MAINT REQ'D

Yesterday I went to a mini college reunion about 1 1/2 hours away. My husband was supposed to come with me but woke up not feeling well so I went by myself. I do not usually travel much these days by myself because of my health issues and the need for naps and all that.

I drove our 1.5 year old Corolla and took the scenic route because there was a 10 mile back up on the interstate. I ended up driving home, leaving around 830pm. It took about 1/2 an hour to get back to the highway. Once I get on the highway, the road was finally empty and it should have been a quick hour home. I hit the left lane as usual and was able to go a consistent 70 or so, also as usual.

Then this shows up on the dashboard:

I did not have a good feeling. I instantly tried to call my normally-helpful-former-mechanic-turned-mechanical-engineer brother who had the nerve not to answer his phone. Where was he ignoring my calls when I needed him? Then I tried to call, and woke up, my husband for advice. I pulled off at the next exit and there was a Dunkin Donuts right there that was still open. I pulled into their parking lot as I spoke with my husband. He was telling me to check the oil, look at the temperature, and otherwise open the hood and look at the stuff there like I knew what was going on. (I knew it would be dirty and full of strange things.)

My question was why would a nicely running car which was relatively new all of a sudden have a little warning light? Especially 60 miles from home, by myself, at night? My first thought was not to open the hood but instead to open the owners manual. There I find the answer to my stress - basically it was due for service. As it didn't say MAINT REQ'D SOON I was off the hook.

My husband was happy to go back to sleep. I was happy to get back on the road. But I really could have skipped that little episode. I have enough stress in my life without car issues too. Thanks.

A day off

Today I have given myself a day off. Actually, don't tell anyone, but I have a cold. Well its not really a 'cold'. I just don't feel well, run down, tired, but no congestion. And I have been fighting it since Monday night.

Due to being Mrs CIS (Compromised Immune System), I don't bounce back from little germs like I used to. Actually I don't bounce at all...

I just plan on being better for vacation which starts Sunday (and to all you burglars, we have a house sitter). I can't be sick on vacation. That's a rule. I might also not blog very much while we are gone...

But I must be healthy while we are away..

Anyway, I also be home this afternoon while I get a new windshield for the new car. A big crack appeared while I was stuck in traffic Tuesday afternoon. They get a five hour window from 12-5.... I'll be home with my germs. But at least I have a good excuse for sitting around all afternoon.

Cancer people should get an exemption from all the regular crap in life....

Today my attitude is "I don't care"

I would have started with some extra adjectives in there but didn't think they were appropriate for the title. How has my week gone? Well if you are reading my posts, you can tell it hasn't been the best week. By the time I got to work yesterday afternoon my co-workers said I looked either very tired or "enough already".

But I still had to work for the afternoon and go car shopping. I was exhausted before car shopping and ended up in bed early - maybe I am over this 'spring forward' crap.

What was the medical roller coaster like yesterday? Hmmm well the part about me was that my doctor's office called about my blood counts and one of them is a 'bit' off and they had questions for me. Of course the doctor is on vacation so they will get back to me next week.

This morning I go to the neurologist to learn what the hell is going on with my hands and what is known as 'bilateral tingling' in medical speak. And it could come back with another 'I don't know' and more tests or an express pass to the hand surgeon for carpal tunnel surgery. Whatever the answer is, I am not very comfortable with this as I associate neurologists with needles and nasty tests.

After that I go to work. As a result of the current car issues (anyone want to buy a car?) I am driving my father's baby - which is a brand new electric Prius with only 4000 miles on it. I am petrified something will happen to it and I will be disowned. He has been to sick to drive so it is actually very nice that I can use it for a few days while we figure out the new to us car business.

I hope to get to the gym this afternoon to work off some stress but am not sure if that will happen because we have to go back to the car dealership and see if we can make a decision. Which car, how much to spend or do we move over to another dealer?

I don't care. I have tuna fish on a salad for lunch which I enjoy. That might make me feel better and less stressed. But other wise I really don't care.

I think I'm going for apathy today to avoid undue stress.

Accident update

Here's the damage. There is a possibility the car is not totaled but the garage says its borderline. I had a very busy day yesterday dealing with the accident details.

I went over to the garage where the car was towed with the intent of cleaning out anything of value and seeing if I could find my driver's license and eye glasses. My purse dumped out so I thought my license might be there. The airbag blew my glasses off so I was wearing a spare pair. When I arrived there the man who towed my car told me the other driver was arguing with the police when he was towing the cars.

I packed up all sorts of stuff in the car - my Aruba ice scraper, about $5 in change, mittens, hat, shovel, maps, CDs, etc. I found my glasses under the seat of the car. Then I realized I forgot my phone so I couldn't take a picture. I decided I would have to come back. My drivers license was no where to be found.

Then I went to the police station to pick up the report. The woman noted that it was very long. The part about me, driver 1, was brief. I was driving down the road and the other car pulled out in front of me and we collided and I was taken to the hospital.

The part about the other driver went on and on. She changed her story. She argued with the police that it was my fault. She told the police I needed to take responsibility for my actions. Her husband showed up and told the police how the accident happened (even though he wasn't there) and argued with the police some more. Then he wanted to know where I was and what hospital I was in and how I was doing. They had to explain the HIPAA laws to him twice. Driver 2 was cited for failure to yield and not having a drivers license with her.

I called our insurance company who said that if she was cited she would probably be at fault. And that not only do we have collision insurance we have medical coverage that will take care of all the medical bills incurred in my fun evening at the hospital. Yippee!

Her insurance company then called me. Driver 2 argued with her insurance company as well. I had to send them the police report. I like the part that she wants me to take responsibility for my actions and she keeps arguing with everyone that its not her fault.

Then I decided to go back to the car to take a picture of it, get the last of the CDs out of the console and find my glasses that I had put down while I was there. Stupid me.

I decided since my license was really missing, I would apply for a duplicate online. Then my husband came home and realized he had forgotten that the police had given my license to him - they must have found it in the car. Grr.

Lastly, the appraiser called last night and he is going to look at the car today and will let us know if its totalled.

Today I will also stop by the hospital and see if I can get a copy of my CT scan report to read the gory details about the arthritis in my neck. I still have a fat lip and some muscle aches and pains - in addition to my normal pains but am doing okay.

One last note is that when they took me to the hospital, I was wearing clean underwear which was bright pink and matched the polish on my toes which was visible through the hole in my sock.

I had a big adventure this weekend

This was not an an intentional adventure but an accidental one - literally. I will preface this by saying I am fine. But the car is not and is probably on its way to the big junkyard in the sky.

Saturday afternoon after returning from a luncheon, I decided to run out to the liquor store to get some wine to have with the curry I was cooking. I live in a neighborhood of small streets with a lot of intersections without stop signs. People often coast through them and assume that no one is coming, which is often the case as the roads are very quiet.

I turned off the main road and went one block up the steep curvy hill to turn left onto the two block long street which runs parallel to our street. 2/3 of the way down a road comes in on the right where the driver must turn left or right. I wasn't going more than 25 mph and all of a sudden there was a car in front of me turning right into the road. I tried to brake but bam.

All of a sudden the car was full of smoke from the air bag. (I repeat I am fine.) I got out of the car fast thinking it was on fire (because I am just so smart). I approached the other car and asked the woman if she was okay and if she could call the police because I didn't have my phone.

Two (wonderful) neighbors and spouses came out. One neighbor is a nurse and one is a dental hygienist. They gave me ice and towels for my bleeding lip. They let me use their phone to call my husband at home after they also called the police. The hygienist looked at my teeth because the air bag hit me in the mouth. She thought my teeth looked okay but suggested I get them checked out. The nurse also looked at me and said I should get checked out because of the airbag.

The police and fire department arrived and told me I should get checked out because of the airbag as well. They said that often injuries can be hidden because of the force of the airbag. They always recommend hospital trips when air bags deploy - standard protocol. I considered  not going but then I decided I would be up worrying all night.

My husband arrived and held my hand and talked to the police. They were very nice as they put me on the 'comfy' backboard with big collar thingy. And away I went in the ambulance. They took the long way to the hospital so I got to spend more time sliding around the back board and saying ow at every bump.

About 15 minutes after I arrived at the ER my husband showed up. He had to take home the wine and beer and turn off the stove where I had left dinner simmering.

I got to wear the lovely collar for several hours. It was relatively uncomfortable but bearable once they got me off the back board. The doctor checked me out and wanted me to have a CT scan of my head and neck because I had pain in the back of my neck.

The doctor and nurses were all impressed with my lists: they needed to know - what medications I am on (7 daily prescriptions), previous surgeries (8 in all), and current medical ailments (RA, fibro, osteoporosis, cancer twice, degenerating back disks and more). They then switched from being impressed to the 'with your medical history, we need to be sure' mentality. They offered to send me home with pain meds but I thought I had plenty already.

It turns out I have arthritis in my neck and compressed discs as well. No wonder my neck hurts - now I have another topic for my rheumatologist next month. (But there were no brain abnormalities which means no sneaky brain mets - the hidden fear of all people who have ever had cancer.)

They finally let us go about four hours after we got there. I was happy to go home and have chocolate cake for dinner.

Of course I could not find my driver's license. My purse dumped out all over the floor of the car so I suspect it is there still. I will check today when I go to empty all the personal belongings out of the car. I also have to see if my glasses survived. I think the air bag knocked off my glasses and I didn't realize this until the ambulance was halfway to the hospital.

I also have to go to the police station and get the full accident report. I do not think I was at fault because I had right of way but you never know how these thing work out. Then I have to fill in my report online and call the insurance company.

Once I am done with all my paperwork, I might get some work done and then go to the gym to work out some of the stiffness. I am a little stiff but not horribly. I also take some heavy pain meds every day so who knows how I would really be feeling if I wasn't taking them.