Thoughts from the T-Shirt Lady

Want to learn how to get better sleep? Buy a new bed! Oh, wait - did I say get better sleep? Maybe I was mistaken.

A little history. Right before my DH and I got married, we both had water-beds. They were both wave-less, and had a box spring. I guess you call that soft sided.

Once we got married we decided to change a little, and went with a water-bed, again with a box spring, but this time, with water tubes. Ah… you can have your amount of water and firmness, instead of having to put up with a firmness or softness that you don’t like. Great idea!

Over the years, of using the tubes, it’s worked fine, except that I like a lot of water and firmness in the tubes on my side of the bed, and my husband likes a lot less. Picture this if you will - a nice half of the bed, level and firm, and the other half, a much lower, softer feel. If you looked at it from the end of the bed, there was a definite dip in the center. Now what fun if you rolled over the center at nite - you feel like you are going over a waterfall. I kid you not!

Add to that, we were sleeping on wedges that took up almost the whole bed - one for each of us - this is what you have to do as you get up in age, to prevent acid reflux!!

Making the bed was a pain - because not only did I have to change the bottom sheet on the bed, I had to change the cases on the wedges too. I had made what looked like pillow cases for the wedges, to keep them from becoming uncovered as you slept on them. My DH is a very restless sleeper. Not only that, but the bed was so low to the ground, even with the box-spring - that I had to bend down to do anything with the bed.

Enough!! We decided once we got our tax refund this year, we would go out and look for a regular bed. We went shopping at our local Mattress Discounters, and must have laid down on every bed in the store. We were really hoping to get a temper pedic - but it was so expensive… we decided on a pillow-top, firm Sterns and Foster. It was a little high to get up into, but I wanted the extra height.

It was delivered the next day - and it was even higher than it was in the store. I think the difference was the fact that the frame they were using in the store didn’t have wheels, and ours does. So you almost need a step stool to get into bed.  No problem! Now for a good nites sleep.

On our water-bed, I found that I would wake up at 3am, 4am, and 5am or so every nite - can’t figure that one out, I don’t have to go to work in the am, so why would I care what time it was?

Well, as you can imagine, we needed a few nites to get aclimated to the new bed, so I fully expected not to be able sleep well for awhile. We’ve had the bed for more than 2 weeks now, and guess what? I’m still waking up at 3am, 4am, 5am…. but at least the bed is higher, I don’t have to bend down to make the bed, nor have to stand up from the bed in the morning when I get up. Now I just slide off the bed and I’m upright! Anything to help me in my ‘old age’!

Sandi

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I have started using a great product - and can’t figure out why I didn’t start sooner.

I have discovered flannel lined pants - both jeans and khakis.

I know, I know - you are saying those have been around forever. Well - until the year that I retired, I had always just worn tights under my jeans and pants and figured that was how I stayed warm.

That that I am older - is this an aging issue - I tend to stay cold most of the time, and find that sweats or jeans worn even in the house were not enough.

So I ordered a pair of flannel lined jeans, 12 and 14 from LL Bean - in 2 different sizes, since I hadn’t lost all the weight I put on from the chemo and I wasn’t sure which size would fit.

The 14 was way too loose. The 12 fit - but it’s snug in the waist - that’s a great incentive for getting back to exercising :O)

So I had to send back the 14 for another 12. But in the meantime, I decided to order a couple of the khaki flannel lined pants - oops, ordered 1 in 12 and 1 in 10. Was  I asleep?

Sent back both pair and got replacements. After all that - I have 2 pair of khaki and 2 pair of jeans, and I wear them constantly. I am now so snug and warm in the house and out - sorry I waited so long!

Sandi

I had mentioned before that I couldn’t remember to take my meds in the evening before bedtime. Actually I needed to take them a couple of hours before I go to bed, since eating or drinking anything right before bedtime, makes my acid reflux flare up.

Well, I had decided to buy a pill container, where I could set aside my meds for each day of the week. And I did that. Thought it would be a great way to keep me on the right path. I filled it up on the day I purchased it, put it in my bathroom - so if I did forget - it would be there to remind me, right before I went to bed… ah, see above - not a good idea!

A couple of days like that, and I figured I would have to come up with another helpful way to remind me. Then I had a brainstorm… ok, I know, I don’t have too many of those anymore - since I’m retired

I have a pda - for those of you who are in the younger generation, it’s different from an ipod! You can actually put phone numbers, addresses, write yourself notes, etc… I used my pda - and yes it’s mine, I was never provided one while I was working - I guess they figured as long as I was chained to my desk, I didn’t need to have any toys…

I had my pda next to my recliner, since I sit there in the evening, doing needlework, doing sudoku puzzles - my favorite, or playing scrabble on my pda. Anything to keep my brain working.

So I programmed it with an alert at 7pm - to let me know that it is time to take my meds.

Now, it goes off at about 10 minutes and then again 5 minutes before 7pm - and if I’m not sitting in my recliner, my DH yells out - SOMETHING IS BEEPING!!!

Oh well, maybe I should have just let my DH remind me

Sandi

In a previous post, I had mentioned that I put sticky notes all around my house to remind me to take my medication at night before I went to bed. This seemed to work really well - until the other night.

My DH and I went to bed that night about 9pm. Lights out, good night kiss, and turn over and get ready to fall asleep. All of a sudden, I sat up in bed and said ‘I don’t remember if I took my medication!‘

My DH said ‘what are you going to do - get up and take it or go to sleep‘. Well, I thought I could get up and take it, but then, if I did take it earlier in the evening, I’m not supposed to double up on my meds. Or I could just skip it if I didn’t take it, and take it like regular, tomorrow evening. And that’s what I decided to do.

My DH then said ‘why don’t you get one of those day by day pill holders‘. I said that I hadn’t thought about that. And now for the best part. My DH said ‘well, that’s what I did so I wouldn’t forget to take my meds‘. This from a wonderful man who doesn’t forget anything….

So a pill holder is on my grocery list! Can’t be old age…

Sandi

This weekend, I wanted to catch up on tasks that had not been done. And today, Monday - my whole body aches. Why? A few reasons -

Task #1

Since we’ve lived in our house for the last almost 11 years - we have had 3 TVs that for one reason or another, stopped working. So a few months ago, we bought a new TV - one of those flat screen models.

We are on a satellite for our TV, so when the TV was delivered and set up - we just had the satellite connection installed.

That left the DVD player and the VCR player (wasn’t smart enough to get a combination…) to be set up. So this weekend, I finally got enough ambition to get both connected and tested. Of course this was more of an effort on my DH’s part, since he had to move the heavy cabinet away from the wall, so I could get behind it and work on the wires. It took several attempts before I actually got everything working. Not perfectly - because I want to be able to record on either/both of the devices, and right now I can only view.

Task #2

Reorganized my sewing workroom- have a big sewing table that the sides drop down and I’ve had it in the corner of the room. It became a catch-all, so every time I had to use it for my sewing patterns, I had to move everything off and find other places for all the ’stuff’.

This past weekend, I moved all my storage bins to the corner of the room, and moved the table to under the window. And found permanent places (until next time) for all the ’stuff’. Now I can fold the sides of the table down and make more space in the room. Then when I need to use the table - it’s ready to go.

One of my main reasons for this was because I want to work on my quilt - see quilting post - and haven’t had a large flat surface to work on. Thought about using my dining room table - but it’s round and 4 feet across - and trying to work on something large, on that table would end up getting me frustrated. And besides - my cat Wilbur is into everything. Wouldn’t be able to leave the quilt there without him trying to get to it. At least my sewing workroom has a door that I can close - and still leave the quilt in place to work on. Yeah!

And if that wasn’t enough tasks -

Task #3

Since my bout with cancer, and my retirement, I have wanted to do something in the evening when my DH is watching TV. That way we can spend time together. So I starting doing some of the cross stitch kits that I have had for a long time. It’s been years since I did any needlework.

So this weekend, I organized my craft kits - cross stitch, needlepoint, crochet, and knitting. My DH had given me a gift card for a needlework website, and I had purchased some really neat kits. However, one thing I noticed right away. I already had a number of kits that I had purchased (cross stitch and needlepoint) over the years that lay in a trunk in the closet.

After my attempts to organized all the kits - I turned to my DH, and told him that I had enough needlework to last me the next 25 years. Ah Ha he says. Thought so!

I’m not really happy with how I have organized the needlework - it’s just in a basket near my recliner. If I were to put them back in the trunk - they will probably getting forgotten - out of sight, out of mind - and I’d have to go rummaging in the trunk to find the next one…

So getting up and down, hauling storage bins and tables, and baskets - my legs hurt, my body hurts, can’t be because I’m getting old - right?

Sandi

I have mentioned before, that often I will think of something I need to do in another room - get there, and can’t remember why.

Well a very dear friend sent me an email this morning with a joke along those same lines. Thought I’d share it with you, since I’m sure that many of you have been through it before!

It’s called A.A.A.D.D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder

Omigosh! I have this!!!! I knew something was wrong!

This is how it manifests:

I decided to water my garden.

As I turned on the hose in the driveway, I looked over at my car and 

decided my car needs washing.  As I started toward the garage, 

I noticed that there is mail on the porch table that I brought up 

from the mail box earlier.

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage 

can under the table, and notice that the can is full.

So I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out 

the garbage first.

But then I think, since I’m going to be near the mailbox when I take 

Out the garbage anyway. I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only 

1 check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, 

so I go inside the house to my desk where I find a can of coke 

that I had been drinking.

I’m going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the 

coke aside so that I don’t accidentally knock it over. 

I see that the coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in 

the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the coke, a vase of flowers 

on the counter catches my eye– they need to be watered.

I set the coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading 

glasses that I’ve been searching for all morning. Then I decide 

I better put them back on my desk, but first I’m going to water 

the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with 

water and suddenly I spot the TV remote. Someone left it on 

the kitchen table. I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, 

I will be looking for the remote, but I won’t remember that it’s on 

the table, so I decided to put it back in the den where it belongs, 

but first I’ll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spilled on 

the floor. So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels 

and wipe up the spill, then, I head down the hall trying to 

remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:

—-the car isn’t washed,

—-the bills aren’t paid,

—-There is a warm can of coke sitting on the counter, 

—-the flowers don’t have enough water,

—-there is still only 1 check in my checkbook,

—-I can’t find the remote, 

—-I can’t find my glasses,

—and I don’t remember what in the world I did with the car keys!

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, 

I’m really baffled, because I  know I was busy all day long, 

and I’m really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem, and I’ll try to get some help for it,

but first I’ll check my e-mail.

Do me a favor, will you? Forward this message to everyone you 

know, because I don’t remember to whom it has been sent.

Don’t laugh– if this isn’t you yet, your day is coming!!!

P.S. I just walked outside and 

SOMEONE LEFT THE WATER RUNNING IN THE

 DRIVEWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Feel free to share this - as I’m sure you know someone who could use a laugh.

Sandi

A little background - I am near sited and have been wearing glasses since I was 12. Oh, I dabbled a little bit in wearing contacts, but my eyes dried out so frequently, it was easier just to wear glasses.

I have been seeing the same eye doctor for almost 27 years - I guess that’s an unusual experience for someone who moved around a lot during childhood, and early marriage - military family.

Several weeks ago, while I was still on chemo, I noticed that the sight in my right eye was not as sharp as it usually is. Also, I noticed flashing lights on the far right side of my right eye, and large things floating across my vision.

So today - I went to my eye doctor for a yearly exam, and to find out what has happened to my right eye. After a thorough examination, he mentioned that I had a cataract forming in the back of right eye, and it was probably caused by the chemo - those strong little cell killers attacking my fast growing eye cells. Just the right one, not the left!

If I close my left eye, I feel like I’m looking through smoky glass. But, according to the eye doctor, my left eye is compensating, and I shouldn’t need surgery for a long time. Let’s hope - as I don’t look forward to any surgery at all!

I put this blog under both ‘on aging’ and ‘cancer’ - on aging, because, as we grow older, many people develop cataracts and have to have surgery. A dear friend just went through it - and she was delighted with the result. Her sight was much better than it had been before the cataracts. Of course the down side to this is she now has to wear reading glasses. I don’t think better eye sight is an incentive for me to have the surgery….grin….I’ll just stick with the glasses!

I also added this to my cancer category, as this seems to be just another obscure side effect from the chemo.

You know how you start to take a new medication, and the list of side effects…normal ones… are listed as well as some that most people don’t have? Well let me tell you - I had some doozies from the chemo.

As I mentioned before, the first 4 treatments made me very tired. I was on Adriamycin & Cytoxan. Never felt sick to my stomach - with as much anti nausea drips and medication that they gave me. I did loose my hair and had really low white blood count. Of course extreme exhaustion too. Had mouth sores as well.

Now we come to the last 4 treatments. That was Taxol. I was given benedryl before the treatment so that I wouldn’t break out in hives. What the benedryl did was make me very sleepy and I slept almost the whole 4 hours of the treatment! That was nice. Along with the joint pain that I have mentioned in a previous post, the weird side effects was a burning sensation in my mouth if I tried to drink soda, and a greasy feeling left in my mouth whenever I ate or drank anything. (when I mentioned this one to my oncologist - his comment was ‘I think I’ve heard of that one’). I think that was the worst one and I couldn’t wait for it to go away. I love food, but the chemo gave the food no taste, and then to have the greasy feeling left after I ate - well I really didn’t want to eat at all. And I still gained weight! 10lbs. I was told that weight gain was a side effect - so I guess that can be my excuse….grin….

My last treatment was mid December and it took a few weeks for even that greasy feeling to go away. But thank goodness it did. I can now taste the food, and I enjoy it. Of course with the 10 lbs to lose, I have to go back to watching what I eat. I’ll let you know how I do as time goes by.

Sandi

Before I started my treatments for cancer, I was on a cholesterol medicine. I stopped taking it - because I didn’t want it to interfere with the treatments. Maybe I was hoping that I would never have to take it again - lol!

Now that I am done with my treatments - my doctor put me back on it! I am also on a cancer preventing medicine - Arimidex, as well as Detrol LA - for bladder problems that I developed while on chemo.

What does all this have to do with aging? Well I’ll tell you. You should see my home. There are yellow stickies all over the place to remind me to take my medicines - they are all taken at nite. I forgot a few times, and suddenly remembered on the way to bed! So now, where ever I look, I will be reminded to take them at 7pm. And if I don’t remember - my dh will remind me.

I have a yellow sticky on my bathroom mirror, on the frig, on a puzzle book that I keep by my recliner - I’m really into Sudoku, another one on my monitor, and one on the tv in the kitchen. Of course, after awhile, I might get used to their being there, and not even see them - grin.

Sandi

I turned 60 last year, and in this day and age, that’s not old. And I’ve heard that you are only as old as you feel. Of course, now that my cancer treatments are all done, I don’t feel as old as I did when I was going through it.

But if I’m not old - tell me why the following happens.

I’m in a room doing some task - whether it’s sewing, organizing, working on my website, or just doing chores. I think of something I need or something I have to do. I walk out of the room where I am and start going to where I need to be. When I get there - I can’t remember why!!

When ever I get out of the car, I always put my keys in my purse - so why do I stop with the door open, and search thru my purse to make sure the keys are there? Do I not trust my memory?? I know that as soon as I assume that the keys are in my purse, and close and lock the car door - I’ll have left them inside.

As I age - gracefully of course - my handwriting has gotten worse. Do you know why no one writes letters anymore? I don’t because I couldn’t even read my handwriting. I’m so grateful that I can type my posts - instead of having to hand write them. Isn’t technology great!

When I’m driving to a certain destination - sometimes I don’t even remember the trip! Is this a sign of old age - where is my mind and attention when I’m driving? Thinking of how long it’s going to take me to get where I’m going? Thinking about something I left at home unfinished? Or a conversation I had with a friend?

Or how about this as a sign of old age. I’m thinking about what I want to write on my blog, and when I finally get the chance to sit down at the computer - where are those thoughts and ideas? How about recording my thoughts? That sounds great, except when the ideas come to me in the middle of the night. My husband is going to think I’ve gone nuts - when I start talking outloud in the dark! Of course, trying to write them down in the dark doesn’t make much sense either, since I won’t be able to read my own handwriting - grin.

Sandi