With all this dietary assessment and experimentation, it is often the case that reaching for a measuring spoon is a disappointing experience. So whatever the project, it is paused while I wash and dry the necessary measurement equipment.
A desire for additional measuring equipment was expressed, particularly tablespoons, the most frequently used spoon. Amazon revealed a package of 9 stainless steel tablespoons. This offering was promptly ordered.
We are now tablespoon tycoons, and feeling our wealth. By removing some of the pens from the kitchen pen jar, the spoons fit nicely into the little flowerpot used for this purpose. They are easy to grab, will go into the dishwasher, and their usefulness may outlive our need.
Our weather has been dry for a few weeks, which necessitates watering the garden. All three of our rain water tanks are empty, and as I write Attila is adding water to one of them from the town water supply. I love that Attila loves to garden.
Today little strawberry plants were on sale at the local grocery store, so we bought ten of them. The variety was unspecified, they identified only as mixed berry ever bearing. They went into larger planters, and will be transplanted into one of the two to-be-built raised beds. This will facilitate putting up hoops and chicken wire to keep the birds from eating all of them.
I tossed and turned without sleeping for most of the night last night. Today I had my annual aneurysm scan. The scan itself is not stressful or uncomfortable. The possibility of an unfavourable report is always at the back of my mind at such times. The images have been posted, but the reports are pending. I will be glad when the reports are posted, and hope for the best.
I have had quite a few scans at the local hospital, ultrasound and CT. My new GP sent me to the city near here for the scan this time, not sure why, it might have been because the wait time was shorter, not really sure. The experience was quite different than my previous scans. They scanned my entire abdominal aorta, from just under my rib cage, down to point where the aorta branches into my legs. It took a lot longer. So of course, my imagination will not leave me alone, worries that there could be something odious about the lengthy scan. Knowing you have the beginnings of a deadly condition, that it could escalate at any time, or just as easily never escalate at all, waiting for tests and results can be a bit nerve wracking.
Hot weather on the way! And humid. Not my favourite combination, but if it brings some much needed rain I might feel grateful for it.
The hot weather means that many of our early garden plants, such as the spinach and the Chinese broccoli, have bolted, and turned bitter. The spinach was harvested all one go last week, then dehydrated. The Chinese broccoli will be let to go to seed, and eventually the plants will end up in the compost bin.
Sitting here writing I am fighting to stay awake. I had better get up off the chair and move about. I prefer not to nap after I’ve had a bad night’s sleep. If a nap is avoided my sleep will be much sounder tonight.
Keep well all!
Worldly
Weather
22°C
Date: 6:00 PM EDT Thursday 19 June 2025
Condition: Mostly Cloudy
Pressure: 100.0 kPa
Tendency: Falling
Temperature: 21.7°C
Dew point: 18.5°C
Humidity: 82%
Wind: S 22 gusts 33 km/h
Humidex: 28
Visibility: 24 km
Quote
“The body keeps count even if you don’t.”
This was part of a comment in a group focused on aortic health. It is oh so true. It is best we take care of our precious selves.
Maggie, I’m glad this scan took a good look at the whole aorta. Last thing you need is to deal with one bit only to learn later that something else was needed, especially if you do end up having surgery for the aneurysm.
My husband just had a big (6.5 cm) abdominal aortic aneurysm repaired and, at the same time, they were able to address the small secondary one in a sub iliac artery. One and done!
Thanks Wendy, I am truly happy to have this new GP! It was his request. I have a thoracic aortic dilation as well as the more developed abdominal aortic aneurysm, so there may be more little surprises in there, hope not, but better to know.
Wow, that is a large aneurysm, and so wonderful that they found it and the other and got both repaired!! Were they both EVAR?
I often nap during the day, as I wake very early, seemingly no matter what time I went to bed. I don’t think it effects the night sleep. I hope you get good news about the scan and soon!
Be well, sweet Maggie.
I have a lot of trouble sleeping this time of year, with the sun rising so early. I thought that having our bedroom facing west and blackout shades would help, but I’m still restless throughout the night and especially around 5AM. Usually my CBD lotion helps me sleep, but not at this time of year. I won’t be starting to sleep better until sunrise happens some time after 6:15.
As stressful as it must be, I’m glad you got a full work up scan on your aorta. Better to know what’s going on with something that might need surgery.
We’ve had a few days in the mid-20s this week, plus 2 days of rain and today having fog and a shower that gave way to bright sunshine a few hours before sunset. These next 4 days are supposed to be quite warm, 29, 32, 34, 32. Of course with the rain we’ve had we also have high humidexs, but I’m glad the plants got a good watering before the high heat gets here.
Teri, interesting the CBD helps with sleep. Luckily my sleep patterns don’t seem to be linked to daylight, or lack of it. I too use blackout curtains, but even then when dawn arrives the light brightens in the room.
You are so right about the benefits of a complete scan. The scan was abdominal only, so the thoracic aorta was not scanned, no. r were the leg aorta. It would be interesting to have a scan of my legs, must ask the doctor about that. Might be a good idea since the second issue popped up, there may be more.
We did not get the 2 days of rain, things are very, very dry here, our rain tanks are empty and we are using town water to water the garden. There was some rain last night, but not much. Despite the garden being dry, the humidex is really high today. It was 27C on the thermometer this morning at 6:15 a.m., too hot for my liking.
Yoikes, Maggie! That aorta of yours needs to behave better. The thoracic aortic dilation certainly sounds like an additional cause for concern.
To answer your question, my husband’s surgery was, indeed, EVAR. So glad they were able to do it that way.
Thanks Wendy, EVAR is what my vascular surgeon says would work for me, for the AAA, at least as far as we know now.
The second issues is my thoracic ascending aorta, it will be a different surgeon I think, one that specializes in thoracic aneurysms. This one is new. and discovered just before Christmas last year. It was not there in 2018, now it is. It is small, a dilation at this point. It is a different surgery, much like open heart surgery. The researchers are working to develop stent procedure for it, just reaching human trial stage, so if I can manage to keep it from growing, there may be a new and less invasive surgery to fix it should it ever become a problem. Of course, whether it grows or not has nothing to do with my management, as I am already doing all the known lifestyle and medication strategies, it is really up to the universe to decide.
Because my issues are still small, I hold out hope for advancing medical technology!