First of all, I’m thankful for antibiotics. Even though they are causing me severe nausea that makes me wish I lived in a medical marijuana state!
Yesterday, despite my best efforts to avoid the supermarket, I had to go redeem my free turkey coupon (even though I’d already gotten a fresh one from the local butcher). It was a zoo in the supermarket parking lot, but folks were mostly picking up only a few items and heading out quickly, so it was a lot easier to get a parking spot.
I watched the Food Network during this bout with bronchitis (also caught up on the final three seasons of the BBC original “Shameless” on Netflix — one benefit to not being able to sleep more than a few hours) and saw that you can buy those pop-up thingies for your turkey that tell you it’s done. So I did. Then I came home and stashed the free frozen turkey in my landlord’s freezer (for Christmas, I guess).
I’m a little bummed that I had to cancel the big Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family, but grateful that my friend who already had this bug is coming anyway. What a letdown. I really did the Martha Stewart preparation thing this year, too — polished the family silver, ironed and folded the cloth napkins, got out the candles, washed the crystal, all that stuff. It was going to be my first large Thanksgiving in years (I used to host both families when I was married).
I remember last year, when my daughter-in-law made this sumptuous vegan feast and all I could eat of her fabulous food was the mashed potatoes (because I was so sick with diverticulitis). I do not seem to have good Thanksgiving karma lately.
But I am grateful: Grateful that I have health insurance this year, grateful for the support from all of you that made paying for it even possible. Thank you for letting me be myself!
So tell me: What are you grateful for?
I’m grateful that I’m in descent health given the abuse I’ve put my body through for 66 years. I also grateful that the election is over and that Obama has a 2nd term. I’m grateful for the few family members I still have left. I’m grateful for the glorious weather we’re having today here in Atlanta. And, finally, I’m hopeful and grateful that the fighting has stopped in Israel and Gaza (and praying that one day real, long-lasting peace will be achieved, and that Hamas will be recognized as the legitimate representatives of the Palestinian people).
…and, I’m grateful that you, Suze, are starting to feel better!
Grateful for friends, family, my therapist, my reiki practitioner, beer, running, and more.
Among so many other things and people (I’m so grateful for Susie and her work; what writing chops! Susie, you do so very much for us all.), I’m grateful to LBJ and his Medicare program. Thank you so much, you socially aware big galoot! I’m so sorry you got wrapped up in that awful Viet Nam War…what else might you have done for the nation?
May someone do an intervention with Obama to stop him from fucking up the few social earned benefit programs* we have. Please. Somebody!
I’m grateful my friend is alive, but I am no sorry he was struck down by this bad, bad stroke. Vision mapping, done by the neuro opthalmologist, shows he has many, many cuts or slices of vision missing — in both eyes. We’d been told told by the hospital it was limited to his left tunneling of vision. Nope. Right eye may almost be worse in terms of number of areas with vision deficits. The battering of the stroke has really done a job on his vision centers and on his memory, two of those really essential things for working again.
I’m grateful we were able to get the neuro psych evaluation done yesterday to determine if cog rehab at Kessler will help him. His current physiatrist thinks the best he’ll be able to do in live in assisted living or in a group home at the best. We’ll know next Wednesday what Kessler is going to do for him….
I hope fervently that the cog rehab will help him. Recently he’s become paranoid and is blaming me for his being in a sub-acute nursing home. He told me he’s going to get me removed as his POA. He also called his broker and told him to be on the watch out for this person –me– who might try to clean out his account! The broker called me, saying he understood what was happening to my friend, as he has worked with many stroke victim clients and has several close relatives with stroke issues. He offered his sympathy, to me!
Strokes are hell on earth. At least many of them. Leading cause of adult disability in the country.
Treat your circulatory system well! As much as you can….
Happy Turkey Day!
Someone commenting at Corrente came up with “earned benefit programs” to try to fight the Repub and Corporatist Dem calling SS/M “entitlement program” and sees that as better than “social safety net programs.” Both of which they are, actually. By paying and working for them, you become entitled to them and they provide a social safety net to help prevent the economy from plunging even lower. But R’s have made “entitlement” another dirty word. Damn word destroyers!!
I’m also grateful for music, all kinds, some more than others. Have been listening to Big Band music, thinking people back then really were in shape to keep up with those tempos!
Thank you, Susie, for so much great music.