First Sunday in February

I decided if I wanted to wade through this material I'm storing in bins in my bedroom, I'd best get busy on making quilt tops with larger squares than what I've been using. My latest is a crumb quilt top that used up a lot of small scraps I had on hand. I can't finish it until the batting I ordered arrives. This morning I took out 9 or 10 large pieces of material and will start cutting some 12" squares. At least the top (or tops if I make more than one) will go quickly.

I've got a 500 pc jigsaw puzzle set up so once I tire of sewing (or cutting) I'll head to the cardtable.  While digging around for material, I came across two balls of yarn I didn't know I had so I'm going to use it up by making a small afghan. Probably be mighty small too but it's busy work and that's what I like.

Yesterday I helped Delores next door who had a New Home Sewing machine that had been bought for her (on line I think) so it may be new. I'm not sure about that but anyhow, she had never been able to use it because it just plain wouldn't sew.  I spent an hour messing with it and decided the problem was the bobbin.  I took the mechanics out and then I couldn't get the damn things back together again. I knew I was doing it correctly as her machine is very similar to mine.  I finally laid the machine on its side and was able to get the bobbin pieces back where they belonged. My machine has the bobbin area upright but hers was on the side of the machine. Terrible place to try and work with it.  At least now she can start to play around with it some more.

I hear a guy downstairs passed away yesterday so there's another apt that will be up for rent. The lady who lives across the courtway from my window is in Kai Tai and I hear she's not returning so there's another spot.  Half expect this other apt to become available in the not too distant future as well because that tenant is going around the bend mentally. Oh what I fun place to live.

My sister is trying to downsize so I put her desk on Facebook Marketplace and some other sites but all I've gotten so far is scammers.  The first guy (what a dummy!) starts his conversation to me with "Hello Dear".   He wrote:

From Bassem:

Hello, dear, can you send me the address so that I can come and see it, and if it is good, I will pick it up today, and what is the right time for you and me until I come to the address .... Thank you

I reply: where are you coming from.

He says: Everett

I reply: Message me when you get to Port Townsend and I’ll meet you and take you to the desk: 

Dear, I'm sorry, I don't know where Porto is, so I sent you a message to send me the address so that I can determine my path and the time I can move towards you

 I reply: Sorry, the desk just sold.

The one I heard from this morning just said he was interested in seeing it but when I googled his name and looked him up on FB, it was obvious he wasn't living anywhere near here. I just told him it was taken. I told my sister she might as well try to see if Habitat would take it. She only wanted $20 and it's a nice oak table but I saw several on FB that were free. People just plain have a hard time unloading furniture these days.

I had my video doctor appt a few days ago and told him the shot I had for my back didn't really help that much. He's sending in a referral to the back surgeon in Silverdale so now I'm waiting on them to call. The PA I talked to via video said another option was to have this stimulator inserted inside your back and it makes the nerves such that the pain is gone. I'd never heard of such a thing but it sounded like something I would prefer over surgery. I went to Google it and now I'm pretty sure I don't want that either.

Of course I have to talk to the surgeon. He may tell me he can't help or that I'm not a good candidate for surgery (which I'm not excited about getting anyhow) but we'll see what develops and what he has to say on the stimulator option. What I read was:

The success rate for spinal cord stimulators depends partly on the condition they're treating and the device type. On average, about half of people see more than a 50% improvement in their pain. The effectiveness of spinal cord stimulators can also decrease over time for unknown reasons.

The most frequently reported problems following the surgery to implant a neurostimulation system include infection, lead movement, pain at the implant site, loss of therapy effect, and therapy that did not meet the patient's expectations.

When it comes to sleep, the best way to reduce pain and your risk of developing a post-procedural complication is to sleep on your back with a pillow placed under your knees. This provides the cervical and thoracic spine with much-needed support, which may ease your post-surgery pain.

Pain specialists providing this service have noted that trial implants are usually completed as a day case while a length of stay of one to two days is usual for patients admitted for permanent implantation of an SCS device.

The latest negative side effects reported from spinal cord stimulators are: Increased pain: An increase in pain is one of the most common negative side effects reported. Many people say they feel an increase in pain as soon as they wake up from surgery.

Expect to engage only in light activity for at least two weeks after your surgery. Most patients are healed completely by four weeks post-surgery, but it can take up to 12 weeks.

And there was a lot more too!  It said medicare covered the cost but it also said the general cost was anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000!  And if medicare didn't cover it all, I assume my AARP probably wouldn't cover the balance. Too many things to consider with a stimulator but mostly it sounds like something I want to avoid!

Well, that's about it for today. For some reason, I'm kind of hungry this morning so I think I'll go make me a couple of pancakes.

Here's my sister's desk if you know of anyone who could use it. She's giving it away.

Oh...and if you get Paramount+, I highly recommend Mr. Inbetween. I watched three seasons of it and it was fabulous. But I must warn they do enjoy the F word. haha  I loved the music they played at the end of each episode. Here's one...

right now I'm watching another show on Paramount+ called The Offer. It's about the making of the movie Godfather and it has several episodes. Also quite good. Tonight I'll tune in to the Grammys but I'm sure I'll end up muting a lot of it. Ha!