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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Ilene on July 8, 2004, at 20:17:44
This installment is going to be in bits and pieces, because what I'm really supposed to be doing is unpacking. However, I'm at an impasse--room A is full of boxes, so I have to move some out to room B, but room B is full of boxes, so I have to move some out to room C, but room C is full of boxes. . . you get the idea.
My triumph for the day is finding the box with the checks in it. I finally paid all the bills I could find. Call me crazy, but I like to pay the bills.
I've landed in a section of San Francisco that turns out to be an outpost of Chinatown. As in all the businesses have signs in Chinese, Vietnamese, or Thai, and the only "American" restaurant (Johnny's Hamburgers) is run by Asians. The local supermarket sells marvelous things--litchee, mysterious squash, and fish swimming in tanks. We're not talking koi, we're talking carp. On the menu. (An infamous truck full of birds that used to be parked in Chinatown had a prominent sign reading, "All for food, not for pet". The business finally retreated to a standard, if tiny, storefront, after protests by PETA types.)
Okay, that's the end of part one. I'm going to brew a cuppa joe. The machine has been misbehaving by turning itself off when I'm not looking, and sometimes even when I am (sneaky little devil), so I daren't leave it to it's own devices.
BTW, I'm tired of my flimsy pseudonym. It's Irene from here on out.
Posted by Ilene on July 8, 2004, at 21:06:49
In reply to Dear Diary July 8, part 1, posted by Ilene on July 8, 2004, at 20:17:44
The title of this installment is Travelling With Cats.
Thank god for kitty tranks.
This is what you have to do if you don't want Pussums to travel with the duffle bags and golf clubs: Buy a special carrier that fits under the seat of an airplane, go to the vet for a health certificate, "convince" the cat into the carrier, pay an extra $80 per cat when you check in, take the cat *out* of the carrier when going through security, replace cat, then spend the next five hours listening to the cat complain about the whole thing.
We tested the tranquilizers before the big day so we could get the dosage right. One pill wasn't enough, and in fact seemed dangerous, because they were jumping up on window sills, etc. but were so floppy that I was afraid one would fall off and get hurt. They were okay, so we gave them each two pills. The vet gave us some slightly gooey cat treats that have a slit in them so you can hide a pill there. Worked great. The cats gobbled them right up.
It took the black cat about an hour to pass into a state of limp grogginess. She let me put a harness w/ a name tag on and pop her into the rather small carrier. It took the gray cat about an hour to have nothing happen at all. He's on the feral side, and it can be a chore to get him into the big carrier we usually use for trips to the vet. It took two adults and two kids several courses through the house, and about four tries, before we crammed him into the small carrier. The only carriers I could find that were the right dimensions are also collapsible, and the damn cat managed to collapse his while we were trying to stuff him into it. I don't bear scars only because the vet clipped his claws.
The guys who checked our luggage at curbside said that the collapsible carriers weren't acceptable, but I ignored them. We didn't have to check the cats. We had to pay the extra $80 per cat for the privilege of using sub-seat space, but no one asked for the health certificates that cost me about $140. Then came the fun part--taking the cats out of the carriers so the carriers can be x-rayed. You hold (clutch) the cat as you walk through the metal detector. The black cat was as resistant as pudding, but the gray cat still had a little fuss to him. Overall, however, a piece of cake.
The cats seem to enjoy living among boxes. The black cat liked it when we had the dining room piled to about 5' with paper. She tunneled through it and found a nice kitty hiding place. She's forgotten the rule about No Cats On the Kitchen Counters.
The gray cat hasn't found the doors, so he is now content to be an indoor cat, instead of an indoor/outdoor/indoor/outdoor etc. cat.
So ends this tail.
Posted by partlycloudy on July 9, 2004, at 7:11:04
In reply to Re: Dear Diary July 8, part 2, posted by Ilene on July 8, 2004, at 21:06:49
Success!! That was quite a juggling trick with your kitties. Congratulations on making the move in one piece. Maybe you have to buy a new coffee maker? So what?!
So good to see your posts again :)
Posted by fallsfall on July 9, 2004, at 7:17:44
In reply to Re: Dear Diary July 8, part 2, posted by Ilene on July 8, 2004, at 21:06:49
Irene,
I'm glad that you have landed. I'm glad your kitties made it too.
Ah, boxes and boxes and boxes... One box at a time. Then collapse the box and figure out how you are going to dispose of the paper. I think that a pile of collapsed boxes in the middle of the living room sounds like a good idea. You can see the progress by watching the pile get bigger.
Reward yourself for every box emptied (and sometimes that might mean that you purposefully choose the box with only 2 things in it so that you can get to the reward sooner). Ice cream, chocolate, a computer game, 10 minutes of undivided cat attention, a walk, babble, a chapter of a book. If you can do more than one box at a time, you can "collect" your reward points and redeem them for something bigger (like you do at the impossible game booths at the fair, you can trade 5 small prizes for one bigger one) - like dinner out (I really like real Chinese food, and I used to waitress at a Vietnamese restaurant - can I come to visit you? I'll take you out for dinner).
You sound glad to be there - am I hearing that right? Does it give you some relief even among the boxes? Find your local library, get a library card and look for this book in the picture book section: "Moving Day" I read it to my kids when we were moving (OK, there aren't too many words, you have to make your own up). I called it "The Tobi Book" because the little girl doesn't have a name in the story - so I named her Tobi (and Tobi Tobias is the author). I found it very comforting.
Wow! You really made it there!
Posted by jay on July 9, 2004, at 16:50:52
In reply to Re: Dear Diary July 8, part 2, posted by Ilene on July 8, 2004, at 21:06:49
> So ends this tail.
No, uh, pun intended...right??hehee. Best, welcome and great story!
Jay
Posted by Ilene on July 14, 2004, at 21:42:14
In reply to Dear Diary July 8, part 1, posted by Ilene on July 8, 2004, at 20:17:44
I can't believe it's been nearly a week since I posted. Maybe that's because I am more and more depressed. I feel intense brain and body fog--I don't know how to describe it--all I want to do is stay in bed. I have a hard time remembering things or concentrating. I'm still managing to unpack and pay some bills. It's not quite as hard as it usually is.
It was sunny today. It still is sunny. I walked down to the shopping street with my daughter to buy groceries for dinner. A couple of days ago I discovered the place to buy live frogs. Today I discovered the place to buy live turtles. Lots of live fish. Many things I can't identify.
I've been gaining weight. I found the bathroom scale, but I'm afraid to use it. My fingers have gotten bigger. I finally got one of my rings off. It left a big indentation. I used to have slim fingers, but that's all gone. My finger joints have been bothering me, too. I think I have arthritis.
Everything seems permanent now. I used to think that my ills would cure themselves, but now everything settles in for the long haul.
I wonder if this is the end for my current med regimen. It was pretty short.
Posted by partlycloudy on July 15, 2004, at 7:17:19
In reply to Dear Diary July 14, posted by Ilene on July 14, 2004, at 21:42:14
I can't figure out if the animals you are finding are for food or to be pets! I am so sorry you feel you're sinking. Moving has always been such a mixed bag for me. Excitement at learning about a new town, nervousness at not knowing where the heck I am, stubbing toes and banging knees on corners and edges that I haven't learned yet - it's a lot for a brain to take in.
Have you found a health provider in your new digs? Someone who can perhaps sort through your meds and tweak something for you?
Take care Ilene.
Posted by fallsfall on July 15, 2004, at 8:13:36
In reply to Dear Diary July 14, posted by Ilene on July 14, 2004, at 21:42:14
>>I'm still managing to unpack and pay some bills. It's not quite as hard as it usually is.
Ilene,
This sounds like major achievement to me.
Be patient with yourself. Don't expect to get it all done right away. Spend some time enjoying your new environment.
Eat ice cream.
Falls.
Posted by Ilene on July 15, 2004, at 12:23:42
In reply to Re: Dear Diary July 14 » Ilene, posted by partlycloudy on July 15, 2004, at 7:17:19
> I can't figure out if the animals you are finding are for food or to be pets! I am so sorry you feel you're sinking. Moving has always been such a mixed bag for me. Excitement at learning about a new town, nervousness at not knowing where the heck I am, stubbing toes and banging knees on corners and edges that I haven't learned yet - it's a lot for a brain to take in.
> Have you found a health provider in your new digs? Someone who can perhaps sort through your meds and tweak something for you?
> Take care Ilene.All the animals are for food. I suppose you could buy one as a pet if you wanted, but that's not what they're for.
I'm feeling a little better today, so far--I'm still drinking my morning coffee. One of my difficulties is that I'm faced with a mountain of boxes to unpack. I feel so overwhelmed.
I called the librarian at a hands-on science center to talk about volunteering there. She's someone I know through a friend I made during my first year at library school. I don't think I'm healthy enough to work a regular job, assuming I could get one.
San Francisco isn't a new town for me. I lived here during the 1980's. This particular neighborhood is new. I'd do more exploring if I didn't have so many boxes.
We had over 300 items in the truck, and our possessions weighed 10 tons! The only thing I can say is that we own a lot of books, and they are heavy. Bad things, those books. They're addictive. You finish one and you want another. I just found a few that I bought just before we moved that I had completely forgotten about.
This house is more spacious than our old house--the rooms are bigger--but it has one room less. We had to combine the office and the family room. I have no sewing space. My fabric is in the basement, which is huge, but I don't want to use it for sewing because it's got a huge old asbestos-covered furnace.
(Fabric is bad, too. You buy one piece and then you have to buy another.)
I found a box labeled "sewing items" stowed upside-down. It rattled when I righted it. I fear it's got my buttons and beads in it. Uh-oh.
I have an appointment at the Stanford Mood Disorders Clinic in about 10 days. I have mixed feelings about going there. An MD who was recommended to me is there, but as a patient you get to see a resident who is supervised by a "real" doctor. I experienced that when I was hospitalized, and I was not impressed by the resident or the level of supervision. So I've kind of got a chip on my shoulder.
I don't have an internist. My doctor in Washington couldn't recommend anyone. He says he has a patient who lives in this area, but visits him when she's in Washington.
I must be feeling better, or I wouldn't be doing so much typing.
I.
Posted by partlycloudy on July 15, 2004, at 12:59:05
In reply to Re: Dear Diary July 14, posted by Ilene on July 15, 2004, at 12:23:42
Hmmm.... my sister lives in half moon bay, she's in a sewing guild, and she's been treated for depression (still is on prozac). I could make some inquiries for a recommendation if you're not happy with the Stanford facility.
Or are you my sister and you moved without telling me???
Posted by Ilene on July 15, 2004, at 13:36:07
In reply to Re: Dear Diary July 14 » Ilene, posted by partlycloudy on July 15, 2004, at 12:59:05
> Hmmm.... my sister lives in half moon bay, she's in a sewing guild, and she's been treated for depression (still is on prozac). I could make some inquiries for a recommendation if you're not happy with the Stanford facility.
>
> Or are you my sister and you moved without telling me???Gee, I think your sister's screen name would have to be "completely cloudy". What a place to live if you are depressed! HMB is even foggier than the Outer Sunset (where I live).
Thanks for the offer. I'll wait and see how Stanford works out for me.
Ask your sister whether the local groceries carry live reptiles.
I.
This is the end of the thread.
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