Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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I've wondered if the flannel sheets I have could be used for garments. We have a lot of immigrants that wear Islamic garb and come from places that are far warmer. Maybe not outer garments, but a nice warm layer underneath. There's a lot of yardage in a king size sheet.
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Interesting about making clothes out of recycled sheets. Clever ideas! FB has a group who made girls dresses out of pillow cases one Easter. They were cute although I couldn't tell you now how they did it. As I recall, I don't think they took anywhere near five hours.
Nine holes of golf this morning - very windy but I was pleased with my score. Our BFF's just left from our usual Sat. dinner together. They think they are going on a weekend bus tour next Friday. I sure wouldn't got with them!
Stay safe and warm everyone. I'm very glad I'm not in Buffalo at the football game.
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Good morning. A storm woke me up at 5:30 am and now I am thinking veggie omelet for breakfast. Yum
Have a pleasant Sunday
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Cold and windy here this morning. A good day to stay inside.
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It is currently 20 degrees with no wind. We are supposed to get snow starting at 4 PM followed by a mix of snow and rain. Then it is supposed to freeze causing icy road conditions. Of course, I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow but hope the roads (and our very steep driveway) will be passable. Usually we park at the bottom of the driveway and hike up and down our "cardiac" hill. Given my left knee issues, I no longer want to attempt his challenging climb. So I am hoping I can drive up and down safely, otherwise I will cancel.
Years ago (and when the driveway was clear) the oil delivery truck lost its emergency brake just as the man finished returning the hose to the truck. He chased the truck but slipped and was unable to catch it. It went off the driveway in a straight trajectory where the driveway curves and ended up crossing the lawn. It hit our gazebo which prevented it from ending up in our stream. It moved the gazebo about 3 feet and surprisingly only damaged one of the octagon side panels. The oil company did pay for the repairs and moving it back to its original position. I was home but unaware of what had happened (gazebo is located closer to the road while our house is at the top of the hill) until I saw a massive tow truck in our driveway working on removing the oil truck. When I went out to investigate, the truck driver apologized for what had happened and told me how he tried to catch the truck. I told him I was glad he didn't and that I was happy he was uninjured. Imagine a hulk of a guy who resembled a Hell's Angel who was as pale as a ghost relating this story.
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Sandy - thanks for all the info on the various "95" masks. Last year at work I had the ones that went over the head instead of the ears which are much easier for me with glasses and hearing aids. Lately I've been wearing the blue surgical under a cloth mask. Where do you order your masks? I'm looking on Amazon and the prices are all over the place. I've put in N95, KN95, K95 and pretty much the same ones come up.
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People share the same basic drives: a need for love, for freedom and respect, and the desire to feel as if their lives have meaning. By looking within, the keys to understanding human behavior can be revealed if you are courageous enough to search your innermost heart. But how many of us know where that heart is? How many of us have fallen into the habit of being out of touch with what we intuitively know? Often this seems to be most true when we apply it to knowing our own feelings. The noisy hustle and bustle of the outer world can distract us so much that we have a hard time listening to that still, small voice that usually knows the truth of any situation. -John Marks Templeton
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Sunny today but still cold. No snow on the ground and no freezing rain. Our slightly better weather seems to have arrived early. Had to take Lasix overnight. Not sure what happened. May have gotten a hold of something with too much salt -- just don't know. Anyway, that did the trick. One Lasic and one potassium and good today. ((( Betrayal ))) on weather and driveway.
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We got 1/2" of snow overnight Fri. into yesterday (dang, it's hard typing accurately with an 11-lb.purring cat splayed across my forearms and nuzzling my face). Didn't bother trying to clear it or even salt--just didn't want to go out. Today will have to do some grocery shopping (I don't trust WF's shoppers to check roast dates & pick the freshest coffee beans). Tomorrow will get my lab tests (woke up too late today because I stayed up too late last night).
Celia, I don't use the same KN95 two days in a row--I let it air out and rotate it with others. I toss it out after approx. 24 hrs. total wearing--or when I get home if I've worn it in a high-risk (clinical or transit) setting. Haven't gotten any wet or soiled yet.
Carole, if I were you I would self-test today. (Assuming you have a home test available). We went out for dinner Fri. night but were >6' away from other diners (and all staff were masked at all times).
I just ordered Bob a down parka with heat-reflective lining. I don't think his leather jackets are warm enough on super-frigid days--especially not the tattered ratty one he wears to sit out on the deck to smoke( physician, heal thyself). Now to try and convince him not to wear sneakers in the snow. (He wouldn't allow himself to be seen in UGGs and his feet are bad enough that his insulated Gore-Tex hikers hurt him). It's a miracle I can get him to wear gloves. (He does wear his knitted Bears hat, more as a matter of hometown team spirit).
As for sleep, I find that a 25mg. CBD gummy and 5mg. melatonin 2 hrs. before bedtime, plus 0.25mg. Xanax and 3mg. CBN at bedtime make me sleep like a baby until my cats get in my face to wake me up & feed them. (Then it takes a good face-washing, eye drops and Nasalcrom to ditch the allergens so that the only thing that makes my nose drip is cold weather).
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Karen, stay away from Amazon for masks--too many counterfeits! I buy my N95s (Indiana-made)& my gray KN95s (now have a monthly subscription) from ArmbrustAmerica (which makes the KN's); the Powecoms from BonaFideMasks.com (which also carries the duckbill Kimberly-Clark N95s and--when in stock--the top-rated dome-shaped Demetech N95s); the KF94s from BOTN.com (the English-language version of the Korean mfr. site); and the colored KN95s that look like KF94s from evolvetogether.com. I learned about these legitimate sites from a combination of Consumerlabs.com., New York mag., and NYT's Wirecutter column. About a year ago I bought a box of 100 black "FLTR95" masks from Costco--which, even though these have no NIOSH nor Chinese serial #s, Costco stands by the mfr's claims that they exceed China's KN95 standard. I use them at home when a service person comes in or I have to talk face-to-face with a delivery person; and as a last resort when I double-mask with a surgical over them. I never go anywhere without a KN95 in my jacket pocket, an N95 and another KN or KF in my purse--and an envelope full of fresh surgicals for when I encounter someone, especially a homeless person, without one of their own.
evolvetogether.com also sells reusable-but-biodegradable ziploc bags, and capital-letter gold-foil stickers to decorate masks. I'm tempted to buy a pack of the latter to spell "IT GOES OVER YOUR NOSE" on my KN95s.
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Cindy, Are you OK down there? I don't know where you are in relation to all the tornadoes.
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We are 13 miles away from where the tornado struck in Fort Myers. Close enough for National Weather service to send an emergency alert to our phones at about 9 AM. I closed all our plantation shutters inside, and put down the one electric roll down hurricane shutter we have to close in the front lanai (rest are manual accordion). We were spared. But rain, thunder loud enough to shake my house and lightening.
We don’t get anything remotely like this in upstate NY (or so rarely I’d say once in my lifetime). I did sit in the master bathroom, interior and no windows. But I wasn’t truly prepared. GF told me she took her medications, jewelry and purse with her in her master bath. I was still in a night shirt and robe! When we first came down here in January 2016 there were 2 tornados, in 2 days, and more rain than Fort Myers had that month in many years. We questioned why we bought here.
We are all safe in our development. But the modular home park that was hit near Sanibel is destroyed. Many on the news have no homes left, some without insurance.
Hoping all of you are ok as this same storm works it’s way up the east coast to drop snow
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Cindy: Glad you are safe with no damage to your house. I feel for those who suffered home damage or loss especially if they do not have insurance. Given the amount of house damage we sustained in 11/19 we would have had to walk away from this house or take out a mortgage to pay for restoration given the related expense.
The snow has stopped and switched over to rain but the temp has dropped to below freezing when they said it would stay in the 40's. So much for those weather predictions and the driveway will be a sheet of ice tomorrow. So I will call to reschedule appointment with pain management for back pain, darn. PCP did order an anti-emetic so I can take the Tramadol without minimal or no SE's but combo makes me sleepy.
Stay safe if you are in an area being hit with this snowstorm.
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Cindy - glad you are safe
Sandy - thanks for the information. I buy a lot on Amazon, but I didn't like what I saw regarding masks. I will check our the links you gave me.
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Cindy, Glad you are OK.
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I, too, am glad you are safe, Cindy.
Brilliant sunshine here this morning with the outside temperature at 35 degrees. Morning coffee tastes good.
Sandy, I don't have a home test. I have never been tested for Covid. So far no symptoms except normal allergy stuffy nose. I had to use saline spray last night.
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If you let yourself be absorbed completely, if you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments.
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We looked out last night to see a light dusting of snow and I don't think it was predicted. So, not sure but I'm hoping that is all there will be. We were supposed to stay above freezing so maybe we will get by okay. Count me in too Cindy. I doubt there are few places overall that don't have serious weather events. We did get straight line winds (despite having almost everything miss us in our little mainly safe pocket) once and went w/o power for just over a week. Special crews had to come out here as electric lines in the big ravines were damaged, down or dangerously taunt with trees falling against them. Seeing those trucks come down our lane was the most wonderful sight. We stayed in our home the whole time. It was cold, but warm enough to bundle in a blanket. Just difficult to exist on things like crackers and peanut butter. Had to go into town in the mornings for some coffee.
Sad for those who did get caught up in the storms. Prayers.
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I'm following the news about Tonga pretty closely. I sure wish they could make good contact. There's a sizeable Pacific Islander community here and a lot of star football players are from Tonga, either directly or first generation.
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Jackie, I know that you post wonderful words of wisdon on a daily basis and I so enjoy them. Today I found this in the newspaper and it resonated with me so I wanted to share it especially considering the source.
"One day the absurdity of the almost universal human belief in the slavery of other animals will be palpable. We shall then have discovered our souls and become worthier of sharing this planet with them." -Martin Luther King, Jr.
I post this because I just viewed a vodeo of the BLM using helicopters to round up wild horses in northern Nevada causing injuries as they buzzed them at very low levels and even pursuing a young horse with an obvious broken leg. I am sure that horse had to be euthanized. It also showed others being injured in this pursuit. It made me sick to see this and it is being done so the wealthy ranchers can use more federal lands to graze their cattle. The captured horses if unsold or unadopted are then sent to slaughter. They claim there is not enough land for them to graze yet there is to graze cattle? I will verbalize my displeasure to the BLM about this barbaric practice.
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It’s about the money. SM
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I like the quote very much Betrayal. It resonates with me as well since I believe we, as well as the animal and plant kingdom are all here for a purpose. We all help each other in one way or another. It is sad that stronger people take advantage of weaker, richer take advantage of poorer, and it goes on down to taking advantage over helpless animals that are just trying to survive. We have cut down forests' w/o replenishing and destroyed wetlands -- refusing to acknowledge the synergism that nature waits patiently for us to consider and care about. I have trouble watching almost anything that is destructive to people, places and animals. Long ago I had to quit watching commercials by ASPCA. They became too painful for me as I already witnessed so much abuse.
I would wonder also if all those Rachers are paying the government. I guess enough money and you can really quiet your conscience. I keep hoping but it seems it will be a long way off for man to figure out he is not as superior as he may think. Just look at our climate issue.
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I think what they pay to use federal lands is miniscule and then they insist on being reimbursed if a wolf pack gets a steer/sheep. We exterminated the buffalo and are attempting to do so again in Yellowstone and the burros and wild horses that are supposed to be protected by law are next.
Except for my original 2 parakeets, all my pets are rescues. So the one parakeet I rescued from my DS when they got too busy to give him the attention he needs. He's social and a talker. Then I kept the 3 offspring from my parakeets even though I had someone who wanted to purchase them for sale. Nope, I just bought a larger cage. I have 3 rescue cats, two from local agencies and one my DD found on the street and my dog is a rescue from a kill shelter in SC. Past cats were all rescues from agencies, a vet, or the street and several lived to be just short of 20 years. Because I am a fan of dalmatians the first 3 were purchased from breeders and this is the only one from a Dal rescue. Too many dogs being passed off as Dalmatians today are not and I am not sure we would go the rescue route for a Dal again. She is a really good dog so that's not the reason. Our last lived to be over 15 years and this one is 13 so that's the issue. If I ever got another dog, I think it would be a senior rescue.
Met the pain management MD today and he has developed a plan to see if he can get me some relief from this persistent thoracic radiculopathy. I had it years ago and it did abate but then flared up in mid November. So I have a plan for the next 4 weeks before I see him again. I must say he and my PCP are the youngest physicians involved in my care and I do find that they are more likely to try a co-op approach rather than physician as god one. He did suggest a few OTC supplements but I think I will hold off on them until I see how the plan works; don't want to complicate the issue.
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There's a rescue here called "Old Dog Haven" and they have fosters for dogs that may be adopted and final refuge fosters who keep the dog until they die. I think it's awesome that they do this for all the old guys that can't stay with their owners forever.
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Betrayal, I will never forget the drive we took from Seattle to the Columbia Gorge back in spring 1978 just before we moved to Chicago--as we headed south down through the Horse Heaven Hills & Satus Pass and saw the magnificent wild horses romping through the golden tallgrass.
My COVID antibody titer came back 8540. Definitely due to having had 3 Modernas (last one in Aug,), but very disappointed that it wasn't higher (seeing as how only my age immunocompromises me). Wish I'd known my titer a week after my third dose, in order to have a baseline point of reference.Sort of disconcerting that 5 months out, I likely have only about 40-50% protection against symptomatic Omicron infection. The Israeli study (healthy women my age) showed 4th shots boosted antibodies to an average of 20,000. But the lead scientist warned yesterday that may not be high enough to prevent symptomatic Omicron. Though Dr, Peter Hotez of Baylor College of Medicine advocates that health care workers get 4th shots only 5 months after their boosters (Bob, being an actively practicing doctor at 72, intends to get his as soon as IDPH gives its blessing), he said nothing about seniors in general. Some immunologists in Israel are questioning the decision to give 4th shots to anyone over 60, arguing those second boosters should be reserved for the "elderly" (at what age that begins--70? 75? 80?) was not specified. Others question the wisdom of repeat shots against a strain (wild-type) that is no longer circulating, having been replaced by a parade of variants. So I am definitely on the fence about whether to try for shot #4 next week or wait for the Omicron-tweaked version.
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Sandy, 8540 sounds like a very good result, certainly compared to my 6,640 done Dec. 15 after second August shot. It was reassuring to me because previous antibody titre in August was 352.1, undoubtably due to being asplenic. I will definitely get the fourth shot when it is available, because of being ancient and immunocompromised. But I thought they did not know the lower level of antibodies necessary for protection, so have felt fairly safe with the 6,000 range. A bit scared about the Key West airport tomorrow. Know it will be a Petrie dish, but will double mask with N95 and KN95 or KF94. Feel sad to leave this mysterious, funky, tolerant island where we have felt safe until now, but home is home.
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Good morning. It is 32 degrees and going to 60. Keywestfan, I do love it down there. Funky is the best way to describe it.
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I have gotten stir-crazy enough that three shots, and Omicron are enough to get out in the world more. Except without a car, what do I do? Today I have book club, and tomorrow I have quilting. A friend is sick.
When we were growing up, we couldnt have pets, other than parakeets and a squirrel monkey. Later, Mom had a house-cat. She was so used to being alone with Mom, that she would disappear when anyone would visit. My husband bought a dog for pheasant hunting, but thought that she would magically train herself. The whole situation was wierd. He finally returned her to the breeder. Then he found a stray half-grown giant breed St. Bernard. After discovering that she was not potty-trained, he called animal control to hopefully get her back to the owner. Finally he got a dog who was already trained, woman moved in with her boyfriend whose landlord prohibited dogs. This is going to be too long, so now my dog is presumably a shih-tzu terrier mix. He shakes the bed when he wants to go pee, and touches me to get petted. Last night he barked, which is totally unacceptable. In the daytime,we communicate in other ways, and I talk to him A LOT.
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Hi Northstar, I just joined this forum today. I am 71 and was recently diagnosed with stage 1 invasive papillary carcinoma. i was told this is a slow growing cancer and seeing as it was stage 1 I didn't feel too bad about it. I had a lumpectomy last week and when I went for my check up a couple of days ago I thought they were going to check my incision and ask how I was doing. Instead of that they told me the pathology report had just came back and it said that I had two types of cancer the one I just mentioned and invasive lobular carcinoma. They said they wanted to do another surgery ( I cried ).
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And when we come to think of it, goodness is uneventful. It does not flash, it glows. It is deep, quiet, and very simple. It passes not with oratory, it is commonly foreign to riches, nor does it often sit in the places of the mighty: but may be felt in the touch of a friendly hand or the look of a kindly eye. -David Grayson
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