Fun & Not So Fun

Last week my friend Tracy said they would be going shopping one day this week, and did I want to go?  Oh, YES! I can't tell you what that means to me, still not being able to drive and stuck home all week!  It gave me something to look forward to all week.  She and daughter, Courtney, came by to get me yesterday afternoon.  We took a trip to The Foundry.  I had never been before but had heard of it.  Their motto is "Where lives are shapped by the hand of God."  The Foundry is a Christian rescue mission and recovery center, and they have a superthrift outlet center that is the largest thrift store in Alabama.  Their online site says, "What's the secret to our success?  Quality products, low prices and attentive customer service."   I've been to thrift stores before and usually find them very crowded and rather dirty.  Not this place!  It was very clean, and the workers were very friendly and personable.  You seldom find that in any store any more.  It was really a pleasant shopping experience.  I was in my wheelchair since I can't yet stand for long periods of time, and it was easy to get down the nice wide aisles.  I found the prices to be less than the Alabama Thrift Store, too.  I went straight to the large men's shirts.  Where most of the shirts at the ATS are $2.99 and $3.99 and up, here most of them were $1.99 and $2.99 and up.  I found a few for $.99 and some of *them* were even on sale.  One I got for $.40 and another for $.74!  I got all the bags below, and only paid $2.99 for one shirt.  It was a 5X, so I splurged for that one since it had so much fabric in it.  The rest were $.99 and $1.99.

HOWEVER, tonight as I pulled them all out of the bag to wash, I took a look at the receipt and noticed the first shirt listed was $6.99!!  What???  I couldn't believe that.  I just knew they had to have made a mistake.  There was no way I'd pay that much for any shirt.  I went back through all the tags I'd just thrown into the trash, and sure enough - there was a tag for $6.99!!  And I have no idea which shirt it even was.  So all my careful sleuthing for bargains just went out the window paying that much for one shirt.  When I checked out, I noticed the amount was more than it I thought it was going to be, but just figured I got a few more than I thought I had.  Oh, well.  I'll have to be more careful next time.  Any way, it was fun and I came home with a lot of cotton fabric.  Cutting them up will keep me busy for several evenings.

That was the fun part......today was the not so fun part.  It was my first physical therapy visit.  Those people are so nice at Therapy South.  It was all great right up to the last part where they put the electrodes on my foot and then put this wrap on it.  The wrap got VERY cold and VERY tight.  When he took it off, I could then see what was so uncomfortable.  The little plastic pieces that hook to the electrodes were nearly embedded into the swollen part of my ankle.  I hope next time they can somehow put those little plastic pieces on the outside of the wrap.  I remember when I was going to PT back in November, the cold therapy at the end was just the worst! 

I told Robert about my knee, and how I really needed it replaced.  He agreed that I better get it done before the end of the year.  He said he if I would work really hard on the foot exercises at home, I could come twice a week rather than 3 times, and that would save enough visits for me to come back after the knee surgery since Medicare only pays for X-number of days of PT in one year.  I'm really hoping I can get this done.  I'll bet the surgery schedules will explode during December with everyone trying to get their surgeries done.  I better get mine scheduled way ahead of time.  Robert is going to give me names of good knee doctors since I forgot to ask my doctor who he would recommend.

And speaking of exercises, I bet get started on mine so I can get to bed.

Night all!!