Heat, Swelling and the Garden

The entrance to my secret garden

The garden was a refuge all weekend. I finished a book and got some sun on my legs while a cool breeze insured a perfect temperature. It is going to be warm all week. Mom and I think we have her final post-op for her ectropian (eye surgery) in Palo Alto this afternoon. It is predicted to be around 90 degrees while we are there. That is very hot for us. The coastside, on the other hand, is expected to be 68 degrees. Mom has no notice of the appointment but I have it in my book, so I am going to phone them from her apartment after working out this morning at the other rehab. 

Along the back fence

The hot weather clearly causes my breathing to be more difficult and I have noticed a swelling of my left foot near the ankle. Saturday night, I wore my compression hose to bed and it was almost normal in the morning. I also think that today's exercise will help keep the swelling down. 

Michael painted a friend's 30s roadster a few years ago and the owner entered it in his first car show yesterday. He is rather hyperactive and had a very difficult time standing around all day. He told Michael that he expected to have conversations with other car enthusiasts but instead, he just talked to a lot of old men about their medical issues! He was not having a good time when Michael went to visit him and several other friends. 

Michael, under the umbrella,
 on the back patio

Afterwards, the man's children and wife phoned to tell Michael that he was not having fun and that Michael would pay for encouraging him to be at a car show on a gorgeous Sunday. He was removed from the top of his list and sent to the bottom! At one point, Michael mentioned that he was sitting in the garden sipping a bourbon while this poor, miserable man was standing in the hot sun. All was in jest. Everyone was giggling when they phoned. They bantered back and forth. Michael is going to try to find a small trophy to present to him for participating in his first, and clearly last car show. 

It is a rather quiet week ahead. I still feel like I am lacking sleep and not having a lot of energy. Maybe it is the heat. Maybe it is the progression of the disease.