Life has been good. I had a special treat recently. I had my youngest son all to my self for a day. Growing new memories. He has  returned  to his home in Texas.

The weather has suddenly turned cooler. And I have suddenly settled into one of my worst flares of late.  It is amazing how that works. Doing fine. Then suddenly not doing  fine.

 I took extra indica cannabis last night. I needed the extra help sleeping as I was on the front end of a flare. The night before I had taken extra Medrol.

I still woke up this morning in total pain. My hands burned and ached. My shoulders hurt. All my joints  chirped in and I felt sick all over. I had to keep moving as I had a morning appointment with my primary. I poured water into the  coffee machine and added coffee. Next I let Francis out. The NYTimes and coffee were not enough to sort myself out. I went to the appointment holding on to my son.

Audrey  met my son for the first time. She was feeling  iffy herself. Her nurse had been taken away. I loved her nurse. She was left with a grumpy nurse substitute. She had a waiting room full of veterans waiting to be seen.

 For me she has ordered a TENS machine, took care of reorders, got caught up on my melanoma, sent a consultation to vascular. And then see you in three months. VA doctors love to send me to other doctors and love to send me equipment.

I now have a medical cannabis card.  With this card I don’t pay the cannabis tax. I can buy double the strength and stronger. I can also grow my own marijuana.

My Presbyterian primary filled out the form for the medical cannabis card. When I got home, I signed the form emailed to me, I was quickly approved and that afternoon I had a digital medical card on my phone.

My rheumatologist works at the VA so she couldn’t file the form. A doctor is available at the cannabis dispensaries. Doctors are available online to sign an application. Their fee is about $100. Your regular doctor will not charge a fee.

Besides the fifth cancer and RA, I am also going blind. My left eye has only blurry peripheral vision. My right eye  has a cloud that is gradually expanding into my central vision. I can no longer see the menu in a restaurant or read the tag of a nightgown in Kohl’s.

My vision has always been affected by my RA. When I have a flare, my vision becomes blurry and I cannot read. Eye involvement is not uncommon in those with RA. My rheumatologist never discusses RA eye involvement . I’m not sure why. I think it’s because she  sees your eyes as the domain of eye doctors.

Francis met up with a big black neighborhood cat for the first time. They had a staring contest. The cat moved to the steps and continued the staring contest while Francis barked. Our backyard animals including the quail and squirrels usually ignore Francis. He doesn’t mind. He was happy to tell the cat to go away. Not her house.