Mid Week

We left about 8:30 a.m. yesterday morning and didn't get home until 7 p.m.  Needless to say, we were all very tired.  I sure appreciated that Wayne was driving as it made the trip easier.  Our traffic delays were minimal.  Maybe ten minutes trying to get to the casino but construction was finished by the time we made our return.

Jen's 1:30 appt didn't start until 2 and I must say, I can understand her frustration with the doctor.  A young Asian woman who was pleasant but had nervous habits of pushing her hair back, adjusting her glasses, and talking way too fast.  No wonder Jenni always felt wrung out after seeing her.  And I got the impression that she didn't understand just how much pain Jenni is in and how difficult getting through a work day is.  Twice she brought up cases of other guys who have benefited from physical therapy and drugs and were able to go back to work.  She also kept stressing how people in their 50's were more apt to get disability.  My impression was that since Jenni walked in and wasn't wheeled in, she can still work.  I could be wrong but that's the vibe I picked up.

Besides the pain Jenni suffers from all the time (and it's significant) she also has double vision making driving an option she can't always do.  And then there's the extreme fatigue where she has to lay down every single day.  And there's the walking problem.  She stumbles more now and is starting to get injured.  A big bump on her head, shoulder pain from hitting walls, bruises on legs, tail bone bruise, etc.  She's tried various drugs and combinations of drugs and has gone to therapy where they basically showed her stretching exercises.  There's also a lot of depression and anxiety that goes along with this disease.  Especially when you can have a few "good days" and then you're set back with bad days returning.  The doctor made her an appt with a psychiatrist in the building.  What she fails to understand that traveling to Seattle and maybe not having insurance to cover a psychiatrist only adds to the problem.

She encouraged Jenni to try and get long term disability from her work before applying for government help with social security disability.  She made it sound like SS will make things really hard for her and that she might not get it because she's young.  Said they can be sneaky whatever that means.  They spy on her to see if she's actually having problems walking?  It's such a disgrace that our health system is ruled by insurance companies.  I blame that on all the BUTT FACES out there who fake their illness and drain the system with phony baloney aches and pains and fraud.  It's rampant.  We even have it in our own family and it disgusts me!

What makes this whole situation even sadder is that Jenni has "put on a happy face" for so long and tried to minimize her illness.  She didn't want to be perceived as weak and even goes without using her cane most of the time.  It embarrasses her but I think she's coming to grips with it.  Thankfully, she's still got some fight in her. On the cab ride back to the ferry, she announced that she's not going to any frigging psychiatrist down the hall!  She's been to counselors in our own town and would like to continue that but then again, insurance won't always pay and they just plain can't afford it.  I'm sure this is typical for lots of folks.

She took a Vicodin once we got back to the car and a few puffs on her pipe.  IT HELPED BIG TIME! She was her old self, laughing and joking and announcing how great drugs were because she didn't hurt and felt ever so much better.  There!  I got that off my chest. She'll probably chastise me for it but people need to see the face of MS sometimes.

Here's some of the pictures I took...

 It's quite a mess in the ferry area as they continue work on the Alaska Way Viaduct tunnel.

                                     I've always loved skyscraper views of big cities.

 The parking lots are always full and I was glad we weren't having to drive our own car.

 Here's Jenni and Wayne looking over the construction right before we head to the taxi stands.

 This group was singing and marching.  Took this from a cab window but really would have liked to have stopped and listened.  Our cab driver was a character. Talked on the phone in an African dialect and we got into a conversation about traveling to Africa.  He offered to take me. Also told me I looked like Jenni's sister. (obviously wanted a tip)    On the ride home, Wayne laughed about how I missed out going to Africa because "that guy" was  ready to take you.  I told him that I couldn't be bought with flattery. Jenni laughed and said: Yes you can. But they have to use food to do it.  hee hee

And here's the ferris wheel that makes a pretty penny attracting tourists.

This next picture below was hanging in the doctor's office.  My camera doesn't do it justice but it was quite pretty.

Even though I was tired to the bone, I did manage to watch two more episodes of 'The Affair' on Showtime.  I'll finish off the series this afternoon as I tune in to the final show which will tell us who the killer is.

One lesson I learned yesterday is that I have got to cut down what I think is necessary to carry when I'm on foot.  I'm also switching to a backpack because my camera and a book and water are things that I want along but oh my, they get heavy.  And then I had my walking stick to contend with.  I really should have thought it through more.  Next  time....  I think our next trip over is May 24th.

I'm heading in to see my doctor tomorrow.  I won't talk about why but it should be interesting.  Saw a picture on Facebook this morning of Janie and Clarence so I sent to get a reprint of it.

And with that, I guess I'm done for the day. Probably gonna play around in the sewing room for a bit, look for a few jigsaw pieces, and read.