Update on Jackie

Uh-oh. I'm referring to myself in the third-person. That can't be a good thing. I want to thank Sydney and all of the commenters for this week's posts and all the activity. Tremendous! But me? Argh, I've been so out of it that I didn't realize last night was the Lost finale and I missed it. Grrr.

I apologize for my absence This is a hard recovery and it's tough to get through. It's definitely a major surgery. It's hard to explain how every little thing I do tires me so even though I still can't sleep more than three or four hours at a time.

For example, my home health care physical therapy visits ended yesterday. So, today I had to arrange for my out-patient physical therapy, dealing with both my insurance company and the PT place. It wiped me out. I promptly fell asleep for three hours.

Yesterday I had my last PT at home visit, had to organize all of my leave of absence and short term disability papers to bring to the doctor's office for my early evening post-op appointment. My friend Barbara brought me to and from the appointment. I managed to sit in the front seat of the car, something I couldn't do when she picked me up from the hospital. We also stopped at a store so I could refresh the juice, beverage, and bread department in my kitchen. I was up and at 'em and on the go from 8:30 in the morning until I gt home around 8:30 at night. I collapsed and fell asleep before 9. I was awake again before Letterman ended.

The knee itself is coming along well even if my energy levels are depleted. The staples came out yesterday and the doctor took x-rays. Both the doctor and my in-home physical therapist are thrilled with my progress. Before the staples came out yesterday, I could bend the knee 75 degrees. Upon leaving the hospital last week, it was only up to 60. I'm more pleased with the strength aspect -- I can see that improving daily. I do exercises three times a day which work on both strength and range of motion. (Then I conk out.)

Good news is that I don't have to pay $20 co-pay for my doctor visits anymore as I'm post-op. I go back in three weeks. The bad news is I have to pay a $20 co-pay each time at the physical therapist and that's three times a week. I know I need it and they have equipment I need to improve, but that co-pay wasn't that much the last time I went through PT. Sigh. My first PT appointment is Monday.

Then there's the Coumadin thing. That's for the blood clot and to prevent more from forming. Like Charlton Heston in Soylent Green yelling, "It's people! Soylent green is people!" -- I want to yell, "It's rat poison! They're making me take rat poison!" Until recent years, the drug (Warfarin) was indeed rat poison. It was the one which used to make the rats bleed internally and die. That's why I have to have blood drawn each week to test in case they need to modify mt dosage levels. I will be on the drug until mid-August.

So I can't get cut or bleed (or have to rush to the hospital) due to the Coumadin. I also have to let them know I'm on the drug. Possible side effects besides bleeding to death include gangrene and something called "purple toes syndrome." I don't dare have any infection or fever because the knee surgery can easily be infected. If that happens, they take out the knee, give you a spacer, then put another knee in within six months or so.

I've had an open scabbed sore on the back of my calf since the surgery. It was starting to look infected over the weekend. I thought of going to the ER, but instead bandaged it and put some Neosporin on it for a couple of days. While I know the Coumadin is slowing my healing, the therapists, visiting nurse, and doctor all thought it looked acceptable, so I guess I did the right thing.

My cat Scherzo (Skirts) has been a blessing through all of this. While she might not have liked being boarded, I couldn't have boarded my cat Teaser (who died in November). Teaser's health was too iffy and he stressed out too much. Skirts wasn't happy, but was physically fine upon returning home. Teaser also always was leaping on me and I don't think I could have handled that. Skirts has definitely grown closer to me since his death, but she still isn't a lap cat. She loves to curl up next to me, perhaps put her chin or her paw on my lap. That is comforting, but not painful.

Well, right now I know I've been in one position too long since my knee is screaming at me. I'm still on the walker although I can do crutches, too. I tried to use a cane in the apartment, but found it a bit unstable. I don't dare fall. But if I'm in one position too long, it definitely makes me get up and move. And ice it down.

I hope I caught all my typos in this and thank everyone once again! Below is my knee without its staples -- I gained a good half-inch of skin space!

LOST FINALE!!!

Tonight is the night... though not for me because I got too Lost waaaay back. For everyone who has no clue what's going on, but still watches, putting their faith in that there IS indeed a greater scheme/meaning/plan/order to it all, I have one question for you: Will things get clearer or will you be left with even more confusion and loose ends?

The word in TV Land is that there are many revelations that will come this evening, so you'll have to let us know if indeed you fans get some satisfaction on that front. So get settled in with your popcorn or cookies and your favorite libation and feel free to live blog during the hopefully amazing two hours.

Maybe Jackie will be peeking in!

The Morning After

After the Bachelorette that is...  I am just putting up a new post to chat about other TV shows and daily stuff for the next few days, so we can keep the Bachelorette comments on the last post. This will make it easier for Jackie to transfer all those comments to a sidebar link when the time comes. 

A big thank you to Delee who has started to list what's on in this interim period that seems kind of miscellaneous.  You can check back in the comments from last night to find her total listing.  

A few mentions: 

* Tonight is Hells Kitchen, Deadliest Catch and the Alsaka Experiment right after...

* Wed Oprah is rerunning her Dancing With The Stars Champion Show special. 

* Thursday is the 2 hour season finale of LOST!!!!  I'll put up a link for that when the time comes for you Losties.

Have a great day all!!! Short work week!

The Bachelotette

Howdy Folks -

Well, most of us thought we would not watch this round, but any who caught the first episode said they were hooked.  In the coming previews of this season they treated us to, it seemed like there is plenty of drama to look forward to over the next dozen weeks.  Until Jackie can set us up the normal Bachelorette Talk sidebar, I will post a place on Mondays for your comments!  

See you tonight!!!!!!

So You Think You Can Dance

Hi Jackie Fans-

Happy Memorial Day!  While many of you may be busy with BBQ's etc... Jackie knows the TV addicts among us would want a place to chat about the shows on tonight.  So this will be the place to talk about So You Think You Can Dance, on tonight at 8PMEST/7PM Central.  While Jackie may not be blogging this show once she recovers, in this short in-between period-- for her and TV -- she said I could go ahead and put up a place for y'all to talk about it.

Last year had probably the best group of talent (IMHO) thus far, and it really made it a pleasure (and sometimes a nail biter) to watch.  I hope they will be able to maintain those higher standards this season.  Here please tell what you thought of the audition process, if you have any favorites so far, and what you thought of tonight's two hour special.

(just heard from a commenter that tonight's show is a repeat of last week's auditions, and though I've looked on the website I can't tell... but just to give you a heads up).

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

I hope everyone is enjoying the first holiday weekend heading into the summer season! Despite my lack of posting, I am indeed alive. I am having some concentration issues due to pain and pain medication, so I'll probably be a bit quiet for a time. But I am okay. Thank you everyone for the notes and comments.

American Idol Finale

I'm not feeling so hot, but thought you guys might like a place to make comments about the finale. Enjoy!

Not for the Squeamish

Tiny Staples in my knee make them give me pills to make me happy ... to the tune of Tiny Bubbles.

Although I'm home shockingly early, I still have a rough road ahead. The knee replacement surgery is one of the most painful surgeries you can have done and has a hard rehab process as well. Between the constant pain and the pills, it's hard to hold onto a train of thought.

I have the added issue of being on the Coumadin regimen -- visiting nurses will come one day a week to draw blood. That whole clotting ordeal is potentially life-threatening. Even the medication is life-threatening. An in-home physical therapist will come three times a week. My insurance company covers those visits in full for up to 40 visits.

Due to the Coumadin, I'm supposed to eat a balanced diet (but no big amounts of green leafy vegetables and absolutely NO cranberries or cranberry juice.) Guess what's in my stocked pantry? Thankfully, I have plenty of other juices and veggies available. This will go on through 8/15.

The problem is that I have little to no appetite.

The emails at the hospital were a big hit with me. Whenever I saw a volunteer standing at the door timidly saying my name while holding a sheath of paper, I smiled no matter the pain. I brought them all home but haven't tallied them yet.

Why did I come home so early? Well, the original hospital stay itself was supposed to be three days, then into rehab. Rehab itself started on the day of the surgery when they had me stand up with a walker and go sit in a chair. Rehab stopped the second day when they gave me the ultrasound test and found the blood clot in my surgery knee. The only reason I was slated to go to a rehab facility is because I live alone and they were worried about me being able to fend for myself. You actually only get an hour or so of rehab a day at those places. Meanwhile I developed a horrible case of diarrhea from the stool softeners they were giving me to combat the expected constipation from the pain meds. I also became violently sick to my stomach.

No buts about it, I wanted to be able to get up and go to the bathroom! I was sick of waiting for bedpans, the humiliation, waiting for them to come and remove bedpans and all. I wanted BATHROOM. The doctor told me I could, and that was that. I started using the walker Sunday night, getting in and out of the bed and chair unassisted. I sat in bed doing ankle pumps, quad sets, and leg lifts (sometimes less than a half inch, but it counts).

Part of the recovery issue with the knee replacement is that you lose your ACL tendon, your quad muscle is cut, and lots of other nerves and tendons are ruined and have to be rebuilt. As a result, you can't make that 500 pound leg do what you want in addition to pain issues. By Monday, I was scooching it along the bed using the other leg, sometimes using a sheet as a lasso to move it, and when sitting on the bed, I managed to be able to swing it up to the bed (then scooch it in place from there). I think that's what made my OS (orthopedic surgeon) offer me the option of going home. While my other knee surgeries were a walk in the park compared to this, a lot of the techniques and rehab are the same albeit more extreme.

When I met up with the actual rehab people before my discharge, they had me climbing stairs and stuff. They measured my ROM (Range of Motion). I have 0 degrees extension (it will lay flat, good) and 60 degrees bend. I know I didn't push the bend to the point of agony -- I think I may have another ten degrees in there. They were surprised how well I did without any formal PT sessions. But I'm not surprised. I don't think the doctor is all that surprised, either. Both he and his partner said I shouldn't have been mobile based on the condition of my knee pre-op. Yet I walked a mile a day and was on my feet sometimes 7 hours a day.

My personal goal for the ROM is 130 degrees, but that won't come for a while. The swelling and staples hinder it right now in addition to having to build it all back up. It's going to be rough -- the surgery takes a lot out of you in addition to decrepit knees. My sleeping pattern is shot. I've been typing this for about three hours stopping in between sentences.

I really want to thank Zoetawny and Sydney for working on the blog in my absence and for their calls to me. Between them, the emails and cards ... I felt very loved. (An oddly welcomed feeling!) My brother called daily and is planning to come down and visit for a day. My friend Barbara went above and beyond getting me to the hospital on time, visiting me, calling me, dropping by with DVDs, cookies, Coca-Cola, chips, and KFC in addition to picking me up, getting my prescriptions, my bread, milk, eggs, and cat.

Speaking of the cat ... when I called there they told me she was okay healthwise, but not a happy cat. Another call there garnered the information that everyone thinks she's such a beautiful cat but she only likes Debbie. Heh. Since getting home, she has explored the apartment apparently to make sure I didn't move in any other cats. If I'm in bed, she's curled up purring. If she's alone sometimes she just lets out a cry. I talk to her and she quiets down. She's a bit unsure about the walker.

More eventually.

A big thanks to Zoetawny for this adorable graphic.  Just wanted to get it up so Jackie sees it first thing when she turns the computer on, whenever that may be.  

Home Alive

I'm home and alive. Thank you everyone for the emails and letters.

Must collapse now. More soon

The Show WILL Go On!!!!

We interrupt this program for some breaking news. 

Sing along with me: "It's a beautiful daaaaay!" (U2).  

Are you sitting down? 

I have to tell you that Jackie is not going to rehab today after all.... 

SHE'S GOING HOME!!!  That's right. When she told me I thought she'd just hit her morphine pump and was delusional... then I realized, she doesn't have a morphine pump.  Her ride is coming in about 30 minutes and she's swinging by the store for milk, bread and eggs and then they pick up the cat.  By this evening, she will be settling in to her own couch, in her own PJ's, with the kitty curled up nearby.  No annoying roommates, hospital gowns, hideously bright lights or nurses waking her up in the middle of the night!

What a difference from yesterday!  She had not even really been on her feet as of early afternoon.  I guess the associate doc came in after we hung up, did the test for the clot and it had dissapated.  And then they let her get up using a walker and apparently she really impressed them with being able to put her full weight on the leg and get around a bit on her own.  They also measured the bend in the knee -- and this is without having ANY PT or even getting up to sit in a chair since Wednesday morning -- to be 60 degrees. My husband got back 90 degrees and they said that was amazing. Jackie has a goal of 130 degrees, of course, lol!  If anybody's going to do it, she will.

She's all set with food at home, made things in advance and arranged her computer and TV etc... so we can all rest easy.  I assume that she will be posting again in no time, and hopefully we'll get to see some pictures.  Thanks go to Jackie for allowing me to do a little bit in return for all the fun I've had over the last 3 years at this blog --and for all the wonderful people I've met. (But who do I hold responsible for the countless hours I've spent here as my to do list takes second place???).  I was just so relieved to know what was going on day to day, and was grateful to have a way to pass it on to others here who I know would have been feeling the same. Ms J, we'll all be waiting for that moment when we click on your blog and see your words again.

And now, the winner of the Guess Those Stitches Contest is...... LYNN1!!!!  I could not believe it when you guessed it exactly at 31.  Runners up are RBennie with 30 and Donna in AL with 32.  

Thanks everyone!  xxxox, Sydney

Well, I had a nice long talk with Jackie just now. Glad it was a good time. You never know if you'll catch someone groggy or sleeping or in the middle of tests...

I wanted to know if her knee looked like Frankenstein's.  She said a little... and then she counted the staples (which would be double if there were actual stitches). 

I asked if the scar was straight on top, curved or on the side. She said "The scar is kind of off. Looking straight down on it, it goes a little to the left, then back to center again". The swelling has gone down today. It wasn't very swollen to begin with and the leg  isn't all black and blue, which amazes us both.  I think that's a very good sign.  She managed to take a few pictures of it too. Wonder if we'll see any once she gets back home and can post again.

A friend came by with DVD's, and like Zoetawny said she watched Juno. Only problem is, there is no apparent remote for the DVD, so when the nurses inevitably interrupted in the middle to do silly things like take blood and her temp, she could not pause it. @@   And when it was over, she had to call the nurses in to take it out and return her set to normal TV.  I was chomping on the bit to hang up and call the nurses station and ask them to bring one in from another room, or help her look for it, but Jackie insisted I didn't.  DANG I shouldn't have asked her and just done it!  But I of course want to respect what makes her feel comfortable, so I asked.  Frustrated!!! 

Said pal also brought her cookies, which is always a good thing, but even more now,  as after 4 days that hospital food is starting to pale. From the sound of things, it started out without poor marks. Even the ice cream isn't making up for it.  Haagendaas it's not.  Maybe it's like ice milk. I told her if she gets to go to the rehab place near her house, she could order in from her neighborhood faves.  

As of yesterday, the blood clot was apparently getting a little better.  When I hung up at 1:30 PM EST she was still waiting for her doctor's partner (who was in on the surgery) to come by. Bet they'll wait til her primary doc sees her Monday AM to determine if she's ready to make the move.  

It seems even better now that she's going to a rehab facility, since she hasn't been able to do anything in these first several days. It's so critical to move in the first 24-48 hours after an operation like this, but she can't due to the clot.  I just hope they will give her extra attention so she can catch up.  After going through all this, you do want to get that 90 degree bend back and that takes commitment.  

So now, our Jackie quiz question: Guess how many staples Jackie has on the outside of her knee. The incision is about 8 inches long.  The person(s) who gets it right will have their name posted on the next blog entry! Thrilling prize, I know, but for now, that's all I got, lol.

Many thanks to Zoetawny for today's graphic!

Jackie Watch, Day Three

I've got news.  Is it good news or bad news,  you ask.  A little of both, and the bad news isn't horrible. I'm to make sure you all know that (so says Jackie). 

She may be delayed a day or two in moving on from the hospital because of a little blood clot they found.  The doctor said it's NOT the kind that can travel to dangerous places. He said it's not great but not the end of the world. They have her on blood thinners right now and the only consequence is that she could not go for PT today.  However, I was relieved to hear she had indeed stood up yesterday.  She said it was excruciating, even full of pain meds and the nerve block!  But, no surprise there when you think of what just happened to that poor leg of hers!

Apparently she does not have that little wheelie thing on the knee to keep it in motion (a CPM machine ). The doc said she could wiggle her feet and get up and down to sit. I asked if she was at least getting in a chair to eat but she said she is just in bed, and sits herself up by using the electric rise.  Hmmm...  I thought it was crucial to move in these first days, and that nurses would be in there helping her up, but maybe not til the clot clears. She gets the feeling from them it will clear in a day so let's rally our thoughts and prayers toward that being the case!

The good news is, it looks like Jackie may be able to go to a rehab facility that is literally a block from her apartment. Even if she has to stay there for 2 weeks at least psychologically she will feel like she is home, and will probably be able to order some favorite take out from her local haunts. I'm so hoping they can arrange that for her!

I told her you all were asking about her and writing in. She DID receive several e-mails, and you still have half a day to send one to her if you were thinking about it (see last post). 

We agreed she'd call me when she knows the rehab address, if she gets moved somehow before we talk again. It may not be until Monday. Until then, she's found her way to Animal Planet and was making the rounds on cable, trying to figure out which channel was what.  She brought along Step on a Crack by James Patterson to read. And she has made some notes in her journal, even though she was pretty drugged up.  I told her it will be funny to read back on it once she's free of meds and see what she's got.  

Sending an e-mail to Ms. J

The first morning with the new knee dawns!  Jackie may have been very sore this AM. Even colds seem to be worse in the morning and late at night.  But by now she's had to have had breakfast and maybe lunch, and I bet they've gotten her up to walk a few paces.  

If you'd like to send her an e-mail, as Zoetwany mentioned, they only deliver them to patients Monday-Friday. Since Jackie will most likely be leaving the hospital over the weekend --and she's not sure they have e-mail in rehab -- we have today and tomorrow if we'd like to send her an e-hello.  

The direct link to the e-mail page at Somerset is: 

http://www.somersetmedicalcenter.com/body.cfm?id=483

For some reason I had to hand copy that so if it doesn't work, Jackie listed the link to Somerset a few posts back.  Click on Patient Information in the center of the home page.  A menu will pop down. At the bottom you'll see "send gift or e-mail".  Click that and it will take you to the gift page... and on the right there's a link to "e-mail a patient".  Zoetawny said you don't need to know her room number, but you do need to put in her full name. If anyone doesn't know that, and doesn't want to look it up, just drop me a line at NwYrkRock@aol.com.

I guess you can also send a gift from the hospital shop (cookies?  ice cream (she likes chocolate)? flowers? magazines?), and that can be done through the same link or via phone: 908-685-2200, ext. 3362. 

I may wait til tomorrow to check on her... today might be a tough one.  My husband had this done last summer and I was with him 24/7 (the 3 nights in the hospital, then attended to him in those first two weeks once we were home).  I'm trying to go off what he went through to imagine where Jackie is at physically and mentally. The good news is that today is half over. Once she gets past day 3 it's all uphill!

Let Them Know I Lived

Well, I got through to her room, but it rang and rang.  Do I keep holding on wondering if she is struggling to reach for it, or calling a nurse to help get it, or is she hearing it at a distance in a deep sleep, wishing it would go away (like a GNAT!)? Maybe she's justs up for the first time in the ladies room and my ring is  making her nervous (well, probably not if the drugs are good, lol)...  or is she not even in the room? They do make you walk a little in the hall the first day.

After a dozen rings I hung up and talked them into letting me speak to the nurses station on her floor.  That was the ticket.  Apparently Jackie was not able to reach the phone so the nurse moved it closer.  A shot of adrenaline went through me as I waited to be transferred, because that meant she was OK!  YAY!!!

Jackie sounded very quiet, and she said she was foggy.  She had her dinner there waiting and was a trouper taking time to talk to me when she had to have been hurting. She was waiting for pain meds to come. There was ice cream on the tray, so I suggested that as a fall back.  :-)

She said she did have a nerve block and it wasn't pretty. I asked if her leg was all bandaged up or in one of those mechanical rotation devices (it's like a little ferris wheel for your knee to keep it moving at all times).  I smiled to myself as she said, "Let's see, let me lift up the sheet here and take a look."  I pictured her doing this.  She said "Well, there's bandages, Ew.  More bandages... and more bandages...  Ew, Ew."  Mind you, this was not delivered in a girlish squeal, but in full-on deadpan mode. Apparently she remains funny under any circumstances. They may take her knee, but they cannot damage her spirit!  

She added "My leg doesn't look humungous.  That surprises me."  It surprised me too. On the other leg there is one of those blood pressure thingys... it wraps around the leg from ankle to knee and inflates every few minutes to keep everything flowing. With pride (and perhaps a smirk... if only they had TV phones!) she told me, "I still have perfect blood pressure."

I asked if she had a TV.  "Yes," she said, brightening. "42 inches!"  A flat screen I asked?  "Yes, though I couldn't see it before. It took 5 hours for the nurses to bring my bag, and my bag had my glasses in it, so I could not see it all this time."  Ug, I just wished one of us lived closer and could be there right now.  We would have created a brouhaha if that's what it took to get it!

She accidentally pushed a button while readjusting the covers and I could hear that a nurse immediately appeared. Jackie apologized, saying it was a mistake. We both chuckled after, wondering where that kind of service was during the previous 5 hours.

I knew she needed to go but I made sure to tell her that everyone had written in today and was waiting for the next report with bated breath.  That all send their love and good wishes. Zoetawny, I let her know that you had tried to call her earlier as well.  Her response to all that and her last words before we hung up was, "Let them know I lived!"

I will call her again tomorrow.

THE BIG DAY!

Hello All - Sydney here, cub reporter on all things Jackie.

For anyone who might not know, today is the long awaited day of Jackie's knee surgery. I know just how many of you care and have her on your mind, as I do, and want details. Jackie's own post is just below this so please be sure to read it. I was hesitant to write so quickly as I didn't want to crunch it, but I also know how many of you are like me, wondering what's going on with her RIGHT NOW, this minute.

Jackie was due to arrive at the hospital by 6 AM today... She told me that she was going to do a final post before she left and all last night I kept checking. I looked one last time before I went to bed --1AM EST-- and still saw nothing so I was hoping she was asleep. If she was going to BE at the hospital by 6 she probably had to get up by around 4:00 or 4:30AM, depending on how long it takes to get ready and how far it is to get there.... and she ended up posting at 3:30AM! More evidence that she is indeed superwoman (soon to be the bionic woman). I have to admit, I'm not sure I'd be able to sleep much either.

Her surgery was scheduled for 7:30 AM so she'd be in there for about an hour. Let's all send her extra big love as she finishes up and comes out of anesthesia.

I will call her early this evening to see how she is, and post that here, so please check back. 

Off, Off, and Away!

I want to thank everyone for their well wishes, donations, and cards. In a about two hours I'm leaving for the hospital to have my life ripped apart ... er, my knee removed. Ack. I'm going for an operation.

I'll be at the Somerset Medical Center until Friday or Saturday, then off to a rehab hospital currently unknown. Sydney will be keeping touch with me and I've given her the ability to post updates.

Thanks again for everything and wish me a speedy come home!

Survivor Micronesia: Season Finale East Coast Updates

The show has started here on the east coast. I'll update this post as important events (immunity, boot, and such) happen.

My full show review will be posted over at TV Squad later tonight.

So far we're still in the season recap phase.

Amanda just won Immunity!

Natalie was voted out, not a huge surprise.

They're shocked that there will be another immunity challenge and final two, not the final three they had planned. The rites of passage come first.

Parvati is out of the final immunity challenge. Cirie drops hers and Amanda wins the final immunity challenge!

Amanda voted out Cirie. The final two are Amanda and Parvati.

Parvati won. Blech, not a good end of the season for me!

Sprint $100,000 winner is James. The other two highest votes were Amanda and Ozzy.

Survivor is going to Gabon, Africa.

Survivor Micronesia: 5/08 Show East Coast Updates

My apologies for my absence as of late -- I've been a bit overwhelmed with work, getting my apartment ready for a long, long stay, and medical doings leading up to next week's surgery.

The show has started here on the east coast. I'll update this post as important events (immunity, boot, and such) happen.

My full show review will be posted over at TV Squad later tonight.

As always, comments are a joy! :-)

Erik won reward, chose Amanda to go with him for helicopter ride, massage, meal and overnight hotel stay. He sent Parvati to Exile Island.

Erik won immunity. We don't know if Parvati even looked for the idol on Exile Island.

STUPID Erik. He fell for Cirie's scheme and gave immunity to Natalie. It's unanimous except for his vote for Parvati -- he's out.

Off Topic: Roofus and the Price of Gas

I didn't really have much time to watch television last night, not to mention that there wasn't much on I wanted to see! But I did see Roofus the Cat yesterday morning on my way into work despite the fact it was a bit damp and drizzling. He is the master of his domain and the city street below.



And then there's the price of gas. NJ tends to have the lowest gas prices in this area and it's all full serve. It's against the law to pump your own gas here. We recently went through some sort of major increase with taxes and this was the current price in Plainfield, NJ on Friday morning. How are you all faring with the gas prices in your area?