Best Of

Good morning. Harley, I so identify with your description of your last few months of scans, and so many Dr. visits as well. Also, feeling old and in addition I started to wonder if "getting back to a decent degree of wellness was going to be possible", and likely slowed some of my progress at least mentally. I also know the relief of getting through most of it.

A couple of challenges, but I think much more fixable and hopefully no undue amt. of appts. or Dr.'s.

I know I've mentioned it here before but for Christine or anyone not here for long I consider sitting by a shore, big lake, river, or ocean as somewhat of a spiritual exercise. To me 'water' is just spiritual (what our bodies mostly are) and when I was fortunate enough to live in a couple of southern California costal cities I often would go to the beach (no more than a mile or two away from us) and watch the waves —- picking out one that has reached the shore and was beginning the journey back out to the horizon. I would load all my troubles on that wave and slowly watch them disappear. Gong to the beach troubled and than going home free of it all was always such a blessing. When time came to really 'handle' those items, instead of the worry I originally felt, I was able to wade in and fix what I could and be positive about the outcomes.

I also think your friend may not have things work as well as she hoped for herself Harley. While some don't get to choose just when a needful part of themselves may fail and may have to have some late in life surgical procedures, waiting clear to 80 in an older and slowing down system, it is likely going to take some real pushing. That said, it does sound like your volunteer has a fair amt. of stamina and stick-to-itiveness, but with all she has at home and all she wants to accomplish I just hope she doesn't get down in the dumps discouraged. Can't compare people, but I do think of the set-backs (like Betrayal's) that seem to crop up — if memory serves there were a couple on your first knee too, just not seemingly that bad in the end. Your friend will be in my prayers for the procedure and for things to be as smooth as possible for her home life and issues there.

Chris, I hope you have great success (nothing ever seems quite the same when bodily repairs need to happen) with you thumbs. No pun intended — but a real pain. We don't know how much we may depend on things until they don't work so well. All have had this issue, but I think having both thumbs go at the same time is a tough one.

Carole, I hope you are enjoying decent weather meaning not the extreme heat (daily advisories) we are having here. As to bugs there are so many. I think while Kate really dislikes the outdoor bugs, the ones that show up in the house are the ones she dislikes the most. Outside, huge spiders, Asian ladybugs ( I haven't seen the pretty red ones we all loved ) in what seems forever, stink bugs, a few varieties, and tons of different kinds of beetles. There are a big assortments of flying pests including mosquitoes and horse flies as well as common house fly. What seems to get to Kate sooo much is the ones that seem to like the indoors. These are mainly wood beetles. They have a similar appearance to cockroaches and so some people call them wood roaches — but they are beetles. They can be a fair size and while they can move quickly — they also will laze in a spot long enough to do away with them. They usually only appear for a shot while in Spring, after apparently spending the winter indoors. We also have carpenter ants in the house. They are a slightly bigger than regular ants and black. They too only come out at certain times. One day between the beetles and ants my house might just fall down. Far as I know — I've never seen either pest go near food.

Betrayal, glad you are staying in. On days like today ( and likely in your area too ) there is barely a leaf on the tree moving. I think it is a mite muggier here for all the recent rain. So not pleasant outside. Very early mornings not too bad, but who is going to go out at the crack of dawn — not me. We let the dog out to play a bit in his pen and make sure no errant creature has wandered in it overnight while he was inside. Tolerable but you can even tell then, it's not going to be too nice later. Hoping no one has to go out much or do much in the heat and if you do — take some water with you. Get back inside as soon as you can.

I have turned out thermostat to 79. Not a big change, but at 77 I often while sitting here at the computer would feel almost chilly. So, I think not much — but we turn off any floor fans we don't use (like mine in my bedroom) and two in the screen room. TV off when no one is watching and all lights off as well. Less laundry and going to have to really fill the dishwasher. We do have a water tank that supplies as much hot water as you need — all the time. The downside to those is that you have to run the water till it actually heats. It doesn't take a long time but is not as fast as a standard lg. water heater. It often seems like you are having to wait overlong. Then again I'm impatient with certain things.

Betrayal, how fantastic of you to be willing to help at a cat rescue. I worked for a long time at our rescue but all the old timers are too old, or have other issues that make it impossible. Our House of Hope was re-staffed and they run the place as a business — paying people. Frankly, for some, you might get a slightly better level of care, but animals ( dogs or cats ) do what they do when they do it — so cleaning a litter box may be just the invitation a cute little critter needs to jump in and use it. In the cats 'rescue' world nothing stays done for very long and constant repetition — since most places are all but over-flowing. That said while the work is important and needs to be timely — some of the furry friends just need to feel loved and appreciated. Hats off to you.

I hope you all have a most beautiful day —- and stay cool, un-ruffled and hopefully enjoy anything you need to do.

Illinoislady, thank you for remembering me so that I can catch up a little. I love to just sit back and read these chats. I lived in San Diego, Pacific Beach, for 8 1/2 years before moving here to Colorado three years ago. We lived just off the bay and it was a short walk to the beach and I loved it. My DD and I would often walk her baby along the boardwalk. But my best times were my alone-time walks along the shore where I could pray, sing, even shout at this angry disease as my voice was covered in the sound of the crashing waves. I was just another crazy lady in the midst of California independence—nobody cared or noticed. It was cathartic for me and helped me get through the initial diagnosis. The beach is the only part I miss of living in that crazy tourist town. Now I would be unable to walk that much anyway, but I can sit on my deck and enjoy the view of Pikes Peak and the serenity of living here. I have learned to make the most of wherever I live. I feel like I am sicker than most of the rest of you here having lived with Stage IV for over nine years. I still have frequent doctor visits, scans, and the rest of the medical chaos, but that's okay. You all bring a little more normalcy to my 72 years. Journey on!

Yes, harley. He really didn't say that. The affected joint is associated with a small bone. They remove the bone and replace it with a coil of tendon harvested from elsewhere. He warned me that my left hand won't be as good as the original, but I said that my right hand is much more important than my right. The thumbs are still sore, but the sharp pain is gone. Should get better in a few days. Cortisone injections won't work forever, and I don't want to mess up my bone strength.

Her home situation is probably the reason she delayed so long, hoping that the knee would be functional for the rest of her life.

I forgot to tell you that when I was recording on his new buttons, he was paying close attention. I have been told that when he pees on the bedroom carpet, he is angry at me. So I recorded one with an angry voice, saying "I'm ANGRY at you. I don't like you anymore." Yes, that five year old girl thing. His body language sent me the message that he really liked that one. And he used it. He told me that he needed to pee. I told him to wait. Then he used that new button, and, yes, he had a bunch of pee. VICTORY!!