down in time. I went through the interection and with some effort brought the faithful steed to a stop. I was gonna have to back up.

Suddenly, a girl appeared at my window to help me - I didn't need her help, I had a perfectly funtional mirror, but I accepted her commands.

Then the alarm went off.

When I got to work, my truck's batteries were really down, and I had to spend about a half hour jumping the thing to get 'er to go.

The trailer I hooked to has issues - it's feeding application air back out a bleeder valve in the dash. Can't hear any air leaks outside, and it's the trailer, but it's weird. Some sort of valve somewhere is screwed. I also started dragging a chain that had partially fallen out of a box behind my crane.

Ea.ch of these instances required that I stop and mess around for ten or fifteen.

Then, as I was passing a chicken hauler, I heard a disturbance on the radio. Since we were running away from channel 19, I switched to hear what he had to say. He thought I had a flat tire on that trailer.

I was about ten miles from a tire repair shop, so I kept on. I had one that was down to fifty or sixty pounds. We pump 'em to a hundred. So, I aired it up.

Then road construction help me up for at least an hour total today. I pulled into Bismarck ND with about a half hour to spare before I'd completely have to be off the road, and my logbook is screaming foul.

My tire was still up, and we'll see if the Mighty Binder starts in the morning.

Wish I was able to finish that dream, dammit.

They Helped Me Make Up My Mind

Been looking at new phones lately. I'm with Verizon, but that's not who I started with. Originally, it was Kansas Cellular. Then it was Alltel, who I really liked. Now Verizon. Not the same.

But I and every trucker I know from this area gets far better service in points unknown than anyone else. Period. When the iPhone first hit, one of our lease drivers had, absolutely had to have one. We ran together up to North Dakota, and ran most of the way back together. He lost service in Nebraska, and only got it around certain parts of I94. Granted, that was a while ago, and AT&T and Sprint have improved service in that area. Another one has service from our local telco, and they're hooked up with Sprint for the rest of the country. He can make phone calls while in ND, but not text or get online. Sprint apparently has no data agreements there. Verizon does.

So, I'm not gonna switch carriers. If I get a subsidized phone, I'm gonna have to ditch the grandfathered all you can eat data plan. For now, Verizon still lets me have it, and if I want to keep it, I have to pay full price for a new phone. Considering the way the industry works, I'm skeptical that I will be able to keep it long term even if I do purchase at full price. One day, they'll just announce that the grandfathered data plans are history.

So, not sure about keeping my buffet data.

And I've really had good luck with Motorola phones over the years, but I'm sure leaning towards the new Samsung Galaxy S4 that will be out this summer for sure. Worth a try.

So, since my phone is paid off, and they're pushing me to buy a new one and offering discounts. One ad caught my eye the other day - "trade in your old phone for cash!" it said. So, I looked up what I'd get from my Motorola Droid2.

Fifty freaking cents. Are you serious? Why didn't they just tell me they didn't want the damn thing? I'm not letting 'em have it for fifty freaking cents - they can stick that, well, yeah, you know where.

So I'll be keeping that puppy as a spare. Screw 'em.

You Have No Idea

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How much I'd like to pull this off some days.

Dubbed "The Punisher," Alexei Volkov takes a zero-tolerance approach to being cut off while driving his bus on Russia's roads.

Day or night, rain, snow or shine, whenever an errant driver gets in his way, Volkov rams his bus into the offending vehicle without apology -- and records it all on his dashboard camera.

The bus driver then documents the collisions by posting the video footage on YouTube.
In a recent interview which appeared on the Red Hot Russia website, Volkov claimed he's had more than 100 accidents.

"The situation is gradually improving ... due to my educational work," he said.

Volkov says his passengers have nothing to complain about because none have been injured.

And what does the bus company he works for in Zelenograd, Russia, think about his vigilante antics?
"If there is no fault of mine, the management doesn’t care," he said. "The bus usually gets only minor damage. If the damage is more serious, they just wait for the insurance payments and then repair [it]."

If you only knew.

Yee Haw!

It's been snowing here for two days. Heavy, wet snow. Not a ton of wind. We've supposedly received 8 to 10" since this storm fired up.

Out the front door

It's even dropped another inch or two since I took these pics.

Using my door as a snow shovel

 And I know it's snowed more because I just cracked open the door and shoved more snow since this pic was taken.

Through the glass of the front door. The camera decided flash was needed.

Yep, that is my pickup beyond that tree. I'm gonna have to venture out to the grocery store since I'm about out of ice for my tea, dern it. Guess I've got plenty of snow outside if that proves problematic, but I'm also out of some other things and cabin fever is setting in. I had these two days off for three doctor appointments, but one called me Tuesday and cancelled right off, yesterday I didn't feel like fighting the roads to go to Dodge, and today when I called the medical center to cancel their answering machine talked to me because no one was there.

Is this a drought buster? Not really. The NWS says we've gotten about 2.4" of moisture or rain equivalent in the past 48 hours. Not gonna be nearly enough to make up for what we've not gotten in the past four or five years for sure. But maybe this has broken the cycle and we'll start getting moisture again. Time will tell.

And while I am enjoying this, it's only because I'm not out in it. I do not envy the poor bastards that have to fight this, as I have in the past. And while I can look at this as a Currier and Ives moment in time, the beauty of the snow and the placidity it encourages really doesn't cut it for me. I see the sloppy mess we're gonna have to live with for the next week or so as it all melts. I see every vehicle looking like crap because they have to drive around in the dirty slush. I see cattle suffering from the cold and mud plus calves with snotty noses, also worried stockmen. The mud sticks to the animal's legs and freezes there, and has to be damned uncomfortable.

I also see the soil taking a big drink, and in my mind's eye, I can feel the thirsty ground slurp this snow right up. I can see how when the weather warms up, things will start to turn green because there is hope for life.

If it weren't for the benefits that a well watered soil brings, I could easily live without the drama and beauty of snow. Rain works just fine for me.

Update: Before I even published this - I was watching the Duels at Daytona (to set the qualifying order for the Daytona 500 this Sunday) and I lost my DirecTV signal. The dish was full of snow. At the farm I'd just step outside and brush off the dish. Here, where it's mounted to the roof next to the gutters - well lets just say I had to whack it with a broom, and clear out underneath it as the snow would fall off and the roof held in in place still blocking the dish. At least I didn't have to bum a ladder from someone. Another reason I like rain better.

Crummy Time of the Year

 

This particular stretch of time finds me in a funk every year. My mother passed away on January 30, 2001. Her birthday was on Valentine's Day - February 14th.

I miss my mama.

Jeffro's Picture Roundup

This is some guy's junkyard north of Mission, SD. Nothing unusual except for the car on top of the old stock trailer close to the road.

It's an old Mustang II notchback. It has been up there since I can remember. How and why are the questions we have - how did he get it up there and why? What in the world?

For Grey Havens - the old steam engine nut. This is an old Baldwin 2-6-2 oil fired locomotive on display at the Boot Hill replica in Dodge City, KS. She was built for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in 01/1903, and is no longer in running condition. I think the boilers are completely shot, which was apparently something Baldwins were known for. Planned obsolescence, yannow. She was donated to the museum in 1954, and several years ago was moved to this location during an extensive remodel of the grounds. I've spent some time playing and climbing around on her, but that was a long, long time ago!

This is what you will see a few miles west of Dodge on US 50 eastbound - the silhouette cowboys welcoming you to the Cowboy Capital. A similar sculpture is by the airport on the east side of Dodge on Business US 50. Welcome! We've got the Boot Hill Museum, complete with shootouts, dancing girls in the saloon, a pretty nice casino, and lots of other odds and ends. I have said before that this area literally drips with history and Dodge is a tourist destination during the summer. Oh, yeah, by the way, there is a rodeo during the summer. The five day Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, sanctioned by the PRCA. Yep, it's a big deal.

Purebred Longhorns. These are located kitty corner from the grain elevator at Howell, KS due west of Dodge and east of Cimarron, KS on US 50. Sorry 'bout the image quality - I was hoping they'd be far closer to the fence. Longhorns are liable to be about any color combo - not uniform at all. They all share a lanky, bony structure that can survive on grazing in dry country, and manage to survive long drives. It wasn't until the plains were settled that more domesticated cattle breeds infiltrated the beef supply - more meat on their bones, etc.

Again, sorry for the crummy image quality. This was pretty low light, which my phone camera does not like at all. Anyhow, meet Yeager, who is obviously a German Shepherd. He and I got along right off. He could poke his nose in my chest with all fours on the ground - he is that huge. I've always liked large dogs - I like rasslin' with em and having them physically able to rassle right back. His head and nose were as long as my arm. He resides on a farm north of Norfolk, NE. His master says he is normally friendly, but there have been times Yeager didn't recognize him in a different vehicle and that he was NOT so friendly - until he got an eye and a whiff. I was A-OK, though, and gave him most of the attention he thought he deserved. Very cool hound that I was glad to meet.

Remember me grousing about how crummy the roads were and how I hate to drive on snow and ice? It wasn't real bad, but I'm still not wild about driving on this stuff - especially empty. No weight on my drive axles means not a lot of traction. And, my drive tires are getting kinda thin, but not thin enough to replace just yet. So, that means the rear of the tractor squirms around on the various ruts and such instead of staying planted, which I infinitely prefer.

And here is one reason I hate driving on this crap - it isn't always going to be a mistake I make that ruins the day or gets me hurt or killed. Too fast? Probably - for sure too fast for the driver's ability to keep it straight and on the road. It was windy - like 40mph windy, but it was out of the north and this guy was headed due north. It was not a sidewind that twisted him up. I was running about 40 or 45 and even on gradual rises I lost some traction and had to back out, so him fighting the wind probably had him hurting worse in that regard. At any rate, "four wheelers" out in the ditches is a common sight as well, and I just don't like being out there when they've lost it and slide until they stop. Which may be right in my path.

The further south I got, the better it was, and the snow on my hood finally blew off. I finally got back and felt like I'd been driving about twice as many hours as I had, and in fact, I felt pretty punky the next morning and had to call in. Dammit.

So, this wraps up another edition of Jeffro's Picture Roundup. Hope ya enjoy!

Decisions, and Being Grumpy

I had to go to a little spot on the map north of Norfolk, NE yesterday - got unloaded and pointed south. I figured I'd run out of hours at York, so I got reservations at a Super 8 there that has nice truck parking.

And I'd seen how it was snowing in that area when I'd checked on my phone, so it was no surprise to start  hitting slick roads about sixty miles away. They turned into snow packed roads with a fair amount of fresh falling the closer I got. Still managed to ease in here late in the evening okay. Hate driving in snow in the dark, too. Don't care much for it in the daytime, either.

But now all the roads are crap. I'm not prohibited from driving through this stuff like I am when I'm loaded (oversize loads are restricted when the roads and or weather is crummy), but Lordy I do not want to have to fight completely snow packed and blowing roads all day. If I go south on US81 I head right into the meat of the snowfall yesterday in Kansas. I can't go west on I80 because it's closed to the west. After checking all the maps, I had originally thought that would be the way to go, because the roads are marginally better west.

So I'm gonna just park my happy ass here for a while and wait it out for a few hours, anyhow.

Have I mentioned how much I hate driving a truck through this s$@t?

They Never Told Me

Growing old:  I heard all about how my now gray hair would migrate from the top of my head, down my back to my nether regions, plus make some significant stops at my nose and ears. I heard all about the joint and muscle aches and pains, and how I would be unable to do the things I had considered normal and easy back in the day. I heard about how fragile the skin would become, the eyes would struggle, yada yada yada.

But I do not recall hearing about this:


link

The area where I could really use some enhancement, as it were, and it's my nuts that get bigger with age. What a freaking waste!

And, I guarantee you it's true. Not all motel toilets are created equal, and the boys do NOT like being dunked.


H/T Nukle Kim

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