Sunday 3/20/22

5:58am I had a very nice aid last nigh. She put me in bed around ten. I had a lot of incontinence episodes but got decent care. I wasn’t laying in urine half the night. The same aid got me out of bed and into my wheelchair. I feel rested so I must of slept h despite the peeing episodes.

Right now I’m experiencing slight arthritis pain in my knee. I’d give it a two on a scale of one to five. Other than that I am ok. Like I said I feel rested. I don’t feel so depressed like yesterday. I only have about an hour wait until coffee and breakfast. I only hope the coffee is nice and hot.

I was listening to my audiobook Vietnam:An Epic Tragedy, 1945-1975 by Max Hastings. I was at the part of Rolling Thunder. This was the bombing of North Vietnam.  The author was going on about how we dropped more bombs on that country than I. Germany during WWII. Yet it was largely ineffectual. I think I remember hearing that 52,000 some North Vietnamese died during the bombing raid. This was out of a population of 18 million.

I was also listening to the growing protest movement over the war. The author was talking about growing campus unrest and many Hollywood celebrities like Jane Fonda who came out against the conflict. Then there was the draft and how young menn would think up ways to avoid it. The war was dubbed a succer’s war. It was dubbed by protesters the wrong war at the wrong place at the wrong time.

I cut my session short because I was getting sleepy. I was surprised when they put me to bed at a decent hour. I was equally surprised at getting good care last night and a good night’s sleep. This is going to be a better  day.

8:39pm I had a great day. I spent most of my day listening to my audiobook Vietnam: An Epic Tragedy 1945-1975 by Max Hastings. Hastings was talking about the Tet Offensive in 1968.  North Vietnam’s objective was capture cities controlled by the Saigon government. It was also hoped that the South Vietnamese people would rise up in support of the war Many battles were fought. The offensive came as a complete surprise to the U.S government. Although initially successful, North Vietnam’s offensive was a militarily failure.

But Hastings writes that it was a political success. Before Tet US officials were predicting an easy victory. But that soon changed. Protest movement grew as more Americans lost faith in an ultimate victory and President Johnson. After the offensive he halthed the bombing north of the 20th parallel. He also sought to end the war through  negotiations. But what was most surprising was he announced he would not rin or accept nomination for President. Although the war could drag on for another seven years it was now known that a military victory was not possible.

I am enjoying listening to this book I started to listen to in the morning.bi was at it most of the day. I could not put it down. This book got me on a Vietnam kick. I bought one other book about Col Edward Landscape called The Road Not Taken. On my list of books to buy is another audiobook Vietnam:A History by Stanley Karnow. I read this one before but it would still be an interesting book.

I talked with Chocolatechip on the phone and on messenger.  She is doing a lot better today. She got an email from NAMI. They are going to start a chapter in Weirton next month. It is going to be held at the Methodist church on West Street. It is off the bus route and in a bad neighborhood. We both agree that the library would have been a better place. Still, I’d like to see her get there.

She also talked about moving from Overbrook. I mentioned another high rise in town, Freedom Place. Chocolatechip said she would like to get on Section 8′ and move into a private dwelling. Then she talked about the projects. I said I heard they have bugs and the same type of people as Overbrook. But I also said I’d want you to move to anyplace where you will be happy. She said she had no definite plans and would not move before inspection.

We both had a nice day . I got lost in a good book.  Life is good. I’m forgot about my problems. I hope to get to bed at a decent hour. I’ve been in this wheelchair since.

10:07pm I’ve been in this wheelchair for at least sixteen hours. I’m not tired. I’m sort of excited. Two more weeks and I can buy more books? I’m also going to get a years subscription to Open Diary. I’m on here a lot so I think it will be worth the money?bim also excited about all these great books I’m going to read. I might be able to finish the Vietnam book tomorrow. Then I’m going to start on that biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Oh I have so many books I don’t know which way to jump. Like they said too many books and night enough time.

I’d like to get back to my audiobook. But my roommate is sleeping. I try to be quiet when he is sleeping I could play chess but I’m tired of losing to the computer.bi have the call light on. I’d like to get in bed now. But I’m so wound up I  cannot sleep. I feel I can pull an all nighter just listening to my audiobook. But I try not to make noise this l. I had anoate at night. I’m in a hell of a mess. I can’t sleep and can’t listen to my audiobook..

Oh boy. Fourteen more days till I can buy books.  Actually I will be getting my SS check on the first. But I won’t be able to get the annual mess with capitol one straight until Monday, April 4. Then I can pay my rent to the nursing home which is only $481  the rest goes on books.  Wish today was the fourth.

11:20pm I’m in bed now. I had another nice aid who put me to bed about forty-five minutes ago. She also gave me a cup of yogart and peaches for my nightly snack.im still kind of wound up.npim laying in bed trying to defuse. Think I’ll call it a night.