Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1112     Reading:  106

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    I awoke her at 1030 when I returned from a Costco run. She asked for an extra half hour. I didn't have a problem with this, since she retired around 0100 this morning.
    Breakfast consisted of bulk sausage with her egg scrambled into it, seasoned with MPBIL's Southwestern Fire seasoning and a cherry danish. She mentioned last night before bed that she'd like me to make muffins for breakfast. I didn't have time, this morning, since I was directing Mr. Everything, who did some work for us today, and needed to make the Costco run, so at Costco I picked up some danish to freeze. She was thrilled.

Lunch
    Lunch happened, with no nap between breakfast and lunch, at a little after 1700: two slices (about two ounces) of sharp yellow cheddar, six green pimiento stuffed olives and two large radishes with coffee. She didn't want any V-8 juice. I honored her request.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  2013     Reading:  98

Blood Pressure:     Time:  2011     BP:  121/53     Pulse:  55

    Yep, I decided to take her blood pressure tonight. I was very relaxed about it and very pleased with the result. I think I'll plan on taking it every other day, usually in the evening but occasionally in the morning or at lunch, just to see how we're doing, unless other symptoms cause me concern.
    Tonight we had a concoction that I jury rigged from a recipe Mom and seen in a magazine, ripped out and in which she'd expressed some interest. It was successful. Essentially, it was a casserole containing freshly roasted turkey breast, loads of fresh chopped vegetables (carrots, onions, celery and green pepper), some frozen peas, a can of cream of celery soup and some sour cream, baked together for about a half hour and seasoned with a little Worchestershire sauce and half a lemon. I thought it was a little dry and not very flavorful. Mom was pleased with it, although she said she'd probably like it just as well with my suggestion of extra herbs and Worchestershire sauce. We discussed trying it again with tuna and home made cheese sauce and chicken with cream of mushroom soup. It was easy enough to cobble together, so it will probably become a dinner mainstay.
    No extra meds. Only a very short, unsuccesful attempt at a nap. She retired at 2230, earlier than usual but not worrisome.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1425     Reading:  96

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    For the reason why I let her sleep in so long today, check out the (only) post for 12/09/05 I checked on her every half hour from 1100 until she gave me the "Hi!" sign.
    Breakfast was normal, although, concerned about her lack of bowel movements lately, I gave her an extra two tsp of Benefiber®.

BM Non-stat Lunch
    Yes, she attempted to take a nap. I think the nap thing is automatic. She didn't try this until about 1800 and was down only about a half hour.
    "I couldn't sleep," she told me when she wandered into the living room."
    "Gee, I wonder why," I said.
    She had a healthy lunch at about 1845: cottage cheese, V-8 juice and MCS's bread & butter pickles.
    The Bowel Movement I'd been anticipating occurred before she tried to nap, at about 1630: Excellent volume; slick, fiberous consistency (no wonder, I've been loading her with dietary fiber over the last 36 hours) but still good; very easy elimination; easier clean-up than I expected, although fairly smeary.

Non-stat Dinner
    Dinner, tonight, was a drawn out affair from lunch until about 2100, when the last thing she ate was a grilled sharp yellow cheddar cheese sandwich and finished off the last of MCS's Bread & Butter pickles with it. I was never sure when to take her blood glucose so I decided to forget it.
    Between her official lunch and the cheese sandwich she also had a glass of orange juice and some carrot sticks and radishes.
    She retired at 0030 December 10th (yes, I'm pre-dating this). She read a long time. Her light went out just as I was gathering up my stuff and heading to bed at 0100. I expect tomorrow will be a somewhat livelier day.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1105     Reading:  124

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    I didn't wait for her to awaken on her own, this morning. At 1100 I was in her room running my finger teasingly down her arm, gently calling her. She wasn't completely game but she didn't lag, much, either. she asked me why I was calling her. "Do we have somewhere to go today?"
    Yes, I told her. Breakfast. Doing her hair; remember on Tuesday I got some Scalpicin to try?
    "It's awfully cloudy. You aren't planning on making me go out, are you?"
    I hadn't thought of it but I certainly won't now.
    "Well, then, what's the occasion?"
    You're alive. It's the beginning of another day.
    "Oh. You're in that kind of a mood, again. Okay. I guess I'd better get up."
    Breakfast was normal, except kielbasa was substituted for bacon.
    I forgot to mention that last night just before she when I was in the bathroom with her helping her change into her pajamas I noticed that she seemed a little too warm. I took her temporal arterial temperature: 100.9°F. I have no idea why it was that high. She doesn't seem to be sick, although she's been a little slow and not ver enthusiastic lately. I gave her an adult buffered aspirin with 8 oz water before she retired. This morning I took her temporal arterial temperature after she'd settled in the bathroom to await her bath: 99.0°F. Whatever was irritating her system seems to have abated, at least for now.
    I must mention, it is very hard to get out of the habit of wanting to know what her blood pressure is. I'm going to try to get through this entire day without taking it; maybe wait until tomorrow evening. She seems fine, no particular reason to take it until then. We'll see how it goes tonight.

Lunch
    After awakening from a very short nap at a little after 1700, she had what, for her, is a "power lunch": V-8 juice, about 3/4 cup of small curd 4% milk fat cottage cheese and about 1/2 cup of MCS's Bread & Butter pickles.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1953     Reading:  127

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    I did it! I kept my scruffy little hands off the BP wrist cuff! Her blood sugar looks good, considering the pickles she had for lunch.
    For dinner we had half a red bell pepper apiece stuffed with a rice/sausage/tomato basil sauce/sauteed fresh garlic, onions, celery and green pimiento stuffed olives mixed with a freshly grated Parmesan and some Greek/Italian dressing. Delicioso!
    She officially retired at about 2330 but, well, see the post for 12/09/05 over at The Mom & Me Journals to see what happened after that.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1308     Reading:  139

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1308     BP:  135/63     Pulse:  52

    Oh what a night! She retired at 2315. Her light went out almost immediately. Then, just before I was ready to retire, at 0045, she was up again. She said she was hungry and wasn't tired. I gave her 11.5 oz V-8 juice. She sat up and read her magazines. About 0130 I was ready for bed. I insisted that she also go to bed, since when she's up I need to be up and I couldn't remain up any longer. Simply couldn't.
    That was fine with her. I noticed, though, that she remained up reading until 1430. The reason I know what time it was is that I tossed and turned in the glare from her light down the hall. Finally, I dozed then reawoke when she turned her light off.
    She actually was awake probably around noon. I returned home from two errands at 1215 and she was shuffling, with her soaked, unchanged underwear, from the bathroom into the kitchen. She seemed to be in good humor and completely rested. We had talked about window shopping today at the local stores boardering the square but although she felt good, she stuck her nose outside after breakfast, noticed how cold it was despite the abundant sun and said, "No, thanks."
    Normal breakfast. No extra meds.

Lunch
    Again, she "awoke" at 1736 from a very short nap, maybe a half hour, claiming she didn't sleep, which I can believe, and wanting only "a little something." I've been having trouble hydrating her over the last 24 hours so I insisted on a 14 oz glass of water (not decaf coffee...I don't think she needs the stuff in it, right now) and about 1/2 cup of MCS's bread an butter pickles.
    Since she had her pills so late today we'll probably not eat dinner until 2230 or so. If she feels the need for "a little something" more before dinner, she'll get it.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  2021     Reading:  99

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    Tonight was my first attempt to keep my hands off the blood pressure gauge and, while it was difficult, I was successful. Her blood glucose looks good.
    Although I was planning something completely different for dinner, Mom decided she had "a hankering" for hamburgers and onion rings, so I went to Carl's Jr. and got her a Six Dollar Guacamole Bacon Burger (her favorite) and onion rings. She slathered everything with ketchup and ate in pure bliss. She practically licked her plate clean.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1202     Reading:  100

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1202     BP:  146/76     Pulse:  56

    She was up on her own at 1130, just about exactly 12 hours since she retired, I think, although I'm not sure since I didn't record her retirement last night anywhere.
    Normal breakfast. I was concerned about her BP, especially her diastolic, so I gave her an extra 5 mg of lisinopril.

Non-stat Lunch
    Again, she wasn't hungry when she awoke from her nap, a little after 1700. This time I didn't insist that she eat or drink anything with oomph; just some decaf instant coffee. I figured we'd eat dinner a little early and if she claimed hunger before then I'd give her a little something "to hold her up". Although she didn't, about an hour after she awoke I gave her an 8 oz. glass of orange juice to make sure her blood glucose didn't drop too low.
    She seems hung-over. I think it may be the extra lisinopril. Perhaps I was a little too judicious with it this morning. I think, if I perceive a need for extra lisinopril from now on, I'll wait until her evening stats and give it to her then. She seems to handle it better in the evening, especially since it usually kicks in about the time she decides to retire.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1925     Reading:  140

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1923     BP:  145/69     Pulse:  53

    Her blood glucose pleases me. A 140 reading just under two hours after a glass of orange juice is excellent!
    I'm also surprised, but not pleased, by her blood pressure, but I think I'm in a very slow learning curve regarding this. As I recall, maybe a week or so ago, sometime between now and November 1st when we last saw her doctor and he said I should only be taking her blood pressure a couple of times a week, having an episode where I thought I'd learned my lesson. Apparently not. I'm sure, frankly, that her blood pressures are reflecting my tension every time I take them. I need to cut back and take them a little less often. Maybe only once a day, in the evening, maybe, since I've decided not to give her extra lisinopril except in the evening; with the caveat that if I notice unusual fluid retention, other symptoms of CHF or wonder if she's mini-stroking I'll definitely take her blood pressure. And, just because I can't stand it, I'll proabably take it tomorrow morning.
    We had an excellent dinner: Home made (including the sauce) teriyaki steak with loads of chopped vegetables over rice. No extra meds.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1153     Reading:  77

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1252     BP:  113/66     Pulse:  51

    The 59 minutes between her blood glucose and her blood pressure reading wasn't because I forgot about her blood pressure. I awoke her at 1130. It was a hard wake-up. She resisted. It took me almost a half hour to coax her hand over the edge of the bed for a blood sugar reading. Then, the door bell rang. It was my Fed Ex delivery lady. Knowing that Mom was still prone, I decided to take the opportunity to chat with her about her parents, for whom she and her husband take care and who live with her. We talked until 1230.
    Mom confirmed that she'd snoozed a little but when I reentered her room she was sitting on the edge of her bed, ready to commence bathing. I was a bit behind. It took yet another half hour to get to the place where I could take her blood pressure.
    Normal breakfast. No extra medications ovbiously.

Non-stat Lunch
    Lunch took place at about 1700. She said she was hungry for only something sweet. We have nothing sweet in the house, at the moment, except artificially sweetened candy. I decided, without thinking back, what the hell. It won't hurt her. I completely forgot what usually happens when she eats this candy and why she rarely gets it. I gave her four mini York Peppermint Patties and four mini Hershey's chocolate bars with almonds. She downed them within 15 minutes and said she was satisfied.
    Little did I know...

BM Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  2038     Reading:  124

Blood Pressure:     Time:  2034     BP:  132/64     Pulse:  59

    I was a little surprised at both her blood sugar and her blood pressure. Hmmm...I thought. I guess she did it again; raised her blood sugar on diabetic candy. I wasn't sure what to think about her blood sugar.
    I did not, though, augment her meds. For dinner we'd already discussed at breakfast that we'd enjoyed the salad last night so much and it had been so long since we'd had dinner salads that that's what we wanted again tonight...this time with some left over ham I put out to thaw. It was as delicious as last night. The ham and the dressing, which, tonight, was home made Ranch dressing, were the only changes from last night.
    Then, it happened; something that hasn't happened for, oh, god, I don't know, over a year, I think, if not longer. At 2145 she headed into the bathroom for a Bowel Movement, and what a movement it was. Pure, true diarrhea. I know the cause; the artificially sweetened candy. The reason she hasn't had any for so long is because it usually has this effect on her. I just didn't think of it tonight. It cleaned her out, starting from before she managed to reach the toilet: Volume? Amazing; Consistency? Thick liquid; Ease of Elimination? Like a rocket; Clean-up? Sufffice it to say I worked on Mom for a good 20 minutes then worked on the bathroom for another half hour.
    She didn't cramp, didn't feel sick. She feels great, now. No fluid retention anyplace. I think, as well, all the fiber she's had over the last several days helped, then the candy did it's trick.
    Well, I don't have to worry about her being cleaned out for awhile.

Non-stat Day:

    When I approached Mom, immediately after she awoke while still in bed, with what I wryly refer to as "the instruments of torture", the blood pressure wrist cuff and the glucometer, she shook her head and wearily asked, "Do we have to do that today? Not today."
    I quickly checked her feet and her sheets, both of which showed that she had, indeed, flushed quite a bit of fluid. I agreed with her. "You're right. Not today. No stat checks today."
    It was a good decision. She relaxed today and revived from all the medication I gave her yesterday and all the tension I created checking, checking, checking her blood pressure. She slept a fair amount between night sleep and her nap and ate three good meals: Normal breakfast; typical lunch of cottage cheese, V-8 juice and MCS's Bread & Butter pickles; a dynamite, delicious dinner of a large dinner salad with mixed greens (no iceberg lettuce), broccoli slaw, sliced radishes, chopped Bermuda onion, green pepper and green pimiento stuff olives, shredded carrot, a sprinkling of sunflower seeds and toasted soy nuts and about four ounces of the salmon left over from last night which marinated all day in fresh lemon juice, dressed with my Greek/Italian combo dressing. She drank a fair amount of liquids throughout the day but not too much. No swollen feet or belly when she retired tonight at 2300; light out at 2330.