I've been quiet......

but I had good reason.  Two weekends ago, I was vacuuming our sun room. I moved a wicker chair away from the wall, and a few minutes later, I stepped backwards, and my foot caught on the chair leg. I went down hard on a concrete floor, covered only by an outdoor rug. 

I landed on my back - mainly on the right side of my hip and lower back. There was no bruising and an x-ray the following Friday confirmed no broken bones (luckily).

On Monday, I was a bit sore....but nothing more. We took Jim to his doctor and I saw no reason to mention my fall (but, of course, I should have.) On Tuesday, the muscle spasms started. I've had pain before, including bearing 3 children and open-heart surgery. But....severe muscle spasms cause unimaginable pain.  Mine were at my waistline on the right side. Every time I moved at all, it "grabbed" me. Trying to take a step, especially with the right foot, felt like a hot iron poker going up through my hip to my rib cage.  

I sent a message to my doc, and after a personal phone call, she prescribed some muscle relaxers and an additional nsaid, which I take every day. I started taking them immediately, but after 2 days, the pain was still bad. So she ordered an x-ray, which I had on Friday night. As I said, there were no breaks - but "significant" arthritic changes on my spinal column.  That was not a surprise to me.

Today, I went to physical therapy (for achilles tendonitis) and told my guy about the fall. He gave me a massage with a new "massage gun". It looks a bit like a drill, but with a hard rubber ball instead of a drill bit.  It felt terrific and I have not had pain since! I want to buy one to use at home! I know we could all benefit from it. It is percussive, and has different speeds.

Next Monday, I have scheduled a regular massage and I cannot wait!  I thought that due to Covid-19, it would be easy to get an appointment. But when I called, my guy was all booked up for 10 days.  Must be nice to be so popular!  I'll let you know what happens....meanwhile....I hope you are doing well and staying healthy!

It Has Been Over a Month.....

•  since my last post.  We are staying home as much as possible; trying to stay healthy, since both of us have other health issues that would make covid-19 difficult, if not deadly.

But we have some good news:  our daughter who lived an hour south of us has sold her home there and bought one here - only a mile from us!! Also, her daughter, who is studying at UNC-G, decided to move home, since all classes are on-line this year. We are so pleased to have them both nearby!! 

Granddaughter came this morning and brought blueberry muffins for breakfast. It was a real treat and we enjoyed them - and her! 

My physical therapist  (for Achilles tendonitis) has told me to come once every two weeks, which is a boon, I guess.....certainly to my checkbook......if nothing else.  I was going twice a week for about a month. As long as I remember to do my exercises regularly, I should be okay. It is nice to be able to walk without pain, at least most of the time.

We have been binge-watching "West Wing", which we never watched when it was on regular tv. What a great show it is!  I will have withdrawal pains when we reach the end. 

I hope you are yours are staying healthy and wearing your masks!! See you back here before too long!

Still Hanging in There....

Not much new going on...we're just trying to stay healthy and keep away from Covid-19, as well as any other viruses.  We wear masks if we go out, and whenever anyone who is not in the family comes to the house (which is seldom, now.) 

We have hosted several garage/driveway "get-togethers", with family, mostly....for Memorial Day, Father's Day, July 4th and the latest was our daughter's birthday (this week). All three kids have been here for every gathering and we are so grateful to have them all nearby. Speaking of that...daughter two has just bought a house less than a mile from us and will be moving in soon.  We are so pleased to have her and her sister living less than a mile from us now.  Our son is still in Greensboro, and nothing would please us more than if he were to move back to this area as well.  I don't hold out a lot of hope for that, however. 

I have been having physical therapy for Achilles tendonitis. This is the second time I have had it in 15 years and I hope I can get rid of it forever.  Since I have to be on my feet quite a bit (as a caregiver); having it pain me at every step is unfortunate, to say the least. 

Luckily that is about all I can complain about these days, except how much I miss hugs! and shopping! and friends! and restaurants! and cocktails (although I seldom have one.)

Are you doing your part to stay safe?  Wearing a mask? Staying 6' or more away from others?  I hope so...it seems to be the only way we can beat it! Listen to Dr. Fauci! I beg you.

One last thing....in October I will be 80. When I ponder getting to that age, I am astounded. I never believed I would live this long....and now that I have almost reached that milestone...I want to shout it to the rooftops!  The times (they are a) changing, and not for the better, but I am so grateful to be alive and to have witnessed recent history, no matter how distasteful some of it is. I so hope to see better times ahead, and better people in charge. I hate giving this world to our children and grandchildren. We somehow have to make it better for them - and all who come after.  

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My Family have/has teased me unmercifully......Maybe TMI....

about never throwing things away. I have previously written about how my mom was a pack rat.....and I seem to be heading in the same direction. 

However, some things have happened that make me happy I saved some things, even though they wanted me to get rid of them. 

I have an old cart that I bought back in the 70's, to keep our first microwave on.  Our kitchen at the time had only a little counter space, so I had to have something dedicated for the microwave. The cart was a bit larger than we needed, but it had 2 shelves and wheels, so I bought it.  

Now that Jim has an ostomy, I needed something on which to keep the supplies I have to have when I empty his bag. I remembered the old cart (in the garage) and it is perfect for our needs! I can roll it into another room, when necessary and it keeps everything very handy!

Also found in the garage were two plastic bins of hand towels and wash cloths, left over from my mom's stash in her linen closet. I kept them and used them when I had my flower business, and after that, I was loathe to part with them - even though we moved twice. I have been vindicated!!  I need a hand towel every time I empty Jim's bag and he needs a smaller cloth every time he voids (to catch drips.)

I shudder to think what it might have cost to purchase all those towels and wash cloths, even in a discount store. Now, every time I use them, I am reminded of mom and/or my flower business......good memories!! I am proud of myself for keeping them!

See?  It isn't always a good idea to trash things; as sure as you do  -  you will find a good use for them!!

Nothing New to Report...

In these days of quarantine, there is nothing new to report. We are staying home and wearing a mask when we do go out, which is seldom. I did get a much needed haircut, and my stylist wore a mask.  I need a manicure/pedicure badly...but I guess it will be a long time before our salons open again.  

I am finally getting physical therapy for my heel tendonitis, and it is helping.  We also got a new toy that is benefitting both of us: A Cubii pedal exerciser. We both do it twice a day; Jim does it by the minute and I do it by the revolutions. I try to do at least 350 each time. It seems to be strengthening my leg muscles.

Our oldest granddaughter's Irish boyfriend just completed his Masters degree in Chemistry from Edinburgh University in Scotland. We are so proud of him!  I'm not sure where he goes from here - but we wish him the very best. 

Yesterdays rain brought a welcome rainbow - first one we've seen in a while. Sunday (Father's Day) is supposed to be 87 and sunny. We are expecting 2 of our children and 2 of our granddaughters. The rest of the clan are out of town, but we hope to see them soon. I hope all of you have a great Father's Day!

  

No news is good news - I guess.

I have not written here since April 24th. I have not had much to say.....but we are both fine. I have not been out much at all since March 6th. We are doing what we can to stay healthy; wearing masks when near others....and sometimes gloves. 

For Mother's Day tomorrow, all three of our children will be here, plus spouses, boyfriends and partners, and a few grandkids. Most of them are out of town now. We will practice social distancing by sitting in our garage and on the driveway, while we eat a meal that everyone is bringing in. I won't have to do anything....for which I am happy!

I pray you are staying healthy and that you will have a great Mother's Day. Thanks for visiting.

Don't follow the latest advice from 45....

Back in the early 70's, when my baby was about 2 years old, she contracted pneumonia and empyema, after having the Asian Flu. She is fine now, but while she was in the hospital, I learned about a sweet and darling little boy who couldn't eat or drink anything.

The reason he was unable to eat is that he had previously drank from a coke bottle containing Clorox bleach, which his grandmother had placed under her kitchen sink. 

The bleach burned out his trachea and esophagus, and had he eaten anything, the food would have had no place to go. He had to be fitted with a stomach tube and fed that way. The poor little kid was frantic to eat or drink and he couldn't understand why he was not allowed to eat. He was only about 18 months old and wasn't able to process what had happened to him. That was one of the saddest things I have ever seen or heard about.  The shame is that it was preventable.  

My point in writing about this is to remind people of the consequences of ingesting caustic substances such as bleach.  Unfortunately, our "president" said yesterday that maybe we ought to look into to injecting lysol and/or using light to kill the viruses. Also unfortunately, there are too many people in this country who are NOT smart enough to know that is a bad idea. So I implore you:

Do not drink bleach or lysol or any other caustic substance!!

If it doesn't kill you, the side-effects are horrendous.  And another thing:  don't keep bleach, etc., where children can get their hands on them. And don't store them in containers that children are used to seeing food or drinks in..