INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours
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JunieB, September will come before you know it. I like all of the names, especially Kirby because it sounds mischievous.
Forward, I have not had lymphedema, but had cording (risk factor for lymphedema) twice since MX. I kept forgetting not to carry heavy items with my left arm. I have learned from my physical therapist how to massage the cording before the swelling gets worse. Has it been two weeks yet since they ordered the countertop?
MammaR, good to see you! Like ShepK mentioned, quiet time is good unless the creepy crawlies invade your thoughts.
Jazzy, Brrrrrr. You can send the cold air this way to balance the high 80's we will soon get here.
Feline, I love pleasant surprise from memory lapse.
Ms. Wren, good idea about leaving the money in the coat pocket so that you will continue to find it again and again. It would not be a good idea for me though. Knowing me, I would forget the money in the pocket and try to sell the coat at a garage sale. Did something similar in college. At the end of the year I usually tried to sell my textbooks to the school bookstore . One time I hid a $20 bill in one of the books and forgot....yup, whoever bought my book got a $20 discount from me.
Annie, I can't see the Cujo in Logan....such a sweet face.
ShepK, that was my DH1 in the picture running with Mitzy. She is going away for college this fall
Here is a pic of her with Mitzy posing for the camera. 
And this is one of the photo she got:
My goofy girl!
Interesting celebration for May Day. I remember celebrating Teacher's Day growing up in VN. Students would come to school with lovely bouquet of flowers for teachers, who are highly regarded. I remember collecting flowers from different neighbors' gardens on my walk to school. No worries, I only picked flowers from the gardens that had plenty. I was sure they didn't mind as it was for a good cause.
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Oh forgot to share these pics of Nepal. One year after the earthquake,people are still living in tents or corrugated temporary shelters. It does get quite cold in the winter up on the mountains.
People waiting in line to be seen by doctors or dentists. Sadly, they were not able to see everyone.
DH will be going to Ecuador this July. He is not sure what to expect.
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Good night. And good morning to Feline.
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I think the Maypole is an old English custom.
Shep,
That picture you posted of the animals dancing is by an English illustrator called Molly Brett - my Dad bought me a postcard of it when I was a child and I still have it! I was so surprised to see it on here this morning
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Just looked up the wikipedia and apparently maypole found in various European countries but believed to have been of Germanic origin and thrived in England. Wiki notes that the tradition is still observed among some European communities in N America so Wren's memory sounds spot on.
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Evie, out with her folks. She'll be 4 mos on Thursday
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Smaarty,
Wow, time flies... She is precious...
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Eatonville is South of Seattle towards Mt Rainier. A lot of airline pilots live there.
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Evie!!! Such a cute picture
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What a cute baby! My youngest Gkid is 10, oldest is 12. Love them to pieces, but I'm greedy and want some babies to cuddle. My younger daughter and her husband aren't trying yet and I bite my tongue to not say hurry up and give me more Gkids! So.....I usually adore from afar other people's Gkids......and steal them for a cuddle or two whenever I get a chance.
Okay, wore myself out on these boards and surfing the internet. It's only post op day 4 since exchange, so time to go rest.
Cyber hugs to all.....
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thanks Annie. So, how you doing? Being good?
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Smarty- little Evie is stylin' in those sunglasses!
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Loverly - Yes, I tend to lean more towards Kirby too. We''ll see when the time comes.
Holy Moley it must be so hard for the people who go to countries suffering from crisis and the missionary groups aren't able to address/help everyone. Not to mention the individuals waiting for the help.
Lookie - Glad your lymph edema is mild. After having that infection in my arm last year, I try to be careful and I always wear gloves when I do any weeding, dishes, etc., but sometimes I forget when it comes to remembering to not lift heavier stuff with that arm.
Annie - Logan is a very handsome boy! Have your ever tried the "Thunder Shirt"? I have 2 friends who's dogs both get really freaked out from loud noise and they both say that it has worked well for their dogs. Plus, there is a holistic veterinarian by the name of Dr. Karen Becker who offers a product called "Zen Pet" for dogs who suffer from anxiety from different triggers. The product is all organic. Just Google "Dr. Karen Becker + Zen Pet" and it will take you to her site. She is associated with Dr. Joseph Mercola and they are based in Chicago. I personally use several of Dr. Mercola's supplements because they are soy free, and non-GMO.
I went to see the movie "The Jungle Book" today and it was really good. I still have my original copy of the story book with the 78 record that came with it fro the 1960's.
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Awww 😍 Evie
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Junie glad you enjoyed the movie, I saw the trailer at the theatre when we went to see Zootopia, which was also very good.
My dog was beside himself last night. He was panting and pacing for a few hours, we gave him some medacan and that finally settled him down. I don't know if it was a bowel issue, thought I would be heading to the vets today.
Have you heard anything yet about a puppy? We had an opportunity to get a Cairn a few years ago. We knew someone who breed and showed them. She wanted us to take one of her puppies, but we already had two and I was working all the time
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Smaarty are those cupholders on Evies's stroller? (One for Mom, one for Dad?)
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yep, I'm sure there's more by the Handle for when she's older and not going to share!
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Annie being good??? Well.....I guess that depends on who you ask. My DH is on top of me constantly saying "don't reach for that" when I'm perfectly capable of reaching for that. HE just keeps remembering how it was after the BMX......he had to give me a small mug half filled with coffee cause that's all I could lift back then. This exchange is so much easier than the BMX was.
Yes I have drains.....pain in the butt! But it doesn't help that I seem to be intolerant to adhesives.....so the sticky circle where the tubing exits my side along with the small pieces of paper tape holding that circle in place, itches something fierce! My incisions are inframammary, so I'm constantly pulling the compression bra down so the band doesn't irritate the incisions. I absolutely CAN NOT sleep on my back, so it takes time and effort to get comfortable to sleep on my side (drains again). So deep sleep....refreshing sleep...is a gift from God.
Other than those minor complaints (I say minor because I constantly compare everything to the BMX which was pure hell for me)....I'm controlling pain with NSAIDs mostly...maybe 1-2 Norco in a day if any.....usually at night for better sleep. So that's a major improvement from the BMX. I've been battling the post op/anesthesia constipation I get with every surgery, narcotic pain meds or not, but one night of Taco Bell for dinner and that cleared up. LOL. That's MY version of homeopathic treatments.
So, now I just have to battle the fatigue. I really don't do anything at all on a daily basis.....our 26 yo son who lives with us does the menus, grocery shopping, cooking, dishes, cleaning and my DH ruins the laundry....oops I mean does the laundry LOL.....so nothing I have to do except watch trash TV, surf the internet, read books, play computer games, and work hard at trying to get some quality sleep! Oh, and I'm working hard to remember to eat, and when I do, eat something that isn't empty calories....PS wants me to go for the protein. I'm trying to get up the motivation to crochet or sew......anything that might be productive. Maybe once the drains are gone I'll be more motivated.
I still have to deal with going for an Oncology consult since I am triple negative, which was never done because I was never told to see one, but I will pursue that later in June after my 6 month follow up appt with my breast surgeon.
So.....big picture....I'm doing pretty darn good. I'm being a lazy slug and not pushing my prescribed limits, though I do gentle ROM exercises cause there will be no frozen shoulders for me! I'm also making the effort to reach out on these boards so I can stop isolating myself. You all are the only people beyond my family that I socialize with.....just another thing for me to work on once I've recovered enough to get out of the house for more than just doctor appts.
Okay back to happy happy joy joy....I'm making a conscious choice to be happy....Its what works for me to keep me out of that black hole of depression. Love to read/"listen" in on everyone's lives and thoughts here....y'all are great. See....I'm socializing!
Cyber hugs....
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Wow....my post was so long and took me forever to write that there were like 5 new posts when I finished!
I've tried the Thunder Shirt.....no go. Didn't work for my Logan. Don't know if anything will work for him or not. But I'm gonna try that lavender oil aromatherapy stuff I read about on these boards somewhere.....claiming anesthesia brain here!
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Annie, have you tried using little pillows, about 7x12 or so? Under the armpits and it will help you sleep a little on your sides. Hope you're feeling better soon
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Annie, I wish I could remember. I had my BMX, 15 years ago. But I did tummy fat transplant for boobs. Got smaller ones now, but got a tummy tuck from the fat removal....that was a plus. I remember sleeping in a recliner, but that was more from the tummy surgery. Couldn't get up from a laying down position...beach whale I was if I layed down. I do remember I didn't like the drains...but don't know if I did anything to make that better. Well....I said a lot but nothing helpful...sorry. Hang in there
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JunieB ~ Thank you for starting the stream of memories for all of us by reminding us it was May Day Sunday. So much fun to read each other's stories and see the posted pics! My mom was telling me about what May Day was like when she was little in the late 40's and early 50's. There was the May Pole and the little baskets of flowers left on the doorknobs. Best of all was a parade with all the children dressed in their Sunday best. The boys would ride their bicycles and the girls pushed their doll carriages - all of them decorated with streamers and flowers. It was a really big event in her small town. Glad to hear you are feeling better. How long have you been on Ibrance? Not fair that the stuff we have to take to keep us going knocks so much out of us. Very hard to explain to the "healthy people". May your counts and your comfort soon be perfect......and may you also be surprised by that crib blanket soon! And I vote for Kirby too!
Wren ~ Love your "magic" raincoat
FeelingFeline ~ How cool about the Molly Brett picture! The image was just something I stumbled across on the interwebs - I do adore critters in clothes. I googled the artist name after reading your post. She has done so many cute pictures; there were some really sweet ones with fairies too. Do you have your postcard framed? Your dad must be an animal lover too
Loverly ~ Your daughter is quite the photographer! I like how she did the close-up of Mitzy with the background in soft focus. Will college be very far away? I was heartbroken when my baby moved away for college. He went to school at the local college and moved a 10 minute walk away........but he was "gone". (sniff, sniff) How sweet of your neighbors to "contribute" to Teacher's Day! The pictures of Nepal.....so hard to imagine the people having to survive with so little. The little boy wearing the "I love Nepal" sweatshirt makes my heart sad; maybe for him it's a message of hope? Ecuador is still having some big aftershocks. Make DH stay home!
Smaarty ~ Evie is the epitome of "chill" Gosh, that little cutie is growing fast!
Lookie ~ Slow down! Hope your arm is doing better. And that there is no more painting to do
Jazzy ~ SC has been bouncing up and down temperature wise too - heat at night and AC during the day. No snow though, yikes! The past week we have evened out a bit more with the days being in the low 80's and the nights about 60. So jealous your school had a May Pole!
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Shep the arm is fine thank you, I finished restaining the kitchen table today and it looks pretty good. Painting is all done! I was outside gardening and talking about projects in the yard with my husband . some would entail a huge amount of work. I came to my senses a few hours later and decided I'm crazy and I am going to enjoy my summer. NO more projects.
You are right , it is a shame that your treatments take so much out of you. hope you are having a good night.
It is a little smokey here, we have a forest fire burning a few hours north of us, 50,000 people have been evacuated
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Lookie ~ Yay! No more projects! Now you can enjoy your new house inside and out. Forest fires are scary....are you in any danger? We live in an area that is high risk and have had several bad fires over the years. Luckily our home has remained safe. It's amazing how far smoke and burning ash can travel. Hoping the wind shifts and blows it all away from you. 50,000 people is a staggering amount. May the firefighters get the fire under control and keep all the people and their homes safe.
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Annie ~ Poor Logan! How old is he? Was he always sound sensitive? I am a temporarily (I hope) retired trainer/behaviorist. Lavender oil has a calming effect on dogs; it is the main ingredient in many of the products sold to soothe them. The Lavender oil can be used in an infuser or you can slightly dilute it and apply to your dog's paw pads and/or fur at the back of the neck. The oil is toxic to cats, so I would avoid using it anywhere a kitty might be. You can also buy "plug-ins" with lavender oil at the supermarket. My Shepherd Marti will camp out as close as possible to it when I use one. As hard as it is to see Logan upset, the best thing to do is not to fuss over him. Dogs take most of their cues on how to react from us...and quite often get it wrong. The petting and cuddling when he is scared or upset reinforces in his mind that something is wrong and that he should be scared. You could try offering a special treat, toy or playtime to distract him. Overtime, he hopefully will associate the noises with something pleasant instead of something scary. I'm not big on anxiety meds. Positive reinforcement and redirection are best. Marti is 12 and has the beginning signs of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction and takes Xanax for it. Chilling her out during thunder storms is a nice bonus. If nothing else works for Logan or if you are afraid he may hurt himself, then I would insist on Prozac or Xanax. If Logan is a youngish guy, you may be able to use the techniques above to help him overcome his fear and not have to always medicate him.
I also am super sensitive to adhesives. One of my nurses introduced me to the greatest products ever......Skin-Prep Protection Dressing Wipes and Adhesive Tape Remover Pads. The wipes create a barrier between your skin and the adhesive without interfering with how it sticks to your skin. The pads have mineral oil and can be wiped over and under the bandage/tape to dissolve the adhesive so it comes off without hurting your skin. I bought some to keep in my purse just in-case they're not available if I go to a different provider/lab. Amazon carries the same brand used by the hospital....Skin-Prep "http://www.amazon.com/Skin-Prep-Protection-Dressing-Wipes-Box/dp/B000S9KLSY?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00" and Remover "http://www.amazon.com/PDI-ADHESIVE-TAPE-REMOVER-PAD/dp/B00OVM1U0C?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00"
Hope this helped
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I hate steroids! Its 5am and I'm still awake. I had treatment yesterday and guaranteed no sleep!
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Good morning friends- I am a woman on the go this week, but going to step off the client site later today and work remote the rest of the week. Whoot whoot! Already tired of them this week!
JazzyJune- after the blast of winter-like weather over the weekend, it is warming up. It was warm and lovely yesterday and I stopped at my fav local nursery on the way home last night for a few more flowers to put into my pots out back. I suspect we may still get some more shots of winter in May this year. All the moisture the past few weeks is making my gardens happy!
I am having a lot of stiffness and pain in my hands and feet the past day, or what I call "having an AI week." Been icing the bottoms of my feet at night and they are better today, but woke up with stiff hands. Going to do a bit of yoga on the patio as the sun rises to loosen up my stuff.
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Shepkitty, Wish I had known about those pads when I had bandages. With my first Lx, I broke out from the tape. With the re-excision, they used glue. The glue was still there weeks later when they did the Mx (after finding a tumor they didn't know about). Tape is not my friend. Good advice about the dogs. Our first dog was afraid of thunder and spent July 4th on the floor of my closet. We brought her to Seattle, which rarely has thunderstorms. One evening, she was restless and whimpering and acting oddly. We wondered if she sensed an earthquake coming. Then soon we heard the thunder. It was a spectacular storm and you can still buy photos made during it.
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Trish1314: ugh, the insomnia from steroids! Did you get even a nap today?
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Hi ladies! I'm just dropping in to say hello. Another random visit. The good news is that i'm not having anxiety, depression and other emotional effects, Not even insomnia! The bad news is this dirty bas*ard cancer is back. I'm just waiting for news from the docs on my new treatment plan. Drinking sidecars, smokin' weed and carousing with younger men....Oh wait, that's my fantasy life. My real one is eating healthy and exercising. Heavy sigh.
Phyllis
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