For Pete’s sake, it’s October, and I haven’t written anything in, like, 2 weeks. Despite all the good intentions my road to blog hell is paved with. And who is Pete, anyway? Dear Google, give me the deets.
Google coughs it up immediately! According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “for Pete’s sake” came into use more than a century ago and prompted similar sayings such as “for the love of Pete” in 1906. It was a substitution of St. Peter because that was less offensive than taking the name of the Lord or Christ in vain. Interesting. It could also be from “For pity’s sake” (interesting article about the whole thing here).
Work has been consistently busy for a while now, but I don’t feel overwhelmed (yet). Which is good, because I have a lot coming up. I am now scheduled for my first colonoscopy in a couple of weeks. Sweden sends home self-tests that you can do and send in for evaluation and mine came back with some indications that I need further testing. From what my sister says, it’s usual to have a colonoscopy when you turn 50 in the US, but Sweden apparently missed the memo. Better late than never, I guess.
It’s a bit of an ordeal…not just the procedure itself (which you are not put to sleep for here), but the lead-up to it. The entire week before I have a restricted diet of “white foods”, no fiber, and basically no vegetables or fruit. And since your colon has to be completely clean beforehand, a laxative and fasting the day before. Joy! NOT.
I’ve also finally been in contact with my physiotherapist about my knee, who answered (WHEN ASKED) that oh yes, the doctor didn’t see anything “alarming” about my knee x-ray and she had sent a referral to the knee department at Malmö hospital. BUT I got a letter from them a couple of days ago saying that they don’t have time for me; the wait time is 6-7 MONTHS, which means that can’t meet the “care guarantee” of 90 days required by law. They gave me 4 other clinics that might be able to take me earlier, and are sending the referral to the first of them today. If they answer in the negative, then they will forward the referral to the second of them. If THEY also can’t take me, I have to call again and, apparently, proceed to the 3rd and then 4th choice.
And, I mean, my knee IS better. It’s just still hard to bend and I can’t put weight on it when it is bent. I can’t kneel (the thought gives me the heebie-jeebies*). But I’d like an official diagnosis and info on what I should be expecting. IS it getting better? Is it damaged in some way that requires any other kind of treatment? Will I have to wear the brace and do the knee exercises for the rest of my life? Not complaining, just wanna know.
I’m listening to Spotify’s Discover Weekly, which I haven’t had time to do since it came out on Monday. Vast wasteland of nothing much interesting this week. I’m so glad it’s the weekend now. Two days of NOT sitting at a computer wrecking my shoulder (shooting pains every day). Tomorrow is laundry and cleaning. Sunday we’re going to Copenhagen (picking up Martin on the way) to hang lamps and pictures and out with Karin all together. It’s supposed to be nice all weekend, yay! Can’t ask for better weather: it’s been sunny and chilly, and lovely.
If you are reading this, and I suspect you’re not, have a great weekend. Catch you on the flip side, when I will continue my good intentions of posting more than once this month. Road to blog hell, here I come.
*Heebie-jeebies first appeared in print in the US, originally in a 1923 “Barney Google” cartoon by Billy DeBeck, who is also credited with inventing the word horsefeathers.
Mood: relaxed
Music: Culture Club—Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?