Last Day

Today was my last day leading the exercises. Everyone wished me well. I went to Walmart afterwards and bought some groceries too be ready for when Frankie is here. I had beans cooking in the crock pot. They cooked on high for 3 odd hours and seemed done by noon. I had soaked them overnight so I can cut down on my cooking time by using the crock pot.

I baked an apple pie and have 2 gallons of Blue Bell ice cream in the freezer, plus I bought a chocolate pound cake. I've got the potatoes and eggs ready to make potato salad later and I think that will be enough food fixed. I'm tired now after being up on my feet all day. I have too change the sheets on my bed and bathe in an antibacterial soap tonight and then again tomorrow before I go to the hospital. I have to be there at 11:30 AM. Trudy and Sadie will come over after Seminary so we'll have plenty of time to get to the hospital. Frankie will just come to the hospital and be there while the operation is going on.

Frank felt better today even though it was meds day. He didn't have any fever. He's still felt a bit bad, I think. I'm going to rest now and then change the sheets and make the potato salad.

Usual Monday Things

Did the senior center. There are always more people on Mondays and it was raining, too. Janet was there. She gave me a Christmas present of a pair of reddish earrings that she had made herself. She wanted to know if she should do the exact exercises that I did and I told her, "no", that the ladies would enjoy something new and different. She will sub for me Friday. By then I will have a new hip.

At 11:00 AM, Ann and I VT Mary Lou and saw the new sister, CeCe, who is on our list. Her child had strep throat so we didn't go in. I took her a neck brace that Frank didn't use and she thanked me for it. She has some major problems with her spine.  I look forward to getting to know this sister and see how we can help her.

My hip and leg are bothering me know. It's as medium sized ache that is rather uncomfortable. I will be glad when this pain is gone. I know I'll have other pains to contend with but they will ultimately heal and go away. Just 3 more days now. I still haven't heard from the hospital about when to arrive. If I don't get anything in the mail tomorrow, I will call the hospital. The surgery is at 2 PM Thursday, but I need to know when to get there to get ready.

Frank woke up with fevers again today. It was only 101.9 degrees but it still had him mixed up. Going up on the prednesone didn't help keep the fevers away. We both had blessings Sunday and I wanted the fevers to stay away. Maybe they will be there but will be manageable.

I need to write Frankie and see when he will be coming down.

Just Another Saturday

I had wanted to go to Sear's to return some Land's End stuff, but Frank woke up with fevers and I didn't feel like I could go off and leave him. Plus, my right hip is hurting and I didn't want to do a lot of walking and be tired for Sunday. I won't be in Primary because Sis. Schwindiman is substituting for me in Primary so she will know what the Primary children are doing for Christmas. I will be going into the hospital in 4 more days and won't be able to play for the children.

I can still do the exercises at the senior center for I sit in a chair most of the time and that doesn't hurt.

I cooked a pot of beef goulash and washed two loads of clothes. Frank vacuumed and I helped out some. I really didn't feel like vacuuming but the floors surely look better after it's done.

I got a card from my friend Diane Butler today. She remembered my surgery and wrote a short note. She didn't include her return address but I had her email address and wrote her a thank you and told her to send me her address. Every now and then, I like to send a card to people.

New Toys

They had some new toys at the senior center and one was an air hockey machine. While we were exercising two people tried to play it but we all were hollering for them to wait until exercise was over. They did. I'm glad to see new things at the center. Afterwards, I went shopping at Walmart.

I bought a few things. I got some chicken breasts and broccoli and rice for a new recipe. I fixed it for lunch and I really didn't like the taste very much. I put the rest of it in the freezer for when Frankie is here. I put the rest of the pork chops in the freezer too. I plan to buy a hen to put in the crock pot the day I have to go to the hospital so there will be food in the house for Dad and Frankie. I have to let the Relief Society President know what meals we will need. I'm not good at planning ahead.

The shopping really tired me out. I rested all afternoon. My hip and knee hurt but the time for the Tylenol came and I got some relief then. The hip woke me up at 6 AM this morning.

The hospital has to send me some information on when to arrive for the operation. I have the instructions on bathing and the stuff I have to bathe with and I know not to eat or drink anything after 12:00 AM Thursday morning. The surgery is at 2 PM and I won't get anything to eat after that. I hope I won't  get hungry during that time. I look forward when there won't be any pain in my hip and knee. The hip pain radiates to the knee so when the knee hurts, it's really the hip that's complaining.

Illness

Mary Kate emailed and said Richard has pneumonia. She got Nate well and Richard came down with it. She needs to get the pneumonia vaccine quick! I really don't think it's catching but you can never be too careful.

I stayed home all day. I got up at 6:30 AM because I didn't turn my alarm off and decided to get up and fix some bacon. Frank wanted pancakes but the only baking mix I had was non gluten. The pancakes were okay. I just finished a big box of Aunt Jemima pancake mix and it was excellent. I couldn't find it when I looked for it again. I'll need to get something for pancakes. Bisquick makes heavy pancakes but it makes lots of other stuff too.

I was looking for some chicken strips I thought I had frozen but I thawed two large pork chops so I fixed them for supper. I breaded them with whole wheat flour and fried them and then put some chicken stock in with then and cooked them slowly so they would be tender. They were tender, but didn't have much taste. Frank doesn't want to eat any more pork chops so I have the equivalent of one port chop left which I guess I will eat or else throw away-no, I'll keep it for when Frankie is here

My hip has been hurting in between Tylenol doses. The pain shows up in the knee. It hurts when I lie down. Soon it will be all over.

Day At The Hospital

I went to exercise today. I wasn't in much discomfort since I stopped taking the Arthrotec. I take Tylenol instead and it takes the edge off any pain. Sitting down helps the hip. When the hip gets sore, I  feel it in my knee. I use the hot pad at night sometimes.

I left the house at 11:00 AM today and got to Crestwood at 10:55 AM. Trudy went to the cafeteria instead of coming to the Outpatient part. She phoned me when I was waiting for her and we met at the cafeteria. Sadie had gotten her Pea coat and it looked good. The joint clinic wasn't very helpful and the preregistration took a long time. I got to pee in a cup and get an electrocardiogram and answer lots of health questions, then I was through. I got home at 5:00 PM.

Nate had pneumonia and Mary Kate called and told me how he got it and what they did for him. He's feeling a lot better now and will go back to school Friday.

Frank's right ankle-tendon is swollen up. I think it's the arthritis but we might go in to see Dr. Walker and see what can be done about it, if anything.  Dr. Phillips is gone for a couple of months.

Busy Day

Friday Joyce gave me a gift card to Walmart and today Betty cave me 4 pair of white socks, some pecans and a nice note. We had a good exercise class. I went by Janet's house and gave her the plant I had gotten for her. She loved it. She said that she could sub for me most of January. I hope by then I will be rocking and rolling but I might still need some help. I really appreciate her help. The ladies at the senior center said that they could handle the times neither I or Janet would be there.

I called Trudy to confirm that she would be going with me to the joint clinic Wednesday. We will meet at Crestwood at 12:00 PM and eat lunch at the cafeteria and then attend the class. I want to find out about the rehab that everyone has been asking if I will go. I'd like to go if it's offered and the insurance will pay for it.

Ann and I went VT today. Saw Karen. She and Ken are packing, getting ready to drive 1,900 miles to Utah for a family Christmas. I hope his car will make the trip alright. He knows about the insides of the car and knows if it's trip worthy or not. We may see Mary Lou Friday at 1 PM. We stopped by the address for a sister and a young man came out and told us the sister didn't live there. We'll turn her name in to the Relief Society. Ann found another sister in town we are to visit. Maybe we can count that as a visit for the month. She will see Glenda one day when I can't go. I need to send her a Christmas card.

Attended tithe settlement Sunday and got to declare that we were full tithe payers for the year. What a blessing tithe paying is. The Lord provides for those who keep His commandments.

My hip hasn't bothered me too much today. It hurts mostly in my right knee instead of the hip. The pain must telescope down to the knee. It's 10 days before the surgery.

Game Day

I had my after breakfast nap and then got up and took my pair of bedroom slippers back to The Shoe Dept. and exchanged them for a larger pair. I went to Walmart to get some more Christmas cards and then came home.

I washed 2 loads of clothes and folded them and put them away. Watched the Alabama vs. Georgia football play offs- SEC championship game. Trudy came over for a short visit and brought me a nice stainless steel electric skillet. It was a short visit but a good one. The football game was a great one and Alabama won by 3-4 points in the last minutes of the game. They will get to play in the National Championship game against Notre Dame. It would be great to be National Champions again.

I cooked our supper in the new skillet. I didn't have all the ingredients and added this and that but Frank said it tasted good. It wasn't ready for supper so we'll have it for lunch tomorrow. It had hamburger, tomatoes, kidney beans, onion, tomato soup, which I didn't have so I put tomato sauce and some added sugar, and some pasta and a can of Rotel tomatoes. It made a skillet full so I hope we'll like it.