An Overcast Day

Woke up this morning to the sound of the rain beating a soft drumbeat on my metal awnings, it had been doing so half of the night, but nothing heavy, just a gentle lulling sound. It has eased now, and is just a grey cloudy day, cooler than recent days but definitely not too cold, for which I'm thankful. I can still have the windows open and be letting the fresh air in.

Methinks the birds that live under my awnings, and up under the eaves have babies. Even during the rain this morning, there was an eager chirping chorus. Nature is wonderful.

I've been busy doing some things online this morning, trying to learn some new tricks so that I can grow my #AVONbusiness since I cannot do so many of the traditional things that I used to do, with it, any more. My physical limitations have affected my ability to work it the way I used to love to, doing events and being out and about meeting people, but it just means I have to figure out a way to rewire this non-techy brain of mine, into figuring out techy ways to do stuff.

Just enjoyed a lovely lunch of Mei Mei House Sha Cha Beef with carrots and onions, and steamed rice. One of my frozen portions from when I bought takeaway last week. I divvy into 4 portions, and that way I can indulge in my favourites and still keep losing weight. I am now down to "just" double my ideal weight. My next doctor visit is in 4 weeks, and at that point I will get weighed again. I only ever weigh on their scales, which is good in a way, as they are calibrated properly and it stop incessant daily hopping on and off, which I know some folks do and it drives them crazy with the normal fluctuations during the day.

Hubby and I found out that the band Chicago will be playing at the Peace Center next month, so we are thinking of stealing some $$$ out of our tax refund and heading to that concert. We love the accessibility (for my wheelchair) at the Peace Center, and it's not a massive venue but rather a cozier one. The disabled section is also raised so we actually (I think) have the best seats in the house!

The disabled area is about in the middle of the pic, where it looks like there are some people standing, that is the seating area for wheelchairs, ridearounds etc.

Well, that's all for now folks. As the politicians say, I'm #RoseDempsey and I approve this message, LOL.  Have a wonderful day!

Well, it has been a good (long) weekend. Health-wise, this is the best I have felt this year, for which I am VERY thankful!

Last night, hubby and I went to see ZZ Top at the Peace Center. It was a pretty good night! We enjoyed ourselves.

I can't figure out how to save the video my hubby took, and upload it, but the link to it is here.

Today, we went to Great Clips and got our hair cut, just trimmed really. I had about 4-6" off my length and had the lass layer my bangs so they fell properly, when I brush them back.

Hubby had scheduled the day off as we were out late last night. LOL. Waaay past our usual bedtime. Getting up at 5.30am would have been a def non-occurrence.

As it is, we had a very productive day. he finished cleaning out our big chest freezer, and built a frame to lift it up off the floor. I have some bulk meats coming, and want to be organized for when it does. 

For dinner we had Kung Pao Chicken, which I did in the slow cooker. It came out perfect, tasted awesome, and I was able to freeze 4 portions for my lunches or dinners on other days! I'm getting pretty good at this bulk cooking/freezing lark!

Now, it's almost bedtime, so we are just relaxing before heading to our ride on the morningtown express.

Have an awesome week, my friends!

Life is getting better!

Well, as we come to the end of this week, I am beginning to feel that I am on the mend somewhat. I am hopeful, anyway! It has been a pretty decent week. 

Last Friday,after the disastrous results of my blood test came back showing only 38% kidney function, to say I was in despair was an understatement. My mind was working overtime. I was terrified that I'd need dialysis, and then, that we wouldn't be able to afford it, and from there I thought I'd have to go back to England, and then that brought up feelings of being separated from hubby again, and of needing to travel by road to the port, and the associated stresses my body decides to exhibit now anytime I have had to go on an interstate. Everything was nineteen to the dozen, just thought after panicky thought, one after another.

My doctor decided she wanted a urine test. That revealed a UTI, so she put me on 5 days of Cipro.  On Wednesday, after the last pill, I went back for another test, and all was clear. I was very thankful!

I was extremely thankful also that I escaped without the side effects for which Cipro is famous, as I have such a bad history of issues with so many drugs that most people can take without incident. They say that Cipro often makes you feel worse than what it's curing! I was well blessed with NO PROBLEMS! To say I was amazed is an understatement!

I hopped on the scale while I was there and had lost another pound, so 37lbs gone now since September, which is another blessing. Only another 140 to go, she says <<<smile>>>.

***

Sadly, being so sick has affected my business, as I've been more intent on how I felt (and trying to sleep through the worst) and really didn't feel like the social interactions needed to peddle my wares online. I am slowly trying to get back into the swing of things. This is my bread and butter, but I'm so glad I was able to focus on me ... if I'd been working for an employer, I'd have been fired weeks ago.

***

I've been exploring a little more family history and found some awesome "back to an era" reality tv shows where people are "transported" back to a different time and have to live as the people in that era did. It has provided me with a lot of insight into how various family members may have lived their lives.

I've always loved history, and social history in particular, so my family history research has really been a more personal extension of that passion.

One thing that has amazed me was finding that my great-great-grandmother, Matilda Lewis (nee Burton) was born and lived here, in the Old Nichol. That she survived, when 4 out of 5 didn't, is something I am very thankful for. I find it every sad though, that her father died before she was born, and possibly was not even aware of her conception. He was only 35.

This video below, is the first in one of the series of programs I have watched, and really opened my eyes!

***

Well, need to get on and do some chores, so will wish you all well, and have a wonderful weekend.

A horrendous night

Thursday night/Friday morning was a horrendous night. I almost went to the ER, although I have no faith in them since my last visit.

I could not sleep. My chest was pounding. It felt like it was thumping in my throat, and I could feel the beating in my ears and throughout my head. I honestly felt like I was going to die, it was so awful. Finally, about 2am, I took an extra half of my bp pill (which my dr has ok'd) and lay there, on my side, doing deep breathing and somehow sleep came.

My dr had messaged me that she wanted me to come in earlier, for my appointment, so by 3pm I was duly ensconced in the waiting area.

Nurse Chris came to take me for the labs, and Lynn gave us the bad news that it had to be sent out and they wouldn't pick up after lunch ... and I made an utter idiot of myself and had a weepy meltdown. I was just so afraid, and couldn't face another night like the one before.

They were so great with me. I just felt so helpless.

Well Dr. Smith decided she'd do an EKG while I was there, and that came out that my heart was fine, so this was not a "heart problem" per se, which was wonderful news. She was disappointed about the bloodwork, and I have orders to get it done first thing Monday, which I will be doing. I laughed with Lynn (who has worked with me for over 10 years now over my phobia of having blood drawn, where now I am almost like a normal person, having it done. No passing out or hitting the floor, no veins clamping down, no swooning!) that this must be the only time I've ever WANTED her to take my blood.

Dr Smith, in the absence of the lab work, but with  the EKG result saying my heart was fine, and having listened to everything I had told her about the past few days, agreed it might be a good idea to stick to low potassium foods until we get the results.

During that discussion, I again got weepy. I cannot believe that eating healthy has, again, made me sick. All the foods I love, my salad stuffs like tomatoes, and spinach leaves, my fruits like bananas, kiwi, peaches, my snacks with nuts in,  all high in potassium. I ate so unhealthily yesterday, but managed to not have the pounding heartrate ... a Milky Way, hubby's frosted miniwheats, and the only healthy thing really was my wholegrain bread with a Laughing Cow spready cheese! I had bites of the Milky Way or a couple of frosted miniwheats throughout the day.

I was even worried about my multivitamin, as it contains 100% of daily needs, of potassium, but I've started taking one gummi instead of the 2 it says,  and she said that was ok. She also said my melatonin/lavender sleep aid was ok.

On a good note, even with all the stress, my BP was brilliant, AND I'd lost another 8lbs! That's 36lbs gone so far. Such a blessing!

Keep praying for me and thinking positive thoughts. I need them so much! I do appreciate them all.

Have a lovely Saturday, my friends :)

Cleaning day and fresh air!

Enjoying a nice morning, windows and front door open and letting in the nice fresh air. My friend Dimple came and cleaned for me. She is such a blessing, doing things I can no longer do. It's always nice to see her as she makes me laugh, and leaves me with a spick and span home (for a few hours anyway!) LOL. 

Poor thing is working in a foot brace right now (a "boot") as she had fallen and done something to it. I have her some essential oil blend to help with the pain, and some others, out of my stash. She is always so busy, "resting" isn't a word found easily in her vocabulary.

Earlier, I wanted to take a nap. Now, my area is usually quiet. The 4 neighbours closest to me are older than I am, and all have other health issues, so we tend to cherish our rural solitude. 7am this morning, my dogs started going crazy (only 2 were outside, the other 2 were already in) and Angel (she who no longer wants to come in and stays outside until her daddy comes home) was barking like she was warning me something wasn't right. I tottered to the front door to see what was the matter, and I have a utility vehicle parked outside my fence, on the opposite side of our little road. Nowhere near anyone's driveways or anything like that, just esconced on the side of the road, knowing he is aggravating my 2 dogs, and that he has no reason to be there (probably had pulled off to do paperwork or something). I yelled at my dogs to quieten down and apologised to them that they were being aggravated by the idiots outside my fence, LOL. They quietened down. Unfortunately, by the time I made it back to my bedroom, my nap was a non-event. My head was throbbing, my body was just not conducive to being relaxed and able to take forty winks.

Later today, I am hoping to find the oomph to add together the last 2 lots of figures, to complete my taxes. It would be so nice if my 1099 was in the mail today, too. Then we'd be good to go on getting everything filed.

So far, today, so good. Praying that I stay on an even keel. Hope you all have an awesome day!