Shopping could be hazardous to my health

Today friend Kirsten took me shopping for some clothes for the Kentucky trip in August.  The plan was to go to Macy's ( I had lots of coupons, a gift card and they had a huge sale), next to The Nordstrom Rack for shoes, and then go to lunch.  My knee was still was acting up, but I was managing to walk fairly well.

Kirsten ran all over the store pulling outfits for me to try on. I was always about 20 feet behind her.  She knows me well and picked some neat things.  Then I tried them on and picked what I wanted to keep.  Trying on clothes takes a lot of energy.  I loved what we had found, paid for them and then we were off to the hat department.  My hats are really winter hats.  I need a lighter weight.

Well, the escalator and the elevator were out of order.  We had walked to hell and gone to get to the elevator and I was pooped.  Mother Hen, Kirsten cornered a clerk and explained the Disability Act to her.  The clerk took us through the back of the store and took us down on the freight elevator.  Then we walked twice as far to get out on the sales' floor.  I was wearing down fast.  Kirsten parked me in front of a mirror and brought me hats to try on.  I was getting light headed and nauseated.

We paid and headed to the door.  I was really having trouble, I was scared and pretty sure I was going to pass out.  Kirsten leaned me against the handicapped door and went for the car. I hung on to the wall until she pulled up.  She poured me into her car and took me home.  No lunch out. 

I haven't felt that shaky since an A-Fib attack in December.  But I wasn't in A-fib. I had just over done it.  Way too much walking that I had thought I could do.  I have rested, napped, and pretty much done nothing all afternoon.

A hard shopping trip.  But worth it, I look great in the outfits and new hats,  I will listen to my body sooner next shopping trip.  Yes, Kirsten another shopping trip.  We never got to the Rack.

And this is how my week went

Monday I had lab work as usual.  All tests were in an acceptable range, so Tuesday I had chemo.  Good friend Pat took me to give Marty time for normal stuff.  Pat and I had a good visit as I was given my chemo.  No side effects that first day.  That night I did a load of laundry, with Marty's help.  Surprise, surprise, I slept Tuesday night.  I rarely sleep the night of chemo.

Wednesday I was doing well enough I did another load of laundry.  I did my 30 minute walk.  I cleaned the bathroom, and then I was done for the day.  I crawled into the recliner, put on idiot TV and rested.  I was slightly nauseated and took one of my magic pills.

Thursday Pat and I planned to go to lunch.  I was nauseated, tired, and not sure if I should go or not.  Then I figured if at home I will still be nauseated even with the magic pill.  I have to eat to hold my weight at a healthy level, so why not let someone else cook lunch and clean up.  And Pat makes me laugh.  That always out weighs sitting home alone. 

We also discovered a wonderful dress shop.  Most of what I liked was waaaay too expensive. I fell in love with an really expensive outfit but controlled myself.  I told the shop owner if I bought it I would have to be buried in it.  And that I already had a Mother of the Groom dress to be buried in.  What Pat liked would not work on her 6' 3" body.  So we just looked and enjoyed the beauty of the outfits.

Friday a friend from Kentucky took Marty and me to brunch.  I was still nauseated and tired, but toughed it out in order to visit with a long time friend.

 

Marty, John Kim, and me

 

Today is Saturday and I am being incredibly brave.  Marty and friend Mark are on their way  to Yosemite for two days.  I was invited, but no way I can hike up to the falls anymore, or walk trails.  Just the drive would have been tiring.  So I am home alone.  This is the first time since they found my cancer that I haven't had someone with me over night.  Marty is just a little worried about me health wise.  I am more worried being alone, I have always been afraid of being alone at night.  And that is why we have a burglar alarm. 

 

Oh, just to make my life even more fun, yesterday my knee started hurting and was not supporting me all the time.   I can't trust it and need to hold furniture, walls, banisters as I walk.  My question is, how can you go to bed and nothing is wrong but when you get up, the knee screams gotcha?  Not a lot of  pain, just uncomfortable walking.  Don't worry about me, this is a recurring thing and I just needed to bitch about it. 

WOW, it has been a whole week

I don't know where this week went, well yes I do.  I always post something every couple of days, or at least say I am busy can't post for a while.  So sorry I left you without me to read.

Sunday I started the week feeling great, ready to take on the first graders and the Marriage Factory.  Monday it all went to hell in a hand basket.  I am walking across the kitchen and tripped on the extension cord.  All I could think was, don't fall, don't fall.  I have had back surgery and falling is never a good thing for me.  Plus, I am a senior citizen.  Our bodies do not do falls well.  I grabbed the table and didn't hit the ground.  Unfortunately my knee (the good one not needing a replacement) took a turn opposite the rest of my body.  PAIN!  I should have taken the fall. 

Tuesday I couldn't go to school.  I might have been able to help sitting in a chair.  But I couldn't make the walk from where I park down the hill one block and up hill the next block. 

Then we had a huge money issue.  We had taken an option on an extended warranty on the car, to the tune of several thousand $$$$.  We left a check, they would cash it if we didn't cancel by a certain date.  Marty called, canceled the option.  He went online to pay bills and we have a zero balance.  They had cleaned out our bank account.  No money to pay bills.  What the hell?  After visits, phone calls, they admitted they made an error.  They would write a check and refund the money in TEN to TWELVE days.  NO, money right now.  It took two more days, but we got our money back.  I am hoping someone was fired over this.

That filled my head all week.  I still am ready to kill someone. 

We were so upset over this that we almost forgot we had friends coming for dinner on Friday.  Our first real dinner party in the new place.  With our money back we could shop for good stuff, and we did.  We wanted a lovely meal, but one we didn't have to hover over. 

The menu:

Chipotle Shrimp in tortilla scoops
Dolly's Hot Cheese spread

Cesar Salad with fresh asparagus

Individual Beef Wellingtons
Tomatoes stuffed with mushrooms, dill, zucchini,

Grand Marnier Chocolate Mousse

Various wines and Champagne

The food was fabulous, and a good time was had by all.

That was my week.  I did limp into the Marriage Factory and will post about that another time. Today shirts to iron, University of Louisville to watch in the Final Four, and maybe a nap.

I’m either very dedicated, or dumber than a red brick.

A little background.  Our hosts’ pool does not have a heater.  There is a solar thing involved.  I am not up on the mechanics of pool heating.  I think the water recycles over the solar pipes.  The highest setting is 75 degrees.  That is fine when the air is 80 or higher.

The last week or so we have had cool weather.  It has been 55 some nights, and the last three nights have dipped to 43, 41, 37.   With that we have had wind, fierce wind.  The water is cold.  The air is cold. The wind is colder.

I hate hate to exercise for many reasons.  I am lazy.  I don‘t like to sweat.  Exercising makes me hurt.  It takes time to do it.  I would rather read a book.

I need to walk in the pool an hour every day to strengthen my leg with the bad knee.  I need to walk to drop my blood pressure.  On land the knee hurts like the devil when I walk for a long period of time, thus walking in the pool. Resistance, yet support from the water at the same time.

Cold water, cold temperatures, cold wind.  The pool  just can’t recover in the daytime to be a warm cozy pool.  So when I walk at 8:30 I am freezing.  Then to get out into the wind is nearly as bad.  Today I walked later, around 11:00.  I thought the water would be warmer then.  Nope, still as cold as a witch’s t*#.  

It is to be warmer at night the next week or so, in the low 50’s.  That will be better, but still not nice.  But I will be out there slogging through the water.  I so don’t want to have knee surgery.