Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
We were up early because we had to visit the torture chamber commonly known as “The Gym”. I had a reason for going this morning. For some reason, I developed a stiff neck. Upon entering the gym, I announced that my neck was out of commission. My trainer took care of the problem. He used twists and turns of the neck and machines that pounded deep into the muscles, and I felt much better.
Why don’t I trust my personal trainer? It’s easy, he is always pulling my leg
From the gym, we headed back to St. Joe’s and met with our vascular surgeon, Dr. Tiffany Wu. The news was not great; my usable carotid artery is 80% blocked, and I cannot get a stent because MY artery has a built-in kink! Stents do not work around corners!
So, some time shortly, I will undergo a carotid endarterectomy. Dr. Wu has performed over 1,000 of these surgeries, so she has some understanding of the procedure. She and Dr. Cobb will consult this week, and we will get a “go-forward” plan on Monday when we see Dr. Cobb again!
No nonsense, straight ot the point, and talked to Dr. Mary about the details. Our kind of doctor.
A carotid endarterectomy operation typically takes about 1 to 2 hours to perform. Some sources specify the average duration as approximately one hour and 40 minutes, but the consensus is that the procedure is usually completed within this 1–2 hour window. Operating times longer than 140 minutes are associated with a higher risk of complications.
What did the doctor prescribe to the man who couldn’t stop breaking wind? A kite.
To “celebrate,” we went to Francoli Gourmet for lunch. We had a great lunch, and in fact, they made chicken picata, which was NOT on the menu, just for Mary. It must be nice to be pretty.
I asked for something off the menu, and I got a soiled napkin with a pile of crumbs! Life is not fair!!
It got the Mary stamp of approval!
I changed my order and settled on one of their menu items, the cioppino (fish soup). Cioppino is a hearty seafood stew that originated in San Francisco, California, created by Italian-American immigrants in the late 1800s. The dish is closely related to Mediterranean fish stews, particularly the Ligurian ciuppin from Italy, but has become a signature of San Francisco’s Italian-American community.
There was more than I could eat, so I took it home
Did I mention they have a nice selection of wines? I prayed for an earthquake so I could help with the cleanup afterwards. Next time, we’ll get a table closer to the wine rack. It will avoid eye strain. Two-Buck-Chuck, eat your heart out!
Hic!!
After letting the doctor’s findings and lunch settle in, I had a thought!
After getting home, we took a short nap and then worked in the office, finishing up our trip cancellation and meeting with our insurance agent to review all our insurance policies. We wanted to ensure that everything was up to date and accurately reflected the increase in costs associated with replacing or repairing items.
Mary worked on her computer and said things to it that cannot be repeated here. It was so bad that the light above her head began to flicker on and off. `
We are lucky the computer didn’t end up going through the window!
We were going to have company over to go swimming, but everyone cancelled for various reasons. Mary asked her classmate, Geri, to join us for a glass of wine around 7:00 pm (we found out she lives just a block away).
Geri got the grand tour, and we spent a good hour talking on the patio. We went to the garden and sent Geri home with three bags of veggies; she loved picking her tomatoes, cucumbers, and other goodies.
At 9:00 pm, we went swimming; the water was 92 degrees, and it was a full moon! Life does not get better than this!
The gazebo lighting is controlled via Alexa, making it easy to turn on and off.
Time for bed! We didn’t even watch TV. Between the doctor, the computer fight, swimming, and our guest, we were pooped out.
