how about drinking?
Comments
-
NM- no, I don't have a home nebulizer (ChiSandy mentioned this might be good too based on her experience). In general, I just get some Advair about once a year when the flare comes. It works great and things are improving as the weekend goes on. We had high winds again late yesterday so I stayed in from that.
0 -
When I got my handheld neb in 1994 (before a family trip to China) it cost nearly $400. Nowadays, they're as cheap as the home plug-in compressor models.
OK--back on topic now. Yesterday, after getting my car serviced I drove to the nearest Binny's just over the border from Skokie in Morton Grove, and picked up Aperol, prosecco, elderflower tonic (to mix with soda), simple syrup (too lazy to make my own), blood orange bitters (for Bob's Manhattans), white rum for mojitos (got a good crop of mint coming up and a couple of fresh limes in the fridge), and some bourbon on sale for Bob. He got home about 9 pm--bearing Aperol, prosecco and bourbon! (Now you know why we've been together for 47 yrs).
Aperol spritz:
Place a few ice cubes in an old-fashioned or stemless wine glass. Add (in the following order) 2 parts Aperol, 3 parts brut prosecco, and sparkling water to top up. Garnish with an orange slice. (I used an ounce of Aperol and a jigger--1-1/2 oz--of prosecco; and a blood orange).
0 -
Lord Mungo of Wellington here.....
Had some scotch last night. Needed it. Living on the hydrocodone. Can't move without it, move too much with it.
Emotions all over the place. Would like my daughter to appreciate me more, understand all that I do for her but it seems we are where we were before my DX so maybe that is good. I don't know. She's not talking about any of it.
Trying to lounge but my lazy daughter doesn't do anything until I yell about it over and over so that hasn't changed. My mom being here hasn't helped as all she does is drive for me and I could drive just fine but I'm not supposed to while on the hydrocodone although I function quite well while taking it. Did yardwork this afternoon just fine, thank you, so I know I could drive but I'll let my mom thinks she's helping. We are doing errands this week and 2 follow-up surgeon appointments. Sending her home this weekend most likely.
So I survived my nipple sparing BM. Expanders. Get path report next week, then discuss chemo the following week. Moving forward.
Cheers,
J~
0 -
Hang in there--hope it's a great Scotch. (I'm kinda partial to Islay malts).
Salmon still frozen, Bob already ate and will be late, it's just moi. So ordered out from Lao Sze Chuan (but mostly off their Mandarin & Cantonese menus, since my mouth's still slightly burning from the last two Buffalo wings in the freezer). Gonna have prosecco with my meal, but maybe an Aperol spritz-lite (more seltzer than anything else) first.
Should also mention Aperol is only 11.5% alcohol--so I'm consuming less than 3 oz. wine total if I don't go for a glass of prosecco with dinner but switch to oolong tea instead.
0 -
I have developed laryngitis as of this evening! Stayed tune for more adventures with jazzy's spring respiratory fun!
0 -
Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Monday Monkey Day! Going into the first work day of the week prepared tochant "not my circus, not my monkeys" a lot as I expect to get a lot of push back now that I will be working for 2 offices. The main office can't put me off with vague maybes and still be able to count on me cuz I'll just go to the other office, and they know that. I am having a very good time imagining how Clinical Manager #4 is just gagging on realizing she needs to treat me with common courtesy or lose me to the other office. I love getting her "thank you for keeping us in the loop" emails, sent as if the concept was unique or the process difficult. Or maybe it is for her, who knows. Whatever. Maybe she needs a Silly Sadie in her life to keep her smiling. I love seeing her playing in the mud, despite the mess it makes, she's just so happy in the water.
Teka--wet doggy smell is pretty awful, fortunately Silly Sadie dries off pretty quickly, and if I remember to keep the bedroom door shut the bed escapes odiferous contamination!
Jazzy--BEAUTIFUL! What kind of flowers are they? The red one looks like a succulent. My asthma stayed at a similar level for decades. I hope yours never progresses. Getting a nebulizer has been a big help for me since my asthma progressed.
Chi--I'll have to look into finding a hand held nebulizer to keep in the car and for traveling. LOL at Bob coming home with the same items! That spritz sound so yummy!
Jaybird--Sorry to hear you are hurting, and that your DD is being problematic, and that your Mom isn't more helpful. Try not to overdo, that makes recovery longer in the long run, usually. Praying for a path report that is as positive as possible.
Chi--that makes the Aperol pretty low alcohol, doesn't it?
Jazzy--Oh no! Keep taking good care of yourself!
Countess Bunty Rothschild's DOTD
Satan's Circus
Ingredients
- 2 ounces rye whiskey
- ¾ ounce Heering Cherry Liqueur
- ¾ ounce Chile-Infused Aperol
- ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
Recipe Preparation
- Combine whiskey, cherry liqueur, aperol, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, cover, and shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 30 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass.
0 -
My sympathies, Jazzy--I had it for a solid month last spring. Scary, since each time there's this nagging feeling "what if my voice changes permanently?" It didn't. Tea with honey/lemon/brandy works, as (I'm told) does ginger, onion & garlic steeped in hot water and sweetened with honey. Steam showers (challenging in NM heat, I know), and staying hydrated are key. I also find Singer's Saving Grace spray (the Professional Strength Alcohol-Free flavor) helps immensely, as it contains jack-in-the-pulpit extract which shrinks laryngeal edema. Competitors like Vocal-Eze don't. I don't take Ricolas or Hall's drops, as I find the menthol in them irritates my GERD--but I am a pushover for Pine Bros. glycerine drops (cherry and honey). Vocal rest is a MUST, though--text (or use a Magic Slate) if you need to communicate.
My upcoming gigs: Fri. May 11, 7:30 pm, Wild Hog in the Woods Coffeehouse, Madison, WI; Sat.-Sun. June 9-10, Gebhard Woods Dulcimer Festival, Morris, IL; Sat. June 16, 7 pm, Tippecanoe Folk Festival, Lafayette, IN; friend's son's wedding in Lake Geneva, WI June 23; and Fri. June 29, 7:30 pm, Two Way Street Coffeehouse, Downers Grove, IL. One in July: Sun July 22, 7 pm, Uncommon Ground Cafe, Chicago.
I find icing and hot water soaks, plus a daily Celebrex, Voltaren gel and night bracing, are helping me play through the wrist pain. Range of motion is increasing. Right fingers are getting a bit arthritis-y, but that doesn't affect my picking.
0 -
Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Twofer Tuesday! Starting out kind of drippy today, but the sun should come out later and start really warming things up. The weather guessers are still saying we may get as high as 80 degrees tomorrow. Happy May Day!Does anyone remember making and hanging May Baskets? Talk about innocent fun. Nowadays it would probably be considered stalking or some such.
Silly Sadie says Good Morning to everyone!
Chi--that's quite the gig schedudle. Wish I was close enough to catch one of the shows.
Countess Bunty Rothschild's DOTD
May Day Cocktail
Ingredients:
1/2 oz. Plymouth gin
1/2 oz. Aperol
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1 bar spoon simple syrup
3 dashes fee brothers rhubarb bitters
2 oz. champagne
Stir first 5, top with Champagne, no garnish
The aperol and lemon juice pair so well with the gin and champagne. I use the rhubarb bitters pretty frequently and overall it creates a nicely balanced drink.
0 -
DOTD: Fragola Spritz. Fragola is a strawberry liqueur from the Veneto (same region as Aperol & prosecco), with teeny little wild strawberries suspended in it. First had this cocktail as the aperitif at an Italian winemaker dinner, then at Valentine's Day dinner.
In a champagne flute, pour 1-2 Tbsp. of Fragola. Top up with Prosecco. (I did half Prosecco and half seltzer).
The glass is a plastic 9-oz. GoVino flute (thumb depression on side and finger indentation on the bottom keeps the hand from warming the bubbly, eliminating the need for a stem. Thin rim (as with the wineglasses) makes it feel like you're drinking from crystal. They come in packs of 4. Both reusable & disposable and very lightweight but sturdy. (I usually pack a couple of the flutes and a champagne stopper for travel).
0 -
Good Morning, Loungettes! The weather guessers are still talking about hitting 80 degrees today! It was actually warm enough to sit out on the deck after work yesterday. So nice getting home while it's still light out. Sadie and I had a good game of fetch until she got distracted by little guy across the street toddling around. He really is cute. Have got to seriously start cleaning up the yard this weekend, though. The grass is turning green, which means it'll start shooting up anytime now. Ah, spring!
Chi--The Fragola Spritz sounds very yummy! And the special glass is really neat, too!
0 -
Hi friends- I got a PM from Cami and she is not doing well. I hope she is not upset I am telling you but know she loves you all. My thought is, if you are the praying type, now is a good time for it.
0 -
Sorry all to have been MIA, just been busy and feeling very fatigued lately. Therefore, I am not going to comment to everyone like I normally do....we'll see how that goes...LOL!
Jazzy, my Irises are blooming too. I have a light purple, a dark purple and bright yellow one. I really need to dig them up and replant. That orange Lily, does it come up every year in that pot, or is it just a new plant. I wish perinials would last longer. Oh no, not our Cami. That family has been through enough, maybe I'll try to call her and also say some prayers for her and her family.
Karen, I was pretty sure that was what you meant about your son, but it still read funny.
NM, they had that cop killing on the news here too. Glad they caught him.As for neighbors, I don't have any. No one can see us, we are at the end of the road and our driveway is quite long and winding and takes us up a hill. Take that CM 4! The red flower Jazzy posted is a cactus. I'm thinking barrel cactus.
Jaybird, you are out doing yard work? Good grief girl! As for your daughter, I don't know what to say, she is only 11? Girl, you are going to have your hands full when she hits those tween and teen years. The only thing I can think of is counseling.
Sandy, lots of gigs coming up for you. Sounds like you got everything under control with your asthma. I have allergies, developed them very late in my life, but the last few years they have not been bad at all. I bought my brother some plastic wine glasses with the finger indents in them. Great for at the pool.
Mom is doing pretty good at the home, altho she has lost her phone. Got a perm yesterday, why I don't know! DH is still not doing well. Adding pain managment, but can't get in for 2 weeks, plus chiro and PT. My poor feet are a mess, feels like I'm walking on razor blades, with all the cracks and peeling. Got 26 tomato plants in the garden and still have 16 more, may give them to neighbors. DH did most of it, plus rototilling, which is why I think he is hurting more, over doing it, but he won't listen to me. He starts to feel better, then does too much.
Some pictures of my feets! The first of my heel, has actually bled. The secong picture just to show how red they are, with the chemo leaching though the skin. No, I don't have pretty feet. I'm pretty much wearing closed toe shoes, due to how bad they look. No sandals or flip flops for this goil, except at home. Will take some pictures of the garden today to share. I can't have Jazzy taking all the compliments...j/k.
0 -
Goldie - I hope those feet heal quickly, maybe some summer sunshine will help speed things up...
Prayers and positives to Cami - feel better fast! xoxoxox
I am not a gardener, but so enjoy your lovely blooms! I can see my rhubarb poking through, a sure sign of spring (let's hope it doesn't snow for a while
)...Happy Hump Day All
0 -
Lori, ouch! Dunno what to tell you about how to manage "hand-foot syndrome" (that's the actual name for it, caused by cyclophosphamide/Cytoxan, the "C" in "AC+T"). proudtospin has been going through the same thing, but I think she's on Afinitor or Xeloda, not A, C, or T. (Like you, she first had DCIS before mets set in years later--though not sure of the histology of the mets, and there are a couple of others on these boards who went straight from DCIS to mets despite bmx; so I've stopped being envious of the DCIS gals and I don't lament having had IDC from the get-go).
Praying for Cami--she has been through so much for so long, trying to stay connectedto the outside world and working--even from her bed.
0 -
Hey Sandy, Proudtospin is on the xeloda thread that I post on. There is nothing to help it, you can only get some relief with lotion and such. But once it's absorbed, it's back to looking like always.
I did not get a chance to call Cami, will try tomorrow. Been booking flights to Michigan and trying to coordinate everything with everyone. Going June 4-13.
0 -
Thanks for the info, Lori.
The aforementioned Aperol Spritz (but half-strength and a bit more seltzer than prosecco):
0 -
Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Thirsty Thursday! Today I am going to work for the Augusta office, so will get to see some old friends I haven't seen in a while, and meet some new folks. Turns out the weather guessers were both right and wrong yesterday--temps got up to 80 and then blew past and almost hit 90! Definitely time to bring out the summer clothes and put away the winter. Another project for this weekend. Sadie wanted to sleep on the bed with me last night but kept getting too warm, she finally settled in the closet on top of a pile of dirty clothes. I was hearing thump, bump, scratch, and turned on the light to see what she was up to. She was tipping over the clothes basket! I use clothes baskets for hampers for dirty clothes, sort as I take clothes off, except that now I'm going to have to resort the stuff that was in the 2 baskets she tipped over. Oh well, as long as she was comfortable, I guess.
Jazzy--thanks for the update. I've been wondering from the Facebook posts if something was going on. Will be praying for her and her family.
Goldie--Your poor feet! Makes me cringe to just look at them. With all the technology we have today it seems like there should be something that can be done to help that. That's a lot of tomato plants you've got in already, and what a crop you'll have with the rest! Those will keep you busy this summer. Too bad your Mom has lost her phone, I hope it turns up soon.
Janky--ah, rhubub!I have got to get a patch started here somewhere.
Chi--Opening up the inflatable Chapel for prayers for Cammy.
Countess Bunty Rothschild's DOTD
Templeton Lemonade
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Rye Whiskey
- ½ ounce Triple Sec
- Fresh lemonade
- Splash lemon lime soda
Directions
- In a pint glass, squeeze juice from and add half lemon and spirits.
- Add ice, fresh lemonade and a splash of lemon lime soda.
- Cover with mixing tin and shake once to incorporate.
0 -
Mornin Ladies, I'm sorry I didn't even skim---I just pray everyone is doing OK nd I haven't been here, I've been so sick, I;m not even working right now.... The silly part is Leslie is exhausted now <rads>. Marty wqs just operated on and then me...no one can help the other, kinda like the Magnificent 7, only minus 4 and just the dilapidated 3. Well I didn't come to complain, yea right, just to let u know my prayers are in tact for all of you
LUBS U ALL
0 -
Oh my, I had forgotten about the inflatable chapel. We sure have lots of things up here in the Hot Tottie Lounge!
NM, I had rhubarb when I lived in MI, loved cooking with it. Had a nice recipe for a rhubarb crisp that was really good, that I had gotten from one of my students mom. Is this your first time at the other office? And you are so sweet to Sadie, we just love her. I too wish there were something that can be done with my feet, and indeed, it is painful. My tomato plants last year were a bust. It got really hot, really soon and our monsoon weather came late. So very hot and no rain water. It's amazing what that rain water does to a garden.
Oh Cami, I'm glad to see you, but not the news you bring. You had surgery? Sending prayers for you and whole family, I'm so sorry.
OMG, my husband is NOT getting any better, but boy is he playing it up. Even the facial expressions as tho is is so so sad. And he always thinks he's gonna die, at least that's what he says. He said to me night before last, if I don't wake up......
My mom did find her phone, it was plugged in on her room mates side. But that doesn't expain why it was going straght to voice mail. Both my brothers went to see her yesterday. She wouldn't get dressed, was wearing a holy gown. They wanted to take her outside, she wouldn't budge. My one brother took her the catalogs that she gets at home, the ones where she would make purchases, then not pay for them. So she is looking thru them, says she wants these 3 dresses$65.00, . Brother asks her what for, she says I can wear them as gowns. Not sure if I have shared that for a long time, we call her the Queen. She is want want want, I need I need I need, bring me this, can I have that. Anyways, I have my trip booked, June 3-14.
0 -
Oh, well, summer here was nice while it lasted. 50 and gray here by the lake this aft., more storms tonight. At least everything is suddenly green & growing, and my backyard magnolia woke up:
Cherry & apple trees blooming too (usually not together, but this was an unusual spring). As to rhubarb, we had a patch when we moved in 31 yrs ago, perennial and so prolific that we had to share it with neighbors. But one hard freeze killed it off and it never came back. Still trying to do strawberries but they're so delicate and need a helluva lotta sun--and close-to-the ground (read: kneel & squat) hand-work.
Cami, glad to hear from you but not to hear you're not feeling well. We'll fill those seats in Kim's inflatable chapel.
0 -
Cami, so sorry to here you’re not feeling well but the “dilapidated 3”, that’s just an amusing name, lol
ChiSandy, the flowers are beautiful!
I’m counting down the days to vacation and I’ve got all the clothes I plan to wear, so I can pre-pack this weekend. This is me, partying in Florida next Thursday.
0 -
Red wine, red wine ~ how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.......
A French red tonight as I am out of scotch. A Binny's run tomorrow for sure.
It's official: stage 3A. Tumor was larger than expected.
I knew chemo and rads were prescribed even before the mastectomy
(biopsy confirmed) but I still had a breakdown. A bad 2 days.
I scared of the chemo. Taxol, maybe 6. Or maybe 2 A/C first as my heart
is in excellent condition (despite being broken numerous times...)
Either way no good news as I can't tolerate the taxanes/neuropathy.
And more A/C (which I tolerated just fine) could damage my heart.
My onco is open to my concerns/fears.
I'm just pissed as hell is all. And I don't want a fucking port!
Cheers~
0 -
Oh, Jaybird, I'm so sorry to hear that. Taxol is supposed to have less incidence of neuropathy than does taxotere. Binny's runs are highly therapeutic. Get the best red you can afford and savor it.
We went out for Peruvian food tonight to a BYOB place. It makes "virgin Pisco sours," but encourages bringing Pisco brandy to make it real. Considering the sours are $13 for a pitcher, well, duh. Our neighborhood "artisanal" liquor store (Independent Spirits) had one bottle--and it was Peruvian. We also brought a bottle of Mumm Napa DVX 2011 Rose (with a champagne stopper and plastic flutes) from home, and in retrospect we needn't have opened it--you can't take the sours home, so we drank those first. Yum! Worth the inevitable reflux tonight.
0 -
Good Morning, Loungettes!Had a lovely day working for the other office. Drove an hour to the office, visited for a bit, got some details squared away, went out to 2 nursing homes and saw 5people, drove 90 minutes to get home and still got home before the 5 pm news started!I had forgotten what it was like to make visits in a smaller geographic area. The 2 nursing homes were only 3 miles from each other. I'm setting up a schedule where I will work 2 days a week for the main office, and 1 day a week for the other office.Any time the main office doesn't have work the other office will.It may even be that I can eventually, gradually, slide out of the current main office and into the other office entirely. We'll see how it goes. And I did e-mail back the recruiter who contacted me about the health Services Director job, just to find out more about it. From what I have researched about the parent company and what I already know about the facility it could offer a very big wage increase. It's also a position in one facility, so no more driving around all day. And only 20 minutes commute from home. When I think of how much I would save on gas alone with that kind of job it sounds good. Certainly have to look much more closely into it, if it's even still available, before making any decisions.
Sadie like the cooler temps last night. She slept on the bed with me all night, and didn't re-nest in the closet. I'm thinking I need to make or get her a bed for the bedroom floor now that the weather is warming up. She'll come up on the bed for our nighttime belly rub and ear scratching ritual, but prefers to sleep off the bed when it's very warm and especially if it's sticky. And I can understand it, I don't really want to be cuddled up to her when it's warm and sticky, and I don't wear a fur coat!
Cammy--you and y our family are going through so much!Prayers and hugs.
Goldie--Yesterday was my first day with the other office as a per diem, I worked for the other office for a couple of weeks a couple of years ago when they needed help (they've sent nurses and home health aides up to us in the past, too. There's a long history of "sharing" staff during staffing crises.) The nursing homes I went to yesterday were not ones I'd been to before, but there are several in the area I have been to before. The Clinical Manager there isn't going to send me out to do home visits, too many patients/families are heavy smokers and that does not work with my asthma. I do try to take care of Silly Sadie, she is very good to me after all, keeps me from sleeping in the recliner all night by waking me up and reminding me it's bedtime around 9 peeyem. She entertains me with games of fetch and tug, and by doing silly things. She lets me cry all over her when I'm upset. And the poor thing listens to all my jabberingabout work, family, housework, my life in general, and anything else that pops into my head! All she wants in return is regular feeding, some attention, and belly rubs. I'm definitely getting the better end of this deal! Your Mom looking through catalogues and wanting to get dresses to wear as gowns made me laugh! I had a patient one time who had a roommate like that. She, literally, had a pile of boxes from the floor to the ceiling of her room of dresses and fancy blouses she bought but never wore because they were too hard to get on and off. One of her granddaughters really like to sew, smuggled a few blouses and dresses out of the room, and adapted them so they could be put on like a johnny, but once on looked like regular clothing. Not only was the roommate happy with the clothes but several other residents offered to pay the granddaughter to alter some of their clothing! The granddaughter didn't want to charge anything, but the residents didn't want "charity" so she charged 50 cents to alter a blouse, shirt, or skirt and $1 for a dress. Maybe your Mom could find someone in the nursing home who can do that for her dresses? At least then she would get to wear them. She certainly does sound as though she had a Queenly personality!
Chi--the magnolia is fantastic! So delicately colored. FYI--the inflatable chapel belongs to the Lounge, I just happened to have a pic of it!
Illi--ah, the packing for vacay! One of the things I like about vacay is the planning and packing. Hope you have a great time in Floriday!
Jaybird--A meltdown after confirmation of a diagnosis and treatment plan is to be allowed for. Until the confirmation there is always a teeny, tiny, kernel of hope hiding away that things will be better than expected. I had 3 months between the Birad 4 mammogram (almost certainly cancer) to the first biopsy, plenty of time to prepare, and I totally melted down when I got the phone call.I was on the phone to my Pastor's wife for an hour and a half just bawling and now-what-am-I-going-to-do asking. Don't blame you for being pissed. Don't blame you for not wanting a port. Will your Onc let you go the first few rounds without a port? Some people can get through chemo without a port. And a port can be put in anytime along the way, so it doesn't have to be right now.
Chi--I'm going to make that Pisco sour the DOTD!
Countess Bunty Rothschild's DOTD
0 -
Life is hard, but life can also be good. Just remember that friends when the going gets tough.
And for several of you, it is really hard right now
Here are some photos from the Land of Enchantment for you. The first is a photo taken this am of a balloon flying over my patio. The second (not by me) was taken at the recent Gathering of Nations Pow Wow where Native Americans come from all over the country to dance. This is the most stunning dance regalia I have ever seen (and I have seen a lot.....)
0 -
Jazzy--whoever named that balloon has a good sense of humor and good business sense! Pretty balloon. Wow, that is some impressive native regalia. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that!
Oh, look, the Tenders are setting up the percotini fountain next to the pool!What shall we play on the big TV screen?
Countess Bunty Rothschild's DOTD
Silver Balloon
Ingredients
- 1 Part Absolut Vodka
- ½ Part Almond Liqueur
- 1 Part Grapefruit Juice
- ½ Part Williams Pear Liqueur
How to mix
Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
0 -
I found the pool floaties!
For Loungettes needed some shade:
How the Tenders keep us hydrated while we soak:
My personal floatie for after a few drinks when I'm too tired to get out of the pool:
0 -
Today's bloom
0 -
Been in and out of the rabbit hole, will try and post Monday. 95 degrees here today.
0 -
Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Sunday Funday! Got the official notice of my next teaching class in 2 weeks, so today is going to be get the paperwork set up and review the notes and start re-packing the tote bag for a class of 27 students. Last class had 3! Bit of a difference, but that's ok, I've taught bigger groups.This coming work week will be 2 days in the main office, 1 day in the other office, and already I feel lighter about the upcoming week. I think there may be a message in there somewhere.
Silly Sadie says "HI" to everyone!
Jazzy--gorgeous yellow blossoms!
Goldie--on, no, not the rabbit hole!What do we need to do to fill that hole up and keep everyone out of it??
Countess Bunty Rothschild's DOTD
0
