Sunday, October 31, 2010

Sunday 10.31.2010 boo!

So this was the 5th weekend of a month, a rarity. Another 800 years or so, there will be another month with 5 full weekends. Hm.

I had a flip flop night. Toss and turn, try to hold still so as to not disturb Daniel. Deep breathe, conscious relaxation, counting backwards from 100. (I remember getting to 64) Geez. I finally slept between 5 and 7:45. Daniel got up, and I dozed again, getting up myself about 9.

It looked to be a beautiful day, though cold. Mid 30's, and the sun was shining through the clouds. Dan went golfing about 11:30, even though the temps were only projected to be low 40's. I made a grocery list, and went into Mason to find the courthouse (it's where I thought it was) and to see where parking is. Looks like I'll be walking a couple of blocks, and that's if there are spots available. But there seems to be street parking, too, so somewhere within the 2 or 3 block radius of the municipal building, I should be able to find a spot.

That done, I went on down to the Meijer store in Mason. I got our groceries and back home.

Dinner was done when Dan got home. He was hungry, and chilled. Hot supper, warm shower, and I was surprised when he fixed himself two cups of hot chocolate. It wasn't long before he was off to bed.

I'm a bit anxious about going to the courthouse tomorrow, but I've got a couple things to take with me to do while waiting. I really don't know what to expect.

Sinus pressure, wrist/joint/tendon discomfort. Same stuff.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Saturday 10.30.2010

Again, I didn't sleep as well as I thought I might. I finally got up about 8:30 and got ready for my day.

An uneventful drive to Jackson, thank you God, and Lauretta did a good job on my haircut. From there, I stopped in to visit Frank. We had a nice visit, though brief.

I met my friend, TD, at Bob Evans for lunch and a nice visit. We ended up being there for a couple of hours, catching up. I enjoyed the afternoon.

A safe drive home, thanks again, and Daniel got home just after I did. We spent the evening visiting and of course, he had the television on.

Tomorrow he plans on golfing; I'll get groceries and get ready for the week. I've been selected for jury duty, and when I called this evening, I have to report Monday in Mason. I've only gone once before, way back in the 70's, if I remember right. Yippee.

I've felt pretty good today, just a little achy.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Friday 10.29.2010

I slept pretty good, and almost felt rested this morning. I was able to go back to sleep after Dan left for work; the birds were welcoming the sunny, slightly breezy morning when I woke.

I got up and stripped the bed and started that laundry. I decided to wash the mattress pad, too, as well as a blanket. I enjoyed breakfast while listening to the birds enjoying the sunshine.

Dan was able to leave work early, and went to play golf, suggesting we go out to dinner when he was done. Hm, sounds good to me, that means I won't have to get groceries and cook tonight. He left to go to the lake tonight after we got back.

He said that everything looked ok, at least in the dark.

I enjoyed my quiet evening at home, and tried a tai chi video that I found on you tube. Interesting. The stretching movements are helpful in opening the lymph channels under my arm, and it's just a bit less achy.

Tomorrow is a haircut and lunch afterword with a friend, and Dan will be back in the afternoon.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Thursday 10.28.2010

I slept a fair amount last night, but had to get up before I was done sleeping, to go to work. Ugh.

I did my best to find and keep a positive attitude today. Every once in a while I'd feel a little grumpy, but managed to get back on track.

We were quite busy today, with call lights, telephones, and a new-to-us medication charting system. I was very happy to see the next shift come in, and even happier to clock out before the next call light came on.

A safe drive home, thank you God, in the cold, dark, drizzle. Temps have dropped to 40 degrees.

Dan was home; he said the neighbor at the lake had called, saying our shelter had survived the windstorm. At one point the zippers had come up and the thing looked like it was going to take off, but it didn't, and they closed it up again for us. Thanks, Bob and Evelyn, for looking out for us. Dan is going up Saturday with his friend, to check on the friend's trailer, as well as the JC and the GC, and Anne's, too. I'll bet there are lots of tree limbs and debris around. I have appointments Saturday, so I won't be going with them.

Tomorrow I don't have to get up early, just have a couple of errands to do in town.

I did pretty good today, being so busy. Tylenol and motrin are my friends.

And you are, too.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Wednesday 10.27.2010

A safe drive to Jackson, thank you God.

We had a fairly nice day with a good group, but left the night shift with 6 moms to deliver. Which means tomorrow we'll be really busy, and will probably need to open the overflow unit.

A safe drive home, thanks again.

Dan and I visited a bit before he went off to bed. I'm on my way soon.

I've felt pretty good with the help of the tylenol and motrin.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Tuesday 10.26.2010 The "Annual"

I woke up disoriented again this morning, wondering why I was alone in the bed. Even though I had heard Daniel getting ready for his day. Odd how that happens.

I got ready for my own day, dressing, and making my list of medications and refills. I have a couple of prescription ointments for itchy areas that will "erupt" if the stuff isn't applied. And the migraine medicine has expired, as has the epi-pen for bee stings.

Dr. James Taylor has been taking care of me for about 20 years. He's a family practice guy and does the annual physical exam, including a breast exam and gynecological exam. He commented on how "full" my whole left side was. A couple of interesting observations--when he checked reflexes at the wrist, elbow, knee, and ankle, the right side response was brisk, and the left side response was normal. He also thinks I have fluid on both of my knees. We talked about the weight gain and higher cholesterol levels, which equal diet and exercise, which I have been lax about for most of this year. I left there with prescription renewals, an order for x-ray of both knees, had 2 vials of blood drawn for rheumatoid arthritis work-up, and was vaccinated with the DTP diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis shot. Thanks, Doc. I hope to only return on an annual basis.

Next stop was the hospital. As I was entering the lobby, the tornado warning was announced. Yes, tornado warning, in late October.

We were having a potluck retirement party, and I took the salad I made yesterday. I enjoyed the food and friends, and went from there to our Lactation Support Group. We talked about the challenges of the realities of everyday life versus the idealism of health care policy and procedure.

I finally left the hospital about 4:30. The sun was shining, though it was still a bit windy. I had a safe drive again today, thank you God. I did notice a lot of dead deer on the sides of the road, including 2 that were in the same area that I had seen them in the other day. Bummer.

Dan was home and had just fixed himself something to eat. I went over to the library to pick up my next book on cd, and had supper when I got back.

Tomorrow is a workday for both of us.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Monday 10.25.2010

I didn't sleep as well as I would have liked. I heard rain this morning before Dan got up, and I had some sinus pressure that I had hoped would go away. It didn't. I took a claritin about 6, and woke up again about 7:30 with a whopping frontal headache. It was different than the migraines I'd had, and this felt more like a "hangover" headache. Alas, all of the headache and none of the fun. I took a couple of tylenol and sat on the sofa, waiting for the "quick relief" that the ads promise.

A couple hours later, I felt that I could eat, and had breakfast. The hot coffee felt good. By 11:30 I was ready to get in the shower, and the warm water helped, too.

I went to Meijer and got what was on the list, and I'm thinking that by the way my vision was (kind of "swimmy") and the leftover headache stuff, that it was probably a migraine. That's the first one I've had in a long time. It was different, though, and I'll have to be aware so I can take the medicine sooner.

Back home, Daniel had gone golfing. I put together a veggie/pasta salad for a potluck retirement party tomorrow, fixed and ate dinner, (Dan was with his friends), did a couple 3 loads of laundry. Still feeling kind of punky tonight.

Tomorrow I have my annual physical with my family practice doctor, then the potluck party before a meeting tomorrow afternoon.

My upper left arm has a row of small lumps which are tender-sore. I have a series of appointments with Ike in November, the soonest we could coordinate schedules. I'm looking forward to it.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Sunday 10.24.2010

When the radio came on, heard within sleep, I wondered why it was on. Listening to the music on the edge of sleep and wake, trying to make sense of it, I almost reached over and turned it off.

Yes, I think it's Sunday, and my weekend to work. I'd better get up...

A safe drive to Jackson, thank you God, and a pretty good workday with a great group of co-workers. And just before the end of shift, one of my babies needed help breastfeeding.

I have to say, God has given me a gift of being able to help these babies and mothers. Most often, it doesn't take very long to get the baby "on" and feeding. Other times, it can take an hour. Or more, and more than one session. This particular baby has had a few hours of my time these last couple of days. We had a successful feed this afternoon, and hoped to have another before I left at 7pm.

I was in the room with them for an hour and a half, the bottom line being that we got the baby fed. And then I had to chart it. And I didn't clock out until 8.

I sat in the car and "regrouped" before starting for home. I called Dan and let him know I was on the way, and we talked a bit.

A safe drive home, thanks again.

We visited a little more before he went off to bed. I'm winding down.

Tomorrow is laundry, groceries, and probably food prep of some kind. Hopefully my morning won't start too early...

My left upper arm is feeling tight, kind of like the cording. Stretching will probably help, and I'll get to that, too. And tylenol and motrin.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Saturday 10.23.2010

Another workday, starting with a short night.

We were very busy today, and I am thankful that the 2 deer were on the shoulder of the road on the way down, and on the way back, there were 2 deer prancing around in the median. I don't like driving when they are moving like that. And don't they know the fences are there to keep them safe, not to jump over??

Tomorrow is another workday for both of us. I was a bit achey today, but I realize as I write this, that I didn't have afternoon tylenol/motrin. Duh.

Pray God keep each of us safe in our travels.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Friday 10.22.2010

The day dawned clear and cold, mid 30's, with a mirror lake. A high layer of clouds was making it's way across the sky, and by the time I got up, close to 9 o'clock, the day didn't look so promising. But those clouds passed after a few hours, and it turned into a beautiful afternoon.

I went up to the marina and picked up the speedboat, and with Dan's help, got it maneuvered back into the garage. It had spent the night outdoors, uncovered, and needed to be wiped down. I was doing that until Dan was ready to go to Hale.

We looked at the Fish store, not finding much, down to Bernards, where Dan got what he wanted, then over to the hardware store. Back to the lake.

He finished his project, I finished wiping the boat (both outside and inside), got the "float" charger on the battery, and covered the boat to keep the dirt and dust off of it.

It wasn't too much longer that Dan said he had finished his projects, and was headed for home. Oh. What about cleaning inside...??? He was looking grumpy, and I'd rather be with my pleasant self than have him help me with his grumpy self. I sent him on his way.

So, I spent the rest of the afternoon finishing up, tidying up the garage, making sure the outside of the house was picked up and items secured, moved the paddleboat, cleaned inside, ate, packed, loaded the car, and finally left about 5 pm. Whew. And it was so beautiful outdoors, all I could do is praise God for letting me be there. Amen and Amen.

A safe drive home, thank you God, and I stopped to visit Tom and Kathy Sue to see their new kitchen. Wow! So Beautiful! Tom did a great job installing what Kathy's vision created.

I continued on my way. Just north of Lansing, I saw two deer cavorting on the side of the road. I zoomed by them--I don't know if they were trying to cross, or what. Again, thanks be.

I stopped and refueled in Lansing, getting home about 9:30. To my dismay, the house was dark and Dan was snoring in the bed. I unloaded the car, had a bite to eat, showered, and wrote here.

Tomorrow is a workday for both of us.

I've felt pretty good, overall, considering. Tylenol and motrin keep me mostly comfortable. My left hand still has that swollen area that is tender. But I'm happy to be alive.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Thursday 10.21.2010

It was cold and windy most of the day today, although there were a couple of times when the wind eased up a bit. I don't think the temperature got above 48, and sometimes the wind was almost frosty.

We went outside about noon to start on chores, putting things away, moving things around, etc, as the season changes. Jim and Polly had walked down, too, in the cold. They helped move the jet boat around inside the shelter. We had wanted to try to put another boat in there, but it isn't wide enough to accommodate both trailers/boats.

Dan and I did go for a short pontoon ride, though. I loved it, even though it was cold. It's so different being on the water with the majority of the boats and docks out, and the foliage down.

I made a small pot of soup and fresh biscuits for our (late) lunch. I took the speedboat up to the marina after taking the biscuits out of the oven, eating when I got back.

Steve came over and got the pontoon out for us, and Dan and I got the dock out. The marina didn't call this evening to pick up the boat; I'll do that tomorrow.

We got all of the our chores done. Polly and Jim stopped in again after their supper and we had an enjoyable visit.

Tomorrow we'll be leaving.

I've felt pretty good today, other than my right wrist and left hand being bothersome. But I'm glad I'm alive and cancer free. Thank you God.

And thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Wednesday 10.20.2010

I didn't sleep as well as I thought I might, but when I woke, again, at 0730, I got up and got ready to go north. Shower, breakfast, pack, load. On the road by 10.

A safe drive up on a beautiful fall day, thank you God. In a lot of areas the leaves are down; I'm also seeing more dead deer on the sides of the roads.

I got to the lake about 1:15. Dan came out to greet me, and unloaded my car while I talked with neighbor Bob, who also came over to greet me. It was windy, and the temperature fell throughout the afternoon from the 59 degrees when I had arrived.

I had lunch before we went outside to move things around.

That done, we went inside. A short time later there was a knock at the door. It was Mike, the insulation guy.

He told us how the job went, and that he would be back tomorrow afternoon/evening to finish up. When he left, Dan suggested we go to Largent's in Long Lake for supper.

We finished, and got a couple of desserts to go, and went over to the GC to share them with Polly and Jim.

But they weren't there.

So we went back to the JC and ate them ourselves. *smile*

We had a quiet evening, and about ready for bed.

Tomorrow we'll work on the boats. I have to drag the speedboat to the marina to be winterized, while Daniel needs to finish winterizing the jet boat. I hope the weather quiets down enough that we'll be able to take a pontoon ride around the lake. After all, that's why we've left it in so long in the first place.

I've felt pretty good overall today, though I got pretty tired this afternoon. My "owies" are kind of owie--and I realize that I haven't had tylenol or motrin since this morning. I'm about to remedy that...

The girls that we're praying for seem to be on the ok side for now. Thank you for thinking of them.

And thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Tuesday 10.19.2010

I was sleeping when the alarm came on, feeling kind of shaky when I woke, like I haven't had near enough sleep. I got up...

I felt somewhat better with breakfast, and as the morning went on, but never feeling quite "right" all day. My team was really busy all day. I took a moment to get my lunch from the cafeteria about 2 o'clock, and was able to eat sometime after 3. Several more tasks, charting, patient care, and I clocked out at 8 pm.

And I wanted to be "on call" or leave early, so I could go to the lake this evening. Ha.

A safe drive home, thank you God.

I'm hoping to rest well tonight and get a good start on my day tomorrow.

My left hand has been sore, with that swollen area quite full tonight, maybe even spreading across the knuckles a little. I'm not really sure what it is, but I'm not liking that it might even be lymph fluid collecting in my hand. Aack.

Thank you for reading, and for praying for my friends. (There are no answers yet for two of them.) Hugs.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Monday 10.18.2010

I felt surprisingly well today, after being so busy yesterday. We were busy again today, though not with the out-of-the-ordinary stuff. And with another great group of co-workers, the day went fairly well.

I had some discomfort in the left hand/wrist and right wrist as the tylenol/motrin from 0530 wore off. I waited to take more until I could have lunch, which wasn't until 1:20. I was able to catch a bite mid-morning, but I was still past ready to eat. I think that's one of the most challenging pieces of my job--no regular meal/break times. Sure, we're supposed to have them, but the reality of health care, and babies, means that we have to be available to take care of them.

Daniel was able to leave his job early, and got up to the lake by 5 pm. He says it's really nice right now. I'll be joining him, probably Wednesday.

Tomorrow is a workday.

The girl with the migraine/blood clot is still being evaluated, and the girl with the seizures has finished wearing an eeg device for 3 days. That data is still being evaluated.

Thank you for praying, and thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Sunday 10.17.2010

Wow.

I went in to work this morning, to help out "for a few hours". Am I glad I did. I saw stuff today I haven't seen in my 27 years of nursing experience. But with our great co-workers and awesome teamwork, we got through the morning. I waited until after the others had had their lunches to leave. One of the girls had gotten a huge sandwich that was way too much, and offered the remaining half to me, and I ate after they were back on the floor. That was much appreciated, because I hadn't had a break, and it was almost 1 o'clock.

A beautiful drive home in the sunshine, thank you God. I changed clothes, checked email, and dozed off. When I woke, I went in to lay on the bed. Dan called to say he was on the way home, and I went back to sleep, waking again when he got home. And to my surprise, I fell back asleep and got up about 5, feeling like I wasn't done sleeping.

We visited a bit, ate, and had a quiet evening.

Tomorrow we both work, but he's leaving early. I don't know if he's planning on going north tomorrow or Tuesday.

We had another co-worker with an awful diagnosis this morning--a blood clot in the brain. Just a few weeks ago, one of our girls was diagnosed with brain cancer. These diagnoses are stressing our staff, both emotionally and physically; they are both full time night people. Please pray for healing. And my other friend with the new seizure disorder is still within the maze of testing and treatment.

I am so thankful for my gift of life and health.

Hugs.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Saturday 10.16.2010

I rested pretty good, though interrupted, getting up around 9. It was a beautiful sunny day.

I had an enjoyable morning, breakfast and shower, looked around on the internet, and went up to Meijer for a few items. There was a one-day promo that if you spent $50 on general merchandise, you get a coupon for $10 off gasoline. I figured that that was a 20% savings, so I spent way too much time in the store looking for general merchandise. The obvious things, like shoes or clothing, we didn't need, and I ended up getting a couple of Christmas presents, along with a couple other household items. A few groceries and I was home.

Dan was home when I got there. We fixed supper and ate, and had a quiet evening.

One of the girls called asking if I could help tomorrow at the hospital; I told her I would for a few hours.

I'm feeling better today as that naproxyn has cleared my system. I went back to the tylenol and just 200 mg of motrin, which isn't enough to reduce the swelling. Maybe I'll try 400 mg tomorrow.

We are looking forward to going up north next week, and hoping the weather holds out.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Friday 10.15.2010

Ugh. I worked today, which wasn't bad, but I had tried taking the naproxyn/naprosyn, which is another nsaid, for the tendonitis. I only had 3 doses, but after the second one I started not feeling so good. Kind of queasy, or kind of nauseated, but just plain blech. I took the 3rd one to see if it was really that medication. And, yep, I felt just plain yucky a few hours later (it's a 12 hour medicine), though the hand discomfort was better. Strange. And as the evening has gone on, I'm feeling a little better.

I also called the Michigan State University Lymphedema Clinic. I talked with the nice person who answered the phone, and found that their clinic operates the same way, as far as "clumping" the treatments. We talked about a "maintenance" regimen of infrequent treatments, and she seemed to think that some patients would benefit from it, but it's not how the physical therapy world works. So, since I have established with Ike, and she does a good job, I continue there at this time.

I was really tired and still a bit yucky on the drive home. I arrived safely, thank you God. Dan and I visited for a bit, and he had landed on a television channel that had a "nice" movie, which we both watched. He's gone off to bed now.

Tomorrow is unplanned, other than not taking any more naproxyn.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Thursday 10.014.2010

I slept pretty good last night, even though it was fragmented sleep. After shower and breakfast, I went to Leah's for my massage. She did a good job, as always, and I enjoyed the blue sky day on the short drive home.

A few phone calls, another shower to get the massage oils off, and Dan was home early from work. Of course, he went golfing. I did laundry, and when he got back we went to Los Tres Amigos for a yummy supper.

I spent the evening doing paperwork, sorting and purging and filing.

I tried using naprosyn today for the tendonitis. From what I read about it, it may take 2-3 days for optimal effect. Tonight the right wrist is a bit sore. If I can't sleep, I'll add a tylenol.

Tomorrow is a workday for both of us.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Wednesday 10.13.2010 Doctor Visit

Interrupted sleep, but not having to get up at 0430 is a good thing. When I did wake, I listened to the radio. The trapped miners in Chile were being rescued!! and I wanted to see it. Not being well-versed with the channels on the television (I don't watch much) I searched through and found live coverage on CNN. So cool--the back story about the survival and rescue and treatment of the miners, both during their entrapment period and after they were brought to the surface. The commentator said that specialists all around the world were contacted for advice, from physical to emotional to psychological. It looked very orchestrated and well organized. I was very impressed. And of course, the thanks goes to God.

I watched, fascinated, while I got ready for the day, until I had to leave for my appointment with Dr. Williams, the oncologist. And the same channel was on in the waiting room there, too.

I was a bit early, and had to wait, but eventually Lakeya (it still bugs me that they don't wear name badges there) came out to get me. Weight was 160.8, which is down from 162. Finally!!! It seems I've stopped gaining weight!! She took me to the exam room and reviewed the medication list after taking my blood pressure, which was a little higher than usual, 117/64. Then I waited for doctor to come in, which seemed like forever. I passed the time making a list of things I wanted to talk with him about, then made a list of phone calls to make today, and went through my planner. He finally came in, without knocking.

And I told him it was rude to just open the door. I don't think he knows how to take that. He's really a very personable guy. He sat there flipping the pages of the chart, initialing stuff, re-acquainting himself with my case, trying to have a casual conversation. I think that's his way of finding out how the patient is--engaging us in conversation, then asking how we are.

Since I had to wait for him, and I knew it was well past my appointment time, I was wanting to get to business. So I got my list and redirected the conversation. We talked about the tendonitis and the nsaids; as long as the tendonitis doesn't affect my feet, knees, hips, etc, that would affect my ability to stand/walk at work, I'm not ready to change the aromatase inhibitor. There are 3--Arimidex, Femara, and Aromasin, and I've changed from the Arimidex to Femara because of cardiac arrhythmias. With almost 5 years left of the treatment plan, I'm not willing to go to the last option yet. So we stay the course, using the meds as needed for comfort.

I asked him who is supposed to be following my breast? Because the surgeon has moved away, and my family practice guy is not real familiar with affected breasts, and I have a concern about the itching. He said he could. For me. Because "there are so many breasts that I couldn't keep up with them all". I wanted to laugh out loud, it sounded so funny. Then I thought it was kind of sad, and amazing, that there are "so many breasts". But, praise the Lord that there are "so many breasts" that are in survivorship!!!

I told him about the itching, how the woundbeds are firm and tender and itchy. Heck--I was trying to describe it to him, but without showing him what the woundbeds looked like, and the next thing I knew I had whipped up my shirt and undone my bra. He seemed concerned? interested? in the way it looks, with the incisions being puckered inward like they are, and the areola mostly smooth. "This looks like it's full of fluid." he said. "And this one, too," referring to the axillary scar. And he asked me about having therapy for the lymphedema. I confirmed that I had, and he got the prescription pad and wrote another prescription for treatment. "That needs to be taken care of," he said. Hm. Guess I've gotten complacent about that, though Leah does a little bit during my massage.

He ended up staying in the room with me for about 35 minutes, obviously in no hurry. As we left the room, he reached out and hugged me, saying I was good. I don't know just what he meant by that, but I think it's a positive.

I stopped at the window and scheduled the next appointment for January 17th, and to call if I need to be seen before that. I hope not.

The new girl, who also didn't have a name on, drew my blood for me, getting in the first time, in the spot that usually gives trouble. Thank you, no-name girl.

I had a headache from not eating (for the labs) and was happy to get home. I fixed my food and watched the miners come up, thanking God for each of them. Dan asked if I could pick up his meds at the pharmacy, so I went out and did that, then started dinner.

We ate shortly after he got home, and it wasn't too long before I went up to the clubhouse for the condo association board meeting.

That was a yucky meeting tonight. We've got a couple of units in foreclosure, so their dues aren't being paid, and our budget is skewed because of it. So we'll have to have a "special assessment" to pick up the slack. We also had a couple of other prickly items to discuss, and by the time we left, I was not feeling so good. Queasy and bothered.

Daniel went to bed shortly after I got back. I've done some breathing and tried to relax, and wrote here.

Tomorrow is massage day. Very timely, I'd say.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Tuesday 10.12.2010

I got up for work this morning, had a safe drive down, thank you God, and got started on the day.

We had a good group, enough staff, but we were steady busy all day. My first break wasn't until just before noon, when I heated my lunch--3 different times. Of course, I didn't get to really eat until almost 1. The next "break" was when I finally was able to chart what I had done all day. I sat down at the computer about 4:20 and charted for an hour. The very last couple of entries I realized I had put on the wrong patient, the mother instead of the baby, and had to go back and delete and re-enter on the correct patient. I had my snack before clocking out at 7. Guess that's why it's called work...

A safe drive home, thanks again, and Dan came in as I was getting out of my car. We visited a bit and he has gone to bed.

Tomorrow he works; I see Dr. Williams, and have a condo board meeting in the evening.

I'm anxious to tell doctor about the tendonitis in my left hand, also that my woundbeds are annoyingly itchy.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Monday 10.11.2010

I returned easily to sleep after Daniel got up. I didn't even hear him leave.

When I did wake, the sun was up and the birds were singing. I breakfasted and showered and, generally, enjoyed my morning.

I made a couple of phone calls before going out for a walk. I ended up being outdoors an hour and a half or so, enjoying the sunshine.

Dan was pretty tired when he got in. We had supper and a quiet evening.

Tomorrow is a workday for each of us.

My wrists and forearms are almost equal in discomfort, with pretty good relief with a tylenol and motrin. Thank God for that.

And thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Sunday 10.10.2010

Back to my usual interrupted sleep. I enjoyed the "good" sleep the other night.

This morning, I rolled over, and Daniel was out of bed. After a bit, I didn't hear him. He was upstairs working on the computer we use as a server.

Turns out that he worked on it most of the day.

While I was bored most of the day, waiting to see if his friend was going to call about golf, I made a grocery list. His friend did call, so I went out to refuel my vehicle and restock the kitchen.

Such a beautiful day again! 80 degrees and clear skies.

I put the groceries away and did a little housework. When Daniel finished golfing, we went out to dinner. (I think he felt a little guilty, and that was his way of spending time with me.)

The rest of the evening was quiet.

Although tomorrow is a workday for both of us, I've already been called to be "on call". No alarm for me tomorrow. I'll have to find something to do.

My left hand/forearm is definitely affected by that tendonitis. And the right wrist is not any better since reducing the motrin dosage. Not complaining, really, just stating the facts.

I'm happy to be alive and cancer free.

Please pray for my friend Sandy, a younger woman with new onset of non-epileptic seizures. She is seeing specialists and using medications, but the seizures are increasing in frequency and intensity, leaving her down for a couple of days with severe muscle soreness and fatigue.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Saturday 10.09.2010

I was so tired last night that I didn't write. Dan said I really slept hard, which translates into snoring. I finally feel rested today, though a little fatigued later in the afternoon.

He went golfing this morning, then to one of the guys' to watch the UM/MSU football game.

I got up about 8:30, looked at email (though I've still got a lot of reading to do--I might just delete some), and breakfasted. I showered, and found that the next book I wanted to listen to was not available as an "e-download", but was available on cd at a nearby branch. So I took a lovely drive in the sunshine and blue sky and picked it up.

One of my neighbors was out in the yard putting up a tent. He is the board association secretary, and I stopped to ask him if tents were allowed in the master plan. He was having a hard time figuring out how to put on the rain fly (really??) and I offered to help. Sometimes another interpretation of the directions gets us on the right track...

I made a pot of chili and enjoyed a bowl and watched the football game, which State won. Dan was home not too long after it ended, and we talked and had a quiet evening.

Tomorrow is unplanned. Maybe we could walk the trails at a park?

Both of my wrists, and the left hand and forearm, are bothered with the tendonitis. Today I tried 500 mg of tylenol and 200 of motrin, which helped with discomfort, and some of the swelling. My ears have been ringing, which is a sign of toxicity from the motrin. I've just reduced the dose and spaced it out, even though I had only been using 600 mg twice a day. Every day taking that Femara, which is an aromatase inhibitor, is one more day ticked off of the treatment calendar. I see Dr. Williams on Wednesday for the tendonitis follow-up.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 10.08.2010

We had a busy day today, but I was able to go to another floor to be shown how to use the computer scanning system for the medication administration. It was pretty cool, and somewhat intuitive if one has become familiar with the program we're already using for charting. If you haven't been "clicking around" and checking out what's there, it might be a bit confusing at first.

The afternoon got pretty busy, but we were able to tag-team the new patients that were arriving, and I thought it went pretty well.

I was kind of punky feeling, though, most of the day. Not really feeling sick, just not much energy. Maybe I'm fighting off what some of the others have had.

On the way home, on the side of the road, was a 4 or 6 point buck, standing there, posed like a taxidermist might create. Fortunately for me, and the few cars behind me that I could see, he stayed there. Thank you God, for keeping us safe.

I was so tired when I got home, I laid on the couch, and tried to stay awake while Dan was talking. It wasn't long when he went to bed; I woke up a couple of hours later and went to bed myself.

Needless to say, I'm writing this on Saturday.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Thursday 10.07.2010

I got up this morning and went to work. A safe drive down, thank you God, in the dark.

I had a pretty good day, overall, with a good group of co-workers. The afternoon had slowed enough that I was able to review paperwork/policies/procedures for the unit-based committee that I participate in. Tomorrow I will be going to another floor in the morning to learn the computerized medication administration process, and I'm kind of excited about it. I think I've got a little geek in me.

And I finally got to drive home, as the late dusk turned into darkness. We're heading into "mole season", traveling both to and from work in the dark.

Dan was home, but sleeping, when I got home. I've changed clothes and done a couple of quiet chores, and he hasn't stirred. (I spoke with him when I started for home, so I knew he was tired).

The tendonitis in the left hand is becoming more prominent. I've also noticed an occasional stomach pain the last couple of days. It doesn't last very long, but I'm wondering if it might be from the motrin. Even though I only take 600 milligrams, twice a day, with food, it could still be affecting me. I only took one dose today, and that was this morning. Time will tell.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Wednesday 10.06.2010

I woke to a pale, muted yellow orange stripe above the tree line reflecting on a mirror surfaced blue lake. Absolutely beautiful. I watched a bit, as the ducks and seagulls came out onto the water. The rain of acorns and how loud they are when the hit the roof or the deck or the overturned rowboat indicated that the squirrels were active.

I saw that it was after 8, and was going to get up shortly. I did, and after washing up and getting dressed, etc, I was surprised to see that it was almost 10. What?? I must have fallen asleep again. That's ok--I feel rested.

I called Colvin's Heating & Plumbing, and the nice lady said Chuck would be out before noon. He was--he showed up about 11.

He looked at the "guts", then took off the cover to the fan, then took the cover off of the middle. Steve hadn't taken that cover off. "I'm going to have to red tag this," he said. "The heat exchanger is cracked."

He went on to explain that the heat exchanger has something to do with the carbon monoxide and the venting process. And that the pilot is being pulled out because the crack is altering the air flow. I showed him our carbon monoxide alarm thing, and that it works, at least by the test button. And I don't feel drowsy or "sick" or anything when the furnace is running. But he advised me not to use it, and I had to sign a statement that I was informed of the carbon monoxide hazard and his advisement. Shoot.

Fortunately we have the radiant heater thing, which works fairly well. I'm not prepared to buy a new furnace at this time.

The sun was warming the 41 degree morning very nicely. I was in a not-so-good frame of mind after he left, and I decided that I'd better go out for a walk and look for a different attitude.

It really was a beautiful day. I wandered down Grace Street, ending up at the GC, and sat on the neighbor's swing. I just love watching the lake.

Since it was later than I had wanted it to be, I didn't do anything by way of projects today. I picked up my things, washed dishes in the bathroom sink (because of the broken kitchen sink drain), and got ready to go. Before loading the car, though, I cut some of the baby spiders off of the spider plant and put them in cups of dirt to either give away, or sell for the Relay for Life fund. And as I was closing up, I saw the chipmunk bucket, and went out to take care of chippy.

He wasn't in there. And the seeds were gone, too. Just a bucket of cloudy water, and a small handful of sunflower seed shells. So, something came up near the deck, went fishing in the bucket, ate the seeds, and the dead chipmunk?? That's weird.

I had a phone call while I was getting ready to leave, and after the call was done, I loaded up and left, around 3:45 or so. It was 76 degrees going down Rose City Road, or Jupiter Road as my GPS calls it. (it almost feels interplanetary when you get to the tops of a couple of those hills and see the view)

I finally got to talk to Daniel on the way home. I was pretty bummed out about the furnace, but he talked about solutions, which lifted my spirits. Thank you Baby.

An uneventful drive home, thank you God. Daniel helped unload the car, and he had food for me. What a guy!!

We spent the evening talking about options and looking at different heaters/furnaces on the internet. He ended up purchasing another of those radiant heaters that we have, though the new one is a higher output. So I/we will be able to go up in the winter and still be comfortable.

Tomorrow is a workday for both of us.

My left hand/forearm is definitely developing a tendonitis. I can feel it all the way from my knuckles to my elbow. Ah, pharmaceuticals.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Tuesday 10.05.2010

I got up about 8, feeling much better. The sky was blue, and it was predicted to be a very nice day. Hmm, I had gotten the laundry done. I could go to the lake for an overnight. I started collecting my things, subtracting from and adding to my suitcase. That didn't take too long.

I had breakfast, dawdling a little, to make sure it's what I wanted to do. A long car ride, another tank of gas, and, hm, don't need much in the way of food. I was packed, loaded, and in the car by 9:45.

It was a beautiful drive up, and 65 degrees when I pulled into the driveway. All was well here, and I was most surprised about the amount of "pine straw"--the old pine needles--that has fallen in the last couple of days. We left on Friday, and I had swept, but everything near the trees has a layer of pine straw.

Mike, the insulation guy, called just before I got here, saying he was going to stop by and get started on the job. Cool.


I had unloaded and fixed my lunch when he arrived. He installed a couple of vents in the foundation, and right away, we could smell the dampness coming through. Then he "suited up" and went into the crawl space. First off, he found a source of water: the drain pipe from the sink to the septic was broken, misaligned, and all of that graywater has been going under the house. Hm. There was another area that was dripping, too. He is kind enough, and smart enough, that he will get the needed supplies and repair it.

As we were looking at the wiring, we noticed that there were wires on the ground. Trying to follow where they are from, and where they go, he pulled the wire up through the dirt. "Holy crap!" he exclaimed. I was trying to get the leaves and sticks and pine straw raked up and had started burning, and when I heard that, I came back to see what he was exclaiming about. He was backing out of the crawlspace with this wiring in his hand. It had been spliced together, and with only tape around the ends, and was under the dirt. So Not Good.

After looking in our garage to see if we had a junction box (we didn't), I went next door to see if maybe Evelyn had one. When I told her what we needed, she went into the garage, pulled open a drawer, and wa-la, an old junction box! I thanked her, and took it to Mike. He looked at it, went to his truck to get a couple of screws for it, when Evelyn came back with a brand new blue plastic one. I'm telling you, between the two of us, we've got a lot of stuff.

I turned off the power, and Mike did a proper connection on the wires. Geesh. That could have been really bad, with the wet dirt and all.


Then he went into the attic. The three bait packs that we had put up there were gone. Like, missing. So, it's probably mice, who have taken them somewhere. As long as they eat them. I don't know what else to do to get mice out of there. I can't set traps up there. I haven't seen any signs of activity in the house, though.

Mike did what he wanted to do, and was here longer than he anticipated, I think. He said he'd be back tomorrow evening to do some more prep work.

I finished my raking and burning, and the wind was easing as the sun went down. I sat outside, beside the house, and enjoyed the lake and the birds and the black squirrels and .... the chipmunk. The one putting acorns and birdseed down the hole beside the house.

I put the bucket out by the front deck again. It wasn't a half hour before I had "got me a chipmunk". I left the bucket out; I don't know if there are any more. Total = 22. Just from around the house. Amazing.

The temperature was dropping fast as the sun disappeared. The inside of the cabin had cooled off, too, so I clicked on the furnace. Click. Shoot.

I messed with that. Again. It's the same trouble, the pilot doesn't stay lit. Fortunately we have the radiant heater, which does a pretty good job. And the electric blanket on the bed, too. It's already 45 degrees out there.

I had sent Daniel an email, with photos. Of course, he called, and we had The Discussion.

I ate, washed dishes in the bathroom sink, showered, and wrote here.

Not sure if I'm going to do anything tomorrow. Maybe wax the boat? I'll be going home in the afternoon.

My left hand "bubble" isn't so prominent tonight, but the wrist is sore, like the right one is. Interesting.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Monday 10.04.2010

Sooo nice not to get up early this morning.

Breakfast, computer catch-up. Sunshine. Motrin and tylenol. Laundry, 4 loads. I made a grocery list and went out.

Daniel called shortly after I had gotten back from grocery shopping; I was going to make supper, but he suggested we go out. Ok!

And we did.

We had a quiet night at home, and he's gone to bed.

I'm considering going to the JC tomorrow, just for an overnight, to get some yard work done while the weather is nice.

My right wrist was a little more sore this afternoon, and the left hand is still peculiar.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Sunday 10.03.2010

It was hard to get up this morning, but I did.

A safe drive down, in the dark, and the temperature was 38 degrees when I pulled into the parking lot. Seasons are changing...

We had a busy busy day today. And being tired, I was extra careful with my worksheet. It was late in the shift before I was able to chart. Anything. But the patient care was done. Having a great group of co-workers makes the day so much better. The next shift came in, I finished up, and was able to leave. Thank you God.

A safe drive home, thanks again, and Daniel was up and awake! (he had taken a nap when he got home from work) We had a quiet evening.

He works tomorrow; I will rest. In between a few loads of laundry and maybe grocery shopping.

I was pretty sore this afternoon when the meds wore off, but I took more, which helped, mostly.

My eyes are heavy.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Saturday 10.02.2010

I didn't sleep as well as I thought I might, but I was sleeping when Dan woke me this morning. The radio had been on for almost 10 minutes. I didn't hear it....

A safe drive down in the dark, thank you God, and just as good, a good workday. We haven't had one of those "good" weekends in a while.

A safe drive home in the dark and drizzle, thanks again. It sure looks and feels like autumn. I had a great summer and would have liked more, but did what I could, as far as projects and time with friends and family. I'm not dead yet, and looking forward to tomorrow.

I felt pretty good today. A little sore, basically all over, but not as sore as I thought I might be. My left hand has been developing a sore spot the last few days, and is more swollen today. I thought it might be another site of tendonitis, but tonight it almost looks like it might be developing a ganglion cyst. Yuck. Time will tell.

Dan was in bed sleeping when I got home. I had called when I left the hospital and told him he didn't have to stay up. He was pretty worn out, too, from these last few days at the lake.

Tomorrow is another workday for us.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.

Friday 10.01.2010

October already!

This morning we got up and met with the insulation guy, Mike, who went over the different facets of the project, breaking down the options and costs. After a little discussion, we chose what we wanted to do, and signed the contract. He'll start it when we call him; I'm not sure when that might be yet.

Dan was ready to get back to the shed project, but I had to have breakfast first. And I called to see if Jim and Polly might be able to come down and help for a bit. They could, and would be down shortly.

When I got outside, Evelyn and Jim were getting going. I heard that Evelyn has put together a couple of these before, very similar. It was a good she was out there, too, because Dan and I would have struggled even more than what we did with it. Polly joined us a short while later. J&P stayed a couple hours, I think, leaving after the frame was (finally) assembled and upright. That part looked pretty good. Thanks again, J&P.

Evelyn, Dan, and I then moved on to the cover. Ohmygosh. Now we had to take pieces apart to attach the cover. Fortunately Evelyn is smarter than us, and she had some great ideas, and with much bumbling and trial and small steps, we finally got one end panel up. That being our example, the other one went much better. But the frame had been set about a foot too wide, and we had to remove the 3 augers from one side. We decided to leave them out while we finished.

We removed all the bottom rails, fed a couple through the pockets, tied ropes to them, tossed the ropes over the frame, and alley-ooped pulled the cover over the frame. Hey, we did it! Now to tighten it down.

We had been working for several hours. Evelyn had to go, and we thanked her for her assistance. Dan and I went in and heated up food and ate, taking a much needed break.

Back outside, he and I were able to put the augers back in and tighten the covers. They will need to be tightened again--monthly, according to the directions--as the webbing and the fabric stretch. But we did it!!

I went around and took pictures, and here's Daniel with his Shelter Logic structure






And, inside, with the reason for the structure in the first place...




We were sooooo tired. It was 5 pm, and we had yet to clean, pack, load, and drive the almost 3 hours back home.

Dan showered, we changed the bed linens, he moved furniture while I vacuumed. We teamed up and were done enough that I sent Daniel on his way home at 6 pm. I finished up, stopped down to hug Anne W., as her people are coming up and helping her get home this weekend. I stopped over to the GC and hugged them, too, and left them some homemade cookies.

A safe drive home for both of us, thank you God. Dan was home about 9, and me about 9:45. Although he was laying down, he got up and helped me unload (what a guy) and went promptly to sleep. I unpacked, showered, got things ready for work tomorrow.

When I looked at the computer, I knew I wasn't going to be able to stay awake to write, so I left it in it's carry bag and went to bed. It wasn't but 4 or 5 deep cleansing breaths and I was off...

And I wrote this Saturday night.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.