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I Can See Ckearly Now

I Can See Clearly Now
Jeff Jordan

No, I have not fallen into a coma which has rendered me to a semipermanent vegetative state. My malady is a far more serious assault on my cognitive health. I completed the second six-week long treatment of an infection that requires six intravenous applications of antibiotics a day. Because these injections require a nurse to administer them, I’m regulated to be a patient in a skilled nursing home. I could not get a bed at The Recovery Inn where I received the first six weeks of treatment. I’m currently a patient at Rennes which is both a skilled nursing facility and long term care facility.

My problem is not being caused by the infection. I have what might be defined as an environmental issue. The television signal is supplied by cable, (Spectrum). While it does present all of the local stations and the usual suspects like The History Channel, ESPN, and Golf, It does not permit me to DVD any programs, and it doesn’t show the TV schedule. Long story short, I’m stuck watching a lot of really bad network TV or a basketball game between two schools I’ve never head of and being threatened the pain of death couldn’t tell you where they are located.

This has helped me catch up on my reading. Sanford, Forseth, and Isles have helped me pass the time in the quiet afternoon when there is NOTHING on TV. Having consumed everything my friends have loaned me, I checked out the library down the hall. John Grisham Hummm? A common complaint about his books is that they have become somewhat formulaic. When he first became popular, I read a number of his books. I ‘ve always felt that is best was the first book he wrote, which was actually the second book he published. “A Time To Kill” was rejected by every publisher he submitted it to. Once his second effort, “The Firm” became a best seller, “A Time to Kill” was published. "A Time to Kill" and a number of his books were made into films. “Time to Kill” was a hit, starring a young Matthew McConaughey. He performed the amazing closing argument court scene in a manner that probably convinced a lot of young people to choose law for their future.

So I said to myself, ‘screw it’. If Grisham was writing to a formula, I have forgotten what it was. I plucked the book off the shelf and decided to just ignore who wrote it. Let's not glorify the forgettable here. Let's just say the book helped me pass the time.

Time Passes.

Skipping ahead now. It's March. It's snowing again. I home now for a few days. I miss my wheelchair and my call button. On the other hand, I do have my dog and better meals. The problem is mobility. I'm using a Walker. I can only put what is called "toe touch" pressure on my left leg. This means I have to have almost all of my weight on the Walker as I swing my right foot forward, plant it and move the Walker forward (rinse, wash and repeat). It's very much like doing push-ups on parallel bars. Try as I may to avoid it, I manage to pull over the rugs and push my right foot underneath them as I scoot, hop and glide along from room to room.

The other thing is that with a Walker, you need both hands. I can't go to the sink and fill a glass of water and then carry it back to my desk. I can't really carry anything. I do have this nifty pouch that was made and donated by a group of women from a local church. It is tied onto the Walker. It has pockets sewen in that allow me to put my cell phone, paperback books or magazines in them.

Most of all I like having my desktop computer back. I did two articles for Appleton Monthly Magazine on the tablet, and that was enough for me. There so many functions that you can do on a tablet, but they are done differently and executed with far more steps. Yes, home sweet home does have its advantages.

From the snowbound reaches of the Northland, this is Poppa Jeff signing off.

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