More Health News

Jan  2--12,000 steps

 In the last few months, I lost 33 pounds with little effort. Before, I had found some of my blouses were too tight to wear. Now, my favorite red blouse is loose! I need to try on the others that were too tight.

I think I become dehydrated during the pedaling. I am woozy even 30 minutes later. I cannot walk! Well, I can walk but feel like I might fall. 

Friday, the plan is to take extension cords from Christmas trees and reindeer. Because we have something else to do, the deer and trees may only make it to the front porch. The wreath can come down, too. The nurse is coming too, my least favorite of the workers. 

The ot person who just checks in and records vital signs and progress came on Thursday. I learned lots about hunting birds with dogs. I thought they just took a dog out to find birds shot down. It appears the dogs are very specifically trained. If the dog did not see the bird go down in the water, they can signal the dog to get its attention and point right or left. We learned more, but you probably already know the information. 

The leg therapy is helping greatly with lymphedema. But, the pressure is destroying my toes and feet. The pressure on my foot hurt the arch behind my toes so much I limped for over a day. I need to figure out how to turn down the pressure. 

I still have an excess two pounds from my lowest weight before Christmas.  It will come off. 

It is 5:30 am. Acid reflux has me sitting up. I do have med for that but it is linked to dementia. I accidentally woke Tommy, but he was snoring in less than a minute. Good! 

We collected the store ads today. Tommy went through them and said there was not much on sale we would want. I will check tomorrow. When he ran out of Diet Pepsi, he refused to drink one of my Diet Coke Caffeine Free. Now, he has been drinking them for almost a week because he ran out of Diet Pepsi. He was drinking four each day. When we find his drink b2g2, maybe he will switch to Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi. Since he was drinking four Diet Pepsis with Caffeine, that might be why he was getting so agitated. He takes bp med, so he should ditch the caffeine. Well, that is my opinion. 

Maybe I can go lie down without problems. 

Do you drink caffeine free drinks if you drink drinks that normally have caffeine? 

t

Car Broke

 We had not been to Cullman to get the mail for about six weeks. The sound the car made frightened me. Now, the car is fixed, we know it was a wheel bearing. All fixed and car sold. 

The car was a dream. I love the beep so we know someone is close when he is going to make a turn. We are still learning the dashboard. We both have a thermostat for each side of the car. Neat!

We had traveled about 10 miles or less when the loose piece ripped loose and hit the car, flying off into the road after scratching the door. Now, all four pieces must be replaced. 

In Cullman, we went to a dealer, grandson of a friend who wanted us to go see him. Well, we did and he did not have anything for us right now. Then, we called a used car salesman who has sold us two cars, well SUVs. He said the dealer would have to replace all the little door window pieces. It was their problem. He will look for another car for me. He is very nice. And, thanked us for calling him. He is so polite that he was horrified with the way they yelled at me and insulted and ridiculed me all the time. 

We picked up six weeks of mail. I had a small, plain burger while Tommy ate his sandwich from home. Then, I ate my sandwich from home. We went to place to get another fob which will be $150. I need one, too. We have keys to each other's cars. I shopped in Publix and another store where I got deals--bogo Miracle Whip, bogo peanut butter . Dromedary Pimiento was cheaper in Cullman store than at The Pig. I suppose I am out of the canned Hormel roast beef and gravy, so I bought one until I can order from Amazon more cheaply. 

I have $50 on a card for vegetables only at markets, so I wanted to spend that before two weeks when it will end. I bought four tomatoes, pint of shelled peas, mess of fresh green beans, last zucchini a guy had, and tried to buy eggs. Now, I have $35 to spend. 

The woman washes them, refrigerates them, moves them to a cooler and brings them to the market. No way. I prefer them not washed, not refrigerated. She will be selling spoiled eggs. But, now I know I can buy good ones at a Thrift Store in Cullman. 

I felt so calm and relaxed and at home in the town where I lived for more than half my life. However, I was so happy to be going home to this house. 

The place where we are getting another fob came right out to the car as he always has. He knows me as a decades-long customer. 

I took a nap when we arrived home. Dinner was chicken, slaw, potatoes, carrots. There was a whole onion but have not had any of the onion yet. Yes. Tommy said there is still onion. 

Usually, a trip out, especially as far as Cullman causes my feet to swell so the normally loose sandal straps actually cut into my feet. I have been using the pumping legs at night. Last night I was choking again and did not feel I could lie back and not start choking and throwing up, so I skipped the pumping. Amazingly, after skipping the diuretic yesterday, skipping pumping, and sitting in the car for about 6 hours, my feet and legs were barely swollen. So, this is working even without doing it right, not my intentions. If any doctor had listened and taken me seriously, I would probably less swollen now! Oh, and now my weight is back down to lowest this summer. 

Tomorrow--woman in distress.

MIA Cleaner

Today was a gorgeous day. There was not one cloud in the sky and the sun was sooo bright. It was quite hot even though the temperatures were in mid 80s. 

Tommy has totally been ignoring me or just not responding to my asking for help with these legs to treat the lymphedema. Finally, I asked him to move the box back into the living room from my bedroom. It is quite a large box. He put it where it was impossible to completely open the front door. Finally, I asked him to move it in front of his bookcase right in his way to get to his chair. 

He is telling me that I never ask. Yes, at least once a day. He says I never remind him. Yes, once a day. Then, he said I was nagging him. Which is it?

Finally, tonight at 11 pm, he asked if I wanted him to do it, put on the legs for me. So, against my best judgment, we did. 

I cannot for the life of me pull these heavy plastic type legs on me. He hurt my toes! But, between the two of use, we got it all situated. Then, he asked if I wanted him to stay. I did but hated to be a baby about being alone. So, we talked, and time passed. Plus, this procedure was painful. 

Has anyone ever used these compression garments? 

I had to have my body raised this hour. So, the bed that lifts head came in handy. 

When I had extricated myself from these stiff, bulky, heavy legs off myself, I was surprised that my legs and feet felt 'looser.' I could walk better. Tommy said as he followed me into the living room that my legs and feet looked skinnier. YES, they did!

This is supposed to happen twice a day, with at least four hours in between. At least, something is happening with this. I will utilize all the forms of therapy and try to completely reverse this problem. There is no cure. 

I had a puppy print fleece blanket that I used in bed up near my face as a place I could rest my arms and hands. I knew Tommy like it and decided to share it with him. It is so cute, and he thought so, too. So, I let him have it. He was covered with the puppy throw, a blanket, and sheet the next morning. Then, tonight, I spotted another puppy throw in my room. So, now I have it back. He looked cute with puppies all over him. He said it was larger, warmer, and felt better. He had a thinner, and obviously smaller throw that he was using. 

Cleaner has not been here since Sept. 17th. I am annoyed, but she works full-time, and has a second, part-time job. She cannot come this week either. There are things I need her to do. I don't want to replace her, but I may need to get someone else along with her on different days. 

I made a pimiento and cheese sandwich to take with us tomorrow. I suppose we will go out car shopping. We both become inordinately excited when we think about having a button to open the back door. 

Nothing exciting happened today, so this is it. 

Thrashing About All Night

 Since we were going to Cullman for lunch, the dentist, and to visit 93-yo friend, who fell and take her a late birthday flower, I really needed to sleep on Tuesday night, I was so disappointed. For some reason, I thrashed about all night. In the past I have turned over. Now, it takes much effort, hence the thrashing. Then, every thirty minutes, I had to go to the bathroom--more thrashing to turn over and get off bed. 

My legs were still swollen from two days ago. I was honestly miserable. Finally, I decided I was too cool. I tried to lie still. Then, I reached for my thick wool blanket. I sat up. How did I manage to throw it off the bed. Well, once on my feet with light on, I could see it never was put on the bed. The cleaner failed to put it back. I was watching her, and approved of the bed-making, so partially my fault. 

That meant I had to flop the wool blanket on the bed several times to get any semblance of order. Then, tucking it under was another chore. By this time, I was more fully awake.

Shortly after getting under the warm covers, I quit thrashing trying to get comfortable. I wanted to get up and leave a note for Tommy so he would not go to the trouble of getting ready and coming to call me. But, I heard him up and called to tell him 

I slept until noon and slept well even though it was not for long. I sit on the side of the bed since I fell and get my bearings before I stand. This time, as soon as I stood, I became so dizzy but managed to get to the commode. I was afraid to try to get up. I had Tommy come to the door, why I don't know. I held onto both walls to get down the hall, and to door facings to go into living room. I bent and held tables to my chair. 

My nose and cheeks felt like I had 100 pounds on them. my sinus infection was horrendous. I got a Hall's MenthoLyptus, later a cup of hot chocolate, then lots of water. 

At 5 pm I had cookies and milk. At 7:30 a whole banana. At 8:30, I became a serial eater--chicken and tomato on a bun with MW, I ate the little orphan tomato in my hands because I did not have a knife. Then, I had chicken and bbq sauce with slaw. Ate rest of slaw with diced tomatoes. Then, I ate greens that had cooled to below furnace temperature. 

About 6:45, I begged to go get the banana I ate because I had none. So, we missed a bit of Jeopardy to go get it before dark. I went down the ramp gingerly, walked to bathroom gingerly. 

Today, I have done nothing but sit and read on computer. Pressure in my face has been unbearable. The only other hot drink I have is chicken broth, too salty, I think. 

About two hours was spent trying to figure out why Tommy has no prescriptions filled at pharmacy. Well, one costs over $700, but down to $176. The other is $70, still high. The one thing that is upsetting is that the monitor that sticks on his skin is only good for 10 days with a day of grace. But, the doctor has scheduled a telehealth visit for three weeks out to see how it is working for him. I told the nurse that this was the longest he has gone without a call to emt. IT WORKS! But, without it, I don't know what will happen if he passes out again and hits his head again. Maybe they will pay attention. But, I cannot get the monitor without a prescription. 

Hopefully, I can manage to beat this congestion that is making me dizzy. 

Tommy went out to take my sheets to laundry room. The washer will not work! Great. So, it will be Thursday before he can get a repair guy. So, we will take them to laundromat tomorrow. The machine runs water for a few seconds and shuts off repeatedly. 

For all the problems today, it was a very good day except for Tommy's prescription needs. It was very warm, 90F. I love it. 

I still have not heard from tree trimmer, electrician, or mower. I just did not feel like making those calls. Now, I can add appliance repairman if we can get him...lol. 

Tonight, I think I will sleep well with no thrashing about. Now that I had a warm blanket on the bed and legs will not hurt because they are no longer swollen, things will be okay. 

I hope all you will not have bad weather. 

If you are still having allergy problems, maybe you will get better. This is rough. 

How is life at your house?