Healthcare

Healthcare is a joke.  Pay in to the system until you actually need help.  Follow the pre-op procedures and instructions.  Arrive early to minimize delay or disruption.  Still have little control to what happens.

No one wants to hang out in a waiting room.  EVER.  It's irritating.  Having no control on what time or when you will be seen.  I had arranged a yoga session that I thought might interfere with me picking him up.  He did not say anything, but I sensed, that he was irritated.  Like he wasn't my priority.

I waited until 11:15 in the room with him.  Made my departure to teach a class at 11:30. Figured he would be available around 1:30 for pick up.  I returned to the hospital and was informed--I meant to text you to let you know that he hasn't started his surgery yet.  (Really?  You forgot to text me?)

I waited until they came to take him to the OR.  That was 2:45. We arrived at the hospital at 9:45 to check in for his procedure.

I returned at 4:45 to ensure that I could enter the surgical services until.  Sat in the recovery room.  Waited.  Waited longer.  Finally, a nurse came to collect me.

I almost leapt out of my seat.  I was so ready to be out of the hospital.  He looked great.  And lighter.  We did a few post Op procedures and then was talked thought the next few hours.  She was detailed about what pill to take and what time.  She expressed the importance of keeping track of when the pills were taken.  Staying on schedule.  She escorted us out to my car and helped me get Tom into Freya.  I started to leave and inquired about the medication.  Did he have them?  

Big shock.  No.  We did not have the tramadol or oxycodone.  He was told that he should pick them up on the day of the procedure.  Somehow that was ignored during the post-op discussion.  I tried to call the on-call nurse which was silly.  I have yet to be called to determine if we need help.  It is a joke.  Tom made it through to his surgeon.  He reiterated that the pills were available at the hospital.  But the pharmacy closed at 6 pm.  Super helpful, again.  Healthcare reminding me that the system is rigged against normal people.

The doctor called in the prescription to Walgreen's.  We were told it would be an hour before picking up.  I ordered take out and ate with Tom.  Absorbed a few hours before heading to Walgreen's.  The prescription was not filled, and they would only be able to fill two of the prescriptions.  I waited for 45 minutes.  Cherry on top of my shitty day waiting for the healthcare system.  

Now, we still don't have the pain medication two days later.  Walgreens has not filled the prescription, and Tom is hesitant to be an advocate for his health.  I am irritated since I believe he can be more forceful.  Call his doctor and figure out where we can pick up this stuff.  I am more than happy to pick it up at the hospital.

He is fine with waiting.  I cannot continue to force him to do things he is uncomfortable with, and I cannot be his advocate.  We have different styles.  I will respect his wishes.  

There has to be a better way.  People should not be in pain.  The amount of money paid into insurance should alleviate undue pain or waiting.  I cannot avoid my payment due date.  I would be slapped with a fine.  How are they ok with people not receiving their prescriptions?

New appetizers to test out

I want to be more capable in hosting yoga events.  I have a wheelhouse of appetizers that I feel confident making.  I know they are crowd pleasers, and I enjoy them.  That being said, I want to change it up.  I do not feel comfortable only offering the same snacks.  I looked at IG for inspiration.  Started my quest with seasonal appetizers.  Of course, squash popped up.  I have tried a squash salad in the past and it was popular.  This one relied on parmesan cheese and a lemon vinaigrette.  I added chives, basil and mint which helped the freshness factor.  Worked out really well.  I do not have a mandolin to slice the squash consistently, but my peeler works well. 

I like offering charcuterie but in a non-traditional way.  I have offered charcuterie in a mason jar with sun-dried tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic stuffed olives.  This time, I created skewers with bowtie pasta.  A slight change to a crowd pleaser and topped with hot honey.  The hot honey was a wonderful addition to the dish.  Terrific flavor.

The final appetizer was whipped feta with honey.  Definitely the star of the show.  I incorporated cream cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt (instead of sour cream) and a block of feta.  As I do not have a food processor, I was forced to rely on elbow grease.  In my mind, my grandmother and mother managed to create dishes without gadgets or appliances.  I could make this dip creamy myself.  I made it on Monday evening allowing an overnight for the dip to marinate.  It was delicious.  I think most were surprised by how much they enjoyed it.  

I try to balance richness with some light.  I did not want to go too heavy with the post session snacks.  We need healthy snacks to re-fuel the body.  Of course, there was wine and tequila.  That has not changed since I began the Detox to Retox yoga classes.  I love them.  They continue to build momentum.  Started out at a spot on Colfax.  I loved the vibe of the space but eventually moved to a jazzercise studio.  I miss the kitchenette of the initial space, but the focus is yoga.  The jazzercise studio has more space for yoga and better parking.  Especially now that there is road construction on Colfax.  It has been a mess and a daily irritation for me to navigate my commute.  I tend to walk more to avoid the hassle of driving and dealing with other drivers.

I am trying to my hand at gardening this year. Carrots, squash, cucumbers, bell peppers, beets and a few herbs.  There is a gardening plot that my neighbor secured for us to use.  He is growing corn, cantaloupe, peppers and some other items.  He tilled the soil and made it available to use.  I figure why not test out my green thumb?

I am attempting indoor ginger, too.  I have not been juicing for the last few months and found a small piece of ginger that I had overlooked.  The eyes of the ginger are ripe to root and grow new pieces.  I am curious as to how this will work out.  I want to do more domestic to diminish my needing to go grocery shopping.  I am too reliant on convenience instead of homegrown foods.  At least I would know where it came from, how it was treated and enjoy the fresh taste.

Next month, new snacks.  I might add them to my page and here.  I want to continue to grow and learn.  Diversify my skillset.  If you have suggestions, let me know.

Oregon tasting

Happy Saturday!  Reflecting on the previous week.  Some travel, great food and work.  First things first, travel.  I spent five days in Oregon with Tom.  The premise of the trip was to visit the Willamette Valley with the other board members for a research and development trip.  We toured four wineries and explored the valley.  I had no idea how substantial the valley was.  750 wineries.  Somewhat spread out or so it seemed.  One of our bus rides was about an hour from McMinnville.  Typically, it would not have concerned me, but the bus was hot, and the guide did not play music.  I think I was too aware of how bumpy the ride was.  I know that I was not the only one to feel car sick along that drive.  

But let me back up.  We arrived in Portland and resisted to renting a car.  Instead, we took an uber to the downtown area.  Quick bite to eat and a beer.  There was a food truck bonanza.  Offering 20 plus food trucks.  I considered arepas or chips but settled on sushi.  I was happy!  We boarded a bus with the belief that we could arrive in McMinnville in a few hours.  We missed one of the busses and jumped on the next one.  I should have looked into more.  We ended up in a different area of town and hired another car.

Once in McMinnville, we found a local brewery and a market.  Stocked up a few supplies and attended a meet & greet.  Thursday night was open to discover our own dining options.  We were not required to do any board outings.  Friday was all board, all day.  Two wineries, lunch and dinner.  The landscape was beautiful.  We began at Willakenzie Winery.  Outstanding views and great wine.  Small afternoon break and then dinner/tour at Willamette Valley Winery.  Again, gorgeous grounds.  Stunning.  They hosted dinner for us.  Afterwards, we returned to the hotel and enjoyed a night cap.  The opportunity to enjoy tequila continued to elude us.  The town of McMinnville feels boutique and intimate.  Translation, lots of wine and opportunity for beer but the bottle shops are on the outskirts of town.  As we didn't have a vehicle, we were beholdened to what was available to us.  No tequila or mezcal. 

Saturday was a few wine tours and lunch at Dundee Grill.  Dundee is a cute town, and I believe it will be a destination to stay at when there is more accommodations available.  It was kitschy and cute.  We had a lovely wine tasting at Domaine Drouhin and an afternoon tasting at Beaux Frere.  I loved the wines at the last winery.  Beautiful tasting.  

Saturday evening, we checked out a local mexican restaurant.  I liked the salsa, but the entrees were meh.  The margarita was not good.  However, I believe in supporting local and we would not have known if we didn't try it.  

We concluded the night with a gin and tonic at the hotel bar.  Spontaneous meet up with some of the board members to finish the visit.  Sunday morning, we hired another car to take us to Salem.  Jumped on an Amtrak and headed south to Eugene.  Met up with my sisters and had a splendid visit.  Truly thankful for the time with them.  

Reminded me how much I miss travel.  I need to just do it.  No more stalling or freaking out.  I know that there are resources and that money will always be there.

Make it a great day!

Gardening

For some unknown reason, I have decided it would be in my interest to take up indoor gardening this year.  Maybe since I keep seeing ads for gardening on social media.  Or that Tom gardens annually.  Typically, he plants basil, oregano, sage, peppers and sometimes, tomatoes.  I look on with envy as I always believed I did not have the space to plant anything at my apartment building.  This year I discovered indoor gardening with five-gallon buckets and a space nearby that is letting Lee use their plot of land.  He offered me use of part of the plot.  

I am excited.  I went to Dollar Tree to peruse their offerings.  I picked up carrots, summer squash, cucumbers, dill, basil and mint.  I think I will grow the mint outside with the summer squash and other herbs.  I might attempt the cucumbers and carrots indoors.  I have not full committed to this plan.  I went to Ace to pick up the buckets and look at their soil options.  I am no longer shopping at other stores that contribute to causes that I do not support.  Yes, I know that Ace Hardware supports both political parties and leans towards the conservative side.  It is a 55-45 split.  I am not in love with it, but I refuse to go to home depot.  I want to research this a little bit more too.  Is it best to put gravel in the bottom of the bucket before adding soil?  Are the drainage holes mandatory?  I do not want to half-assed this since I do want to have a successful harvest of goods.  I forgot to mention that lettuce I picked up, too.  

Tomatoes are a great option, but they seem to get demolished by the squirrels. I think having fresh herbs will be a nice touch.  I love adding dill to tuna salad and that is one item that I have as a staple in my pantry.  I don't have a black thumb.  I have managed to keep a peace lily alive since 2006.  I have a few succulents that could use some love and new soil.  I should look into gardening projects and see how I fare.

Yesterday was cinco de mayo.  Although not one of my favorite holidays, it is fun.  I decided to participate by going to a local spot that is in my neighborhood.  I entered their eatery and the place was packed.  I found a bar seat and tried to find the happy hour menu that is available according to their website and an A frame in front of the building.  I asked the bartender what the happy hour specials were and his response--we are not honoring those today.  WHAT?  

I told him thank you, but no thank you.  I was astonished that it was a Monday, and a holiday and they were unwilling to honor happy hour.  I returned to another Mexican spot that I broke up with a few years ago.  I had had too many subpar experiences.  I walked in and they, too, were packed.  I had about five minutes to order happy hour.  It was ok.  Not great.  I appreciated that they were offering happy hour and overlooked other annoyances.  I will find an ideal spot another time.  I am definitely breaking up with the first place.  They keep changing their hours.  It is confusing and makes me a little crazy.  I like routine spots and consistency.

The gardening will be helpful.  A new focus, emphasis and learning opportunity.  Plus, I can share my food with my neighbors and community.  Community is essential in 2025.  Make it a great day!

Steps forward things to consider

For the first time, ever, I have a stocked pantry.  It's wild!  When I moved out of my mom's house to go to college, I found myself purchasing less items than my mom had on hand.  Keep in mind.  She had a household of kids, and I would be relying on me.  Plus, I worked in a restaurant in college.  I was fed at the restaurant every time I worked.  There was little need for me to have a stocked pantry.  Sure, I had a few staples--pasta, coffee and spices.  Never an abundant or full stocked pantry.  

This has included most of my life.  I have worked in the service industry or in proximity to it.  It taught me to love dining out and rely on convenience as opposed to meal prep.   It is not fun to prep meals for one person.  I will eat leftovers, but I get bored after a few days.  I prefer having fresh produce on hand, too.   I like to juice fruits and vegetables.  Lately, I have been making kitchari frequently.  Kitchari is a one pot dish with lentils and basmati rice.  Spices and mirepoix minus onions.  I have been trying to reset my hormones with an Aryuvedic approach.  Basically, I am supposed to cut out dairy, coffee, alcohol, processed foods and a host of vegetables that are heavy on your body.  Garlic, too.  It is an attempt to reverse inflammation in the body.  Surprisingly, I have been able to avoid coffee for three months.  I never that I would be able to manage that.  Dairy has made appearances.  And chips, too.  Of course, wine.  I need to be better at this.  The current state of things is not making it easy.  The one upside of this approach is that I am relying on more pantry goods and less fresh produce.  

This will become more challenging as tariffs take effect.   

I need to pivot.  I stocked up on a few toiletries--toilet paper, dishwashing soap, trash bags, toothpaste.  I do not want to freak out and add more chaos to my already stressed-out self.  This year has been difficult.  Lack of sleep, self-medicating, anxiety.  I know that I am not the only person experiencing this.  

I encourage you to stock up on medicines you use and other staples.  Do not be caught unprepared.  However, do not hoard items.  We all need to be respectful to other people.  I continue to consider growing food in my apartment.  In an effort to become more comfortable with this idea, I repotted a succulent that needs new space.  Unfortunately, I had less soil available than I thought.  I will correct it when I go shopping this week.  Soil, contacts, some cleaning products.  I would suggest picking up cleaning products as well.

We are all in this together.  We only move forward with community.  Doing this alone with be increasingly challenging.