Learning and understanding

This morning’s walk was chilly !  And windy!  Jerry wasn’t thrilled by the wind, and barked at it when it blew his fur the wrong way 😂 I’m glad that I’d grabbed a sweater before I left the house, because it was highly needed!  My nurse arrived today to remove my PICC line, so I’m no longer “wired” for a quick IV hookup — we haven’t had to use the line in a long while, so it’s good news.  Also I had a discussion with my endocrinologist, and my insulin has been reduced further, and we’re likely to cancel it in a week or two as my body has been managing fairly well without it.  She said that over time the body can fluctuate in its need for insulin, and I seem to be in a place where I don’t really need much.  Don wasn’t feeling great today, unfortunately, but he seems to have perked up a little.  There’s work being done on the building, and the noise in the morning is dreadful!  I don’t need anything more to interrupt my sleep, and it seems that I’ll...

It’s pouring  rain now, and I got somewhat wet.  We had some drama today… I had an appointment with my oncologist this afternoon (more later) and Don and I headed down to the car to drive over.  Well, the car started, then it suddenly cut off and refused to start again.  The lights, radio and windows all worked, but it just wouldn’t start.  So I made a panicked call to a friend who didn’t answer and then I called a cab, mentally preparing myself for an expensive ride… just as I got into the cab (having left my boys in the garage) my phone rang, and my dear sister-friend (and sometime kidnapper) said that she’d come get me.  She did, we went to my appointment, then had a coffee before she returned me home.  Thank God for sorting this out so smoothly!  The boys were back upstairs waiting for me, and he’ll sort out the car in the morning.  From this you’ll appreciate how he’s doing, and the little boy is snuggled up to him, and is ignoring me! M...

It was another hot and somewhat muggy day, but it’s now raining heavily.  When we were out this evening, the rain started, and I had a little struggle as Jerry doesn’t like getting wet so he was heading off at a rapid trot and I can’t keep up with that.  My back is a bit sore now, but I got home and sat down to rest and took my meds waiting for the pain to subside.  On balance, I admit that I’ve had more pain-free days recently than for quite some time.  The pain really only becomes problematic when I’m tired or have over exerted myself.  I noticed that tiredness causes several other disruptions which I’ll need to learn how to manage.  Don had a little setback today, and reported feeling nauseous and having tummy issues.  I hope that he feels better soon.  The little dictator is right now curled up on Don, watching me out of the corner of his eyes.  It’s always nice when there’s a rainy night like tonight for us to relax together. I received ...

I’m doing a humblebrag… my flowers have added another couple of blooms, and there are some babies that are making an appearance!  I’ve actually kept a plant alive for 2 months!!!   Me, whose previous record was about 3 days… Don is laughing at my excitement, calling it child-like, which is, I’m sure a compliment.  I’m really excited, and I want to thank M&M for believing in me enough to entrust a plant into my care.  The pride I feel is almost, but not quite, enough to overcome the pain that’s returned to my back.  I know that I’ve probably done too much, but I’m enjoying taking walks with the dog.  My back has been flaring up again and I need to find ways of controlling it.  I was so happy that we were able to reduce my pain meds by half, and I really enjoyed being pain free for so many weeks.  The thing is that as I’ve been improving on my walking and being able to manage Jerry so that he doesn’t pull badly, I think that I have been trying t...

I’ve really overdone it.  I suspected, but denied it, until this evening when my back flamed into agony while I was out walking the dictator.  I’d mentioned a couple of little twinges and a limp that I was sure would fade with some sleep… I did sleep quite well last night, and had difficulty getting up this morning, so I was a little slow.  Jerry was his little high energy self when we were out, and I thought I’d try walking over to the dog park with the idea that he could run around off-leash and I’d sit… I got about halfway there when I realized that I couldn’t finish that walk, not if I were to walk back home afterwards, so I turned around and returned home. He didn’t seem to mind too much, as he was happily sniffing and exploring at the extent of the leash.  I fell asleep on my chair in the afternoon, and when I called my aunt I was yawning really hard!  When we were out this evening, I was being pulled along behind the mini-dynamo, and that was when my back...

It’s been a wet and chilly day, so we’ve been wrapped up in sweaters and/or blankets most of the day.  Jerry is determinedly unhappy with this state of affairs.  He’s got a conundrum  — he hates getting his paws wet, so he avoids walking in the rain, but he needs to go out to survey his territory which means getting his feet wet in the rain.  His choice right now is to sit on my lap and climb on my tummy (which hurts) as he protests the weather and the unfairness of wet feet.  Don is feeling more like himself today — I’m very relieved about that— and he’s eating more.  My sugar did a drop last night, for the first time in a few days.  I have no idea why, I didn’t do anything differently.  I’ve been able to skip my insulin doses for several days as my readings were below the approved minimum at mealtime, and I was feeling smug about not needing it. I’ve been sleeping a little better, too, with usually about 5 solid hours a night, although today I n...

  We’ve settled into a bit of a routine, where I take Jerry for a short walk in the morning and again in the late afternoon.  I’m trying to build up enough stamina to walk  to the dog park and stay for him to have a chance to play with other dogs.  I’m trying to stage the activity so I don’t exhaust or injure myself, because I don’t want to be confined indoors for long periods.  Don is still slowly improving — he’s tons better than on the weekend, but his appetite is still not as hearty as I’d like.  Jerry is pretending that he needs  to go out again (we just got back about an hour ago!) and I’m ignoring  him.  He had a lovely time sniffing everything, barking at anything that moved and strutting around like a tiny boss.  I know that I talk more about him than Don, but it’s not because I’m ignoring Don… at least, not deliberately.   I took a look at my “list o’projects” today to determine what will be done next.  I have a numbe...

  My job this evening is to be a dog bed.  It’s apparently a role that I fulfil reasonably well since I’m so often called upon to do it!  He went out today for a couple of walks which have tired both of us out, and I need to rest because my back is a bit sore.  I’m glad that I’m able to take him out (and that the weather is cooperating!) as I’m definitely stronger than I was, say, at the beginning of summer.  I can walk further without my cane, and my balance is improved, so that’s all to the good!  While my back hurts when I’m tired, I can manage to stand longer and move more easily before I need to rest, and I don’t need as long to recover as I did a few weeks ago.  I’m actually being optimistic that I will be able to climb stairs easily… or maybe even squat?  Who knows?  Don is still slowly improving, although he complained that his appetite is poor — we seem to be taking turns with that!  I will have moments where I feel famished, bu...

So Jerry is in the figurative doghouse this evening.  We were out this morning for his short walk, and he got very excited when he saw a small dog on the other side of the street, and both he and the little dog ran into the (fortunately empty) road… then he managed to wrap his leash around my legs so I almost fell.  Plus he’s been trying to get my attention by scratching my PICC line.  He just got yelled at and sent over to Don, who is continuing to improve slowly.  I’m resting because my back is having a moment because, I think, I might have done too much. I’m proud to admit that I’ve finished one of my projects today!  It’s been quite a while sitting, waiting for me, but I was finally able to complete it this morning.  I’ll be able to pack it up to mail it to the recipient!  Woo!  I will be working on the next one starting this week, with the aim of completing it so it can be a Christmas present this year.  The other projects will be handle...

Here’s a quick view of yesterday’s dim sum… a feast for the eyes and the stomach!  I’m happily reliving it, and I thought you’d enjoy a quick view.  Jerry has been extra bossy and has had me taking him out for more walks, regardless of my level of tiredness.  We just got back because he decided that he absolutely had to go out in the rain… he’s now letting me know that his paws got wet and he doesn’t like having wet feet.  Don is feeling a bit better again, which is good.  Have I mentioned that I really don’t like it when he’s unwell?  I have much less stress when he’s well, and less stress is good! My sugar again dropped badly last night, around 8pm.  I honestly don’t understand why.  We’ve reassessed my insulin use and reduced it considerably, and I was advised to be sure to eat before bed — something with protein and carbohydrates— to stabilize my sugars.  I’ve also got an emergency stock of chocolate (Thanks to L for contributing some exc...

Presented for your consideration… one tiny dictator who decided to bring his empty bowl into the bedroom to complain that he was being starved.  For the record, he dumped out the dry dog food that was in the bowl onto the floor before running around the house with it.  He then jumped into bed and put the bowl on my tummy.  It seems that he really didn’t like the dog food!  Don is slightly better today, which is a bit of relief.       I was really tired last night, but woke up for no real reason around 1am; took a while before I went back to sleep.  Today I met up with some of my girlfriends for dim sum.  It’s been over 2 years since we were able to meet for this, as the last time was just before the world shut down with the plague.  It was lovely being able to get together in person and share a meal together.  I am really happy that we’re able to meet; and today we were celebrating my stable results which is a reason we all like. ...

Remind me not to brag about getting lots of sleep 😴 because last night I lay awake until after 3am!!  AND my sugar did a nose dive again.  It was on the low normal side before bedtime, but then around midnight I was wondering why I didn’t feel sleepy, but I felt the annoying yet familiar signs of low sugar, so I checked, and sure enough!  Low.  I had opted against taking a sleeping pill last night (I think that was an error) because I wanted to try sleeping without any chemical assistance, and I’m rather sorry I didn’t.  Then I did a few things around here because Don is again not feeling good, and I had some energy (obviously adrenaline) and now everything aches, my back is spasming and my hands and legs have tremors.  I’m having some tea and being butted by a small dog to relax; I’ll go find something to eat before I go to bed as a precaution.  Jerry was a bit hyperactive today; my helper was here, and because it was hot and muggy, Don kept Jerry wi...

I SLEPT last night.  I mean, I did wake up a few times during the night, but never for long, and I finally was able to get out of bed after 10am today.  Obviously my scan results must have been weighing more on my mind than I realized!  I definitely slept more than I had for a while.  I had enough energy to take Jerry out for a walk, and today we made it over to his dog park for the first time in a long while, because I haven’t had the stamina to walk that far.  I needed to sit and recover for a few minutes, but I’m very pleased that I was able to do that.  The weather cooperated, too, as it was a lovely day, with a cooling breeze, so it was pleasant to walk there, watch Jerry run around with his buddy (I ran into them as they were leaving, and they went back to sit with me for a bit.)  So nice to run into people who I haven’t seen in a while.  Don was better today than yesterday, but still not back to himself.  I’m happy that he’s improved, ...

This is a picture of a neglected, starved puppy who is unloved and unpetted. Or so he'd like you to believe… He was trying to mooch a piece of my sandwich after he'd emptied his bowl and dragged the evidence to show me! He then jumped into my lap, rolled over and bunny-kicked until I started massaging his tummy. Aren't I well-trained? Don continues to feel unwell, and refuses to go to a doctor. Although that would mean a walk-in clinic, and I'm not sure how good they are. We still don't have a family doctor after ours retired last December- we're on a couple of waiting lists, but no luck yet.  We’re also reluctant to try the ER, what with the crowding and the long waits and all the “benefits” of the Ford administration’s “focus” on healthcare! 🤬  In other news, I got a call early this morning from the endocrinology nurse, responding to my call about my series of low readings.  After a quick review of my symptoms and daily readings (and a phone consultation with...

I received a little potted Lisianthus for my birthday in June, and I’ve been trying to keep it alive for the last 2 months.  As everyone knows, I’ve been known to kill plastic plants, but I keep trying  to grow things.  This morning I woke up to see that a whole new  flower had bloomed!!  I was so excited!  I took photos of it, immediately notified my family, and stopped just short of taking out a full page newspaper ad to let everyone know that I kept a plant alive for over 2 months.  (Don has been laughing at me; unlike me, he’s able to grow pencils in concrete and he’s amazed that I couldn’t even keep an African violet alive for more than a week.)  The tiny monster suddenly needs to be petted all day long, and if I am not patting him, he’ll be on my feet pressing on me.  My support worker was here today, and Jerry had to let everyone know that someone was in his space.  It got even noisier when another friend dropped by to pick up som...

I'm a little frustrated, as once more, I was woken in the middle of the night with very low blood sugar readings! That's, what, 4 nights in a row? Not cool! Jerry, though, loves it - he thinks that it's a signal to play when I wake up. Don has been having pains in his legs again, and is having a lot of difficulty walking. I'm sitting in a waiting room at the hospital as I write, as I'm scheduled for a CT scan this evening. Unusually, it's a "late evening" appointment, and there's nobody at reception, but 4 patients waiting. I was watching reruns of some old (1980'S, 1990's) detective shows lately. It's fun watching as they "introduce new technology” that's now obsolete. Like fax machines, CD-ROM directories, digital cameras and cell phones (with antennae!) I was amused at the old CRT monitors, as the "latest" tech -or 5.25" floppy disks... My niece has absolutely no idea what many of those are; they are as foreig...

 Yesterday evening I was invited to attend a puja  at the home  of a friend.  Her family does this every few years, and I’m always honoured when I’m included!  I’d first met her when I moved to Ottawa 23 years ago, and in that time I’ve watched her sons grow up — including when she announced her pregnancy with her younger son, who just celebrated his 18th birthday!  Time flies, doesn’t it?  Don wasn’t feeling well yesterday, so he allowed me to drive — something he’s cautious about since my pain and tiredness can get bad quickly and he’s protective of me.  Jerry was annoyed that I was out yesterday without him, and when I got home (around 8:30pm) he decided to sulk at me until bedtime, when he wanted to play!  My sugar dropped low again around 1:30am, so I had to get up and eat some chocolate, then back to bed with a dog who suddenly needed petting!!  I didn’t fall asleep until almost 4, and I’m a little foggy today.  Now I’ve got a...