Update to "Drink more water"

We took Mom to Upper Crust for lunch yesterday. No incidents! It was a perfectly normal lunch. Yay.

Drink more water

We had a scare this week. Bob, my mom, and I were out to dinner at Olive Garden in Santa Maria and my mother felt faint at the table. She was unresponsive for a few minutes, so we called 911. The Olive Garden manager and our server were so helpful. The firemen paramedics and EMT ambulance people arrived at the same time. Mom was alert by the time they got there (of course!), and was greatly embarrassed that a fuss was being made IN PUBLIC. They convinced her that she needed to be checked at the hospital, so off she and I went in the ambulance. Bob followed in our car. The nurses, doctors, techs, and admitting staff at Marian Medical Center are the best. Early tests indicated that Mom was dehydrated, but the ER doc wanted to admit her for more tests. Did she want to do this? My heavens no. But Bob and I worked on her for a little while and she relented. She ended up staying two nights while they ran tests on her heart, her carotids, her kidneys, etc. The conclusion seems to be an irregularity with her heart rhythm, which the docs are thinking came from the dehydration and one of her blood pressure meds. She'll see her primary care doctor today; also we're being referred to a cardiologist. Meanwhile, she seems fine. The hospitalist at Marian consulted with Mom's primary care doctor, and they decided to take her off the suspect blood pressure medicine - but they doubled up on another blood pressure drug. Plus, everyone told her, "Drink more water!"

Father Marquette and his trusty guide

We went canoeing today in Morro Bay. I was in front and Bob in back. So I turned to him and said, "Do you feel like Father Marquette exploring the Mississippi?" The answer was no, he did not. :) Note our nearly matching and so fashionable hats.
The canoe rental place has a great dog mascot, a friendly Aussie shepherd. Of course, we must include a photo of the dog. Bob got a good shot of a black-crowned night heron, too.

Ed hangs 10

Ed says, "I had to go to the vet last week for rabies and CPRT shots. I did fine. All the technicians and nurses exclaimed over my lovely coat. They asked if Pat and Bob bathe me. To this I say, 'Bah, humbug.' Can you imagine me submitting to a bath?"

First Friday ... no wait, it's First Thursday

Because the coffee shop in the library is closed on Friday during the summer, First Friday is now First Thursday until Cal Poly begins its new school year in late September. The following photos are from our gathering on Thursday, July 1st. Joan Kunkler, Sharon Fujitani, Denise Wessels, Edna Hjerrild, Karen Beaton, Jan Kline, Donna Lister, and I sat down for a chat. Joan Kennedy and Mary Ellen Baker stopped by to say hi.