I am alive

YES I know SHOES LOL.

The physical therapy hurts worse than the reason I had the surgery or even the surgery. Recovering well from surgery, they said that I tested as if I was pushing 4 weeks out instead of just 1... Cerebral Palsy is raging like a gas fueled bon fire. SO a lot of the therapy is for the cerebral palsy. They wanted me to stand feet together on a soft squishy mat with my eyes closed to balance... I looked the guy right in the eye and told him if he could justify when I would ever stand that way I would do so. He mentioned getting out of bed in middle of night and stepping on  dog bed. His dog bed is squishy LOL. I did it... didn't do well with my eyes closed but okay with them open. It is more of a test of a certain spine issue that affects balance... then I told him my L5 is a triangle, spine does a cork screw before a nice S curve. Not sure if he will have me practicing that again. I am walking without walker and part of the time without the cane. I did the bike thing. Best part as far as I was concerned was the leg massage, both legs. 

Hubby is getting tired of running the house... He already is tired cooking which is really just reheating and he acknowledges it. Is tired of opening and closing curtains, doing laundry *I did suggest using the dryer* But he is hanging clothes to dry. He did say he was surprised when I was to test( advised by PT) going on our stairs that I took 4 steps and then came back up and said "same time next week". I was not stable enough to do that for sure. Tired of figuring out what to fix for meals (so I am making suggestions of 2 and letting him chose). He is tired of explaining to 1 certain person he will not be back to work until after March 6th. M came over to check if I needed anything (bread and pie tomorrow) and I asked her to mention to E that this one was calling daily. E let me know last night when he came over to check on me(hadn't seen the dogs out so was a bit worried if something was going on with the dogs) and he knew Hubby went to town for odds and ends, E had talked to the guy. Hubby mentioned today the guy had not called. 

The driving me to PT and waiting isn't bothering him as much as that he does with work. He did say he got some of his paperwork caught up, redid some of his finances also and refigured what he was going to have to charge. He already has Tuesday and Friday morning lined up starting mid March (my pt is Tuesday and Friday afternoons)  He has Wed and Thursday line up also. Monday is a floater, there is a guy that sometimes needs to go get supplies and he tries for Monday since Hubby doesn't have much on that day. He is okay with morning or afternoons. 

I went through the one file cabinet. It is now decluttered and organized. Tomorrow will be the next one.

I paid March bills that was in, made extra payment on the two loans on life ins and the mortgage. 

I got the confirmation of getting SS on second Wed of the month starting next month just under $1000 after I had taxes taken out. I think that was the 3rd time I got the notice.

I ordered LL Bean boots, their gore tex boot on sale as I wore out 2 pairs of boots since moving here that actually costed more together than if I had just ordered the LL bean boots to begin with. I spent the money with what I know will hold up. I have ordered 2 pairs of crocs for the garden. I will need a new pair of muck boots as Hubby tried to repair mine and it won't stay fixed. E said they are just starting to come in to the TSC so I will have to go there to try them on. 

Snow is melting and starting a muddy mess for the dogs to track in and out. Another frustration to Hubby. 

Wilbur has taken to walking by my side, Rascal is now getting up on the bed and sleeping next to me. When Rascal sleeps on the bed Charlotte will sleep down on the end and leave my legs alone. She is a leg snuggler and been a battle for her and me. She has gotten so she lightly paws my leg and if I can adjust for her to lay down I do but if I can't a pull her to me to sleep tucked into me. 

I told Hubby I need to draw my garden plans. April 2nd is the last spring date to plant peas. LOL

How is everyone and everything in your neck of the woods?

Blessed Be

doc office just called

 Two people in office have been let go for not making sure paperwork was completely. His scheduler has been informed she is to block Tuesdays for surgeries and follow ups for surgeries. If they mess it up again they are fired as there was no excuse for my follow up to be 2 months later. 

He filed complaint against anesthesiologist for not reading my file (he skimmed it) and giving me fentanyl when my chart says it doesn't work for me (actually specifies that a double shot of whiskey does more for me) and gave it to me anyways. Pain blocks do not work for me so that is another thing to go in my chart we did not .know.Doc think that comes from the CP since it's a nerve block.

Nurse that got me up the first time. I told her I was going to pass out and she tried to get me to step back to the bed... I said no put your leg behind me and I slide to floor down her leg and sat down. They don't have the rule that a nurse should have a belt on the patient even though Phys. therapy has pushed for it. I will be giving that in writing to the hospital as the nurse was smaller than me and could not hold me up. She did not argue with me when I told her to put her leg behind me. They wanted to call it an assisted fall, and her and I both specified I did NOT fall I sat down. Then I showed them with another nurse. 

They were shocked that all the one scheduled for surgery showed up. About half the nurses couldn't get in. 

Things you learn after surgery

Hubby will start plowing at 5:30 in the morning for 2 1/2 hrs to get to the road so you can go to surgery and then drive another 2 hrs to get you to surgery.

I know of at least 3 times he had to get the truck to pull the tractor out where he got it stuck.

 Going to the bathroom with a walker is annoying. Daughter 3 who has been on a walker for 3 months backed this.

Trying to wipe with a bum hip is more than annoying.

You can lift with 1 hand a 95 lb boxer when he accidently steps on your bad hip trying to snuggle to you in bed. No damage done unless you want to count Hubby's heart going into his throat when I yelled get off my hip.

Rascal took on Charlotte over getting to snuggle to me since she was "hogging" the snuggle area. He won, he usually backs down. He is not much of a fighter.

I still can not get out or in bed by my self.

I can't take the muscle relaxer as it turns my stomach. So Hubby cut it in 4ths and I can take it with carbs. I have my standard pain meds so that's not an issue but I can take Bayer back and body (same dosage of the aspirin they gave me) and an Aleve and it does as good as the pain meds and doesn't trigger my crohn's.

I just want to sleep, potty, drink something and potty again and then sleep. No appetite at all... SO eating soup and crackers.

M came over yesterday because she hadn't seen the truck out (it usually sits in front of the house) and E told her we were home as he saw the dogs being let in. She brought over a loaf of bread (figured I would need it to help with pain meds) and  Lemon pie as she knew it was my favorite.  

This afternoon is my first Outpatient therapy. When they "tested" me in the hospital they thought I was doing well considering they gave me too much pain meds during surgery and I didn't come out of it until the next day. My cerebral palsy is flaring big time. I had the nurse laughing because I kept saying put your leg down (had foot on toes) and then glanced to her and told her I constantly have to tell Rascal to put his leg down when he starts walking 3 legged. 

I'm home

 will write more later... Ortho doc went through roof with all the issues I had.

Late everyone. 

Kim at OUT MY WINDOW pantry challenge

 still eating from the pantry..

still have not went to the store for anything but milk.

Does M sending bread and a sweet over this coming Saturday caught as shopping? LOL

Hamburgers with homemade rolls, asparagus, and sweet potato and peaches.

Strip steak and huge salad...we were going to put the steak on the salad but decide to just eat it on it's own plate. I put apples in the salad for our fruit.

Meatloaf , hassleback potatoes, carrots , and raspberry pie filling on sponge cake with cool whip.

Big egg... leftover ham and potatoes tossed in skillet with beaten eggs poured on top. AKA Frittata  but Hubby's family has always called it a big egg.

Cream of mushroom soup HOMEMADE. As that is the only way Hubby will make it

French toast with bacon

What ever we could find in the frig day .

5 am

ORTHO doc said if I didn't want to go out in this weather ... it was okay we could postpone it... Hubby was like we will leave early and get there driving main routes not secondary like we did yesterday to "clean up the mess " of what wasn't done before surgery. Took us 2 1/2 hrs. for a 1 1/2 hr.  drive yesterday. BUT coming home the main highways it took 1 1/2 hrs. 

First....ORTHO forgot to get my primary doctor's release in early Jan when I had seen him so I had to go back to see him. Second they forgot to fax the forms to primary so I had to GO GET THEM , take them to the doctor , then take them back to ORTHO.

Hospital forgot to send results of bloodwork and EKG to Primary so they had to call for that. My BP was so high they ran another EKG. Doc said it is most likely stress of the drive (saw a person do a 360 in the middle of the highway when they hit an icy patch) and the mess that was caused by people not doing their job. I now have the main person of the ORTHO private phone number 

 Doc  CAUGHT they(ORTHO) had forgot to have me sign a paper with witness in ORTHO office... so back track to deal with that.

Went to the hospital as they had changed my surgery time but didn't leave the time to be there... ORTHO DOC changed it to later to give me more time for roads to be cleared and then wanted me to know it was okay if I postponed, he had even gotten a statement from my ins acknowledging the surgery might be postponed due to weather and they would extend the time frame for me.  

Ortho office ordered codeine for my pain med instead of the pain med that is listed in my records ...it's on my RECORD I don't take that. SO office head called CVS to stop it from being filled. CVS had already rejected the order (GOOD JOB CVS)  and they ordered what was listed.

Ortho made it clear if I didn't have surgery to use the pain meds now to help me get to the surgery.

ORTHO forgot to schedule the date in 2 wks to remove sutures. SO today BEFORE surgery I will have to bring that up AGAIN and make sure I have it before leaving hospital tomorrow...I am supposed to spend the night... might be two or even three as Ortho doc noted to hospital of another weather storm coming through on Thursday. 

MEAN TIME

house is cleaned, paths for me to walk with walker are clear, main dishes are in freezer and I even brought up 2 wks of veggies and fruit from the pantry and put them on the counter. Have some dessert stuff if Hubby gets the urge to bake. Brought up 2 cups of 5 different rice, instant mashed potatoes and told Hubby he would have to go down for fresh potatoes and pasta and pasta sauce if needed. 

I haven't slept more than 3 hrs at one time due to pain that has now cranked up to a 10.

Surgery is at 12:30. Hubby is plowing the driveway so we can get out (got 10 inches and then 35 mph winds) right now (it's 5:37 am). We will leave at 8 to get there by 10. I have a caffeine headache, am dehydrated and am starving which is weird as I am NEVER hungry in the mornings. 

I probably won't be back on until Wed night or even later if they hold me to Friday.

SO READY TO GET THIS DONE>

waste not want not Wednesday

 should be whacked out Wednesday LOL.

Late last night I got a call from my primary doctor that they still had not gotten the form from the Ortho doctor they needed to fill out to release me.... since it's been almost 3 months since they were supposed to get it (the day after I saw my primary) they would need to see me. Doc is giving up his lunch to see me on Monday the day before surgery as the only other time he had open was when Hubby was working and I am not driving myself for 180 minutes. Learned that lesson already. I called Ortho office and they thought they had but then found the form still in my file so was suppose to do it immediately. Doc's head nurse AKA his wife was going to call them if she didn't get it by 5 last night. 

I still have 21 things on my to do list that I want done by Monday. BUT I have all the food in the freezers for meals. I would to put some pie crusts (not rolled) and hamburger buns into the freezer if I get to it. I think I would like some vegetable beef chunks soup afterwards also. Maybe beef stew... IT'S FREAKING COLD HERE. Our high yesterday was lower than the low for the state capital here in Ohio. Hubby said we have been getting about 1-1 1/2 inches of snow daily with the snow showers.

On the good side of being cold  as E, his brother M and his BIL J have been clearing the pond daily to keep the snow off (snow makes the ice mushy)He thinks they will cut tomorrow. As today everyone is cutting wood for the 4 schools.Hubby made the comment they best be making sure their WIVES have cut wood before this polar vortex hits.

We had an Amish guy come borrow our generator, his Englisher that cuts the horns on his cattle couldn't get his generator to start. So Hubby lent him ours with the understanding if we lost electric he was coming after it. They brought it back last night and had the guys generator in the back of the truck. Hubby looked at it and mentioned it had 2 GFI outlets. Used his keyto push the reset button to reset them and the generator started up. Englisher was embarrassed and the Amish got a chuckle.

The electric bill was down $10 below budget but I am having to use the dryer for furniture throws and bedding (less dog hair after surgery) so it's going to go up. 

I have my mid calf dresses along with sweaters ( along with long johns and knee high socks LOL)already picked out for after surgery, wearing some of it this week to make sure they fit and I am comfortable in them. Dug into to my stock up for a pair of slippers that fit snug without socks in case Hubby leaves before I get out of bed and I have to go sockless because I am NOT stretching out my socks with the sock helper. Memo to myself I can not use either walker to dry clothes on as I have one in the bathroom for helping get off the toilet and one for me to use. SO laundry will be done mine in morning and Hubby's at night or something like that.

Today I am in the basement cleaning... that's 5 things off the to do list

Thursday I will be in the east and west lofts . It's going to be warmer (HA HA by 3 degrees) and there is low heat in those areas. That's another 4. 

That will leave the main floor to do last and any additional food prep I want to do.

M has asked I send over what I want her to bake for us ... I know a loaf of bread but I think I will also ask for cookies or a sweet of her choice .I will take that note over to her on Monday so she can think about what and when it fits for her. 

At this point I would walk out the door right now and go have surgery.

Baby shower info

 Rebecka has allowed me to post her baby shower info from Amazon and Target and said a big thank you for even asking. 

https://www.amazon.com/baby-reg/rebecka-bartlett-april-2021-springfield/2R5AF368R5KR9

https://www.target.com/gift-registry/gift/d8d145749b5a411da4460e2bc54d1d19?ref=grshare_grandapp

They are living in a two story house so they figured a glidder on one floor and a rocker on the other. I asked why she had them both on her lists . 

Make it happen Monday

 Electric bill is in... $10 below budget. YES!!!!

We have to order salt for the water softener ( 2 weeks after normal fill) and propane (right on schedule for the cold we have) for the tank next week. Hubby is dealing with it since I will be down with surgery. I told him I would remind him when we got to the hospital...give him something to do while he waits hours on me.

Saturday we ate left overs and Sunday we had refried beans with cheese with tortilla chips.  We are eating the left over refried beans as casserole tonight.

I made, rolled and dehydrate almost 6 lbs. of noodles. 

Today I am making pie crust... a chicken pot pie for the freezer, a Dutch apple pie for now and a couple single and 1 double crusts for later. I also need to make bread and rolls.

North and south loft and their stairs in on the cleaning list for today. 

I have a teleconference with SS today. The only thing they need is my checking acct info. All the rest is done unless they find something... don't they always find something???

Daughter 4 is counting down to her grandbaby is due... 10 weeks. AND if she isn't working yet she plans to come up and help plant the gardens also.

I found these from that were daughter 4's when she was born. Now washed and packed up for her grandbaby

Not that she'll use blankets much with baby in April but she can keep them instead of me. I have a couple things that was Son2's that he told me to pass to Army Grandson when they start their family as Son2 doesn't have kids. 

My SIL has lung damage from covid. She already suffers from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (aka pots) and has a pace maker. She has a host of doctor appts that brother and the kids are taking her too. Brother has his own medical problems. He was worried about bankrupting her if he went in to the nursing home (he is 70 and she is 49) Now she is worried about bankrupting him. She did listen to me when I told her to get a home that they could stay in that was ADA for wheelchairs. SO they could stay put as long as they can have someone come in and care for them. Which is cheaper than the nursing home of $9000 a month. That is the cheapest in this area. The county home that takes Medicare has a 3 yr waiting list. 

I best get to making it happen LOL

Blessed Be 

Update on Daughter 4

 This coming week is her last week of radiation and chemo. 

She gets rescanned on March 4th to see if the cancer is still active or restarts. THEN she will have surgery. 

Right now insurance is only willing to pay for the ovary to be removed even though the Doctor feels ALL  should be removed as the cancer could start else where. PLUS  I brought up the fear she is dealing with triggering her PTSD and bipolar, she brought it up to her doctor... or I should say she showed him my text. Then her Lupus doctor chimed in that it could trigger her lupus to flare up when she's had in under control. It's starting to flare now with her off all medication. 

She is handling all the stress by taking her 5 dogs outside to play in the snow several times a day. 

Son 2 dropped off a couple yoga dvd's he had for her. As her doctor will not release her to work with weights or walk in her steel toe shoes but told her she could do some relaxing yoga. 

She earned enough extra money being taxi to some elderly to buy  a crib and some sheets for her grandbaby. 

She is also now getting her dog food for a huge discount thanks to the vet that she takes the dogs to. 

She is planning on having a baby shower for her daughter in March. Not sure if it will be virtual or in person. She knows several have things for her daughter and she is waiting to see what all that will be. 

pantry challenge 2/1/21 to 2/7/21

 Monday

 Lunch chocolate chip angel food cake

Supper chili (home canned) with cheese and tortilla chips

Tuesday

Lunch Pizza rolls

Supper Bacon cheese burger, FF

Wednesday

Lunch. Pizza rolls

Supper. Pork ragu with broken lasagna noodles

Thursday

Lunch cottage cheese and crackers

Lasanga

Friday

One meal at 3 as I spent the entire morning and afternoon in pretesting at hospital.

Smoked ribs, coleslaw and fruit salad from Davis Meats in Sidney

          

Feb. goals

To do the panty challenge  (http://outmywindowtoday.blogspot.com/2021/01/monday-february-1st-oh-my-pantry.html)

Do mini spring cleaning of entire house before surgery.

Turn West loft into guest bedroom with twin bed from son 2 

Put several meals (at least 30) in freezer to help during recovery and beginning of spring planting. 

Go through the 12 boxes, 2 file cabinets, seeds, and 5 clothes baskets AND shell the dried beans I harvested in Nov. 

Get through pretesting (Feb 5th)

Take recycling to township hall (Feb 6th)

Finish filing for SS (Feb 8th)

Celebrate Chinese New Year (Feb 12th)

Surgery (Feb 16th at 11:30)... spend night at hospital. Go through 2 Phys therapies there . One the night of surgery the other the next morning)

Celebrate our 26th anniversary Feb 18th

Out patient physical Therapy Feb 19th... they said having PT on the 3rd day after helps get past the Mac truck that runs you over when your immunity system kicks in full force. 

They mentioned maybe 1 PT a week at out patient but we will have to wait and see.