Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Today was going to be a little different, because of Ron going back to the doctor to finish his DOT physical. If you remember, he had flunked the blood pressure part of this 2 weeks ago. Now, 2 weeks is not a lot of time to get blood pressure down, but we did what we could with his diet, and he took the medicine he was supposed to, so -- we'll see.
I woke up right around 8:30, and read until quarter til 10. I got up and got started on finishing the Christmas cards. I wanted to get them in the mail when we went out today, and I was more than halfway done, then had to do the stickers, the return address labels, and the stamps.
I had gotten done with them, and had gotten thru the 'stamping' of the out-of-state cards, and was working on the in-state-but-out-of-town cards when Ron texted me that he was on his way home. WHAT?? It's barely past noon! That's not right - he was going to work til one or so...something is funny in the town of Dodge! Rumpke doesn't let him come home any earlier than they have to, trust me. When he got there, he said that with all the boxes (dumpsters) being frozen, he would not have been able to go pick one up, get back to the dump & dump (dig all the frozen garbage out...) it and return blah blah blah. So -- he got to leave an hour earlier than expected! What an unexpected surprise! Not great for next week's paycheck, but we'll deal with that then.
He went ahead and got his lunch - he ate some of my walnuts (NO sodium) and 2 of the pop cakes - took his shower and just chilled, sitting in his recliner and playing his DS (trying to 'nap' ya know) while I finished up the cards. I finally got through with the in-town cards at quarter after one - not bad, I had estimated one o'clock! I got my lunch - a serving of walnuts, then went and took my shower, got dressed for the cold outdoors, got all the cards packed up into their groups to drop at the Post Office, got all his paperwork ready to go, and refilled my tea and all that fun stuff. I figured we would leave at 2, and at 5 after, we pulled out of the driveway!
We were doing so well on time that we did one of our planned 'after' stops on the way - we stopped at Jungle Jim's. All we needed was more of the Pop Cakes, and we ran in and got them, and were back out in less than 10 minutes.
At the doctor's, we (okay, he and I tagged along) were called back to the exam room. The nurse had Ron weigh himself first and he's lost 16 pounds in these two weeks. I guess the diet part is working! Now to find out about the blood pressure part... She does his blood pressure. Nope. The bottom number is very good, but the top number is only down 4 points since 2 weeks ago. FOUR. That's it. Ron and I are both dumbfounded. How can that be? His little machine at home is showing much better numbers than that! It must be White Coat Syndrome. It must be. She writes it down on a sticky note and goes away. I hand Ron his DS and read my book some more. A hundred years later, when Doc comes in, he checks it again - with the manual thingy and not the machine - and now it's down 10 points. That's still not enough to be a passing number, but it's now in the 'workable' range.
Doc peruses Rumpke's paperwork and finds out that he can sign Ron's certificate for ONE year, not two, and so he does that. We all discuss what can be done now, and he says just stick with what we are doing. 2 weeks just wasn't that long of time to - or for - the higher dose of medicine, and the better diet, to really kick in. It helped, yes, and it was a good, a very good, start, but just hasn't been long enough. He wants to see Ron back in 2 months to make sure everything is working now (i.e.: another follow-up). Since I already have an appointment in February, we set up both appointments together.
Well.
His appointment was at 3:30, and we didn't get out of there until after 5. Long, long doctor visit. I'm so glad that our doctor likes us, and spends a lot of time taking care of things like this WITH us.
When we left there, because of no lunch, we were hungry, so we went to Cracker Barrel for a very early supper. Ron chose the lemon pepper trout, and I, of course, had the chicken and dumplings. His sides were a sweet potato and mine the hashbrown casserole. We both had the green beans, and we both refused the bread (biscuits or cornbread). After eating, we shopped a little (of course!) then left.
We stopped at Office Max on the way out, instead of going all the way up to Staples on Beechmont as we had planned, to get the ink for my printer. Yay! Another stop out of the way. One more to go - and I just might make my TOPS meeting in time now - you know, the one that I'm going to be back way in time for - in time to get Ron home and pick up my bag with my books and all in and go back uptown to? Yeah, that one. Sigh.
OK, driving back toward Bethel from Eastgate around 6pm is not fun, especially not when you know you are now running late. But I persevered. Our last stop was at Walgreen's. I had a small list of 3 items to run in and get. Just three, one of which was a birthday present for a 3-year-old. I knew just what I wanted, and just where it was in the store. Guess what? Yep. It's not there. I had to improvise! Then they were out of the second item, and I let it go, and they had moved the third and I had to ask someone. Ugh! I finally got done, got everything paid for, and left. Okay, 20 til. I can do this.
I need to be at the TOPS meeting to weigh in by 7pm - the meeting itself starts at 7, and you must weigh in before the meeting starts. I did it! I squeaked in at 6:57! Man, was it close! Of course, I had none of my books or anything for the meeting, but I was there. Poor Ron had to sit out in the car, but I couldn't help that. He's a big boy, he can handle it. As it was, there were only 5 of us there - I was the fifth - and we cut the meeting short. 5 members out of 20 is not a very good showing, and does not make for good decisions or agreements.
Getting home, I finally got to play on the pute today while Ron watched TV through his eyelids as usual. I can't complain, though, he did wonderful while we were out!
When I put all my food for the day into MFP, I was so short (UNDER 1000 calories for the day!) that I went ahead and made myself a bag of microwave popcorn for a snack and got together a snack for later when I go to bed, to enjoy as I read. I am still over 300 short for the day, but much better than before!
Food is getting five stars today, and exercise two. I did a bunch of walking - fast walking - even though I can't take credit for it.
I am sure glad today is over, let me tell you.
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