ENG TRAUMA

First of all, the Bible says,  "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (Psalm 139:14)

Second, no one part of your body dysfunctions without all the rest following in some way.

Third, if you have to have an ENG, hold on tight, literally; it will be over soon.

I drove myself to Jonesboro, no big deal, although I was a bit nervous as usual about any test. I intend to seriously talk to Dr. Smith about cautioning patients to have a driver go with them when having this done.  Paul had to come after me.

The first two parts weren't terribly bad.  The third part with the air-blowing-in-the-ears had me begging for the tech to stop.  She couldn't - there wouldn't be any results and I'd have to start over... I don't know if this procedure would send a "normal" person to the moon, but I can't see how it would not affect anyone somewhat. Added to the tilt-a-whirl ride in the test room, all the excitement had my medically regulated heart doing wild flip-flops. Plus a little hot flash thrown in there. And you don't get to eat for four hours prior, so I was from 7:00 a.m. to when I could stomach some crackers without food.

Last night I was afraid to turn my head for the first part of the night, but all had settled down for the most part and I wasn't sick any more. The couple of times I woke up I did see weird lights and shapes. This morning my ears feel, well, kind of like an earache, though not too bad. Just where the cool and hot air blew for a minute each in each one...  Just

I won't know any results until next week sometime. I sure hope this reveals my problem.  'Cause I don't intend to have this done again. Ever. Not for all the balanced budgets in the USA.  Sorry if I have scared anyone off from having this done - "just saying." It might not affect anyone else this way.

(Thanks to Lynn for driving Paul's truck so Paul could drive mine home. And thanks to my wonderful husband for coming after me - as my sister said, "You have a good ol' guy." Yes, I do.)

Now on to brighter things today, like vacuuming. I should go to Bible study, but I just want to be home...

ELECTRONYSTAGMOGRAPHY

I remember a couple of years ago telling my opthalmologist that sometimes it seems my eyes don't keep up with what I'm seeing/looking at. 

Now it's worse.

Maybe it's the migraines I had last fall. I notice it a lot more.  It isn't like vertigo, although I've had that, and unless you're just a glutton for tilt-a-whirls, merry-go-rounds and roller-coasters, it isn't fun. Anyway, I've been trying to track down the cause of this strange feeling, especially with fairly rapid head movement, like looking both ways at traffic before pulling out, or driving with the peripheral scenery flying by, or curvy roads, or hills, or sometimes reading, and sometimes just being on the computer.  Fluorescent lights and bright lights. And movement. Ironically, the last few days have been better, but I went on to the ENT doctor anyway.  My hearing is fine. (The human body is a fine-tuned delicate instrument and only God could have orchestrated such a balanced machine, not "chance." Everything affects everything else. Even hearing.) So Monday I'm having that long-worded test which takes about twenty minutes.  After watching a short video on YouTube, I can see why you should not eat at least four hours prior to having it.  You would have to have your little barf bag with you... 

So I try to avoid or stay short periods of time in "big box" stores like Walmart where there are megawatts of fluorescent lights, and 99% of the time wear sunglasses when outdoors.  And I'm not on the computer as much, although I do use my iPhone quite a bit, but the screen is small.. (I should dim the screen here...)

And "they" are going to stop making incandescent lights next year, so I've heard.  In view of that fact or rumor, I've bought several plain old light bulbs. 

Don't even mention LED lights...

KEEP GOING

Before, during and immediately after Christmas I just plumb wore myself out. And it caught up with me. But what do you do? Just quit?

So now it's the Mystery of the 1)strained neck, 2) dizziness, 3) earache, 4) physical therapy...

All of which must be dealt with in the correct order. There can't be any PT until we find the cause of the dizziness, which may be vertigo, or it may be carotids giving me some grief. So, just waiting for the call for the test appointment - which test may or may not be covered by insurance - certain instances...

Things to be thankful for: 1) time that I do not have to ask off work; 2) heating pad; 3) time to rest; 4) not having to push myself.

Frustrations (besides the aforementioned): 1) feeling isolated somewhat; 2) a bit leary of long trips where I have to turn my head back and forth to watch traffic, hill/valley motion, peripheral motion; 3) pain; 4) stopped up ear; 4) "cricky" neck. (TMJ?)

Enjoyable things lately: 1) Books; 2) Masterpiece Theater; 3) white beans and ham; 4) s'mores; 5) word games with friends on iPhone; 6) having Amy here and helping; 7) a sweet husband who bears all things, love in person... 

On a sad note...  This is Paul's Ant Elbie who passed away Monday; she was 87. She was the life of any gathering, as seen in family photos on the funeral home page, and just in knowing her.  I had not seen her in years, but she was a sweetheart.  Paul and Amy are going to the funeral tomorrow; I'm not because of my ear/neck/whatever...  One of the pastors who will preach her funeral is one I knew from high school days when he was a "preacher boy" at the little bitty church we attended at Oldham community.  I often think how he surely must love Post-It notes because he had a handful of paper clips marking passages at any time in his Bible. He preached my grandma Goobie's funeral, since we were from that era, that area, and it meant a lot to me.

COMES A TIME...

Yesterday I woke up with a terrible scratchy throat; that's somewhat better with help from Ricola Honey and Herbs cough drops, but still coughing and just feel blah. But not too blah to take O to the groomer (Classy Pooch), and go to the beauty shop this afternoon. That's about all I want to do today. Except maybe make Oscar a chew toy from an old towel. His favorite one is almost gnawed in half and I've never seen another one like it. Looks pretty simple and the sewing machine is still up...

Nah - a nap sounds even better. How many times did I push myself to go to work when I felt yucky. Now I don't have to.

KEEP ON KEEPING ON

Last night I began to have a migraine - they begin with an aura of sparkling, wavy circles or lines of light and usually travel from one eye to the other. I immediately got off the computer and went to bed. Ordinarily that will stop the progress - a dark, quiet place. I didn't sleep all that well. After I dozed, I woke and my stomach was hurting! No Pepto in the house. Finally went back to sleep.

This morning all seemed fine until I looked at the computer screen and the lights began to sparkle once again, snaking their way across one eye's vision and then the other, and pretty soon just a "circle of light," not a good kind either. Back to bed for a few mintues and they stopped. Up again and started again. I very fortunataly got an appointment with Dr. Mitchell, but by the time I was ready to go, the lights had stopped. I went anyway and he did tests, dilated my eyes, said all was very good - no physical problems, pressure good, blood pressure good. I went home with doe eyes from the dilation, and just picked up where I left off...

Making Morgan's apron.

I don't usually have these migraines back-to-back, so I was a little concerned, but all is well. I have at least one of these a year, and I've learned over the last four or five years they're nothing to worry about, but morning and evening were too much. Having glaucoma I don't take chances, either.

If you haven't had your eye pressure checked - it is painless, and worth having done! Glaucoma itself is a silent disease that will blind a person if not arrested. And it can be treated, but not reversed. So just go.

Back to the apron... Partridge in a Pear Tree...

These are easy, quick and believe it or not, good therapy - working with my hands on something like this - and having the time to do it - is so... peaceful.

Another thing I did today is put my great aunt Clara's pictures in an album. She was one of two sisters of my maternal grandmother who never married. She had all these old pictures, curling and fading, and somehow I came into possession of them. I think the couple of boxes I have of hers are ones Bren and I rescued from the dilapidated old general store Clara and her sister Arie operated. So here I have all these old pictures and 9/10's of them don't have anything written on the backs! I have no idea who they are. But of course, I can't throw them away. I'll take them to Sherron's when I go and see if Aunt Margaret can identify anyone. A very few I knew - there was one of Aunt M and one of sister Sher (school picture) among them. A lot were school pictures; one from "Diane" to "Aunt Clara" and I have no idea who it is. Maybe she was her great aunt, too. It's amazing to see how many people are related on the other side - and you thought it was only your family!

This is Aunt Clara in 1942 (this one had the date on the back, and I know it is her - black hair, black piercing eyes), and she was 45 years old. She looks about thirty, if that. This one has been colorized - notice the little pink bow mouth! In the second one, she is 50. Same "studio." I have a feeling Aunt Clara was a bit flamboyant. I have a few other pictures of her where she is striking a pose - and she was quite pretty! She was a contemporary of the movie star Clara Bow - could she have been a fan? In later life, she was practically a hermit - had she lived alone (only with her sister) too long? She would scuttle back to her little room behind the store when anyone other than family was there. She was rail thin, probably had not had new clothes in thirty years, and wore her once beautiful black hair tied up in a headscarf (on top of her head, not under her chin). Funny how people turn out. Arie was the quieter one, yet she was the one who stayed mostly out front when people would drop in. After there was nothing to buy, the "store" was open for neighbors to stop by, bring vegetables and chat a while. Wonderful memories of visiting there, from very early childhood...

Aunt Clara 1942
Aunt Clara 1947 Silent film star Clara Bow ~~
I guess my eyes have had enough of this computer light for one night.

SENIOR MOMENTS

I had a followup gastro appointment this morning so I loaded me and Oscar up in the little truck and we came to Memphis. I dropped him off at Amy's. He likes to see Lucy the kitty.

The doctor's office is about 20 minutes from Amy's, and I got there in plenty of time. I had to park on the third level of the garage, but managed to get off at the right floor via elevator. I thought. This didn't look right. The waiting area for the outpatient procedures (not that I was having one) was downstairs. My doctor's name was not on the directory. OK. So I go back to the outpatient level. The directory was still wrong! But there was my urologist's name... I called my doctor's office.

"Where are you located?"

"At 80 Humphreys."

"Oh, okay," I replied as if I'd actually never been there before.

I was in the wrong building.

Back I went to the third level, drove over about 24 speed bumps back down, the same ones I'd bumped over going up. The parking area near 80 Humphreys was full. I drove around and around. Then just decided to settle for any parking spot. And one opened up directly across the street from the building. Thank You, Lord.

I arrived at the front desk at 9:59. And waited an hour and a half for the doctor; but didn't see the doctor. But that was fine. A nice nurse practitioner checked me out and wrote my scripts for me.

I had some errands to run while Amy was finishing her work, so I stopped by Hancock's and got fabric for Sunday School aprons (kindergarden). They'll... Now this is not me doing this - it's Amy's computer... It skipped around and didn't finish what I was typing. And putting letters in the wrong place. Really.

~~~~~

I called Aunt Margaret and she said she was doing okay considering everything. She said Danny had been a good son and she had no regrets. Isn't that wonderful? There will be a memorial for him in a couple of weeks; JoAnn is coming from Florida, and I plan to go. He really was a good, sweet guy.

Edwina called me to see how I am and "when are you coming back?" I told her it'd probably be in September, that "I've already forgotten some names of relatives." She said Aunt Reba made it okay with her being gone on vacation to North Carolina; she didn't like it, but she made it okay. By September it will be somewhat cooler, I hope, and I'll be ready for another trek to Northeast Mississippi. After that, it's Florida or Bust!

THANKFUL

If anyone dreads the dreaded colonoscopy and EGD (word is so long I can't spell it - but the esophogus/stomach scope), let him dread no more. They aren't wonderful, comfortable or something I'd want done every year, but things have improved... At least by the instructions the doctor I went to gave me. The other scopes I've had done, I've been completely out, but not this time. I kept thinking, okay, things will get black in a second... Never did. Totally relaxed, though. A good thing. From the time I was rolled in to the time they wheeled me out, maybe 20 minutes. Of course, I was so relaxed, it could have been 10 or 45... All was well, too; I just will have to add one pill to my cache to take every day, which is great considering some alternatives that could have been. And I thank God that weren't! So adding a pill is no big deal.

Paul and I went to eat (yea!) at Jason's Deli, picked Oscar up at Amy's, and came home. I napped. By the time we got home, I had a terrible "druggy" headache, from the sedation wearing off, and a little wooziness, so I went to bed and slept for a couple of hours. Felt much better after the nap.

When we got home, there was a USPS box waiting for me - from Nan! This is Paul's cousin with whom I've been emailing about genealogy and she sent me a book and other information about the Nichols family. I haven't opened it yet - I'd rather have a whole block of time to devote just to looking at it. She and her family will be gone and out of touch for the summer until October, so I have time to go through and make copies. (This is the camper/hiker who will be "tenting" on the three-month long trip! Looking forward to hearing about that!)

I think I'll try a McD breakfast biscuit this morning. After two days practically of not eating, except for the half of a chicken salad sandwich and a little cup of soft serve ice cream, that's probably just what I need on an empty stomach... That and hot coffee.

DELAY

The gastro doc's office called me his morning and said their facility, not the doctor, but the facility, which can't be but a few steps away from the office, is not in my insurance network. (I know. When I had cataract surgery, the facility was a separate entity.) So I'm glad they checked with the insurance company, but wish the test did not have to be rescheduled. It will probably be at Baptist Hospital, and surprisingly, it seems that both Baptist and Methodist are in my network now. The difference is - in-network, I pay 10%; out-of-network, I pay 30%. And it's looking like the first week in July. Oh, well. At least all I'd done was have Jell-o for breakfast...

Tests

Around 6:45 yesterday evening Dr. Johnson's sweet nurse Laura called and said my tests were normal! I had to ask her again to be sure! Yes, the echogram and the stress test indicated no damage, no blockages! What great and wonderful news to hear! So now on to trying to eliminate the rhythm problem! (Which, strangely, has been so much better; but I'm taking my meds at night and nothing in the morning... and have eliminated the sleep med; and not having any trouble sleeping now!) There's still the problem of being out of breath, which I have a theory could be caused from the hiatal hernia. Anyway, I will see the doctor the first week in May, after the monitoring is finished. I'm so very thankful for the results!

So today my list includes finding a nozzle for the hose - a few years ago I bought one that was a "fireman's" hose and it had a lot of pressure, did a great job cleaning off the patio. So I'll look at the hardware store for that. And a coil to contain the wires to the satellite radio dock. The ferns I usually get at Hay's won't be in till next week, nor the camellias, which I was glad they will have and I won't have to search for. Yesterday I did get some tomato, sweet banana pepper and bell pepper plants for a tiny garden, which likely will have to go behind the garage. Our yard is so shady there isn't much sun for any length of time. Mama had a tiered planter that I have now and petunias will go in that. And there are some azaleas that need to be replaced in front of the house.

And an appointment at Hairjazz.

Another gorgeous day, a gift from God. Every day He renews His mercies!

About Gulls, Girls, Cassowaries and Monitors

The weekend was quiet, with church, Sunday School, a bit of rain and cold weather, reading and napping. This week has started out to be beautiful and I hope the weather holds through Easter, which is most often wet and cold. But either way, I'm thankful for what Easter means - the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Oscar is so much better. His Metacam (arthritis med for dogs) is working great and he's like himself once again. After another couple of days, we can dose him every other day and see how that goes. Possibly every three days, but that seems like a long time and I don't want him to have two good days-one bad day cycle.

The ECG monitor arrived this morning just as I was going out to run some errands, so I brought it in, called the 800 number and got it hooked up and ready to record. It records up to 4 events at a time. I push a button when each "event" happens, and record in a diary what I was doing/where, etc. After four, I have to call the number and download the taped events. Four is not many. I have not even recorded every "event" today. I'll have to call and see if I actually have to or just the ones that are most bothersome. I have "skips" all the time, so if I push the button, I'd stay on the phone way more than I want to! But, if so... The two major ones today were when I was walking... This is gonna be a fun 30 days...

I went to a library event tonight - Sy Montgomery has a new book - Birdology - and she spoke to a nice sized audience about her research about birds. She began with the cassowary - the largest bird and the most dangerous, and - it's a dinosaur! The comb-like thing on the head is like a bone and she said some think it is for resonating their Jurassic Park noise they make. (Remember how eerie those dinosaur calls were in the forest, and how the water vibrated in small ripples?) And the smallest - the hummingbird - tiny and mean. They fight each other over their feeding territory. They are practically all hollow: their bones are hollow and their lungs have extension throughout their tiny bodies. If we could eat as much as they do based on weight, we would consume many thousands of calories a day. Our temperature would also rise to around 700 degrees and we would combust.

Speaking of birds - one of a couple of gulls perched on a pier piling. Sher went to daughter Melanie's for her birthday and they had a girls' day out near the water. Mel made this picture "for Pat."

And the girls...

Just as I was getting into "24" I learn this is the last season! Next week is a two-hour episode. I don't know if it's the final one or not, but man, does that hour go by fast! And "House"... so many are repeats... How many shows are in a season now, or are they even seasons like they used to be on the "three major networks?" Used to be the reruns were in the summer, and all year you got to see new shows, except for major holidays. I enjoy the PBS Masterpiece Theater - last night was "Sharpe's Challenge." There will be more of these about Richard Sharpe, played by Sean Bean (in Lord of the Rings, of which I have only seen the first one).

~~~~~

Have a stack of books to choose from: Charlene left me one of hers - Her Mother's Hope; and I picked up a couple at the library and started Saving Cee Cee Cunningham (Beth Hoffman). And there are Jeffery Deaver's books waiting, too. I used to say "so many books, so little time." It's the same. Even retired, it's the same!

Morgan's Heart - and Mine

I've had this idea for some time, since Morgan asked for some article of clothing of Mama's (her Grandma's) to sew in her wedding dress. Time passed so fast and I still had not done it. But yesterday I finished.

The picture in the locket - reduced the wallet size twice so it would fit. Embellishments - I had no clue what kind or where to put them so I just got a few while I was at Amy's. Lace trim - forget that - too tedious to try to fit around the curves and point. So it's pretty plain and simple, and it was Mama's lace bra. I mailed it to Morgan today, along with one of Goobie's (her great grandmother's) handkerchiefs, and a CD with her shower pictures on it. And a couple of extra wallet photos so she could see the whole picture of Mama, maybe put them in an album or something.

Now I need to finish Sher's tabletop quilt, which I started last fall... before I go visit her.

I suppose I don't get enough excitement in my life, so I created some last night. Not what you think. For the last couple of days I left off my heart rythm medicine and it was sooo wonderful not to have the skippees. But. Payday comes. What was I thinking? That it was "healed?" I had a hard time getting to sleep, restless legs. I knew my bpm was a little higher. Well, that should have told me something! Around 12:15 I woke up with my heart just trying to escape my body! I thought it couldn't beat any faster, but oh, yes, it "kicked it up a notch!" as Emeril says. I immediately took one of my pills, and Paul called 911. By the time the EMTs got here, the rate had slowed considerably, but my excitement was not complete until I got that ambulance ride the the ER. The heart rate was steadily coming down and the ER doctor on call said he wasn't even going to order anything for me under the circumstances. The circumstances being that I tried to write my own prescription. Another doctor/intern seemed disappointed that he wouldn't get to "do anything." He took out the IV needle and put the tape on my arm. I told him he did get to do something after all. An hour later, it was so wonderful to get back home, in my warm bed, and drift off to a good sleep. I told Paul I was sorry I scared him... Do not try that at home - do not stop taking your medicine! Of course, I'm keeping my cardio appointment next Thursday at Stern Clinic! I do not want any more of that kind of excitement!

Try This

Another heart-beating episode last night, not as bad as Friday's. I called Dr. B this morning and he'd returned my call by a little after noon. He told me what to try for a couple of weeks, asked how my bp was and it's good. I've taken atenolol for several years, 25 mg in morning and evening, so now I'm to take 25 a.m., 50 at night, along with the amlodipine 5 mg. This is probably TMI for anyone reading this, but if I write it down here at least I'll remember I have a record of it somewhere!

We called in an order at Colby's for lunch and Amy picked it up. She didn't check it till she got it home, and we had three chicken club salads. By this time Paul was home, so they left to take it back, unbeknownst to me since I was talking to Dr B, to get the correct order. They had our order ready when they returned, and told them to keep the wrong one - they would have had to throw it out anyway. No extra charge. Nice - now we have supper, too. We all ate the salads for lunch.

Oscar has been very quiet today. He's as quiet as when he and I are here alone. Either he's very tired, or just used to Amy's being here now.

This morning I moved all the snow pictures to My Book, along with all the ones of the screen shots of Mama's memorial CD. I had one card completely full and another nearly.

Highway 1 is in pretty good shape, Paul said, but the side streets aren't. There's another funeral, but it isn't until Saturday, so he has some time to get the grave marked. It was 26 degrees last time I looked. There is the dryer buzzer - another load of clothes ready to take out...

We've done laundry every day. The floors are hopeless right now what with all the snow/water/leaves tromped in. I've started dusting, and guess what? It doesn't all have to be done in one day!

More Fine Tuning

Yesterday I went to the beauty shop to get my hair done. Whatever Marcie uses and how she styles it, I can never duplicate. So it looked pretty good at 1:00 A.M. this morning when I had to go to the ER for my heart pounding 90 miles an hour. This wakes me up more and more frequently, and after last night's trip, I know I'm going to have to get my meds adjusted. Not only is it disrupting, sometimes it's downright scary. I pretty well know what it is, but when the 110 bpm won't slow down, which is very fast for me, since one of the meds I take is for heart rythm, well, that's just enough. So next week I'll try to get myself fine-tuned with the cardio doctor I go to.

After we got back home, it happened again a couple hours later, but this time it slowed back down on its own. I slept really late - for me - this morning, to 9:30.

She Cooks

This morning I made banana nut bread, a loaf for Sue S who had back surgery last week; and one for neighbor Joe since it is his pecans I'm using. I cooked an actual supper tonight practically from scratch: chicken breasts, sweet potato casserole, and purple hull peas. I was out between cooking sessions and it was nice to come into the house to the odor of fresh baked bread/cake. What a pretty design the paddle made.

And this cross on the bread...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oscar and I walked this afternoon. The Bradford pears down the street are valiantly holding out their bud-tipped branches. They were starting, in fact, just after the Big Freeze in early January. I checked the dogwood in the back yard, and its buds are embryonic, too. Faith's lesson in a tiny bud - hope of spring and new life.

My doctor's appointment at CrossRidge went well; I don't have to have another scan until August and see him afterward. My blood pressure was actually low, like 113/64, or 116/63, anyway, Dr. S thought that was a little too low and wrote it on a scrip sheet for me to get to Dr. B, which I did. I do get tired quicker and the heart skips are more frequent when I'm up doing something. I thought it might be the med, also that I'm up doing more physical things, like trying to reach way back in corner cabinets, and reaching up in the cabinet for measureing cups, raisins, baking powder! We'll see. I haven't taken it (bp) in a while, so will check on it from time to time, and if Dr. B is concerned about it, he'll let me know. The skips are worrisome and if my bp is consistently too low, that probably is the reason. It often takes fine tuning.

I applied online for Social Security benefits; the lady I talked to earlier said they would have the information (it has a case number) when we go to the SS office. It was easy. At the end after submitting, it said I would have to bring my birth certificate, which I already knew, because of the birthdate discrepancy. I was born at 1:00 A.M. on March 6, so I can see how Goobie got the date mixed up. Also - you can have Federal taxes withheld, so hey, why not? I love paying taxes on my Social Security benefits! Well, as Paul says, it's pay now or pay later. Seriously, I'm thankful I can have this now. The big deal with retirees is insurance premiums, most especially before 65. So I'm glad to have this now to pay for my insurance!

Really recommend The Help. Very good book. About 3/4 way through.

Not in the Plans...

I went to the doctor this morning, and before last night around 8:00, I had no intention of going. But I seemed to develop a full-blown UTI. Chills, backache, all that... Slept fitfully, not warm. I called for an appointment this morning and fortunately my doctor was in today and I could see him before noon.

First week of retirement, and already in the doctor's office.

I missed seeing Dave Brown (Channel 5 Memphis weather man) speak at Keenagers today. Polly had called this morning, also Charlene and I missed both calls. Maybe next month I can go for the meeting and program. I got to hear Mr. Brown a few years ago at EACC when he spoke there. I called Polly this afternoon and Keenagers meets the second Thursday around 10:30 for potluck. I've always enjoyed being with older people - and now I'm one of them!! I'm sure some of them can outdo me any day, though.

Tonight I'm going to meet office folks at Mike's for a supper/party for moi! Gosh, I've missed them, and it's just been a week! Wish Paul had been here to go, and Amy may or may not get to be there. But that's okay; I think the "big" one will be later. Then I slowly fade into the background... I called my former boss this afternoon and he had heard "rumors" he said. He and his wife are both 86 and were at our Christmas party last month. He was and is a great gentleman and was a very good boss. Co-op gets in your blood, I guess; electricity gets in your veins. There's nothing like working at a utility and electric cooperatives are some of the very best places to work. I was very blessed when we moved here to get a job there so fast, and able to return the time I left, too. But you know in your head and your heart when it's time to let things go, and I'm glad we were able to go into the next "phase" of life. (No pun intended...)

It's Working

Yesterday and today my bp was in the 120's! Like 127/72. I can't recall it ever being that low. Since I can remember having my blood pressure taken it's been in the mid to high 130's. Taking half dose in the morning and half at night seems to be working. I don't notice the side effects at night of course, being asleep; and just a couple of hours in the morning, with a little headache and that "mediciney" feeling.

And I'm being a cashier all day today. This morning I was at the front, and this afternoon in the drive-through. It's been fairly quiet, cars haven't been lined up, and I haven't been "rattled" so far. One of the girls is out, the supervisor is out, so that leaves me to "save the day!" I've already had a Dr Pepper (not doing so well there) and I sure wish I could have another one. I suppose the bp med makes me a little more tired, but I expect to acclimate to the second half of the dose.

I Don't Like It

I have coughed all day, like with a bad cold. I slept about two and a half hours this afternoon. I felt like a wet noodle. I know it's the doubling of the medicine. But what can I do?

Well. Since Dr. B. said the lower dose had not had time to peak, I'm going to try the "natural" way. Diet, exercise, and work on eliminating even more stress, though I thought that was pretty well under control. Anyway... I will give this a couple of weeks: more fruits, veggies. Decaf coffee. No Dr. Pepper. (This will likely be the hardest to give up!) Way less salt. Walk Oscar. (Olive oil in his diet is beginning to show up in his mid-section again - less scratching but more puppy.) I know that lying around for several weeks with a broken leg didn't help matters, especially with Amy's wonderful stuffed bell peppers and hamburgers; and no exercise, although I lifted my weight around for weeks on that walker.

So deal with medicine or deal with diet and exercise. My sister lectured me today, not harshly mind you, but then she got up and walked her dog. "I can't tell you what to do if I don't do it." Then I walked O.

I'll continue to take what I've been taking, but not the double dose - yet. I don't like coughing or lethargy or sleeping the best part of autumn sunshine away.

Better

I wasn't crazy about going to the clinic at 8:00 this morning, a Saturday of all days. There are no appointments on Saturdays, I have no sick leave accumulated yet, and Dr. Beaton was going to be there today. I was second in line to sign up and got called pretty quickly. I worked on Saturday's crossword puzzle and almost finished it.

My bp was still a little high, although it had come down some. Dr. B. said even with more time he knew it wasn't going to be strong enough, so he doubled the dosage. I'm not sure I can take anything for fluid because I'm allergic to sulfa and he said the diuretics are cousins to sulfa or something like that. So we'll try the double dose first, which would be tonight. I have to go back for re-check in a month.

Old Friends

I was home by 9:30 and got quite a bit done today: bathed Oscar, cleaned the bathroom, Swiffered most of the furniture, cooked a Crock Pot of pinto beans, took an hour and a half nap.

One really neat thing I got to do today was type out the Christmas program notes that a former co-worker presented about 1972 at Woodruff's Christmas banquet. Ida Drury called me last week and asked if I'd do that for her. I did, printed a copy and also put it on CD for her son to make more copies if they wanted. It was hand-written on light green steno paper and she said some of the grandchildren had drawn and written on the backs of some of the pages. Ida was Ida Whittle and lived at Palestine for years before her first husband died; then she married John Drury and lived west of Colt. When he passed away, she moved into Colt. She has a hospice nurse now and I told her I was so sorry. She said, "Well, Pat, we're none of us promised even tomorrow. I'm blessed. I don't hurt. I get up and get dressed..." What a wonderful attitude and testimony she has. She was the billing office supervisor for many years. We talked about so many good friends whom we had worked with and who are no longer with us: Nancy Speer Pflug, Jimmie Null, Ida Smith, Cheryl Neeley, Kenny Johnson. So many who blessed our lives with their friendships.

One of my jobs since I've gone back to work has been to sort through personnel files and get them ready to scan and then scan them. I've categorized like-material and the different types will be coded when they're scanned. Sitting with those files in front of me, most of the time in my lap, I handle the yellowing paper (the old NCR paper still smells like it did 30 years ago) and the new bond paper, acid-free, and think, I've built probably 95% of these files. All this paperwork pertaining to personnel matters. Generated from supervisors or different events, but I've typed or keyed in and printed most of these documents. There are "thank you" cards from employees for memorials for their loved ones, newspaper clippings of family members' accomplishments, weddings, births, postcards from vacations. On my original application from 1969 I had put Bren's dad Cecil as a reference. (She said he'd be tickled to know that.) So many memories, like a huge album spilled out in front of me. And I thought, I've been blessed to be able to do this, to see all this, revisit, remember. So many lives that have touched mine. Such a big family we are - older members and younger. When I went back to work, even so many of the young men - linemen and apprentices - said how they missed me, gave me a hug. Blessed.

Ballgames

MS State beat Middle Tennessee 27-6!!
Florida beat Arkansas 23-20 in the last few seconds...

Paul will be watching MS State and Florida about this time next week...

Duck Weather

I'm still planning on going to see Bren tomorrow - the weekend forecast is stable, with a little rain tomorrow, clearing by afternoon, and sunny Sunday. I'll just put this achey foot on ice, take some Advil and we'll go to talkin'!

In the meantime it has Rained All Morning in this zip code - no need to look anywhere but out the window for that.

Busy all morning, taking a wee break to stretch and rest my brain. Cody brought a table to set up for the scanner and I kept the rolling table it was on to put my keyboard and mouse so it'll be lower than the waist-high work top where they usually sit. Mark is almost hemmed in, but not quite! It'll work.

Glad I have Stouffer's lasagna for lunch and don't have to go out in this...

Journey this morning: "As part of the fallen human race we all face temptation, and the enemy will hit each one of us in the area in which we are most vulnerable." Yes, he will. And Bren reminded me that when we hurt, it goes to the weakest point of our body. Yes, it does. Sometimes the two are so closely connected that one will affect the other.

Two more Advil and a break helped some of that.

Don't You Love It...

When a quick trip to the vet gets your animal feeling comfortable again and not licking unmentionable parts...

When you get to visit with your child's first grade teacher for an hour or so, at the people clinic...

When you finally get to see the doctor, not your regular one, but a good one anyway, because they rotate Saturdays, and get a diagnosis you didn't even go there for, and he confirms the nurse's blood pressure reading as high?

And he says I'm giving you a prescription and follow up with your regular doctor in a couple of weeks...

Oh, and the doctor's scales show some outrageous number when people have been asking you if you've lost weight??

And you think, I'm really old now...

One more pill to take...

Do I really need to take this?

I'll just check it when I get home...

I bet I don't really need this...

But you go get it filled anyway and can't believe you just told your pharmacist you would just have to put on your BGPs and deal with it...

And he tells you it would be best to take it at night starting off because after all it does lower the pressure and you might get dizzy if you get up too fast, and you will be tired...

I'm already tired. I should really be able to sleep well now.

I napped for two hours in the recliner while the DVR-recorded "National Parks" was on and I could only catch about every other word, because when you record AETN or WKNO the narrators' words are heard simultaneously in English and Spanish...

And I didn't give Oscar a bath after his ordeal at the vet's...

But I will...

Just as soon as the half a piece of peanut butter pie settles. It'll probably be the last for a loooong time.

Getting old, said Bette Davis, is not for sissies...