I'm So Much In The Loop That I Just Found Out Family Had Died...

That's how close we all are. But, at least I found out in a phone call instead of through e-mail like with my daughter. So, there is that.

Uncle T.R. was 96(?) or thereabouts, died last March. His sister, my Aunt Betty, 94 or so, died in April. Aunt Betty and I were way closer since she was over to our house a lot while I was growing up. She and my Mom were close.

Now, I know people get old and die. The part that really bothers me is that this leaves only 3 Aunts & Uncles between me and the distinction of being the oldest member of my family still living. And that's a scary thought.

Will miss our annual communications and once-a-decade visits.

Ah, well.

Otherwise, SSDD around here. Had a Doc appt yesterday and he says that for an fat old guy I'm doing pretty good. (I may have paraphrased.) All my labs are right at mid-range results (including the famous PSA) but my Potassium is still too low. I need to double my daily intake. And lose about 80 lbs.

I'm about to ask for a different Doctor though. Mine is okay, but, no matter what I tell him he immediately goes to "Let's try ..." another pill. Told him my back hurts so bad after laying down for 10 minutes that I can barely walk. His response was "Have you had physical therapy?" No. Not yet. And he didn't do any kind of exam. I would have had a patient that told me that take their shirt off and turn around and let me look at it. Do a bit of poke and prod to see where it hurt and if there was any noticeable deformity. Not him. He does not do exams. And I don't know if that's just the way they're training new doctors or what. In my day we pretty much manhandled everything.

The response to my statement "I've had a pretty constant low grade headache for a month." resulted in "Let's try this pain medicine." History taking is a lost art.

Not that I miss finger-waves at all though. The PSA is much better.

SWMBO and I have been finishing the deck. Work we started last summer. Spent way too much on paint at Home Depot today. And $300 for new heavy duty shelves for downstairs. I'm thinking this winter project will be to finally get the basement cleaned out and straightened up. It'll be the perfect thing to do on those way too many rainy days coming up.

Playing with an online AI that makes your static pictures move and did this one of my ex- for just playing with the program. The results are almost heart breaking. I remember when she looked and smiled like that back in the early 70's. Before that smile eventually disappeared. Ah, well. That's life I guess. Still, I think this particular picture turned out really well. Going to go through all my old family pics and do some more.

All this time that has passed and this is the best I can come up with for a post. Sad. Just sad.