Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Taco, Yes, I did go on the cruise, had a great time. No storms, fun group of people, knowledgeable bird guides. What's fun about island birding is that each island has birds that can't be seen anywhere else in the world. I picked up 27 new life birds. Turned out my roommate and I were very compatible and we're going to room together on another cruise in January to different islands.
As for breakfast, in the winter I make a week's worth of steel cut oatmeal in my Instant Pot which I then microwave every morning with peanut butter on top, blueberries, a glass of V8 and a glass of milk. In the summer I substitute a bowl of Raisin Bran for the oatmeal.
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Mary: Thank you for the advice about the TENS for the knees. I did locate where I had stored the TENS unit about a year or more ago. I also liked the info about the knee choice. The left is bone on bone, so no visible cartilage on x-ray. The right however is the most painful and I think it is protesting having to deal with the compensatory use of it. I have been using the TENS to relieve the back spasms and am getting some relief.
I found a product called pooph for animal stains and it wasn't cheap but literally paid for itself. My now deceased cat had a bloody bowel movement in the powder room which was smelly. I used the old pet spray odor remover I had and you could still smell it. I used the pooph and the odor was gone within 15 minutes. I have since gone back over other "oops" accidents where the smell could reappear and it worked on those as well. So while expensive, it was cheaper than having to replace a rug.
Did hear back from the GI doc who recommended an abdominal exercise which I will give a try. Belly still tender and this involves massage when bloated so not sure how that will go since it is exceeding painful when bloated. If it gets rid of the gas, I'll be happy.
Petite1: glad you had a nice mini-vac with your niece. Sorry about the breakdown but they are a normal part of the grief process and can be triggered by just about anything. So let it out. I love St. Augustine and we used to make it a pit stop when we visited FL. We had a favorite restaurant where the children could feed the catfish by dropping bread through openings in the wall. It was a great way to keep them occupied while we waited for dinner to be served and they made money selling the bread. It had the best Key Lime pie. I think it was the Santa Maria but not absolutely sure. Loved wandering all the old streets there. The Columbia was another favorite restaurant. Not been there for many moons though.
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Oops. I got you mixed up with MM. Best to discuss the choice with your doctor. Some people get bilaterals, which gets it done quickly, but I would never want to do that.
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Betrayal, thanks are in order for the info on the Pooph. Dh and I hear it advertised on the TV and usually sort of giggle when the ads come on. We have always used O-Do-Ban, but I'm not real fond of the smell it leaves although after a while it goes away too. We seem to 'notice' at times still a faint odor, especially when it is damp outside. Would be nice not to have to spray areas several times.
I'll look for it in the store now.
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I use Rocco and Roxie. But I couldn't keep up, between my knee, the cold, the snow, and Tippy's preference for the front door. I prefer that he would use the bathtub or the bathroom in crisis situations, but…
Did too much yesterday. But with ortho appt today and recertification tomorrow…..
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Happy Anniversary Betrayal!
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Cardplayer, our winter home in south Louisiana, between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, is our permanent home. Our summer "home" is our 38 ft. 5th wheel that we towed all over the US and Canada when we were RV travelers. We leave it parked in Pine Hollow Resort on Island Lake in northern MN. It has three slideouts, increasing the living space, but it's still tight quarters for four months. Definitely wouldn't be comfortable except for spending a lot of time outdoors on the deck or out and about.
Our location is about 10 miles from the headwaters of the Mississippi River. About 3 hours from Minneapolis/St. Paul, 1 1/4 hours from Fargo. We owned a fishing boat for several years but sold it. Last summer we bought a golf cart a couple of days before we returned to LA. We're looking forward to using it to drive to the nearby golf course which we join for the summer. We have only one vehicle in MN, dh's Tundra pickup.
Sympathetic vibes to everyone with pain and health issues.
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Mary, wishing you a good ortho appointment today!
I am glad I won't see another doctor until the end of June. My appointments never have a predictable outcome. My last one, with PCP, I expected to be good, I went in feeling well prepared and had a short, focused agenda. The entire appointment was derailed for various reasons. Then I got the letter from the oncology nurse I never met and both of those events have soured me on doctors. I don't care to share anything with any of them at this time. Hopefully by the end of June enough time will have passed and I will have a more positive attitude regarding doctors.
Yesterday's luncheon was wonderful. The food was so-so, but the atmosphere, an old Revolutionary War era Inn, and the company, made the food unimportant. We watched the Delaware flow downstream while dining, so peaceful and serene. They were quite busy, which actually made me glad because so many places were forced out of business during Covid. Nice to get back to the way life used to be!
We already set a date to all get together the end of June, this time in Lancaster, PA, where my DS and BIL live.
Sunny today, woohoo!!! Doing laundry and continuing to go through things, today I will finish the office and hopefully start in my bedroom. If not, I will start working on it tomorrow! I think a couple of days doing other things was just what I needed to feel "recharged" and ready to get back to decluttering!
Jackie, my DH and I also watch and laugh at the Pooph commercials! Good to know it really works, betrayal!
Betrayal, I really hope you get relief from your pain soon! It is hard enough to deal with one "body part," but when multiple parts decide to act up at the same time, it makes everything 100 times worse!
Believe it or not, neither my DH nor nephew heard back from their doctors about their test results! I can't believe my nephew hasn't heard anything, he actually went to work yesterday and plans to go in today. He's a teacher. His issue is way more serious than my DH's issues. I am furious that he has been ignored!
I am now expecting my DH won't hear from his doctor until his September appointment! If that is the case, if it were me, I would give up and forget the whole thing! Fair or not, that is what gets me annoyed at doctors.
I once had a GI doctor who told me I needed a Virtual Colonoscopy. I went through hell getting my insurance company at the time to approve it. It was 5 years ago and I didn't have a patient portal, so I drove to the facility on the way home from vacation and picked up a copy of the results two weeks after I had it done. The doctor did finally call me, on a Sunday evening, 6 weeks after the procedure! I let it go to the answering machine. He said everything looked good and his office would call to set up an appointment for me. I messaged his office and said thanks, but no thanks, I was done with colonoscopies! That doctor jerked me around for the last time!
I am due for another one in July, but I won't do another virtual colonoscopy. The only way I will ever have another colonoscopy is if there is someone who still performs them in a hospital, not an endoscopy center, where they can have someone from pediatrics put an IV in me! I will wait to hear from my new GI doctor. I am definitely NOT going to be proactive on that issue!
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Puffin, good to hear from you.
With my animals, I have probably used every urine odor product on the market. The best is to throw whatever stinks away. LOL Lucky for me, Louie has been a good boy, doesn't spray, miss the pot, and rarely has a hair ball.
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June 23. He is not in town all the time, because people do not like to travel longer distances to get home with a fresh knee replacement. So I guess I will have to settle for that.
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The cure for all the ills and wrongs, the cares, the sorrows, and the crimes of humanity, all lie in that one word “love.” It is the divine vitality that everywhere produces and restores life. To each and every one of us, it gives the power of working miracles if we will. - Lydia Maria Child
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Had dental work earlier today. A cavity filled and a temporary crown on another tooth. I’m still numb, although starting to get some feeling back in my lip.
I hope your appointment went well today Mary.
Glad you had a nice lunch Mavericksmom. We meet monthly with my DB and SIL, but always meet at the same restaurant. It’s same distance for both of us. I hope your DH and nephew hear from their doctors soon.
Carole - sounds like you have two lovely locations for your summer and winter homes.
I hope everyone is doing well and is having a healthy day.
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Late coming today. I had one of those 'nothing going quite right with blood pressure' days yesterday. Was up quite late waiting for the right BP numbers to take medications. I finally skipped the last one sometime after midnight but was up off and on several times through the night — so a super lazy day today.
So far other than being really lazy all has been fine today.
Our weather is being pretty good for which I'm happy. Hopefully nice this weekend and maybe I can interest others in getting out the rest of the deck chairs and get everything washed and cleaned. Coffee on the deck in the morning is so nice in the milder weather.
Hope all have had a wonderful day.
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I met with the transplant oncologist this afternoon and it was a very good visit with positive news.Based on my past history of breast cancer and chemo and risks with a stem cell transplant (STC) she is not recommending SCT for me. The risk of another blood cancer, especially leukemia outweighs any risk of the myeloma getting worse. So, after I finish the 16 weeks of chemo, they will do another bone marrow biopsy and then I will go on a monthly maintenance chemotherapy. This Friday is chemo #7.
I can't begin to tell you how much of a relief this news was to hear.0 -
Happy for you, and my thoughts remain with you.
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Karen, wonderful news about your appointment! You must feel like a huge weight was lifted off your shoulders! I think of you often, and want you to know, you are so right to continue working as long as you can and want to! While there are good things about retirement, I am not nearly as happy now as I was when I was working. I just couldn't physically do my job anymore, so retirement was the logical step to take.
That said, there was a bomb threat at the high school today, they sent the kids home early. Two students were arrested. Apparently it was a hoax. Not funny! My friend, a teacher at the middle school I worked at, said yesterday two fights broke out at school. There was also a lock down for 10 mins at another districts high school yesterday while they took a student into custody. For whatever reason, spring was always the time of year that these types of events took place. Hopefully things will calm down quickly.
I can't sleep. I will probably resort to taking Nyquil. Better yet, a shot of Jameson! I hate nights like this when I am tired, but ache so much that it is impossible to sleep.
Not sure what this says about me, but a friend gave me some tiny bottles, single servings (50ml) of Jameson and Baileys Irish Cream, for St. Patricks Day. I just took a small swallow of the Jameson, about 1/4 of the bottle, way less than one ounce, and I feel like I drank a whole shot glass of it! I definitely won't drink any more……..tonight anyway! I rarely drink, and being obese, one would think I wouldn't feel anything from such a small amount, but I have no tolerance when it comes to alcohol. I was never much of a drinker, but at least I should be able to sleep! Good-night!
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Karen - great news - and a belated Happy Birthday. Mine is actually on the 9th but our friends were leaving early Tues. am so we celebrated the day before. From your sign-in, I'm guessing that you are 9 years and 364 days younger. My golf friends all sang happy birthday after we played yesterday, The rest of the day was quiet. Ken offered to take me out but will go out this weekend instead. I always think Mother's Day is a bad one to eat out so probably our favorite Italian restaurant Sat. I'm getting some new golf clubs.
Happy Anniversary, Betrayal.
Petite - I remember that sudden flood of sorrow after our son died. DH will never be out of you heart but time does make dealing with the sadness easier.
Puffin - so glad you got to go on your trip. How great you have found a birding companion for the future. Are you going back to the Caribbean in Jan or somewhere else?
I had my right knee replaced 3 years ago. I don't believe that I could have managed them both at the same time. Mary, I don't remember if you are still taking AI's but I suggest you talk to your ortho and your MO about stopping them temporarily if you are. Ortho and I are both convinced that they contributed to the pain I still have.
Today was a wonderful day. I have watched a friend and golf buddy go down hill for months. When I visited in Dec., she was totally unresponsive. Her husband had even told me not to visit because it was so depressing. I heard right before we went away that she was better but I was totally shocked when I went in today. She knew who I was, we had some great laughs and she was able to move from a chair to her wheelchair and wheel herself down to the elevator to say good bye. I couldn't believe it. She is able to spend some days at home with her DH and dog.
Time to close up the computer.
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Thanks for the advice, Taco, but it was hormone negative. Yeah, it was a rarity. Thank God for Herceptin!
Tippy had problems sleeping last night. And I needed sleep. I took off his training collar, and it was wet underneath. I'll give him a bath now, and once he is reasonably dry I will try to get some more sleep. He is quite stinky.
My sister and daughter will do planning today for late June, then inform me about what will be happening.
I need to dig some violas for a friend today. She has some beautiful yellow ones in front of her apartment. I dug up most of hers to fill pots, but left her pot there when I brought mine home to put some purple and pink ones in.
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Sandy, today I decided to follow the diet plan you wrote about, the name of which I can't for the life of me remember, but where one eats until satisfied, not full. Also, I don't make myself eat in the morning. I have been up for three hours and I am only now feeling hungry. Probably will just have a Slimfast as nothing appeals to me. Time to me to cut the "cancer treatment" strings and get back to a healthy lifestyle! To be clear, I am referring to the active treatments I had for my last cancer. I am still on Letrozole and still see my doctors, just not often, which really does feel good!
One of the advantages of retirement, most of the time I can eat when I feel like it, not when I can squeeze it into a schedule! So, I will try this and let you all know how well it works for me in a month or so. I look at this as a permanent change, but don't think I will really see the scale move and know it isn't just fluid loss, for at least a month.
Sun is up, looks to be another gorgeous day. Hope the sun is shining for all here!
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My first cup of coffee tasted so-o-o good this morning, later than normal. I was in my car at 6:45 headed to the Outpatient Center for blood draw. Four people were already there waiting for the door to open at 7 am. Back home at 7:30. Straight to the coffee pot.
I wasn't forewarned that the order included urine specimen but not a problem.
The results will be in My Chart by the end of the day.
Taco, new golf clubs! How nice. I recently bought a new golf bag. The old one was definitely old and looking very tattered. Now I have to take several clubs to a local golf store for new grips.
Happy Thursday to all.
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[The Native American] believes profoundly in silence—the sign of perfect equilibrium. Silence is the absolute poise or balance of body, mind and spirit. The people who preserve their selfhood ever calm and unshaken by the storms of existence—not a leaf, as it were, astir on the tree; not a ripple upon the surface of the shining pool—theirs, in the mind of the unlettered sage, is the ideal attitude and conduct of life. If you ask: “What are the fruits of silence?” he or she will say: “They are self-control, true courage or endurance, patience, dignity, and reverence. Silence is the cornerstone of character.” -Ohiyesa (Charles Eastman)
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Mary: I had to google violas because the ones we have here are wild ones and regarded as weeds. They are purple and I love them. As a kid, I used to dig them up from the lawn and place them in my flower bed. Then I was introduced to Johnny Jump Ups and loved them, too. I have pansies in my flower boxes at present but the heat will eventually kill them off. They have such happy faces so saving them is a good plan. Sounds like your surgery plans are underway, do you have a date yet?
I used Nature's Miracle for any animal accidents but found that the residual odor of the product lingered and wasn't pleasant. Also when subjected to heat or humidity, it would return. Not finding that with the pooph and am not being paid to endorse the product but it truly seems to neutralize the odor. Want to try it on a favorite stinky dog toy to see how that works. Not all dogs toys survive the washer so unwilling to try that method.
Thanks for the anniversary messages. I had a pulmonary appointment in the morning and then had to deal with a clogged drain in the refrigerator. I am hoping I managed to unclog it since there is no water in the bottom of the refrigerator this morning. Cleaned the bottom half of the refrigerator while I was at it and will do the upper half today.
MM: nice St. Patrick's day gift, airplane sized bottles of Jameson's and Bailey's. Bailey's in coffee is super and Jameson's in oatmeal is divine. Had the latter in Waterford, Ireland and was a tad offput by the suggestion but tried it and it was wonderful. Best bowl of oatmeal (topped with heavy cream) that I have ever eaten.
Taco: I am sure the AI's have contributed to the state of my joints. I have had osteoarthritis for years but it was just generalized joint aches, not the pain I have endured since starting AI's 7 years ago. Switched them twice until this last one and will end with that the last of June. It has been the least problematic. Degenerative changes have increased during this time though.
Saturday is my 50th college reunion at U of PA. Hard to believe that I graduated so long ago. Where did those years go? Weather supposed to put a damper on it but we will try to make the alumni picnic. DH is also an alum but different years and his was all graduate work, not undergrad. My relationship is undergrad and graduate in different schools at Penn. Looking forward to it though I have long lost contact with my BFF from undergrad.
Need to run some errands today and hope everyone has a really nice day. We are sunny and heading towards the 80's.
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We did an early morning trip to Lowes to pick up some flowers for the deck. Got a small red hibiscus, a red geranium and some wave purple petunias. We still need a few more things. DH will probably go to Home Depot. If they don’t have what we want, we’ll got to the local nursery. I’m trying to do some housework while DH is at the gym, but took a quick break and now have a cat on my lap. No wonder I’m not getting anything done.
Have fun at your college reunion Betrayal. I hope the weather is good.
Glad you had a good doctors visit Karen. I hope your treatment goes well tomorrow.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday.
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violas— same family as violets and pansies. Multicolor but smaller
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Very pretty Mary.
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BEAUTIFUL flowers! 🌷
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Love the violas and some look like what we called Johnny Jump Ups especially the ones that are a mix of yellow and purple. They remind me of smiley faces. They self seed so nice that you are putting them in containers to save.
Funny how flower names can change by region. Illinoislady calls the groundcover we call vinca, periwinkle and they are one and the same. I have not ever seen violas on sale here at nurseries or places that sell plants but do recognize them by sight.
Got refrigerator totally cleaned and threw out some near empty bottles. DH never mentions when he spills, has a tendency to leave an empty plate (just takes the food off, not replace it) and hangs on to near empty bottles which will not empty ever. So the latter are gone, and all spills have been cleaned up. I wipe the shelves routinely but don't always realize there is a spill unless it is fresh or it has caused some item to stick to the shelf.
It is supposed to rain on Saturday but am crossing my fingers it bypasses this area. Most of the reunion is based out of doors on campus and there are very large, mature trees that I don't like to be around when it rains. Want to see and possibly march in parade of classes and go to alumni picnic on college green though. Knees will determine how much walking I actually can do since campus is very large.
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Taco, The January cruise is going to the Caribbean but different islands, so different birds.
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It has been raining for the past 24 hours. Moe rain today than we typically get the whole month of May. Supposed to stop sometime tomorrow then rain again on the week-end.
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Everyobe sounds like they’re doing ok. Karen the car damage being the exception. I know the feeling of damaging your own vehicle. The only consolation is you know who did the damage, vs finding a dent in the parking lot.
Petite, my heart goes out to you. After my mom and then dads passing, a song on the radio when I was driving could trigger grief to cause sobbing, with tears flowing & nose stuffing. So glad you enjoyed St. Augustine.
Sandy, I always try to get 3 quotes. But have at times only gotten one vendor to even show up. Your project sounds like it will be beautiful.
Well we’ve didn’t 3 nights in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Weather beautiful, nice enough accommodations too. We ate at Paula Deen’s the first night. Not sure if any of you’ve eaten there before. In short it’s at fixed price of $24.99 for dinner entree, and you pick 4 sides- all served family style. Refill as much as you want (we did not), no doggie bags except for your dessert can be “to go.” We were SO stuffed, really over stuffed. Partner, he took papaya for his stomach. I woke up in the middle of the night with reflux and took a Pepcid. Haha we are not that kind of eaters.Today we drove into the Great Smoky Mountains. We did an 11 mile loop called Cabe’s Cove. Stopped at all the homes & churches built in the 1800’s. We saw bears multiple times, a wild turkey, a deer and a coyote. We will definitely return to see more, it was very enjoyable.
We’ll be on the road again tomorrow headed to Roanoke, VA. Looking now for a historical house we missed the last trip.Weather has been great. Only thing I could complain about - on the way out of the park a bird pooped on the car. I’m talking a giant bunch of bird pooh that covered the windshield, a lot on the hood and even the grill and bumper! HAHA We had to stop at a car wash on the way back. The attendant told us it could have been geese. Have a great Friday!
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