Monday, April 11th
The OT came this morning and measured how much I could open my hand now that I had had the Botox treatment. I could feel the difference, and we also discussed how it was wearing the brace on my right hand, which was fine. The brace doesn’t allow me to use my hand at all, which I can‘t anyway, so that's fine. It keeps the fingers flat, which is the point.
Mom and M came, and we tried to watch Way of the Dragon with Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, but it was not available anywhere. It was Mom‘s turn to pick, and she had just watched a biography of Chuck Norris and wanted to see him and Bruce Lee fighting. As a default, we turned to this Chuck Norris movie, which M said was considered his best movie(?).
I think it was damning with faint praise, as Chuck Norris movies are all on the same level. This was a post-Vietnam War movie about looking for survivors of the war who were POWs or MIA. There was a little bit of fighting near the end, but generally not a great experience. Oh well.
At bedtime, I had a frustrating exchange with the nurse about my new pill to help me sleep. It had actually arrived last Friday night, and I had not understood that. He was very strict about the fact that I had to ask for it before he could give it to me. I said that I hadn't known it was here. When we finally clarified everything, he asked if I wanted it. REALLY? He wanted me to explicitly ask for it. I finally did get the pill.
Tuesday, April 12th
It was Mom‘s birthday today. While I was eating breakfast, it occurred to me to send a birthday text to her, but I didn't right away. We were getting together for a birthday dinner at Rinka, and I finally sent a text just before the taxi picked me up. Whoops! Luckily, Mom will still love me. What do you want? I'm disabled (knowing that I could've sent the text at breakfast).
Our family and friends all like this restaurant, and we like reserving the private room for a gathering. The room only seats 6 people, but it's a nice, intimate get-together. Previously, we have always gotten together at lunch, but this time we were going to get to choose from the dinner menu. Dinner was a bigger version of lunch, with some added selections.
My sister feeds me, which is great because she knows how I like things. She took one look at the menu and said, ‘We're not going to cook anything at the table.’ After we clarified that the cooking would be a matter of seconds, she relented and let me order the thin, raw slices of beef you cook at the table.
It was yummy, and I loved all the extra goodies you got at dinner, including five or six pieces of tempura, four slices of sashimi, miso soup, and a lot of small bits of other things. A hardy meal! I ate everything, but I could not finish the beef, so I took that back with me, along with half the rice. I love having leftovers!
Wednesday, May 13th
Mom stopped by at 11 AM to meet the OT so she could teach Mom how to stretch my hand. First, you stretch my fingers flat. Then, you hold my fingers with your left hand and gently press your right hand at the base of my wrist so my arm doesn't move. As you hold the fingers straight, you press my whole hand back so the tendons get a nice stretch. Hold for 10 seconds and then rest. Repeat 10 times. That's my hand workout! The new medication I take at night, unfortunately, does not help me fall asleep; it just helps me stay asleep. I don't have a problem staying asleep. I have a problem falling asleep. I am going to see if I can try a CBD gummy. I hope I can do that.
Thursday, May 14th
Dr. R and Freddie came by, and for the first time, Freddie did not eagerly jump into the bed. Dr. R had to pick him up and put him in my bed. He was fine once he got there, but I was a little disappointed that he was showing reluctance. We shall see.
I asked Dr. R if she could help me get some calls done, and she started looking for ear-coning places. The first phone number I called did not do ear coning; they did red light therapy. I didn't know about that, but I'm always interested in learning about new alternative therapies. The lady has a bed that you lie on, and you get a dose of red light all over your body, front and back. The main thing that I understood red light to do was to dilate your veins so that you get increased circulation. That would be good for me! I said I would talk to my nutritionist next Tuesday and get back to her.
Friday, May 15th
I had a parade of visitors this morning. OT came by and worked on stretching my hand. Then PT came by and exercised my whole arm. A, the social worker, stopped by to give me a survey. I then vented to her about how I wish my suggestions were taken more seriously about how to deal with my neighbors.
Mom came at lunch but couldn't stay long after that. She brought the brace for my left hand, as the Botox doctor had said it would be good if the left hand were straightened during the night. That will be interesting to wear tonight.
Saturday, May 16th
My sister tried to come by in the morning because she had to meet a client in the afternoon in Eva Beach, which is on the other side of the island. She wasn't able to get going early, so she stopped by late in the morning for just 45 minutes. She will stop by tomorrow and overlap with Mom. It's nice to have both of them visit at the same time!
My stepbrother and his wife came by at 3:30 in the afternoon with shrimp pad Thai. He visits me once a month and always brings shrimp pad Thai, which I love, and it lasts five servings! We chatted and saw new pictures of their new granddaughter, who is, of course, very cute! Yippee! Stop by anytime!
Sunday, May 17th
M was my CNA (Yay!), but she told me that she could not give me a shower because the room smelled so bad she could hardly stand it (Boo!). If she could hardly stand it, then I certainly did not want to spend time in there. The effects of that decision do not hit me immediately. It's kind of nice not to get up, but days later, I am itching to get clean. (almost literally)
M noticed that I had a blister on my thigh. That happened because another nurse had taped my catheter to my leg instead of to my stomach. When I get turned, my leg moves, which means the tape moves and a blister develops. If the catheter is taped to my stomach, the tape never moves, and there isn’t a problem. I know I seem like a pain in the butt when I am so particular about things, but there is a reason for everything.
Mom showed up around 11 AM and said she and my sister had planned to meet now. She showed up a while later, and we discussed returning the left-hand brace because I had discovered finger splints. Instead of locking the entire hand flat, we could force the individual fingers that curled flat and still be able to use my hand. Perfect! It was a real drag not being able to drink water when I wanted to.
The cover photo is from Mom's birthday dinner. I wore my new skirt from Mother‘s Day, but with a different top. I think they both work. It's always nice to go out and have dinner with friends! And there were leftovers, so I can keep enjoying the meal! Have a great week!
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