expiration date

As I get older, of course I see more people I know die. We all have an expiration date. Recently, someone I know was diagnosed with cancer. Cancer on the lining of a lung and around the heart. Sounds awful. Anything with the word “cancer” involved sounds horrible. She has had to go to the hospital to have fluid removed from her lung at least two times before that I’m aware of. What I can’t understand is why this cancer wasn’t detected earlier. From what I understand, the last time fluid was to be removed, it was very difficult to penetrate to get the fluid because the cancer on the lining was very thick. Right now they are determining what type of cancer it is. And they said they can’t do surgery so they can only make her comfortable. I don’t know the medical history, but in the back of my mind, I can’t help but wonder if her care wasn’t prioritized because she is an older woman.

Today I had to go to urgent care because my sinuses just weren’t getting better and I knew I needed antibiotics. I’ve had a history of sinus problems, 2 surgeries, and I know when enough is enough. Normally, I just try to wait to see if it will clear on its own. I’m not big on antibiotics, but I need to have some dental work and I can’t get the work done if I can’t breath through my nose. At the local urgent care clinic, you have to go to the clinic, receive a ticket telling you what time to come back. Upon your designated time, you are given a number and wait until your number is called before you can go into the building. Once my number was called, I waited 45 minutes to see someone. A nurse practitioner. Not a doctor. Doctors are in short supply. I didn’t care. I knew what was going on and got the prescription and went on my way.

We have a very small room off the garage we have used for storing paper products (toilet paper and paper towels) and other cleaning products. It also has a few other items that need to be removed and reorganized, but not the point.  I was restacking the paper products and realized there was mold on the wall. I’m allergic to molds. I’ve got to get that cleaned up and move the rest of the products away from the wall to prevent more mold. This house is very old, poorly insulated, and I think is one of the main sources of my sinus issues.  I’ve never liked this house. My husband pretty much forced us to move here.  His parents built the house and when his mother passed away and his father remarried, my husband practically flew to move into this house. It was never discussed with me. It was more like a forced trail of tears. This house is past its expiration date. Eventually, I will be past my expiration date, too.