La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
We had hail Sunday afternoon. Not that I saw it, but I read about it. Thankfully, the sun is shining today and the forecast is positive (“Expect nice weather over the next 7 days.”). It’s a good thing, too. My mood has become as dreary as the weather. And, unlike the weather, my dreariness has been of no use to the flowers and trees. Today’s photos are from my walk Thursday. It began with a drizzle and ended with a downpour. Still, I enjoyed it and even saw a grey heron on the river. That’s the first one I’ve ever seen.
My appointment with the nephrologist went well. My numbers continue to improve and he even stopped one of my prescriptions. I had an appointment yesterday with my public health doctor. Or, I should say, I was supposed to have an appointment. San Geraldo had an appointment with him Thursday but the doctor called in sick (again). SG didn’t know until he arrived at his office. There was a note on the door. Fortunately, it’s only a three-minute walk from home. Still, SG had showered and even shaved for the occasion. I assumed the office had had enough time to get their shit together and would definitely notify me if the doctor was not in. Nope! I showered (didn’t shave). I walked the three minutes. I even climbed the two flights of stairs instead of using the elevator. There was a note on the door. It really pissed me off, but I couldn’t tell anyone in person because the lobby was too busy, probably with people complaining that they hadn’t been notified and they needed a doctor. I need to see him regarding my dizziness. The previous doctor gave me a prescription in January for a nasal spray and that seemed to do the trick. I was only supposed to use it for 20 days, but the dizziness came back. So I picked up another bottle. However, it doesn’t seem to be working its magic anymore and I shouldn’t continue using it given what I know about nasal sprays. Way too many side effects. It seems my cure for dizziness can, with regular use, cause dizziness. Also, I’d like to know what my lab results look like and have been unable to view them online.
Anyway, since it was early in the day and the sun was shining, I had told SG I would go for a walk after my appointment. So I did. However, the dizzies were back in force and I had to find benches and lamp posts to lean on every minute or so. This is not helping my mood. I’m preoccupied and fighting depression lately. I have no clue what this year will bring in the Disunited States and the world, but I’m so grateful to be living here in Spain. Never mind. Merchi will be here soon to make our home sparkle, so we’re getting ready to go out for coffee and second breakfast. We’re meeting friends of friends for dinner tomorrow. And Friday we’re having a video chat with very special old friends from Boston whom we haven’t seen in years, and they’ve scheduled a trip to Spain later this year. I will once again be one big fricking ray of sunshine.
Tuvimos granizo el domingo por la tarde. No es que lo viera, pero leí sobre ello. Por suerte, hoy brilla el sol y el pronóstico es alentador (“Se espera buen tiempo en los próximos 7 días”). Y es algo bueno. Mi estado de ánimo se ha vuelto tan deprimente como el tiempo. Y, a diferencia del tiempo, mi desánimo no les ha servido de nada a las flores ni a los árboles. Las fotos de hoy son de mi paseo del jueves. Empezó con una llovizna y terminó con un diluvio. Aun así, lo disfruté e incluso vi una garza real en el río. Es la primera que veo en mi vida.
Mi cita con el nefrólogo fue bien. Mis cifras siguen mejorando e incluso me suspendió una de mis recetas. Ayer tuve cita con mi médico de salud pública. O mejor dicho, se suponía que debía tener cita. San Geraldo tenía cita con él el jueves, pero el médico llamó diciendo que estaba enfermo (otra vez). SG no lo supo hasta que llegó a su consultorio. Había una nota en la puerta. Por suerte, está a solo tres minutos andando de casa. Aun así, SG se había duchado e incluso afeitado para la ocasión. Supuse que en la consulta habían tenido tiempo suficiente para organizarse y que definitivamente me avisarían si el médico no estaba. ¡No! Me duché. Caminé los tres minutos. Incluso subí los dos tramos de escaleras en lugar de usar el ascensor. Había una nota en la puerta. Me molestó mucho, pero no podía decírselo a nadie en persona porque el vestíbulo estaba demasiado lleno, probablemente con gente quejándose de que no les habían avisado y que necesitaban un médico. Necesito verlo por mis mareos. La médica anterior me recetó un espray nasal en enero y pareció funcionar. Solo debía usarlo durante 20 días, pero los mareos volvieron. Así que compré otro frasco. Sin embargo, parece que ya no hace efecto y no debería seguir usándolo, dado lo que sé sobre los espráis nasales. Tiene demasiados efectos secundarios. Parece que mi remedio para los mareos puede, con el uso regular, causar mareos. Además, me gustaría saber cómo son mis resultados de laboratorio.
En fin, como era temprano y brillaba el sol, le había dicho a SG que daría un paseo después de mi cita. Y así lo hice. Sin embargo, los mareos volvieron con fuerza y tuve que buscar bancos y farolas donde apoyarme cada minuto, más o menos. Esto no me ayuda en absoluto. Últimamente estoy preocupada y luchando contra la depresión. No tengo ni idea de qué nos deparará este año en Estados Unidos y en el mundo, pero estoy muy agradecida de vivir aquí en España. No importa. Merchi llegará pronto para dejar nuestra casa reluciente, así que nos estamos preparando para salir a tomar un café y un segundo desayuno. Mañana quedamos con amigos de unos amigos para cenar. Y el viernes tendremos una videollamada con unos viejos amigos muy especiales de Boston a los que no hemos visto en años, y que han programado un viaje a España a finales de este año. Seré una vez más un rayo de sol.
• Refugio del diluvio en la Puerta del Puente, Patrimonio de la Humanidad construida en el siglo XVI para conmemorar la visita a la ciudad del rey Felipe II. Protegiéndose del diluvio en la Puerta del Puente, Patrimonio de la Humanidad, construida en el siglo XVI para conmemorar la visita del rey Felipe II a la ciudad. Felipe II estuvo casado con la reina María I de Inglaterra de 1554 a 1558, hasta el fallecimiento de ella.
• Originalmente de un solo piso de altura y que data de la época medieval (en algún momento entre 476 y 1450 d.C.), el Molino de San Antonio estuvo en uso como molino de harina hasta mediados del siglo XX.
• Al otro lado del puente, junto a la Torre de la Calahorra (vista lateral). Erigida por el Califato Almohade en 1333 para proteger el puente Romano. Otro monumento histórico nacional (1931), la restauración de la torre, el Puente Romano, y sus alrededores fue galardonada con el Premio Europa Nostra en 2014.
• Mirando hacia atrás, no pude caminar mucho abajo. El acceso a las zonas donde el río se había desbordado estaba bloqueado.
• Escombros de la tormenta atrapados en medio del río. Habrá que limpiarlos.
• ¡Aquí tienes una idea! ¡Vamos a reunirnos y bloquear el acceso al puente! ¡Maleducátos!
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
I hope you can see your doctor soon about the dizziness. Keep booking appointments!
Debra:
Maybe dropping the one medication will help. I’ve read it can also cause dizziness. Perhaps the combination of the two was too much. One doctor prescribes it. Another says it’s too much. Sigh.
I am sorry to read about the dizziness you are experiencing. Could it be low blood pressure? I am sure you’ve investigated that angle, but it made me wonder. Take care of yourself, and hopefully the sunny weather in the forecast will help.
Michael:
I have to check my blood pressure regularly and it’s been good. Maybe it’s this other med the nephrologist just UNprescribed. It’s a beautiful day.
Seeing the sun does indeed help things.
I wonder if it’s those inner ear crystals shifting? That can trigger dizziness. It’s unnerving, and I hope you can get it cleared up. No backup when your doctor is out sick, hmm.
Let’s hope the improved weather helps. Boud.
Boud:
The doctor who prescribed the spray said my ears were fine. I don’t how she knew that after a cursory look. But maybe it’s the meds. I’ll keep working on it. It was unfortunate when SG wasn’t notified last week and they all sorts of excuses. No excuse for this week.
I would be furious, having showered and shaved, to find a note on the door; that’s kind of ridiculous. Especially given your need to see him about the dizziness.
That said, to walk among those old bridges and buildings sounds wonderful, except for the rain and the crowds of people I’d shove off the bridges.
Bob:
Oh, the thought of pushing some of those yutzes off the bridge. But then, no.
Oh find a bench in the gentle spring sun, and savor the views for an afternoon. Take care of yourself.
David:
Good idea. Plenty of benches and, now, plenty of sun. Except that would mean I’d have to sit still.
Not good on the dizziness and even worse on the depression. I hate the black dog. It lies to us and it refuses to leave until it is ready. I am so sorry it visits you. Please know that I’m thinking about you. And I guess that walking, walking is as helpful as anything. So much water! Perhaps when the sun comes out, your soul will feel a little lighter.
Ms. Moon, aka One Who Knows That Dog Too
Ms. Moonheavysigh:
I know you understand. I hate those days when I wake up and say, first thing, “Oh shit.” But the sun is shining.
I know. Or sometimes- “This again?” We persevere.
Darn, I wish the dizziness were not in force again! I can’t imagine how disorienting that must have been, trying to go for a walk with that going on. Here’s to hoping the doctor is well soon, and that it’s nothing serious, and he’ll be taking care of you again, soon.
Once, when we were walking in our glorious Forest Park (in St. Louis city… location of the 1904 World’s Fair), I arrived at one of the big foot bridges over a stream, and there was a wedding group taking photos. They had stationed one of the grooms men at the entry, to stop people from walking over the bridge. I looked at him like he was nuts, and just kept walking, while he frantically kept telling me that I had to wait, and then he started yelling to the crew doing the photos, “She won’t listen to me!”. They weren’t even actively doing a photo, they were just trying out poses. Jeepers. It was the only way across the stream, and it took all of 2 minutes for me to be out of their way. It’s not like they rented the space, they just took it over and wanted everyone to wait endlessly while they did their photo shoot. (Oh, my, it seems that I haven’t let this one go…it was years ago! Ha!)
Judy C:
It’s amazing the things that stick in our minds. The absurdity of that guy on the bridge!
I would be pissed off about the doctor business, too. But as my husband likes to tell me, “better to be pissed off than pissed on.” He’s got a point there. Love the grey heron!
Kelly:
Your husband does have a point. I was far away from the heron and zoom is one thing my iPhone camera is weak on. I might have to carry around my old camera just in case. I’ve had a number of these shots that became arty as opposed to sharp and clear.
I’m sorry to hear about your depressed mood of late. Hopefully the closer we get to Spring it will improve. But that’s good news about your doctor appointment. And that first picture was my favorite. As you know I love birds.
Mistress Borghese:
SG and I love birds, too. This was an exciting sighting for me. Wish I had brought my other camera with the good zoom.
Boud’s right about dizziness being to do with the inner ear – the last time I had it really badly (on holiday in Los Boliches, Fuengirola, funnily enough), it was because my ears “popped” on the flight over, and didn’t “un-pop” until we were on the flight home! I found alcohol helped, but of course that’s not an option for you any more…
Benighted yoof, getting everyone’s way as usual – and blocking the views of the beautiful architecture and scenery, too. Oiks!! Jx
Jon:
Ooh, I had a flight like that with the ear problem that lasted the entire week. When it finally did un-pop, I thought my eardrum had burst. The yoof! I was tempted to go Ebenezer Scrooge on them.
That Heron shot is wonderful! May you have more of those moments to help keep you ‘in the moment’.
Jim:
The heron shot is what happens when I try to zoom to the limit with my iPhone. Sometimes it’s art.
It’s strange the dr isn’t in and no one is running the office. I hope some sun helps you feel better. Don’t feel so great myself. Let’s get together for a Depression Club.
Love,
Janie
janiejunebug:
I am astounded that the public health center isn’t doing a better job (or any kind of job) notifying patients. They’re usually on top of that. I’m so sorry for the shit you’re dealing with!
About 3 years ago I had dizziness and it was due to a wrong dosage of my Blood Pressure medicine. It was pretty bad and I would faint at the drop of a hat. I am fine now. The photo of the Heron is wonderful. The bridge looks a lot like the other Roman bridge that was washed away. You really have beautiful architecture all around. You are lucky to be in Spain and not in the USA now. Enjoy and I hope the weather improves soon.
Laurent:
My blood pressure has been fine but I don’t have the cuff with me when I’m out or at the gym and dizzy. The medication the doctor dropped is another BP med that he said was overkill. We’ll see if that’s the problem. The weather is glorious and will be so for at least the next week.
The doctor’s office could have at least called you or sent you an email that the appointment was canceled. Oh, well, enjoy that 7 days of nice weather. You deserve it.
Kirk:
It’s so unlike public health to not notify us and to do it twice in the course of a week with the same doctor. I don’t get it.
Sorry to hear about the dizziness. That plus the weather and fighting the medical system would make it hard for me to be cheerful too. It’s exhausting. Hail in warm weather always fascinates me. As a kid I got pelted by hailstones that came out of nowhere on a summer day. And they hurt! It’s like a sneak attack, because soon after I yelled and ran for shelter, they stopped. Glad there are future happy times to anticipate. Olivia
Olivia:
I remember those little projectiles when I was a kid. Each pelt felt like a sting. SG’s family experienced awful hail storms in South Dakota. They had to file insurance claims for the damage done to the house, including storm doors being destroyed. It could be deadly being caught in that. There is plenty of happiness around here. I just forget sometimes.
Did King Phillip kill Queen Mary for the life insurance? Inquiring minds want to know.
That IS a lot of debris along the river. It’s still a beautiful view, though, even in gloomy weather, and especially along the bridge.
Steve:
I would love to watch that clean-up.
If Philip did kill Mary for the insurance, he wasn’t very bright. He went from being King of England to going home to Spain with little to show for it.