$$: Health & Clothing

Posted on | October 23, 2008 |

Computer Lesson — $0.00

Another fabulously productive One-to-One computer lesson on my iMac at the Apple store.   The $79 (usually $99 but as a homeschooler I get their educator’s discount) I spent on that year of One-to-One instruction is unquestionably one of the best values and wisest purchases I’ve ever made.

Panda Express — $0.00

For a while The Son was joining me in my One-to-One instruction sessions but now he really prefers sit by himself with a huge plate of fried rice, Manadrin Chicken, and Orange Chicken and a good book for an hour.  As agreed earlier this week, he paid for his own meal.

Medical Co-Pay — $50.00

After my computer lesson I took The Son home then dashed back out to an appointment I’d made to have my hearing tested.  I’m 44.  While I didn’t expect to be fitted for a hearing aid, I was a little concerned about what the hearing test results might reveal.  Over the past few years I’ve been having more and more difficulty in separating sounds — holding a conversation in a busy environment is almost impossible.  My kids’ favorite refrain is, “Mom! Get a hearing aid.”  I do end up saying “Huh?” (in casual conversation) or “Pardon me?” (in polite company) quite a bit.

But the test results showed that my hearing is within the normal range.  I was told to come back in 5 years or so to be tested again.

Maybe my difficulty in separating sounds in a noisy environment has more to do with my addled brain than my middle-aged ears.  All in all, I was pleased to hear that I’m not noticeably losing my hearing and that all of those times my mother boxed my ears when I was a kid hadn’t come back to haunt me.

Colon HydroTherapy — $128.04

My third of three recommended sessions after suffering the side effects of a pre-surgery antibiotic and post-surgery Vicodin prescription (of which, you’ll remember, I took as little as possible).  I’m still suffering IBS symptoms much more than usual these days and can only hope that my gut will calm down given time.

Only $70 of that total was for the session.  The rest, $58.04, covered the two bottles of supplements I needed to replenish.  One’s an IBS herbal formula that seems to, normally, be quite effective at calming IBS symptoms.  I say normally because lately the IBS seems to be larger than the supplement’s capability to calm it.

Ah, the joys of being a perfectly healthy chronically-ill middle-aged woman!

Old Navy — $8.60

A long-sleeve buttondown shirt for The Son.  I was searching for a white oxford cloth buttondown for the boy — both to wear to the ballet tomorrow and for his upcoming confirmation — but had no luck.  As you can see, however, I didn’t leave the store empty-handed.

Until lately, The Son was not a big fan of wearing buttondown shirts.  Oh, he’d wear one when I insisted or the when the circumstances demanded (when he was playing in a concert, for example).  But he never chose to wear one of his own volition.  And, to tell the truth, I never pushed it much because when he did wear one he always wore the shirt buttoned all the way to the top, even when not wearing a tie — making him look like a young, handsome serial killer.  I can only guess that the need to button the shirt all the way to the top was another of his quirky, probably Asperger’s-induced sensory issues.

Then he broke his collarbone.  Now if you’ve ever broken your clavicle or know someone who has, you’ll know that 1) it’s extremely painful, and 2) the act of putting on an over-the-head shirt is a no-no (according to both the body and the doctor).  There we were in the emergency room:  The Son bellyaching that he hadn’t had the forethought to have a book with him when he broke his collarbone so he’d have something to read during the long hours of waiting in the ER and, me, worrying about what he’s going to wear for the next six weeks because he has a closetful of T-Shirts and only one buttondown.

Well, after nearly 7 weeks of daily wear, The Son has adapted quite nicely to buttondowns.  He’s gone from looking like a serial killer, buttoned to the top and all tucked in, to looking like a handsome, hip & casual 14-yo boy with the collar open and the tails out.  The only problem has been that most of the long-sleeve buttondowns I picked up at the thrift store were size Small and the sleeves are so short he can’t actually button the cuffs.  He asked if I’d look around for a shirt or two in a larger size.  Ask, and you shall receive 

Related Posts for Further Reading

• Day 166: Colonics, Underwear, Groceries, Bedding, and Speech Therapy
• Day 102: Co-pay, Quicksilver, and iTunes
• Day 4
• $$: Dec 8 - Medical Expenses and Christmas Gifts
• $$: Clothing
• $$: Doctor & Panda Express (plus unreported expenses)

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