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Just when I think I've had everything I need, I don't have enough left or what I have is outdated or spoiled.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.

Fit app: afternoon walk
Heart Points
miles

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

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.