Good evening.  Just making sure I could find my way back.  Eating for dinner except not hungry.MARY ANN,   sounds like you are in the mend!   I am just beginning on my journey.  Joy

Joy, I feel so bad about your fall and breaking your hip.  I probably have been able to be more mobile than you will be for a while. 

I have the door to the hallway open so I can watch the world go by.  I think everyone in this area knows that I am scheduled to go home Thursday - an I'm ready.

I talked to Tom for a couple of minutes.  He sounded fairly good, but is not feeling well at all.  He said he is going to call a doctor tomorrow.  He will pick me up Tuesday at 3 pm to take me home for the home evaluation.  Robin will be there too.  While we have not moved anything, we have made plans for moving certain pieces elsewhere.  I wonder what they will think of the carpet.  Tom and I talked about fake hardwood floor after I am gone but we may find it may be necessary with the walker, however, I have seen walkers on carpet; we'll keep it in mind.

The cat has adopted Tom now so it will be interesting to see his reaction when he sees me. 

I have not slept well here although I have a comfortable bed.  Part of the problem is the many interruptions.

Now that it is after suppertime, it is quite quiet.

Tom is staying in or near his bed.  We have a half bath so he can shower and it is not necessary for him to use the upstairs bath. I will almost feel like a stranger in my own home until I can stay Thursday. 

I'll write more tomorrow.

I like to see the lights on the catwalk at Grand Haven/ Lake Michigan this time of night.

Mary Ann

You ladies are sounding pretty good tonight. I called a neighbor today because I hadn't seen her around for a while. She broke her hip a few months ago and had been in re-hab and not doing the walking she always did. She said she is in re-hab again, had another fall and broke her back, a leg and something else. Not good. Our muscles are hard to strengthen up after just a few days in bed.

When I blew my knee a few months ago I used a walker my daughter-in-law bought for her mother, who had Alzheimers. She just needed something to hang onto and they didn't think she could manage brakes, etc., but after one day using it around the house I was on Amazon & got one I am real pleased with, has the seat & everything. I got some suggestions from our friends in the Soda Shoppe... and since my doctor hinted that "it takes a while for Medicare & insurance to get paper work through, I might want to just buy my own", so I did. Reason I'm saying this is because the one I got works fine in the rooms that have carpet & no problem on hardwood, easy to give the seat a yank, folds up nice & fits right into the car. I can come up with the link in case anyone is needing one. I am happy Amazon has 2 day delivery with Prime! Right now it is in the back bedroom where I got rid of a too large computer chair my husband had and it is comfy to sit in at the laptop in there. Since the doctors tell me this knee won't heal, I expect it'll get used again one of these days.

Hope all works out for the evaluation, Mary Ann... so nice you have Tom to be in the house with you.

Joy, any idea how long you will be there?  I normally love to eat but couldn't when I had open heart surgery. I got down fruit & usually the scrambled eggs for breakfast, but they do serve a lot of chicken in the hospital and that is not my favorite food. By 8 days in the hospital I really "skinnied up". Lost muscle mass, too, so my jeans that were tight when I went in were baggy a month later. Once I got the meds out of my system I did okay. Actually only took the A-fib meds for a few days after getting home, they made me a zombie.

It was like spring today, I opened the sliding doors & aired the house. Hear the wind has picked up and not nearly as warm the next few days. Crazy weather. Going to grab a bite to eat and go to bed. Not sure if cats want to stay out all night, supposed to stay above freezing. They are getting lazy & need exercise. They don't play at all, just lay around & sleep or check to see if time to eat again.    Sweet dreams to all. Shirley

Joy...
...it was good coming in ( UK 4.50 am ) and seeing a posting from you...

Shirley, my walker will be nothing fancy and not a rollator.  This place has or will order it and Medicare will pay for it.  It does not fold that I know of, is small and compact.  It has wheels and moved smoothly over the hardwood floor.  I'm glad to hear yours does good on carpet, maybe mine will too.  The wheels are about six inches  in diameter. People are surprised that I stand so quickly and straight and my walker is usually at hand. I find I can walk short distances, but I don't test myself.

I hear noises in the hall and I'm expecting breakfast and pills any minute.  There will be an argument about the pills if there are the usual amount.  I'm headed for the bathroom now.

Mary Ann

What a shame Shirley about  your neighbor and two falls, breaking so many parts. 

Good morning, Bait and Tacklers!  It's good to see your post, Mary Ann. You seem to be in good spirits and I hope you get to go home soon. Keep us posted.  Thoughts and prayers from here in Auburn for your speedy (we hope!) recovery!  Just try to be careful when you do get to go home.

Have a nice day Every One!
Sue

Mary Ann - I'll be looking forward to seeing a message from you later today, about going to your condo for a short while.  Even though it was just a visit, it must have felt good, to see all the familiar things there, as well as seeing Tom and Kendrick.  I hope everything passed "inspection" and that you will be given the okay to return home for good, tomorrow?

MaryAnn's post on visiting home.

https://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?msg=169844

"Mill highlights the often overlooked reality that many opinions aren't based on facts at all, but feelings. And so, contradictory points of information don't shift emotionally rooted arguments, but only cause people to dig deeper into their emotions to hold onto those views."

https://tinyurl.com/yx4decoa

Joy, I hope time in rehab goes well and you'll be back home soon.

Mary Ann, hoping all goes well with your visit home and things are soon back to normal.

My grandson was admitted to hospital in very bad condition.  Our son and wife are leaving this afternoon to be with him.  That concerns me as my son has MS and traveling is hard for him.  If it isn't one thing it's another as the saying goes.  We will just hope and pray for the best—-whatever that is.

The sun is shining.  The azaleas are beginning to bloom.  Hope everyone has a good day.

Jean prayers for grandson and son!! You are right ,everything seems to come/happen at once..no happy medium.
I would love to see the azaleas, are they different colours? Hope you can post photos..

 
" Since the doctors tell me this knee
won't heal,"  (Shirley)
 
Shirley,  I am sorry to hear that
your knee won't heal.. what does
that mean for you from now on.
Could you make good use of a
wheelchair (not the electric kind)
so that  you can scoot around the house,
or use when you go out shopping? 

Not being able to heal your knee
certainly puts you in  a difficult
position getting around 

I think that you and I have similiar
type rollators  "Drive" ... from Amazon. 
Mine is great and I get a lot of attention
when I go out with it.
(Almost like having a puppy) !  lol

Sandy

Jean - That's bad news about your grandson. I'm so sorry that he is worse, and has been admitted to the hospital.  I'll be thinking about him today, and sending positive prayers to him and to his young family, as well as to your son and wife.

MaryAnn. I sort of wish you could stay there for a few more days as they are saying that this type ofFlu that Tom had last for 10 days as still be active. I know he is downstairs with own bath but will be touching so much. Did you mention the problem with the Doctor that is seeing you. Would be good to have your place disinfected down before you came home.
2 schools here got closed down for 10 days because 70% of children and faculty came down sick. I had it for 5 days. little different than the one we took the shot for. Leaves a awful cough.
That is a lot of pills they are giving you. Hope can cut back once home. I have a bad time taking my BPone but now had it done as caps one and not the big powder. Works fine. 

Jeanne..which b/p med you take now. Candy

Candy
Now he had me get off the diuretic one that I was taking along with The Losartan Has me coming in Monthly after adding one name
Verapamil. Now this seems to have made things pretty much normal. I was coming up with a 156/67 but right now yesterday was down in the low 142/65. I would be happy with that. I really have been telling him that I am not happy with his changing and adding all the time. Going to find someone who specializes more in High Blood pressure problems. I said that they are thinking they are going to stop people from getting cancer etc and yet can't fine out what causes High Blood pressure. Got a long way to go. But no problems with feeling tired or not sleeping With low energy right now so see how this goes. How about yours. Little worried though about all this drugs coming from China. most BP comes from there and they were the ones putting wrong stuff in them so that lots were taken off the drug list.

Now after being on this new one for about3 weeks it is coming up today at 138/67. I don't know if mine at home is perfect but it does seem to be doing close to what the ones in Stores do.
Now this one i about 3 times as much as the others. I told him I don't care about the price just find one that works. I dont carru Drug insurance and Never have taken any other drugs so as the insurance companies have people only buying the Generic pills anyway so why have them.
One thing is that I don't seem to need a nap  these days like the past months. I take them just as I enjoy doing it. Thing is I do sleep about 9 hours at night time. Don't seem to need to get up to the loo any.

Jeanne...I'm not having much luck with mine...The Dr changed from Lorsataon to Irbesartan 300 mg plus amdopline 2.5'told me to quit worrying about it...so I haven't took BP reading for 1 month...took it this morning was 170/76....so u see it isn't working...I'm tired of changing med with no help controlling it

Jean, I am so sorry about your gr-son and the difficulty your son will have to be with him. Along with prayers for them, you will be included... mothers will worry about their babies as long as we live, won't we?

Sandy, thanks for the understanding about the knee, right now it is the least of my problems. When it blew & the doctor explained about what to expect, my stubborn streak kicked in & I gritted my teeth & set my jaw to make that knee work. By the time I went for the month or 6 week check I was walking almost normal, but was suffering such severe headaches was doing everything I could think of to find cause for them (even got new carbon monoxide detectors...it can cause headaches, too).. This was also why I had the eyes checked by another doctor, was already diagnosed with cataracts. No reason for headaches but definite cataracts. Nothing wrong in the head... (nothing there?), but finally headaches less as the need to grit my teeth to make knee work lessened. I have so many problems with meds that I have to find what causes pain instead of cover up. Good that I have a high tolerance for pain... only 325 Bayer after the open heart surgery, & so many side effects from blood thinners, Bayer is all I take for that & not even once a day. Yep, I think you helped make my choice for walker & have it to sit on in the back bedroom by the "old computer" attached to a printer. I am careful how I step but do not limp, that day will come to need the walker again, but who knows, maybe not?  I left a long explaination about my wild day of rebellion over in the Soda Shoppe so won't repeat. I feel like the old me again, held my ground, stuck to my guns, whatever one calls it, and hope I didn't make a serious mistake!

Candi. I think that would be the thing to do for both of us. I am beginning to think that they know nothing about BP. They put out the charts saying should be 120/80. if it got over 140/90 we would be having strokes.Over 160 we would have strokes. They have millions and millions in US taking BP meds. I never heard of it until about the 1970s never heard of anyone taking meds for it.
In UK never heard of it either. Fact I still don't know of any family members having High BP Its most probably another thing the US Dr. and drug company figured could make money from. They sure have everyone using it.
Maybe the Marijuana leaf with be the thing that will be found to help the high BP . I feel like herbs are the thing for curing all ailment. People will be able to grow their own meds. My Grandmother had a herb to cure everything., Lots must have worked. We never got sick.Always had something boiling on the stove.
I had best friend here in US. her Gran was a full blooded Indian. She lived with them. Amazing what she cured things with. Just went out into the woods and dug up. She had 29 acres behind the house and planted it all by hand. Grew best veg. corn all things and would have a stand on the main Road all summer. Kept her chicken running in and out the house. I loved going there. She lived to be about 99. My friend died at 39 and I still miss her every day. I think had her grandma lived she would have cured her.
I swear that the reason I have lasted so long is from what my grandma put in me as when I was young. i can gag now just thinking about some of the stuff. she always gave a treat for taking it.

Shirley
 
I have found the Drive rollators
are good for many things. 

I have mine equipped with some
sturdy "bags" that I use for when
I go shopping.  My drive rollator
has very sturdy handles that I can
hang a bag  from.  One on each side,
and I have two bags that I set on the
seat, to hold the heavier items..

Besides folding up nicely when I get on
the bus and fitting into the seat next
to me,  I also depend on my rollator
to allow me to walk on the Portland
City street sidewalks... which are kind
of bumpy and lumpy.... the rollator
warns me of trouble on the way so that
I don't fall into a hole etc... 

My rollator keeps me very safe, since
my field of vision is so small that I
tend to run into things.. My rollator
keeps me on the straight and narrow
and allows me to walk peacefully by
myself...  I do not
leave my apartment with out it.

And feel blessed that I am lucky to
have it.   

I hope that you can find the reason
for all of your pain. 
Sandy

FlaJean...
... oh how i sympathise with your son having to travel to his boy ( your son ) and having to travel with his MS, i know only too well what MS is all about as having this horrible debilitating disease myself, as you know i have the Primary Progressive one...please relay back my thoughts and my concern to the both of them...

There is nothing like being woke up at 4:30 and being asked if you want to use the bathroom.  Before I had a chance to answer another woman stood in the doorway telling me she wanted to weigh me.  I was still in my nightgown but no one except aides were up at that time.  We zipped down the hallway where I was weighed and came back to my room.  I wondered if they thought I was leaving today instead of tomorrow but she assured me they knew I was leaving tomorrow.     

Within a few minutes a nurse was in the room to take my BP (100/78) which is in the ballpark. 

Things have been quiet since.  Now, nearing 6:30 .  Now I'm ready to go back to bed.

I'm going to pack things today that were brought here

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, I hope your trip home doesn't tire you too much.  I am glad you're going home as I know you'd rather be there than in the hospital.  Will you have nursing assistance (or checks) for a few days?  Take care and keep us posted.

Sue

It is a bright sunny day at 70°.

Joy, hope you are doing well.  Jackie, these are sure trying times, aren't they?

Mary Ann, I know you will be glad to get home.

I need to get to the store for some eggs and milk for Larry.  He had to use some of my Lactaid last night and he would prefer regular milk.

At least it is a beautiful day.  Something to be thankful for.

Mary Ann - You sound like you're in good spirits this morning, even though you were awakened at 4:30 to be weighed and taken to the bathroom.  That type of thing, that seems unnecessary, is typical in most hospitals.  I think it has something to do with the shift change, before the day shift arrives around 6:00 AM.  The overnight shift, is checking each patient and going through a certain protocol, before they sign out.

I'm sure that you're more than ready to go home, but you will miss the routine of the hospital and some of the nurses that you particularly liked.  You'll quickly get used to being home though! 

Jackie -  You're the only one here who can relate to how difficult it is for Jean's son, to travel across the country.  I think she said that he is in a wheelchair, so that would be so difficult when you have to go to the bathroom! 

Jean - I'm hoping that your son does okay on the trip.  Please keep up posted as to how your grandson is doing?

Cottoncandy and JeanneP - I quit worrying about my BP, many years ago. I had serious reactions to all meds that were given to me, and finally found one called Bystolic, that I could tolerate.  Problem was, it was a beta-blocker, which caused by heart rate to go way down into the low 40's.  This is not good, so they took me off of it, and now I only take the hydrochlorothiazide. (diuretic). My BP is still not good, but if I can keep it at 155/75 most days, I consider it to be good.  Sometimes when I get upset or stressed, it gets MUCH higher.  At my age, I really don't care anymore, and just do the best I can.

Shirley - Nice to see you here!  I'm sorry to see that you're in so much pain, and that you have a problem with medications.  I can relate!  The majority of meds prescribed for over the years have been a disaster.  Lots of bizarre reactions, where the doc or pharmacist has to look it up on the PDR, to believe it - but there it is! LOL  I don't really care anymore, and just avoid most prescriptions, try to take care of myself, and hope for the best. 

Sue and Sandy - Hello to both of you.  please come back more often!  Same to CottonCandy, Shirley and JeanneP. 

From CNN and Unicef;

"No country is in the right place with adequately making children flourish today and in the future.

Dr. Stefan Peterson, chief of health at UNICEF and author of a new report that ranks countries on children's well-being. The US ranks lower than 38 other countries, according to the report." 

Not only that but percentages of childbirth issues and deaths during childbirth rank the same for the US.

MaryAnn, I hope your visit home today for the home inspection goes well and that you will be released home safely tomorrow!

I signed a paper today that I can go home tomorrow.  While Jan and her mother were here, a woman came in about home PT.  I wish they'd give me a few hours rest but I know they want to keep things going.  But if I get too much of it, I'll blow my top!  Jan had a suggestion and give it to the lady.

I think tonight may be a bit quieter than during the day and I'm ready!  Tom was here too and is feeling better.

Mary Ann