Today

His ashes buried beneath a chrery tree, TAB bloomed last spring

Today, if my incredible and Amazing Bob had survived the horrors of ARDS  and the motherfucking, rat bastid cancer that was rampaging though his system, today would be his 77th birthday. It’s not. Nonetheless, Jen, Oni and I will celebrate TAB’s life. We will honor his memory with Thai food and CAKE from Saint Fratelli’s. Maybe we'll have a small dance around his tree too.

Today’s also the day I have my, hopefully, final eye procedure. It’s a simple laser dealie . This is touted as painless and quick, I should be home and happy by this afternoon. Hillel will be here to tote my surgery addicted ass (and eyes) into MEEI. The bestest part of all this is that I don’t have to skip brekkie with Jen (she whips up these amazing egg/spinach/black bean burritos DAILY). I’ve subbed green tea for my morning java juice. I need to be all mega calm a shit and caffeine won't ease my agitata.

Yes it's a simple lasering procedure. No big BUT this past surgery-a-thon year has kinda worn me clean out. I'm sadly unable to, all blithe, without a fret in view, walk into the medic's joint and say "Have at it team. Don't mind me if I hum a bit or nod off for a few!"

Yesterday, at my homes away from home (Yeah, that’s MEEI and MGH), I got two bits of GREAT news.

First hod of good news? My hearing aid is in fine shape and should last another couple year’s. Yea!

I'd gone into the hearing aid department to see if they could evaluate mine  Is it working fine or is it becoming enfeebled. I wasn't expecting relieving words. I’ve had it for, mebbe five years or so and these babies, like laptops and other high techery, aren’t supposed to last so very long. These suckers cost anywhere from $1250 to $1500 and can run much more too. Most insurance companies do NOT cover hearing aids or the molds which need to be made (and add another couple hundred to the bill)  OUCH!!!

You know I have the aid to pump up the volume on that infinitesimal shred of audio I still hear, right? It gives me SOME sense of sound (not music or, really, language) but it makes lipreading slightly less impossible. Mostly, it allows me to hear my own voice which can mean that I get those fun, clueless comments “Gee, you don’t sound deaf.”

The second piece of fab news – my awesome back surgeon feels I'm doing very well. He says that I’m more active than he typically sees at this point in recover (this despite that damn two week cold!). As I always say Why do when you can overdo? I’ve been cleared to begin using the elliptical more fully (I’d been just doing the legs, not the arms). Plus he gave me a recommendation for hiking – trekking poles. Huh. I'll look so slick and professional as I walk through the woods and over the mountains withOUT falling over!

I also received a piece of mega astounding, I-just-can't-fucking-believe-it news:

When I do finally need that new hearing aid (and ear mold) MY NEW-ISH INSURANCE WILL COVER BOTH!!!!! On top of that, my newbie insurance covers six months of hearing aid batteries.

AMAZING!