Yesterday at the hospital my blood sugar was getting better and so I thought I would go home when Lee got off work. Then at 5 pm they went up again. I didn't think I would go home but Dr, Hieb came in and released me anyway. He is having me work on getting it down at home. I will be doing blood sugars and insulin shots 4 times a day. I adjust the insulin according to blood sugar readings. Last night was sky high and this morning kind of low. I was told I am doing good with my diet and had been in the past also. I was surprised at some of the choices they feed me at the hospital. I think I make better choices at home.

I will have an appt early next week to review it all then hopefully the angiogram can go ahead.

Since I got out of the hospital I have been doing blood sugars and insulin shots at home. I got better readings at home than I did at the hospital. I avg. around 160 now which is better but not like a normal person yet. I think it will get better over time. I also was allowed to taper off on the steroids. I took my last steroid pill this morning. They will probably be in my system for a couple weeks yet but I think I am already a bit stronger.

This morning I went to see Dr. Hieb and he passed me on the physical for the angiogram. It is Thursday morning. We have to be there at 5:45 am. We will going the night before and staying at the motel across the street. We have the room for 2 nights. I have to stay either there the second night or be in the hospital. That is be decided by them later. The angiogram is suppose to be at 9:00 am. This is when I ask for you to pray the hardest. Talking with the nurse on the phone the other day she told me my experience will be much like the other time. I had lots of misery and hot burning feelings in my head. There is risk of stroke and even death. They told me to bring my Living Will with me. Gulp. After the test is done I have to lay flat for 6 hours. I do not know if I will learn the results that day or later. But I should get some answers now if things go right.

Now that the steroids are doing less of a job I feel pain more in head. It is only on half of my head. Last night I thought I might be getting an ear infection and was worried it would stop me from the test. But Dr. Hieb said it looks fine so I know now that is just the pressure in the head causing the pain. It is tolerable though.

Lois was here from Sunday night to Tuesday 11 am to help out. Lee had to go to Windom to do some stuff. She was of great help! Arlene sent along some food to help us out too.

I still get around with the walker. I can walk ok around the house and the most part but getting up from a chair is still a challenge . Today when Lois brought me home from the clinic I ended up getting weak as I was going up the second step. There I sat on the step and it was a cold and windy day. We acted pretty fast. I ended up crawling into the back door and then she was able to help me up. I was kind of of funny.

This afternoon I took a nap and when I got up I realized my contact was not on my eye. I thought " oh NO!" it came off in bed. I could not find it in my eye. So I returned to bed and waited a couple hours for Lee to come home and help me find it. While laying there I would search the blankets and sheets. When he gets home he walks in the bathroom and sees it laying right there in the sink. Happy ending!

So many of you have asked me to write about how things are going for me. I thought by now everyone would be tired of the "Geri and her health letters" but I guess I better keep writing.

Since I have got home from the hospital in the later part of Jan. things are improved. I was placed on a different steroid and also a lower dosage. I gained strength back in my legs. That means I was able to get off a chair without assistance again and in the last week walk without a walker. I don't have much stamina yet but it will come. I am looking for a used exercise bike as walking circles in the house doesn't do much and is pretty boring.

My face is still round but less it rhan it was.

The steroids made my blood sugars high and I am consider a diabetic for now. But it is controlled pretty well with an oral med and not insulin shots as I was first started out on.

My left hand tingles all the time for unknown reasons.

Weeks ago my eyes started to have problems. So I had a trip to the ophthalmologist in Sioux Falls this week. Lois, my sister from the Twin Cities took me so that Lee didn't have to take off work again. The dr. told me that the eye with the cornea transplant had some problems and not to wear a contact for two months. That is pretty sad news for me. If you don't remember I have that eye disease called keratoconus and with this glasses will not help my poor vision. So now I am set back with my vision. He has given my eye drops that help protect the cornea against rejection. I was just getting stronger physically that I was looking forward to maybe being able to drive myself on a small trip but now I am sort grounded by my vision. Today I am wearing a contact on my other eye. It makes for tough viewing but I will probably adapt to this in the next week. The vision things is related to blood sugars more than likely and the blood sugars are related to the steroid use.

Everyone asks so when can I get off the steroids. I wish I knew the answer. This time it will be done much more slowly as last time I ended up being very messed up. My dosage is less than it has been for months and I can handle this better. But with a lesser dosage I get more problems with the swelling on the brain. I am a bit unsteady on my feet due to this and also get pain in my head on and off. I am hoping this quits soon. I don't really know what the neurosurgeon'* plans are to do with me. I am not sure if he knows what to do with me either. I have an appt in mid March with him.

I am mentally getting a bit stir crazy these days. My world is pretty small in this house for now. Send me emails : )

Lee is still very supportive. However, I do have to fight him for the computer now as he discovered the chess game on our new computer is lots of fun.