It has been a productive day. I wasn’t able to sleep last night so finally got up and made a list of all the things I need to do today and tomorrow. I thought it would help me sleep but it didn’t work. It did help me get a lot of things done today though.
I made six phone calls this morning and didn’t finish my business with most of them. I left messages and only one called me back. Not sure what is up with that!
I went to Emporia this morning to drop off the closing statement of the rental property I sold so the accountant could figure my estimated tax liability. I also deposited the insurance refund check.
I stopped by Price Chopper and picked up the cookies for the Detention Center Thanksgiving feast. The back of my car is full of cookies.
I stopped at Hobby Lobby and got a thing that will go in the new bathroom that has baskets on the shelves to add some storage to the new bathroom. I have one similar in the other bathroom that has worked well.
Went to Walmart to get paper plates, envelopes and napkins for the Detention Center. Since I was there I picked up a bunch of things the new bathroom needs such as toilet paper holder, shower grab bars, trash can, etc. I also picked up a few more things for my Thanksgiving dinner.
When I woke up this morning I realized the place that has been itching for the last couple of days has blister like things that are weeping. They are in a line on my chest at the front bra line. It dawned on me that they may be shingles. I looked it up on-line and sure enough that is what they look like.
It starts with a weird itch and can present with flu like symptoms. I was running a temperature on Saturday and felt like crap. I thought it was from the long travel day. Guess what – that is the early symptoms of shingles. The pain isn’t too bad most of the time although when it gets active it hurts.
I sent a note to my doctor and he prescribed a viral antibody. I have pretty bad diarrhea tonight and looked up the side effects of the drug and sure enough diarrhea is common. I don’t think I will take any more of them as the diarrhea is worse than the shingles.
Hoping things slow down soon so I can get some sleep. I have been up since 10:30 last night. I think sleep would solve several of my problems.
The accountant called before I had left town and I went back and picked up the estimated tax coupons. Ouch! When I got home I had an email from Social Security informing me of my Medicare rate for 2026. Because I sold my house and a rental my income was really high last year and as a result my Medicare rate went up over $400 a month. Ouch! Dang I hate paying the tax man! They will average my income again next year and the Medicare rate should come down a bit and then drop a lot more the following year.
Tomorrow I have to be at the hospital at 9:15 for my mammogram and bone density tests. After that I need to go back to Walmart to pick up the remaining things I need for Thanksgiving. It won’t take long since I got a few things today.
Wednesday I need to start cooking. I will do some cleaning tomorrow afternoon and get the tables from the shed moved into the house. I am only going to have around 10 people that I know of now so won’t need many tables and chairs.
It felt good to be really productive today and get lots done. I still have a few more things to take care of tomorrow but I finally feel like I am all the way home. I needed a productive day. Things had kinda piled up while I was gone and I had lots of little details to sort through and handle.
Feeling a bit crummy this evening. Hoping after a good night’s sleep I will be better tomorrow. I have too much to do to go down. I’m sure if the diarrhea stops I will feel better. Thankful that I took the shingles vaccine that will reduce the effects of this case.
Not the homecoming I wanted but I’m sure things will be better tomorrow.
Grateful for all I got done today, grateful I will feel better tomorrow, and grateful for vaccines that limit my risks.