Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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I also have had to switch from Chrome to Edge to access this site since the redesign.
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Mary, the meme is absolutely true. we have so much to be thankful for and sometimes just need a reminder to be grateful. I would say that my own stress level has been increasing with what is happening in the Ukraine so I try not to watch the news more than once a day. Have enough stressors already.
Hope your brother is doing better. I have never sewn silk so that is why I asked if the material was silk.
The weather here is frightful. Gale force winds and snow. It's the winds that scare me because the ones early this morning made the same howling sound as when the tree hit the house. Not something pleasant and it outright scares me. Never had winds like this over 20 years ago so don't tell me there are no climate changes. It is hovering above freezing. We have these large lacy evergreens in the backyard near the bird feeder. The birds hide in these and while I was wondering how they fare during these gusts, I noticed they were hovering in the trees and hanging on for dear life. The one cardinal looked like he was riding a surfboard as the branch dipped up and down as well as sideways. In between the gusts they would all go for the seed on the ground and when the wind picked up, back to the safety of the tree again.
Last night my cousin from another great grandmother (we shared the same great-grandfather) called out of the blue. We used to research genalogy together years ago trekking all over to research sites and cemeteries. We lost contact shortly after her husband died. I reached out several times but no response. She wants to resume researching and our relationship again which is great. I really enjoyed our forays and since she doesn't drive, I was always the driver. Now we can research together online and use the phone to communicate. So I am dusting off my records and will create some time to get lost in the past. We are frustrated that we have never been able to establish our GGF's parentage but still have hope that we will find a clue. Since we worked as a team we feel comfortable sharing info we have found independently and discussing roadblocks. Both of us have been approached by others who just want our research or those who accept any common name as a "relative" so we try to nicely tell them "no" we are not interested. We have invested many hours and dollars to find what we have thus our reason for not wanting to just give it away. I tried to tell another cousin that some info she had posted on her family tree (common relative) was incorrect and why and she became not only defensive but incensed. So no more exchanging there and she can post what she wants, just not on my tree. Val and I want it to be historically correct so no one gets added until we can establish a firm and documented relationship.
Since it is snowing, I can justify a few hours online doing some more research today while I also knock out some laundry. Enjoy your day.
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Carole, I am back on Chrome! Try it.
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I use Safari, and have done so ever since Mac "System 7" gave way to "OS 8" in the mid-'90s. Before that, we Mac users were stuck with a wonky version of IE, CompuServe, AOL or Netscape...all on dial-up. I have Chrome & Firefox installed but I never use them unless Safari hangs or a site is incompatible with it, which isn't often. Before there was a standalone version of FB Messenger for Mac (which supports live video chat), I had to use Chrome in order to take my online voice lessons (Skype was buggy and my teacher's FaceTime kept dropping calls). Even before the pandemic, I stopped taking lessons in person because parking in his neighborhood (Wicker Park) is impossible and it would take me two trains, doubling back from a transfer in the Loop, to use transit. In Chicago, we have a saying: any neighborhood with the word "Park" in its name means you can't.
It waas brutally cold last night and all day today. I really feel sorry for those freezing their butts off watching the river get dyed green and then the parade (first one since 2019). The only St. Patrick's Day parade I've ever attended was in 2019 in New Orleans' Irish Channel neighborhood--it was like a family-friendly mini-Mardi Gras, beads & all. (They also threw little cabbages and bags of baby carrots).
Someone over on the Drinking thread asked if we're footing the bill for 34 people at Gordy & Leslie's rehearsal dinner, how big is the wedding? 68. So Leslie's parents aren't getting off easy (though we had 150 guests at ours--back then, Jewish weddings didn't have separate rehearsals, so no rehearsal dinner; Bob's folks paid for the flowers & the men's wedding party attire rentals).
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There is hope if people will begin to awaken that spiritual part of themselves, that heartfelt knowledge that we are caretakers of this planet. -Brooke Medicine Eagle
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Going to warm today to 60 or so despite yesterday starting at 14 degrees. Once again our highly in-consistent this time of yr. temps. Well, it may be a bit windy which will diminish how good it could feel. So far -- just past 8:30 a.m. -- no sun. That would sure make the temps. delightful. I'm sure we will still have the hot or cold-itis for a bit yet. Sigh !! It will be soon time to prepare the yard for full on Spring.
I'm still trying to work on some medical issues -- just need to complete some and hope I can then slow down on my medical social life.
Hope all are having some sort of decent weather.
Praying for the Ukrainian people.
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Mary, any progress on the plan to move nearer your sister?
Jackie, I hope you can get back to your normal life before the medical issues began to crop up. I am so used to your being an active working person. I know you were used to that, too.
I have developed a "pain in the butt." Or inflammation in the joint of my lower left hip. I've been using ice and taking the strongest Tylenol the last couple of days. If it doesn't go away, I'll have to go to a dr. Getting up and down out of my living room chair is tricky to avoid sharp pain.
I hope everyone has a good Sunday.
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She told me to hold off on moving, because they haven't decided on a home-base for their nomad years yet. They do know that their house is too big now.
Yesterday we walked around the block with no increase in pain. So today we took our old favorite through the park alongside the creek. He is happy.
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Sandy - wedding day is getting close. We had 60 people at our wedding. My daughter had about 185 but the 2 families divided the cost. No rehersal dinner. To me the wedding was huge, but these days, people seem to have even bigger weddings like 300, 400, 500 people. I look forward to see photos from the special day.
I do not like this time change nor do I like DST. I thought I would need to set my alarm, but I was up before 5, but that is really my 4 am wake up! Wish we could stay on standard time year round.
Weather is supposed to be nice the next couple days. Everyone stay safe.
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Good morning. It is nice and warming up after the cold front went through over the weekend. One of the rental houses had a lightening strike and lost the refrigerator, so we went out to get whatever we could (supply chain issues). They still have to go nearly a week without one.
Any thoughts on Fosamax? My PCP wants me to start it. I picked it up, but haven't started it. I have IBS and it sounds like this drug could make it worse. I don't want to be tied to the toilet for the rest of my life.
Cindy, How was the storm over the weekend for you?
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One must never lose time in vainly regretting the past or
in complaining against the changes which cause us discomfort,
for change is the essence of life.
Anatole France0 -
Sun is out today and it should b very nice. Was finally able to get back over to the hospital this early morning and get my repeat urine test done. Hopefully -- on my way to the scope that will determine if I have managed to escape any more cancer or if I will have to figure treatment again with the Urologist. Getting tiresome to say the least, but so far it remains the lazy kind which is usually far easier to resolve. If I were free of it this time I would only have to have three more clean scopes -- every three months apart. If not, then after some treatment, I will have to start back at the beginning and have four clean scopes. I am way late on this scope as it should have been done this past Dec. I was still in the hospital from my Mitral Valve surgery.
petite, hope you are able to figure out usage on the Fosamax. I would be nervous as well. IBS is problematic enough w/o making it worse. Hope it can work out for you.
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Sad that posts overall on BCO are wayyyyyyyyyyyyy down due to issues with access, print size, wait times, etc. Sunny but cold today so I spent most of it researching genealogy amd making notes using post-its on my cousin's print out which ran to 236 pages. I will work on 25 pages at a time to see if between the 2 of us we can resolve some of the missing link issues. Sometimes it is like a 500 piece puzzle that has one piece missing that is integral to the overall look.
Jackie, glad you got that urine specimen out of the way and hope for clear results.
petite1, I have no experience with Fosamax but hope it doesn't exacerbate your IBS. Since my bowel surgery in Oct., I have had ongoing issues that I neither expected nor was informed about. Today was a very noisy, growling belly day which precludes my wanting to be in public since it is audible. Not sure of why since I had not ingested any foods usually associated with "gas" and not the first it has happened. Embarrassing to say the least and eating did not seem to help it.
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Carole - I hope your pain in the butt isn’t like my pain from hamstring avulsion with bone. It was a sharp pain, I’d yell out - like a dog getting it’s paw stepped on. It was right on my “sits bone” on base of pelvis, ischial tuberosity.
Petite - that Saturday storm, we had a lot of rain fast accompanied by wind. But nothing too bad. I saw the water “spout” on Fort Myers beach and was glad no one was injured.
Fosamax - I take the generic fosamax, which is alendronate sodium 70 mg one time a week. When I first started it, a few years back, it would keep me close to the bathroom for the day. But I think once my system got used to it, I rarely have a problem. It did turn me around from osteopenia back into a normal bone density. I could have switched to Prolia but I stayed on it, figuring “the devil I know” vs a shot that is good for 6 months and I don’t know what SE I’d get. I hope you’re able to try it without any worse IBS.
I’m one of the people that can’t get this NEW bc web page to work correctly on my phone. I can now get to the spot where I hit “log in” but then it takes me to a blank page more often than not. Tonight I got lucky when I actually saw the spot to enter my name & password!
Weddings - step son married 6 years ago this April 10; I think 150+/- guests. We’re from NY and the wedding was in Texas so a lot of out of town guests. We paid for the rehearsal dinner for the wedding party and all out of town guests; split 50/50 between his mom & dad. Then gave them $3-4k to spend as they needed on the wedding. In the end I believe they used the money towards the honeymoon.
Have a great week! I’ll be back on here morewhen it lets me.
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The pain in the lower back left side has lessened with using ice and taking strongest Tylenol every 8 hours. I can now turn over in bed and get up out of my chair more easily. I may go to a dr. for diagnosis. I spent an hour yesterday researching on the internet. Fortunately I am able to walk and go about daily activities. I just wonder what brought it on and what exactly is the cause of the pain.
Today I am using Chrome. Accessing this site has gotten easier.
We finally had some rain last night. I was awakened by thunder, then went back to sleep and slept until 8 am.
I will go to chair yoga this afternoon for stretching exercise. Not sure how much I will be able to do.
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Good morning. It is a rainy day. I am going to work on purging some of the closets. One of the thrift stores, Hospice, is in need of stuff. I think I will get rid of some small appliances I never use, some paintings and wall hangings that are cluttering up the garage. I think there are some never used strange gifts that can go as well. Sounds like a good rainy day project for me. I am still not convinced on the Fosamax. I will talk with my other doctors.
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It is a difficult lesson to learn today--to leave one's friends and family and deliberately practice the art of solitude for an hour or a day or a week. And yet, once it is done, I find there is a quality to being alone that is incredibly precious. Life rushes back into the void, richer, more vivid, fuller than before.
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Hoping this note and the quote will go in. Seems things have gotten a little sticky here and not going so smooth as it once was for me. I think you are wise petite to hold off doing anything about the Fosamax until you are convinced by whomever or whatever information that the benefits are as strong or stronger as the risks. I am generally always hesitant about taking new things -- we all see those commercials ( for a long time such a thing did not get put on t.v. ) and while Fosamax as been around for a long time -- so many things if you really listen to the description in an ad, you'd try to avoid forcefully almost. So, I hesitate. I wasn't super reluctant on my heart issues since I had never really had them and was in the hospital long enough to "cover" reactions -- but wary now that it is pretty much up to me.
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Love the quote and still find it difficult to read posts that have not been bolded due to severe whitness of back ground and gray lettering. Left margin still excessive and reduction should caus print to enlarge significantly. Don't know how long they plan on tinkering before they get it right but I am tired of being told that the "site is down" and the other sorry excuses you get when you cannot access a forum. If you are persistent voile you do get in on at least the third try. Took 3 tries to get here and on another site, it still says site is down.
Sunny and in the high 50's today. The tile guy was supposed to be here this AM and it is now 2 PM and he is a "no show" in my book. He has several hours of work to do cutting and cleaning up the edges of the basement tile and installing edge protectors on the closets (3); has to add more grout to foyer floor and then replace marble sill in master bath. This is not the first time he has done this and I am really tired of being pinned in the house waiting for him.
petite1: I agree you should explore your options about the Fosamax for benefits. Carole: hope you get relief from your pain soon.0 -
Still having issues ( wondering if this will show as an entry ) trying to get some forums to open. I can easily now understand the frustrations that others are having. It does seem fixes for these things are overlong in coming. Just this morning I got an email that talked about how great the site was with its changes and how it should soon work smoothly. I certainly hope so but I will say my confidence is definitely shaken.
Sorry to hear your workman didn't show Betrayal -- just as I was breathing a sigh of relief for you. I guess I will have to take it back now, grrrrr.
It is a nice warm day and sil is working on cleaning up a huge ( whole truckload ) of donated for free bricks to us that came from a fireplace that was in the house ( so beautiful ) that had a fire last Fall. I think I mentioned it then. It is on the corner where we turn into our lane. The guy had purchased one of the new hybrid cars about 6 mons. previous and during the wee hrs. of the morning the battery exploded and caused a fire. Fortunately, the man was a former fireman so was well versed in what to do.
This fireplace will be put back but will be a double fireplace -- so all the old brickwork needed to come out. W were the fortunate recipients of it. SIL is handy with used materials to be re-purposed. He is in 7th. heaven. The improvements he intends to make around here sound fantastic and needed as well.
Hope this gets in.
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When we haven't the time to listen to each other's stories we seek out experts to tell us how to live. The less time we spend together at the kitchen table, the more how-to books appear in the stores and on our bookshelves. But reading such books is a very different thing than listening to someone' s lived experience. Because we have stopped listening to each other we may even have forgotten how to listen, stopped learning how to recognize meaning and fill ourselves from the ordinary events of our lives. We have become solitary; readers and watchers rather than sharers and participants. -Rachel Naomi Remen
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Good news !! Well mainly good news. I got to the Audiologist at Marion today. Thought something was bad with my ear -- couldn't hear at all. I knew the hearing aid was fine. Well, it was and so was my ear. Turns out it was the little plastic tube that is on the hearing aid and fits in the ear. I am sent those to change from time to time -- and it was the tube. No one ever told me that these tubes can become old -- even if still in the original packages. So, my ear was fine -- the tube was too old and would no longer conduct sound.
Made another appt. for my pedicure and let the hearing specialist order a brand new set of hearing aids for me. Not because anything is wrong with what I have. They routinely change them out and then the older ones become your back up. They will be ready for me to pick up in a month, so made a return appt. for that as well. SIL drives us so I don't even have to worry about that although generally I've never minded the drive. I've just never done it since all the medical work was done. I think it would wear me out a bit -- so nice to be taken -- right up to the door. Tomorrow I will get my hair cut and likely a perm. It is way too long but I've avoided going since they are a bit lax at the shop about masks. I just feel I really need to do something. I can no longer do much with fixing my own hair -- it needs to be a bit shorter -- and getting some bounce from getting the perm won't hurt either. I have very flat, fine hair -- perms or color tend to give you some volume -- really needed right now.0 -
Oh, yeah, those tubes are tricky. So long as they are soft, they are good. Once they get a bit difficult to move around, they don't conduct sound well. Usually about six months.
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Just a quick pop in to say hello - extend good wishes to all dealing with health issues and whatever else is going on. Hoping bco "cures" the many ills this new platform presents.
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I opted out of Fosamax because I have GERD. They originally gave me a Zometa (Reclast) infusion because Prolia wasn't covered by Medicare at the time, but it burned my veins with every pulse of the pump; and my reaction to it was way worse (higher fever, longer) than anything after my COVID shots. Finally, Medicare relented and I was able to get Prolia shots instead (2X/yr for 3 yrs). Not even an injection site reaction. Of course, I can't get dental implants or extractions, because of the slight but possible risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ).
My major challenge (besides my expanding gut, far out of proportion to increased caloric intake & limited exercise, and my painful foot) is now my neck and R shoulder (delt muscle). It started on Mon. I woke up with a neck strain--gets better during the day, but evenings are the pits. Bob suggested I go to the ortho clinic for X-ray & a cervical collar.
I couldn't make it to the ortho clinic in time today because I got stuck at the Subaru dealership. Since Sun. night my tire pressure light came on, though the tires looked normal and the dealership checked them less than 2 weeks ago. One front tire (an original, 8 yrs. & 40K+ mi. old) did look a little low by last night. Got to the dealership, expecting to get the immediate problem taken care of, make an appt. for the full service, and get to the clinic before it closed. Nope. (But I did pick up a c-collar at CVS--I seem to need it in the evening after the weight of my head gets heavy and it hurts even when sitting still). I notice also when I press on my shoulder blade (and massage what feels like a trigger point) my neck seems to feel better.
Bob's little 2011 Fusion Hybrid is not so lucky. 4 weeks ago, when there was still snow & ice in the alley, he got impatient about a van partly blocking it and tried to steer around it--skidding slightly and hitting a concrete bollard holding up a rickety old wooden garage, loosening his bumper which is integrated with the fender. Took it to the body shop, which told him they had to order the part, have it painted and then installed--which would take at least a week. He tried to patch it together with duct tape. Meanwhile, some speedster sideswiped him on I-55 and dinged the other side. Mon. evening the tape failed and the entire bumper assembly fell off...on to the roadway. Fortunately, he was able to pull over and nobody got hurt or collided with it.
He had to drive it to the body shop and leave it on the street overnight (which can get you $100 fine and a tow between Dec. & Apr.). He walked 1/2 mi. to the CTA (had to change lines halfway) to get home from that sketchy 'hood. He took the CTA to the union clinic Tues. morning (a commute he's done before), but cabbed it down to the S. Side body shop to drop off the key and find out more. (Miraculously, there was no ticket and he still had his catalytic converter despite a rash of thefts of them). I had to rent him a car for at least a couple of days. Today the shop said they could finally install the part on Fri. which means we'll have rented the car for a week because Enterprise isn't open weekends. I don't wanna know how much it'll cost (though since we're going out of pocket, we're being charged only half as much as they would have had they an insurer's pocket to pick). Still, he doesn't want a new car (yet), even one with the same insane gas mileage he manages to get now--and not an electric or a plug-in hybrid. He doesn't want to get a charger (or even a 240V outlet) installed in the garage because (he heard on the local AM newsradio station--which is wrong about everything but the weather) it would require rewiring the house and once again tearing up the lawn to run the line out to the garage. I broke it to him gently that nothing that gets the same kind of mileage as he does has high enough ground clearance not to get stuck in a snowy alley, and nothing that is Chicago-winter-worthy can come close to the mileage he gets--not even the hybrid SUVs.
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We all need balance in our lives. Very few of us would survive an
existence that is totally filled with fear, doubts, and negativity. Just
as rain nurtures beautiful green grass and sunlight can kindle a sense
of warmth and inner peace, so challenges can compel us to seek for
a greater understanding--engendering new beliefs and ideas about life.
Happy times can provide for pleasant memories to relive during the
difficult experiences, and, like old friends, good memories can fill the
void when we mistakenly feel like everything joyous has abandoned us.
John Marks Templeton0 -
Good morning, ladies. I have decided against the Fosamax. My PCP will be grumpy, but it is not his body. I am heading out to do some junking at an estate sale. Hope to find a treasure.
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Remember this: all suffering comes to an end. And whatever you suffer authentically, God has suffered from it first. -Meister Eckhart
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Good luck with your "junking," Petite. I hope you find a treasure.
It's pouring rain here this morning. I didn't get up until 8 am.
Wishing everyone a good Friday.
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Glad you have made your decision petite. I do think that things can be prescribed that we "could" do without. Just thinking of the time long ago my NP suggested a cholesterol med ( and my numbers weren't there -- just close ) for me as well as diabetes meds. Again my numbers ( especially A1C ) were not there but close. I declined both and have not had a regret -- it was something not needed.
I have since my surgery taken the Lipitor. It is the gentlest cholesterol med and has a reputation for the least side effects I'm told. The heart surgeon put in a recommendation for it -- and even though my numbers weren't so high as to require it -- my good cholesterol has always been a bit low. The Dr. felt that heart-wise I would benefit -- so I decided to give it a chance. He didn't prescribe all that many 'new' meds and generally dc'ed as many older meds as the number of new additions which mainly all benefit the heart. I'm okay with the changes.
I hope you fare well. I'm also told that we all pretty much fall heir to osteopenia which we could have for a very long time with little change. I do think often Dr.'s jump the gun a little and while it may not be the worst advice I'm a proponent in trying as long as possible to stay away from meds. They have side effects so I feel that I need to actually HAVE the problem they could be prescribed for rather than just have numbers that may be close. Who really knows when those numbers might change -- or put another way -- if they are ok, how long they will be just fine and you could easily get by w/o making changes to your meds lists.
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