Delayed Turkey Gratification

I'm back at the gym today after 4 days. Last Friday I had the first Durysta drug delivery device implanted in my right eye. There was a lot of waiting around although the procedure itself was quite quick. The doc used a brassy eye speculum to keep my eye open while she injected the tiny object. The speculum reminded me of my mother's eyelash curler from the 60s, as if any of us ever had long enough eyelashes to be curled. We didn't, but there was the magic of mascara. 

Although my eye had been numbed, I felt a pinch on the side of my face because she needed to keep my head from bobbing so she positioned tweezers to hold my face in place. Ophthalmic antibiotics were applied, to be used for the next 3 days. There's been no side effects, except my eyeball is a bit tender. Otherwise, I don't feel it at all. I'm still administering the 4 different eye drops to my left eye, and just 3 for the right. The other eye is scheduled for the end of the month. But at least I'm a lot less nervous about it now.

The free turkey I got from the supermarket Thanksgiving give-away was finally defrosted enough to roast this weekend. It was on the smaller size since the only choices had been about 10-12 lbs or 20-23 lbs. That meant it just fit inside one of my baking pans, even with a turkey bag. I stuffed the turkey with half a sweet onion, a dozen peeled garlic heads and several springs of rosemary. Splashing the skin with soy sauce and a drizzle of olive oil meant the bird browned even inside a roasting bag. 

Recipes called for 13 minutes a pound so not quite 3 hours and it was done. Actually, the thermometer made me think I'd overcooked the bird because the reading shot up well past 200F inside the thigh! But the bag ensured that the turkey was moist and aromatic, even if the skin wasn't crispy. I have plenty of leftovers for the week. 

Instead of stuffing, I used leftover brown/black rice cooked with onions, chestnuts and breakfast sausage. (I'm happy to report that the pre-cooked chestnuts had an expiration date of 2013 on the mylar packaging, but were still perfectly fine when opened.) Nuked kale added much needed greenery. I like canned cranberry sauce but the husband does not. So he didn't get any. Although I had more than enough drippings for gravy, I had run out of time and stove burners and just put that away for a later time. Dogs got chopped boiled giblets on their kibble for supper. Everyone was happy!

I'm wearing my Hokas Rincon 4 to the gym today and I finally realized that I like the other style (Solimar) better. First, this shoe's soles are super slick and my feet slide back whenever the pedals are at an angle. I nearly slip off the Stretch Cage as well! I didn't have that problem with the Solimars. Also, I can feel the pattern inside the shoe and that's disturbing. Maybe I just have sensitive feet? The Solimar seems wider at the ball of the foot, and hence, more comfortable. Too late now to return them though since I've worn them twice, although only inside the gym. By the end of my workout, my left foot is achy right at the base of the first metatarsal, right where I have a bunion. Hmmm...

I spent the morning on the phone (after taking the dogs to the park) trying to figure out whether I had a mammogram appointment or not. The provider who had done this for the past decade decided that they would reschedule me to their Danbury CT office, which I protested. I'm not traveling out of state for a stupid annual screening test. I'm 10 minutes from the local hospital. Online says they have a breast center that you can schedule an appt for. All online. Except, after filling out all of the prompts, nothing happens. No one answers their phone. No confirmation call or email comes. 

I call my doc's office and they transfer me to their radiology dept who is not in fact in the hospital, even though the doc's office is. They give me a new phone number and then transfer me to the hospital radiology dept who is able to set up an appt. except their system tells them my health insurance is inactive. WTF? I call my insurance company to verify my insurance (hell, I just saw my ophthalmologist on Friday!) and they put me on hold so that they can call the radiology dept. 

Eventually, my insurance company tells me that they told the radiology dept to push the issue with their billing dept, because the problem is on their end. Yep, this isn't the first time either. Because this is a screening exam, it should be completely covered for cost.

Meanwhile, I'm tired and it shows in my workout: all my cardio results are less. All my pull-ups are also less. But at least I got it all done. Tomorrow I have a lot of errands, including picking up my old mammogram records so that I can deliver them to the new facility when I go for my appointment. At least it won't be raining tomorrow. It's been rainy and cool today, but it's not enough rain to end the drought we're in... I hate being cold and wet.

9 Dec 2024 11:51-1:50

Monday — All Cardio

Finally made that free turkey

Rainy & Cold — Durysta right eye

Precor elliptical #3

Program 3

Time: 30 + 5 (5372)

Distance: 2.77

Cal: 304

Avg Hr: 151, 175

New FB: 44-135

HGPU 15 (Hokas too slippery!)

Matrix StairMaster (R) (12:40-12:51)

Manual timer 8+2 cool down

Minimum 5 minutes

Speed 5 (45) / 2 (36) / 1 (29-33)

Steps 423

Floors 26

Cal 64

Hr 126

HGPU 14

Life Fitness X-Trainer #5

Program Manual L1

Time: 12 (+3 min cool down) = 15

Distance: 1.37

Cal: 114

Avg Hr: 125-130

HGPU 14.5

20 Hip Bridges

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20 x 5

Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (tingle)

Push-Ups 25 (minimal tingle)

Arm rotations 20

Air Squats 25

Neck stretch / Eye yoga