Feeling Lymphy And The New Generation Killer

The tightness of the skin indicates a lot of lymph not moving as it should, and the left side remains about half again larger than the right so my lymph nodes have not settled down.  The animal is a rotten evil thing that wants nothing but destruction.  Considering everything we have certainly done well learning to live with the disability that is lymphedema. Yes I have a massage table and a lovely Swedish masseuse named Inger that looks much like my Wife, yes my daily routine is much different from even this time last year, but it can be lived with. 

As if over sized magazines on semi automatic weapons were not enough, what about phones?  Yesterday a beautiful young woman lost her life when she drove her car across the center line and hit a dump truck head on.  It appears she was ‘texting’ when it happened.  I wonder how many more died or were crippled yesterday for the same reason, and if she looked up at the last moment or was so engrossed she never knew what hit her.  I wonder if the dump truck sounded it’s horn.  It used to be you died from being drunk, going too fast or getting run over on the highways.  Now using your phone can kill you.  Of course cell phones from the start were known killers.  I got my first one in 1984 with Cellular One.  It was permanently mounted in a vehicle.  I still have my first truly portable, a satchel phone.  Don’t ask me why.  Then I got my first hand held.  At that time I had clients in the far reaches of Michigan, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin and Indiana.  I rigged a shoulder holder for my phone, a rather bulky affair, and during long conversations on the road I could drive with my knee, talk on the phone through my left ear and heat my coffee through the right side, such was the intensity of the microwave transmissions near towers.  Those were the days.  I knew it probably was not good for me, but I never thought a phone could take a person’s life.  When robins tease a cat they play a life and death game.  I wonder if they do not realize it, just as the young woman did not realize her phone could kill her.  I think the robins know the risk but do it anyway, like rambunctious teenagers and the famous last words ‘hey guys, watch this’ that have been followed by many a crippling or fatal event. 

After a week of tossing the house once again today we took a car load to Goodwill.  I definitely have a different perspective on what I value to keep, so some of my toys went.  Some things, like my bear from the big blue house I just could not bear to part with, so to speak, so Vanessa allowed me to keep a few meaningful items.  It just amazes me that every time we go through this we still find stuff to give away, even though the last time it seemed like we had found everything.  This time stuff such as the binoculars I never use, the digital thermometer I used to use, a TV converter box we do not need since we upgraded the TV’s, some old video stuff since replaced by better technology all went. 

I am moving about OK, with some pain and stiffness through my mid section.  Now sleeping in 2 plus hour increments my nighttime routine still requires some food, usually a piece of toast with butter and jelly, around 2 AM.  I am also taking an oxy around that time.  For the last few days I have been able to return to bed around 4AM and sleep through to 7 or 8, delicious for sure. 

My left leg demonstrates chronic lymphedema, but it looks good in hose.  Inger reports we are in better shape today but insists I stay in the compression garment on that side.  Worse is the groin and midsection, where I am battling an accumulation of lymph that I fear might be somewhat dangerous if I do not get it under control soon.  My how life has changed, that lymph is so important to me now and this time last year I had no idea what it was.  Today Sunday is a good day.  We went to Indy, where Van shopped with the Daughter and I got to hang out with the Son.  Life is good.