Some relief

Close-up of my bedroom window,
pre-bleach

Part of the reason I'm a bit light lately on photos is that my iPhone 4s has a broken wifi antenna. It is a known defect. But until recently, it was only known by other people. I did a 'factory reset' last week, after making sure my apps and everything else were backed up. But yesterday it broke again. A "high class problem," I know.

I spoke with the palliative social worker today for an hour and a half. We talked about the POLST form, more about the Advanced Health Care Directive, and how hospice works at Kaiser. And I mentioned that I don't think my recent intense coughing is from cancer, but that one always wonders. I don't have my notes with me but one of the things she suggested is calling Anna D, the nurse/assistant to Dr. Nelson and asking her if there is a way I can tell the difference between a cancer caused cough and a cough caused by something else. That was a good idea (though there might not be an answer.) That social worker is worth her weight in gold!

After talking to her and having falafels with Tong, I felt completely wrecked. (In truth I have felt wrecked for the last five days or so. I can barely function.) I drove to Bed, Bath and Beyond and bought a hypoallergenic mattress and pillow covers. I came home and lay on my bed unable to move much. My chapter meeting cheered me up.

Mike's "send-off" yesterday.
It was fun.

Putting on the mattress cover was challenging! And I vacuumed my carpet and shelves and edges, geez so much crap in there, haven't even unpacked from New Orleans yet! I pulled stuff away from the windows and washed them with bleach, being super careful not to get bleach on my perpetually dark clothing.

I could have asked for help cleaning, but didn't really feel I could ask someone to clean out my crappy old carpet-layered and otherwise cramped and cluttered dusty moldy room. I do wonder if I will be able to keep living there. The construction next door is supposed to go on for a year. I'm also concerned that the mold on my window sills is "toxic black mold". The websites say that even after you kill it (whatever kind of mold) it's still bad for you. They also say that those with allergies and compromised lungs are the most effected...I don't know what it is, but I feel terrible in that house for the last few days.

Now I'm at Julie's. Her cats make my eyes itch a bit (that's also new) but other than that I'm golden. I have hardly coughed at all since I got here.