I'll bet I sleep tonight.

I don't think I slept more than an hour last night.  Then we were off to the hospital about 5:30 this morning.

Now that we know Carl is doing OK I'm, suddenly, really exhausted.  It's going to be an early bedtime tonight.  Even earlier than usual!  I'm thinking it will be the came for Carl!

KIDNEY SHORTAGE

I was just reading that there are now more than 100,000 on the waiting list for a new kidney.

PILLS=$$$$$$$

Why are your pills so expensive?

German chemical and pharmaceutical company Bayer says it plans to buy Merck & Co's consumer care business for $14.2 billion - @AP
— Breaking News Money (@breakingmoney) May 6, 2014

You're going to LOVE this one!

EVER SINCE I WAS A CHILD, I'VE ALWAYS HAD A FEAR OF SOMEONE UNDER MY BED AT NIGHT. SO, I WENT TO A SHRINK AND TOLD HIM:

"I've got problems. Every time I go to bed I think there's somebody under it. I'm scared. I think I'm going crazy."

"Just put yourself in my hands for one year," said the shrink. "Come talk to me three times a week, and we should be able to get rid of those fears."

How much do you charge? "Eighty dollars per visit," replied the doctor.

"I'll sleep on it", I said.

Six months later, the doctor met me on the street.

"Why didn't you come to see me about those fears you were having?" he asked.

"Well, eighty bucks a visit, three times a week, for a year, is $12,480.00. A bartender cured me for $10.00. I was so happy to have saved all that money that I went and bought me a new pickup truck".

"Is that so?" With a bit of an attitude, he said, "and how, may I ask, did a bartender cure you?" "He told me to cut the legs off the bed. Ain't nobody under there now".

FORGET THE SHRINKS... HAVE A DRINK AND TALK TO A BARTENDER! IT'S ALWAYS BETTER TO GET A SECOND OPINION!

FEELINGS

Where you feel it pic.twitter.com/zgIpBVb7i3
— Science Porn (@SciencePx) April 16, 2014

If you think you might have a problem, this may be the day to do something about it.

We've got a real heroin problem in La Crosse.

Local E.R. doctor notices uptick in emergency room visits due to heroin overdoses. Details: http://t.co/crMy41Ld5t pic.twitter.com/go9aSrlvai
— Brittany Schmidt (@news8brittany) April 7, 2014

AT LAST! IT'S OVER!

Barring some unforseen problems, no more visits to the clinic again until September.
Today was a check of all the plumbing and it's as good as new.  They've looked me over from head to toe and, except for the kidneys, I'm fit as a fiddle.

I, therefore, am living proof that good clean living has absolutely nothing to do with improving your health.

Here we go again. Back to the clinic.

More tests, more poking and prodding. I'm really starting to get tired of it. 

A NOTE FROM BERT

"I don't know if you remember Alexandra Berntson (now McAbe). She and her sister are the daughters of Steve and Siriana Berntson Eric's Long time friends. Steves dad, Pastor Berntson was the other minister at our wedding.

Ali has cancer and was diagnosed in 2010. She found out she only has one month to live. She is in Duluth, married with one daughter. We love her so much and would love everyone to send her prayers."

COMMENT FROM RITA:
"I remember Steve Berntson well and both girls. Alex was here with Aaron once. Good looking, funny girl. What a shame."

THE DIE IS CAST

I did it.  Made the appointment for my colonoscopy for March 12.  I can hardly wait (to get it over with).

YOU WANT TO GIVE ME A SHOT OF WHAT???

The FDA has given the green light to Prevnar 13 for people 50 and older.  This is a pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine.  It's supposed to prevent pneumonia but do I really want them to inject something I can't even pronounce into my body?

SURGERY OVER~ALL OK

Rita called and said they got home around 11:30.  Surgery went perfectly.  Roger, of course, was worn out and was taking a nap and Rita planned on doing the same thing if the phone ever stopped ringing.

ROGER JUST CALLED

He has to be AT the hospital at 5:15 tomorrow morning.  I told him he'd better be in bed damn early tonight.

Actually he lucked out by getting scheduled for one of the first surgeries of the day.  They've got 13 surgeries scheduled for tomorrow morning and I'd hate to be the last one.

WHAT A WAY TO START THE DAY

IS IT THAT TIME AGAIN??

The dreaded letter was in the mailbox this morning.  It said I should call the clinic and make an appointment for an exam before my "procedure" in March.  I didn't even know I was going to have a "procedure" in March.

By the way, why do they call it a "procedure"?  Why don't they just tell it like it is.  "Call and make an appointment so you can come in and let us do something horrible to you."

Anyway, I looked further down to the bottom of the page and discovered that, somehow, two years has slipped by, without me noticing it, and it's COLONOSCOPY TIME AGAIN.

After two years, I was hoping they would forget about it but they, apparently, have a very good record keeping system.

Oh well, as Scarlett used to say, "I'll think about that tomorrow."

AN INTERESTING HEALTH ARTICLE

Fewer people are visiting their doctor and there are also fewer people seeking other sources for managing their health.  READ MORE HERE FROM AMA

KILLING TIME WITH DONNIE

"I'm killing time before a dentist appointment, so I surfed blogs--starting from yours, I hit the "Next Blog" button, wandered through several dozen.  Not one had a daily update, and the vast majority have not been updated in many months, even years--most people try it a while, then give up.

I'd like to see the stats--I bet folks like you, daily bloggers, are in a real minority.  I imagine this is how you get a lot of your hits, especially from abroad--people like me killing time."

A LITTLE MEDICAL NEWS

I just read an article that says a high fiber diet is a good thing for CKD patients.  Hey Roger!  Have you got a bale of hay left?

DONNIE GETS AND A+ ON HIS EXAM

If it wasn't for aches and pains and body breakdowns I wonder what old people would talk about.  Donnie just sent his latest medical report.

"Got my annual medical exam results yesterday. All the numbers quite normal, some even slightly better than last year--like you, I'm actually getting better with age. So, I immediately went to the nearest coffee house and had a piece of chocolate cake."

BOOKS

I think I want to read Carrie Fisher's new book, "Shockaholic" simply because I've traveled the same road with shock therapy that she has.  Even though the treatment was much more gruesome in my day than it is now I think it will be interesting.  She can be a delightfully funny lady, just like her mother.