Reflections of My Life

I did not go to the park because when I went out the door the heat was horrible. I went to the dumpster and then looked around the park from the driveway and it was empty. Too hot. So I came back upstairs and fixed breakfast.

When it is hot here, most of the people that live here stay put in their apartments. Most, not everyone, but most people have air conditioners. Since we pay our own electric bills, it is up to you if you want one or not. Not central air and you have to buy your unit yourself. I bought mine from Walmart online when I moved here and it is a small one but works for me. The only thing I don't like is that when I sit in the recliner it is directly in front of the air conditioner. I hate it blowing directly on me.

I keep trying to figure out a better arrangement but there is none.
 
Again I am up in the middle of the night. For some reason, the air conditioner blowing on me really bothers me. I get cold. I never felt that way before. I guess I complain about being hot then about being cold. Friday's doctor appointment can't come soon enough for me. Rabbit likes it that I am up though. He ran over here to get pet. Now he has gone back to sleep.

If I was brave I would take a load of laundry downstairs to wash. I am not brave. I never leave my apartment after dark. Not that anyone has had anything happen but I figure it is best to be on the safe side and not take a chance.

Yesterday at Walmart it seemed as if everything I wanted was too high for me to reach. Even the coffee beans and the spring water. Both are in a good size bag and container so it would seem like they would be on at least a middle shelf. I waited for Sonny to catch up with me to get the water. But to get the coffee beans even he had to stand on the bottom shelf to reach the coffee beans.

My new rule is to buy only what will fit in two shopping bags, not counting the water, of course. That way when I get home, Sonny does not have to go downstairs and get a cart to take the stuff to my apartment. I can take it all on my walker seat. This way he does not always have to come upstairs with me. It was 91 degrees and I couldn't see him coming up and having to walk the parking lot to and from the building. The heat was making him a bit irritable.
 
Maybe they should pass a law that nobody can be allowed to smoke. After all second hand smoke is worst than just about anything I can think of. Employees are on breaks outside the doors of where they work smoking and if you have to walk through it, you have to put up with it. That is one reason I loved wearing my mask, but I could still smell it just not as bad. After shopping in Walmart, I step out of the store and people are lighting up as they walk to their cars. Why can't they wait till they get into their car?

When I posted an ad for an aide I made it clear that I did not want a smoker (or someone who wears perfume and heavy fragrances) because I cannot breathe just being around the smoke that is on them. I like to go to the park and they tried to make people not smoke there but that didn't work unless they post a guard there 24 hours. The city does not like the butts all over the parks and sidewalks but what can they do? That is what smokers do.

People who suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity can't help what they go through. Some people in my group on fb have had to stop seeing friends and family members due to their fragrances or that they smoke. I am fortunate that the building I live is a no smoking community with signs posted all over the place. Even though wearing a mask is not something I love doing, it does help me not to smell all the bad stuff in the air. I might keep doing it for good. Anyone can get this out of the clear blue.....just one day there it is. I believe I have had it for years just has gotten worse as I got older, but not nearly as bad as some who have it. Especially people in NYC who were there during 9/11.

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I am having a good day today even though I still have to keep elevating my feet. The new cushion Sonny bought for me is working real good. See I cannot sit in my recliner like normal people do. I cannot push it back with the foot thing extended. I am too scared of Rabbit going under it and when I get up from it possibly crushing or at least hurting him with it. So I use a footstool my father made and put it in front of the recliner with a couple of pillows on it. Now added the new cushion between the pillows and the recliner and my knees are bent, but not too bent. Works right now!

I am going to attempt to stay on a schedule of getting my hardest chores done early in the day. Like Rabbit's cage. Vacuuming, Taking the garbage out. Laundry, Cleaning. I am more energetic then I guess. I had started not making any appointments or commitment to do anything in the mornings from now on. That is my time. Then afternoon should be good for those things or just computer stuff or other things I do.

For now I am not adding fakebook to my new phone. When I take a picture with it, I send it to my email so I can save it to my computer then delete it from my phone. I am going to keep this phone clear of apps and whatever. No special ringtones or wall papers. Just simple. Use it for a telephone calls..........Surprise! That is what I bought one for to begin with. And the text thing. No videos.

I have not been in a frame of mind to work on getting Libre office into my computer or to get my computer responding to the print command. It is hooked up and shows and even printed a test page, but can't print anything else as of yet. I need to have a clear mind when I work on that. I like to do that kind of stuff during the night when I know no one will call or stop by.
 
Yesterday I went to my doctor. She is new to me but the same office. I liked her immediately and liked her manner and how she listened to me. Now after having three different resident doctors at this office, I see where since they are new, they listen to you and really concentrate on your problem because they want to do a good job.

So first the nurse who took my vitals was pretty surprised to see that I was not on any medications. Then she was pretty happy when she took my blood pressure and said it was really good. So when the doctor came in she mentioned both those facts too. Everyone was telling me that the doctor would probably put me on lastic. She did not. She examined my legs closely, checking for clots. There were not any.

She told me to get compression stockings and wear them when I am up. And she is having me go to a lymphmatic clinic so I can learn how to handle edema. I was really scared of this since I have taken care of people with it who were in bad health, my mother being one. My mother could not stand to have anyone or anything touch her feet. I would wash them for her and had to be super gentle. I was worried about what the edema meant for me.

I showed her the manual for my new Legexercise passive exercise machine and she told me I can use it and in fact, she liked it. She said that is what they use in physical therapy. Mine is electric and I just got it but was afraid to use it till she said it was okay. That is because the company said people with blood clots are the only ones who should not use it. Excited to be able to use it now!

On the way home, Sonny and I stopped at a restaurant to eat and then went to a drug store and I got the compression stockings. Now this morning, I already have them on. They feel good in fact.
 
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Sliverfox said:
That is great news, katlupe.
Hope the compression stockings help your legs.

I saw the nurse practitioner yesterday.
No new meds ,, just continue what I'm doing.
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I think it is good when you don't get anything new.

I am comfortable with the compression stockings on. In fact, I feel better and seem to be able to walk better. Yet my problem with walking is due to my knees and the compression stocking is below the knees.

I used the LegExerciser for 6 minutes today. I want to work on it slowly, just to be certain I don't do anything too fast and make it worse. Actually I felt like I could have sat there forever doing it and it would have been okay. But I promised myself to take it slow at first. Slow speed. 6 minutes adding a couple of minutes every time I use it. I already love it.
 
I have been getting back to writing on my blog again. I have only done 2 posts this year! Since I have changed it from a homesteading blog to one more about my life as it is now, it has been challenging. I am trying to make it helpful to people, especially women my age. So I look at the things that I must overcome or research in my life right now. Not in the past. This morning that is what I have been doing.

I just managed to struggle through the job of putting my compression stockings on. Not easy! Felt like I had a work-out! The key is to make sure you get the heel in the right place before you start pulling it over your toes. Hard for me to bend my knees to get my foot near enough to do this. But somehow I did it. Once I get them on though, my legs feel good. I like them.

To put my stockings on, I laid Rabbit's play table on its side and put my foot on it. Well, he was really curious about that! So I left it on its side for now.
 
katlupe said:
I have been getting back to writing on my blog again. I have only done 2 posts this year! Since I have changed it from a homesteading blog to one more about my life as it is now, it has been challenging. I am trying to make it helpful to people, especially women my age. So I look at the things that I must overcome or research in my life right now. Not in the past. This morning that is what I have been doing.

I just managed to struggle through the job of putting my compression stockings on. Not easy! Felt like I had a work-out! The key is to make sure you get the heel in the right place before you start pulling it over your toes. Hard for me to bend my knees to get my foot near enough to do this. But somehow I did it. Once I get them on though, my legs feel good. I like them.

To put my stockings on, I laid Rabbit's play table on its side and put my foot on it. Well, he was really curious about that! So I left it on its side for now.
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Kat, I have a pair of compression socks that I could barely put on it's so difficult. I couldn't imagine putting on long stockings like yours!
 
RadishRose said:
Kat, I have a pair of compression socks that I could barely put on it's so difficult. I couldn't imagine putting on long stockings like yours!
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Well they are called socks on the package. They remind me of a thicker, tighter knee highs. I bought the ones that are mild. So not the tightest. My doctor said they are okay. They come to below my knees. I didn't want anything to cover my knees.
 
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While out & about Sunday,, eating out.
Hubby was facing the main area of the restaurant,, people watching.

He had remarked about a lady wearing a cast on her leg.
Soon said "there's another one".

This time I turned to see.

Lady was overweight ,had on what appeared to be heavy black knit , braces?
From way she was adjusting them,,pulling them up,,may have been compressions socks?
 
Sliverfox said:
While out & about Sunday,, eating out.
Hubby was facing the main area of the restaurant,, people watching.

He had remarked about a lady wearing a cast on her leg.
Soon said "there's another one".

This time I turned to see.

Lady was overweight ,had on what appeared to be heavy black knit , braces?
From way she was adjusting them,,pulling them up,,may have been compressions socks?
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Yeah, they come up to the knee but not on the knee. Mine are black too. they have them in the nude color too and those looked lighter to me. But I was limited to size and I wanted mild compression. Surprisingly they don't make me hotter than normal.
 
Sometimes I get discouraged with the produce I buy in the grocery store. Yesterday, I bought blueberries and raspberries because it was buy one get one free. I should have just got the blueberries. The raspberries have no taste at all. I hadn't bought any in years. Well, maybe there were some in a bag of frozen mixed berries I bought awhile back. At my house I had unlimited berries all summer and the blackberries and raspberries were full of flavor! I miss that. That is probably why people usually add sugar or another sweetener to the berries. No taste.

Sonny buys fresh strawberries and gets them home to find out the ones on the bottom are all moldy. Living 45 minutes from the store he is not driving back to exchange or return. I have bought dehydrated strawberries and blueberries from Emergency Essentials and they were good. Of course, not the same as fresh or frozen. They were flavorful and I could add them to other things so as an ingredient they were a good buy.

This morning sitting here on my computer having my coffee, I start getting a horrid hot flash? Not sure if that is what it is but I get really hot and even my hands get red. So I used the "cooling collar" I bought from Amazon. Works instantly! I love it. I might get a couple more because they do heat up in less than an hour (for me). I guess it took me all these years to have a "hot body" and now I have to cool it off. LOL

Sonny wants to go to Bowman park again this afternoon. He likes to take his dog, Cinnamon. I said no but now that I think about it, I should take the opportunity. Soon it will be winter and we won't be able to do stuff like that. We do go there during the fall a few times. I like to see the trees. I had some stuff to do around here and I can do some of it this morning. I will see how I feel.
 
katlupe said:
Sometimes I get discouraged with the produce I buy in the grocery store. Yesterday, I bought blueberries and raspberries because it was buy one get one free. I should have just got the blueberries. The raspberries have no taste at all. I hadn't bought any in years. Well, maybe there were some in a bag of frozen mixed berries I bought awhile back. At my house I had unlimited berries all summer and the blackberries and raspberries were full of flavor! I miss that. That is probably why people usually add sugar or another sweetener to the berries. No taste.

Sonny buys fresh strawberries and gets them home to find out the ones on the bottom are all moldy. Living 45 minutes from the store he is not driving back to exchange or return. I have bought dehydrated strawberries and blueberries from Emergency Essentials and they were good. Of course, not the same as fresh or frozen. They were flavorful and I could add them to other things so as an ingredient they were a good buy.

This morning sitting here on my computer having my coffee, I start getting a horrid hot flash? Not sure if that is what it is but I get really hot and even my hands get red. So I used the "cooling collar" I bought from Amazon. Works instantly! I love it. I might get a couple more because they do heat up in less than an hour (for me). I guess it took me all these years to have a "hot body" and now I have to cool it off. LOL

Sonny wants to go to Bowman park again this afternoon. He likes to take his dog, Cinnamon. I said no but now that I think about it, I should take the opportunity. Soon it will be winter and we won't be able to do stuff like that. We do go there during the fall a few times. I like to see the trees. I had some stuff to do around here and I can do some of it this morning. I will see how I feel.
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When I buy fresh strawberries I always turn the package upside down to check for mold on the bottom strawberries. Also I never buy strawberries that are sitting on a paper in the package. This usually means they were put in wet and the paper is there to absorb the water. Wet strawberries mold in the package.

I find certain brands of strawberries tend to have mold more than others so I also pay attention to the brand/farm. This is also true of small tomatoes varieties. You have to turn the packages in all directions and check closely for mold.

Just saying.
 
Aneeda72 said:
When I buy fresh strawberries I always turn the package upside down to check for mold on the bottom strawberries. Also I never buy strawberries that are sitting on a paper in the package. This usually means they were put in wet and the paper is there to absorb the water. Wet strawberries mold in the package.

I find certain brands of strawberries tend to have mold more than others so I also pay attention to the brand/farm. This is also true of small tomatoes varieties. You have to turn the packages in all directions and check closely for mold.

Just saying.
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I do check them but Sonny never does. Often he buys things for me if I can't go inside.
 
Rabbit knows that when I go back into the kitchen for my 2nd cup of coffee I will get his banana for him. He watches me intently waiting for me to do this. I drink pretty slow so it takes me a bit and in the meantime he does have his morning spring mix to eat. I recently changed my long time coffee cup to a smaller one. I now get three cups instead of two and maybe it is in my brain but it tastes better.

He waits at the threshold to the kitchen for me while I get the banana and my coffee. I have to be careful because he gets so excited about the banana that he is running back and forth in front of me. Number one causes of falls is pets so I am very careful. I usually carry both from the kitchen and put my coffee down on my table before giving him the banana. So he is zinging like crazy until I do. I wish I could show you how he does this because it is pretty funny.

Now he has eaten the banana, not a whole one, a small piece, he has settled under the rocking chair to work on his cecotropes. If you don't know what they are here is a definition of them, "Cecotropes, also called 'night feces' or 'soft feces,' are the material resulting from the fermentation of food in a part of the digestive system called the 'cecum.' Cecotropes, which are nutrient-rich, are passed out of the body but are then reingested by the animal so additional nutrients can be absorbed."

It is VERY important for a rabbit to eat them daily and Rabbit takes this very seriously. At first other people seeing this for the first time will say, "Yuck, he is eating his poop!" Well, he is, in a way. But not exactly. I call the cecotropes his vitamins. If they do not get it they could die. So I am glad to see him doing it.

In this picture you can see he is in his molt. That is his rug where I give him hay and lettuce and other food. He runs to it when I bring food for him out. Sometimes though he spends the day under the table because I am on my computer almost all day and I will give him food there too but not a lot. He is a fun little guy and very sweet.

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In 1994 I moved to FL with my not-yet-husband, Larry. We moved to St. Petersburg and bought a house on 2nd Ave. N. It was a small house but I loved it. The street was all brick and there were no driveways on it. Every house had a alley behind their houses with a driveway to the back of their houses. So garages were along the alley. The street behind your house also used that same alley. So we got to know our neighbors on the street behind us rather than the residents who lived across the street. Most of the people on our street were from NY or PA. Most of them were much older than us. I was 42 at the time.

Since we had both come from working in a nursing home that was where we focused on finding jobs. I got one in a very fancy nursing home and was so excited about it. Larry not so much. He did not really like that line of work but ended up doing it in NY when his business went bankrupt and there were no other jobs. Unknown to me, one evening after taking me to work he applied for a different job at the Home Shopping Network. He got the job!

I was the person at work who had racist bullying used against me. I was the only white person working there! I did not know this when I applied for the job. One girl refused to work with me or show me the job the first night. It was horrible! So I do know what this feels like. One night I could not take it and I called Larry to come get me and he did. First time and only time I EVER walked off a job! The next day I applied at Home Shopping Network for a job and got it. At HSN, I worked closely with people of many different races and we all got along great. But.....most of the people were from "up north" and I am not saying that had anything to do with it but there was no trouble there.

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Do you even plan your day with all kinds of things you are going to do and not do one thing? For some reason I just feel tired and sad. Not sure why as nothing in particular has happened to me or anyone I know of. Maybe I should have gone outside and taken a ride to the park. Sometimes the best thing for me is being outside.
 
katlupe said:
Do you even plan your day with all kinds of things you are going to do and not do one thing? For some reason I just feel tired and sad. Not sure why as nothing in particular has happened to me or anyone I know of. Maybe I should have gone outside and taken a ride to the park. Sometimes the best thing for me is being outside.
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It’s the change in the weather for me.

I’m really enjoying this little taste of fall but all I want to do is eat and sleep today.
 

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