Good For Me, Good For You

I've always tried to eat healthily and since my recent medical troubles I'm trying even harder. Fast food and pizza are no longer my friends, and fried anything is my enemy. Even ice cream, with all of it's fat, is on my try to stay away from list.


The other day when I was at Costco I purchased a tub of Sunshine Energy Bars. I've never been a big fan of bars. Generally speaking, they're kind of pricey and pretty tasteless (at least the ones I've sampled). But when I saw how loaded up these were with all sorts of good for you ingredients, well, I caved.


Talk about having the kitchen sink in them! Oats, dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, apples, apricots), nuts (cashews, walnuts, almonds), sesame seeds, flax seeds, coconut, etc.


Okay, they're kind of dry. You need a glass of something wet to easily get them down. Or at least I do. And they're not as sweet as I'd like. I like things for-real-sweet. But I solved that by mixing together a bit of powdered sugar and a few drops of orange juice and then drizzling the glaze over the bar.


Since I'm really trying to make each morsel of food that passes my lips count nutritionally, these bars are working for me for breakfast and also as a snack. And they help keep me 'regular' (smile).


Perhaps you would like them, too.


Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.


Hugs, Tawny
248-615-1300

Get Thee To A Costco!

Here in town, well, in downtown Farmington, there are a good many elderly and disabled people out and about. I think it's because the neighborhood around the downtown area is still inhabited, for the most part, by the men and women who purchased their homes in the 1950's during the boomer years of child bearing. While the neighborhoods have turned over some, it's still predominately populated by folks in their late 70's on up. Also, there is a high rise of sorts that rents only to the elderly and the infirm and disabled.


On nice weather days you see lots of these folks out walking. While a goodly number of them are able to walk unassisted, there is an equally good number of them using canes, those motorized 'carts' and---I don't know the name for it--a sort of push walker that also has a seat on it.


That push walker thingie, whenever I see folks using it they're always hunched up over it. No one stands straight as they walkwith it. And it's always a lame shade of dark blue, and flimsy looking.


I was at Costco yesterday after the doctor visit and, lo and behold!, there was a large endcap over in the drugstore section of the store filled with these walker thingies. I think it must be a sooper dooper version because they weren't flimsy looking, they were black, they could support folks up to 300 pounds, and the handlebars rased up high enough for people over 6 feet to use without having to stoop!


And they were right around $95! I don't know what those flimsy looking ones sell for, but this was the Cadillac Escalade version and I think worth the price.


So if you could use one of those, or have a family member, friend or loved one who could--get thee to a Costco!


hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com




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I Was An Add-In

Doesn't that title just shout National Enquirer (smile)?


But that's what I was this morning at the cardiologists office, an add-in, because I didn't have an appointment and they had to add me in/work me in to the patient flow. I only had to wait about 40 minutes and I didn't think that was bad.


I have never been one to go to the doctor, nor to take prescription meds. So I figured when I had a reaction (swollen feet and ankles) to that Diliazen they had me on, and they abruptly removed me from it, well, I thought that would mean I was on one less prescription. Nope. They replaced it with Lisinopril. Oh well.


On the bright side, the doctor who did the heart catheter on me when I was in the hospital, turns out he works in my cardiologists office and I saw him today. I told him I didn't think I'd ever see him again. And that had grieved me because he's very nice and kind.


Another bright note is that the drugstore only charged me eight dollars and some change for the new prescription. Okay, it was a generic so that cut the price down, but still. I have a copay with my health insurance and that's great but sometimes the prescriptions are still pricey. One of them runs me $60. I'm hoping they'll replace it with a less costly drug. Sooner rather than later.


I'm feeling really good today. That old drug used to make me so tired and draggy. It feels good to feel good again. I'm going to try and never take feeling good for granted ever again.


Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.

hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com

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Sent on a phone using T9space.com

Have You Noticed How People Talk A Lot About Their Illness?

And I'm not making any apologies either. Me being sick, and the fall out from it, pretty much dominates my life these days whether I want it to or not.


So the blood pressure monitoring kit that HSM sent over for me to use, well, it proved to be too much for my Uncle David. I am now the proud possessor of a 21st century automatic battery operated model, compliments of Uncle David.


This new one is really cool. I can do it all by myself. You just place the cuff around your upper left arm, press a button and voila! It self-inflates and then gives you a digital readout of your blood pressure and your pulse rate. Easy!


I spent yesterday afternoon and evening at HSM's for a bbq. It was fun and the food was good. I even had two s'mores for dessert! And when I got home and took my blood pressure, it was the lowest it's been since I started charting it.


Today is another hot and humid day. There are wicked storms just southeast of here, winds clocking at 60 mph and hail. I don't see how it's going to miss Farmington Hills. As such, I have to wind this up so I can start shutting windows, etc.


You be good and be careful,take care, stay strong. And remember I'll be gone for part of the day tomorrow at the doctors.

hugs, Tawny
248-615-1300



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Sent on a phone using T9space.com

Who me? A whiner? Oh no!

That stuff I wrote yesterday, while all true, I sure do wish I'd found a better way to say it minus the whining. I have nothing to whine about, absolutely nothing. I am so blessed to have come through all of those medical things as well as I have.


This morning HSM's #1 Son came by with their blood pressure kit. Those darn homeschoolers have everything! Not only did he take my blood pressure, but he showed me how to do it myself. Unfortunately, for some goofy reason, I can't get the hang of it. My Uncle David has now been taught how to do it and he is my designated twice daily blood pressure taker.


Changing the subject, are you a Ray Charles fan? I like him okay, but I'd never bought any of his cds, leastwise not until I picked one up for $1 at a garage sale. 'Visonary Soul' is the title. I've been listening to it most of the afternoon and it's really good.


Another thing that's really good is the reality/documentary show '30 Days'. I caught an old episode of it on the Green Channel last weekend and loved it. Apparently, the FX channel is where it originally ran. Amazon is my friend and the entire series arrived in Thursdays mail. If you've never seen any of the episodes, oh my goodness but you've missed a good show.


And, last thing for today, my Uncle David became a great grandfather for the first time today. His oldest grandaughter had a baby boy, 7 lbs. 1 oz. He is so thrilled!


Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.

hugs, Tawny
www.tawnyford.com

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Sent on a phone using T9space.com