What's the Diff?

Two years ago...almost to the day...I was diagnosed with Clostridium perfringens. This is a cousin of Clostridium difficile. It took some time, and some tests, and some visits to various doctors, but after almost 2 months, my problems were all behind me (oh you just know I couldn't resist saying that!)

Everything in that region of my body has been fine, until recently. On a Friday afternoon, not too long ago, I developed a pain in my stomach, which is very unusual for me. After several hours, the pain had lessened, but I had developed other issues. I figured it was just some sort of bug going around, and laid low for a week. But, the problems continued, and actually worsened. I decided that the colitis I had two years ago must have returned. We were planning to go away for a week and I was concerned. I called the Gastroenterologist to see if they could fit me in, hoping to get some medication to help. I explained that I might have a 'colitis flare', which seemed to do the trick and I had an appointment, just like that! I saw a nurse practitioner. I was impressed. She prescribed a medication to ease cramping and one that might help my system, and gave me a take-home test. The rest of that day, and the next day, I felt great and had no symptoms, so I actually called the pharmacy and had them put the medications back on the shelf. Wrong thing to do! A few days later it was back, and almost a week later I received a call from the nurse practitioner....the results of the test showed that I didn't have C-perfringens, I had the real deal. I had acquired C-difficile, or C-diff. 

What?! Where? When? How? Why me?! 

If you have ever read about C-diff, it's one mean bug. It can run rampant in hospitals, and is becoming more frequent outside of institutions. It can be lethal. Everyone has the c-diff bacteria in their gut, and often, if people are taking an antibiotic that kills 'good' bacteria in the gut, c-diff, being resistant to many antibiotics, has a chance to flourish and take over. That wasn't the situation in my case, and I still don't know why c-diff took hold, but an antibiotic was called in. Both the pharmacist and the nurse practitioner stressed that I must take the medications evenly spaced at 6 hour intervals, in order for it to be most effective, and I must finish every pill. I set alarms on my phone, and customized them! I selected music. My alerts included, "What Do You Got?", "Bad Medicine" and "Getting Better All the Time"....I used a soft "thud" for the 1:30 AM alert, since rock and roll music would be a bit too startling at that time of day night! I've finished the course of antibiotics. Things seem to be on the mend, and I am keeping my fingers crossed. I don't want to be messing around with this bug again! 

However, despite my being impressed by the nurse practitioner at my initial visit, as I read more about the disease, and how devastating it can be, and how difficult it can be to eradicate, I became disenchanted. The nurse practitioner never suggested that I read anything. She never explained that C-diff bacteria spores can remain viable on a surface for several months....and up to a year in some cases!! The nurse practitioner never explained that household cleaners, and alcohol-based hand cleaners are not at all effective against c-diff. The nurse practitioner never explained that the growing c-diff bacteria populations release toxins that can damage cells in the intestinal lining. 

I realize now how fortunate I was to have licked this thing so promptly. It generally doesn't work that way!  I worry that I might have shared the bug with others. I worry that the Mister, who is vulnerable due to antibiotic use, is vulnerable. I worry that this is not the last I see of this disease. I keep waiting for the shoe to drop....it isn't a good feeling! 

Salt of the Earth

 I flew to San Francisco to visit my boys and grandkids. It was a very early flight, so most of the way across the country the blinds were down and folks were snoozing. As we neared our destination I lifted the window shade and watched the land below. As we came into the Bay Area I noticed these colorful 'fields' below me. 

As the jet continued toward the airport, I saw more 'fields' below

and realized they were evaporation ponds for salt! 

The green, rich brown and orange colors are from organisms growing in the salt slurry. 

I looked online to find out more about salt production in the Bay Area. 

There are over 12,000 acres of solar evaporation ponds in the area.

They produce 500,000-1,000,0000 tons of salt annually. 

Who knew?

I looked at the salt ponds on Google maps. 

Hmmmm, they remind me of a Salmon seen in native Alaskan art!

Runaway

I've seen it on videos. You know, those funny shots where 

a car begins rolling down the driveway, with the driver in hot pursuit. 

It's not so funny if it happens to be your car!

On Monday we pulled into our barn driveway in the RV, 

with the Jeep being towed behind. 

(This was the same day that we saw the terrible traffic back-up)

We were hot and tired. 

But, maybe it wasn't as hot as the gauge on our motorhome said it was! 

I got off the motorhome to unhitch the car, following the steps I always take.

First, chock the wheel.

(The car is one of those newfangled all-electric types.) 

Until I get in the car and go through a number of steps, the car is in neutral, and will roll. 

I opened the door and immediately knew something was wrong. 

Everything was black. 

The car was DOA.

I did try to engage the parking brake, but it is electronic as well. 

The Mister went to get his tractor and chains while I disconnected the tow bars and towing wires. 

Chains were attached to the car to pull it further up the drive to the barn,

so the plug-in battery charger could be used on the car.

As the Mister began to move the car, I grabbed the chock and turned toward the barn.

I had to move the truck that was parked where he wanted to pull the Jeep.

Then I heard some sort of expletive...maybe a few?!

The chain had broken, or slipped off, or somthin'

and the car was slowly rolling....

rollin', rollin', rollin'...

The Mister jumped off the tractor, grabbed the door,

but by the time he did that the car was moving too fast.

It was heading down our long driveway....

Unbelievably, it stayed on the drive, even with the bit of a curve.

I had visions of the Jeep impaling itself on the gate

 (more likely crumpling it into some sort of accordion shape)

It skimmed past the gate, scraping off the plastic housing of the mirror on its way by,

and on it rolled....

across the road....

Oh no! The Jeep was heading for the storm retention pond,

(not sure why they call it a pond. We have never, ever had any water in it)

which has a a fairly steep drop into the low area....

oh and a sprinkling of trees that could have done some damage as well.

The runaway car God was on our side. There is one sign between the road and the 'pond'. A warning that the retention area is environmentally sensitive. 

That sign may, or may not, now be at somewhat of an angle!

The Jeep hit the metal post of the sign, bent it a bit....

but the Jeep stopped rolling! 

A bit later, after cooling off and calming down, the Mister wandered over there with a battery.

The moment he touched the posts with the clips, the car came to life.

I was able to work through the necessary steps to get the car out of neutral, 

and drive it home. 

The rear bumper has a slight crease in it from the sign, and a bit of a scrape underneath.

The mirror will need replacement at some point, although it still works. 

We are puzzled as to why it appeared to have a dead battery, 

when the indicators showed a full charge when it 'woke up'. 

These modern machines are a puzzle! 

I'm Hip

From Magnific Website

I mentioned problems I was having with my hip in May. At that point oral steroids were prescribed, along with some therapeutic stretches and exercises. I've followed through on all of it. The hip, although a tad bit better, still aches, wakes me at night, makes walking miserable and makes me wonder if I can climb a step safely. 

I had a follow-up visit today. I saw a different PA, but he sang the same song. Yes, my bursa is inflamed. But, he (like the Doc and the other PA) feel that my back is the root of the problem. As I haven't had an MRI for over 3 years, one has been scheduled later this month, with a follow-up to see the "back guy"a few weeks later. I am curious, but leery.

The PA suggested/offered a steroid injection in the bursa area of my hip. At this point, I will try anything. So, I was shot. Within 45 minutes pain from my hip was negligible. Shortly after I became Superwoman! I can do anything. I can climb the stairs...not once, not twice....many times, without pain. Without hesitation. Without question about whether the leg will hold me. Woo hoo! 

Uh oh...am I cruisin' for a bruising?!

Treacherous Highway

Recently we took a quick trip to NC to pick up the RV and bring it back to Florida for a service appointment this coming week. 

As the Mister was driving, I was writing an email to a friend:  

"We are on a secondary road that we often take. It “cuts the corner” from where I-26 and I-95 join. It cuts the mileage a bit, but it is slower. SC was one of the last states to match Federal funds for making the Interstate in the 70’s, and now is one  of the last states to get Federal funds for widening it. The section near where we used to live is notorious for deadly accidents as traffic gets bottlenecked going north just over the Savannah River bridge. Traffic is usually very heavy, going both north and south, and makes for tense driving. The secondary road is straight as an arrow and has areas that are 60 mph. It runs through many dying towns.... you are not going to believe this, but as I was writing the last paragraph we arrived in Hardeeville and merged onto I-95 south, only to discover that there had been an accident in the north bound lane, just in the area I had mentioned above where 3 lanes in GA meet with 2 lanes in SC ( which currently have barrels and construction items all over as they are beginning the process of widening that area). 

Traffic is backed up for 10 miles and Google Maps says the highway is closed for two hours!!!! It’s noon. It’s unbearably hot and people are stranded on the highway. What a mess. 

We wonder how many cars will run out of gas by keeping engines going for AC, or how many cars will overheat by trying to keep engines going… or how many people may get very sick from the heat…or worse?"

As we continued on our journey toward home I did check Google maps and saw that the highway was opened and traffic was flowing, even before two hours had elapsed. I'm sure the folks who were stuck were thrilled to be on their way to their destinations. 

We were just thrilled to pull into our driveway! 

 

Half Way

I am currently reading "The Frozen River" by Ariel Lawhon. It is an enjoyable historical fiction novel that includes a riveting murder mystery and  depicts New England small-town life in the 18th century, including the imbalance in power and respect between women and men. 

The protagonist, Martha Ballard, is modeled after the woman of that name who was the local midwife on the Maine frontier for several decades. Martha's diaries have been transcribed and record her life in  "A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812" by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. At least some of the diary entries in "The Frozen River" are based on real entries in Martha's diaries.

While reading "The Frozen River" I was intrigued by the following quote: 

"This is what it means to age....the days are long 

but the years are short." (pg 54 in my publication)

This is exactly how I feel! Especially considering that we have reached the half-way point for 2026. Already! 

Curious, I looked online and this perception is actually a real phenomenon!

Mr. A-I-nstein tells me: 

The feeling that years grow shorter as we age is a well-documented phenomenon. It happens because each passing year represents a steadily shrinking fraction of your total life, and because adult routines provide fewer novel experiences for the brain to process and remember.

Who knew?!

This video explains the psychology, science and math behind this phenomenon:

What about you....do you feel that time flies?

Amazing Day - Revisited

 Today a picture from 2013 popped up on my computer as a memory. Both the Mister and I commented that it was one of the highlights of our adventures, something we would probably never see again, and something that most people will never see! It was a picture of sheep. Thousands of them. They were traveling from their winter grounds to the mountains in Idaho for summer. Their path took them through McCall, ID where we happened to be staying while visiting my bother.

It was magical. 

I wrote a post about the semi-annual trek called, "Everybody Loves a Parade"