Repositioning Ships, Fall in Hawai'i, Eye Surgery Ahead

[Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

10/12/24

 

Aloha Everyone --

 

Poor Florida and other parts of the East!  Two whammies almost back to back.  My condolences and sympathies for whatever losses you might have incurred, and best wishes for recovering.

 

Here our fall has continued with much less drama.  This is repositioning time, when the cruise ships have sailings to Hawai'i as they get ships from the northern summer routes to more southerly ones.  They

Time to Snooze

usually run a couple of trips from the mainland to the islands, and we've had several in our port in addition to our usual Wednesday visit from the one based permanently in Honolulu.  One even stayed overnight, something that is very rare.  Another sign of fall is that the flowering foliage shifts. For instance our various varieties of plumeria, nearly stop flowering altogether and even lose their leaves.  Many others, of course, bloom more or less year around. It's hardly barren here in the late fall and winter, though --there's always something blooming.  Another sign of fall is the annual Iron Man World Championship  Triathlon that occurs near the end of October.  This year is the men's final, whereas last year it was women's.  This brings in thousands of hard bodies from all over the world, some of which have already arrived to train for the grueling  event.  They are easy to spot -- absolutely no body fat, broad shoulders and narrow hips.  There are usually about 50 professionals who compete, but the ones I admire the most are the 2200 or so amateurs in various age categories who somehow have managed to train in addition to holding jobs.  

 

This was a pretty light week for physical exertion.  We did manage to work out at Planet Fitness, but we didn't play golf.  Our usual partner was out of comission because she fell off her horse and was too sore to play.  We could have gone alone, but she's an excellent ball spotter, and right now both of us need help. Speaking of eyesight, on Tuesday I had an appointment with my eye surgeon and I've decided to definitely go ahead and have him do my cataracts.  The first one is scheduled for the week after we return from southeast Asia in early December.  The other is scheduled for late January.  I'm doing my worst eye first, though it is doubtful a new lens will help much because that eye has considerable retina damage from my vein occlusion 12 years or so ago.  If it does help that will be a terrific Christmas present! My other eye has a better chance of improvement because the retina is in better shape, even though I've had a vein occlusion in it as well.  

OK, that's it for this week.  We're off to market and breakfast at the beach.  Take care and keep reminding yourself that morality does matter.

Cataract Culprits, Cardio Consult, Magic Golf Balls

[Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

10/5/24

 

Aloha All --

 

Although it was a challenge, this week we managed somewhat to overcome our laziness since we returned from the mainland.  First, on Sunday we did a mild workout at Planet Fitness, the first in many weeks. Then on Thursday we played golf at Makalei for the first time in months.  For me the golf was largely "aspirational." I'd hit a tee shot, then skip the approach shots and just putt out.  On a few par 3 holes, though,  I played for real, and even got one bogie! I had to rely heavily on Karen and our partner because if I hit the ball any distance at all, it would magically disappear because of my lousy vision.  All things considered, I did pretty good given how long it had been since we played last.  Oh, and we saw about 8 Nenes who have arrived for their winter visit.

Speaking of vision, I saw my retina doctor on Tuesday and as expected, got a shot it my right eye.  We also talked seriously about cataracts and whether I should have them removed.  The conclusion is to have the surgery because it will eliminate one possible cause of my recent sudden vision downturn.  At first I asked him for a referral to the same surgeon on Oahu that did Karen's eyes because the only surgeon on our island has a somewhat iffy reputation.  Then I learned that a new surgeon has recently joined the eye clinic I go to, and my retinologist thinks very highly of him.  It turned out the new guy was in the clinic and I was able to have a quick consult,  I was very impressed with his credentials and experience, and I may have him do the surgery.  This would be in an out-patient clinic in Hilo, which is a100-mile drive each way, but much easier and less expensive that flying over to Honolulu.  I have an appointment next week to talk some more and take measurements  I'm thinking of going with tried-and-true plain vanilla lenses tuned to distance vision -- anything more than an outstretched arm's length. I may still need reading glasses but that's ok.  I want my vision for every day activities (like driving) to be as good as possible.

In still more geezer health news, on Wednesday I saw my cardiologist for the 2nd time.  This was a quick visit to redo my ECG, with which my cardiologist said he was "very pleased."  Naturally, I am very

Only 5"

pleased he's pleased.  He recommended that now I'm mostly in normal rhythm that I wear a portable monitor for a couple of weeks that will record any Afib events.  Since I don't feel a thing when they happen, this seems like a good idea.  These devices have become marvels of hi-tech.  The model I am using is remarkably small and tapes to my chest,  There are no wires -- the electrodes are embedded in the tape that holds it on.  I can get it wet but I have to make sure the electrodes remain taped down.  The device records continuously for two weeks, then I send it to a lab which analyses the data and generates a report. This is better than my own ECG device because it measures even when I'm asleep. 

 

I know I'm writing a lot about my health issues lately, but unfortunately this is a major component of my life these days. My advice is don't turn 80!

Ok, off to market and the beach.  As you are bombarded with election rhetoric, keep in mind a Finnish saying:  "you have a right to your own opinion, but not to your own facts."'

Carpe vita.

wet Fall, Medical Ambiguity, Heart to Heart

[Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

9/28/24

 

Aloha Folks --

 

Well, it's officially fall,  Back in Ohio when we had our apple orchard we'd be racing gravity  to get  the crop picked and sold.  Hard, time-sensitive work that was anything but a nice relaxing retirement activity. Here the fall is still prime growing season and although I complain about the challenge of keeping our plants under control, amount of effort  pales in comparison,

As I write this the east coast is getting whacked by another major hurricane.  My condolences to the coastal residents, particularly in Florida, who are  going through yet another devastating weather event this year.  We have to cope with hurricanes here in Hawai'i, of course but not on the scale of the mainland,  Our fall so far has been very warm and wet -- last week we had a couple of storms that dropped a total of nearly 6 inches of rain in our specific area,  The pool is full to overflowing, and has been delightfully warm for our daily workouts. Our sunny afternoons have helped our pv system produce a surplus of electrons that have more than compensated for running the ac that we have in a few rooms.  We're coming to the end our our contract year with HELCO and it looks like we'll be giving them abut $150 this time -- whatever surplus we have at the end of the contact resets to zero.  The company needs it, I guess, in part to offset the costs of lawsuits from the Lahaina fires on Maui last year.  

I'm a little over one week from starting heart care from my new cardiologist.  The arrhythmia drug he prescribed has continued to keep my heart in normal rhythm most of the time, including during my Echo

Cardio-Selfie

Cardiogram last Thursday.  This is an amazingly informative ultrasound examination of the chambers, valves, veins and arteries of heart as it is actually beating.  I've seen the results online but I will get the full interpretation when I see my cardiologist on Wednesday.  For an 80-year-old muscle that has been beating even before I was born, it seems to be in fair shape and I forgive it for my AFib problem.  I  also had an ultra sound exam of my carotid arteries, tee ones that send blood to the brain and visual system. I was hoping there might be a fixable problem that would account for my vision difficulties, but I don't think that is the case.  On Wednesday the ambiguity about my sight continued when I saw my optometrist.  He can't correct my distance vision with glasses, and he can see no structural reason for my vision loss, with the exception of cataracts.  However, they are not severe and can't account for the sudden loss of acuity,  So I'm still searching for a solution.  Ambiguity and uncertainty suck..........

Ok. Back to your reality-choosing dilemma.

Back Home, Cheers for Cardio Normality, Pele Spits Up

[Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

9/21/24

 

Aloha Everyone -- 

We returned from our mainland trip Wednesday evening.  It was short for us -- a bit under two weeks -- but long enough for the weeds and other plants to be noticeably in need of being whacked back.  The trip was very enjoyable even though short.  The first week we spent in Ohio, where we arrived in time for an early fall cool spell -- one night it got down to 43d!  The days were sunny, though, and by the time we left it had warmed back to the 90's.  We had a great time visiting old friends, eating barbecue, and sampling a few of Cincinnati's outstanding micro-brews.  Karen's routine checkup at UC Health Center went well, also.  We then flew to Colorado and stayed two nights with college friends who live in Boulder. They generously hosted a couple of get-togethers with other friends.  The final two days we stayed in Denver, where we got together with my nephew and his wife, and also played tourists in the downtown area, where we had a fabulous upscale Mexican meal at a restaurant namedTomayo in the LODO area.We hadn't been in Denver for seven years, and we were amazed at the positive changes in the downtown area.

The day after we returned hone I finally saw a cardiologist about my persistent Afib problem.  He was personable, competent, and paid close attention to my specific issues, particularly to the possible link

Thumpa-Thumpa

between Afib and my vision problems.  (By the way, my vision has declined to the point that Karen had to take over the driving on our trip,  I can barely read even with very strong reading glasses, and I am able to write this on my computer only by making the print very large,) An office ECG confirmed my Afib and the doctor ordered a bunch of additional tests, He also recommended trying to get my heart to revert to a normal rhythm using a drug that blocks the unwanted electrical signals in the atrium.  I got the drug that same day and started taking it immediately.  Yesterday morning I tested my rhythm with my portable device and for the first time since July it assessed the pattern as normal!!!!  This was much appreciated progress, to say the least.  I haven't noticed much improvement yet in my vision, but I'm still hopeful.  If this doesn't hold there are other techniques that can be used, including the good old paddles that deliver a nice electrical dope-slap to the heart telling it to straighten out.....

 

In other geezer news, Karen's cataract surgery didn't correct her vision as much as it should have,  She still has to use glasses for distance vision and for close up.  The new fancy lenses were supposed to eliminate the need for correction altogether, The surgeon is puzzled and wants to wait about three months for Karen's eyes to heal completely before trying to correct the problem.  The correction will undoubtedly require one or more trips to Oahu for either laser tweaks or to completely redo the surgery. Karen is understandably not happy with this situation.  I'll keep you posted on what happens.

I've been mentioning that Kilauea has been recharging its supply of magma and that the volcanologists have said it wasn't a matter of "if" but "when" the next eruption would occur.  Well, a couple of days before we returned Pele squirted out some lava in an area called the middle east rift zone, a few miles from the main caldera. The eruption was brief and has petered out at the moment. It may stall entirely soon.  The main  consequence so far has been a slight increase in vog that makes the air kind of hazy,

Ok enough for now.  You can now return to your onslaught of political ads and trying to figure out how to live in a  "post-factual," "post-civil" world......  Take care, carpe vita.

Storm? Waikiki Anniversary, Truffles & Surgery

[Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

8/31/24

 

Aloha All -- 

 

Tropical storm Hone turned out to be a fizzle for us here in Kona. We had hardly any wind and only 1.5" of rain at our house. Radar showed some pretty vigorous action elsewhere in the state, and there was some localized flooding that made for dramatic news video.  But Hawaii's problems didn't compare at all to the flooding, fires, volcanoes, deadly heat, etc,, etc. elsewhere in the world.  This weekend we might get some more rain as the remnants of hurricane Gilma passes by to our north, but otherwise things are pretty quiet. BTW, I was amused last Sunday when we went to Costco before the storm was scheduled to arrive -- the shrewd manager had quickly made a big display featuring emergency electric generators and warm clothing.  Oh, and people were hauling out big loads of Hawaii's essential emergencysupplies -- rice and toilet paper.

The storm had pretty well cleared from around Oahu when we flew there Monday afternoon.  Karen's surgery wasn't until Tuesday morning but we wanted to go early and have our 57th anniversary dinner in Waikiki.  We went to a restaurant named Orchid in the Halekulani hotel and it was excellent, even by our high foodie standards.  The setting was very nice also -- right on the beach at sunset.  Karen's surgery went

very smoothly again -- actually better because she didn't get nauseous this time.  As before, she has had no pain whatsoever with only numbing drops as anesthesia.  Her checkup the next morning showed that everything was going well,   Her eyesight has improved steadily since then and now it will just be a matter of time for both eyes to heal completely and for her brain to coordinate the two images, one near the other far. During her checkup Karen mentioned my recent eye problems and the surgeon took a quick look (!). She saw nothing dramatically wrong and confirmed that although I have a mild cataract problem it isn't enough to account for my sudden downturn.  She knows my eye doctor that I will be seeing on Tuesday and was confident he would figure it out -- I sure hope so.

We spent the remainder of the day (Wednesday) at the enormous nearby Ala Moana Shopping Center.  This involved lots of shopping, of course, but also another gourmet meal at a rooftop restaurant in the upscale Neiman Marcus department store.  One of the dishes was a seafood combination of scallops and shrimp, with a cream sauce that contained bits of truffle, a really delicious treat.  We flew home late afternoon, feeling like we had optimized this medical travel about as well as we could.

 

We've now turned out attention to prepping for our trip next week to Ohio and Colorado. Since we won't be gone all that long (about 2 weeks) it doesn't require quite as extensive preparation as our longer trips do, but there are still lots of house chores to take care of.  We managed to do a workout yesterday at Planet Fitness, though Karen had to take it easy on some of the machines to safeguard her eye.  This will probably be my last missive until we return, so I hope everyone has a good Labor Day  and that you enjoy the end of summer.  Take care, carpe diem.

Waikiki Eye Slice, CC Hack, Tropical Storm

[Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

8/24/24

 

Aloha Everybody -- 

This was an interesting week for us.  On Monday morning we flew to Honolulu for Karen's cataract surgery  This was a three-day affair, the first of which consisted of several hours of tests, exams, consultations, and making financial arrangements. Day two was the surgery at an outpatient facility.  The procedure itself takes less than 30 minutes but the preparations and resting period afterward made the total time about three hours.  Karen opted for only numbing drops, so she was awake for the whole deal.  This was the laser version of cataract surgery, which involves the same steps but is less traumatic on the eyeball.  Karen felt no pain whatsoever, either during the surgery or since. The only negative aspect of the surgery was some nausea afterward likely due to the disorienting bright light involved in the procedure. The next morning the doctor examined her to make sure everything was ok, and we flew back that evening.  She'll return next week for the other eye. She chose the Binford 1200 XLR Supercharged Turbo model lens, an upgrade that insurance doesn't cover but which seemed like a good idea.and so far has worked out well. She also opted for having one eye tuned for distance and middle vision, and the other for close up. This is a common arrangement which with luck may do away with the need for glasses altogether.  

I don't think I mentioned earlier that one of our credit cards was hacked shortly after we returned from Canada.  The card company flagged 54 transactions that had been made within a few hours that were

Gotcha

fraudulent.  They contacted us and when we confirmed that we hadn't made the purchases, they denied the charges and cancelled the card.  Fortunately this account issues a different number to each of us, so even though hers would no longer work, mine was still good. She received a new card in about a week.  THEN, on Thursday my own card was used to make a couple of fraudulent charges, which the company again caught right away.  These were very small charges, probably meant to test the card to see if it was still good prior to doing the same mass attack that had been done with Karen's card.  Anyway, I now have a new card as well as Karen.  We find it very suspicious that this happened after we had used the cards in Canada.  This account is one we use when we travel to make it easier to track expenses and because it gives us 2.5 % cash back.  We use it here at home only for food purchases.  Regardless of who the ne'er-do-wells were, the hack seemed more sophisticated than usual, which is sadly in keeping with current levels of organized cyber crime.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Hone are in the islands this weekend.  So far this has only meant increased humidity and cloudiness, but tonight and tomorrow we may get a fair amount of rain and wind.  Actually, the rain is welcome because much of the island has been very dry lately.  Of course if you're a tourist this may put a damper on your planned activities -- a wet luau is no fun at all. Most of these storms, and also hurricanes, come from the east.  This one is forecast to pass south of the islands before turning northward, a fairly common track. The strength of winds usually drops steadily as the storm passes over cooler waters.  We're certainly hoping that's the case this time, but at the moment the forecast is for the storm to strengthen to hurricane level after it passes to our south. We're also hoping all this settles down by the time we return to Oahu for Karen's eye surgery next week. I'll let you know how it goes

Ok, enough for now  Off to market and a pre-storm beach picnic breakfast.  Take care.  Keep your exposure to election nastiness to as little as you can.

Fire Prep, Med Titration,Travel Plans

[Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

8/17/24

 

Aloha  Ohana -- 

Life lurches on here.  It was a fairly quiet week.  Probably the two biggest events were getting my teeth cleaned on Wednesday and working out at the gym on Thursday.  The workout this week was definitely a notch up from last time, and I managed to get back to my previous machine settings.  Afterwards we rewarded ourselves with lunch at one of our favorite seaside restaurants in town, one that we haven't been to in quite a while. I attribute my improved energy level to cutting back a little on my heart rate medication.  This is supposed to lower your heart rate to ease the burden of Afib, but my initial dose was overdoing it and turning me into a zombie.  By the way, I'm not sure I made it clear that I feel absolutely no symptoms from Afib itself-- no pounding or fluttering in my chest, no light-hotheadedness, no pain at all. I only know I'm still in Afib because my little home monitoring device tells me so.

 

Our weather has turned drier.  We're still getting some afternoon and evening showers, but the total rainfall has dropped off.  In fact, island-wide the rainfall has been far short of normal, and this is prompting

Fire in Paradise

concerns about wildfires of the sort that devastated  parts of Maui last year. The county has been creating fire breaks around large wooded and grassy areas inland of town, and along major roads.  Homeowners are being advised to push back flammable vegetation from their houses. In addition, the electric company has established several zones where power might be preemptively cut off to prevent downed wires from starting fires, as they did on Maui.  All of these actions give the impression that they would protect us from a Maui-type event, but I'm not so sure they would.  First, our town is situated very similarly to Lahaina -- a seaside tinderbox with lots of grassy areas inland and upslope, Normally onshore winds prevail during the day both here and on Maui, but the day of the Maui fire they were blowing down slope and toward the ocean, a very unusual pattern.  This meant that that escape routes away from the shore went directly into the path of the fires.  The same could happen here, and due to poor urban planning  there are only four evacuation routes in a five-mile stretch along our coast. The fire breaks and electric cut-off zones might slow things a bit, which might give people time to escape, but it still might be a tragically chaotic situation.  The climatic conditions that led to the Maui tragedy are also becoming more common, yet another legacy of climate change.  

In more happy news, we made our final payment for our November trip to Cambodia and Thailand.  I know, you're probably questioning the wisdom of exotic travel with my current health concerns.  But after carefully thinking about it, we've decided to go ahead despite the risks,  Or rather, we believe the risks are worth it for this special experience.

 

Next week we will be spending a few days on Oahu for  Karen to have cataract surgery, and again the following week when she has it done on the other eye.  She could have had this done on our island, but the surgeon on Oahu is very highly recommended by several friends, and it will give us a chance to get away for a couple of days.

 

Ok, that's all the geezer talk for now  Hang in there, stay cool, and give thanks for sanity and integrity -- they really do exist.