Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Busy Monday

Monday was another sunny day.  We reached a high of 82F in the afternoon!  An opportunity for us to dry out a bit before the next rains that are forecasted for the end of the week.

I didn't fall asleep again, last night, until 4:00 a.m.  Then, I woke up around 6:30 a.m. and went to the bathroom, but managed to fall asleep again, and slept till 10:00 a.m.  I didn't have to work, today, so I didn't feel bad about sleeping in.  When I woke up, I still felt a little tired, so I didn't do anything much - checked my blood pressure and sugar levels and noted them on the chart I am keeping for my primary care doctor, had my tea, put away the laundry from yesterday, put away the washed dishes, responded to blog comments, read the news, etc.  Then, showered, got dressed, and went to my radiation oncologist's appointment.

My appointment was for 1:00 p.m. and I had called and confirmed it before I left the house.  I was at the clinic at 12:40 p.m., but I didn't get called in until 1:40 p.m.!  The appointment went well, but the doctor was perplexed to see that I still had an inflammation.  It has been six months since my surgery and I am due for the follow up mammogram, but I voiced my concerns about undergoing a mammogram when I am still not fully recovered and the doctor agreed.  He has put me on another course of antibiotics - Prednisone - and he increased the dosage.  I am to return for a follow-up visit in two weeks' time.  He will hold off on putting in the referral for the mammogram until after that visit.

I picked up some lunch on the way home, even though I had food at home.  I had been wanting a teriyaki beef bowl from one of the Japanese fast food places I like for awhile now and I had a buy one, get one free coupon that was ending at the end of this week.  Each bowl is enough for three meals for me!  I ate part of one bowl when I got home around 3:00 p.m.; served half of what was remaining in the bowl to another container to take to the office for my lunch, tomorrow, and there's a little more in the bowl for another meal, the day after.  I divided the contents of the second bowl into three containers and froze them for future meals.  I paid $6.24 with tax for the two bowls and I have enough for six lunches!
 
After lunch, I went to the pharmacy to get the prescription filled and did some grocery shopping.  I will post my grocery shopping in a separate post, tomorrow.  Then, I put gas to the car on my way home.  After I came home, I took the trash cans to the curb for trash pick up tomorrow morning.

By this time, it was around 6:00 p.m.  I put away the groceries, had a cup of tea, called my daughter, and watched the evening news.  I was relaxing a bit when my aunt called to check on me.  After that, one of my cousins called and asked if she could come over for a visit.  She brought some documents for me to sign and we talked for awhile.

After she left, I cooked the chicken breasts I had bought today.  I had intended to make a curry, but I was feeling too tired to cut the meat and make a curry.  Instead, I sprinkled the chicken breasts with curry powder, chili powder, and salt and baked them!  There were 5 breast halves in the package; I ate part of one with some corn and a salad for dinner and froze the other 4, individually, for future meals.
 
Video chatted with daughter, did the dishes, emptied the kitchen trash, cleaned the litter box, chose my outfit for tomorrow, and now, I need to get ready for bed, as I am planning to go into the office, tomorrow.
 
Today, I am grateful for:
- Access to medical care
- Having medical insurance
- More antibiotics
- Another productive day
- My daughter, family, and friends.

I couldn't finish my to do list today, but I got a lot done:

Monday's To Do List:
- Grocery shopping - DONE
- Menu plan for the week - DONE
- Finish clearing the dining table
- Paperwork/Filing
- Doctor's appointment - DONE
- Put gas to the car - DONE
- Take the trash cans to the curb for pick up on Tuesday - DONE
- Vacuum? 
- Pharmacy - DONE
- Cook - DONE
- Put away washed laundry - DONE
- Put away washed dishes/do dishes - DONE
- Clean the litter box - DONE

Tuesday's To Do List:
- Go to the office
- Bring the trash cans in
- Finish clearing the dining table
- Paperwork/Filing
- Vacuum (I am going to keep this on the list, but I doubt I'll be able to get to it until Thursday)
- Another load of laundry (sheets I use on the family room sofas to keep the cat fur off)
 
Today, I spent:
$15 co-pay at the doctor's office; $2 for parking
$36.64 at the grocery store ($11.95 of it on cat food)
$14.96 at the pharmacy
$26.15 for gas

How was your Monday?  Did you have a good start to your week?

12 comments:

  1. I sympathise with the sleeping Bless. I go to bed shattered yet within 5 minutes of lying down I seem to be wide awake and it takes ages for me to drop off. I struggle to get out of the bed in the mornings as well. I think my natural sleep pattern is very late/early hours and getting up late, but of course, no chance of that while I've still got to get up with Amy and Thomas.

    Hope the stronger antibiotics do the trick with the inflammation. It's annoying when something won't just clear up isn't it.

    You got lots done on your list. Even the little things all add up timewise don't they. I know some days I have to tell myself to sit down otherwise I'd constantly be on the go as there's always something to do.

    Hope you have a good week and that you manage to make it into work, although being able to work from home must be a great relief for you on the days you're not quite up to it. xx

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    1. I think I am a night-owl! So is my daughter. On the other hand, if I sleep in till noon, I feel I lost half the day, no matter if I didn't fall asleep until 4:00 a.m.! Yes, all the little things we do on a regular basis, like putting away the washed dishes and cleaning the litter box, which I normally don't put on the to do lists, take time! That's why I started to put them on the list - to remind myself, that even if I only got X number of the bigger things done, I still did stuff and didn't spend the entire day reading blogs! :D

      Hope you are having a lovely week, Suzanne, and enjoying some nice weather.

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  2. You did do a lot and with little sleep too! Why do you think you're having so much trouble falling asleep? Maybe the tea is keeping you up?

    Sorry that your incision still hasn't healed completely. Does the doctor think that it's a sign of resistance to the antibiotics? Did you ever find out what was going on with your shoulder, by the way? I might have missed that.

    Great deal with the Japanese food! Hmm, teriyaki beef sounds delicious. I just finished my breakfast and now I'm ready for lunch, hahaha.

    I hope you have a great Tuesday, Bless.

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    1. I am simply going to bed too late. It's become a bit of a vicious circle - I get up late, get a late start on my day, then stay up late because I am not sleepy, since I got up late, and then, I'm too sleepy to wake up early the next morning!

      The actual incision itself has healed. But the whole area is red and noticeably swollen. It's like I had that side enhanced! :D The inflammation is inside and the doctor really doesn't know the cause for it. He doesn't think it is fat necrosis (the dying of cells due to damage to the fatty tissues from the surgery and the radiation), though. I guess my old body is taking its own sweet time to heal. I asked him if it was due to the diabetes, but he doesn't think my diabetes is severe enough to be the reason.

      Still waiting for the X-ray referral to come through for the shoulder.

      Thanks, Nathalie. I hope you have a lovely day, today. I'm sorry, I'm a bit behind commenting on your blog - I skimmed through your post just before going to bed, last night, um, early this morning, but didn't comment because I was trying to get to bed! I owe you a nice long comment!

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  3. I think it is time for some of us to play "Mom" and tell you to make sure you don't overdo things, especially re. going in to the office. I note that you are sometimes just too tired to cook and I know that feeling at times. Please take good care of yourself.
    I'm sorry about the inflammation and it is good that the doctor agrees that it makes no sense to have a mammogram under the circumstances.
    I hope you got a better night's sleep Monday night. I've started taking my magnesium pill at night before bed as I read that they can relax the body, and I seem to be doing better.
    I think right now you need lots of ((((HUGS))))
    Bushlady

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    1. Thank you, Bushlady. My problem is, I start feeling a little better and then I want to do too much! Yes, lately, I am often too tired to cook. Not good. I used to love to cook and now it feels like too much work! I shall try taking the magnesium at night - right now, I take it after lunch. Thanks again for the hugs. :)

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  4. Sorry to hear another night of poor sleep. I fall asleep easily enough but wake up after 2 or 3 hours. Sometimes I go back to sleep quite easily and other times lay awake. Sometimes I get up make a hot milk drink and thus enables to drift back off. For me it works best if I go to bed and get up at the same time no matter what sort of night and to follow the same routine on weekends. I do hope tonight is improved.

    I do as much food prep as I am able early in the day, prepare veg. mix meatloaf etc. - usually cook enough for 2 meals so that the second time around is a easy warmup. I find myself wearing down early evening.

    I didn't know that magnesium pills help with sleeping. I take Rx for high blood pressure and Glucosamine Chondroirin with MSM for arthritis in my knees so will check with my doctor.

    I am glad I found your blog. I find your writing very calming. You come across as a very peaceful person. Take care.

    SandyExpat

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    1. Thank you, Sandy, what a lovely compliment! I guess I am fairly low key - I've mellowed as I've aged! I'd say like good wine, except I wouldn't know, since I don't drink any alcohol. :D

      The magnesium pills were prescribed to me by one of my doctors for the cramping I was experiencing in early December (just before I fainted and fell). I haven't experienced any cramping since I started taking them. Of course, I have also been drinking a lot of water since then, because they think I might have been dehydrated and the cramps and fainting were due to that. I was told to take the magnesium pills with food and used to take them after lunch. Today is the first day I've taken them after dinner. We'll see if it helps with the sleeping. :)

      Hope all is well with you and look forward to hearing from you, again.

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  5. I've learned that not getting the proper amount of sleep can wreak havoc on our body and stamina ... including slowing your body's ability to heal itself. I think sometimes we underestimate the power of a good night's sleep. :)

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    1. I am sure you are right, Carolyn. I know I need to get more sleep. And be better about regular bed times, etc. I'm working on it (says she, as she stays up reading blogs and commenting! :D )

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  6. You've had a really busy day. I don't know how you do it, especially when you struggle with your sleep.
    I hope the antibiotics kick in soon and the inflammation is cleared up. X

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    1. Thank you, Jules. It takes a little while for the energy to kick in, but once it does, I can do things. My stamina is improving. But I am learning to not push myself to do one more thing and then, just one more!

      I hope you are having a lovely February. Please take care of yourself while you take care of your family.

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