It looks like the current plan is working, namely, one new pill before eating and a short walk after eating and as little salt as pragmatism permits.
I think of the new medication as the pump-priming-pill. It tells the stomach to get ready to process food so when the food arrives 30 minutes later the muscles are not caught dozing. They are ready to pump it on through to the next sequence in the digestive process. Since last Thursday’s supper this seems to be working.
We’ve taken several short walks each day. Usually we head out the back door and pass through a gate into a corner of the horse pasture. When the horses are near one or more will come over for a little TLC. So far we haven’t take carrots or other treats because they can get a little frisky under such conditions. At this stage we don’t need frisky! We circle through a bit of the pasture and past the small barn and the water trough and so we can keep track of the water level. Our other path is out the front door and up to the mail box. Either trip is about 150 yards. Today was wet and cold and Nancy had a blood draw scheduled so after that we went to the grocery story and walked and shopped. On Sat & Sun the walks followed the eating but today it didn’t work that way and the pill, food, stomach things still seem to be working.
The low salt aspect is more difficult. The grocery makes a nice chicken salad and so Nancy has had cereal for breakfast and chicken salad for her other meals. To break the monotony I simmered thick pork steaks with chopped onions and a can of chopped tomatoes until the meat was very tender. With this she got sliced peaches and mashed potatoes. We trekked through the grocery store to the deli counter to buy another pound of chicken salad only to find an empty larder. So, … The rotisserie lemon-chickens were on sale.
Using telephone and e-mail, we have spent much time over the weekend updating and getting updated about our lives and that of others from our past. Some of you will remember that I (John) used to write a somewhat convoluted Christmas/New Year’s story and mail it out. Then the internet arrived big time and the frequent back-&-forth with some led to a decline and then cessation of mailings. Nancy’s troubles have generated many reconnections and catching-up. We expect to keep at this. With Nancy’s time not being consumed by teaching duties and other university (insert four letter word here), we no longer have an excuse for not keeping up with friends from other times and places.
Well, she just told me she took that pump-priming-pill (P3) 10 minutes ago so I’ve got just 20 minutes to not disappoint that stomach. Bye.