I am enjoying the recliner, although the massage function is sometimes annoying. The heat is toasty warm:)
I am sometimes able to relax and crochet.
Thursdays are almost always the same. Drop Far Guy off at the hospital door to get his weekly infusion. Pick up the grocery order from Wally World...this week I had to wait over 30 minutes for my order because some store idiot cancelled it. Then off to a craft store this week was Michaels turn as Far Guy had a couple of things on my list. AND well there is yarn there...
I was feeling the green this week. This color is called spearmint. Only one cashier there so I stood in line a bit. Then it was time to head back to the hospital and wait in the old hospital parking lot for Far Guy to summon me. I only waited 6 minutes when he messaged me that he was done. We went out for very late breakfast/lunch/early supper and then came home to Sadie.
Far Guy had a nap, he has started meds for a cold?/lung issue that has made him very short of breath...possibly too much perfume/aftershave at the clinic appointment last Monday has irritated his lungs.
I was seen by the Neurosurgeon on Monday. He believes my pain problem is not from my back but from my SI joint on the left side. He has ordered SI injections for me in two weeks. I have a congenital defect in that my spinal column is very small for my spinal cord and I have some slippage L4 L5 and S1 but not enough to cause all my pain...or so they say. I am still doing exercises, heat helps also time in the massage chair and the recliner. I am also scheduled to see a Doctor at the Pain Clinic in March. FYI the Steroid Injection that I had on Feb 3 did nothing for my pain and made my left leg, foot and toes numb.
I began a course of Prednisone on Tuesday as the pain on the drive to Fargo was horrid on Monday...and left me exhausted. One day at a time. The Prednisone takes the edge off the pain...it is not totally gone but is more bearable.
Goodbye to the month of February!
Far Side
It might be cold but at least its windy.
I snagged this photo from facebook. Just thought I would share.
I finished the Coodie for Jen yesterday...they still walk Sadie on days when it is above zero.
Here I am taking a selfie with Jen's Coodie. So that project is done!
We went as far as the Post Office yesterday to mail the tax forms back to our accountant...so cross that off of our list too!
It has been one week since the steroid injection into my back. I still have pain and a horrid numbness...I have to be real careful how I walk...as I cannot feel the outer portion of my left leg and foot...all my toes are numb except for my big toe. I am hopeful that this next week will make a difference in the pain.
Far Side
I had a quiet day, I slept late, did some laundry and cleaned the bathroom. Far Guy and Jen ran errands. For supper I had vegetable beef soup and Far Guy and Jen had Thai Chicken and Zucchini.
My pain might be a little less at times...I am hopeful.
About supper time it began to snow. We are supposed to get a few inches and then it will blow around.
Far Side
My latest puzzle was only 300 pieces and the pieces were larger.
I did not like how my one crochet project was going so I frogged it (ripped it apart) and began again.
Yesterday I made it to the grocery store, gas station, car wash and made supper (Philly Cheese Burgers, Steak Fries and Coleslaw)...the menfolk all passed on the coleslaw but they did eat carrot sticks.
My pain is still there...it might be a little bit better...I am hopeful that I will see an improvement soon.
Far Side
I cannot even call it snirt (snow mixed with dirt)...it is just dirt.
It was all over the windshield of the car....and in the distance.
Yesterday Far Guy accompanied me to Fargo to get the injections in my back...it was a pleasant young Doctor ...I have Grands older than him!
Anyways 3 or 4 days or a week or two will tell if it helps my pain. So far it is the same or worse. I will keep hoping for an improvement.
Far Side
We like to put puzzles together during the Winter. We have finished two so far this Winter.
The Pringles puzzle all the pieces were in the can.
My blog is still a teenager. I have been blogging for 17 years, I began in late December of 2007. Those real early blogs were on another blogging platform that is now defunct. However I have those blogs as hard copies and I may revisit a few of them on this blog next Summer...especially the ones with family history. ( So that is now on my to do list.)
My Grandson Adam asked me ...when do you blog Grandma? I usually blog in the afternoon or the evening and then set it to auto publish at 3 AM. If I know I am going to be really busy I will schedule a couple ahead of time. Yes I could be dead and still blogging...technically!
Flowers last Summer. I love primary colors in a pot of flowers.
We are doing okay Up North, there was a mix up with Far Guy's Infusion, the Doctor even tried to straighten it out....with no luck. Back home Tiff and Lynn gave him Zemaira at the Infusion Center. Here he gets Aralast that makes him very short of breath. The Pharmacy up here says they cannot get Zemaira. Far Guy will contact the Pharmaceutical Company himself. Far Guy gets infusions every week to protect his lungs, he has a genetic defect...rare disorder called Alpha One Antitrypsin Deficiency.
I am keeping busy with puzzles, reading, crocheting and petting Sadie while keeping one eye on Far Guy. No improvement in my RA pain...the injections in my back worked about ten days. I was hoping for longer...but thats life.
I will keep blogging as long as I am able. I enjoy reading many blogs and connecting with many people all over the world.
Thank you for reading!
Far Side
I finished the remainder of the watercolor Christmas cards on Saturday. Far Guy signed and folded the letters and tucked them inside. I attached the address labels and wrote a few notes inside some of them and sealed them. I have all the stamps but I am waiting for the return address labels that should have been in the mail last Friday.
Cards in progress
Using the homemade cotton watercolor paper was a challenge as it sucked up water to beat the band and extra drying time had to be allowed. No two cards are exactly alike...
The final count was 126. I am not sure I will do the homemade watercolor cotton paper again...but it did make a very pretty card.
Pain Report: Some improvement...is it enough? Is that it? I knew I wouldn't get complete relief, perhaps I was expecting too much. Before the steroid injections my pain was at a six...now it is a five at times. I am still doing the exercises and the pain at night that came on right after the injections is now gone...so at least I can rest comfortably again.
Far Side
Poop heads anyways.
Yesterday I went into the Clinic to get my two Cimzia shots in my belly as I am supposed to have them every 28 days for my many forms of arthritis. After reading my Doctors notes from the last injection the nurse called a Dr..he said call the prescribing Dr ( she has moved to the great city of Bismarck, ND...good luck to all who she touches there) then the nurse attempted to call the Rheumatologist...who was busy with patients...SO...
The nurse felt that I had a significant reaction to the last injections and I should see the Doctor in Fargo. Good thing I have an appointment with him next week.
I was hoping to get these injections behind me as they made me really short of breath and tired for three days. I had meals prepared and laundry done up...so the three days would be easier.
Well so much for having my poop in a pile.
...other people like Doctors who had 27 days to prepare and come up with a plan...do not have their poop in a pile.
Buggers anyways.
My Pain was worse yesterday...might be weather related as our high was -3F or -19C. I had to run errands in town, in and out of the car multiple times. We were in town for four hours. ( I had a list a mile long to accomplish)
I took two Tylenol and a gummy and had a long nap after we got home so the Christmas Card count remains at 117.
Far Side
It warmed up enough to gift us with some very fine snow on top of the ice.
Thank goodness for my other baby brother, he brought over a load of sand with his skid-steer and covered the wide icy path to the garage. Now the new snow covers the sand but at least it is not a treacherous path anymore.
The snow is so tiny it is hard to see in the photos. We are headed into the deep freeze for a couple of days now.
I am making lists and checking them multiple times. Plus the normal laundry, cleaning and all the other fun stuff around here.
Pain: Is somewhat less at times, but still there.
Christmas card report: 12 more on the final dry time so the total is now 107. I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and hope it is not a train coming.
Far Side
Saturday I took some red silk poinsettias to the cemetery where my parents are buried. It was a nice day about 40 F or 5 C and the snow was melting fast. I had been wanting to get there before it snowed...I didn't make that deadline...but finally got er done!
The flowers look nice against the snow. I am glad that the headstone has vases on each side...it makes flower taking easier. Needless to say we were the only people there...but a bunch of Wild Turkeys were in the area.
Not much snow for this time of year. Even less now as it began to rain early Sunday morning...it will be a skating rink out there with the dreaded black ice. 36 F or 3 C was our high yesterday with those rain showers.
Pain Report: Small improvement...not enough to cheer about...yet.
Christmas card report: 14 added to the previous 65 makes 79 total...I am making progress. A rainy day helped and I skipped my nap.
Far Side
My other baby brother and she who sees robins first celebrate 45 years of wedded bliss today!
1979 That is my sister Julie age 13 on the far left and the flower girl is our oldest daughter Trica she was 7 years old that year.
Congratulations!
Christmas card report: 12 finished so total is 65
Pain report: I have a little less pain....hopefully it will keep improving.
Far Side
I saw these UGLY Poinsettias in the grocery store the other day. Why anyone would spray a perfectly pretty white poinsettia this awful blue is beyond me.
A dear old friend once told me "it takes all kind to make the world go round" and then she would giggle.
Far Guy and I made it to the Car Dealership for an oil change and tire rotation without buying a new car, I think Far Guy accompanied me just so I would not buy a new car. After that for a really exciting time, he dropped me off at the Clinic for a blood test the Rheumatologist ordered.
My back pain has changed, the pain does not go away when I lay down after the injections...so I am more restless and get up often. The pain is a full dull feeling...maybe it will get better with time... I sure hope so. ( I want my no pain time back)
Christmas card report: Only 6 were finished for a total of 53 so almost half way. I have a bunch coming down the assembly line in the next few days. Drying time is holding me up...four dry times...background watercolor must be dry before proceeding, then drying time for the foreground watercolor and then for the gouache ( it makes snow) and then drying time for the glue. Uffda. I didn't know how time consuming this project would be.
Far Side
I had virtual book club yesterday. We read The Women by Kristin Hannah.
I give the first part of the book a 10 and the second part a 9.5 ...I would highly recommend it, it is about a Nurse that served in Vietnam. Everyone in the book club liked the book.
I ran errands in town whilst Far Guy had his infusion yesterday. Groceries, bank, picked up our special order Christmas paper for the non existent Christmas letter and I went to the Meat Store...we were out of Bacon! Came home put everything away, visited with my baby brother, his bride, Baxter and Smudge. Smudge grew a bit taller when they were gone for a couple of weeks and Baxter is looking thin...I think he missed my treats (Cheerios).
No huge improvement in my back pain yet....might be a little less pain...time will tell.
Christmas Card Report: 12 more added total is now 47.
Far Side
Yesterday we had what they call a Ground Blizzard. The winds kick up what snow it can and blow it around. On our way to my appointment we saw many snow-nados/ snow-devils ...that is snow picked up into a swirling cone the air. The high yesterday was 13 F or -10 C the low was -2 F or -18 C the windchill was brutal. The weather is headed for the negative numbers for a few days and then it will warm up again...maybe above freezing and rain...I could do without rain and ice everywhere. Stay cold enough to snow...please.
Some spots in the road were icy and in some places it was hard to see.
The epidural steroid injections into my back were not real painful, I expected that they would be more painful. The Doctor said it will take several days to know if they worked or not. So far the pain remains...I have a full feeling in my back and a headache...and I am not normally a headachy type person. Time will tell. It was worth a try.
I had another biopsy on my face last week, they were atypical cells but the margins were clear...so praise God no more surgery on my face!
Christmas Card Report I was able to take 12 cards from the drying area so my total is 35. Slow but sure.
Far Side
