Hide the women and children, Rodz is learning to drive

       Memorial day in America, is just another hot work day in Dubai. I owe you some updates on my health, so lets get started there...My eye lazar surgery treatments are almost complete. Still have the remnants of my busted eye clot in my right eye. I have had three separate treatments on both eyes to prevent future clots. I will hopefully only have one more treatment on my right eye in early July after the blood clot dissipates.  So far, thankfully no eye complications. The ankle has been a rougher story. As you may recall I fell down the stairs of my parents home last June. I have done everything from reflexology, to regularly seeing a chiropractor, to acupuncture in an effort to get better. I have ex-rays twice and a MRI on my left ankle (diagnosis the same all three times - no break just severe sprain). Rodz regularly massages my ankle and foot for home therapy, still only slow progress. Well last week my slow progress took a drastic turn for the worse. Rodz accidently tore my pinkie toe nail during her treatment and it began to bleed. She decided she wanted to remove my toe nail and operated for a while with the toe nail clippers. After some pain, she gave up in trying to remove the nail. Just a few short days later my toe became infected and my whole foot and leg swelled up. My doctor was very concerned that I might be developing thrombosis and ordered bed rest and antibiotics. I had to stop wearing a shoe on my left foot because I couldn't get it on. So for the past week, I have wore one shoe and only my sock on my left foot. I have an appointment with a specialist tomorrow afternoon...fingers crossed...
         Rodz has been taking driving lessons 3 times a week. She has progressed in her 40 class schedule to the part where she is learning parking. I get the blow by blow recap of her lessons, I can only have empathy for her instructor...So Wednesday, Rodz talked me into letting her
drive my Infinity QX70 in the garage (yes no BMW - an Infinity is nice enough).

Rodz behind the wheel - May 2016

           It was a harrowing 2 minutes as we crept along in my parking garage. (lol)...She said I made her nervous, but she is so excited...One of our favorite things we do to pass the time is to pick out potential cars for her to drive once she gets her license. Never a dull moment...

          We just got notified at work that we have earned a big retail project. We will begin manufacturing August 1st. The customer is moving his manufacturing from Saudi Arabia to our plant in Dubai. I am very proud of our team, if all goes well it is worth millions in future business. We have also been awarded the contract to cut steaks for some big American chains in the Middle East. We actually begin cutting steaks this Saturday for them...I have been fortunate to be at the right place at the right time, and now will hopefully steer our company to big sales numbers. I will update you on our growth going forward.

           Rodz has finally begun cooking one dish a week for me. She has gotten fairly adapt at making egg fried rice. So now once a week we enjoy a heaping dish of her specialty (and only dish) at home. She is so happy when I clean my plate, it truly can be the little things in life that can make you happy. The first 7 months of our marriage certainly has had its rough moments, but we have stuck with it and hopefully more good days than bad will dominate our future together.

         Nurse Rodz has just shared with me time for my foot treatment, so I must go now or suffer the consequences that go with a surly bedside manor...lol - I only have 9 healthy toes, so bye for now...Take care, enjoy your Memorial Day, and as always we appreciate your good thoughts and prayers...





And Summer Begins...

      It is so freaking hot in the UAE, in case I haven't wined about that before. It reached 118 degrees this week, and we now have begun a string of 100 degree plus days that probably won't be interrupted until late September (no its not dry heat, we are right on the Arabian gulf). The heat wipes you out, I have never been so tired in my life. Today is Friday in the UAE, the equivalent of an American Sunday. I woke up a little later than normal (around 7) had a bowl of cereal, then laid back down to rest my eyes - next thing I knew it was 11:20 and I am still tired. In the next couple of weeks we can turn off the hot water heater, because the water is so warm from the desert pipes that it will produce steam from the cold pipes...you can't make this stuff up.
        Almost as rough on me as the heat, I have had a health scare. Last week I woke up one morning with my right eye's vision obstructed. I thought it might clear up during the day, but it didn't. I called my doctor and he advised me to make an emergency trip to an ophthalmologist. He diagnosed that I had a blood clot in the back of my eye ball that had burst. I had many tests (including having dye injected into my body that made pictures of my eye show the damages that have occurred).  I have laser surgery scheduled to begin on Monday (it will take three surgeries, one week apart). The prognosis for recovery of sight is good, although their is a significant risk of loss of peripheral vision and the chance of diminished night vision. Vinny and Rodz have been by my side at every doctors visit. Rodz cried when she heard the diagnosis, it was both sweet and very sad...
         Speaking of Rodz being sweet, I forgot to share a cute story about her. As you may remember, my dad had a health scare, and was admitted for about 2 months into an assisted living facility for rehabilitation. I visited him while I was home, and he has since been allowed to return home with a brand new pace maker installed to help his 86 year old heart pump enough blood. Now comes the cute wife part of the story...When I called Rodz from my moms, she immediately asked about dad. She wanted to know if he was still in the "orphanage". When I stopped chuckling, I shared with Rodz that he was in a nursing home not an orphanage, that an orphanage was for people without parents. She didn't even pause as she reminded me that dad no longer had parents, I guess I am learning that the wife is never wrong...
          Sorry the blog is short this week, just wanted to touch base and ask for your good thoughts and prayers that I come out of these surgeries with repaired eyes, and no side effects...Thank you in advance...see you back here very soon...