A Day of Gratitude

Wow! What a day! I headed to physical therapy & mannnn did the massage ever feel good today! I need someone to give me massages everyday! I'll return the favor of course! I don't know how one survives a day without one now! And that was just for neck/shoulders. I was so relaxed I swear I would have said 'yes' to anything! I think I'm getting better since it doesn't hurt now but more of the feel good hurt...hope that makes sense to you. Like the after a good workout stretch vs horrible pain. How is that?

I then headed to pick up a TENS unit. About a 45 min drive, which I am just so grateful to my health insurance rep. for! This woman worked so hard since Friday to get this benefit for me. She made so many calls to find a place which would allow them to cover the cost. The vendors in my state apparently are not willing to work with insurance companies so I went to a neighboring state to get it. Crazy! The rep. has one herself so she knew it would help me. She called our state's main office and then called me to say it was all worked out & I could pick it up! She then called me again today to see if I received it & if everything went well. She is just AWESOME! She also worked with me on some unpaid claims & I will just work with her from now on. I wish everyone put the effort into their "job" as she has. I already put in a call praising her, but I think I'll write a letter too! So I have my TENS unit, oh if you don't know what a TENS unit is, this is a little device that they use in Physical Therapy & it sends electrical stimulation to the brain in the form of impulses. It is said to sorta trick the brain to feel impulses & not pain from the problem site & they think it releases endorphins also. So it helps with pain basically. I can wear it driving or working on the computer etc! YA!

You're still wondering why I have a picture of tires aren't you! :-) Ok, here it is....

I am then on my way back to meet a friend for dinner & then take her to Tai Chi for Wellness for the first time - she has back trouble too! Well, one certainly takes a chance driving on the rural rock roads but I was on the highway and all of a sudden I see this big board coming out from under the Semi in front of me. He went over it fine,  I never had the chance to avoid it. I could see something on the driver's side along the edge shiny? As I went over it I just knew! I made sure to hold my steering wheel good & to turn down my music & be more mindful driving. I went about another 20 minutes or more & as time passed & nothing, I thought I was just "thinking negatively" & God was giving me a lesson again! Ha!

I got about less than a 1/4 mile from a place that changes tires right near where I live &  had to stop for a light" and as I'm stopping I said, that sounds like more than the road & sniff, sniff, sniff...that smells like rubber! Opened my door & looked at the front one under my door & doesn't seem bad, didn't look back...ugh! Started up with the light change & went "YEP!" So I got the car to the tire service & the "young guys" filled it to pull it in the garage, wasn't going down fast. I found "the staple" sticking out. Not huge one but it was in there still & slow leak. Then I said if the back caught something you better look at the front, we looked...I found another! Then I said..."you know..." Yep, found one in the back passenger! UGH!!!! Well as it turns out, the front passenger did not have one, the back passenger did not puncture through, so they just took it out, AND they guys didn't want me to have to go back to the desk to redo the work order so they just had me pay for 1 patch (ya...just treads!) so I got 2 for the price of 1! They were soooo sweet weren't they! And these are my original tires on my almost 2 yr old Saturn Vue! Sniff, Sniff...my car was injured! Just minor scraps though! ;-) I'm just soooo grateful I didn't have to change them myself! I mean I can change a tire! HA! I'll tell you that story too, but I never have had to on a SUV so that might be more difficult & now I have injuries I'm recovering from sooo....and good thing not a blow-out, and the tire wall on the flat one was ok, so I am sooo grateful! It could have been sooo much worse! Maybe it was the St. Christopher Medal hanging from my rear-view mirror that one of my friends gave me. Tires don't like me! Come to think of it I hope this didn't start something! Ugh! Maybe I have to recharge the medal? :-)

Let me explain, I think it is  like a virus or something...I get flat tires in bunches! Ha! Now my dad did teach me to change a tire (later when I was older!), change my oil & my brakes! Good thing! The problem is...men are not too happy about it! When I first came to live in the area I am in now, I got a flat tire when I came down with my mom to look at apts. I got a flat & called the guy I was meeting to look at a place, that I would be late & told him where I was. One guy stopped & asked if I need help & I said I had it under control & he watched a bit & then took off. Then another stopped. I again said I had it under control. WELLL...you'd think I emasculated him! He got all huffy & kicked the door of his car shut a few times (kept bouncing back open!) Totally tried to act like I was not feminine because I was able & willing to change my own tire. The prospective landlord came as he was leaving & just said, "Is everything ok?" I said, "Yep! All Done!" He just smiled & shook his head at me & said, "Oh boy!" Ha! 

Then there was the very interesting time at Great America. I was with my cousin & I had a flat when I returned to my car in the parking lot.  This time I needed a bit of help because I could not get the tire out of my trunk. Turned out the screw was stripped so  you couldn't turn the dial. Of course 3 guys came by & just thought it was weak little feminine me! Ha! This one really big guy couldn't get it & I looked in his truck & his girlfriend was laughing the harder & harder he worked at it. Of course just like jar tops, I then got it after him! He loosened it for me so! Ha! Now what was so interesting is one of the guys who came by &  made sure we had it under control was maybe in his 30s, regular attire & then as he drove away, my cousin & I looked at his plates & it was something hmmm religiously stated like he was a preacher. He did have a cross necklace but nothing I would have taken obvsiouly as indicating he was a man of God. We took it as a sign that all would be ok & God was protecting us that night! Oh, I did change my own that time too! :-)

I will say that I do let men change my tires. It is just I don't like to be thought of as someone who is powerless & can't take care of herself if she has to. Being dependent can make one hmmm vulnerable for harm...maybe that is just me but I figure, better safe than sorry & I think that is how my dad feels too! I do remember a drive home at 11pm in pouring rain, in high heels with 102 temperature, fever that is....I called my dad & brother & said, "you are coming here & changing it for me!" A lovely officer came by & shined his light on the tire for us...two guys...he wasn't getting wet! Ha! Now they were under the gas station roof but still...you know wind could blow the rain! I'm sure he would've taken care of things if they weren't there though! I just saw a state officer helping a guy yesterday on the highway!

I did have a lovely conversation with a gentleman today also getting his tires done on his Jeep Cherokee! I'd say late 40s or early 50s. Not bad! ;-) We talked about his dog who just had surgery. He had to have it done since she saved his life! Awww..Then he adopted a female who one of his males well....fell in love or maybe just couldn't keep his paws off her! Ha! He said he had to do right by her! Now is that not a perfect gentleman! We talked about pet food...I won't say...don't want to get into trouble like Oprah! He also warned me to check my tire pressure when I get home, as they tend to over-do-it! Really a nice guy!


* Eric *

Well, just as they were finishing up, my friend who I was suppose to meet for dinner, pulled up. She was just at a restaurant about a mile away, waiting for me. We then went to Tai Chi, which was soooo relaxing. My friend liked it & my instructor talked to her for a while. She got a special treat too...Eric, another instructor friend of mine who is also trained in more classical forms of Tai Chi came & showed everyone a few other moves we can do at home! We then did a lovely meditation & I was so incredibly relaxed I almost couldn't move! Since we hadn't had dinner because of my tires, we went out to a Chinese Buffet & had a lovely talk! I had just enough time afterwards to pick up some cat food so I didn't get attack by Dusty & Country when I came home. :-)

All in all, I'd say a day to have a great deal of gratitude! :-)