Up around 7:30 this morning, and did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house mid-morning. She was still complaining of a headache, so I gave her Tylonol. She was satisfied after that. Her leg is still swollen, so we awaited a call from her doctor to see what else we should do.
Once I was ready for the day, I did this and that around the house until lunchtime. For lunch, we had potato soup, with crackers and peanut butter. Afterward, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the library to exchange DVD movies; to the newspaper office to drop off this week's word search puzzle contest; to a health store to pick up a quart jar of locally produced honey; and to the WDCS for groceries for the weekend.
Back home, Mother said that there were two phone messages...one from a nurse at the medical clinic, and one from a community theater board member. I called the nurse first, but had to leave a message. As for the community theater board member, she wanted to see if Hubbie and I could man the ticket booth for a play being produced this weekend and next. Unfortunately, we have plans for this weekend, so we can't do it. We have already agreed to sell tickets at the July 7 performance.
Later, the nurse called back. She reiterated that the Doppler scan showed no blood clots, so the doctor recommends that Mother keep her leg elevated, and be vigilant of it getting red, or having fever in it. If that happens, we are to go back to the clinic for further examination.
As soon as we returned from running errands, I gathered ingredients for making lasagna, and Mother put it together (with my guidance). Then she sliced French bread and spread it with garlic butter. After that, she sliced veggies for salad...tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, and radishes. Just before supper, she chopped Vidalia onion for the salad. One of Mother's delights is to help in the kitchen, so I try to give her every opportunity to do what she is able to do, making sure that I stay nearby to help when necessary.
I put the lasagna in the oven around 3:30, and it was ready by 5 p.m. After supper, a storm cropped up, bringing thunder and wind, but no rain in our neighborhood, though only a few miles away, there was nickel size hail. The storm cooled the air, after a temp of near 100 degrees today.
Sis planned to come up today for a weekend visit, but she chose to wait until evening, so she wouldn't have to drive in the heat, since the air conditioner in her car isn't working.
Mother was ready to go home as soon as we heard thunder, so she wouldn't have to walk to her house in the rain. As it happened, of course, it didn't rain.
Spent the rest of the evening watching one hour shows on TV.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Wednesday, June 26
I was up at 7 a.m. this morning, but skipped my exercises so I could get ready to take Mother to the hospital for a venous Doppler exam, scheduled for 9 a.m. Around 8:15, I went to Mother's house and helped her get to the van. Since we'd be using her wheelchair at the hospital, we left her walker in the yard.
At the hospital, we lucked out in finding a handicap space close to the building. Usually, I end up having to park at the other end of the lot and push Mother uphill to the hospital.
Inside, we visited the reception desk to get signed in. Discovered then that Mother failed to bring here Social Security card along. She's not sure where it is, so we'll have to put the hunt on for it at her house. As it happened, her name is already in the hospital system, so they already have her Social Security information.
We waited fifteen or twenty minutes before we were called back. In the exam room, it was necessary for Mother to remove her shoes and jean and climb up on an exam table. Fortunately, there was a step stool to help boost her up.
The exam was a bit uncomfortable for Mother, since her swollen leg is sensitive, so the tech moving the handheld instrument over it caused her to flinch. Of course, Mother is very sensitive to any sort of touch, anyway.
Happily, though, the tech reported that there is no sign of blood clots in Mother's leg. She will send a report to our family doctor, and then we'll wait to see if the doctor has any other suggestions for dealing with that leg.
Mother tends to get woozy when she sits up from a prone position, and today was no exception. It took several minutes for the room to stop spinning for her. She says this happens every morning when she gets up, so she sits on the side of the bed until she can get her sea legs. But I worry about her being over there by herself, if this is going on. I fear that she might fall.
We were back home around 10 a.m. Mother complained of a headache, so I got her a cup of coffee, and located a neck pad to heat in the microwave for her. She had trouble getting any relief today. I asked her if she'd tried the neck exercises the doctor suggested, but she said she gets dizzy when she does them.
When she felt better, she insisted on helping me make a pot of potato soup. Hubbie peeled the potatoes, and then sliced them in the food processor, and Mother diced onions, celery, and carrots. I did the rest, and the soup was ready before noon.
I gave Mother the choice of the potato soup, or her usual Ramen noodle, and she chose Ramen noodle for lunch. Hubbie and I sampled the potato, even though I planned to serve it for supper as well.
After lunch, Mother and I made a batch of strawberry jam. I might have decided to postpone making the jam, after Mother developed her problems, except I'd already thawed two quarts of berries, so they needed to be worked up. We got eight half pints from the recipe.
Once the jam was done, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie ran errands, and I goofed off reading newspapers and playing on my e-tablet.
None of us was in a mood to do much of anything productive for the afternoon, so we didn't. Our potato soup supper, served with cold meatloaf sandwiches, followed by ice cream topped with strawberries, was very satisfying.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then we watched TV, including a DVD borrowed from the library...a Dorothy L. Sayers mystery, set in the 1920s. We enjoy these British mysteries, especially the period ones.
At the hospital, we lucked out in finding a handicap space close to the building. Usually, I end up having to park at the other end of the lot and push Mother uphill to the hospital.
Inside, we visited the reception desk to get signed in. Discovered then that Mother failed to bring here Social Security card along. She's not sure where it is, so we'll have to put the hunt on for it at her house. As it happened, her name is already in the hospital system, so they already have her Social Security information.
We waited fifteen or twenty minutes before we were called back. In the exam room, it was necessary for Mother to remove her shoes and jean and climb up on an exam table. Fortunately, there was a step stool to help boost her up.
The exam was a bit uncomfortable for Mother, since her swollen leg is sensitive, so the tech moving the handheld instrument over it caused her to flinch. Of course, Mother is very sensitive to any sort of touch, anyway.
Happily, though, the tech reported that there is no sign of blood clots in Mother's leg. She will send a report to our family doctor, and then we'll wait to see if the doctor has any other suggestions for dealing with that leg.
Mother tends to get woozy when she sits up from a prone position, and today was no exception. It took several minutes for the room to stop spinning for her. She says this happens every morning when she gets up, so she sits on the side of the bed until she can get her sea legs. But I worry about her being over there by herself, if this is going on. I fear that she might fall.
We were back home around 10 a.m. Mother complained of a headache, so I got her a cup of coffee, and located a neck pad to heat in the microwave for her. She had trouble getting any relief today. I asked her if she'd tried the neck exercises the doctor suggested, but she said she gets dizzy when she does them.
When she felt better, she insisted on helping me make a pot of potato soup. Hubbie peeled the potatoes, and then sliced them in the food processor, and Mother diced onions, celery, and carrots. I did the rest, and the soup was ready before noon.
I gave Mother the choice of the potato soup, or her usual Ramen noodle, and she chose Ramen noodle for lunch. Hubbie and I sampled the potato, even though I planned to serve it for supper as well.
After lunch, Mother and I made a batch of strawberry jam. I might have decided to postpone making the jam, after Mother developed her problems, except I'd already thawed two quarts of berries, so they needed to be worked up. We got eight half pints from the recipe.
Once the jam was done, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie ran errands, and I goofed off reading newspapers and playing on my e-tablet.
None of us was in a mood to do much of anything productive for the afternoon, so we didn't. Our potato soup supper, served with cold meatloaf sandwiches, followed by ice cream topped with strawberries, was very satisfying.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then we watched TV, including a DVD borrowed from the library...a Dorothy L. Sayers mystery, set in the 1920s. We enjoy these British mysteries, especially the period ones.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Tuesday, June 25
Up around 8 a.m. this morning, and went ahead and put on my makeup, in case I'd need to dress to take Mother for a doctor appointment. About 8:15, I called the clinic and was given a 2:45 p.m. appointment time.
So I hopped into my exercise clothes, had breakfast, and then did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, but she was in no mood to go to her puzzle (anxious about going to the doctor this afternoon, I think), so she just relaxed for the morning.
Once I was ready for the day, I did this and that around the house until lunchtime. It was Ramen noodle soup for Mother again, and meatloaf sandwiches for Hubbie and me. Afterward, Mother decided to work on her puzzle for a while, and I relaxed with the newspapers and my e-tablet until time to take Mother to the doctor.
Fortunately, we weren't kept long in the waiting room, nor in the exam room. Guess it was a slow day for the clinic. In examining Mother's swollen left leg, the doctor recommended she have a venous Doppler exam to check for blood clots, and she ordered an appointment at the hospital.
As for the headaches, she checked Mother's neck and upper back and found she had really tight muscles there that she said are causing the problem. She gave Mother a sheet of exercises to do to relieve the pain. She also suggested I do some muscle massages on her, but the way she reacted to the doctor's massaging, I doubt she'll let me do that. Also, she suggested a heating pad. I have a neck pad that can be heated in the microwave that would probably feel good to Mother.
When the exam was done, the doctor asked what activities Mother engages in, and she told her she works jigsaw puzzles. Of course, this means Mother has her head bent a lot, which causes muscle tension, and the fact that she has osteoporosis only increases the tension.
Also, when Mother is just sitting still, she falls asleep with her head bent so low that I sometimes fear she will fall out of her chair. This has to cause strain on her neck and upper back, but there is no cure for it, I'm afraid.
The doctor perked up when we mentioned jigsaw puzzles. She said she loves puzzles, but of course doesn't have much time to work them now. She reminisced about how when she was young, her family always had stacks of jigsaw puzzles to work while they were on vacation.
She said she has lots of them at home, and she now plans to dig them out and take them to her mother's house, so her kids and her mother can work them while school is out. She said she doesn't allow the kids to watch TV during the hours of noon to 6 p.m., so they need things to occupy their time.
The doctor looked really nice today in a pair of new khaki slacks, a green knit shirt, and a multi-colored green scarf, and I told her so. She said the outfit was a birthday gift from her fourteen-year-old daughter. I mentioned that her daughter has very good taste (which the doctor does not...and she's the first to admit it). She hates shopping for clothes, so her lawyer husband does most of it for her. I think her daughter would be even better at it.
Before we left the clinic, we stopped by the reception area to get the appointment for the Doppler exam tomorrow. It was set for 9 a.m. We could have gotten it for 8 a.m., but I wanted time to have breakfast and a cup of coffee before we go.
We were back home shortly after 4 p.m., and I immediately put leftovers from last night in the oven to heat for supper. Later, I made a little beef gravy, using canned broth, to go with the meal.
Hubbie was gone when we got home. He ran a couple of errands, to a grocery store, and to the WDCS (where he picked up more canning jars, lids, and rings). Between errands, he discovered a tire on the truck had gotten extremely low of air, so he took the vehicle to the shop. The problem was that the valve stem was loose. It was easily repaired, and there was no charge to fix it, since it was covered by road insurance.
Our supper of leftovers was as good tonight as it was last night. Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched TV.
So I hopped into my exercise clothes, had breakfast, and then did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, but she was in no mood to go to her puzzle (anxious about going to the doctor this afternoon, I think), so she just relaxed for the morning.
Once I was ready for the day, I did this and that around the house until lunchtime. It was Ramen noodle soup for Mother again, and meatloaf sandwiches for Hubbie and me. Afterward, Mother decided to work on her puzzle for a while, and I relaxed with the newspapers and my e-tablet until time to take Mother to the doctor.
Fortunately, we weren't kept long in the waiting room, nor in the exam room. Guess it was a slow day for the clinic. In examining Mother's swollen left leg, the doctor recommended she have a venous Doppler exam to check for blood clots, and she ordered an appointment at the hospital.
As for the headaches, she checked Mother's neck and upper back and found she had really tight muscles there that she said are causing the problem. She gave Mother a sheet of exercises to do to relieve the pain. She also suggested I do some muscle massages on her, but the way she reacted to the doctor's massaging, I doubt she'll let me do that. Also, she suggested a heating pad. I have a neck pad that can be heated in the microwave that would probably feel good to Mother.
When the exam was done, the doctor asked what activities Mother engages in, and she told her she works jigsaw puzzles. Of course, this means Mother has her head bent a lot, which causes muscle tension, and the fact that she has osteoporosis only increases the tension.
Also, when Mother is just sitting still, she falls asleep with her head bent so low that I sometimes fear she will fall out of her chair. This has to cause strain on her neck and upper back, but there is no cure for it, I'm afraid.
The doctor perked up when we mentioned jigsaw puzzles. She said she loves puzzles, but of course doesn't have much time to work them now. She reminisced about how when she was young, her family always had stacks of jigsaw puzzles to work while they were on vacation.
She said she has lots of them at home, and she now plans to dig them out and take them to her mother's house, so her kids and her mother can work them while school is out. She said she doesn't allow the kids to watch TV during the hours of noon to 6 p.m., so they need things to occupy their time.
The doctor looked really nice today in a pair of new khaki slacks, a green knit shirt, and a multi-colored green scarf, and I told her so. She said the outfit was a birthday gift from her fourteen-year-old daughter. I mentioned that her daughter has very good taste (which the doctor does not...and she's the first to admit it). She hates shopping for clothes, so her lawyer husband does most of it for her. I think her daughter would be even better at it.
Before we left the clinic, we stopped by the reception area to get the appointment for the Doppler exam tomorrow. It was set for 9 a.m. We could have gotten it for 8 a.m., but I wanted time to have breakfast and a cup of coffee before we go.
We were back home shortly after 4 p.m., and I immediately put leftovers from last night in the oven to heat for supper. Later, I made a little beef gravy, using canned broth, to go with the meal.
Hubbie was gone when we got home. He ran a couple of errands, to a grocery store, and to the WDCS (where he picked up more canning jars, lids, and rings). Between errands, he discovered a tire on the truck had gotten extremely low of air, so he took the vehicle to the shop. The problem was that the valve stem was loose. It was easily repaired, and there was no charge to fix it, since it was covered by road insurance.
Our supper of leftovers was as good tonight as it was last night. Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched TV.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Monday, June 24
Up late, after 8 a.m. I didn't get around to my exercises until later in the morning, because (1), I spent time on the phone talking with Niece and Daughter-in-Law, and then passing messages to appropriate family members, (2), I gathered ingredients and supplies for making jelly, and (3), I gathered four half-pint jars of various jellies, and located a box to put them in, so Hubbie could deliver them to the tree service guy to thank him for cutting that tree limb that was blocking our view of oncoming traffic on the road.
In the meantime, Hubbie ran errands, including to the grocery store to pick up hamburger for making meatloaf later.
Around 11 a.m., I did an exercise session of stair stepping, resistance bands, and weight lifting, and then finally went upstairs to get ready for the day. Back downstairs, I fixed a lunch of leftovers.
Afterward, Hubbie went out to work in the yard, and Mother and I made apple-peach jelly. This time, we made it the old-fashioned way, on the stove top. We got twelve half-pints of jelly, and all but one of them sealed properly. Mother will take the unsealed one home to eat, since she's very fond of peach flavor.
After that, Mother helped put together a meatloaf, and then she went to her jigsaw puzzle. I spent some of the afternoon reading newspapers, and playing on my e-tablet.
Around 3 p.m., Daughter called, and we talked for quite a while. I put the meatloaf in the oven shortly after we finished our conversation. Later, I put a dish of green beans in the oven. Hubbie peeled potatoes, to be boiled and mashed. The meal was ready by 5 p.m.
Mother had nodded off in the chair near her puzzle, so I called her to supper. At the table, she commented that she had a headache, so I gave her a couple of Tylenol and a cup of coffee. She ate a good supper, and her headache seemed to ease some.
Before I accompanied her home, she mentioned that her left leg is swollen. I don't know what that means, but I will make an appointment for her to see her doctor tomorrow. Maybe she is retaining fluid and needs extra water pill medication.
Tonight, since the super moon is still supposed to be visible, I prevailed upon Hubbie to accompany me to a nearby hill to take more pictures. But we waited until after 9 p.m., and when the moon failed to appear, we gave up. Strange. What happened to the moon? Shouldn't it be up there somewhere with the stars that we saw?
Last night, just after dusk, we saw a herd of about ten deer at the bottom of the hill run down a path, leap over a ditch, and bound into the woods. Tonight, like the moon, they didn't appear.
We were back home around 9:30, and finished the evening watching TV.
In the meantime, Hubbie ran errands, including to the grocery store to pick up hamburger for making meatloaf later.
Around 11 a.m., I did an exercise session of stair stepping, resistance bands, and weight lifting, and then finally went upstairs to get ready for the day. Back downstairs, I fixed a lunch of leftovers.
Afterward, Hubbie went out to work in the yard, and Mother and I made apple-peach jelly. This time, we made it the old-fashioned way, on the stove top. We got twelve half-pints of jelly, and all but one of them sealed properly. Mother will take the unsealed one home to eat, since she's very fond of peach flavor.
After that, Mother helped put together a meatloaf, and then she went to her jigsaw puzzle. I spent some of the afternoon reading newspapers, and playing on my e-tablet.
Around 3 p.m., Daughter called, and we talked for quite a while. I put the meatloaf in the oven shortly after we finished our conversation. Later, I put a dish of green beans in the oven. Hubbie peeled potatoes, to be boiled and mashed. The meal was ready by 5 p.m.
Mother had nodded off in the chair near her puzzle, so I called her to supper. At the table, she commented that she had a headache, so I gave her a couple of Tylenol and a cup of coffee. She ate a good supper, and her headache seemed to ease some.
Before I accompanied her home, she mentioned that her left leg is swollen. I don't know what that means, but I will make an appointment for her to see her doctor tomorrow. Maybe she is retaining fluid and needs extra water pill medication.
Tonight, since the super moon is still supposed to be visible, I prevailed upon Hubbie to accompany me to a nearby hill to take more pictures. But we waited until after 9 p.m., and when the moon failed to appear, we gave up. Strange. What happened to the moon? Shouldn't it be up there somewhere with the stars that we saw?
Last night, just after dusk, we saw a herd of about ten deer at the bottom of the hill run down a path, leap over a ditch, and bound into the woods. Tonight, like the moon, they didn't appear.
We were back home around 9:30, and finished the evening watching TV.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Saturday, June 22
Slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m., but did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and we got to work re-doing the jellies that had not set properly. We did a couple of apple-peach jars before lunch.
After that, I went upstairs to get ready for the day. It was noon by the time I came back downstairs. Following a lunch of leftover pancakes, Mother and I re-did a couple of jars of three-berry jellies. Since we had a little three-berry jelly and some apple-peach left over, we put them together to make a jar of five-fruit jelly.
Then Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, and Hubbie and I ran errands...to a grocery store to pick up a free box of macaroni and cheese, using a digital coupon loaded onto our plus card. From there, we went to the WDCS for a few grocery items, including more pectin for making jellies. I plan to make a couple of batches the old-fashioned way...on the stove top.
By the time we got back home, it was 4 p.m., so I put baking potatoes in the oven, along with a dish of leftover steamed veggies. I didn't plan my weekly menu like I usually do, so I've been having to play it by ear for meals each night.
It took a little longer than an hour to bake the potatoes, so it was close to 5:30 before we sat down to eat. But we enjoyed it when we did. The potatoes, topped with sour cream and diced Vidalia onions, were very satisfying. And steamed veggies are always good, even left over.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house afterward, and then we watched TV for a while, before going on a little outing to observe the super moon from atop a hill overlooking the river. I've never really successfully captured a photo of the super moon, and I wanted to give it another try tonight.
But, phooey, it didn't work...again. I did get a nice shot of the sunset, though, with multi-colored cloud striations across its face.
The moon was gorgeous tonight, so bright and full and golden colored. It got a little competition, though, from lightning outlining a tall bank of fluffy clouds, seemingly just yards from away.
It was 9:30 by the time we got back home, so we didn't delay heading to bed. We were ready after a busy day.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and we got to work re-doing the jellies that had not set properly. We did a couple of apple-peach jars before lunch.
After that, I went upstairs to get ready for the day. It was noon by the time I came back downstairs. Following a lunch of leftover pancakes, Mother and I re-did a couple of jars of three-berry jellies. Since we had a little three-berry jelly and some apple-peach left over, we put them together to make a jar of five-fruit jelly.
Then Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, and Hubbie and I ran errands...to a grocery store to pick up a free box of macaroni and cheese, using a digital coupon loaded onto our plus card. From there, we went to the WDCS for a few grocery items, including more pectin for making jellies. I plan to make a couple of batches the old-fashioned way...on the stove top.
By the time we got back home, it was 4 p.m., so I put baking potatoes in the oven, along with a dish of leftover steamed veggies. I didn't plan my weekly menu like I usually do, so I've been having to play it by ear for meals each night.
It took a little longer than an hour to bake the potatoes, so it was close to 5:30 before we sat down to eat. But we enjoyed it when we did. The potatoes, topped with sour cream and diced Vidalia onions, were very satisfying. And steamed veggies are always good, even left over.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house afterward, and then we watched TV for a while, before going on a little outing to observe the super moon from atop a hill overlooking the river. I've never really successfully captured a photo of the super moon, and I wanted to give it another try tonight.
But, phooey, it didn't work...again. I did get a nice shot of the sunset, though, with multi-colored cloud striations across its face.
The moon was gorgeous tonight, so bright and full and golden colored. It got a little competition, though, from lightning outlining a tall bank of fluffy clouds, seemingly just yards from away.
It was 9:30 by the time we got back home, so we didn't delay heading to bed. We were ready after a busy day.
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