Toes, Plants, Things

I took Mary to the podiatrist yesterday. He said that the tests at the hospital confirmed that she had artery blockage in both legs and that it was somewherebetween the thigh and the knee. He's sending her to a vascular surgeon to do another test to see where the blockage is specifically and to tell us whether there is some procedure which won't be too invasive that can help her.

I'm kind of worried because all this evening she has complained that her big toe of her right foot keeps having a shooting pain in it. I wish I knew what to do. I tell her to let it hang down, which she says helps, but then she says she gets tired of it hanging down and puts it back up. I'm not sure exactly what she means. Oh, the doctor also prescribed something to put on the sores that he said would sort of erode the white parts. He said that without the circulation, the toes will not heal up. I asked him if it would be ok to have her do some more exercise. He didn't seem to know. He said to ask her regular doctor. I'd like to get one of those things that's just the pedals and a tension adjustor, but I don't want to exercise her legs if her arteries are blocked. Hm. I try to get her to do some light weight lifting, but it's so hard to be consistent with it. Especially when she's often not in the mood.

Bonnie couldn't come today--she said she had a fever. I took Mary with me and got her to go into the supermarket with me. It's great that they have those wheelchairs with baskets on them because she can't really control the elecric cart. She didn't want to go in but afterwards she said she enjoyed it. I got some Lilly of the Valley, Phlox and Peony bulbs as well as some Impatients, Aster and Basil seeds. I'm really excited but Mary doesn't seem to care much. I didn't plant some things last summer because they wouldn't have bloomed until this summer. Now I wish I hadn't been so impatient--we could have enjoyed them this summer! I've planted a lot of Cosmos (which Mary always says was Grandma's favorite) and Sunflowers along with some other things and can't wait till they bloom. I wish I could make up my mind about whether to get the windows redone in Mary's little porch at the back of the house. I should have some people give me estimates. There would be no harm in that. One of my brothers has a company that makes such windows, but they don't install them, so that would be a problem. If it would make it possible for Mary to sit out there in the winter, that would be great. It might help keep her from getting depressed or down in the winter. But do I want to invest that in the house? The crack in the basement wall is being repaired tomorrow. Altogether that's going to cost $1,000. I'm also having one of the men install a handrail out the back door so that Mary can get down the stairs. What if I then have the windows redone? If he ankers the handrail to the window frame??? O je... Are things really so complicated or is it just me?

Mary did really well on our trip to St L to visit Gina, who has cancer. We took Mom so she can stay and take care of Gina a bit. Mary's feet did get rather swollen and that scared me. I even had her get out half way there and stand up a bit. I think it's just so boring for her there and there are little things missing that make it uncomfortable for her.

I've played my guitar the last two nights after dinner. It's interesting--I think the cat is more into it when I play music (piano, too) than Mary! Maybe Mary can't hear it. But it's also not her sort of music. I've notice, too, that when I read to her, she doesn't seem to pay attention as well as she used to. She'll start talking to the cat. But she did remember what I'd told her about a problem I have with the joint in one of my fingers.

Now Mary says she's warm. And I'm not. That worries me. Sounds like all I do is worry!