Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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A garden that never died eventually would weary. Robbed of springtime, unacquainted with the extraordinary perfume that rises from the soil after it's had its rest, the garden that winter doesn't visit is a dull place. The return every spring of earth's first freshness would never be kept if not for the frosts and rot and ripe deaths of fall. So when I go out from the garden for the last time in autumn, I leave the gate open behind me. -Michael Pollan
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Karen -- be careful out there. Just wow !!! Glad you can stay in this first day. Late storms are not fun. We had rain through the night and still going on this morning. It may stop later, but return this evening. It is part of spring, but seems to be coming a bit early this yr. Well, we have been a bit off on 'weather' for several yrs. now. Just taking what comes now and when it comes and trying not to predict since nothing is the same.
Going to Mt. Vernon today. I think only for blood draw. I don't even recall the appt. being made but have decided it is my 6 month one. That will make my day long -- stopping in between like that.
Hope you all stay well and out of bad weather.
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Good morning, ladies. The weather has been delightful. I have taken many walks. It is just so nice to be outside. My niece came for a late birthday visit. We went to Crystal River and walked to several parks and Hunter Springs. People are out and about in droves. After our walk we had a late lunch, dining outside, of course. It was a very pleasant day.
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Busy this week. Should get some reading and writing in today. Three to five inches of snow expected. Then tomorrow I go to La Crosse for my second shot, and in the early evening I go to the funeral home for visitation for the husband of a friend. Wed I go to La Crosse to get my right leg casted for a new ankle brace, and a good used sewing machine. I am eager to get the AFO, and even got some elastic waist wide-leg jeans for it. I won't be running around town, but at least I will get more walking time in and more weight lost.
Thurs I go see the eye doctor, the mobile groomer stops by for the first cut at home, and a quilting club meeting in the afternoon, if I have time. Possibly a ladies' meeting at church in the late afternoon. Friday is a meeting at church.
Somehow before the groomer Tippy will get a bath.
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Faith can have a profound impact on health. It is a very personal experience of thought and surrender, which can comfort in every situation. Faith is free and available to all people at all times. It only requires that one fully embrace possibility, and the ultimate value is in the depth of the embrace. -Patch Adams
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Running late today -- one of my busy Mondays. I also had to fit in driving to Mt. Vernon in the pouring rain this morning to get a blood test. Made an appt. for next Mondy to get the results. By that time I will have had my PET scan done and be able to hopefully get results for that as well as all my blood tests. It will be the first time in months to have a face to face meeting. We have been doing it over the phone. I look forward to having a regular visit again.
We may have more rain tonight ( not lookingt forward to that ) but if we are lucky it will miss us. We were flooded out in places around here. I was able to drive the 20 or so miles to Mt. Vernon but really difficult the whole way. Surprizingly later on the sun came out. The water is still running freely thought. Out where we live a lot of it comes to us -- since all the flowing water goes to the lake which is behind us.
I hope you all had a good day.
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Well, spring was nice while it lasted. We got a bit less than an inch of snow that's turning to slop--and expect enough rain to wash a bit of it away before it (temporarily) freezes. My snow guy is out shoveling right now and will put out some salt.
Tomorrow's my last day in awhile to "sleep in" to any degree. Have to drive to Evanston Hospital to pick up the CT contrast solution, then drink half of it. The Wed. morning I have to get up at zero-dark-thirty to finish the other 10 oz. before I get to the hospital at 7:15 for a 7:30 chest/ab/pelvic CT scan (8-mo. checkup so my melanoma onc. can have the results by the time I see him Monday. At 1:45 I get my mani-pedi (no, not gonna do green nor even shamrocks); then a 7pm St. Pat's Day dinner res at Cellars. And Thurs. I have to be at Glenbrook Hosp. by 10:15 for my penicillin allergy "challenge." First, a pinprick "scratch" test--if no reaction, then on to a small sub-cu injection; and finally, if no reaction to that, an oral dose of amoxicillin and wait an hour. If I get anything more than a slight pinpoint rash, I'm not allergic after all. I last had penicillin >20 yrs. ago, and got the rash at day 7. Statistics say that 10% of patients report they're penicillin-allergic; but in reality, only 10% of those self-reporters actually are--so only 1% of the population is truly PCN-allergic. My doctors suspect I'm in that 99%, because I've never had a reaction to cephalosporins (Keflex or Cefaclor), other than disgust over the rotten-egg smell when I open the bottle.
The downside of this (other than not being a morning person) is that Fri. night was the last time I could take Zyrtec (or any other antihistamine) and my Pataday eye drops till the "challenge" is over. I was okay on Sat., but yesterday the stuff was out of my system--and because it was very windy, the mold spores & tree pollens were blowing around; and by late evening my eyes were itching, I was hitting my rescue inhaler every hour, and had to take some generic Robitussin gels to avoid waking up coughing. I'm better today--the snow might be keeping the airborne allergens down. At least I can still take my Singulair, the Nasalcrom & Nasacort sprays, plus as much Systane Ultra my itchy eyes desire.
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Good morning, ladies. The pollen has been terrible for a couple of weeks. I agree with you, Sandy, my eyes need frequent Systane drops. I was thinking about bringing out the vacuum to remove pollen off the cushions on the back porch. It sounds like a good project for the day.
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Mary, you have a busy schedule.
Jackie, fingers crossed that you get good feedback from your tests.
It's overcast and gloomy this morning. I have to decide whether to follow through with playing golf today. The thought of venturing out and dealing with the pollen isn't tempting. There is also the chance of pop up showers.
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We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that
deep inside us is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of
our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in
ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous
delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit.
e.e. cummings0 -
This is the time of yr. when pollen turns into giant tormentor. I'm not looking forward for sure. I'm a little congested already, but it is manageable at this point. Our temps. are staying in the 50's and 60's now which is also nice. Hope they hang on for sure. I'm watching the trees and bushes. The bushes are generally he first sign of waking up for Spring. Tulips and Easter lilies for flowers early. So, it is on the way.
Lots of fog this morning but we might get some sun. Sure hope so. Rain for tomorrow unless there is a change. Not so exciting around here. We seem to be getting our April showers early again this yr. So, there is plenty to do today. We are all a little tired. Bill, our lab retriever, woke us all up barking at something outside ( almost never does this ) in the wee hours. My suspicion is that someone was checking things out around the house and likely hearing Bill's excited barks likely left as he settled down soon enough. He sounds big and ferocious, but in person is a giant marshmallow. So, it was exciting for awhile making it difficult to fall back asleep. I doubt we will have a repeat performance.
I hope you all have a good day.
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Labs are great. We had friends who lived out in the country. One night someone was coming up their road with the lights off. He got his gun and told her to let the dog out (don't know what kind). They said the dog let out a growl they had never heard before and started for the car. It quickly backed up and left. Of course the dog got his steak.
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Dark and gloomy here this morning. The weather forecast warns of the possibility of dangerous storms late this afternoon and tonight.
Today's schedule involves staying home and doing housework. I'll probably go to the gym at 11:30 for an exercise class.
Happy Wednesday to all.
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Happy St. Patrick's Day to all those who are Irish and to those who wish they were. It is a gray day here and overcast so I don't think we will see much sun. I have a couple of small projects for today that I have been meaning to get to for the last 2 days. One is making a small slit in a bed underskirt so it will fit on the new bed. The bed is adjustable and has a large metal bar to keep the mattress in place when it is raised. I'll re-enforce it most likely with seam binding.
I have a corned beef leftover (had with DD and DSIL on Sunday) with cabbage and potatoes for dinner. This and a Guinness will make us feel like we are in Ireland even though this is not something you would actually find there.
I'll get my first Pfizer Covid vaccine tomorrow. DH got his on Tuesday from another health system than mine. I am looking forward to the sense of more security afforded by it, especially after the second dose.
Have a good day.
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Sunny here today but very windy. The storm front was supposed to blow through (on its way to Carol) overnight, no sign that we had any rain but it is blowing this morning.
One week today since second covid vaccine. Am very glad we were able to get them since there are folks here in Texas who refuse to wear masks; so far not as many as I had feared but will see what happens with this week's grocery run.
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May God grant you always...
A sunbeam to warm you,
a moonbeam to charm you,
a sheltering Angel so nothing can harm you.
Laughter to you.
Faithful friends near you.
And whenever you pray,
Heaven to hear you.
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Up early wee hours to be at the hospital by 6:15. I don't mind the PET scan by sitting for 45 mins after the injection material is the pits. I was so sleepy but couldn't nap through it. Noisy in the trailer that is used and pretty chilly. Even the blanket to cover up with didn't warm me much but at least I didn't get colder.
Nothing by mouth so home to coffee before anything else and a sm. nap. Then awake and breakfast with more coffee. Hey -- I'm human again after that second cup and know who I am. Later it poured rain and looks like it might again. I think after today we will have some dry days coming. I'll be ready for them. Good day today -- it is for pretty sure I'm now past my full immunity stage now from second covid shot and we got our stimulus check today as well. So, lots of good things happening.
Nothing much going on here. I'll be tired all day likely. I don't sleep too well when I know I have to be up and at it early in the morning -- I doze with one eye open because I don't want to be late.
I hope you all have a really good day. Thinking about all of you with storms either with you or heading your way.
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I ended up moving things around. I gave tippy a bath at 9:00. Friend picked me up at 10:30. We stopped at the sewing machine store, and I paid for the used machine and we left, pleading in a hurry. I got my covid shot. Then I called Hanger Clinic and they had a cancellation. Friend dropped me off there. I haded the office person my ankle brace. I went over to Goodwill to shop, Got two shirts and some wooden spoons. Then went in and he had already put new velcro on it. We discussed the problems, he tried one fix, and that wasn't right. He tried another and I was happy. Then we stopped at a huge grocery store just off the interstate, and I got some tahini and a few other things in a blitz, just sailing around to the right departments.
Tippy was happy to see me. Now to check out this new machine, and put the old one in a place for safekeeping. Then I will get back to reading Jesuit Relations, 1610 to 1791.
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Gordy got his first shot today (Pfizer): UI Health notified him that they had some no-shows and had doses that have to be administered today. The city health commissioner says that although Group 1C doesn't officially start till 3/29, vaccinators can offer shots to restaurant workers & those with underlying conditions (including moderate asthma, which Gordy has) at the end of each day. His second shot will be 4/7, after the official start of 1C. The state is calling 1C "1B+" and already vaccinating them downstate. I found out that personal-care-service workers will be in 1C, and immediately messaged the owner of the nail salon (where I just returned from my mani-pedi).
Per my "finger-stick" before the CT, my kidney enzyme levels are normal. Still awaiting scan results. The tech looked at me and asked "are you sure you're 70?" (It never gets old...even though I do). I wore an oversized T-shirt (with the girls "hanging loose") and elastic-waist no-zipper jeans because a number of websites advised it to avoid having to strip to my panties & put on a hospital gown; but the tech said all I really had to do was take off my necklace (which I did at home). I even brought a cloth mask sans nose wire just in case, but my KN95 was just fine.
Off to Cellars at 7pm for special St. Pat's Day dinner: the rain & wind are already starting, so I may have to drive...if there's parking available. If not, we'll have to hope our umbrellas hold up. (I plan to wear a hooded rain jacket over my puffer just in case). Surprising how many more people are taking rideshares these days.
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Scan results in: all stable. Same lung nodule <5mm (likely a scar from December 2019's cough-fest), same diverticuli w/o inflammation, same uterine fibroid, same 3.3cm scar at the mammary seroma site, same "degenerative changes" in my spine (guess that makes me a degenerate?). Whew! Now on to the penicillin challenge.
Cellars was at near-50% capacity tonight, despite the lousy weather. Food was delicious (I took home half of my corned beef & cabbage--Brussels sprouts w/mustard sauce; Bob wolfed down his Shepherd's Pie). Sipping a sugar-free decaf Irish coffee as I type this (well, as much as my orange patch tabby Happy will allow, since he's sitting on my chest & L arm, purring up a storm--no doubt grateful for the leftover whipped cream).
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Thanks for the Irish blessing, Jackie. Aren't we all a little Irish today. Still searching for more info on my Irish grandmother. She was the first of many generations of Margarets. Born in Dublin in 1823 and married my Dutch ancestry grandfather in 1857 in Illinois, but I can't find out anything else. Can't find her on a ship registry, don't know if the name she used when she married Issac was her birth name or a deceased husband's. My grandmother once told my sister that her grandmother stole an Irish child she brought with her to the states. There is an unexplained child with the family in 1860 so maybe she was right. As we say in genealogy, my brick wall.
Looking forward to my second shot the end of the month. My daughter said she should be able to get one in early April. I had hoped she would be able to get one sooner since she works in a grocery store but....Many retail establishments here are still requiring masks although there never was a statewide mandate and they have opened up bars, gyms etc. with little enforcement of crowd size.
Annual mammogram on Friday. Does the anxiety ever go away??
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I am, per Ancestry dna, 53% English and NW Europe, 19% Scottish,11% Welsh, and 4% Irish. And 13% German. Per geneaology, I am 1/4 German, 1/8 Irish, 1/8 Dutch, and half English. I look at myself in the mirror, and see a Celtic woman. I love her music.
I woke up this morning, with a headache and sexual arousal. Couldn't get back to sleep. Hopefully I can get some (sleep) later today.
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i'm not one to do Ancestry or any of the other mail in type geneology company/testing. Based on what I know of my family history - my paternal grandfather as Swedish and Russian and my maternal grandmother was from Austria. My paternal side is from Russia. I'm sure if I go back farther there is other heritage, but I don't want anything put out on the web for all the world to see!!! My family has only been on this side of the ocean since the early 1900s to 1920s.
Mc - hope you feel better.
Have a great Thursday.
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Good morning, ladies. We are suppose to get some storms today, but this morning is nice. I have to take Miss Felix to get her claws trimmed. She is my 22 year old calico. That will be my adventure for today. Yesterday, after my walk, I stuck my legs in the pool. Not nearly warm enough for me.
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Glad to know that this is a little-traveled corner of the internet and that there are few men.
Definitely not for facebook.A great grandmother came from Ireland, A family came from Germany and lived in a German community. A grandfather came from England. Five-eighths, then, have been here since pre-Revolutionary times.
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We were fortunate and did not have bad storms last night. It's a little cooler this morning. I hope to accomplish more house cleaning today, go to chair yoga at 1 pm and out to dinner for a 6:30 reservation. I will be using my birthday coupon for a free entree.
Jackie, I hate early morning medical procedures.
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Contentment comes as the infallible result of great acceptances, great humilities—of not trying to make ourselves this or that (to conform to some dramatized version of ourselves), but of surrendering ourselves to the fullness of life—of letting life flow through us. -David Grayson
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Likely going to have intermittent rain all day today and then we will start into dry days. Can't come too soon for me. I get tired of rain and the grayness that is part of it really, really easy. I have lots to do always so nothing special planned. As of yet -- still working on the long project of changing my office area. I'm actually glad to be using this space finally. It is a part of our living room ( big entrance foyer area ) actually and most of the space got cluttered up with things we didn't have any other place for. So most of that is gone elsewhere now and I'm in the far corner ( mainly all windows ) of the foyer. I've aways wished I had a tv in my 'office' and now I do. I can easily see the living room tv from where I sit.
I hope you all have a really good day.
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It has hit me like a Mack truck. Chills, probably a fever, and achey from the top of my head to my toes. And passionately wishing I had a husband to get my mind off of it. Yes, I have had that symptom in the past with flu.
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I hope you feel better soon Mary.
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