Awake at 5:99pm

Yes it's true I slept until almost 5:00pm.   Such is a Lupus flare.  I woke up on and off to take Sophie out but couldn't get my body to do much more.   It all started Saturday morning when a phone call woke me and I had a headache all day after the sun hit my left eye when I opened up my eyes.  It wasn't all that bad but I was quite tired and everything was hurting.  I gathered up the strength and made it to the store only to have my shopping trip  cut short because my back was beginning to kill me.  Monday I  woke up and was a bit energized and went to the store to pick up the rest of my purchases and again my back felt like knives were stabbing my spine and I was wishing someone would smack me in the back with a 2x4 just to take away the pain of the knives.  But I finally got everything, got it all home and put away. 

Sunday, some time  after I got home from the store diarrhea set in, which happens sometimes during flares and that made my backache even worse.  I swear there was a span of a bout three hours where I was sitting on the toilet and it felt like anything I had had to eat over the course of a month landed in my toilet.  I ate lightly, chicken broth and dry toast.  To add to it all the weather has been crappy.  Foggy, drizzly and today it rained rained, rained and rained some more!  So yes, I slept today away.  getting up only to let Sophie outside.  It felt so nice under that comforter, with Sophie right there next to me. 

With all the doing nothing that I was doing I did finish the crochet project that I was working on, now I'm making some winter scarves with the left overs from my many projects.  There is enough for another afghan but I want to get rid of some of the "scrap" so that they are out of the way.  Besides I have to get the last two I've made washed.  Right now, my big dinner of chicken broth and a peanut butter bagel.  gourmet all the way huh...

Iced Tea and Backaches

When I woke up this morning it was cold and I couldn't get warm all day.  To top it off I had to go to the grocery store.  At first I was only going to stop at the Convenient store down the road but decided to head to the local grocery and if I could find a decent parking spot I'd go ahead on in. 

Fist I had to get Sophie outside which I did, it was foggy and cold and I couldn't get my fingers and toes warm.  I got everything ready to leave.  On my way to the convenient was when I changed m mind to check the grocery store.  Found a great spot right up front so I grabbed the extra tank and plopped it into the backpack just in case and headed in. 

Got a good basket, tossed the backpack in and entered the produce department,  They had some great looking bananas so I grabbed a bunch and the cucumbers although having gone up in price, looked very nice so I got three.  Grabbed a veggie tray and some bagged salad before heading for the dressing. 

I wasn't planning on getting those things but once there everything looked so good.  Went on down and got some black olives and then around to the dog food, then to the eggs and back for bacon when my back just above my right hip began hurting.  It felt as if the bone spurs  were poking into the nerves back there and it was all I could do to get through the checkout line to where I could sit fora few before getting the groceries into the car and home. 

Got home, Sophie was very interested in the "bounty" I had returned with and she wanted to go out again.  She noted that it was still foggy out and shuddered did her business then came back in.  I grabbed the mail, nothing, just junk (I was hoping some rich relative died and left me everything ...LOL)

Groceries put away, Sophie fed, I grabbed a banana noting that my fingers and toes are still cold, they say that it comes with Lupus, I used to get gloves because of my fingers but even with gloves and socks they have always been cold.  I think that over the years I've just gotten used to it enough that I don't realize it.  I fixed a large glass of instant iced tea and grabbed another banana.  Sophie decided she wanted some, yes bananas are okay for dogs, A good sweet treat for the both of us.

I was so tired after shopping that I took a break in the chair watching some television and fell asleep for about an hour.  So, here it is cold, and foggy and I'm drinking iced tea...makes sense?  Actually the cold tea makes my body go up a bit causing me to warm up.  but, yeah my fingers and toes are still cold. 

Because of my back/hip I had to cut the shopping short, didn't get the margarine or the bread or bagels but those can wait.   I can run to the Convenient to grab those things tomorrow.  Then on Monday I'll have to rest because my back and legs will be "toast" .  I could also use a massage in my neck/right shoulder, my clavicle/collarbone is in constant pain and it got worse when I was doing Physical Therapy.  My shoulder and upper back got better buy my neck/collarbone and upper thorax kept getting worse and they did nothing to help.   They even cause me headaches.  , yeah a good massage. 

October 3 and I have the AC on?  No it's not hot but the humidity is so thick in the air that the air is steamy.  Couple that with the heat my O2 machine puts out and here I am in shorts and a tank top.

I had to do a grocery run earlier and just didn't feel like fighting the morons and idiots at Wally World so I went to one of the local markets.  The advantage to these places is that they aren't crowded, not a lot of rug rats up and down the aisles throwing tantrums and bothering other shoppers.  No tribes of people who stop to chat blocking the aisles.

The disadvantage is they don't offer scooters so I have to make do with a push cart, which  isn't bad because I can get a large tank into one, however, with my back the way it is I am limited to how long I can be on my feet and quite often have to check out before my list has been completed.    Today for instance, I had to leave behind eggs, toilet tissue and facial tissue.  Don't worry Sophie I got your dog food and treats.

This is not a major deal, I can simply go back tomorrow to grab those few things, maybe before I get started on kitchen duty.   Yes kitchen duty is what I said.  I went through and cleaned up the stove and oven , even washed out the bottom drawer of the oven.  I took out all the pots and pans and washed them up as well.

I cleaned out the cupboards on that side of the kitchen, cleaned the counter and scrubbed out the sink.  Now all I have to do is the other cupboard, the counter and the other side of the room plus the kitchen floor, so by Saturday the kitchen should be pretty much completed, and I can rest.

Next week my bedroom.  I want to get some scuff I won't be using between now and Texas packed.  I also want to hook up my old desktop computer to see if it is salvageable and determine what I'm going to do with it.

Then it will be on to the living room.  Shannon wants me to take photos of her shoes and send them so she can figure out if she wants to keep any.  I've got to go through all of these boxes to see if there is anything we might want and the rest will go into a big box I have set for charity.  I need to get all the parts to the WII together along with the games because I'm going to be selling them.

So that's how October and November are looking like for me.  Oh did I mention that pollen for grass, trees and weeds is up today...Lots of fun sneezing all day.  Woke myself up several times last night sneezing.  My sinuses feel like they have gone 10 rounds with both Ali and Frazier.  Steamy showers and lots of water...

What better way to start the first day of Autumn than with a Venti Pumpkin Spice Latte' from Starbuck's?  I thank Shannon for the $25 gift card.  I stopped off on my way home from picking up my prescription at Wal Mart and boy did I need it!

I don't know what happens to people's brains when they get in that store but it seems that a great many get sucked out by the time they clear the second entrance door!  The only ones with the brains seem to be those of us on the riders.

As I was going in I noticed there were no riders, and just as I was about to head to the other end a person on a rider came up and we made a trade.  I helped her get her things into the push cart I had she helped me get the O3 tank into the rider and we thanked each other and parted ways.

I had very few things to get while I was there, some sugar, snack cakes and chips, through out the store I was met with ill mannered basically stupid folks.  I had was run into by three pushcarts and had to literally yes EXCUSE ME to a group that was obviously holding a Clan meeting in the middle of an aisle.  

Going down another aisle I was about to get up to grab an item when this older guy and his wife (?) came along and the guy literally slammed into the rider head on!  The woman smacked him one and told him to watch what he was doing, he apologized saying he didn't see me....c'mon, if you can't see a beached whale on a mobility scooter right in front of you then it's time you got that white cane and a dog! 

The second time was when I was going down the toothpaste/brush aisle, I had stopped to read the back of a box, the guy ahead of me moved to the front of his cart reached for something but couldn't get it , he clearly saw me there and instead of asking if I could back up (which I gladly would have  done), he just pushes the cart again right into me!  I put the item I was looking at into my basket and left.  As I rode past him he mumbled something that I couldn't hear.  

Third time I was waiting to pick up my prescription.  Woman with a tribe got behind me, kids were whining that they were bored, they wanted treats, they were thirsty, why did they have to wait.  Just as I was called next I heard her call to one of the kids to leave the cart alone and just as I was about to pull forward that basked slammed me in the back!  The force was so hard that I lunged forward and almost hit my chin on the controls of the scooter!  

I whirled around and glared at the woman, the kid was laughing and she began apologizing and admonishing the laughing kid.  I told he she should curb her pets and then went on to pick up my prescription and pay for my items.  The girl at the counter wanted to know if I wanted to fill out an accident report and she apologized and said that the manager was on her way over because she had called.  

I declined the accident report stating I just wanted to get out of the zoo and home to safety, I'd had enough.  The manager showed up, the girl at the counter told the story the manager asked if I was okay and did I want to fill out an accident report.  Again I declined with a thank you and went on my way.  As I turned the corner I noticed the manager was speaking to the woman with the tribe.  She didn't look too happy.

On the way home I stopped at Starbuck's order my Pumpkin Spice Latte and on the way home I enjoyed it's warm creamy flavor, savoring every sip   I wish Starbuck's delivered.

Well my flare has pretty much ran it's course.  I woke very refreshed this morning.  Just a hint of a back ache so I got dressed and headed out to Wal Mart to get the things I was unable to get on Sunday.  It was a good day weather wise and a good day in the store because the crowds hadn't started their rounds so I was in and out rather quickly

I also some how got into a line with a fairly intelligent cashier because when I told her my EBT card was only good for $16 she told me to run it first and she took off the $16 which left me with just $26 for the rest that came off my debit/card.  got it all out to the car,  Got home, hooked up Sophie and we did our walk.

Nice day outside even though a bit on the warm side but Sophie did both "jobs" outside and got some special treat for doing so.  She watched as I got the groceries put away and then we sat together for a bit.  Tomorrow is supposed to be nice again, maybe we can do a longer walk.  I'm thinking of doing some sun tea tomorrow as well.  I loved iced green tea and it will be so good in the evening.

Right now I have the fans going but will be turning them off and kicking back to do some crocheting after I take Sophie out.

Every stupid person in Scranton had to have been at Dickson City Wal Mart this afternoon.  Yes I got there a bit later than usual.  I'm flaring and earlier just wasn't up to hauling my O2 tank in and out of the car.  In fact I stayed curled up in my chair until after 12 noon and when I got up my back sp0oke to me.  Not very nice things either.

I got to the bathroom and while I was sitting there I did some stretches to try and get my back to stop cussing at me.  It was letting me know that there was no way it was going to let me walk the smaller supermarket close to home, that if it had to go it was going to where they have the scooters and my head said "affordable" so off to Wally world the three of us went.

Sophie had to stay home alone for the first time since I took Phoebe in.  She did very well on her own and for behaving while I was gone I rewarded her with a treat and a quick snuggle before I went to put the groceries away.

Got to Wal Mart, had a scooter brought hoisted the tank into the basket and headed out.  People were congregating just inside the door, with people they hadn't seen in a while as if at some reunion of sorts.  Finally someone woke up and got everyone to move after I had said EXCUSE ME several times until I yelled it.

I started doing my shopping and of course you have those who compare, they stand in the middle of the aisle shifting back and forth from one brand to another and possibly another they compare sizes, they compare prices , they even compare packaging, as well as ingredients and nutritional value.   In the meantime I'm trying not to run into them as I maneuver the scooter around their bobs and weaves.

Then there are the men who are oblivious to the world around them.  they stand looking at one item for eternity and thinking that it is safe to go around them I do and sure enough they back right into the pathway and almost get hit, it's not like he didn't just look at me two seconds ago and see me om this thing!

Then of course are the kids running wild all over the store.  I'm having to stop so quickly I swear I've given myself whiplash!  Then there are the barely more than toddlers who come running screaming that they want a ride so the parental unit puts them into their basket and the kid screams more because the kid wants in the basket of the scooter.  Sorry kid the basket is made for kids and I'm not your source of entertainment for the day, now get the hell away from the scooter so I can get the hell out of this store!

While doing the last of my shopping the damn scooter runs out of "juice"  I get it close enough to the carts so I can quick grab a pushcart stuff everything into it and leave.  I scanned my list quickly and what was left were things that could wait so I went to the express check out because I had fewer than the amount of items, ran my card through for payment and headed to the car, which by the way was parked very close to the door today.

On my way out the door I noticed it had started to rain a bit and there were kids shoving their cans in my face to give, to whatever sports affiliation...Sorry kids I don't carry cash and kept walking, One of the adults made some nasty remark.   I pretended not to hear it opened my drunk got the purchases in, turned around saw him looking at me and I gave him the one fingered salute and got my tank and self into the car and pulled away,

Now I'm home, groceries are put away, my back is killing me, a massage would be heaven right about now.    I'm done for the day, Sophie and I are just going to "veg out" , her in her basket covered by her blanket, me in my chair, with the heating pad on...perhaps dosing a bit.  Just gotta be sure to feed Sophie in awhile, I don't want to wake up to her nibbling on my toes LOL

                     

Got up in time to go do the groceries as planned today.  Wasn't sure I was going to make it though.  got everything packed into the backpack then realized that I only had two of the small O2 tanks available, which meant I had to drag along one of the large tanks, just in case.

So after carting the backpack with two small O2 tanks and carrying a large tank long I attempted to  put the concentrator from one of the empty tanks in the car onto the fresh large tank but lost the washer somewhere in the seat of the car so I had to grab the concentrator from one of the short tanks and use it because I was starting to go "purple"  Not good.

Once there I decided to keep the O2 set up the way it was and I parked near the cart kiosk on the parking lot so I could put the big tank into it to get into the store and the backpack on my back, just in case and headed for the entrance.  I had toyed with the idea to just load the backpack into the pushcart  and walk around the store pushing the cart but after the walk into the store I knew that wasn't going to work, so I grabbed a scooter.

Got the large tank into the basket on the scooter and headed to pharmacy to drop off my refill prescription then along my way to do the rest of the shopping.  I'm glad I got there early because only half of the nutcases were there.  The idiots who for some reason just don't see those scooters and head straight for them totally oblivious.   O, the parents who allow their kids to run a muck.  The small kids who come running to the scooter while I'm "parked"  because they want a "ride" and think that I'm going to let them on!

That happened to me today.  This kid about three came running right for me as I was heading over to the cheese I almost ran smack into her!  Luckily another  shopper grabbed her and stopped her, so the mother comes up wanting to know if there was a "problem" and the other shopper told her the kid was running straight for me and that maybe she should keep a closer eye on the child.   The mother stormed of with the kid  screaming that she wanted a scooter too.

Why do parents allow their kids to run around like that, especially small children, this one was barely out of diapers for crying out loud!  There are creeps around every corner, even in Wal Mart and they can be off with a kid and gone long before the "code Adam" goes out.

At any rate I finished my shopping made it through the check out and as I was getting ready to head toward the exit I remembered my prescription!  So I had to double back and get it and headed toward the exit.  traded the scooter for a push cart, hoisted the large tank into the cart, and out to the car.  Car loaded up, and headed home.

Got out of the car at home and what seemed to be the hot breath of hell came up at me from the ground!  Slowly I grabbed the groceries out of the car's trunk to the porch.  Unlocked the porch and toss everything inside and "melted" into my recliner after shutting off the portable tank and getting the O2 machine going again.  Then I turned on the AC and got the groceries put away.

Took the dogs out again and they very quickly did their "business as they too didn't care for the steamy air.  They got fed, boy they really love the food I've been getting.  Now with the AC still on, time for a light snack, a Melatonin and good night...

What does a semi logically thinking person with common sense do when she wakes up in pain throughout her joints, can feel the heavy humidity making it difficult to breathe and upon going outside so the dogs can do their business early  she can feel the air "sweating" do?

Well considering that obviously the above wasn't me this morning, I got dressed in my jeans, grabbed a large tank of O2, put it into the car.  Got all three bags of garbage to the porch , got my keys, turned everything off except the small fan (yes even the O2 machine).  Picked up my wallet and my phone and out the door I went.

Got the bags of garbage into the trunk then out to the curb, Headed to the full service station where I had them put $10 into the gas tank.  Then off to the grocery store, where I was just going to pick up "a few things" .  I get the the cashier swipe my Food Stamp card, key in my pin and it's invalid WTHF?  I do it again, key in my pin and again invalid!  Since I didn't have enough in my regular account to cover it all I threw up my hands and said "forget this" and walked out.

While there is nothing I desperately need on my list I was hopping to get it today rather than have to run around tomorrow during a thunderstorm, but then I could wait until Thursday as well.  Anyway I tried to go to the EBT site and it's "currently unavailable" so I can't even change my pin number for food stamps and I'm going to have to call to see what the hell is going on.

By the time I got home though I was beat.  Got in, turned the O2 machine back on, closed the portable.  Sat for a couple of minutes then took the dogs out where by this time I was feeling miserable with the mugginess of the air, just not comfortable.  Once back inside I decided to take a shower break and washed and conditioned my hair while I was in there.  It felt good getting the "sweaty air" off of me

But I'm still in pain, I had to turn on the other fan because the humidity is still too high for me.  I checked the weather for where Shannon is...the weather is almost perfect.  A bit over 80 degrees, very low humidity and even the barometric pressure is at a good spot.  If I were there right now me and the girls would be on a walk...No I'm here with saturated air, muddy driveway and aching bones.  Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy.
                 
                             

Oh a very long day it has been.  Yes I am hurting still from the tumble I took the other day.  But I had to pick up a couple of prescriptions and do some shopping for a number of things because Schwan's online ordering has been having problems and I've gotten tired of the problems.  While having groceries delivered was optimum, easier on me because I didn't have to cart all of those bags to the car then inside here at home and then put them all away.

I make my orders online though and sometimes the online orders wouldn't get "picked up" in time and my delivery date would be missed and I'd have to wait another two weeks, so I'd go to the store to pick up what I needed.  Since I was going to the store so often I decided enough was enough.

Once a month I do one major purchase, I get meats, frozen foods canned goods and once a week I go out for things I run out of and fresher foods such as produce, dairy and dog food.  Yes getting the big haul inside and put away can be quite daunting but I'm getting better at it and if I crank that portable tank way up I can do okay and once the cold foods are put away I can take a break.

So I didn't have the meats to get today, I still have a months worth in the freezer but there were other things I needed and I managed to go over $100.  But that was after the difficulty of shopping.  It was a good thing I had three tanks with me because with all the crap two wouldn't have made it.

First when I got  inside the store I noticed the only scooters left had been unplugged and when I inquired to the push cart "jockey" he went out in a huff to check and came in with one plus an attitude and snottily told me that if I would have turned it on I would have been able to see that it was ready to go.

I thanked him for his rude comment and went on about shopping.  After picking up my prescription I headed over to the grocery side  and dodged children running back and forth, older folks totally oblivious or the old friends catching up on their lives in the middle of the aisles.  Then of course thee were the stock people who can't move for two seconds while you reach for what you need.  Or won't ask if they can get it for you.  No they give you dirty looks.

Oh I forgot to mention the group of teen aged girls bouncing around too busy with their shelves blocking what I needed to get to, I said "excuse me so many times people were beginning to stare, "can I just get in here a moment" nothing I finally gave up and very clearly stated what self centered little bitches they were as I rode off.  Did they hear me?  I certainly home so.

I finally reached the check out, where I was behind two guys who must have needed to use the bathroom or something because they kept moving back and forth.  They would pull up a few steps then pull back a few steps.  I just pulled back and sat.  Did I mention I was in the line of the worlds slowest cashier, and she was not very pleasant either.

Everything that came in front of her to be scanned she had to analyze, as if she had never seen it before.  I can't imagine someone never seeing a can of black olives before.  Or a box of crackers.  But then again...By the time she got done I had to switch tanks for the 2nd time since entering the store which I did over on the benches, only this time I didn't crash into them.

Then out to the car, into the steamy air, oh yes it had become quite humid since entering the store.  The sky was dark to one side and I could hear thunder in the distance.  I saw a couple of flashes of lightning in that direction as well.  Got the car packed up, and just as I got inside it began to sprinkle.

Of course when I got back home I discovered I had forgotten a few things...oh well in a few days I can pick them up.  Everything I got today is put away at last.  I was also able to finally pay off a loan a month ahead of time so  I'm kind of "psyched" about that, It means I'm going to have to "scrape  a wee bit for the rest of the month but it also means that starting next month I will have an extra $200 in my account every month...I could use an extra $200 a month.

Well yours truly had a very productive morning.  Wit the weather so hot, and the stagnant air I was asleep by 10pm last night.  Yes I woke up a couple of times to go to the bathroom, however I went right back to sleep after making adjustments to the AC and the fans.

At 7am I was wide a wake so I decided to get the  monthly major shopping done while I had the morning cool to do so.  I readied my backpack, gathered my phone, my wallet, my keys.  I got dressed and by now the girls were curious, so I took them out and was hit with that wall of stagnant air already.

I turned the AC on low because I figured by the time I got home I'd be bitching myself out if I didn't.  The girls both got into the chair next to the AC and sprawled out because they too were hot just from doing their business.  I grabbed my backpack and my keys and out the door I went.  The girls didn't even bat an eye.

I found a "prime" parking spot right off the bat when I got there, got inside where there were lots of scooters to choose from.  Went about my shopping casually without having to dodge some one's brats or people standing in the aisles chatting blocking my way around them.

Got everything on my list within a short period of time, didn't even need to stop and change tanks...until I got to the check out.  That was easy as well because just as I pulled up the person ahead of me was done so I was able to get everything out of the basket on the scooter, pay for it and then get out of the way so I could change tanks.  Took the scooter back grabbed a push cart (Not allowed to take scooters outside the store any longer), Purchases inside the trunk, and off I went heading home all before 9am!

Made it home just after 9, took the dogs out no walk today, I was already feeling uncomfortable.  Got inside, girls got their treats and I set about getting things put away.  I repackaged my meats into single serving sizes, this way I'll have enough for an entire month and only have to go for things I run out of and fresh foods.  The girls were interested in what I was doing so I gave them their "brunch" but they only nibbled at it so I picked it up and covered it and put it into the fridge to keep fresh until dinner.

I grabbed myself a bite and some water, turned on the television and enjoyed the cool.  Kicked back in the recliner and fell asleep.  Woke up refreshed took the dogs out again, once inside I needed to turn the AC up to high, I just turned it back down again.

According to the weather reports we're supposed to have a thunderstorm between tonight and tomorrow night, the temperatures are supposed to be lower tomorrow and after the thunderstorm it's not supposed to be quite as humid...we can only hope...right now I've got to use my nebulizer...I hate that thing...