I have been feeling much better the last few days than I have in a long time so I thought that I would do a little blogging. Over all I feel pretty good except I cough almost from the time I get up until I go to bed. I have been using Zi-Cam and going through cough drops like they were going out of style, but when I am not coughing I am feeling pretty good.
Since I had my cortisone shot and doing physical therapy my back and hips have been giving me very few problems and I am able to do just about as much as I was able to before all the pain started.
This morning I picked up some of the fir branches and cones that have been blowing down from the wind and so far I have not had any problem with my back or hip and usually by now they both would be giving me a lot of pain.
I really did not get a lot accomplished today as I spent a fair amount of time getting my credit cards, stocks, bond, mutual funds real estate holding and other things into my Quicken so that I can do a better job of managing our finances.
We have been doing Dave Ramey's "Financial Peace University" and so even though I pay off the credit cards every month he recommends that we do not use credit cards. This last week I canceled six different credit cards as well as my American Express Gold card which had an unlimited credit limit.
One time I bought one of our vehicles with it; I think that the sales person was shocked when I told him that I was going to charge it and even more shocked when American Express accepted it.
I realize that canceling so many of my cards at one time is libel to hurt my credit score, but it is into the excellent range that even if it drops quite a bit I still should be okay. Besides we are trying to pay off our mortgage and the no interest account that Kathleen bought her sewing machine with and then we will be debt free.
We worked out a budget last month and it looks like we should be able to start saving for major purchases when and if we need them; although that will take a while to save up enough for anything too major.
Sometime between tonight and tomorrow evening I need to work out a budget for March. The budgets are still a work in progress and so each month we keep tweaking them until we can come up with something that we can live with.
Well, I think that I have probably put everyone to sleep by now so I think that I will stop and post this for tonight!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Physical Therapy
After last weeks cortisone shot I have felt so much better as far as pain goes, this weekend I was still suffering from whatever it was that I had and then Sunday I spent most of the day rushing to the bathroom. I am really appreciating having a bathroom on each floor!
Monday morning I had my first session with the physical therapist for my back and hips. He had me do a variety of things to find out where the pain was centered and then gave me a few stretching exercises to do three times a day.
After doing them the second time at home I got tired enough that I took a nap and slept until almost 1700. I seemed to feel better when I woke up and by the time I went to bed my sinuses were not bothering me like they had for the last three or four weeks.
Then this morning I had my physical therapy with the hand specialist, she pocked and squeezed my hands and thumbs to find out where my pain was and then fit me a splint for my right hand to see if it helps.
She also recommended a device that is put into the microwave and heated up, it has a place where I can put my hand inside to provide some warmth which is suppose to help with the pain. Kathleen has been using it more than I have, I think because she is always cold.
Then tomorrow morning at 0730 I meet with my hip and back physical therapist for some more stretching and trying to get my hip and back to relax more. He said yesterday that he cannot remember anyone who has been so tight, but that it was probably from masking or compensating for pain for so long.
I guess that is one of the problems for having such a high tolerance of pain, I was able to get by by blocking it out but now my muscles are really tight and joints are pretty locked or frozen and not allowing my much flexibility.
When I think of being in my twenties and I could put both legs behind my head and do all kind of twisting and bending without any problem. I took Yoga for several years for PE credits and so I was almost like a pretzel.
Well, I need to do my stretching exercises again so I think that I will just post this and call it a day.
Monday morning I had my first session with the physical therapist for my back and hips. He had me do a variety of things to find out where the pain was centered and then gave me a few stretching exercises to do three times a day.
After doing them the second time at home I got tired enough that I took a nap and slept until almost 1700. I seemed to feel better when I woke up and by the time I went to bed my sinuses were not bothering me like they had for the last three or four weeks.
Then this morning I had my physical therapy with the hand specialist, she pocked and squeezed my hands and thumbs to find out where my pain was and then fit me a splint for my right hand to see if it helps.
She also recommended a device that is put into the microwave and heated up, it has a place where I can put my hand inside to provide some warmth which is suppose to help with the pain. Kathleen has been using it more than I have, I think because she is always cold.
Then tomorrow morning at 0730 I meet with my hip and back physical therapist for some more stretching and trying to get my hip and back to relax more. He said yesterday that he cannot remember anyone who has been so tight, but that it was probably from masking or compensating for pain for so long.
I guess that is one of the problems for having such a high tolerance of pain, I was able to get by by blocking it out but now my muscles are really tight and joints are pretty locked or frozen and not allowing my much flexibility.
When I think of being in my twenties and I could put both legs behind my head and do all kind of twisting and bending without any problem. I took Yoga for several years for PE credits and so I was almost like a pretzel.
Well, I need to do my stretching exercises again so I think that I will just post this and call it a day.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Good Ending to the Week
This morning I was feeling pretty good so I did a load of dishes, picked up the rugs in the kitchen and downstairs bathroom, shook them out, swept the floors, mopped the floors, swept the stairs going upstairs and the basement, and then vacuumed the carpets downstairs.
I even managed to do four loads of laundry, I just finished putting the laundry away and I am starting to feel a little tired. It would have taken me several days to get all that done before I had that cortisone shot the other day.
My cold has gotten better, I am still not really healthy, but much better than I have been for the last two weeks. Well, I had a busy day so I think that I will call it good and post this.
I even managed to do four loads of laundry, I just finished putting the laundry away and I am starting to feel a little tired. It would have taken me several days to get all that done before I had that cortisone shot the other day.
My cold has gotten better, I am still not really healthy, but much better than I have been for the last two weeks. Well, I had a busy day so I think that I will call it good and post this.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Day Two After Cortisone Shot
This morning when I got up I was able to move without the pain that I have almost become accustom to for the last year and a half. I still have some pain but nothing like what I have been experiencing before the shot.
After breakfast I looked outside and it was much cloudier than it has been the last few days so I decided that I would put down some fertilizer on the lawn. This turned out to be a much larger task than I had originally planned.
After bringing the spreader and the fertilizer to the front yard I realized that there was still some winter debris over by the hedge on the east side of the lawn; so I got out my rake and raked the front lawn. After I finished raking I realized that I probably should mow the lawn, so I got out my mower and mowed the front lawn.
Now that I had the lawn raked and mowed I could put the fertilizer down which I did. After finishing the front lawn I moved everything to the back yard. First I mowed the lawn and then put down the fertilizer. I did not need to rake as I had picked up and raked it a couple days ago.
Then I went back out front with my rake and hoe so that I could clear out the drainage trench that I have from in front of the kitchen windows down along the hedge to get the water away from the sidewalk. Moles had dug up some of the soil last fall and I had not felt well enough to to do it before now.
While I was doing that a couple of guys stopped by and wanted to know if I had any metal that they could have, I let them take some of the pipes and the old tub from the downstairs bathroom a few months before and they seemed like they were okay so I let them take my old gutters that I replace a couple years ago.
I would have let them have it last time but I had forgotten it as it was in the back and the pipes and tub were in the side yard on the other side of the driveway. After they left I went into the house, cleaned up and then made myself some lunch.
Right now I have a load of towels in the washer and I had planned on doing a couple loads of clothes but Kathleen has not gone back upstairs to add her clothes to the laundry bags so I may wait until tomorrow to do them.
I am surprised at how little I hurt after all that I did today. It probably would have taken me three of four days to do what I did today before I had that cortisone shot, so maybe there is hope for me yet.
Well it is getting close to dinner time so I think that I will publish this and call it a day.
After breakfast I looked outside and it was much cloudier than it has been the last few days so I decided that I would put down some fertilizer on the lawn. This turned out to be a much larger task than I had originally planned.
After bringing the spreader and the fertilizer to the front yard I realized that there was still some winter debris over by the hedge on the east side of the lawn; so I got out my rake and raked the front lawn. After I finished raking I realized that I probably should mow the lawn, so I got out my mower and mowed the front lawn.
Now that I had the lawn raked and mowed I could put the fertilizer down which I did. After finishing the front lawn I moved everything to the back yard. First I mowed the lawn and then put down the fertilizer. I did not need to rake as I had picked up and raked it a couple days ago.
Then I went back out front with my rake and hoe so that I could clear out the drainage trench that I have from in front of the kitchen windows down along the hedge to get the water away from the sidewalk. Moles had dug up some of the soil last fall and I had not felt well enough to to do it before now.
While I was doing that a couple of guys stopped by and wanted to know if I had any metal that they could have, I let them take some of the pipes and the old tub from the downstairs bathroom a few months before and they seemed like they were okay so I let them take my old gutters that I replace a couple years ago.
I would have let them have it last time but I had forgotten it as it was in the back and the pipes and tub were in the side yard on the other side of the driveway. After they left I went into the house, cleaned up and then made myself some lunch.
Right now I have a load of towels in the washer and I had planned on doing a couple loads of clothes but Kathleen has not gone back upstairs to add her clothes to the laundry bags so I may wait until tomorrow to do them.
I am surprised at how little I hurt after all that I did today. It probably would have taken me three of four days to do what I did today before I had that cortisone shot, so maybe there is hope for me yet.
Well it is getting close to dinner time so I think that I will publish this and call it a day.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Day After Cortisone
I was able to sleep on my left side comfortably last night for the first time in over a year so that cortisone shot must have really done its job. I did get up earlier than I had planned as I started coughing and did not want to keep Kathleen up.
So after eating breakfast and reading the paper I loaded up the dishwasher and started it up. I was such a nice day that I decided to go for a walk and was able to walk the three quarter mile around the block with out my hip really hurting me. Toward the end I felt like it was going to start hurting any moment but it never did so that was a relief for me.
When I got back the mail had come so I got it but there was not much of anything there; as I was putting the junk mail into the box that I put the recycling in I though that it would be a good opportunity to see if I could clean up the laundry room.
I got rid of a lot of the bags of plastic bags and bags of rags and was able to move some of the other thing to under the clothes hooks. I also got rid of the box that our lap top came in and also the box that our battery back up for Kathleen's computer.
So now everything is cleared away for the new back door and we can even get into the cabinets next to the washer and dryer. My goal for the next few weeks is to try and go through one room at a time and sort and throw out so that we can reclaim our house back again.
I noticed that the used towels were starting to pile up so I loaded up the washer and did a load of towels. I finally made myself some lunch around 1530; I reheated up some split pea soup from the other night and had the other half of the burger from Burgerville from yesterdays lunch.
After eating I emptied the dishwasher and then put my lunch dishes into the dishwasher. The towels were finished in the washer so I loaded them into the dryer and turned it on.
After I while I heard the dryer go off so I took the towels out, folded and put them away. Then I decided that I would sit and rest for a while and watch the local news. It got to be around 1830 and I asked Kathleen if she was going to do anything for dinner or if she wanted me to do something, she said that she would like for me to do something.
Upon opening the refrigerator I discovered some left-over meatloaf, some left-over rice so I fixed the rice with some cheese on top for Kathleen and and heated up some meatloaf and split pea soup for myself.
I kind of feel like I have had more energy today and I can only think that since my hip was not hurting and sapping my energy that allowed me to get more done. Well, I am tired so I think that I will call it a night.
So after eating breakfast and reading the paper I loaded up the dishwasher and started it up. I was such a nice day that I decided to go for a walk and was able to walk the three quarter mile around the block with out my hip really hurting me. Toward the end I felt like it was going to start hurting any moment but it never did so that was a relief for me.
When I got back the mail had come so I got it but there was not much of anything there; as I was putting the junk mail into the box that I put the recycling in I though that it would be a good opportunity to see if I could clean up the laundry room.
I got rid of a lot of the bags of plastic bags and bags of rags and was able to move some of the other thing to under the clothes hooks. I also got rid of the box that our lap top came in and also the box that our battery back up for Kathleen's computer.
So now everything is cleared away for the new back door and we can even get into the cabinets next to the washer and dryer. My goal for the next few weeks is to try and go through one room at a time and sort and throw out so that we can reclaim our house back again.
I noticed that the used towels were starting to pile up so I loaded up the washer and did a load of towels. I finally made myself some lunch around 1530; I reheated up some split pea soup from the other night and had the other half of the burger from Burgerville from yesterdays lunch.
After eating I emptied the dishwasher and then put my lunch dishes into the dishwasher. The towels were finished in the washer so I loaded them into the dryer and turned it on.
After I while I heard the dryer go off so I took the towels out, folded and put them away. Then I decided that I would sit and rest for a while and watch the local news. It got to be around 1830 and I asked Kathleen if she was going to do anything for dinner or if she wanted me to do something, she said that she would like for me to do something.
Upon opening the refrigerator I discovered some left-over meatloaf, some left-over rice so I fixed the rice with some cheese on top for Kathleen and and heated up some meatloaf and split pea soup for myself.
I kind of feel like I have had more energy today and I can only think that since my hip was not hurting and sapping my energy that allowed me to get more done. Well, I am tired so I think that I will call it a night.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Today was Doctor Visit Day!
This morning I had my visit with the Arthritis and bone doctor at 1100 so I did not get much of anything done this morning. My head cold or whatever it is that I have was a little better this morning and I felt pretty good over all.
When I got to the doctor's office, I had to fill out the usual forms even though I had already filled out the ones that they had sent me. The receptionist was also the nurse so you can see that it was a pretty small office. The doctor has only had this practice for a year or so so I think that he is cutting out extra staff until he establishes the practice.
The doctor poke and prodded trying to find all the areas that hurt and finally said that a lot of my pain was from bursitis, which is more painful than just arthritis so he gave me a Cortisone shot in my hip.
He then wrote me out a couple referrals for physical therapy; one for my hands and the other for my back and hips. He also sent me for a series of x-rays.
They took about eight of my back and hips and six of my hands so it will be interesting to see what turns up in them. He also signed a temporary disable parking permit for my for six months to see how the physical therapy does and then reevaluate the situation.
I stopped by the physical therapy office but it was lunch time so we just left and I will call tomorrow for an appointment there. So after having my x-rays we went to the DMV office to get the tag for my car.
By the time we got out of the DMV it was 1330 and we were both getting hungry, Denny's was having free Grand Slam breakfasts until 1400 but when we got there there was a line of about fifty people so I decided that we would go to Burgerville.
They were having their Hazel nut shake as the shake of the month so we had that along with bacon/pepper jack cheese burger and Yukon fries; Yukon fries are the best!
By the time we got home it was almost 1500 and we both were really worn out, so I did not call the physical therapy offices as my voice was going out again. It seems like that has been happening around 1500 for the last few days.
Well, I am still pretty tired and I think that I am going to call it a day and go to bed.
When I got to the doctor's office, I had to fill out the usual forms even though I had already filled out the ones that they had sent me. The receptionist was also the nurse so you can see that it was a pretty small office. The doctor has only had this practice for a year or so so I think that he is cutting out extra staff until he establishes the practice.
The doctor poke and prodded trying to find all the areas that hurt and finally said that a lot of my pain was from bursitis, which is more painful than just arthritis so he gave me a Cortisone shot in my hip.
He then wrote me out a couple referrals for physical therapy; one for my hands and the other for my back and hips. He also sent me for a series of x-rays.
They took about eight of my back and hips and six of my hands so it will be interesting to see what turns up in them. He also signed a temporary disable parking permit for my for six months to see how the physical therapy does and then reevaluate the situation.
I stopped by the physical therapy office but it was lunch time so we just left and I will call tomorrow for an appointment there. So after having my x-rays we went to the DMV office to get the tag for my car.
By the time we got out of the DMV it was 1330 and we were both getting hungry, Denny's was having free Grand Slam breakfasts until 1400 but when we got there there was a line of about fifty people so I decided that we would go to Burgerville.
They were having their Hazel nut shake as the shake of the month so we had that along with bacon/pepper jack cheese burger and Yukon fries; Yukon fries are the best!
By the time we got home it was almost 1500 and we both were really worn out, so I did not call the physical therapy offices as my voice was going out again. It seems like that has been happening around 1500 for the last few days.
Well, I am still pretty tired and I think that I am going to call it a day and go to bed.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Home on a Monday Night
Well I still have my head cold or whatever it is that I have and Kathleen came down with the same thing a couple days ago. I have had mind for just about a week now and I am really ready to have it go away.
It is not that I am really sick, it is just that my nose and throat have a lot of mucus and at night my nose gets plugged up and then when I get up everything starts to drain and I cough to get it up and after a while my throat get sore. So for the last three or four days I have pretty much lost my voice.
I have been putting Vick's VaporRub on three or four time a day and before I go to bed; so I smell rather medicinal most of the time.
So since we were both not feeling well we did not go to our small group tonight. I thought that I might be able to make it tonight, but by 1530 I knew that I would not as my throat and ear were really hurting.
The temperature got up to the mid fifties today and so I went outside a little after 1000 and I finally made it back into the house around 1530. I felt pretty good while I was outside, or maybe I was just so glad to be outside that I did not notice I was feeling bad.
I got quite a lot done; I picked up all the left over lumber from putting the new back door in and also picked up the lumber under the fir trees from the bathroom remodel. I pulled all the nails out of the boards and then re-stacked the larger pieces and then put the small pieces into one of my old garbage cans. One of our neighbors has been picking it up so maybe this will allow him to take more at one time.
Tomorrow I see my arthritis and bone care doctor; this is my first visit so I am not sure what to expect. I am hoping that he will prescribe some water physical therapy for me so that I will be able to exercise and not hurt my joints. I would also like to be able to get some relief from the pain without the help of drugs.
Well, I am kind of tired, but it is a good tired from working outside for over five hours; so I think that I will call it a day and sit down and relax before going to bed.
It is not that I am really sick, it is just that my nose and throat have a lot of mucus and at night my nose gets plugged up and then when I get up everything starts to drain and I cough to get it up and after a while my throat get sore. So for the last three or four days I have pretty much lost my voice.
I have been putting Vick's VaporRub on three or four time a day and before I go to bed; so I smell rather medicinal most of the time.
So since we were both not feeling well we did not go to our small group tonight. I thought that I might be able to make it tonight, but by 1530 I knew that I would not as my throat and ear were really hurting.
The temperature got up to the mid fifties today and so I went outside a little after 1000 and I finally made it back into the house around 1530. I felt pretty good while I was outside, or maybe I was just so glad to be outside that I did not notice I was feeling bad.
I got quite a lot done; I picked up all the left over lumber from putting the new back door in and also picked up the lumber under the fir trees from the bathroom remodel. I pulled all the nails out of the boards and then re-stacked the larger pieces and then put the small pieces into one of my old garbage cans. One of our neighbors has been picking it up so maybe this will allow him to take more at one time.
Tomorrow I see my arthritis and bone care doctor; this is my first visit so I am not sure what to expect. I am hoping that he will prescribe some water physical therapy for me so that I will be able to exercise and not hurt my joints. I would also like to be able to get some relief from the pain without the help of drugs.
Well, I am kind of tired, but it is a good tired from working outside for over five hours; so I think that I will call it a day and sit down and relax before going to bed.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Chuck Wagon Pizza
Chuck Wagon Pizza
Here is an easy pizza to make, and should be a hit with the whole family.
Ingredients:
1-3 pounds (4 medium) potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 package (10 ounces)prepared, refrigerated pizza dough or Boboli
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup of your favorite prepared barbecue sauce, (divided in 1/4 and 3/4 measuring cups)
1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Place potatoes in a shallow 1 1/2- to 2-quart microwave-safe dish.
Cover with plastic wrap, venting one corner.
Microwave on HIGH 8 to 10 minutes until just tender; set aside.
Coat 12-inch round pizza pan with vegetable cooking spray; press dough evenly into pan (If using Boboli follow directions on package.); prick all over with fork.
Bake for 10 minutes; set aside.
Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet over medium heat saute beef until browned; drain fat.
Mix in 3/4 cup barbecue sauce.
To assemble pizza, spread beef mixture over crust; top evenly with potatoes and bell pepper.
Drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake 10 to 15 minutes until hot throughout and cheese is melted.
Cut into 8 wedges.
This should serve four people
Preparation time ten minutes
Cooking time thirty minutes
Here is an easy pizza to make, and should be a hit with the whole family.
Ingredients:
1-3 pounds (4 medium) potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 package (10 ounces)prepared, refrigerated pizza dough or Boboli
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup of your favorite prepared barbecue sauce, (divided in 1/4 and 3/4 measuring cups)
1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Place potatoes in a shallow 1 1/2- to 2-quart microwave-safe dish.
Cover with plastic wrap, venting one corner.
Microwave on HIGH 8 to 10 minutes until just tender; set aside.
Coat 12-inch round pizza pan with vegetable cooking spray; press dough evenly into pan (If using Boboli follow directions on package.); prick all over with fork.
Bake for 10 minutes; set aside.
Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet over medium heat saute beef until browned; drain fat.
Mix in 3/4 cup barbecue sauce.
To assemble pizza, spread beef mixture over crust; top evenly with potatoes and bell pepper.
Drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake 10 to 15 minutes until hot throughout and cheese is melted.
Cut into 8 wedges.
This should serve four people
Preparation time ten minutes
Cooking time thirty minutes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)