The posts are getting further apart. I should be more diligent in posting.
I saw Dr. Chaudry last week and I weighed 181, which makes a weight loss of 39# for me! WooHoo! I ordered size 14 slacks from Lands' End, and they FIT! My blood pressure has been fairly low, systolic in the low 100s or 90s. I also was feeling pretty fatigued. My TSH was normal. I feel like I have been retaining a lot of water, as I can gain 3-4 pounds in a day. So I stopped the Cardura, and still my B/P is low to okay. Somedays I am diuresing, not so much other days. Dr. Collins ordered spironolactone for me, so I will start that to see if I can keep some of this fluid off. I would like to be able to eat pretzels and other salty stuff!
I am sooooo missing Steve. I just don't have anyone that I can tell my problems to. Wayne is the major problem. Even if it isn't Wayne, he doesn't seem very interested in anything that I am interested in.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Too Busy!
I have just been too busy to even jot down what is going on! But really, nothing important, just life.
I weighed 186 pounds this morning. I have been consistently here for about a week, so I need to keep working to get some off. I know what will happen is that I will just drop a few pounds in one day. I just need to keep at it. I only get to community fitness once a week, when I go with Wayne. I doubt that I will be able to keep it up once he is done with pulmonary rehab next week. But any little bit helps. The weather is a bit nicer, so I am able to walk around at least once a day.
Speaking of the weather, it is a very strange spring. I turned the heat off, but there have only been one or two days were it was nice enough to open windows. We have had lots of rain, and there have been some pretty violent storms throughout. Our subdivision is living up to the name "Prairie Winds"!
Paducah was GREAT! I would go again, but not for a few more years. Taking care of Wayne was not great. I am planning on going to International Quilt Festival in Chicago next April, and staying either with Laurie or Jo and Nancy. I saw everything I wanted, bought what I wanted. Had to listen to Wayne complain about most everything (which is just like home).
Relay for Life is this weekend. I will be only able to go for the Survivors' lap because I have to work the next morning. I made over 50 water bottle cozies for our team to sell for donations. I hate to ask for pledges.
I am working on an Eleanor Burns' quilt from "Victory Quilts". I got to see Eleanor twice at Paducah. She is a remarkable lady. I know own a nice assortment of Quilt in a Day rulers, as you need them to make her blocks.
Our newest neighbor, Dolores Easter, is a quilter. She set up her quilting room in the front bedroom. She is very nice. I'm going to give her information about the shop hops and see if she would like to go with me.
I weighed 186 pounds this morning. I have been consistently here for about a week, so I need to keep working to get some off. I know what will happen is that I will just drop a few pounds in one day. I just need to keep at it. I only get to community fitness once a week, when I go with Wayne. I doubt that I will be able to keep it up once he is done with pulmonary rehab next week. But any little bit helps. The weather is a bit nicer, so I am able to walk around at least once a day.
Speaking of the weather, it is a very strange spring. I turned the heat off, but there have only been one or two days were it was nice enough to open windows. We have had lots of rain, and there have been some pretty violent storms throughout. Our subdivision is living up to the name "Prairie Winds"!
Paducah was GREAT! I would go again, but not for a few more years. Taking care of Wayne was not great. I am planning on going to International Quilt Festival in Chicago next April, and staying either with Laurie or Jo and Nancy. I saw everything I wanted, bought what I wanted. Had to listen to Wayne complain about most everything (which is just like home).
Relay for Life is this weekend. I will be only able to go for the Survivors' lap because I have to work the next morning. I made over 50 water bottle cozies for our team to sell for donations. I hate to ask for pledges.
I am working on an Eleanor Burns' quilt from "Victory Quilts". I got to see Eleanor twice at Paducah. She is a remarkable lady. I know own a nice assortment of Quilt in a Day rulers, as you need them to make her blocks.
Our newest neighbor, Dolores Easter, is a quilter. She set up her quilting room in the front bedroom. She is very nice. I'm going to give her information about the shop hops and see if she would like to go with me.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Getting fit!
Well, I have reached my first weight loss goal! I am under 200 pounds! Depending on the scale, of course! The one at home this morning said 195. The ones at work have still had me over 200. But I have consistently at home been under 200 for a week, so I will proclaim the victory! The next goal is 190 pounds. I know that is not much, but last time I lost weight, I went down a dress size at 190, so that is why I picked that number. The next goal after that will be 175.
I have joined the community fitness program at Provena. This is in the same gym where Wayne takes his pulmonary rehab. I can use the machines while Wayne does his exercises; hopefully Wayne can see that I truly am supporting him in this. Plus, I can get into shape. Yesterday was my first day. I did 20 minutes on the recumbent bike. I got to my target heart rate of 140, didn't get short of breath. I did 8 minutes on the arm crank, Wayne does 10, so next time I will do 10. I tried the treadmill, but it couldn't get coordinated enough, and my left leg was starting to give me problems, so I don't think I will do that. I will probably do a second 20 minutes on the bike after the arm crank. There are 2 recumbent bikes at the big house in their gym that we can use; I may go use them, will be an easy walk.
I have joined the community fitness program at Provena. This is in the same gym where Wayne takes his pulmonary rehab. I can use the machines while Wayne does his exercises; hopefully Wayne can see that I truly am supporting him in this. Plus, I can get into shape. Yesterday was my first day. I did 20 minutes on the recumbent bike. I got to my target heart rate of 140, didn't get short of breath. I did 8 minutes on the arm crank, Wayne does 10, so next time I will do 10. I tried the treadmill, but it couldn't get coordinated enough, and my left leg was starting to give me problems, so I don't think I will do that. I will probably do a second 20 minutes on the bike after the arm crank. There are 2 recumbent bikes at the big house in their gym that we can use; I may go use them, will be an easy walk.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Spring! please come and rescue us!
We are so tired of winter. Spring has been flirting with us, but hopefully the snow and cold weather are behind us! It has been sunny, in the 50s, and almost all the snow is melted. We have a pair of ducks on the pond. We are so hoping that they nest here again. As Wayne bought a digital video recorder, I am going to try to get some action shots of the ducks/ducklings.
Wayne started pulmonary rehab this week. Today will be his second session. He was pretty angry at me. He groused that I was out of my mind if I thought that this was going to get him in the shape to put on his own socks and wipe his butt. I told him that I knew that wasn't going to happen, and wasn't my goal. My goal is for him to be able to walk around the house without getting short of breath. My schedule is such that I will only to be able to go with him on Fridays. I am going to see if I can join the Community Fitness program that is in the same gym so that I can work out (well, do the recumbent bike, treadmill, and the hand bicycle) while I am waiting for him. I can also do it on Tuesdays and every other Thursday. Deb Woods, who is the coordinator for cardiopulmonary rehab, is an old friend of mine. We got our ADN from Parkland the same year!
I have had my first week of Parish nursing. It is very interesting, and I am praying that Olivia and I will be able to initiate a program at St. Elizabeth. I have a few ideas, and I know that Olivia does also, as she took the program a year ago. One of the nurses in my class, Jan Galaras, was in my trauma nurse specialist class 27 years ago! Wow! I feel old! Faith Roberts is the coordinator for the program through Carle. She had been my boss on maternity at Mercy/Covenant back in 1990! She is a very dynamic speaker, and has spoken at many national conferences. But the two things I remember most about Faith is 1) at my evaluation, she called me an outstanding nurse. WOW! What an encouragement! 2) on the first Mother's Day after Joe was killed, she sent me a card. How kind!
Today is my niece Lindsay's birthday. She would be 28. I miss her smile.
Today also is Steve's birthday. He would be 58. I miss talking with him. Just hearing his voice, and knowing that he cared would help me so much.
Tomorrow is the 5th anniversary of Steve Szafranski's death. Time marches on. I know that men grieve differently than women. Wayne just doesn't seem to have much emotion about this.
I am earnestly trying to lose weight. For Lent, I am trying to follow the fasting guidelines every day, not just on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Also, trying to eat more fruits and vegetables. My initial goal was to get under 200#. On my scale at home, I am there. Still have a few pounds to go on the scales at work. But I can certainly tell that I have lost some weight. My pants are no longer tight (I was having to unbutton them at times). And I am feeling better. Except my shoulders are still painful. Especially my left shoulder. I am trying to do ROM exercises with them, part of the reason I want to work out at the rehab gym. I certainly don't want to get a frozen shoulder. Anyway, my next goal is to get to 190#. Last time I lost weight, I could drop a size, down to 16, when I reached 190. Then the next goal is 175. I'll see how things are when I get there. I have been wanting to get a bicycle, maybe this will be the year. Mary has a bike and rides. I'm sure we could ride together.
The girls are coming here for Scrabble this morning. Donita will not be joining us, as her mother fell, broke her hip, then had a stroke. Donita is an only child, so she will have her hands full. Her mom was living in a big old house in Mattoon, and refused to move.
Still looking forward to Paducah! It is going to be such fun! I have been restraining from buying anything quilty, as I want to see the offerings there. When perked up when I told him I was going to bring the laptop and his portable DVD player with some of his DVDs. Hopefully, we can reproduce home in our little suite! I hope that the pulmonary rehab will by that time be showing some improvement in his breathing.
The TQS BOM is going great! We have developed a really nice community on the forum. There is also talk of a road trip to LaVeta for a taping of the show, with a show and tell of our completed quilts! I have been having a nice conversation with one of the members who is also a nurse practitioner working in a Walgreen's based convenient care. She lives near Houston. She was envious of my going to Paducah. I reminded her that she gets to go to Houston. She offered to let me stay with her for that show. I don't know how serious she is about that. Anyway, definitely not this year.
Wayne started pulmonary rehab this week. Today will be his second session. He was pretty angry at me. He groused that I was out of my mind if I thought that this was going to get him in the shape to put on his own socks and wipe his butt. I told him that I knew that wasn't going to happen, and wasn't my goal. My goal is for him to be able to walk around the house without getting short of breath. My schedule is such that I will only to be able to go with him on Fridays. I am going to see if I can join the Community Fitness program that is in the same gym so that I can work out (well, do the recumbent bike, treadmill, and the hand bicycle) while I am waiting for him. I can also do it on Tuesdays and every other Thursday. Deb Woods, who is the coordinator for cardiopulmonary rehab, is an old friend of mine. We got our ADN from Parkland the same year!
I have had my first week of Parish nursing. It is very interesting, and I am praying that Olivia and I will be able to initiate a program at St. Elizabeth. I have a few ideas, and I know that Olivia does also, as she took the program a year ago. One of the nurses in my class, Jan Galaras, was in my trauma nurse specialist class 27 years ago! Wow! I feel old! Faith Roberts is the coordinator for the program through Carle. She had been my boss on maternity at Mercy/Covenant back in 1990! She is a very dynamic speaker, and has spoken at many national conferences. But the two things I remember most about Faith is 1) at my evaluation, she called me an outstanding nurse. WOW! What an encouragement! 2) on the first Mother's Day after Joe was killed, she sent me a card. How kind!
Today is my niece Lindsay's birthday. She would be 28. I miss her smile.
Today also is Steve's birthday. He would be 58. I miss talking with him. Just hearing his voice, and knowing that he cared would help me so much.
Tomorrow is the 5th anniversary of Steve Szafranski's death. Time marches on. I know that men grieve differently than women. Wayne just doesn't seem to have much emotion about this.
I am earnestly trying to lose weight. For Lent, I am trying to follow the fasting guidelines every day, not just on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Also, trying to eat more fruits and vegetables. My initial goal was to get under 200#. On my scale at home, I am there. Still have a few pounds to go on the scales at work. But I can certainly tell that I have lost some weight. My pants are no longer tight (I was having to unbutton them at times). And I am feeling better. Except my shoulders are still painful. Especially my left shoulder. I am trying to do ROM exercises with them, part of the reason I want to work out at the rehab gym. I certainly don't want to get a frozen shoulder. Anyway, my next goal is to get to 190#. Last time I lost weight, I could drop a size, down to 16, when I reached 190. Then the next goal is 175. I'll see how things are when I get there. I have been wanting to get a bicycle, maybe this will be the year. Mary has a bike and rides. I'm sure we could ride together.
The girls are coming here for Scrabble this morning. Donita will not be joining us, as her mother fell, broke her hip, then had a stroke. Donita is an only child, so she will have her hands full. Her mom was living in a big old house in Mattoon, and refused to move.
Still looking forward to Paducah! It is going to be such fun! I have been restraining from buying anything quilty, as I want to see the offerings there. When perked up when I told him I was going to bring the laptop and his portable DVD player with some of his DVDs. Hopefully, we can reproduce home in our little suite! I hope that the pulmonary rehab will by that time be showing some improvement in his breathing.
The TQS BOM is going great! We have developed a really nice community on the forum. There is also talk of a road trip to LaVeta for a taping of the show, with a show and tell of our completed quilts! I have been having a nice conversation with one of the members who is also a nurse practitioner working in a Walgreen's based convenient care. She lives near Houston. She was envious of my going to Paducah. I reminded her that she gets to go to Houston. She offered to let me stay with her for that show. I don't know how serious she is about that. Anyway, definitely not this year.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
February musings
We are still having crazy weather. Warm one day, then plummeting temperatures. Our old neighborhood flooded. Thankfully, our old house did not. We raised it enough to spare the new owners. Clara had her pipe freeze two weeks after the first. We got water, but not as bad. Everything is back to normal, and no repeat performances.
I am playing Scrabble once a week with the neighborhood ladies. I enjoy getting out and visiting and playing. Reminds me of Sunday afternoons at Grandma and Grandpa Sheffield's house playing with Aunt Zola.
I am doing 3 BOMs this year. I finished a patriotic star wall hanging, and an Illinois wall hanging. Wayne wants me to make a new quilt with fabrics he picked out. Haven't got motivated to get started yet.
Christie clinic has opened a new convenient care at County Market in Champaign. I have been doing some shifts there.
I have an awful cold. Worked 2 shifts with it. Glad I have had a few days rest before going in again. We have had a lot of influenza at work. Thankfully, I took a flu shot.
Obama is leading Clinton in the primaries. But I think there is going to be a fight at the convention to determine who will run against McCain. Either one surely can beat McCain. Last night at his speech, he just looked and sounded so dull. Course, this was after we had just been watching Obama. What a dynamic speaker!
Feb 25 will be the one year anniversary of Steve's death. I try to talk with Carol every few weeks. She is remodeling her kitchen, which she and Steve had talked about. Actually, doing the bathroom and the living room. I am encouraging her, because I believe Steve would be in favor of it. She knows that Steve's sister Dorothy is going to give her grief, and that is so unfortunate.
Wayne is on oxygen all the time now. But his sugars has been improving, so he is getting less insulin. He is eating a little less, as he realizes when he overeats, it is hard to breathe.
Still looking forward to Paducah!
My friend Susie had to have mastectomy for DCIS, elected for a bilateral, which was good, as there was cancer in both breasts. She is going to have lymph node resection as soon as her ITP is stable. Maybe chemo if nodes are positive. Her daughter Maria is getting married this June, so hopefully she will get recovered.
I am playing Scrabble once a week with the neighborhood ladies. I enjoy getting out and visiting and playing. Reminds me of Sunday afternoons at Grandma and Grandpa Sheffield's house playing with Aunt Zola.
I am doing 3 BOMs this year. I finished a patriotic star wall hanging, and an Illinois wall hanging. Wayne wants me to make a new quilt with fabrics he picked out. Haven't got motivated to get started yet.
Christie clinic has opened a new convenient care at County Market in Champaign. I have been doing some shifts there.
I have an awful cold. Worked 2 shifts with it. Glad I have had a few days rest before going in again. We have had a lot of influenza at work. Thankfully, I took a flu shot.
Obama is leading Clinton in the primaries. But I think there is going to be a fight at the convention to determine who will run against McCain. Either one surely can beat McCain. Last night at his speech, he just looked and sounded so dull. Course, this was after we had just been watching Obama. What a dynamic speaker!
Feb 25 will be the one year anniversary of Steve's death. I try to talk with Carol every few weeks. She is remodeling her kitchen, which she and Steve had talked about. Actually, doing the bathroom and the living room. I am encouraging her, because I believe Steve would be in favor of it. She knows that Steve's sister Dorothy is going to give her grief, and that is so unfortunate.
Wayne is on oxygen all the time now. But his sugars has been improving, so he is getting less insulin. He is eating a little less, as he realizes when he overeats, it is hard to breathe.
Still looking forward to Paducah!
My friend Susie had to have mastectomy for DCIS, elected for a bilateral, which was good, as there was cancer in both breasts. She is going to have lymph node resection as soon as her ITP is stable. Maybe chemo if nodes are positive. Her daughter Maria is getting married this June, so hopefully she will get recovered.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Crazy weather
Last week it was 0 degrees, yesterday it was in the 60s. It is raining, and it was lightning last night.
Except for getting the furniture moved back in, the front bedroom is back to normal. I took the opportunity to clean out that closet, and am putting a lot of the stuff that was in there in the attic. I don't know what's gonna happen with that stuff up there. Can't part with. Probably send a bunch to auction someday.
Hopefully, I can get down to some sewing. Moda U is this evening. The Quilt Show has a block of the month going this year that I think I will joining. I belong to a 6500/6600 challenge group, with the current challenge using the decorative stitches. I am thinking about doing pink ribbons with the different stitches.
Except for getting the furniture moved back in, the front bedroom is back to normal. I took the opportunity to clean out that closet, and am putting a lot of the stuff that was in there in the attic. I don't know what's gonna happen with that stuff up there. Can't part with. Probably send a bunch to auction someday.
Hopefully, I can get down to some sewing. Moda U is this evening. The Quilt Show has a block of the month going this year that I think I will joining. I belong to a 6500/6600 challenge group, with the current challenge using the decorative stitches. I am thinking about doing pink ribbons with the different stitches.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Happy New Year!
Weird weather! New Years Day was snowy, cold wind. We only went out to go to mass. Next two days the temps hovered around 2degrees. Bright sunny days. Now it is in the 50s with rain.
Illini lost in the Rose Bowl against So. Cal. We were definitely the underdogs, and it showed. Looked more like a brawl rather than a football game. We also lost our Big Ten season opener with Ohio State (the media can't let up on Thad Matta being a former Cornjerker. For what ever reason, that night they said Thad played for East Lynn high school. East Lynn high school closed in 1973. Thad was born in 1967. Doh!). The guys have spurts of genius, but not enough to look great.
Thursday night we were watching Fox News coverage of the Iowa caucuses (after watching the basketball game). Clara from next door called and said she had a flood at her front door. I went over, and indeed, she had a flood! I could hear water running as I walked over. Paul Tatman's son and dil (she cleans for Clara) arrived shortly after me and they turned the water off and helped Clara mop up and move furniture out of the front bedroom. I went back to our house, and our front bedroom carpet was also wet. I stayed with Clara for about a half hour to help settle her down, then went home and picked up stuff off my floor that wouldn't tolerate the moisture. Paul Tatman came the next morning, and found that the pipe to Clara's front outside faucet had a huge leak. It wasn't caulked around the faucet, and allowed the cold air to leak in. Poor Clara, she had seen my faucet "cozy" and thought she should have one also, but her sil David nixed it, saying that she didn't need it. David is on Clara's fecal roster! LOL! Paul had the plumbers out and they fixed it. He had his guys move furniture for Clara and us. The carpet guys got the excess water out of the pad and removed that. Fans are running now. By early next week, we should be back to normal. Gives me the opportunity to go through some of that stuff. Have stuff that probably could go up in the attic.
While the plumbers were here, I asked if they could look at our toilet in the front bathroom, as it has always had a wobble. Well, they did, and it had a broken flange. They had to take up the toilet to fix it. Because it wasn't done right in the first place. Paul saw it, and I think he is gonna pay the plumbers. It took them over 2 hours to get the job done. I am thankful that Paul has been a great contractor with a heart.
I saw Dr. Thatcher on Thursday and I now have a name for my intermittent thigh numbness. Meralgia Paresthetica. Never heard of it. Has nothing to do with my scoliosis or bulging discs. No cure. But it is not going to cause any problems. The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve gets compressed, causing the numbness. Sometimes pain (thankfully I have a high threshold for pain). But it is purely a sensory nerve, so it cannot cause muscle atrophy. I do have a diminished left ankle jerk. But that is not from the MP. That is probably what causes me to have a left foot flop when I am tired.
Wayne was put on BiPap, but he could not tolerate the changing pressures. He was set up at 25/18. His CPAP was on 18, so wouldn't think it would be a problem but it was. They finally set his new machine at 25/25, and he is doing much better. He didn't get very short of breath when we went out last night with the Cunningham's. Speaking of them, Benny has been helping Wayne get from our car to their door. How cute! He has more personality than any 4 year old needs!
Illini lost in the Rose Bowl against So. Cal. We were definitely the underdogs, and it showed. Looked more like a brawl rather than a football game. We also lost our Big Ten season opener with Ohio State (the media can't let up on Thad Matta being a former Cornjerker. For what ever reason, that night they said Thad played for East Lynn high school. East Lynn high school closed in 1973. Thad was born in 1967. Doh!). The guys have spurts of genius, but not enough to look great.
Thursday night we were watching Fox News coverage of the Iowa caucuses (after watching the basketball game). Clara from next door called and said she had a flood at her front door. I went over, and indeed, she had a flood! I could hear water running as I walked over. Paul Tatman's son and dil (she cleans for Clara) arrived shortly after me and they turned the water off and helped Clara mop up and move furniture out of the front bedroom. I went back to our house, and our front bedroom carpet was also wet. I stayed with Clara for about a half hour to help settle her down, then went home and picked up stuff off my floor that wouldn't tolerate the moisture. Paul Tatman came the next morning, and found that the pipe to Clara's front outside faucet had a huge leak. It wasn't caulked around the faucet, and allowed the cold air to leak in. Poor Clara, she had seen my faucet "cozy" and thought she should have one also, but her sil David nixed it, saying that she didn't need it. David is on Clara's fecal roster! LOL! Paul had the plumbers out and they fixed it. He had his guys move furniture for Clara and us. The carpet guys got the excess water out of the pad and removed that. Fans are running now. By early next week, we should be back to normal. Gives me the opportunity to go through some of that stuff. Have stuff that probably could go up in the attic.
While the plumbers were here, I asked if they could look at our toilet in the front bathroom, as it has always had a wobble. Well, they did, and it had a broken flange. They had to take up the toilet to fix it. Because it wasn't done right in the first place. Paul saw it, and I think he is gonna pay the plumbers. It took them over 2 hours to get the job done. I am thankful that Paul has been a great contractor with a heart.
I saw Dr. Thatcher on Thursday and I now have a name for my intermittent thigh numbness. Meralgia Paresthetica. Never heard of it. Has nothing to do with my scoliosis or bulging discs. No cure. But it is not going to cause any problems. The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve gets compressed, causing the numbness. Sometimes pain (thankfully I have a high threshold for pain). But it is purely a sensory nerve, so it cannot cause muscle atrophy. I do have a diminished left ankle jerk. But that is not from the MP. That is probably what causes me to have a left foot flop when I am tired.
Wayne was put on BiPap, but he could not tolerate the changing pressures. He was set up at 25/18. His CPAP was on 18, so wouldn't think it would be a problem but it was. They finally set his new machine at 25/25, and he is doing much better. He didn't get very short of breath when we went out last night with the Cunningham's. Speaking of them, Benny has been helping Wayne get from our car to their door. How cute! He has more personality than any 4 year old needs!
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