Connie's Corner

Another progress note and odds and ends.

Jim's potassium is up again, 5.8, mainly attributed to his ckd (chronic kidney disease). The home health nurse will test him again next Wednesday. If it goes over 6, his doctor will want him back in the hospital. I don't think he will go. I'm crossing everything crossable and saying prayers it will be lower.

In all other ways he is improving. Our wheelchair stand and pivot technique is getting fine-tuned, and he is staying up most of the day, eating all meals but breakfast at the kitchen table. He is back to watching his tapes of old movies, and the best news of all is that his feet are showing improvement. I am cautiously optimistic.

Our weather has been beautiful, crisp mornings, even a light frost yesterday morning, then warming up in the 70's during the day. The air is so refreshing, like a bath for your lungs. The winter birds are returning and they are ravenous. I try to fill the bird baths everyday because rain has been at a premium lately

My neighbor's baby, Abby, eight months old now, is an educated crawler and almost walking. She is so cute in her pouch on her mommy's chest looking at me and waving her arms around. Can you imagine having your entire life in front of you? Oh, the naivete of it all!

It has been so long since I have been to the library, they must think I've moved. I miss it, but I've no time for reading just now. And I don't like to leave Jim for longer than 20-30 minutes when I have to run to the store for something. I ordered a set of walkie-talkies from Amazon so that when I am outside in the yard, we will still be able to communicate. They actually advertise a 22 mile range, but I think that may be a bit stretched. I'll be happy with the yard range.

I am happy to report I have lost thriteen pounds, a good thing since I need to lose about thirty. I am so busy sometimes I forget to eat or just take a bite of what Jim is having. The funny or strange thing is I am not even hungry, this from the person who can devour an enire bag of potato chips at one sitting...almost. I have not had a soda in I can't remember when, just water. I do have to admit I have started drinking a glass of wine while making Jim's dinner. It winds me down from a hectic day and seems to put my appetite on the back burner.

Mopsy is still onery as ever, but very happy Jim is home. She continues to have me wrapped around her little paw and knows exactly how to get her way. Seriously, I don't know what I would have done without her while Jim was in the hospital.

Our son, who lives in North Dakota, plans to visit around Christmas time. Both of us are really looking forward to that. It has been several years since we have seen him. I know it will be good for Jim. I'll have to do all my Christmas shopping online , but that's what I usually do anyway.

until next time....c