Oh for a chair!

I do not have any comfortable place to sit, put my feet up, and read.

In fact, other than some plastic shelf units, and an old desk that the TV sits on, I don't have ANY living room furniture.

I did have a nice looking couch that I found out by the dumpster, but it was much too large for the room, and I had difficulty getting around it in my wheelchair. On top of which, it was too low and narrow, for ME to sit on comfortably. So out it went!

I mostly read eBooks on my PDA. But I have only my wheelchair, or my hospital bed, neither are comfortable for reading.

I want a 'reading spot'! A place I can sit and read, watch TV, and look out the window. And I want it by this winter! I'm almost 60, I deserve a comfy place to sit and read!

I want a platform rocker & ottoman, or even a good sturdy chair and ottoman!!! I've picked out a nice set in the Ikea catalog: $169 for a mission style loveseat, and $99 for the matching chair (They have a matching platform 'glider' chair - but the price is way outta my range!).

To that end, I'm saving my pennies. But if you happen to know of any good used or new living room furniture, please let me know!

Byetta Creates Big Changes!

I haven't posted because my time has literally been 'sucked' up with Byetta (& nausea)!

Byetta has changed MUCH in my life! (I'm wondering if this happened to any of the folks in the 'research groups'?)

As my switch to 10 is looming on the horizon, I'm wondering if I want to do another month at the 5 level (I have two more '5' pens - so I'd have to take 4 injections a day).

Not only has my appetite changed (I've lost 5 lbs), the foods I want have changed, my 'meal times' have become 'fixed' when they used to be 'fluid'. I haven't 'cooked' since starting Byetta! BUT...

-Am also had to learn to deal w/GI probs: nausea, a feeling of fullness, gas, indigestion, constipation (from not eating so much? am taking DSS now),
-I am NOT hungry 24/7, even right after a large meal! (an amazement beyond belief!)
-an extra two shots per day,
-testing bg's at a different times (used to be BEFORE meals, now it's after - and sometime I forget; I need to buy a TWO hour timer. LOL),
-using insulin at different times in less amounts (used to be w/meal, now 2hr pp),
-worrying HOW insulin & Byetta will interact on bg's in different situations.
-thinking about taking Byetta 'pen' with me (and meal!), if I'm gonna be out at meal time of the day,
-problems SLEEPING, (often can't go to sleep at usual time because my bg isn't HIGH, so I toss and turn for a couple of hours before finally going to sleep, then WAY oversleep the next day, which screws up everything.

I am soon to be 60, some of the changes are 'habits or routines' of a prior entire lifetime! And I've NEVER been good at 'changes' (rocking boats disorient me!).

Top all this off w/my other medical probs I have to manage: like I am having some minor 'Tetany' this morning, in fact. And the HH, my hemoglobin and Hematacrit levels are up again; I went for a TP (therapeutic phlebotomy) last week, and return again in 3 weeks. Add the Byetta into the mix, and all it's associated lifestyle changes, side effects, and it's a lot to juggle!

I like the Byetta, feel that after many years, am finally on the way to a normal bg status again (and for that, I DO need to go to the 10mcg dose). But I AM feeling overwhelmed by it all...

Perhaps Byetta, instead of offering the free pen 'cooler' (has anyone even gotten that???), and a $10 off coupon, should have set up f2f support groups (like gastric bypass folks), or a coupon for free psychologist visits??? LOL

Dumpster Diving

Probably half the stuff in my apartment came out of the apartment complex’s dumpsters. It's absolutely amazing to me what folks throw in the trash.

And I come by Dumpster Diving in a legitimate fashion, my Gramps was always going through the neighbors garbage. The lawn chair he was sitting in the night he died came from someone's discards (he loved that old chair).

But, I don't know about today's find.

I went to a neighbors to drop something off, and right there, sitting by a dumpster, was a rocker/recliner! And, other than being very dirty, it looked sound.

Since I've been looking for SOMETHING to sit in (other than my wheelchair or hospital bed) for months, I jumped on the chance. I had a couple of neighbors install it in my living room, and had them take the huge hide-a-bed couch that I found at a dumpster a few months ago, out.

(I can’t even imagine what it must be like to pick out furniture you’d want, that would fit your room/needs, and buy it, new!)

I threw an old sheet over the recliner, and transferred into it. Pretty good! It had a slight list to the left, but not bad. But after sitting there for a few minutes, I became aware of the smell! Really, really, bad.

I'd been planning to get upholstery cleaner, fabreeze, and a new 'cover'. But I'm wondering now if it's worth it, that recliner smells so bad, I don't know if it would 'clean up'. I might be wasting my money. Does anyone have any hints for cleaning upholstery???

OTOH, I really do need stuff to SIT on (Now the only seating in my living room is the chair. Before there was the nice looking couch that guests could use, but I couldn't, and it took up the whole room!). A quandary for sure...

Pictures of 'The Sisters'!

Rosemary, a long-time friend, came over today with her digital camera.

At first the cats were just a touch camera shy. It didn't take long, though, until Lucy and Ethel, got the idea. Then they loved being the focus of all the attention as picture after picture was taken.

There were times when I actually thought they were posing! Really! A little head turned just so into the light, sitting just the right distance from each other so they looked like shadows, stretching out a delicate little paw. Generally acting 'cute' without being rambunctious.

They are basically outgoing cats, but usually when we have visitors, they make a brief appearance then move on to their own daily routine. Not so with that camera pointed at them! Perhaps I should have a 'portfolio' done and hire them out for television commercials!
Look forward to new pictures of Lucy and Ethel on my website!