Put it on the Portal

 The ice maker was not letting us get ice.  It has been jammed for a while but we could at least reach in and get some ice but even that was not working well.  So this morning Jim “put it on the portal” for Barclay Square maintenance to come and fix it.  He warned me to get out of bed and ready for visitors because they can come quickly.

And so they did.  Within a very short time, Adriano and Tony were here.  There was a problem with the computer in the refrigerator and freezer and we hope it is now working just fine.  

This is why apartment life is the right thing for us at this stage of our lives.  No problems thinking of who to call for repairs, for a long wait, for high fees.  We pay plenty in rent but it makes our lives easier and we are grateful.

Now for the next step.  When will Stonebridge call? What will they offer us?  Another move is very daunting and it is much easier to stay right here.  And it is a big financial investment to go into a continued care facility.  But at age 80, it is probably the best thing for us to do when the time comes.

Third Injection

 I just did my third Mounjaro injection.  Each time it is a little different—the first time, well over ten seconds between clicks, this time about two seconds.  But we can see a little puncture wound and the plunger is visible in the apparatus.

The first week went deceptively smoothly.  Then I had a delicious grilled burger with the Conways on Friday night and after I took my last pills of the day, I began to feel like there was a rock in my stomach.  That lasted until about 2 am when I fell asleep.  The next day, Saturday, is always our day for grocery shopping and meal planning.  I felt as if the thought of food was revolting.  I could not think of anything that sounded good to buy but we needed to eat.  I was very sad and so aware of how important food is in our lives and how, in many ways, food is a reward. 

In the early afternoon, I had a voice mail from the pharmacy at Walgreens.  I thought I better return the call and it was the pharmacist calling to ask if I had any questions about Mounjaro.  I thought that was so kind.  I told him I was sad about finding thoughts of food so unappealing and he said that was very typical.  I was so hoping the next three months were not going to be like this.

And blessedly, the next day was better and this past week has been better.  I have enjoyed my food again and tried to be careful about not eating a lot.  I even had a few sips of wine with meals.  Jeff and Susan brought pizza one night this week and that tasted great and had no ill effects.

I hope that the side effects don’t get worse with each injection as they did after the second one.  But at least I know that I got over the worst of the indigestion and the despair over planning and cooking and eating.  And in any case, this is what I have to do to bring that A1C down to pre-diabetes levels.  I may have lost one pound but no more.  I have left food on my plate a few nights but didn’t feel like I usually overate before this regime.  I have a ways to go to lose 12 pounds by November 3 as Dr. Delacruz predicted.  Weight loss will help my back strain and make it easier for me to walk greater distances.  I may have lost one pound.  

Again,  TMI for most of my blog readers but Jim and I like using this blog and the book we make of it as a record of our lives and this has been our life this week!  

A Week of Doctors and Drugs

 This will be TMI for my blog readers but it will be good to record a consequential week for Jim and me.  It started with my “wellness visit” with Dr Delacruz last week and the phone call the next morning to tell me that after many years of pre-diabetes, I had gone over the border.  I scheduled an appointment for a “treatment plan” the next Monday.  

That treatment plan was to be Mounjaro once a week-to lower the A1C and also to lose weight so that my back strain would lessen.  Dr. Delacruz demonstrated the use of the injection and said it was “easy-peasy.”

Getting the prescription was not easy.  CVS was out of it so I asked Montgomery Internal Medicine to send it to Walgreens.  Then CVS said they had it but couldn’t fill it because someone else had filled it.  Eventually I got the injections at Walgreens for $308!  I hate the Mounjaro ads on TV with the fat people dancing and now I am one of them—not dancing and not all that happy about it either! 

Last night we began our Mounjaro adventure.  Jim read me the instructions step by step.  It did not go perfectly as we waited for the second click and it did not happen.  I put the shot next to my abdomen again and it did click.  We could see a little puncture wound and Jim saw the grey plunger in the shot apparatus so we figured it must have happened.

And…I was aware of my stomach later in the evening—and was not tempted to snack during the night as I often am when I am lying awake.  So we shall see how the next week progresses.  I hope not with too much nausea and indigestion.  In three months I see Dr. Delacruz again and he thought I would lose 12 pounds by that time!  

Plus Jim had a routine ENT visit in which his bp was high.  So he will see Dr. Delacruz this afternoon to see if he needs to do anything about that.  It was not emergency high, just elevated. (Jim’s bp was OK at the follow-up visit.)

Oh, and we did have shingles vaccines  too at the Plainsboro CVS.  We had no reaction to that except a bit of soreness on our arms. (And I had some unusual fatigue two days later.)

We are thankful we have places to go when we need medical help and we do trust Dr. Delacruz for good counsel.