Tag: Bullshit

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We really dodged a bullet in the 2024 election.

As the scandal continues to explode around the Minnesota Somalis I can’t help thinking that this would be so much worse if Tim Walz was the Vice President.

I suspect that D.C. The Harris/Walz administration, and the media would be tying themselves up in knots trying to brush it off as a conspiracy theory, misinformation, or they’d be censoring the hell out of it. In any event, not much actual work of government would be getting done because they’d be fighting fires.

Whistleblowers are coming out of the woodwork saying that Walz and others in Minnesota literally ignored irregularities that they were reporting. Some of those whistleblowers are saying that they suffered threats, intimidation, and retaliation for doing their jobs to protect taxpayer money.

Last I heard we’re talking 1 billion dollars in fraud. Some reports suggest that the amount could be higher. 

Like other Americans, I’m asking how the hell that kind of fraud could be ignored. It begs another more concerning question though…

How much fraud is there in other states is connected with the influx of illegal immigrants or more generalized state fraud.

The government shutdown shined a light on EBT/SNAP fraud. It also scratched at the surface of the festering scab of Medicare/Medicaid, and insurance fraud.

Which leads me to ask, “How much of our horribly unbalanced national budget is fraudulent to begin with?“

The IRS comes after average citizens for $600. I guess that makes sense, if you’ve got billions in fraud, then you’ve got to find more money somewhere.

The thing is, it looks like this kind of fraud has been going on for years, possibly decades and we don’t really know how far it goes. 

That continuing resolution Congress just passed is probably still funding this kind of thing. I expect the next budget fight will be contentious and will shut the government down for another extended period. Perhaps it should. With these revelations, I hope that Congress actually does its job and manages the purse strings instead of kicking the can further down the damn road.

It also adds fuel to the fire regarding illegal immigrants. Given what we’ve seen with the Somali fraud, it seems reasonable to look very closely at every immigrant “service” to figure out exactly how much of our annual budget is being sucked up by supporting illegal immigration via NGO’s.

I think It also galvanizes a more nationalistic view on the part of the American people.

We’ve asked for years, “Why are there veterans homeless? Why are the elderly having to choose between their medication and food? Why is it better to be an illegal immigrant in the United States than being a citizen in terms of monthly stipends? How is it possible that Social Security is going broke?“

Now we have at least some inkling of what may have been going on.

If I were an illegal immigrant, I’d be packing my bags.

I think as this scandal expands, so will the ICE mandate. Whereas now ICE clams they’re targeting criminal illegals, I’m betting that soon it will be ALL illegals whether or not they’ve committed subsequent crimes after their first infraction, (crossing the border without permission).

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I’m day drinking, I’m so pissed off right now!

I honestly don’t know what the fuck is wrong with people but I’m so over it.

I’m spitting nails and perhaps I’m over reacting. But FUCK!

Way back when Jerry & I moved into the house after the fire. We’d had the fence replaced so the pups could run around in their yard. The fence was bright and shiny, it looked sterile as all galvanized fences look when they’re new. This was the second fence we’d paid for and installed on our property.

By on our property, I mean we’d made sure that the fence was well within our property lines because we didn’t want to have any issues down the road. We literally had the property surveyed twice! Once, when the house was being rebuilt, and the second time, just before the fencing guys came in and reinstalled the fucking fence.

We had a neighbor that didn’t do or like fences at the time, but she understood and agreed that the pups needed a place to run and play where they couldn’t get hurt.

She died. There there was the meth head rental lady. Then there was the cute couple who during the pregnancy with their second child installed a monstrosity of a badly constructed wooden fence. (She kinda went nuts because at the time, the county was widening the wash, in the name of flood control and that forced anyone walking to be close to their property line. She was in momma bear protective mode and was super fearful of someone coming up and taking one of the kids. Likelihood of that was somewhere around .0001% but she would not be dissuaded and eventually her husband capitulated, even though he hated the wooden fence she made him install.) Shortly after they had their second child they sold the place and moved. Leaving behind the poorly built wooden monstrosity. Another couple moved in, they stayed a few years then he was transferred to New Mexico and they moved.

That brings us to the guy currently next door. Honestly, I’ve tolerated him. I’ve always thought he was a bit too arrogant and he always loves to correct anyone. In fact he corrected me during a fire evacuation when I’d taken the time from the road to inform everyone on the neighbor group chat that the primary evacuation route had been closed and that everyone was being turned around to the alternate route. At the time I was literally sitting in traffic on the alternate route and said so in the chat.

But Jerry who I was talking to on the phone at the time because we always remained in communication during an evacuation saw the text and immediately said, “Be nice. Everyone is stressed.” I should have let this guy have it right then and there, but in deference to Jerry I kept my mouth shut.

Anyway, In all the time not one person said a damn thing about the grape vines that Jerry liked and had me plant along the inside of our fence. We tended the vines and every once in a while we’d get a bunch of grapes.

Truth to tell, we spent more in water than the vines ever produced. But Jerry liked the vines and as they spread out along the fence, they softened the fence line and made for a cool shady spot for the pups to relax in.

At the time we planted the grapes, we also planted an overly ambitious apple tree. By overly ambitious, I mean that tree produced apples from the first year. In fact we had to remove some of the apples long before they were ripe because the tree had bent over from the weight.

The past 3 years the grape vine has spread a little bit along the fence and in all 3 years it’s produced some small but very tasty grapes.

There’s a narrow walkway between the fence and my neighbor’s house. He has a gate through the wooden monstrosity of a fence and while he rarely uses that gate, occasionally one of the grape vines will send a tendril out towards the gate. When I’ve seen that happening I’ve trimmed the tendril, or threaded it back through my fence allowing it to grow and in time soften more of the fence line.

Typically, I’ll do this once or twice in a summer, but due to the possibility of snakes taking up residence in the space between the fence and this guy’s house, I’ve also weed whacked the zone. It’s not a big deal for me, it helps him out, and I don’t have to worry about the dog getting bitten by a snake.

A couple of weeks ago he mentioned that he wanted to trim the grape vine on his side of the fence and I thought nothing of it. I figured he’d use his fucking brain and just trim it like a hedge. That wouldn’t hurt the plant so I said, “sure whatever”

This week I noticed that the vines were dying off running the length of my fence. At first I thought, “Well it’s fall and that’s pretty normal.” I went ahead and started giving the vine more water so that It could go to sleep for the winter.

The die off continued. Today I was outside and noticed only the vines extending along the fence were dying off. The central plant was still green and vibrant. “That’s odd,” I thought. Then I examined more closely.

That moronic son of a bitch had cut the vines wrapped through the fucking fence! Then to make matters worse in typical liberal democrat fashion had just left them there to die.

I say typical liberal democrat because A) He is a Hollywood liberal democrat leftist (he’s a voice actor) and B) because that’s so leftist, “Make a mess and expect someone else to clean it up”

I spent the next 45 minutes removing all the formerly productive (grape bearing,) now dying parts of the vine that I’d been training through my fence for literally years.

I don’t know if the plant will survive. It’s going into its winter sleep and without the leaves and additional energy it might not survive the winter because now it’s trying to heal itself and go into winter sleep.

This jackass destroyed a decade of growth and I’m doubting that I’ll get any grapes next year. He did this to a plant growing on my fucking fence. Typically once the plant has gone to sleep, I’ll trim and prune the older dead branches so that when the plant wakes up I’ll get new growth.

I was talking to my brother on the phone when I discovered this while I was cleaning up the mess I’d been left with. My brother who’s not a plant person but had seen the vines was understanding that I’d be pissed off.

He was blown away that someone would do something like that in the first place then leave it like it was nothing.

His response was the usual for him. “Well that’s fucking Californians for you.” Then he asked if I lived in an HOA community, which I don’t. When I told him that, he said just wait for it, that neighbor is probably going to try to start one.

He sold his place in Florida because the HOA wouldn’t let him plant a couple of trees in his fenced in back yard. The HOA made him get rid of potted tomato plants he was growing on his upstairs front deck. They didn’t like the aesthetics of the plants being on the upper deck and then kept hounding him about the plants after he moved them downstairs to his back deck inside a fenced yard. The HOA went so far as to forbid any “food plants” from the community.

His revenge was to find a field of dandelions and collect their seeds plus a ton of crabgrass then liberally distribute both throughout the community, 5 days before the sale of his house closed in springtime. With spring rains in northern Florida I’m betting they’ll have to tear out and re – sod the whole community.

That’s the kind of fuckers we are.

As I said he’s not a plant guy, but he likes tomatoes.

(As an aside, he’s laughing his ass off that DeSantis is likely to sign a law that makes HOAs illegal in Florida.)

I’m furious about what this neighbor did to my grape vine. There are a lot of layers to it.

  1. It’s a plant on my property
  2. it was growing on a fence on my property
  3. It was a plant Jerry liked
  4. It provided a cool shady spot for Jesse
  5. It represented 10 years of work and nurturing
  6. The plant had just consistently begun to provide grapes
  7. I’d actually offered to share the grapes with the fucking neighbor. (It’s not my fault he didn’t get his ass out there to harvest grapes before the birds & squirrels got to them. I had plenty.)
  8. That vine gave me some green along the fence that brought me a sense of peace because in the midst of a mostly grey landscape, (Unless you looked at or walked through the forest above us,) there was a deep green that I enjoyed whenever I was out there.

I guess I feel violated.

This guy has literally removed all of the natural plants from his yard. While overgrown he could simply have trimmed them back. He’s also pretty much destroyed the beautiful Japanese maple that was growing for years in his back yard. That tree was green and watching it change with the seasons was amazing.

He stopped watering it, then pruned the shit out of it, (badly) and is essentially letting it die.

I’ve included pictures of what he left me with. The vine used to extend all the way to the fence post you can see at the left.

Oh and don’t forget, he just cut the vine near the main plant. He left all of the vine threaded through the fence to wither and die making it much more difficult to remove because as it dries out, it’s no longer flexible. The stuff growing up his wall is a bit of Virginia creeper. Why he decided to fuck up my grape vine and leave the creeper is a complete mystery.

I’m tempted to tell him, “If you want to kill a plant, cut it off at the root.”

Now when I go outside I get to look at the side of his house, his shitty gate, and the exhaust ports for his tankless water heater. If you visualize the plant growing up the fence extending all the way to the left you’ll get a sense of the green wall that afforded me some privacy If I was sitting on my lower deck enjoying the sunshine.

As the plant goes to sleep, I’m sure I’ll find more vines he cut through but for the moment I’ve removed all the obviously damaged parts of the plant.

If by some miracle I’m able to stay in the house, come springtime I’m thinking I’ll move the grape to my back fence where it won’t inconvenience the neighbor and I’ll plant something really invasive and fast growing like Virginia creeper along my fence next to his house. He can cut that all he likes, he won’t make a dent in it. I’m thinking I’ll toss some Mexican Sage into the area between the fence and his house and I’m not going to bother cutting down the weeds between his house and the fence. Once the Mexican sage takes hold He’ll have a jungle and a hefty fine every spring from the county for fire abatement.

I think there’s a kind of prickly fence edging I can lay down that snakes aren’t supposed to like crossing. I’ll let him deal with the rattlesnakes that may take up residence on his property.

Thinking about it, he might have heard me talking to my brother. I was using my new AirPods during the conversation while I was cleaning up the mess he left me. I think I recall seeing him wandering around the moonscape his yard is now.

I hope he did hear me talking to my Brother. I hope he heard exactly what I think of him.

Were it not so close to my bedroom, I’d start dumping all of Jesse’s poop on that side of the house too.

I feel like I’ve been too nice. I’ve not said word one about his incessant music, (Oh I’ve thought some bad things, I’ve even played my music loud enough that his was being drowned out,) I’ve not complained about him using a leaf blower on dirt kicking up dust clouds, I’ve not said shit about him running a chain saw in the early morning or in the evening when I sit down to dinner and watch a movie.

I’ve been the ”nice guy” a.k.a. The doormat everyone shits on. The guy that just minds his own business and tries really hard to not make waves.

I’ve got enough on my plate without fighting with the neighbors too. I’ve been too quiet, too forgiving, and in doing so people think they can ignore me or walk all over me. Until they need something… Because, “Hey he’s a nice guy… it’s okay for us to fuck him over.”

Jerry taught me to be nice. What I need to relearn is how to be a raging asshole. That appears to be the only way to survive the liberal fuckers these days.

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You know, I’ve been too nice, too respectful, and put up with more than my share of absolute shit!

I guess I was, and still am, in a “Mood“.

For the past 12 weeks the old guy next door has been working in his yard. That’s fine, it makes him happy, more power to him.

When he started, he’d be playing music, and if I listened real carefully I could hear snippets of the tunes. We all have our windows open and honestly it didn’t bother me. Just background noise nothing to it.

Over time, the volume has increased. Over the past 4-5 weeks it’s gotten to the point that he’s turning it up so he can hear it over his gas powered leaf blower. As an aside he cranks the damn leaf blower up and uses it in his “mostly dirt” back yard. So those of us around him spend all our time fucking dusting our houses.

It’s like painting the San Francisco bridge. I no sooner get the house clean and then “Burrrrrrrrrrrrrr Burrrrr Blaat Burrr” & I’ve got a dust storm blowing through the house again.

But he’s not the only one. The Mexicans up at the top of the canyon almost every weekend blast mariachi music nightly until 10:30. They only stop because if they’re blasting it after that, someone calls the cops and they get another ticket.

The old guy across the street smokes his rancid pot that wafts all over the neighborhood while playing some of the worst recordings and/or worst rock bands of the 60’s & 70’s, also at deafening volume.

Typically, I can’t sit in my own living room and watch a movie anymore. Forget a film where the actors are British, often their character’s accents are unintelligible if there’s a lot of background sounds, either from the soundtrack or from the external Cacophony provided by my ever so courteous neighbors.

Honestly, I’ve given up trying to enjoy anything because no matter when I sit down to watch something, within minutes there’s “Aie yi yiaaaa” or some really shitty “B” side track from Deep Purple.

I guess yesterday, I reached a breaking point.

Normally I keep my TV and music volume pretty damn low. I don’t think it’s polite for me to disrupt other peoples lives. I don’t run my yard tools until typically about 10 in the morning.

I try very hard to keep my shit from interfering with other people’s shit. I don’t cause trouble, I don’t tell people to turn their shit down, or call the cops. I thought I was just being a decent human being and eventually these people turn their shit off or down and I’m fine.

But you know what? The more you don’t say shit, the worse people behave. The more inconsiderate they become. Nobody cares, that you’re not fucking up their evening. They never think that they’re fucking up someone else’s evening, day, afternoon, or whatever.

They just assume their music, or drunken shouting, echoing down the canyon is something everybody wants to hear.

Guess what? It’s not!

So, right on cue yesterday, I’d made myself lunch, turned on the TV to watch a football game, and… Music from the guy’s back yard so loud it was like it was coming from my TV in my living room. To top it off, the fucking leaf blower too, kicking up dust blowing straight into my house.

FUCK!!!!

Okay, so I’m not going to be able to watch the game. Fine, I’ll do other shit that needs to get done. But I’m going to play some music…

From every set of speakers in the house. And I’m going to play it loud enough that I can run the vacuum and do anything else I need to do. This house is going to rock like Studio 54 on a Saturday night.

And the playlist? Ohhh That’s easy! A collection of very angry fight songs that are not censored. This is a playlist that I put together to help keep me going after Jerry died. The songs are angry, full of rage, and pretty much expressed what I was feeling at the time. They’re dark, and some are downright hostile.

Watch, some prissy fuck will call the cops and accuse me of “Hate Speech”.

They’re kind of fitting after the last week. Two people butchered. Democrats telling us to calm down and tone down the rhetoric. Trans fucks celebrating death, others whining about losing their jobs because they were stupid enough to go on TikTok a video their gleeful hatred of Charlie Kirk and anyone else they disagree with. Then trying to hide behind the 1st amendment when their employers cut them loose. Oh boo hoo.

Yet more people saying Stephen King shouldn’t be canceled for his hateful spew, followed by a pussy assed “Apology”.

Nancy Pelosi raising funds to pay for the California redistricting to deprive all of us of representation. Office Depot libtards refusing to print a poster of Charlie Kirk that had no message other than his name, DOB and Date he died. After it was paid for! (Those “loads their mothers should’ve swallowed”, have since been fired.) California democrats refusing an invitation from the GOP to attend a Kirk vigil “Because he was fascist” thereby continuing to spew vomitous vitriol against a man that simply debated university students. 

BUT at the same damn time they’re telling right leaning people or conservatives that we’re wrong for being righteously angry Kirk was shot & killed by some brainwashed maladjusted queer kid poisoned with years of leftist bullshit.

As my china rattled, and the whole neighborhood heard my music. Raw, angry, unashamed, and disruptive. It occurred to me that I’m still really PISSED OFF. About a lot of things!

Absolutely nothing that’s happened in the past 6 years to me personally, and the country in general, is acceptable. But those of us on the right, or more conservative types have been told we’re the worst scum for disagreeing of asking questions.

This is me reaching my fucking breaking point! I and others like me have been silent for too long.

It’s time for us to get loud.

By the way, Apple HomePods have got some range of volume. I think I’ll be putting the Mini’s out on the decks when I’m working from here on out. Since it appears the object of the game is to annoy the neighborhood… I’ll play by their rules.

Linkin Park, Korn, NIN, and peppered in I’ll throw in some death metal. Maybe I’ll find some tolerable white supremacist shit just to really piss off the pussy democrats that live all around me.

Let one of them try to give me the least bit of shit.

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First Doctor’s appointment at this age

They gave me a minimal dementia test. They asked me to draw a clock after asking me to remember three words.

Yawn!

The young lady administering the test had a problem, (she was quiet, but obviously concerned,) when I started drawing the clock. Then she added that the clock show show 11:10.

I guess she thought I was having a problem when I started drawing the numbers.

I started with twelve, then 6, then 3, then 9, at the four cardinal points inside the circle. Then I added 1,2 then 4,5 then 7,8 then 10, 11.

When I started, she looked a little confused. I paused for a second or two. Visualizing the clock as I wanted it to appear. Then I started drawing. At that point she realized I wasn’t nuts, I simply had a plan. I drew the hands hour shorter and minute longer, indicating the requested time.

Then she asked me the three words. I gave them back in alphabetical order, then asked her if I was supposed to give them back in the order she said them.

She just smiled. 

My memories are apparently functional. As is planning, and visualizing.

All of this was with me running on empty. I’d walked the dog his 2.5 miles, showered, shaved, and had not eaten or had coffee with any sugar in it. It was 11:00 am and I had been really growly when I showed up for the appointment. It took over an hour to get there, traffic was stupid heavy.

Plus after spending 2 hours fighting their stupid web site on Sunday, I was annoyed they didn’t have the data available.

This was not a good combination. Me hungry, bordering on hangry and yet more stupid legal paperwork. They of course wanted an emergency contact. Which experience has shown me is a soft pedal way for them to target someone else if the bill isn’t paid.

I guess I’m overly suspicious.

I really don’t trust the medical profession anymore.

I liked the Dr. but as is in all visits these days, he had to play with his computer a lot. I was about to fire him. But then he actually examined me. He executed a good save.

I told him about a previous doctor I’d fired precisely because all he did was play on the computer the whole appointment. He seemed taken aback by that. I pay for a doctor’s expertise in medical matters not computer science. This is a “benefit” of the Obamacare BS and also the medicare system.

Doctors, even good ones, spend more time in filling out shitty online forms than they do hands-on with their patients.

He was suggesting blood work, and reminded me that it was time for a colonoscopy. Great! That’s going to be a problem. I’m going to need to have someone take the time to transport me on “The Day” Grrr.

I’m considering that when I have this done, I’m not going to be put out. There have been too many reports of medical people hitting IVs with vaccines they think a person should have.

I pushed back on the colonoscopy and he said I could do the home kit but if analysis was inconclusive I’d have to do the full thing.

The problem I have with doctors, particularly in the case of colonoscopies, is that if they find something, usually they’ll find it, then they’ll make another appointment to take care of it, then they’ll make another appointment to recheck that they fixed the problem, on and on. Until you say “Enough!“

If the doctors are already there, and they see the problem, they should fix the problem. But they don’t make as much money that way.

The Doc also suggested an ultrasound of my aorta. Yeah, I smoked so apparently in men It increases the risk of an aortic rupture. It’s probably worthwhile.

I don’t want to get sucked into the endless cycle of doctors, and medical appointments defining what’s left of my life. That’s not quality, it’s the final indignity of a life enslaved by working for the illusion of a retirement full of sunsets and travel.

——— Update 8/28 ———  

Okay,

I’m done with this Doctors office.

1) They’ve been spamming me to fill out a satisfaction survey since I left their office yesterday. I suppose I could fill out their survey saying that I was dissatisfied. I doubt seriously that it will change a damn thing.

2) I asked the Nurse or whatever she was, in-office if the Doctor could add one more test to the battery of tests he’d ordered. She said she’d ask and there’d be a modified lab order in their portal. Haven’t seen that yet.

3) The doctor issued another RX for a combo med I’ve been taking for years, but we’d discussed reducing the amount of one of the components, with the goal of getting off or minimizing the medication. The RX he issued is the exact same dosage. I noticed the error before I headed to the pharmacy and instead of going through the nightmare of the pharmacy, I sent a message via their patient portal noting that this wan’t what we’d discussed and that in any event I’m not going to do 30 day RXs if it’s decided that there will be no change to the med. I want 90 day supplies.

4) As I mentioned above, the Doctor asked about colonoscopy. I told him I was not particularly interested. He said that we could do the “poo in a box” version then make a determination about doing the necessity of the full monty version. This morning, I get a call from an Indian (Dot not Feather) demanding that I call him back to schedule my upcoming colonoscopy.

5) Nowhere in their portal is there mention of making arrangements for the aortic ultrasound.

In other words, this is exactly what I will not do. I will not slave myself to the medical industrial complex so they can destroy my quality of life with endless tests, appointments, and medications, while they milk insurance fees.

I’m not angry about getting old, I refuse to live in terror of the next phase of aging or the next mega disease. I will not relinquish my life to yet another bunch of assholes telling me how to conduct my life.

I spent my adult working life enslaved to corporations and people who saw me as a easily replaceable cog or stepping stone to their goals. I sure as hell am not willing to allow myself to be enslaved to the medical profession and I will never allow these healthcare professionals to “COVID” me again.

Obviously these people or this practice is too damn busy to pay attention. If they can’t pay attention on minor issues, can I trust them to pay attention in the event of a major issue?

As a courtesy, I went to their website to cancel the October follow-up appointment to review the medication changes and lab results.

Since the medication changes weren’t made, and nothing else discussed in the appointment was as we discussed I’m not going to need to be at an appointment now am I?

Their system wouldn’t let me cancel the appointment without providing an explanation.

That was probably a mistake on their part. Because it was pretty much the only way for me to tell them what I thought.

I filled their demanding little box.

Wrong RX. (not what was discussed in appointment.)

Got a call from some unintelligible person demanding to schedule my upcoming colonoscopy (not what was discussed in appointment.)

I lost my other half of 34 years in 2023 due in part, to similar lack of precision / failure to listen on the part of a hospital, and the medical group where he was a patient. My feeling today is exactly the same as when I was dealing with his care. He was not just another body, and neither am I.

I do not want the remainder of my life, however long or short that may be, circumscribed by endless tests, labs, appointments, medications, and insurance billing opportunities.

Your staff and the Doctor are all very nice. You’re all doing your jobs as dictated by policy, procedure, and prevailing medical guidelines. I understand this, but I’m a person who is quite good at taking care of myself. I’m also a minimalist.

Biology in general, and Human biology, specifically appear to operate far better with a light touch. My experiences with medical intervention have generally resulted in poorer, rather than improved outcomes. 

I have zero desire to live a repeat of what the medical profession put the light of my life through in his last years. 

I’m going to take a step back, or a breath, then determine what I want to do, and how I want to do it. Even if that means filling out yet another ream of paperwork to see a physician.

Should I decide to go forward with the lab work, I’ll make an appointment to review the results.

FYI, My choice to cancel an appointment should not require a MANDATORY explanation.

The whole time I was writing that, I kept hearing Jerry telling me to “be nice”.

Then I remembered why I’d always maintained a doctor in Orange County. I’ve kept the Doctor in San Diego for the same reason.

It’s because the doctors, all of the doctors I’ve ever tried to work with in the San Bernardino area were sloppy just like this bunch appears to be. The doctors I dealt with for Jerry were, with one exception, the worst.

In 20+ years working with my doctor in OC he never made a mistake with prescriptions, or procedures, and with the exception of a dermatologist, (who are all basically shithead frat boys of the medical profession,) he referred me to the best specialists, meaning they knew their shit and were on the ball, when I needed them.

In part I think it was because the folks he referred me to, were the same people he went to for his care. (He was always searching for a decent dermatologist too.)

I actually fought with Jerry about changing doctors when he first started having problems. I wanted him to go to an Orange County doctor, specifically mine. Jerry had mentioned things in the years prior to him starting to have problems, which concerned me about the local practices. I felt that if he saw my Doctor, he’d be referred to the “right” specialists and would get better care.

I know that sounds elitist and effete.

Jerry didn’t want to have to travel that far. In the end, it might not have made a difference, but I doubt I’ll ever change my opinion that poor lackadaisical medical care led directly to his death.

Now, I’m going to try to rescind all the legal documents one must sign to see a fucking doctor, and at the same time make sure this practice cancels any authorization requests for additional tests. It may be insurance money, but damn if I’m going to let that money be spent wastefully.

Then I’ll work on finding another Doctor, or I’ll keep the guy in San Diego at least until I get the rest of my life sorted out.

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Don’t worry my dogs are friendly…

“Don’t worry my dogs are friendly…” Said the guy opening his car door, letting his 2 dogs run off leash at the trail head a week or so ago.

Both dogs ran barking and snapping, directly at me & Jesse (who I had on his leash). One caught my pups jaw with a tooth then went for his throat and legs. The other came at me snarling & trying to bite me. I dropped the leash so Jesse had free motion and I had both hands to defend myself.

Jesse is amazingly fast and agile. He got a piece of his attacker and had blood all over his mouth and face while their owner was yelling & threatening me as though somehow I or my dog were at fault.

Fortunately, there were plenty of witnesses and a sign that clearly said “NO DOGS OFF LEASH”. When the authorities arrived, the witnesses all pointed at the dudes dogs as aggressors giving statements. Jesse & I were sitting on a tall rock. He was still on guard but was a good boy while I rinsed his wounds with water from our hydration pack. I was able to clean, assess, and dress his wounds on the spot. (Put together a dog first aid kit. It pays to be prepared!)

A Ranger brought Jesse his bandanna lost in the fracas, approaching very gently and quietly. He climbed up on the rock with us & Jesse nuzzled him to put the bandanna back on.

“That guy is trying to claim your dog is aggressive and mean,” he said as he retied the bandanna.

“I’m just not seeing it, his dog is pretty chewed up though. He’s demanding you pay the vet bill. Don’t worry, he’s not got a leg to stand on, he’s getting a hefty ticket right now. How’s this fella?” He gave Jesse some ear scritches.

“He’s okay, it think. There’s a cut from a tooth on his jaw, a couple of small punctures on his leg and another puncture near his shoulder towards his neck. They’re minor. I’ve cleaned ’em & hit ’em with antibiotic ointment. I’ll watch him for the next few days. He’ll be at the vet if he’s not healing or I find anything worse when we get home.” 

“Good,” the Ranger said, “Would you like me to hold the leash while you clean up the wound on your leg?” Jesse gave the Ranger a lick, asking for more ear scritches.

I was so worried about my pup, I hadn’t noticed I’d been injured and was bleeding pretty good. I rinsed my wound, & grabbed the human first aid kit from the pack to fix myself up.

The Ranger smiled, “Nice to see someone prepared even if 99% of the time they don’t need to be. You guys walk this trail a lot. I’ve never seen a vehicle, would you like a ride home?”

Folks, there’s a darn good reason to keep your dog on a leash. It’s as much for their safety as it is for others. You have no idea how far from home someone is, or if they, or their dog is old or has bad knees/other health conditions. Keeping control of your dog is super important so everyone can have a nice walk/hike.

That being said, drop the leash if your dog is attacked. They know what to do, and a former street dog like my pup knows how to end it pretty quick. 

Neither of us will have lasting physical damage & we got a ride in a ranger’s truck home. So that’s off our bucket list.