thread for middle age to older Christian women.
Comments
-
Wow, Nancy, that's beautiful!
0 -
Thanks Carol. I am anxious to make a greeting card out of this one and see how it looks. How are you doing? I sense that most of us here are struggling with our own personal issues. I know I am.
Take care and I pray God will pour blessings out on you and on all of us today to give us a fresh touch from Him.
Love,
Nancy
0 -
Thank you, Nancy. I feel like I'm struggling, but no really good reason. Scans next week, increasing pain in hip and legs, more fatigue... Other than that, things are great.
Carol
0 -
Carol, we will be praying for your scans for next week. Pain and fatigue can really be hard to deal with emotionally and of course physically. I pray that you will feel uplifted and encouraged. I pray for peace as you wait for your scans.
I hope this picture I got today will brighten your days for you and for all of us. I spent the afternoon at a sunflower farm.
0 -
Carol, I will be praying for relief from your pain and fatigue, and also your upcoming scans.
Teka, prayers for your knee surgery even though it is a ways out. Praying for pain relief now.
Nancy, amazing photo. You are really turning into a pro! Thank you for sharing your gift.
Blessings for a good day for all. Chris
0 -
Nancy, beautiful shot!
Thank you for the prayers, everyone.
Teka, I will be praying for your upcoming knee surgery.
Love to all,
Carol
0 -
I have been waiting for 30 min to get my email to open up. I hope to get this computer fixed correctly one of these days!!
Teka, I do hope you can enjoy Sept and Oct. I pray for you regularly that you will have good pain control now. We will definitely be praying for your surgery on Oct. 31. Thanks for the cute banner. I love it!
Chris, how are you doing? I can imagine that the school year adjustment is for ALL of you. Thank you. That was quite a compliment.
Carol, thank you. I hope you have a good day today and can have peace and freedom from fear and anxiety.
Have a good day everyone.
Love
Nancy
0 -
Nancy, I love that sunflower, beautiful picture and yellow is my favorite color! Carol, praying for your pain and fatigue and scans, and also Teka for your knee surgery. I am trying out new hearing aids which has been really challenging. This is the second one now and seems like a challenge for a 70 year old to remember the different programming for each one and how to control it with the i phone. I didn't start wearing a hearing aid until 55 so I am quite used to a more quiet world. The left ear has no hearing at all and so at 55 I had worn just one in the right ear, but now there is a new feature where you can wear a little microphone aid in the non hearing ear and it picks up sound on that side and sends it to the better sides hearing aid to be heard. Praying for you all and a weekend filled with blessings!
Love, Wheatfields
0 -
Nancy, your photo looks like a painting! I adore sunflowers. They are one of my favorite flowers and always bring me a smile.
Wheatfields, the new hearing aid technologies are amazing to me. I pray yours give you fewer challenges and more enjoyment as time passes.
Carol, I hope you are feeling better. I understand that the west coast is bracing for a terrible heat wave. Praying that it quickly passes and wildfires fail to materialize.
Chris, I'm hoping you are enjoying some pleasant Colorado Springs weather.
GB, I hope you are doing well. In my area, ticks live in the trees. I don't like doing yardwork underneath a tree in case a tick decides to drop on me. Ick.
I've decided to retire at the end of this year and need to apply for Medicare Part B as well as supplemental insurance. How does that combination work for doctor visits? Do I provide both cards to the physician's office? This is all new to me.
0 -
HersheyKiss, there is a thread here titled "Medicare Questions" if you need it but it is not very active. I have Medicare and it works great for me. Once they have both cards on file, you shouldn't have to show them again. I would recommend Medicare Medigap also as it covers just about everything else and it is a free addition to your Part A & B. Also get a good prescription (I think it is Part D) that fits your specific prescriptions. So I have three Medicare cards: Parts A, B, and D. You only need Part C depending on where you live. It is a full plan like your insurance through work. There is a free insurance service called Boomer Benefits that helps you with Medicare insurance questions (boomerbenefits.com). They helped me a lot as it gets confusing. They are out of Fort Worth but I did everything through email. They will also talk with you over the phone. I highly recommend them. They will even do the enrollment for you if you want their help. Don't be afraid to ask them.
Colorado Springs weather is wonderful this time of year usually in the high 70s to low 80s but winter is coming. There is already a dusting of snow on Pike's Peak. I have been feeling pretty good lately with only minor issues each day but the fatigue is ever-present. I am careful to ration my activities.
0 -
I will post a whole field of sunflowers for those who like yellow and those who especially like sunflowers. I hope they make all of you smile.
Wheatfields, thank you. It is amazing what technology exists now for hearing devices and aids. I do hope that you will quickly learn the ropes of your new hearing aid and microphone. I had a sixth grade saxophone player in my junior high band. He had a cochlear implant. I had to attach a microphone so he could hear me. I was amazed back then at the technology and that was probably at least 15 years ago.
Hershey, thank you. Congratulations on your upcoming retirement. I do remember that period of time in having to make decisions for Medicare. I went to an information session that was offered through my doctor's network and that was very helpful. I ended up going with the State's teacher retirement plan which is a Medicare Advantage Plan. With these types of plans you don't have to have supplemental insurance and it includes Part D. Some plans now have vision and hearing benefits and possible dental plans. I have to pay for dental and my plan covers very little of the vision but has added some benefits as well as benefits for hearing aides. There are specialists who deal with all of the main insurance companies who can be a great source as you are researching what is out there. The caveat is that you have to pay for the regular Medicare plus the premium of the Medicare Advantage Plan but some actually have 0 premiums or did when I was looking. Mine is not very expensive though. I would start early in the search as it can be pretty overwhelming and scary. The thing is you can always change the following year if you don't like your plan. Mine however has a clause that if you drop out you can never enroll in it again. I don't know how they can do that but it is what it is.
Chris, I bet your weather is nice now. Seeing snow already gives me the chills!!! I was only in CO once and I think it was in June. It was really nice weather especially at night. Our meterologist just said last night that Chicago had the best August of most places in the country. We have really lucked out and had pretty mild temps for most of the month which has been really, really nice. Much different than in past years. I am glad to hear you are doing pretty well. I am still dealing with some fatigue and the insomnia has really been difficult. The newer version is I sleep like a baby and then wake up to use the bathroom and then can't get back to sleep. I continue to try to find ways of using my night meds to see what will help. I can sympathize with you on the fatigue. I too have to limit what I can do. It is a difficult thing to accept.
GB, how is your tick situation? Any changes?
Have a good night dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
0 -
Chris and Nancy, thank you for all the information and resources. Boomer Benefits is a very helpful site. My state appears to primarily offer Medicare supplemental plans from Cigna, United, Anthem, and Kaiser. We have never been Kaiser patients, so that narrows our choices somewhat. I can understand why the Medicare Advantage plans are so attractive, and they are quite similar to my employer's medical, dental and vision plans. My HR department recommends that I begin the Medicare application process in early October, so that is what I will do.
Another beautiful photo, Nancy, and not a cloud in that deep blue sky! Fantastic!
0 -
The tick bite is getting smaller. The doctor had me start putting antibiotic ointment on it. It's looking much better. I see derm for my skin check this week so she will see it too.
I have been watching for the spreading rash that signifies Lyme, but even the doctor said it seemed very low risk. I don't think it was that kind of tick. I will be watching for the weird meat allergy though. I think it was that kind of tick. My understanding, though, is that it's pretty rare. Sure hope that doesn't happen.
0 -
Hi gb, we'll keep praying that the tick situation doesn't develop into anything. Also, continuing to pray for your work not to be so stressful. Hoping you are enjoying your birds too!
Thank you Nancy for the field of yellow, I love it! And I was thinking the sunflowers were all west and not many east
Hershey, congratulations on your upcoming retirement. Chris and Nancy do have good ideas on that hurdle of stepping into retirement. Like Chris mentioned once they have your cards on file, you won't have to show them each time. It's almost been two years since I retired and I remember all of that real well.
Praying for you all a blessed week.
Love, Wheatfields
0 -
I hope you all had a good Labor Day weekend. Tonight there is definitely a touch of fall in the air.
GB, I am glad the tick area is smaller and praying that it will end up to be nothing of concern. My hummingbirds have left on their migration and only a few left at my feeder. Before they go they drink a lot of nectar and that is usually my cue they are powering up for the long journey. I have a huge birds nest that build on the top of my downspout on my second story. It had sparrows in it and one neighbor told me she saw a big bird in it now with a long tail feather. I can't imagine what that might be. I have heard of other birds using an already formed nest but have never experienced it first hand.
Hershey, I have had health insurance with Cigna which was very good and now with my Medicare Advantage have United Health Care. I know every plan is different but I was very happy with both companies. Praying you will be able to make the best decision for your situation. It is a big deal and can feel overwhelming but once you have made a decision you can breath a sigh of relief and then wait and see how the benefits work with your specific needs. I know when my Mom had supplemental insurance and a separate Part D it was the Part D that turned out to be crucial because it can make a world of difference if your meds are covered. Also they can change midstream and some that was covered may not be in the future. I have run into that one. I also found that the GoodRX is a cheaper alternative which you can have with Medicare. Some of my meds that need a prior authorization which turned into a nightmare for me a few years ago the GoodRx was a great alternative and way less of a hassle and cheaper than my copay with my Medicare Advantage plan. I have used the GoodRx which costs nothing to work around that caveat.
Wheatfields, I have been praying for your upcoming scans. I know they are not until a few weeks out but praying leading into it. I' m glad you liked the sunflower photo. It was interesting because this farm had several plots of sunflowers and the one I started in the sunflowers seemed to be going every which way and was not in my mind making for a very good picture at all. As I was there longer I discovered this other field where things looked much more organized and the sunflowers seemed to all be facing the same direction. I am REALLY terrible at direction and I could not find NORTH if my life depended on it when I am out of town. However since the sun was setting in the West I believe those sunflowers from that photo were facing south. I did think that they followed the direction of the sun. You might know about that more than I do. There had a variety of sunflowers that were very, very deep purple. They were really hard to photograph.
Carol, I know you have scans coming soon and praying that all goes well during the long procedures and that you will get a good report.
Have a good night dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
0 -
0 -
Haven't seen too many birdies because we're out of birdseed! Need to send DH to the bird store soon!
We had Mommy and Daddy blue bring their juvenile girl by about a month ago. I can't recall if I posted about that. They sat on the window and watched us intently for about an hour, then gave her what appeared to be a nest building lesson in her old digs. It was sweet to watch.
0 -
I saw my oncologist Wednesday and she wants an MRI tonight to check on my back pain. (Crazy to have an 8:30 pm appointment.) I had my Zometa infusion and Faslodex shot yesterday so I am in a lot of pain today. I would appreciate your prayers.
Thank you. Chris
0 -
Chris, I will be praying for you today and for your MRI tonight. Praying your pain will be much better by tonight. Praying for a good result. I hate it that you have to go through all of this.
GB, that is sweet being able to watch your bluebirds. I would love that. I am watching the last of the hummingbirds. I think many have migrated already.
I have a doctor apt so I have to run. Take care.
Love,
Nancy
0 -
Chris, I am praying that your back pain subsides and the MRI reveals nothing worrisome. I hope you get some peaceful rest before and after your appointment.
The imaging center in my area runs their MRI equipment 24/7 and schedules appointments around the clock. One of my husband's MRI appointments was at 11:30 on a Saturday night. We were told that it's expensive and time consuming to bring the equipment up and down each day, so the imaging center makes appointments day and night. It did feel crazy to me being out and about that late for a medical appointment, though.
0 -
Chris, we will be praying for you and that the MRI would bring a good report and also that your pain would subside soon and you would be able to get the rest that you need.
GB your bluebirds sound fun to watch!
Nancy thank you for the beautiful picture and verse that reminds us that God is our refuge always!
My EGD and Colon procedure are on Wednesday the 14th - I'm getting the instructions down pat in my mind what not to take a week or 5 days before and how to eat or drink on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thank you so much for your prayers!
Praying for all of you!
Love, Wheatfields
0 -
Wheatfields, I was really off. I thought your scopes were on Sept 25 even though I have been praying for you regarding that for some time. They are just next week so I will keep that date in mind. I am glad you enjoyed the banner. I have not been able to use that computer much as it still isn't fixed. I was lucky that there seems to be a window that it works and then doesn't. Of course that window is never predictable.
Carol, I know you had scans coming. Have you had them yet? I've been praying for you too.
Chris, still praying for you for your pain to dramatically decrease so you can have your MRI without any problems tonight.
Hershey, I would probably be the crazy one scheduling something in the middle of the night. I didn't realize they ran 24/7.
Take care dear sisters.
Love,Nancy
0 -
Wheatfields, I worry over the prep for procedures too. I even sometimes write them down and the times to take meds, supplements, etc., so I don't forget anything. It is crazy but it makes me feel better. I can't depend on my memory anymore. I feel I have lost a lot of cognitive skills because of all the meds I take.
Nancy, how did the dr appointment go?
Thank you all for your prayers. I am not worried about the procedure as I do fine with MRIs, just the results. We are working on a schedule for tonight because we have our granddaughter, who will have to stay in the car with her papa, and the puppy who will stay home in her crate. Sounds dumb but I feel much better when I have things planned out. It is supposed to dip down into the 40s so it might get a bit chilly.
Take care. Chris
0 -
Chris, you are probably having your MRI now. Praying the procedure goes smoothly and you are in a comfortable position with NO pain.
Love
Nancy
0 -
Nancy, I was on the MRI table for one and-a-half hours...pretty brutal...because I needed two MRIs. But it is over and done. Now I just have to wait a day or two for the results. I left after 11:00 last night but was able to sleep in this morning. I woke hurting all over. Partly because of the MRIs and partly because I am still suffering from the infusion I had done on Thursday. It has been a rough few days.
0 -
Chris, I am glad your ordeal is over. That is a loooooooooong time to be not moving in an MRI. I am glad you made it through. I will be praying for good results. Let us know when you hear anything.
Love,
Nancy
0 -
I received my test results in the portal. It shows two lesions: one on the T5 vertebrae of 11 mm and another on T12 of 1.7 cm. At least it explains the pain. I will need to wait for a doctor note/call for an explanation and next steps. Everything else looked great. Chris
0 -
Chris, I am glad you got results so quickly. I am sorry to hear a couple of lesions showed up on your spine. I am glad your MO was so proactive to order the MRI and the fact that you knew there was pain there was good that you were able to get some fast action. I will pray that the Lord gives your MO wisdom in how to move forward. I am glad the Verzenio is working well on your other areas of concern. Praying for peace for you. I know you have been through this multiple times before but I know it can't be easy at all for you. Thanks for sharing so we can all join in prayer for you.
Love,
Nancy
0 -
Chris, I'm glad you were able to have results quickly and that your MO took action right away regarding your pain. But I'm sorry to hear about the lesions. We will be praying for you and also giving the MO wisdom. Praying for the peace of God to rule in your heart Col 3:15a.
Love, Wheatfields
0 -
Chris, I am thankful that your MO is thorough and proactive with your care. It is sad to hear about the two lesions, though. I continue to pray for you, your family, and your medical team.
0
