Tuesday on Wednesday Morning

Brrrr its down right nippy here for this time of the year in Florida. I have been sleeping in until 7:30 or so trying to build my strength once again to fight this infection or whatever I acquired a couple weeks ago. I started my second round of antibiotics and thankfully the coughing has stopped except for an occasional hack. I just find it so hard to accept I couldn't fight this off with good food, exercise and Vit. C. Oh well!!! The morning started out with the usual quiet time and lite breakfast. I helped Nancy shop at Sam's for the Wednesday Night fellowship meal then Amy came over with Ava and we all had lunch together.

After lunch I read and took it easy(laid around) until it was time to water the garden. The few Hot days last week has just about caused the veggies to mature out especially the lettuce, beets and collards. I'm still getting green beans as they came back from the cold that burned them severely in January. We had beans last night with some broccoli tips over white rice for dinner. This is an excellent meal as Nancy mixes the veggies with a sauce much like an oyster sauce with some some soy sauce to taste. That is a meal in itself and so gooood.

Today I'm still not working out at the Rec. I received a couple phone calls yesterday as well as e-mails about the status of my health from my group of Pickle ball players. Believe me I miss that play more than you can imagine but I also realize I must not let myself get worn out again until I fully recover. I never knew I could cough so much and still breathe. Well I will get out of here for now. LATER

Monday on Tuesday

The day started out we me coughing once again. I had taken the last dose of medicine on Saturday morning so I felt as if I was not fully on the road to recovery. My strength seemed to be waning once again with headaches and of course this constant cough so much so my back ached each time I coughed as if I had pulled a muscle. By early afternoon I knew I needed more medicine. I called the doctor and sure enough he refilled my earlier prescription. I wasn't able to pick it up until later in the evening so I took my first dose around 9 PM last night.

We got back from G/G's around 8:30 after eating a roast lamb dinner. Eric is heading back to 10 inches of snow on the ground in Michigan today so we had an enjoyable evening and dinner with all of Nancy's family there. I started watching the final basketball game and coughed the whole time while Nancy snoozed away. My head hurt so much from coughing I did not expect much sleep but that pill must have kicked because suddenly after I turned the lights off I fell asleep and didn't cough much at all during the night.

This morning the cough has returned some what but not nearly as bad. The temp's dropped here overnight with a cloudy windy morning. It looks like winter outside. Well will close for now as I sure am looking forward to getting back to a cough free day with some expectation of exercising once again. LATER

Saturday on Sunday

Wow the air temperature outside this morning(Sat.) was very comfortable and even a bit cool, actually the humidity was gone so that made it feel cool. The bright sunshine made for the start of a beautiful day. I'm still suffering from this cough deep in my chest but feel a little stronger than the day before. After my quiet time and breakfast I picked a nice mess of green beans, cut lettuce and hand watered the garden.

Nancy and I were getting 3 racks of ribs ready for smoking. She was coating the ribs with a new rub and I was greasing up the smoker and soaking the hickory wood chips. We got them in the smoker about 11:30 then just laid back until the company came for dinner around 5:30. I kind of just took it easy reading and cat napping. We were were disappointed with the new rub and the outcome of the ribs. They just didn't have the good sweet taste we were use to and besides they were a little to HOT even for me. Now I like the HEAT but these were just too HOT. Our guests liked them so when they left for home most went with them. We kept some of G/G's potato salad which really set the Greek salad perfect for today's lunch after church at Element.

We had a super time of worship with Bobby at Element this morning, once again he had a great message and music. We really don't mind the 45 minute drive which is just a little longer than what we drive on Sunday in the mountain's to Cornerstone Church.

After dinner last night we watched the NCAA playoffs. Of course Eric(Nancy's brother) lives in the Detroit suburbs so he was happy Michigan State did so well and of course I pulled for the Tar Heels and they whupped up on Villanova. Monday nights game should be a good one and even rowdy with opposing camps at the dinner table. Go 'Heels!!!

Well I took my last antibiotic on Saturday morning but I don't think I'm anywhere near over this infection in my chest. Maybe I can talk the doctor into refilling this drug or prescribing a different one. Anyhow It looks like I will have to be off pickle ball for a while longer. That stinks!!! Will talk at you LATER

Friday

Well I was awakened this morning to the sound of rain pounding down on the roof. Wow was that a good sound as every thing here is extremely dry. There are now more stringent water restrictions than ever so much so you can not even wash your car at home.

It was nearly 9 AM before I made my way out of bed to face another day of coughing, head congestion and just feeling lousy. After my quiet time and a light breakfast I starting to get a little more life and actually began to feel like maybe the antibiotics were starting to work. As I write this my coughing has been reduced and the energy level is rising.

We fixed a big lunch for Nancy's folks, Eric, Bobby, Annsley, Amy, Tyler, and Ava. I fried talapia and grilled Mahi Mahi for fish tacos for lunch as well as black beans and rice. Tomorrow we are having everybody back again for dinner except for Bob and his family. I'm going to smoke some ribs for Pap's 85th birthday and G/G is making a Greek Salad.

Well I won't bore you with the little stuff but I'm encouraged with only one more day of medicine left that I maybe starting to whip this infection. LATER

Thursday

The day started out with me still hacking and not anywhere back to normal. After my quiet time and a light breakfast I crawled right back in bed for awhile. I absolutely do not like being sick. I hope these antibodies start to work by tomorrow or I will have coughed my lungs out. Not much to report on except I feel lousy and washed out. So I will keep this short. LATER

Wednesday on Thursday

Well I'm not much for being "under the weather" and especially taking prescription medicine and this is a good example. I actually now feel as if I have the flue with runny nose, headaches, coughing and red eyes. I keep reading about this antibody and it says I should begin to feel better in about 5 days of course that's when I take the last dose. I understand (it) stays in your system for about 10 days once you start it. I should never of let this ailment get as severe as I did. Oh well for some one who is relatively healthy or who doctor's himself I guess I should be thrilled. I often reflex back on those pioneers on the wagon train out in the middle of nowhere; what did they do and Nancy reminded me they usually die. So much for that thought and of course she reminded me I'm not 16 again(boy is that hard to fathom) so it will take longer because I procrastinated on taking care of this issue when I first realized I couldn't heal it with Vit C and sweating it out from working out. Enough of this issue and beating my self up.

Well I will sign off for now and I wanna' go out an play, LATER.

Tuesday on Wednesday

Well I'm still a "kicking"as us ole' country folks relate about the status regarding our health. I did do a first yesterday in over 20 years of living. I actually went to see a doctor about my chest congestion. I didn't have the normal symptoms for the flue I just could not shake this feeling in my chest of tightness and a cough that would not produce any phlegm(lugies). I felt good with no aches or pains I would tire easy after 2 hours of play, plus I still had my appetite. Nancy put her foot down and forbid me to play PB until this cough got better. To make a short story long I was prescribed with Azithromycin which believe it or not made me worse. Now I'm sneezing, runny nose, coughing with red eyes. WOW go figure!!! I jut heard from a friend in the medical field which indicated the medicine is working by breaking down this infection and that's why all of this crud is leaving my body. Hooray!!!!

After leaving the doctor's office I kind of laid around and read until it was time to leave for Tampa Airport to pick up Eric, Nancy's brother who flew in from Detroit for a week. We got back to G/G's and Paps house around 6 PM and she had a roast turkey dinner with all the fixin's. Smashed spuds and gravy, green beans out of my garden, frozen cranberry casserole(AMY made) and 2 kinds of stuffing's and a huge fresh salad from my garden. The GAB brought by 2 platters of shrimp cocktails so we had a feast. We set around and talked until it was time to watch American Idol then we headed for home. The whole time I was there I was progressively going down hill with sever coughing and sneezing.

The night found me up several times and I was beginning to wonder what was going on with my body. Throughout the night I was having a hard time with the nose actually running down my face and now coughing up crud. Each time I got up I would take a Vit C and a glass of water which actually made me feel better. This morning I'm about ready to take my second round of medicine so I'm wondering what will happen today. Hopefully I can knock this crud out and get back on the court. To all my pickle ball friends I shall return but probably not till next Monday. Nancy is made demands I must obey, in other words if I want to eat I had better listen.

I got a call last night just after we got home around 10 PM and our good friend and neighbor in the mountains, Ray Todd is to have a second hernia operation this morning in Elkin, N.C. Keep him in your prayers as he has some real health issues with his heart among other maladies. Well will close for now. LATER