Today was finally the day I've been waiting so long for - the appointment with a new podiatrist!!  The referral has been authorized a full two months now, it's just that this doc has an office in Houston (hahaha - like I could sit 3 hours to get there!) and only comes to Victoria 2 days a week....I'd been on the call-if-cancellation list the whole time, but like so many others, there was no way I'd cancel this appointment, and apparently, no one else did either.  Soooo....we walk into his little waiting room - it is really tiny, with only about 6 chairs and one little table - and they have me fill out 3 pages of paper.  I brought all the paperwork from an earlier MRI and CT scan results from last winter with me for them to copy, too.  Finally, my name is called.  First doc in AGES that hasn't had me step on a scale, first thing - I like him already, sight unseen!

But then the lady tech puts me in a small room with one of those uncomfortable table/chairs, and boy, is it COLD.  Even Jose admits to being cold.  When she returns to the room, she finds a paper sheet & covers my legs up...that's helpful.  Poor Jose - he's on his own. 

Then I've gotta pee. .........shoes back on, out the door & down the hall.  Yup, back outside the office.  Gotta do what ya gotta do, so off I went.  Came back in, got back up on the chair & under the paper sheet.  Waited some more.  There's a sign there thanking you for waiting & assuring you he'll take the time you need too, so how upset could I get?  At least it wasn't like the doc in the valley who kept us waiting 2.5 hrs out in a long hallway filled with indigents & non-ambulatory patients, then saw me for 5 mins & gave me some inserts & said, basically, these will help or not, but go away now.

THIS doc introduced himself, shook my hand and actually READ the paperwork I had brought.  AND he LISTENED to me.  A whoooooole new experience for us!  Then he read the X-Rays (oops, forgot to tell you, the lady tech had me pad down to the next cubby & took 4 X-Rays - 2 of each foot) and explained them to me.....lo & behold....lookee there.  HEEL SPURS.  Then he explained what that meant & why they hurt so badly.  And THEN, get this - he told me to hold Jose's hand & he was gonna hold my foot and it was gonna hurt.  He sprayed some really really cold stuff on my heel, then, before I could yank it away, had a needle in it.  OMG.  It hurt, but not as much as the ones in my back....and then...oh, my..and THEN, it hurt, but not nearly as much as it had before he started!!  Oh, what a relief it is!!!  All of a sudden, what a difference!!!

So, finally, a doc that didn't insist on a bunch of treatments that weren't going to work, just to follow protocol and say he did all the non-invasive stuff first (even if he had proof that a half dozen others had already gone down that road) - he just cut to the chase and started to fix what was obviously (to him anyway) the problem.

Same doc also explained that my back issues might not show up on an MRI until all the cartilage is gone & the damage is done.  Oh well, guess I have that much more to look forward to. Whooohoooooo!!

In other news, Jose is back from his trip to Virginia to clear up his mom's affairs - it was quite a looooooooooong week without him, and he felt like he'd spent a month away, but all her stuff is wrapped up & ready to move to Alabama, after she gets discharged from the rehab hospital.  His dad is doing well after his fall (resulting in a broken vertabra or 2).  Seems they just shot him up with some super glue & sent him on his way - none the worse for wear. 

We now have only one flower bed left to re-do, and most of the old mulch is already up (done while Jose was away) and gone.  We really do need to get in there & spread the new mulch before the weeds take over tho.  We got a new refrigerator - Jose got tired of working on the old ice-maker, especially at 2 am.  Pretty sure we got the same one as Tim & Staples - 3 doors, 2 ice makers and a leak in the water dispenser.  And here's the solution to that - run about 3 gallons of water out the dispenser & the air bubble in the water line will come out & voila!  No more leak!!!  Simple as pie!  And, we'll be replacing the dishwasher next - with one that will fit my monstrously large dishes...so, after all this time, I'll have a dishwasher that is 1) quiet, 2) cleans dishes and 3) my dishes will fit inside!  Call me a lucky ducky!

Sewing is going well - I've not had many orders out of the shop, but one of my customers from last year placed an order for several tote bags - first she ordered 3, which turned into 5, which I made & sent her.  Now she wants 5 more, and after that, she needs about 100.  I'm on bag #6, so good thing she's let me have plenty of lead time!    Good thing I bought lots of fabric from Yvonne, too!  This should put a dent in the stockpile, for sure!

Jack & Di are still in Texas, up in Schertz, just outside of San Antonio...Jack's bro has been undergoing radiation for a malignant tumor in his leg.  He finishes up next week then has an appointment with a surgeon to see how it's progressing.  With a bit of luck, they'll get over this way to see us before they hit the road to go back to Georgia.  We had planned on visiting them, in Georgia, this summer when we went back east, but since we aren't going (well, we LIKELY won't go this summer), it'd be nice to see them here.  Sharon & Carl are back up in Michigan, where they say it's been raining since April....we can only hope to get a spare drop or 2.  We've invited them to hop in the car & come on down here for a spell, anytime they want som sunshine & warmth!  Donna's niece is beginning recovery from the Joplin, MO tornado - her daughter has a few broken bones and their home is destroyed, but they are staying with family and seem to be in good spirits, for the tragedy that has befallen them.  I made a baby crib quilt & tote bag & sent them to AL, now I've got a couple of pillowcases ready to send to Joplin.  Not much, true, but every little bit will help, and as I get more stuff done, it'll go off too.

So that's about it for here - what's going on in your neck of the woods??  Leave a comment & keep in touch!  Till next time - stay safe, warm & dry!  Oh, wait, I almost forgot!  The other day, we went to the library to pick up a reserved book, and there, in the middle of the street downtown, was an Art Car show.  Wondering what the heck was an Art Car show, we hoofed on over - oh, my gosh!  The MOST bizarre cars were there.  Of course, we didn't have my camera with us, but Dick got some good shots from his camera phone.  If he ever gets the photos over to me, I'll post 'em here!!  They were specTACular!!