field testing my app

Today I do some testing of "my app".

The app can provide a d.i.y orienteering event. Follow an O map and the app will use the phone GPS to check whether you are in the right place.

So today I plan to add GPS coordinates for a nearby O map.

Two challenges really: (1) using the app and (2) I can't follow a map... I started this map back in the days when I could navigate. Or at least see and follow a map :-)

Deb drops me near the start of the map. I slowly... slowly... work out where I am. Where to go next. Except:

Turns out that I have missed one small step. Which means that I can't use the app. Oops. It's a small step, one which I can only fix at home.

I walk home, it's only twenty minutes. Walk back to the map and try again.

Success!

I do some "field work" with the app. It's good :-)

Okay, one problem, which I expected: A smartphone is designed for people who live in shady cities. In daylight -- I can't read the screen. I shuffle round, keeping my own shadow on the screen. Awkward but it works.

I manage to follow the map, to find all the control points. I can navigate :-) But slowly. Oh so slowly :-) Every step needs careful consideration, checking and re-checking. But I succeed :-) I find every control point, use the app to locate each point. It works.

I walk home. Past a cafe. I have a celebratory iced latte, I need it, it's warm work.

Home, lunch, relax...

I've been out for three hours. It's worth it. In a practical test -- the app works. Next step: I need to get it onto app libraries. Where other people can find it.

But so far -- so good :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

my app

A while back I mentioned "my app" to Deb. It was a bad time. Deb was not interested. She did not want to know what it did. She saw it as a hobby to keep me busy, nothing more. This depressed me. Since then the thought of that same response has made me miserable. So I have not mentioned the app to Deb. Just pretended it did not exist.

Today I bite the bullet. I tell Deb that the app is looking good. Not great but good. Still only working as a test version for Apple. But working.

This time Deb listens. Says she wants to (or is willing to) test the app. She even listens to my brief description of what I'm now doing with it (setting up some tests for anyone to try... when the app is generally available, which should be in January.

Now I feel a lot better :-)

There's still work to be done... now I have a reason to do it :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

Christmas Day 2022

Christmas Day. I'm in a right mood. Not a good mood.

My app is at a difficult stage. It's working, quite well, as far as I can tell. There are some tidy-ups to be done. Even without them, the app is ready to be added to the generally available app libraries. Which brings a new problem:

I need to do something with it.

I need to get out. Talk to people. Get it tested by other people... but mainly I need to convince people to use it :-) Not something I enjoy. My attitude is: I like it therefore it's good so people should want to use it...

What I expect is: no, not interested, why don't we use something else... I'm defeated before I even start :-) I need to get out and "sell" it. Something I hate.

This puts me in a bad mood.

I want to talk about my app. Discuss it. Brag about it. I don't like to hog the conversation. Instead, I'm in a right mood.

====

Worse: it's Christmas Day, the family gathers, I don't feel comfortable at the thought.

Oh and I don't enjoy eating with others: my depth vision is suspect, I worry that I'll knock things over, I know that I will spill food on the table.

Still. I'm looking forward to the day. And looking forward to it being over :-)

The morning is good. It's the immediate family. The big ones ignore me (except for some betting, Will I return to eat dinner? The little ones have a great time. Unwrapping, playing, swimming. One asks, where's Grandad? Yep, For most of the morning I hide upstairs. I enjoy the sounds of fun, I am more comfortable by myself.

====

I eat some of the food. Stuff I can identify, eat easily.

I avoid the prawns: too difficult and I can't stand the way they make my hands stink for the rest of the day. Still... I eventually think, I'll try a few, the cocktail sauce is special this year. I look for the prawns, they are packed away. I look for the sauce, Deb has cleared it away, thrown it out. Oh well. That's the penalty I pay for wanting to eat very slowly.

====

Evening, we descend on the in-laws. At the best of times I have very little to say to any of them. I listen, leave the conversation to others. This year I have to guess who's who, no-one's face looks familiar. No worries, I know who should be there, I guess identities by broad visual clues (mostly size, gender and how they introduce themselves. The kids (nephews? nieces?-- I have no idea of names, that's okay, I never talk to them anyway.

I sit next to Deb. Which means that the two people I would normally talk to are on my left, my blind side, they may as well not be there.

Deb gives me some cheese and crackers, other than that I can't be bothered working out what there is to eat, so I don't.

====

I would really like to leave. To walk out, to walk home, it's a beautiful evening, a few hours' walk, even busy roads would be relaxing -- more peaceful.

So why don't I leave? I stay because I expect that I could not work out how to open a strange but secure front door.

Finally, we go home. I'm absolutely exhausted. I sit down... and fall asleep before I can stand up to go to bed.

====

I wonder, when did I lose all my social skills. Or... did I ever have any. I have never enjoyed mixing with people. Now I've added a dislike of eating in company.

By keeping to myself, I enjoy the day. Now it's over. And that's something to be glad about :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

another year

Deb and I celebrate another wedding anniversary. 46. We agree that it is good so far :-)

Usually we celebrate by saying, Oh yes, another anniversary.

This year we go out to lunch At Zamia in Kings Park. It's a nice cafe with a range of food, some exotic. Deb has a bready thing, I have Indonesian fried rice and push aside the chili. Then we share a dessert, the main point of the meal :-)

The rest of the day is grocery shopping and relaxing, a very satisfactory anniversary.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

Ghost Trail weekend

We spend Saturday night at the Yanchep Inn. It's an old hotel plus motel in Yanchep National Park. Our room is first floor, looking over grass and across the lake. Very nice. Plus, the grass has kangaroos and ducks, sitting, walking, sleeping, eating. A very relaxing outlook.

Deb does the driving, Yanchep NP is about an hour from home. Once we're settled in Deb goes for a walk. She has a fear of falling asleep in the afternoon and not being able to sleep at night. I have no such fear, I sleep in the afternoon and sleep again at night. Deb's walk is a bit longer than she planned: she finds the koalas, spots a few in their usual activity (sleeping), walks along a "Woodland Trail" that takes a while to loop back.

Dinner is the Christmas special, with ham, turkey, mystery sausage, plus dessert. All very nice.

Sunday we're up early -- out and walking by 5:30. That's why we're here: to walk around Loch McNess. Following the Ghost Trail.

It's 12km, we've done it before including as a trail run (those were the days!). Today is very peaceful, we meet no-one else at all. Three hours walking... and we're back at the Inn on time for breakfast. We had not realised that our room comes with breakfast, we have built an appetite, we enjoy a cooked breakfast.

With time to shower after the walk, pack up and check out. Followed by the drive home. Deb drives, I sleep, I do a lot of sleeping :-)

It's a good break, very pleasant, we may do it again next year :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

lungs: good

Several months ago Deb and I decided that we should go on a hike in NZ. An organised hike. First, they need a doctor to sign off that we can do the hike.

No worries for Deb.

The GP sends me off for a heart test and a lung test.

The heart test is done.

I suppose that I should find out the results, sometime.

It takes months to get an appointment for a lung test. Today is the day.

There are two parts: breathing tests then a meeting with the specialist doc.

First: a covid test. Negative.

I could have done it at home and taken a photo of the results. Ha! as If I could test myself. Or take a photo.

The breathing tests take maybe 45 minutes. Breathing in. Out. More out. Light gasping. Out... more. And so on.

With a pause when I breath in some Ventolin. The repeat all the breathing.

Wait an hour till I see the doc.

There's a nice cafe down the road says the nurse who runs the tests.

It's hard to find, it's inside another shop she tells me.

The cafe is easy to find. I stare at the wall of glass till someone comes out... only then do I know which stretch of glass is a door.

I sip one coffee. Wait. Walk. Get back to see the lung doc.

====

It's all reassuring. Perhaps because I hear everything as I expect to hear it :-)

My lungs are okay... for my age.

Very good transfer of oxygen from lungs to blood.

The ventolin makes no difference so probably not asthma.

Do I want a definite test for asthma? It's something direct from Guantomo Bay: get me to breathe in salt water. If I do have asthma, that will force an attack. No thanks, we agree.

The doc asks about symptoms of breathing problems: none. Family history of lung problems: none. Wheezing, coughing fits, none.

Can I exercise? Well... 8km yesterday, okay.

I say that I'm doing the typical asthmatic thing: aerobic exercise, trying to build spare lung capacity. Good, she says.

While I'm sitting talking, the feeling that I can't take a full breath comes and goes. Typical. That's the way it works (or fails to work).

The doc gives me a prescription for some extra-strength not-quite-ventolin.

She looks at the alternate that I have tried. Says, well, the delivery system doesn't work -- it's delivering nothing. That's why that one doesn't work.

She may have provided a bigger-dose prescription for the same stuff. I've heard enough, I'm starting to lose concentration.

She outlines a schedule of daily  puffers and wait and see. Okay I say, adding, though I will probably not follow it. Not while it's just difficulty getting a full breath. But if I use ventolin -- I now have a "spacer" and know how it works (maybe).

====

The lung doc will get the results of my previous lung test and see if anything has changed.  That's something I would like to know.

She will check with the cancer doc, see if I had the chemo which is known to damage lungs (I think I did).

She will get hold of my PET scans which cover the lung area, make sure there is nothing nasty. (Probably not, the analysis once mentioned RSI in my shoulder, they are not likely to have missed lung damage.

Am I thinking of taking up, for example, aqualung-ing? No way. Okay, no worries.

Does shortness of breath affect me? Yes, it slows me down (even more than usual:-) when I run -- then it clears. I don't have the asthmatic can't-breathe episodes.

Sitting around, I sometimes need to focus on breathing deeply and carefully. It feels uncomfortable but usually not for long.

====

That all sounds a bit ho hum... but I'm satisfied.

The main message is: There is nothing -- nothing obvious -- that is dangerous.

I could try more extreme anti-asthma drugs -- but it may not be asthma.

What I'm doing is good. I'm not badly affected.

====

The lung doc will contact the cancer doc and the GP. I'll check with the GP, about both heart and lung tests.

I can't get out the door without a phone appointment for March next year.

====

Nothing really new. Except... reassurance that... there is nothing new.

I am reassured :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

uber bad

This post follows on from the post -- yet to be written -- where I describe my lung test.

====

Lung test finished, I need to get home. Easy, I call an Uber.

My ride is two minutes away. Good. I wait.

Then wait. And wait.

As far as I can tell... I have been stood up by uber.

I think, try again. No cars in the area is the response. What?!

Did the driver cancel my ride? Then go somewhere to hide?

I'm 4.5km from home. Along a bus route.

The next bus is due in an hour.

I start walking.

While entertaining myself by finding out how to complain to uber.

I walk. Wait at a bus stop.

The bus arrives -- exactly on time.

I catch the bus to within 200m of home.

A couple of hours later there is a response from uber. An automated response which shows that no human being read my complaint.

I respond.

I can no longer trust uber.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

Strike me dead

I have another blog, one dedicated to letting off steam. Rather than annoying Deb with my opinions on the stupidity of the world, I post to that blog. Get it off my chest.

Back in August I had a rant about a woman who had a near-death experience, who recovered, then felt that this experience qualified her to understand people who are dying.

Worse, she has turned herself to making profits from the dying.

She charges for the provision of scented candles, dim lights and soft music.

To my mind, near-death -- with a full recovery -- to a life which is much as it was before -- is completely different to the absolute knowledge that you are going to die.

From the depths of my sarcasm I referred to this woman as a "death doula"

Well strike me pink. In today's paper is a double-page spread about "death doulas". People who make money from the dying.

I don't object to the profession. I'm sure they provide comfort to the survivors at least. Today's article does not claim to understand what the dying person is feeling. The emphasis is, more aptly, on provision of comfort to "the "loved ones left behind".

But I do strongly object to the use of my term -- intended to be sarcastic and vaguely insulting -- as an acceptable word for the people who sell dim lights and scented candles.

Good grief, that woman still annoys me.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)

status and regrets

There's a "status" page on this blog. It's there so that anyone can easily see where I'm at. No need to read the drivel that appears every so often. This is how I am, now.

Except that I don't often update it. So, today I will. (Eventually!)

===

There are regular gaps in my posts. If nothing happens -- nothing blog-relevant -- then I don't post.

Since my last scan -- nothing much has happened. So that's good :-)

I had been lost in Karrinyup shopping centre, a horrible place, designed to trap you inside.

Later, we go to Claremont Quarter. Much better. The layout is a multi-level rectangle, easy to understand. Okay, I still have trouble finding a specific shop -- but it's easy to walk round and look.

So that worked well.

====

Sometimes I regret doing something. Or regret *not* doing something. For example, I regretted not staying up to watch when Australia won the Americas Cup... that regret lasted perhaps five minutes, I have no real interest in rich men's boats.

I have a bit more regret from not watching all the World Cup soccer.

When I watch, I enjoy it. Unless I have some interest in who will win, then I don't enjoy the stress.

I'm enjoying one game, it's nil-all... until I wake up and it's 2-1. I enjoy what I see, sleep through the stress. No regret.

We want to buy a Christmas tree. A real one, pine smell and all.

We drive to the tree farm. The only remaining trees are too large to fit in the house, let alone in the car.

Next day Deb goes to "the market" to look for a tree.

The market? I don't know where Deb means. I imagine a large shop.

Deb heads off, I'm still waking up, I stay home.

Then I check Deb's location on my phone. We share location. Mostly so that Deb can find me when I'm lost (or possibly collapsed, but not since that one time...)

I look at Deb's location and... understand which market she means.

It's a weekly market. We've been there before, bought a Christmas tree there. I can picture it.

It's not some strange scary place, it's familiar (sort of) nothing to worry about.

Except that I should be there. Keeping Deb company. Reassuring her that it's worth the effort.

I should be there with Deb. But I'm not.

And I regret it.

Yes, Deb gets a tree. The house now has tinsel, flashing lights, a tree -- and a pine tree smell. Excellent :-) Deb did well, of course.

But lesson learned:

I don't like strange new places. I'm uncomfortable with crowds. But... if I stop and think... it's not so bad.

Especially with Deb to keep an eye on me.

Next time -- I'll be there.

====

Now for that status (which I shall copy onto the front page of the blog).

status at 7th December 2022

I'm well :-)

Physical:

The MRIs show shadows on my brain. The experts agree that it is radiation necrosis rather than tumour. A tumour would be fast growing -- and bad. The current shadow is growing but  slowly so not good but not dangerously bad. So that's good.

The cancer cells are still in there... waiting. Waiting more than five years so far, it's a bit embarrassing :-)

I have no vision to my left. My eyes are fine (for my age!) it's the brain that is the problem. Or, rather, it's the missing bit of brain. That problem will never be fixed.

I've lost a lot of fitness. The chemo treatment lost me some lung capacity. That slows my running but otherwise is no worry.

I'm back to running -- slowly but regularly. I have to watch out to my left. I try to be aerobic, to rebuild lung capacity.

Overall... I think I'm doing okay... for my age :-)

Mental:

Again... okay for my age :-)

I read, do crosswords, am having a phone app written.

I do have problems -- most of which are because it can be difficult to see things. I see okay but miss whatever is on the left. The start of words, for example. It's hard for me to quickly look at and understand something.

But I think -- I hope -- that most of the mental problems are related to vision.

Emotional:

Right now, I'm feeling fine.

Yet there is an underlying feeling of... being worried. Almost scared. Concerned... for Deb. Anger... at the state of the world, almost relief that I am not expected to see too much more of it.

But here and now -- very happy.

Keeping busy. Making plans. Doing this and that, not too much but enough to keep my mind on the present. Which is very good.

I can't claim to be feeling positive.

Nor am I feeling negative.

I'm in the live-life-as-it-comes zone. Which is where I want to be...

and that's something to be glad about :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)