GOODNIGHT, TIM

i have been trying to enter this entry since the 13th, and so far, i haven't had any luck.  hope it goes in this time.............

 usually, i am not a devoutly political being.  i follow general elections, local subjects, and foreign policy from time to time.  i never sat and watched MEET THE PRESS, but i was very aware of tim russert's face, his ability to cover political issues, and his ability to keep my attention for more than 2 seconds.  he will be sorely missed in the political arena as well as by his family and friends.

my prayers are with those closest to him......

REST IN PEACE, TIM RUSSERT........

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i am back, momentarily, if the wifi will let me continue.  i have missed my friends in j-land, and don't even know what is going on since i have been offline for so long.  i hope all are well.

as for myself, i have been rather ill.  i am still not quite sure what was/is wrong with me, other than old age, but i went through quite a time over the last 10 days.  it has been quite hot here in georgia, nearing 100 degrees on several days.  not having working air conditioning in my vehicle, i go only back and forth to work, which is a distance of 1.2 miles one way.  but with such intense heat in my car, and the fact that our work air conditioner went out 10 days ago, and for 4 days it was near 90 inside the store, i figured the heat had gotten to me.  i started by feeling feint.  not ill, or sick, just "not quite right".  on my sunday off i had to grocery shop and as i was unloading the car in the heat and trying to carry the load up the 21 steps to my apartment, i almost passed out.  i still haven't gotten all my non-perishables up the stairs, like the canned goods and things i am not ready to eat as of yet.  they sit in the hall downstairs with some other items i haven't felt like carrying up the stairs.

several nights ago i was feeling off, and my body started to feel like i had the flu.  i was hot, even though the air was cranked down to 70, and i hurt all over, even my hair.  i had a sharp pain behind my left ear, headaches, sinus pressure and choking spells.  i would cough constantly, like trying to eject my stomach out through my mouth.  during the coughing spells i would somehow manage to suck saliva back down into my windpipe and choke all over again, coughing even worse.  as badly as i felt last tuesday, i planned to go on to work on wednesday.  tuesday night i had a fitfull night in bed.  i would stop coughing and aching long enough to drift off to sleep, only to awaken to a bed that felt like it was on fire.  i can only assume that i was running a really high fever.  sometime during the night the fever broke, and i awoke swimming in my own perspiration.  i went to work on wednesday though i felt drained, and during my afternoon break, i was eating some frozen grapes when i choked again, and this time i was truly frightened.  i couldn't breathe, catch my breath or even cough.  my boss rubbed my shoulder with compassion, telling me to try to calm down and slowly breathe, and another co-worker told me to hold up my hands..........later it all seemed rather comical, but not at the time.  as you can see, i survived that bout.  thursday, after running my errands and coming back home to cool off, i got choked on some food and this time i knew i was a gonner.  i lost my breath for quite a few seconds and, being in the house by myself at the time, i feared death was immanent.  i prayed that if i passed out, i would be able to catch my breath and come out of it.  i finally was able to catch my breath and had one horrible coughing fit that has caused me to have costrocondritis. 

i still am not sure what caused the fever, but have come to a conclusion as to why i am getting choked so often.  there is a flap that closes off the windpipe when food or beverage are consumed, or when saliva is swallowed.  as i get older, that trap door doesn't work as well.  my boss and one of my co-workers is having the same problem.  oh joy oh joy!!!  isn't getting older wonderful???  NOT!!!

since i have had so much "time" on my hands by not having an internet connection, i have had plenty of time to work on my KITTYCAPTIONS.  so i will close with one tonight when i sign off if the powers that be will allow.

i have truly missed reading all your journals and hope that i can keep my eyes and my internet connection open long enough to catch up on some of them.  i hope all of you will stick around with me, even though my postings are sporadic.

well, i guess i better try to see if i will be allowed to complete this entry.

to all fathers out there................

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!

(after having time to do some online research, i think maybe what i had was a mild case of salmonella poisoning.  i had every symptom except vomitting, which i never do anyway)