Thursday

We made plans for dinner with Karen and Bob at their house tonight.
It's already too hot to be outdoors today, IMHO, at 10:00 a.m.

Today is Cardio Dance class at the gym.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.4 lbs

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee + milk
1 chocolate croissant (400 calories)
3 oz Rotisserie Chicken (120 calories (22g protein)
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement

Wednesday - Women's Night Zoom

I slept well last night. Got a text from Karen just as I went to bed, saying she's been very busy and asking if we wanted to join them for dinner the next night. She apologized for not being in touch. I told her there is nothing to apolgize for. I just assumed she is terribly busy with her projects. Also let her know I already have plans tonight for the Women's Night Zoom meeting with friends.

Zoom was well-attended. Everyone but Kim and Lisa.

8:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.6 lbs
33.9% Body Fat
71.0 lb Muscle Mass
21.1 BMI

Fit app: morning walk
27 Heart Points
1.87 miles

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with half+half
1 chocolate croissant (400 calories)
Momo Fuku soy + scallion noodles (320 calories) (10g protein)
+ 1 cup fresh spinach (41 calories)
+ 2 boiled eggs (155 calories)(12g protein)
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement

sleepless

Woke up at 2:00 AM and could not go back to sleep. Fed the cat a snack and unloaded the dishwasher. Made some tea. Tried not to wake up MonsterMustDie.
I went back to bed around 3:30 and slept until 7:00 AM.
I walked outside, pulled up the empty trash bin, and went down the internet rabbit hole until 10:00 AM.
I spent a lot of my time early this morning trying to edit and add photos to my Flickr albums to share with friends and family.

10:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.3 lbs
33.7% Body Fat
70.3 lb Muscle Mass
20.8 BMI

I made it to Power 30 class at the gym tonight. I followed with doing some stretches and floor exercises at home tonight.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with half+half
1/3 cup pumpkin seed+flax granola (300 calories)(20mg calcium)
1/2 cup milk 1 cup milk (75 calories)(140 mg calcium)
1/3 cup Tillamook French Vanilla ice cream (110 calories)(60 mg calcium)
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
croisant chicken salad sandwich (500 calories)

monday

No plans today. I walked out after MonsterMustDie left for work and pulled the bins down to the curb for tomorrow morning's pickup.
I didn't go to Yoga class this morning because there was no parking available near the gym and I did not give myself enough time to walk. The only available parking spaces I saw were in the lot for Surgery patients only at the hospital.

8:30 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.8 lbs
33.8% Body Fat
70.5 lb Muscle Mass
20.9 BMI

Fit app: afternoon walk
49 Heart Points
2.3 miles
6,285 steps

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with half+half
1 bowl pumpkin seed + flax granola with milk (300 calories)(20mg calcium)
1/4 flatbread with hummus
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement

Sunday walk and Brunch

Saturday, I got together with the StarTrek fan Meetup group. We had a chapter meeting at Sir Pizza and then had a (cell phone photo) scavenger hunt at TinkerSmith Antique Mall.

I started Sunday with a walking MeetUp group walk at Reynolda Park. The group who showed up today just walked 2 miles before breaking up.
I decided to go home rather than pursue an odd walk around with three other people who wanted to continue walking. Rather than go back on the trail, one man was leading us across the street and what seemed like a mile down the road through weeds with no side walk. I turned around and went back to the car and drove home.

After I got home and showered, MonsterMustDie and I had a very nice brunch at First Watch before going to TinkerSmith antique mall to see a couple of things I spotted yesterday. MonsterMustDie had his usual Avocado Toast and a Bloody Mary.

Fit app: morning walk
47 Heart Points
3.62 miles

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
First Watch Power Wrap with fruit salad
Kale Tonic at First Watch
Chips, Hummus, Tabouli at home for dinner snack
1 gin and tonic

MonsterMustDie's Avocado Toast at brunch

Friday hike with Nicky and Bonnie

Scrambled this morning to get ready for a day trip with my neighbors Nicky and Bonnie.
We had a short hike - 4 miles - in Hanging Rock State Park this morning. It was a perfect day - cool breeze, not too hot, and sunny.
Woke up with a slight headache this morning so I brought lots of water in my little cooler for the car.
We left at 8:00 AM and got home after the walk and lunch by 3:00 PM.

Fit app: morning walk
4.36 miles
11,612 steps

 

thursday

I woke up feeling better this morning after skipping the Rosvastatin yesterday and taking a day off exercises other than walking.
Started the day looking for things on the back porch that have mysteriously gone missing, including remotes for the string lights, that were in a small box.
I suspect MonsterMustDie threw them away without looking at them. *sigh*

I went to Cardio Dance this afternoon. It was a good class.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.9 lbs
34.1% Body Fat
71.0 lb Muscle Mass
21.1 BMI

Fit app: afternoon walk
Heart Points
miles
steps

What I ate today:
Letrozole 2.5mg
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
1 bowl granola+pumpkin seed + flax (300 calories)(20mg calcium)
and kefir (150 calories)(390mg calcium)
1 single pink sparkly meringue leftover from Crab Feast
1 bowl roasted potato+carrots+brussels sprouts with rotisserie chicken

wednesday - muscle pain in the morning

Yesterday, after working out, I noticed a bit of soreness on the right side of my neck, like a pulled muscle.
I woke up at 1:30 AM with my back and right side aching. My side kept aching and waking me up all night.
Was it the workout? Was it the Rosuvastatin I take every day? Was it the tiny amount of gummy I had last night in an attempt to sleep? A combination?

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.9 lbs
34.1% Body Fat
71.0 lb Muscle Mass
21.1 BMI

Fit app: afternoon walk
35 Heart Points
1.92 miles
5,024 steps

What I ate today:
Letrozole 2.5mg
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
1 OLLY Magnesium Gummy (336 mg Magnesium) (25 calories)
2 cups coffee with milk
1 bowl Hemp+Flax seed granola with kefir
1/2 cup roasted brussels sprouts + carrots
1/2 cup roasted potatoes
1 oatmeal raisin cookie
3 oz rotisserie chicken

tuesday

Woke up at 4:30AM with an anxiety attack. Couldn't go back to sleep. I could hear MonsterMustDie coughing in his bedroom when I came into the office.
Gillian phoned and we talked for a while about plans for my trip to Atlanta to stay with her in October.
We also talked about cats She has four now. Becky has even more. Becky will be visiting Gillian on October 24. I told her Sandy has four cats now - two they already had and two they inherited from her mother.

8:45 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.8 lbs
33.9% Body Fat
70.3 lb Muscle Mass
20.9 BMI

I went to the Power30 workout at the gym tonight.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 white chocolate chip cookie
1 oatmeal raisin cookie
1 smoothie (frozen blueberries, banana, milk)
Chicken Pesto Pizza
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
1/2 cup roasted brussels sprouts
1/2 cup roasted potatoes
gummie bears

I took 1/4 CBD gummy at 10:00PM to try to help me sleep because I had little sleep the night before and I still felt wide awake.

monday

Dark, overcast morning. Woke up feeling well.

Went to morning Yoga. Might have stretched too far.
Decided not to go to Spin class with my hips and thighs stinging.
Got bored and there was nothing for me to do at the house so I drove to Sprouts Market and picked up a pesto pizza that seemed to agree with the crazy diet that was recommended to me. Plucked off the few tomato slices on top and added sliced brussels sprouts and sliced roasted potatoes.

8:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.5 lbs
33.8% Body Fat
70.1 lb Muscle Mass
20.9 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 smoothie (frozen blueberries, banana, milk)
Chicken Pesto Pizza
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement

glass of watered+POM juice

Sunday with a rain forecast

Yesterday, we travelled to Charlottesville, VA to the Whelchel family Crab Feast.

I had a nice conversation on the phone this morning with Karen. We talked about road trips and possible future travel plans.
I suggested some girl-trips would be good in the future to save MonsterMustDie from going with me.

9:30 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.1 lbs
33.8% Body Fat
70.1 lb Muscle Mass
20.8 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 serving Oatmeal + dried cranberries + cinnamon (150 calories)
Momo Fuku soy + scallion noodles (320 calories)(10g protein)
+ 1 cup fresh spinach (41 calories)(5g protein)
2 boiled eggs (154 calories)(12.6g protein)
Salmon Avocada roll (400 calories)
2 oatmeal raisin cookies (132 calories)

friday

Trying to get MonsterMustDie on board with the trip to Virgnia tomorrow. The older he gets, the more he dislikes leaving home. The one-day road trip tomorrow is filling him with anxierty.
I talked to Jennifer for a little while this evening while I went for a walk.

8:30 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.4 lbs
34.1% Body Fat
70.5 lb Muscle Mass
21.0 BMI

Fit app: afternoon walk
Heart Points
miles

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 bowl oatmeal with dried cranberries
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
Veggie Lassagna - pasta, moz, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots
1 cup popcorn with coconut oil + salt

Thursday. The horrors continue but so do I.

I found out Jennifer had a horrific accident at home that cost her part of her right hand. This destroyed my mind for the rest of the day.
I got some healing and mental adjustment from Karen and Bob when I met them at CharBar7 for food and live music. Bob definitely assured me that it was not the end of the world and that all of us would heal, both physically and mentally. Karen was very sympathetic to her but also echoed Bob's words.
Jennifer is still in pain, shock, and mourning, beating herself up for letting the accident happen. She paid dearly for a poor decision.
By the time Karen and I left (Bob had other things to do earlier), the weather outdoors where we were sitting felt perfect. It was a quiet, clear, night that was just cool enought to feel very comfortable.

7:20 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.8 lbs
34.0% Body Fat
70.3 lb Muscle Mass
20.9 BMI

I went to Cardio Dance this afternoon.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
1 bowl granola with pumpkin seed + flax (300 calories)(20mg calcium)
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
B12 1000mcg supplement
Black Bean Burger + steamed broccoli at CB7

wednesday

It's an empty day today.
I have to say that, after the Dark & Stormy cocktail last night, my urine has had an incredibly strong smell all day. Luckily, there is no pain so I think this is more like the asparagus effect in some people.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.8 lbs
34.1% Body Fat
70.5 lb Muscle Mass
20.9 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
1 bowl granola with pumpkin seed + flax (300 calories)(20mg calcium)
Amy's non-dairy Burrito (310 calories) (60g calcium) (10g protein)
Coffee Toffee (160 calories)
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
1 Orgain 30g chocolate protein shake (160 calories) (650 mg calcium)
4 Steamed Purple Sweet Potato Buns (560 calories)

Tuesday - skin, cat, gym

Started the day going to the dermatologist.
The next outing was in the afternoon to take Ellie cat to Dr. Beitz. She got a reasonably good checkup. She has a heart murmur as well as what feels to the vet like a small tumor in her gut. She appears to feel good now. She's put on weight and has no digestive problems now so I guess the Prednisone is working well for her.

I went to the Power #0 workout at the gym late this afternoon. It was a shorter, easier class today - possibly because more people than usual showed up for it. Rainy weather quite often makes a lot more people go to the gym.

We are nearly out of Red Rock Gingerale and I am thinking I will not buy more because sugary soft drinks are not healthy and I rarely drink anything carbonated anyway, so I decided to make a Dark & Stormy with my favorite ingredients - Red Rock Gingerale and Kraken spiced rum. As it turned out, there was just enough Kraken left in the bottle for one drink and I decided that was a perfect time to make the last one and just not replenish that in the cabinet again.
Like a lot of things in the house that we rarely use, I am planning to use what we have and just not replace it anymore. This should also make more room in the closet and pantry as well. It goes along with not buying fresh groceries unless I am actually about to cook. I am trying to only stock what can just be pulled out and consumed with very little if any prep. MonsterMustDie never wants me to cook anymore and preparing food for one in this house is a drag. I had a lot more fun cooking for one when I lived alone in the condo years ago. I would like to develop a more minimalist, less expensive lifestyle for one.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
2 cups coffee
1 bowl granola with pumpkin seed + flax (300 calories)(20mg calcium)
+ kefir (150 calories)(390mg calcium)
3 oz Rotisserie chicken
1/2 roll Haribo Mega-Roulette gummie candy (80 calories)
steamed vegetable dumplings (420 calories)
1 Dark and Stormy cocktail

Anxious Monday

Between the usual intermittent pain in my hip and anxiety over all of my photography equipment that I can't use anymore, I woke up at 5:00 AM with no hope of going back to sleep.
Around 3:00pm, I accidentally inhaled a bit of the apple I was snacking on. Maybe I coughed most of it out. Worrier that I am, now I'm wondering if the apple will show up in my next CT chest scan, just to make me worry more.

7:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.0 lbs
34.1% Body Fat
70.3 lb Muscle Mass
21.0 BMI

Fit app: evening walk
Heart Points
miles
steps

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with whole milk
leftover pasta with Rao's Arrabbiata Sauce + home grown tomato
+ IKEA veggie meatballs
1 HoneyCrisp Apple

Solo Sunday

Woke up with a slight hangover from the glass of wine last night, despite following it with lots of water.
Spent the day alone. MonsterMustDie was working in the yard or online. There was no one else around to do anything with or talk to.
I took the camera out and got frustrated at how little it does compared to my cell phone now. Somehow, I could not get the autofocus to work and I am quite dependent on it with my less-than-perfect vision. It's old enough that a cloudy day makes it refuse to work also. There is no place around here to have cameras serviced either. I have all of these old cameras and lenses that I haven't used in years now and just looking at them makes me extremely sad. I need to clear them out for my own sanity. Nothing makes me feel worse about myself than looking at all the equipment and training that has no purpose here.

7:45 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.1 lbs
33.9% Body Fat
70.1 lb Muscle Mass
20.8 BMI

Fit app: evening walk
25 Heart Points
2.11 miles
6,082 steps

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
leftover pasta with Rao's Arrabbiata Sauce + home grown tomatoes
+ IKEA veggie meatballs
fish oil 1200mg
ginkgo biloba 120mg
1/2 roll Haribo Mega-Roulette gummie candy (80 calories)

Saturday

Waiting to hear back when my car is ready. Meanwhile, I'm stuck at home with MonsterMustDie today.
Woke up to a gentle rain and cool temperatures.

MonsterMustDie drove me to Greensboro to pick up my car. I went to Karen and Bob's house immediately after that and Bob checked the work they did and we did a test drive together.
I spent the afternoon hanging out with Karen and their dog, talking about life and relaxing on the couch with the dog.
Then I came home and made spaghetti with the veggies I roasted a couple of days ago. Lots of leftovers for the rest of the weekend.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.3 lbs
34.4% Body Fat
70.8 lb Muscle Mass
20.8 BMI

Fit app: evening walk
45 Heart Points
2.37 miles
6,279 steps

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
pasta with Rao's Arrabbiata Sauce + home grown tomatoes
+ IKEA veggie meatballs
1 Orgain 30g chocolate protein shake (160 calories) (650 mg calcium)
1 Salmon + Tuna sushi roll (310 calories)(27g protein)
1 glass of red wine

Friday

Argh! I went to the dermatologist yesterday to look at the large freckle on the tip of my nose and a crusty spot on my right cheek.
The freckle only requires a 3-month application of Hydroquinone 4% and better sunscreen. The spot on the cheek had to be frozen off. However, when I got home and was doing my usual nightly application of lotion on hands and feet, I realized I have another crusty spot on the inside of my right foot that I completely forgot to have the doctor look at. Now I have to go in again to have him remove another spot that could have been taken care of yesterday morning if I had only remembered it.
I wish they had a portal where I could keep a list of spots to when I have a medical appointment.
I also forgot to have the office email a copy of my receipt to me for tax purposes and they can't go backward to do that.

I dropped off my car at Battleground KIA this morning. Karen and Heather picked me up at the dealership and we had a long lunch followed by hanging out at Karen and Bob's house.
At 4:00 PM, the Mechanic told me I needed a new $4,000 carborator and and additional $500 of repairs. Fortunately, I was at Karen and Bob's house. Bob, who is an automotive professional assured me that I did not need a new carborator and that the only reason Battleground KIA recommended it is because my car is precisely 10 years old, which is the warranty lifespan of carborators and they will predictably recommend that everything needs to be completely replaced as soon as my warranty expires. They tried to tell me my car would not accelerate past 45, then changed their story when I said I drove over that up the highway to get to their service center. Their story on how my car looked got a lot better after they heard Bob's voice in the background.
He will gladly run diagnostics on my car when I get it back tomorrow to check all of that because he has the necessary equipment in his garage.

Dropping my car off for maintenance and hanging out with Karen and Heather today to kill time.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.1 lbs
34.4% Body Fat
70.8 lb Muscle Mass
20.8 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 bowl granola with pumpkin seed + flax (300 calories)(20mg calcium)
+ kefir (150 calories)(390mg calcium)
2 Grilled Flounder tacos at Taco Mama
4 slightly outdated almond butter crackers

wednesday

Got no plans other than a Zoom visit with friends tonight.
Looking around, we are out of regular coffee so I was wondering how MonsterMusDie made a full carafe of coffee this morning. Looking in the fridge, I found out he made coffee with a bag of decaf that was there for late night coffee drinking. I Think I still need a proper cup of coffee so I don't get a withdrawal headache tomorrow.

8:15 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.2 lbs
34.2% Body Fat
70.3 lb Muscle Mass
21.0 BMI

What I ate today:
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups decaf coffee with oatmilk
1 piece toffee (with my coffee)
2 slices sourdough toast + blueberry preserves + cream cheese
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
Arden's Garden Focus+ caffeine shot (140 calories)
Fishwife Albacore Tuna with Soy Ginger (120 calories)(16g protein)
Colombe draft latte (100 calories)
Tochi matcha popcorn (140 calories)

Tuesday lunch with Karen and exercises

I had lunch with Karen today at Bobby Boy Bakeshop in Winston-Salem. It was the first time she had been there.
I had the vegetable tartine, which was like a fresh vegetable stew on wholegrain toast. She had the French onion soup with a ham and cheese croissant.
Power 30 workout at the gym late in the afternoon. I had the first-time experience of my knees popping during squats. The trainer spent extra time with me after the workout to give me more instructions on posture and weight distribution for squats afterwards.

It felt too hot to take a walk today. I just decided to shower and relax when I got home from the gym.

8:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.3 lbs
34.0% Body Fat
70.1 lb Muscle Mass
20.8 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
Kettle Avocado Oil + Sea Salt Potato chips (140 calories)
1 Cystex tablet
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
Vegetable Tartine for lunch
1 hydrOXYzine HCL 10mg tablet

Productive Monday

I got everything on my short list accomplished this morning on the phone, making appointments with doctors, mechanics, and the hair salon. I also nudged the next Zoom get-together with friends a day earlier, to Tuesday night, in preparation for whatever the dermatologist decides to do on Wednesday.

8:40 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.7 lbs
33.8% Body Fat
69.9 lb Muscle Mass
20.7 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
2 boiled eggs
Momo Fuku soy + scallion noodles (320 calories) (10g protein)
+ 1 cup mixed greens cooked with noodles
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
Bolthouse Protein Plus (290 calories) (30g protein)
Kettle Avocado Oil + Sea Salt Potato chips (140 calories)
roasted almonds
9 Trader Joe's Golden Rounds crackers (140 calories)
1 cup Mudwtr with oatmilk and honey

sunday

The Air Quality Index this morning was 42, much better than yesterday. Maybe I should have signed up to join the walkers in Winston-Salem today. It is still forecast to be oppressively hot, in the 90s.
We went to the Ice Cream Social at Nomad in the afternoon. They made Cookie Dough ice cream and had a couple of backup gallons of store-bought basics as well. When we got to Nomad, MonsterMustDie pointed out the Lobster Roll truck in front, which I did not know was scheduled there today so I had to have a lobster sandwich, of course. Next time I should tell her to just keep the potato chips. Chips seems completely unnecessary.

Fit app: afternoon walk
22 Heart Points
2.42 miles
7,310 steps

8:40 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.9 lbs
33.9% Body Fat
69.9 lb Muscle Mass
20.8BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 slice blueberry tart with whipped cream
2 oz rotisserie chicken
1 cup home-made cookie dough ice cream
1 lobster-dog sandwich
1 glass of pinot grigio
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
OLLY Magnesium Gummy (336 mg Magnesium) (25 calories

Smoke from the wildfires is here in North Carolina

I forgot about the wildfires in Canada until I stepped into the mudroom on my way to the recycle bin. We can smell it in the air now and the back of my throat was burning a little bit 30 minutes after walking outside and after being in the kitchen long enough to make coffee. MonsterMustDie wanted to walk around a while in the back yard when he got up, unmasked. He was back inside in 15 minutes.
The Air Quality Index was 104 when I got up.

Fit app: afternoon walk
Heart Points
miles

8:30 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.2 lbs
34.3% Body Fat
70.3 lb Muscle Mass
21.0 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 bowl (2 cups?) of leftover mac and cheese with leftover veggies

friday

Quiet day. Too hot to be outside.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 Cystex tablet
Yellowtail Roll (360 calories)(11g protein)(300mg potassium) with soy sauce and wasabi
1 slice blueberry tart
1 potato samosa (340 calories)
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
one Advil Dual Action - Acetaminophen 250mg, Ibuprofen (NSAID) 125mg

thursday

I baked an improvised blueberry rustic tart this morning that came out pretty good.

8:15 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.0 lbs
33.7% Body Fat
69.4 lb Muscle Mass
20.6 BMI

I went to Cardio Dance class at the gym.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
1 slice blueberry tart
24 oz watered-down cranberry juice
Mac and Cheese with chicken, rosemary, goat cheese

Urology, Diet, Pain meds

I started the day with a Urology appointment in Greensboro.
The NP prescribed a medication for the bladder pain I sometimes experience but Medicare refuses to allow it for some reason, which I suspect is because it is also commonly used for anxiety. I do not think Medicare covers anything that might be considered psychoactive so anything meant to treat mood disorders is no allowed.
Eventually, whatever the problem was, the prescription was filled and I picked it up.

They also gave me IC-Smart dietary guidelines that seem impossible. They want me to avoid acid and potassium.
The only protein I'm allowed to have is fish and poultry (easy because I don't eat red meat).
No beans or soy. (This wipes out most of my dietary protein.)
No fruit other than blueberries and pears.
No mayo (easy since I hate the stuff).
No soy sauce, tofu, miso, or salad dressing.
No yogurt, sour cream, or aged cheeses.
Milk and cottage cheese are ok.
No nuts, other than almonds and pine nuts.
No canned foods that contain nitrites.
No Rye or sourdough breads.
No Preservatives: Benzol alcohol, citric acid, MSG, aspartame, saccharin, etc.
No spicey foods, especially Chinese, Mexican, Indian, and Thai food.
Potatoes are ok (which is quite surprising) .
Garlic is ok.
No onions.
No store-bought tomatoes (I assume this knocks out all tomato sauce).
Only home-grown tomatoes.
No fruit juices, especially citrus or cranberry juice.
No carbonated drinks (easy because I generally avoid soda).
No Coffee
The list goes on...

I refuse to up coffee.
I don't see any mention of dark green leafy vegetables other than crucifers being ok.

Phoned Karen to continue our conversation from last night and we talked a while about gardening, family, and diet.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
Momo Fuku soy + scallion noodles (320 calories) (10g protein)
1 cup mixed greens
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
OLLY Magnesium Gummy (336 mg Magnesium) (25 calories) Bolthouse Protein Plus (290 calories) (30g protein)
Matcha popcorn (140 calories)
1 piece coffee chocolate toffee
Potato chips with avocado oil and sea salt (140 calories)
Ardens Garden Green Energy Machine juice (130 calories) (2g protein)
1 hydrOXYzine HCL 10mg tablet

tuesday

Could not sleep last night. Last time I looked at the clock was past midnight. Got up with the sun a few times starting at 6:00 AM. Finally gave up and got out of bed at 7:15 AM. MonsterMustDie had already gone to work by then.
The dehumidifier was running when I went downstairs to check on it. The readout on front said 70. I had it off last night to run the dishwasher, just in case.

Fit app: afternoon walk
Heart Points
miles

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 bowl pumpkin seed + flax granola (260 calories)(20mg calcium)
with kefir (150 calories)(390mg calcium)
3 red bean bao (450 calories)
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
OLLY Magnesium Gummy (336 mg Magnesium) (25 calories)

9:15 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.0 lbs
21.0 BMI
34.1% Body Fat
70.3 lb Muscle Mass

rainy monday

I missed yoga in the morning because the parking lot was completely full.
No other plans on this rainy day. I spent some time digging through old negatives to find photos of Nick. I mailed some out to be scanned today.

I convinced MonsterMustDie to turn on the dehumidifier in the basement, which is moldy and makes me cough to go down there (not that I have any need to other than maintaining the house). He didn't want to do it, saying it would flip the circuit breaker but it would be far better to run it for a while every day, even if it's just for a few hours in the morning or evening, than let it be so damp downstairs.

8:45 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.9 lbs
21.1 BMI

Sunday

The house still smells like mushroom risotto this morning.
I finally made it to the walking meetup in Winston-Salem this morning.

7:15 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.5 lbs
34.0% Body Fat
70.1 lb Muscle Mass
20.9 BMI

Fit app: morning walk
71 Heart Points
3.77 miles
9,397 steps

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 small Matcha green tea latte
1 apple cider doughnut
3 red bean bao (450 calories)
3 oz rotisserie chicken (208 calories)

Saturday

StarTrek fans and tea today in Winston-Salem.
Got home and MonsterMustDie was watching true crime stories on TV again.

8:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.8 lbs
33.9% Body Fat
70.3 lb Muscle Mass
20.9 BMI

Fit app: morning walk
19 Heart Points
1.13 miles

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 bowl granola (260 calories)(20mg calcium) + kefir (150 calories)(390mg calcium)
1 piece chocolate toffee
Trader Joe's Palak Paneer (430 calories)
Mushroom Risoto (290 calories)

Friday

Went to Nomad Wine for the Taco El Amigo food truck. Saw a photography exhibit there of large tin type prints.
Zoom tonight with Brian and Laura.

8:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.6 lbs
34.1% Body Fat
70.8 lb Muscle Mass
21.1 BMI

Fit app: morning walk
23 Heart Points
1.45 miles
3,898 steps

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 bowl granola (260 calories)(20mg calcium) + kefir (150 calories)(390mg calcium)
Arden's Garden Focus+ caffeine shot(140 calories)
chicken street taco plate
1 glass sparkling wine
salty rice cracker mix

thursday

Another hot day in the 90s.
Went to the gym in the afternoon. Forgot the Cardio class was cancelled but I worked out on every machine that was functioning and available.

Later in the evening, I got together with Karen and Bob for dinner and live music. They were both in good spirits after their family vacation.

8:30 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.9 lbs
33.7% Body Fat
70.1 lb Muscle Mass
20.8 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 bowl granola (260 calories)(20mg calcium) + kefir (150 calories)(390mg calcium)
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
Momo Fuku soy + scallion noodles (320 calories) (10g protein)
Fish and Chips plate at CharBar7
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
OLLY Magnesium Gummy (336 mg Magnesium) (25 calories)

wednesday

Very sunny, warm morning.
Another empty day until we had a very enjoyable Zoom chat with Rick and Rachael, who live in Connecticut.

We had an evening walk together and saw Nicky and Mark, who were walking dogs in the front yard and had just installed new solar lights for their sidewalk. They also had a motion-sensor solar light mounted on a post at the front of the lights that actually looked very good. This was the first time MonsterMustDie met their two very friendly small dogs, who had just been groomed that day.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
120.0 lbs
33.5% Body Fat
69.7 lb Muscle Mass
20.6 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
Thai basil chicken spring rolls (690 calories)(90mg calcium)
1 bowl granola + kefir
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement

tuesday

I started today by going to Atrium for labs this morning, just in case I keep my Urology appointment on the 15th.
I am not using my brain very well this morning. Maybe I will feel more focused after coffee and food.
I went to Power30 class at the gym at 6:00 PM.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
111.8 lbs
33.4% Body Fat
69.7 lb Muscle Mass
20.6 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 Orgain 30g chocolate protein shake (160 calories) (650 mg calcium)
Basil Pesto Veggie Bowl (320 calories)(9g protein)
2 pieces Dubai style chocolate (200 calories)
2 Publix fried chicken fingers

monday

Mornng lite yoga class today.
Didn't leave the house for anything else.
It rained this afternoon for a while, which was nice.

7:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
110.9 lbs
33.6% Body Fat
70.1 lb Muscle Mass
20.4 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with half+half
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
OLLY Magnesium Gummy (336 mg Magnesium) (25 calories)

Today wa a snacking kinda day.
Veggie dumplings
Bolthouse Protein Plus (290 calories) (30g protein)
baked egg + micro greens + tomato + cheese

sunday

Hot day. Nobody home. I did nothing but pace the house most of the day.

8:50 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.7 lbs
33.6% Body Fat
70.1 lb Muscle Mass
20.7 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with half+half
1 cup green tea
2 Pistachio shortbread cookies (140 calories)
1 bowl roasted veggies + Fishwife sardines
1 large slice leftover tosca cake

Saturday, July 4, 2026

Woke up with no headache this morning.
Also think I've found a place for us to stay in August at a friend's house. She phoned me this afternoon while MonsterMustDie and I were shopping and let me know it would be no problem for us to stay there.
Spoke to a mutual friend about that afterwards and let her know things are working out.

Seems like July always the month when people change jobs. My friend was talking about how her company fired a coworker this week... just before she closed on a house the next day. MonsterMustDie had an office manager fired this week as well but this woman, fortunately, already had another job lined up and has two weeks severance to work or not work. Looking back, most of my jobs - nearly all of them - started around the first two weeks of July when I would leave one company for another.

I decided to walk to the tiny stadium to watch fireworks after sunset, once the temperature started dropping. MonsterMustDie walked with me to Stock+Grain. The fireworks display started at 9:30 PM and we got there just in time at about 9:23 PM. MonsterMustDie got a cold beer at Yumi Sushi and I drank a lot of water before walking outside.

7:30 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.0 lbs
33.5% Body Fat
69.7 lb Muscle Mass
20.6 BMI

Fit app: evening walk
21 Heart Points

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with half+half
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Blimey Limey (440 calories)
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
Pistachio Shortbread cookies (280 calories)
1 cup fresh watermelon

48 oz water

friday

Less headache this morning when I woke up. Staying indoors and trying to remember to mask and hydrate appear to have paid off.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.8 lbs
33.4% Body Fat
69.9 lb Muscle Mass
20.9 BMI

Fit app: afternoon walk
Heart Points
miles

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with cream
1 bowl granola with kefir
yellowtail sushi set (480 calories)(19g protein)(32mg calcium)
1 slice margarita pizza from Harris Teeter (370 calories)
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement

64 oz water

thursday

Woke up this morning feeling unwell, almost like a tiny hangover with the morning headache and a bit of nausea. My nostrils are snotty and dry at the same time, like I can feel dried crystals up high that I can't blow out yet. Maybe a steamy shower later will help.
Last night was the 3rd dose of Monistat I've done to combat what feels like a yeast infection. It still burns on application but not as bad, so that seems to be doing the trick for that malady.
My body is not happy this week.

It now dawns on me that it was exactly a year ago that I was having intense morning headaches while I was home recovering from my lung surgery. At the time, I thought the headaches must have been related to my surgery or medications, which made sense to me. Now, with the morning headaches returning one year later at this time, I am wondering if there is an odd seasonal thing happening to me. It could be a weird coincidence or I could have actually been infected with something by the coughing woman in the theatre last week but it now seems like something is happening outdoors this time of year that is toxic to me.
At 12:30pm today, the headache is finally relenting a bit. I haven't been able to eat anything other than a protein shake this morning.

8:45 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.2 lbs
33.4% Body Fat
69.9 lb Muscle Mass
20.6 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with milk
1 Orgain 30g chocolate protein shake (160 calories) (650 mg calcium)
1 slice margarita pizza from Harris Teeter (370 calories)
7 oz Far East Asian Hot Bar plate from Harris Teeter, very salty (450 calories)

64 oz water

woeful weekend coming up

MonsterMustDie is angry at me again for no reason I can see. He says I am not listening to him but he is not saying anything. He is just looking at his computer screen.
On top of that, everyone I know is on vacation this week and not available. Maybe I am the asshole who has driven all my friends away.

tuesday

Today, I could at least attend a lot of things outside the house so it was a less depressing day.
I went to the free basic software class at the Library in the morning. Then I went to the Power 30 gym class in the late afternoon.
The entire town seems a bit more emptied out than usual during this pre-July 4th week here. A lot of things are temporarily closed until next week as well.

The neighbor behind us has been letting his son, who has serious mental and chemical abuse issues, live in a shed in his back yard for months now. MonsterMustDie got home from work around 12:15pm. He told me that when he was heading out to work this morning, our neighbor's nice convertible was pulled up to the curb on the wrong side of the street, top down, with his son smoking a joint in the driver's seat.

8:50 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.7 lbs
33.5% Body Fat
70.1 lb Muscle Mass
20.7 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
half London Broil Roast Beef sandwich (195 calories)(15g protein)
half Mediterranean flat bread/focaccia
1 cup MudWtr tea
1 cup fresh watermelon
crackers and curry chicken salad
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
OLLY Magnesium Gummy (336 mg Magnesium) (25 calories)

Dangerous Weekend

Yesterday, we went to the 6:15pm showing of The Mandalorian and Grogu movie. Everything was going ok until 20 minutes into the movie, when a woman came in, sat in the seat next to me, and coughed for the rest of the movie. At the end of the film, she and the man she came in with walked down and sat near the front row of the theatre. I put on my mask as soon as she started coughing, probably too late. I wish I had remembered to put on a face mask as soon as anyone sat next to me in the theatre.

I got a worried phone call before going out from K. The new house that her son just closed on last week in SC, after moving their family from Germany, has a stalker.
Their neighbors alerted them to the son of the couple who owned the house trying to put a new battery in the garage door and trying to get into the house. This couple has been gone for a long time. The house was sold by their children. The guy then showed up at their front door early the next morning. Their daughter-in-law, who was home alone with their two young children, sent him away. Saturday night, he tried to break the window of the bedroom they were sleeping in to get into the house. He was gone by the time the police arrived. Sunday, he tried to get into the house again through the window to their children's bedroom.
The police finally found the guy and he is now in a holding cell until his arraignment today. Hopefully, K's son can be there for the arraignment to try to ensure that he stays in jail.

I had no plan today other than going to yoga class at the gym. I made the mistake of deciding to drive rather than walk because of the rain and when I got there for my class, the parking lot was completely full. No time to walk or try to park further away at that point so I just returned home. I live so close by, I usually don't give myself too much extra time and I am sure the machines in the gym were all occupied too so there was no reason to show up at the usual hour. I need to remember that rainy days are unusually crowded.
I consoled myself by opening a can of Fishwife Smoked Rainbow Trout that was delicious.

7:30 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
111.1 lbs
33.2% Body Fat
69.4 lb Muscle Mass
20.4 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
Bolthouse Protein Plus (290 calories) (30g protein)
Fishwife Smoked Rainbow Trout (180 calories)(15g protein)
half London Broil Roast Beef sandwich (195 calories)(15g protein)
2 pieces of toffee (160 calories)
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement

friday

No plans today. I need to make plans.
I hate these empty, lonely days. I suppose I should be planning my next follie.

9:30 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.2 lbs

Fit app: afternoon walk
24 Heart Points
1.6 miles
4,314 steps

thursday

Bladder is still feeling better today. Hope my last UTI is gone.
We had a Zoom tonight with Brian and Laura. MonsterMustDie showed them his wooden maniquin leg and iron goldfish. I talked about the horror of feral hogs.

8:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
111.8 lbs
33.4% Body Fat
70.1 lb Muscle Mass
20.6 BMI

wednesday

Feeling ok when I woke up this morning.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.4 lbs
33.4% Body Fat
70.1 lb Muscle Mass
20.7 BMI

Fit app: afternoon walk
34 Heart Points
1.88 miles
4,925 steps

Tuesday

Went to Durham for three appointments today. Mostly good. One big question again

First one was Physcial Therapy, which went quite well. Maybe just one more session is all that is needed now for my hip and shoulder. I got some good information on my exercises. The therapist also measured my mobility and said it was much better than last time. My strength is improving too. Also answered my questions about a new injury - a small pulled muscle in my ribs - what probably caused it and how to avoid doing it again.

The next appointment was a Follow Up with Radiation. Again, they said I looked great and they even reviewed other records I was confused by with me a bit. It was all a very reassuring conversation.

Last, I had a revisit to Blood Labs to do a new Renal Function Panel. That was at the end of the day so there was no time for anyone to see the results and talk to me about them. I know my Calcium level is a bit higher than a few weeks ago, by one point. It was high last time and that's why I had more blood labs this week. Still wondering what could cause that and if I should continue taking the Calcium and D3 supplements they have me on. I am looking forward to talking to my doctor about those test results, what they mean, and what I can possibly do about it.

Fit app: afternoon walk
29 Heart Points
2.43 miles

monday after Summer Solstice

I spoke to my widowed friend on Sunday morning. She says she is okay. She just put a public post out on Facebook letting everyone know what was going on. She is still processing everything. She has friends and family there nearby to be with her and support her through this. I was glad to hear from her.

Sunday was a nice, small Summer Solstice gathering with friends and neighbors at Casa WereMonster. We started in the late afternoon, avoiding the heat inside. Lots of food and drinks were brought in. Everyone ended the day in the back yard, chatting on the patio starting just before sunset and lasting with lots of good conversation long after dark.
There was a brief appearance by a young racoon in the trees behind the patio.
I gave out party favors of wood birds and paper flower crowns.

I went to yoga at the gym in this morning and took a brief walk in the heat of the afternoon.
Managed to get in touch with Kathy, who said she was just thinking of me because she had seen the post in Facebook about our friend's passing. We had a long conversation while I was out walking.

Fit app: afternoon walk
15 Heart Points
2.01 miles

saturday

I fell way behind schedule and did not even start cooking for tomorrow until the evening. Then I kept being too distracted to keep up with things as well as I should have. Got the cake done but I am not pleased with it because I kept walking away when I should have been rotating things in the oven and minding the timers better.
I needed more fresh lemons after two bags were failures - one because, under the opaque part of the packaging, the lemons were spoiled and fuzzy - another because the skins were very thick and the fruit was not good for juicing.
Then I had to oversee the florist.
Just when I think I've had everything I need, I don't have enough left or what I have is outdated or spoiled.
I probably need more clear plastic cups too. Karen thinks I should just make do with what I've got in the house rather than the endless shopping trips.
Ended tonight still not having cooked the potatoes like I planned for the night before. Tomorrow morning will be a mad rush.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 Nitrofurantoin Mono-MCR 100 MG
2 Phenazopyridine 99.5 MG TAB
Publix oven roasted turkey + swiss cheese sandwich 7.16oz (390 calories)
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
Trader Joe's Tarragaon Chicken Salad Wrap (680 calories)(27g protein)

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.2 lbs
33.3% Body Fat
70.1 lb Muscle Mass
20.6 BMI

Juneteenth

Woke up feeling better after being on medication for 24 hours.

Went grocery shopping for Summer Solstice in the afternoon.

Found out we lost Nick yesterday.
I'll miss that sweet madman.
Much love and appreciation to him and Audrey.

Fit app: afternoon walk
Heart Points
miles

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 Nitrofurantoin Mono-MCR 100 MG
3 Phenazopyridine 100 MG TAB
Trader Joe's Saag Paneer (250 calories)
4 oz Harris Teeter hot bar

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.0 lbs
33.8% Body Fat
70.8 lb Muscle Mass
21.0 BMI

Thursday

Woke up this morning at 7:25AM to the sound of house devices beeping as they came back on and the house alarm coming on after a power outtage. The ADT alarm that is connected to nothing. The alarm that MonsterMustDie will not remove after disconnecting it from everything and removing most of the sensors. Personally, I liked the sensors telling me every time a window or door is opened or when someone walks through a threshold. He prefers to be unknown.

The bladder pain was back when I got up so I did an at-home UTI strip test that was positive for Leukocytes and negative for Nitrite. I passed that tiny info in a message to Atrium, asking if I should be on the antibiotics or if this is something else.
By 11:15AM, the UTI symptoms are much worse.Constant burning, frequency in urination and pooping, and even some involuntary bladder leakage (that's new).

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 Nitrofurantoin Mono-MCR 100 MG
3 Phenazopyridine 100 MG TAB
Momo Fuku soy + scallion noodles (320 calories) (10g protein)
1 cup fresh kale
Trader Joe's flatbread

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.1 lbs
33.6% Body Fat
70.3 lb Muscle Mass
20.8 BMI

A fond memory at the High Museum with Nick during our last visit.

Wednesday morning burn

Woke up with symptoms of a UTI, which got progressively worse for a while. This was terrifying to me because UTI's are the worst pain I've ever had to endure. I phoned my doctor's office and was told in no uncertain terms that they could not see for at least a month and anyone else in the practice could not speak to me until the 19th at the earliest. I tried to tell the triage nurse that all I need is labs and, if the labs show an actual infection, a prescription. They checked my phone number and said someone would phone me back later when they had time.
I went online in MyChart and sent a message. Then I requested a vist online and got a TeleMed appointment this morning. The young doctor phoned me back within the hour and had time to speak to me before the appointment if I had time, which I did. After checking my symptoms, she immediately ordered the UTI lab test and prescribed an antibiotic for me to pick up but not use until the lab results come back.
Meanwhile, I've continued to drink as much water as possible and I feel better than when I first woke up.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
1/2 cup Traditional ChexMix (140 calories)
Bolthouse Protein Plus (290 calories) (30g protein)

Tuesday Trash pickup and solitary life

Monstermustdie felt well enough to go back to work this morning.

Planning to go to Power 30 at the gym today.

I haven't heard from Karen and Bob since their family got into NC. They have a lot to process and a things to catch up on with each other.

I went to a computer software basics class at the library this morning to kill time and motivate myself.I should go to all of these public classes when I have time just to get out before I forget everything. I've already forgotten a lot about old PCs.
I went to the Power 30 workout at the gym this evening.

I don't know how to fix my scale. My true weight and BMI measurements are a mystery now.
9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.4 lbs
33.9% Body Fat
70.8 lb Muscle Mass
20.7 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
1/4 leftover spinach calzone with tomato sauce
1 turkey and cheese sandwich from the library cafe

Monday Malfunctioning devices and bodies

Quiet morning. I woke up to this note from MonsterMustDie.
I made coffee and transferred it to a thermos.
MonsterMustDie stayed home all day today.

I made it through 30 minutes at the Spin class today, which is better than last time, before going home in time to shower and meet with Ben at the house to pay for cleaning the gutters on the house.

Fit app: evening walk
13 Heart Points
2.16 miles
6,869 steps

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
4 oz leftover chicken + hot bar broccoli and mushrooms
1 chocolate croissant
1 bowl granola + kefir

The scale is being wonky and I don't know how to reset it. These numbers look very off.
9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.1 lbs
20.8 BMI
16.5% Body Fat
89.3 lb Muscle Mass

9:15 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
112.0 lbs
20.6 BMI
33.4% Body Fat
69.9 lb Muscle Mass

Saturday

Slept in late until 7:45AM. Woke up achy.
Walked to the gym and used the machines a bit. Came home and showered. Then went to StarTrek fan meeting in Winston-Salem at 1:00PM.
Decided to take advantage of my location and went to Bobby Boy Bakeshop for a couple of wonderful baked goods to take home.
Made Mac and Cheese with Roasted Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Rosemary for dinner and served it with fresh kale tossed with a balsamic dressing that turned out to be a very good pairing with the mac and cheese.

I've got a weird ache in my upper left jaw tonight. I hope it's nothing.

Fit app: evening walk
46 Heart Points
3.17 miles

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with Half+Half
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
one OLLY Magnesium Gummy (336 mg Magnesium) (25 calories)
Mac and Cheese with Roasted Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Rosemary
kale salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing
one butter croissant pastry

friday

I had a lot of night sweats last night, possibly from my IV treatment on Tuesday, but also just as likely because the AC does not reach the back bedrooms here.
Now that I'm up and in the AC, I feel fine.

I talked to Karen for a while about her health issues and an upcoming family visit.
MonsterMustDie has been in a very negative emotional state since Wednesday. I can't seem to avoid making him angry.
My only plan is to avoid him and work around him as much as I can. I have nowhere to go to escape him.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.2 lbs
21.0 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement 2 cups coffee with Half+Half
1 cup green tea
1 bowl granola with kefir
Momofuku Soy & Scallion noodles (320 calories)(10g protein)
1 cup fresh Chard (35 calories)
2 boiled eggs (155 calories)
Ardens Garden Green Yoga juice (130 calories) (2g protein)
Trader Joe's Flatbread (560 calories)

Thursday

Only activity planned is Cardio Dance at the gym this afternoon. Did some resistance exercises on the machines afterwards.
I am thankful for my health. I hope I am well for the rest of my life. My goal is to live into my 90's like both of my grandmothers and have a $5 part break during my sleep that takes me out painlessly.

There has only been bad news on the health of my friends this week.
One friend had another heart failure that has taken a toll on his brain now and his condition is terminal.
Another friend has a new, second, lung cancer diagnosis.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee + oatmilk
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
2 macaron cookies (74 calories)
2 hot pickled okra (5 calories)
1 bowl granola with kefir
Tofu Bahn Mi sandwich (750 calories)
2 Shrimp Summer Rolls (250 calories)
1 Bolthouse Protein Plus (290 calories) (30g protein)

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.5 lbs
33.6% Body Fat
70.5 lb Muscle Mass
20.9 BMI

Wednesday

Tonight was Womens Night Zoom. Sandy showed up and she brought me up-to-date on everything she knew that was going on with the other ladies.
Nicky is still in the hospital.
Kim and Harris are in Florida.
Seth is retiring and Pam is still planning to work as an independent contractor.
I did not have much to say for myself, except for a brief synopsis of my learning experience with lab results, which were good this week. I love everyone at Duke.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee
11.5 oz leftover Hot Bar - mostly tofu saag
3 Trader Joes mini almond biscotti (150 calories)(3g protein)
3 pickled okra
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
Momofuku Soy & Scallion noodles (320 calories)(10g protein)
1 cup fresh Chard (35 calories)
11:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.8 lbs
33.7% Body Fat
70.5 lb Muscle Mass
20.9 BMI

Tuesday

It is a long day today with three oncology visits at Duke this afternoon. MonsterMustDie is coming with me. It's all routine appointments - blood labs, doctor visit, and Zometa IV treatment to prevent bone loss. I met with my doctor, who said everything looks good. I'll see her again in six months.
I had a learning moment when the blood labs came back as a slightly high amount of Calcium in the Renal Function Panel. Then they explained that this is corrected by my Albumin levels, which leave it well within the normal range. Also, the Zometa will slightly lower my blood calcium level by moving calcium from the blood into the bones. All good. The only concern for me is that if I ever need dental work, it is best to have it three months after discontinuing the Zometa treatment to avoid complications. Fortunately, last time I was at the dentist office, they told me my teeth are in great condition.
I really should have studied this and reviewed my history before meeting with my Oncologist.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.6 lbs
34.0% Body Fat
70.8 lb Muscle Mass
21.1 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
1 bowl granola with kefir and sliced peach
Dinner was hot bar at Whole Foods
Lunch was peanut butter crackers and a small bag of Chex Mix

Monday

Sunday was spent on a nice visit with Karen. We did some shopping, went to Zoomba at her church, and hung out at their house. Bob was out of town, visiting their daughter to help with some electrical, reclaiming the expensive thermostat she had installed at her old apartment. As it turned out, the apartment did not have any functioning heating or AC and the thermostat was not the problem - it was the building. They replace the older, cheap thermostat and she is taking the one she purchased to her next place, wherever that might be.

I went to Yoga class at the gym this morning. I also went to Spin class in the late afternoon. Made it 30 minutes through the session today. That's at least 10 minutes more than I was able to do last week. Actually, I think I only did 15 minutes last week.

This is not a good week for our friends, medically. Nicky is back in the hospital again and it's bad enough that Audrey is dropping out for a while to process some things. I don't know what is happening now with them.
Kathy has not communicated with me since May 1, when I shared an image she liked at an art opening. She has dropped out while fighting multiple autoimmune disorders.

Karen has a mysterious hard knot on her lower leg, at the Tibia or Fibula, that she needs a doctor to look at. Fortunately, she says there is no pain at all from it - it's just weird. She went to a sports medicine appointment yesterday. Maybe she asked about it there, although I don't think that in their area at all.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.8 lbs
33.7% Body Fat
70.5 lb Muscle Mass
20.9 BMI

Fit app: afternoon walk
Heart Points
miles

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee + oatmilk + 1 scoop collagen
roasted brussels sprouts with olive oil(100 calories)
mushroom risotto (290 calories)
2 oz rotisserie chicken
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
3 mini almond biscotti (150 calories)
Bolthouse Protein Plus (290 calories) (30g protein)

saturday

Today's plan is to go to another intro to wheel pottery class at The Art Gallery. I really want at least one more try at wheel pottery because I was so disappointed with what I did the first time I tried it. The last piece, which was the worst, could have been the best if I had not gone too far. It took me a while to get the feel of the process without pushing my clay off center. I hope do a little better on the second try.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
115.3 lbs
34.1% Body Fat
71.2 lb Muscle Mass
21.2 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with Half+Half
1 bowl granola with kefir + fresh blueberries
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
Amy’s Palak Paneer (340 calories) (14g protein)
1 cup green tea with crystalized ginger
Salmon Avocado Roll (400 calories)
crackers + hummus (130 calories)

Friday

Another warm dry day.
I hope Michael and Marcia can successfully find a home for the abandoned dog.
They can not keep her while Michael is beginning a new round of chemo therapy and Marcia has movement issues.
She's a sweet girl but a very high-energy dog who needs a fenced-in yard to run in and I think she might need another dog for companionship and as a playmate.

7:30 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.1 lbs
33.7% Body Fat
70.3 lb Muscle Mass
20.8 BMI

I went on a two-hour group walk around the Deep River park in the morning.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
Amy's Indian Palak Paneer (340 calories)(14g protein)
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
OLLY Magnesium Gummy (336 mg Magnesium) (25 calories)
3 mini almond biscotti (150 calories)
Ardens Garden Green Energy Machine juice (130 calories) (2g protein)

Here are some photos from the trail walk.

thursday

My only plan today is going to Cardio Dance at the gym this afternoon.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.2 lbs
33.9% Body Fat
70.8 lb Muscle Mass
21.0 BMI

Too warm to walk so I think the Cardio Dance class was a good substitute and I like the instructor a lot. It's also a good way to be around some of my neighbors.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
OLLY Magnesium Gummy (336 mg Magnesium) (25 calories)
3 mini almond biscotti (150 calories)
4 triscuit crackers (80 calories) with curry chicken salad

We went to Nomad for the food truck (not good this time).
1 chicken finger basket with fries
1 glass red wine

I have a rule to only have wine (and only one glass) as a treat when we go out but I am re-thinking that exception. I did not sleep well at all last night and I'm sure it was mostly the wine as the cause. I've got a slight headache this morning too so the wine rule needs to change to 1/2 glass of wine.
Yesterday was very empty so I was desperate to get out of the house so MonsterMustDie's offer to go to Nomad was well-timed. I like seeing whatever art is up when we go in and that's the biggest attraction of that place to me. There are rarely more than a handful of people there at any time and it is quiet unless an event or party is booked inside.

wednesday

The only time I got out of the house today was to go to Bobby Boy Bakeshop with MonsterMustDie this afternoon.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.2 lbs
33.9% Body Fat
70.8 lb Muscle Mass
21.0 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
two 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
2 cups coffee with Half+Half
3 mini almond biscotti (150 calories)
1 serving Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream (340 calories)

We split lunch from Bobby Boy Bakeshop:
Little Gem Salad
Ramp sausage
Lamb Sugo Gnochi

it's been a sorry week so far

Sunday - lost all connectivity on my phone. Could not even make calls and the Navigator and internet were non-functional. Even the carrier service was kaput.

Got my phone back up and running after
Turning Airplane Mode On,
Waiting 15 minutes,
Then turning Airplane back off
Then reset the network and internet settings
Waited 2.5 hours for the network to repopulate my account from their end.

Monday - Failure at the gym. Was muscle cramps and aching in my legs and right elbow. Only made 17 minutes in the Spin class.
Later that night, we witnessed someone in a dark pickup truck dump a dog on the street beside our house and drive off while the dog was barking and trying to follow them.

Woke up with body aches this morning. Did stretches before getting out of bed. We'll see how today goes.
Went to visit the dog that was abandoned last night. She's at a neighbor's house for now, until anyone can find out what to do with her.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.8 lbs
33.8% Body Fat
70.5 lb Muscle Mass
20.9 BMI

I went to the Power 30 workout at the gym today.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
2 cups coffee with Half+Half
1 Orgain 30g chocolate protein shake (160 calories) (650 mg calcium)
trisket crackers with curry chicken salad
1 piece of avocado toast
Potato Chips (320 calories)

Friday

For unknown reasons, we did not have functional service from Google services like YouTube and Blogger yesterday.
Looks like everything is working fine now.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
115.1 lbs
34.2% Body Fat
71.0 lb Muscle Mass
21.2 BMI

Fit app: afternoon walk
25 Heart Points
2.38 miles
6,337 steps
These points on the fit app don't always make sense to me but I think I have to be in vigorous constant motion to get a higher score.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
1 L-Arginine L-Citrulline complex 1000 mg supplement
2 cups coffee with oatmilk
2 slices of sourdough bread with Nutella (450 calories)
7.3 oz hot bar plate - broccoli, sesame chicken, carrots (510 calories)
2 pieces Naan bread (300 calories)

Thursday
Fit app: afternoon walk
32 Heart Points
45 minutes
4179 steps
I also went to the 45-minute Cardio Dance class at the gym on Thursday.

wednesday

No plans today.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.9 lbs
34.1% Body Fat
71.0 lb Muscle Mass
21.1 BMI

Fit app: afternoon walk
Heart Points
miles

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee + oatmilk

tuesday

No plans. Not feeling well today.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
115.1 lbs
34.2% Body Fat
71.0 lb Muscle Mass
21.2 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee + oatmilk
Amy’s Palak Paneer (340 calories) (14g protein)
Bolthouse Protein Plus (290 calories) (30g protein)

Wednesday

We went to IKEA today to see what is in the current Summer collection and to shop for solar lights.
Jennifer met us at the store and we spent a couple of hours checking out the current inventory and looking for
1. a light fixture for the bathroom (no luck)
2. solar lights (we bought a single string of regular indoor-outdoor lights.)
3. Swedish meatballs (brought home two kinds in the cooler)

There were thunderstorms forecast for the late afternoon but the rain never materialized today.

7:30 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
113.3 lbs
33.8% Body Fat
70.3 lb Muscle Mass
20.8 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee + oatmilk
leftover 0.6 lb Hot Bar plate - mushrooms + broccoli
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
Bolthouse Protein Plus (290 calories) (30g protein)
Stockholm salad - Mixed Greens with Marinated Salmon (470 calories)
1 glass red wine
2 servings herb popcorn
1 slice of Sweetgrass Thomasville Tomme cheese

sunday

Another cool, moist morning.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.0 lbs
33.9% Body Fat
70.5 lb Muscle Mass
21.0 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee with Half+Half
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
0.68 lb Hot Bar plate - kale + chicken + sweet potato

cool, wet friday

It is raining and a lot cooler today. Very nice.

MonsterMustDie is having a lot more memory problems than usual today. We had an appointment for an estimate on new windows for the house that I told him verbally about this morning and when he got home from work. I wrote it on the wall calendar as well and he still forgot about it entirely and would not even speak to the salesman when he arrived at the house this afternoon. Then he asked if he was told about this beforehand.

He's also been reacting emotionally to everything today. He thinks everyone is mad at him for no reason again and I can't do or say anything to make him feel otherwise. He's also being very needy for affirmation and I have been trying to do that for him but I am starting to get really tired of it today. He is like a four-year-old constantly seeking my approval and I have to tell him that he is right about everything and that everything he has ever made or done is wonderful, which is what I am trying to do today. If I am not enthusiastic enough, he gets angry.
I have no place to escape to. I know he can't help himself.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
115.3 lbs
34.1% Body Fat
71.2 lb Muscle Mass
21.2 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee - 1 with Half+Half, 1 with Oatmilk
2 oz rotisserie chicken (94 calories) (16g protein)
1 Chobani key lime Greek yogurt (140 calories) (11g protein)
Momo Fuku soy + scallion noodles (320 calories) (10g protein)
+ 1 cup fresh mixed greens

thursday

I made it back to the gym for Cardio Dance class today. I also worked out on the machines a little after the cardio.
I haven't heard from Karen this week. I think she "butt-dialed" me from her watch, as she does often, on Tuesday while we were at the restaurant with MonsterMustDie's cousin but she hasn't answered my texts that I sent afterwards. I'll take that as a sign that she is having a very good, busy first visit with her biological sisters in Florida.

9:04 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.4 lbs
33.9% Body Fat
70.8 lb Muscle Mass
21.0 BMI

I am giving up on walking this week, temporarily, for two reasons:
1. the temperatures are in the 90's, followed by heavy rain, this week.
2. there is a poor air quality - high ozone alert for outdoor activities this week.

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee - 1 with Half+Half, 1 with Oatmilk
2 boiled eggs (which didn't sit well on my stomach. maybe too old.)
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
one D3 1000 IU supplement
1 cup green tea
1 Chobani key lime Greek yogurt (140 calories) (11g protein)
1 glass red wine

Wednesday

Yesterday evening, we had dinner and a visit with MonsterMustDie's cousin, Brian, and his wife, Chantelle. They were on their way to vacation at Virginia Beach. We ended up eating at BlueRock Pizza.
His cousin, Brian, had a serious mortality check with nearly dying in the most random way. He had a very bad reaction to a drug they used during his eye surgery, Fentanyl. He said that he was apparently he is allergic to it. They almost lost him... from a routine surgery most of us get at a certain age.
They also discussed the condition of other cousins who he saw at the recent funeral of MonsterMustDie's uncle. One brother is in fantastic, age-defying shape. The other is swollen, mentally fading, and nearly gone.
We came back to our house. MonsterMustDie showed them around a bit and discussed his garden.
Chantelle is delightful. I talked with her about books we have read and want to read.
It was a very good visit.

9:00 AM weight: (WYZE scale)
114.6 lbs
34.0% Body Fat
70.8 lb Muscle Mass
21.1 BMI

What I ate today:
Rosuvastatin 5mg
Letrozole 2.5mg
2 cups coffee - 1 with Half+Half, 1 with Oatmilk
3 Macaron cookies (130 calories)
1 gimme seaweed snack pack (25 calories)(1 g protein)
Amy's Indian Palak Paneer (340 calories)(14g protein)(170mg calcium)
one 600mg Calcium + D3 10 mcg (400 IU) supplement
Ocuvite Adult 50+ multivitamin
1 Dumle chocolate caramel
2 slices Hawiian pizza
1 glass red wine