A Full Day!

   Jeff had his last PT session today...his final evaluation.  It was decided that while he has increased his range of motion more than 75% his level of pain has not gone down significantly. The secretaries told him to stay in touch and told us both to stop in and say 'hi' once in awhile.  Next week Jeff has an appointment to see the endocrinologist at Little Falls Hospital, and the week after the cardiologist at  Herkimer Health Center.  He doesn't see the vascular surgeon until the end of April...after some ultrasound tests on his carotid arteries.  Then they will decide if he needs stents put in them.  If he does he will probably need some kind of PT after that procedure.
    When we left Valley Health we headed down to the Coffee Bar on Main St so I could deliver my 2nd 'When in Scotland' shawl.  I offered to buy Jeff coffee while we were there but he ended up paying for our coffees and a very good muffin that we shared.  If you're on Main St in Herkimer and want coffee, stop at the Coffee Bar.  It's moved up the block towards the library, across Park Ave.  The coffee was fresh, the muffin delicious and the prices reasonable.
   After leaving the Coffee Bar, Jeff took me to Herkimer Health Center so I could have an INR done.  It's been almost 6 weeks since my last one and that's really pushing it.  Of course, today I was out of range at 3.6 but was told it was because of my cold.  I skipped my last appointment because I felt so rotten last week I never got out of bed that day!  BUT I've been a good patient and stayed away from the Robitussin couch medicine even tho I know it will ease my cough and let me sleep.  (It would have really spiked my INR, too!)  Instead I've been taking 2 Benadryl at bedtime to dry up my runny nose. I've got to go back next Friday and have another INR done.  Hopefully, I'll be back in range by then.
   After our medical appointments were out of the way, Jeff and I went to Walmart.  I haven't been out of the house in about a week and while Jeff has stopped at the stores I really needed to do some shopping.  We were down to the last of the paper napkins and the last roll of TP!  I ended up spending a little more than I had planned but our menu for the birthday dinner on Sunday will be cheese ravioli with meatballs and sausage.  I decided to bake a cake (sugar free) and make a chocolate cream pie (sugar free).  I did want to use the recipe I had found for pumpkin cheesecake but by the time I collected all the ingredients I decided it wasn't worth it.  It's a no sugar/low carb recipe and they are always more expensive to make.  I invited Jeff's sister, Sherry, and my cousin, Ed, to join us.  It will depend on the weather if they both make it.
   After we got the car loaded up I reminded Jeff that I had offered to buy supper at his choice of restaurant.  I had thought Denny's or Fat Cat's, but Jeff surprised me and said the Chinese buffet.  I said I hoped the $35 I got from the sale of the shawl would be enough and he said not to worry but before we headed over there he wanted to stop at Tractor Supply to check out the flannel shirts.  They had some on sale...but not in Jeff's size...but they did have 1 bundle of firewood left (that's where we've been buying firewood this winter) and he told me to grab it.  That cut into my supper fund a little but Jeff said not to worry (and he ended up throwing in $3 to cover the bill).  We were both well satisfied with our dinners...Jeff went the American route with roasted beef, mushrooms, stuffed baked potatoes and seasoned veggies while I had General Tso's chicken with refried rice and some delicious fish and beaded shrimp.  Jeff even asked for a 'doggie bag' because he couldn't finish what was on his plate!  I don't know if it will be his late night snack or the dogs'.
   Well, I've got a pair of socks just about finished for Jeff's birthday (I have until Sunday) but I don't feel like working on them tonight.  I had to buy another skein of brown yarn to finish the 3rd "When in Scotland" shawl because I can't find the other skein I know I have.  I bought 2 skeins at Thanksgiving and only used 1 but I can't find where I put the other.  I've been wandering around the house, pulling boxes, bags and suitcases out of closets and from under the bed muttering 'Sts Anthony and Joseph, please come around, something is lost and must be found.' but the guys haven't been cooperating. Now that I bought the yarn I bet the other skein shows up.