Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
Comments
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Betrayal, sure glad today was nice outside for you. Sounds like you were able to make a lot of good progress, but then you did have excellent helpers.
Sure, hope you are able to get something good going perhaps Thursday in your ortho appt. I don't blame you at all for being a bit sharp/cranky when you don't get the rest needed for all you do.
I pretty much gave up all my gyn appts. a few yrs. ago. My PCP can deal with any questions or needs now and happily does so. Nothing much comes up anyway. I haven't had anything left inside for a long time now.
Harley, I envy you the exercise. Dh and I use to walk about 3 or 4 miles a day and I sure miss that. It is a very excellent way to walk away your troubles as well as open your mind to great solutions that only seem available when you find a way (walking, biking, watching the ocean) to expand your horizon and enlarge your world. I think it is easy to "scowl" when you are lost in thought. Don't worry — it is so productive.
One of our BIL's wants to go in on a generator. I don't think we will do it. For one thing — if three of us go in, then who gets it if we all have a power outage. There has only been once in all the yrs. we have lived here that we lost power long enough for it to be an issue. At the time, we just emptied our fridge and freezer and started over with refilling once power was restored. Didn't turn it in because it seemed troublesome and the whole town was busy turning in claims. I was so thankful to just have power, hot water again, and working appliances and frankly, every now and then there were things needing purged anyway…………. I just had a lot extra that time.
I'm exhausted for some reason today. SIL and daughter drove us to Marion this time. That was nice for a change. I am anxious to go over all the materials the new cardiac clinic NP had for me. She did not have a whole lor of suggestions but did want to try cutting back on my Carvedilol to have of what I'm taking now. She feels the huge amt. of sluggishness and back pain causing me to have to take frequent breaks and then start the whole sluggish interludes all over again might resolve by cutting back on it. I'm willing to try. As long as it is safe, I'm willing to try almost anything because I want to feel some progress and certainly more energy and stamina. So we will see. I pretty much checked out all the other boxes for not having negative signs of un-due poor heart health.
Fortunate to get there and home though. Dh went to take daughter to work, and my car wouldn't start. He thought dirty terminals. That may be, but I'm also pretty sure I could use a new battery. Unfortunately, on the way to Marion a truck passed us on the opposite side of the road. Not sure what he was carrying but something came off the truck, bounced onto my front bumper and I have something of a dent/gash??? and will have to call my Ins. and see what they will do. Where it hit I think the whole panel would have to be replaced, just like the back panel several yrs. ago when a car hit me in back. If they could do anything to make it look okay I might be convinced because it is an old car and I have no wish to get another until this one is on life support. It looks almost new or has so it is still (in that sense) a pleasure to drive and easy to drive as well. Has about 155,000 miles and still drives fine, if it has a working battery.
So here's hoping we do well with the med change. I did get some good news. Dr. Rueben may come back from Indiana. She went there over a yr. ago. I think she needed a change of scenery. Anyway, if she comes back I hope I can switch back to her. We worked well together and though I am okay with my Dr. now I just felt really better with Dr. Rueben. Dr. Medhani is okay, but we don't seem to communicate as well. Not sure why. We shall see.
Good to hear from you Chris and really good that you and Tippy have re-bonded on such a good level. As you get better seems like that does too.
Hope you all have had had a really good day.
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Weather forecasts sounding terrible for many of you. Be safe. What a crazy year - but I fear that it is not the last year we will be saying it. The east side of Phoenix has had some rain but we sure haven't!
Yes, it's my understanding that Medicare covers back acupuncture but nothing else. Don't understand it but it is what it is. My masseuse, who I have trusted for years, says the most benefit is in the first 20 minutes so getting a cheaper 30 minute treatment instead of 60 makes sense.
Right now my only pain is from the surgical knee that obviously didn't heal right - I still blame my ortho for not at least talking to me about stopping my AI. So glad you are doing so well, Chris. Hope they can figure something out for you, Betrayal.
Took Ken to get back injection this morning. Certainly hope it helps his sciatica as he is the main dog walker. Spent an hour with a friend who has recently lost her husband. She wanted me to take a lot of food she won't eat to the food bank. The trunk is full and we will deliver it tomorrow.
We have a lunch date almost every Wednesday but also run any errands that have piled up that week. I think tomorrow that includes a stop at the hardware store as well as the FB.
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Sandy, glad you had such a great time at “Tommy.” I’ve only seen the movie. Is there some rubber duck thing going on in Chicago? I thought I saw something on Instagram.
Cardplayer, a cracked tooth is horrible. I hope the endondontist can save the tooth.
MM, I’m glad your family arrived safely.
Chris, I’m glad your PT is being extended. I love hearing Tippy is being more cuddly.
Harley, you log some miles on your bike! In FL I try for 2+ miles a day, no where near as much as you.
Illinois, you’re lucky no one was hurt when that object hit your car. Sounds scary.
Taco, I had acupuncture for my back and it worked it’s magic eliminating my pain. I think my insurance covers it (X number of visits) but I would need to look into it further.
Yesterday I went to my follow up at the orthopedic office for my neck pain and bicep tendonitis. Appt was at 1:45; at 2:45 I stepped out of the exam room to see if they forgot me. They were running behind, which I think they should have told me so I could decide if I wanted to be there for close to 2 hours. I digress. She is setting me up for an MRI of my neck, and I’m taking naproxen for at least a week to see if it clears up the tendonitis. As I checked out they were setting up a follow up in 3-4 weeks. But she let me know the PA wouldn’t be there in that office, would I travel? Nope. I didn’t want to travel to the office I was sent to, let alone go up another 10 miles. (I know I’m spoiled, they have an office 1 mile from me, but sent me 25 minutes up the highway; poor Jackie is driving much further than me) Follow up set on 8/18.
Today I replaced our toilet float mechanism, boy that made me feel old - sitting on the floor, kneeling, getting up on all 4’s so I could stand up. LOL The flapper needed replacing too but the one I bought didn’t fit over the pipe. I reinstalled the old one. It’s all quiet, and the flapper is not leaking. I told my partner it’s quite possible the chain was hooked up on the inside bar to the handle. I may be off the hook for further plumbing work.
We went to the movies today. Tuesdays are half price tickets & popcorn. We saw “Oppenheimer” and although long, it was good. Eye opening on history really.
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Most of the time when there's a problem with our toilets' flush mechanism it turns out that the chain simply came unhooked.
On Thursday there will be a Rubber Duck Regatta on the Chicago River—20,000+ rubber duckies!
I had a strange disappearing-text situation this week too. Texted my dentist's receptionist last week to set up an appointment for my 3x/yr cleaning. She texted a bunch of dates back, including today at 2. So I texted her back that would be great, and I gave her a second choice if that one was taken in the interim. I heard nothing back, so I texted her again. This time, she called, saying that she never got my reply and that there was nothing available till the end of the month! My cell is an iPhone, hers (actually, the office's) is an Android (Samsung). This sort of thing has been happening more often lately, across the country. Samsung & Apple are at war with each other, I guess,
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Petite - glad you had a nice day with your niece and we’re able to get insurance on your properties. Thinking of you on you on your cancer anniversary.
Sounds like you and Tippy are back into a routine Chris.
Harley - I’m having discomfort with the tooth. It radiates to my front teeth, which is why my dentist suspects it’s a cracked molar (under a crown). I see the endodontist Monday. He’ll determine if I need another root canal or if the tooth can’t be saved. The facial reflexology was my first one today and I’ve never had a massage before to compare it to. She did massage my shoulders and neck as well, which felt great. She also used some nice smelling creams and warm towels on my face, them massaged my face using some sort of device as well as her hands. Very relaxing. I also see her for foot reflexology, which I recently started as well.
I hope the medication change makes you feel better Illinois. Sorry to hear about your car issues. Hope they get resolved quickly. DH purchased a generator when we lost electricity in our previous home for 5 days several years ago. We’ve only used it once in the last 10+ years we’ve had it.
Cindy / Taco - Medicare “covers up to 12 acupuncture visits in 90 days for chronic low back pain”. I’ve never submitted a bill for reimbursement to Medicare before; wonder if it’s an easy process. Medicare also covers chiropractic fees for lower back issues as well now (“manual manipulation of the spine by a chiropractor to correct a vertebral subluxation”).
Cindy - have you tried acupuncture for your neck/shoulder issues? I’ve done lots of PT for my neck and shoulder. It helped but it’s hard to stay ahead of arthritis.Sandy - are you attending the Rubber Duck Regatta? Sounds hilarious.
Woke up with a stomach ache early this morning. Cancelled my PT and REIKI appointments. Just the BRAT diet until my gut calms down. Plus this toothache. And a squirrel ate our poor pitiful hibiscus. I think I’ll lay under a fleece blanket and watch Law and Order reruns.
Hope everyone has a wonderful day.0 -
Sandy, I would love to see a picture of the Rubber Ducky regatta. As someone said, it sounds hilarious. I can probably look up a picture online.
Jackie, a bummer about the damage to your car.
We've enjoyed a string of nice days here in northern MN. I feel so bad for one sister in Louisiana who doesn't have a/c. She and her dh live in an old house with old wiring and old everything else. She consulted with an electrician a couple of years ago about getting a/c and he was honest with them. Not possible in that house. My sister isn't poor and needs to make some changes but she and her dh have to come to that conclusion themselves. They have a large menagerie of dogs and cats and even a couple of horses. Fortunately the horses don't live in the house.
We went to the expense of installing a whole house generator four years ago but haven't had to use it yet since we leave for the summer. We've lost power briefly a few times during our months home and the generator clicked on.
I read the posts on this forum daily and respond mentally but find it too tedious to keep notes for a detailed acknowledgement of everyone's activities/problems. Just know that I wish everyone the best outcome.
Happy Wednesday.
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The highest reward for people's
toil is not what they get for it
but what they become by it.
John Ruskin0 -
Good morning. Hmm, the ground is very wet looking outside. Deck looks pretty dampish but not super wet. Guess we may have had some rain again during the night. It may be humid today. So far, no sun so not sure what the day will hold. Went to bed a wee bit earlier last night. Iffy about it this morning. I think I slept ok, but it may be more a weather/gray reaction this a.m. Gloomy weather gets to me pretty easily.
I started the pill reduction last night. So, in a few days maybe I'll be able to determine if it is going to help. Somehow, I missed the exhausted aspect of the Carvedilol. I homed in on backache since that is what stood out to me most. So, anyone here take Carvedilol— you might want to re-check the poss. se's on it. I tend to do quick reads on things like that because I don't want to inadvertently have an se show up since I feel prone to strange twinges. I concern myself with the highly serious items and the others will show maybe or not but I'm okay with checking if something turns up, that I haven't had before (like backache) but didn't think about it in multiples since the backache was so much stronger then.
I hope you all have a really good day.
I will go out and get a new battery later and then maybe check with Don's Body Shop about my car's new owie from yesterday. It is not super large but I'm fussy about things like that and hope something can be done with it. I do have a $500.00 deductible — which I've always had and that is okay with me. Even if I have to pay more than the Ins..
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I my eye doctor appointment was today. My doctor has retired and I have a new one. She seems very nice. My cataracts have grown and I will need surgery next year. Everything else was the same. Grief counselling this afternoon. I can't see what I am typing, so signing off.
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Not sleeping well, as Heidi keeps coming in, lying on my chest & tummy, petting me with her paw—at her age I feel like an axe-murderer if I turn over and "dethrone" her.
Didn't eat after 10 last night, so I'm exercising some discipline. Had brunch about 1:30pm. Started having some lower GI issues about an hour ago (maybe the skins from underripe tomatoes?) so took an Imodium and a Gas-X and keeping my fingers crossed. Will eat light (if at all) tonight. Supposed to meet the kids for dinner at a restaurant near their house and then take the Clark St. bus to Wrigley Field. They took the rain out of the forecast for this area after about 4-4:15pm, so will roll the dice and not bring the poncho. Gordy has all 4 tickets on his phone, so we need to stick together. On game days street parking is tight on their block, so Bob & I will cab it down to them and take the train home. (Not looking forward to standing in line at the station entrance for up to an hour to get on to the train, and probably standing all the way home).
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Jackie, I take Carvedilol but haven't had any issues that were attributed to it. I've been on it for years.
My DH's siblings leave today. Not sure if they are leaving straight from the hotel or will stop by here first. They were all playing cards when I went to bed. My DH loves to play cards so I was happy for him that he could get some card games in. I am not fond of playing cards, so I didn't play. I am absolutely exhausted though.
DH's sisters made dinner last night, very good, very nice of them to do, but they obviously don't know how to "clean as you go" and made a mess of my kitchen. I did the cleanup, really didn't mind as it was so nice of them to make a special meal, ham loaf, from my DH's childhood! I made it once, but I made it like a meatloaf, and didn't realize it is spread more like a sheet cake in a 9X13 pan. Makes all the difference in the world when the sauce is spread over top of it before it goes in the oven. No wonder mine didn't taste anything like DH's mom's! I only got a recipe, without baking directions other than at 350 degrees for an hour!
My DD and family are in Hawaii on vacation now! Thankfully they are not in Maui this time, but there are three fires, one 6 miles from them, on the big island. So sad about the devastation in Maui! Both my DS and DD are sad because they both vacation on Maui often and loved the town of Lahaina, which is now basically rubble. Reports this morning are 36 dead on Maui. Another reminder to be sure to count our blessings!
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Maui is such a beautiful island. I can't bear to watch the devastation. MM, what a treat for your dh to have his sisters prepare a favorite dish his mother had made. I would have made the ham mixture into a loaf, too.
It's so unusual to find one post on this forum!
Happy Thursday to all.
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The word "appreciation" means to be thankful and express
admiration, approval, or gratitude. It also means to grow or
appreciate in value. As you appreciate life, you become more
valuable—both to yourself and others.
Sara Paddison0 -
Happy today to hear that you can use Carvedilol successfully, MM. I've gone for many, many yrs. not having se's from medications prescribed for me. Seems like my advancement into being a heart patient (still not easy for me to accept) has changed that. In my defense, it does seem like up to now Carvedilol is the only med that has shown issues. Hopefully, it will be the only one.
We use to play a lot of cards here but not standard games. For yrs. we only played a game called " Stack Em" and for the life of me I can't remember the rules to the game, but just recall it as a lot of fun and easy to visit with each other while playing. I miss the game and would still play if I could just recall the rules.
I too am sad to hear what is going on in Maui. I hope they are able to bring it under control soon. It is hard to hear of so many losing their lives who apparently couldn't escape their surroundings.
I would have not made the ham loaf correctly either. It is pretty important to GET a description of ALL the directions lest it be made like meatloaf.
Rained yesterday afternoon again. The ground looks wet again although I've no idea if we had any more rain through the night. Our water table is high here and since the last rain was around suppertime yesterday, it is possible that the ground just maintained its upper layer of wetness. Hope we don't end up humid.
Had to take daughter to work yesterday and came home to find out that BIL's were here, and Dh will go in on this generator. I don't want to do it, but over-ruled. My BIL's (none of them) were here for the straight-line event that happened. Anyone in line of the winds were w/o power for a week or more including us out here at the lake. The guys think we will never ALL need a generator at the same time. That is probably so, but no guarantee as far as I'm concerned.
Betrayal, hope you are feeling a bit better with your knees. It is difficult when you have to force parts of you to try and keep going. Hope you can find a decent working combination.
Hope you all have a really ood day.
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MM, I’ve never heard of ham loaf and just by using the word loaf, I’d have assumed like a meatloaf just like you did.
Jackie, you’re now the joint owner of a generator. Can’t leave men alone for a minute (only kidding). I’m with you on not going in on it, but such is life.
Cardplayer, I haven’t tried acupuncture for my neck yet. I was hoping to get relief through PT. I’ll wait until after the MRI and figure out a plan, which may include acupuncture.
Sandy, I hope your sleeping improves. I know you’d do anything for Heidi.We spent a good chunk of yesterday outside. Even with a lot of rain I have plants that dry out. Buying them from a nursery, the dirt is such a mixture that dries out fast - even when I put those moisture bead things in them (Looks like clear jelly when wet; dry is little white crystals). Two were gifts, one I bought to match the hanging basket gift.
A Christmas gift from my niece was a robotic pool vacuum, so I ran that while I futzed in the garden. It ran until it was out of its charge. Then we got in the pool to finish up. It was windy so pine needles, rose petals, and leaves were blowing in as fast as we emptied them. It was a nice day, I even grilled steaks for dinner. Our screen house is still in the box in the garage. I miss it but we need some warm days without rain to get it up - plus our own energy level has to be high. We put a 12x12 indoor/outdoor carpet down first and the ground hasn’t been dried out long enough to do it. (first yr w/o carpet I had cicadas show up inside!)
Speaking of rain, more due today, it’s rained so much that the hill alongside our home (on a corner lot 150’ deep) …our feet sink into the earth. As I was watering things I saw a “crap” tree growing right in with a lilac tree. I went up to it and my feet sunk. I told my partner about it saying he had to cut it down, it was about 2” thick. He cut it down and when he came back inside the fence told me his feet sunk in.
I hope you’re getting less rain than us, and that you have a great Thursday.
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So sad about Maui, especially Lahaina. Two of my fellow SU Law (formerly U. Puget Sound Law) alums live and practice in Wailuku. The only Maui-bound flights leaving ORD today are empty—to pick up evacuees and bring them back to the mainland.
We had no rain yesterday. Weather was perfect—low-mid-70s the whole time. (There were mist—not theatrical fog—machines on the field to help hydrate the voices of both the band and the folks in the luxury-priced stage-front "standing pit" and "bowl" seats who had spent up to 2 hrs. in the sun before the show began). Bruce played 3 hours, with no intermission. But the step-riser height in the "terrace reserved" section at Wrigley seemed to be much taller than I remember—had to hold on to seats on the aisle to be able to climb up one foot at a time, and was not about to descend them (or three levels of ramp) to get to the restroom. So I had to "hold it in" longer than even on that notorious biz-class flight to Dublin where the guy on the aisle extended his seat to a flat bed so I couldn't get to the loo w/o disturbing him.
We did drive after all—the kids' block is permit-parking only on Wrigley Field game/event nights, and they gave us their permit placard to place in our window. We walked the 4 blocks to the restaurant, which was a disaster (not the walk, the restaurant). They were so understaffed that the servers had to do bartender & cashier duty—obviously staffed for a normal weeknight, not a major event. The kitchen was "in the weeds" and couldn't keep up. We were seated immediately, and our drinks came fairly quickly, but we had to wait 45 minutes for our food. Because my tummy was still touchy I decided to order a quesadilla (the flour tortilla & cheese was what my gut needed, never mind the carbs). But before I could get through even 1/4 of it, I saw a hair on my plate—and when I picked it up, the rest of the piece of quesadilla lifted with it (it was embedded in the cheese)! Ugh. Then the check came (and was picked up) so late we barely made our bus to Wrigley. The concert did start 20 min. late, though.
Leslie had to leave after 2 hrs. because the crowd was stifling and the three Gen-Z girls in front of us kept yakking at each other all the way through so we couldn't hear the lyrics (and they were standing and we couldn't see through them to the Jumbotron screen. On the way back, we found that the bus was re-routed because of Clark St. closures—so we had to walk 1/4 mi. to catch it and wait 20 min. for it. At least we got seats and made it back to our car fairly quickly. The band played 3 hrs (no intermission) but it took us 45 minutes to get from the stadium to the car.
All in all, though, it was a great night!
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Saw new ortho today and have tentatively scheduled surgery on right knee for February 2024. She is booked out that far and we have 2 trips to work around; one in October and the second in January. I am reaching out to pain management MD for relief of knee pain since OTC's are not cutting it. She did recommend using a cane for when I am walking since knees will buckle when I least expect it. Found one that is lightweight, foldable and made for short people so ordered it and hope it helps.
In the meanwhile I am not sleeping well and need to remain mobile in spite of pain. Hoping I can get some pain relief soon. She doesn't think PT will help and may actually aggravate already aggravated knees. Told me to give it a try but to quit if it was contributing to pain.
Have packet of info to review that they provided and plan on doing that this afternoon. PA was very nice and gave me her phone number for any questions I have. Will get cortisone injections prior to October trip and hope they help.
It is raining today so plans for outdoor work are on hold. Got more topsoil and peat moss to amend soil in bed by road before transplanting irises. Have additional plants to go into bed by large rock.
Ham loaf is a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition and I love it. We buy the ground meat or sometimes ones that are preformed in aluminum bread pans to cook. Usually they are trimmed with pineapple and maraschino cherries. One of my favorite meals to order when we go to Lancaster, PA. I think I have one in my freezer and know that my DSIL loves it, too. MM, what did your SIL put on the top of hers?
We had an above ground pool when my children were teenagers. It was in the shade of cherry trees (yes, the same ones that hit my house later) so the water never got warm and we had to buy a propane pool heater. Cindyny, you mentioned what fell in your pool and I had to laugh because we used to get pinged by falling cherries when we were in ours. Dang, they hurt. Our Dal at the time loved the pool but we were afraid she would shred the liner so my children would put 2 pairs of socks on her feet and use rubber bands to hold them in place. We had to keep the ladder up so she could not get in by herself because she needed help to get out.
The devastation on Maui especially Lahaina is heartbreaking. We went to Maui on our tour of Hawaii in 2000 and loved it. The loss of lives is also heartbreaking. I guess the details will eventually emerge about cause of death. Did they not evacuate?
Illinoislady: hope dose reduction will help with Carvedilol se issues. Personally, I think sharing a generator is risky business and think it was sneaky that BIL's waited until you were not available to chime in. Did they twist DH's arm?
We had a portable generator but it severely limited usage. Making decision of what it could be used for was based on season and duration of outage. Our grid has been out for up to a week in both summer and winter with response from PECO based on number of houses experiencing outages. We are in a small group (<500 customers) on our grid, so we were usually last. Got tired of frequency and how many times can you lose entire contents of freezers before you throw in the towel? We have an extra refrigerator/freezer and an upright freezer in the garage and they were usually well-stocked when the power went out. We have used the family room fireplace to heat the house but even that only got house up to 55 degrees. Would have to leave sink in laundry room and powder room (furthest from source) on drip so pipes wouldn't freeze. We slept in family room. Newer range is propane fed so we can cook whereas last one was all electric (hated it with a passion) and not usable with power out. DS has portable one now.
chisandy: enjoy the snuggles with Heidi. I miss snuggling with Smudge since Misty is not a snuggler. Leo is my snuggler but he lives in my bedroom (through choice) and I only get snuggles at night and in the morning.
Think I will work on straightening up my bedroom. Funny how when you begin an organization project it creates clutter of a different sort that needs to be dealt with. Need to finish boxing up items for Purple Heart. Have 2 more storage boxes to attack and then closet will be done for this round.
My DF had given me an elf that has been propped against our front porch for many moons and looked the worse for wear. I decided to repaint him and will post pre and post photos. He has no feet. Dad was a scavenger at times and felt that he was still usable if you hid the fact he was footless by placing him in a bed of pachysandra. So that's what we did and no one has ever been the wiser.
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Petite - I had cataract surgery several months ago. I went to see my eye doctor today for my checkup. All was good, except I have a small cataract. I guess that’s not unusual.
Mavericksmom - glad DH enjoyed the visit. Nice that he was able to enjoy a dish from his childhood. I hope your family is safe while they’re on their vacation.Illinois - I hope sharing the generator works out. Have you been able to get your car repaired?
Cindy - I had good success with PT on my neck. Hope it helps you. A good, flat pillow also has helped me.
Sandy - glad you enjoyed the concert. Too bad you had people talking while you were trying to enjoy the music. Sounds like the meal before was unappetizing.
Sounds like you have a good plan for your knee replacement. I hope you the injections and PT can help you enjoy your upcoming trips. Cute garden gnome, despite having no feet.
Other than the eye doctor and quick trip to the grocery store, it’s been a quiet day. We were able to walk earlier this morning. Had a few drops of rain and it’s been cloudy most of the day. Hope everyone is doing well.0 -
Definitely did not get my VOTE for not sharing a generator. I think Dh's problem is that he doesn't always remember things I do. So, his two brothers were able to get his yes, I think rater easily. In the 26 yrs. we have been back here (where I was born and raised) we have on two or three occasions lost power — from maybe 5 mins. to a couple of hours. Only once (the straight lines wind event) did we lose it for a whole week. The issue with that is those winds tend to take out everything (power) in the path and the two BIL's in town live pretty close to one another. It would be easy for two of us — if not in some cases all of us to be without power at the same time. If that happens, I guess we will have to draw straws or use it on a rotating basis once every two or three days. I'm disgusted.
Gnome is now looking all cleaned up and ready to go back to work. Great paint job. Great story about his foot amputations, however they happened. Glad that tradition will carry on and job security still available to him.
Haven't done anything about my car as yet. Dh knows a guy who after you get quote for the work, will do it for the amt. of the quote — so if you have a deductible which we do, you can just skip that. My deductible is not high $500.00 which I think is likely standard for most people, but it would be nice to skip it. If it could be fixed someway w/o having to order the whole front panel it might be less than $500.00 but I do fear that since front and back fender/bumper panels are all one piece, I may not be able to get off so good. I wanted to rush it at first, but the more I've looked at it, it is not standing out so much as when I was hit in the back which left a hole in the back panel knocked all the way out and was about the size of a softball. Easy to spot.
Didn't need the battery after all. It was Dh's key that would not work for some reason. He changed the battery in key fob and apparently has the wrong size battery. Not only can he now not get the battery cage to open again, but it quit communicating with the battery. Turns out — my key works like a charm and the battery is still at 100% chg.
Just a bit of life and its interesting little curves. Grrrr.
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illinoislady, let's hope you all don't need the generator at the same time! Sorry you were outnumbered but now it's on them to figure out if all three of you need the generator at the same time.
Betrayal, I hope you can find relief from your pain! Crazy how far ahead surgeries are scheduled now. As for the ham loaf, I AM Pennsylvania Dutch and never had it before I went to my DH's family farm in MI. However, I bet if my parents were still alive, they would correct me, but I honestly don't remember having it when I was growing up.
My DMIL would mix 2 lbs ground ham, 1 lb ground beef, 1 cup of oatmeal, salt/pepper, 1 egg, and a cup of water. She would spread the meat mixture in a 13X9 cake or baking pan. Then she would mix the following in a bowl, then pour on top of the meat: 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon dry mustard, 1/4 cup vinegar and1/4 cup water. Bake at 350 for 45mins-1 hour. I always did one hour. But the recipe only had the ingredients, it never mentioned that it isn't in a loaf but spread in a pan. We had such a good laugh about that this weekend!
DH's siblings left this afternoon. It was a nice visit, but I was ready to see them go.
The deaths in Maui were due to the hurricane winds blowing flames from small brush fires so fast that people did not have time to escape the flames! Many were burned on the beach trying to get into the ocean to avoid the fire! I expect the death toll to go way over 100. I am just SO thankful my daughter and her family were not at their usual spot on Maui. She and her DMIL and DFIL and her DH's sister and family are vacationing together and that is why they are on the Big Island instead of Maui!
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Betrayal, what got me through the year before my R knee replacement was liberal applications of arnica & Voltaren gels and an "off-loader" brace, which shifts the weight of that knee to the "condyle" (the part of the articular surface) that has the most remaining cartilage. My surgeon ordered it, and the mfr. rep came to my house, fitting me for it with a device that uses lots of little plastic pegs to mold around my leg. A week later it arrived: iridescent purple (I almost went for the "candy apple red"). I wore it over my pants leg.
Cardplayer, did you mean you have a small cataract in the other eye, or in the surgical eye? If the latter, it's not a true cataract (which affects the natural lens, which you no longer have) but rather "capsular clouding:" the capsule (the fluid-filled sac in which the lens—natural or artificial—sits) clouds up when the proteins in the fluid begin to precipitate out and coagulate (just as your lens did). It's treated with one zap of a laser, and you can get up and go back to work (or whatever your plans) right away. I have some of it in my L eye, but will wait till it encroaches on my field of vision. Right now, the only time I notice it is in a darkened room, where it sees more dimly and in less detail than my R eye. My ocular onc says to call, come in and get it lasered if it becomes too annoying before my January '24 visit & scans.
Confirmed I'll be performing at the Fox Valley Folk Festival Sun. 9/3, at Island Park in Geneva, in the round as part of the Chicago Songwriters showcase. (Time to cut back those L hand nails and start re-growing my calluses).
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We should take it for granted that no life can be entirely free
from vexations, trials, troubles, sorrows, and disappointments;
but we should resolve that these things shall not be allowed to
disturb our peace of mind, or to destroy our happiness. It is as
amazing as it is sad, that we go about largely burdening ourselves
with strivings that are of no consequence, and miss the gladness
and exhilaration of living. No life is successful until it is
radiant with happiness.
Orison Swett Marden
The Joys of Living0 -
Sandy - wow !!! 3:05 a.m. this morning. Thinking of how many times I've heard others talk about the possible benefits of arnica gel. I do think most of those I heard paired it with something else, but still, it sure sounds like something to consider in the pain arsenal.
I didn't post yet as I was late to do breakfast and hoped in the interim others would join in but didn't happen.
I'm not at all sure that we had any true moisture last night, and not sure how warm it may be outside. The sun seems pretty bright, but BIL said we are due for the possibility of a Category Two storm. Well anything is possible, but we don't usually get anything like that too much this time of yr., all the while knowing we are still undergoing climate shifts and changes which disturb the weather patterns. Fingers crossed. I do look out and it is very peaceful right now. I think he wanted to possibly cement the yes on the purchase of the Generac generator.
Dh and SIL are at work on our waterless heater. It has steps that needed to be taken every couple of weeks. Not sure Dh was faithful about this step, but it is a thousand-dollar investment —- so hopefully if they get it going properly the correct patterns of maintenance will be followed.
Nothing special planned for today. A couple of bills I could pay even though not due for a while. A trip to the bank as well.
Also going to make an appt. to have something done with my hair. As to my meds change, it seems a bit soon, but in fact, my back has felt pretty good the past couple of days. Then again, with no hot water I'm not getting as involved as I usually do in some of my cleaning cycles. It sure would be nice to give up most of the backaches since they were pretty much a daily part of life.
Hope you are all going to have a good day, physically and emotionally, and with your weather. Hugs to all the sweet animals of those who have them.
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Sandy - I had cataracts fixed in both eyes, but the one the eye doctor mentioned is in the right. I had toric lens put in to fix my astigmatism. He did say it would be handled via laser, but did not provide me with a referral with the eye surgeon. I see him in 6 months for a visual field exam. I guess I need to let him know when it becomes a nuisance.
I hope the adjustment in your medication dose is helping your back Illinois. Interested in the waterless water heater. I asked about one when we purchased our home, but the builder didn’t provide them. A home we looked at in Richmond VA had them. Seemed very energy efficient.
Busy day today. I saw my MO NP for my annual visit. They ordered my anastrozole and will be submitting a request for a DEXA scan in a year. Then I had a sound bath. It was very relaxing. We’re going to an outdoor concert at the Museum of Shenandoah Valley tonight. It’s a Beatles tribute band called The Return. It’s in the mid80s and we have a nice breeze, so the weather should be perfect for an outdoor event.
Hope everyone is doing well and has a wonderful afternoon.0 -
I got a major lecture from PT today. Gotta do my homework. Thanks for bringing up the subject of arnica gel. It is mentioned quite frequently on the knee replacement group. I also got a massage gun, and it helps bunches.
Broadcast sowed some bee, butterfly, and hummingbird mix on a slice of garden. We had .2 inch of rain last night, and bunches expected Sunday and Monday. High temp maxes out at 83 for the week. I turned off the air and got out the fans.
With a co-owned generator, the place with the most room for freezers would be the refuge for the family in such a situation. No problem arguing on who needs it most in case of a widespread problem.
Saw the doctor the other day. The underside of the patella was badly trashed out. The cartilage on the outside of my knee was almost completely gone, and on the inside was like a "rough road'. The patella was bad before the accident, probably as a result of a badly sprained ankle 30-some years ago.
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Cardplayer, this is our second waterless water heater. The first lasted almost 18 yrs. The second one is likely more efficient than even the first one. The beauty of them is that you basically have hot water ANY time you turn on the hot water tap. They turn on only if you turn on the hot water — you do not have a pilot light on all the time, so you are saved that much wear and tear and expense right from the get-go. The down-sided is they of course are more expensive — although the first one we bought was not that bad. Roughly $400.00 or less if memory serves. The new one closer to $1000.00 but Dh was not quite as handy and had to buy a lot of extras to hook it up correctly. Probably more like $800.00 but I can't be for sure.
I think I would hate not having it since we have spoiled ourselves for years now. The other upside is that all the space needed for one of these heaters is far less. It hangs directly on the back wall of the closet that use to hold the old water heater, so we have a yard of space each way to store items. Menards, Lowes, Home Depot. I think all these places have them.
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We will be going to see Oppenheimer this evening with DD and DSIL. Xfinity had some deal on tickets so we snagged them. Sitting for 3 hours might be a challenge but the theater has recliner seats and they are comfy.
Sleep is still a challenge and last night was another rough night. Reached out to pain management doctor and first available appointment was October 25th when I will be in Italy, so no help. Was able to talk to ortho PA and urged to try to see another physician. Appointment specialist said no go, because it would require permission from practice manager. Explained that pain now doesn't want to wait until October and I was not available then. After prolonged wait on hold, spoke to practice rep and they found me an appointment for Monday. So maybe I can stop relying on OTC's that are not working and get something that will. I am tired of how anyone who is seeking pain relief is regarded as "drug seeking". I do not want opioids because I am down to my last 2 due to severe vomiting with all others including my old standby Tramadol which worked for many years. Have hx of GERD so use of ibuprofen is risky but Tylenol Arthritis was worthless. Saving last of opioids available for post-op pain relief and hope they don't make me ill because I will then be SOL. I use Voltaren gel but have limited arnica use to bruises only, did not realize it is used for pain. It is so blasted expensive and tubes are really small.
I am so disappointed with the healthcare system of today because it seems to have deviated from patient care. This turfing of who orders pain meds is a prime example of overkill due to opioid crisis and perhaps specialization as well. Not everyone who is seeking pain management is seeking opioids! PCP could not order, Ortho could not order, and reliance on pain management docs who are overbooked due to small number in practice is disappointing. Expecting someone to wait until October for pain relief occurring now is unconscionable. Also label of "chronic pain" is misleading when pain is now and acute in new site.
Saw new GYN doc today and she was really nice. I am clear for next 2 years and can contact her when I need my prescription cream renewed. Still mad that they never notified me that the one I was to see retired and they canceled all appointments. I never got a phone call, no email and no notice on patient portal. If they sent a text to my home phone then they are really dumb. Spoke to doc about this and she said she would speak to office manager.
Hot and sunny today. More humid as well and newly planted hydrangeas are looking for a drink.
Today is DGS's 13th birthday and we will go to family party tomorrow. His stepbrother just turned 21 this week, too. We are taking the historical Iron Horse Rambles train from Reading to Jim Thorpe on Sunday. We have to catch the train before 9 AM and it is about 1-1/4 hour trip to Reading so early morning. Lunch hopefully at Irish Pub there and I hope I can walk the main street. DGS asked to go with us so it will be an enjoyable day for all.
Cousin finally announced she is holding memorial service for her deceased husband next Saturday. We will try to make it because they were both so attentive to my parents, especially my Mom. Her father was my mother's brother and they were very close over the years.
Chris: get back on track with PT because Ortho told me that you can hope to achieve 90% return to function by 90 days if you are compliant. Mentioned how if I did not want to limp it was critical. I am limping now and hate every minute of walking like this. Keep running "Walk this Way" through my head to provide levity to annoying situation. I wobble more than walk. What is a massage gun? You have come so far and the end is in sight.
Hope everyone had a good Friday and hope the same for tomorrow.
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I guess professionals use them, and they have been dumbed-down for ordinary folks.
I want to be able to take Tippy on ten-block walks like I used to. My gastrocnemius muscle is causing great amounts of pain.
I have been letting the stresses in my life get to me, and stewing in them, rather than using exercise to release tension.
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(((((((((Chris))))))))
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Chris: This is a childish suggestion but when you are walking Tippy "step on those cracks and break the back" of one of those stressors be that a human or another issue. It is a painless form of getting even or ridding yourself of that stressor. Plus use expletives, if that is your fancy, when stepping on the crack. Let's you get it out of your system. Just a word to the wise, if someone is close by, just whisper, so they do not think you have lost your marbles. ((Hugs)) since stress is not something you need while healing. Thanks for info about massager.
Oppenheimer was intense and a real test of one's bladder with its 3 hour length. I never get a drink at the theater for that reason but do love the popcorn. I would recommend it because it shows how petty men in power can be and how they can be such turncoats when it comes to sharing or seeking honor. Great cast. Sorry, but if women ran the world there would be far fewer wars due to the lack of testosterone and us having level heads.
DGS's party is today so we will head there this afternoon for dinner and ice cream cake. He'll come back with us to stay overnight so we can leave at the crack of dawn to catch the train to Jim Thorpe.
I have been experimenting with OTC Motrin for knees and am getting some partial relief. However, with GERD, I am concerned about GI issues. My Hgb has not returned to pre-BC levels (>13) and hovers around 11 so I cannot afford a GI bleed. Hope pain management can come up with a plan that reduces pain to about a 3 level which I can tolerate. Slept last night with only one brief wake period and not sure if it was because I haven't had undisturbed sleep in about 4-5 days or if it was the Motrin.
Trying to restore order and do some cleaning before we leave this afternoon. I am behind with dusting, vacuuming and floor mopping. So I am trying to knock that out now. Don't mind having DD and DSIL here because we enjoy their company and help but it does derail my routine. So I better get back to work so I can get changed before we leave.
MM: glad you had fun with family.
cardplayer: It has been my experience that the eye doctor who did the cataract surgery also can perform the laser treatment. It's an easy outpatient procedure.
Illinoislady: hope the medication change gives you back some of the pep you have been missing. I know being idle is not in your genes either.
Hope all have a good Saturday. We are overcast with a threat of showers. My new hydrangeas need a good rain. Hope it clears by tomorrow.
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