My Birthday - Good Medical Bills and Violence - Bad

It is really unnerving to get bills for medical services that are way beyond what you expect. I got two separate bills, one from a hospital and another from an outpatient radiology program for different services. I have coverage by Kaiser, an HMO so I would have a clearer idea of what I owe.  So I called Kaiser which worked on one and I called the hospital on the other. The woman I spoke with at the hospital said there should have been an allowance for the pharmacy which was $910.41 and is passing it up to a higher level to review. She thought it would be resolved in about a month.  So hopefully this all gets resolved.  The other bill Kaiser dealt with them and I don't owe anything.  That was a good birthday present!

The Erskine Fire was 100% contained on July 11. It burned 48,019 acres. We have had other fired around us, but not as bad as this one.  These fires are very frightening and it is still early in the fire season, so there is still a possibility of it destroying more here. 

I had my birthday this week with several celebrations. What a good week.  I've enjoyed celebrating it multiple days. Well one of my friends sent me this fabulously birthday song. I think it is so good that I thought many of you might want to send it to special people in your life. Here it is!

https://youtu.be/L4kFFMdVjl0

My step-mom Kate came here.  We went out for lunch at Chef's Choice Noodle Bar and then had dessert back at the house. We went to the Bakersfield Art Center where I take art classes and where I have three pictures on the wall. Kate, my step-mom and my teacher Carol know each other from taking art classes in the Los Angeles area way before I met Carol.  So I thought it was nice for them to see each other.  Even though it was warm, it wasn't as hot as it usually gets. Kate is not comfortable driving the distance she did to visit with her eyesight not doing as well as it used to.  I do understand that and I really like going to her home because there is much more to do there.  Kate was telling me about a man in a white pickup offering to paint her car where the scratches were when she was in a parking lot.   Well, I had the same thing happen. It was not a professional job, but I no longer have to look at the scrapes on my car. I had to go to an ATM machine to pay him. Kate did too. We wondered if it was the same man,but we live 125 miles apart. It was such a parallel on experiences that we were both laughing. 

I had my art class in the morning  on the day that Kate came. Another student, Linda was also there. We worked on doing the feathers of a peacock.  I did several pictures at home.  We have another week doing peacocks, so I will try another picture.This is what I came up with finally:

My Peacock would be much better in color!

I finally got together with Cathy, a fellow social worker I worked with.  It had been several months.  We met at Mama Roomba.  Very tasty food. She retired a year ago and does not miss work (neither do I!). Her oldest daughter is marrying later this year.  Her father had died since I last saw her, so she has been through a lot.  We did lots of catch up.  She found out she was pre diabetic. My step-mom also found out as well as me this year. It is hard to believe Kate is because she eats very well. Cathy was given a tip for controlling her blood sugar level.  She said she eats 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and chases it with water. She actually checks her blood sugar level and takes this just before she goes to sleep at night. When she checks her blood sugar in the morning, it is in the normal range. She believed that of all the things she does to control her blood sugar, this is the most effective. I keep thinking we will meet sooner, but each of us has a lot going on which makes seeing each other more often, may not be possible.  Cathy said she was talking to someone where we used to work saying she would meet with me.  This person said, "I thought she was dead."  Cathy assured this person I was still around.  So that is a first of hearing someone thinking I was already dead.

I went to get my hair cut and when I was walking in, this man was washing people's cars and asked if I was interested. I agreed to have mine done. Wow!  It looked great!  I don't think it has been this clean since soon after I bought this car.  I might do this every time I get my hair cut. That way he could get more business and at least every five weeks, my car will look great. 

I met Janet at Sandrini's for dinner on my birthday.  That was a lovely evening. Though we were talking about the terrorist attack in Nice, France. From a very young age, my mother would tell me "All of France is celebrating your birthday. I took this for granted until I was 7 or 8 years old.  Then I asked my mother, "how do they know me?  How come I don't know them?"  Then she explained the holiday Bastille Day falling on my birthday. I feel a connection to the French people because of this. Much later, my husband Paul and I went to Paris. My brother Ben met us there. I have wonderful memories of that time. I feel for the French people with the losses they are now experiencing. They hardly have a chance to recover from one terrorist attack before they are dealing with another. I stand with the French people!   The other thing we discussed was as there are more and more killings, people are becoming more and more desensitized which is not good to us.  It is the norm!  This is becoming a part of life so that people don't become as horrified as they did. But I also think it is a way people cope with this so they aren't falling apart with each incident. Then the following day was an attempted coup in Turkey.  I have been there twice.  I thought the people were very nice and the setting is unbelievable.  Then the food is so fantastic - Especially the vegetables.  Why don't we do it like they do it?!  I want this violence to stop.  I think most people do.  Life is hard enough without having events like these!

My friend Barbara and I went to the Vietnamese restaurant called Saigon. I don't go here very often, but they have very tasty food at a reasonable price. Then we went to see The Secret Life of Pets.  Cute and lots of fun. 

So I had a full week celebrating my birthday several times. Shelley and I will do our birthdays together at the end of the  month. I look forward to that. 

I have several things going on this next week. I hope this last week was good for you and that your next week will go well.   I will see you next Sunday. 

Rachel

The Start of a New Year

So seeing everybody posting about the weather and the temperature where they live, maybe our weather was temperate, in a relative sort of way.

Kayla didn't get the books I got her at Christmas.  I found them in my trunk and let her know I had them. I suggested lunch at Loma Linda and while there, we decided to go to The Outlets at Tejon. We invited Devin, but he didn't have dry clothes to wear and was still in the shower when we went to pick him up.  We'll go another day when the weather is pleasant and will eat lunch there so Devin can join us then.    It had been raining all day and was in the high 30's to the low 40's.  Kayla wore a hoodie sweatshirt and refused to take an umbrella. I wore an oversized raincoat almost to my feet, heavy socks, a wool scarf, cap and umbrella - it shows you the difference in age. She looked cute, but was miserable. I looked substantial but was comfortably warm and dry. The rain stopped when we got back to Bakersfield. I don't know if there are any great deals at the outlets.   It was attractive, but we walked outside to go to each store. The cold rainy weather made an indoor mall seem much more appealing.  We saw a dusting of snow on the low foothills, but there was a traffic sign warning of snow on the summit. Since most of us Californians have little experience with driving in the snow, I was really glad we weren't going that way.

Shelley made me a beautiful picture (a stained glass look) for Christmas. It is beautiful. I put it on my back sliding door to the patio. I love it!   She used a black foam cutting it with an exacto knife and gluing the tissue paper on with rubber cement. 

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This picture was taken in the evening

This picture taken during the day

New Years Eve Day, I had chemo first thing in the morning. Afterwards,  I had Occupational Therapy. I bought a few snacks for the rest of the day and evening. I made myself an Irish Coffee. It seemed fitting with it being so cold, a low of 30 and a high of 45. I decided to read. I had gotten my granddaughter books she was interested in so I started The Maze Runner to understand what she was interested in. I settled into bed with layers of blankets, several pillows and my book. This is really appealing to me.   Lots of fireworks set off at midnight and/or maybe gunshots.   The gunshots are scary to me.   My kitties stayed on the bed and didn't get rattled from all the banging.  

I woke up New Years Day morning to Pepper cleaning one  spot on my scalp. When I thought she was about to remove skin I got up, made coffee and checked posts. As I looked down I realize my pajama top is on backwards. The back is at the front!  Who does this?!  It doesn't even feel right!  Then I remember a couple of months back ( so it isn't from eating), that my underwear felt sooo tight.  I'm thinking I have put on an incredible amount  of weight over night.  It turned out I was wearing my hipster underwear with one leg at the waist. No wonder it was too tight!  Ugh!  I know I've done things like this before, but I wonder if it is more often.  At least when I notice it, I know it isn't what should be!

So on New Years Day Barbara and I ate at the Kabob House on White Lane. They have many meat dishes, but we were wanting non-meat. We shared a plate of rice and grilled vegetables. We also got four appetizers -Dolmades, eggplant dip, hummus and cucumber with yoghurt and pita bread. It was more than enough though we both were quite hungry. They also had a Greek salad and another salad of tomatoes, cucumber and onion that we did not get. It was all DELICIOUS!  This is a Persian restaurant.  It was informal, tastier and healthier than any fast food by far. There is no alcohol. Don't let that stop you if you drink. Go to the bar at the Mexican restaurant next door afterwards or before. It was fabulous food. We didn't limit ourselves and it came to $25 for both of us. This was lunch. Dinner would be more expensive and the serving would be larger.   As we were leaving, we noted a new market called Fresh Foods International Marketplace.   It is a market that has some of the things that any market would have, but also foods that are not typical here.  Great bakery, fish and meat, fresh foods, frozen and canned of other nationalities.  Having traveled, I love this!  They have Turkish Delight!  You can find them on line at   www.freshfoodsmarkets.com    Here is the address, phone and hours.  The market was closed New Years Day.

4800 White Lane 
Bakersfield 
CA 93309 
Tel : (661) 836-8090
Store Hours : 7 Days a Week.9 am - 9 pm

We then went to The Maya and saw Wild. I loved it. Actually I was getting hysterical when our heroine was trying to put on her backpack which was really heavy. I could see me doing this.  It was hard to control laughing.  It finally broke through. I always think I need more than I do. My friend Barbara and I were laughing afterwards at the main character trying to light her stove and set up her tent. We had similar problems when we were camping. If language or sexual situations are a problem to see on the big screen, you may not like it.  She was responding to the loss of her mom and this three month hike was a coming to terms with the loss of her mom and thinking about what was important to her.  I don't think I would have been brave enough to do this hike as a woman alone (it's based on a true story).  But, I felt a connection because of her loss and coming to terms with it.  As Kate (my step-mom)  and I talked about it, unless someone has gone through this, they would not understand it the same way as actually going through it, though empathy goes a long way! 

I sent a text message to my brother-in-law Brian, my husband's brother, wishing him a happy birthday. He called back. It has been a long time since we spoke. So he will come for a weekend in February. I passed the word to local family. Maybe we'll do a barbecue.  I really look forward to seeing him. 

And, a young woman Ambure contacted me on Facebook. She wanted to know how we were related. I told her I was an in-law, married to her grandmother's brother. I gave her information on my memories of her grandmother and about my husband.  Brian said he would call her the next day. I let Shelley know so she could call Ambure also. 

Went to lunch with Barbara, Jacquie and her daughter Debra to Fresh Choice Noodle Bar. We all got different dishes and all of us loved what we got.  Then we saw Into The Woods. It was a good musical. Enjoyed it very much. I saw this musical done locally a few months ago at The Empty Space. That was very good too. 

I got a toy for my cats called Cat's Meow. This was the first day I had it up and they were quite curious about it.

Daisy and Pepper playing with the Cat's Meow

Though the holidays were fine, I'm glad they're over. I feel there is pressure to be happy. And though I really felt fine, I don't want the pressure.  What if I blow it?   I'm not sure what that would mean for me, but it is hard to know what people want and I also worry if it is enough.  Plus, I think it is too costly, though I do agree with giving books.  If we could just get together for a great meal and the company. That is what I like. 

Here is a  picture of my great-grandson Conner. He was just diagnosed with asthma. His parents were told this will be a life long issue for Conner.   This of course causes anxiety, but they have insurance and there is treatment available.

Conner has a great smile!

Barbara Long's mother died a year ago today.  I know anniversaries of the death of someone we love is painful.  The getting together with friends, lunch and movie helped yesterday.  I want her to know I'm thinking of her today.

That is it this week.  I'm reading about personal essays and sharing thoughts because I would like to do more of that and less of the diary.  Anyone have thoughts on this, I would appreciate it.  I will tell you that if I didn't do this as a blog, I would probably find excuses not to write.  I think the writing has been very helpful to me.  I would like to make it more helpful to you.  I'm also working on what I want to share at Helping One Woman on January 20th.  That will definitely be more about my thoughts about what I'm going through and what I have learned in going through this.  See you next Sunday.            Rachel