Don't touch your face!

So, another thirty days of isolation.  I sure hope it’s helping with the spread of Covid 19.  We pretty much haven’t changed our routine. We stay home a lot anyway.  I do miss not popping into a grocery store often.  Now we wait until we have to go. How about you? Oh! Eating out ..... we both miss that.  

I never knew how often I touched my face until this virus came around and we get reminders all the time.  How often do you find yourself touching your face?  You're doing right now,  aren't you?  Stop!  Don't touch your face...unless you've just washed your hands.

Cooking has suddenly become a daily routine! Sunday I roasted a chicken for Jim.  Can’t remember the last time I did that.  So he’s all set for at least a week.  We had mashed potatoes and steamed  broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.  What a messy kitchen!  All the grease from the chicken, yuck.  Jim cooked some bacon outside for egg sandwiches etc.  He used the George Forman grill and he cleaned the grids. But again all that grease! Once the kitchen was all tidy and the grease was taken care of it started to smell better in here. Especially when I diffused some tangerine oil.  

Monday started with clouds, not one sliver of sunshine.  Jim emptied the black tank. Boo peed on the big throw rug. Now we need to find a big washing machine.  I fixed us a dinner of Spanish rice, leftover broccoli, cauliflower and carrots and some beets. Jim added some chicken to his.  My meals are small. I’ll bet it was a cup or so.  I was told to eat low/no fat and five plus times a day.  Hopefully this will help with the gallbladder issue.

The hummingbirds are back!  We searched high and low for our feeder and couldn’t find it.  I do remember it was hard to take it apart to fill and clean. I may have donated it and planned to purchase another.  Anyway, Jim ordered one from Amazon and since it isn’t a necessity it’s taking longer for it to arrive.

Speaking of necessities do you have what you need? We’ve got supplies for meals. They may get weird but they’ll be edible.  I am running out of produce.  I expect we’ll make a grocery run soon.

I’ve decided to start getting produce delivered again. Imperfect Produce has a full range of goodies and you can use this code to save http://imprfct.us/v/linda_4120.  Might be worth a try now that they’re tacked on the extra thirty days of staying home.

I’ve been trying to send two cards a day to my family and friends. I hope it makes them smile.  If you’d like to be added to my list, let me know. Heaven knows I have a lot of them!

My goal again this year is to make 500 cards.  

30 March 2020...68 cards

Handmade Cards Because:

No one displays an email on the mantle

Or shows off a tweet on the fridge

Or saves a Facebook post in a box of treasure

I love the look of these vintage cards from Pinecone Press. The fishes are my favorite. 

All is right in our world

My New Normal

Appears to be suffering on a regular basis.  Once again I found myself in the emergency room. Friday, in the wee hours I found myself passing another gallstone.  Let me tell you, this is not pleasant.  Pain got me out of bed twenty after two.  I paced, I sat in my recliner, reclined, sat up straight,  bent over at the waist. Even did childs pose on the floor with a pllow. Trying anything to relieve the pain.  Meditation when I could block the pain.  Around five am was the excruciating pain of passing this stone....this lasted just over an hour.  During this time I get clammy, then chilled.  I'm sure my blood pressure shoots up. Cuz this is not normal!

Finally the episode was over.  My comfort level improved drastically and around six thirty I went back to bed.  One to get some rest and two to warm up! I was so cold my teeth were chattering.  And it's not cold here.

We both got up when Jim’s alarm went off at 8 am. When I got up I felt decent if tired.  Within ten minutes my back pain had returned and it was bad.   I’ve learned that this back pain is a precursor to passing a stone.  It happened the first time and again this time.  So when the familiar pain returned, I got in touch with my doctor.  I was told to go to the emergency room, again.

The VA hospital is a good long drive from here in lockdown conditions.  As we pulled up we went through a quick screening answering quick questions and having our temperatures taken. We were given a wrist band which was checked at the doot.  Inside, at the entrance to the ER stations were set up to check us in.  The seats in the waiting room had signs on every other chair, do not sit here. This was to keep some separation between patients.  Not to worry, when we arrived there were only four people there.

I was seen fairly quickly.  Was told I shouldn’t have come etc.  They mostly talked to me, no exam. Lab work was ordered to see if it would show any damages to my liver or kidneys.  Had there been I could have gotten surgery.  But alas, I am healthy. The doctor did give me some pain meds.  I took my first dose on the way home.  Worked!  We got home around 1600.  Just in time to feed Boo.  He sure was happy to see us! 

Since the restaurants aren't letting in anyone to dine we waited until we got home to eat lunch....both of us were hungry!  The rest of the day was spent in comfort for me.  Around 8 pm I started getting twinges in my back so at bedtime I took more pain killers so I could sleep good.  And I did!

Do you pop out of bed the first time you awaken?  Or are you like me and roll over and try to go back to sleep?  Well that's what I did this morning.  The familiar twinge in my back was starting up and I couldn't get comfortable.  So I was up before 6 am.  I'm allowed to take the pain pills 4 times a day, as needed.  So I'll probably wait as long as I can before taking it again.  no refills.  But I can ask my primary care physician for more.

I’m at home and I sure hope no more stones want to come out! Covid 19 is delaying elective surgeries everywhere around the country. Mine is in June postponed from 31 March.

Staying Home

For the past few days our weather has been delightful! Sunny skies and warm. Just the way Jim likes it. On Wednesday he was outside in his element playing in water.  Got out the power washer and went to work doing outside cleaning. Perhaps not as fast as in the past but it’s good to see him busy.

I'm pretty sure I mentioned it, but Jim has an inhaler now.  The pulmonologist said it might help with his shortness of breath.  He used it before starting to work and didn't get worn out from breathing!  That's a win in my book.

Are you still hunkered down and  staying at home? We’ve been and it hasn’t been to bad.  Of course we don’t need groceries but it sure would be nice to eat out. Our restaurants are closed, offering delivery or pickup.  Haven’t tried either option. Being as far out as we are I’m pretty sure ‘free’ delivery wouldn’t be an option!  San Antonio (Bexar County) is in lockdown.   While our county, Comal is not.  We just get to stay home for the two weeks.

I’m not sure if I ever mentioned my ‘numb thumb’. For over a year my right thumb has been numb. I still have full use but I’ve had to make adjustments because I drop things. Well, in the past few months the numbness and tingling have extended to my index and middle finger and there is pain. Depending on how I turn my wrist and arm I can experience pain in my elbow and shoulder. When I talked to my doctor she said it could be carpal tunnel and a wrist splint might help.

So Amazon to the rescue. I was able to pick up one that didn’t cost much and I used my Prime points to purchase it for $2.48. I’ve slept two nights with it and it’s to early to tell if it’s helping.  Of course, if it is carpal tunnel I should stop using my right hand! Difficult to do for a right handed person.

As far as my gallbladder removal goes, it will happen.  Just not sure when.  Covid 19 is the cause for the delay.  I'm not worried but I'd rather get it over with if you know what I mean.  Meanwhile small meals and I eat them every few hours. And trying to stay away from fatty foods!  I've gained back some of the weight I lost...not sure if that's good...

My goal again this year is to make 500 cards.  

26 March 2020...65 cards

Handmade Cards Because:

No one displays an email on the mantle

Or shows off a tweet on the fridge

Or saves a Facebook post in a box of treasure

More Spring or Easter cards using Echo Park and Stampin' Up! papers.

So, what are your plans for today?  I think I'll stay home and make cards!

All is right in our world

Wash your Hands

From my chair I can see a vulture sitting on the utility pole.  I wonder if he knows something I don’t? There are quite a few old people here.....

It’s been generally nasty the past few days.  A cold front is making its was through the area and we’ve had overcast,  rainy days.  Like a lot of you we are staying home.  

I ordered some groceries from HEB last week in the hopes of getting our preferred coffee cream.  

Pretty cool having a home delivery but as it was our first time, it was free. Of course I tipped the driver.  But my order was lacking in creamers, out of stock.  As we’re a couple soups.

So yesterday  we decided to go out in search of coffee cream.  First Dollar General had orange juice. Second Dollar General had creamer I could use,  but only shelf stable for Jim’s International Delight Vanilla. Picked up two boxes for him.  Last stop was Brookshires and we found my soy creamer and another flavor ID for Jim.  

Strange times my friends when you go on scavenger hunts for your preferred foods!

I forgot to mention in my last post that I had lost five pounds since the beginning of March.  Three over my painful weekend. My 31 March surgery has been pushed to 2 June.  Covid 19 strikes again! I just hope I don’t pass any more stones. There are two cases of this virus in our county. More in San Antonio, which is where the VA hospital is.

My goal again this year is to make 500 cards.  

22 March 2020...61 cards

Handmade Cards Because:

No one displays an email on the mantle

Or shows off a tweet on the fridge

Or saves a Facebook post in a box of treasure

On one of my Facebook groups this is the latest craze. I’ve seen some lovely creations and mine pale in comparison.  Basically I used scrap paper to see if I liked the fiddling with cutting and glueing.  It’s actually quite easy so I may make more.  What do you think?  I’m pretty sure this is all Stampin’  Up!  The stamps are from the March Paper Pumpkin

New company for me on these next two cards and I love the two collections that arrived yesterday. Not my normal size card to make, 4 3/4 x 6 1/2

Pinecone Press Tropical Travelouge Cards 

Back to making Spring/Easter cards using Echo Park paper.

Our 'free wifi' is really slow and sometimes non existant.  So without further ado I'll close this blog.

All is right in our world

It's Spring, It's Autumn

Thursday, 12 March

Bluebonnets are peeking out. So are the Redbuds.  Spring is beginning to replace our Winter weather. Not sure it’s over yet, but shouldn’t have freezing temperatures again. We’ve been running the AC in the afternoon and for humidity control overnight.

Boo is looking good, just had a grooming.  Now he’s sleeping restfully.  It stresses him out. Me too for that matter!

18 March

Sheesh!  Took me long enough to get back to this blog.  I do have a good excuse. I generally didn’t feel well, you know lethargic, a bit yucky. Well Saturday evening it was worse and by the time I went to bed I was very uncomfortable.  Thought it was heartburn and had taken some tums....but it didn’t help. While laying in bed I was bloated and had rumbling noises and PAIN.  It just kept getting worse. Tossed and turned then repeated these move often. Finally got up around 0130 in excruciating pain.  Nothing I did helped.  Jim got up and joined me at 0300, though he didn’t realize it was so early!

So Sunday I pretty much bounced from my chair to the bed. Snatching naps and taking Tylenol. Every now and then I’d choke down some mashed potatoes or toast with broth. Nothing tasted good. That night it was a repeat of the previous night.  Finally getting out of bed around 0300.  

Did you know that Vets can secure message their primary care physician? Well that’s what I did with urgent in the subject line.  Basically gave them the run down of all my symptoms and asking for help.  Shortly before 0800 I got a call telling me to go to the ER.  And that’s what we did.

First thing they did was an ekg.  Apparently my heart is good, they didn’t rush me off to icu! But I was placed in a bed, talked to the dr, had lab work done and an ultrasound.  Turns out my gallbladder gave birth to a stone.  Speaking of birth, I’d prefer it! At least you can see the results. 

Sent home because by this time it was all over. I was tender in spots and still had a backache. And these have pretty much gone away. Doctor said I should have it removed but since it was elective surgery I may not be seen for up to two months because of Covid 19. But I got a call the next day and the little bugger will be removed on the 31st.  Maybe the scan showed a lot of stones!

As of today I feel pretty decent. Still not eating much at one sitting and trying to eat about five or six times a day. Small portions only

Jim is off getting another repair done on the truck. The brakes this time. It was scheduled awhile back so we could safely drive around San Antonio with Sonsearae and Chris.  Alas, I do not think they’re coming.  Just as well because I’ll be recovering from my surgery. 

Did you know that Live Oaks keep their leaves year round? Except during hurricanes, after Katrina the trees were bare and it was August.  Anyway, it’s Autumn around here. The oaks are putting out fresh leaves and the old ones are falling to the ground.

Will this madness with the Covid 19 ever end?   There are no active cases in our county.  That's good, but goodness me people are preparing for the worst.  Staying home is best and with that in mind I'll be talking with my doctor on the 23rd via telephone....Just my three month checkup.  Better safe than sorry!

All is getting better in our world!