how about drinking?
Comments
-
Cataract surgery was miraculous for me. Hope it's the same for you, Karen.
1 -
Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Saturday! Mom is now safely home, minus one gall bladder. She's tired and feeling a bit weak, but able to get around and take care of herself. She let me spend one night then sent me home. She had a follow up appointment with her PCP yesterday, has another next week. She will be getting some PT at home but is already up doing dishes and cooking for herself. So today I have all day here at home with the puppers and a chance to clean up the mess they've made being left home alone so much this last week. And ot start writing the formal complaint letter I'm going to send in to the hospitial. I saw the hospital's satisfaction survey on mom's phone and filled that out, and blasted the GI people and hospitalists but good (it helps knowing which questions need to be answered a certain way for a hospital to get a good rating). Again, thank you all for letting me have a space to download and let out all the frustration and anger and fear I was feeling. Woithout your support I think I would have gone off the deep end.
The rest of Mom's story is that she was turned over to Surgery over the weekend, they kept her on a clear liquid diet, scheduled for a gall bladder removal on Monday. The gall bladder removal surgery went off laproscopically, without difficulty, Monday afternoon. She goes back to a different room on a different floor, ironically, the same floor she was on the first time around, but on the surgical side this time. Hospitalist #3 comes around, plan is to let her start eating real food Tuesday, and if she tolerates that and her lab work continues to improve, and she can walk around safely, she will go home Wed or Thursday. Tuesday PT came in and did their eval, recommended some home PT but did not indicate a need for rehab or not safe to go home, lab work is better, Mom is able to eat without nausea or vomiting, belly is sore but not really painful, Hospitalist #3 calls me, plan is to discharge Wed unless something bad happens. Wed am, hospitalist #3 calls, Mom is doing great, and is discharged. I have her home by lunch time! She is up and about with her walker, taking herself to the bathroom, changing clothes without help, made herself a cup of tea, took lots of naps. Thursday morning she is up before I am, fixes her own coffee, washes up and get dressed by herself, and kicks me out to go home and take care of my puppers.
Now to ketchup with everyone!
Carole—can I ask what the laser treatments on your back are for? I hope the treatment will be successful and have the results you want. Yes, the gall stone was the problem all along. When the GI people finally did the ERCP they found a stone blocking the bile duct and took it out. The story is that she had one that cause the trouble initially but passed before the first set of tests was taken, and then a second one got stuck after the test were done and created more trouble. I think either the scans didn't show the stone (scan frequently don't) or were mis-read and the stone was there all along, and the ERCP should have been done sooner, as that the definitive test for a blocked bile duct. Anyway, she is now home, able to everything she wants to do but a bit more slowly as she is tired from being in bed for a week, but she is already doing much better than many people her age after something like this.
Jazzy—wow, look at all that snow! I am so not ready for snow yet. That is a great pic! So glad it was featured!
Wally—I am sorry to hear about DH's PSA numbers. And having to return the hearing aids. Why do hearing aids have to be so problematic all the time? I'm not sure how I feel about the election results, It's certainly not the result I wanted and was hoping for. But I haven't had a whole lot of time to think about it, either. Lots of deep breaths going on!
Miriandra—Did you have your gallbladder taken out laparoscopically? Mom had really bad gas pains for a couple of hours after the surgery, and since then she has felt MUCH better. Did you have the same experience? The Recovery Room Nurse said everyone who had laparascopic surgery goes through a few hours of horrible gas pains right after. I did not realize the stone were cube shaped. DThat seems kind of odd, but given they start out as crystals, maybe not so much. My biggest beef is with Hospitalist #2, who did not keep to the plan of keeping Mom for a couple of days as her liver enzymes weren't coming donw as fast as they wanted and to be sure she would be able to eat, and not checking on her ability to get around at all before discharge. When he showed up at her bedside again I so wanted to ask if he still thought there was no reason to keep her in the hospital (where she would have ended up with the gall bladder taken out 3 to days sooner than she did). Glad you haven't gotten any roof damage from the snow. Sorry to hear the cottonwood lost some branches.
Carole—The gall bladder is responsible for making, storing, and releasing enzymes that help digest food, particularly fats. It used to be standard to put someone on a low fat diet after gall bladder surgery to prevent problems with fat not getting digested and causing diarrhea, but nowadays they say you can eat whatever you want, and if something bothers, limit how much of that you eat. Fortunately, Mom didn't lose any weight (she doesn't need to), but I lost 6# from multiple days of being up for 24 hours and not eating for 24 hours! Now I could stand to lose the weight! I can imagine how much of an experience a Vermont ski lodge season would be for a southerner!
Wallycat—I forgot about people taking digestive enzymes after gallbladder surgery! That used to be standard, too. I'll have to look up tudca, that's a new one on me.
Karen—Mom is doing very well, now, thank you!
Miriandra—great explanation of the effect of removing a gall bladder!
Carole—glad to hear your DH is recovering from knee replacement well. Mom is doing better and so am I, thank you.
Minus—Mom is much, much better now, thank you!
MOmmy—How exciting that I know a published author! I can't wait to get the book and read your poems.
Carole—I am happy to have Mom home, too. So far, no dietary issues, but It's early days and her appetite isn't fully back yet. Good luck with the WW plan!
Karen—glad to hear the first cataract procedure went well. I imagine you do feel tired, lots of body energy is being diverted to healing, so rest up!
Carole—so glad cataract surgery was good for you!
The Existentially Exhausted
Ingredients:
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1 oz honey syrup (equal parts honey and water)
- 1 oz lemon juice
- A splash of lavender-infused simple syrup (to evoke the calming essence of a field of lavender)
- A few drops of chamomile bitters (for a touch of tranquility)
- A lemon wheel and sprig of lavender (for a dash of whimsy and elegance amidst the chaos)
Combine all ingredients, except the garnishes, in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with the lemon wheel and sprig of lavender. Sip this comforting elixir while wrapped in a cozy blanket, as you take a momentary respite from the weight of existence.
3 -
0
-
Berry wine and a small snack in celebration of my 8 year MBC cancerversary.
Hello to all 😁
3 -
IIIlmae,
Congrats!
1 -
NM - thanks for the Mom update. You must be exhausted. But glad to finally have a resolution.
Mae - congrats on the 8 year cancerversary.
I too had good results from cataract surgery. I still wear drug store glasses to read, but it's wonderful to see street signs again.
3 -
NM - glad things are better for your mom now.
Karen - good luck with cataract #2. I had both eyes done in 2019.
Mommy - congrats s on getting your poems published
Illimae - congrats on your annual versary of wellness 🙏
1 -
Jazzy - good to see you. Hope you were at home during the massive snow storms & not up North of Santa Fe. Any major vacations planned?
0 -
Yes, my gall bladder surgery was laparoscopic too. The little incisions along my side made a nice curve with my drain outlet scar from my mastectomy. 😆
I don't remember feeling gassy afterwards, but I did bounce back fairly quickly like your Mom. I felt immensely better with it out.
0 -
Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Monday Monkey Day! Thank goodness for iPhones and clocks that show the day and date as well as the time, I am totally messed up. I could swear today is Sunday, thought it was Monday all day yesterday. I'm taking Mom to appointments tomorrow and Wednesday, and the Wednesday one is at 8:30 ayem, so I will need to set an alarm to be sure I get up in time to get to her place and then to the dermatologist's office in time. I finally got a night's sleep without nightmares last night, probably because I spent most of yesterday writing up everything that happened with Mom and filing formal complaints with the hospital and the Medicare's quality assurance program. My advice to anyone who has a loved one n the hospital—take notes with times, names, events/issues, starting with what time you walk through the door. The log I kept in my phone's note app when Mom was re-admitted was super helpful. Mom is still doing fine. She is mostly complaining that she is way more tired than she likes and can't do as much all at once that she wants to. Reminding her that she is not going to bounce back from things at 88 like she used to when she was 22 gets me called a smartass, but then it makes her laugh.
Illi—Congrats on the 8 year cancerversary! That's a nice looking mini-charcuterie board snack to celebrate with.
Morning, Teka!
Minus—I am exhausted. I don't bounce back from things like I used to, either! I'm glad the cataract surgery was a benefit for you. Being able to read street signs is a wonderful thing!
Jazzy—thank you!
Miriandra—I’m glad you didn't go through the gas pain like Mom did after surgery. I think part of the issue with Mom was that she was so scared that the pain would never stop, and it was as bad as the pain she was having in the ER when I brought her back in. Mom is feeling better already, with just some soreness around the incision they took the gall bladder out through.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/4170309-d2dd65d2f58e4db0b7cf7f774a15cafb.jpg)
Autumn Sunshine Cocktail
Ingredients
6 ice cubes
2 fluid ounces bourbon
1 fluid ounce maple syrup
1 fluid ounce brandy-based orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier®)
1 clementine, juiced and peel cut into 1x1/4-inch strips
½ lemon, juice
Directions
Place ice cubes in a shaker. Pour bourbon, maple syrup, orange liqueur, clementine juice, and lemon juice over ice. Cover the shaker and shake until chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
Light a match or lighter over the cocktail and squeeze 1 piece of clementine peel near the flame to flame the oil. Rub peel on the rim of the glass and drop peel into the cocktail.
4 -
I learned that I can have a vodka martini for about the same allotment of daily WW food points as my generous glass of wine but I'm sticking with the wine for now. I sip it slowly and enjoy the taste and the nightly routine. In a way, I'm dreading Thanksgiving because it means I will be losing a lot of control over my diet. We'll be taking a road trip to FL to the home of dh's nephew. The road trip and being a house guest offer challenges. Our hostess is vegan but the big Thanksgiving meal will be traditional, not home cooked but catered.
We're having some days of fall weather which I welcome. Cooler temperatures. Last night we had a bedroom window open and needed to pull up the quilt during early morning hours. Wally, I think your area on the Pacific coast is having some strong winds.
I have a new hobby, mini succulents. I'm starting out small and hope not to go overboard. I learned that a nursery about a 30 minutes drive away has succulents so I want to go there and see what's available. I've joined groups on Facebooks. The variety of plants is huge. The reason that collections go so large is that succulents are easily propagated. I think they're so charming.
2 -
Carole, yes, the PNW is having a huge (storm of the century) on the coast. Oddly, since we are on the straits of juan de fuca, we have seen only mild wind, for a change. LOTS of needed rain. We get battered by enough winds but these are causing winds against the cascades.
I love succulents. I was gifted a christmas cactus and adore it. It is in full bloom right now.
Making spaghetti with meat sauce for tonight. May go shopping for odds/ends/prep in case there's an outage.
1 -
Met with my new oncologist this week. Keeping me on the 6 month plan for now. Have a CT scan next week.
1 -
Good Morning, Loungettes! Well, Mom has had her follow up with her PCP, next appointment in a month with blood work, will make decisions about some medications then. Otherwise, she is recovering very well from the gall bladder "cluster f@(k" as her PCP referred to the experience after reviewing the notes. Doesn't need an RN to come to her home and see her for anything. Occupational Therapist came and did an eval and left a couple of suggestions but sees no ongoing need. Physical Therapist coming today. Saw her dermatologist yesterday, all good, next eval in a year. Mom is now talkiong about plans for cooking a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner for the 2 of us and how she is going to decorate for Christmas. So, except for feeling more tired than usual, Mom is back to normal. I've finally gotten a couple of night's sleep without nightmares about hospitals. The puppers age getting used to me being gone for a few hours 2-3 a week and aren't getting quite so mad at me. LIfe is looking good!
Carole—Glad to hear you have options for your evening imbibing ritual. I can imagine how traveling for Turkey Day will disrupt the diet. Hopefully the disruption will be minimal and not have much of an effect. I hope you enjoy the visit and the meal. Succulents are fun plants to play with! Be warned, though, the minis can grow to be quite big given a little TLC. The are cute and fun.
Wally—I hear about the windiness and storminess out your way. It sounds a lot like the Nor'Easters we get around hear sometimes. I wonder if your Christmas Cactus is actually a Thanksgiving Cactus. You can tell by the shape of the leaves if it's a Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter Cactus.
MOmmy—how was the new Oncologist? Someone you will get along with, I hope. Good luck with the CT and prayers for good results.
Prickly Pear Margarita
INGREDIENTS:
FOR EACH PRICKLY PEAR MARGARITA:
- 2 ounces tequila blanco
- 1 ounce prickly pear syrup
- ¾ ounces fresh squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounces Cointreau
- Ice
FOR THE RIM:
- agave
- margarita salt
- slice of lime
- Use a pastry brush to brush the rim of a margarita glass with agave syrup. Turn the glass upside down and press into the rimming salts. Set aside. Add ice to a cocktail shaker and pour in the tequila, prickly pear simple syrup, lime juice and Cointreau. Seal the shaker with the lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds until the contents are icy cold and the outside of the shaker is frosty. Add fresh ice to the rimmed glass and strain the prickly pear margarita into the glass. Garnish with a slice of lime.
3 -
New oncologist was great. He really was easy to talk to and put both hubby and me at ease. Hoping the CT scan brings me a good late present Friday since Monday is my birthday.
Love the identification chart for the different types of flowering cacti. I have a Christmas one, named it “Aletha” for my late bestie!
Had rain on Tuesday and had a few snow showers that turned into a little light snow last night. What a welcome back to Wisconsin for me!2 -
NM, WOW on that info. I never knew there were different ones. Mine is clearly an Thanksgiving cactus!!
0 -
I would have welcomed that prickly pear margarita today. I have had to change GPs as my current lovely GP is being moved to a town 50 minutes away from me and I don't drive. So off I trundled to the other practice in town. While the drs might be good - although there is strong debate in the community about that, their receptionists need to improve dramatically. And that is all I will say on the matter of receptionists. 8 hours later, I think most of the paperwork is done and I have a 30 minute "first appointment" with a Dr I was told had closed her books. So I will be able to get the insurance required necessary new referral to my oncologist before the appointment. Which was a good way to end the day. I also had a double imaginary gin and tonic with a twist of lime as a calming exercise.😎
2 -
The succulents reminded me of cool pictures I've seen online of air plants growing in sea shells. I wonder if that could work with some of the smaller succulent varieties in larger shells?
1 -
Tearing my hair out trying to find macrame like plant hangers for two of my plants. So far no luck! If I can’t find any, I’ll just get some cord and make a simple one myself!
2 -
Kim - glad to hear that your Mom is doing so well. I like how here PSP described the situation.
M0mmy - good news
malleemiss - where do you live? small town
we used to buy my late MIL Christmas cactus - but based on the photos, maybe it was a Thanksgiving cactus.
Carole - safe travels.
I had my second eye, the left done today. It is more irritated than the first. Now I can't see distance with my glasses - line less bifocals, but can't see anything close without them. I have to wait at least 3 weeks to get new glasses. I dread the "on/off, on/off of reading glasses - that's why I started with the line less bifocals - putting glasses on a bald head didnt't work 😂
I'm officially on Thanksgiving break as I never work Fridays. Looking forward to the time off- catch up in the house and maybe sleep in till 6!!! I've been waking up every 2 hours and get up at 4:45 or 5 on work days.
Sweet dreams.
2 -
Good Morning, Lougettes! Happy TGIF day! Rainy and breezy this ayem here, but not too cold, which I will take. I'm looking forward to not having to go anywhere today and getting some stuff done around the house. I finally feel like I've caught up on sleep and not so worried about Mom now. I had been thinking that whole thing was only 4 or 5 days, and was very suprised when her PCP pointed out Mom spent 11 days in the hospital! Every time I sit down one or the other of the puppers is trying to climb into my lap, and when one gets down, the other climbs up! I guess they must have missed me some. I love the way they are running my life. Zoe has decided that get up time is around 7 ayem, and starts washing my face if I'm not stirring by then. Colt has decided that bedtime is around 9 peeuyem, and stands in front of me and barks at me until I turn off the TV and head for bed. Then he jumps up in the recliner and checks out the side table for anything remotely edible, or any dishes he can lick off before coming to the bedroom himself, and if he gets there before I get in bed, he tried to take over the exact center of the bed. Let me tell you all, trying to move a 90 pound rottie/boxer mix from the middle of the bed to one side is a VERY hard job! I can't even roll him over most nights and end up having to practically sit on top of his head to get him to shift. And all the time I'm working on moving Colt, Zoe is jumping on and off the bed and pouncing on me and Colt and generally being foolish. I think I get more exercise trying to go to bed than during the entire day!
MOmmy—Glad to hear the new Onc is a good one! I've seen a few snowflakes off and on around here, but no real snow yet. There might be some early next week, we'll have to wait and see.
Wally—I was surprised when I discovered there were different ones, too!
Mallee—having to change doctors is not much fun. Working with a doctor's office when the reception staff isn't friendly only adds to the stress. Glad you'll be able to get the referral you need in time. It really makes me crazy that a person diagnosed with cancer has to get a referral to see an Oncololgist. Another example of insurance companies gaining way too much control and making decisions they are not qualified to make. The gin and tonic sounds lovely!
Miriandra—I have seen small succulents in small containers like shells and hollowed out wine corks attached to fridges/file cabinets by magnets, so it can be done. I've read you have to be careful not to overwater succulents in containers without drainage holes.
MOmmy—macrame plant hangers are easy to make, I say go for it! Then you can choose the color of cording to coordinate with your décor!
Karen--I think a lot of what people think are Christmas Cactus plants are actually Thanksgiving Cactus, as those would be in bloom about the time people think about getting Christmas plants. I once had a true Christmas Cactus, and it often was just beginning to blood at Christmas time and was in full bloom just after Christmas. Glad to hear the second cataract surgery went well. I can imagine dreadding the on/off, on/off with reading glasses. Praying you won't need glasses at all when everything is healed up. Enjoy your sleep ins!
Succulent Mule
Ingredients
Ginger Beer 3.55oz
Rye Whiskey 1½oz
Grapefruit Bitters Dash
How to make a Succulent Mule
Serves 1 · Takes 3 minutes
Prepare a glass with cubes or a ball of ice
Pour rye whisky, Maraschino liqueur, grapefruit bitters, and a little nice spicy ginger beer into the glass
Gently swirl the ingredients to let them mingle, and then add the remaining ginger beer and serve
2 -
May have to go tonight in search of plant hangers or get crafting cord at the craft store. My aunt wants us at her place tomorrow, think it has something to do with my birthday being Monday.
1 -
@nativemainer, agree wholeheartedly about the need for a new referral to oncologist from new GP. The old GP had given an enduring referral - which is supposed to last forever - as long as you don't change GPs. I have stage iv cancer - it is not like it is going to disappear.
@karen1956 I live in rural NSW on the Murray River - so things can get exciting between bushfires and floods. But I love the country, even with the difficulty accessing services.
That mule recipe looks like it would have a kick like a mule - my sort of drink.
I hope everybody has a good day😎
1 -
I had an old-fashioned last night instead of wine. It tasted sooo good, made with a good bourbon that was a present from my youngest brother. Old-fashioneds are our cold weather cocktail. A liquid fruit cup with fat cherries and orange slices. Very healthy. LOL.
It's 45 degrees outside this morning and bright sunshine.
1 -
Carole - I too change to bourbon in the winter. Houston has been down to 45, so switched.
NM - so glad things are getting back to normal.
I have an entire long bed outside filled with Aloe Vera. They are great about multiplying and tucked in with Kalanchoes for protection. Most winters I only have to cover them a couple of nights.
Wally - hope you are surviving the weather bomb. My son in Marin County, CA has 12 inches of rain in less than 2 days - and still raining!!!
Jazzy - always thinking of you.
1 -
Just "invented" a new bourbon drink. Has anyone else been to Hawaii and tasted POG juice - combination of Passion fruit, Orange & Guava - non-alcoholic. I ordered a package mix from ABC stores with my yearly HI calendars, so I had some mixed up in the fridge. I decided it was too sweet for regular drinking & had planned to add lime or lemon. Instead I added Gentleman Jack bourbon. YUM. Maybe this cocktail is nothing new for people who live in the islands - but very good.
But I have to remember 50 years ago - we were staying with friends on west Galveston Island - much more remote than it is now. The hosts had neglected to hit a liquor store so the husband "created" a drink with what was on hand in their beach house. "The Corroded Hook" - a parody of the Rusty Nail. The total drink was bourbon & orange curacao. All I can remember is it was VERY strong.
2 -
Found a couple of plant hangers at Home Depot.
My aunt had us over for cake and coffee earlier to celebrate my birthday on Monday.2 -
Happy Birthday in advance, Mommyof3!!! Yay on finding your hangers.
0 -
I was so happy to find the blasted plant hangers.
Had a blast at my aunt’s. Was the first birthday that I celebrated with her in over 40 years.2 -
Happy B-Day m0mmy.
0
