Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1147     Reading:  90

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1151?     BP:  148/65     Pulse:  54

Breakfast:  1258  & Meds What she ate:  1 hard over egg, heavily peppered 4 oz slice sugar cured ham 1 slice toasted oat bran bread with 1.5 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 when used with glipizide
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/2.5 mg	1/2 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
1/2 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	with or after meal	standard twice a day supplement for kidney protection and enhancement of waste management

    Nothing really unusual about this breakfast or the stats, except that, once again, I attempted to get her up early, today at 1000, in part because we had discussed, with favor, last night, going to Costco together today. Didn't materialize, which I'll explain in my post for this date.

Lunch

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1615     Reading:  181

Blood Pressure:Not taken

Lunch:  1630  & Meds What she ate:  1/2 a 3 oz bag of "lite" microwave popcorn 8 variety olives in vinegar, dill, olive oil brine 11.5 oz V-8 juice with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
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

    Didn't take her blood pressure because she was huddled in my house coat, didn't want to take it off (I don't blame her; it was snowing outside and no matter how warm it is inside, looking at snow makes my mother cold). Other than this, a typical lunch at a typical interval. Except her blood sugar. I'm not sure why it was so high. She stayed up between breakfast and lunch. I thought she might have eaten something while I was at Costco and simply not remembered, but I could find no evidence anywhere that she had and, believe me, there would have been evidence if she had. At any rate, it's still below 200. Maybe her body was just working a little slower than usual, today; it was observing Snow Conditions.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  2022     Reading:  99

Blood Pressure:     Time:  2026     BP:  125/61     Pulse:  55

Dinner:  2045  & Meds What she ate:  Approx 1.5 cups homemade bean soup made with the ham scraps left from Thanksgiving's ham; chopped, sauteed green pepper, celery, onion and garlic; approx 1 Tbl MPBIL's Southwestern Fire seasoning; Ranch Style (brand name) canned beans 1 slice sourdough grilled garlic cheese bread
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin when used with glipizide
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/2.5 mg	1/2 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

    No second glass of cranberry juice tonight. She usually asks for it at dinner, but tonight she wanted root beer and, luckily, we had one can left. I was pleased with everything; her blood sugar, her blood pressure and her appetite. It is a pleasure feeding her...she likes everything I cook; when she hasn't lost her appetite to some medical condition, that is.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1043     Reading:  107

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1111     BP:  161/77     Pulse:  52

Breakfast:  1200  & Meds What she ate:  1 hard over egg, heavily peppered 4 oz slice sugar cured ham 1 slice toasted oat bran bread with 1.5 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 when used with glipizide
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/2.5 mg	1/2 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
1/2 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	with or after meal	standard twice a day supplement for kidney protection and enhancement of waste management

    You should be able to guess, from the extension of time between taking her blood glucose (which I take while she's still prone, as soon as I can coax her to extend an arm over the side of the bed) and her blood pressure (which I take after she's been sitting up on the edge of the bed, for awhile, hopefully while she's still using the oxygen and is no longer lightly huffing from sitting up), that she was moving slow, this morning. She was in a good mood, a little colded over, not as bad as me, though, when I woke up. She asked me, twice, "Why?" and once, "Is it worth it?", but her mood remained light.
    I want to mention, before I forget, that she is continuing to follow the pattern of her unrecorded stats during the month of November: normal BG in the mornings, almost always unless I gave her some kind of dessert the night previous; betwwen 130 and 180 at lunch (depending, as you'll remember, on whether she's had a muffin or some other sweet at breakfast), then back down between normal and about 140 at night. Good readings, especially considering the low amount of medication she's on.
    It is accurate that she didn't commence eating until a little over 1.5 hours after I greeted her with, "Good morning, Mary Sunshine." Usually, I manage to have her plate set in front of her within 50 minutes to an hour after I first call her. Usually, as well, I am able to take her blood glucose almost immeidately upon awakening her.
    Slow, slow day, I guess.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1837     Reading:  74

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1841     BP:  144/66     Pulse:  66

Dinner:  1857  & Meds What she ate:  2 original recipe KFC thighs 1 small serving KFC cole slaw 1/2 cup KFC green beans 3/4 cup KFC macaroni & cheese
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin when used with glipizide
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/2.5 mg	1/2 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
1/2 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	with or after meal	standard twice a day supplement for kidney protection and enhancement of waste management

    That's right, folks, only two meals today, although I administered her second dose of iron (36 mg iron protein succinylate + 500 mg vitamin C) at about 1545, just before she decided to take a nap. I tried to coax her into staying up for "lunch" in the interest of three balanced meals, but she wasn't interested. At any rate, enough time elapsed between her morning and evening meds so that I wasn't worried. And, her appetite was especially hearty, which pleased me.

Today's Stats:

Meds Before Stats
    That's right, pills (some, anyway) before stats, today. I awoke late feeling pretty cold fucked, and, shortly after, so did Mom. Sometime between 0900 and 1000. She wasn't interested in staying up, and I wasn't sure I was going to (although I did), but she needed to use the bathroom so I decided to get in some of her medications, anyway, and worry about breakfast later. She drank her orange juice and I gave her the following meds before she returned to bed:

Meds before Stats
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
glipizide ER/10 mg	1 pill with meal	standard breakfast and dinner med to increase cells' sensitivity to insulin
lisinopril/2.5 mg	1/2 of 5 mg tab with meal	given for kidney protection when her blood pressure can handle it

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1307     Reading:  93

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1319     BP:  165/81     Pulse:  50

Breakfast:  1357  & Meds What she ate:  1 hard over egg, heavily peppered 4 oz slice sugar cured ham 1 slice toasted oat bran bread with 1.5 tbl Fleischmann's margarine 1/4 tsp cinnamon on bread
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin when used with glipizide
Protonix/40 mg	1 pill at least 1/2 hour pre-meal	standard pre-breakfast med
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
1/2 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	with or after meal	standard once a day supplement for kidney protection and enhancement of waste management

    Well, I was pleased to discover that the O.J. kept her blood sugar from dropping too low before she awoke. In case you're wondering why I administered certain meds early, knowing that she'd be going back to bed: First, I want to get her back in the habit of three regularly spaced meals, primarily because in order to work properly, her two doses of glipizide should be administered at least 8 hours apart. We've been fudging on that a lot, lately, and, although her blood sugar levels haven't been traumatized in either the high or low direction (unless she eats something sugar sinful or eats a lot of starch, both of which have happened within the last month, but not habitually), I think a lot of conditions will improve if we get her back on schedule. Second, I had a feeling that her feeling as she did and me feeling as I did (both of us are still a bit punked, but doing better), we'd be eating breakfast very late and I figured that the best way to keep her blood sugar from diving too low and her blood pressure jumping too high through her extended sleep was to make sure she got her prescription meds before she headed back for bed. I also wanted to make sure she took three doses of iron with enough time between doses to keep her stomach from becoming upset, which sometimes happens when she's on high doses of iron.
    I think I made a rational choice. Although, as it turns out, I forgot her dose of iron at lunch. But, her readings, as you'll see, continued nicely, throughout the rest of the day.

Lunch

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1831     Reading:  135

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1834     BP:  167/70     Pulse:  53

Lunch:  1835  & Meds What she ate:  1/2 a 3 oz bag of "lite" microwave popcorn 7 variety unpitted olives in a dill, vinegar olive oil brine 11.5 oz V-8 juice with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
36 mg Iron Protein Succinylate	2 18 mg tabs with meal	FORGOT IT
vitamin C/500 mg	1/2 1000 mg tab with iron supplement	FORGOT IT

    The difference between the 130s and the 170s at lunch is the difference between a pumpkin cranberry muffin and a piece of oat bran toast. Not that I'll ban muffins, but now I'm sure of this, so I'll be confidently judicious with muffin management. She actually took a somewhat shorter nap than is reflected by when she ate, but when she first awoke the Phillip's Milk of Magnesia I'd given her before she napped had already begun to work so she settled into the bathroom for a half hour or so with one of her beloved holiday craft and recipe magazines.
    Nice stats; they make me feel better, even though I've got a cold.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  2108     Reading:  139

Blood Pressure:     Time:  2113     BP:  138/65     Pulse:  53

Dinner:  2130  & Meds What she ate:  8 oz chunky potato soup with added sage sausage; sauteed onion, celery and green pepper 1/4 piece split ciabatta bread grilled with garlic butter and parmesan cheese
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin when used with glipizide
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/2.5 mg	1/2 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
1/2 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	with or after meal	standard twice a day supplement for kidney protection and enhancement of waste management

    I'm pleased to see her blood pressure settling down; it might be the effects of the cold we're sharing, but I consider it a good effect. Although I'm beginning to feel as though I'm bouncing back this evening, I'm not sure she'll feel that way, tomorrow. We'll see. If she does, maybe we'll start modified exercising.
    Through the month of November I resurrected some of our old dinner standards we hadn't had for months: Potato soup with additions; home made nachos; the Sauer Supper recipe, this time made with bulk sausage and a delicious brown/wild rice blend I discovered; a ham/noodle salad gifted us from MCF that Mom really loves; I even made a tuna casserole that we haven't had in years, with some changes, of course...absolutely delicious; and salmon patties, which actually were pretty bad, sort of like cardboard, so I quickly mixed together a lemon/dill dressing that seemed to help. So, it's too late to go back, now, and both of us our relieved about this.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1101     Reading:  85

Blood Pressure:Not Taken

Breakfast:  1159  & Meds What she ate:  1 hard over egg, heavily peppered 4 oz slice sugar cured lean ham 1 pumpkin cranberry muffin with 1 tbl Fleischmann's margarine 1/4 tsp cinnamon on muffin 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 when used with glipizide
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/2.5 mg	1/2 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
acetaminophen/250 mg	1/2 a 500 mg pill with meal as needed	I can't tell you why, but, even though she insisted she was neither in pain nor still, I had a hunch she might need it, so I gave it to her.
1/2 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	with or after meal	standard once a day supplement for kidney protection and enhancement of waste management

    You'll notice she back to 2.5 mg lisinopril. Her blood pressure, after an initial drop at the beginning of November, began to climb a little so I resumed the higher dose. She didn't move much during My Month of Me and slept a lot, so I am assuming that, now that were back to My Time Is Her Time and we'll be moving more, exercising, again, etc., that her blood pressure will begin to drop, again.
    I've been out of the habit of taking her blood pressure obsessively, so I forgot about it until the evening meal. It shouldn't take me too long to get back to the swing of things.

Lunch

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1601     Reading:  174

Blood Pressure:Not Taken

Lunch:  1615  & Meds What she ate:  1/2 a 3 oz bag of "lite" microwave popcorn 7 variety olives with pits in a vinegar, dill, olive oil marinade 11.5 oz V-8 juice with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
36 mg Iron Protein Succinylate	2 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

    Lunch was pretty normal, today. She seems to do best with a light lunch and a hearty dinner, so we've gotten in the popcorn/olive/V-8 juice habit over the last month. She seems to like it and it's served us well since she hasn't been moving much. I think, as I get her moving and out, again, she'll probably want and her blood sugar will be able to tolerate heartier lunches.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  2020     Reading:  83

Blood Pressure:     Time:  2024     BP:  141/67     Pulse:  52

Dinner:  2030  & Meds What she ate:  Cobb Salad, as previously described, this time with bits of ham, grated parmesan cheese, Bermuda onion, radishes, 1/2 boiled egg, green pepper and carrot, crumbles Doritos Nachos as croutons and about 2 Tbl homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Med/Dose	Administration	Explanation
100% Aloe Vera gel/1 oz	just before meal	helps increase the cells' sensitivity to insulin when used with glipizide
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/2.5 mg	1/2 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
1/2 cup pure cranberry juice w/12 oz water	with or after meal	standard once a day supplement for kidney protection and enhancement of waste management

    Yes, she often drinks cranberry juice twice a day, now. It's been part of my program to try to prevent UTI's. It seems to have worked since early October. I hope it continues. This is the first day in a long time that our meals have been evenly spaced. I was surprised at her lunch time BG spike, but I figure that was the pumpkin cranberry muffin talking and, anyway, it was below 200 so I think we're okay. Even when she comes in at above 200 within a few hours her blood sugar always returns to normal, as long as she doesn't snack all day. I still haven't found the need to give her insulin, and probably won't. We did quite well with just diet control during My Month of Me and I expect we'll do much better now that she'll be moving more, again.
    She only takes one Vitamin E a day, now, at dinner, as I noticed there was an E overlap with her morning multi-vitamin.