Monday, July 08, 2019

7-8-2019 Monday-8:15am

Back again.
I'm still about where I was before I went in the first time.  Haven't gotten much worse, I guess.  As soon as I am up and about the toe swells and hurts worse.  Using my hand causes the knuckle to swell and hurt worse.  But I can get around and nuke my own food.  Just waiting for Wednesday when I go back to see Dr. Ryan.
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I  said I wasn't running a temp, but that's not entirely true.  I haven't been running a high temp.  Both Dagan and I will sometimes run below normal temps when we are sick.  Doctors don't seem to care about low temps, but I have been running between 97 and 98 degrees consistently and am hot and cold and get sweaty when I get up and move about so I am going to be sure and talk to him about that.  It's still a temp...just a reverse temp...because normally I run 98.6.
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Leah was over Monday night and we worked on my grocery list for Caroline.  Leah's got me on this low-carb keto diet for now.  I figure it can't hurt--another way to fight the inflammation.  She's been cooking for me so that all I have to do is nuke food in the microwave or throw together a salad or sandwich.  I can stand long enough to do that now so they don't have to be over here every day.  :)
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Tuesday I was finished with my medications.  I finally began sleeping longer than 3 hours at a time--whoohoo!  Been sleeping mostly at night and longer hours again.  More normal.  I even started to get back to my morning routine with Annie's needs (she's thrilled) and then doing my morning journaling (even if I have to do it in my chair and very briefly).  One tiny piece of normal lifts the spirits.  :)
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If it is cool in the morning I crack open the patio door for Annie.  She won't leave it until I close it later to turn on the AC--even if she falls asleep there waiting to see voles and baby cottontail rabbits and birds.
Wednesday I had more swelling in the toe and my knuckle.  Seems to have remained about the same since then--maybe slightly worse.  This is how my left hand looks--basically flat knuckles when hand is flat. 
This is what that knuckle looks like when my right hand is flat. 
This is today.  
Yup--might be a little worse.  (And I realize my hands are looking older than they used to--LOL!  That's what happens when you are creeping up on 70.)
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Anyways, I am so glad that while it was doing better I caught up on letters--short as they were.  :)  It is harder for me to hand write for very long now and to even type.
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Back to Wednesday...
Caroline brought my groceries.  I saw two partridges (almost said grouse) at dusk come to drink water.  Haven't   seen any since spring!  Leah came over in the evening.  :)
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Thursday I had a quiet 4th of July.
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Friday Dagan asked if he and Ian could come over for a little visit.  Since I haven't had a Gramma Day for a month--of course!  Well, surprise!!  Dagan brought me a new smart TV to trade for my old one!  Same size.  Lighter.  Two feet instead of a single base.  Has some kind of special HD that makes things look ultra-real.
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That's  a picture of Liam smiling on their old couch.  Leah has family pictures on rotation for a screen saver.  :)
Anyways, it already had all these links to Netflix, Prime, etc.  Cool! 
Dagan set me up with the things I have so I don't have to go through my laptop anymore.  I am slowly learning how to navigate this new smarter-than-me TV--LOL!
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This month my Amazon orders were mostly for Annie.  Saturday I had a package of cat foods coming.  When Alexa told me my package had arrived...Dagan came over to bring it in for me.  He even opened up the canned food boxes and stacked the cans in the pantry for me.
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On Sunday it was a 40# bag of kitty litter that Dagan came over to dump in the bin for me.  He took out trash and filled the birds water dish outside.  Nice to have visits with Dagan, too.  :)
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And that brings us to today...which should be another quiet day watching shows.  Thank goodness for all the choices I have when I can't do much else right now.  Can't even hold a Kindle to read, let alone a book.  Can't write very long...
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I hope I will find out more on Wednesday from Dr. Ryan.  At least he's on the trail.  :)
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Have a really good week.  
Hug those loved ones. 
Till next time...  :) :)
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Found this quote.  Funny--I've always told people I am a realistic optimist--LOL!
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"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails."
William A. Ward

17 comments:

Rita said...

Comment to get comments. :)

Divers and Sundry said...

I'm glad you're sleeping better and hope the doctor has good help for you when you go back. We are loving Amazon Prime. Right now we're watching City Homicide, an Australian detective series starring the actress that played the housekeeper in the Doctor Blake series. The new tv looks _nice_ :)

Intense Guy said...

Sleep will help, but I wish they could get to the source of the problem ASAP!!!

Cool tv. Mine is smarter then I am too! Hugs.

Bonnie said...

I hate that you are still dealing with all this! I sure hope Dr.Ryan can help you. If you can't hold the Kindle have you tried reading it on your laptop? I have the app on my computer and when the arthritis in my hands is acting up I read books on the computer.

I love your new smart TV! Isn't it amazing what they can do now. What a thoughtful and sweet gift from Dagan! You are blessed to have your kids help you out so much!

Take care Rita - keeping you in my thoughts.

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

Glad your sleeping hours have improved Rita. You have such a wonderful family and Caroline. We just replaced our older tv with smart TV and it has been a huge figure it out/learning curve but once everything was set up we are enjoying having Netflix as an addition to what we normally had. Annie has her routines and she is a smart cat. Keeping you in my thoughts every day Rita. Hope that Dr. Ryan has figures out more of what is happening to you.
Hugs and Love.
Joy

Far Side of Fifty said...

You sound a bit better! You might need some audio books! Hope the Dr has some kind of news on Wednesday. Thinking of you!

DJan said...

I have a smart TV, too. I decided I didn't want it set up to be so easy to use, since it makes me even more inclined to spend too much time watching it. Anyway, I sure hope Dr. Ryan can figure out what the heck is going on. This is very worrisome. :-(

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

Your hands don't look that old or bad as I have seen worse my late Nan had terrible arthretic hands.

Lady Fi said...

Here's hoping you get things sorted out soon with the doctor. All the best!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I am so sorry you are still not well. At least you are able to get a few hours sleep, now.

I've heard of those smart TVs, but I'm a low tech gal, so will probably not get one until my current tv dies.

I sure hope your Dr. can figure out what is wrong with you. I will be thinking about you and wishing you the best (and good thoughts) on Wednesday.

Jenny Woolf said...

I sure hope that the doctor can help you, that hand does look swollen. Sleeping so little at night is a trial, I guess the doctor isn't able to give you anything for that? You do sound uncomfortable and your wonderful family is a blessing. I like to see how Annie has settled down so well now, I remember when she first came and she was so anxious and suspicious!

Diana said...

Have you been checked for rheumatoid arthritis? Your symptoms match mine and that's what I was diagnosed with several years ago. Bless Dagan for being such a great help to you! Still praying for your comfort and health! ♥

Serena Lewis said...

I hope you are still managing okay with all the aches and pains. I sure hope the specialist can shed some light on the matter. Good that your sleeping hours are more normal again.

Congratulations on the Smart TV! Nice screensaver too. :)

So nice that Dagan and Leah are helping out where needed.

Get better, my friend. xo

Serena Lewis said...

Just to add that, from the pics, I was also wondering about Rheumatoid Arthritis, just like Diana mentioned.

Janie Junebug said...

Willy Dunne Wooters gave me a smart TV several years ago. It's not the sort of thing I would buy for myself, but I've sure gotten used to the ease of using it. The picture is beautiful. I'm sorry that the problems won't go away. Got your letter. Thank you. I wanted to write to you today, but I took a nap instead. I was so sleepy. My eyes needed to rest.

Love,
Janie

Hootin Anni said...

I just popped over from Arkansas Patti after laughing at your comment talking to the microwave!! And, I AM 70.

HOPING a speciakust can help you.

Harvest Moon by Hand said...

Your family is so supportive of you! They all are very helpful and compassionate.