Everybody hurts sometime*

Finally found an 80's song I can work into the blog.I did have to look up the artist, R.E.M About two weeks ago Nastia came home from work with a cough. She says she feels fine, “it’s just this cough.” Over that weekend two weeks ago, Nastia shares her cough with me and possibly her mother. Teri seems to start coughing just about the time I seem to be on the mend. About a week ago my cough came back. I don’t think anything about it. It gets worse and worse. By a week ago, Friday, I’m coughing my fool head off and in a very nice way (you know Joe, if you have sick time, you can go home and not get the office sick) my boss Leticia, emails me and asks if I want to go home. I came in that day because a month earlier I’d taken a sick day also on a Friday. She said I was Okay, so I went home. To be sure, I also took Monday off.

Now Nastia who started all of this is soldiering on trying to not take any time off, because she went on disability back when she broke her foot and didn’t want management to think she is not a dedicated employee. She worked on Friday, spent the weekend coughing and finally on Monday, she throws in the towel (boxing reference for all you future people) and calls in sick. I'm Home too, just because I can be. I’m coughing, still feeling okay, but I figure why not take another day and be sure. Nastia and I spend the day the same way I’ve spent the past three, watching TV and falling asleep. Come Tuesday, we’re both raring to go to get out of the house. During this whole time Elena cloistered away in her room or outside at work is fine, not even a throat clear during this time.

Now Nastia and I are back to work, but the congestion in our lungs still remains. Remember this is the congestion that everytime you change your position, from standing to lying down on the right side to lying down on the left side, it’s going to shift and you’ll start coughing again until it settles. This gives health care primo domo Primo domo: Primo means of the best quality : excellent, DOMO means "very". It's especially helpful when stressing appreciation or making an apology. When you buy something at a store, store clerk would say "DOMO ARIGATOU", meaning thank you "very much". You can also use DOMO as a greeting like "hello" . So, I’m saying very best, or very best hello.) Teri her opening to play doctor, but not in a fun way unless your idea of fun is to take nasty medicine and big horse pills. She forces Nastia to take medicine so she’ll quit coughing and can get a restful night of sleep. With me, well she gave up on me years ago and just makes sure the insurance is paid up to date.

Nastia continues to turn in her sleep and when she does, she coughs. I try to sleep on one side, preferably not facing Teri so I can cough and it won’t be as loud. Hey, I know, but it makes me feel as if I’m at least trying. Elena continues on as if nothing is happening. Not a sniffle, a throat clear,nothing. That Bitch!! Speaking of her, it was her and Matt’s anniversary. I really hate these types of anniversaries, especially with her and him because they have been together since, what, third grade?

I remember driving down to Rick’s Club down Lake Road across from the park to unload Elena and her bike so she and some kid she knew could go bike riding at Conger’s Park. I see this guy with his son unloading a bike. The father shakes my hand and we might have talked for a moment and off the two of them go. I don’t remember picking her up, but I must have. I think that is the first time I met Matt. I remember other times, like when they were not talking to each other, no, not recently,more like when they were still in elementary school. Maybe that’s another kid I’m thinking of, I’m not sure. My point is all the way back to that bike ride on that afternoon, all those years ago I had no idea that he would be such an important part of her life, go figure. It’s like after Nastia broke up with her previous boyfriend she kept saying she’d never meet anyone and I’d have to be her date on Valentines Day, four months away, then she meets Sean going to hang out with her sister and some of her sister’s coworkers. Life is so strange and funny. It reminds me of a line from a Rolling Stones song, it's been used so often, but applies to at least our life. You can’t alway get what you want, but you get what you need.** Teri is still out of work, money is tight again, but right now life is pretty good. Teri is not happy about not working ( yes, severe case of age discrimination), but she then is able to find time to do important things like take Amanda’s son, KJ and spend time with him. She seems mostly happy. There are times when she lets it bubble to the surface and you see all the guilt she feels for not having a job. She’s worked over 40 years and she said one day, “I never thought it would end this way, it’s not fair.” Do I really have to reference Nastia and that Stones song really. It’ll change, it always does, just not at your speed or time table. You Can't Always Get What You Want/ Song by The Rolling Stones Lyrics I saw her today at the reception A glass of wine in her hand I knew she would meet her connection At her feet was her footloose man No, you can't always get what you want You can't always get what you want You can't always get what you want But if you try sometime you'll find You get what you need I saw her today at the reception A glass of wine in her hand I knew she was gonna meet her connection At her feet was her footloose man You can't always get what you want You can't always get what you want You can't always get what you want But if you try sometimes, well, you might find You get what you need Ah, yeah Oh And I went down to the demonstration To get my fair share of abuse Singing, "We're gonna vent our frustration If we don't we're gonna blow a fifty-amp fuse" Sing it to me, honey You can't always get what you want You can't always get what you want You can't always get what you want But if you try sometimes, well, you just might find You get what you need Ah baby, yeah Ah I went down to the Chelsea drugstore To get your prescription filled I was standing in line with Mr. Jimmy And, man, did he look pretty ill We decided that we would have a soda My favorite flavor, cherry red I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was "dead" I said to him You can't always get what you want, well no You can't always get what you want. I tell you, baby You can't always get what you want, no But if you try sometimes you just might find, uh, mm You get what you need, oh yeah, woo! Ah, woo! You get what you need, yeah, oh baby Ah yeah I saw her today at the reception In her glass was a bleeding man She was practiced at the art of deception Well, I could tell by her blood-stained hands, sing it You can't always get what you want, yeah You can't always get what you want, ooh yeah, child You can't always get what you want But if you try sometimes you just might find You just might find You get what you need, ah yeah Ah baby, woo! Ah, you can't always get what you want, no, no, baby You can't always get what you want, you can't now, now You can't always get what you want But if you try sometimes you just might find You just might find that you You get what you need, oh yeah Ah yeah, do that