A Quickie!

Today marks 2 weeks since I had my right knee replacement.  To say I feel better than I did on the day of surgery is an understatement! ;-)

I am finally at a point where I feel human again and like I will recover.  Today was Day Eight of PT(3 in Ohio/5 in Louisiana).  I also do exercises at home on weekends so I don't go 2 days without working things. I am off the blood thinner as of today(on baby aspirin now)and those danged portable compression things 24/7.  Boy is it hard to get comfortable in bed and sleep with them going off constantly and blowing up and deflating around my calves.  The noise from that can get deafening at night.  And not being able to get myself to the toilet has been loads of fun for Hubs too so he's slept even less than me.

And I can finally sleep through the night!  This is a BIG thing.  Sleeping on my back is so foreign to me but I can dose off in that position for awhile.  I am a stomach sleeper so once Hubs could roll me to my side and I could tip myself over into my front I sure felt a lot better and got quality sleep.

Nothing keeps you from feeling your best(or at least human)like not being able to sleep.

Today I was able to get myself out of bed by myself and get to the bathroom AND I can get both my legs up back on the bed to get back in bed.  You don't realize how much little things like moving just a bit are so hard after surgery.

My surgical glue is beginning to fall off too so I'm keeping the incision covered except for showering so I don't get an urge to start picking it off and helping it along. lol

I am still tired, especially on days I have to go to PT plus have other doctor appointments.  I had a wound check last week and an appointment with the new PCP this past Monday.  

My PT place is very small without a lot of bells and whistles like the PT attached to the surgeon's facility in Ohio.  It doesn't have all the fancy machines nor the big sports team's type icing machines(boy, I could use those some days!)but we are getting back to normal.

I've lost a total of 53 lbs. since before the cruise in May.  I had planned to "on purpose" loose another 20 lbs. after surgery so I have another 17 more to go to reach that goal.  That, along with PT should keep me busy for some time to come.

Thanks for everyone chiming in with their knee replacement experiences.  It does help keep me motivated and on track that this isn't all there is and that things will get back to "normal" one day.  I do still need that $&*^#&$ walker for stabilization so that may be awhile before I can ditch that.  I have learned to dislike our master bathroom as it has a separate "potty room" with the toilet in it.  The walker won't fit in that doorway so I get to practice "crab walking" sideways into that cubicle where my nose almost touched the door frame as I sidle in.  Boy, is that fun.....*snort*.

I will be so grateful once I can walk into a store again or even ride one of those danged scooters around the store.  Sitting home is so lonely(well it's been noisy the last 2 days as the handymen were here working in the kitchen-between saws and barking dogs)and I can only watch so many bad Halloween type movies on the local tv station. 8-)

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table.....the October 23rd Edition

 The "I'm Ready for My Closeup Mr. DeMille" Edition.....  

Boy am I a mess!  Had Hubs take this picture on Thursday after we got back from the doctor's office for a wound check.  I feel so fashionable because my shirts now hang off one shoulder like all the cool kids. lolz  And everything I own(except the 4 new bras)don't fit.  At least no clothes are falling off(yet).  Back to PT this morning and then off to a new PCP in the afternoon.  Fun times....

This is day 134 of the "diet".  Yay!  If you can call what went on lately as a "diet".  Down 41 lbs. since the cruise(not counting the 8 I gained on the cruise and then lost again).

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned for last week.......

1. Sunday--1 yogurt, 1 Chicken Strip

2. Monday--1 yogurt, No Clue

3. Tuesday--No Clue

4  Wednesday--No Clue

5. Thursday--No Clue

6.  Friday--No Clue

7. Saturday--No Clue

And here's what actually happened........

1. Sunday--1 yogurt, 1 Chicken Strip

2. Monday--1 yogurt, Lean Cuisine Chicken Enchilada Dinner(blech)

3. Tuesday--1 piece of Toast(nauseous), 1/2 Chicken Sub, Protein Drink

4  Wednesday--Yogurt Shake, 1/2 Chicken Sub, Veal Parm, Broccoli

5. Thursday--Zaxby's Cobb Salad

6.  Friday--Yogurt cup, 2 Catfish Strips, Green Beans, Cole Slaw,1 leftover Veal Parm, leftover Broccoli

7. Saturday--Yogurt Cup w/Flaxseed Granola, Sesame Chicken and Green Beans, 1 Apple, 1 spoon of Peanut Butter

No going back to old habits and eating patterns for me!

What got taken out of the freezer last week...

*  1 Lean Cuisine Dinner

*  1 Chicken Strip

*  Box of Chicken Parms

*  Bag of Broccoli

What got put into the freezer last week....

*  1 bag of Meatballs

*  2 TV Dinners

*  2 boxes Ice Cream Cones(might give to Daughter)

Last week we spent $1.97 on grocery shopping for October.  We used some of that travel stipend that is left and there was a full price rebate on the bag of frozen meatballs.  There were 3 take-out meals(which made 6 meals for me).

Grand Total shopping comes to $210.11 for October.   

There are 8 shopping days left in October.

I've earned $138.62 on Ibotta in October.

I've earned $30.00 on Shopmium in October.

I've earned $5.75 on Alexa app in October.

I've earned $2.10 on Kroger Cash Back in October.

I've earned 10,284 points from food shopping on Fetch in October.

I've earned 3,744 points from food shopping on Shop Kick in October.

I've earned 2,294 SB from food shopping on Swag Bucks in October.

That is $176.47 in rebates(not counting the Shop Kick/Swag Bucks/Fetch)on $210.11 of grocery spending so in reality it's $33.64 in food spending after the 4 rebate apps I count. 

My savings percentage for the last week was 94.44% and the monthly savings total for October comes in at 41.44% spent.  

Leftovers going into this week...leftover Chinese takeout and rice.

Here is this week's "food plan".....

1. Sunday--leftover Catfish and Green Beans, Pork Tenderloin

2. Monday--No Clue

3. Tuesday--No Clue

4  Wednesday--No Clue

5. Thursday--No Clue

6.  Friday--No Clue

7. Saturday--No Clue

I am NOT menu planning, period.  I have earned the right not to in my mind at this point.  I am giving up control of meals to Hubs.  I will put in requests now and then.

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten last week?

Any deals on food at your stores this week?  

I may post sporadically after this one or I might not, depending on drugs and stuff. 

Sluggy   

Frugal Friday.....the October 20th Edition

There are very few(if any)Frugal wins this past week so here goes....

*  I got a free new toy in Ohio!

I am sure I will come to hate this thing as the weeks go by.......

*  Grocery shopping this past week--

I didn't buy anything.  Go me!  Groceries will happen going forward though.

*  We got some takeout this week because I ain't in any shape to cook.  Subway on Monday(lasted me 2 days)and Zaxby Zalad on Thursday.  I had .18¢ on a Subway gift card and paid for the whole Zalad with a Zaxby's gift card.  Big spender here!

*  Got home to find my new bras arrived.  Now I have four whole bras that fit(though it's hard to get them on right now with what my body is going through).  "The girls" are in no mood to be hoisted and shoved. ;-)

*  I found money!

Nope, skunked again, but then again I was in no condition to pick up change coming home from Ohio and once here I only went to PT and the doctor.
Let me just say that it is horrible that my PT place is right between a Chinese restaurant and a pizza joint in a strip mall......!

Total Found in last Week.... .00¢
Total Found this Year.......$3.27

That's all I got. Gee, there was no frugal wins really(other than not shopping for food and using up some lingering gift cards).

Any frugal wins in your neck of the woods?  Let's hear all about them!

My goals at the moment are modest.....just being able to lie in bed and sleep without pain.  2 nights in a row with very little sleep make me feel not-human.  sigh.

Blogging will be taking a backseat to getting me healed so there might not be many posts here for the foreseeable future.8-)

Sluggy   

This Week on the Dining Table....the Oct. 16th Edition

  The "Who Wants to Eat?  Not Me!!" Edition.....  

My poor, pitiful knee on Friday morning before PT and the hellacious trip home via 2 plane flights.  I still have no appetite.

This is day 127 of the "diet".  Yay!  If you can call what went on last week as a "diet".

And I want to know how a person who didn't eat ANYTHING for two days at all and very little for three days gains close to 10 lbs.???  Maybe all the drugs and not being on a water pill helped?  Or my body actually hates me....

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned for last week.......

1. Sunday--No Clue

2. Monday--No Clue

3. Tuesday--No Clue

4  Wednesday--No Clue

5. Thursday--No Clue

6.  Friday--No Clue

7. Saturday--No Clue

And here's what actually happened........

1. Sunday--half a Bob Evans Pecan Chicken Salad

2. Monday--other half of BE Pecan Chicken Salad, Turkey, Broccoli and Carrot meal

3. Tuesday--Olive Hummus and Pita Chips

4  Wednesday--Nothing

5. Thursday--a banana, half a yogurt, a couple of Strawberries, some stir-fry veggies

6.  Friday--Nothing

7. Saturday--can of Soup

No going back to old habits and eating patterns for me!

What got taken out of the freezer last week(at the hotel)...

*  4 chicken pot pies(Hubs ate all 4 over 2 days

*  1 bag of stir-fry veggies(Hubs ate most of this too)

*  1 Calzone(ditto Hubs)

What got put into the freezer last week(at the hotel)....

*  4 chicken pot pies

*  1 bag of stir-fry veggies

* 1 Calzone(hubs)

Last week we spent $0.00 on grocery shopping for October.  We went to Aldi(across the street)on Sunday for provisions and Hubs went to Turkey Hill next door for drinks for me(including the Gatorade Zero I had to drink the morning of surgery).  We used the prepaid travel stipend card to pay for all this so Zero OOP for us.

Grand Total shopping comes to $208.44 for October.   

There are 17 shopping days left in October.

I've earned $117.32 on Ibotta in October.

I've earned $30.00 on Shopmium in October.

I've earned $5.75 on Alexa app in October.

I've earned $2.10 on Kroger Cash Back in October.

I've earned 10,141 points from food shopping on Fetch in October.

I've earned 3,144 points from food shopping on Shop Kick in October.

I've earned 1,985 SB from food shopping on Swag Bucks in October.

That is $155.17 in rebates(not counting the Shop Kick/Swag Bucks/Fetch)on $208.44 of grocery spending so in reality it's $53.27 in food spending after the 4 rebate apps I count. 

My savings percentage for the last week was 100% and the monthly savings total for October comes in at 35.55% spent.  

Leftovers going into this week...nothing.

Here is this week's "food plan".....

1. Sunday--1 yogurt, 1 Chicken Strip

2. Monday--1 yogurt, No Clue

3. Tuesday--No Clue

4  Wednesday--No Clue

5. Thursday--No Clue

6.  Friday--No Clue

7. Saturday--No Clue

I have no "umph" to eat right now and I could care less about food.  I just want good drugs. lol

I am NOT menu planning, period.  I have earned the right not to in my mind at this point.  Food will be from the freezer, catch as catch can, or something ordered out if I feel like eating(which I don't right now).  I forced myself to eat chicken as protein is needed right now.  The yogurt was to keep the drugs from upsetting my stomach and because....yogurt.

And in other news, important updates....

Yes, the old digestive system is back and functioning sort of normal.  I hesitate to rely on Miralax or other remedies as my innards don't handle those well so we gutted it out the old fashioned way.

I know everyone was on pins and needles waiting to hear the thrilling news. lol  (For those you who consider this TMI, I don't know why you are here!)

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten last week?

Any deals on food at your stores this week?  

I may post sporadically after this one or I might not, depending on drugs and stuff.  I'll try to get a Frugal Friday post together but it certainly won't be as exciting as this update. *snort*

Sluggy   

Frugal Friday.....the October 13th Edition on Saturday

Welcome to Frugal Friday!   

There are a few Frugal wins this past week so here goes....

*  Grocery shopping this past week--

I hit Walmart for some stuff(can't remember what right now as I am in a drug induced fog.  8-)

*  As part of my Ibotta big bonus I was trying to finish,  I had to have 1 online purchase so I downloaded Ubereats.com and when through ibotta on Sunday to order dinner from Bob Evans restaurant here in Ohio.  Not only did I earn the $10 Ibotta bonus but I  got $25 off the food order(first order with Ubereats.com)and I earned another $10.35 on Ibotta.  I  used the stipend credit card the medical travel program provided to pay(meaning this food order cost $0 OOP)plus turned it into an Ibotta moneymaker of $20.35.  Nice.

*  I  also found a $5 in free Extra bucks  on my CVS account last week.  So bought 2 boxes of Special K cereal there as it was BOGO.  $6.29 OOP but I got $2 back on Ibotta for that purchase, making those cereals better than free!

.

*  At the surgery consult on Monday in Ohio it was recommended I have flexible gel packs for icing my wound so Hubs hiked up to CVS and bought 2 of those.  Again, using the travel stipend card to pay so no OOP.  And on  the receipt was $8 in Extra bucks so $8 free script but Hubs used it the next day to get a bottle of CVS branded Miralax so no getting to splurge on that $8. lol

The purchase as earned me .58 on my CVS card but I'm not sure if he used that too.

*  I found money! 

Found this nickel under the self-checkout register I used at Walmart last Friday.

Then at the airport in Louisiana on Saturday I found a  penny under a bench.

Then at the airport in Charlotte I spied this dime near our gate under a row of seats.

Total Found in last Week.... .16¢
Total Found this Year.......$3.27

*  And the bestest thing was getting a knee replacement at no charge to me due to this travel program our insurance provided.  I've been suffering since 2018 with this bum knee so I am very grateful for the people involved who got me to this point.(Including all my friends and family who have cheered me on and listened to me bitch about stuff along the way).  You are all rock stars! 8-)))

That's all I got. 

Any frugal wins in your neck of the woods?  Let's hear all about them!

Blogging will be taking a backseat to getting me healed so there might not be many posts here for the foreseeable future.8-)

Sluggy