Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1229     Reading:  12

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    I can't imagine why her blood glucose is so high. I even asked her if she awoke in the middle of the night without my realizing and ate something. She said no and our pristine kitchen supported this. Maybe the furosemide raises her blood glucose and I've never before noticed this. I'll keep this in the back of my mind and try to remember to look for this during future administrations of this medication.
    Breakfast was normal except that Honey Baked Ham was substituted for bacon.

Non-stat Lunch
    Because it was a slow, late starting day, I think, Mom decided all she wanted for lunch was coffee. I indulged her, knowing that she is more in need of fluids today than food. She drank two 14 oz cups of coffee, at her request, before dinner.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  2007     Reading:  84

Blood Pressure:     Time:  2005     BP:  111/64     Pulse:  65

    Well, that's better, all the way around.
    For dinner I served sauerkraut simmered with chopped kielbasa and grilled garlic cheese bread made with whole wheat French bread. Mmmmm!
    I asked Mom around 2200 if she was interested in something else to eat, or dessert, maybe, apple pie, for instance. She declined.
    She retired at 2315. Her light went out at 2340.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1148     Reading:  112	Blood Pressure:     Time:  1209     BP:  151/69     Pulse:  51
	Blood Pressure:     Time:  1216     BP:  137/66     Pulse:  54

    You'll notice I took Mom's BP this morning, twice, just to make sure I got a usable reading. You'll notice that her systolic dropped 14 points in 7 minutes. Her diastolic dropped 3 points. It wasn't a part of the switch I mentioned earlier involving sometimes taking it at different meals. I was concerned because her feet have been lately exhibiting a bit of swelling in the morning and this morning so did her face and belly. I wasn't sure whether to be concerned or not so I took a reading. It is a little higher than I like, taking into consideration that it was also a morning reading, which always irritates her.
    For breakfast, instead of bacon, she had Honey Baked Ham with her egg. This substition will probably occur often over the next week or so.
    I'll keep an eye on her water retention throughout the day.

BM Non-stat Lunch
    Although she went down for a nap at 1530 she wasn't down long. I'm not sure why. Maybe she's getting her sleep out. Maybe it was because the day is so warm that we've had windows and Arcadia doors open all over the house and she wanted to enjoy it. Tomorrow promises to be even warmer.
    She ate lunch at about 1630: Cottage cheese, MCS's bread and butter pickles and 11.5 oz V-8 juice.
    Her Bowel Movement occurred at 1445 and was a surprise to both of us: Poor volume, it looked as though her colon was releasing what was left from yesterday's movement; excellent consistency, though; very easy, although very gassy, elimination; easy clean-up.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  2009     Reading:  121

Blood Pressure:     Time:  2004     BP:  150/73     Pulse:  58

    I didn't take her BP twice. Considering that I've had her on oxygen most of the day because she's been mouth breathing a lot and that the swelling in her feet, torso and face has continued, I figured I got a pretty accurate reading. Thus, I decided to administer 20 mg furosemide to see if we couldn't get the water off. I did not increase her lisinopril dosage. Getting the water off should take care of her blood pressure.
    For dinner she had 8 oz filet mignon and a very small baked potato with margarine, sour cream and chives.
    Since I'm predating this post I'm also reporting a bit about her night. She went to bed at 2330. Her light was off by 2345. About an hour later the furosemide kicked in. She was up and 0030 and again at 0130 peeing. At that point I asked her if she'd yet gotten any sleep. She hadn't.
    I retired soon after her last bathroom call. She was up again at 1430 to pee. She reported that she had slept this time, though, and was annoyed that her sleep had been disturbed. At that point I told her I'd let her "sleep in" in the morning. I'm not sure what that'll mean. If she's not up by noon I'll probably awaken her.
    As far as I know she didn't awaken any more last night. I tuned myself to hear her but I slept through till morning. As well, there wasn't any pee in her toilet this morning. She is a notorious non-flusher when she pees in the middle of the night, which is one of the reasons I try to remain alert to her middle-of-the-night arisings.

Today's Stats:

BM Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1134     Reading:  122

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    My intention was to awaken Mom at 1030 but my intention collided with a problem with the lab that draws my mother's blood, a phone call to MCS and a visit from Mr. Everything. None of them took long but all together they consumed the hour past my intended Awake Mom Time.
    Although we've got a ham for her, now, we had a normal breakfast this morning. Seeing the remnants of that apple pie still floating in her blood stream cautioned me away from ham for breakfast, since one of the taste treats of Honey Baked Ham is that it's sugar cured...probably why my mother loves it so much.
    Her bowel movement occurred at 1500: Good volume; excellent consistency, despite a few small rocks; very easy elimination; very easy clean-up.

Lunch
    A very light lunch day, Mom's choice. About 3/4 cup 4% milk fat cottage cheese and 11.5 oz V-8 juice. No pickles or olives, thank you; "It's a little too close to dinner," she said. It was 1710.
    "I won't be starting dinner until about 1930, Mom."
    She looked at the clock. "Well, that's only a couple hours away."
    True. It's just never seemed "close to dinner" before, though.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1946     Reading:  111

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    We ate dinner about 15 minutes after I took her blood glucose: Home made hamburger sandwiches with yellow sharp cheddar cheese (for her; I prefer Vermont white extra sharp cheddar, so sharp it crumbles when you try to cut it) melted over the top, served on fresh onion buns, nestled between a thick slab of Bermuda onion and a healthy slathering of dill pickle relish.
    At this writing she's up, entrenched in the first of two hours of M*A*S*H. I don't expect her to even lean toward bed for another hour and a half.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1001     Reading:  113

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    Today was blood draw day, which is why I awoke her earlier than she's been lately arising. I served her breakfast when we returned home: bulk sage sausage with her egg, OJ and toast. It's fast to prepare. I didn't think she'd want to wait on bacon. I checked the time as she took her first bite: 1215. We moved fast this morning!

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1853     Reading:  99

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1850     BP:  104/63     Pulse:  56

    Only two meals today. It wasn't that she spent most of the day sleeping. Her nap, which she took late, lasted only a half hour, although she slept so deeply she was confused when she awoke and thought it was late in the evening. She also wasn't hungry, so I didn't push it; I pushed fluids in the form of a 14 oz glass of water and coffee, instead.
    Thus, when she finally copped to hunger I decided to fix dinner instead of lunch. She had a couple of thick slabs of her beloved Honey Baked Ham, which I purchased today, about 3/4 cup of cottage cheese, about half cup of MCS's bread and butter pickles and 11.5 oz V-8 juice. About 2030 she mentioned that she was hungry for "something sweet", so I served her a slice of the apple/pecan/raisin pie, measuring an eighth of the pie.
    She remained up until 2200. Her light went out at 2230.

Today's Stats:

BM Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1113     Reading:  113

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    It appears that a few hours earlier than 2200 is a good time to serve pie if I want to make sure my mother doesn't wake up with it still swimming in her blood stream. 'By accident' another pie experiment is now taking place. Without thinking I left the pie on the counter last night, covered with plastic wrap. Because I tend to ignore everything in the kitchen except what I'm dealing with at any particular time, I didn't even notice it as I shuttled back and forth between bedroom, kitchen and bathroom attending to my mother's arising, bathing, dressing and the preparation of her breakfast. Thus, when my mother enterd the kitchen on her way to the dinette after bathing there was the pie, preening on the counter for my mother's sugar-favoring eyes to see. "How about pie, this morning, instead of toast," she said. It was not a question.
    I considered this for a moment and decided, ah, what the hell, why not? "Okay, but not a dinner sized piece like last night."
    She made a "killjoy" face back at me but accepted this. It was a "mighty slim" piece, she acknowledged when I set her breakfast plate in front of her but she was happy. Needless to say, I immediately divided the rest of the pie and stowed it in the freezer for future sugar fits.
    Her Bowel Movement was a surprise, considering the very good quality of yesterdays but I think it was a follow-up. It occurred at 1255: Fair volume; appeared to be of excellent consistency but turned out to be a bit smeary; very easy elimination; slightly messy clean-up.
    I think I've discovered the cause of the temporary back aches my mother's been experiencing for the last few days; it's dual, I believe: First, they've been occurring immediately after her bowel movements; second, during her first stint in the bathroom after breakfast I always insist she brush her teeth. One of these activities alone doesn't seem to bother her back. Both, though, as I discovered today, put some strain on it. When I clean her she is always standing up, ass toward me. At the point where I go after any shit that's been squeezed up her lips toward her urinary apparatus I always have her "lean forward and relax". Then, of course, when she brushes her teeth she hunches over the sink when she rinses her mouth and the brush. Then, when she emerges, she walks in such a way that I ask her if her back is bothering me and she usually confirms that it is. Part of this ritual, I think, I can dispense with: The "leaning over" when I go for misappropriated shit. The part involving brushing her teeth, though, well, I've actually cautioned her about this before but it's done no good. However, if I dispense with the "lean forward" part, even if it's followed by brushing her teeth I think she'll be okay. I also decided today to wait for about 15 minutes after these two exercises before giving her ibuprofen to see if her back relaxes out of it's ache once she's seated in her rocker. It did, so now I know this is a very temporary condition that doesn't need medication.

Non-stat Lunch
    Earlier rising equals earlier lunch. She awoke from an earlier nap at 1615. For lunch she had about a cup of 4% milk fat, small curd cottage cheese covered with pepper, about 1/2 cup of MCS's bread and butter pickles and 11.5 oz V-8 juice.
    The interesting thing is that when she awoke she "remembered" that it was yesterday and that I had a pie cooling to eat for dinner. I corrected her, since the pie, of which she had a thin slice for breakfast instead of her usual toast, was sliced and stuffed in our freezer after breakfast this morning. It was an endearing episode, though. When she shuffled into the living room after her nap her eyes were bright with anticipation and her first words were: "Do I smell pie?"
    Although I had to tell her "No, you don't smell pie today, Mom," I decided on the spot to make one more apple pie, this time with dried cherries and toasted sliced almonds. We'll probably break it's crust on Thursday. Then, on Christmas, I'll give her a choice of whichever pie she'd like for dessert (we'll be having Honey Baked Ham for dinner, assuming I can pick one up today) and I'll make sure we have Baskin Robbin's French Vanilla ice cream for a topping.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1941     Reading:  118

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    Well, it looks like another optimum time to feed Mom pie is for breakfast, as long as it's closer to a sliver than a slice.
    For dinner I served home made deviled eggs with minced yellow onion, dill pickle relish and a bit of shredded ham mixed in with the yolks (as well as The Usual Seasonings) and fresh green peas mixed with sauteed Bermuda onion, celery, chopped, defatted, fried bacon and my home made Greek/Italian dressing.
    "Mmmm," she said. "This is one of my favorite meals. We should have it more often." Good idea.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1211     Reading:  138

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    Her blood glucose is no surprise, considering that she had apple pie last night for "dinner" and considering when she had it, sometime between 2200 & 2300. Today, since I baked another slightly different apple pie, this one with chopped Turkish apricots and walnuts, instead of waiting until late in the evening, I'll give her a slice for "lunch", which I'm sure will occur soon after she awakens from her nap, probably around 1800, just as the pie reaches peak eating temperature. This means that her "dinner" blood glucose will probably be quite high, maybe even in the 200s. What the hell; and what's the point of baking an apple pie if you can't enjoy it!?!
    It looks as though she's establishing a midnight to noon pattern for sleeping, doesn't it. That will probably change tomorrow when I awaken her for her blood draw, probably around 1000.
    Normal breakfast. No additional meds.
    Her Bowel Movement occurred at 1555, just before she laid down for her nap: Good volume; good consistency, a little rocky; very easy elimination; very easy clean-up.

Non-stat Lunch
    Mom was so excited about the apple pie that she awoke "early", as she said, at 1720, ready for pie. The pie wasn't cool enough to eat, though, so I took advantage of the opportunity to make sure she got some unsweetened nutrition before pie. We talked about it. I told her that, considering how early she was up, maybe it would be best if she had a reliable lunch and we put off pie until about 1900, when I could safely administer her medication. She was amenable.
    For lunch she had about 2.5 oz yellow sharp cheddar (she's been into cheese, lately, I guess you've noticed), 11.5 oz V-8 juice and 6 green pimiento stuffed olives.

Dinner

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1906     Reading:  85

Blood Pressure:     Time:  1900     BP:  113/58     Pulse:  67

    Nice stats. Good BG if one is going to have a piece of apple-apricot-walnut pie. No additional meds. 1/6 of a pie for Mom. She raved through the entire piece. Made me feel really good.
    The only down side is that she was ready for bed at 2130. Her light just went out at 2145. I think the early bedtime is because of the sugar. I'm hoping, though, that giving her the pie earlier in the evening than last night might give her body a little longer to work it off.
    Want to mention, also, today she was doing a fair amount of mouth breathing so I put her on pulse regulated oxygen for most of her day, 3/lpm to make sure she got at least 2/lpm. Strange experience for me. This is the first day in a long time that she's been on oxygen most of the day. Yes, I had to remind her to breathe through her nose, not her mouth ad infinitum. Yes, it brought back memories, bad memories. Yes, I felt like a shit, both because I had to remind her how to breathe all day long and because I had trouble separating today from Thanksgiving Day.
    Live and learn. Sometimes the learning is harder than the living. Living is often automatic. Learning often isn't.

Today's Stats:

Breakfast

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1236     Reading:  92

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    I decided to give her a full 12 hours since, each time I checked on her from 1100 on she was snugged in and snoring. As well, her water glass had obviously been accessed several times throughout the night: Of the 32 ounces with which I fill it, two thirds was gone, which is amazing. Normally she does not drink water at night even though she always has a full quart of it by her bedside. This told me she'd awakened at least a few times in the night, although there was no pee in the toilet so she probably hadn't arisen. I'd most likely have heard her if she'd arisen, anyway.
    Although she was asleep when I entered her room to awaken her, she was no longer snoring and awoke at the touch of my finger on her arm, so she was ready. When I administered her pills with water she gulped several swallows with each pill, almost finishing the glass.
    "What did we have for dinner last night?" she asked. "Whatever it was it sure made me thirsty."
    "I noticed," I said. "You drank a lot of water last night, too. You never do that. And, yeah, last night's dinner must have been unusually salty because I drank two bottles of water before I went to bed."
    "I thought so. I kept dreaming about drinking water and waking up."
    "Well, that's optimistic. That means you haven't completely lost your sense of thirst. Beside, Mom, yesterday I had a hell of a time getting fluids down you. It's nice to know that, finally, your body reminds you of what you need."
    She sneered at me comically."
    Probably because she was dehydrated when she retired last night, there was just a minor urine spot on her bottom sheet this morning, so we went into Modified Bath Mode: Lower torso, face, more lotion on arms and legs. I mentioned the extraordinarily light leakage to her and suggested that maybe if I send her to bed "dry" on purpose (rather than accidentally, as happened last night) she'd leak less and we wouldn't have to perform the Full Bath Ritual every morning. I thought she'd jump at this.
    "I don't know," she said. "I was awfully busy last night, waking up to drink water. It wasn't much fun."
    "So you're saying you'd rather sleep through and leak and take a full bath in the morning."
    "I'd rather sleep through and not leak."
    "Well, I'd love it if you did that but somehow I think we're past that."
    She looked pensive. "I suppose so."
    As usual, we'll see. Something I took care to notice, just in case, she was not retaining any excess fluid this morning, which is excellent, considering that I inadvertently sodiumized her yesterday, I guess. This means her body is still correcting itself. Nice to know.
    Normal breakfast. No additional meds. I've corrected the Meds chart so it now reflects four teaspoons (1 tbl + 1 tsp) of Benefiber® every morning. Despite what she would consider a dreary sky she looks good, seems to feel good and remained awake for four hours until she went down for a nap a few minutes ago.

Non-Stat Lunch/Dinner
    Today all mealtimes after breakfast became flexible. Mom didn't nap until 1645. I offered her a light lunch previous to her nap but she refused. I guessed that she was refusing because I was working on a crust for an apple pie and she was planning on having some when she awoke. I explained to her that, for ultimate perfection, the crust needed to refrigerate for at least a couple of hours afterwhich the pie preparation would probably take a "good" half hour, the baking of the pie another hour and I wanted to let the pie cool for at least two hours before cutting into it. She was only mildly disappointed and made me promise that she would be able to have a slice of home made apple pie before she retired at night. I promised.
    When she awoke at 1845 I was in the middle of preparing the pie for baking. I did some quick figuring and decided that it would be appropriate to offer her a beefed up lunch with her medication; a little early, true, but, I decided, I was sure she'd be having a piece of apple pie sometime around 2200 so I figured early administration of her glipizide would be in order. She agreed to this lopsided meal schedule.
    For lunch I fed her 11.5 oz V-8 juice; a little over 1/2 cup of MCS's bread and butter pickles; approximately 2 sliced ounces of yellow sharp cheddar cheese; a thawed chicken thigh from the time before last that we ate from KFC. After she finished I asked her if she was still hungry. "For apple pie, yes," she said.
    While I was doing all these preparations, the pie, the meal, all the small details involved with getting her going from a nap, I completely forgot to take her blood glucose and blood pressure. Oh well, I decided, not important.
    At 2200 straight up the pie was baked, cooled enough for cutting and ready to be enjoyed. I sliced her 1/8 of the pie. She savored every bite and pronounced it, "the best apple pie I think I've ever had".
    As a side-note, during a commercial in the program we were watching, Inside the Actors Studio, the guest being Barbara Walters, I reminded her that blood draw day would be tomorrow.
    "Do you suppose we could put it off for a day?"
    "Any particular reason?" I asked.
    "I don't feel like being poked tomorrow."
    Good reason. "No problem. That'll give your blood a day to recover from apple pie."
    "You mean we won't be eating apple pie tomorrow?!? Why not?!?"
    Good point, and good reminder, since I'll be baking a second apple pie tomorrow. "You're right. We'll probably be having apple pie tomorrow. What the hell. If your blood glucose is a little high on Tuesday we'll consider that your blood is celebrating Christmas."
    "Sounds good to me."
    "If the doctor asks, we'll call it 'seasonal blood sugar'."
    "I won't tell if you won't."
    "You've got a deal."
    I'm actually not worried about her blood sugar. It's been doing just fine and, anyway, there is much of the baking "we've" done that Mom hasn't been in the mood to sample so it's all either been frozen or given away. Apple pie, though, is one of her favorites. Although we'll probably freeze most of it in ready-to-thaw slices, there's no reason she shouldn't enjoy the fresh fruits of my labor over the next few days, blood draw or no blood draw.