Introducing mmMekitty

[mmMekitty]

I am mmMekitty, named for my cat, (my avatar), who lived 7 years. It has been five or so years since, but I still miss her. Mekitty an I had a simpler relationship than any I have had with people.

The photo is the one I to retrieved after my hard drive crashed. She had wandered off, was away for six days, when she turned up again in the middle of the night. I cried with relief. This was the photo I used for her Lost Cat poster I put up around the neighbourhood at the time.

As for me, I cannot see the detail of the photo nearly as well as I did then, and then my sight was poor. I am now using text-to-speech software, zooming on my pc, voice over. Since I find this stuff difficult, I get really frustrated.

I used to keep all my emotions in check, so much so, I thought and said I did not have any feelings or reactions to anything. That changed and I could not deny the existence of my emotions. It was a terrifying time. What was happening to me? I was falling apart and all this unidentifiable stuff was pouring out.

I have had to learn so much since I began seeing the Psychiatrist I saw back then (1993 - 95). From learning I had to put words to the experiences, name, own, accept them. Still uncomfortable. I beat up on myself too much, I know.

I used to do things I can no longer do to my own satisfaction. I still sing, but not like I used to. I cannot paint like I did. I cannot use pen and paper to write, so have managed to adapt to keyboard. That is something. I have been working on being more sociable, less isolated, but last year, when COVID-19 retrictions required face masks be worn, I found I could not - which is what brings me here.

I have had to curtail so much of what I had been doing. I am feeling the isolation now. How ironic! I resisted even thinking I needed anybody, then I try to have some friends, join a writers' group, get help with things like housework and shopping, going to places for fun and entertainment, only to have to withdraw again because I cannot wear a mask. It bites, like a scorpion.

I will make a thread, now I found the place to click to create one! I think my problem was with how I have my desktop appearance. It looks like any ordinary link, hiding below another, for creating a feed link. Now I know.

I suppose I will get around to talking more about myself. I will need to be careful about how involved I become, so please, don't expect me to pop up everywhere. I would burn out if I did that.

(Purring) mmMekitty

[Mum Chris]

Hi mmMekitty

How wonderful they delivered to the kitchen. There are good people out there. Food delivery is the way to go, we have been doing that too. We don’t get everything we order but we get some stuff and can make do with the food we have.
My favourite person came today. My cleaner and if I wasn’t already married I’d propose to her. She gets in and cleans, no fuss and is thoughtful and polite. I bought white wine for visitors we had on the weekend and we didn’t open so I gave it to the cleaner. I don’t drink it. I finally got to see a family member I hadn’t seen for 2 years. I wasn’t worried about Covid because they are clean freaks and more in lockdown than us.

Maybe thrillers is wrong word I thought you mentioned Stephen King books. Some of my family loved spy books but I never had a particular style of writing.

The daily grind of recovery from major surgery fills the day and night. So much to do and so much to deal with and manage. From my understanding I would expect that a lot of weeping from drains being removed is expected and good. Or is it not expected. Do you see your GP face to face will her or she check the bandage for you and put more dressing on. I really rely on my GP I got limited help from Hospital and Specialists. He even came to my home and gave me vitamin injections. Most of my GP appointments now are by phone it’s just so easy.

They say rain is coming and cooler days.

MC

[mmMekitty]

Hi MC,

I do go to the GP. They know I can't wear a mask, & because of my vision, it's very difficult to face time or zoom, & to really examine my body, the GP does need to see clearly, & even touch, to understand better.

I will ask today, about getting the left side better dressing. It is expected to continue a little leaking, but I don't want the dressing to become saturated too quickly & have this fluid dripping down, wetting my clothes or sheet when I am lying down. It's really difficult to change the dressing, because when I try, I am putting a strain on my underarm, & on the nearby stitches. I can't see what I'm doing, so also have to locate the spot by touch. (having thoroughly washed my hands first). So, I want dressings which will have a highly absorbent & larger padded area, so I could keep it dressed longer, & when needed, change it more easily.

My GP can also see more easily if anything doesn't look right.

I want to get a health care plan again, so I can see the physio, & get the exercises right. (not that i like doing exercises, but if I am sure I am doing them right, & if I have a follow-up appointment, I am more likely to do them.)

*

Stephen King was branded as a Horror writer, but I think he developed into a more complex writer Getting his toes into sci-fi/fantasy, injecting humour into his writing, creating more complex characters as well. He even turned himself into a minor character in one book! Not exactly autobiographical, but based upon himself.

Some of the themes & descriptions may be too much for some people. There were a couple books I had some difficulty with because of what he was writing about. Even fiction, with detailed descriptions, can be upsetting. As someone who would like to write better, I also want writing to 'move' me. If it doesn't it becomes bland & uninteresting.

*

I only did because the leaking down my side was so bad.

I didn't get everything I ordered, but it wasn't as bad as I had expected. I would still rather go & choose from what is available for myself.

mmMekitty

[Mum Chris]

Ho mmMekitty

It’s better going to see GP I find I forget what I need on Telehealth call.

I didn’t realise he wrote so many different types of novels. I get very involved in stories and I can get upset with anything horror or too violent.

Your amazing how you are handling the post operative issues. I think the more absorbent bandages sounds logical and practical.

Hopefully the drop in temperature means a drop in humidity.

Im passing my time fantasising about moving to far flung destinations. Truthfully I’m not adventurous and once I settle then I’m not keen to move. Still I looked at country prices and imagined living in a rural or coastal homes in Australia. I checked the average rainfall and temperatures. Imagined if it was practical. Cyclones are not on the agenda and drought areas and floods are a no go too. I just looked at Thailand rentals and while I have no idea what is a good place and if they are safe I told my husband we are moving to Thailand. Well we are not but I can imagine. Daydreaming.

Good luck at doctors

MC

[Croix]

Dear mmMekitty (and a wave to MC)~

I wondered how you would get on at the doctor's wihtout a mask, I'm glad they are understanding. There really is no substitute to being there in person for wounds and such. Hopefully your idea of a different type of dressing is appropriate (sounds spot-on) and will do what you need.Your current situation simply makes life harder and generates extra tasks - just what you do not need.

Ordering groceries can be a bit of a pig in a poke, with substitutes or items simply not there . It will be good when you can go and make selections for yourself. I'm glad the delivery man was kind, it restores faith in the world.

I'm personally not all that keen on Stephen King, two stories that stick in my mind (both later made into movies, are The Running Man and The Shawshank Redemption.

Hope it cools down for you

MC it sounds like you are trying too much too quickly, a great temptation one has to admit. I hope you improve quickly and are more mobile and in less pain.

Croix

[mmMekitty]

Stephen King has many books made into movies, often having a hand in writing the screen plays as well. Were you, Croix, referring only to those becauxe you liked them, but not others? My favourite book of his is either the long version of The 'Stand' or 'Insomnia', or 'Dreamcatcher', or ..oh, do I have to pick!? I very much like 'The Green Mile', which started as an experiment in the serial format, like the theaters King Had visited, say, on a Saturday afternoon, & they would play an episoe, with a cliff-hanger ending, which he'd then have to wait until next Saturday to see how the hero survived. So he published these six short novellas & released them one at a time. I remember hanging out for the next one!

'Under The Dome' was somewhat altered from the book. Most of the characters were pretty much as I expected.

I did finally see the attempt to make 'The Gunslinger' (just the first volume) into a movie,& I was not impressed with that at all. The series is very involved, & he tries writing in different ways & ideas, using metaphor & analogy, & it does take on a rather surreal feel. I was slow to get into it, but once I did,& began to get a good sense of the relationships between characters, even minor characters, (this is one where he has himself as a minor character - & not very flattering either).

*

Perhaps I do try doing more than I ought, impatiently, & being the only one here most of the time, who can I turn to & get help from? If it's going to get done, it'll be me who does it.

Sometimes I would like someone here all the time, but then again, I don't think I could stand to have someone here all the time - talking, moving about, moving things, in the bathroom when I want to be there, turning on the kitchen tap when I am showering, (eeek!) trying to sleep with someone else around, (unless I had a place with two bedrooms,& once we went to bed, there'd be little movement!) Then I don't know if all that would be worth having someone to find things, pick up things (to keep me from straining too much), to cook when I am too tired to concentrate...I don't know.

mmMekitty

[Mum Chris]

Hi mmMekitty

There is definitely benefits to having someone around to help out and there’s definitely drawbacks. I have a friend who has a live in helper and she complains constantly about him and he leaves the hose running and floods her yard or talks to her too much and breaks things and then she eats food he cooks and she’s happy with his help. I’m married and I’m glad to have his help but he drives me crazy sometimes.

I had no idea Stephen King wrote those books in my mind he was a horror book writer. I’m interested and I used to love reading then I didn’t have the correct glasses and reading got difficult and I just stopped reading.

How are you keeping motivated and handling the daily chores. Does your helper still come and help will they allow extra help even a few hours.

I hope wound is healing well and new dressing is helping.

❤️❤️❤️❤️🦄🦄🦄🦄 here’s some hearts and magic unicorns for you

MC

[mmMekitty]

Hi MC,

I learned this morning, the hospital only funded the nurses I had coming to my place while the drain were in, so now, if I want more help from them, I would have to pay. OI'm don't know how much. The only ongoing problem would be if the wounds or stitches were to become red with infection & I woudn't see that. I have arger bandages from the GP, which I may well use if the wound where the drain on my left should leak again, & dribble down my side, & I would need to change that dressing. I needed to do that this morning.

I'd had a call from my sis, about the legal stuff, & she was planning to pick me up so we could go get yet another form signed in front of a 'Notary Public' (or Aussie equivolent - but I still haven't determined what that would actually be). She found one, practising from his own home, so he could see us today.

So, I thought, give myself another sponge bath, get mostly dressed & ready, & have a little rest before she arrives. As I was also putting things in my bag, the wound on my left side suddenly released too much fluid for the bandage I had on it, & I knew I needed to change it. It didn't seem to want to stop, & I was using paper towels on it, holding them there with my left arm, while lookig for the bandage to put on it.when I removed the soaked one. I decidedto use the last fairly large & padded bandage from the hospital. Difficult things, with the thin very flexible plastic, which easily wrinkles while trying to stick it in place. I think I did it right enough.

That's when the nursing service called asking if I still needed them because if I did I'd have to pay. I told them what just happened, & they said they would phone again Monday to see how I am going.

So, I didn't get a lot of rest before going out with my sis. Bumping along in a car is not a lot of fun. I use one of my little cushions between me & the seatbelt, to provide a little more comfort across my chest.

We got that done, but one of my bros isn't doing much without a whole lot of pushing from my sis. As far as this part of the inheritance goes, it's everyone or no-one.

Another check-up at the hospital next week. Naybe I ought to permanantly reschedule my home helper for the later time she had last Tuesday?

mmMekitty

[Croix]

Dear mmMekitty~

That would have been an awful shock to be told that you would have to pay, based on a technicality like the tube being withdraw. Actually from the description of the discharge I'd wonder if it had been taken out too early.

If I'm not being intrusive wil this be a problem for you (please don not answer unless you think it advisable)

If if would cause a problem I would imagine you have already thought of this but is there a welfare officer in the hospital that can get your free nursing period extended?

Failing that pointing out that journalists ,such as the ABC's Sophie Scott often receive direct contact from persons in distress from the shortcomings of medical administration, and that simply abandoning a person such as yourself wiht your disabilities and circumstances may be of interest. In turn this might provide the hospital with a little motivation.

Doable if you get cross?

I have not read that many of Stephen King, the two I mentioned are simply ones that suck in my mind along with Pet Sematary

There is quite a comprehensive description of the Gunslinger and its component parts in Wikipedia which you may have seen before

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Tower:_The_Gunslinger

I'm afraid that other than being a S Fantasy and they type of tale "then this happened and then this happened ... "etc.. I'm not sure I see the meaning behind it. I think it would well lend itself to a Saturday afternoon matinee series (if such things still existed) as it did in sequential editions of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction

I hope your family manages to get all parties to cooperate, I'm glad you have your sister to help.

Croix

[mmMekitty]

Hi Croix & all,

The drainage has to come out sometime. The way I heard it , it is kind of a toss up between taking it out while it would be relatively easy to do, & have some fluid still coming from that wound, because if they leave it in, it sort of wants to take up residence & becomes harder to remove, although by then there may be little fluid left to drain. The surgeon herself, said come what may, it would be removed last Tuesday. The main problem I have is with the inadequate dressings I was given. I will be okay, I think, using the larger dressing my GP gave me. If the square of padding is something like 8 times larger than the wound, I stand a good chance of covering it, don't I? 😸I asked, by way of demostration, reaching my right arm around my body towards where I think the wound is, reaching about as far as I can, & she the nurse at the GP's said, "Yeah, that's it. Just slap it on there", confirming what I had indicated was close enough.

But I do have to stop myself from panicking just a tad! Saying to myself, "Think, [mmMekitty], just stop & think a moment."

I'm not sure what sort of incident would have to happen for me to go running to the ABC or anything like what you suggest. Can't see how that would not become something too stressful in the event they did deem it newsworthy.

*

I have read The Gunslinger series, half a dozen times now, I guess, & for me I think it is about the decisions & sacrifiecs, moral choices, stuff like that. Like, how many people would you sacrifice to reach a goal, such as saving the world? Each character has had choices they have made, directions taken in their lives, & most are in one way or other , wanting a chance to make different choices, or to find redemption, or finding aspects of themselves, & unpleasant as they are, in some way or other, owning them & doing something which just might be good - but that is open to interpretation.

It is a journey story, like a road trip story, where the people all learn & grow while on the journey - or maybe not... he had an ending which may be very unsatisfying to readers who really like all loose ends tied & everybody smiling, ever after.

mmMekitty

[Croix]

Dear mmMekitty

you are a pretty god literary critic.

Do you think if somone placed a stick-on bandage at the place there your proper bandage should stop then you might have a marker to guide you, do you think that might help where you should place it or are you OK placing it by yourself?

-C