A Day Among Friends - LoL

Brunch Between Friends

Where shall I begin? What started out to be an uneventful and relaxing day, turned into one unplanned thing after another, and another, and another. 

A friend had the day off of work today, due to the Monday after Holiday, day off. So, we decided to have brunch at my favorite Chinese place, which I have told of so often, that I won't mention the name again today. 

I was low on gas, so I planned to stop on the way to pick her up, as she lived very near the gas station where I planned to buy gas. When I got to the station, it was closed. It seems they had taken off a few days for a little vacation. I guess they didn't have anyone they felt they could depend on to take care of things while they were gone, so they simply closed the station. I went a few blocks down the road to the next station, and the line was out onto the road. I was concerned about running out of gas just waiting in line. 

I called my friend, and she said, "Why don't you just come over here, park your car, and we can take mine. Then, when we eat, and stop at Walmart for a few things, and head back. By then, it will be midday, and the lines at the gas station should be cleared. Hey, that sounded pretty good to me, and we were really hungry, so that's what we did. Well, it started out that way anyway... 

I parked in her driveway, and we hopped into her vehicle, and headed off merrily down the road to the Chinese all you can eat buffet. We had each finished one plate and added just a bit more to the second dish, when her cell phone rang. Uh oh... 

Another friend of ours called to say that she thought she was having an attack of kidney stones, and was in really bad pain, and needed to go the ER, and she was unable to drive in so much pain. She is also a diabetic, and that also is a factor in any health problems she has. So, we quickly finished what was on our plates, and left in a hurry to help our friend. 

Check in here.  Wait there please.
Come in here and have this test.  Go there and wait again.
Your insurance information please.
Don't eat or drink anything, as you may need surgery.
Please wait there again.  See the doctor now.
You are dehydrated.  You need to drink more water.
Go home, take these pills.

When we arrived at the ER, we were told to please stand behind the line where some sign was posted, to wait our turn at the check in, (a privacy thing they do nowadays). Our sick friend was in so much pain that she really couldn't stand up for more than just a few minutes, so I asked if there was someplace where she could sit. They were kind enough to get her a wheelchair, which was certainly a welcome relief for her. Once we got her signed into the initial sign in place, we were told to wait in the next area, for her to be called to see the triage nurse. By then, it was 1:05 PM. 

She was eventually called back to the front sign in desk to see the triage nurse for BP and temperature check. She was then sent back again to the waiting room to wait to be called into another room to see a doctor. 

Then, they did a CAT scan, and some X-rays to check for stones. No stones. She was really getting hungry, and thirsty, but had been told not to eat or drink anything, in case they decided she needed surgery. Whew...

Eventually, she was seen by a PA (Physician's Assistant). She was then told she had a kidney infection and was dehydrated. Of course she was dehydrated, she had been told not to drink anything, or to eat. Hey, this woman is a diabetic. She has to have food on time, as well as plenty of water to drink. She was given a couple of prescriptions, one an antibiotic, and the other one for pain control so she would be able to get some relief and be able to sleep. By now, we all three are dying from thirst, as well as hunger.  We were at the hospital for about 4 1/2 to 5 hours, all without food or water. So, here we were, three older ladies, all over 65 years of age, and two with some pain issues, not to mention hunger and thirst.

Our sick friend wanted to stop by Carl's Junior and get a turkey burger for each of us, and some water to drink, as none of us drink sodas, and by now, no one really wanted any coffee, either. 

I know, it's way too late to make a long story short. I really tried you know. 

Anyway, we then stopped by CVS to drop off her prescriptions, then took her home so she could at last get some rest and off her feet. Since the prescriptions would not be ready for about half an hour, we headed over to Walmart so my friend could get ink for her printer, and a couple other things for another friend who is also in a lot of pain, as she has a neck injury just like the one I had twenty years ago. She is having surgery on Friday the 6th.

After finishing at Walmart, and such a long day, my neck began having pain and spasms and my head began to throb. I was heading downhill, but fast, too. I suddenly remembered that I had discovered that if I took some generic Excedrine migraine tablets, along with some Pepsi, I could well stop much serious pain and discomfort. So, off I went looking for those things, so I didn't become another casualty of the day. 

We then went to CVS, picked up the prescriptions for our kidney infected friend, took that to her, and headed off to the second friend's home with her medication for pain. Then, we went to get my car at the home of the friend with whom I had brunch.

Unfortunately, in our hurry to get brunch, I apparently forgot to turn off my headlights. Yes, my car's battery was a dead as a doornail. She insisted on calling AAA for me. It was certainly easier than calling my insurance and waiting for them to call someone out. So, we sat talking and waited for only about twenty minutes for the young man from AAA showed up to give my poor little Scion xB a jump. My wheels started up as it should have done. I headed to the gas station where the lines existed this morning, only to find another two lines of cars waiting to gas up for work tomorrow. I decided I probably had enough gas to drive another five or six miles to the Mobil station where I like to buy gas. That would charge the battery a bit more, so that when I shut off the engine, I would have a better chance of it starting again, with a somewhat better charge. 

Once gas was in my vehicle, and the battery charged, I got onto the freeway for a few miles in order to give it a little better chance of charging my battery better, as I probably won't be going much of anyplace tomorrow with my neck now giving me trouble.

Anyway, that's my day today, after just heading out to a nice early brunch.