Best Of

Mae - the photos make all of us smile.

gailmary - how devastating to have a new primary. Hope you don’t have to wait long for a treatment protocol. Joining with others for pocket duty.

Snowdrop - I would be livid if someone dropped the ball like that! But then again, what would that do - wouldn’t solve the problem and just make my blood pressure go up. At this level of medical care, it is truly inexcusable🤬.

So I’m 10 days post-op. Had follow-up with ortho yesterday, told me jokingly that I was an overachiever. I’m well beyond what most patients are at this point. Stopped pain meds last week. Still have discomfort but more stiffness and soreness. Icing is the best thing for the aches. Doing my PT as ordered (which is why I think I do so well post-op). PT is also happy with my progress, got to use the bike today so I’m cleared for using our recumbent bike at home. Still taking it one day at a time.

Sending healing thoughts to all, especially for all the damn struggles this disease leaves at our front doors.

Irish, beefless ground is simply a plant based ground beef texture. It doesn't have a lot of taste until seasonings and other ingredients are added, there is no grease to speak of, can be heated up in a pan with water and taco seasoning to produce taco meat or added to any other meal really. It takes on the taste of whatever cooked or seasoned as, can be heated up quickly in the microwave as well. If you can find a binder like beans that are pulverized for example, they could be fashioned into a burger. This product is low in calorie, pretty high in protein and many other vitamins. I get mine from Walmart and the brand name is Gardein. Lentils can be added to anything really. I have never done it but with oil, a person could fry them if they wanted something crispy in a salad type dish. Like the beefless ground, I do not detect a particular taste, they just take on the taste of whatever is being prepared, super good for you as well. If you are sensitive to fiber, smaller amounts can be had as well.

@sondraf So happy you had a good day yesterday. It's the little blessings that keep us going! Here's hoping your scan is good.

@illimae Love the pictures. I don't miss the house but I do miss our living near the hills. We were in a deer path and had them constantly. The elk and deer are not on the plains where we live now having been pushed out further with all the new construction. And I swear the mama dear brought their babies to us to see.

@mara51506 You are so creative and brave with your meals. I am trying to cook more healthy for my little family of four but the DGD is super picky and barely eats anything I try. It is discouraging. This has been going on for years (she is nine.) If it were just the DH and I we would eat differently. And I don't have energy to fix two meals as I barely get one done! We make her try everything hoping someday she will improve. I do throw in something I know she will eat if I get too creative and fear she will just shut down. Sometimes I separate what she will eat, like chicken or plain pasta, before I throw the rest into the meal. At least she gets that. Trying to disquise anything doesn't work. She is too smart for that.

So I did try out cheez whiz for the first time ever, mom did not like it so we did not get it as kids. What I did was took two dinners, michelinas Rice, chicken and peas with carrot combined with a poutine breakfast bowl, cheese, eggs potatoes as well. Cooked each separately, put in a big bowl. Spooned a couple of spoonfuls out onto a plate, added two small spoonfuls of cheez whiz, it was really thick then added a generous amount of taco seasoning and salt. Mixed the ingredients together and it was delicious. I can get another 2 meals together with an addition of beans or an egg or just have it on the side of a meat pie. I figure it will be good for another 3 days in the fridge. Yummy and cheap.

Intolight - Yes, we might only be doing ourselves a big disservice by skipping a dose here and there, but I almost "have to". I seem to get something like an almost total body and mind "re-set" when I do. Even if it's just for a few hours, it is so good to feel like somewhat normal again. It's almost like a "reverse drug addiction" or something. I just crave feeling normal again and even it it's for just a few hours once a month or something, I treasure it!

Please keep us informed about how the 50 mg. is going. I've also lowered to 100, but it is my understanding that 50 is still a questionable dose in terms of effectiveness. On the other hand, I can't believe your doctor OK'd it if it hasn't been shown to be worthwhile. Gosh, even feeling like you want to do more, even when you still can't is progress with these drugs! Good for you. Hopefully with time, the new lower dose will give you more energy, physically and mentally! You have my heartfelt sympathy and I get it.

Snowdrop - I am so sorry for what you've just been through. I hope that you are feeling better this morning. Cannot believe that they "forgot" to send the sample to the lab! That is outrageous. I'm assuming that the sample they took is still viable and that it will just delay the results, and not require a "re-do"! Feel better soon, and know that we are all here for you. Hugs.

Mae - I just love that photo! Thanks so much for posting it.