* Outside my window… (weather, what do you hear, what do you see?) it is Spring and the birds are singing. It’s 65 F in the mornings and 85 F in the afternoons. Can’t ask for better weather but hardly no one is outside. We are still under the COVID-19 “Stay-Home, Stay-Safe” order. This reads like the start of a book or sci-fi novel I’ve read somewhere before.
* My thoughts are.... on my test results and my DME. My A1C is 10.1%. It has been years since my A1C has been within a normal range. There are very few things I want more than to see it lower to 7. The desire is there. I am passed the denial stage I think most of us go through when diagnosed in our younger years. My goal this year is to get it down and keep it down below 8. I am not feeling very confident I will succeed, but I am the most optimistic about my treatment than I have been in over eight years.
Sometimes we think that what we do is not of any value or will not make any difference that really matters and we forget that it defines and forges are character and that has nothing to do with anyone else.
* I am thankful for…spending a week with my granddaughter and playing with her, my daughter and granddaughter spending quality time together with me. Family is everything.
* From my research …(any skills, training, etc.; notes you want to share this week) a) Diabetic Macular Edema is treated in two ways: by injecting medicine in your eyes and by lowering your A1C. b) Drinking alcoholic beverages (especially on an empty stomach) can make your blood sugar fall. (I always thought that drinking raised it.) c) When sugar enters your bloodstream, it attaches to hemoglobin, a protein in your red blood cells. Everybody has some sugar attached to their hemoglobin, but people with higher blood sugar levels have more. The A1C test measures the percentage of your red blood cells that have sugar-coated hemoglobin.
* From the kitchen…(menu for the week, what are you cooking?) Monday: Sunday leftovers. I ended up cooking baked chicken and brown rice for dinner Sunday instead of what I originally planned Tuesday: Turkey Tacos and prep for the next day's crockpot meal. Wednesday: Crockpot Meal: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup; Thursday: Leftover soup and a sandwich, and prep for the next day's crockpot meal. Friday: Crockpot Meal: Slow Cooker Salmon with Creamy Lemon Sauce; Saturday: Leftovers, Grill, Sandwiches, or Special Requests Sunday: Broccoli, chicken, and cheese rice casserole.
* I am wearing… a TWA (teeny weeny afro). My hair is taking forever to grow back but it is healthy and bouncy. As my health improves so will my hair. I am going to start taking Biotin to start treating my nails and hair. We are on lockdown due to the novel COVID-19 virus so I cannot get my nails done professionally. I am going to take this opportunity to nurture them and see if I cannot get them to stop splitting. They may not grow quite as long as they do when I go to the salon, but if they are healthy and presentable, I will be content with that.
* I am creating…(crafts, sewing, etc;) a garden in my balcony. I have Begonias, a Magnolia Bush in bloom, a Lemon tree, an Ivy, some Nispero (Japanese loquat), Lavender (which smells great), and bunching onions. I want to add Roses, Hibiscus, Gardenias, Tulips, and try my hand at an avocado tree. I always want to add about 4 more hanging plants. The bamboo around my balcony serves as a privacy screen but allows light to filter through. I absolutely love it.
* My adventures this week…(where are you going this week?) my faith routines remain online or from home: the midweek meeting, letter-writing, and Sunday service.
* Becoming well-read…(What are you reading this week?) I am reading a book called, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”. It is a true story about a woman whose cells were taken without asking. The cells never died and they launched a medical revolution. More than twenty years later her kids find out and that is where the book begins.
* I manifest and co-create…(what are your hopes, dreams, and prayers this week) Peace and tranquility in my house and with my children. This wisdom to know when to speak and the self-control to know when to hold my tongue. Patience and most of all love.
* Today’s Melody…(what music are you listening to? even if it’s just the sound of a bird…) The best of Blake Shelton.
* One of my favorite things... my garden and the serenity it brings me..
* Further plans for this week… I am going in search of the flowers I mentioned, a few more hanging plants, and a birdhouse for the garden. I may go for a walk or a hike this weekend.
* Still….life (share a picture you’ve taken OR a picture you found online that speaks to you)
This is a photo, not a painting. The dramatic colors you see throughout the mountain are a result of trace minerals associated within the sandstone, coloring the sand in reds, greens, and yellows.
