There's no need to fear... Underdog is here

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Today was a bit sobering.  I had a billion things to do, and a schedule to keep.

Annie and I walked the 6 blocks to Walgreen's, to put some money on my Clipper card.  When you hear the double beep on the bus, it means there's no more money on your card and you're very regretful about being so judgmental about people who get on and don't pay.  I soothe my conscious by asking the driver if there's a Walgreen's on his route.  I used a gift card that a friend of Michael's sent me.  Thanks, Joanne!  He needs to make more friends like that...  :-)

I also needed a printout of how much I'm paying for my meds, which is not very much at all.  Five dollars is the most I pay in co-pays.  Yesterday, I had a neurology appointment, and am going to start Copaxone again... and paying 5 bucks for a medicine that costs between 4 and 5 thousand bucks a month is a miraculous thing.  Not gonna complain.

Speaking of the neurology appointment, we picked up where we left off last March, when I had a spinal tap.  Somehow, I fell thru the cracks and haven't seen a doctor for MS issues since last March - mostly my fault because I didn't follow-up, but they didn't call me with what they were spose to do either.  We left off with needing a follow-up on the results of the spinal tap, needing a spinal MRI, and seeing a specialist.  I was sick to death of appointments at that point, and then Michael moved in, and my mind was elsewhere.  Like how to make more space in the apartment.

So, now I know that the spinal tap shows that yes, I have MS.  I'm re-starting Copaxone, IF Medicare/Medi-Cal will cover it - she wasn't sure if it would.  The specialist is scheduled for February.  Someone will call me to schedule the MRI on my spine.  I'm re-starting Occupational Therapy for helping me with walking and not falling.  I fell 3 times yesterday when getting ready to go to the doctor.  She gave me her email address, and told me to be VERY pro-active by emailing her to remind her and to make sure I don't fall down the crack again.  There's a whole lotta falling going on around here...

Back to today.  I forgot to get quarters for the laundry at the bank right next to Walgreen's.  So much for being organized.  We walked back home, and collected the free food box for my neighbor down the hall, cause I am his "proxy", which is a fancy word for someone who does something for someone else because they can't for whatever reason.  Then I cancelled my appointment at 11:30am, cause I was over-whelmed with too much to do.  It's for volunteering at a rescue for senior dogs.  I decided to wait till I get Annie's shots up to date, so that I don't bring home any diseases to her.  That's scheduled for next Thursday, and it's FREEFREEFREE cause of P.A.W.S.  !!!  Tomorrow, I have a training for volunteering at P.A.W.S. at 10:30am. 

Back to the REAL reason for today's post, for heaven's sake.  I finally went to the Apple store to test drive an iPhone because I'm losing my eyesight, and need a phone that talks to me, and does texts to voice and voice to text, etc.  Before I left tho, I got on the computer to find which bus route to take, and I couldn't see the text on the screen.  I couldn't see the text on my phone.  I couldn't see the text on my transit map.  So I had to call Michael, hoping he'd know which bus to take.  The J to downtown.  Okay, I can do that.  As I waited for the bus, I was freaking out about my eyesight.  Not being able to see the computer was new.  I also can't see the menu on the TV, which is about 8 feet away from me.  I could see it a week ago.  I can SEE, but everything is blurry to extinction.

So today was the first day I really realized that there's a problem.  Knowing it and accepting it is a whole can of worms I don't want to deal with, but it's kinda in my FACE and won't go away.

Next thing I know, Annie is staring intently down the sidewalk... her MICHAELMICHAELMICHAEL LOOKLOVEYIPPEE HE'S HERE and she forgets she's MY service dog.  He had come from the library, and knew where'd I'd be cause he's the one who told me which bus to take... He said he'd go with me, which is unusual for him.  I normally am fine with doing stuff on my own, and don't need help, but today, I felt so relieved to not be alone while I was going blind right before my very eyes...  since he came out of nowhere, that's where I got "There's no Need to Fear... Underdog is Here".  That's what it felt like.  He's got my back and I sooo appreciated it.


So we test drove the iPhone 4, the 4s, and iPhone 5.  We have a winner with either the 4s, or the 5, which means it's not a free update.  The iPhone 4 would be free, but I need Siri and after talking to her for awhile, it because clear that she is going to be my best friend.  I could also magnify the text, keyboard, and icons large enough so that I could see them.

We also test drove the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, which I LOVED the size of, but it didn't have Siri, and the keyboard was too small, the text didn't grow big and I couldn't see the icons well enough to know what they were.

So... the iPhone it is.  But it's not free.  My upgrade applies to it, so it's not full price, but still pricey for me.  We shall see.

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