We started the day early with a run to our local recycling center to turn in Himself's fizzy flavored water bottles. I gave the cashier three pennies so she could give me eleven dollars; not bad for a full bin and two bags! This provided some much needed cash for later grocery shopping.
From there, we went down to the VA Medical Center to participate in their Cancer Survivor Mixer, complete with information tables, a snack bar, and some nice swag for the veterans. Since I journal a lot, I'm always on the lookout for pens, and I like the ones that have a rubber grip to them, as I tend to grip my pens quite firmly. I scored a couple of them today.
Himself had an opportunity to say hello to some of the doctors, nurses, and techs who we had met at the start of his cancer experience, but the most opportune meeting with with the Social Worker. She gave us a list of resources to look through (including some key Financial ones) and advised Himself to be re-evaluated for Aid and Attendance - a monthly stipend for Veterans to hire someone to help care for them. In this case, I would be the Paid Caregiver. We have some new leads to research! :)
Once the mixer was over, we went to his eye appointment. We were there at least an hour before we were actually seen, as the joint was apparently jumping quite a bit. He did not want to get his pupils dilated, as he was complaining of a bit of sinus pressure behind his eyes, and he was concerned that if he went through with the dilation, the extra light would trigger a migraine. So we scheduled a follow-up appointment in September. A relatively quick trip to the Pharmacy followed, to collect some new moisturizing eye drops, as Himself's eyes were diagnosed as "very dry" (using the scientific term) ;)
As it became apparent that he would not have time to work out at the Cardiac Treatment Center today, since it was after three when we were finally done, and we had to consider traffic, we chose to go home instead. We made a couple of stops en route, at Target (for the Queen Mother's hot dogs) and Trader Joe's (for other necessities). I chose to use food we had been saving at home over buying more at TJ's, so the actual total was a wee bit less than I had calculated. Yay me.
Everyone was rather hungry by the time we got home, so the getting of the cat food was postponed till after dinner, which was okay. I was not able to find all of the flavors they liked, which would have ordinarily bummed me out, but today was actually a good thing, for again, I spent less money than expected. Yay me.
Tomorrow Himself has an appointment with the Cardiac Center's dietician, to see if he can get advice on what to eat as a semicolon, aka someone who had a great deal of his colon removed due to cancer. There is also a Caregiver Support Group in the evening, and damn skippy I will be attending!
It occurred to me earlier this evening: slowly but surely, I am working my way out of the rut once more and inching my way forward. Things are ever so slightly lighter than they were even at the start of the month. To quote a bit of literature that I read on the daily: "Slowly, new persons emerge. Change is Taking Place."
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