Happy Valentine's Day Ya'll!

So what has been going on around here lately? Besides the FBI wanting me for some unknown reason, there has been an old cat not willing to give up the ghost and an owner that feels he still has enough good days to not consider putting him to sleep. Yet. Don't freak Dani, you will know if that day comes. But oh my was Riley sick the other day. I came home from work and found puke and poop from one end of the house to the other. I literally had to clean over 15 separate spots where one thing or another was on the carpet. Unfortunately when Riley is sick, he heads for my bed. It must be a comfort thing - I'm his human or something - but if I find him sleeping on my bed up close to the pillows I know he is sick.

I had to clean up after him, floor, carpet, bedding, and even him. Gave him a bath which he didn't fight too much, directing most of the spray to cleaning his nasty butt fur. The best moment came when he escaped from the towel I was drying him with and when I finished cleaning up the bathroom I came out in the living room and found him sitting in front of the space heater with his leg in the air, ostensibly drying said nasty butt fur. Too funny. Wish I had gotten a picture but of course I didn't.

Beyond crisis' of that sort, mostly I have been playing with Paint Shop Pro designing all kinds of things, and playing with my blog template software. I have been on the internet in search of all things clipart - and have found digital scrapbook papers and elements are awesome for this. I get obsessed with things and find the search for 'parts' to be as interesting as the completed design. Which means I now have well over 5000 pieces of clipart, papers, and pictures. What I can possibly do with it all, I have no idea.

There are 3 diabetes books sitting on the floor next to the couch that I keep meaning to read. I started Diabetes for Dummies and learned some - even in the first 2 chapters. I don't bead as much anymore and I kept explaining that I just couldn't see! Didn't know if I just needed better lighting or magnification or what, but it made making jewelry very frustrating for me. Reading Diabetes for Dummies I discovered that it's a symptom of diabetes, the blurred vision. Doesn't mean I have glaucoma or that I'm losing my eyesight, but the lens of the eye tends to swell on and off which is why some days I feel I can see better than others. Well I'll be. I haven't read enough to know but I have a feeling that symptom will lesson when I have my glucose under control.

And speaking of glucose ... it's been much better lately. Of course I have been trying to eat better but I've also been trying to mix fiber in with all my meals if possible, as it helps release the glucose into your blood more slowly. I've been trying to stop freaking out about the stuff I can't eat, and trying to do more with what I can. But I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say I have my days where the whole thing pisses me off and I rebel and eat a box of mac 'n cheese by myself or something. Still, I am getting better at it. I still need to get that exercise things going - I did it a bit at first and then tapered off and stopped. As usual. But I do plan to try again.

On another note, my sleep has been good on Ambien, but with the addition of a diabetes med I just felt I was taking too much medication and wanted to stop SOMETHING. Besides, there was that shopping with no memory of the event thing that concerned me somewhat. Plus - in order to avoid being groggy the next day I was taking Ambien at 7:30 or 8:00 in the evening so by the time I went to bed at 10:30 or so - I was out like a light. But I felt I was missing too much of my evening somehow. SO . . when I was off work for a week I went off the Ambien. Getting to sleep the first few days was tough but it got easier and I've been off of it for 2 weeks now. But now I am back into the sleep habits I was not able to regulate before I went on it - I stay up till all hours and have a miserable time getting up for work in the mornings. Then on the weekend I sleep way too late and waste most of the day. Today I didn't get up until almost 2:30 in the afternoon. That is just ridiculous. But when I'm sleeping I can think of every reason in the world not to get up when my alarm goes off or something else wakes me up. So - I took an Ambien tonight. It's an artificial schedule but it does help me regulate my sleep habits.

Oh! My daughter came home for a few days last week which was nice. She and her fiancee' are planning on moving up to the Chicago area somewhere, as there really aren't any jobs or opportunities or pizza places for that matter, where they are living now. And Dani has decided she does not want to be a nurse after all and will probably pursue teaching. A degree in English will serve her well for that. And of course having Dan and Dani up here closer to me will be most welcome. Yay! Also of course, they can stay with me until they get settled although with Dan being allergic to cats it would be problematic. However they have stayed here the last couple times they came up and I have been keeping the room they sleep in closed up and I have an air cleaner in there - and have been keeping it a cat-free zone. Still, it's only a bedroom, the rest of the house well .. you can imagine.

Then of course the email I received from my mom the other day is worth noting. She said:

I was real careful but fell down twice today. I fell down twice yesterday, once with scissors in my hand. I am now thinking of putting myself in a home. At least there I would have 24 hr. care, what do you think?

Oh my. Actually I think she should have 24 hour care, she's had some really scary breathing (or not breathing) episodes that indicate she probably should be staying where there are nurses, not just her son. He was having her evaluated for what the next step should be, don't know if the results are back yet but I have a good idea of what the recommendation will be.

Sick cat, sick mom, sick me. I always said you know you're old when all you're doing is talking about your aches and pains and medications. I think I may qualify for that strictly speaking. But doggone it I'm not giving in to aging yet! Well, not completely. I mean - 50 is the new 40, right? Right? So 51, which is approaching rapidly, is only 41. And I can still be amazing at 41 - just have to keeping working to get there.
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