I washed my hair today! Yup, I used my left hand and got it clean. After it was nearly dry, I used a flat iron and a curling iron and it looks fine! I can’t believe I did it by myself this soon after surgery.

I’ve taken the big bandage off my wrist and I’m using just a light-weight black wrist wrap with a velcro closure. I ordered a better one which should be here Wednesday from Amazon. The stitches won’t be out until next TUESDAY!

John is doing better too. He still gets winded, but he’s learning how much he can do.

Four days since my surgery to have the plates and screws taken out of my wrist. I’m feeling good about my recovery.

I’m limited because I can’t lift anything (Dr.’s orders). My 12 oz. Kindle with its cover is too heavy to pick up comfortably. Every cup of coffee goes in my left hand. And pouring my glass of wine must be done as a lefty.
At this point, my wrist doesn’t bend (mostly because of the bulky wrap) so eating is a challenge (I can put my food in my ear easier than in my mouth)

But, here’s the good part, I really think that when I get the 16 stitches out, the wrap off, and permission to lift a moderate amount weight with my right hand, I’ll be better than I was before the surgery.

It might be my imagination, but I haven’t experienced the dull almost constant “pain” I had before. I also don’t have quite as much numbness, and my finger flexibility has improved.

I’m looking forward to being able to wash my hands without aching. The plates caused my hand to respond to the cold or heat with such sensitivity that it always hurt to put my hands in water. I couldn’t go in the heated South Club Pool in our Florida community. The water wasn’t warm enough to avoid the pain which it caused.

I’m sure it’ll all be closer to normal.. At least I hope it will.

And, yes, John’s getting stronger daily. All the signs point to slow recovery from the pneumonia. His strength is increasing but he still has pulmonary fibrosis which isn’t going to get better. If he’s just watching TV he often removes his oxygen, but any walking or exertion requires that he have it on. He’s been out of the hospital for a little over three weeks. In three more weeks, I’m sure he’ll have made even more progress. He’s my hero!

I’m serious about losing some weight. John is disappointed in me, and I’m disappointed in myself. I’m heavier that I was a year ago. In fact I weigh as much as I weighed at my heaviest in 2002.

2002 was when I was 60. With determination, I lost 20 pounds between March and June. It took effort and following the Weight Watchers Points Plan (although I never actually joined WW). I used a journal and wrote down everything I ate. It worked!

Here it is 2016. I’m now 74 and I’ve regained the 20 I lost previously. It’s harder to get rid of it it this time. My body is in worse shape. I have a belly that I never had before so clothing fits differently. I’ve lost at least half an inch of height so I look fatter.

I am determined to do something about it. I joined an smart phone app program called “Lose It.” I believe it will help. I’ll have the support of a community of folks with similar goals. I’ve already “friended” two ladies.

I have also ordered a Jawbone UP Move activity tracker. It will work with Lose It to keep me moving and motivated. My goal is to lose 16-21 pounds before we head back to Florida in October. I figure that means I must lose a little over a pound a week. Since starting with Lose It Tuesday, I’ve shed 1.5 pounds. Gotta keep it up!!

I can’t help but compare our time here in Michigan to winters in Florida. Here are some of the differences:

It is hotter (most of the time) in Florida especially during the summer months.
It’s greener here. The lush Michigan foliage amazes me.
At this time of the year (June), it rains more in Florida.
With the exception of squirrels, we have more small furry critters here like rabbits and chipmunks.
More close friends in Florida.
Relatives in Michigan.
More chores to do here in Michigan.
More activities and fun in Florida.
Our house is nicer/bigger here but needs more work and is harder to keep clean.
Here in Michigan, “going shopping” is a big event. While in Florida we go to town nearly daily (by golf cart).
The Saginaw area is really shabby.
Both places have lovely views.
I spend more time outside in Florida.
More potholes in Saginaw.
Politics are lousy in both states.
On average, groceries are cheaper in Michigan.
Since we never have company in Michigan, it’s easy to let housework slide.
In Florida, I need to keep everything polished and ready for company because folks frequently drop in.

With John’s health so fragile I would love to have him take time to recover but not my John. He wants to catch up and get the lawn mowed and things looking good.

Thank heavens it has been cool and it rained a great deal yesterday and all day today. He was forced to take it easy.

He even admitted that he needed the rest.

We had some great plans for this summer. We were going to do some major remodeling of our kitchen and master bathroom but we haven’t started yet because of our preoccupation with John’s health.

We thought we’d go to the U.P. in June to get a tree off the top of our hide-away place west of Manistique and down the Garden Peninsula, but it hasn’t happened yet.

We planned (and still hope) to go to the ODPC Funfest in July.

John was looking forward to working in the yard, but he hasn’t been able to keep up with the lawn.

I’ve been trying to purge some of our junk, but it’s a slow process. I took some to the Salvation Army donation site, but a lot of the stuff we want to get rid of should be sold. Today I listed my lap harp on a couple sites, and I plan to list more later this week. I haven’t begun to scratch the surface.

John recovered from pneumonia but with pulmonary fibrosis, he’s still not well. He’s now on oxygen all the time. He uses a pre-filled tank when away from home or outside and an oxygen generator inside. When he’s in the house the generator allows him to breathe comfortably. He has the sorta noisy generator in a corner of the great room. The tubing is 50 feet long. That means he can go most anyplace in the house. Both first floor bathrooms, our bedroom, the kitchen, dining room and great room are available to him. He can even make it out to the garage. Not hard to find him… I just follow the clear tube from the generator to him.

He got the oxygen last Tuesday evening after he was released from the hospital. Wednesday we went shopping and we picked up some newly prescribed prescriptions.

Shopping was an experience. At Krogers, he loaded the tank into a shopping cart which he walked behind. It was further than he should have tried walking but he made it. In Meijers, he used their handicapped mobility cart. It worked much better. I did the excursions to get stuff, while he stuck to the main aisles around the store. He was less tired than he had been at Krogers but he probably over-did it. He rested up Thursday.

Last night (Friday), we went out to our long-anticipated walleye dinner at the Moose club. We parked in the handicapped area and he made it into the Moose without oxygen. It was a nice evening. He did remarkably well. I did a little shopping afterward while he waited in the car.

We have to plan ahead and bring enough tanks (a full tank lasts about five hours) or he must try breathing without the supplemental oxygen. It’s a constant challenge.

He won’t give up yard work or cooking. He’s careful to avoid open flames around his oxygen, but he can bake and microwave and he can shut off the oxygen while he cooks on our gas range.

Yard work is his idea. We argue about the wisdom of him riding on his rider. Although he wears a mask-type respirator, we can easily afford to have the work done, but he’s insistent that he wants to do it. I can’t convince him, even with a quoted price of $35 which is half of what I expected.

I’m trying to do more for him than before but he’s proud and stubborn. I do a lot of the leg work (getting him a drink of water, etc.) He says he can’t just sit around, but at 78, he should learn that on your butt is not a bad place to be, especially if it helps to make you healthier.