September 7, 2024
We are 12 days post Y90 procedure. A few days after the procedure, David ran a bit of a fever (99-101.7). It never got over 101.7 and didn’t stay at that level for long. He has experienced some off and on pain around his liver area but with the extended release pain medication for the lower abdominal pain, it was hard to tell if the liver pain stuck around for long. He has been extremely tired. He stays tired from the low hemoglobin and just generally fighting cancer but this has been a different kind of exhaustion. He has trouble staying awake during the day and gets really tired pretty quickly just being up just moving around even to walk out and get the mail. I have noticed he has been pale most of the time. He has continued to experience what seems to be increasing pains in his lower pelvic area. Sometimes, he literally doubles over with it. It is so hard to see him like this. There isn’t a thing I can do to help when he is in the grips of pain like this except bring him things and try to distract him with nonsense. He has been wrestling with focus and concentration lately and of course depression. The depression seems to be a bit better at times since starting medication last month. I have tried to coax him out with me to run errands a few times in the past two weeks but he hasn’t really felt up to it. Taking a shower usually wipes him out. He is eating fresh veggies and fruits as well as proteins daily and his appetite comes and goes a bit but he always manages to eat. He never seemed to experience any rage type issues from the steroids, so we guess we skirted by that particular side effect.
We almost lost our tomato plants to Fall Army Worms, but we have managed to fend them off as humanely as possible and the plants have bounced back and are giving us more tomatoes. That has been a nice treat for these final weeks of summer. We are looking forward to fall and we caught a nice glimpse of it last week during a few false fall feeling days (say that three times fast). It didn’t last but it will come soon enough. We both enjoy the season and won’t miss the hot, humid summer days. Although, in Georgia, it somehow seems to stay humid mostly all year.
David and I got a bit obsessed over the Olympics and followed that for a couple of weeks. We have watched a good bit of the Paralympics and have enjoyed being inspired by so many fascinating, and determined individuals and teams. We watched the Receiver football series on Netflix and it was pretty interesting. I recommend the Quarterback one also. We saw it last year. Peyton Manning produces some good stuff from the perspective of someone that knows very little about the game. We finished up watching Yellowstone and moved on to 1883, so we are transitioning from our cowboying season to our Oregon Trail season. I figured we would be done with that one season of 1883 by the weekend and could start 1923 and maybe get a good chunk of it knocked out before the free trial of Paramount+ runs out. That is my Olympic talent. Planning and watching stuff before the free trial runs out and also turning on and off streaming services according to what we are watching so “the man” doesn’t keep me down under his streaming boot heal. I swear. Cable and satellite didn’t cost as much as everything being its own streaming service. But just as I was adding up the episodes in my head, I was informed that the dreaded day arrived and just through all my plans on the floor and stepped on them with muddy feet. Football season started Thursday night. Then another game on Friday I was told. When in the Sam Hill did the NFL start playing on Friday night? And what do you mean from Brazil? WHAT IS HAPPENING? I was also informed that I could not count Sunday as a day of episode watching as it would be all football all day. He is so excited. Let the couch naps, snacking, and random shouting at the Falcons begin. What can go wrong with a new head coach and two new quarterbacks.
One of our toilets stated running off and on randomly, so, today, David told me to turn off the water at the valve, drain the tank, and showed me how to take off the toilet flapper thingy and sent me to Home Depot (alone) to pick up a replacement. He showed me how to measure it then also told me to take it with me. I was dumbfounded honestly. Like in my purse? He said or a bag or something so I could match it up if I needed to. So me and Korky Ultra Fits All Types (insert trademark) went to HD in search of his replacement. Why in cheese’s name are there so many toilet flaps? Why are there different colors? Why does one come with some type of glue tube? Why are toilets not the same? This particular one is a 1960s good old American Standard super duty model original to the house when it was built, so apparently we have to get the “universal fits all types” kind to hold water at bay flap. Additional question, why are so many packages taped up and brought back and hung on the racks? I guess I am not the only one that does not understand toilets. I finally found one that was unopened. I couldn’t imagine bringing home one that had been in the back of someone else’s tank even if just long enough to see it didn’t fit. I also needed to get some trim nails. An even more daunting task standing clueless in front of the nails. WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES AND WHY IS THE LETTERING SO SMALL WHEN THEY ARE HUNG 17 FEET IN THE AIR? A text came in that mentioned light bulbs, and I went over there and decided nope. I was way too anxious over rubber flaps and sharp metal hardware to be making light bulb decisions. I really do miss the regular bulbs. Just grab a pack and go. Back when no one expected them to last 14 years like the ones now claim but surely do not. Now there are shelves of them. All kinds. Anywho, I arrived home victorious with Korky Ultra Fits All Types II and a pack of trim nails, and honestly, there wasn’t as much fanfare as I expected there would be. I was instructed to make sure the chain was the proper length and to place it back on the other toilet part thing. I adjusted the chain hook thingy and put it in place. I turned on the water and the tank started filling. I went to ask the Foreman how would I know it was working to which I was informed water won’t leak out past it. Ok. And with a slip slap of my two hands, it seems I passed that test, and now that I am a fully licensed plumber, we won’t be startled awake in the middle of the night with the sound of the toilet water automatically coming on but evidently that still remains to be seen as told to me by the Foreman.
Next up, the low tire pressure sensor light on the car. Becoming a certified plumber and mechanic all in the same week is exhausting.