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Dead Sea What?
Jul. 11th, 2008 10:54 amThe weather continues cold, wet and gloomy, although it's not as bad as Wednesday night when rain cascaded through various places in the roof. The carpet in the upstairs hall is still wet. I can't imagine why Morgan insists on lying on the wet patch.
Wednesday was supposed to be cardiac rehab day, but I woke with a case of the galloping trots and didn't dare leave the house. This almost always happens when I get a change in my diabetes medication. I phoned the rehab nurse and let her know, and she was very sweet. They expect cardiac patients to sometimes be ill and are very laid back about it all. You get your full 10 weeks no matter how many individual weeks you may miss.
I was well enough by the afternoon to be able to go to my doctor's appointment and she was unable to find anything else I can take for the breathlessness, so, sadly, it looks as though I'm stuck with it, unless the drug has a more cumulative effect, or unless I can manage to lose some weight. I feel a bit despondent. My Sis is coming next month and I was hoping that I would be a lot better by the time she comes so that we can go out and do things together. I may have to see if I can hire an electric scooter.
If I can't lose any weight and get more exercise, I may be stuck like this; it's not a cheerful prospect.
So I e-mailed CT and said that I can't go to the Board Meeting in West Bromwich next Tuesday. I really need to concentrate on the rehab programme, and although they're not on the same day, I know that 8 hours in the car plus 4 or 5 hours in a meeting will almost certainly mean I would be too exhausted to get to rehab the next day, and this time I think I must put my health first. I did go to a long Finance Committee in Halifax last week, so I don't think anyone can say I'm not pulling my weight. And I had to miss the rehab programme for that meeting, although the nurse agreed that it's important for me to keep up my normal activities.
Lovely Lady Doctor was, as always, very sympathetic, but it seems there is little else she can do, as I'm on the maximum dose of the irbesartan. I feel rather despondent.
After I'd seen her the sun came out so I went and had cups of tea and read my book in the yard for an hour or two.
Yesterday we all went to the Metrocentre. John has decided that the cheapo trousers he keeps buying in Matalan don't last long enough and he wanted some better smart casual trousers, so we went to M&S. It was an absolute nightmare! I've never had a teenage girl, but he was a bit like I remember myself being at the age of about 14; he didn't like anything I found, he'd forgotten to measure himself before we left, so I had to borrow a tapemeasure from an assistant. He wouldn't allow either her or me to measure his waist but insisted on doing it himself over the top of quite a thick jumper. When I remonstrated he said that he'd pulled the tape tight to compensate. He and Charles measure his inside leg. Charles was getting extremely fed up by this time.
John found a couple of pairs to try on, both of which were ones he'd rejected when I suggested them, and we went off to the changing rooms. He stormed out after five minutes saying that they were much too big around the waist !! He was extremely rude to me in front of the shop staff !!
Eventually he found two similar pairs in the right size and was quite put out when I refused to accompany him to the changing room area.
When he'd tried them on and finally made the puchase, we all went to M&S caff for a lunchtime snack. Charles refused to have anything except a tiny espresso and John and I had expensive M&S sandwiches and coffee. I haveter say that in spite of being extremely expensive, their large Mocha, in a cup the size of a swimming pool, was one of the best I've had. I know I shouldn't have it, because of the syrup, but I so rarely have coffee out that I allow myself the indulgence.
While we were eating I told John that I'm never going clothes shopping with him again. His response was....... wait for it............ "But I need you to advise me !" I thought Charles would never stop laughing!
I stopped taking John shopping for clothes for me over 30 years ago when I finally realised that he would say yes to anything just to get out of the shop and have it over with, so I almost always go shopping for clothes on my own, except for the rare occasions when I might have a female companion, although nowadays I usually buy stuff from the Internet. I haveter say, though, that driving my scooter through M&S made me wish like anything that I could find something there that would fit me; the clothes were so pretty and so feminine!
Afterwards we went to Waterstones, where I wanted to get a book of Gluten free recipes, John wanted to get yet more military history books and where Charles thought he probably wouldn't find anything he wanted because by now he was fed up and extra gloomy. He had several times muttered something about being stuck with a couple of squabbling kids.
I managed to find a GF recipe book, which Charles thought acceptable, and I also found a book of Neil Gaiman short stories. Then I found a Philip Dick neither Charles nor I had read, Radio Free Albemuth, so I had to find two more I wanted in order to get one free. I got Faye Kellerman's Burnt House and Tess Gerritson's The Apprentice, so as usual, I spent far more than I intended.
Afterwards, on the way back to the car park, we found the watch kiosk, where I asked the younger, and much larger, of the pair of Sikhs running it if they had a man's watch with 2 alarms. He said they hadn't, but his tiny father knew better and found me a good watch, both digital and analogue with 2 alarms for £15. He asked me if I could read Chinese, but that was a joke, because the instructions were in English. It has a 3 year guarantee and he said that when the battery runs out I should take it back to him and he will put another one in for me. He wouldn't give me the battery direct because he said that I probably wouldn't be able to put it in and would void the warranty by trying to do so. He was an incredibly cheerful little chap with a beard to his waist and a much more cut-glass accent than I have, although up here, people are always accusing me of being "posh"!
I don't understand why the watch is an Umbro product, because I always thought they manufactured football boots! It is, however, a good-looking watch, even though it has a plastic strap, and feels really comfortable, which most watches don't usually to me. My watch is usually the first thing I take off when I get home, and often when I'm out, but I put it on after I'd set it yesterday afternoon and didn't remove it until I went to bed. It's extremely light in spite of being large and thick........perhaps it's made of football.
Then, almost back at the car park, I did something dreadfully stupid..........
I was stopped by a young man and literally seduced into buying some Dead Sea salt products. He was extremely persuasive and the stuff did make my skin feel nice, but it was dreadfully expensive. I think I was feeling a bit weak and despondent and a handsome young man making a big fuss over me, even if was only to sell me something, just made me weaken. I think the clincher was when he used the salt scrub and body butter on one of my forearms, and a lot of the old tan and age-freckles just disappeared. I mean, I often use salt exfoliators on my body, but I've never seen results like that before; I thought that ancient tan was there to stay!
I really really wanted to buy the facial products as well, but sanity finally won and I just bought the salt scrub plus body butter and got a free tub of salt scrub. He says they're always around in the centre, so if that's true and I remain happy with what I've bought, I will buy the facial stuff next time I go there. Even now my forearms feel wonderfully soft and somehow less tight and stressed than the rest of my body and he said that it would work on the ancient tan on my legs too, so I shall try that in the shower tonight.
This excess tan doesn't come from sunbathing but is the legacy of a heart drug I was given straight after I was diagnosed with AF; no-one told me to keep out of the sun, although it was there in tiny letters on the leaflet as a side effect, which I discovered too late. So I've had it since 2000.
I felt and still feel terribly guilty about spending so much money on something so frivolous, especially as money isn't very plentiful at the moment, but I can't really make myself care! If it does improve the condition of my skin, especially my feet, it will have been worth it. The young man did say that I should only do it once a week, that I should use tiny amounts, and that the products I bought should last me at least a year. We'll see.
Charles made us a lovely duck and lentil soup last night with the stock I made from Costco's crispy duck that we had on Saturday, so I feel that we managed to save money on dinner, if nothing else!
Wednesday was supposed to be cardiac rehab day, but I woke with a case of the galloping trots and didn't dare leave the house. This almost always happens when I get a change in my diabetes medication. I phoned the rehab nurse and let her know, and she was very sweet. They expect cardiac patients to sometimes be ill and are very laid back about it all. You get your full 10 weeks no matter how many individual weeks you may miss.
I was well enough by the afternoon to be able to go to my doctor's appointment and she was unable to find anything else I can take for the breathlessness, so, sadly, it looks as though I'm stuck with it, unless the drug has a more cumulative effect, or unless I can manage to lose some weight. I feel a bit despondent. My Sis is coming next month and I was hoping that I would be a lot better by the time she comes so that we can go out and do things together. I may have to see if I can hire an electric scooter.
If I can't lose any weight and get more exercise, I may be stuck like this; it's not a cheerful prospect.
So I e-mailed CT and said that I can't go to the Board Meeting in West Bromwich next Tuesday. I really need to concentrate on the rehab programme, and although they're not on the same day, I know that 8 hours in the car plus 4 or 5 hours in a meeting will almost certainly mean I would be too exhausted to get to rehab the next day, and this time I think I must put my health first. I did go to a long Finance Committee in Halifax last week, so I don't think anyone can say I'm not pulling my weight. And I had to miss the rehab programme for that meeting, although the nurse agreed that it's important for me to keep up my normal activities.
Lovely Lady Doctor was, as always, very sympathetic, but it seems there is little else she can do, as I'm on the maximum dose of the irbesartan. I feel rather despondent.
After I'd seen her the sun came out so I went and had cups of tea and read my book in the yard for an hour or two.
Yesterday we all went to the Metrocentre. John has decided that the cheapo trousers he keeps buying in Matalan don't last long enough and he wanted some better smart casual trousers, so we went to M&S. It was an absolute nightmare! I've never had a teenage girl, but he was a bit like I remember myself being at the age of about 14; he didn't like anything I found, he'd forgotten to measure himself before we left, so I had to borrow a tapemeasure from an assistant. He wouldn't allow either her or me to measure his waist but insisted on doing it himself over the top of quite a thick jumper. When I remonstrated he said that he'd pulled the tape tight to compensate. He and Charles measure his inside leg. Charles was getting extremely fed up by this time.
John found a couple of pairs to try on, both of which were ones he'd rejected when I suggested them, and we went off to the changing rooms. He stormed out after five minutes saying that they were much too big around the waist !! He was extremely rude to me in front of the shop staff !!
Eventually he found two similar pairs in the right size and was quite put out when I refused to accompany him to the changing room area.
When he'd tried them on and finally made the puchase, we all went to M&S caff for a lunchtime snack. Charles refused to have anything except a tiny espresso and John and I had expensive M&S sandwiches and coffee. I haveter say that in spite of being extremely expensive, their large Mocha, in a cup the size of a swimming pool, was one of the best I've had. I know I shouldn't have it, because of the syrup, but I so rarely have coffee out that I allow myself the indulgence.
While we were eating I told John that I'm never going clothes shopping with him again. His response was....... wait for it............ "But I need you to advise me !" I thought Charles would never stop laughing!
I stopped taking John shopping for clothes for me over 30 years ago when I finally realised that he would say yes to anything just to get out of the shop and have it over with, so I almost always go shopping for clothes on my own, except for the rare occasions when I might have a female companion, although nowadays I usually buy stuff from the Internet. I haveter say, though, that driving my scooter through M&S made me wish like anything that I could find something there that would fit me; the clothes were so pretty and so feminine!
Afterwards we went to Waterstones, where I wanted to get a book of Gluten free recipes, John wanted to get yet more military history books and where Charles thought he probably wouldn't find anything he wanted because by now he was fed up and extra gloomy. He had several times muttered something about being stuck with a couple of squabbling kids.
I managed to find a GF recipe book, which Charles thought acceptable, and I also found a book of Neil Gaiman short stories. Then I found a Philip Dick neither Charles nor I had read, Radio Free Albemuth, so I had to find two more I wanted in order to get one free. I got Faye Kellerman's Burnt House and Tess Gerritson's The Apprentice, so as usual, I spent far more than I intended.
Afterwards, on the way back to the car park, we found the watch kiosk, where I asked the younger, and much larger, of the pair of Sikhs running it if they had a man's watch with 2 alarms. He said they hadn't, but his tiny father knew better and found me a good watch, both digital and analogue with 2 alarms for £15. He asked me if I could read Chinese, but that was a joke, because the instructions were in English. It has a 3 year guarantee and he said that when the battery runs out I should take it back to him and he will put another one in for me. He wouldn't give me the battery direct because he said that I probably wouldn't be able to put it in and would void the warranty by trying to do so. He was an incredibly cheerful little chap with a beard to his waist and a much more cut-glass accent than I have, although up here, people are always accusing me of being "posh"!
I don't understand why the watch is an Umbro product, because I always thought they manufactured football boots! It is, however, a good-looking watch, even though it has a plastic strap, and feels really comfortable, which most watches don't usually to me. My watch is usually the first thing I take off when I get home, and often when I'm out, but I put it on after I'd set it yesterday afternoon and didn't remove it until I went to bed. It's extremely light in spite of being large and thick........perhaps it's made of football.
Then, almost back at the car park, I did something dreadfully stupid..........
I was stopped by a young man and literally seduced into buying some Dead Sea salt products. He was extremely persuasive and the stuff did make my skin feel nice, but it was dreadfully expensive. I think I was feeling a bit weak and despondent and a handsome young man making a big fuss over me, even if was only to sell me something, just made me weaken. I think the clincher was when he used the salt scrub and body butter on one of my forearms, and a lot of the old tan and age-freckles just disappeared. I mean, I often use salt exfoliators on my body, but I've never seen results like that before; I thought that ancient tan was there to stay!
I really really wanted to buy the facial products as well, but sanity finally won and I just bought the salt scrub plus body butter and got a free tub of salt scrub. He says they're always around in the centre, so if that's true and I remain happy with what I've bought, I will buy the facial stuff next time I go there. Even now my forearms feel wonderfully soft and somehow less tight and stressed than the rest of my body and he said that it would work on the ancient tan on my legs too, so I shall try that in the shower tonight.
This excess tan doesn't come from sunbathing but is the legacy of a heart drug I was given straight after I was diagnosed with AF; no-one told me to keep out of the sun, although it was there in tiny letters on the leaflet as a side effect, which I discovered too late. So I've had it since 2000.
I felt and still feel terribly guilty about spending so much money on something so frivolous, especially as money isn't very plentiful at the moment, but I can't really make myself care! If it does improve the condition of my skin, especially my feet, it will have been worth it. The young man did say that I should only do it once a week, that I should use tiny amounts, and that the products I bought should last me at least a year. We'll see.
Charles made us a lovely duck and lentil soup last night with the stock I made from Costco's crispy duck that we had on Saturday, so I feel that we managed to save money on dinner, if nothing else!
