T

So, I'm back in my apt until they get someone to put in the new flooring. Got bed, computer, tv, microwave, hotpad and laundry;everything else is packed away. I may take a while to respond since I have a week and a half of email to go through and delete;>....
OTOH, Rocky likes the lack of furniture and smooth concrete....makes "Zoomies" even more FUN!
FrdhR,
Pat

Fake Food. This has bugged me since the 70's. You've decided that ______ is bad for you so you replace it with a fake, heavily processed, chemical-filled "thing". Don't get it. I recently got krap from family because I bought a less processed yogurt instead of a heavily processed and chemically filled "Keto". Since I'm on a diet the lower cal stuff is ok but my original was much more objectively healthy. After my diet I'll switch back but Having Keto/Carnivore folk eating processed food complaining that non-Keto food is "bad" is a bit silly. Well, a religion is a religion;>....
FridhR,
Pat

So, I started that Intermittent Fasting(Diabetic Version) on New Years Day. While the weight loss isn't spectacular(2# a week), I've cut my daily Insulin in more than a half! From 30U x2 a day to 14U x2 a day. I could probably drop it some more since my BG's have been <70(a good Fasting is around 100) but we'll hold off for couple days. Next week I'll probably switch to the standard Fast, 8hrs o eat16 hrs to Fast. So, basically I'd Fast 4 more hrs in the AM.
We;ll see!
FridhR,
Pat(who's dropped an underwear size; from 3xl to 2xl. Not bad in less than a month!)

Well, trying. Chuck's up and down. The last couple weeks he's not been very with it but yesterday he was well enough to be up and talking to the NS's when I came in. I've basically gone to a weekly visit with the hr round trip and weather, probably till Spring. Also, they have a COVID outbreak that started day before Yule...
Myself? I've got to lose 60# before they can do my back surgery even though I'm 40# less than my previous. This time they have to go through the front. I'm doing that Intermittent Fasting track for Diabetics and while I'm just losing 2# a week I've dropped 20U of Insulin a day! Feel better too(excpt for being hungry;>). Back to doing the Diabetic skin care daily I'd let slide a lot last yr so only one foot and hand looks my age now;>!
I'm trying to get a routine up and running but my brother and his wife keep messing with-it. They mean well but it helps with making sure everything needed gets done, not that I'm wallowing in self pity. Actually, with all the krap I deal with an occasional pity party would be ok;>.
The 1st Snow of Winter and the 1st of the year started last night and is still coming down. Pretty but wet snow in forested, mountainous areas doesn't always mean consistance Power service....not that there seems to be any reason for the others during the yr anyway;>....
FridhR,
Pat(putting on a sweater since we need to save the propane just in case...)

So a couple weeks ago my brother was complaining how his tea got cold before he finished it. I told him that's why I use a teapot and teacups. The cups don't hold much and so you finish it and when you're ready for another, it's still warm in the teapot.
Today he came down so proud of himself because he fixed the problem and would help me too. He handed me an electric kettle and a large insulated teacup. It's so Chris. "Minimizing steps, Maximizing Product(ion)";>
It NEVER occurred to him that my suggestion was to help him, not me needing something "fixed". Same womb and genedonors separated by two years and soooo many differences;>
FridhR,
Pat(who used his gift and found the electric kettle's water is too hot for Green or Oolong tea. I'll just unplug it when it's ready and wait a bit till it reaches the right temp)

Starting to get back into a rhythm. Right now I see Chuck twice a week. He was out of it on his B-day(cheerfully dosy;>) but according to the nurse he was sitting up and eating for a change.
Me? I've been doing my Diabetic footcare program regularly again and hope to start on the fangs next yr. Still nothing from the Neurosurgeon's office. I'm going in tomorrow to the Pain clinic and mention it.
On the Woo front, I've noticed in the last couple of months Chuck's Disir is fading till the last few Meditations She's been absent. Makes me kind of sad.
The garden is put to sleep for the Winter. Other than clearing up winterkilled plants I'll have the Spring bulbs I ordered coming soon to get them in the ground. While planting Fall/Winter seeds is kind of late it's good till feb. You just won't have any getting a head start.
On the bad habit front I got an early Yule present with my Churchwarden(read LOTR) with the World Tree carved into it. Since it had to be ordered from Ukraine, I ordered early just in case. My poor 1st impression of Lazy Cricket Tobacco was correct but for a different reason. It smelled weird when I opened it. It tasted "meh" but the "Room Note" ie what the room smells like after) was FOUL!!!! A nasty combo of cheap cigars and cigarettes. Nothing like the lovely 'Nutty Irishman' or Mango-Vanilla. Haven't tried plain Vanilla yet. I think I did myself in by making it so difficult to Smoke to prevent getting addicted that most times that it would help with the Pain I just don't have the Energy to go through the rigamarole;>....
FridhR,
Pat

Chuck is finally out of the hospital and in Foothills nursing home, less than a half hr from here. It's highly rated but when I visited the high rate was only for 75% of the facility. It's not bad but compared to the paying extra and insurance folks but the working class folks that have Medicare and Medicaid...not so much. It's a small room and he has a roomate(seems nice); pretty much a standard dorm room;>!
I introduced myself to the nurses and made them sure I wa one of them so Chuck will get the best the Medicaid unit can off. I'm not expecting much being 400 Ward gets the leftovers of the other Wards and served last but that's pretty normal for Medicaid unit and it's what I get to look forward to except unlike Chuck I can make my own "fun"......
FridhR,
Pat

and he's finally in a room in the hospital.Yesterday they told me that he'd be going into a mental evaluation unit(the kind they put criminals in when they're trying to prove they're sane) for a week and if they haven't found a bed in an Alzheimer's facility....who knows.
Just trying one day at a time.
FridhR,
Pat

So, Chuck had a full mental break yesterday and was admitted to the hospital. My brother,our landlord told me he can't come back(the screaming at their door might have had a help with it). My brother is right. I physically and mentally can't care for him at his present physical and mental state and it's only going to get worse.
I've tried for MONTHS to get him Medicaid so a nursing home would accept him without results. Think they might now.
The big problem i that I can't afford to pay for his bills and the hospital keeps trying to get me to sign stuff to make it my debts. This is why we never had our marriage legalized as so not to have Chuck stuck with mine. How things have changed in almost 30 years.
I wa going to go and visit but last night wrecked me both physically and mentally so I can't drive. I hate to say it but I hope he still is forgetting me....
Troth,
Pat

So, you can guess how well things are going by the fact that in my early 60's I had my 1st tobacco smoke;>! I'd been thinking about it for the last yr since there is pretty certain to be no further increase in my pain meds and there HAD to be more than peer pressure to start. So, last month I ordered material.
Got a nice Pearwood Churchwarden(Gandalf Pipe;>) and two Kiseru(Japanese Pipe. One modern and less than a foot total length an a pre WWII about a foot and a half. I actually looked online how to restore Kiseru whose bamboo stem was worn but not damaged greatly.
Managed to get some Kiseru tobacco from Japan(VERY HARD).
My experience? It smelled and tasted like burning Autumn leaves. Not bad but not great. Finished a pipe and wasn't impressed...till I got back inside and sat down. I couldn't figure it out for a few seconds till I realized that my pail level had dropped from a 7 to a 4. The 1st 4 I've had since I started in the pain clinic.
Since then, I've evaluated things. I believe two things, that the tobacco was too dry and I was smoking "hot".
That's probably why it tasted so burnt. So right now I'm rehydrating the box I've opened and will try it agian when my pain level is over 6 and I have the time.
After payday I'll order some Aromatic Pipe tobacco for the Churchwarden. I've found one that tastes and smells like Irish Crème and Whiskey and Honey.
I've got a few things going for me. I'm too old to worry about tobacco caused Cancer and even if I get to the enjoying it point I still wouldn't smoke more than a couple times a week. and if I use the Kiseru primarily the amt is less than a tablespoon(and that's lightly packed;>).
Sitting on my porch teacup at my side "sipping" on my vintage Kiseru...fits my personality;>! Heck, I've books on how to sew the majority of common traditional Japanese clothes!
Cheers,
Pat