Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1047     Reading:  119

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1131     BP:  131/71     Pulse:  87

Breakfast:  1200  & Meds What she ate:  1 hard over egg, heavily peppered 1 4 oz slice honey cured ham steak 1 slice toasted oat bran bread with 1 tbl Fleischmann's margarine 1/4 tsp cinnamon on bread 6 oz orange juice diluted w/8 oz water
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
Niferex-150 [150 mg elemental iron]	1 hour before breakfast	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with Niferex-150	helps the body metabolize iron
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin
Protonix/40 mg	1 pill at least 1/2 hour pre-meal	standard pre-breakfast med
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
aspirin/81 mg	1 tab with breakfast	standard breakfast med - given for anti-coagulant properties
lisinopril/1.25 mg	1/4 of 5 mg tab with meal	given for kidney protection when her blood pressure can handle it
Daily Senior Multivitamin	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
folic acid/400 mcg	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	standard breakfast supplement; a natural antibiotic and anti-coagulant
1/4 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	after breakfast	standard after breakfast supplement
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties; among other reasons; appears to be of benefit to type 2 diabetics, as well, in its role as a smooth muscled organ protectant, particularly the pancreas, which produces insulin

    Nothing unusual about breakfast. I gave her lisinopril. It didn't surprise me that her blood pressure was up, as we discovered this morning that her urinary tract infection had returned.

Lunch

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1539     Reading:  160

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1549     BP:  100/53     Pulse:  72

Lunch:  1600  & Meds What she ate:  lazily and spread out, a bag of microwave popcorn and 11.5 oz V-8 juice with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
levaquin/250 mg	1 tab 2 hours after breakfast	for UTI

    She wasn't very hungry, although she wanted popcorn. After she ate the popcorn I gave her some V-8 juice. No meds, though. She was feeling a bit punk, probably from a combination of yesterday and the UTI. She wanted to take a nap soon after the popcorn so, after she downed her V-8 juice I let her.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1939     Reading:  71

Blood Pressure:     Time:  2016     BP:  118/58     Pulse:  63

Dinner:  2045  & Meds What she ate:  Cobb Salad, this time with chopped honey cured ham steak, chopped peppered turkey, several olives and about 4 Tbl homemade Ranch dressing.
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin
36 mg Iron Protein Succinylate	2 18 mg tabs with meal	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement	helps the body metabolize iron
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties
calcium-vitamin D/500-200 mg	with meal	believed to be an osteoporosis preventative

    As usual, she devoured the Cobb salad. She seems to be feeling a bit better. Nothing unusual about her stats, her appetite or her general demeanor. It'll probably be a quiet night, tonight.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  0803     Reading:  112

Blood Pressure:     Time:  0904     BP:  118/67     Pulse:  72

Breakfast:  0920  & Meds What she ate:  1 hard over egg, heavily peppered 1 4 oz slice honey cured ham steak 1 slice toasted oat bran bread with 1 tbl Fleischmann's margarine 1/4 tsp cinnamon on bread 6 oz orange juice diluted w/8 oz water
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
Niferex-150 [150 mg elemental iron]	1 hour before breakfast	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with Niferex-150	helps the body metabolize iron
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin
Protonix/40 mg	1 pill at least 1/2 hour pre-meal	standard pre-breakfast med
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
aspirin/81 mg	1 tab with breakfast	standard breakfast med - given for anti-coagulant properties
Daily Senior Multivitamin	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
folic acid/400 mcg	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	standard breakfast supplement; a natural antibiotic and anti-coagulant
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties; among other reasons; appears to be of benefit to type 2 diabetics, as well, in its role as a smooth muscled organ protectant, particularly the pancreas, which produces insulin
1/4 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	after breakfast	standard after breakfast supplement

    This was our Traveling to Mesa day. Nothing out of the ordinary about breakfast or her stats. Good traveling stats, especially since I was sure we were going to be eating at least one meal out and was sure Mom would order something that would cause me not to want to take her stats later in the day.

The Only Other Stats I Took Today

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1658     Reading:  208

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1726     BP:  124/60     Pulse:  68

    We arrived in Mesa about 1230, ate at Chili's about 1330. I didn't take any stats before we left, didn't give her any pills, either. She ordered, let's see if I remember the name correctly, the Bacon Ranch Burger, which comes with loads of fries. Ate everything on her plate.
    I knew better, about three hours after she'd eaten, out of morbid curiosity, I decided to check her blood glucose. As you can see, I should have left well enough alone. I don't need to know the path her blood glucose takes to get to the readings she finally arrives at before a meal. About a half hour later, just for the hell of it, since I was curious how being in the Valley would affect her blood pressure, I took that. She was doing fine.
    We were both incredibly full (I ordered a lunch salad with a substitution of grilled tuna instead of the regular fried chicken strips...one of my favorite meals at Chili's and they always allow the substitution for me without upping the price) from lunch. Mom didn't take a nap, but, instead, supervised the packing I did, then the fertilizing of the trees I did. About 1830, 45 minutes before we left the Valley, Mom decided she wanted "a little something to eat". I had brought both popcorn and V-8 juice just for this contingency. At this point I did give her her iron and Vitamin C pills, her second glipizide ER, 1 oz of aloe vera gel and a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon in her V-8 juice. She polished off the entire bag of popcorn well before we left.
    When we arrived home, neither of us was hungry, although we stayed up until around 0100 drinking coffee (Mom, her decaf) and hot chocolate (me, without coffee, which I often add) and talking about the trip. I administered no more medication that day and took no more stats. I figured it would all work itself out by the time we awoke in the sunshine part of the morning.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1050     Reading:  119

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1123     BP:  131/63     Pulse:  66

Breakfast:  1130  & Meds What she ate:  1 hard over egg, heavily peppered 1 slice honey cured ham steak 1 slice toasted oat bran bread with 1 tbl Fleischmann's margarine 1/4 tsp cinnamon on bread 6 oz orange juice diluted w/8 oz water
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
Niferex-150 [150 mg elemental iron]	1 hour before breakfast	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with Niferex-150	helps the body metabolize iron
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin
Protonix/40 mg	1 pill at least 1/2 hour pre-meal	standard pre-breakfast med
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
aspirin/81 mg	1 tab with breakfast	standard breakfast med - given for anti-coagulant properties
lisinopril/1.25 mg	1/4 of 5 mg tab with meal	given for kidney protection when her blood pressure can handle it
Daily Senior Multivitamin	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
folic acid/400 mcg	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	standard breakfast supplement; a natural antibiotic and anti-coagulant
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties; among other reasons; appears to be of benefit to type 2 diabetics, as well, in its role as a smooth muscled organ protectant, particularly the pancreas, which produces insulin
1/4 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	after breakfast	standard after breakfast supplement

    I awoke late, as I went to bed late. Mom awoke about an hour after I did. I'm didn't worry about this. Nothing else to mention about breakfast, really. She ate well, her readings were good, I was able to administer lisinopril. That about says it all.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1814     Reading:  65

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1822     BP:  123/57     Pulse:  65

Dinner:  1830  & Meds What she ate:  7 oz sugar cured ham steak 2 whole eggs, deviled 11.5 oz V-8 juice with 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin
36 mg Iron Protein Succinylate	2 18 mg tabs with meal	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement	helps the body metabolize iron
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties
calcium-vitamin D/500-200 mg	with meal	believed to be an osteoporosis preventative

    No lunch today. We both slept through it. We were both extremely punk, although I don't know why. A passing body mood, I guess. It is true, by the way, as Mom has said and I've repeated, that she could eat ham for every meal every day. When I suggested eating left overs, tonight, she requested ham and eggs. I figured, well, in that case, I'll devil the eggs. No lisinopril tonight; her diastolic was a little too low for it, and her systolic was just fine.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  0940     Reading:  132

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1026     BP:  128/68     Pulse:  84

Breakfast:  1045  & Meds What she ate:  1 hard over egg, heavily peppered 1 slice honey cured ham steak 1 slice toasted oat bran bread with 1 tbl Fleischmann's margarine 1/4 tsp cinnamon on bread 6 oz orange juice diluted w/8 oz water
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
Niferex-150 [150 mg elemental iron]	1 hour before breakfast	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with Niferex-150	helps the body metabolize iron
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin
Protonix/40 mg	1 pill at least 1/2 hour pre-meal	standard pre-breakfast med
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
aspirin/81 mg	1 tab with breakfast	standard breakfast med - given for anti-coagulant properties
lisinopril/1.25 mg	1/4 tab with meal	given for kidney protection when her blood pressure can handle it
Daily Senior Multivitamin	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
folic acid/400 mcg	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	standard breakfast supplement; a natural antibiotic and anti-coagulant
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties; among other reasons; appears to be of benefit to type 2 diabetics, as well, in its role as a smooth muscled organ protectant, particularly the pancreas, which produces insulin
1/4 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	after breakfast	standard after breakfast supplement

    Nothing really unusual to report about breakfast, this morning, except I knew better than to give her 2 pieces of toast. She didn't ask for 2 pieces, anyway, which was good.
    I liked her blood pressure, especially since I gave her lisinopril last night. So, I gave it to her again this morning. You'll notice I also gave her cranberry juice this morning, even though she had it last night. She needed more liquid, and, I figured, this wouldn't hurt her, and, this way, I wouldn't completely forget it, today.

Lunch

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1452     Reading:  92

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1459     BP:  107/53     Pulse:  68

Lunch:  1500  & Meds What she ate:  a salad made with the left over tuna mixture from last night, some greens and chopped radishes, about a handful of bowtie pasta and maybe 1.5 Tbl Greek feta dressing 11.5 oz V-8 juice with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
18 mg Iron Protein Succinylate	1 18 mg tab with meal	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement	helps the body metabolize iron

    I definitely liked her blood pressure at lunch, again, especially after giving her lisinopril this morning. I think I'm beginning to get the hang of keeping it up just enough with fluid intake to be able to administer lisinopril in the minute doses to which I've scaled her.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1945     Reading:  105

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1953     BP:  134/62     Pulse:  60

Dinner:  2000  & Meds What she ate:  A good 10 oz of More Meat Than Macaroni & Cheese with ground chuck, sauteed onions and green peppers
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin
36 mg Iron Protein Succinylate	2 18 mg tabs with meal	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement	helps the body metabolize iron
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
lisinopril/1.25 mg	1/4 of 5 mg tab with meal	given for kidney protection when her blood pressure can handle it
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties
calcium-vitamin D/500-200 mg	with meal	believed to be an osteoporosis preventative

    It is very nice to be able to write, for yet another stat report, that there was nothing unusual about dinner tonight. I think I'm finally getting the hang of how much to hydrate her in order to keep her blood pressure high enough, morning and evening, to allow me to administer a minute dose of lisinopril for kidney protection and not hydrate her so much that she loses complete control of her bladder and her sodium level drops dangerously. Some of the technique has to do with monitoring her blood pressure, some of it has to do with noticing how her skin hangs on her, some of it has to do with noticing how quickly, or whether, she soaks her Depends during the day. Today, every time we changed them except for when we returned from her blood draw/urine collection, they were almost completely dry. I think the only reason why she leaked, some, during the blood draw/urine collection phase of the day is that I made sure she had enough water in her so that a collection could be taken and once she's asked to pee on demand her bladder hangs onto that direction for awhile after it is necessary.
    She left a little dinner in her bowl, tonight, which I coaxed her to finish under the true pretext that I didn't want her losing any more weight. She doesn't want to lose any more weight, either. She feels "fat and sassy" where she is, which, in her terminology means she feels good, at fighting weight, neither too heavy nor too light.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  0940     Reading:  129

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1023     BP:  107/64     Pulse:  75

Breakfast:  1040  & Meds What she ate:  1 hard over egg, heavily peppered 1 4 oz slice honey cured ham steak 2 slices toasted oat bran bread with 2 tbl Fleischmann's margarine 1/2 tsp cinnamon on bread 6 oz orange juice diluted w/8 oz water
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
Niferex-150 [150 mg elemental iron]	1 hour before breakfast	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with Niferex-150	helps the body metabolize iron
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin
Protonix/40 mg	1 pill at least 1/2 hour pre-meal	standard pre-breakfast med
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
aspirin/81 mg	1 tab with breakfast	standard breakfast med - given for anti-coagulant properties
Daily Senior Multivitamin	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
folic acid/400 mcg	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	standard breakfast supplement; a natural antibiotic and anti-coagulant
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties; among other reasons; appears to be of benefit to type 2 diabetics, as well, in its role as a smooth muscled organ protectant, particularly the pancreas, which produces insulin
1/4 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	after breakfast	had this about an hour after breakfast while we did her therapy exercises

    Nothing terribly unusual about any of the stats or our breakfast routine. She was up and down and up, again, before we got around to bathing and breakfast preparations, because of the excitement over the tire vandalism that took place in our neighborhood last night. When she first appeared outside while I was talking to the policeman and the neighbor and the policeman was still taking the report, I explained what was going on then sent her back to bed, although it was an unwilling send off on her part, but I couldn't let her continue to stand outside curing in her urine, and I wasn't quite free to bathe her, yet. Then, after the police left and the neighbor returned, I had some phone calls to make to people who were expecting us in the Valley today.
    She was unusually hungry at breakfast and asked for two pieces of toast. I almost didn't give them to her, prefiguring what was probably going to happen to her blood sugar before lunch (and I was right), but decided, ahh, what the hell, this will be a good test. It was.

Lunch

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1604     Reading:  137

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1611     BP:  98/54     Pulse:  71

Lunch:  1615  & Meds What she ate:  approx 10 oz sauerkraut with chopped polish sausage 1 piece cracked whole wheat sourdough garlic olive parmesan cheese toast 11.5 oz V-8 juice with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation

    Yep, that's right, I forgot her iron, thus, I forgot her vitamin C. Didn't remember them until about halfway through her meal and decided, damn, she looks so good, let's see what happens if I leave out the iron at lunch today.
    You can see that second piece of breakfast toast riding high on her blood glucose. When I mentioned that to her she said, "One piece of toast can do that?. Yep, one piece of toast. You might be surprised to know that she takes an active interest in both her BG and BP readings and always asks me, "How's that?" I always tell her. So, it wasn't uninformed surprise that she expressed, today.
    Although she was surprised by her BG, I was surprised by her BP. We had lunch after a vigorous exercise session and some walkering at Costco (the tow truck guy showed up about, oh, I guess a little after 1330, and when he showed, we had to go). The reason, in fact, why we had sauerkraut and polish sausage for lunch was because she wanted to have lunch at Costco but, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist the bun and expecting her BG to be rootin' and tootin', I suggested we go home and eat essentially the same thing, without the bun. Good idea. But, anyway, I'm not sure what the reason is, now for her curiously low blood pressure. Maybe this is what its supposed to be. She certainly wasn't dehydrated when I took it, although I was using the "new" guidelines, not the old. And, I still don't think she's anemic, or, if she is, she's borderline, rather than deep into it. Maybe her real normal blood pressure, of which I am totally unaware, when she's on very little medication (as she is now), or none, is supposed to run around in the nineties and low hundreds. Could be. The only real record of her BP to which I have access began shortly after she went on metformin. Now she's off that, and that was a biggie. I'm curious to see what her PCP has to say.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  2021     Reading:  113

Blood Pressure:     Time:  2028     BP:  127/63     Pulse:  65

Dinner:  2030  & Meds What she ate:  An open faced, grilled tuna melt with approx 4 oz of that magnificent tuna mixture I concocted a couple of days ago, sprinkled with parmesan cheese, on 1 slice whole grain bread approx 5 oz frozen peas with chopped green pimento stuffed olives and feta dressing approx 8 oz Marie Callendar's Chicken Pot Pie soup with added peppered turkey breast and chopped green pepper
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin
36 mg Iron Protein Succinylate	2 18 mg tabs with meal	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement	helps the body metabolize iron
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
lisinopril/1.25 mg	1/4 tab with meal	given for kidney protection when her blood pressure can handle it
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties
calcium-vitamin D/500-200 mg	with meal	believed to be an osteoporosis preventative

    I'm not sure her blood pressure was high enough to handle the lisinopril, but I guess I'll find out tomorrow morning. I hope so.
    Otherwise, she ate a good dinner, enjoyed it, was in a good mood, and we had a relaxed, enjoyable evening.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1207     Reading:  126

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1239     BP:  102/59     Pulse:  76

Breakfast:  1300  & Meds What she ate:  1 hard over egg, heavily peppered 1 4 oz slice sugar cured ham steak 1 slice toasted oat bran bread with 1 tbl Fleischmann's margarine 1/4 tsp cinnamon on bread 6 oz orange juice diluted w/8 oz water
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
Niferex-150 [150 mg elemental iron]	1 hour before breakfast	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with Niferex-150	helps the body metabolize iron
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin
Protonix/40 mg	1 pill at least 1/2 hour pre-meal	standard pre-breakfast med
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
aspirin/81 mg	1 tab with breakfast	standard breakfast med - given for anti-coagulant properties
Daily Senior Multivitamin	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
folic acid/400 mcg	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	standard breakfast supplement; a natural antibiotic and anti-coagulant
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties; among other reasons; appears to be of benefit to type 2 diabetics, as well, in its role as a smooth muscled organ protectant, particularly the pancreas, which produces insulin

    Although Mom insisted that she wasn't hungry when she finally awoke, this morning, she finished her breakfast before I finished mine, which is not only unusual, but hard for her to do, since she's a leisurely eater and I tend to eat and go on a chore that's becoming critical.
    I'm pleased with her blood glucose. She's exhibiting a natural dawn phenonmenon, now that she's off metformin, but it's not so high that it makes me nervous.
    Her blood pressure is another matter. No more lisinopril, not even 1.25 mg, unless her systolic is above 130 and her diastolic is at least 60. Athough her blood pressure is not unhealthily low for her, this morning, her systolic is close to that and, now, I'm convinced it is not anemia. She's exceptionally ruddy and looking very healthy, so much so that I'd be surprised if her hemoglobin reading this week isn't in the normal range, or very close to it.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1818     Reading:  79

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1825     BP:  103/54     Pulse:  67

Dinner:  1900  & Meds What she ate:  Yet again, an amazing and hearty Cobb Salad, this time including, among several luscious vegetables, both honey cured ham steak and lean pastrami, green olives and boiled egg.
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin
36 mg Iron Protein Succinylate	2 18 mg tabs with meal	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement	helps the body metabolize iron
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties
calcium-vitamin D/500-200 mg	with meal	believed to be an osteoporosis preventative
1/4 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	after breakfast	standard after breakfast supplement

    She will be drinking the cranberry juice with water later tonight, so I included it in the meal. Obviously, she had no lunch today. She hasn't been up much and slept this afternoon, as well, so I figured two meals is fine. As well, her BP was obviously much too fine for lisinopril. Sleeping and lounging all day and eating only two thirds of what one usually eats tend to do that to a woman. She's in a very good mood, looks good, we got her hair done and her nails will be done before she goes to bed. Tomorrow to Mesa, really, fully rested and ready for adventure, or something like it.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  0820     Reading:  124

Blood Pressure:     Time:  0903     BP:  162/73     Pulse:  63

Breakfast:  0917  & Meds What she ate:  1 hard over egg, heavily peppered 1 4 oz slice honey cured ham steak 1 slice toasted oat bran bread with 1 tbl Fleischmann's margarine 1/4 tsp cinnamon on bread 6 oz orange juice diluted w/8 oz water
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
Niferex-150 [150 mg elemental iron]	1 hour before breakfast	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with Niferex-150	helps the body metabolize iron
Protonix/40 mg	1 pill at least 1/2 hour pre-meal	standard pre-breakfast med
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
aspirin/81 mg	1 tab with breakfast	standard breakfast med - given for anti-coagulant properties
lisinopril/1.25 mg	1/4 tab with meal	given for kidney protection when her blood pressure can handle it
Daily Senior Multivitamin	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
folic acid/400 mcg	with breakfast	standard breakfast supplement
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	standard breakfast supplement; a natural antibiotic and anti-coagulant
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties; among other reasons; appears to be of benefit to type 2 diabetics, as well, in its role as a smooth muscled organ protectant, particularly the pancreas, which produces insulin

    Well, her blood glucose looked good, especially considering her high last night. Her blood pressure, well, at least I was able to give her lisinopril, although you'll notice I only gave her 1.25 mg. I hope that works as a kidney protector. I can tell you why her blood pressure was so high. Yesterday was a day in decline all around, ending with a particularly bad evening, all of which I'll write later this evening, over at The Mom & Me Journals dot Net. The link will, in some hours, take you directly to the specific post. Anyway, I went off on Mom and, although, as usual, she appeared to take it well, by the time I took her blood pressure it was obvious that she was both boiling internally and disappointed in me, as well. Not a good reason for administering lisinopril, though.
    One good thing to come out of all the confusing internet research on supplements for type 2 diabetics last night is that I decided to split the aloe vera gel into two 1 oz doses, one at breakfast and one at dinner, and administer it when she takes her glipizide ER, as what little research there is seems to indicate that it works best when taken with sulfa-derivative diabetic medication. So, once again, the med schedule changes.
    You'll notice her early rising. That wasn't my doing. I awoke maybe 15 minutes prior, sat outside in our backyard and sobbed for a few minutes, and when I headed down the hall toward the kitchen I peeked in on her. She was on her elbows, bright eyed.
    "You ready to get up or do you want to sleep another hour or so?" I asked, hoping, and assuming, that she's decide to stay in bed. I wasn't ready for her.
    "May as well get up," she said.
    My spirits, which were already crawling on the carpet, dropped through the floor. "We're not going to Mesa, today," I said. "I'll explain later."
    "Okay." She started assembling herself toward the edge of the bed.
    "Okay. Let me get your iron. Everything else is ready."
    And, that's how the day began.

Lunch

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1343     Reading:  106

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1351     BP:  105/59     Pulse:  70

Lunch:  1400  & Meds What she ate:  open faced sandwich w/3 oz of yesterday's fabulous tuna salad on one slice of oat bran bread with two sliced olives and a sprinkling of fresh grated parmesan cheese on the top, broiled for a few minutes Approx 8 oz Marie Callendar's Chicken Pot Pie soup with added frozen peas and 1.5 chopped green onions 11.5 oz V-8 juice with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
18 mg Iron Protein Succinylate	1 18 mg tab with meal	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement	helps the body metabolize iron

    Wow, the lisinopril sure kicked in fast, and well! I'm sure some of it's success is because, as the day has debuted I sat Mom in front of The Ten Commandments and worked off my troubled spirits around the house, then, during the intermission, worked out a little more frustration leading Mom through her therapy exercises.
    You'll notice that I was a very quick study from yesterday's glucose boosting cuisine. I'm hoping I'm getting it right, today, although this evening will be steak night with homemade french fries and a salad, so we'll see what that does by tomorrow morning. I've vowed to not do any more peeking at her before bed blood glucose so I don't scare the willies out of myself.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1935     Reading:  95

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1942     BP:  125/62     Pulse:  69

Dinner:  1950  & Meds What she ate:  Approx 8 oz rib eye steak trimmed of the outside fat and marinated in Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and cracked black pepper 1/2 of a medium baking potato sliced and french fried in corn oil, skin on, slightly kosher salted Approx 1/4 cup A-1 Steak Sauce (original variety) as condiment on steak and fries.
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin
36 mg Iron Protein Succinylate	2 18 mg tabs with meal	to pull her out of what I hope is her temporarily severely anemic state
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement	helps the body metabolize iron
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
lisinopril/1.25 mg	1/4 tab with meal	given for kidney protection when her blood pressure can handle it
vitamin E/400 IU	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties
garlic/1250 mg	with meal	given for anti-coagulant properties
calcium-vitamin D/500-200 mg	with meal	believed to be an osteoporosis preventative

Conspicuously Absent Meds & Supplements
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
1/4 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	after breakfast	she's been doing well drinking liquid, today, and I didn't want to accidentally cross the line into over-hydration and copious incontinence at night

    A salivatorious meat and potatoes meal, wouldn't you say? All stats look good, too, and she ate exceptionally heartily and healthily.
    Regarding the administration of lisinopril...often, at this blood pressure, I'd leave it out, but I know it probably won't hurt her and I want to see how 1.25 mg at this blood pressure shakes out in the morning. I take lisinopril's ability to protect my mother's kidney's seriously, since I know exactly what it does in this respect, and I have no desire to cut it completely from her scheduled meds, but, now that her blood pressure is extremely healthy for her and will probably remain so as long as we are able to continue the changes in lifestyle that are working so remarkably well on her behalf, it is important for me to figure out how little she can take and continue reaping the benefits.