March 1 through March 11 :
Monday 3/1 – I took Dad to his primary care physician’s office this morning for a routine blood draw. In the afternoon, I received a phone call from Manatee County telling me that we could get our first COVID-19 vaccinations tomorrow afternoon. Our second dose will be administered on April 1. I am very excited.
Kellie went shopping about a week ago or so and bought a bunch of things to plant. She bought a chia pet for Emma to grow. Here’s a picture of what it looks like today.
Tuesday, 3/2 – I started the day wishing my daughter-in-law, Kellie Hoffmeister, a very happy birthday. We left the house just after 4:30 to get to our COVID-19 vaccination, arriving at Tom Bennett Park a few minutes after 5 p.m. We waited in a double-wide line of cars for about 15 minutes while they processed cars coming in from another entrance. Then a man came to the car and asked our names. After he found our names in his computer, we showed him our IDs to prove that we were Florida residents. Soon our line started moving. Along the way, someone took our temperatures; then someone else checked our consent forms (which I had downloaded and printed from the Manatee County website); the next person took the consent forms and gave us cards showing when we got our vaccine. They told us we would have to bring them back in 4 weeks when we get our second dose. The next person along the line checked the cards we were given; then we got our shots and someone else put a card under the windshield wiper with the time we received the shots. Next, we pulled into a field with lanes marked off with cones where we sat for 15 minutes to make sure that we were not going to have an adverse reaction to the shots. After 15 minutes another very pleasant lady came to the window to ask how we were feeling. Upon hearing that we were fine. She said we could go. We left the park just before 6 p.m. and were home before 6:30. We get to do this all over again on April 1.
Wednesday, 3/3 – Both of us slept well last night. My arm is a sore where the shot was administered but other than that, neither of us have experienced any side effects from the vaccination.
Thursday, 3/4 – While my car in was getting its 30,000-mile service, I had three hours to visit with my friend, Jackie Sosville and her mother, Gladys. They returned from Georgia last week and will stay here for most of April before going back for her mother’s doctor’s appointment.
Friday, 3/5 – I realized this morning that the muscle in my arm where I got my shot on Tuesday no longer aches.
Saturday, 3/6 –Today was a rainy quiet day.
Sunday, 3/7 – Emma sang in church with 3 other girls around her age. Everyone liked it.
Monday, 3/8 – Today would have been my mother’s 92nd birthday. I cancelled Dad’s doctor’s appointment (to get the results of his blood test and an annual physical) when they told us he was running 1 hour and 40 minutes late. Rescheduled for June 1 at 9 a.m.
Tuesday, 3/9 – I had a pre-surgery fasting blood draw then joined my friend, Jane Reeder, for brunch. Dad and I got a surprise visit from my niece (Dad’s granddaughter) Reverend Melissa Frantz and her friend, Lori. They are vacationing together on the west coast of Florida and were near us, so they came over and had supper with Dad and me; and, had time to visit with JP, Kellie and Emma before going out to Anna Maria Island for the night.
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Wednesday, 3/10 – I finished up our tax worksheets to deliver to the CPA tomorrow.
Thursday, 3/11 – I ran errands with Dad in the morning. In the afternoon, I got a call from the surgeon’s office saying I should quarantine as much as possible until my rotator cuff surgery on 3/23. I will go to three doctor’s appointments next week, but don’t plan to leave the house otherwise.
March 12 through March 21 :
My three doctor’s appointments included: a pre-surgical meeting in the physical therapy section at Coastal Orthopedics on State Road 64 in Bradenton; a pre-surgical COVID test; and a visit with a primary-care physician who was substituting for my regular doctor. He gave me the EKG that had been requested by the surgeon and then he told me that my A1C blood sugar test results were down from 8.4 to 8.1. But he had talked with the surgeon’s office and they had indicated to him that was too high, so he would not clear me medically for surgery. He said he would sign off if the surgeon told him that he was willing to operate with my sugar that high. I immediately put in a call to the surgeon’s office and received a reply on Thursday, 3/18, that he would not operate on me until my A1C was 7.0 or lower. The A1C measures my daily sugar level average over three months, so I will have to wait three months to get another test and if it is low enough, then the surgery will be rescheduled. Emma and I returned to church on Sunday, 3/21.
March 22 through March 31:
My routine activities now include:
- Going for an afternoon walk in the neighborhood, usually with Emma and Dad, Monday, Wednesday and Friday
- Volunteering for 2 hours each at both North River Care Pregnancy Center and Palm
View First Baptist Church on Tuesdays - Church and choir practice every Wednesday evening
- Attend Sunday School and church (singing in the small choir)
- Attend the “Senior Saints” fellowship on the 4th Tuesday of each month with Dad
The monthly Senior Saints fellowship is a new activity at church started by Senior Adult Pastor George Heiland. At the first meeting, we were entertained by The Dunneman’s who had also sung at church the previous Sunday. Classically-trained soprano Gretchen Dunneman and piano-playing Southern Gospel lead singer Reg Dunneman blend their talents and voices in a wonderful variety of music.
