Monday Rain

Hey, Y'all,
Last night was not a very restful one. I usually take a couple of benedryl to help me sleep, and my back was in a killing mood (meaning it was really giving me a lot of pain), so that was a double whammy for sleeping. Gramps had slept quite a bit during the day, so he was not very sleepy either. Oh, well, maybe tonight will be better. (yes, he did have a nap while I was gone this morning, so we will see).

I got up about 1:30 a.m. and applied some Biofreeze to my aching back and did get some rest and a little sleep. Believe it or not, that stuff really works.

Around 6:15, I got up for the last time for good, and came into my workroom and worked on the quilt for about an hour. Gramps got up about 7:15 and we had breakfast. He knew I had a doctor's appointment today, and thought I was already gone, because he didn't hear me using the sewing machine.

I left about 9:45 a.m. for my appointment in Knoxville at the cardiologists (U.T. Medical center) and when i got to the parking area, I had to drive around for about 15 minutes trying to find a parking space. Don't you just hate driving around a parking area when it is raining and every space is full? I finally found a space next to the entrance to the Heart and Lung Vascular building. Providence finally smiled on me!

When the nurse took my blood pressure (after all that pressure of finding a parking space), naturally it was high. The doctor increased my medication to what he thought I had been taking, but hadn't been. Another medication was also increased.
We shall see if my pressure improves over the next few weeks. He advised that I see my primary doctor about prescribing something to reduce the pain in my back, since pain can increase blood pressure. (Of course, stress can elevate blood pressure as well, but I didn't remind him of that little fact).

Gramps is doing much better with daily life. He is beginning to get his appetite back. He actually has gone into the kitchen yesterday and today to look for and find food to eat when I was not here. He is continuing to get up at night and not need any help doing so. I am greatly encouraged.

On my way home today from the doctor's office, I stopped off for brief visits with Hugh and Imazo and then Mae. It was really good to see them again. We didn't get to go out to eat last week for their anniversary like we had hoped to. Imazo did tell me that her sister, Lois, whom we went to visit in September in Ohio, fell and broke a hip and is back in the hospital but doing well.

Mae is looking forward to spending Thanksgiving Day with her family and is planning on making some fried peach pies to take with her. They will be taking dinner at the home of her son, Fred, and his wife, Doris.

We look forward to a visit from our daughter, Teresa, and her husband, Tom, during the couple of days of Thanksgiving. It has been close to two years since we have seen them, although we keep in close touch.

The weather looks cold and dreary outside, but it is warm and cozy in our little home. I stopped at Buddy's Barbq and brought our lunch home and it is gone. Burp!

I have bought some dried peaches and will be frying some peach pies for our dessert on Thursday and Friday. They are cooking on the stove right now. I will be making the pies on Thursday morning, so they will be warm and fresh on that day.

Well, that is about all for now. I am sure that Carol and her family will have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Daniel and his family are coming down from Illinois and of course the other three children and families will be there as well.

This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for now. Love to you all, and peace be unto you.
Bye for now.