“The men are walking. They are fifty feet apart, for dispersal. Their walk is slow, for they are dead weary, as you can tell even when looking at them from behind. Every line and sag of their bodies speaks their inhuman exhaustion.”
Ernie Pyle
I managed to get the old girl out of the barn and down the highway to pick up a few supplies. Cats were right out of food. Wood pellets for cat litter almost gone. Me out all the cool stuff to eat. I was down to a few cans of black beans and a ton of pasta.
I got more test results. I don’t have HIV, my cholesterol is higher. I know that the prepackaged dehydrated food from Mountain house is the culprit, lots of eggs. It is not a worry anymore since people are panicked about coronavirus.
Costco and Amazon don’t have emergency food kits available all sold out, even the manufacturer’s website has been shut down because of too many orders.
Way too much pain and exhaustion just going to town, picking up freight and a few groceries tired me out.
The back pain was too much to endure, I had to lay down. When I woke it was getting dark out. The very last thing I wanted to do today was chainsaw and split.
As always it needed doing. I gassed the little beastie pushed the wheelbarrow outside and headed for the log pile.
After a few hard pulls the chain was making sawdust. I was very exhausted. When I thought I had enough to fill the wheelbarrow. I stopped.
Walking was difficult throughout the entire day, pushing a heavy load into the garage almost impossible. Almost. Getting back to the main house through the crowded garage without injury a small miracle. Other trips through there recently gave a couple of broken toes, a fractured elbow and more. I am experiencing difficulties with balance and dizziness, but not at the same time. Balance when I walk and dizziness when I lay down.
The wood isn’t split yet, I reasoned that I could use the Ryobi light I bought months ago to get me through that task. I was just happy the wood was inside. If 35 cm of snow does drop tonight, I would be ready.
Earlier today I saw the one man that was helping to find out what illness was causing me the problems. I thank God for him since I can’t get help from the ones that should be giving me healthcare.
I did more research last night by symptom, another possibility came up, a logical one. My symptoms matched a cat borne parasite that could be passed on to humans coming into contact with cat feces.
Since I am the one, the only one, that cleans up after the cats, and that does include cleaning up the poop that doesn’t make it into the litter box. The more I read the more it made sense.
Apparently, after mice become infected by this parasite. It alters their brain chemistry and they rush into danger.
Which explains why I have mice that run into a room full of cats.
I was tested for that today and did a test for strep throat. The strep test was negative, the other results I will get in a few days.
The problem is the more I rule out the closer I become to the possibility of something bad in my body.
When I went into the local hospital I experienced a friendly woman at the front counter. That was a nice change to the unfriendly surly faces I usually encounter there.
I ran into that face on the way out. Sitting right next to the friendly woman. I can only imagine a woman like her was the role model for some of the evil women portrayed in fairy tales.
I head out to my van stopped long enough to order a fish burger.
Filled a couple of five gallon cans full of gas and did the drive home. Then did what I already said. I also unloaded freight and food. Gracie was parked inside and the garage doors closed. Let the snow come.
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