thread for middle age to older Christian women.
Comments
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Hersheykiss, the loss assessment insurance won't cover our cost because it is considered maintenance and not a loss from some event. Apparently exposure to salt air isn't considered an even… lol.
Nancy, glad you have decided to keep your ENT appointment. I think that is a wise decision. How is your phone?
Wheatfields, your shingles saga has encouraged me to get a shingles shot…now I just got to do it!
Well, my dental appointment today was discouraging. My teeth look great according to the hygienist; however, I have two crowns that are disintegrating allowing stuff to get in underneath. He showed them to me live on the computer screen so I know it is true. They are old so I am not surprised. He said I have a year but I don't want problems like my DD just had. Maybe he can knock me out for it! One can only wish.
Thinking of all the soldiers past and present on this Memorial weekend. I live in a super military area so there are lots of events happening. We have two military bases, Cheyenne Mountain, the Air Force Academy (graduation is next week) and the Space Force headquarters all within 15 miles from us. I can see parts of them from my deck including Pikes Peak. We choose to stay home away from the traffic. Be safe everyone.
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Chris, I am really sorry that your insurance wouldn't pay for this damage. That is a really big expense especially if you weren't prepared for it. I just got back from the Geek Squad. I really prayed that God would intercede for me and give me a tech that was good and didn't mind working with my Samsung phone even though they state now that they do not repair Samsung phones. I had my computer to make it all legit and told him my issue and this young guy had it figured out in a matter of minutes. So now I will hopefully transfer the data myself. I have done it before and will do it again. The price of the phone dropped $130 just a few days after it was delivered and I did a chat with Amazon after finding out with cellphone you can ask for a price drop refund within 14 days. At first it was looking iffy but when the guy came on after talking with his manager I got a $140 refund which included taxes so I was thrilled about that.
Now I have to get a hearing test which was in my after visit notes and need to get a bone density screening and then my ENT apt and I will hopefully be done with medical apts for a while. One of my really good friends is dealing with a large mass in her pelvic area and another probably malignant node that has metasisized so I was shocked when she told me that. She had just gotten back from a missions trip but knew there were issues for quite some time.
I made a redo dental apt for Tues morning. If I knew of a good dentist in town that took my insurance it would probably be a no brainer as this is a 45 min commute one way in wild traffic. I only started with my old dentist there as he dealt with TMJ issues and night guards. Now a days probably every dentist does those things now.
Chris I'm sorry you have to have some crowns that need to be replaced. I suppose you could ask your dentist if they could knock you out. I vaguely remember as a child getting gas to knock me out but that was back in the dark ages and may not even be a thing now!
Enjoy your turkey.
Love,
Nancy
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Honoring all of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom as we honor them on this Memorial Day weekend.
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Nancy, I am relieved to hear of your specific answers to prayer for your phone and with money back too!. Specific prayers do work! My DH has struggled with hearing more and more lately and I have been "suggesting" he needs to get it checked for some time. When I got home from running errands with my DD just now he told me his doctor told him to schedule a hearing check! I am so glad. He is still reluctant but actually scheduled it. Yay! I don't know why this is so hard for him. He misses a lot of conversation.
Gotta go and fix dinner. God bless.
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Chris, my hearing is quite good but many times ENT's use hearing tests to help diagnose problems. When I told the PA that I may have lost some hearing I think she wanted to check it out. In my imediate family my parents both wore hearing aids and at the age of 50 my sister had to start wearing hearing aids. I was the only one that didn't wear them. God knew if I was going to have a career in music I needed good hearing so I look at it that way.
I am glad your DH is going to have his hearing test. When I first was teaching in Naperville I was teaching with a guy who didn't want to wear hearing aides because we were teaching junior high at the time and he didn't want the kids thinking of him as an old man. He wasn't old but he definitely needed hearing aides. I think it is a guy thing but maybe I'm wrong.
I am off to bed as it is very late. Enjoy your weekend.
Take care.
Love,
Nancy
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HI ladies,
My long awaited ENT apt I finally had today. I did a full blown hearing test and repeated the test I did last week. He did a scope up my nose. I am a bit baffled by some of the things that were said regarding my CT scan from April 22.He said my sinuses look good from that scan. He said your hearing is really good. I have a slight loss and he said that is normal as we age. Having a career as a band director is not one that is kind to hearing loss so I feel grateful I am doing so well. At one point he said you are an enigma. I said well if you would have seen me back in April when I was so sick you would not be saying that. I said I booked an apt with you weeks ago. He said I know I am hard to get into. His PA I saw last week prescribed Flonaise for me besides my usual nose spray I use with my allergy doctor. He said you can use that all the time. I told him one doctor last summer prescribed it from urgent care but didn't give any refills. This PA gave me three refills I believe. He said let me know when you need more. He seems to think that will help with all of these ear issues.
He did say that I would never qualify for the balloon dilation surgery with my current test results so that was good to know. He asked about my previous sinus surgery and my ENT then he told me had died of lung cancer as a non smoker. That all was news to me. He said if you needed sinus surgery again I would know it by now. I didn't think I needed sinus surgery. My nasal rinse is definitely helping as a preventive for sinus issues and he said continue doing that in the morning and use Flonaise at night which I have been doing.
So I am of course thrilled to hear all of the good news. I did ask him about my dizziness and he said that is related to your ear. He did mention the fact that with having TMJ it can cause ear pain which I have known for a long time and he must be experiencing that now too so he was well aware of how bad the ear pain could get with that.
I just don't want to have to live through weeks of ear infection and related side effects again if I can help it. I think I was hoping for surgery that would make that possiblity greatly reduced but I hope that the Flonaise does the job.
So that is the long story. My awful sense of taste has greatly improved so that is also a big plus.
Have a great day everyone. I appreciate all of your prayers and support during this wild ride I have been on for so long.
Wheatfields. how are you feeling? Praying no more horrible pain like you have had.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, it sounds like you had a very productive and thorough appointment with the new ENT. I'm thankful that he gave you such good and reassuring news.
I've used Flonase for decades and not suffered a sinus infection since starting the medication. I hope you experience the same kind of result. (Quick tip: Make sure to rinse the bottle cap and applicator with warm water each week. The liquid suspension is a bit sticky and builds up over the applicator opening.) Take good care.
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Teka, no one wants surgery but I had hoped a procedure would prevent this from happening again but if Flonase is the trick I'll gladly take that route.
Hershey, he told me I could use Flonase every day as only 1% goes into the bloodstream. I do remember asking a health insurance customer care person about a med that they did not cover. They said if it is sold OTC they will not cover it. I mentioned that to the PA that prescribed it and she said if you only use it once a day they probably will cover it which they did. Do you use yours once or twice a day? There was a big difference in price when insurance covered it as compared to the much higher OTC version. Yes, I am definitely ready to put all of that behind me and now I have to find a neurologist and make an apt. I also have to get a bone scan which my PA in oncology was always good about that timeline. My MO didn't remind me and it was my PCP that caught it earlier this month. It was supposed to have been last fall.
How is your thumb doing? Are you able to garden?
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, I use Flonase once a day in the morning. Insurance has always covered the medication, and my copay is very affordable. My PCP orders a 90-day supply with 3 refills. I've not checked out the cost of the OTC medication. Now I'm a bit curious to price compare the next time I go to the grocery store or to Target.
My thumb is better. Thank you for asking. The nail has turned black where it's separated from the bed, and I wear two pairs of gardening gloves at once to protect the thumb. So far that approach has worked well for me.
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Hershey, thanks for info. My ENT told me to use it at night since I do the nasal rinse in the morning. I think I just checked the OTC amount online. I'll have to look again. Glad your thumb is better and to hear the doubling up of gardening gloves helps.
After feeling very isolated for the last many weeks I finally got to go out to breakfast with my good friend who is possibly dealing with some time of cancer in the pelvic area. She unlike me is not used to being sick at all so this is something new having multiple apts in one week. We have all been there I'm sure.
I have been tempted to write SSA and ask if they double billed me for Medicare which I think they did. I am almost afraid to say anything for fear it might make things worse and reduce my monthly benefit. So we'll see if even a letter will get any response. I have not tried the phone call again.
It is a beautiful day here and I hope you are enjoying that too.
Chris, how are you doing? Haven't heard from you in a while.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, the Social Security Fairness Act was passed and implemented so quickly. I too wondered if my payment and deductions were correctly calculated.
If you log into your online SSA account (My Social Security account), click on Payment History and then expand the most recent entry. As far as I can tell, the information looks accurate in my account. I hope it's accurate for you as well.
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Hershey, there are a couple of things that just don't seem to make sense to me. Since most of my money earned where SS was taken out is when I was self emplyoyed and I paid not only the employee taxes but also had to pay the employer portion of SS as well. They mentioned my employer paid x amount and I paid x amount. I have a feeling they aren't aware that I was mainly self employed during that time. I just have this fear that I could possibly make it worse and may not get even what I am getting now. I know I need to make a quick decision on that.
I feel bad for those who are still waiting for their retro pay. At any rate I a very thankful what I have received.
Have a good week.
Love,
Nancy
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Here are my first roses of summer. I took these on May 31. I don't remember having this many roses in May so this has been exciting, These were taken from my new camera phone which I can tell has so many possiblities similar to my professional camera so this will be fun exploring all the lens available.
I made it back to church today. My ear issues are resolved but I have residual fatigue that is really disturbing. I make plans and realize I don't have the energy to even start some of the things on my to do list. I experienced this with Shingles and Covid so whatever I had I am going to have to go with it until it resolves.
Wheatfields, I know dealing with pain for a long period of time is awful and I pray that your misery will come to and end very soon.
Chris, are you okay?
Have a great week everyone.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, lovely pictures and beautiful roses. Yes, I am okay—thanks for caring. This new med actually has easier SEs than some of the others I've taken, but of course they are still there. I am not sleeping well and have the continued fatigue. Usually for an hour or so after I take my med (with dinner) I have a stomachache and headache, but they dissapate. Other than that I feel I have a little more freedom to leave the house. Thanks to the PT I can actually do a little more around the house which makes me happy. Yes, doing dishes makes me happy lol. My son and his family will arrive in two weeks so I have started the preparations. I am praying I have enough energy to enjoy my three grandsons. Well, even if all I do is sit around I will enjoy their visit. My biggest issue is the fatigue from living with this disease for so long. I try so hard not to be a burden to my family but they are fabulous not to show me any negativity. My DD and I bought our annual flowers this past weekend and I hope to get them planted the next couple of days. Of course I depend on my DH to do the bulk of the work. I am blessed.
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Chris, thank you. I am so glad to hear that overall you are doing better with the side effects. You know I have prayed for years for you to have good quality life on earth so that is definitely an answered prayer. I know our timelines are not always what God's plan is. I know you will love having your your son and his family come to visit. Knowing you, you will have your house spotless. I know your family is concerned about you and loves you and I doubt that you are a burden. They probably see you as a hero that keeps forging on.
Enjoy your flowers when you get them.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, your roses are very pretty. Are they little tea roses?
Teka, such good news on your mammogram!
Wheatfields, how are you feeling? I pray that your shingles pain is now in the rear view mirror.
Chris, I can sense your excitement about your son and grandsons' visit. They must be excited to see you, too.
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Nancy, your roses are beautiful! Thank you for sharing! I am thankful that the ENT wasn't suggesting surgery and am praying that the remedies he suggested are working and you are feeling better.
Chris, so good to hear your family will be visiting in a couple weeks, and praying that you continue feeling as good as can be on the new med, and like Hershey said you are a blessing!
Teka, praise the Lord for a good mammogram! And a happy birthday to Teka!
Hershey, praying that your thumb is healing nicely and causing no pain, also hope your garden is doing real well!
I have a couple follow up appointments this week about the shingles, one with the primary care doctor and the other with the eye doctor. Most of the rash is scabbed over and most of the remaining scabs are in my hair, so not too noticeable. I still have a dull achy feeling in the left side of my head and a numbness from the eyelid through the forehead and half of the top of my head on the left side. I'm somewhat concerned about the numbness part and why it is taking so long to go away. I'm down to Tylenol 3 times a day and I'm starting to cut back on the Lyrica (nerve pain pill).
Praying for each of you. Love, Wheatfields
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Teka, congratulations on a good result on your mammogram. Happy Sweet 16 to Teka. I am now an 11yr bc survivor as of April. I think I was too miserable to celebrate at the time. Yes, catnip can be the devils lettuce. It made Cammie more aggressive than normal when she was younger. I haven't tried it on her since then. It made my previous cat very chill.
Hershey, no they are not tea roses. They are knockout roses. I hope I can get outside with my good camera and play around with different lenses with the roses. I am busy with getting my flowers in place and am a bit behind.
Wheatfields, I didn't realize you had shingles under your hair. Oh my goodness. I'm glad you will be seeing your pcp and your eye doctor. The numbness would be concerning to me too. Hopefully they will tell you that this will eventually go away. I think you have just had a really bad case of shingles which is really unfortunate and I am sure miserable. Praying that the worst is over and that you can regain your life before this onslaught.
Thank you everyone for your nice comments on my roses.
I was discouraged by this fatigue that had been hitting me during the day and ruining all of my to do lists. I had lunch with a good friend on Saturday and I ran a few errands afterwards and I got home and I felt like I had done hours of hard labor. Then I realized later that the antihistamine I had been taking at night causes dizziness and fatigue among many other things. So I tweaked my cocktail of sleep aids and completely eliminated the antihistamine. Today I got groceries and then built up my courage to trim some bushes in my front landscape which I needed to do to put my pots I had planted and a new birdbath in that space. The landscapers trim our hedges but by the time they do it my yard looks like a jungle. So I was very happy that I managed to trim three bushes that are very difficult for me but I made it and I was so happy that maybe it was just the antihisitmines that were causing so many problems. I even did some vacuuming tonght. I am so behind on housework but chipping away at it. As one of my friends used to say how do you eat an elephant……one bite at a time.
Chris, I hope you are enjoying the spring now.
Have a great night everyone.
Love,
Nancy
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Wheatfields, it's a blessing that you are under the care of a skilled eye doctor and your PCP. The numbness in your eyelid is concerning to me. My prayer is that it subsides quickly, once and for all, with no lasting effects to your body or eyesight.
Nancy, Knock Out rose bushes are beautiful. We had a similar bush at our former house, and it was prolific. Of course, that was prior to the invasion of the insatiable Japanese beetles. I hope the bush has not succumbed to their ravenous appetites.
No gardening for me today. We received a great deal of rain overnight with more rain forecast through Thursday. Our tomato plants are loving the moisture. So are the weeds… 🌱🌾🙂
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Hershey, I missed your post. I had a few days of terrible diarrhea and I didn't know what to attribute this to but I think I figured it out. We have had quite a bit of rain as well and more coming today. Your thumb will probably enjoy a day off from your garden.
I think I finished the last of my flower pots. Now I am waiting for the landscapers to trim. I trimmed some of my prickly shrubs so I can get ready to put some pots and a new birdbath with a solar fountain in place.
My knockout roses are definitely an attraction for the Japanese Beetles. However my mowers were constantly mowing too close and one time they mowed down a complete rose bush. I was just about to give up on them as my five bushes became only three and even after replacing all of them I was certain that my shade trees were overtaking them but my neighbor didn't think so. He has a big vegetable garden in a similar area. So he decided he would help me out with my roses. This was last year when I had knee surgery. He put fencing around each bush and fertilized for me. He fertilized this year as well and the roses took off. So we'll see. My original idea of having a whole back hedge of roses never did happen.
I have waited to tell you all my flower fiasco. When I was feeling so awful the few times I was out buying flowers it was just too much for me. At my first place I had a big cart of very heavy hanging baskets and I truly didn't think I was going to make it to the checkout area. I just sat on a bench until I felt better. On two other occasions God sent me a man that helped me load my car.
When I discovered I could buy Sunpatiens (which has been hard to find and very expensive the last couple of years) online with Home Depot I was thrilled. So I ordered them and when I got a notice from UPS that they had been delivered I checked my front porch and nothing. I walked down to my driveway and there were maybe 20 boxes piled up in my driveway. Just moving them all to my front porch about did me in. Each of those boxes contained 5 plants!!!!!!!!!!!! My whole front porch housed all of these beautiful Sunpatiens and still many on the porch now. I obviously misunderstood what I was ordering. I ended up getting five times what I thought I had ordered. LOL People were walking by my house and could see all of these plants probably thinking what in the world. I have been giving them away. One of my neighbors is to come by this weekend. My neighbor next to me took a big box full of them. At least I know now I can order onine. LOL These plants cost $5 a piece at our local garden centers. They were $1 a piece online. I think that is why I goofed. I ordered about $100 worth and got $500 worth of plants. My neighbors laughed and said we could have a lemonade stand but with flowers!!!
I hope you all have a great weekend. My hummingbirds are back but I have only seen one very quickly at my feeder. They have been around my hanging baskets for several weeks but I could only hear them.
Wheatfields, I am praying for you. I hope you are feeling much better.
Chris, I bet you are getting your house spotless for your son and his family coming for a visit.
Teka, I bet you are enjoying this time of year as I am.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, oh my! That is one whopping flower story! I can only imagine your surprise to discover oodles of boxes sitting in the driveway. How kind and generous of you to share the bounty with your neighbors. You and your neighbors will enjoy beautiful blooms all summer long.
Tummy troubles are no fun, and I hope you are feeling much better. Have you experienced improvement with your sinuses since starting Flonase?
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Hershey, the Flonase is definitely an improvement but there are still some nights that I have trouble breathing. My intestinal tract is still upset. I feel okay other than fatigue. I am not sure what to attribute this to as I felt sure it was an herb I have taken for sleep but I'm not sure now. We are getting a lot of rain which the grass loves and the flowers. I hope you are doing okay and that your thumb is healing.
I love the idea of God singing over us. I wonder what that sounds like. Very powerful no doubt!!!
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, that is a powerful verse, and I love the thought of our mighty God singing over us. What joy! I am sorry to read you are still struggling. Praying you find resolve soon.
Hershey, I join Nancy in prayers that your thumb is healing.
Today is my 53rd anniversary. I know God sent me my husband. God knew just what I needed. This week is extremely busy with extra doc appointments, etc., to keep all next week clear for my son's visit. I woke very dizzy this morning and it hasn't abated yet. Perhaps I am not eating enough. We are struggling to find a time to celebrate as my DD works tonight and is sleeping since she worked last night too. My granddaughter's birthday is Thursday but she has a gymnastics tryout so we can't go out then either. Her party is Saturday and my son arrives Sunday. Perhaps we can sneak in an early dinner today at a pub that is close by. We don't drink, but love the food.
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Chris and her DH are celebrating their 53rd anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Chris, I sure hope your dizziness will leave. Are you drinking enough water? I know dehydration can sneek up on us without us being aware. I do hope you can find a special time to celebrate. 53 yrs has to be celebrated. 😍 Maybe the pub is the best option since you have so much going on with your family. I'll pray that this dizziness will leave NOW!!
Love,
Nancy
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Chris, I wish you both a very Happy 53rd Wedding Anniversary. May you enjoy many more years of togetherness and blessings!
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Chris, wishing you and your DH a very Happy Anniversary and many, many more. Praying that you feel better and enjoy your family visit.
Nancy, praying that you are doing better and feeling good. Also, it really is a wild flower story - thank you for sharing it! I can see me doing the same thing!
Hershey, praying that your thumb is healing and you are enjoying your garden and yard this summer.
I was at the primary care doctor last week and she suggested staying on the nerve pain pill a couple more months, she thinks I may have PHN, something where shingles pain can continue over 5 weeks. But we're still praying that it goes away soon. It's a nagging headache on one side and burning, stinging skin on that side of the face, also the left side of my forehead is numb and part way back in my hair. My eye itself is doing well except the top lid is numb but I can still blink.
Teka, praying for you too!
Love, Wheatfields
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Thank you all for the lovely anniversary wishes. We ended up going to the pub. I had fish and chips (my favorite) and it was delicious. We had a good time even though it was quick. I actually ate all my fish which I haven't done for a long time so that is a good sign. Today I am going to try to get some cleaning done as I feel better—one day at a time! I drink water constantly so I know I am not dehydrated, but thanks for the suggestion.
Wheatfields, I sorry you are still struggling with the shingles. I am sure it puts restrictions on any good summer plans you may have.
Nancy, I hope you are feeling better. Your viruses have hung on for a long time and I am sure you are anxious to get out and take more lovely pictures.
It is finally warm here so I hope to go outside and enjoy the deck.
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Wheatfields, I am so sorry to hear you might have PHN. I thought if you were put on shingles meds right away that prevented that but maybe not. I hope that the nerve pain meds will help. I am so glad you can blink. When my Mom got shingles on her face she couldn't blink in one eye so they had to tape her eye shut. This is when she was still living at home but I was there. She would tear the bandage off as she had dementia then. I had to go back home and we got a home care nurse that would come and change the bandage. She eventually got better.
Chris, I am glad you made it to the pub to celebrate. Good to hear you could eat all of your fish. That is great. Not many couples make it to celebrate 53 yrs. That's quite a milestone!
Enjoy this week everyone.
Love,
Nancy
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Chris, your anniversary celebration at the pub sounds fun to me. I'm glad you enjoyed your special evening out, and eating all the fish is a positive sign indeed.
Wheatfields, the shingles virus can be very stubborn. I'm thankful that your eye is doing well and you are able to blink. It's so important to keep eyes moist.
I have a dermatologist appointment next week. Yesterday I noticed an itchy red ring surrounding a mole. The ring has faded some today, so I snapped a couple of photos in case it becomes less visible between now and my appointment. My first thought was eczema or contact dermatitis. I'm interested to hear what the doctor thinks.
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