Moving in May, 5/13

Today was Mother's 6 month clinic visit with Dr. Otrusinik at the Regional Medical Arts Building in Logan. He was quite pleased. Everything checked out. We updated the prescription record in her chart. He wants to do an ultrasound in 6 months, giving her more time to use the CPAP, to check on the pulmonary hypertension. She hardly used it the first 3 months, but with the new CPAP mask she uses it a lot more.

Because I knew I wouldn't get my 15 minute walk in, I was going to park out by the street, but I knew Mother needed to get her walk in too. So, I parked in handicapped parking & then instead of taking the elevator, I took the stairs. OMG, by the time I got to the third floor I was dying. I was so out of breath. By the time I got in to the doctor's waiting room, she was already in the examining room. Less than 10 minutes later, we were out again.

We walked to the car & Mother only had to stop once to rest. She likes that section of handicapped parking better. I'll have to try & remember to park there again.

We checked at Cache Valley Oxygen for a CPAP pillow. OMG, they are $57!!! We also scoped out a step stool for Mother to get into Don-Mike's pickup, a grab bar for the shower. It is a suction cup-type that has a lever to hold it in place on the tile for $27.95. There is also a handle, $29.95, that has the same type of suction cup to attach to the tub for help in & out. So, no drilling of holes in the tile. And, as Mother pointed out, we could take it with us when she comes home.

We went to lunch at Juniper Take Out. I suggested that now it is nice weather, Mother & I could walk out on the sidewalk. She agreed, which really surprised me.

She wanted to stop at Dollar Tree in Smithfield. Unbenownst to either Don or I, we were just a few cars apart. When I pulled into the 3-second lane to make the left hand turn, I could see Don's car. We were on the phone with each other :) He turned around & came back. By the time I chased Mother all over that store, I got my 15 minutes in. When I finally caught up to her I was puffing & said, "My gosh Mother, for an old lady you can sure move fast." Just a few months ago, she could never have done that.

And, of course, I walked down to feed the dog.

Mother's Day 2009

I walked so much yesterday that this morning I woke up aching all over. My back & hips ached & my legs just felt heavy. My neck ached because I left my contoured pillow at the hotel. On my way to bed, in the dark, I might add, I found a pillow in a stack at the end of the bed. I promptly fell sideways, catching myself. My leg was aching from trying not to fall on the scanner in the front room. I scraped it on a magazine holder. So much for trying to be quiet.

My legs were feeling heavy because I had a cat laying on top of them. I had another cat using my tummy as a pillow & the third cat was not on me, but near me.

I walked down to the dog three times today. Once to feed him, he's out of food again, sigh. Then I got back to the house & realized I'd left my walking stick down there, so I turned around & walked back down to get it. The third time was to take a neighbor down to see him. Mufasa did not like the neighbor. He snapped at him.

I also walked down to the city park again from Mother's. I had my walking stick today. I need it to steady me. I really want to get one of those cool carved ones.

Dare I admit we broke the Sabbath by going out to eat? Mother said she thought I'd choose to go to Deer Cliff Inn, they opened yesterday. Don-Mike started taking us to Ogden to Chuck-A-Rama. He turned onto Airport Road in Logan & I asked where we were going. He said Ogden. I said no, Golden Corral. I said I might have said Chuck-A-Rama, but I meant Golden Corral in Logan.

I explained my reasoning for choosing Golden Corral. I didn't want to spend over $100 for a meal at Deer Cliff; I didn't want to go clear to Ogden. It had been a while since I'd been to Golden Corral & I like Golden Corral. The price has raised at GC, but it may have been for Mother's Day. They had carved turkey, ham, roast beef & steak. Don said the steak was better than the prime rib at the Borderline Grill in Franklin.

Nick took his car so he could leave when he wanted to & not wait for us. I wanted to go up to University Inn & see if I could retrieve my pillow. No luck. Darn it. I'll have to buy another one. It's a contoured one & is nice cuz I can sleep on my side with my CPAP on. I'll check at Cache Valley Oxygen because Mother gets a discount at CVO. They have pillows, just like what I had called CPAP pillows. The one I had was not called a CPAP pillow, but it's the same thing. It may just be cheaper to buy another one like I had that is not called a CPAP pillow.