Feb 20 Friday

Yesterday as everyday I went to the 24 fitness gym.

It was my Zumba day with Mike.Zumba is a good cardio exercise for coordination and balance, beside I am meeting always the normal people of Bakersfield. It is my valve of being with what I am considering being with normal people.  As usual  I have enjoyed the gym. Afterward I also had cycle with Lolita. She is the lady with the dark bandanna.

It was her last day so farewell Lolita. I will keep going to the 24 fitness gym. The gym is still there.

While at the gym I met Wayne and snapped a picture of him smiling. He is a very positive person. You know he has lost his wife some time ago and now he is getting stronger and gaining back some of weight he lost. 

Hence I am glad that Wayne is working out over there.

Wayne mentioned that I should get a surfboard as my hairs are becoming long and look like a surfer. 

Wayne is always kidding and I appreciate him joking with me.

At the gym I  went with patient EC.

The matter is that I  was shuttled first at  Edgwater to pick up patient EC  then shuttled to the gym, finally shuttled back to the apartment. A perfect loop. 

The driver even refused to get the customary tip that you give to any driver in US.

I have to say that  in my opinion Edgwater is located in a place that is not very  healthy. In  my opinion only cheap condos are placed beneath the high voltage power lines. Perhaps the land over there is cheap and the occupants don't care about the high power lines dangling over their heads.

Regarding the order of the  current execution may  I say " Beauty -me patient GR before age- you patient EC" and let you mumble about it? Yes let's face reality you could be my grand father assuming he would be still alive. 

Once I came back to the CNS apartment I started the procedure for shut down: shower, a tasty byte 

my evening meds: Divalproex, Melatonine and Trazodone.  I went to bed by 9pm no TV, a bit or reading to keep my brain engaged and then light off.

The Divalproex makes me sleep happy while  Trazone with Melatonine are used to  knock me off to sleep.

At 6 am I am always up and running anyway as I am sleeping 9 hours. 

 also have found a few things in the drier and folded away on the couch.

I have asked Lupe -my house keeper - to take these item back. She mentioned that she would be doing it  this  morning.

Today I add  a tasty breakfast: a lot of blueberries for my eyes. I feel that it is a very healthy fruit in the morning for me. So I am having every day a good amount of blueberry with my cereal and with my morning yogurt (Blueberry flavor). 

Of course my wife's picture is always with me. Thinking about your wife.. patient GR thinking about your wife..  It has been instilled and hammered in me. I like leaving with the memory of a ghost. And as I am not afraid of ghost I like to look my wife in the eyes every morning.

Enjoy the reading as I have been enjoying writing to you.

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Let continue the conversation per this morning

I guess at CNS there are many sign throughout the facilities. 

First of all the company logo is the one below, courtesy of the web.

The second dearest sign of CNS is the sign below. It is market everywhere and it is in every single car. 

As a memento of the current condition.

I bet CNS spends a lot of money and energy on its own sign.. 

Unfortunately for our own condition the following sign is not respected.

It is obviously the last concerns that CNS has in mind.

Smoking is obviously a choice.. but it is also a choice of not smoking.

Passive smoking is certainly bad for one's health but apparently CNS  has not been made aware of this issue.

Hence people are encouraged of smoking ( a fine example for curbing the current population of CNS)

Hence it is a wonderful aspect to be sharing the present environment with the current population that has the tendency of smoking too much, of stinking as well (perhaps they have forgotten to be a clean and decent person)

Anyway you see I can't stand this place any longer and hence I am looking to get the hell out of it.

Be careful please don't become a customer at CNS as otherwise you are never getting out from it.

Sincerely

Patient GR

Thursday February 19th 2015-- the gate of hell

A little early morning feedback for CNS is worth putting on my blog.
I have already informed Renee my RTC and whoever is in charge of my little program.

The matter is that I don't wish to have any RNS in my apartment in the morning I am fully capable of dressing and eating by myself. I do not need anybody to came along. I like my little independence and my general privacy..


Renne if you care please step in..

Particularly when any NRS is checking on my med I feel this is a waste of time,  when afterward Ceclilia at nursing is going to do the same.. well let me tell it that this is a simple waste of money and of your preciously.

I understand nursing is doing its job.. so I accept nursing..


If I had to be checked anyway.. as the posting sign in the apartment says I AM INDEPENDENT...


Hence I am sure you guys got the message..

as far as for yesterday activity I have already been working at it on the following  blog  link chiccolapo.blogspot.com It is the same as this blog anyway,,



Let me switch gear of my thinking about the CNS.. being at CNS is like being on  a resort hotel build in the 50's as all the equipment shows its age.

I would not spend any money in advertising the CNS own amenities.. as clearly most of the infrastructure is old.

For working at CNS you don't need to have any special qualification nor any special skills..
There is a lot of changing in the personnel for CNS and it is understood.

You see I checked on the web and the pay for a Rehabilitation Technician is abut $30k/ year this makes about $2500 a month. Clearly is it way below what you can make in the Industry.

Based on my experience it is certainly half as much of what you provide in the industry .. and I am talking about the bare minimum of what you have to talk to get a candidate interested.


Let's talk about how I can hold my breath for the time of having so called therapy of your.
Gentleman and Gentle lady.. obviously you don't have any  idea of what it meas to be hospitalized at CNS...

Hence have a great day if you can..
mine .. is going down the drain just by the fact of being part of this bunch of fellow camarades.

Wednesday Feb 18 evening

tonight I went to the gym and did cycle. Over there as usual I took a picture with the instructor. Her name is Angie and her boyfriend is doing great. As usual I met the people I have become familiar with.

After cycle I did body pump with Silvia. At 7pm it was time to leave so I left.

I took  picture of Kaia here smiling to me and I am posting it on this blog.

At the gym Cristina waited for me outside the gym. I went to the car being 2 minutes late and she was pointing to me that she had to wait for 2 extra minutes.

So I beg CNS to pay Cristina the extra time that my condition has forced her to be. Apparently she was very annoyed and she flipped very quickly.

I am sure CNS will be able to give her some extra for her effort tonight.

Anyway on the positive side, I went by myself at the gym.  I like the gym as it makes me feel like a normal people.. as I am reminded every single moment at CNS that I am not normal.

In the sense that I feel like a guest forced to stay within a perimeter of a very exclusive resort. the exclusivity of the resort is because it is not a vacation spot rather it is "the bridge for a meaningful recovery" as it is called among the local workers.

My pituitary gland is really thanking you for the very useful exercise.

After the gym we came back to the apartment, I got a snack, shower my meds and now I am blogging as the PC is up and running once more.

After all why do I need a new PC? we have been debating this question extensively with my wife.

Her point is that her Apple Laptop is 5 years old. The  PC I am using has been given to me by somebody who did not need  a 5 years old PC either.

Hence my wife's opinion is that this PC is perfectly fine for my use.

Well I not really working with it, as now I am disabled and unemployed as today CNS' paper reminded me again.

You see in life you never know what lies behind the corner. And my corner was pretty sharp. 

You can meditate about the sharpness of your own corner. 

Looking forward to hear the results.

Actually .. it is your own matter please no sharing allowed...

Sincerely

Patient GR

Wednesday February 18 2015

Capitan Kirk log, Astral date 230554433.26
The Klington vessels have been scanning the Enterprise in search for a sign of our captive. Thus far they could not find him.

They are using a long range sensor scan to complete their mission.

In the meanwhile they are working toward their own goal..
here is the updated  situation at CNS Bakersfield.


Yesterday I had a good dinner. Rice with mushroom and Parmesan cheese.
As a side a good salad with Spinach, tomato, Chia seeds and a bit of onion.

Also  I have been cooking staffed portobella mushroom.

As usual I made the staffing  with Bread Crumble mixed with spices, oil and water to moist the filling.

I have been cooking in the oven for 20 minute and finally broiled for 10 minute to brown the top of the filling.

Finally  I had some fan by going to Walmart at Personal shopping.. This is Walmart as seen from the outside.

Here is the result of my shopping spree.

A bunch of  personal items for me and a couple of books for our kiddos.

For Chicco a book of Mindcraft as he is really into it. For Lapo our youngest an ABC reading book of Dr. Seuss's as he is learning to read. Chicco attends IV grade while Lapo is in Kindergarten.

I hope they appreciate it. I  have been consulting with Simona my wife beforehand.

Simona also confirmed me that she did not need anything for  her. I am always consulting with her needs whenever I am going off to buy anything.. after all it is her money and it is her wish I am following.

So I have spent her money only for myself and the boys. I happily blew $36.70 and came back with a sense of fulfillment  for the positive result of the evening.

Today I went to my doctor at the Centennial Medical group.

Suzanne my nurse drove me over there to see Dr. Madrilejo.

I have been asking him for more shot, however based on the results of my blood test he suggested to stay out. The marker in my blood that the test surveys is called  igf1 factor. During this time  it is at 130. For my age group it should be withing 120 and 230 so according to Dr. Madrilejo it is right where it should be.

As usual the visit was very quick and very pleasant. A quick face to face meeting,an exchange of pleasantry concluded the  very positive and encouraging meeting.

So the next time I will have to see Dr. Madrilejo  is in a couple of mounts: tax day, i.e. April the 15th. Today he mentioned that After October I will not have to see him any longer... we will see              (Ad maiora as they say.. sorry for the Latin inclusion..you know it is very useful sometime to have an education as a background) 

You can try to scramble this one...

"Tu ne quesieris, scire nefas quem mihi quem tibi finem dii dederint.

Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero"

During the visit everything went well, the matter of the co payment came up again and this time  it was hammered promptly by mentioning the high-deductible regime we are dealing with.

They very relevant and positive aspect of the visit is that in my own profession it is written: disabled and unemployed. 

It is a wonderful aspect and such a warm feeling of being reminded of your own condition.  Today nobody has been using the following sign that apparently at CNS is so much loved by everybody.

Yes because at CNS we are all  Handicapped in case you have forgotten this matter.

I guess CNS is spending a lot of money in keeping up with all the handicapped sign in the car and all these sign that are posted around..

Well it is what it is,, why changing things? 

As they said in my opinion  the current slogan should be rather  "The bridge for a meaningful recovery"  I would recommend using Handicapped once handicapped for ever..it is more appropriate to the current competitive landscape.

Enjoy the reading as I have clearly enjoyed posting to you..

Today the AAC smells poorly obviously somebody made sure to pollute the air so we are all sharing the stink..

This is another poor example of  the poor living condition and how much this place resemble to a prison.. overpopulated, under equipped and with a various population that have a large background ..

I would say a very limited background.

But hey acceptance is the key.. Ain't my place any way ..

why worry? 

Time to eat.. this is something to worry..

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Bon Appetit Posting

Before lunch I had the pleasure to work with CK at the research Department over a set of test to measure the time correlation of my memory.

The test consisted in saying back a set of letter, words or number and to recall it at a later time.

Also part of the test was copying down a complex geometrical figure and later at the end of the test to recall its feature.  

I clearly did my best and in doing so I have realized my short term memory is still flaky.

After the test I was able to have my lunch. I had a wonderful staffed pepper that I have filled with ground turkey mixed with rice and a few spices.

Finally a healthy avocado complete my lunch.

I am eating too much and doing too little sport.

I feel I have gained back some pounds.

During lunch I called home and found nobody. I tried afterward but the line was so distorted that I had no sounds coming out.  So I have instead called Simona at Caltech and she had time for me as usual. She promised that today she would eat something good.

I am working  hard or hardly working? I guess you know the answer .. in my opinion it is the latter, perhaps you might want to suggest the former...

Well whichever it is, it is OK and I am really concerned by these matter any longer.

In fact the past is the past and guess what... There is no coming back..

I used to work hard, and to monitor my work and my progress. Anyway after all it does not matter any longer.  Breathing in and Breathing out .. going with the Mediation flow and creating a space for yourself. The best way is to respond rather than react. When you respond you are engaging all the filter of your brain and your frontal lobes are definitely making their job.

When you are reacting you break this filter that is in place and you let your emotions taking over your body. 

Hence you are learning to Respond rather that reacting

Need to go.

Sincerely

Tuesday February 17

Over the weekend I have been doing really a lot of good items.

On Friday I went to the gym for Zumba with Honey, she is the lady at my right hand side.
Her daughter Ararai is doing great and busy with school

Before leaving I snapped a funny picture with Frank the manager.

On Saturday  it was Valentine day I first of all took care of the apartment and then did my grocery shopping at  Trader Joe's.

Over there I greeted Kanvas

and Cloei

I found everything on my list and spent $90.85.

I have also brought back my bags and entered Simona's number for the raffle.

Finally I have got stickers for everybody to distribute around the community.

Later I have been going to the movie.  The movie on Saturday evening was the Kingsman with Colin Firth,

This is the banner

This is the Valentine

This is Morgana at the Maya Theater.

This is the letter I have been writing to my family. I am always initiating writing to my family as it makes me feel well.

On Sunday I have been taking care of my cooking and writing even more letter to my family afterward I have been going to church.

Over there I sat down with Coral and her family and shared the church experience.

On Monday President Day the clinic was closed so I spent time cooking, writing to my family and reading.

In the afternoon I went to the gym as it was my Yoga evening with Erica

I need to go..

Sincerely

Giuseppe