First time out with my walker today by myself!

Well I did it!  And maybe I overdid it!  I went downtown on the bus today, did some shopping and bussed it home again.  All by myself.   I felt awesome and safe and secure walking!  And it was exhilarating!!  I actually mapped the distance and I walked more than 2 kms, plus the walking around the mall I did.

Then I went out with my friend as I do most Monday nights and I walked some more!  (I might be lucky to get out of bed tomorrow morning.)  :)

Things I realized today:

I really don't like taking up so much space on the bus!
I definitely like not having to pay a bus fare.  Although it certainly felt weird not to pay!  It almost felt like stealing.
When I go out with another friend now, I can't push her wheelchair for her if she needs me to.  So we will probably have to change where we go.
No more jay walking at all!  Crossing at the lights it is!
If it is at all cold out, I will need mittens!  Both of my hands are exposed.  With the cane, at least one of my hands could go in a pocket  to stay warm.  Not anymore.

I haven't quite figured out the logistics of a purse and/or bag.  I want to be able to get to my purse quickly and easily and I want to work that out so I can still carry things in my basket but have the least amount of fuss when I need to fold up the walker.

Did you know they made (coffee) cup holders for walkers!!??!!   :))

What I have eaten today:
Breakfast

1 bowl of steel cut oats with cinnamon, milk, and raisins.

Lunch
1 amazing salad from Druxy's.  I think I topped the lettuce with, like, 10 different veggies.  Dressing on the side.  I barely made a dent in in and I was full! I think that salad would feed me for a week!  LOL

Dinner
Perogies and cucumber slices.  I didn't care to have any of the pork.  I WAS planning on having some ice cream tonight but I was out, then my friend from Australia called (yippeee!), I still had not posted for the day and now it is almost 11 pm. No ice cream.  Just as well.

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

At least 2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
1-7:13 am
2-8:57 am
3-6:07 pm

Toodles!

Great Day At Church Today!!

I went to church for the first time today with the walker.  Everyone was SO supportive!  The thing about church today though was that it was a potluck Sunday.  That means lots more people at church because our sister church near us joins us for potlucks.  And also, round tables fill the room instead of the usual rows of chairs.  Much harder to get around and consequently, I didn't get to talk with as many people as usual.  :(

I am going to venture downtown on the bus today by myself.  I have a coupon for a free salad at Druxy's,  I haven't been to Druxy's in years and they make fabulous sandwiches and salads!

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Lunch
all kinds of things...potluck lunch at church.
small portions of: taco salad, Caesar salad, meatballs, lasagna, meatloaf, perogies,
3 kinds of cookies for dessert.

Dinner
2 pieces of toast with peanut butter

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

At least 2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
1-9:30 am
2-5:33 pm
3-8:30 pm

Toodles!

What a workout!

Well walking with the walker is a workout!
For my legs because I have not been out walking much.  And for my arms, which surprised  me.  But I do have to hold on to the walker firmly.  Maybe I am going to have jacked biceps!!

We had a great time with our friends tonight, and a lovely dinner to boot!  We are going to have them over for dinner next month.

What I have eaten today:
Breakfast
steel cut oats with cinnamon and raisins.
But I put too much cinnamon in last night for it to cook and it was awful!   I actually only had a few bites.  :(

Lunch
no lunch :(

Dinner
Dinner out at friend's house.
pork, baked potato, mixed veggies, and cake with custard and fresh berries

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

At least 2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
1-10:30 am
2-1:00 pm
3- 9:45 pm

Toodles!

A dose of humility!

I am doing OK with the walker.  Sometimes I forget and just walk down the hall or into the kitchen without it.

I am looking forward to tomorrow!  Traci and I are going to IKEA.  It will be my first time out of the house with the walker, let alone the fact that I LOVE IKEA!  Then we are going to friend's house for dinner.  Then to church on Sunday.  3 trips in 2 days out of the house with lots of people around to help.

My next steps will be going on the bus a couple of times with someone with me.  Then by myself on the bus.

The cleaner came for the first time today. Having someone else clean your house is humbling!   Her name is Debbie and I really like her!  We chatted and she seemed like a friend very quickly.  And my kitchen and bathroom have not looked so good in...maybe ever!!

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Lunch
Can I call a 4 pm snack of yogurt and cucumber lunch?   (Traci and Steve were here and the cleaner was here over lunch time and I sort of forgot.  And I didn't want to get in the way of the cleaner in the kitchen.

Dinner
1/4 box Vegetable Thins crackers :(

Snack
1 bowl Heavenly Hash ice cream :(

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

At least 2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
1-8:02 am
2- 2:23 pm
3- 8:08 pm

Toodles!

Walker and quad cane coming today and steel cut oats verdict!

The OT came today with the walker and quad cane.  I was not steady or secure with the quad cane.  I was steady and secure with the walker.  It felt great!  This is the walker I got today.  It is called the Xpresso.  Mine is just like this one except the frame is all silver, not orange.  My OT thinks I should be using it even in he house.  Really??  That will take some getting used to!  As will using it when I go out.  (sigh)

What I have eaten today:
 
Breakfast
1 bowl of steel cut oats with cinnamon, milk, and raisins.
First time I ever had steel cut oats.  Definitely chewier and nuttier. But I liked them.  I have to find/come up with a combination or two I like to go in the oats to mix it up.

Lunch
1 ham and cheese soft tortilla with mayo

Dinner
chicken, broccoli, onion, green pepper stir fry.  Plus 1 piece of bread with butter.

Snack
10 slices cucumber
1 single size container sugar free apple sauce

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

At least 2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
1-10:15 am
2-2:18 pm
3- 10:19 pm

Toodles!

Too many things to do = overwhelmed!

Traci had all kinds of appointments booked for this week while she was home.  It turns out that one of the appointments led to quite a few other appointments.  My daughter was overwhelmed.  :( I probably would have been too!  So she booked some of those, is taking care of another one right now, and then we will go from there.

I feel for her, but unless she asks for help, I have learned the hard way not to jump in and help her.  She is more than capable!

Traci and her boyfriend are picking up steel cut oats for me this afternoon on their way.  They are supposed to be the healthiest oats and I heard of a way to pre-prepare them!

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Lunch
1 bowl of Corn Flakes with strawberries and milk

Snack
a few whole wheat tortilla chips
10 slices english cucumber

Dinner
chili quesadilla with cheese

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

At least 2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
1-8:30 am
2-2:22 pm
3-6:01 pm

Toodles!

Do I really need something more to help me?

I have been falling quite a bit lately (including today again) and have been thinking I need more support when I am walking than just a single point cane I have been using for 10 years.

I spoke with the occupational therapist last week.  She did not think the quad cane would be great.  She actually had me thinking that a rollator walker might be OK!

So she is bringing both for me to try on Thursday.

But since then, I have been having second thoughts about whether or not I really need something else.  I know that I need to eat better (and I am addressing that) and that I need to get more exercise (and I am just starting to address that).  Perhaps if I do both of those things, my balance and walking will improve.  And I might not need this extra aid I am contemplating now.  But, too, my condition is progressive.  I will continue to get worse.  Even if my eating and exercise help and get me to the point again where I am OK with just a single point cane, there will come a time when I will need more.

It's a lot to think about and pray about.


What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk and 1 egg

Lunch
1 BLT on whole wheat bread
chocolate milk (chocolate fix!)

Dinner

spaghetti with homemade sauce.
(shhhhh  Don't tell a certain 17 year old that I cooked and blended up broccoli, onion and green pepper and put it in the sauce.  More veggies for all of us and she is none the wiser!  And the sauce was amazing!)

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
chocolate in the milk at lunch and the ice cream
Yes, I said ice cream.  I had 1 bowl of Heavenly Hash ice cream!  It was a treat,  I REALLY wanted a sweet treat tonight.  So much for all that exercise today!  :)

At least 2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
1-8:20 am
2-5:16 pm
3- 10:30 pm

I think I did about half an hour of walking today too!  Which included a fall into a snowbank getting off the bus.  :(  My glasses and I went flying!  A young lady was there to kindly help me.  I am OK.  Just more wounded pride and loss of dignity.  :(

Toodles!

Family Day and sore hips!!

My hips are killing me today. But yesterday's tubing was SO much fun!

Today is Family Day in Ontario.  It's a statutory holiday.  We didn't communicate very well, though.  We have movies to watch. We have Gran Torino and The Pursuit of Happyness.  Gerry and I have seen both before.  They are both great movies! It might be just Gerry and I watching them, though.  That will be nice.  Both the girls DID end up watching the movie.  That was even NICER!!!

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit yogurt and milk

Lunch
no lunch!   :((

It's the first day since Feb 11 that I have skipped a meal.  I got up late today, and all 4 of us were watching movies.  I was hungry, even Trina commented on the noise my stomach was making!  But I did not want to miss any of the movie.  So I didn't get up to get anything.  And then after the movie I was tired and laid down for a nap.  When I got up, it was time to make dinner.  The opportunity to have lunch, even a very late one, was lost.

Dinner
1 grilled ham and cheese sandwich
1 piece of bread with butter


evening
1 piece of bread with butter
2 brownies

PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
no chocolate

At least 2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
1- 12:40 pm
2- 8:10 pm

Toodles!

Tubing!!

A group of us from church are going tubing today.  Think, summer water slides on snow!  Although not so "twisty"  It is so much fun.  I hope to go for at least one run down the hill.  One of the brothers has agreed to help me get on and off the inner tube and walk to and from the run.  I don't think I will wear my glasses.  I would be too scared of losing them!

I made it down the hill once.  I would have loved to go down more times but the the snow was icy and/or granular and I had a very hard time keeping my feet and getting in and out of the tube was difficult.  I appreciate getting a lift up the hill to GET to the tubing from the guys with the cart!!  No such luck going down, though.  One of the strong teenage guys from church gave me his arm to walk down the hill and to the lodge.

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit yogurt and milk

For lunch and dinner, I am packing:
Broccoli, cucumber, cheese, 2 small apple sauce cups, 2 bottles of water, 1 ham and cheese with mayo pita sandwich.  Plus 1 good size container of smoothie just like the one I had for breakfast.  I had 1 small piece of pizza at tubing, too.  It was not very good at all.

I shared my healthy food.  Many people were happy to eat some fruit and yogurt and veggies and smoothie as opposed to the chicken wings and pizza and pop.  

PLUS

3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
No chocolate

At least 2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
Just one today.  :(
1-9:52 pm

But tubing was good exercise for sure!

Toodles!

Grand Central Station around here today...busy, busy!`

Edited to add
10:17 pm - 2 brownies
plus
1 set of exercises  :)

Initial post
After being out with Mom and her husband last night, they were at our place 12 hours later!

Bruce is a handyman extraordinaire!  First he actually got my glasses lens out of the trap, then he put up a mirror and 2 pictures on my living room wall, then he tightened my glasses frame so that neither lens will fall out anytime soon!!

He is amazing!  And all he wants is a hug and a kiss and a thank you!  I LOVE the pictures and mirror on the wall!  See below.  (First time trying to add a picture to my post.)

The pictures and mirror.

This is the mirror.  I love it.  It is wrought iron, with 9 tea lights underneath.  Very nice but not too feminine for my taste.

 

The 2 pictures.  The top one will eventually have baby
pictures of all 4 of us.  Right now, only my baby picture is
there.  The bottom one contains 4 of my
favourite pictures of the girls together.

Then Gerry came home.  Chilled a bit, Mom and Bruce left, Gerry put on a movie, then went for a nap.

Traci took the car and went to visit a friend.

Trina's boyfriend is over watching a movie in the living room with her.  They are holding hands on the couch.

Everyone plus the boyfriend will be here for dinner.

After dinner, we are dropping Traci off at a different friend's house for a sleepover and Trina's boyfriend at his house. The we are off to play cards and chill with different friends.

What a crazy day!!  But lots of fun!


What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit yogurt and milk

Lunch
1 toasted ham and cheese bagel with mayo  PLUS


wait for it......











10 english cucumber slices!  (those are vegetables!!)

Dinner
potatoes, chicken nuggets and corn

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

At least 2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
1-12:15 pm
2- 3:00 pm
3- 6:47 pm

Toodles!

Traci comes home today!!

It is so nice to have Traci home!!  I guess my title is wrong seeing as I am about to publish this post and it is now Saturday.  :)

We had a lovely evening.  Both girls and I went with my mom and her husband to see his grand daughter performing. What relation does make her to me?  Step-niece?   She is in a choir and sings beautifully!

What I have eaten today:
Breakfast
1 smoothie with mixed frozen fruit yogurt and milk

Lunch
1 bowl of tuna casserole with peas

Snack
a few plain strawberries

Dinner
going out for dinner at a banquet hall, not sure what will be served for dinner.
(editing after 1 am) I had pasta with red sauce, meatballs, 1 whole wheat roll with butter and 1 slice of chocolate cake.


PLUS
4 cups of coffee, 3 with with flavoured creamer
no chocolate again!

Still not enough vegetables!  Maybe I should drink V8!!

At least 2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
1-11:08 am
2-1:36 pm
3- 1:17am

Toodles!

Excitement is in the air!

I am so excited!  My oldest daughter comes home from university for Reading Week tomorrow!  I know she has lots of appointments next week and friends and a boyfriend who want to hang out with her, but I am looking forward to time together, playing games, chilling, talking, etc.  It will be nice to have the 4 of us all here!

One of my baby toes is the casualty of my fall yesterday.  It's pretty badly bruised.  :(

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with  fruit yogurt, milk, bananas and strawberries

Lunch
1 toasted ham and cheese sandwich with mayo

Dinner
Pork chops, potatoes, onions, celery in the crock pot.

Snack

1 piece of apple pie

(I just "took care of" the last piece of apple pie in the fridge. So my daughter did not have to see any more apple pie every time she opens the fridge as she continues in her sugar fast, Yeah, yeah!)

Edited at 10:44 pm to add:
1 brownie.  I was CRAVING vhocolate

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
maybe some chocolate later-nope none in the house!

At least 2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
1-8:00 am
2-11:30 am
3-2:30 pm
4-8:45 pm

Toodles!

Veggies! Plus something else...

Something I have not mentioned is that I have a genetic condition called Spino Cerebellar Ataxia It is a condition I inherited from my father's side of the family.  This affects me in a number of ways.  My balance is very bad, my memory is awful, I have double vision, I fatigue very easily.

I have been using a single point cane for 10 years.  I have been starting to think I needed a quad cane or a rollator walker UGH!  The OT (occuptaional therapist) came today and tested my strength and talked about the pros and cons for both the quad cane and the  rollator walker. In a week or so, both are going to be delivered to the house and the OT will show me how to use both.  I am going to test both out and see what works best for me and helps the most.  I have always thought, "Ewwww", rollators are for old people.  But this OT had me thinking that maybe that would be best for me.  We shall see.

In testing my strength, the OT said my glutes are very weak.  So the exercise starts TODAY, not April! Leg extensions- 2 sets of 10 reps for each leg.

I got 2 new grab bars installed in the bathroom yesterday!!  It's funny how different things are exciting to different people.  :)

I fell in the kitchen today.  :(  But I did not hit any walls or appliances!  The butter knife I was using fell.  I am not sure if I was trying to grab it before it hit the floor (stupid) or trying to get out of the way of the knife hitting my foot (smarter).  Bruises tomorrow I am sure.  :(

What I have eaten today:

LATE Breakfast
1 bowl of fruit yogurt with bananas and strawberries
I slept until 10:30am.  Massive headache!

LATE Lunch
1 toasted ham and cheese sandwich with mayo
AND some raw broccoli florets dipped in ranch dressing

I was not feeling like eating at lunchtime but I did,  The sandwich was good and I ate the broccoli plain!  But I am SO full right now. That sandwich and broccoli should have been lunch and a snack later.

Dinner
meatballs and rice

Snack
1 piece of apple pie

PLUS
only 2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
no chocolate in the house=no late night chocolate munching

Hip extensions-2 sets, 10 reps each leg of hip extensions
1- 1:30 pm
2- 3:00 pm

Toodles!

Veggies??

Hi!

Looking at what I have been eating for the last few days, I am excited that I am eating healthy (or healthier), real food for the most part.  I am very excited that I am eating 3 meals/day!!

BUT ...what I am not excited about is the fact that I am mostly eating dairy and fruit and carbs.  I LIKE these foods the most, but they do not make for an overall healthy diet.

I need to start adding veggies.  Mind you, we usually have some sort of vegetable at dinner, either sort of on its own or in something like the spaghetti sauce tonight.  We have broccoli in the fridge now so tomorrow I am going to make an effort to replace some fruit with veggies.  Or does that even make sense, seeing as fruit and vegetables are lumped together in one food group?  I really don't know.

Anyway, broccoli it is tomorrow, probably for a snack.  I don't want to eat it plain.  What is the healthiest thing I have in the house to dip the broccoli in, I wonder?

I really want to make these changes gradually.  I don't want to make a whole bunch of huge changes and then not be able to keep up with them.

I know the chocolate evening munching will have to go too.   :(

I also KNOW that exercise is the next BIG thing I need to address.  How about I keep dealing with food issues for a bit and make the food changes permanent in my life?  30 days for a habit right?  That is true, but I am putting off the exercise thing.  I am thinking that Aprilwould be good to look into exercise.  I want to want to be outside for exercise.  April means the snow and ice will be gone, too.


What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 bowl of fruit yogurt with strawberries

late breakfast
1 piece whole wheat pita bread with hummus

Lunch
homemade strawberry milk (milk + strawberries)

Snack
1 glass of banana strawberry smoothie (yogurt, milk, banana, strawberry)

Dinner
pasta with homemade meat sauce
1 slice apple pie at 8 pm

PLUS
3-4 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
maybe some chocolate later

DUH! and Substitions

I really wanted a sweet or salty snack food in the afternoon. But then I realized I had not had lunch, so I made a sandwich. DUH Lisa! It wasn't so much that I wanted a sweet or salty snack, I just wanted food. I was hungry. I have ignored hunger for so long that I will have to get used to listening to my body.

I am starting to look into different flours to make bread. Rebellion breaks out here if I add even the slightest bit of whole wheat flour to the bread that I make. But the white processed flour has nothing good for you in it at all. Shhhh, don't tell my hubby or daughter, but I think I am going to try rice flour.

Breakfast
1 bowl of fruit yogurt with strawberries

late breakfast
1 apple

lunch
1 toasted ham & cheese sandwich with mayo and cheese

snack
1 small glass of milk

dinner
poppyseed chicken (chicken, homemade cream of celery soup, with crackers & butter on top)
1 slice bread with butter
1 slice apple pie (the best apple pie I have EVER made BTW)

3-4 coffees with flavoured creamer
chocolate

Toodles!

Eat food, not too much, mostly plants

Today was a relatively good day, foodwise. I had no processed stuff outside of flavoured coffee creamer. I even did not partake of cookies and goodies at church during the coffee break! Eat food, not too much, mostly plants I was reminded of this yesterday. The Eat Food part, as I read yesterday as well, is to try to make sure all your food you eat is food that your great-grandmother would recognize and know. Not Too Much and Mostly Plants are self explanatory. I didn't do so well on those today. Eat Food: I ate food that my great-grandmother would recognize. :) (Well except for the flavoured creamer) :( Not Too Much: I really didn't think I ate too much today at any one point. But it is now half an hour after dinner and I am SO FULL. I have a very small appetite. It does not take much for me to be full. I need to take even smaller portions. Mostly Plants: I failed on that today. I ate some fruit, no veggies, but it certainly was not most of my food today. This is going to be the hardest part of Eat food, not too much, mostly plants to accomplish. I think I could almost give up meats without too much problem. The thing is, I could probably give up veggies too and not miss them too much! Just call me the carbs and cheese and eggs girl! What I have eaten today: Breakfast 1 bowl of fruit yogurt with bananas & strawberries Lunch 1 toasted ham and cheese sandwich with mayo and butter Dinner 1 (too large as it turned out) bowl tuna casserole (pasta, cheese sauce, tuna) 2 small glasses of milk PLUS 3-4 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer maybe some chocolate later No junk or chips or sweets (well, except for chocolate) and 3 meals again! 2 straight days of 3 meals. I probably have not done that for a while. Toodles!

What am I eating?

I am getting inspired by Trina , Allie and Candace ! They are in the process of giving up sugar and junk for a month. They are making me think about what I am eating. For example, fruit & yogurt, hard boiled eggs for breakfast and/or lunch. From scratch soups and bread for dinner.

I am still eating sugar, though. Yogurt with fruit has sugar in it. Trina is not eating that. She wants sugar-free/plain yogurt. I am going to start making all my sweets from scratch too. Yes, they have sugar, but from scratch is much better that mixes that have all the chemicals and preservatives in them. :(

Apparently the sugar-free banana muffins I am making for the girls are good!!

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 bowl of fruit yogurt with strawberries
1 hard boiled egg with salt/pepper

Lunch
1 bowl of fruit yogurt with strawberries

Dinner
1 fried egg sandwich with cheese

PLUS
3-4 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
maybe some chocolate later

Lets see how I do tomorrow. The neat thing about today, too, is that I did not skip a meal!