Lunch in the Great Depression.

The old prune picker (me) lived in Pomona, California during the 1930s.

Times were hard. I remember going to school in the sixth grade. I walked a couple of miles. At lunch time the children would sit on benches under a tree and eat the lunch that they had brought from home. Some walked home for lunch

Often I would not have any lunch and there was not any food at home. I would walk away from school pretending that I was going home, go around a corner,  wait until lunch was over, and then go back to school. I mean times were hard. What did the 11 year old prune picker think about being hungry? I know that I often picked fruit from fruit orchards to get something to eat.

Later in the sixth grade school year I came home to find all of our furniture (not a lot) in a pile in the front yard. We had been evicted for not paying the rent.

When I attended the seventh grade in junior high there was a cafeteria. One of my teachers paid the cafeteria to give me a bottle of milk every day. I like milk. I remember Miss Beach with affection. I can almost see her face. That was 77 years ago.

Diffuse Esophageal Spasm (DES)

That is what I got. Years ago a doctor said I had a corkscrewed esophagus which caused my swallowing problems. I pictured my esophagus had a curve like a corkscrew and my food had a problem making the curve. Not so. I often have a spasm (DES) that makes my esophagus look like a corkscrew on a barium swallow test.

The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. It normally contracts in a coordinated way to push food into the stomach. DES or diffuse esophageal spasm causes the esophagus to contract in an uncoordinated way. Any food in the esophagus will not move. I have to sit and wait for the spasm to subside. Yesterday at the hospital this was also called tertiary contractions. It makes the esophagus look like a corkscrew on the screen.

I have yet to find why this would cause me to pass out. Every time I have a serious problem swallowing my head feels like I am going to pass out. I did pass out twice. Years ago and last month. The problem is getting worse lately. It might be that I am getting old.

Treatment? I will find out next Monday.

Vital Signs

About the same.

Date	Weight	Waist	Temp	BP Hi	BP Lo	Pulse	Miles	MPD
1/1/2013	241.6	50.7	96.9	137	65	78	6.5	1.0
1/8/2013	243.6	50.8	96.3	128	61	64	6.8	1.0
1/15/2013	244.4	50.7	96.5	126	59	67	11.0	1.6
1/22/2013	245.2	51.1	96.6	127	60	70	8.8	1.3
1/29/2013	244.6	50.5	97.1	147	67	69	9.5	1.4
2/5/2013	244.2	50.6	97.0	146	69	70	11.0	1.6
2/12/2013	244.8	51.3	97.0	135	63	64	11.5	1.6
2/19/2013	245.4	51.1	95.4	140	66	74	8.7	1.2
2/26/2013	243.9	50.9	97.2	136	66	69	9.2	1.3

A barium milkshake in Shreveport.

I took my last swallow last night about nine. I took a 65 mile drive over to the VA Hospital in Shreveport. I was aching for coffee and breakfast all the way. They gave me a barium milk shake. Not too tasty.

This is the radiology equipment.

 I stood behind the machine and swallowed barium on cue. I could see the swallow spurt down my esophagus.

At the end of the test I was given a  pill. After five or more minutes the pill was still sitting above the stomach. Normally the pill would pass immediately into the stomach. I was told that I did not have any restrictions in my esophagus but did have tertiary contractions. These contractions can cause pain and trouble swallowing. Tertiary contractions can give a picture like the one below. My barium swallow test did.

I have an appointment next Monday to discuss my test.

Sunday afternoon on tightwad hill.

I went from Ross's birthday to the baseball game at Louisiana Tech. I was pretty late for the game so I sat on tightwad hill. It was a nice shady spot with a good view of the game in the sunshine,

Shucks. We lost 9 to 3. Oral Roberts won two of the three games.

I knew that you wanted to see the back of the scoreboard.

Teams greet after the game.

Ross John Newberry is nine years old!

Went to a wonderful birthday party for Ross yesterday. Congratulations, Ross.

See? It is official. Nine candles arranged in the figure of a nine.

Nice presents. 

These are not presents but some art painted by Ross. He is talented and a nice guy.

Cousins Johnny Lynn and Christian Steven enjoyed the party at a special table.

Baseball. Dawgs vs Oral Roberts University.

I attended the Friday night and Saturday afternoon games. These were the first home games this year. Good crowds. I was late to both games and could not find a parking place in the parking lot. I had to drive under the railroad tracks and park on the street behind the scoreboard and tightwad hill. It was 700 steps or 1/3 mile around to the stadium. So each game required a 2/3 mile walk. I thought how lucky I am! I need the exercise.

Good group on tightwad hill.

I see that right ear is also a baseball fan. On Friday night I was sitting right behind the right ear.

We won Fridsy 2 to 0.

Saturday I sat on the Dawg dugout.

It looked like we were going to win on Saturday. However an ORU 3 run homer in the top of the eighth gave us a loss. They won 5 to 4. 

Ernie Stevens. Marine, sheet metal man, and museum manager.

I met Ernie today at the Louisiana Military Museum in Ruston. It is a great museum and Ernie has played a big part in the history of the museum. Thank you Ernie.

I was answering an article in the paper for help in making labels. I thought "I make mailing labels all the time" and phoned Ernie for an interview. It was interesting to learn that part of the job was researching the data that goes on the label. I thought "I google all the time" and told Ernie that I would like to try to help. He is going to start me out on two items, A SAM missile and a Russian anti tank gun,

I do not think that labels for these items would fit on my computer. They might have to be bigger.

Ernie hard at work.

It is a great museum. I hope that I can help.

Health Aspects of Aging.

Rhonda Boyd teaches a class on the Health Aspects of Aging at Louisiana Tech. Rhonda wanted some older folks to speak on the subject. She invited Miss Smiley (my water class professor). (She throws dumbbells at me), Ben and Rebecca Haley (fellow students in Smiley's class), and the old prune picker (me) to give talks to her class.

Smiley represented the fifty year olds, the Haleys the seventy year olds, and I the ninety year olds. (a stretch as I am only 87)  Above is a picture of Smiley at the podium and the Haleys on deck.

Rebecca and Ben Haley. I received the distinct impression that they are enjoying old age. They mentioned dancing to the Glenn Miller Orchestra next weekend. I recall dancing at the Palladium in Hollywood to Glenn Miller before WW II.

Sure was a good looking class. It was a pleasant experience meeting them. I enjoyed the talks by Smiley and the Haleys.

Professor Rhonda Boyd.

I had my best clothes on and had trimmed my beard. I hope the class got something out of my remarks.  I wanted to say that you can fight the sadness, loneliness, and depression that can come with old age by building new skills and interests. I became a sports fan, a bluegrass fan, an amateur genealogist, and a blogger.

I have to make myself exercise. I was born lazy. Exercise is probably one of the most important things I can do for my health. The water class at Tech is a vital and important part of my life. The $54 per quarter, $216 per year, and $1296 for the last six years is some of the best money that I have spent in my life. THANK YOU, SMILEY/RHONDA/TECH !

The class brought back memories of my days at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California

A nice relaxed basketball game.

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs played Central Baptist from Conway, Arkansas last night. The Dawgs won easy and big. It was their 16th straight win. Final score 118 to 48.

Just a two tuba game.

Carolyn and Skip.

The Dawg leading cheers.

Coach Michael White and staff, In his trademark white shirt.

We won the tip. Above my picture.

Introduced the Bulldog baseball team at half time.

These little ladies are good.

We won big.

Coach White and a helper.

The Dogs go up into the stands. After congratulations all around it was time for the 16th singing of "oh Lord, it is hard to be humble".