Dad's Lungs Are Better!

Dr. Gries came by this morning; he said Dad's lungs sound better than they did last Friday! The pneumonia is gone! Dr. Gries also checked on the Remeron (Mirtazapine) dosage; it's at 7.5 mg so he increased it to 15 mg to begin this evening. The down side is that Dad could become more lethargic, if so, Dr. Gries will consider a different appetite stimulant. RN Ellie and I tested Dad's current state of alertness; I told her to wake him up to take his morning meds. After they increase the Remeron we will do the same and see how responsive he is. For breakfast this morning Dad only ate a quarter of the tiny pancake and a couple pieces of papaya; he drank 360 ml Breeze and 240 ml Plus. For lunch he had 260 ml Breeze and 240ml Plus but no solid food.


I started out my morning by visiting the periodontist. What was I thinking! Actually, it was only a check-up to see how I was doing; before I left Washington I had oral surgery on the lower half of my mouth and was told I needed the upper half done, too. In October 2017 Dr. Ching checked out the lower half and found I was doing well except for one deep pocket way at the back; the upper half of my mouth had improved so that I no longer needed surgery! Winner! In November, after doing a check-up on the periodontal deep clean that he did in October, Dr. Ching put me on a 6-month follow-up. Today was that 6-month check-up to see what was happening with the deep pockets way at the back next to where my wisdom teeth were extracted. The ones at the very back of my lower jaw are still deep enough to be a concern but are not as deep as before; in late June I will have another deep clean with antibiotics, then have to use a Water Pik to try to keep it clean. After that follow-up we will determine what else is needed; hopefully the pockets will improve & I can just continue using the Water Pik.

The view from the periodontist's chair.

In preparation for my walk down to Maunalani Park, I had been eating a packet of Trader Joe's Simply Almonds, Cashews, & Chocolate Trek Mix at about noon. But now I am all out of them. I tried a couple small sandwiches, some with chicken, some with peanut butter; I want protein but not anything bulky. The sandwiches had too much carbs (bulk) and not enough protein. I think I have found a solution: a hard boiled egg. Plain. No seasoning. And they're easy to prepare! Put in a pot, cover with water, bring to a rolling boil, turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Cool in an ice bath for 5 minutes, peel, & package individually in a Ziploc snack bag. High quality protein ready to go! Good thing I like plain hard boiled eggs! But then again it might be because I am having a craving for protein. I'll let you know how I feel after this 1st batch of hard boiled eggs.

Yum! Protein!

My research in to sun protective clothing has been enlightening; those who know me well know I am not into clothes so this has been an eye opener. I also found out my favorite long-sleeved plaid flannel shirt that is currently my only option probably has a UPF rating of 5 or 6; while sun protective clothing typically has a UPF of 30. I happened upon an online article about different brands; it highlights 5 of them, one of which I have already started looking at (Coolibar). I was pleasantly surprised to find that Patagonia has a line; I like their environmental & socially responsible activism. The other 3 were way too fashion-conscious for me. I want my sun protective clothing to be utilitarian & durable, not cute & sexy; I keep wondering, 'How will they do against blackberries?'

For dinner tonight I made Classic Smothered Chops with Onions and Bacon; it didn't quite look like the photo in the ATK Pressure Cooker Perfection cookbook; but The Roommates liked it!

The Recipe.

The Result (in the big bowl, the others are our salads). The chops are under the onions & bacon.

Happy Birthday to Clancy!