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| Monday's Harvest |
I had my regular check up with the oncology nurse, today, and the blood test results were mostly good, especially the cancer markers. My weight had crept up instead of down, which was disappointing, but, my blood pressure was very good. I mentioned the pains I've been having when walking and the minute I showed her where the pain was, she told me it was sciatica! I was afraid of that! She showed me two stretching exercises to do before walking; I hope they will help. I will follow up with my primary care physician when I see her, next week.
My appointment was in the afternoon, at 1:00 p.m. In the morning, I called the clinic to confirm the appointment, watered a few of the plants in the front garden with water I had collected (usually, while waiting for the water to warm up when showering, etc.), cleaned up some Dancer messes, and did a load of laundry. By noon, I was on my way to the appointment and I arrived at the clinic 10 minutes before my appointment. I was pleased to see that they still required people to wear a mask, but, half the people in the waiting room were not wearing their masks properly (wearing it with the nose exposed or below the chin doesn't really do anything!) I had to wait for over one hour before I was seen by the nurse practitioner. Afterwards, there was another short wait while the office staff refilled the printer paper tray and changed the ink cartridge before my paperwork for the next appointment could be printed (lab request order, etc.) It was past 3:30 p.m. when I got home!
I ate a bagel with cream cheese for brunch (after I got home), did a little quilt repairing, and took a two hour nap on the sofa! I was tired from my appointment, I guess!
Afterwards, I cleaned the litter box, swept the bathroom, took the trash cans out to the end of my driveway for pick up in the morning, picked blueberries (unfortunately, I accidentally broke off some unripe berries, too, but, I kept them except for the greenest ones) and a handful of snow peas, did the dishes, fed Dancer and Mama Cat, and had soup noodles for my dinner.
I didn't do a meal plan for this week, yet. I'll probably do that, tomorrow. I didn't do my regular Monday cleaning, either. Another thing to be done tomorrow. Tomorrow's to do list is getting long!
Today, I'm grateful for:
- Access to medical care
- Having medical insurance
- The blood test results were mostly good
- A safe drive to the clinic and back
- Afternoon naps
Today's joyful activity was picking blueberries.
How was your Monday? What are your plans for Tuesday?
Glad about the good results. 3hours in ER waiting room Sunday, nobody wearing masks properly. I was in a mask - but had a wad of tissues trapped behind it to catch all the blood from my mouth (update... Healing well, saw my doctor yesterday)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Angela. I just finished commenting on your blog! Glad to hear that you are healing well.
DeleteThat's good news your blood teat results were mostly good but not so good to be told your pains are sciatica. Maybe you could ask for some stronger painkillers to be prescribed to ease your pain and help with your mobility. My husband is a sufferer and he relies on his medication. Your blueberries look very, very tasty I have to say.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Eileen. I will check with my primary care physician about medications for the sciatica. Currently, I am not taking anything. The blueberries are very tasty!
DeleteGoing to the doctor always seems like an ordeal, doesn't it? Glad the results of your blood work were good.
ReplyDeleteIt does, June! Especially lately! I've another one next week to look forward to, as well! Thank you; the blood test results were a big relief. Now, I need to work on the one result that wasn't so good (although the oncology nurse practitioner didn't say anything about it; the primary care physician will have something to say about it, no doubt!)
DeleteVery glad to read that all is well at the doctor's office. Phew what a relief. When I worked at the physio clinics(s) sciatica was one of the main reasons people came in. Those that did their stretches daily saw a marked improved in levels of discomfort & mobility, so I encourage you to stretch gently & keep at it. :) We still wear our masks when indoors at all Mr Man's appointments. I too see many people keeping their masks under their nose!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary-Lou. Yes, I will be doing those stretches, daily. I haven't been walking the past several days because I was afraid of aggravating and triggering a flareup. I don't want any flareups like I had two years ago when I was practically bedridden with the sciatica pain, but, I should also be able to walk for 10 minutes without pain!
DeleteHave a beautiful day. Regine
ReplyDeleteThank you, Regine; wish you the same. :)
DeleteMostly good is a huge win.
ReplyDeleteYour blueberries are so delicious looking. So far I am growing little to nothing. Decided to only plant things my groundhog friend left alone last year, so it looks like a year of peppers and herbs.
Thank you, Anne. I was glad to see that certain adjustments to medications and supplements did just what they were supposed to do! :)
DeleteThe blueberries are delicious! The grocery store is selling organic blueberries this week for $3.99/6 oz. container and $6.99/18 oz. for regular.
Peppers and herbs are good. Apparently, squirrels don't like hot peppers...maybe surround your pear plant with them and some peppermint, too (supposed to discourage squirrels).
Glad to hear your tests results are good. Hopefully the exercises will help with the sciatica. I planted some of my garden this morning. I realize that it's getting to be too much now with my rheumatism, and I need to scale it back. I will spread grass seed over one bed and let it go. I need to borrow M! Unfortunately I don't have space inside for another pot so I can't overwinter the lantana. My one sunny window already is full u of house plants. I have too many!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Celie. Yes, hopefully, the exercises will help. In any case, stretching is good for anyone.
DeleteSorry to hear that the gardening is getting to be too much. Maybe scatter a packet of wildflower seed mix on the one bed instead of grass? Most wildflowers will come back the next year, too, and bees and butterflies will appreciate them.
Well, even if you can't overwinter the lantana, one can't have too many houseplants! LOL.
I'm glad you had a good appointment and some useful advice about pre-walking stretching. I hope you can get back to some pain free walking. As for the masks, I don't think people realize how dreadful they look when they only wear the mask over the mouth and their nose pokes out over the top!
ReplyDeleteDH has gone to the landfill and taken a few small items for the recycle area. I didn't feel like going, I might have found something to bring back! I was grocery shopping this morning and although it was after 11 am, the delivery trucks either had not arrived or the contents were still awaiting shelving. The bread area was particularly bereft in both stores but I did manage to find 2 of the loaves I prefer, in the second store. I have made up a new batch of hummingbird syrup. Yesterday I was delighted to see a hummingbird at last and then noticed later that the feeder was empty. It must have been thirsty! I put out the second feeder and I will fetch out the third soon.
Thank you, Bushlady; I'm looking forward to being able to walk without pain, again. In any case, I'll be seeing my primary care physician, next week, and I can bring it up with her, too. They don't wear any masks at that office!
DeleteHa, ha, wise decision to resist the temptations at the landfill's recycling area! Glad you found the bread you like, even if the shelves were fairly empty. Hopefully, the shelves will be replenished soon. I'm sure the hummingbirds will appreciate you mixing up a fresh batch of syrup for their enjoyment. :) Today, I watched Chicken Little demolish Mama Cat's kibbles! Then it saw me approach the back door and ran down the steps to peck at the ground, as if to say, "I'm not eating the cat's food!" LOL. I shook my finger at it and it ran down the garden (it tends to hide among the bushes at the very end).
I do hope the exercises help. I hear sciatica can be really troublesome.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susanne. Two years ago, I was practically bedridden with sciatica. Fortunately, my daughter was staying with me and working from home, so she took care of me.
DeleteI'm glad your appointment went well. I don't know about you, but I always feel quite anxious before any medical appointments, even routine ones. I think that's what can make me feel quite tired afterwards. X
ReplyDeleteYes, there is always some anxiety before medical appointments.
DeleteSometimes, even the most routine ones can turn out to be not so routine, after all. I think the long wait to be seen and the hour long drive each way contributed to my tiredness, afterwards. :)
I'm glad your blood test was a good one. Sciatica! I guess that didn't surprise you. It's good you got some stretching exercises to do. I'm sure that ill help.
ReplyDeleteYou were pretty busy after taking your nap what with sweeping your bathroom, the litter box, etc.
I'd have been in a fog after a two hour nap - walking around with a smile on my face :)
Thank you, Debra. Yes, sciatica. I was afraid of that and that's why I'd stop to rest when I'd get the pains. I didn't want to push through it and have a flare up like the one a couple of years ago! I've taken the week off walking and will start again, next week.
DeleteI took another nap, yesterday, and I'm afraid I didn't do anything afterwards! Well, other than clean the litter box and sweep the bathroom floor.