One down. two to go…

I am home from my appointment this morning.  I have another early appointment with my primary care physician tomorrow morning.  Then another doctor appointment on Friday.   October so far is free and then November socks it to me.

I had calls to make this morning to my insurance company.  I received a letter from them stating that since I lost my beloved Dr. Dreyer to Florida that I had to reset my PCP and state who my new nephrologist will be to make sure he was on their provider list.  Next was calling my new doctor’s nurse to make sure that my new doctor would submit new  prescriptions to the pharmacy for me.  And now I have a headache!!

http://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/560262/Dr-Paul-Dreyer-ORLANDO-FL.html 

If you click on this link you will see that he has one rating since he moved to Florida and it is my rating. 

It is beautiful here this morning.  The sun is shining and it is 51 degrees to reach the mid 70s by afternoon.  I love this kind of weather.  I hope the sun is shining wherever you are.

Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Up and at ‘em…

early this morning.  I have been waking up a little after 5 in the morning for the last week or so.  I just get out of bed then, no since staying in bed since I am wide awake.

It is a beautiful morning.  The sun is shining at 52 degrees.  The temp is to reach the mid 80s today with more rain coming in tomorrow.

My visit to the doctor was good yesterday.  He had left his God complex at home and was very nice and courteous to me.  He spoke to me as an adult and not as a backward child.  I have so many different doctors, one for everything.  Sometimes I can’t keep track of which appointment I have with which one.  Some of them I like,  A couple of them I tolerate and two of them  I have a great deal of liking and respect for.  Sadly the doctors today have no ‘bedside manner.’

“Bedside manner…

A good bedside manner is typically one that reassures and comforts the patient while remaining honest about a diagnosis. Vocal tones, body language, openness, presence, and concealment of attitude may all affect bedside manner. Poor bedside manner leaves the patient feeling unsatisfied, worried, frightened, or alone.”

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I am doing laundry this morning.  I have changed the bedding and taken off the blankets to wash.  Now watch it get cold again.

Have a peaceful day.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Busy week…

I had an appointment this morning with the dermatologist (reminding everyone again how important sun screen is.)    Tomorrow morning is an appointment with my cardiologist. 

Taken this morning.

Then on the way home a stop at Costco.

Lots of new building going on in East Peoria close to the Costco store.

Thank you for your comments on my post yesterday.  Your prayers are appreciated.

Have a wonderful week.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

 

Dentist…

and bitter cold at 18 degrees right now and very windy.  I am just home from the dentist where I had the crown set on one side and a loose filling replaced on  the other side.  Total cost for the dentist this month, $1103.00.  Nothing but soup today.

Yesterday I was gone from 8:30 AM till almost 3PM  to two doctor appointments.  I was so tired  when I came home that I just flopped down and watched the Arias trial.  No computer at all.

I do not believe in the death penalty.  I think someone eligible for the death penalty would suffer more if given life sentence with no chance of parole.  And I  do think Jodie Arias should be convicted and thus sentenced.  The one good thing that our disgraced former governor George Ryan did for the state of Illinois was to abolish the death penalty.  http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/illinois-16th-state-abolish-death-penalty/story?id=13095912

This will be another day of rest, in fact I think it will take me a week to get caught up.  lol

Have a peaceful day.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

The sun is shining…

and the frost is heavy on the ground.  It is 25 degrees and the sun is starting to shine and the predicted temp for today is 45.

I once had a fellow blogger tell me that no one was interested in reading what my weather was for the day and the mundane things happening in my life.  That was in 2005 and I didn’t let her deter me one bit,  I am still going strong and giving my weather forecast in almost every blog I write.  Also such boring things as doctor appointments, what tests I have had, the date and the results.  This info has proved invaluable since I moved here. 

It will be 3 years on April 15th since I moved here.  I can’t get over how fast the time has passed.  I like living in a larger city but I miss my old friends.  I am friendly here with my neighbors but I don’t have any friends like I left behind.  Jo and Sandi and Christine, I miss you all.  But life goes on and we adapt to our environment and that is what I have done.

I see my daughter more now in a week than I did in almost a year at home and I really appreciate her and my son in law!  I see my son a bit less because where I lived before was closer to Chicago and that makes me sad.  I have nieces and a great niece here that I see occasionally so it all balances out.

I am doing laundry this morning, running back and forth to the laundry room while I am typing this.

I have a doctor appointment today so I need to close this off.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Updates…

My furnace has been running for 2 days now , (knock on wood).  Someone finally came  a few minutes ago and picked up the space heaters that were here.  I hope it continues to work properly!!

Have any of you ever had a doctor that was overbearing and treated you like a small child?  That is the description of my cardiologist (aka Dr. God).  This morning he spouted off so much nonsense that I just said thank you Dr. God.  He smiled and said oh that is nice and I said, I didn’t mean it as a compliment.  It didn’t even phase him.  He has told me on numerous occasions that my kidney/bp doctor is the doctor in charge of my meds.  Today he changed my meds again.  I feel just like a puppet and one doctor or the other is pulling the strings.  He said with one breath, pacemaker soon and then turned right around and contradicted himself.  Why you ask do I have him as my cardiologist?  He is in my doctor group and he has an office here in town so that means that I can go by myself to see him. 

Anyway, I guess I am in somewhat of a bad mood.  I don’t do well when my meds get jerked around.  I have wished so many times that I had my old doctors back from home.  Well, it has been said that one can never go home again and that is so very true!

I have another doctor appointment in the morning, this one in Peoria.

Sorry for the downer post.  I hope you all have a very nice weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

A Blooming Wednesday…

Yes, that is right, one of my two tomato plants has a bloom on it.  So in another couple of months I might have a tomato, that is if nothing gets to it before I do.  I have about $14 invested in these tomato plants.  I could go to the store and buy $14 worth of tomatoes but what is the fun in that?  Besides at the price per pound of tomatoes right now that wouldn’t amount to much.

 

Can you all see that little bloom?                 My other plant.

 

The flowers that my next door neighbors have planted.

I finished the cleaning yesterday and today I feel lackadaisical.  I need to perk up though because I have a doctor appointment this afternoon.

 

lack·a·dai·si·cal/ˌlakəˈdāzikəl/

Adjective:

Lacking enthusiasm and determination; carelessly lazy.

Synonyms:

listless - apathetic - languid – apathetical

How is that for a word study lesson?

 

One of my new blogging friends, Nellie,  is a retired teacher.  Please,  stop by and say hello to her if you have a minute.  She welcomes new blogging friends.

Remember to stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

One down…

and three to go.  I saw a different doctor this morning, a gastroenterologist.  Next week it will be an appointment with the ophthalmologist on Monday and then tests on Tuesday and Wednesday.  And I hope that is it for awhile.

My doctor appointment today was a different experience.  they asked to see my driver license and then they took a picture of me. First time for everything I guess.

From my doctor’s office on the 5th floor

 

I was able to take some pictures of downtown Peoria. 

I have a fond memory of Peoria.  My daddy brought me in his truck to downtown Peoria to shop for my wedding dress.  It was a 2 piece white knit sweater dress.  I still have it somewhere.  I still remember my dad patiently waiting in his truck while I shopped for a wedding dress.

I am on my way to visit you all.  Do stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Another…

beautiful day in the works for the heart of central Illinois.  It is 53 degrees now and is supposed to get into the mid 80s today.  I like that!

I am beginning to get used to the ‘thing’ Sandi.  However, I am waiting for the ‘oh you will feel so much better’ stuff that all of the doctors involved fed to me.  I hope that will come to pass.

I have asked my daughter and she said she will help me television hunt this morning.  It took my TV about 5 minutes and lots of clicks before it came on yesterday.  This was very important as Desperate Housewives was on last night.  That show is winding down, only two more  episodes I think.  I really hate to  see it go as I have watched it from the very beginning.

Yesterday was a gorgeous day.  I stepped out my back door and took a couple of pics.  These are the scenes that I can see each day when I look out my back door.

  

In the second picture you will see the tree that I have been taking a new picture of each month this year.  So far there is no green on it at all.  I will take a new pic of the tree on Wednesday.

I hope you all have a good week.  Stay safe and be happy.

Beth

This is shirtsleeves and..

shorts weather.  It is just like early summer outside.  It is so gorgeous, the forsythia, tulip trees, daffodils are all in bloom.  The trees are all budded out. The sun is shining so brightly and felt so warm on my arms.  I am in awe of such a beautiful day on this the 4th day on the countdown to spring.

I am home from the doctor.  My daughter and I ate at Wild Berries in Peoria for breakfast.  I never saw such gigantic portions. We each had two boxes of food to bring home.  Very nice, I would like to eat there again.

I am really pooped though as I had to get up at 6 this morning and I am not used to the new time yet.  I think I might take a little nap this afternoon.  Yesterday in addition to cleaning a closet I washed out the windowsills and the inside of the windows.

I hope you all have a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Be still…

my beating heart!  It is 60 degrees and bright sunshine right now heading up to 80 degrees this afternoon.  Only 5 more days left on the countdown to Spring.  I love the Spring and Fall  of the year.  I am not too keen on winter.  I can tolerate summer but I hate the heat and humidity that we get here in the summertime.

I have been busy this morning cleaning a closet and waxing some furniture.  And now I am through with that for the day.  My constitution will only take so much cleaning in one day.  Not sure what I am going to do with the rest of the day.  I do promise to be good however.

I have nothing decent in the house to eat.  The cupboards are full and the freezer is packed but nothing tempts me.  I need Annie to whip me up one of her gourmet vegetarian meals.  I’m telling you that akaAnnie is a whiz at cooking.  She has been getting stuff out of her garden all winter long.  Plus her blog is funny and very interesting.

There is nothing new on the home front to report, oh yeah, except that I have another doctor appointment tomorrow. 

You all stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

A glorious day..

in the heart of Illinois and the sun is shining brightly.  The temp stands at 37 degrees right now but it is supposed to climb to the low 60s today.  Which leads me to remind us all that the first day of Spring is 2 weeks from today.

The only thing marring my feeling of euphoria  is the fact that I have another doctor appointment this morning.   Oh well, one thing at a time, one minute, one hour, one day at a time.  Brings to mind a line from that song, ‘Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do.”  And I do, I just keep moving along, thankful for each new day.

The snow has all melted away.  I tracked ice melt in the kitchen yesterday so that meant I had to clean the kitchen.  I have frozen or eaten my leftovers from the weekend so I guess I will have to cook again or ask Lean Cuisine for a handout.  I don’t like her handouts very much, Marie Callender’s handouts are tastier.  More sugar, fat and salt in them. 

I love this old pic of Jim and our next door neighbor taken in 2005 right after Jim had finished his first round of chemo.  I miss my old neighbors but they are kind enough to keep in touch and have even been here to see me a few times.

Wow!  I could look at old pictures all day and not get anything accomplished at all.  I have most of my old pics on the computer and have many dvds full of them.

I hope you all have a great day.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Back by popular demand…

The countdown to Spring stands at 17 days, 18 if you count the 2oth.

I am just home from a visit to the doctor’s office.  I am being set up for an endoscopy. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/upperendoscopy/  I have had several of these before as I suffered from bleeding ulcers when I was younger and working in a stressful job.  So even though I know what to expect I am not looking forward to it at all.  At least it is not as bad as the colonoscopy which I had done 2 years ago.

On the way home my daughter and I stopped and ate at Grumpy Pete’s.  The food was only so so today.  The reason given us was that the owner has been in and out of the hospital several times lately with pancreatitis.  I know what this is.  My sister died of pancreatic cancer after several pancreatic attacks.  I wish him well.

It was pouring down rain all of the way to the doctor’s office.  I got pics from inside the car as we were crossing the McClugage Bridge.

 

And coming home when the rain was slowing down in preparation for cooler temps and maybe some snow later on today.

 

All for now as I am exhausted.  I hope you all have a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Leap Day Hooray..

I will be gone today out searching for a brown eyed handsome man for me to propose to. Watch out all of you guys.   LOL   http://www.timeanddate.com/date/leap-day-february-29.html  There are some really good traditions for February 29th.  For example:

In Scotland, it used to be considered unlucky for someone to be born on Leap Day, just like Friday 13th is considered an unlucky day by many. In Greece it’s said to be unlucky for couples to marry during a Leap Year, and especially on Leap Day.  I consider the 29th to be a good day as I woke up this morning alive and breathing.  That in itself is a miracle.

It is gorgeous out this morning on the 19th day on the countdown to Spring.  It is 55 degrees and sunny but very windy.  We are under a high wind advisory for this afternoon.  I noticed the grass in my front yard has started to green up.

I am feeling pretty yucky today so I called and made an appointment with one of my many doctors for Friday.

You all stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

And then there…

were only 33 days left on the Countdown to Spring.  It is drizzly and foggy here this morning and the temp is holding steady right now at 36 degrees. 

As I am writing my blog I often look at a word I have written and wonder if I have used it in the right context.  The red squiggly lines underneath a word on live writer let me know if it is misspelled but not if it is used in the right context.  One of my duties at my last job at the AFB was to proof and correct officer performance reports, also to make note if the words were used in the right context.  I spent many a time running up  3 flights of stairs to the general’s office at the end of the day to confer with his secretary over the use or misuse of a word.  Looking back I can now honestly say that was my least favorite job I have had in all of my lifetime.  This was before the days of computers that corrected words for you.  No whiteout was allowed.  If you had to correct a word hopefully you could get it just right on your typewriter and lift it off and redo it.  Easier said then done.  Now I don’t give a tiddleypoop whether a word is used in the right context or not.  My blog, my words!

I have managed to get my place cleaned and dusted this week including the bathroom which I hate to clean.

I need to close for now.  It will soon be  time to head off for my doctor visit.  Update on that tomorrow.

Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Just call me…

sweetheart.  This was a new one for me.  When the receptionist called me from the dentist office yesterday to remind me of my appointment she ended the call with ‘thank you sweetheart.’  I wasn’t quick enough on the draw to say ‘you’re welcome sweetheart’ like Nancy suggested I do. 

Actually yesterday during my stress test I finally decided that I like Dr. G. after all.  I realize that he has my best interest at heart and that is the most important thing.

I had to stop for a minute and get my clothes out of the dryer.

My daughter stopped by on her way to work this morning and cleaned the snow off my car.  No snow on the ground this morning, just on my car.  The next thing on my agenda is the trip to the dentist.  I will finish this post when I get back.

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I am home from the dentist with my teeth cleaned and x-rays taken.  All is well with that part of my life.  Since the dentist’s office is directly across the street from Kroger of course you know I had to go to the store where I bought a couple of necessary things plus a cherry pie and ice cream which were totally unnecessary.  I am hoping my daughter will stop by for her lunch hour.  Cherry pie happens to be her favorite.  My favorite pie is lemon meringue or banana cream pie with meringue.  Recipes on my recipe space for all 3 pies.  Stop on by, I am fixing fish sandwiches to go with the pie and ice cream.  You are welcome too RB.

It is a bright sunshiny chilly day on this 41st day on the Countdown to Spring,

All for now.  I hope you are all having a great day.  It is important that you stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

46 days…

and on the downward spiral towards Spring.  I am running so late this morning as I have been to two grocery stores and cleaned them out.  lol  I am definitely well stocked in the grocery line so come on over and  I will feed you.  That means you too RB!

Dr. visit yesterday was more of the same.  Dr. G. was very nice to me and only called me honey a couple of times.  For some reason the doctors all forget we have a name and we are either honey, darlin’, sweetie or young lady.  I really don’t like that.  Please call me by my last name, Mrs. D.  as I have cherished that name for over 50 years.  Even though I may be somewhat over the hill I have a  higher than average IQ.  Nothing new from the visit except that I have to have another stress test next week.  I am wanting to get back in to exercise/working out again (big time) and the doctor says no until I have had another stress test.

Then to the results of the sleep study.  Well, I am pondering that for awhile.  Got enough on my mind as it is.

All for today.  I have to get the groceries put away and in 15 minutes it is time for The Young and the Restless which I am hopelessly addicted to.  I hope you all have a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

49 days and..

passing quickly on the countdown to Spring.  Yesterday was a glorious day, topping out at 60 degrees in the late afternoon.  It is 43 degrees this morning and supposed to reach upper 50s with rain this afternoon.

I was up early changing the bedding and starting the laundry.  Not fun like yesterday when I went shopping around town.

Comments to my post yesterday indicated that most of you had never heard the song I was referencing.  I know of several churches that have adapted that song for their own use.  Bobby Bare is a country singer who had many hits in the 60s and 70s.  Two of them being Detroit City and 500 Miles Away from Home.   Jim and I saw him in concert several times.  He has a toy store now in Nashville that sells teddy bears of all kinds and toys for children.  Using his name, the store is called the Bare Trap. 

Pushing ahead, I have another doctor appointment on Thursday.  I did get a good report from one doctor this week but I have heard nothing about the sleep study.

I need to go check on the laundry.  I hope you all are having a good week.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

51 days…

to go and counting down till Spring.  It is not really spring like here this morning.  It is cloudy  and 30 degrees right now.  It is supposed to get up to 50 degrees today.  I am not holding my breath though. 

Yesterday when I went out to clean my car off I got a nasty surprise.  What I thought was snow turned out to be a combination of ice and snow about 3 inches thick all over the car.  It took me over half an hour just to get the dang car cleaned off enough for me to drive it to the store.  Then the parking lot at the store was icy and I had on the wrong shoes for that.  Thankfully I didn’t fall.  Bring on the heating pad though!

I am fixing homemade potato soup for my daughter and SIL to have after church.  That is a lot of potato and onion peeling.  This was one of Jim’s favorite dishes.  We would fix it a lot when we knew the kids were coming home.  Then I would save a bowl for Jim for later and send the rest home with the kids.  I make one pan with hamburger and one pan with ham.  I am having green salad with that too.  And that is it,  I did make some cupcakes yesterday, not homemade just from a mix.

This winter, mild as it has been, has been wearing on me.  I saw so many doctors that I don’t know which one to turn to when I really need some help.  One doctor will not cross another in any way.  It is just like they have taken a  Hippocratic oath not to step on each others toes.  Never mind the patient, they are just a number that they make wait for them to be seen and then they graciously allow you  10 – 15 minutes of their time where you find out little or nothing.   Meet Doctor God! 

Whew, I am done ranting for today.  I get carried away when I start talking about Jim’s oncologist too.

Wow!!  Now the sun has come out and I am cheered up already.  If the sun stays out I think I will take a walk over to the cemetery and have a little talk with the Man upstairs as I think I need a push forward.  You all stay safe and be happy.

Beth

And the countdown to spring …

is 64 days.  This morning it is partly sunny and the temperature is 36 degrees,  It is to get up in the 40s today with rain by afternoon, then more snow predicted for later in the week.

I am here waiting impatiently for a call back from the doctor’s office about the allergic reaction to the med I started last week.  I hate talking to the nurses and the doctors.  They somehow make you feel like you have done something wrong because you have a reaction to something.

My niece in WV just got out of the hospital yesterday after a 4 day stay.  My sis and I have a list of doctors that we call Dr. God.  These are doctors who care not one whit for you as a person and see you only as a number.  My list of Dr. Gods is growing longer each day.

Last month when I saw my primary care doctor I showed her a letter that I had written to myself outlining all of the doctors I had seen since my hospital stay the first part of October 2011 and all of the different meds I had been prescribed, I further described how I felt like I was being jerked around by these doctors like a yoyo.  She asked if she could keep the letter and I told her yes.  As I was leaving she came over and gave me a big hug and told me she was sorry.

Consider this my Wednesday rant.  Then you all stop and take the time to stay safe and be happy!!

Beth