In the morning, I went to my appointment with the oncologist, for a routine check up. The blood test results were all very good, I was told; everything was within the range they should be. I was asked about my side effects and energy levels and was told they will continue to improve, just to give it time! More time? I asked. Yes, I was told! Apparently, I am too impatient! I am to return in three months' time, so I made the appointment before I left.
My appointment was at 10:30 a.m. I left the house at 9:15 a.m., because I didn't know how the freeway would be. But, since it was a holiday for some, the freeway was much less congested than usual. I was checked in at the clinic at 10:00 a.m. The elevators at the parking garage are still down! Since at least last summer! Although my appointment was at 10:30 a.m., I never expect to be seen on time! I was called in to be weighed, blood pressure checked, etc., about 10:45 a.m., then, I waited in the waiting room for another half an hour or so before I was called in and there was another 10 minutes or so wait before the nurse practitioner saw me. It was noon by the time I left the clinic. My co-pay for the office visit was $15 and parking came to $8.
On the way home, I put gas to the car ($3.19/gal; I put $30.16 worth of gas). Then, I went to the grocery store across the street from the gas station. This is the no-frills Kroger affiliated store.
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| Dancer Checks out the 2/19 Groceries |
1 gallon milk = $2.65
1 loaf 12 grain bread = $1.49
1 package (10 count) flour tortillas = $.99
1 head lettuce = $.99
1 cantaloupe @ 3 lbs/$1.00 = $1.19
1 bunch of 6 bananas @$.49/lb = $.88
2 cans tuna in water @ $.69 = $1.38
pork chops @ $1.49/lb = $3.78
Total = $13.35
(Plus cat food, of course, which came to $22.97!)
February grocery budget = $75 + $17.23 carried over from January = $92.23
Spent to date = $7.03 + $27.44 + $13.35 = $47.82
Balance left in the budget = $44.41
By this time, it was almost 2:00 p.m. and I was getting a little tired and hungry (I had a cup of coffee before I left for the clinic, but hadn't eaten anything). When I found myself walking up and down the frozen food aisle, wanting to buy a package of Hot Pockets ($2.50; I can't remember the last time I had a hot pocket; I don't think I liked them all that much), or a beef pot pie ($1.99; I have turkey pot pies in the freezer) and cheese cake (on sale for $4.50, but when did they shrink so much?), I knew it was time to come home and eat something! I should have come home directly from the clinic and eaten something, but I know myself well enough to know that once I come home, I am not likely to go out and run errands, again!
I came home, photographed the groceries, put them away, texted with my daughter, and a friend. Then, I reheated the last bit of the beef steak I had cooked last week and added some curry powder and chili powder to it and had it with two of the tortillas. For a treat, I squeezed a lemon and an orange (both from my garden) and made a citrus-ade drink (I added sugar to it, so I sipped a little bit and kept the rest in the fridge).
Later in the afternoon, I took the trash cans to the curb and watered the front garden (with the garden hose). The newly planted lavender plants were a bit droopy, but I am hoping they will perk up after being watered. Hopefully they won't get too stressed by the low temperatures, overnight! Later in the evening, when the wind died down a bit, I watered the back garden by turning on the sprinklers.
I had considered going to the other grocery store to buy the split chicken breasts on sale for $.77/lb., but I didn't feel like going out, again (see - once I come home, I don't want to go out, again). There will be other chances to get chicken at that price. I will cook the pork chops, tonight, for this week, and take it from there. I will probably cook them in two different ways - half with teriyaki sauce and the other half with curry powder and chili, more like a curry.
Today, I accomplished my to do list (will do a load of laundry and clean the litter box a bit later).
Monday's To Do List:
- Appointment with the oncologist - DONE
- Grocery shopping - DONE
- Clean out the fridge - DONE
- Put gas to the car - DONE
- Take trash cans to the curb - DONE
- Put away laundry - DONE
- Another load of laundry (will do a bit later, tonight)
- Water the garden (front and back) - DONE
- Litter box (will do a bit later)
Tuesday's To Do List:
- Bring the trash cans in
- Go to the office
- Put away the laundry
- To a bit of tidying
Today, I am grateful for:
- The blood test results were all good
- The medical appointment went well
- A safe drive to the clinic and back
- Bargains at the grocery store
- Being able to get my to-do list done
How was your Monday? How are you coming along with your grocery budget for February? Have you made a meal plan for the week?
Your appointment sounded positive, even if you are impatient. 😉
ReplyDeleteI hope your lavender will be OK. It was quite mild here yesterday but I think the cold weather is to return by the end of the week. X
Thank you, Jules. I probably should have remembered that, often, February is our coldest month, and maybe held off on planting the lavender. But, there again, I was ... impatient! :D
DeleteHope it doesn't get too cold for you. Bundle up and stay warm.
I am glad you got this dr. visit out of the way and yes, strength and stamina returning takes time, plus I am no longer young so it takes even longer than I think it should.
ReplyDeleteHope your tomorrow is wonderful!
Thank you, Anne. My daughter was reminding me of how I used to come home from work and fall asleep on the sofa, which I no longer do, so, I am getting better. And yes, it does take time!
DeleteHope you are having a lovely day, yourself, and all is well.
I'm so glad your appointment was all good!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon. Making progress, one day at a time. :)
DeleteHi! I like to do all my errands once I am out for any reason too. I'm glad your blood tests were fine and I hope your energy picks up soon! You do so much even though you don't always feel like it! I think doctor's visits with waiting, waiting, waiting are a sacrifice! You think you are getting somewhere if you move from one room to another and you just are waiting. Your groceries look very healthy for shopping while hungry. I think I'd be throwing in a lot more sweets...ha! Andrea
ReplyDeleteThanks, Andrea. I go to the doctor's appointments expecting a long wait, from experience! I always have my prayer book to read and I usually carry a small crossword puzzle book, as well. Plus, some of the offices have a TV to watch!
DeleteI am tempted by sweets, too! In fact, I stood in front of the bakery and looked longingly at their display case, but they didn't have the sponge cakes that I really like and I have a box of cake mix at home, so I didn't buy anything. But what I really crave are savory snacks - potato chips, for example!
Your mention of a cake mix reminded me ... it’s just hubby and I at home now and sometimes we’d like a small treat like a cupcake but don’t need the full 2 dozen that a box mix makes. I ran across a tip for making 6 cupcakes at a Time from a box mix. It’s so nice to know the equivalents for reducing the recipe!
Deletehttps://www.sparklesofsunshine.com/make-small-batch-cupcakes/#comment-7730
~Carolyn
Thanks, Carolyn. Good to know!
DeleteThe all morning appointment which was mostly waiting, would have exhausted me. Yes, I might have picked up the groceries and put gas in the car because I like to bundle my errands too when I am out. But as far as doing all those chores after you came home??? NO WAY. I likely would have laid down for a wee nap. I am in awe of your stamina.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking that your choice of food items this week has been Dancer-approved.
Aw, thank you, Susan. I think I can get a few things done as long as it doesn't involve any house cleaning! :D
DeleteHa, ha, Dancer approved groceries! He was definitely inspecting them all, carefully. :)
Good news that your visit with your oncologist went well. I wonder how difficult that would be for some folks to have to walk up a flight(s) of stair due to the elevators being out.
ReplyDeleteBless do you usually eat breakfast? The mom in me says it is not a good idea to wait until 2:00 pm to eat something.
I think your lavender will be fine. It really is quite hardy.
Thank you, Sandy. The parking garage people offer valet parking and, they also have a golf-cart type vehicle where they give rides to people to their vehicles (there's a phone or button by the elevator to request for help).
DeleteNo, I'm afraid I generally don't eat breakfast first thing in the morning. My tea or coffee (with milk & sugar) is my breakfast. Then, I'll have a banana or something, mid-morning and brunch/lunch around noon or so. I will, sometimes, take something with me when I go to the clinic, but, yesterday, I didn't. I had thought I could buy a lunch on the way back, but then, didn't feel like eating in the car and didn't want to go home to eat, because then, I wouldn't have wanted to go out again. I know, I am very bad about regular meal times.
The lavender looks OK, when I took a quick look at it, this morning. I am hopeful! :)
Such a swing in your temperature!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the wait at the doctor's wasn't too long (it still seems like it was long, though. I don't like waiting!) and that your blood results were good! Hooray! I hope your side effects start fading away post-haste!
And I'm like you, if I go home in the middle of errands, I probably won't go back out. Home is too comfy and running errands is exhausting.
It was 48F this morning, when I left the house! I didn't wear my big winter jacket, but, I did have a coat on and I pulled on a pair of gloves!
DeleteThe wait wasn't too bad. I take things along with me to do while I wait. Yes, I'm glad the test results were good and I seem to be getting there, when it comes to managing the side effects.
My daughter is the same way - once she comes home, she doesn't want to go out again! We are such homebodies!
How nice to hear about another positive visit with the oncologist. I heard from someone else that it does take a really long time to get fully recovered from the treatments, but you seem to be doing very well getting out and about, and I hope that you will see some escalation in improvements over the next few months.
ReplyDeleteI hope it wasn't too cold for you Monday night. It was actually warmer here in Canada by several degrees! We are having a mild spell with rain at times, so it is a relief from the extremes of weather.
When I go out and come back, that's it for me, too. No point in running around again when there is plenty to do at home, including doing nothing if necessary!
Thank you, Bushlady. I guess these things do take time. But, she did seem very pleased with my progress to date.
DeleteI had the heater on, last night, and snuggled up in bed with all my quilts and was nice and warm! It was 48F when I left for work, in the morning, today and I did pull on a pair of knit gloves; I had on a coat, but not my wool winter jacket.
Ha, ha, there seems to be a whole bunch of us who don't like to go out again, after we've come home! :)
Sounds like a nice day! Wonderful that your medical appointment went well. Nice that you’re progressing as your physician feels you should be. It’s difficult to be patient though. So understandable. Have you ever tried making a pork tenderloin? It’s boneless and can be slow cooked in a crockpot. Reasonably priced and very lean and tasty. Just a thought. I’m always looking for new things to try to spice up our menu. Glad you had a nice day!
ReplyDelete~Carolyn
Thank you, Carolyn. I am very grateful that all is coming along so well. I haven't made a pork tenderloin, although I've had some of what a friend of mine made. I must buy some and make it, one day. Thanks for suggesting it. Hope all is well with you.
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