Dashing Away With a Smoothing Iron!

A few months ago - on another web site that I belong to - a friend had mentioned something about ironing and another friend, mentioned the old song "Dashing Away with a Smoothing Iron" It was a song that we sang in school when I was quite little and bought back so many memories. Now, why do I mention this? Well, the pile of ironing on the spare bed was reaching up to the ceiling and Mr. Indi was running out of ironed pjs and tee shirts and I was running out of time - but it struck me that my dear Jesus wife, Lourdes, might like to earn a few bob doing the ironing - since her husband has been laid off from work and I know they need the money.

So - it's all arranged, I now have an ironing lady and if I knew the words in Spanish, I would teach her the ironing song! There is a verse for every day - and this is Friday!

'Twas on the Friday morning,

When I beheld my darling,

She looked so neat and charming,

In every high degree.

She looked so neat and mini-Oh

Ironing her linen-Oh

Dashing away with a smoothing iron,

She stole my heart away

Yesterday was not a bad day - as days go! We had visits from two nurses. First, the nurses aid who gave Mr. Indi a nice bed bath and a good rub down with moisturizer. She was a very nice, happy, jolly woman who was fascinated with Mr. Indi's doll house and baskets of dollies in his room! Next came the R.N. She will be coming once a week to check Mr. Indi's overall medical condition.

She said he was in fairly good nick considering that he had just had chemo. He had no elevated temperature but his blood pressure was a little high 147/87 - so she will keep an eye on that. She remarked on how good his skin looked and commended him on looking after himself by using lotions etc. to avoid bed sores. (Terrible things.) She also suggested that he take a multi vitamin daily - Cor struth, he already takes handfuls of pills! Well, I suppose one more won't hurt. Maybe, her family owns a vitamin factory! Me - cynical? - Nah!

Today his Lordship has to do a "poke myself in the belly with a very sharp needle" routine. His red cell count has been slipping downward so it's time to crank up the Procrit again. Arggg. Poor chap. He usually gets it all prepared himself - but now that he can no longer get out of bed, I am going to have to find out where he keeps his stash of needles and other drug paraphernalia! Yikes!

S, our lovely patient advocate, had sent me an article about a drug that is used to calm down neuropathic pain in patients with back and leg pain. It is also used for amputees that experience "phantom" pain in the amputated limb. The physio who came the other day, Steve, also suggested that Mr. Indi might benefit from the drug. It's called Gabapentin - the generic name for Neurontin. Studies show that it doesn't work for everyone who experiences shooting pains and other discomfort in the legs but both S and Steve thought it was worth a try. Of course, when I asked Dr. J for a prescription the answer was "It won't work!" Arggg. I got a bit pushy and said I wanted his Lordship to try it anyway. They hate to hear my bitching so I got the prescription! And, I am happy to report that, after just one day, Mr. Indi's legs are feeling much more comfortable! I win!

Today, I must run around and do mucho errands. I do hope I don't miss a phone call to let me know whether the canary is still on the dining room table! The pic was one that I took in May 2006 of the lovely double hibiscus in my back garden - roll on May!