Cherie's birthday.

4/25/06 Tuesday
Today is Cherie’s birthday. No, I will not say how old she is. I may have brain damage but I am not dumb, at least not all the time though I do have my moments. Speaking of that lets get to today. It is 12:40 in the afternoon now. I just got done checking my E mail and the blog. Dial up sucks. I hope the bar turns back on their Wi Fi but if they don’t I could always drive to the library, Burger King, or any one of many other hot spots to go online. I suppose I would do that when I want to transfer pictures or download big files. I have hard enough of a time just getting the text of this journal uploaded to the blog.

My calendar said I was to get Wayne to LMHA for his housing class. Cherie is going out to lunch with her mother as they both have the same birthday. We had discussed this and whether I was to get her something for her birthday but I forgot. Cherie got me up and I heard her fixing breakfast. I tell her she needs to be getting ready for work and she laughs. “We talked about this. It’s my birthday and I have the day off. Mom and I are going to spend some time together”.

Oh…what day is it? It’s Cherie’s birthday! “Happy birthday honey” I said as she gave me a kiss with a big smile. We loved each other as we do so I won’t go into the details of the “Your beautiful”, “Your handsome”, “I love you” conversation that we engage in. I’ll just say it is good to be so in love. It is still strong after 25 years, especially the last three years since we remarried.

I get showered and shaved, ready to go out and get Wayne to this important class at the housing authority. I’m running late so call Wayne so he is outside ready when I drive up. Yep! He’s there. I get Wayne loaded in. He has to put his walker in the back seat as it won’t fit in the trunk of Cherie’s car. I took off as soon as Wayne got settled, hurrying to get him to the appointment.

I get on the highway and head down the road on a path that is familiar from years of travel. I am scooting along, making good time and avoiding the idiots effectively. Wayne is talking a mile a minute but I have to ask him to be quiet. I am slow this morning, woke up exhausted and running at a 5 on the Bob scale. I think about where I am going and “Damn. Wayne we’re going the wrong way” I exclaimed. I was heading to the Veteran’s clinic, where I take Wayne often. I often do this, kinda go on auto pilot and steer down familiar paths unaware it is the wrong way. Yesterday was particularly bad for this also. I can’t remember much but I know I got lost taking Wayne somewhere. I should check yesterdays entry to see what happened…OK, I took Wayne to the VA yesterday. Now I remember, we talked to the VA social worker about Wayne’s housing issues.

I got Wayne to LMHA, which was packed with people, and went to the front window to announce “I have Wayne Schmitz here for the housing class”. The lady just looked up uninterestedly and said “We don’t have a housing class today”. Then I asked for his case worker, who’s name I couldn’t remember. We waited as a constant stream of people went too and fro in front of us. Finally Wayne’s name was called. We got up and made it to her office. She was happy face smiley and said “Oh! What an unexpected visit, what can I do for you?”. Upon learning we thought we were here for housing she looked on her computer, “That’s tomorrow” she said. Time to feel stupid or embarrassed or for me frustrated at this constant reminder of the TBI.

Now I am heading out to take Wayne to the Neurologist providing I have the right day. I’ll try to post this first.
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That went well, allot faster than yesterday. The phone just rang. It is Eric at Ed Schmitz. The news is not good. It looks like the motor is blown. Eric said it would cost almost $6,000 to replace. He thinks that perhaps Firestone had something to do with it going bad. I don’t know but I called Fred to tell him. It was a cruel blow for him. He still has about $8,000 he still owes on the car. I suggested he get a lawyer but he doesn’t know any. I need to look into what he can do.

4:32 – I’m batting one thousand now. I picked up Wayne and got him to MUO. It was a madhouse again so I let Wayne off at the entrance and went in search of a parking space. Finding one I hurried back to find Wayne. He was seated at the registration desk with a troubled looking receptionist. (I’m sure they have a title for her that is different from “receptionist” but I do the best I can with what I know)

“I don’t have an appointment at all for a Wayne Schmitz anywhere” she was telling Wayne as I walked up. Now we have a puzzle. Who? What? Where? were all asked but still no answer. BUT WAIT, there’s a clue she says. Great now the problem is solved. We are in the wrong building. I got directions and we quickly left, heading for the other building. Of course it’s under construction, how do I get in? No!! dead end, gotta turn around.

Finally found the right door. “IIIt’s behind door number five Bob” the announcer said as I finally pulled up. I let Wayne out at the door and backed up to get a parking space. Walking in the first sign I saw said “OBGYN – GYNOCOLOGIST Sign in here”. Looking around I saw a bunch of late baby boomer women and thought “OK,,,Where is neurology? I hope we’re not the only males in here”.

I was relieved to see another sign for neurology so let the receptionist know we were here. “But your late. You should have been here at 2:30. I don’t know. Let me check with the doctor” she says before disappearing through a door behind the counter.
Wayne had made his way to the bathroom where I could hear he was struggling to deal with his walker. I sat down and waited.

The doc can’t see us right now so I try to set up another appointment. Now again begins the process of figuring out who Wayne is. Where did he meet the doctor? When? There is nothing available anytime soon so she searches for another avenue. “So he’s a new patient. Dr. Bhat hasn’t seen him before so he can see another doctor” she reasoned out loud. She asked a few carefully worded questions to follow some protocol and we got an appointment with somebody new.

I’m not doing well and am a bit…not nice. That would be a good way to put it. Nothing quite worked out today but still got stuff done. I said little as I drove Wayne home. I got him in and headed slowly for home.

Cherie wasn’t there so I called her cell and let her know I was home. She called while mom was bringing her home. I went outside to say hi to mom as odds are I won’t see her much before we go to Texas. Mom and Cherie were both in a jolly mood. She showed me her new PT Cruiser proudly. We talked a little and brushed some subjects tenderly. I asked Pat permission to even put this much in the blog. Kinda get a little gun shy when folks get themselves all twisted up over next to nothing. Anyway Mom looked good. I told her that they were invited to the house in Texas when we get it fixed up. She seems to be more comfortable about that as Cherie was able to convey our dream for the place. It is good to make mom happy. I gotta go now.