Visited GL today.
Up around 7:30, 40 minutes DVD exercise (WATP), shower, clothes, and made it out of the house around 10:30. The time taken will need to be shorter when work starts again, but at least it all got done today, for the first time in three weeks or more.
Also stopped briefly at the store to get her diet pop and graham crackers. Peace offerings? Not really. Just stuff she likes.
Found her nodded off in a wheelchair (big HONKIN' thing!) in the hall a few doors down from her room. Probably the meds. If that doesn't ease off, I'll speak to the nurse or doc about it. Less angry is one thng, zonked out is another entirely.
All the framed photos and paintings need to be rehung (again), so will bring hammer and small nails next trip, along with the quilt I bought for her last year, but never brought by. I don't like this room as well as I did the other, but she wanted a change and she by-god got it. Be careful what you wish for. There is less usable space for her stuff, and the view out the window isn't nearly as nice. Someone thought it was a good idea to put her hamper full of nasty, dirty clothes in the closet, and her clean ones now smell bad. Urrrgh...
I'm going to mess around with the little TV I bought her when she was in Assisted Living to see if I can get the DVD player to work. If so, a bunch of nature videos from the pawn shop will keep her occupied when there isn't anything on regular TV she wants to watch.
Her grand-daughter, C., came with her two little guys while I was there. Handsome, rambunctious little boys with their Mom's blond hair, but cropped short. She handled everything with good grace. As I've said before, she's become a level-headed young woman, and it's good to see her and her young family.
My back has been aching for the past two days. It could be from being in bed so much this week. I also wonder whether it could be medication-related. The pharmacist said the new meds would make me thirsty. Could that mean they might put a strain on my kidneys? I'll make it a point to drink more water this evening.
Shana and I are supposed to meet at the school of massage therapy to get 2 for 1 hour-long student massages in the a.m. Hey, $12.50 each is a smokin' deal, and the students do a good job. I used to go a lot several years ago, and will be going regularly again, now that I've found their new location.
S. says she's never had a full-body therapeutic massage before. I think it will be good for what ails her. She needs some pampering, and this is boy-howdy pampering. I just wish I could go TONIGHT. And tomorrow. And next Wednesday would be good, too.
Instead of eating a big meal late in the day, I decided to take myself to a local Italian restaurant I like for a substantial lunch. Didn't eat breakfast, and have the option of reheated leftovers and/or prepped salad for dinner.
The last time I went, it was with GL, and the place was called Polo's. Now it's Nostalgi'a Cancione e Vino. Same lovely, friendly young lady serving, and the same good food coming out of the kitchen. I had Baked Eggplant Rollatini (well, one rollatino...the other two came home with me-BIG), and a 7" Margherita pizza with a "side" salad that was way more than iceberg lettuce and a chopped tomato. Mixed lettuce with a Romaine and spinach base, tomatoes, red bell peppers, fresh raw mushrooms, cucumbers, it was a good size and came on the plate with the pizza. A thin crust, fresh sauce and mozzarella and fresh basil leaves were drizzled with olive oil and baked so it was crispy and gooey. Oh boy...did I eat too much? Yes, I did. And yet, I still managed to pack in a cannoli and some very tasty decaf coffee.
I had to wait while the chef mixed up the cannoli cream and filled the shell. The filling was a little too soft, but tasted very good, and the presentation with stripes of caramel and chocolate sauce made it irresistible. I suspect the filling's consistency would have been better if it had been given time to set before serving. Hey, I was having dinner for lunch. Next time, I'll try to have more patience.
Oh, and the lady said they now have live music on Friday and Saturday evenings. There's a piano for the playing of standards. Maybe I should go with a friend for a glass of wine to see how good the music is.
Just for the record, it's in a little strip mall on the south side of Glendale Avenue, just east of 51st Avenue, and it's worth looking for.
So andyway, I salved my raw nerves with food again, but I did it at a good place (not fast food junk), and didn't curl up in a ball in bed with it. That is a step in the right direction. A gooey, cheese-laden step.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Awakened by call from Bro just before 8 after once again falling asleep well after midnight. 'SOkay, Bro. I'm the one marching out of step right now.
Now that I'm awake (more or less), there are things I should be doing for which I have NO motivation.
Reading for a while and then napping before facing reality is the most attractive path. Anything else will require a shower, dressing and leaving the house. That will be fine later. Right now, not so much. Limbs of lead don't accomplish much.
Now that I'm awake (more or less), there are things I should be doing for which I have NO motivation.
Reading for a while and then napping before facing reality is the most attractive path. Anything else will require a shower, dressing and leaving the house. That will be fine later. Right now, not so much. Limbs of lead don't accomplish much.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
More Thursday
Got the mail, made the appointment.
In the mail, there was a notification from Cox Cable that the rates are going up AGAIN. Ridiculous.
I called them to work through something I can afford. This was my true test today. Not good for me, these situations; not good at all. Did okay, though. Didn't cry or yell, and managed to stay focused well enough through the call to understand what the lady was telling me (I had to ask her to put it in very simple terms, like "This will cost $150 on your next bill) and follow through.
Not going to the nursing home today, though. Nope. That's not gonna happen.
I'm depressed and anxious, not nuts.
In the mail, there was a notification from Cox Cable that the rates are going up AGAIN. Ridiculous.
I called them to work through something I can afford. This was my true test today. Not good for me, these situations; not good at all. Did okay, though. Didn't cry or yell, and managed to stay focused well enough through the call to understand what the lady was telling me (I had to ask her to put it in very simple terms, like "This will cost $150 on your next bill) and follow through.
Not going to the nursing home today, though. Nope. That's not gonna happen.
I'm depressed and anxious, not nuts.
Thursday....the....29th...yeah, that's it.
My iGoogle home page had a link to instructions for making a wedding cake out of tiered cupcakes, which led me to inexpensive wedding suggestions, which led me to how to have a friend ordained so they can perform your ceremony legally.
I've been accused, with much spit and venom, of being a secular humanist (by a raving BAC cousin). Don't have a problem with that--it's probably true, just not a bad thing as he apparently believes. But maybe I'm a spiritual humanist. I took a look at the website, and can see correlation with my gut feelings about life, the universe, and everything. Yes, I know. 42.
Human beings need ritual of some kind as a bonding agent for a sense of community. Even as an atheist, I still like to go to certain religious holiday celebrations with "believer" friends. The traditions are comfortable and warming, even though I don't buy a word of the prayers being said or the doctrine espoused. It's nice to have a pretty tree in the living room at Christmastime, and to give gifts to friends and family. Thanksgiving is a great time to be with people you love and share a special meal. Why aren't "people" a good enough reason to get together to celebrate and be glad for what you have?
Sleep was screwed up last night. Meds didn't kick in until very late, or something, because I was still awake at three. First opened an eyeball sometime around nine, did my necessaries, and promptly fell back into bed to sleep for another hour and a half. Would have been later, but got a call from GL's nursing home letting me know she's moving to another room in long-term care.
It would be a very good thing if the anti-depressants the doc ordered after her psych eval work for her. I surely would be depressed if I had to live there, too, and I don't even have her history of happy feet when it comes to living accommodations. She hasn't been a joyful and/or satisfied person for most of her life, although she's made the best of what she had most of the time. It would be good if we could shoot for "not miserable" and get close.
Half the day is gone, and I haven't exercised or gone out. Given my mental state right now (lack of sleep and waking up to GL issues), going out to check the mail may be my self-challenge for the day. It will require putting on clothing and going out the back gate. Anything more than that will be gravy. Oh! Wait! I need to schedule a mammogram! That would make TWO things I don't like to do in one day. I'm set.
Tomorrow, a trip to the nursing home may be in order. I have a gift to bring (a quilt) and can see her new room. That's all the ambition I can screw together for now.
I've been accused, with much spit and venom, of being a secular humanist (by a raving BAC cousin). Don't have a problem with that--it's probably true, just not a bad thing as he apparently believes. But maybe I'm a spiritual humanist. I took a look at the website, and can see correlation with my gut feelings about life, the universe, and everything. Yes, I know. 42.
Human beings need ritual of some kind as a bonding agent for a sense of community. Even as an atheist, I still like to go to certain religious holiday celebrations with "believer" friends. The traditions are comfortable and warming, even though I don't buy a word of the prayers being said or the doctrine espoused. It's nice to have a pretty tree in the living room at Christmastime, and to give gifts to friends and family. Thanksgiving is a great time to be with people you love and share a special meal. Why aren't "people" a good enough reason to get together to celebrate and be glad for what you have?
Sleep was screwed up last night. Meds didn't kick in until very late, or something, because I was still awake at three. First opened an eyeball sometime around nine, did my necessaries, and promptly fell back into bed to sleep for another hour and a half. Would have been later, but got a call from GL's nursing home letting me know she's moving to another room in long-term care.
It would be a very good thing if the anti-depressants the doc ordered after her psych eval work for her. I surely would be depressed if I had to live there, too, and I don't even have her history of happy feet when it comes to living accommodations. She hasn't been a joyful and/or satisfied person for most of her life, although she's made the best of what she had most of the time. It would be good if we could shoot for "not miserable" and get close.
Half the day is gone, and I haven't exercised or gone out. Given my mental state right now (lack of sleep and waking up to GL issues), going out to check the mail may be my self-challenge for the day. It will require putting on clothing and going out the back gate. Anything more than that will be gravy. Oh! Wait! I need to schedule a mammogram! That would make TWO things I don't like to do in one day. I'm set.
Tomorrow, a trip to the nursing home may be in order. I have a gift to bring (a quilt) and can see her new room. That's all the ambition I can screw together for now.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
If it's Tuesday, I must be at the doctor's office...
Psych this morning and therapist this afternoon.
Meds are working as intended, apparently, although I've developed the social habits of the Unibomber over the past couple of months. It's time to test their effect against people/tasks/situations that cause stress and anxiety.
That's my assignment over the next few weeks: keep doing what's good for me, while easing back into the world to see if and where there are still weak spots that need attention (in my mind--the world will have to take care of itself for a while). Plus, I need to keep track of my efforts so minds outside my own head can gauge how I'm doing.
While I'm at it, I need to make sure I take the extra Vitamin D the PCP recommended after the lab tests last week.
The one concern I have about the medicine is that I feel like I'm sitting next to myself--not completely in my own skin. Detached? Very. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Meds are working as intended, apparently, although I've developed the social habits of the Unibomber over the past couple of months. It's time to test their effect against people/tasks/situations that cause stress and anxiety.
That's my assignment over the next few weeks: keep doing what's good for me, while easing back into the world to see if and where there are still weak spots that need attention (in my mind--the world will have to take care of itself for a while). Plus, I need to keep track of my efforts so minds outside my own head can gauge how I'm doing.
While I'm at it, I need to make sure I take the extra Vitamin D the PCP recommended after the lab tests last week.
The one concern I have about the medicine is that I feel like I'm sitting next to myself--not completely in my own skin. Detached? Very. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
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