Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Sandy, so glad to hear you and Bob were given an 'odorless' room even if it meant having to repack the room you were in and then settle in the new room. Hope none of the nasty odors permeated into your things.
MM, sure hope you had an okay day today. Hopefully you found some nice soothing music with some mental healing qualities to it. Thinking of you.
My day was okay. I had a lot of phone work attend to so felt a big ragged afterwards but then figured out the best way to work with things so it should all work out fine.
We will have hopefully a good night watching some favorite cable news shows. I'm feeling a lot more functional but still not in too much of a rush to push myself. My leg (although I still feel something) is I think save for an ugly scab, coming along pretty good. A little pink around the edges that has faded from the bright red it was.
Soon, I'm sure I'll be doing fine. I think I mentioned (not sure) that I have the schedule for the mols removal of the two cancer spots on the face — Nove 2nd and Nov 14th. Likely good for me as I have a number of dates in October. I hope I don't really have to do much of anything else in Oct. or Nov.
Hope you all had a really good day.
Hope Carole is enjoying Scotland.
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I am with the ones who think you need a new PCP, MM. You certainly don't need her to hassle you. Your plate is too full for that. The only two people who I have known who had the surgery gained the weight back and they were both under 60 when they had it. I also gained lots after I stopped a Keto diet.
The older I get, the more annoyed I get with people who give me suggestions about how I can live forever. Quality of Life is much more important to me than longevity. I am also terrified that if I keep my body in "perfect" shape, I will linger for five years with dementia like my mother did.
Sandy, I never would have worried about my bruised face, especially in a place with people you will never see again. But if I am remembering right, you are going home tomorrow.
Someone asked me about golf (sorry it's a page or two back). I've played all summer, 9 holes three times a week using a cart. Right now the course is closed. I don't understand the details, but here they need to transition from one kind of grass to another in both the fall and the late spring. I will have to walk more these three weeks although walking seems to be the worst thing for my knee. It's either that or give up my evening ice cream.
Covid and flu shots for both of us on Friday.
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I wrote a long comment and lost it!
Sandy, glad you’re in a non smelly room. I’d forgo make up and just enjoy. Bob will be Bob.
Harley, I think you mentioned if you were still in pain you may go to the ER. I hoping you didn’t have to.
Illinois, glad your healing up and I think with some rest you’ll get your energy level back up.
MM, stop the at home exercises for vertigo if they’re not working. I googled vertigo, and I found a PT who gave directions to do the epley maneuver at home. I did it on myself and it worked. Don’t throw in the towel, they should get the crystals back where they belong.
I saw my PCP Monday morning - all is good, but I need blood work. Before she came in the office I was sniffling and by the end of the afternoon sneezing and blowing my nose. I took 1 NyQuil gel cap and slept 8 hrs 42 mins per Fitbit. I must have needed it but that threw my day off.
I took 1 NyQuil gel cap again last night and no magic sleep occurred. But the cold almost seems gone today, so maybe it was allergies and not an actual cold.
I took a class tonight in rubber stamping fall cards. Me & a gf dud one years ago and figured why not. Gets us out, and we had fun. Attaching a picture. I’ve signed up for the Christmas card class from the same woman. They were fun and I think anyone could do them.
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Could not sleep and of course this is when you remember things like did I turn off the hose yesterday? Answer was "no" and I resurrected a discarded planter that was losing some paint by remembering I could spray paint it. It's a lovely planter that I got from Harry & David with amaryllis bulbs in it. They dried out but I can buy replacements and all I need is some gold spray paint to resurrect it.
Early PT today so I plan on finishing garage shelf organization of planting pots and perhaps get time to paint butterfly that is unfinished. It was too rainy and I have been occupied with other things now that the weather is accommodating. I'd like to get it done before we leave and the cold, rainy weather returns this weekend.
Harley, how is the hip pain? Can you get a prescription for PT?
Cindyny, I love the cards you made. I have a former colleague who does this as a second source of income. I have bought so many lovely cards from her over the years. DD asked if she could design her wedding invitation. So they talked and the cards she made were just what DD wanted. You find so many creative things to do.
Sandy, glad you were able to change rooms even if for the short-term. I used to like going to Vegas during spring break but have no desire to go there after hearing your story. I am not a gambler because my limit is $40 and once I lose that I am done. I have had some successful forays but they are few and far between. Does Bob win?
MM, hope your dizziness is easing and that you can find a solution soon.
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Cindy, was there a Cri-Cut also involved? Very pretty cards.
Tippy woke me up early this morning, he was very insistent that petting was not enough. I wandered around the apartment trying to localize a beep every thirty seconds. Turned off the electricity, but it continued. Couldn't, but took him for a walk and closed the bedroom door and we went back to sleep, with him right next to me. This morning I localized it to a hard-wired smoke alarm, I guess the auxiliary battery has run out of steam. Tippy is still antsy, but I reassured him that I can do something about it. I am going to put my HA's in and call maintenance now.
Despite everything, I slept 8 1/4 hours.
Sandy, I am so happy that you were able to get results with calling management. And yes, Bob is who he is.
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Thank you to all who gave sage advice to me, know it is very much appreciated!
I am not "back to normal" but if I am to believe the doctors, and I have no choice than to do that, after I have therapy the crystals will be realigned and I will feel better. I have to wait until my Wednesday appointment to see how it goes. Not looking forward to it, but again, no choice.
I am not in the frame of mind to find yet another new PCP, but my relationship with my current one is likely beyond repair. When she said "why aren't you considering bariatric surgery, it's for your health," she might as well have stabbed me with a knife! (a knife wound would be easier to heal from)
I am losing weight now, because I don't have an appetite, so I don't eat much. Weight loss is no longer my goal, I just want to feel better. Truth be told, plant-based food makes me feel better, sugar loaded foods no longer taste as good as I remember or expect them to taste, and they never leave me feeling good. I am looking forward to meeting with the nutritionist tomorrow.
I canceled my March visit with my PS. All he cared about was doing surgery on my lymphedema arm. He is a great surgeon, but I am saying NO to all surgeries that I don't need in order to live independently.
Today I am focusing on all things non-medical. I hope to put up fall/Halloween decorations, do a bit of cleaning downstairs and then working on the upstairs.
I decided to give myself an incentive and a reward to get the upstairs totally de-cluttered. My reward, in addition to feeling happier when I don't have so much "stuff," will be to get a puppy or young dog. There are almost always dogs that seem to be a good fit at a local rescue organization. I don't care what breed as long as it is healthy and friendly. My DD and my BFF and BFF's mother all adopted wonderful dogs from this organization. My Subaru dealership is having a rescue pet adoption this Sat by that same organization. Too soon for me, but again, promotes a good organization.
I want to prepare my house for my "furry family member" before I adopt. A dog won't solve my issues but I do think I need the unconditional love a dog gives and of course I will give back! This is the longest I have ever gone without a pet. This one will definitely be my therapy furbaby.
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When I was a student nurse, I used to babysit for this one family who had a dog named Marvin. Once I asked about his name and was told he was named after the husband's boss who was just as flighty as this dog. When he came to a party at their home, the dog was called Martin and of course, did not respond. I really think they paid me to babysit him rather then their daughter. We got along fine because he was such a clownish bonehead. They were a lovely family and I loved that mutt.
Done at PT, ran to get hair trimmed with discount card and ran to card store to load up on greeting cards for birthdays, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Was able to walk down and up the driveway for the second time this week so PT is helping me do something I haven't done in over 6 months.
Tree service is next door and I want them to take a look at one walnut tree on the front lawn that has what appears to be a huge rot hole in the trunk. It is right next to an intact walnut and it could damage that one if it goes down. So let them take a look and give me an estimate. Neighbor is having huge trees behind his house removed. That house had a front lawn full of trees and the first thing he did was remove them and I have to ask why would you buy a treed property if you don't like them? I can see removing them if they present a threat to the house which is what we have had to do. The ones behind his home are a threat so I can see removing them. Unfortunately, tulip poplars grow quite high and we have some over 100 feet behind us but far from the house now.
MM, I would be looking for a new PCP now so you can be an established patient when you need one. Is there someone else in this practice you could change to?
Lovely day, sunny and in the low 70's. I just have a few things to do and then it is patio time with a good book.
Have a lovely day.
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Before God, there is neither Greek nor barbarian, neither rich nor poor, and the slave is as good as his master, for by birth all people are free; they are citizens of the universal commonwealth which embraces all the world, brethren of one family, and children of God. -Lord Acton
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Sorry to hear you are still having to do serious work on your balance issues MM. Very glad you are still looking forward to the Nutritionist. Since I've worked with a couple, I have a pretty good opinion of them, and I do think they can be of major assistance.
You have some good advice there and saying that, I do think betrayal's advice not to wait too long to replace your PCP is very salient. I think you would end up better not trying to 'create' a stable relationship with someone if you are in a sate of bad or painful health. It is a forced situation and easier to blend into a strong working situation if you are not stressed with a disease process. Only you though know for sure what you can handle and when. It does appear that working in short bouts with one item (like the Nutritionist) is what you seem to feel more confident and comfortable with — so hopefully, it will soon resonate what is the best track to pursue.
It started raining early evening yesterday and hasn't as yet let up. It isn't raining much and hasn't for hours, but it has been consistent. More than enough to get you good and damp. I had planned to visit my friend Jo, but think I'll wait till tomorrow. Hopefully a bit drier then.
Nothing special then, but my normal keeping up partitivities. I'm not falling asleep so often as I once was lately, not even today with all those? negative ions in the air when it rains. Seems like a good thing to me.
Hope you are all having a good day.
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Cindy - those cards are beautiful! Where did you find such a class?
Betrayal - thank you for the concern. I cancelled the spine / pain doctor’s appointment so I have no one to ask for a PT prescription. The pain is tolerable and no longer constant. The worst it gets most days is maybe a 3 on a 1-10 pain scale as opposed to an 8 a few weeks ago. So Advil or Aleve do help when the pain is mild. I can still hike/walk a few miles, use the elliptical and ride my bike so I feel a doctor will think I am faking the issue and that I am seeking opioids, however, I don’t want drugs. Apparently the drug seekers are an issue in my area (or maybe everywhere) and doctors are less than trusting of their patients. Its probably sciatica as I’ve had it for decades (I think that is what it is) but I would like a definitive diagnosis, but maybe it doesn’t really matter. I’m making sure I do 10-20 squats per day to strengthen my legs along with walking/biking/elliptical to keep the joint moving. Yesterday, I sat too much as I was doing a volunteer drive for a senior’s medical appointment and tomorrow I’ll probably stand too much because I’m volunteering at the food pantry. I enjoy both activities too much to give them up so I’ll need to figure out what works best on my own.
Sandy - glad they moved you to an odorless room and hope you are enjoying the end of the trip.MM - Its a shame you have to wait until Wednesday for your PT appointment. I think finding a good PCP is really tough. Like you, I’m ready to throw in the towel on getting good medical care. I know I’m a lousy patient and after what I experienced with my BC treatment I don’t trust any provider. My PCP is pretty much useless and more PCPs are moving into concierge care in my area. I cannot afford the extra concierge fee or to pay the difference between the doctor’s charge and insurance reimbursement so I’m stuck.
Hope everyone is staying well.
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I see the NP at my PCP's office. The PCP I saw for years retired a few years ago. I saw her replacement and she was okay, but she left to become a hospitalist. I have not seen the second replacement. I'm happy with the NP since I have so many specialists.
Nice fall weather - pleasant during the day and cool at night.
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Harley, one exercise I do for PT is called a nerve glide. I raise my leg with foot in the flat position (like you are standing on it) and as I lower it I point the toes as if I were a ballerina. You are supposed to support the leg at the thigh using your locked arms. I have to use a yoga belt for support since my arms are short. I do 2 sets of 10 on each leg. You can check it out to see if it would help with your sciatica. Perhaps you can find a demo on Youtube.
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Thanks for the tip Betrayal! I’ll be looking this up over the weekend and giving it a try.
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I hope this article goes in well w/o a lot of "funny" things. Normally I would not likely put a drop-in here, but I noticed the article and thought a number of you might like to read it as well.
I avoid self-check-out with a vengeance. Tried it once and hated every second. Even then I only tried it as the clerk standing near the check-out just had nothing to do. She (in attempting to teach me) actually ended up using the self-check-out register to CHECK-me-out pretty much.
At our Walmart there are still two or three staffed check-outs for those who do not want to use the self-check-outs. These staffed lanes are always busy although I admit many of the self check-out lanes are to. Also at our store if the courtesy desk is not too busy they will take you and do check-out for you. I have been concerned for a long time that at some point (and it still could happen) that all staffed check-outs would go away.
Self-checkout may not be the money-saving "revolution" some retailers were hoping for.
More than 30 years after the introduction of self-checkout and its promises of labor-cost savings, the tech has become ubiquitous in stores nationwide.
Now retailers including Costco, Walmart, and Kroger are rethinking some self-checkout strategies. Some are finding they still need employees to combat theft and assist with purchases, review IDs, and check receipts.
Costco, for example, has started asking staff to check membership cards in the self-checkout lanes, as well as assist with scanning items.
Shoppers using membership cards that don't belong to them is a more-serious issue for Costco than shoplifting. Dominick Reuter/Insider© Dominick Reuter/Insider
The company said the move would help crack down on shoppers improperly sharing memberships at self-checkout registers. Costco relies on membership fees for a majority of its profit.
Walmart said last week it was pulling self-checkout from at least three stores in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and replacing the lanes with traditional staffed registers.
The company didn't elaborate on reasons for the change and said it has no plans for "widespread" removal of self-checkout.
Walmart started rolling out a hybrid approach to self checkout in 2020. The redesigned checkout zones replaced traditional lanes with a staffed corral of kiosks where shoppers could opt to scan and pay on their own, or have a worker do it for them.
Walmart's redesigned checkout zones do away with traditional lanes in favor of staffed kiosks. Walmart© Walmart
A press release touted the redesign's human touch.
"In this new layout, you get greeted from the entranceway and helped all the way through the whole process," a store manager said in a release. "We will go to any register, and we will help you in any fashyou want, whether it's checking out one item or all the items. Any questions you have, we're right there for you."
Kroger, meanwhile, is going all in on self-checkout in at least one store where it's no longer offering traditional registers. But Kroger told Retail Dive that the change didn't result in labor cuts, and it still has front-end staff to assist with scanning and bagging groceries.
This is not exactly the labor-minimizing tech retailers were promised.
Kroger, Walmart, and Costco did not respond to Insider's request for additional details on their self-checkout strategies.
Retailers invest in tech to monitor self-checkout theft
Industry estimates suggest inventory losses can rise by 31% to 60% — or more — depending on the number of self-checkout stations used in a store.
Matt Kelley, a loss-prevention expert who formerly worked in asset protection at Home Depot, told Insider last year that self-checkout forced retailers to make a trade-off between labor-cost savings and the increased expense of theft.
"Inherently, that means there's going to be less eyes on a transaction," Kelley, who is now with LiveView Technologies, added at the time. "And there's going to be more of an opportunity for the dishonest people to be dishonest."
Walmart and Kroger use sophisticated video-monitoring and sensor tech to track merchandise through stores and self-checkout lanes. But some shoppers have told Insider they still saw unpaid items pass without raising alarm.
Missed or skipped scans are not always intentional — people and machines both make mistakes. In any case, the solution appears to be the same: assigning employees to monitor and assist customers.
Far from being the autonomous money collectors retailers were hoping for, self-checkout stations require supervision, maintenance, and IT support, Christopher Andrews, a Drew University sociologist and the author of "The Overworked Consumer," told CNN last year.
Self-checkout "delivers none of what it promises," he told the outlet.
To be sure, many retailers are still investing in the technology. But some appear to be reconsidering how they use it, and whether to bring more humans into the process so it runs smoothly.
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Got my flu and Covid vaccines yesterday after work. My arm is so sore - it hurts to move. Didn't feel great last night. Will see how today goes. Getting my RSV on Tuesday after work.
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Harley, I failed to mention the exercise is called Supine Sciatic Nerve Glide. You need to lie on your back with your knees bent and then raise leg in full upright extension with foot flat, point toes as you lower leg back to bent knee position.
DGS is in hospital and just talked to DS about what is going on. He's been unable to keep food down and has severe abdominal pains. Not appendicitis which was ruled out with MRI. His US could not see his appendix so that's why they did the MRI. Doctor to see them at 10 this morning. He has been having GI issues off and on for months but nothing like this and DS at times was viewing it as a reason for him to skip school. Now there is possibly an organic reason for all his GI complaints. It's a wait and see.
Hazy, humid day with temps going up before we get a miserable weekend of rain, damp and low temps. So I'll take it.
Karen, you should wait 2 weeks between vaccines to get full immune response. Can you postpone RSV until a later date? If given too close together, it can fail to stimulate a full bodied immune response so it diminishes value of the vaccine and formation of antibodies.
Illinoislady, I avoid self-checkout like it is the plague. Have had issues where items refused to scan, had machine tell me to move items out of the bagging area, etc and then tell me I can't put them in my cart, etc. Hate when machines tell me what to do. Like many I do not want to be accused of steal and this has happened in Walmart according to the news. True some are stealing but some had a machine malfunction and were arrested. Lines at Walmart were always notoriously long, understaffed and I once had an experience where my credit card info was stolen and used. I was notified and told them it wasn't me for the second order. Switched to using another credit card and never had another issue. Thanks for the article. Now if we could only talk to a real human rather than if you want x, push y, if you want z, push 3, etc before you get to a real human.
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Never let a day go by without seeing something good in the people who surround you. And tell them! Tell them so. Maybe it’s going to be difficult that day, you’ve got to really search. But find something good, and say, “That was really wonderful. That was beautiful.” -Leo Buscaglia
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I'll be back later, but for now many prayers for your DGS betrayal. Hope it is something that can be taken care of on a smooth basis.
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Glad to hear you were able to get a new room Sandy. What an awful experience to be in a rotten egg smelling room. We usually go to Vegas yearly to see shows and gamble. Thankfully we have never had a smelly room. We’ve asked to change due to noise (crying babies) once.
Love the cards Cindy. Hope you’re feeling better.I hope your vertigo has improved MM and that you’re feeling better. I’ve had it in the past, but have never had PT for it. I don’t think mine is the type that PT would help. Usually Dramamine and time take care of it. I hope PT helps. Time to get a new PCP, one that you feel comfortable with and trust.
I hope your infection has improved Illinois and that you’re feeling better. Enjoyed the articles you shared about self checkout. I dislike self checkout, usually have trouble with it recognizing that I’ve scanned an item and it’s in the bag. Doesn’t save me or the store time, since a clerk needs to come over to “assist me”. I’m also careful with checking the receipt when we go through the checkout. I’ve been finding that sometimes we’re charged the wrong price, especially for sale items.
Betrayal - I hope you DGS is ok.
I got my covid and flu shots. No reaction, which was good. I saw the Orofacial Pain Specialist Wednesday. She spent about 90 minutes with me going over my dental history and checking out my jaw and bite. My upper and lower teeth aren’t touching properly contributing to my tooth pain. She’s making me a new mouth guard and suggested some medication. I’m holding off on adding new medication since my Gastro thinks I’ve been having esophageal spams. They’ve scheduled me for an esophageal manometry. Next available is late 1/2024. My PCP has scheduled me for an echocardiogram and chest X-ray since I’m recently been having shortness of breath when we’re walking on hills. Glad the weekend is here.
I hope everyone is doing well. Fall has definitely arrived. The leaves are starting to turn and it cooler. Have a wonder evening.0 -
After very extensive and thorough work-up, they think DGS just has enlarged mesenteric lymphadenopathy from a virus. Whew! I think his Dad was really scared in spite of his lack of sleep and DGS not being able to find a comfortable spot in the hospital. They are keeping him for one more night for observation. Mom will stay with him tonight so DS should be able to get a good night's sleep. DGD is staying with her other GP's so he won't have to worry about her. Will get to see him tomorrow at his sister's birthday party. Thanks for your concerns.
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Nothing special going on here, but I had a phone appt. with Cardiology coach this morning and just couldn't fit much in — then tree removal estimates, then trip to the grocery so knew I would be quite late today.
In some ways that is good. That way I got to hear about your GS Betrayal. Whew is right. It sounds troublesome, but something workable with solutions that hopefully won't be difficult on anyone. Wise I think to spend another night in hospital and feel certain about dx.
It was a pretty day here but pretty cool as well. I think it got just past 70 or so. For a Fall day with sun that is a bit cool. The house is cool too. I have slacks and a long sleeve light sweatshirt on and even then, just sitting can feel cool. I think it is part circulation which changed in the last couple of yrs. Still, we haven't turned a/c off. It just doesn't come on. Not so cool we need heat and we are prone to getting stray days that can overheat us a bit inside yet for a while.
Thinking about you MM and hoping you are feeling all right. It is easy to lose inspiration for things when health problems plague too often. Sending healing hugs.
Hope you will all have a wonderful rest of the week-end.
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Betrayal, I’m glad you DGS will be well enough to be released tomorrow. That’s a relief.
Chris, the teacher cuts out all the little pieces on a machine at home. Then she assembled everything needed to make a card in a little bag. She has the rubber stamps, ink pads, glue, those “pop” buttons, tiny glue dots, even the pre-glued jewels for all of us to use.
Harley, we found the class through our school district. They offer a variety of classes that go on 6-8 weeks, plus these one night and done craft classes. Fees run $20 or more, and offer a senior citizen discount. My gf and I have known each other at least 45 years, so we get a fit of the giggles thinking - did you ever in your lifetime think I’d be asking you for your town senior citizen card number?!? Used to be - what are you wearing to the club and are we taking your convertible. Times have changed.
Karen, my arm hurt like crazy the day after the covid shot. I couldn’t lift my arm high at all. Well I could, but it was painful so I avoided it. RSV shot didn’t hurt as much. I’m scheduled for my flu shot Friday the 13th.
MM, I second looking for a different PCP before you need one, or be ok with going to urgent care. I had one dr leave and my insurance gave a list of others. When I called for an appointment due to a sinus infection I was told I wouldn’t be seen because I needed my “new patient” appointment first. I had to go to urgent care. If you’re ok with urgent care then don’t stress over it.
Illinois, I’ve told clerks who are waving me towards the self check out that they’re pushing to make their own jobs obsolete. Way back when I went to the gym, another member mentioned whenever he has to check himself out, whatever fruit he had to buy he plugged in the code for bananas. We were like WHAT? He said if they can’t be bothered to have someone check him out, he couldn’t be bothered to look up the codes.
Last night I took my grandniece to get her nails done for tonight’s home coming football game and tomorrow’s dance. While I was there I had a pedicure. I’ve had so many toe issues, ganglion cyst & then tendon release, I haven’t been going for any pedicures, so this felt great! I’ve got a birthday luncheon to attend tomorrow so I’ll get to wear sandals showing my painted toes.
I did a lot of organizing and throwing away stuff inside today. It was overcast and not too warm, called for rain but it ended up south of us. Tomorrow calls for rain all day and temperatures in the 60’s. I’m wearing the sandals anyway!
Enjoy Saturday!
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Betrayal, I am so happy to hear that your DGS will be ok! When my grandson turned 6 months, he almost died of Kawasaki Disease. The doctor mis-diagnosed him as something common, don't remember what now, but it was a logical diagnosis. His symptoms got increasingly worse and I told my DD to get that baby to the hospital ASAP! The pediatrician met them at Penn Medicine Hospital in Princeton where he correctly diagnosed DGS and promptly got him transferred to CHOP in Philly where he was treated. To this day, every time my DGS, who is now a healthy 10 yr old, has a visit, the doctor brings up how he can't believe he missed the diagnosis. I would rather go through anything than to watch my children or grandchildren go through something like that and I imagine everyone here feels the same! I can imagine how relieved you are, and how worried you were!
Cindy, I laughed at the guy putting down bananas for all produce! I would never have the nerve to do that, but he has a point!
My visit with the dietitian/nutritionist was a bust. Not a total failure, I did pick up a few pointers, but largely I resigned myself to doing it on my own. I can, I mean, when it comes to diet, the person who is on it has to be the one committed to it. The woman I saw turned out to be part of the hospital bariatric surgery team so you know what she really wanted me to do. I am ok, I lost tons of weight before on my own, I will do it again. I am not getting pressured into anyone's timeline by doing it this way! Eat less, increase exercise, that's the plan.
I will never get on a scale or tell my weight to anyone other than my cardiologist. No one else needs to know.
As for PCP, I will keep the one I have, will only see her if I absolutely need to see a doctor, but will NEVER do a wellness visit! I can also opt to see the NP there, who is more available than any of the doctors. I refuse to talk about weight with PCP. If she insists, which I don't really think she will do, because I will be blunt with her if she ever brings up the topic, I will walk out! That is not a major concern since I don't need to see her until October of 2024. When I see her again, I should have lost significant weight that she will notice, but I will still refuse to tell her what I weigh or how much I lost unless it has something to do with the reason I am there.
I also will not fill out any more of Trinity Health's surveys. I can simply delete the email requests, not even open them! Nothing changes and no one really cares what patients think as long as they get $$$.
Thankfully the next doctor I see is my glaucoma doctor and he is not part of any hospital system, so no hospital is telling him how to run his business! I am seeing a dermatology NP and an auditory therapist next week, again, I don't expect anything negative to come out of those visits as far as how they act towards me. It is awkward that the auditory therapist is in the same department, same check in area, as the nutritionist, but I doubt I will run into her and if I do, I will either ignore, pretending not to notice or smile and say hi, but I wouldn't be rude to her.
I did grocery shopping this morning and am in the middle of doing wash. I need to go through papers and file accordingly, then if time, work upstairs aka the storage of mostly forgotten things! LOL The temperature is about 70 but very humid, so maybe I will stay downstairs today and hopefully work upstairs tomorrow when the humidity breaks.
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We inherit from our ancestors gifts so often taken for granted--our names,
the color of our eyes and the texture of our hair, the unfolding of varied
abilities and interests in different subjects. . . . Each of us contains within
our fragile vessels of skin and bones and cells this inheritance of soul. We
are links between the ages, containing past and present expectations,
sacred memories and future promise. Only when we recognize
that we are heirs can we truly be pioneers.
Edward C. Sellner0 -
Good chilly morning. Overnight it was in the low 40's so this morning when we got up the furnace went on. It hasn't quit running yet. So, from one day to the next since I sort of bragged yesterday that we hadn't had to touch our thermostat. Ah, such is life.
MM, I am relieved to hear from you. Something you said struck a nerve here. I immediately got a picture of being in my Nutrition class. Linda, my friend and class instructor said so often — to LOSE weight you have to take in less calories and expend more energy. You can do a lot of things, and actually get yourself in great shape, but that (for wt. loss) is the key. She also would say cheat now and then because total deprivation of what you love tends to make you inclined to go overboard and makes it hard to stay on your style eating changes. She was always eager to skip the word DIET and call it eating style changes. DIET to some equals futility and failure and lots of negative things while positive changes gives you a whole other sensation.
Past couple of days I've been doing so well. My blood pressure has been up immediately in the a.m. check when I also check my weight for possibility of having taken on and held water (salt fluid retention) and that is now reading 174 which is a lb. less than it has been for some time. These are small changes, but for me such positive changes — so I am happy for now. Only thing I don't like is having to take my warm pj's off for the weigh-in. Were it not for having to know my salt/water info every morning I would never weigh myself so often.
Don't have a lot planned for today. I did my kitchen last night and pretty much got a lot farther than I thought possible so likely will have a more relaxed Saturday. Since it is nice I may be able to get a visit in with my friend Jo. She is dealing with some issues, and I think could use some support.
I hope everyone is going to have a really great Saturday.
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Karen, thoughts of you, DD#2 and your entire family. I hope your DD is safe and not in harms way!
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DGS was discharged from CHOP today and is home. His sister's BD party was postponed until tomorrow.
Will use Monday to plan trip wardrobe and start packing. It's hard when you have to plan for 2 separate trips that are separated by a few days. We will have to find a laundry in that time to have fresh clothes for second part of trip. We are seasoned travelers so we do know how to maximize clothing use to avoid overpacking. It's just a challenge when you have to pack for leisure days, then some possibly dressier nights and don't have access to your closet at home.
Looking forward to seeing DGS and DGD tomorrow. I hope she likes her gifts.
Sunny today but on the cooler side and did not get outside at all. Still trying to get garage reorganized so insulation installers have access to areas to be done. We are close to being there. Can't get DH to part with much but when we come home I will take the bull by the horns and have a come to Jesus meeting. We cannot leave all this stuff for someone else to deal with.
Hope everyone had a good day and the rest of the weekend.
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I second MM's wishes for Karen's family.
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Betrayal - glad to hear your DGS is home from the hospital and on the road to recovery. Having a child or grandchild hospitalized is scary. Enjoy your DGD birthday tomorrow. Thanks for the full name of the sciatica exercise. I’m adding it to my daily repertoire. In the past I’ve lain on the floor and put my legs up the wall and it has helped. I think I can still do that but getting up off the floor is getting more difficult as I age. I think this exercise may be easier to do.
Illinoislady - so true on the self checkouts. I’ll use them if I only have a few items but most of our local stores have limited space for packing and it gets cumbersome when the machine advises to remove and then put back an item into the packing area. There is usually only sufficient space for one small bag. Given the increased theft I fail to see how it is really saving the stores any money unless the corporation can write off theft as a loss on their taxes. I think there are many possibilities to be creative on corporate taxes.
MM - I wish I had words of wisdom regarding your PCP. I’m right there with you. I’m new to Medicare - is there any penalty for not doing the ‘wellness checks’? I find them useless and would prefer to avoid them. Will your PCP agree to see you on an ‘as needed’ basis? I don’t think mine will although at this point I’m not sure I need a PCP. The only med I take is an antidepressant and the psychiatrist will prescribe that with only an annual phone check in. If I want to check my bloodwork, I can pay for it out of pocket to be done at Lab Corp. (I think it’s about $200).
Very busy day at the food pantry yesterday. 99.9% of the guests are pleasant and polite and I really enjoy the work. However yesterday the 0.1% showed up. A guy about 30 yo. hopped out of his car in the drive thru lane (forbidden due to safety reasons) and came up and told me that we need some youngsters to help out because this ‘isn’t that hard and all of you are old and slow’. I introduced him to our volunteer coordinator and she asked if he could start working immediately because we were short of help. He said he could not but he’d consider it in the future. I doubt that he will be allowed to help out due to his outburst. Apparently this is not the first time he has yelled at a volunteer. He may no longer be allowed to get food either. Initially I was upset but now I think it’s kind of funny - all of us old folks (most of us are in the 60-85 yo range) out working in the 46 degree temp, winds and rain while he is sitting in his warm car. I typically walk four miles in an average five hour shift. Most younger people (save for a few home schooled teenagers who help and are fantastic) are at school or work or raising their kids during the day. It’s the old folks who have time to volunteer. Some folks just don’t have a clue 🤷♀️
Have a good Sunday!1
