And we were off to Jacksonville, otherwise known as JAX almost on the dot of 9am.
My appointment with the Hand Specialist was at 10.30am. We arrived (thank goodness for GPS!) at 9.30, and decided to visit a Chase Bank we had found in the area. Chase does not have a single bank in Georgia. We also had time to visit the Memorial Park, opposite. What a lovely place, in this suburb known as Riverside/Avalon. It is literally on the St John's River.
An American Eagle on each side of the Winged Victory statue on a world with cherubs bottoms ..well, Im not really sure how to describe it!
That park visit took us to the time we needed to get to the Office and fill in the requisite paperwork, as you do as a new patient.
This Docs. office has the paperwork on a tablet that you just check the boxes on...made my job very easy as I have trouble hand writing, and you cant read Waz's.
All ID etc were given to the receptionist along with my CD full of x-rays. The board in the office said that there was going to be a one hour wait from the time we checked in. Don't go anywhere, in other words. We didn't.
The wait wasn't too bad and I got in there under the hour. It was hotter than hell outside, so we didn't mind staying in. We had parked the car under a tree, so at least there would be a little cool in the car..ya think? No such luck. It was just as hot as if it had been out in the sun!..so much for THAT theory.
Anyhoo....My hand Dr heard the WHOLE story of the right arm/wrist and why I thought I needed (and my NZ specialist had recommended ASAP) a Carpel Tunnel surgery. Dr turned the hand over, compared with the left one, admired the surgery of his NZ colleague, and said that he hadn't done any of that, being that it was relatively NEW...News for him, my NZ specialist had studied the procedure in Louisville, Kentucky some 8-10 yrs ago. This didn't exactly give me a HUGE amount of confidence in the man, even though he has multiple letters after his name.
He wanted me to try cortisone injections into both the base of my very arthritic thumb and the carpel Tunnel. He put two vials into each place...apparently injecting into a bone or joint is different from injecting cortisone into muscle, which can degenerate fast. So...he did the injections and put plasters over the tiny pin holes, as I tend to be a bleeder! It made me look like I had cut my wrists! ha!
Sheesh..I forgot to take a photo!!!:)
So..we left with no return date in mind and it wasn't required...just when I need to visit because the pain has returned. Next time I think we will prepare for surgery of the carpel tunnel or the arthritic thumb, which he said he can do very successfully.
So...we ventured out into the heat and drove back to the shopping center we had visited before, and went into a Zoe's Kitchen... WOW! The food was fresh and fantastic. As a side we ordered a fresh fruit salad....and YES! It was as fresh as they make them.
Fortified (it was now almost 2pm), we drove around the very old and pretty suburb of Riverside, looking at the Victorians and other, and marveling at all the bridges crossing rivers.
Jacksonville, FL is one of the largest cities in area, in the USA. It is HUGE. We asked people why there was nobody out and about in central city, and the answer was "Because people stay in their own suburbs and shop or work because the city is so large, that unless there is a reason to enter the city center, they stay away. The Landing, down on the St Johns River was deserted!
These new apartments in the Riverside area are still under construction. Ratheer fun!
Jax center
Nice reflections in some of the office windows
The Landings waterfront (St John's River) statues of runners.
A couple of water police and fire boats went swiftly up the river with sirens and lights blaring and flashing. It appeared there was a boat sinking.
One of the occupants was sitting on the front of the boat..see above, and the other was in the back...water was washing over the back, but they finally got themselves organized and the water was pumped out.
Ok..the GPS got us on our way home. We had decided to go via St Mary's. People had told us about the small town....the second town to be inhabited in the continental USA, after St Augustine. It is VERY small, unlike St Augustine.
I would say this little church is elevated for a good reason! St Mary's is right on the river and marshes. King tides, not to mention Hurricanes et al...
Isnt she grand!
This Sea Otter was busy burying into the muddy bank of the river and coming back out with food, which it then used its 'hands' to manipulate to eat. It was about 4-5ft long, tip to tail. Fascinating to watch. It didn't care that we were nearby and watching it closely.
Of course there was a fudge/ice-cream shop nearby on the deserted main street...was it Monday perhaps??
Do you remember me telling you in a previous post about the Victorian homes in Brunswick that we met a couple sitting on the porch of their home and they directed us to the Yellow Deli??
Well, this fabulous large vessel (120ft I believe) is for sale, and it is owned by the religious community who own and run the Yellow Deli, we had been told. She is for sale for $2.99 mil.
I had to take some detailed photos, of course. Someone has spent a lot of time doing her up!
The landing platform was open slightly to ventilate the inside.
We were hotter than we thought possible, and needed to escape to the air conditioned comfort of our vehicle. We were a bit disappointed by St Mary's to be truthful. We decided to go home. 4pm!
Always nice to get home, and by 4pm, my wrist was hurting to the point of pain, and the pain had travelled up my arm to the elbow and beyond to my shoulder and neck. The Dr hadn't told me any of the side effects of Cortisone (4 vials!) so I wasn't prepared for this. By 6pm, I was in desperate need of pain relief. I have since learned that it can take 24 - 48 hrs for the good effects to kick in. bah! I wish the Dr had told me. I will remember to ask more questions next time. Usually I am accused of asking too many questions, so I kind of held back.
Waz has spent part of today (Tuesday) down in the engine room painting. We have gone for a couple of saunters out in the heat...slowly walking the docks and visiting with various other boaters in the shade. The heat didn't abate somewhat until well past 7pm. 5pm, it was supposed to be 96F!
I have been watering the tomato plants and herbs with a bucket of water, each day. They are thriving with that much water and we have flowers on the tomatoes!!:)
We hate spending so much time inside in the air conditioning, but there really are few other options. We could go up to the Yacht Club library, but it is a 1/4 mile away...doesn't sound like much, but in this kind of heat it is miles!:(
We experienced bugs, tonight, sitting out on the aft fly deck with our ice-cream. Ok..we are having an ice-cream jag! peanut butter cup and vanilla!:) with fresh raspberries or strawberries. Very yummy!
We are contemplating a visit to Savannah, next. Will let you know:)
Ciao for now. Time to start another book. I am motoring through them in this heat!
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