Since I seem to be spending so much time on Facebook and can do anything over there that I can do over here, I don't see any reason to keep this blog going at the same time. If anyone can think of a compelling reason for me not to abandon this blog, please leave a comment and let me know (or send me an email if you have my address). If you'd prefer to keep up with me on Facebook but you're not on my Friends list over there yet, please send me a request. The link to my profile over there is:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/pcherry?ref=profileEven if I do decide to abandon this blog and do the small amount of blogging I do over at Facebook, I'll leave the posts that are already here and find some way to periodically keep the site updated (by adding to my lists of movies and books, if nothing else) to keep my account from being closed due to inactivity--just in case I find some other way to use it later on.
I had finally had my long-awaited appointment with the endocrinologist on Monday, and so far the news is all good.One of the nurses took the usual fluid samples for the usual tests, and I'm expecting to hear more about the test results sometime in the next few days (assuming there's anything unusual to report, and there may not be). Another one checked my blood pressure and said that it's a little high, but not bad. She also did a "pin prick" test to check the degree of feeling in the big toe on each foot. They're mostly numb, but I was able to feel a little bit of what she was doing, so they're not completely numb yet.The best news is that my blood sugar is low enough that the doctor feels I should be able to keep it under control with diet and exercise (which is what I've been doing for the last few months) and I can continue checking it just once a day. The not-quite-so-good news is that I have poor circulation in my legs and feet (which isn't really news to me) and I've got a prescription for something that may help with that, but I'm supposed to hold off on taking it until I undergo a "Doppler test" (a form of ultrasound) to determine what sort of circulation problems I'm having. Since there's a history of heart problems in my family, I'm also going to have a stress test done to determine how well my heart is working. I don't know yet when I'm going to have either test done--someone on the doctor's staff is supposed to check on that for me and contact me later. More news later when I have something else to report. Meanwhile, I have a front lawn that desperately needs some attention.
If you haven't kept up with what's been going with me for the last year or so, you really need to read my August 22 post so you'll understand what's going on. Go ahead, I can wait.Caught up now? Good. Things went along okay for a while, then started getting worse around the first part of December when the weather started getting colder. My feet and legs began to hurt more, and my feet and ankles began to get uncomfortably puffy. My doctor said I was probably suffering from peripheral neuropathy and possibly arthritis, but only gave me medication for the arthritis and some new medicine to help bring my blood sugar down.By the end of the year, I was starting to have more trouble walking and more trouble sleeping. By the middle of January, my feet were so puffy that walking was very awkward and uncomfortable, and wearing any kind of shoes was usually out of the question, never mind getting out of the house to do any driving or run any errands. I was housebound for a couple of months and had to rely on my brother and my friends to run errands for me (and I'm extremely grateful to all of them for being loving and supportive and helping me out as much as they could). Another doctor I visited back then confirmed the diagnosis of neuropathy and suggested I might have some other problems as well, and recommended I see an endocrinologist to have some tests done to find out what exactly might be wrong with me. In the meantime, the only thing he could do to help me sleep was prescribe some Vicodin for a month, which helped immensely.Which brings me to the present . . . I'm doing a lot better and getting around more. I'm not currently on any medication for my blood sugar or anything else, but I suspect that will change very soon. I'm keeping my blood sugar down with diet alone (not quite as low as I'd like it, but not too bad, either) and I'm finally losing weight (I'm currently hovering between 190 and 194, which is the lowest my weight has been in a long time). I finally figured out that the swelling problem was mainly due to fluid retention (which I seem to have been prone to for a long time) and got into the habit of drinking a lot more water, tea, coffee, diet soda, etc., to keep it under control. I'm getting around better, feeling better, and able to wear shoes (suede loafers) for longer and longer periods of time, which allows me to get more house work and even some yard work done. I still hurt a lot if my blood sugar gets a little too high or the weather turns cold and/or rainy (and it's been doing a lot of both around here for the last several weeks). I'm sleeping better most of the time, and rely heavily on chamomile tea (and/or occasionally Dramamine, but NO Vicodin) to help me relax during those rare bouts of insomnia.I'm due to see an endocrinologist in three weeks to have some tests done. I would have liked to have seen her sooner, but almost all of the endos around here work out of one clinic across town, and she was the only there one who's seeing new patients right now. On top of that, the appointment was originally scheduled for May and had to be rescheduled twice because she kept having to be out of the office on the days I supposed to be there. (Keeping my fingers crossed and rubbing a rabbit's foot and hoping it doesn't happen a third time, and hoping as well that there isn't too much wrong with me.)More on this after my endo visit in three weeks. In the meantime, any prayers, happy thoughts, warm wishes, etc., would be much appreciated.
Today's postcard:
The caption on the back:WILL ROGERS TURNPIKE Night views of the entrance to the fabulous Will Rogers Turnpike connecting Tulsa, Oklahoma and Joplin, Missouri. Will Rogers Turnpike was opened to traffic on June 28, 1957 and named after world citizen and native son Will Rogers.
Something appropriately silly for today:
I hope everyone reading this has a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Today's postcard:
The caption on the back:ENTRANCE TO WILL ROGERS TURNPIKEMain entrance to the Will Rogers Turnpike, connecting Tulsa, Oklahoma and Joplin, Missouri. This Turnpike was named in honor of the world-famous humorist, Oklahoma's native son, Will Rogers.
Just tried a recipe for Vegetarian Black Bean Chili that I stumbled across on Yahoo! about a week ago. It's very good, pretty easy to make, and surprisingly satisfying for a meatless dish.The recipe doesn't say whether or not the beans should be drained. I got the impression from the pictures of the finished dish that they should be, but I didn't drain mine and the chili came out okay. I guess it depends on how thick or soupy you want your chili to be.The recipe suggests serving it over quinoa, a baked potato or brown rice. I had mine over instant brown rice and it was really good. (Yes, I know that instant rice is an abomination to some people--I can already see my friend Bev making a "yuck, phooey" face at her computer screen--but it's what I grew up eating and I still like it.)
When I went out to get some breakfast earlier this morning, I noticed that gas was down to $1.58 a gallon at the corner convenience store (OnCue Express, which usually has the lowest gas prices in my neighborhood). Will it get down to $1.50 or lower? I'm betting/hoping it will.(Actually, I'm hoping it will get down to $1.00 or less, but that may be too much to hope for. Or maybe not.)
Today's postcard:
The caption on the back:MUSEUM OF ARTUniversity of Oklahoma, NormanJose Rey Toledo (Sho-Bah-Woon) b. 1915PINE TREE CEREMONIAL DANCE Tempera-Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico 1940, 28 x 32.
Today's postcard:
The caption on the back:THE MING ROOM. "Different" is the word for the Ming Room, one of the Southwest's truly fine dining rooms. Decorated in an Oriental motif, this luxurious room is widely known for its superb cuisine and the utmost in thoughtful service.OKLAHOMA MEMORIAL UNIONUNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, NORMAN, OKLAHOMA(Postmarked July 9, 1957.)
Today's postcard:
The caption on the back:UNIVERSITY STOVALL MUSEUMNorman, OklahomaOklahoma's largest museum of natural history. Contains many fine exhibits of present and prehistoric wildlife. Outstanding exhibits of Oklahoma Indian archeology and ethnology are world famous.
Just realized that I'm a day late in wishing my friend Leonard a very Happy Birthday.
Today's postcard:
The caption on the back:TINKER AIR FORCE BASEC-124 Globe Masters, part of the 1707 air transport wing, on the flight line at Tinker Air Force Base.(Postmarked May 3, 1963.)
Today's postcard:
The caption on the back:Oklahoma City, OklahomaOklahoma state capitol(The postmark on this one is March 26, 1961.)
A very Happy Birthday to my brother Tom.
Today's postcard:
The caption on the back:OKLAHOMA STATE CAPITALOklahoma City, OklahomaOklahoma State Capitol building as seen from the South. Note the Oil Wells in the foreground. The Capitol building is surrounded on all sides by oil wells and is truly an inspiring sight.
Happy Birthday to everyone I know who's having a birthday this week: my friends Kevin H. (today), Syd (the 28th), Tommy Jean (the 29th), and yours truly (also the 29th).
A very Happy Anniversary to my friends Bev and Mike.
I've been intending to post this for the last week or so, and I finally decided I need to post it today before it becomes old news.For a long time now, I've been wrestling with an unusual physical problem--my lower legs, ankles and feet are constantly stiff and sore (or sometimes cold and numb), and there's very little I've been able to do to make them feel better.My brother and several of my friends have been urging me to go to the doctor for a check-up because they suspected that I might have diabetes. I've promised to go several times, but I kept putting it off (I have a phobia about doctors that I'm trying to overcome) until one friend finally threatened to make an appointment for me and drag me there, kicking and screaming, if I didn't take care of it on my own.Three weeks ago I finally went in for a check-up. The bad news is that I'm definitely diabetic (I have a "touch of diabetes," as the doctor put it). The good news is that she said I should be able to get my blood sugar under control with oral medication (Avandia) and daily glucose checks, along with paying more attention to what and how much I eat and getting more exercise and losing some weight (which are all things I should be doing anyway). The other good news is that my blood tests didn't turn up any other problems, so bringing my blood sugar down and keeping it there is the only thing I need to focus on.So far things have been going okay--I've cut waaaay back on how much snacking I do and started making better choices when I feel like I absolutely have to have something to munch on. My blood sugar is coming down, but I haven't had any luck in losing weight so far, which means I either need to get more exercise or possibly switch to some different medication (since one of the possible side effects of the Avandia is water retention and weight gain), or maybe both. I'm going to give it a few more weeks and see how things go, and hopefully I'll have something positive to report then.
Today's postcard:
The caption on the back:OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY Oklahoma City, OklahomaLocated at N.W. 23rd and Blackwelder, it has long been a landmark in Oklahoma City. The statue in the foreground--"The Eternal Challenge"--is a witness of man's eternal search for knowledge. The girl carries a book, while the boy holds high the symbolic lamp of learning.(The postmark on the back is a little hard to read, but the date looks like Sept. 21, 1964.)
