ONWARD! DAYS 8 AND 9

 ONWARD! DAY 8

I am going to continue on with my ONWARD! project.  It seems to be helping and I am finally accomplishing a few things I have not been doing. 

This morning I was up bright and early.  Probably because of the lack of sleep on the way my bed is situated now.  I did not have a good night.  I felt like I was going to slide off the bed which I didn’t do.  However, my blood pressure was somewhat better this morning so maybe it will help.

After breakfast I worked outside starting to get the marigold garden weeded.  I am about 20% finished.  The weeds are taller than the flowers.  Looks like it will take a few days, but I hope to finish it this week.

After working outside I came in the house and sorted my laundry.  I am now in the process of doing my laundry.  I am also working on my morning chores.

After lunch I finally finished my genealogy notes for the Aker Family Tree.  Now I will start doing more research on all the trees.  I plan to sign up for the ancestry.com world information.  I hope this will answer some of my questions.

I did my first set of therapy this afternoon also.

I even broke down and took a short nap this afternoon.  I was so tired from lack of sleep last night.  I feel better now.  I still have a few things to do.

Didn’t do much.  Now it is time for bed.  Hope I sleep better tonight.

ONWARD!  DAY 9

Up bright and early again.  This is getting to be a habit.  After breakfast I went outside to work some more on my “marigold garden.”  I am about half finished with it now.  Came inside and did my morning chores, took a shower, ate lunch, and headed for Kroger in Tigertown. 

Brought my groceries into the house, put them away and then rested for a short time.  While at Kroger I found the stockings Dr. Miller wants me to wear.  I bought two pair.  The books I ordered on Amazon came today, so I took them off my list and printed a new list.  I did rest for a while this afternoon.  Ate supper.  Kevin came over to check my tire and it had gone flat again.  He took my car to his house, removed the tire, put air in it, put the tire in the pool and he and Renea found the leak.  Kevin plugged it, but since it is close to the sidewall I will be getting a new tire or two either tomorrow or Thursday. 

Talked to Brian on the phone.  Also talked to Jana.  I am now finished for the day/night. 

ONWARD! 6 AND 7

 ONWARD! DAY 6

Finally finished my morning chores.  Running a little late because I slept a little longer this morning.  Kevin and Renea stopped over (they were leaving to run errands) so Kevin could check what needs to be done to raise my bed.  They also noticed that I have a flat tire.  He will do both fixing my tire and raising my bed later today.  After they left I did my physical therapy (first set).  Just a little dizzy from this set.  Need to rest for a short time.

After lunch I did my second set of physical therapy.  Kevin and Renea came home and invited me to join them for a Blizzard at DQ.  I sure couldn’t turn that down J  While out we stopped at Lowe’s.  They bought some drywall for the room they are remodeling and charcoal. I bought new birdfeeders and cement blocks for under my bed.  Kevin is going to fix my bed tomorrow with a little (or lot) help from Ryan.  He also plans to fix my flat tire tomorrow.  I saw on Facebook that he is cleaning his pool.

After arriving home I took a short walk to empty my trash and get my mail.  Of course, there was nothing important.  At least that means, no bills.  Now it is time for a little television and maybe some reading.  Until tomorrow……

ONWARD! DAY 7

Good Morning!  It’s day seven of ONWARD! and I feel I am making progress.  I have been keeping busy in the morning, doing my physical therapy (in two parts – one in the morning and one in the afternoon), working on my genealogy in the afternoon, and taking a short rest now and then.  Evenings I don’t do anything except relax.  I am usually worn out by then.

This morning after breakfast and pills I worked outside for a while.  I have started cleaning my front yard starting with the concrete pad where I park my car and working toward the front of the deck.  So far I have cleaned my deck and most of the concrete pad.  I have also been watering two of the new trees I can reach with the hose and have been filling the birdbaths.  I feel like I am making progress in that area.  I am now inside taking a break.

Morning chores are now finished.  I even went back outside and watered a plant I forgot to water.  Now I am going to do a little work on my Aker Family genealogy.

After lunch I did my first set of physical therapy and then worked some more on my notes for the Aker Family genealogy.  Talked to Jana on the phone.  Renea came over to visit.  Shortly thereafter I went to Kevin and Renea’s for supper.  He fixed ribs, and Renea fixed baked potatoes, salad and cookies for dessert.  It was awesome.  Stephanie was there.  Ryan joined us and brought his girlfriend.  She is really nice and cute.  After supper everyone came over and Kevin, Ryan and Stephanie put the blocks under my bed so it is at an angle.  Now, if I don’t slide off it should be okay.  We will see. 

A fly got in the house when everyone came in, and Penny has been chasing it all over the house.  She has been jumping in the air, on top of furniture, everywhere trying to catch it.  She hasn’t even eaten her supper she has been so busy chasing the fly.

Time to go night night!

ONWARD! THREE THRU FIVE

ONWARD DAY 3!

Today is a different kind of day.  I had a doctor appointment at 8:45 this morning.  So, I was up at 6:00, had breakfast, took a shower, fed Penny, and headed for my doctor who is in Columbus, GA.  He is changed my blood pressure meds again since I am still having problems. Of course, I didn’t get out of his office until 10:30.  On the way home I stopped and filled the gas tank on the car.  I then made several phone calls when I arrived home.  By that time it was time to feed Penny (again) and eat my lunch.

Okay, so I ran late with my morning chores.  I didn’t do them until afternoon.  I did most of them.  I’m just running out of steam.  I need to rest and relax for a while.  Sorry to say this has not been a very good ONWARD day.  I have a really bad headache and took a really long nap on the couch.  Now it is suppertime.  Don’t really feel like eating, but I have meds to take so I need to eat something.

I’ve done my physical therapy.  That’s it for today.  Tomorrow will be better!

ONWARD! DAY 4

I was up bright and early today.  I finished all my morning chores including taking a short walk.  Next I headed to Phenix City.  Went to Walgreen’s to pick up my prescription.  While there I looked for support hose that Dr. Miller told me I should wear.  They did not have what I needed so I went to Walmart.  They informed me that they no longer sell them.  I ended up buying a set of Corelle.  They are just plain white.  After that I came home and had lunch.  Fed Penny.  Made a few phone calls. 

This afternoon and evening didn’t do much.  I did walk up to the mailbox several times.  I also took my trash up.  I considered that my physical therapy for the day.  I also started working on my notes for the Hennessy side of Jim’s family.  That would be his mother’s side.  Her dad was Hennessy and her mother was Ryan.  I haven’t found much on either one of them so far.

So much for ONWARD today.

ONWARD DAY 5

I was up bright and early again this morning.  After breakfast I went outside to do a little work.  I cleaned up the mess on my parking area.  Kevin had used the weedeater and the weeds were so bad that they were just clumps of dead weeds laying around.  I picked up a lot of it them hosed everything down.  Next I added water to my two birdbaths, and watered two of my new trees.  I really need to start doing yard work.  My yard is a disaster except where Kevin has cut the grass.

Finally finished my morning chores and did the first half of my physical therapy.  Also made a few phone calls.  Did a little research on the Hennessy family, but still no luck finding anything.

This afternoon was really hot.  I am putting the Hennessy family book aside for now.  I was getting rather frustrated.  Not sure what my next step will be with this one.  I am starting the Aker family tree now.  Hope that goes better.

I did part two of my physical therapy.  That’s the part that really wears me out, so I rested for a while.  Fixed a pizza in my new toaster over.  The oven works great and my pizza was really good. 

Didn’t do much this evening.  Finished a book I was reading, talked to Jana, watched some television, played with Penny, then called it a night.

ONWARD UPDATE

I would like to warn you that you will get bored reading this.  I just decided that if I write down everything I do, it will make me do everything I should.  So, here we go!

I also want to thank Jana, Brian, Kevin, Renea, Ginger and Arlene for their encouragement in my new endeavor.  That always helps.

DAY ONE OF ONWARD!

This morning I was up at 7:00.  Had breakfast, did my “morning” chores and took a shower. Had a nice conversation with Brian on the phone.  At 10:00 I left for my appointment with Dr. Verson (neurologist).  The news from him was interesting.  First thing he told me was I am robust and healthy.  I should live a long life.  However, I have to go back to taking physical therapy.  The reason I get sick from a couple of the exercises is that their diagnosis as to my problem is correct.  And….I will feel worse before I feel better.  So, they are in the process of getting permission from Medicare for more therapy.  Also, I have to see my primary care doctor (Dr. Miller) and talk to him about my blood pressure medicine.  Dr. Verson thinks part of my problem is I am not taking the correct meds.

After the appointment I headed for home, fed Penny and had some lunch.  I talked to Jana on the phone and let her know what Dr. Verson said.  I then went over to Kevin and Renea’s to let them know what Dr. Verson had to say.

Next on the agenda was a trip to Tigertown in Opelika.  I went to Office Depot, Books A Million, Petco and Kroger.  Brought everything in from the car and put it away.  I then ate supper and I am now running the dishwasher.  I am so happy to have the dishwasher.  I am using more dishes rather than paper plates, and I even used a glass glass at suppertime. 

I am tired now.  After all, I didn’t have a nap today.  So, I am not sure I will be doing much this evening.  Tomorrow is another day J

P.S.  Over the weekend I finished entering all my notes for my side of the family; i.e. Althoefer, Leipnitz, Heltman and Myers.  I also started a binder just for Jim and me and our decendants.  Now it is on to Germany for my side.  I also need to start on Jim’s family – Aker and Hennessy.

DAY TWO OF ONWARD!

I didn’t get up until 7:30 this morning.  Penny actually let me sleep a little later.  She still gets me up between 3 and 4 to fill her food dish.  The next wakeup call is between 6:30 and 7:30.  I am going to get up when she wakes me up at that time.  I used to stay in bed, but no more.

So far I have completed my morning chores.  Paid a couple of bills, and walked up to the mailbox.  Yesterday I bought a new toaster oven with the convection feature.  I set that up this morning.  I cleaned out three cupboards.  I am getting items ready to go to Goodwill.  I put them in the back of my car to drop off when I get a chance. 

I did one load of wash today – towels.

I called Dr. Miller’s office several times today for an appointment about my blood pressure medicine, but the lines have been busy.  Finally got through about 4:00 this afternoon.  I have an appointment for tomorrow morning at 8:45.

This afternoon when the deck got some shade, I washed the outside of the windows, cleaned up the plants and just did some general clean up. 

After I supper I did my physical therapy. 

That’s it for today.  As usual the physical therapy does me in, and I need to rest.  Back at it tomorrow.

ONWARD!

GOOD MORNING!

I have made a decision this morning.  I am tired of feeling sorry for myself.  Let’s face it, everyone has some kind of health problem.  So, beginning today I am going to stop working about mine and start doing things again.

I will still work on my genealogy because it is what I like to do.  I have several craft projects to finish and several to do for the holidays.

The biggest project will be outside.  We are going into a time when the weather should cool down a little, so I decided that every day I will work outside even if it is for only ten minutes at a time.  I can work for a short time in the morning and for a short time in the evening.  If the weather cooperates I will start this next week.

I will still keep my doctor appointments, and do the balance physical therapy. 

I would say WAGONS HO!, but since I am not going anywhere I will just say ONWARD!!

Physical Therapy

Still going to physical therapy.  I also have a name for what I have.  It is VOR which is short of Vestibular Ocular Reflex.  The therapy is really rough.  I always feel dizzy, have a headache, nauseous and off balance.  The exercises they give me, which are supposed to help, don’t seem to be doing so.  I make sure I do them when I can rest for a while.  Driving, walking, all the important things that a person does daily has become a problem.  

Meanwhile I am still working on my genealogy.  No more classes right now.  Just getting caught up with the info I have, and I have a lot.  My yard looks awful.  Renea and Kevin have been mowing the grass.  However, the weeds have taken over.  Most of my plants have died.  I have been watering Jim’s tree and it looks pretty good.  Some of my new trees look really sad.  That includes my weeping willow – which needs a lot of water.  Rain has been really scarce this year.  We are definitely in a drought.

I started this blog on 8/2 and a lot has happened since then.  Today is 8/17.  Monday was my last day of physical therapy.  It has helped my balance somewhat.  As for the dizzy/headache/nauseous feeling I am not any better.  In fact, it is worse.  I cannot do the exercises they give me to help this problem.  Next Monday I go back to the neurologist.  Not sure what he is going to tell me.  We shall see.

Meanwhile Kevin has been mowing my grass and doing the weedeating.  My so called garden is a disaster.  If the weather ever cools down I hope to get outside and work on weeding it.  Most of my plants have died.  I can’t see two of my bushes because of the weeds.  I have only two hummingbirds coming to eat, and they don’t come very often.  I am having trouble with wasps and carpenter bees eating the hummingbird food.  I have not been putting out birdseed this summer. 

Yesterday I had a new toilet installed.  It is one of those ADA compliant ones that are taller than I had.  It’s weird when you are happy to get a new toilet.  I also had a dishwasher installed.  I hired this “handyman” from Opelika and I really like him.  He actually built a cabinet for my dishwasher so it would blend in with my cabinets.  He is checking on the parts to install a shower only in my bathroom.  I don’t use the bathtub, and it is hard for me to step into it, so I am having it removed. The problem is, because I live in a mobile home nothing is standard size.  He is having trouble finding what we need.  I also talked to him today about having the carpet removed from my dining room and having wood/laminate flooring installed.  He said, yes, he does do that.

Other than that and working on my genealogy, nothing else much is happening.

Meet Mattie

Good Morning.  It is Monday and Renea is taking me to physical therapy.  It is already hotter than you know what!  Anyway, I am having a bad morning.  The therapist said part of my problem is riding in the car.  Apparently, that is part of the eye/brain problem.  My understanding is my eyes see things before my brain registers them, and that causes the headaches and dizziness.  Also causes nausea.  What a mess.  Hopefully, the therapy will help this.

 

After pt we stopped and picked up Miss Penny.  She was glad to see us.  In fact, she was extremely vocal.  More so than she has ever been.  When we arrived home, and I let her out of her crate, she immediately ran around the house making sure everything was still there.  She then ate her food that I put out for her, and went into her paper bag and took a nap.  She has since been following me around, cuddling with me, and napping.  I think she is glad to be home.

 

One surprise was that she slept with me all night.  In fact, she has been sleeping with me at night since she came home.  This is a first.  She usually slept in my bedroom, but not in bed with me.  I guess she missed me.

 

Yesterday I left to get some groceries and my hair cut.  She sure was glad to see me when I got back home.  She followed me all around the house.  I am sure she will settle down after a few days.

 

I’ve decided to settle back into some sort of routine and get a few things accomplished around here.  This morning I watered the plants (ones that are still alive) in my front yard along with two of my new trees.  I have done two loads of laundry (sheets and towels).  Searched under all the furniture for Miss Penny’s toys and found them.  Made her happy.  She even brought one to me as a gift.  Did my physical therapy.  Had both breakfast and lunch and cleaned up the dishes.  Now I plan to work for a short time on the genealogy.  I have been doing the genealogy so much I have gotten really far behind in other things.  So, starting today I will be limiting myself to how long I work on it each day. 

 

I took a couple of pictures of Jana’s new dog, and I would like to share them with you.  Meet Miss Mattie.  (Yes, I know her eyes are glowing and I need to fix that).  But isn't she a cutie!