Review of Meals, Meds and Stats: March 1 - 10, 2005

    Mom's been arising much earlier than usual since March 2nd, typically between 0900 and 0930, although one morning she was up at 0830. This morning was the latest she's slept in since the 1st: 1030. Thus, lunches and dinners have been somewhat to much earlier than typical. She has not been going to bed that much earlier, either. Tonight she stayed up until 2300 to catch her regular two hour M*A*S*H marathon on one of the cable channels, can't remember which one.
    All medications have been administered as normal: Nothing new, she hasn't appeared to need acetaminophen through this period, nor Phillip's Milk of Magnesia, nor anything else.
    Breakfasts have been typical, although she's dropped back to one egg, again. Lunches have been primarily yoghurt, olives and V-8 juice. Now that I'm serving her yoghurt regularly, she is refusing popcorn. I'm not sure why, but I do know that the yoghurt, which is artificially sweetened, satisfies her sweet tooth. That's fine with me. She can use the active flora. Dinners have been typical. We've had, in the last 10 days, a couple of Cobb salads, bean and ham soup, Costco chicken pot pie (which we finished off tonight), More than Mac & Cheese: Our usual fare. Her appetite has been excellent. Because her lunches have been so light, as usual, and her breakfasts have been occurring usually between 1000 and 1030, sometimes earlier, rarely later, I've been serving dinner between 1800 and 1900 each night, regardless of when she eats lunch.
    I'm very pleased with her midday blood glucose and blood pressure readings, especially the former. Her midday readings are the least predictable but it seems that they are evening out. I think that, as I focus on each meal to the exclusion of others over a short period, I am motivated to adjust the contents of her meals to work on her blood sugar. And, as well, she's not getting poked and strapped nearly as often as before.
    My guess is that I'll continue taking stats once a day, varying the meal focus every couple of weeks, probably, and do mini reports on whether her medications change on a particular day and what she eats.
    Oh, and she is, so far, remaining UTI free; her urine is remaining clear...although I thought I noticed a touch of cloudiness, today, but that could have been from the detritus in the toilet after her bowel movement.
    I have to say, I like this way of doing business. My hat remains off in salute to our wise, wonderful PCP/FNP. Amazing grace.