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

Monday Nothing

 

I have a new Amaryllis, not this one. 

Today, we both spent over two hours on the phone, trying to rent a car. No such luck. At midnight, I asked him when he was going to get a car. What car? He said if I wanted to rent one, get it. So, no doctor trips this week and no Christmas party.

PT person was an hour late because she forgot the time to come. That meant she and cleaner were both here, and Tommy was paying cleaner. So, I tended to Tommy, cleaner and pt person. It was a wild, to me, occasion. Tommy and cleaner hooked up lights to deer and electricity. 

There are four candles on a gold deer antler, but I only had two batteries, just enough for one candle. Oh well. We will buy more. 

Four people with two lift chairs and one chair not available (stacked too high) made this room so crowded.

PT hurt lots, but they were easy exercises...like raising leg 20 times. She did not tell me to do them every day, but I will. 

I lost another 4 pounds today. That makes 32 lbs in last three months or so.  I don't think I have noted the four pound loss yet

PT person was trying to hold onto me. I had a time making her stop touching me! It makes me feel off balance! I do not want to fall. She was about five feet tall, not enough to keep me from falling. She put together my Ellipse. I tried it a bit. It seems very fast even though it is slow. And, I had it on the slowest speed. 

I did have cleaner dust in living room, shake bathroom rugs, and vacuum hall, my bedroom, and kitchen. I told her to vacuum, not move things, so this was a middle of floor vacuum. She did little, but it was not her fault there was someone here. I told her to leave rugs outside for Tommy to wash, but she did not, and he did not. I was too distracted by PT. 

It was 67F degrees today. I finally had to turn on AC. It has been so hot at night I may turn it on tonight.

The coughing and sneezing are somewhat less. I find it hard to believe I will be well by Christmas. However, I am making progress. Since I cannot find all decorations since last cleaner moved them somewhere, the three tomato cage trees will be te last of decorations.

News of lollipops is upcoming.

Are your Christmas plans coming along? 

I have not gotten any cards mailed. How about you?

Thursday Nothings

 Wednesday night, I slept 11 hours and woke exhausted! This is not right!

Thursday afternoon, we went to buy the church lunch. It was enormous and way too much. I had forgotten it had two thick patties. I had cheese, lettuce, tomatoes on mine. Fries and potato salad came with it. Next time, we are either going to share a burger, or I will cut mine in half and save it for another meal. I gave Tommy most of my fries and ate only a bit of the potato salad. This was $25 for the building fund. It will probably be next year before we go back. 

On the way home, I wanted to go "look at cars," Well, we did, barely slowing down in the lots. After we left the lots, I asked Tommy where we were going. "Home." He objected to my objecting, saying, "You said you wanted to look at cars. We did." Jerk. Next time, I will have to tell him I want to touch, sit in and maybe drive the cars. We will be going out of town for three days and two nights. Having to lease a car for that time will probably not make him happy. 

After we watched Jeopardy, the burger made me sleepy. I went to bed at 5 pm. When I awoke at a bit after 8, I asked Tommy if it were morning or night. I was surprised it was night. I actually felt like I had slept all night. Thirty minutes later, I was exhausted again. I typed this paragraph with my eyes closed and head back. Amazingly, I only made one mistake. 

I managed to lose one of Tommy's credit cards! I used it in The Pig, the last I saw it. So, he had to call to cancel and get a new card. He was mildly irritated but did not really get angry. In 24 hours no one had used it. I strongly expect the cc is around here or in the car. 

We only have a bit of gentle rain from Helene. Hopefully, the winds will be as mild. I plugged my lift chair into the battery pack instead of the wall so I won't be stranded in my chair if electricity goes off. Making sure at least one light is handy is all we need to do. There are plenty of lights, but one light will get us to them. Once I used by booklight to see to get down the hall. I just hope the wind does not blow the big tree down on the house. 

I had lost weight then regained some of it. Tonight, I am within one pound of my lowest. So, good for me. 

Still laughing at Tommy's "looking at cars."

Is Helene causing you weather problems?

Do you ever sleep so long and still feel exhausted?

Car Shopping and Best News

 Sort of...

After the fiasco of a doctor visit, I wanted to redeem the day with something positive toward our goals. Well, car dealer had other thoughts. 

We went to Bessemer to car lots, passing four lots on the way to his target. Well, there was only one car there, obviously the person who was going to lock the door on the way out. 

So, we went back to the other lots. One only had one SUV; one had the entrance blocked; another had only trucks, it appeared; one had so little room we feared we could not get out. 

Then, we went to place that had the Buick. This is third time there. The first time, we told the guy D I was too tired to get out and we would return. We did but could not get out to vehicles because there was a car blocking the circle of vehicles. Someone moved that obstacle and we drove the Buick around the lot. I was having trouble walking and it was sooo hot. I told the guy R that I had to go. After the other lots above, I wanted to go back to this lot. 

The guy R came to the car. I asked about getting in to see the cars. The guy fiddled with a tiny piece of paper and asked if we came about the Buick. (Oh, I did ask why they kept the circle of cars blocked. He said, "Because we don't want people driving into there and bumping cars.) I said, "No." He said, "Which one do you want to see." I said, "I don't know." He just stood there, did not look at me, and continued fiddling with the piece of paper that was smaller than a gum wrapper. I continued to look at him, wondering if he was going to say anything. Then, somehow, my window slowly went up. He turned on his heels at that point and left. 

STRANGE!

We came home.

Somehow, I slept wrong Monday night, and my neck was stiff the next morning. Tuesday night it was not better. This morning, Wednesday, it seems to have gone into my shoulder blade/back. The TV is to the left of me, so it is hard to watch TV without sort of turning my body. I take a baby aspirin every night, so I may take 2 or 3 tonight. We don't have regular aspirin in the house. Neither of us take anything for pain. We just hurt...lol. 

We forgot to get the ads today, but I was napping part of the day. We will do that as soon as I round up Tommy...lol. 

Best news of all. I am rarely hungry! And, I have lost more weight. I hear about elderly people not wanting much to eat. Am I there? Amithere? Hurray!

Early evening, I mentioned to Tommy he needed to cook the package of pork for the taco soup. OH SHOOT!!! What? He said he forgot to take it out of the freezer. I told him we could just boil it to thaw it. I think he was relieved I was not irritated. Yes, I do get irritated when he does not get out a chunk of frozen chicken breasts that I have reminded him about for three days.

Taco Soup--ground pork, Five Cheese Italian Shredded Cheese, Taco Seasoning, two cans black beans-drain, one can whole kernel corn, two cans tomato bits or chunks, 1/2 cup Uncle Ben's Parboiled Rice. Put as much or as little as you like of any of this to your taste. I am not as thrilled with the corn as everything else, so I put less. This is actually double the recipe. Okay, I do not double the rice.

I will freeze enough for two generous helpings. The night we opened a package when we were starving and exhausted, was a happy occasion for us. It will happen again. This was a great meal for that occasion. I will have a salad, also, tonight. Okay, I finally am hungry! Very hungry. 

Stevie Wonder is playing and singing at DNC. 

Doctor's office has not called me back. I gave her all day so I could not be blamed for rushing her or nurse.

About 6pm I realized we had not gotten ads. We got them and there are sales/bogo to buy. YAY!

I forgot to call about the dog today and yesterday. But, both days we have tried to call the dog and nothing. So, maybe someone rescued it. 

The weather has been surprisingly mild here, especially during mornings and evenings. Of course, and thankfully, the heat is coming back. We still are under a drought. That is hard to believe when we see people drowning, roads flooding, and houses with water in them in other areas of the country. 

Tomorrow, the plan is to go across town to Home Depot for a door and to used car lots.

What are your plans for Thursday? 

. 

My Curly Knife

 

I was trying to tell Tommy which knife I wanted after he brought me a short paring knife after I asked him for the long, serrated knife. He knows what serrated means. But, brought me a short one. He knew I wanted a knife to slice a tomato. But, he did not know what a tomato knife was. This was the evening I was running 100.9 temp. 

Finally, out of frustration and lack of ability to think, I blurted out--"my curly knife". Well, he understood what I wanted. I laughed at both of us, that we could even call a knife 'curly.' 

This is the best knife I have ever had for slicing a tomato. I did buy these from a church who sells them for a fund-raiser twice year. I will order them from the Rada company from now own. The woman jerking me around about my car is the one who sells them. 

By the way, we have continued to call this the "curly knife." The thought still amuses me. I try to picture how to use a curly knife.  I suppose this will be a family joke and tradition. 

Back in the early 80s, I was at a house at a dinner and someone was fretting over not being able to slice tomatoes. I suggested the guy use a steak knife. The people standing around just about laughed me out of the kitchen. Finally, someone got a steak knife and easily sliced the tomatoes. I was vindicated and praised for being clever. Silly people. I had been using a steak knife for tomatoes for years.

Monday, I got lots done--5 phone calls, made two doctor appointments, bought my milk and ice cream at Public along with Nabisco Original Graham Crackers; filled car with gas, looked at a car, sent Tommy into PO to send off a UPS package--FAIL.  

My a2milk has risen to $5.39/half gallon!!! Unbelievable!

We drove a car--2017 Buick Enclave. Then, I was hot and tired so refused to do more. Daddy never drove anything but a Buick until I was in my 30s. This car car is older than I want. But, we will see. 

I lost five pounds, then decided to not take a pill for diabetes and feet are not so swollen. 

Right now, I will nap through the DNC. As much as I want to see it, I cannot stay away from a nap.

Okay, just now, I saw a shocking sight. Tommy has gotten out the Oxyclean to spray on his pants legs where he walks on them and makes them nasty. H would never let me hem his pants. Maybe now he will. Will miracles never cease?

Does anyone have an opinion on an Enclave?

Have regular milk prices risen? 

Have you ever used a Rada knife? 

 

Liar, Liar and TMI and 60th Reunion

TMI section is marked below, so you will know when to stop.  

I was told today that mattresses are measured from the middle instead of on the side. No, not true at all. Every person in the mattress business laughed hard from Canada to Cullman. 

My new mattress is not helping me go to sleep faster or sleep longer. I did not buy it to put me to sleep. However, I hurt less when awake and walking is easier. Plus, I can turn over and get in and out of the bed more easily. My lower back thanks me. Sunday night, I could not keep my eyes open, so I went to sleep around 10:30.  Great, right? /s  Well, I slept two hours and was only able to go back to sleep at 1 pm today. 

Sunday night, I dropped the wireless remote trying to pick it up from the bedside table. When I awake, I need to go the bathroom RIGHT NOW. So, this was an emergency. The rules for using the mattress state  that I cannot get off the bed with head or feet elevated even a little bit. So, Tommy had to come and get it for me. 

Now, the small, slippery remote lives in a mesh bag, the kind to wash lingerie. I can feel the little control buttons. I just leave it in the bed and sleep with it. I need to find a ribbon, tie it to the bag, and pin the bag to my pillow or the sheet. Okay, I am using the ribbon that was tied around the sheets like a gift. Maybe I should just tie it to my wrist. /s

TMI below.

I cannot imagine what I ate, but it appeared to be food poisoning. The problem is that Tommy and I ate exactly the same thing and it was all prepared here and very fresh. Leftovers were only one day old. No, I never threw up. But, there was laundry to be done, lots of laundry. Lots! 

However, it is not all bad. I was down 15 pounds from the last time I weighed. I was in a doctor's office. I weighed and had on a long, heavy sweater with a cell phone in my pocket and heavy shoes on. So, I probably actually lost almost ten pounds in two minutes. Tommy believes it was an overly heavy olive oil dressing on pasta. I think he is correct. If I could do this once a week for ten weeks, I could love a cool 100 lbs. 

Since I am having 60th Class Reunion, that would be great. That sound harsh--60 years since I graduated. What reunion is coming up for you this year? 

Thanksgiving Gone, Christmas Music Here

 

I thought I started a new post. That must have been in my head! I had something to write about, but it has left my brain. Maybe if I ramble along, it will come back. I snoozed in my chair during the news. 

 All the Thanksgiving food is gone except for part of the turkey breast. I still have the thawed turkey in a pot in the refrigerator, so it will be baked tomorrow. Thankfully, Tommy is willing to take the meat off after I rip off the breast. I made such a little bit of gravy that I may make more gravy. However, coleslaw and green beans will be eaten instead of Stove Top and green bean casserole. 

My goal was to get Thanksgiving/Fall put away the day of Iron Bowl, Saturday, but I wanted Tommy to help. I did it myself. It is all gone and in two orange Rubbermaid type boxes. Now, to tackle the red boxes. 

I just cannot bend to dust. Sunday he used the Libman duster. It needs to be longer. When I pointed out he missed a table top, he said it was stuff stuck on. I think it was the residue that gas heat leaves along with dust. This is the dustiest place ever. So, I took a wet cloth and finally got it off. 

Saturday night, I told him what to do to six-foot long bookcase that is less than three feet tall. Useless piece of furniture! Sunday, before I got up, he had cleared one end off but did not dust it...??? There is junk on the end nearest him. 

Monday night late, after dark he covered up the plants outdoor with two sheets. I took the Libman duster out to shake and whack on the ramp railing. When he came in he said it scared him. I suppose I should have said something first. But, the duster is ready for him to dust the top of the bookcase which I cannot reach because of his junk in the floor! 

I noticed when I put out Halloween decorations on the bookcase near the door, a little short bookcase, too, but not long, he started suddenly to sort and clean off the bookcase. So, I may put out Christmas on his two bookcases and let him clean around them. 

The uti lingers. I have had an earache for a year or so, better some time than others. Okay, it has been two years. Now, it is almost unbearable! Plus, my back and kidney still ache. The fall did not help me at all. It might have contributed to the earache becoming so unbearable. I did land on the left side and barely hit my head. 

Today, I found out that my primary care doctor got a wheelchair. Yay!

Tonight, we had chicken/rice/broccoli from before Thanksgiving. We added green beans. I should have had some slaw, too. This weekend I put the package of chicken breasts in the crockpot on high and they were done so I could freeze them. These were the ones for which we paid $1.99/lb. When I have baked chicken, I can take it with me in the car so I don't get hungry and eat fast food. I had Tommy tear me off a piece, I sliced cheese and he put in one of the brown and serve rolls. That beats a cheeseburger for my health and is cheaper, too, although he never minds the cost. 

The next time the temp gets up to 70F, and it will, the lemon tree will spend the day outdoors. I am going to buy a grow light for the two citrus trees. Maybe I will just leave it inside and hurry to get a gro-light

Right after Halloween, Tommy found Christmas music on 96.5 FM here in Birmingham. So, I have been enjoying that on the run up to Halloween. The holidays will be gone too soon, it appears. 

I broke down and bought store-packaged pecans and they are good, not all dried out. I bought South Georgia Pecans at Publix for right at $10/lb. That is actually cheap. The ones at the flea market were almost that much for a sandwich bag full. These are great for a healthy snack.  Now, I will make a pecan pie and make the pecans unhealthy. I have not made or eaten pecan pie in over five years, maybe more. I won't gobble it down and will severely restrict other carbs! As of today, I am going to more actively try to lose weight! They may have been bogo. Maybe not. I cannot find the receipt right now.

Are you on a weight-loss journey?

Have you found a station to listen to Christmas music?

Have you decorated yet for Christmas? Or, maybe started?

Just Stuff

Last Friday, I think, I got a flu shot.  I have always suffered a tiny bit of pain at the injection site the next day, especially if it were touched. This last time, I had tremendous pain over most of my upper arm for three days. There seemed to be nothing I could do to stop the pain. I never take anything for pain, so I had nothing. Flopping around and moaning did not help one bit. Wonder why? I mentioned the pain today to the pharmacist today who said that was very unusual, that most people don't even know they got it. The second pneumonia vaccine is due, but I am loath to get it in case it brings on such horrid pain.

For several months I asked exbf if he had any of my Tupperware, especially the divided dishes for lunches. He replied every time that he had no Tupperware of mine. One day, after six months of questioning him and not believing, he brought me a bag of Tupperware! He just did not realize he had it. Now, how can a person not know he has a dozen containers and their lids? I am so happy to have them back.

I still don't trust this new dryer with a heavy king-size bedspread. So, today, J took it to the car, took it in the laundromat, shoved quarters in, and for $3 it is clean. Then, she put it in my dryer. I just drove and supplied quarters. I wish I had my old washer back. I don't believe it could not be repaired. I could have found another like it and cannibalized it to fix mine. I miss it every time I have to go out to wash.

When I get my pen and me ready, I am anxious to get new chicks. Someone promised to send me eggs to hatch. I am a glutton for punishment. I miss having chickens. I am so gratified that MamaHen took Dominique since D is happy and sticking up for herself. Of course, I won't rush out tomorrow for new little ones. I like raising them so they know me.

Since I am so overweight and have gained weight, today is the start of better eating. Maybe I should say--less eating. Weighing less would alleviate the pain in back and knees! The crockpot is still going, so I bought potatoes, carrots, and kale for the next "cooking."  Celery, onions, and bell peppers will be added for flavor. Potatoes are better than what I have been eating. I know what you are thinking. And, yes, I will have something chocolate or sweet every day, just not every hour.

Is it cool at your house tonight? My car ac sure is cold when it is not so hot. My ideal temperature is 80F for the day and 65F during the night. Of course, I am not eager for heating weather. The main thing about the weather these days is the low humidity. I can breathe.

I bought one Christmas present for half price today. Well, it is one part of the gift.

I found my favorite lipstick, Revlon, for $2.50 today at WM! Check your WM. The same lipstick is $8.50 at CVS,

Okay, I am off to eat a salad, take clothes out of dryer, put clothes in dryer from the washer.