The Mysteries Of Who Gets What

My Granddaughter and her little family of four have Covid-19 !!  Now, Why ? Is there really an answer to that question that we will accept ?  This family has followed the guidelines to full extent .  Of course , just the fact that the word "family" is in my question is a possible factor .

(google image)

There is no way activities of daily living that take you away from home can be reduced to almost nothing as I have been able to do as an elder living a simple lifestyle , alone and in relatively good health regarding body systems other than my Skeleton System and its related components .  However , my pre-existing Hypertension puts me in a compromised category .

Because of Medical Confidentiality they are not given information regarding route of transmission . The possibility is that the school bus driver may be part of the equation . He/she may not have even know if they had the virus.

The family all have symptoms that have been manageable and are practicing Quarantine Directives.  The father is able to perform his employment obligations in management from home .  And , that is a great blessing .  Positive energy and prayers are welcome for complete recovery for all of them . 

Of course , Science has a lot of answers to the question . And the Who and Why is a lot more of a  Philosophical question that is above my pay scale for tonight .  

(nearby hospital)

But , what we can do is to follow ALL of the CDC Guidelines and take personal responsibility and respect and care for one another.  Fractured compliance results in more deaths .

Show love for one another regardless of the adjectives that you use to describe that person .

Mary

Note . This is the day I was scheduled for knee surgery . I am so thankful that I have postponed the procedure . I do not want to be in the hospital for an elective procedure especially with the virus numbers spiraling ! And , this county is now in the PURPLE (most restrictive) tier for COVID infections .

So Thankful

First - - -  a quick Blogger update .  The complaints that are the same as mine on Blogger Community started 4 days ago and there are 34 recorded . I did not report my problem and I am certain that many others did as I did and just gathered the information . I agree with the sentiment of a blogger who posted "makes me seriously weary about using Blogger at all ."  Think of all the useless hours spent by Bloggers trying to find a solution and all the data that has been lost ! We are all waiting for the solution !  Importantly. I want to Thank You for your comments of encouragement .

Second - - - on with Real Life .  It has been so wonderful to have some (yes , some and that is good) relief from the horrible pain in my knees , especially the right knee !!! 

When I attended Physical Therapy last week for evaluation and treatment plan, I truly wondered how I could accomplish the goals that were established . Primarily because the instructions were for me to stop if the activity caused pain which essentially meant that I could not do much of anything .  I was still dealing with a lot of pain with the activities of daily living even though I was getting better sleep at night time .

I left the appointment concerned but determined to find direction .  First off - what was I going to do about the severe pain when no one was going to prescribe any type of real pain medication !  So , at that point I started to focus more on the use of the Hemp Balm that I had been using periodically but not regularly .

So , I started using the Balm on my right knee to my ankle every morning and every evening without fail .  And , I am thrilled to say that I am feeling remarkably better .  It really feels quite surprising after so many days of unrelenting discomfort . 

I did a little more research on what Hemp is and the use of Hemp .  There are many plant strains of Cannabis Hybrid . The two which you hear the most about are Hemp and Marijuana .  The Hemp plant and the Medical Cannabis plant are different varieties of the same plant species , Cannabis Sativa . 

By definition , Hemp contains no more that .3% THC - the psychoactive compound that is found in higher concentration in Marijuana .  By contrast , Hemp naturally has higher levels of CBD - the compound , which is known for helping human bodies maintain health and overall wellness .

I ordered more Hemp Balm on the Internet from Charlotte's Web Stanley Brothers and it has already arrived .

I have made an important decision regarding my scheduled knee surgery .  I am postponing the surgery date from December 1 to some time after the first of the year .  Too many things going on in the world , specifically the COVID 19 virus and increasing numbers in my region . Just being in the hospital frightens me plus patients have to wear a mask !!!  Having to wear a mask going to the Post Office is bad enough for me !

This is an elective surgery and I think I can manage the pain if I "do not over do it" .  And , it will give me more time to do some home Physical Therapy .  I also have to see the dentist for a release stating "no infection of teeth (equivalent of bone)" that is required prior to surgery .  Getting an appointment is delayed because of the months of office shut-down with the virus .  And , I have to work more on my support system for after returning home from the hospital .  And , who wants to be fresh out of the hospital during the holidays if it can be avoided .  Whatever I can do to maintain my psyche stability , I will do !

Taking the journey Day by Day .

Mary

Lovely Color Change

In this part of the country we are gently transitioning into the next season .  The colors are slowly changing on many plants .  I find it so enjoyable to watch the changes that are so unique to this time of the year .  I don't think the other seasonal changes at other times of the year are quite as spectacular . Even though Spring Time is very dynamic .

This Magnolia Stellata "Royal Star" is very close to the brillant Euonymus Alatus "Burning Bush" and presents a beautiful contrast of colors .

Oh , how I love my Pansies and they sure like the cooler weather .  Even though today is a bright high 70 degree day . 

The loveliness of the the Gerber Daisies and Zinnias continue .

And, the stunning White Chrysanthemums have joined the party !

Do you have Squirrels in your gardens ? We have them year round and I enjoy their chatter and acrobatic antics .  But , I do not like it when they dig up my recently planted bulbs - - - - - even when I have tried to protect my precious tulips and daffodils with netting.  Of all the nerve of them ! No , No , No !

I have not been able to get a nice photo of these little visitors as they move so fast !

(google image)

They don't only go after my bulbs .  They have been busy digging holes all over the garden .  Which is OK with me .  Sometimes hiding walnuts they have found and acorns that are all over the garden .  They also have dug out a total of 4 of my pansy plants that didn't recover .   Don't warn them - but - I sprinkled a little something that sometimes deters them !!!

Is has been a beautiful day and I have spent a lot of time outside puttering in the garden .  I had a little better night getting some sleep .  Using the Hemp Balm regularly on my right knee. Seems to help . Still listening to my soothing music for most of the time .  Good for my psyche and physical discomfort .  Not living in a vacuum , still know what's going on in the world .

Take Care ,  Keep the faith in what you believe !

Mary

Doing Minute To Minute Battle

Pain centers in three different locations at the same time in the body is a continual challenge whatever your age .  My back pain is a very familiar pain even with it's variations from day to day . Some days more intense with radiation into my left buttock and thigh . And , on a good day I almost forget about it even though it has been with me over twenty five years .  Yes , it has worsened as age has a way of "wear and tear" on the bony structures that cause pressure on various nerve routes that cause pain .  In my experience , keeping my muscles fluid by keepin' a movin' helps me to avoid "folding up my tent" .  It ain't easy on many days but have to keep pushing on . Unfortunately , my scoliosis is causing more and more curvature toward the left causing more pressure points of pain . 

And, now the added huge annoyance of having my old knees hollering for attention !  I think the left knee is a tag-along of the right knee even though the x-rays show both knees as "bone on bone" as the cartilage has worn away and the synovial membrane which releases a lubricating fluid which reduces friction in a healthy knee is absent .The left knee is troublesome in that it hurts sometimes and feels unstable when I am walking sometimes .

 But , the right knee is a whole different story for me . The severe pain at night time is unrelenting and it makes me want to call out with sounds of pain .  Even with elevation and ice packs it seldom calms down . I have no idea why it is so bad at night .  And , it doesn't seem to make a difference in respect to my daytime activity . One thing that is new that I have tried at night is to massage behind my knee with Charotte's Web Hemp Infused balm.  So far it has been helping somewhat .  And , it at least helps me to get some sleep . Of course when the knees hurt it kicks up the back pain because my posture is less than good when I am trying to get around with a cane and avoid falling .  It surprises me how much I can do with the help of the cane .  I can water my garden and also do some simple activities .  I have chairs around the garden so I can sit if I desire while doing the hand watering .  Additionally I can get around the kitchen quite well . Of course I must pace myself and be mindful of possibly overdoing it .

Corticosteroid injections into the knee are sometimes given to try to reduce the inflammation and relieve pain but if they are administered , there is at least a six month waiting period before surgery can be performed . So , it really wasn't an option as far as the doctor was concerned .

One thing that really puzzles me is why they will not order some strong pains pills when my blood pressure has been very high . Last time in the doctor's office it was in the range of' 174/110 range !! The primary M.D. says to his assistant  'that's because she is in pain" when she asks if she should take it again .  With 25 plus years of pain and absolutely no issues with overuse of medication - - - I wonder if they are trying to kill me !  Not really , but I think I should call and beg if I have to and explain my concern !!!!!  It would be nice to avoid a heart attack .  Another month more of this before surgery may be more than I can take. I understand I will get pain pills after surgery . Tomorrow , I start to see the Physical Therapist . However , I have already started gently following the instructions already given to me .

Yesterday I managed to go to the Post Office to pick up mail , go to the drive through car wash , get gas at the drive through gas station , took trash to the dump and go grocery shopping . Each step planned out like going from A to Z in a straight line and no backtracking .  Somebody gotta do it .  I was ready to hit the couch.

Well folks , even though I don't like to talk about pain , I can either talk about my Physical Pain or the Elections .  They BOTH are very painful ! 

Just trying to stay upright !  Beats the alternative !

 

Until Next Time .

Mary

Bone On Bone

Sounds awful , doesn't it ?  I was not surprised . Much more severe on the right knee than the left !  My Orthopedic evaluation was at a newly opened 8 Million Dollar Medical Clinic about 15 minutes from my home . The new facility is great and beautiful with all the latest diagnostic equipment .  And , the staff is very good and certainly seem very happy to working in such a nice facility .

Look - even an Electric Car Charger Station . How is that for serving the public in this small rural area?

Back to Bones ! Additional x-rays were taken at request of the surgeon.  When she came into the exam room she told me that a Total Knee Replacement for both knees was the treatment recommendation .  Even though I was expecting that , it was very hard for me to hear . The surgeon was exceptionally pleasant and we had a very in depth discussion of the situation including Rehab center and in-home health care and physical therapy.  She said the Minimally Invasive Surgery was not an option .  We discussed the ramifications of Covid 19 and in her opinion there probably will be a serge at the end of the year .  Surgery of the right knee only is scheduled for December 1 at the local hospital where she has been on staff for over seven years .  I will start physical therapy as soon as it can be scheduled to develop improved muscle tone which will help in the recovery .  She said that in her opinion I was a very physically fit person and young !!! WOW !  And , recovery would be only about 2 months . And , if I desired , the left knee could then be scheduled .

 

So , there we have it , all "the Nuts and Bolts"!  The reality of my situation is becoming very real and I will have time to properly prepare for the surgery .

The weather has been wonderful .  Truly , Fall weather .  This is the view from my dining room window !

I am going to have a bowl of Squash Soup and Oatmeal Casserole Bread for dinner . I had never heard of Casserole Bread . Do you know what it is ? It is described as a no-knead bread that is slightly sweat , thanks to molasses and oatmeal that gives it a nice chewy texture . And , baked in a casserole dish .  Of course , it can be baked in a loaf pan and even a cast-iron skillet .

After resting somewhat after I got home at 12:30 PM (appointment was at 9:45 AM) I decided to make some casserole bread .

This is after all the ingredients are mixed and ready to sit and rise for an hour .

This is after the dough is "punched down" and put into The Casserole to rise again for 30 minutes . It rose to the top of the dish quickly and before the 30 minute time frame !  But , into the oven it went .

Oh dear , look what is happening ! My Casserole Bread "runneth over" !

Probably because I used pizza crust quick rise yeast because that is all I had .  I should have watched it closer !

I took it out of the oven to soon because it was spilling all over and it wasn't baked through .  Oh , it had such potential of looking like the beautiful pictures of others and tasting great with my soup . It was sooooo under baked .

(King Arthur Website)

Oh well , tomorrow is a new day and new adventures .

Hope you are all doing well .

Mary

From Squash To Soup

Finally ready to harvest .  Does the word - harvest - make me sound like a big time vegetable gardener ?  I think not .

 

From This to This - - - - - - - -   

Look at the size of this squash . It was too large to weigh on my kitchen scale so I weighed it on the bathroom scale !!  That's a lot 'a squash !  Acorn Squash usually weighs 2 to 3 pounds .

Because I was concerned about trying to safely cut it because of the size and hard surface I put it into the microwave for 5 minutes to soften it a little bit and taste it to see if I thought it tasted like it would make a good soup .  And , it was a GO .

It cut easily and after covering with olive oil and some course sea salt I baked it for one hour .

It came out nicely roasted .

And , ready to scoop and blend with the other ingredients.

I found it to be a lot of fun cooking with something from my own garden .  I think Acorn Squash has a rather mild taste and a slightly nutty flavor . So it can use a lot of added seasoning . Along with onion , carrots , garlic , chicken stock and of course the squash , I added half and half , salt , cinnamon , nutmeg and cayenne pepper . Tasting as you go helps to get the end result you like !  The use of an emersion blender is a great help in giving the soup a nice finished texture .

A small salad and some crusty rustic bread would round out a nice meal .

A few red pepper flakes make a nice garnish .

I am so glad my home grown squash was something I could cook with .  And , now I have some good servings in my freezer .  I don't usually freeze food that I prepare that has cheese or milk products but the small amount of half and half should work well .

Tomorrow is my appointment with the Orthopedic Specialist and I am looking forward to it .  I started thinking more about my leg symptoms and my nursing background and I came up with a  new thought about the diagnosis . Because the symptoms are primarily with my right knee and there is significant swelling behind the knee cap I am wondering if it may be a Baker's Cyst . Yes , my knees are bad but this intense localized pain may have a different cause than just "old knees" !

I am so tuckered out with the severity of pain and I am so hopeful for some type of relief .  And , I am certainly going to push for some pain pills .

Until next time .

Mary

Another Goodie

First off - - - the pain in my right knee and leg and foot is almost unbearable .  I don't see a pattern . Sometimes it is not bad but most of the time SO painful and debilitating.  The ice packs help and small periods of activity interspersed with rest and elevation of my legs makes life bearable . Finally , went and got the ordered x-rays and it was tortuous besides having to wait a long time !  Well, got that off my thoughts so now let's get on with  life .

Hobbling around the kitchen when I can ! 

I don't think I have ever prepared Hungarian Stew . So , a  couple days ago I did this .

This is Porkolt (a flavorful stew) Made With Pork .  I had intended to go out a little further and made Galuska (Hungarian Dumplings) to serve with it . But , I had too much pain . Galuska sounds so exotic . But , when I read the recipe I was surprised it sounded so simple .

The stew is so easy , just a lot of chopping and cutting . Sour cream can be stirred in just before serving . But , I like it served on top .  And , of course the stew can be served on top of wide noodles or rice instead of Galuska .

I forgot that I have this nice mandolin vegetable chopper , slicer , dicer , julienner.

It made quick work of dicing 2 large onions .  That's a lot of onions and could mean a lot of stinging in my eyes . But , no tears with dicing this way .  And , it literally only took seconds to dice after readying the onions .  It looks like there are "a zillion different" slicers on the market and opinions .  This is the only one I have and it works great for my needs .  

How could I forget about this very useful and fun gadget ?  I guess because I haven't used it since I bought it quite a while ago .  Maybe,  I am starting to have an 😉 "old memory" !

Hungarian Paprika is a featured spice for this dish .  It is a sweet paprika which differs from regular paprika which is hot . You need tablespoons of sweet paprika verses teaspoons of hot paprika . 

It is so nice to have yummy homemade food in the freezer . And , it is much healthier and flavorful .

I have been having a great time in the kitchen .  It challenges me some and posting on the blog gives me some creative time .

Still , a little color in the garden . Not much but there are some beautiful Autumn colors here and there .  Even though I am hobbling around I have still been going out into the garden to do a few things to keep it presentable  and watered so the plants don't die .

UNFORTUNEATELY , "The Workers" did not work out in helping me with my home maintenance and garden upkeep !  They are not the least bit detail oriented .  Because of my knee/leg pain ,  I did not walk around the house after the debris was blown off the roof last week .  Later when I was able and walked around the house I could hardly believe my eyes with the amount of mess at ground  level . And , I had been specific about ground level cleanup .  And , the surrounding flower beds were a mess with leaves , pine needles and the shedding short needles from the cedar trees .  There are ways of blowing the roof off without this undesired result . There are other reasons for my cancelling further work but I won't go into detail . Back to "square one" .

It is so difficult to find help and as a senior single woman living alone I have to be cautious about anyone entering my home to do inside repair . I must call references (and more than one) in the future .  The few people that I know well enough in the neighborhood to ask , don't have any suggestions .  I'll keep working on it .

 I still do not have my generator connected so I can "just flip a switch" .  I have purchased a 20 lb. propane tank that weighs 37 lb. when filled .  Which means I could not lift it from the trunk . I asked someone who was walking by if he could remove it from my trunk and he and his wife were very helpful .  My area is a desirable area for people taking daily walks . They drive and park in parking lots and then take their daily walks around the neighborhood .

Planning to be back soon .  My garden grown Acorn Squash is ripe !

Mary

Facing A Huge Situation

I have not given these pages much information regarding a medical development of severe disability and horrendous pain in both of my knees and legs . The right knee is considerably worse than the left . This is not a particularly new situation .  I think the first x-ray of my knees was in 2002 because of pain . But , that was nothing compared to what I am dealing with at the present time . I guess it is about a couple months ago that I started having difficulty with walking and was starting to experience unrelenting pain especially in my right knee . Throughout the years I have had periodic knee problems .  But , my back disability (injury 1992) was so encompassing that I more or less just pushed through the knee issues and eventually I was better .

But , now we have almost twenty more years of  "wear and tear" on knees that are probably also arthritic . My legs and ankles are very very swollen . Ice packs help a little . The recent increase in severity of pain and disability prompted me to see my primary care physician .  That was 10 days ago .  I was quite a sight . At least I thought so . Along with wearing my back brace I had knee supports on both knees and I had to use a cane and could only walk slowly . But , outwardly I think that I really looked pretty good . A smile always makes you look better . And , as they say "I clean up pretty good" !  Fortunately , I have a very good rapport with my physician and the office staff .  They treated me exceptionally well ! And , of course adhering to all the COVID 19 guidelines .

The "long and short of it" is that I most likely need Total Knee Replacement of both knees . Unfortunately , they will not prescribe any pain pills for me at this time (due to the new opiate regulations) and I really should not take anti-inflammatory medicine because I have taken them for many years because of my back pain/issues and my kidneys (they are old) will be endangered because my lab studies already show some abnormalities ! The pain has been very very severe .  I will have x-rays of both knees soon and I am scheduled for a consultation with an Orthopedic Surgeon on October 21 .  I was delighted to learn from my physician that there is now a technique called Minimally Invasive Total Knee replacement and I may be able to have that procedure .  The incision is shorter and the quadriceps tendons are not dissected .  And , the knee cap (patella) is not flipped over . Thus , a shorter recovery time .  

Considering my senior age , the less invasive procedure would be preferred . Depending upon what the x-rays show I will probably have both knees done at the same time .    You can click the photos to enlarge .

This is a specialized technique available from only surgeons with specialized training . The nearest surgeon is located about 150 miles from here in a geographical area near where I lived prior to moving here . So that is a possibility because I still have one acquaintance in the area , actually living in the same town as the Orthopedic Surgical Clinic .

If you follow my blog you know that I do not have family to help me and I have outlived all of my close friends .  So , where ever the procedure is performed I have no idea how all of this can be arranged regarding transportation and post operative help at home . If I go out of the area perhaps I can live in a hotel for a week or so with home health care along with physical therapy which starts the first day following surgery wherever I have it done.  I do not know if a Rehabilitation Center for a few days would be an option .  As you can see , there are a lot of unknowns to be arranged somehow .  And, care of my precious Ivy is a huge concern of mine .  At the moment, all I can do is to take one day at a time !  Somehow -someway it will come together if it is meant to be . 

I am not only taking one day at a time .  Sometimes it is one minute at a time as I attempt to continue "taking care of things" .  There are times I can do more than other times , as you can tell by my blogging posts . And , there are times I can not walk even one step .  Night time has been really rough at times and I am awakened with unbelievable knee pain along with back pain .  Not getting much sleep . Daytime naps help .

Had to reschedule "The Workers" to work on the generator hook-up for some time next week .

That's it for today and that is plenty - - - and I will be OK !  I'm a "tough old lady" and I will live each day to the best of my ability .

Hope everyone is doing well (or at least OK) during these tumultuous times in our lives with the government and the pandemic.  Let's keep the hope for better times .

Mary

Terrible

It is so shameful that we, the public of the United States of America were not given the truth about the onset of the event and urgency of acting on the information promptly with a proactive plan to aggressively fight the COVID-19 super-infectious disease . No more to be said ! Politics is not a subject that I want to bring to my blog but this is more than shameful and I do not have a word for it !!!!!

Today ,  please reach out to someone with the desire to make their day a little better .  Perhaps a smile - - - and a "hello" since we  can't easily see a smile when wearing a mask .  Spread some LOVE .

Mary

Poor Performance

My tomatoes in the raised garden bed did not give me the results I was hoping for . There are only a few small ones on the  bushes .  It is disappointing after I did all the work to prepare the soil . There are a couple possibilities why the poor performance . Not enough sun .  Lack of fertilizer .  However , so far , I have one very nice zucchini that is planted at the far end of the raised bed and it gets a little more sun .  And , it looks like there may be more !

Now , look at this . I planted a couple watermelon plants in this wine barrel that has great new soil and is at the end of the raised bed and gets a lot of sun .  Since taking this photo it is twice as large and lots of blossoms !  It is wait and see !

This is my first attempt at using the new blogger format . I already had to research how to resize photos .  I had to turn off the image lightbox in blogger settings .  It seems to be working .  But , I don't know if there is now something else that is a problem by turning it to - off !

                     

I'm not in the best mood for all this change stuff !

I have had six months of very favorable results with the change in my medication  to assist with the symptoms of seasonal effective disorder . For which I have been extremely happy .  However, I started having some side effects that became concerning as well as intolerable . The most annoying was a disgusting  bitter taste in my mouth . Additionally , occasional rapid heart beat , swollen ankles and strange dreams . Not good .  Talked with the prescribing doctor and he was familiar with the side effects I am experiencing and has recommended reducing the dosage since the current dosage is high .  So , now I am waiting for the new prescription to be filled . The process should go smoothly but for some reason it is not and I have had to make several phone calls !  In the meantime I have resumed taking the previously ordered medication that I had been taking for years .  Of course , any disruption in medications can , but not always , effect how you feel . And , I have been feeling rather poorly . But , at least this should eventually smooth out .

I think it is worth noting that I probably am reacting somewhat to our current world affairs . I try very hard to not focus on the crazy insanity and it takes a lot of strength to not have some reaction to it .  I think I have been away from the house only about six times since all of this started with the pandemic .  As you probably know , my love of my garden has been a huge blessing that helps to focus on nice things but as of late my physical endurance is not what it has been in the past .  I expect to feel better soon .  Ivy says , "cheer up mom" .

I hope all of you are finding ways to take good care of yourselves during these very unusual times !

Mary