Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Betrayal - that is an impressive amount of gardening in one day. I admire your persistence in getting back to full strength. Take care not to overdo it.
Cindy, glad to hear the toe surgery is scheduled. How long will you need to stay off your feet?
Canarycat, your patio looks great! I’m sure there is a sense of satisfaction in getting that chore crossed off your ‘to do’ list.
Illinoislady, I can’t believe how much rain you are getting. Please send some up north as we need it.
I saw the PA this morning for my Medicare wellness visit. A complete and utter waste of time. My appointment was at 8am so I showed up at 7:45am as instructed. At 8:10 they told me she was running 30 minutes behind schedule which I thought was odd because I was her first appointment. They asked if I wanted to reschedule or stay. I choose to stay since I am already there and have fasted for the bloodwork. At 8:25 the MA takes me to the room, takes vitals and starts asking the MWV questions regarding fall risk. I politely tell her I completed the questionnaire in the portal per their request. She says they are required to ask the questions verbally so I answer the questions. She leaves and a male nurse comes in to do the MWV portion of my appointment and tells me the NP will be in later to address all other concerns. I tell him that I am only there for a MWV and have no other concerns and he seems confused. He left and came back and said he confirmed he is to ask me the MWV questions. I politely inform him I completed the questionnaire in the portal so he does the cognitive test. Gives me three words to remember for later but never circles back to ask again. They were daughter, heaven and mountain. Since I can still remember them 12 hours later, I’ll assume I passed.
PA finally comes in at 9am and apologizes but says her kids are sick and so she is late to work. She is very nice but clearly had not even glanced at my information. She can’t figure out if she needs to order any bloodwork beyond the usual stuff and is unaware that I’ve had cancer twice in the past four years even though it is clearly noted in my records. I realize she doesn’t deal with cancer but that is my major health issue. She listens to my heart and feels my neck and ‘thinks’ there is perhaps a lymph node she can feel just above the collar bone. I can’t feel it so she advises me to ask the oncologist about it at the next visit. I ask for a Dexascan and she tells me she will need to look in to it. I know Medicare will cover the Dexascan every 24 months and I think I can just schedule one without a doctor’s order if I decide to get one. Got asked about a colonoscopy twice but never asked about a mammogram. I was there for 2 hours and nothing was accomplished. Go figure. If it weren’t so frustrating, it would be funny
And to pour salt in the wound, the rabbits ate all the parsley we planted last weekend and are now munching on the oregano. Clearly, we need to put up a small barrier to the herb garden. 🐇🐇🐇
Have a great weekend!
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Sounds like this is doctor/pa check-in time for lots of us. This is a "wellness" visit for me which I am inclined to cancel although I do feel I need to talk about a few prescriptions. Mammogram was good and I'm one of those rare seniors that have "tough" bones (just lousy joints).
My PCP always gives me the lab orders at my last appointment. Ken's doesn't and he's always annoyed that they want him to come back to discuss them. He usually declined since he has read them and as a retired surgeon, can make sense of them.
Chris, I too love the Tippy stories. He is one smart dog and you are a consistent trainer. I'm afraid we are not so much. Got Mutz a set of stairs recently as he has gotten older and heavier and has had trouble getting up to his favorite places. Working well for all of us.
Have a good weekend everyone. I suspect much of ours will be spent watching the French Open. Our Saturday night dinner friends are in Michigan for the summer.
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Betrayal, you did way too much for your first day planting. It’s no wonder you slept well.
Harley, the surgeon said I’ll walk out after the surgery in a Velcro shoe. We’ll see! I’m scheduled for a MWV in November. I hope it’s not as crazy as yours was.
Taco, I always bring a book with me to Dr appointments so the time goes by quicker. But I’ve had a few times when I’ve read for a very long time, and had to go see if they forgot me in the room.
Jackie we’ve had 3 dry days. I guess that must be a lot, because it’s starting to rain now and will rain all day long. UGH ☔️ Weather report did say on Wednesday we’ll hit 88! I hope my AC guy gives me a date for the install soon.
I spent the afternoon watching Special Olympics high school basketball. My grand niece is a “big buddy” who assists the students on the team. There are children in wheelchairs, we have a legally blind child on the team, all needing some level of assistance. It was a joy to see. Our team lost to another local high school, with the ending score 36-34.
After the game I ran to return the 2 new chair cushions I just bought yesterday. They were too small. I debated on keeping them as they weren’t “that bad” but opted to spend that $ on what I did want.After the local news we ran to buy the next seat cushions, some extra bag chairs, and an assortment of other household items. Then we stopped by my grand nieces soccer game. Between basketball and soccer - she’ll sleep good tonight.
Grocery shopping, filling up the gas tank, and finally we were home for the night before 9. I’m tired from running all day, so I’m heading up to bed to read.
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But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort--the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person--having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.
Dinah Maria Mulock Craik
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Good morning. I think it might be sunny today, but it's after 7 a.m. and it's not really showing yet. I have hopes though and the little report in the corner of my computer (set for my area) says sunny.
I so enjoyed all the entries so far. Harley, you had me laughing over your descriptive wellness visit. Likely something we have all gone through at some point. I understand up to a point that you can be stressed having to leave ill children and or find adequate care before you leave them, but to not try to educate yourself at all about your patient before you see them — really. As long as she was already late it seems she could have at least taken 5 mins. to learn as much as she could about possible needs.
Easy for me to criticize and I really shouldn't but it does seem scanning a record for as much as you can get quickly is better than the nothing at all that seemed to have appeared. I admire that you turned it into something to inspire some amusement, Harley. Easier on the blood pressure too.
I think it would be nice if "wellness visits" weren't touted as though they are some sort of great gift to you. A gift would be a Dr. and or visits that really 'addressed' you period without the curly cues. Easy for me to say because I have a Dr. who treats me the same every time I see her — and she expects to address everything I bring up along with everything she needs o bring up — wellness is just an overall part. Then again — my PCP is VA only. I had to give up Medicare quite some time back and even had I not done it when I did, I'd certainly have to do it now at today's prices.
Taco, I hope your "wellness" goes well. I would almost think these "wellness" visits give the Dr. something of an easy appt. to take care of too. I guess it is to mark the year for an individual, but almost to a person it always sounds like pretty much of a get nothing much done time.
I think we all love hearing Tippy adventures. He does seem an exceptional dog, but then too — there is a lot to be said for consistency. I think there are many dogs who would benefit from consistency. I think most dogs just need a good routine so they know what you want. We have trouble here because unlike when Dh and I both got puppies at the same time —- we got only Lil' Red alone. Tried to get Dh to not feel he needs to join in al the time when Red needs direction and or to not direct into confusions — but Dh is 85 and not into good recall about what we learned a few yrs. ago in dog training classes. Hopefully, we will all do okay.
As to the chair cushions — I am less inclined now to keep things I don't like or that don't fit well anymore. I think it comes down to being impatient when things aren't what I really want since I am going to spend the money.
Cindy, bringing a book is a great idea. I've found that most magazines in Dr's offices are not all that interesting to me and to boot — should something be, if you can't finish the article before your appt. your left wishing you hadn't bothered with a magazine after all. Bringing your own would guarantee no real loss.
Saying hi to all not posting today and wishing all well.
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I found the Medicare wellness visits insulting and a waste of time. I can remember when they had you draw a clock and place hands to reflect a given time. Then they drew the round clock and you just had to add the hands. I passed on them after I learned they send the questionnaire via the portal to be completed ahead of the visit and that you cannot bring up any medical issues not covered by their script. So if you had a problem you had to schedule another appointment. Then the hospital system was only going to perform them every 2 years. The appointments for this were actually longer than those needed for medical problems or follow-ups. I only want to see my PCP when I need care, a follow-up appointment or am acutely ill. I think as we age we end up with far too many care givers and appointments to maintain our health, so if I can minimize how many times I need to be seen, I am happier.
It is sunny after a tumultuous night with lightning, thunder, tornado threats and heavy downpours which obscured looking out the windows. I got up once and saw how heavy the rains were and the noise it was making on the windows. A night for sleep for sure. Woke again at 5 with knee pain so got up to get ice pack and read until I was sleepy. Regan woke me at 7 but I dozed off agin until 8 am. We are getting a temporary reprieve from rain with it expected to return later today. I'll take it.
harley07, I was amused by your recount of your MWV but not with your treatment. If you have the first appointment of the day it may be because you are trying to avoid a wait and to see someone who was unprepared was not acceptable. I hate when they mandate you complete a form online and then ask you to complete the same form again either in writing or verbally. I am not patient with those who seek to waste my time and inconvenience me in the process. Makes me cranky.
cindyny, I carry a small tape measure in my purse and make sure if I am knowingly shopping for something I have the dimensions for the space or item. Saves return trips. I once had an excessively long wait for my ENT to the point where I told him I knew the total number of tiles on the floor, had memorized their note about banning any allergy causing foods, etc. from the office but then pointed out the long strands of stuff hanging from the air supploer vent in the office that I felt was a bigger threat to anyone with allergies or mold issues. He wasn't happy but neither was I being trapped in that room for well over an hour. They book these ridiculous 10-15 minute visits so they maximize number of appointments but then are always hours behind because they cannot handle their schedule. I cannot believe your daily schedule and grow tired just reading what you have accomplished.
taco, hope your MWV goes well. Glad some of us have good bones. I have bad joints as well as bad bones now and I blame that on the AI's. The treatment for bad joints is much kinder and easier than for bad bones. I am watching the French Open because there is nothing else on tv.
Illinoislady, DH and I have discussions about correcting Regan, too. He wantes to intervene when I am dealing with a behavior I don't want or like and I have to ask him to nicely butt out. It is confusing for her especially because he thinks he has to yell when he is correcting dogs, and also our children when they were small. I don't want his help if I am correcting her for jumping on me. A distraction makes her lose sight of the behavioral issue so she tends to repeat it.
Hope everyone has a great day. I have no plans yet but there is always something that needs to be done around here.
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I call the MWV the lecture appointment where they tell you what you’re doing wrong and their suggestions to get you on the right path. After my DEXA scan showed no changes the doc said to walk 30 mins a day with ankle weights. My take is that if it’s the same what I’m doing now is just fine. I have an appointment end of June for “chronic conditions” which were not specified in the email asking me to make the appointment. As the kids say, whatever.
Lovely flower pictures. Thanks for posting
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the patio pavers are complete! Of course it rained 12 hours later so I have to brush again. Yesterday after my walk to a new cafe in Esquimalt I set everything up. Beautiful day them at about 6am heavy rain started so one tent is inside drying up
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My sister and BIL brought back my AC from storage so I could sell it. Note that my apt comes with AC. Then that table was out on the curb, and I needed more tablespace to have more plants, so I had them bring it in. Birds, as always.
Note that little black rug installed on the sofa. We went around the arena twice on our fairgrounds expedition. He earlier had complained about pain, and I gave him some aspirin.
Their dog is terminally ill with seizures and cognitive decline. I have no hesitation in talking about how smart Tippy is.
I had to partially close the blinds to avoid overexposure.
I call this the canine surveillance post. It looks out on the parking lot. He likes it, and I have privacy for when my neighbor has friends coming and going>
I could respond to your posts, but I really have to get the AC posted for sale.2 -
Done. Kitty, installing those pavers would have been beyond me even twenty years ago. Believe me, I tried. Great work!
My Fitbit is telling me I have to get more cardio in. Walking and intermittently pedaling my bike are just not enough. I guess I need to get back to ATF's Silver Sneakers.
Betrayal, I am happy to see you getting back to your landscaping projects.
Harley, If I were you, I would complain up and down the line. I am signed up with a provider with a stellar reputation, and they work hard to keep it that way. Any complaint is dealt with immediately.
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I gave up filling out anything online ahead of appointments. Reason, they hit me with the same exact thing when I get there too many times at different dr offices. Excuses as the online goes to the main office not us, or something else.
My other complaint is changing my appointment after booking carefully a year out. Today it was my MO’s office calling to switch it. My dr won’t be there , after they changed it 2x already, I can wait until September or see the PA. I’ll see the PA on the day before we leave for Ireland.
Canary, love all the pictures. Your patio looks great.
Betrayal same to you, I love flower pics.
Chris, good find on that table. And your privacy window film looks good - let in light but not full on viewing.Jackie, it’s harder with two people correcting a dog. My sister is beside herself as her husband does whatever he wants, and remembers nothing - a non diagnosed dementia.
Wren, I like calling it the lecture appointment. You’ll laugh, my first speed read, I thought you said lettuce! LOL I’m overtired, forgive me.
It’s raining to beat the bands, winds beating the day lights out of my Japanese maples. Crappy day.
My overtired feeling is from last night. We had a bat in the house! I went upstairs, partner asked for me to toss him down undies as he was headed into the shower. So we were talking upstairs to downstairs when all of a sudden I saw something coming at my face, I let out a scream, dove into the bedroom and shut the door. I had a thought - did I really see that or am I losing my mind? No light on in the hall or stairwell, light behind me in the bedroom - so it was just a black thing coming at me. I’d say the size of one of those giant moths, I can’t think of the name. It then flew downstairs at him.
He googled it and they says to turn off all the lights and open the door to let it go out. He did that and went in to take his shower; while I remained behind the bedroom door. Long story short, he came to bed saying he thinks it’s in the bay window, we’ll deal with it in the morning.
I woke at 7:56, after 4.5 hrs of interrupted sleep. I came downstairs cautiously hoping not to run into it again. Didn’t see anything. But I wouldn’t open the pleated shade to see if it was in the window. I was waiting for him. He got up and told me he didn’t see the shadow of it on the shade now so it must be gone. I opened it slowly looking all around. This is what we believe gave a shadow on the shade from the street lamp.
Funny not funny. Final answer - no bat in the bay window. Our hope it did go out the door as he took a shower. I did mention that we could have had a skunk or a raccoon come in the unattended back door. He says he was willing to risk it to get rid of the bat.
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Chris, please keep the Tippy stories coming. I really enjoy them. I decided not to complete the appointment follow up survey but will likely address some of my concerns in a portal message to the NP once I figure out a positive approach. I probably won’t complain about the NP’s lateness (this time) as I’ve been in that situation with sick kids. Bottom line is that I’m scared my health needs are being overlooked and I plan to tell her that.
Betrayal - my doctor still uses the draw a clock exercise which I think is ridiculous. DH’s Doctor does not use it but DH said he would have drawn a digital clock if asked 😀.
Canarycat - you have some awesome coffee shops near you. Are these in walking distance? I’m envious.
Cindy & Taco - I hope you have better luck with your MWV. I’m thinking this is not an appropriate visit for me. Perhaps a regular appointment for 15-20 minutes with bloodwork would be more productive. I know the providers have Medicare metrics to meet for percent of patients that do a MWV so I’m trying to be cooperative.2 -
The three words are ridiculous. I can make associations between them easily. But maybe that is what it is testing. The clock is still good. My concern is that it can lead to an early diagnosis for below average IQ folks, but for others.. When someone who knows them and is not into denial can see obvious early signs. A doctor who does not know the patient and does not read the medical record can miss things badly. And let me tell you, I have seen some real disasters when people do not do a thorough record review. From a special education viewpoint.
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The value of all service lies in the spirit in which you serve and not in the importance or magnitude of the service. Even the lowliest task or deed is made holy, joyous, and prosperous when it is filled with love. -Charles Fillmore
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It's now good afternoon. The sun is out and I think we were rainless through the night. It's about 78 and so our temps are up a bit. A somewhat lazy day here but that's what some Sunday's are for I think. Speaking of temps, we have yet to turn on our a/c for the first time. Though we have had a couple of warmish days we haven't had the humidity and the night temps dropped low enough to totally re-cool the house. Generally being two miles out of town, and in a highly countrified sitting near water we tend to be two or three degrees cooler than in town anyway. Our trees keep us a lot cooler as well. Too much shade for a garden, but then at our age - we wouldn't keep up with a garden too well anyway.
No real plans for the rest of the day either. I don't think I've ever had to do the clock thing. I did get the three words one time — that I couldn't remember. I may never be good at that one. I tend to focus on conversations differently I think and even more so during Dr's visits. I focus most not on words, but on a total concept and what may be needed to address it. When I can't remember my passwords, or when to get my vehicle tags and things like that — then hopefully even I will know to 'question' the state I'm in.
I hope you are all going to have a fantastic Sunday. Wishing all well.
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I didn’t put down the pavers they were already there but two summers of no power washing meant tons of weeds and moss. So that’s all gone and now there is sand inbetween.
One of my coffee shops, the place with the fancy tea pots,is a ten min walk away the other one is 25 min walk. So I’m quite fortunate. When I walk by myself I go to the further spot especially now that they have reopened. It was previously a vegan coffee place. Which worked well for me and my dairy allergy. I get so tired of allergies. Today Miss Tipper is outside in the catiO with me.
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Greetings from MN. We arrived on Thursday. Everything was ok EXCEPT the refrigerator!!!! We iced down some essentials in the cooler on the deck. DH called a couple of refrigerator repairmen and did some research on UTube on Friday. He turned off the refrigerator and turned it back on after 45 minutes. Still no go. Then yesterday morning when we got up, the refrigerator had started running during the night and had cooled down. We're hoping it continues to run but for now the cooler is still on the deck.
Yesterday we set up our booth at the Farmers Market and had some sales. It wasn't a great day but also wasn't a bad day. It was fun seeing other vendors who have become farmers market friends.
Today has been relaxed. I went for a two-mile walk and have done some odds and ends chores like cleaning the outdoor grill. Tomorrow I plan to go into town and pay for a summer membership at the Anytime Fitness. DH went to the nearby Eagle View golf course and paid for our membership and trail fee.
I caught up on posts and am glad everyone is doing ok.
Happy Sunday.
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Carole, glad you made it to MN without any challenges but refrigerators seem to crop up as your headache. Do you leave it running while you are away? I was always told to never turn a refrigerator off because chances are it won't start again. Glad it decided to run again and hope you have no further problems. Enjoy your time there.
It is sunny and 67 degrees today so I did try to do some gardening after resting this morning. Regan's alarm went off at 6:30 so we have to get her to reset it because I don't want to be up that early. I did sleep well last night but truth is my knee was in apin when Regan woke us so I iced it and got relief.
canarycat, your patio and catio look inviting. I should look into some type of containment for Misty because she hangs at the patio door and carries on when Regan is outside. I think she'd like to go out but she is fast when she darts so no harness for her.
The 3 words usually are not related so you can make connections and they change according to the PCP. harley07, you should have surprised them by randomly repeating the words to see if they remembered giving them to you.
I was doing some gardening so I planted a Dalmatian Digitalis plant, and a purple bee balm which smells divine and is supposed to be a deer deterrent like the digitalis plant. They are in one of the beds bordering the patio. They ate my geraniums that were in the stone planters and the hosta bordering the driveway! DH sprayed the others with coyote urine.
I put (just have to remove the hangers and drop them in) 3 pots of pink geraniums in the wrought iton urn planters we have and then planted the last azalea I bought at Costco in a bare spot in the garden bordering the front walkway. I just remember it was for the bed by the stream but I can always pick one up later. I still have 10 plants to go into the big rock bed down front and 4 large buckets of ferns to go on the hill landscaping project. I am hoping DGS can help with those.
Lastly, I removed the hummingbird feeder for a cleaning and a nectar refill. So it is done. I love watching the hummingbird so I hope he realizes I replaced the nectar.
Tonight dinner from the grill. I took a sirloin steak from the freezer and am defrosting it. I restocked the pantry since I had scavenged it for the food donation drive the postal service does. They mostly want canned goods and other non-perishables so I was able to give them a variety of items including canned tuna and canned chicken. I keep overflow canned goods in the garage and that's my inventory area. Right now I am okay and don't need to restock items there.
So cindyny, did you sing Meatloaf's song about a "Bat out of hell" to your visitor? I had to laugh at your recounting. They are more afraid of you so they don't want to stay, plus they eat all those pesky mosquitoes do you want to treat them nice. I haven't seen one in years but know they are in the area.
Hope everyone had a great day.
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breakfast, cat, daffodil. I can imagine a table with a bouquet of daffodils and a cat eating my breakfast.
car, potato, rain It is raining, and the car has a potato stuck in the exhaust pipe.
Give me three, and I can put them together.
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Probably wouldn't come back on today, but I did want to say Yay — I have been wondering when we would hear from you Carol and starting to feel a mite edgy. Good to hear you are safe and sound and getting back into the swing of life in your second home.
Sorry to hear about the fridge — well as Joni E. says — nothing lasts forever to words to that effect. I hope it is not too expensive a fix should it decide to get iffy again.. I take it there are no camper sales lots anywhere near you. They might have great leads on repair people.
Anyway, glad you are there and save for fridge all seems well.
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Jackie - I especially appreciated the May 30th and 31st quotes. Thank you for doing this for all of us.
Im definitely not going to my wellness appointment as I had scheduled it for when Ella was skating (the office is closer to the rink than my house) and her schedule has changed. Maybe later. I don't get the clock and word tests (or much else during the wellness check) but when I see my Primary he always asks me if I'm going to kill Ken or if everything is okay. Ken was his patient years ago but he changed during some insurance transition. I have been with him forever and he is very supportive. Called me at 7:00 at night to tell me about my BC biopsy and has expressed his care and concern about Ken's decline. So it's not him - it's the PA or maybe it's just the pretence of a good check-up.
Maureen told me that doctors she's tried to see here want her to come for a "meet and greet" and then schedule another appointment. Not only does her insurance not cover both but she works two jobs and is very involved in Ella's skating so two visits are a PITA.
I understand the frustration of physicians not reading one's records before the appointment. I still believe that my first TKR didn't go well because he didn't tell me to stop the AI's or at least given my the information so I could decide about them. It was only at the 6 month check and I asked if they could be the problem that he said probably. Given the number of times I had to give folks my medication history, he couldn't have looked at them. Obviously I got a different doc for the second one.
We're having a lovely rain this evening. We've even been able to open the house which is just unheard on June lst. DD said she was getting more than her share in Maine however.
While I'm being chatty, I have to tell you pet lovers about a recent Esty purchase. I had been looking for something "funny" for our bathroom and found a site which would take my pictures of my dogs and put them into others. So I have my Pomeranian reading a newspaper while sitting on a toilet, our Jack Russell with a towel around his head like he'd just washed his hair and Mutz sitting in a bathtub and another of him brushing his teeth. I put the first three in the commode room and the other one next to my sink. I smile every time I go in.
The first week of the month is always busy for me. Hope it's a good one for all of you.
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A sense of humor can help you overlook the unattractive, tolerate the unpleasant, cope with the unexpected, and smile through the unbearable.
Moshe Waldoks
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Good morning. Our sun has been a bit muted this morning but forecast says a sunny day so okay. It was warm enough yesterday evening to get my summer pj's back on. We are definitely going to warm up soon likely. I have to say while cooler a few times than I really prefer, it has been nice not to suffer with too much heat early. It has been rain more than anything else.
Here I am wishing again we had a couple more buttons to use about the posts we read. Just with Harley's entry — with four likes. I don't know about anyone else, but the description of the dog pictures rated a love button for sure. Despite that, I'm glad that someone did give us buttons — not only because you can add that little extra — if you don't know what to say, and people will know you read their entry if you are not able to post anything else that day. Of interesting note for me was that it took me a while to get used to seeing them used and to use myself.
Nothing too special today. Sort of nice to look and have all those big beautiful empty blocks on my calendar which sits right by my computer. Always catch up on my list so I can be as busy as I care to be because I don't have a slew of appts. to work around which feels intrusive when it happens. Dh and I together only have one appt. in Marion and the only other thing on the calendar is Lil' Red's visit to the groomer.
Thinking of you all and hoping everyone has a really good Monday and great start to your week.
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Jackie, it's so nice that you've been waiting for me to check in. You keep track of us oldies.
I had a pleasant surprise when I went to the Anytime Fitness gym to day to pay for a summer membership. Another gym has opened up in town, giving some competition, so AF had a summer special. The price was a little reduced from the past summers.
The refrigerator is still working so I bought some more groceries today.
I haven't shopped for plants for the deck yet. I hope to do that on Wednesday after a gym session.
Taco, your dog pictures sound like a great idea for dog owners.
No cooking for me tonight. Nearby Clancy's restaurant serves a meatloaf special on Monday nights and dh loves meatloaf.
Hope everyone's week started off well today.
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Hazy today due to smoke from Canadian fires drifting to area. Sun trying to get through so a mixed day with temp at 70 degrees. I was going to direct DH in planting some perennials but was too tired.
I am sleepy because my knee kept me awake, so needed to use ice pack and read for about 45 minutes before I drifted off again. I did take Norco at bedtime because leg was hurting, but woke again at 6 and had to take a second one. So I did not take one before PT and was able to make it through.
There is another woman at PT who also had TKR and we were talking today. She had hers replaced in January and she was amazed at my progress since I am not quite 2 months out. She is struggling with her right knee and for me, its the left, so we are like bookends. When she first started coming to PT she was using a walker and has advanced to a 4 prong cane now. I use my cane if I have to walk long distances or if I am tired and in pain.
So plants will have to wait until tomorrow. I did dig holes yesterday and think that is why I am experiencing pain. I want to resume some normal activities but the knee is not cooperative. Frustrating since I don't want to always have to sit with leg elevated. DH is not a housekeeper so my house is not in what I consider as clean as I like it. I can't vacuum yet but I can dust so I just need to concentrate on that at present. DSIL likes to mop floors so he will do that for me.
Taco, so glad you have a physician who knows you and lets you discuss where you are at mentally and physically. Got a laugh about his "kill Ken" comment. Getting a good physician these days is a real challenge and when you have one, you want them to grow old with you or to never retire.
I saw a physician for pain management 5 times and she was never prepared for our appointments, plus she was always very late. At the last one, she acted like it was the first time we had ever met, insisted I needed a med I would never take (told her that) and insisted on giving me a prescription for it and for another appointment. I walked out of there, made an appointment, and by the time I drove home, decided she was dangerous and I was never going back to see her. I called and canceled the appointment. She was well-respected and the chief of the department, but as far as I was concerned clueless about me and my concerns. Never prepared for any appointments.
Hope everyone had a great day.
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Carole - glad to hear you are safely in MN. How is the air quality? Are you being impacted by smoke from the wildfires? We are having lots of gray, hazy days in northern Illinois. Fingers crossed your refrigerator continues to run.
Taco - good to have you check in. Love the idea of the dog pictures. They sound really cute.
Spent yesterday in Wisconsin celebrating my grand nephew’s high school graduation. It was great to see my family and have a whole day with my son and DH. My son is 33 and is closer in age to my brother’s grandchildren as DB’s kids are in their 50’s. My DS is pretty easygoing and gets along with everyone.
Had my quarterly visit with the GYN Onc today and everything is fine. The NP had noted a prominent supraclavicle lymph node in my neck during Friday’s visit and suggested I ask the oncologist about it. He can’t feel it and neither can I but felt a CT scan was appropriate given my medical history. I have an appointment for that in two weeks but I’m not concerned. However I can’ t get a bone density scan without a doctor’s order so I messaged the NP’s office to request an order. We’ll see if I get a response.
I also saw the RN’s notes from my MWV. This is the RN I saw for 2 minutes while waiting for the NP. He noted that no height and weight was on file but BMI was overweight. I messaged the office and told them the MA took all the vitals when I arrived and the info is somewhere in their office. The RN also noted that I was not interested in discussing the advanced directive. So I messaged the office and told them he did NOT ask. I have an AD as I have advised the doctor for each of the past two years. Clearly a lack of communication within their office.
When I made the CT appointment, the woman told me to arrive 15 minutes and then later verbally corrected it to 1 hour early as I have to drink the contrast which I believe is accurate but is not reflected in the appointment time on the patient portal. I’ll call the imaging center directly to make sure I understand the correct time to arrive.
All of you have been wonderful with ‘listening’ to my medical complaints. But I am finding nearly every medical encounter results in some type of discrepancy or error. I’m frustrated and scared.
Have a wonderful week.
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Harley, sorry you're having doubts about your medical care. Such discrepancies do not make us feel confident. You're smart to pay close attention. We all have to be our own advocates. As for the smokey air, it was really hazy yesterday afternoon. We could even smell the smoke when we went to dinner at a nearby restaurant about 6 pm. Today is supposed to be better.
DH just left to go to town where he will exercise at the gym and take care of some errands. One will be washing the new truck at a nice car wash. It was covered in pollen. I plan to drive our golf cart to the nearby golf course a little later and play some solo golf. I haven't played in ages and want to practice before Thursday, when the women's league play at 9 am.
Betrayal, you're eager to get back to pre-surgery activity but your body is taking the time it needs for recovery.
Wishing everyone a good Tuesday.
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If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill Be a scrub in the valley--but be The best little scrub by the side of the rill; Be a bush, if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a bush, be a bit of the grass, And some highway happier make; If you can't be a muskie, then just be a bass--But the liveliest bass in the lake! We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew, There's something for all of us here. There's big work to do and there's lesser to do And the task we must do is the near. If you can't be a highway, then just be a trail, If you can't be the sun, be a star; It isn't by size that you win or you fail--Be the best of whatever you are!
Douglas Malloch
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