Sunday, July 31, 2011

Moved to Jersey City... I am not a New Yorker??

I left Manhattan yesterday to move to Journal Square, Jersey City. Quite a move.. I got movers to move my stuff which cost me $200 + cab ride of $45. Movers were $55/hr + tip, 2 russian guys. And the cab guys says that as soon as they go out of Manhattan, the cab fare doubles + toll $9, so I didn't tip him. Also to went Newport Mall & did some shopping for curtains, rods, home stuff, fan, brita jar etc. So much to do when you move in to your own place. & SO much to unpack/adjust. I am really stressed I guess. Moving is not as much fun, specially when you have to do so much, all by yourself, & my not that enabled/capable hand. But I do like Journal Square so far. I ma 10 mins walk away from PATH, lots of stores around - 99 cents, C-Town, CH-Martin & Bunch of Indian stores at Indian Sq. Also was able to get chinese food at 11.20 pm on sunday Night. Impressive & happy so far, lets see how it goes. BTW - Got lot of help in this move from Tani, thanks a ton!!... So, until next time, Good Bye & Good Luck!! (Am I still a New Yorker??)

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Hand in 4 week cast / Dinner Cruise in Manhattan

So I went for  doctor's review after last week's hand surgery. The 7 stitches were taken out, although pin has been left in, with the new blue cast which I have for 4 weeks. I have to go back after 4 weeks when they take the pin & cast off & then I have to go through occupational therapy until I get my strength & motion back. My right hand did look thinner & weaker than left hand (like it's starving), but otherwise it's okay so far. The new fiber casting is quick & impressive. It's like a wrap which they wrap around after putting some cotton base, then applied some sorta medical lubricant & it hardened into a cast in few minutes. I had choice of white/blue/black color; I picked blue because it's darker but you can still write on it... So, Doctor says it's all okay, so I have to take his word. I'll only know when I get my hand fully back!!

In the evening we went for a dinner cruise (7-10pm) with Bateaux Cruise New York from Chelsea Piers. It goes all the way to Interpid first & then back south to Downtown & then towards east side of Manhattan until Empire State - cross Manhattan Bridge & then very close to Statue of Liberty (it's beautiful at night) & then back. The food was nice on the cruise & live music was very good. Only bad thing was their photographer, who was really mean/selfish & bad. Tried to force people to buy pictures, not give enough time to think or try good positions, just ridiculous.... Anyways, overall we had a wonderful & great time!!... You should try it too, if you can, & feel free to ask any questions/comments..... I am HERE

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

MY MOTHER'S VISA APPLICATION GOT REJECTED AT US EMBASSY IN NEW DELHI... AGAIN!!

OMG... REALLY?? HOW CAN YOU DO THAT. I AM A LAW ABIDING LEGAL RESIDENT OF USA, PAYING BIG TAXES & DOING MY SHARE TO HELP THE ECONOMY, ALONG WITH VOLUNTEERING & STUFF LIKE THAT. AND MY MOM'S TOURIST VISA TO JUST VISIT HER SON FOR 1-2 MONTH, WITH HER HUSBAND, IS GETTING REJECTED 2ND TIME. WTF?? WTF IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?? I AM UPSET, REALLY UPSET & MAD, REALLY MAD. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?? AND THEY DIDN'T GIVE ANY REASON EITHER, NO REASON. THIS IS JUST RIDICULOUS!!.... ANY COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS??

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Fight Club | True Grit | Perfect Host

The week was busy & scary(?) with my hand surgery, but the weekend was nice. Good Movies:

Fight Club (9/10) - Great movie, amazing plot, great performances. This was a BIG-BIG surprise just for me, cuz I didn't know about this movie. I would have given it 10, but I could guess even before half of the movie, the real identity of Tyler Durden. But it's just a great movie with excellent camera work, story line, editing & performances. Great job done, great movie made!!

True Grit (9/10) - Great movie, very good plot, excellent performances. One of the best westerner movies I have seen. The cinematography & camera work is awesome. Everything looks real & convincing. The story of a 14 yr old girl trying to hunt her father's murderer with the help of 2 bounty hunters is just amazing. Everyone has put in great performances & its just a great movie to watch.

Perfect Host (7/10) - Good movie, nice plot, very fine performances. This was a surprise actually. Never heard & never knew abou t it. The story is about a escaped prisoner/convict who takes forced refuge into a man's home & ends up being the victim. How? Just watch the movie... David Hyde Pierce is mind blowing!!

+ good food & lot of nice rest. That's what good time is all about in this HOT New York Weather!!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

My first surgery in US - MCP Joint RCL tear & subluxation

The surgery was at Beth Israel center at Union Sq. I was there before 11 am, 2 hrs before surgery as suggested (surprisingly... very unlike me). I was alone, all by myself. They had me fill this huge 10-20 paper form with my injured hand, funny!! Then this lady filled all info on computer, which was using DOS based system, with me. She told me that  I NEED to have an escort or somebody to pick me after surgery. Thanks to my roommate Eddie who agreed to come.  I had to wait little more before they took me in & asked me to change into hospital clothes. They gave me free Beth Israel bag & asked to put my stuff in locker. Now i waited in this small room with a TV for more than an hour. Then nurses, anesthesiologist & my doctor came asking same questions & filling more paper. In another hour, we were ready to go for surgery. I go in surgery room & start feeling cold even before anesthesia. They cover me up with blankets & stuff & sedate me. Sedate me fully to make me asleep & nerve block on right hand to do the surgery. I remember talking to anesthesiologist & assistant surgeon (I was asking if I am talking too much or everyone does that?.. r u angry/pissed at me?.. good luck!!) and then passed out. Next I wakeup, I am in recovery room surrounded by nurses/doctors & with no feeling in right hand. And suddenly it starts hurting, a LOT - 9/10. Nurse gave me some injection & I pass out again. Then I wakeup with 8/10 pain. Injection again & passout, wakeup again with 8/10. She forces me to take percocet & now i feel 6/10 for few mins. But then 7/10 again. The nurse says I can't leave with pain like this. I am smiling. She asks a question from her Nursing stuff: 2 patients saying 8/10 pain, one is smiling & other is crying/screaming. Who you treat? BOTH... Different people can have different pain thresh hold & reaction, but all need treatment. Good Point!! So now I lie to nurse that I am feeling okay, so I can leave. They do let me leave after this, with my roommate Eddie who was there by then. We first went to pharmacy to get my prescription medication & then we go for dinner at Coffe Shop Union Square - I hadn't eaten since last night. It's nice place & I got nice burger but I am in pain again. So we take a cab to go home. Takes almost an hour in cab to go to Hell's Kitchen from Union Sq. But finally I got home, straight to bed. That was my day of my first surgery in US.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

I had hand surgery... MCP Joint RCL tear & subluxation

This is just a quick note for all of you who must(?) be worried about me. Surgery is done & was successful as per the doctor. I am back home & resting. I do feel moderate to severe pain right now. Also the pain medication is making me drowsy/groggy. Right hand is not usable atall, which kinda sucks & has to be kept elevated. Its fully wrapped from fingers to below wrist. So I am just resting. Anyways, All izz Well overall. Thanks to everyone for your help (although I did take care of this myself), support (expectedly/unexpectedly offered/not-offered)  & well wishes.... All the Best, to ME!! (U realize this is all written by left hand only. I'll provide full details of surgery tomorrow..)

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Good Weekend - Journal Square/Harry Potter 8 & Super 8

The week didn't start as nicely with the news of Hand Surgery. This weekend was supposed to be celebration weekend for my 1 year completion in NYC. It was celebrated by me finding a new place in Journal Square, Jersey city to move out of NYC. Ironic.. huh?? I think it's fine. I have kinda finalized on this place which very close to PATH Station, 5-10 min walk south/south-west of it. Let's try Jersey & see how it works out.

Then went for Harry Potter 8 last night, quite an ordeal. We had thankfully tickets in advance & went an hour early but still were way back in line & had to sit on side row. It's because we watched it in IMAX 3D which is $19, so expensive. Sometimes it seems like this whole IMAX & specially 3D is just a scam to mint more money from people. And AMC gave such cheapo glassed which sucked & I was very unhappy. The movie is alright, 6/10. I expected better. I think it's the worst movie in the series. Specially the second half which is so ungrand & unconvincing. They are trying to be funny & cheesy & it just didn't seem to work. Expect poor Snape who did make few 'people' cry. The ordinary & silly way Voldemort died was pathetic. Not the finale I expected.... But still, it's kinda funny to see Harry & friends grow old like this. It's like our kid who were small & young in front of us & now grown up. Goodbye Harry Potter & friends...... I also saw Super 8. You have to see 2 movies to recover the expensive cost of movies I guess. It's a nice (8/10) sci-fi/horror movie, right between E.T.  & Cloverfield. Also watched Tees Maar Khan (4/10) on Netflix and Incredible Hulk (7/10) & Pirates of Carribean 3 (7/10) on T.V.

So... who do you think will be next Harry Potter? Any opinions/suggestion about Journal Square & Jersey City?? I have the hand surgery coming this week, let's see what do I have to report. Until then.... Thanks, Goodbye & Good Luck!!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

I am a New Yorker... 1 year in NYC!!

I have spent ONE YEAR in NYC. Big Deal? I guess. It was exactly an year ago when I came here to live. When I came here first time more than 4 yrs ago, I used to say I have a love & hate relationship with NYC. Now I have to say that I have a love-hate-love relationship with NYC. More like a real New Yorker, huh? I don't know. I did get cheated a while ago, that's not a good sign. But isn't that part of experiencing real NYC? (Probably more of getting fooled & not being a smart New Yorker). It's been quite a journey, living in THE CITY, in REAL CITY i.e. Manhattan. 3 blocks from Times Square. 15-20 mins walk from Central Park. 10 mins walk from Bryant Park. (these are all walking times of New Yorker, not regular walk. New Yorker walk, a lot), Next to Western Piers. Working at WALL STREET. Dream life, huh? Dunno... It did used to feel special walking through Times Sq to get home everyday. Now it feels maddening. FUNKING TOURISTS!! I do say that. It could take half hour to just cross Times Sq. They walk so slow, i.e. not walk. Take pictures, ask you to take pictures, expect you to not come in there pictures... GRRRRRRR (like I never did that myself). And I still walk from there everyday, sometimes still feel cool, special. I never thought this will happen. Not while growing up all over in India - Gujarat/Bengal/Delhi and playing around never worrying what to become, what to do in future. USA was not in the dreams, surely not NYC. And now here I am, 1 year in NYC. I tell people: If you can survive in NYC for an year & still like it, you are a New Yorker. Immigrants who moved here in recent future agree & like it. People who grew up here, H(ate) it. But yeah... I am a NEW YORKER!!

Monday, July 11, 2011

I need hand surgery... MCP Joint RCL tear & subluxation

of my right thumb injury from last weekend. I have a grade III tear which mostly can't be successfully fixed by casting/immobilization, so requires surgery to fix. How do I know all that? Cuz I am smart & awesome. And also because I went to Hand Orthopedist at Beth Israel in NYC today. He did a review, some X-Rays (no MRI) and said that surgery is best solution to ensure (although doctors never 'guarantee' a fix from surgery, it just mostly works) full recovery/fix where they'll do an incision at the RCL joint of MCP, put the dislocated joint together properly and sew/fix the broken ligament, then put a pin in there to stabilize it, immobilize it with a cast. Then they take off the pin in 10 days & keep hand in cast for another 3-4 weeks. After that they take off the cast & put a splint/brace on & I start occupational therapy/rehabilitation to gain strength back. And after all this, I am back in motion. If I don't do surgery, it might heal by itself with the splint/cast/brace (at least it looks cool) they have put me in. But it might heal crooked or with bump. I might not get full range of motion or have pain or even future arthritis. All "might" happen (or I might get totally fixed!!), kinda SUCKS!! Doctor's suggestion is surgery & I am not very excited about it. But 2-3 months of pain for lifetime of no problems (guaranteed?) isn't that bad. I am still thinking of getting a second review... Any suggestions/comments??

The week & weekend was spent mostly relaxing & taking it easy, still working though. Got outta bed after 4(pm) on Saturday and 2 pm on Sunday. Sometimes its just god top lay in bed to feel that it's really a day-off, I felt good. Went to Sheep Meadow in Central park for sun-bathing; I love central park & I am even a member & do donations to them. It's so big & confusing though sometimes, need to explore more. Also went to Bryant Park which is small & cool & nice. That's it. Will keep posted of new updates, until then.... Good Luck to me, & U!!

Monday, July 04, 2011

Hurt Again... I injured/broke my thumb

First, Happy Independence Day & 4th July!!... Second, it totally sucks. Not 4th July, my injured/broke thumb. Total Bummer... How? We went for White water rafting to Harpers Ferry West Virginia. As per RiverRiders, the place we went to, 'White Water Tubing' is there most popular & exciting sport. They put you in a tube in the river & you flow down through the rapids. No protective gear like helmet, gloves etc or paddles; you just have to use your hands. They do give you a life jacket thankfuly so non-swimmers like me & you cna put there life in danger (just kidding!!). It's lotta fun actually. Very different form rafting & very independent too. If you are not with big team or wanna try something new, tubing is kinda cool. They had this luxury tube with cup-holder & bottom too, so its liek mini raft of yours. You could pick flat-water tubing but the adventurer in me wont do anything less than  AWESOME, which in this case meant White Water Tubing. It went well, I had a good time.

EXCEPT... There was a big rapid/mini fall & I got stuck by the flow in there. I did think it'll be more adventurous so I went for it. It was kinda cool but the tube flipped over & I fell out. I hit my right thumb on a rock & it was injured. Not bent or anything but swollen & hurt, really HURT. But I continued the sport with some help from "awesome people". Went to historic town of Harpers Ferry & had nice Dinner there. AND then drove all the way back to Virginia too. The next morning was not good. Thumb was hurting & swollen & I thought I had a fracture. I ran to Urgent Care and they did an X-Ray saying there is no fracture but just some subluxation at MCP Joint i.e. the second joint of right thumb may be little dislocated. Suggested to see Hand Orthopedic. Gave  me a sad looking finger splint to put on thumb.

Anyways... also watched the July 4th Fireworks in DC, awesome but too short, just 15 mins?? And also watched Transformers 3 (6/10), Kinda nice. All in all, still had a nice weekend!! What about you????