Thwarted and a Surprise

march 23

11,000 steps

 I do not feel like typing at all. I wish I knew how to speak and have my speaking be typed for me. I made a plan, but no one else did. 

Ixcept called yesterday and just before we left to see if they had xray. I was assured both times they did. So, we egot in the car and left immediately since they would close in an hour. Tommy cooperated. 

EXCEPT, he left the walker  in the yard less than three feet from the car because he was trying to hurry for me. 

So, I had to dig out license and insurance cards. Usually, he carries my purse and water because carrying things gets me off balance, so I sway

Plus, how can he go in and be supportive???  I told him to use his canes. CANES??? He did not bring any. Usually, he has four and my four-legged cane. 

By this time, I am beside myself. I told him to keep my purse in car. I told him to lock it in the car first, after I got cards and thought he had canes. 

I went in, sat down and told them I could not walk to counter. Actually, I cannot stand at counter and talk, pplus, it makes a longer walk. 

They came and got my cards and I filled out three pages. MY right arm and elbow, andhand and shoulder were in severe pain. 

Tommy came in, walking/shuffling two inches at a time. This is dangerous for him. He said he did it for me. Hell NO. Bring a walker so as not to hurt yourself, too. That is not helpful. Yes, I reamed him out right there. Say nothing about that.

Then, avery nice woman told meI could see someone but could not get an xray. I was very annoyed and she knew it. I was to the point of collapsing. She said she was not the person who told me I could get and xray if I came in. Fair enough. But, employees should know the protocol. It turns out that no one there knew how to do an xray. 

I gave her back her pen and clipboard in exchange for my cards. She reached for the papers I had filled out, telling me she would shred them. I told her I would take them home and shred them. 

Now, for the really problematic part. I offered to let Tommy hold onto me. He said, yes and held on with both hands. He parked far  away and uphill. We both suffered getting to the car!    I doubt his steps were even two inches long.

Before this event, we went to get three ads, went to bank, shopped at Publix and did not go to Walgreen's to pick up meds. Everything went well until I was told I could not get an xray fifteen minutes after I was told I could.  I have been sleepy all day. This was not good.

I have had messages in for nurses who will talk to doctors. Maybe I will get calls tomorrow, probably while I have a doctor appointment.

Xray is for right him on which I landed on porch! It hurts and is lumpy and swollen. Doctor said it is at some part of hip and cartilage or something is swollen. He said it would be okay, but he does not have xray in his practice. I need to see if this is a problem. 

I did not edit this at all unless all letters in a word were wrong and word was indecipherable. 

Since I onlymove to go to bathroom, I forced the steps.

Oh, have not had a banana in three weeks. The mouth feel is unbearable! Anne, I understand.

Edit: i forgot to say that I was too tired to get dressed when we went to shop and then went to urgent care. So, I put on my pants, rolled up nightgown and tucked it into waistband. I put on light jacket and looked dressed enough.

Cleaner Cooks for Me

 Sunday afternoon, the cleaner came. In the hour before, I took a nap. Somehow, during the nap, I hurt my right knee so that I was limping. I used the walker to relieve the pain. When we came out of the bedroom after she made my bed, I was pushing the walker down the hall. I was soooo tired! I came all the way back to my chair and realized the brakes were on. No wonder it was so hard to push!

She made my bed, vacuumed the hall and living room, and made scrambled eggs for me. I cannot stand long enough to cook scrambled eggs. There were no eggs! Catastrophe! So, I sent Tommy after eggs. She followed my directions, wanting me to be there in case she forgot what I said. When it was all done, she had scrambled nine eggs for me. I will eat them over a few days. I actually wanted to eat all of them right then. 

Tommy has ruined my scrambled eggs twice, so I was not taking a chance on him cooking them again. However, thinking it over, I may sit and supervise him and give him another try. Monday, I will cook bacon, some for eating with the eggs, some for a tomato sandwich, and the rest to freeze. 

Before she cooked, she did put away a few of the Christmas stuff. I have some cute pans to cook tiny breads in. I decided they could be stored in the skinny doors next to the stove. Why not? I won't have to unpack them to bake before Christmas. 

Then, when she left and I had eaten my scrambled eggs, I took another nap. I slept eight or so hours, but I am not sure it counts if it is in disjointed sessions. 

Monday, and I forgot to cook bacon. However, I did have scrambled eggs. Oh, well. I really do need to  cook bacon for a blt, though. So far, I have turned on the dishwasher and made slaw. My energy level is so low, so low. Does anyone have Hashimoto's disease? 

Chicken or Not Chicken

 Tommy and I have had a discussion off and on for about four days. I asked him if he put the whole chicken in the refrigerator to thaw. He said no, that he put it in freezer. I told him I wanted it to thaw. He said I told him to put it in the freezer. I looked in refrigerator for milk and saw a bulging chicken-like thing. I felt it--smooth like a chicken and not too hard, maybe thawing?

When I sat down, we discussed this. I asked him why he put chicken in a plastic bag on the top shelf. He said the chicken was sitting on a small cookie pan. I calmed down then. 

Wednesday, I wanted to roast that chicken. He once again told me there was no chicken. I reminded him about him saying it was sitting on a pan. I described exactly where it was located. Then, he knew what I was talking about. He declared:

"That is a cabbage!" 

We had a good laugh. So, I won't be roasting chicken or cabbage. 

He did not want the freshly shucked corn on the cob, so it did not get cooked. I think we finished the squash and cabbage we cooked earlier this week. I hope the tomatoes are still good. 

Tommy now has two walkers. The one I ordered in a hurry because his broke and he had to use mine is huge and very heavy to lift in and out of the car. Besides, he was beating up furniture and doors. Then, he was given a replacement walker for the one that broke. I suggested he use the heavier. larger one in the car and use the lighter. smaller one in the house. So, now he drives the lighter one to car, unloads things like our water bottles to car, then turns around and leaves it on the lawn next to the ramp. 

Usually, when we get home, I push his walker to him so he does not have to walk to it and then back to the car to get groceries and stuff from the car. This will all work as long as it does not get ruined in the rain or this winter. When I have to hold onto the car, like when I get in, I think I will get burns on my hands. I don't know how he holds onto the hot car all the way across the back of the car and then to driver door. 

Today, we finally made the return at a store and dropped off the UPS. I said for the fortieth time, "Why don't we stop and look at a car," as I gestured toward a Ford dealership. I finally found an SUV I could get into and one that did not hurt my back. We found many that won't work for us. More tomorrow.

Do you hate shopping for a car? I do.

We are still laughing and joking about the cabbage chicken.

We watched the debate. Did you?  

Resolved

 Last night was filled with furious storms. Today, the sky and small clouds were so beautiful. It was amazing. 

Now, I hear the aurora borealis can be seen this far south. Amazing! 

One item at a time, I am knocking out phone calls and things to do. Today, I started the process of officially firing my endocrinologist. They are giving me all my records. Then, I will tell them I am going elsewhere. Plus, they have overcharged me. Medicare will contact them if they keep billing me this amount. Plus, doc must return monies I have paid him that was not correct. 

I could finally do this after we got satisfaction for the broken walker. Handling several controversial matters at once is too hard for me, tires me so. The owner of business owner told us about four months ago, he would contact the company that produced the walker and supplied it to his business. Finally, I contacted the company and the owner had never contacted them even though he said he was waiting to hear from the supplier. He was insulting to us on phone and in person. 

When I say 'broken,' I am talking about the rod that goes from handle to wheel diagonally. It snapped! If the event had made him fall onto the break, he might have been gutted.

One cleaner cancelled Wednesday because her other job down here cancelled. Then, the other cleaner who I thought was coming Saturday is not. Tomorrow will be set aside for decluttering food--cans and otherwise.

I had a good nap today, and am ready to go back to sleep. 

Looking in the mirror is something I never do...lol. Today, I did with barely anything on. I am soooo fat! Disgusting.

Have you seen the aurora borealis since it is so far south? 

Eclipse and Tuesday

 The eclipse is over. Clouds came over just before the end. We had 88%  totality, but never got that far thanks to clouds. I still consider the experience as spectacular.

I told Tommy to wake me before noon. No, he ever heard that even though I said it all day long on Sunday. I awoke so hot I thought I would faint. He turned on the heat in the night "because it was going to be 'down' 54F  outside." I was suffocating! 

I took the eclipse glasses, phone, a colander, and a camera. I did get shots with camera but have not downloaded them, so have no idea what I caught on camera. The colander provided no eclipse shaped shadows. Of course, my prescription glasses kept sliding off my lap onto the concrete driveway. 

Since I was late getting up, and I was outdoors or in here trying to wake, dress, and eat, I never had a chance to call the bed place. I will. Two months after the bed was delivered, I received information intended to be delivered before the bed. Strange. 

When I removed the sd card from my camera, I was shocked to find this laptop has no sd port. So, no way to try to put a picture up. Maybe this is one reason I don't/can't post pictures. Ooops, I found the sd port.

I had things to do beyond the eclipse, so I was busy and napping. 

Today, Tuesday, I awoke after Tommy called me at noon like I told him to do. We went out and it was raining, so I had him go in and get bscb for $1.99/lb. They were out. Tommy washed a load of clothes for me. So, not much done today, and no problem with that. 

When he woke me, he was acting strangely. He swears he is not, but we all know differently. I grabbed a sandwich, made him eat a little meat stick, jerky-like snack. Then, I had him bring two more. He was confused about where to go so we had to get off interstate and go to right place. He ate the two jerky sticks and seemed okay. 

How he was acting strangely before we left--he was halfway in here and needed to go back out of the room. Instead of coming all the way into the room and make a circle and to back out, he tried a new move. He raised the walker and hit two table hard as he twisted and tried to turn them around. I was yelling to stop, but he kept beating up the furniture, shaking it with the walker as he lifted it and tried to turn it around. I was just horrified. He scared me. Plus, it exhausts me. 

We came home and he cooked in a pot the two packages of ground beef. I decided that that was good enough for dinner. I had had a chicken sandwich for lunch. 

I am not ready to show the car! Doing stuff in the rain is not going to happen. Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy and stormy, so I will stick tight indoors. 

Has anyone checked Lowe's for reduced flowers that are not marked? I may do that tomorrow if the rain lets up for a bit.

Has anyone found that cinnamon causes heartburn and much stomach hurt? I think cinnamon is affecting me adversely, something I have never experienced. 

Somehow, I have not been in the writing mood even though I read blogs and commented. 

Pants, remotes, vacuum, burger, slaw, weather, mattress, walker

 For a few days, I have been so sluggish. Nothing seems bad, but I am in a haze it seems. 

When I went to the grocery Saturday, I came home with two of the largest plums ever. Nope, did not buy them. I ate one. Was that bad of me? They would have thrown it away. 

I found someone to come vacuum Wednesday. That is too long to wait, but at least it is something. She want $25 to vacuum. I wonder if that is per hour. She had husband speak to me. She will bring daughter to translate for her. I wonder if the daughter helps. We will see. I do doubt I will have her again. 

We sprayed the house today and left to do things. I wanted to see if this guy in Bessemer who sells produce from his truck had things out. No. He will. I am sure he gets produce from the big Farmer's Market on Finley Ave, but I don't care. It's always delicious. The church was selling food, but I did not want to stop.  We had a small, plain burger in a parking lot with drinks we brought from home. Basically, we kicked around, wasting time until the stench from the Raid dissipated. 

Dinner--burger, slaw, lots of slaw for both of us. I only put a smidgen of salt in coleslaw, but put too much in today. Then, I over-poured apple cider vinegar in the bowl. I had already put lots of mustard in the mix. It was a spicy coleslaw tonight. Tommy thought the salt was just fine. Ick I suppose I should have put the other bag of slaw mix in with the strong one. 

Due to the beautiful weather and high temps, I did not wear a sweater, jacket, or scarf yesterday or today. I wore an airy, loose blouse that was not warm in any way. In the house I have not had to cover myself with a throw or use a jacket. Next thing we know, we will need ac on and I will need a throw again! But, for now, the temps inside and out are perfect. 

I think we will go mattress shopping at Macy's on Tuesday. They are having a sale as is everyone else. They do carry Serta Perfect, the kind I had last that I loved. I almost fell off the bed again. It seems I just sat on the bed, lay down and turned toward the other side of the bed. When I decided to turn back, I was too close to the edge of the bed for my comfort! It actually frightened me. I have a stool with a boom box on it beside the bed. I would put the boom box on the end table, but the boom box has an eerie, bright blue light that would keep me awake. So, it sits on the stool facing the box spring. 

Tommy's last walker weighed 10 or 15 lbs.; this one--25 lbs.  I am not sure how wide the last one was, but this one is 22 inches wide. He is ruining the corner of the wall. I put thick gorilla tape on the bottom where he was ramming the last walker. There was sheet rock all over the floor. He said he did not care. He manages to hit the corner higher with this walker. Plus, the tires are 10" and not 3". This time I will get one of those rubber/plastic corner protectors and figure out how to install that. He never runs into things in others' houses or in stores, but here he is not careful or caring at all. Of course, I will purchase that at the hardware store in Cullman. 

His pants are getting too tight, so he needs new pants. I had to point it out before he even acknowledged it. Is this a guy thing? If my waist band were two inches too small, a person would not have to invite me to buy new pants. Of course, for the last 40 years, I have worn elastic waistbands for health sake only. 

When I moved here, of course Tommy manned the remote. I had no desire for him to share it with me. Besides, it takes two remotes to work the TV. When he went to sleep, I would wake him to turn off the TV. One night about two weeks ago, he handed me the one remote and told me to keep it low, turn it lower so it would not wake me in the morning, and then turn it off. 

In the meantime, he has 'allowed' me to use the other remote to change channels. I wrote how where different channels can be found. I think I know how to use both as well as he does, maybe. I suppose this is a breakthrough. We use a soft, zippered pencil bag to toss the couple back and forth. I leave the bag on his walker when I go to bed. It works for us. 

I asked why two remotes. He said he never could get one programmed. I hate remotes I have to program. The next tv, we will each have one remote, not two different remotes. When he goes to the kitchen and we need to talk, if I mute the sound, we don't have to scream back and forth, not hearing each other anyway. 

Does it seem all guys want to man the remote? 

Do you know anyone who destroys corners, furniture, anything by hitting it with a walker or wheelchair? 

Great Strides

 On Thursday, I asked for someone to get four cases of Diet Pepsi from the shelf--white cases. So, I watched and approved and thanked him for helping me even though he put four blue cases of regular Pepsi. I was exhausted.

When we came home, Tommy told me they were wrong. He had gotten the wrong Diet Cokes for me when he did not get the Caffeine Free for me earlier in the week...lol. I had take mine back, and now I had to take his back. If it is not one thing it is another. 

I got a surprise call from the lymphedema clinic. The woman said they finally got all my paperwork in so that I could get an appointment. YAY! As it stands now, I have three appointments next week. That should exhaust me, but I am overjoyed. Wouldn't you say I am making progress. 

Friday, we had to exchange the drinks. I needed bananas and Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. Of course, I did get other things newly bogo this week--cheese, butter, something else. We had a sit in the car and watched a cat in a yard. We made up scenarios for the cat and what it was thinking and where it was going. Do you ever do that? 

For dinner four or five nights in a row, I have eaten baked chicken breast, bbq sauce, slaw, and green beans. Well, I ran out of chicken and slaw, so I could not have it tonight. Instead, I cooked an onion in a skillet with two hamburger patties and had a salad. It was delicious after chicken for a week. However, I was sad I did not have chicken and slaw. Tommy ate the same thing. 

There is chicken meat from five legs he took off the bone. Plus, there are four thighs for him to take meat off bone. I need to freeze a large portion of that in small portions for him. Tomorrow, I have two packs of bscb to bake for me. I still need to cook a cabbage that I have meant to cook all week! Tommy still hasn't chopped and cooked the package of ground beef. We can do this tomorrow since Saturday and Sunday will be too bad to get out or even think about it. I really want spaghetti! 

Oh, I bought Tommy a pretty green walker. Well, the handle  parts that he attached are black as are the leg parts that have the wheels. So, I did not get what I thought I bought. It is okay, but green all over would have been nice. 

I was considering buying a cup holder online when I bought the walker, and Tommy was excited about having one. I did not purchase one. We were both surprised when a cupholder came with the walker. However, the first time he went through the door to kitchen, I heard a crash and Damn! He had run into the door or wall, not sure. So, now the cupholder sits by front door on bookcase. The walker has an umbrella holder, just a cup that slips on down low. We suspect it will fall off. 

When he pulls in the garbage, I can see he struggles less as he walks two steps and reaches back to pull the can to him, walks another two steps and reaches back to pull it to him and does it all over again until he gets the can pulled to the house. I really hate he has to pull the garbage can in. Neighbors did do it for him. But, they no longer help. They just watch him.

So, those were the highlights of our day? What were the highlights of Friday for you? 

Do you have a meal you could happily eat five days in a row? 

What plans do you have for the weekend? We will not be watching the Super Bowl.

Great Thursday

Today, I had a very good doctor's appointment. I had an appointment with my gastroenterologist. However, a text said I was going to have a np. That frosted me. But, I went. 

When she came in, I told her I like getting an np because they were smart, listened, and always helped me except for one witch. I told her I was sure she could help me. Then, I told her I was expecting the doctor since that is who I was told I would see. She explained that she thought she would not be there, and was trying to lighten his load. She said I could see him when we were through. 

I have had pain in my right flank that gets worse over time and makes it hard to move and walk. Since I had this in 1968 after a kidney infection and sepsis after the birth of my son, I knew the feeling. 

Plus, I have had a knot under my ribs on the right side. It is visible and can be easily felt most of the time. At one point, I could see it. I did tell her it started hurting about 5 days after the fall over the walker. Plus, pain is now up in right collarbone.

This appointment was scheduled to discuss the scope of my esophagus and stomach. So, not just for pain. 

Now, there is an appointment for CT on knot in soft area under ribs and to check pancreas. My father and his mother both died of pancreatic cancer at head of pancreas. I look most like that side of the family, allergies and all that includes.

Plus, I now have an appointment for colonoscopy. There is no liquid to drink, just pills to take with water. 

Hopefully, I never have the woman push me who did today. She ran the wheelchair into everything. She tried to creep around the door facing and hit the other side of the door every time. She did not seem to understand that she was making the wheelchair longer by it going in at an angle. She also disagreed that going in straight forward, not at an angle would work better. She stressed me! 

I took Tommy string cheese, a little stick of meat and a peeled tangerine. He did not argue as usual. He even took the cheese out and ate it while we were waiting in the exam room. 

The doctor is even going to get me in to a someone for my thyroid surgery. Many doctors say they are not allowed to recommend anyone. I doubt that. One doctor said he was new in the area and did not know anyone to recommend. Well, his father had an office upstairs that he could ask and let me know later through a nurse. I fired him. 

Today was fruitful. We came straight home and then went to grocery for a few things. I needed to get CLR to clean jets in commode before the jets starting closing up. I bought something else that should work fine. I wanted strawberries but they only had them in clear, plastic, heart-shaped clamshells. They were too expensive, but I will count them as part of my Valentine. I bought Pepsi b2g2 and then watched the guy load regular Pepsi instead of the Diet Pepsi. I was tired and had told him Diet. So, that means a trip tomorrow. I forgot bbq sauce and Oxyclean. 

It was annoying to get home and the walker was not here. But, I heard the guy come at 8:30. Tommy does not want my help putting it together. I have had deliveries not come when promised. And, that was okay, but this was for a walker. Tommy is dribbling food all over my walker. His is streaky and filthy. Mine is spotless. Now, he can dribbled olive oil all over this one. 

EDIT: Tommy successfully assembled the walker. I knew he could. He struggles so to get parts and pull the walker around assembling it. I neglected to say, but it is a dark green, much darker than the picture. It looks black! He said the 10" wheels did help to push it in the grass. The ones he has had were very difficult to use in grass, especially St. Augustine grass. I forgot to say all this. 

Dinner: chicken breast and bbq, green beans for me. Plus, beef from a kabob. Tommy had the rest of my kabob. Tommy: 2 kabobs of beef and onion, plus other vegetables, don't really know. I will have salad in a bit. 

This morning I told Tommy to get me up at least by 10 am. I awoke about 5 minutes until 11 am. That put me in a bind for time. He swears I told him 10 am. The reason he wakes me is my alarm is so tiny, it is difficult to set the time. Plus, he needs/wants to get up and shower before he gets me up since we share the bathroom. Plus, he will get variable water temps in the shower if I start using water in the kitchen. I figured someone would wonder why I cannot wake myself with an alarm. 

Wednesday night, I actually was sleepy early, so at 2 am I went to bed and slept until 11, so 9 hours sleep, making up for too few hours sleep the last few nights. 

Today was a very good day! This doctor is absolutely the nicest doctor, well him and gyno guy.

Tomorrow will be rainy and all the way to Tuesday.

Tommy is struggling to assemble this walker while sliding off his walker with parts all over. He cannot sit up and has no lap. 

Do you find some doctors much better people than others? He has good bedside manners, answers questions, just all around nice man and good doctor.  

Leprechaun Gnomes and Tommy is Amazed

 

Leprechaun Gnome

Last night, I used a blueberry cupcake mix and two cups of very juicy blueberries to make a goody. There was more than a half a quart jar of blueberries and lots of juice, probably half and half. About a month ago, I put 4 lbs of frozen blueberries in a pot with third cup or less of sugar and boiled for a bit. I have been eating on this since then. When I ate some with cottage cheese on Monday night, the taste was like blueberries going to vinegar. So, I decided to use them. 

Tommy watched as I mixed a half cup of milk with the dry mix. He put melted butter, 2 T, in a pan. I poured the wet mix, made according to muffin recipe. Then, I poured the blueberries and juice on top. It was really more juice than I thought was in the quart jar. He watched as I did all this, stood right by me and seemed to watch my every move. 

After we ate some, he said he was amazed how the mix was on the bottom and then came to the top. I explained leavening, how cakes and muffins rise. He amuses me with what amazes him, especially about kitchen affairs. There was almost zero cooking in his house after he was ten. I doubt he ever watched closely what a girlfriend cooked. His aunts probably shooed him out of the kitchen or out of the way. 

Putting the blueberries on the top was my idea. I modified a blueberry muffin mix. It was not a recipe. 

I explained that it was like a cake or muffin rising. I also told him that some dishes called for fruit on the bottom. He listened like he was interested and learning. 

A few weeks ago, I paid for McAfee. All the popup ads ceased. NOW, I am getting popups that cover half the page from McAfee saying my system is safe. Then I have to X them out. They keep reappearing right after I get rid of them. I called today, furious that these were blocking half the screen. Now, I have nothing popping up. Thank you, McAfee. I am never sure it is legitimate, anyway. I told them I would call them if I needed them. That has been sooo annoying. 

Today, I called my doctor's office again, asking about the specimen for uti. A nurse finally called back and it was clear. I suspected that. I asked if they sent it off. No, just tested it in the office. So, why so long telling me, I wonder. However, another condition has arisen. But, he has no emergency appointments because he just lets patients who call have those. So annoying. I called my gastroenterologist and secured an appointment with him. I would have gone to AFC, but they cannot order tests. I did not want to go to ER. So, I have to be up early for gastro appointment. Yuck!

A little bit ago, Tommy was coming from the kitchen when I heard an AH! that sounded like something bad happened. I asked him what happened since he was not in sight yet. He said this broke. What? I wondered. The walker! The legs cross and go up to handles. One of these broke. I had him go get mine from the car. This will go back tomorrow. This was never a good walker. He put pieces of Glad Wrap wrapped around a screw or bolt or something that kept coming out. The cable for the brake is always hanging on something. So, back it goes. He only weighs 190lbs. This is not a really heavy person breaking a walker.

A little decluttering occurred tonight. I need a piece of notebook paper. Tommy started digging around to find me a piece. Then, he went off to the kitchen where recycling stays. He threw some out and recycled the rest. The shelf looks less cluttered. 

I put what needs recycling on the edge of the table near me. I always tell him to get it and he rarely does. It annoys me to have to keep saying it because I hate to nag about something so trivial. Then, pieces of paper fall off. I retrieved a wastepaper basket we do not use. I put it near something I could reach, and he could, too. I toss/drop crushed water bottles, prescription bottles, receipts, all manner of things that need recycling. This is not for trash. Well, it has been there for about four days. Tonight, he finally picked the wastebasket up and emptied it. We just needed a system. We have it now. I never mention recycling now. 

Do you have a husband or grown person who is amazed at the cooking process? 

Do you have McAfee or another protection on your computer that annoys you with notices in the form of pop-ups?

Do walkers last or break for you or anyone you know who uses one?

Does a decluttering session ever break out unbidden in your house?