Time off 12-14-20

I didn't mean to take a week off and I am sorry I caused some of you to worry, but  I have been struggling with keeping on my feet and trying to get back to "normal".   Couldn't do PTherapy because I was running a temp.  Seems to have been the UTI that has been haunting me off and on for the last few months.  Just generally feeling rotten on top of my sciatica problems.  I did see the orthopedist again last Friday and he thinks I should have another epidural.  I doubt that will happen until after the first of the new year.  I am waiting for a call back from the injection doc.  If I continue to feel better each day I will probably pass on that.    KoKo and I continue to walk twice a day and sometimes, like today, we do the loop both times.  I do think it makes an improvement in my aches and pains, but sometimes I don't have the energy.  I continue to do the exercises at home.  

I have been driving locally, to the market, the drugstore, takeout food, Starbuck's, but last Thursday I drove to Oceanside to have lunch with my friend Beth.  Oceanside is about halfway between us, an hour from San Diego and an hour from Placentia.  We each take our own lunch, park next to each other in the OMA lot,  roll down our windows and have a lovely visit while we eat.  Not the same as sitting in a restaurant and hugging on arrival/departure, but better than not seeing each other at all.  The traffic was mostly light, but I was whipped when I got home.  KoKo had stayed with Cherie and Jim overnight and I picked him up on the way home.  Needless to say I needed a nap and he joined me, as usual.  

Two special cards in the mail today.  I have always been fascinated by the 3-D folding cards and this is a very nice Snowman.  Also a quilled bluebird (of happiness) which was accompanied by a nice long letter HANDWRITTEN!  Haven't had one of those in years.  I will respond, but it will have to be typed as I can not even read my own cursive anymore.  

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Treats for KoKo 12-01-20

Advent calendars were not a part of my childhood and I had no children to buy them for.  So when Cherie, who cared for KoKo and Froggy all those weeks, came to the door with a doggy Advent calendar for KoKo, I had to do some research on Google.  So, this morning after our walk I opened the first "door" and gave KoKo his treat.  This was also a special morning because we walked all the way around the loop this morning.  First time since September.  Years ago I measured the loop and thought it was a bit less than a mile.  But one of my walking neighbors told me it is a little more than a mile.  Whew!  I'll have to measure again.  I did have to sit down on walls that abut the sidewalk - three times!  And I was really wobbly when we go home.  But it felt good to be out and about in the sunshine.  Quite a few flowers blooming and the poinsettias that people have planted in their yards are started to bloom.  And there are lots of Christmas decorations up.  We didn't do the loop tonight, but maybe tomorrow night we will go after dark to see the lights.

I had to see if all the treats were the same, so I looked at the one for tomorrow.  It is sort of a lozenge shape, so maybe there are other shapes.  KoKo gobbled the treat right down and I haven't noticed any ill effects yet.  I don't understand what all the illustrations are on the cover, but they are cute.  

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KoKo is home! 11-17-20

 I know I will never be able to adequately thank Cherie and Jim Erickson for taking in this sweet little guy for 48 days.  They enjoyed his company and I knew that he was safe and cared for.  It made a big difference while I was out-of-it with pain.  

On my lap most of the evening.  But we did go for a walk using the walker and that worked well.  Hope we can skip the walker soon. 

Here he is in the fluffy bed that Cherie bought for him.  I wonder where he will sleep tonight.  His choice. 

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A resting day 10-30-20

 

In late September KoKo was asleep on my lap whilst I read in my recliner.  I don't know where Froggy was that night. And this was one of last times this happened!  Soon after I was stricken with the Sciatica and KoKo has been staying with friends in Placentia.  With the pain and my inability to walk I couldn't take care of him, so he has been with Cherie and Jim all this last month.  Friend Carol drove him home one day last week for a short visit, but it was very painful for him to be on my lap.  We are going to try it again tomorrow for just a couple hours.  He can't come home for good until I can take him on his two daily walks. 

Yesterday I had the spinal injection which absolutely wiped me out for the rest of the day and most of today.  Friends tell me it is the anesthetic that effect me so strongly, so today I have been drinking lots of water and mostly resting in my recliner. So weak and wobbly I could hardly read.  But as the day went on I felt better and more able to do a few things that needed to be done.  I still have the ache in my left knee, thigh, and hip joint which flares into sharp pain now and then.  I try to change my position and even massaged it a bit.  But the skin is very sensitive and hurts even with just a quilt on it.  This is a very strange "disease" that I can't quite get my mind around.  Why does it just hurt in certain places when the actual "hurt" place is in my spine?  Anyway, I am still working on getting back on my feet.   I don't want to get addicted to pain meds so I have only had two Norco pills today and hope to hold to that tomorrow. 

Sorry I have been lax on my blog, but, as you see, I don't really have anything interesting to talk about!

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