Much To My Surprise!

I had a doctors appointment today. I was mentally prepared to have to go through a laundry list of items about things, but two items on my list were good! My blood pressure is down to a very delightful 132/82 and I have managed to keep some weight off and the doctor is quite pleased.

We discussed having to do my body scan this year... and I said that I didn't really want to do it. I told him that I would rather have a Thyrogen shot series, which is much easier on the body and I don't have to take more radioactive iodine. He is referring me to a specialist and not to the endocrinologist I had last year.

And... we discussed my back issue... what I thought was a "disc issue" and went to physical therapy for last year. (Or was it this year?) Anyway... the doctor went poking down my thoracic spine... first down the right side and then over to the left, where he discovered that my issue is actually that I have a dislocated rib! That is what has been causing my chest pain... proven when he came around to the front of my rib cage and pressed! Causing me to almost fall off the table as I gasped and tears came to my eyes.

So... I've been referred to a chiropractor... and prescribed some serious muscle relaxers for bedtime. I guess this explains why I am in pain when I do dishes or unload the dishwasher, try to cook or carry anything upstairs. I can't wait to start getting "adjusted" so that I can feel better!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Simple Woman's Daybook...

FOR TODAY (April 26, 2010)...
Outside my window...It's a steady gray rain, with an occasional thunder cloud.
I am thinking... of my brother... it's his birthday today! Happy Birthday, Brian!
I am thankful for... my hardworking husband (who is gone for the week on a work trip), my sweet dogs, my friends who love me no matter what and good health insurance!
From the kitchen...nothing is going on... I don't have to cook until Friday... so it's gonna be a lot of stuff out of the freezer!
I am wearing... my usual... jeans, white t-shirt and a hoodie, birkenstocks and socks.
I am creating... a clean closet in my bedroom (still!)
I am going... to see the doctor tomorrow... I have questions to ask him about doing my body scan this year... I want Thyrogen!
I am hoping... this week flies by while DH is gone.
I am hearing... the rain, the school bus, and the dogs snoring on the floor behind me.
Around the house... the dishwasher needs to be emptied, and a few things need to be put away, but that's all!
One of my favorite things... is how generous my husband is... he loves me alot!
A few plans for the rest of the week: going to see the doctor, maybe going to the movies... and maybe meeting someone for dinner! (I don't know who yet!)

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

Up to What?

I was laying pretty low most of yesterday... my back has been killing me. I rested most of the day and tried not to really move much. I even slept in the chair for awhile... with a little red dog in my lap. DH came home from work and just let me sleep.

Later, he woke me up and told me that he was taking care of dinner... he was taking me out. We ended up doing our old favorite of Cracker Barrel. We went south and tried to make the best of it with the ditz of a waitress we had. I think she was trying too hard. On the way out... I spied the book rack and ended up picking up another Gooseberry Patch cookbook to add to my collection. (There was a time when I would never miss one of their books, but I was running out of room and it just wasn't really feasible to buy more.) Anyway, I picked up "Casseroles" because it had great seafood dishes that DH would really like.

DH also called our landlord yesterday. We had told him a couple of weeks ago that we had a leak in the ceiling... and nothing happened. So, last Saturday while he was delivering flowers to the shop, DH stopped him and brought him into the living room to show him the ceiling tiles so he could see how bad it was. So... DH called to check on the status of things... and Mr. S blew up at him! Anyway... today, the roofer is coming to fix the roof... and I am stuck waiting. (I would have never known if DH hadn't called him, I was set to do shopping today.)

So... here I sit... waiting and trying not to go too crazy. Punky wants to jump in my lap and go to sleep. Hmmm... napping is not a bad way to pass the time while we wait.... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Ho-Hummmm....

So far, it's been a fairly quiet week for me. Not so much for DH, as he had both a doctor's appointment and a dentist appointment on the same day. (I told him he'd be rushed.) His doctor appointment went well and he was placed on additional medication to help his stomach. He also found out that the chest pain he had while in the hospital was in fact a pulmonary embolism! Good thing he was already there when it was going on! He's fine now... but, Sheesh! He is also dropping weight and he wants to lose another 20 pounds. He's well on his way.

Me... I need to learn that just because I am "having a good day" and "have lots of energy" that I should not try and do certain things... like pick up benches and move them. My back is killing me. I feel like I can't take a deep breath and leaning over is about to make me cry. So... I'm resting, using the heating pad, and slowly doing stretching exercises to help it heal. It's also hard because Pumpkin wants to be in my lap every time I sit down. She's gotten very attached as of late... she will fall asleep in my lap at any opportunity she's given.

We did go back to church on Sunday. It felt a little strange to be there. I was quite amused by the fact that several people came swarming around us to welcome us back... considering that no one has bothered to reach out to us during the last 9 weeks while my Mom was passing away, or while John or I were in the hospital. (I shouldn't be bitter... I don't think I am, but I do find it to be a bit much all of a sudden to be placed in such a "tizzy." Am I wrong here? Probably.

I have been itching to get busy and get the yard set up for outdoor living. DH got the patio cleaned off and most of the Winter clean-up from the Fir trees done. The weather is not really cooperating, it's still too cold to do any planting yet... it's going to be 34 degrees tomorrow morning and raining for the next 4 out of 6 days. I am impatient with wanting it all to look pretty and colorful. I so want Spring to really get here!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Simple Woman's Daybook...

FOR TODAY (April 20, 2010)...

Outside my window... it's a beautiful, sunny day. It was very cold (frost!) this morning... but it's turned out lovely.

I am thinking...about all the flowers waiting to be planted... and what I need to get to fill-in in some places.

I am thankful for... my hard working husband, my puppies, and for a home to live in.

From the kitchen... there is fresh chicken salad for lunches, steak and garlic mashed potatoes for dinner tonite and ice cream for those that want it.

I am wearing...jeans and a long sleeve spring green t-shirt and my black slip ons.

I am creating... an outdoor living space as soon as I can start!

I am going...to do laundry and get DH ready to work out of town next week.

I am reading...a couple of books. One is called "Mayhem in Maryland"... found it at Ollies on the bargain table!

I am hoping...my headache eases and my back stops hurting... along with my knees.

I am hearing... traffic on the street and HGTV in the background.

Around the house...I have gone through some old storage boxes and gotten rid of all of the stuff in there! It feels good!

One of my favorite things...is how Pumpkin always comes up to me as soon as I sit in the recliner in the corner... so she can be held and fall asleep.

A few plans for the rest of the week:to continue working on the house and going through boxes and closets and start on flower boxes and containers.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Unexpected Visitor!

This has been the week for plumbing. The plumbers came on Monday and replaced part of our bathroom floor and put all new parts in our commode since it really didn't want to shut all the way off and would suddenly fill up the tank in the middle of the night. (It's a sound that will wake you from a very deep sleep.) They are also replacing all the brass mechanics for our shower. It has developed a drip that is close to a small trickle. (Our water bill shot up an extra $12 this last month! Yikes!)

Well... when the plumber was here on Monday, he said he would order the parts for the shower... and it would take a few days. (Few to me says at least 3!) So... I was having a quiet, lazy morning this morning... meaning I was still in my nightie, and was freezing cold. (Nothing new there, having no thyroid, I am always freezing in the morning!) I was trying to warm up in bed with my lovely electric mattress cover turned on 5 and a little red dog wrapped around my neck... and the phone kept ringing. I usually ignore the phone if I'm in bed because I never get to it in time. But when it rang twice in just a short span of time, I figured it must be important. It was... it was my husband calling to tell me that the plumber was on his way over to fix the shower today! What???? I was no where near ready for that! Oops!

I did the best I could... I got cleaned up and my hair done, dressed, (with shoes, even!) and even managed to get mascara and blush on! I even got over half my dinner dishes from last night (ummm, I was cold and tired last night!) washed up too! With that kind of a start to the day... I may have to go and see if the greenhouses on the other side of the mountain are open today. I could use some good warm air and sights and smells of all those blossoms to cheer me up today. I am so ready to have all the flower pots filled with flowers and have the outdoor spaces set up for outdoor living. That will have to wait until the plumber is done!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Just A Little Speechless...

I have had a hard time sitting myself down to write. I really don't like my desk chair. It makes my new knee hurt something fierce. That and I've been feeling a tiny bit shy as of late. Lots of things are rolling around in my head that would make great blogging topics... and then I remember who (or whom) may be reading... and I grow all shy. (Anyone who really knows me, knows that I am not really shy at all.)

Anyway... here's a fun topic for you... Trader Joes! We don't have one up near us. The closest one is 70 miles away, just outside of Philadelphia. When we moved here a year and half ago... I went through some crazy withdrawals for things from Trader Joes and Costco. We do have a Sam's Club 25 miles away as well as a Wegman's, but they aren't the same as the first two. We also have to do without things like Chipotle, HomeGoods and Chik-Fil-A and a good bible bookstore. (And great music from our favorite radio station, WGTS... which I like to live-stream... so I don't really have to do without while I am home.) Also, I miss my girlfriends from town... very much!

Ok... back to Trader Joes... last Saturday, when I woke up, I had some good energy and felt like myself for the first time since having the flu. DH was working in his office on paperwork and going through files. We both had a little bit of cabin fever since both of us being in the hospital and being slightly less than stellar. I suggested taking a roadtrip to Trader Joes. We decided that we would take all back roads down... because DH wanted to see how bridge construction was progressing over the LeHigh River. We went over the mountains on Rt. 209 and found some great places to go back and visit. And we did go under the bridge at LeHigh... and went around the mountain instead of going through the tunnel. It was great fun and we saw so much that will again be fun to go check out on another Saturday.

We found Trader Joe's in a pristine little shopping center that has super great shops in it... like Coldwater Creek, which right next store! We enjoyed shopping and getting yummy things for DH's new eating plan to help his digestive track heal. They have the best garlic and basil linguine ever! And of course we bought lots of fish... we got quite a bit of good stuff to load into the freezer... buffalo burgers and chicken burgers and even taquito's and french toast! I also got sparkling lemonade... (No pink tho!)

We had dinner at Chipotle after shopping! Poor DH couldn't really have a whole lot in his burrito except extra chicken and lots of rice, cheese and sour cream. Me, on the other hand... enjoyed salsa and guacamole and chips along with my burrito bowl!
We headed straight for home after that so that we could take care of the dogs and get all our frozen stuff put away! It was perfect weather for such a fun drive... good music playing, good conversation, and being able to enjoy the countryside of this crazy state we live in.

Ok... that was a lot to write... and yet I feel as tho I've left something out. If I did... only I will know it! I've got to get busy and make some potato salad for dinner... a real simple one with no celery or pickle because of DH. Using fingerling potatoes because they have a soft waxy skin. I need to get outside and start raking and doing spring clean up... we have a good 4 wheel barrow loads of pine cones from our fir trees to clean up from all the winds.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Whew... What a Week!

Here it is... Thursday. My wonderful DH has gone back to work today after dealing with being in the hospital for 5 days. He went through lots of testing... and had a great deal of difficulty with angina which is related to having gastritis. He was diagnosed with gastritis and diverticulosis. The later runs in his family... and he was quite sick with it.

He came home from the hospital on Tuesday and decided to let himself rest for one extra day... since we all know that no one ever gets any rest or sleep while in the hospital. Now we have to deal with a good bland diet for the next 2 weeks. I don't know how to cook that way, but I'll figure it out.

During all the time that I was running back and forth to the hospital, the pups were doing a good job of holding down the fort. They were very good during that time and Punky didn't have any accidents in the house. They both knew that Mom was stressed and Dad wasn't home. I told them that Dad was in the hospital and Nolli kind of got the idea. (He is a very smart dog and understands when Mom goes to the hospital... according to Dad.) To say that we are glad that Dad is home is an understatement!

I am going to be scouring the internet looking for good and tasty recipes to make for DH's diet... it's hard not to cook with out onions or celery and no salads... but I'll figure it out!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

If You're Wondering...

I will be back in a few days. I've been at the hospital with my wonderful DH, who has been experiencing some health issues since Wednesday. We went to the ER yesterday morning and they kept him. He'll be in until Tuesday. So... I'm driving back and forth, trying to keep all the plates spinning! (And yes, our Easter plans are cancelled, but we will go for a nice dinner when DH is up to it!) Keep us in your prayers~

~Suzanne

How Did It Get...

To be Thursday already?????

I seem to have lost a couple of days. Tuesday was spent going to the doctor. It started as an uneventful trip. When I left home, it was raining but it had a little ice mixed in with it. Dr. Pete was in a great mood and so was I... we got along famously well as always, entertaining his new P/A student and even teaching her about heart murmurs and where best to listen to them.

The subject of my blood sugar and what medicine to use to help control it was discussed. He adamantly refused to let me go back on my old favorite medicine and decided that it was time to give my pancreas a rest. He wrote me a script for an insulin pen. (I so did not want to do that therapy yet.) So... after having a 3 hour appointment, I headed back towards home.

As I left Columbia County and came into Luzerne County... I could barely believe my eyes as the snow was flying in thick, heavy flakes and it was sticking! I knew it was going to be wicked when I started to see sand trucks. I came home to 3 inches of snow. I needed to go to the pharmacy but DH told me to wait for him. I waiting and waited... he was almost home and got called back to his work site to repair an issue. So... we finally made it to the pharmacy around 7 that night. Only to discover that the pharmacy computer system was offline and had been since 2pm. I had called earlier, around 4pm, and the pharmacist didn't mention that. Anyway... I was suppose to have 5 prescriptions filled and ended up with none. The insurance company didn't like that the doctor wanted to give me a premium medicine and they felt I needed to try the one they recommended on the formulary. (GGGRRRRRRRRR!) I was going to have to go back to the doctor because they wouldn't fill my script.

So... yesterday, I went back to the doctors office, explained all the issues, (I needed lab work done anyway) and they said they'd take care of it all for me. So... I did a few errands that I could only do in Bloomsburg and then came home. I called the pharmacist and asked if they had received my prescriptions. Yes, she told me, they had 4 of them. Luckily for me, I have a good relationship with the doctors nurse and called her. She called in the 5th script for me. (Whew!) I finally got all my medicines at 3 yesterday afternoon. What a deal!

So, along with crazy weather and insurance issues... we've been dealing with DH having a tooth pulled and getting Dry Socket. It's been terrible for him and he has been going back and forth to the dentist every other day to have it packed so it will heal. I've tried to be as helpful as I can, but he's having to pack his own lunch as he needs to be careful with what he eats. He's also down several pounds with this issue and I don't know how he is working with all the pain.

So... today is really Thursday... and it's April Fools Day. We don't really prank each other on April Fools Day. But we love to laugh about what other people try and pull off! Oh... I forgot... when I came home yesterday afternoon, I discovered that the snow we had on Tuesday apparently went up under the ridge cap of our house and melted, causing a huge leak in the living room and staining the ceiling. It's awful... just in time for Easter!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne