Thursday was an uneventful grocery day. Hal's back went out mid-shopping, so I loaded the check out belt while he sat in my electric cart. When we got home, I gave him one of my Lidocaine patches. It helped a little. In the evening I unwrapped his legs so he could rest comfortably and take a shower. His back has twisted out of shape for the past couple of weeks. I'm hoping once he gets out the leg wraps and the surgery shoes, he'll be walking more normally and his back will heal.
365 Project: I had taken a photograph of the latest sock project, but accidentally deleted it. D'oh!
Friday Hal had his legs wrapped again. We didn't have to wait long, and the gal wrapped him pretty quickly. When Hal was finished, we went over to the lab so he could have his cumadin check. The Cumadin Center called on Monday to change his dose slightly, requesting another test in two week.
365 Project: We have a neighbor that starts his decorations right after Thanksgiving, and gets all the latest gadgets, no matter how kitsch, and as many lights as he can attach to his house. For the last few years he has had the "blow up" Santas and Snowmen, only inflating them at night. So all day they lay around his yard looking like a deflated mob hit. I'll see if I can get a shot when it's all working.
Saturday I took time off from computing to kick start holiday stuff. I got a few more presents, wrapped some, put together boxes to ship, and did the Christmas cards. In between, watching silly holiday romance movies on Lifetime. Also got a lot of knitting done.
365 Project: Just-wrapped presents....
Sunday I stayed with the holiday stuff again. Got a lot done!
Finally got to see the second half of "Alice" and was so relieved that Alice ended up with Hatter, and not that stick up his butt prince, Jack Heart. Sure, Jack was good looking, but he had no pizazz.
365 Project: I also found (with Hal's help) the transformer and cords for the tree's fiber-optics. I haven't put any ornaments on it yet, but it does light up, rotating the colors throughout the tree.
Monday Hal had an appointment to get his legs measured for compression stockings. It was interesting to watch how they measured him. The stocking will take two weeks to get here. The guy only ordered one pair for Hal to try out, to make sure it worked. Once he's sure of that, we'll get the other pair ordered. They're $535 a pair! Not covered by insurance. Yikes! But he really needs them, and Hal's tired of going in every couple of days for wrapping.
The measurements are made with strips of paper with inch markings on them. The strips are attached to a central spine that allows them to keep the measurements centered. The strips are carefully wrapped around the portion of the leg, and stick to the spine. Then the guy cuts the loops. He ends up with the spine and the circumference of each portion of the leg stuck on it. He'll transfer these numbers to the order form, then the socks will be specially made for Hal.
Here there are just starting the strips at his toes and going up his foot.
They then move up the leg.
Until the whole leg, up to the knee, is covered.
The strips are then cut so Hal could get his leg out, leaving the measurements intact.
We picked up our mail on the way home, then after doing the cleaning and laundry, I opened one box of decorations and distributed those around the house. Then I put all the presents I've already wrapped under the tree. With Hal's back out, and my breathing issues, we weren't about to hide them in the garage for the Christmas train. Hope the kids won't miss that tradition.
My tummy has felt sick and achy all day. Before I did all the tree stuff, I lay down and napped for about an hour. I've had two gingerales now, and my stomach is starting to feel a wee bit better.
365 Project: The final step, cutting the strips....
\m/
- How Am I Today?:
blah
Tuesday was a quiet day for me. The Merry Maids arrived around 11. Since I had slept late, I hadn't done much except eat breakfast before they arrived. I was setting up my meds for the week when they came in.
They started with the computer room first, so we could play in there while they did the rest of the house. Before they left, I gave them each a Christmas card with a tip inside, and they gifted me with a Merry Maids purse calendar. I love it when they come by. the floors are all clean, the beds are made up. I fogot to show them the "Ted art" on the wall, though. I was going to ask what would clean off the pencil. Oh, well. I'll try Mr. Clean's eraser first.
Unfortunately, they were still here when Hal's appointment time arrived, so he went to his rewrapping session alone. All sorts of stuff happened while he was out, and he had to tell me everything before he forgot it all.
First he said he never wanted to go anywhere without me ever again. While he was being wrapped, Dr. Singla called the center to ask some questions and see what compression ratio his stocking should be. It just so happened she was writing up his prescription for him while Hal was there. So when he was done, he went over to her building and picked it up. Now we can get to the part about ordering them.
He also was talking with some of the other "guests" and was advised to get the kind with zippers. The fella he spoke with said the stockings were impossible to pull up without that zipper. Those cost extra, but knowing Hal, that would probably be the best way to go. This is going to be an expensive proposition. At least we can add it to the medical deductions on our taxes.
Hal also found out that there are more parking spaces by the back doors of the East building. There are some really close ones marked "Outpatients Only". They consider the infusion center where he gets his legs wrapped as an outpatient service, so we can park there if the handicaps are all taken.
He also had to deal with heavy traffic, and a huge line at McDonald's, all during which his back went out. So the trip wasn't fun for him.
When he got home, he was in such a bad way that he fell asleep before finishing his dinner. So we both went to bed, missing my time window for taking a 365 Photo. We found out, too, that we had the electric blanket controllers mixed up. I turned mine on high cause my toes were freezing, but it was his side that heated up. It was too much work to switch them at that time, so when he went for his midnight walkabout, I slid my feet over to his side for awhile. HA!
365 Project: Sorry. Not today.
Wednesday, today, wasn't very productive, either. I slept way too late. But I was breathing rather well today. Yay.
I did do the dishes and wiped off the kitchen counter, then rebooted the laundry. When I made the bed, I swapped the controllers for the blanket. Sounds easy, but it involves getting the controllers and cords around the foot of the bed's wheels, under the bed, and making sure both would pull up within reach. Took me a couple of tries, with resting in between, to get it done, but I did it.
Still haven't brought in any more decorations (but the house across the street looks great - Hal wants us to get a sign pointing there saying "Ditto"). And I haven't started wrapping any presents. But I hope to make progress in that area soon. May have to take a day or two off from FaceBook (egad!).
I called AV Orthotics and made an appointment for Hal. They prefer to measure in the mornings before swelling starts, so he'll be going in on Monday at 10 am. They wouldn't quote me an exact price, but I did manage to find out they'd be more than $95 a pair, and less than $500 a pair. At least now I won't faint from sticker shock when we're there.
365 Project: Another set of socks almost finished.
\m/
They started with the computer room first, so we could play in there while they did the rest of the house. Before they left, I gave them each a Christmas card with a tip inside, and they gifted me with a Merry Maids purse calendar. I love it when they come by. the floors are all clean, the beds are made up. I fogot to show them the "Ted art" on the wall, though. I was going to ask what would clean off the pencil. Oh, well. I'll try Mr. Clean's eraser first.
Unfortunately, they were still here when Hal's appointment time arrived, so he went to his rewrapping session alone. All sorts of stuff happened while he was out, and he had to tell me everything before he forgot it all.
First he said he never wanted to go anywhere without me ever again. While he was being wrapped, Dr. Singla called the center to ask some questions and see what compression ratio his stocking should be. It just so happened she was writing up his prescription for him while Hal was there. So when he was done, he went over to her building and picked it up. Now we can get to the part about ordering them.
He also was talking with some of the other "guests" and was advised to get the kind with zippers. The fella he spoke with said the stockings were impossible to pull up without that zipper. Those cost extra, but knowing Hal, that would probably be the best way to go. This is going to be an expensive proposition. At least we can add it to the medical deductions on our taxes.
Hal also found out that there are more parking spaces by the back doors of the East building. There are some really close ones marked "Outpatients Only". They consider the infusion center where he gets his legs wrapped as an outpatient service, so we can park there if the handicaps are all taken.
He also had to deal with heavy traffic, and a huge line at McDonald's, all during which his back went out. So the trip wasn't fun for him.
When he got home, he was in such a bad way that he fell asleep before finishing his dinner. So we both went to bed, missing my time window for taking a 365 Photo. We found out, too, that we had the electric blanket controllers mixed up. I turned mine on high cause my toes were freezing, but it was his side that heated up. It was too much work to switch them at that time, so when he went for his midnight walkabout, I slid my feet over to his side for awhile. HA!
365 Project: Sorry. Not today.
Wednesday, today, wasn't very productive, either. I slept way too late. But I was breathing rather well today. Yay.
I did do the dishes and wiped off the kitchen counter, then rebooted the laundry. When I made the bed, I swapped the controllers for the blanket. Sounds easy, but it involves getting the controllers and cords around the foot of the bed's wheels, under the bed, and making sure both would pull up within reach. Took me a couple of tries, with resting in between, to get it done, but I did it.
Still haven't brought in any more decorations (but the house across the street looks great - Hal wants us to get a sign pointing there saying "Ditto"). And I haven't started wrapping any presents. But I hope to make progress in that area soon. May have to take a day or two off from FaceBook (egad!).
I called AV Orthotics and made an appointment for Hal. They prefer to measure in the mornings before swelling starts, so he'll be going in on Monday at 10 am. They wouldn't quote me an exact price, but I did manage to find out they'd be more than $95 a pair, and less than $500 a pair. At least now I won't faint from sticker shock when we're there.
365 Project: Another set of socks almost finished.
\m/
- How Am I Today?:
calm
It's raining! Hurrah! Only 37 degrees at 5:30 though, so if this keeps up we might get snow! Supposed to go down to 24 tonight, and 18 tomorrow night. So glad we got the electric blanket out!
Today was a lazy one. I slept late, slowly got breakfast, played some games.
In between I made sure our puffalump was dry and put it back on the bed. Then sorted laundry and started a load. Also gathered all the trash so Hal could roll it out to the street.
I ordered some gifts from Amazon for the Hibbs and Normans, and sent them directly, hopefully wrapped and correctly marked. Some gifts will be coming here to us. So we're going to have deliveries this week.
When Hal came back in from taking out the trash, he gathered all the stuff I had in the garage - unwrapped gifts and wrapping supplies. Covered the entire dining room table. I usually wrap as I go, but failed at that this year. So I'll have a wrapping day, probably tomorrow.
I enjoy the preparation for the holiday almost as much as I enjoy the day itself!
365 Project: Wrapping supplies....
\m/
Today was a lazy one. I slept late, slowly got breakfast, played some games.
In between I made sure our puffalump was dry and put it back on the bed. Then sorted laundry and started a load. Also gathered all the trash so Hal could roll it out to the street.
I ordered some gifts from Amazon for the Hibbs and Normans, and sent them directly, hopefully wrapped and correctly marked. Some gifts will be coming here to us. So we're going to have deliveries this week.
When Hal came back in from taking out the trash, he gathered all the stuff I had in the garage - unwrapped gifts and wrapping supplies. Covered the entire dining room table. I usually wrap as I go, but failed at that this year. So I'll have a wrapping day, probably tomorrow.
I enjoy the preparation for the holiday almost as much as I enjoy the day itself!
365 Project: Wrapping supplies....
\m/
- How Am I Today?: calm
Saturday went pretty quietly, although I was awakened by the door bell at 8 am. Hal was already up and answered it. It was the exercise bike. In a box - weighing in at 100+ pounds. The guy brought it in on a dolly and it's sitting in the middle of the entry way, still boxed up. Tomorrow, we'll cut the straps on the box and see if we can put it up. It's much longer than I thought, too. Not sure where we can put it - in a place where Hal can see the TV.
Spent the rest of the day catching up on housework that was neglected during our trip to Kaiser Friday. And Hal's left leg wrapping slid down, so I rewrapped that one.
I called the two places Kaiser referred me to for his compression socks. Neither was open on the weekend, but I left my name and number. If I don't hear from them by Tuesday, I'll call again. Once we get those stockings, he won't have to go back for leg wraps.
365 Project: The cycle box is looooong....and heavy. Each square on the floor is 1 x 1. So you can count how long this box is.....
Sunday was quiet again. After doing the dishes and putting away a load of laundry, I took the white puffalump off the bed and stuffed it in the washer. When it's dry, we'll fold it up and put it away for the winter. Hal took the electric blanket down from the closet, and we hooked that up. It's been cold at night. Only 7:30 and it's 45 degrees already. Last night it was in the high 20's. So we use the electric blanket to heat up the bed, then when we get warm we can turn it off. Hal and I keep each other plenty warm at night. It's just the initial jumping into bed and taking a nap alone where the blanket will come in handy.
After a brief rest, while Hal was napping, I went to the garage to get the tree base. Then I took the tree out of it's body bag, set it in the base, and pulled the branches down. We'll let it rest in its designated spot for now. My goal is one box of decorations a day. And somewhere in those boxes is the power cord for the tree lights.....
Hal's left leg came unwrapped again. This time I took all the layers off and started over. He had another skinned spot on the back of his shin from the wrappings rubbing. His leg, however, looked completely normal! All the swelling is gone on that one, too. YAY!
365 Project: My lightless tree. The sparkles and "light" are the foil tips surrounding the fiber-optics.
\m/
Spent the rest of the day catching up on housework that was neglected during our trip to Kaiser Friday. And Hal's left leg wrapping slid down, so I rewrapped that one.
I called the two places Kaiser referred me to for his compression socks. Neither was open on the weekend, but I left my name and number. If I don't hear from them by Tuesday, I'll call again. Once we get those stockings, he won't have to go back for leg wraps.
365 Project: The cycle box is looooong....and heavy. Each square on the floor is 1 x 1. So you can count how long this box is.....
Sunday was quiet again. After doing the dishes and putting away a load of laundry, I took the white puffalump off the bed and stuffed it in the washer. When it's dry, we'll fold it up and put it away for the winter. Hal took the electric blanket down from the closet, and we hooked that up. It's been cold at night. Only 7:30 and it's 45 degrees already. Last night it was in the high 20's. So we use the electric blanket to heat up the bed, then when we get warm we can turn it off. Hal and I keep each other plenty warm at night. It's just the initial jumping into bed and taking a nap alone where the blanket will come in handy.
After a brief rest, while Hal was napping, I went to the garage to get the tree base. Then I took the tree out of it's body bag, set it in the base, and pulled the branches down. We'll let it rest in its designated spot for now. My goal is one box of decorations a day. And somewhere in those boxes is the power cord for the tree lights.....
Hal's left leg came unwrapped again. This time I took all the layers off and started over. He had another skinned spot on the back of his shin from the wrappings rubbing. His leg, however, looked completely normal! All the swelling is gone on that one, too. YAY!
365 Project: My lightless tree. The sparkles and "light" are the foil tips surrounding the fiber-optics.
\m/
- How Am I Today?: cheerful
We were out most of today. Unusual for us.
Earlier this week I noticed that my computer chair was missing a wheel. We found two pieces, but couldn't figure out how to get it back on. It seemes to have cracked in half where the spindle goes. Drat. I loved that chair.
So this morning we went to Office Depot, stopping first at Albertsons to pick up the paper towels we forgot to purchase yesterday.
We found a similar chair to the one I had, not as pretty and a bit smaller, but reasonably priced. Knowing that neither of us is fit enough to put it together, Hal asked if they'd assemble it.
As I was sitting in the chair, testing it out, I realized that it didn't need any adjustments - it's just right. So I asked if we could take this floor model, and they could take their time building another. The salesman checked it over thoroughly to be sure the upholstery didn't have any holes or scratches, and he agreed. He even took it out to the car and fitted it over the middle seat.
Hal didn't have any trouble getting the chair out and moved to the computer room (it was lighter than the wheel chair). Now the other one is in the garage land of lost and broken toys. If we had the skill and energy, I would've tried to fit the chair part onto the base of another broken chair we have out there. But I don't even have the energy to wheel it across the floor. If anyone wants to take a look and see if they can fix it, they can have it. It was really comfortable leather seat and back with arms.
We went home and rested for about an hour, then drove to Kaiser. We found a parking spot just steps away from the back door to the East building. Since it was so close, and not too far to walk, I didn't need my wheel chair. What a delight. We didn't have to struggle to find space for it in the waiting room, or try to maneuver it through doors. I hope that parking spot is available more often.
There was a new nurse, Gina, there and a male student nurse, Darren. Both were cheerful and friendly. Darren wanted more practice at leg wraps, so Gina did one, while he did the other. This time our visit didn't take very long at all. Darren asked which one of them did the better wrapping. Hal laughed and said he wasn't falling into that trap. He seems happy with both. We just noticed that Gina didn't do the toe-cover very well, but at least his feet haven't gone to sleep like last time.
On our way home we stopped at Farmer Boys, then had dinner at home while watching "Fringe". Eating dinner while watching a show about 4-foot long parasitic worms with multiple tentacles pulling out of a body wasn't exactly delightful. But we enjoyed the show. We love everything about it - the characters, the theme music, the lettering used to identify what city they're in. It's one of the coolest show on TV.
365 Project: My new chair...
\m/
http://pics.livejournal.com/monicas_min
Earlier this week I noticed that my computer chair was missing a wheel. We found two pieces, but couldn't figure out how to get it back on. It seemes to have cracked in half where the spindle goes. Drat. I loved that chair.
So this morning we went to Office Depot, stopping first at Albertsons to pick up the paper towels we forgot to purchase yesterday.
We found a similar chair to the one I had, not as pretty and a bit smaller, but reasonably priced. Knowing that neither of us is fit enough to put it together, Hal asked if they'd assemble it.
As I was sitting in the chair, testing it out, I realized that it didn't need any adjustments - it's just right. So I asked if we could take this floor model, and they could take their time building another. The salesman checked it over thoroughly to be sure the upholstery didn't have any holes or scratches, and he agreed. He even took it out to the car and fitted it over the middle seat.
Hal didn't have any trouble getting the chair out and moved to the computer room (it was lighter than the wheel chair). Now the other one is in the garage land of lost and broken toys. If we had the skill and energy, I would've tried to fit the chair part onto the base of another broken chair we have out there. But I don't even have the energy to wheel it across the floor. If anyone wants to take a look and see if they can fix it, they can have it. It was really comfortable leather seat and back with arms.
We went home and rested for about an hour, then drove to Kaiser. We found a parking spot just steps away from the back door to the East building. Since it was so close, and not too far to walk, I didn't need my wheel chair. What a delight. We didn't have to struggle to find space for it in the waiting room, or try to maneuver it through doors. I hope that parking spot is available more often.
There was a new nurse, Gina, there and a male student nurse, Darren. Both were cheerful and friendly. Darren wanted more practice at leg wraps, so Gina did one, while he did the other. This time our visit didn't take very long at all. Darren asked which one of them did the better wrapping. Hal laughed and said he wasn't falling into that trap. He seems happy with both. We just noticed that Gina didn't do the toe-cover very well, but at least his feet haven't gone to sleep like last time.
On our way home we stopped at Farmer Boys, then had dinner at home while watching "Fringe". Eating dinner while watching a show about 4-foot long parasitic worms with multiple tentacles pulling out of a body wasn't exactly delightful. But we enjoyed the show. We love everything about it - the characters, the theme music, the lettering used to identify what city they're in. It's one of the coolest show on TV.
365 Project: My new chair...
\m/
http://pics.livejournal.com/monicas_min
- How Am I Today?:
accomplished
Today was grocery day. Even though I had trouble breathing this morning, the problem had abated somewhat by the time we needed to go to the store. A good thing, too, because Hal's back went out.
He struggled through the store as best he could. At first I couldn't get an electric cart. I held onto his shopping cart, which forced him to push it very slowly. I asked if he'd feel better walking quickly and he replied that it would be easier. So I sat down on the bench for a few minutes, then walked over to the electric cart area. Fortunately one was finally available. I caught up with him, and for the rest of the shopping trip, he'd go down one aisle while I went down the other, so we could get it done faster.
By the time we were done, he could barely move. Back at the car, I told him to get in the car and I oversaw the packing of the groceries (we have a system that has to be explained). Once home, I was able to help him bring in the groceries, then told him to sit down while I put them away. I had to go slowly, but at least he didn't have to stand, walk, and bend.
I made sandwiches for dinner, and we're both now playing on our computers. I feel so bad when his back goes out. He's all twisted into an "S" and obviously in a lot of pain. Fortunately, this was a day when we both weren't suffering at the same time. On those days, we take care of the bare essentials and just go back to bed.
Please read Rick's blog addressing the question of what has Obama done to date. Remember, he's only been in office for less than a year. To read Rick's blog . To see a quick list of what promises were kept by Obama, go to http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/prom
Last night there was nothing on network TV, so I watched the new Prisoner mini-series that I had recorded last week. I was so pulled in that I watched all 6 hours - till 1 AM! I couldn't look away.
When it was over, I talked to Hal about it to get a comparison to the original series. It appears that the concept of "curing" mental issues never came up in the original, "Two" had no wife - and was actually portrayed by several different actors. He said the original was a "mind f**k"; this one, although trippy, had an explanation of sorts.
I had to delete the new one to get 6 hours of space back on my TIVO, but would like to get it on DVD. I think we already have the original somewhwere. One of these days, I'll watch that. I had seen individual episodes on occasion, but never the whole series. And I think we have a book explaining what the original met. Like the study guide to Alice in Wonderland.
Seasons Greetings:
365 Project: I just liked the composition of the yellow ball, the leaves on the ground and the morning sunlight casting intricate shadows on the wall. Shortly after I took the picture, the gardeners came and cleaned up. I'm so glad I stepped out in the morning cold to get the shot. It would've lost its "essence" without the leaves.
He struggled through the store as best he could. At first I couldn't get an electric cart. I held onto his shopping cart, which forced him to push it very slowly. I asked if he'd feel better walking quickly and he replied that it would be easier. So I sat down on the bench for a few minutes, then walked over to the electric cart area. Fortunately one was finally available. I caught up with him, and for the rest of the shopping trip, he'd go down one aisle while I went down the other, so we could get it done faster.
By the time we were done, he could barely move. Back at the car, I told him to get in the car and I oversaw the packing of the groceries (we have a system that has to be explained). Once home, I was able to help him bring in the groceries, then told him to sit down while I put them away. I had to go slowly, but at least he didn't have to stand, walk, and bend.
I made sandwiches for dinner, and we're both now playing on our computers. I feel so bad when his back goes out. He's all twisted into an "S" and obviously in a lot of pain. Fortunately, this was a day when we both weren't suffering at the same time. On those days, we take care of the bare essentials and just go back to bed.
Please read Rick's blog addressing the question of what has Obama done to date. Remember, he's only been in office for less than a year. To read Rick's blog . To see a quick list of what promises were kept by Obama, go to http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/prom
Last night there was nothing on network TV, so I watched the new Prisoner mini-series that I had recorded last week. I was so pulled in that I watched all 6 hours - till 1 AM! I couldn't look away.
When it was over, I talked to Hal about it to get a comparison to the original series. It appears that the concept of "curing" mental issues never came up in the original, "Two" had no wife - and was actually portrayed by several different actors. He said the original was a "mind f**k"; this one, although trippy, had an explanation of sorts.
I had to delete the new one to get 6 hours of space back on my TIVO, but would like to get it on DVD. I think we already have the original somewhwere. One of these days, I'll watch that. I had seen individual episodes on occasion, but never the whole series. And I think we have a book explaining what the original met. Like the study guide to Alice in Wonderland.
Seasons Greetings:
Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!
365 Project: I just liked the composition of the yellow ball, the leaves on the ground and the morning sunlight casting intricate shadows on the wall. Shortly after I took the picture, the gardeners came and cleaned up. I'm so glad I stepped out in the morning cold to get the shot. It would've lost its "essence" without the leaves.
I hate it when the voices in my head argue with my imaginary friends...
\m/
Today we got to stay home for a change. So restful! I woke up, though, with an awful coughing fit that lasted through my shower and getting dressed. But I was better as the day went on. I still go into "distress" occasionally. I try not to panic and slow my breathing down, but some days it just doesn't work. Other days, like Monday, I don't have a problem at all.
Had a burst of energy in the late morning and picked up stuff around the house, swept a little in the living room, did the dishes and laundry. Hal took out the trash and rolled the cans up from the street. We should've done that yesterday, but we both forgot, and were too tired after the trip to Kaiser. Then Hal brought in the Christmas tree. It's still in its body bag, but at least we got that far.
I spent a couple of hours this afternoon putting finishing touches on a Christmas gift. Now we just have to get the tree up and decorated, and get all the gifts sorted out and wrapped so I can mail the ones out that need it.
Taking this all one day at a time. Looking forward to the next celebration.
365 Project: Holiday body bag.
\m/
- How Am I Today?: complacent
Where did the last week go? And it's December already!
Wednesday was spent catching up on the cleaning, laundry, dishes, and in the afternoon, we went to get groceries. More stuff for Thanksgiving, and our regular "loot". Both exhausted when we got home, we went to bed right after dinner and napped till late evening.
365 Project: To tired to take one. Sorry! Plenty of pictures from Thursday, though.
Thursday was Thanksgiving. What a wonderful busy day it was. I had everything all laid out, ready to go, with the serving dishes clean and waiting for goodies. Toria's family and Nat arrived around 11 am. Brian took the turkey out of the maple brine I'd been marinating it in, and started the process of roasting it outside on the grill. He lathered it in butter, rosemary, thyme, and sage and tended it throughout the day.
Rebekah wasn't with us - she was with her Dad, but Mary was here and was a delight. She stayed out of the way playing computer games, cut her finger peeling potatoes with the grown up peeler instead of the kids peeler. Guess she wasn't ready for that yet. And spent the after-dinner time tucked in next to me while everyone groaned and chatted.
Toria and Natalie did all the cooking/preparing. I couldn't keep my nose out of things and was giving advice, slicing carrots, peeling potatoes. I tried to stay out of the way, but just couldn't. And when there was a break in the cooking, I made a pecan pie. We had brussels sprouts with leek and bacon, carrots in a maple glaze, whipped potatoes, gravy, MaMa salad (fruit, pecans, whipped cream, yum), a variety of olives, and dinner rolls. Later, those that could bear it had pecan and pumpkin pies. Brian's grandmother, Julia, sent over a loaf of pumpkin bread that we didn't get to till Friday. But MAN was it the BEST! I wouldn't have wanted to share it anyway.
Ted ran around all day, fell in the pond - twice! - opened every door, drawer and cupboard he could find, drew on some colored paper, the desk, and the wall - and managed to be so cute the whole time! Wow! What a bundle of energy.
Got to chat a lot with Nat and Toria. Nat's stuck in a job at the airport she likes with a co-worker she can't stand. So she's looking around for other opportunities, considering taking 100 more hours in massage-therapy and getting a state license, or she might sign up for science courses - there's a forensic assistant postion open with the county that she's interested in. There are options. Just none open immediately. So she'll stick with her job (better than no job) till something better comes along.
Toria is doing well at Amgen. She's coming up against the same problem I had - the closer you get to management, the less sense everything makes. But she's handling it better than I did. She's so busy, though, and has been spending quite a lot of time in Holland coordinating things there with here in California.
Brian has a steady gig at a place in Santa Paula, and is keeping busy with his end of the music biz. And he's spending a lot of time teaching Ted how to do everything. Even if, ahem, some of those things are not a good idea. Ted adores him, emulates his movements, and follows him everywhere.
Rick called just as Toria's family arrived. We had a quick chat. They've put a bid on another house, but aren't going to put as much time and effort in getting their hopes up. Everything depends on what the bank will accept in lieu of foreclosure. So that's a "keep at it - wait and see" situation. He and Jen had plans to visit friends that they've been spending almost every Thanksgiving with. It's attended by even more friends, some of whom he only gets to see once a year, so that'll be a great way to spend Thanksgiving.
When everyone had gone back to Ventura, Hal and I just jelled for awhile, then went to bed. We're such old fogies.
Turkey Day Pictures: (as always, click on the picture for a larger view)
I told Mary to make me laugh, instead of the other way around. A more sedate Mary.
Natalie with the holiday punch and Mama salad. I had made a slight miscalculation in terms of oranges, so she borrowed from punch and gave to salad.
Hal slept through just about everything except dinner....he was so tired from the busy week we had.
Son-in-law Brian smoking the turkey on my little grill.
The air was so dry that Ted's hair stood on end
Toria taking a rare and brief break.
Teddy with cheeks full of grapes. This kid loves fruit!
Brian and Ted watching their favorite shows on Nic Jr.
365 Project: The best of the Thanksgiving photos - Brian with the freshly smoked turkey.
Friday we both slept late, then Hal had to go back to Kaiser to get his legs rewrapped. We had to unwrap the set from earlier in the week and rewrap them because they were too tight and stopped the circulation in his toes. So this time she loosely wrapped the feet and ankles, making most of the compression on his calves only. His legs are looking great. Completely healed, except for an abrasion or two caused by the bindings.
The nurse gave us a couple of numbers to call to price out what the compression stockings will cost. They're pretty expensive and not covered by Kaiser, so we'll bite the bullet on those. We feel we should get two pair so he'll always have clean ones.
365 Project: This was taken with my cell phone, so the quality sucks. But you can see that the wound that used to cover the left side of his leg is totally gone.
Saturday: I don't know what happened to Saturday. Played some games, did some dishes (the last load from Thursday - yay!), did a load of laundry, and ignored the rest of the house. Took another nap in the afternoon.
365 Project: My last sock project....
\m/
Wednesday was spent catching up on the cleaning, laundry, dishes, and in the afternoon, we went to get groceries. More stuff for Thanksgiving, and our regular "loot". Both exhausted when we got home, we went to bed right after dinner and napped till late evening.
365 Project: To tired to take one. Sorry! Plenty of pictures from Thursday, though.
Thursday was Thanksgiving. What a wonderful busy day it was. I had everything all laid out, ready to go, with the serving dishes clean and waiting for goodies. Toria's family and Nat arrived around 11 am. Brian took the turkey out of the maple brine I'd been marinating it in, and started the process of roasting it outside on the grill. He lathered it in butter, rosemary, thyme, and sage and tended it throughout the day.
Rebekah wasn't with us - she was with her Dad, but Mary was here and was a delight. She stayed out of the way playing computer games, cut her finger peeling potatoes with the grown up peeler instead of the kids peeler. Guess she wasn't ready for that yet. And spent the after-dinner time tucked in next to me while everyone groaned and chatted.
Toria and Natalie did all the cooking/preparing. I couldn't keep my nose out of things and was giving advice, slicing carrots, peeling potatoes. I tried to stay out of the way, but just couldn't. And when there was a break in the cooking, I made a pecan pie. We had brussels sprouts with leek and bacon, carrots in a maple glaze, whipped potatoes, gravy, MaMa salad (fruit, pecans, whipped cream, yum), a variety of olives, and dinner rolls. Later, those that could bear it had pecan and pumpkin pies. Brian's grandmother, Julia, sent over a loaf of pumpkin bread that we didn't get to till Friday. But MAN was it the BEST! I wouldn't have wanted to share it anyway.
Ted ran around all day, fell in the pond - twice! - opened every door, drawer and cupboard he could find, drew on some colored paper, the desk, and the wall - and managed to be so cute the whole time! Wow! What a bundle of energy.
Got to chat a lot with Nat and Toria. Nat's stuck in a job at the airport she likes with a co-worker she can't stand. So she's looking around for other opportunities, considering taking 100 more hours in massage-therapy and getting a state license, or she might sign up for science courses - there's a forensic assistant postion open with the county that she's interested in. There are options. Just none open immediately. So she'll stick with her job (better than no job) till something better comes along.
Toria is doing well at Amgen. She's coming up against the same problem I had - the closer you get to management, the less sense everything makes. But she's handling it better than I did. She's so busy, though, and has been spending quite a lot of time in Holland coordinating things there with here in California.
Brian has a steady gig at a place in Santa Paula, and is keeping busy with his end of the music biz. And he's spending a lot of time teaching Ted how to do everything. Even if, ahem, some of those things are not a good idea. Ted adores him, emulates his movements, and follows him everywhere.
Rick called just as Toria's family arrived. We had a quick chat. They've put a bid on another house, but aren't going to put as much time and effort in getting their hopes up. Everything depends on what the bank will accept in lieu of foreclosure. So that's a "keep at it - wait and see" situation. He and Jen had plans to visit friends that they've been spending almost every Thanksgiving with. It's attended by even more friends, some of whom he only gets to see once a year, so that'll be a great way to spend Thanksgiving.
When everyone had gone back to Ventura, Hal and I just jelled for awhile, then went to bed. We're such old fogies.
Turkey Day Pictures: (as always, click on the picture for a larger view)
I told Mary to make me laugh, instead of the other way around. A more sedate Mary.
Natalie with the holiday punch and Mama salad. I had made a slight miscalculation in terms of oranges, so she borrowed from punch and gave to salad.
Hal slept through just about everything except dinner....he was so tired from the busy week we had.
Son-in-law Brian smoking the turkey on my little grill.
The air was so dry that Ted's hair stood on end
Toria taking a rare and brief break.
Teddy with cheeks full of grapes. This kid loves fruit!
Brian and Ted watching their favorite shows on Nic Jr.
365 Project: The best of the Thanksgiving photos - Brian with the freshly smoked turkey.
Friday we both slept late, then Hal had to go back to Kaiser to get his legs rewrapped. We had to unwrap the set from earlier in the week and rewrap them because they were too tight and stopped the circulation in his toes. So this time she loosely wrapped the feet and ankles, making most of the compression on his calves only. His legs are looking great. Completely healed, except for an abrasion or two caused by the bindings.
The nurse gave us a couple of numbers to call to price out what the compression stockings will cost. They're pretty expensive and not covered by Kaiser, so we'll bite the bullet on those. We feel we should get two pair so he'll always have clean ones.
365 Project: This was taken with my cell phone, so the quality sucks. But you can see that the wound that used to cover the left side of his leg is totally gone.
Saturday: I don't know what happened to Saturday. Played some games, did some dishes (the last load from Thursday - yay!), did a load of laundry, and ignored the rest of the house. Took another nap in the afternoon.
365 Project: My last sock project....
Sunday: Sunday was full of crap. Literally. It was the day I was to fast, drink a lot of foul tasting stuff, and clean out my colon. This time there was a gallon of the stuff. I was to drink 8 ounces every 15 minutes till it was all gone. I was done with it at 9:30 at night. No nap, no food, blood sugar dropping, getting a headache from drinking so much so quickly, back of the neck tensing up. Ick! A half hour after that I took 4 laxative pills - just to make sure, I guess. I spent the whole afternoon and evening in the bathroom. So glad to get in bed by 11 PM!
365 Project: Nope. You wouldn't want to see a picture of how I spent my day anyhow.
Monday: Spent the morning at Kaiser getting scoped. They were very methodical about getting people prepped, scoped and outta there. We were there most of the morning, and my colon scan was clear. No recurrance of cancer - WooHoo!
As a result of the scoping, my innards felt like someone took them out, battered them with a club, then stuffed them back in. It hurt to move, so I didn't. Hal made eggs, bacon and toast when we got home. Ahhhhh....Foooood! That's about all I ate all day - except leftovers. I'd been living on leftovers since Thursday. Still have a lot of Mama salad left. Want some? I spent the rest of the day resting and knitting socks. Dishes piling up again, and laundry backing up. Sigh.
365 Project: Nope. No picture from Monday either. I'm such a wuss.
Tuesday: Today is Rick's 40th Birthday! What an odd feeling. Both he and Hal Eugene are 40 now. I feel so - done. You know?
We had another appointment for Hal to get his legs wrapped. I unwrapped them last night so he could take a shower and his legs could rest a bit. When we got home I caught up on dishes and laundry and finally went through all the mail since Saturday.
Hal took a nap in the afternoon and asked if I'd unwrap his legs already. His toes were purple! They wrapped the ankles to tightly again (different nurse). I unwrapped him a couple hours ago, and rewrapped his legs after dinner.
Somewhere over the last four or five days, my computer chair lost a wheel. I love this chair, but it's a bit precarious at the moment. Don't know what happened, but I finally found all the pieces. Can't seem to fit them together though. I guess we'll be going out to get another one. Oh. That reminds me. With all the sales going on this weekend, I found a stationary bike for Hal that has all the features he's been adamant about. And it was about half of what we had priced out earlier. So that will be our Christmas present to each other - better health through exercise.
365 Project: My latest sock project. Hmmmmm....who will be the lucky recipient of these?
365 Project: Nope. You wouldn't want to see a picture of how I spent my day anyhow.
Monday: Spent the morning at Kaiser getting scoped. They were very methodical about getting people prepped, scoped and outta there. We were there most of the morning, and my colon scan was clear. No recurrance of cancer - WooHoo!
As a result of the scoping, my innards felt like someone took them out, battered them with a club, then stuffed them back in. It hurt to move, so I didn't. Hal made eggs, bacon and toast when we got home. Ahhhhh....Foooood! That's about all I ate all day - except leftovers. I'd been living on leftovers since Thursday. Still have a lot of Mama salad left. Want some? I spent the rest of the day resting and knitting socks. Dishes piling up again, and laundry backing up. Sigh.
365 Project: Nope. No picture from Monday either. I'm such a wuss.
Tuesday: Today is Rick's 40th Birthday! What an odd feeling. Both he and Hal Eugene are 40 now. I feel so - done. You know?
We had another appointment for Hal to get his legs wrapped. I unwrapped them last night so he could take a shower and his legs could rest a bit. When we got home I caught up on dishes and laundry and finally went through all the mail since Saturday.
Hal took a nap in the afternoon and asked if I'd unwrap his legs already. His toes were purple! They wrapped the ankles to tightly again (different nurse). I unwrapped him a couple hours ago, and rewrapped his legs after dinner.
Somewhere over the last four or five days, my computer chair lost a wheel. I love this chair, but it's a bit precarious at the moment. Don't know what happened, but I finally found all the pieces. Can't seem to fit them together though. I guess we'll be going out to get another one. Oh. That reminds me. With all the sales going on this weekend, I found a stationary bike for Hal that has all the features he's been adamant about. And it was about half of what we had priced out earlier. So that will be our Christmas present to each other - better health through exercise.
365 Project: My latest sock project. Hmmmmm....who will be the lucky recipient of these?
\m/
- How Am I Today?:
bouncy
Yesterday was gone in a flurry. And I have no idea where it went. I must've gotten up late again, because it seemed like I had only a few minutes to get ready to go with Hal to Kaiser.
We didn't have as long to wait this time. We were seen within a half hour of our appointment, and he was rewrapped within an hour. His wound is almost completely healed. I'm showing a before photo here; the after photo is my 365 picture.
When we got home, I was soooo sleepy. I took an hour nap. Then played for a bit and it was suddenly dinner time.
Hal told me he thought they wrapped his legs too tightly - he was losing the feeling in his toes. Eeek! I unwrapped the krinkly tape that was holding it all together, then the elastic bandage doing the compression, leaving the other two layers in tact. He was so relieved! We decided to leave it that way for the night.
I watched Dancing With the Stars. I'm glad Kelly made it into the finals, but I doubt if she'll win. Her professional partner dropped her during a trick. The drop wasn't far and she didn't get hurt, but it was a bummer thing to happen in the finals. She was laughing about it when the dance was over, thought it was very funny. Donny was good; Maya was fantastic. Unless the audience all voted for one of the other contestants, it looks like Maya is the winner this season. Maya is sure she'll get the trophy, Donny is hopeful, Kelly would be thrilled. So I hope she gets it. She'll appreciate it the most. And her parents were both in the audience for every single performance. Supported her all the way.
365 Project: If you compare this photo with the one above, you can see the vast improvement.
Today we were both so busy, even though we didn't go anywhere. I like to prepare ahead for the holiday, and had a pretty long To-Do list. I had to do much of the chores today, since tomorrow we'll be at the grocery store.
I printed out the list and gave it to Hal, asking him which ones he could take. He took most of the heavy chores - the dishes, laundry, wiping down the bathroom. While I set up my pills for the week, made the grocery list for tomorrow, a count-down list for me, and a menu for Thursday (so I don't forget anything).
Then I moved the dish receiver back into the bedroom, and made sure it worked correctly. Next I opened up the box in which they mailed the new receiver. It's so tiny! Only about half the size of the old one. I unpacked everything, hooked it all up and turned it on. The menu came up and I entered the model number and serial number and more. Then it came to the activation screen. I call DirectTV and one of their call-center guys walked me through inserting the card and activating the unit. Then he helped me program the new remote control with our model of TV, so we only need to use one. Works really well.
Next I figured out how many serving trays, bowls, and casseroles we'll need on Thursday. I pulled them all out of their hiding places and stacked them up, putting stickie notes on them identifying the dish they'd be used for. Since the girls are cooking, I figured it would simplify searching for the right stuff. Hal pulled down my three gravy boats, and I pulled out a large "dutch oven" for making a vat of smashed potatos. Hal brought in the stock pot from the garage, so I can start brining the turkey tomorrow.
Brian called to get the size of the turkey so we could work out a time-line, and he's going to bring a bunch of charcoal. He'll be smoking the turkey in the back yard - one of the advantages of living in California in November. Temps are supposed to be in the 70's, so cooking outside should be no problem. That'll leave the oven free for the side dishes.
After dinner I helped Hal with the laundry, then we charged both our cell phones. Hal rolled the empty trashcans from the street, and we're done for the day. We had a few more piddly chores, but they can wait till tomorrow. I'm hoping to get the pecan pies made tomorrow, and Brian & Toria will be bringing a couple of pumpkin pies. I'm really getting excited about the holiday. This planning ahead makes the holiday longer, and I enjoy it so much.
We feel so accomplished today.....
365 Project: My kitchen counter piled with the platters and bowls we'll be using. The little blue things in them are the stickie notes. This tray for cooked turkey, this one for dinner rolls, etc. I know....I just cleaned the kitchen Sunday. Oh, well.....
\m/
We didn't have as long to wait this time. We were seen within a half hour of our appointment, and he was rewrapped within an hour. His wound is almost completely healed. I'm showing a before photo here; the after photo is my 365 picture.
When we got home, I was soooo sleepy. I took an hour nap. Then played for a bit and it was suddenly dinner time.
Hal told me he thought they wrapped his legs too tightly - he was losing the feeling in his toes. Eeek! I unwrapped the krinkly tape that was holding it all together, then the elastic bandage doing the compression, leaving the other two layers in tact. He was so relieved! We decided to leave it that way for the night.
I watched Dancing With the Stars. I'm glad Kelly made it into the finals, but I doubt if she'll win. Her professional partner dropped her during a trick. The drop wasn't far and she didn't get hurt, but it was a bummer thing to happen in the finals. She was laughing about it when the dance was over, thought it was very funny. Donny was good; Maya was fantastic. Unless the audience all voted for one of the other contestants, it looks like Maya is the winner this season. Maya is sure she'll get the trophy, Donny is hopeful, Kelly would be thrilled. So I hope she gets it. She'll appreciate it the most. And her parents were both in the audience for every single performance. Supported her all the way.
365 Project: If you compare this photo with the one above, you can see the vast improvement.
Today we were both so busy, even though we didn't go anywhere. I like to prepare ahead for the holiday, and had a pretty long To-Do list. I had to do much of the chores today, since tomorrow we'll be at the grocery store.
I printed out the list and gave it to Hal, asking him which ones he could take. He took most of the heavy chores - the dishes, laundry, wiping down the bathroom. While I set up my pills for the week, made the grocery list for tomorrow, a count-down list for me, and a menu for Thursday (so I don't forget anything).
Then I moved the dish receiver back into the bedroom, and made sure it worked correctly. Next I opened up the box in which they mailed the new receiver. It's so tiny! Only about half the size of the old one. I unpacked everything, hooked it all up and turned it on. The menu came up and I entered the model number and serial number and more. Then it came to the activation screen. I call DirectTV and one of their call-center guys walked me through inserting the card and activating the unit. Then he helped me program the new remote control with our model of TV, so we only need to use one. Works really well.
Next I figured out how many serving trays, bowls, and casseroles we'll need on Thursday. I pulled them all out of their hiding places and stacked them up, putting stickie notes on them identifying the dish they'd be used for. Since the girls are cooking, I figured it would simplify searching for the right stuff. Hal pulled down my three gravy boats, and I pulled out a large "dutch oven" for making a vat of smashed potatos. Hal brought in the stock pot from the garage, so I can start brining the turkey tomorrow.
Brian called to get the size of the turkey so we could work out a time-line, and he's going to bring a bunch of charcoal. He'll be smoking the turkey in the back yard - one of the advantages of living in California in November. Temps are supposed to be in the 70's, so cooking outside should be no problem. That'll leave the oven free for the side dishes.
After dinner I helped Hal with the laundry, then we charged both our cell phones. Hal rolled the empty trashcans from the street, and we're done for the day. We had a few more piddly chores, but they can wait till tomorrow. I'm hoping to get the pecan pies made tomorrow, and Brian & Toria will be bringing a couple of pumpkin pies. I'm really getting excited about the holiday. This planning ahead makes the holiday longer, and I enjoy it so much.
We feel so accomplished today.....
365 Project: My kitchen counter piled with the platters and bowls we'll be using. The little blue things in them are the stickie notes. This tray for cooked turkey, this one for dinner rolls, etc. I know....I just cleaned the kitchen Sunday. Oh, well.....
- How Am I Today?: accomplished
Thursday was very busy. First Hal had a rewrap session at Kaiser. We had to wait an hour past his appointment to be seen. The nurse wrapped him up again in about a half hour to 45 minutes.
Then was the dilemma of when to wrap him again. Friday was too soon; Monday was to far away. So she showed me how to wrap them, gave us a bag full of stuff to use, and sent us on our way.
After that, we were both really tired, but figured we'd best get the grocery shopping done. That way we could have a quiet Friday with no errands or appointments.
Hal was so exhausted when we were done, and his back went out so he was standing in the shape of an "S". He had contacted Dr. Singla to get permission for a larger dose of Vicadin (the doctor he saw before her had reduced his regular dose). He brought the groceries in even though I objected and said I'd manage. Then went off to bed. I put away most of the groceries and joined him.
365 Project: I'd forgotten my camera, and my cell phone is dead, so I didn't get a picture of his wound. It was much, much better. So, instead, here is my sock project; working on the second one.
Friday:
I was so relieved by the time Friday got here. Finally a day without errands to catch up on housework. I picked up around the house, wiped down the bathrooms, cleaned the kitchen, did some dishes, rebooted the laundry - even made the bed. And, amazingly, I did it in one fell swoop. I was breathing really well that day!
Hal was doing much better. His back was almost straight again, the pain was manageable, and he'd gotten some sleep. Yay!
365 Project: Part of my kitchen before cleaning. The other counters were filled as well.
Saturday:
We were going to have another day without errands, when the Cumadin clinic called and let Hal know he was overdue for a test. So he went back to Kaiser for the PT test, and picked up a prescription, while I stayed home to neaten things up a bit.
Whenever there is stuff laying all around, I feel the energy isn't flowing and just spitting at me. I have to put stuff away and clear off counters, or I get very tense. So I did more laundry and dishes, and paid the bills, put stuff away and was done by the time Hal was home.
His wrappings from Wednesday were sliding down, exposing his new wound, and making his leg swell above the bindings. So I unwrapped him, and he went in to take a long-desired shower. Afterwards I put put on the antibiotics, then the vaseline "skin" and gauze over the wounds, and wrapped his leg in the elastic cloth they gave me.
I really suck at it. The tape wouldn't hold the top closed, so I used a really long piece and wrapped it all around the leg. Then the feet came totally unwrapped and I had no idea how to fix that. I rewrapped him again and prayed everything would hold. By the end of the day he was trailing cloth like a mummy. Since it was close to bedtime, I unwrapped him again and let him go to bed. We bandaged up his two wounds to protect them through the night. His legs were happily free for a change.
365 Project: You can see that the large wound is almost healed, but the one at the top is pretty ugly. This one was caused by the wrapping rubbing against his skin.
Sunday:
Today was pretty quiet. As soon as I got up, I rewrapped Hal's legs, leaving the wounds covered as they were last night. This time I taped the feet by wrapping the tape all the way around. Eventually his heels and ankles came unwrapped, but the rest looks OK. He gets them professionally wrapped again tomorrow. At least they didn't make me put all 4 layers on him. We're both hoping that soon he'll graduate to compression stockings.
In the afternoon I continued to work on a project I had started for a Christmas present. I still have a bit to do on that one.
365 Project: This is the wrapping they gave me. See the yellow stripe with the squares above it? They started out as rectangles. To get the right amount of pressure, I was to make the big ones into squares by pulling the elastic wrapping, but not so much that the little ones made squares. Sure looked easy when the nurse showed me. I didn't do to badly today.
\m/
Then was the dilemma of when to wrap him again. Friday was too soon; Monday was to far away. So she showed me how to wrap them, gave us a bag full of stuff to use, and sent us on our way.
After that, we were both really tired, but figured we'd best get the grocery shopping done. That way we could have a quiet Friday with no errands or appointments.
Hal was so exhausted when we were done, and his back went out so he was standing in the shape of an "S". He had contacted Dr. Singla to get permission for a larger dose of Vicadin (the doctor he saw before her had reduced his regular dose). He brought the groceries in even though I objected and said I'd manage. Then went off to bed. I put away most of the groceries and joined him.
365 Project: I'd forgotten my camera, and my cell phone is dead, so I didn't get a picture of his wound. It was much, much better. So, instead, here is my sock project; working on the second one.
Friday:
I was so relieved by the time Friday got here. Finally a day without errands to catch up on housework. I picked up around the house, wiped down the bathrooms, cleaned the kitchen, did some dishes, rebooted the laundry - even made the bed. And, amazingly, I did it in one fell swoop. I was breathing really well that day!
Hal was doing much better. His back was almost straight again, the pain was manageable, and he'd gotten some sleep. Yay!
365 Project: Part of my kitchen before cleaning. The other counters were filled as well.
Saturday:
We were going to have another day without errands, when the Cumadin clinic called and let Hal know he was overdue for a test. So he went back to Kaiser for the PT test, and picked up a prescription, while I stayed home to neaten things up a bit.
Whenever there is stuff laying all around, I feel the energy isn't flowing and just spitting at me. I have to put stuff away and clear off counters, or I get very tense. So I did more laundry and dishes, and paid the bills, put stuff away and was done by the time Hal was home.
His wrappings from Wednesday were sliding down, exposing his new wound, and making his leg swell above the bindings. So I unwrapped him, and he went in to take a long-desired shower. Afterwards I put put on the antibiotics, then the vaseline "skin" and gauze over the wounds, and wrapped his leg in the elastic cloth they gave me.
I really suck at it. The tape wouldn't hold the top closed, so I used a really long piece and wrapped it all around the leg. Then the feet came totally unwrapped and I had no idea how to fix that. I rewrapped him again and prayed everything would hold. By the end of the day he was trailing cloth like a mummy. Since it was close to bedtime, I unwrapped him again and let him go to bed. We bandaged up his two wounds to protect them through the night. His legs were happily free for a change.
365 Project: You can see that the large wound is almost healed, but the one at the top is pretty ugly. This one was caused by the wrapping rubbing against his skin.
Sunday:
Today was pretty quiet. As soon as I got up, I rewrapped Hal's legs, leaving the wounds covered as they were last night. This time I taped the feet by wrapping the tape all the way around. Eventually his heels and ankles came unwrapped, but the rest looks OK. He gets them professionally wrapped again tomorrow. At least they didn't make me put all 4 layers on him. We're both hoping that soon he'll graduate to compression stockings.
In the afternoon I continued to work on a project I had started for a Christmas present. I still have a bit to do on that one.
365 Project: This is the wrapping they gave me. See the yellow stripe with the squares above it? They started out as rectangles. To get the right amount of pressure, I was to make the big ones into squares by pulling the elastic wrapping, but not so much that the little ones made squares. Sure looked easy when the nurse showed me. I didn't do to badly today.
\m/
- How Am I Today?: cheerful
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