No Flowers Today

And I mean literally, I am simply not inspired.

I am getting tired of going back and forth to my doctor and for laboratory tests. Sometimes, it is every week, other days every two weeks. My internist advised me to visit a cardiologist so he could give me clearance that I need for my cataract operation. It’s been four months and the nurse who is in charge of my papers at the Hub said that those tests I undertook last August are no longer viable. I don ‘t want to go back to their Malasakit Center because of so many patients going there.

I could have all those tests done at The Medical City Hospital because they are covered by my medical insurance but then I don’t know if it is allowed by the doctors at the Hub. All I want is to have the change of my lense free because it is not covered by the insurance and our town hospital has acquired new medical equipments for cataract operations the past months with three opthalmologists in attendance. I’ll be going back to my internist first week of December and also a scheduled visit to my ENT. Hopefully, everything would be fixed at the end of the year.

Didn’t I tell you earlier that I am not that enthusiastic to put up Christmas decor? Since mom is here with us, some of her things are scattered around. She always wants extra clothes and her two small bags with her when she takes a rest or when she has her early naps during the day. She always asks me if it is day or night. That’s how her eyesight has deteriorated. Her sense of hearing is almost nil. Really getting old at almost 94. I know it is hard to take care of her, I really have to muscle enough patience because I’m the only girl among us three kids left. My eldest brother had a brain operation almost two years ago and he fears being stressed when mom wants to visit them. Our youngest Noel is out of the country. When they came for a visit more than three weeks ago, mom always thought of him that he was my youngest son. She was not much affected when they went back to Tulsa.

The plants in the garden are not blooming except for a few Crossandra blooms. My two jackfruits are bearing fruits though which we could wait to ripen or cook the young ones in coconut cream.

No flowers today….sadly😏

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Such Is Life

Went back to my internist at the Medical City and also to get the result of my laboratory tests last Thursday. Thank God for His mercy, my creatinine and blood pressure went back to normal although my blood sugar is still elevated. My uric acid too is not good.

I’ve been to an ENT last week and she prescribed three lab tests which will be done at the main hospital but I have to call them first for scheduling. I need a companion to go there. My sense of hearing is slowly going back to normal. My internist suggested that I have it checked before thinking of my cataract operation. I could now listen well to solo singers on YouTube but not in a group performance. Praying it would go back to normal. My doctor laughed when I said I still could see even without my eyeglasses and he said all the more reason that I have my ears check up first.

Two weeks ago, I was about 116 lbs and my doctor friend told me we should not lose much when we are getting old. Now, I am pegged at 120 lbs. I think it is good enough.

When one is getting old, there are so many illnesses that crop up. I never like oatmeal before but the past three weeks, plain instant oat is my usual breakfast usually with cashew nuts and unsalted and plain peanuts. Nuts help lower the glycemic index. Thrice a week I mix the oatmeal with hard-boiled egg.

Such is a life of a senior citizen like me😉

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It Was A Happy One

Since I cannot accommodate all the photos Nissa and I took yesterday, I am posting only four here.

My 65th pink birthday pic.

We had lots of food. We even forgot the array of sweet desserts from one of the best stores of kakanin here in Cainta.

My wish? Good health always for the family.

One of the best gifts I received yesterday. Nate’s homemade greeting card. The front is full of cut-out paper flowers.

I was surprised, Nissa and Obet came by to greet me and we had lunch together. They went on leave from work for a day for my birthday. Sad though that Nate was left at home but we had a one-minute chat via Messenger.

Got hundreds of greetings from my friends and relatives on Facebook. Oh, they are still coming and all I did yesterday afternoon until late last night was to answer them all.

It was a lovely celebration. Thank God for all the blessings.

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Dreaming While Awake

Oh my! This is simply weird.

I had a very lovely dream last night but for the life of me, I could not remember a thing when I woke up. I didn’t want to open my eyes because that would mean I am awake. I needed to go to the bathroom and that was what woke me. I used to have these little notebook and pen on my night table to write what I remember about my dream but over the years I got lazy. Sometimes you dream myriad of subjects, people and friends you remember, your family, certain places that you’ve been to, places you want to go to, things that are scary or sometimes you dream of that thing you were thinking about before you went to sleep.

Three words.

Begonia.

Immunity.

Antibodies.

Would you believe that I keep forgetting all these three lately? That name of the plant I used to have in my garden, its name is always at the tip of my tongue, but I usually forget. Take the words immunity and antibodies. These words became familiar to me when I had Covid more than two months ago. Goodness gracious, why couldn’t I remember them at the spur of the moment. I have to write them down in my journal. Weird, isn’t it? Does it happen to you?

Whoa, I am really getting old😉😘🙂

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Getting There Somehow

I saw this lovely article about getting old.Some realizations of what you can do for yourselves once you reach that certain age of being a senior.

1 – After loving my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children and my friends, I have now started loving myself.

2 – I have realized that I am not “Atlas”. The world does not rest on my shoulders.

3 – I have stopped bargaining with vegetable & fruit vendors. A few pennies more is not going to break me, but it might help the poor fellow save for his daughter’s school fees.

4 – I leave my waitress a big tip. The extra money might bring a smile to her face. She is toiling much harder for a living than I am.

5 – I stopped telling the elderly that they’ve already narrated that story many times. The story makes them walk down memory lane & relive their past.

6 – I have learned not to correct people even when I know they are wrong. The onus of making everyone perfect is not on me. Peace is more precious than perfection.

7 – I give compliments freely & generously. Compliments are a mood enhancer not only for the recipient, but also for me. And a small tip for the recipient of a compliment, never, NEVER turn it down, just say “Thank You.”

8 – I have learned not to bother about a crease or a spot on my shirt. Personality speaks louder than appearances.

9 – I walk away from people who don’t value me. They might not know my worth, but I do.

10 – I remain cool when someone plays dirty to outrun me in the rat race. I am not a rat & neither am I in any race.

11 – I am learning not to be embarrassed by my emotions. It’s my emotions that make me human.

12 – I have learned that it’s better to drop the ego than to break a relationship. My ego will keep me aloof, whereas with relationships, I will never be alone.

13 – I have learned to live each day as if it’s the last. After all, it might be the last.

14 – I am doing what makes me happy. I am responsible for my happiness, and I owe it to myself. Happiness is a choice. You can be happy at any time, just choose to be!

 

I don’t know who to credit it to but THANK YOU. Love this list.  

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Getting Old And Growing Old

Today is Holy Monday and everything seems so quiet. Even our dog Noki, just slept in the corner of our kitchen.  Our three kittens though keep exploring around the place, mostly at the garden and some of the time inside the  house. It’s a good thing they never venture to the living room to scratch our sala set.  I am always on  the lookout, they might discover it soon and then bam,   goes our upholstered furniture.

I  reviewed my earlier posts, back in 2011 and 2012 when I was so active participating in the weekly photo challenge where WordPress usually give a word that would define the photos you want to upload. Those same shots somehow filled up my free space  in record time.  Back in those  days too, they usually give some feedback on one’s latest post. I wonder why the last few years, it is no longer done.  I rather liked it that way. Seemed like they also read those earlier blog posts to  make even a one-word comment.  It  was quite rewarding that they used to do that.

It’s mom’s 88th birthday come April 20. I wonder if my brother would fetch her before the day. At times, she is beginning to be forgetful and her right ear has gone deaf. She has never adjusted to a hearing aid many years ago. She said that she kept hearing so many sounds that she could not understand.   I wonder how she could still laugh and shouts when she watches her favorite programs on TV. She only watches one channel. I am not much into TV watching so sometimes she likes the sound quiet and low.  When I go out I usually write where I am going so she would not complain.  We could not talk much the way we used to because she could  not understand everything. Either you gesture with actions or make your voice a little louder for her to hear. She plays solitaire every day, a card game she is so fond of.

We talk of getting old.  That’s where we will all go someday. I think there is a  big difference between getting old and growing older. When you get old, you just add a number to your name but when you grow old, you acquire wisdom with age.  Life deals us circumstances beyond our control but as we grow older, we become wiser too. Experience always teaches us something. Either we learn a lesson or it falls on the wayside.

What was your Monday like?

 

 

 

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