Violas

 

I bought this pot of violas Tuesday at Costco. Violas like pansies are considered cool-weather tolerant, but I put the pot in the garage yesterday evening. Not because of the temperatures that would be dropping with the approaching cold front, but because of the gusty wind. I will put it on the porch tomorrow, but I see I may have to return it to the garage a few times in the next 10 days because of below-30 night temperatures. Still, I wanted a touch of spring color. It is worth the bother.

I experienced a change of policy at Costco. Before, I could go down the customer service/food court side to use the restroom. This time the man at the door that checks the receipts asked me if I was going to customer service. When I explained my destination, he said I was supposed to scan my membership card on the merchandise side of the store and approach the restroom through that side. I know what they are trying to do; they want only members to use the food court. He graciously allowed me to enter his side of the store this time. Since after using the restroom I would want a cart to go through the store, it would mean exiting the customer service side after using the facilities, getting a cart, then scanning my card a second time. Or getting a cart before going to the restroom and parking it in an aisle hoping nobody takes it. Not very efficient.  You would think they could require scanning the card when placing a food order instead. 

I have a big decision to make re my Linx device. It has migrated below where it was implanted and now sits in the stomach instead of slightly above it. Part of the stomach has gone through the device and above the diaphragm meaning it is a hiatal hernia. The surgeon said I had 3 options: decide to live with it and the increased regurgitation by modifying even more how and what I eat; have the device removed and the hernia repaired surgically; remove the device, repair the hernia, then do fundoplication where part of the stomach is wrapped around the bottom of the esophagus. I see a gastroenterologist May 13th and will discuss those options with him before deciding.

 According to the internet, only about 4-5% of patients have migration of the device and a recurring hernia. There are other reasons for explantation though. If I understood my doctor correctly, he has never removed a Linx device. It is supposedly not difficult but time-consuming because the tissue around each bead has to be addressed. There are not many doctors in our part of Indiana who have experience with the Linx so I don't think I would be able to find somebody who has removed one. The gastroenterologist I am to see has never implanted the device, but he knows how it works. 

We had light snow this morning, the first day of spring. I see daffodil shoots, buds on the maple tree, teeny-tiny green leaves on the quince bush. Mother Nature is waking up. 

 

 

Post-Christmas

We ordered an office chair through our local Staples since all they had in stock was a display model. We were originally told it would arrive no later than December 19th. It was a Christmas present to us. There was a snafu requiring contact with the Staples complaint site and waiting more weeks. The original chair was never picked up by UPS or was lost or who knows. Staples reordered for us. It arrived several weeks after the promised date. We now have it at our computer desk. My husband did a fine job assembling it.

I have been slowly taking down the Christmas decorations. This afternoon my husband put the sleigh with bears and the Christmas music CD and tape cases on the upper shelf of the closet.

The poinsettia still looks good; I left it on the table in the sunroom though I put the Christmas tablecloth away. 

Last week I had a manometry test at Lutheran Downtown Hospital (Fort Wayne). Several hours later I had an EGD (upper scope) with Bravo placement. I also was given some sheets of paper ("diary") to mark down sleeping, eating, and times and duration of symptoms such as reflux, chest pain, heatburn. Monday we returned the recorder box and diary to the hospital.

The doctor said to make a follow-up appointment 1 to 2 weeks after the procedures. When I called, there were no appointments this week and next week he is out of the office all week. The earliest opening was January 24th. I am in limbo again waiting for answers. The nurse who did the manometry test told me it did indicate some swallowing difficulties. That will certainly factor in to any decison about surgery.

Northern Indiana is having one of the warmest Januarys since data was recorded. That is forecast to change in another week. Currently no snow on the ground. It is gray and gloomy most days, though we did have sunshine yesterday. 

My husband started back to the Y this week to work out. He had not been since the Pandemic started. I am a little skitterish because I do not want COVID to interfere with any needed surgeries. We do go out to restaurants, and next Monday I will be in the Grace Village choir as it starts up after the Christmas break. There are cases of COVID in our community, but not a lot. 

What is the COVID situation where you live?