how about drinking?
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy TGIF Day! Got the movers booked for Mom for the 30th. Going to go do a narrated video of her current apartment this ayem, send it to the movers for planning, they may want to come in a day or two before move day to box things up. I found out that they would also dispose of stuff we don't plan to keep, which saves hiring a cleaning crew to come in. I can manage the cleaning, been doing most of it for a while now anyway, so no big deal. Then I'm taking Mom down to look at the new apartment, get measurements, start figuring out what is going to where, and drop off the stack of paperwork they gave us. Then we're stopping on the way back to look for a new recliner. Tomorrow I'll go to her place and we will start marking what is going to go to the new apartment, what is going to my place, and what is going into storage. Which reminds me, we'll need to stop at some storage places on the way back and get prices. That will just leave getting rid of her car (I think we're going to donate it), figuring out what to do with the storage shed in back of her apartment if the landlord doesn't want to buy it (we're NOT giving it to him!), and all the little details like change of address notifications, cancelling the cable and internet services and whatever else I haven't thought of yet. But it looks like we can make it happen and get her out of the current apartment before November rent is due!
Carole--everything involving that hospital system is complicated and crazy. It's not the fault of the people trying to provide care, it's the automated systems they are forced to use in the name of saving money and increasing efficiency. That the patient and family may have needs is totally ignored. Which is a big part of the reason the system can't keep doctors on staff. I can't wait for the move to be done and for her to start feeling settled and make some friends. I was amazed at all the pollen there was in NC, it looked like spring here when the pine trees are throwing pollen! Major sneeziness. I hope it clears for you soon.
Teka--hooray for getting the yard work done! I am very grateful that Mom didn't get more than a bruise out of the fall and we didn't need to call in anyone to help get her up.
Reader--Mom's other blood counts are actually normal. She's not even anemic according to the NP, but is iron deficient. The NP called yesterday, she is setting Mom up for an Iron infusion and blood testing for genetic conditions affecting platelets and bone marrow function. There is going to be a lot of long, hard thinking before she gets put on any chemo drug. She doesn't deserve to have her quality of life ruined at her age for something that probably can't be changed anyway. But I'll tackle that complication when/if it comes.
Frustration Buster Bourbon
Ingredients:
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1 oz honey syrup
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- Dash of Angostura bitters
- Lemon twist, for garnish
Directions:
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine bourbon, honey syrup, lemon juice, and bitters.
- Shake until well combined and chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with a lemon twist. 5. Sip and enjoy the frustration melt away.
From
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NM, your mom's very blessed to have you as her main caregiver/daughter. I'm impressed with how organized you are in preparing for her move. I don't know how she would have survived if you had moved to NC after your retirement. I suspect that's a major reason you didn't move.
Hallelujah, we had some light rain today! Hoping for more tonight and tomorrow.
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Sunday Funday! Going to Mom's today to help start the sorting and marking process, hoping to be able to get some stuff into the trash as we move along. Also need to get the mileage on her car that’s going to be donated, as the landlord wants it moved in the next couple of weeks. I've just realized that the microwave that Mom is using is one that the landlord bought when the one over the stove that Mom could barely reach stopped working. Tomorrow she wants to go out and pick up an absentee ballot and get a couple of gift cards for the couple next door that have been helping her all along, then we will need to pick a storage unit and get that set up. I'm going to start a box of things that she will need when she first gets in the apartment, sheets, towels, nightgown, couple outfits, critical kitchen items, etc, so we'll know exactly where they are for the first night and ayem. I found myself in tears a couple of times yesterday thinking about what needs to be done so her first overnight and first day is comfortable and successful without me being there. It's being a harder adjustment for me than I thought it would be. But adjust I will, and I keep reminding myself that this move is going to be great for Mom, and that's what's important.
Carole--If I had moved to NC, Mom would have moved as well. I had looked into some retirement communities in the area while I was looking at houses to buy. Not wanting to move Mom away from the few friends she has left still living was a pretty big reason I chose not to move.
It's going to be a pretty busy week here, don't be surprised if I don't post until next week.
Moving Swiftly
INGREDIENTS
• 1 ¾ oz. Bruichladdich Unpeated single malt scotch, or blended Irish whiskey
• ¾ oz. American Fruits Sour Cherry Cordial
• ¾ oz. Giffard Wild Elderflower Liqueur
• ¾ oz. lavender-infused agave syrup (recipe below)
• 3 dashes bell pepper puree (recipe below)
• Garnish: 1 lavender sprig
DIRECTIONS
In a shaker, combine all ingredients with ice and shake hard for 25 seconds. Double strain over fresh ice into a Collins glass. Garnish with lavender sprig.From
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NM, best wishes in handling the challenges of the coming week.
We go RAIN in the early hours. Hands clapping.
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A beautiful fall day, sunny and cool. Hope things are going well with NM and her mom. And with everyone else.
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Teka - LOVE the cartoon and hate that Christmas decorations are already up in some places.
I too am hoping that NM is able to get things settled for her Mother.
Carole - Imagine - it was only 51 last night. I agree about the fall weather (finally). Now if we could just get some serious rain.
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Minus, we got some serious rain last weekend. It soaked right in since everything was so dry but cleaned the air enough that I feel comfortable leaving a door or window open. Pollen has been bad this fall.
I love the cartoon, too. DH's brother lives in the Philippines with his Filipino wife. He recently posted pictures of their house decorated for Christmas. They start decorating in September. One month of decorations is enough for me to be tired of red and green. The early decoration here in stores is all about encouraging Christmas shopping. Also the Christmas music playing in stores.
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Saturday! Movind day for Mom was long and exhausting, but actually went pretty well. She has way too much stuff for the new apartment, and the unpacking, which is going to be all up to me I've discovered, is going to be a massive job. For the foreseable future, I will be driving an hour and a half to her place to work on unpacking and then an hour and a half home to take care of the puppers on a daily basis. The old landlord is being a bastard, hounding for November rent and for me to get the place cleaned up as soon as possible so he can find another tenant and "not lose any rent income". Like he can't figure out that we've figured out he's going to get rent twice for November, plus he will find some reason to keep the security deposit. This feeling of needing to be in 3 places at once is getting to me, hopefully I can get the apartment cleaned today and then only need to be in 2 places at once for a while. I did not anticipate how overwhelming this was going to turn out to be, I keep reminding myself it will settle down as Mom adjusts. She's already made a couple of friends, she loves the ocean view she has, things will smooth out as she learns how to get around the building and I get stuff put away and the piles of boxed out. But dear God, how I wish I had some help with this.
Well, I've got to get moving, plan is to clean the old apartment as much as I can in a few hours, give up on the rest, and turn in the keys, then go to Mom's and work on more unpacking. At least it isn't snowing or bitterly cold here, which would make things so much worse.
DOTD—your favorite, doubled!
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NM, I wish several of us were close enough to help. An ocean view. Wow. How nice is that?
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NM - I'm sure you are totally exhausted. I too wish some of us lived closer so we could help. Maybe don't worry about getting everything unpacked in a hurry. Perhaps Mom won't even miss things if a week goes by. And part of the point is (was) that Mom would be safer & happier without you having to go by every day. Maybe go every other day? No great rush.
When I went through this with my Mother, I had to fly from Houston to California. I'd stay 10 days, then had to come back to my job. Then next month fly out again. It helped to teach me that as we age - very few things are urgent. As long as there was food in the fridge and the TV worked - life went on.
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Minus, have you made plans for a trip to CA to visit your son and his SO?
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Carole -Thanks for asking. Looks like a CA trip is not going to happen this year. Our schedules just can't match up. Not to mention that I'm becoming more disinterested in traveling anywhere. But oh…. the Pacific Ocean!!! DS has a one day layover the end of November so I'll get to drive downtown & see him for lunch.
Teka - the cartoons you're posting are great
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Twofer Tuesday and don't forget to vote! Things are getting settled down with Mom. All the necessary stuff for living has been mostly unpacked, and is at the point where Mom wants to put them away herself. She's started going out and exploring a bit. Her big wish right now is to get the TV mounted and running (basic cable comes with the rent), and once that is done the rest of the boxes in the living room will be her CDS, VHS tapes, albums, etc that she can unpack and organize as she wants. I'm cutting back to every other day until her doctor's appointment next week, then will try a couple times a week. I got the last of the cleaning stuff out of the old apartment yesterday and left the key like the landlord wanted. He's already painted the entire living room/kitchen area and has a sign up, but the sign is for a rental company, not his name/number. Not sure what that means, and frankly, I don't care beyond passing curiosity. Today's project is to find a way to get mom's car moved legally without having the title or expired registration. Then I will be totally done with the landlord and that will take a lot of the pressure off. I keep reminding myself that Mom hasn't even been there a full week yet, the staff keeps telling her it takes a good couple of weeks to learn the way around, and that she is now safer than she was in the old apartment, and that she doesn't want me to be taking care of her while she can take care of herself at all. Tain't easy though!
This is the view from Mom's bedroom:
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wow NM. Great view. Thanks for sharing. I think Mom will be happy once she settles in. And maybe you can drop back on the visits to twice a week. I know you must be ready for some "ME TIME".
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Hi ladies. In the Vegas airport heading home from a six day visit with my sister. Pics above for you for now. Hope everyone is well 🙏
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I still marvel people enjoy warm weather. Your pix remind me I am a lone wolf.
I'm having a hellish experience with my contractors (or lack there of)…cried most of the day……at least it is overcast and cool and beautiful here, LOL. And lots of red wine.
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Jazzy - great pictures. Thanks for sharing.
Wally -sorry about the lack of contractors to complete your jobs. I appreciate the LOTS of red wine.
NM - hope you have made progress getting Mom settled and started to think about YOU again.
BTW - my AST blood test was way up in September so the doc wanted to re-test. Liver panel…. Re-test on 11/6 was up even more. Guess I'll have to cut back on my drinking - although that hasn't really increased in the last 50 years.
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Jazzy, love the photos.
Minus, all the wellness advice now is to cut back on drinking, even moderate drinking. During the morning hours and early afternoon hours, I decide I will do that. Then it's 5 pm and our cocktail hour. My resolution crumbles. The rationalizing begins. I'm 82. DH is 86. And so on. We both enjoy our daily "happy hour" at home.
I don't know what AST means.
NM, I look forward to an update with how your mom is adjusting to her new home. And how you're adjusting to her being there.
Happy weekend.
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Carole - I'm 81 and I totally agree. I can give up the bloody marys or screwdrivers in the day time (which didn't happen often anyway) but evening cocktail hour stays. I'll just try to cut down to one short drink. And maybe still one shot of something later in the evening (Baileys, Tia Maria, etc). Check out AST on google. It's a liver function test and can mean anything from just stress to liver failure to heart failure to cancer. Statins can effect this result too and I do take a small statin pill every day. My answer may change after the cancer antigen test comes back, but likely I'll just try to drink more water & (she says again) start walking again.
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Minus, I did google AST blood test and went on Mayo's website. I checked all the lab work I've had on My Chart and I didn't see AST. I will ask about it when I go for my wellness appointment in December. Is it part of routine screening?
Two years ago one of our community at Pine Hollow Resort in MN, Wayne, was diagnosed with cirrhosis and stopped drinking cold turkey. He was a big drinker, mostly beer, in social settings. It ruined his enjoyment of the resort lifestyle. For him, socializing included drinking. They sold their camper and gave up their site, despite opposition from his wife.
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AST is usually found on the metabolic panel. Supplements and meds can increase it…if your drinking hasn't changed, I'd bet on the statin. I know when I was on tamoxifen, I started taking Milk Thistle (herb) to help my liver deal with the med. Keep us updated, Minus. I'm with you guys…I'm 68, but with MGUS and having had breast cancer, I'm not changing anything.
I've ordered parts for the dishwasher install and will tackle it on my own, with DH's guidance. He's not as limber as he used to be. I sure hope this is done before Thanksgiving.
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Carole - Wally is right on. AST test is part of the Comprehensive Metabolic Panel. But this time they did a more specific Hepatic Function panel. The other 6 tests on this panel were normal. Even the protein, which surprised me.
Wally - the only problem is - I've been on a low dose statin for several years and the AST didn't really become elevated until this fall. But I know I've been stressed with the undiagnosed "probably allergy" in September and 3 weeks of steroids. As well as the raised numbers on the cancer antigen test. Yes, I know that the CA 27-29 is just an indication, and not really accurate for diagnosis, and probably nothing . In fact my new oncologist said she'd probably just as soon stop that testing.
Still - I only had one very short G&T before dinner and now I'm drinking water with ice and trying to pretend it's a cocktail.
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Steriods can increase AST. And I'm glad your onco knows that markers are iffy. I hope all goes well. I know how unsettling it all is. I have to re-do my SPEP labs for MGUS and hope I don't need a bone marrow biopsy. Between my DH's PSA going up, my lab re-do, the dishwasher, blah, blah, blah…I'm so over this.
AST can also increase from non-alcohol-fatty-liver-disease…and as we age and…well, you get the idea.
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Oh yeah - I get it. Still have to re-do my breast ULS, but can't get in until the end of January. And have to do another low dose CT after the first of the year to check the nodule in my lungs that appeared after chemo that the pulmonary doc is watching. Ex-DH supposedly is "clear" of prostate cancer for now after surgery. And we know that phrase too - only "no active disease" - but only remission, never clear.
Hope you don't need the bone marrow biopsy. Getting old is not for the faint of heart.
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NM - hope to hear from you this weekend. We are all cheering for Mom's successful relocation.
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Clarifying - I understand the danger of drinking alone. Although I am no longer married, I rarely 'celebrate' happy hour alone. Three or four days a week I meet up with girlfriends at my house or theirs for our drinkys. (hum - should that be drinkies?) The other days I have phone drinks with friends. Neither of us makes drinks until we connect by phone & we sort out all the problems of the world while we "sip & talk".
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Sunday Funday! I had to take a couple days off before seeing Mom yesterday. I was so tired and aching and stiff and sore everywhere, I just couldn't make myself do it. I did go yesterday, and the living room is pretty much set up and cleaned out of boxes, the kitchen is getting there, and the master bedroom and bath are looking pretty good. I'm not sure if she is going down to the dining room for dinner regularly or not, there was a box in the fridge that looked like dinner had been brought to her apartment Saturday. I know it's barely been a week since she moved, and I'm hoping she's adjusting. She did get her TV mounted and the cable turned on, and, blessing of blessings, the remote for the cable has big buttons that she can actually read! On the way home last night I stopped and looked in on the storage locker that I have been picturing as full to the brim to find out that it is only about 1/3 full! Tightly packed, but nowhere near as much stuff as I have been imaging. Plenty of room to start moving some boxes out of the new apartment to make room for what she does want in the apartment but is not using regularly.
Teka--she does have a great view from her bedroom, the living room, the sun porch and the guest bedroom (which will be her craft room).
Minus--I a very ready for some "me time" and praying I can start transitioning from every other day visits after this week.
Jazzy--the pics of your visit are wonderful! Looks like you had a great time. I hope you aren't being affected by the federal shutdown air traffic cutbacks on your way home.
Wally--so sorry to hear about the contractor issues. It must be so frustrating.
Minus--the AST is becoming more often listed as "aspartate aminotransferase" on blood tests as healthcare keeps moving away from using initials or short IDs that can be more easily mistaken for other things than intended. While AST is primarily used to monitor liver function, it also can go up when heart, brain, kidney or muscles are stressed or damaged. Tylenol, statins, certain antidepressants (SSRIs and tricyclics) and some antibiotics cause elevated AST levels, too. Liver damage is a known side effect of the statins and the reason people taking statins need liver function tests done regularly. Liver damage rarely results in only AST elevations, other liver enzymes are usually elevated as well.
Carole--I hear you about the rationalizing! I'm not sure I'm adjusting too well to Mom's move just yet. I feel scared and guilty every time I leave her place even though I know she is safer there than in the old apartment. I guess we both need some more time to adjust!
Minus--I live the idea of the "sip & talk" by phone!
Silk & Soul
Ingredients:
• 1.5 oz Jane Walker by Johnnie Walker
• 1 oz Orgeat
• ½ oz Donn’s Mix*
• 6 cinnamon sticks
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• Fresh Grapefruit juice
• ½ oz lemon juice
• Garnish: orchid & mint
• Glassware: rocks glass
Method:
Combine all in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled rocks glass over crushed ice. Garnish with an orchid and mint, then serve.
*Donn’s Mix: Heat 6 cinnamon sticks, sugar, and water; bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Let simmer for 2 minutes then let cool. Add one part syrup, two parts fresh grapefruit juice to finish the mix.From
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Teka, where are you? LOVE THAT!!!!
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Good evening friends:
Hope everyone is doing well as we head into mid-November. Time surely does fly this time of the year, doesn't it? I had a good time out visiting my sister in CA this past week. Left last Sunday and had a bit longer layover plus delay in my connection in Las Vegas but did get there by dinner time. We had a good time with some shopping, the hot springs, had a wonderful seafood meal at a fav restaurant there, and just a lot of relaxing and visiting. The temps were like here in New Mexico, highs in the 70s. We didn't overbook anything so I had time relax and sister could keep up with the rest of her life. You know how it goes when people visit, one is visiting but the one hosting has things to keep up with too.
Regarding the airports, I flew home on Friday the day they started cutting flights and initially had a change to my departing flight the day before to leave a bit earlier and then it kept changing about whether it was delayed or on time. I think they got caught up and heard the captain say with the changes that started, they had very narrow windows for getting down and for gate time. The TSA folks in my city were fine but the ones out in CA were crabby. Then again, why wouldn't they be? I cannot imagine working and not getting paid, ugh. I got back on time Friday evening, and so glad to be done with air travel and airports this year. If you are traveling for the holidays, check your flights often as things change hourly…..
Back to work tomorrow and will be working for 2 weeks then off again for Thanksgiving week, whoo hoo! I will be staying in town for that week and just have lots of apts and catch-up things to do around the house. I am going to a friends house for Thanksgiving this year and waiting to hear what she wants me to bring to share for the meal. I was eyeing a small turkey today at the store (always like to buy my own to cook a small one) but will wait until I have more time on a weekend to do it.
I got a nice surprise message last week from some friends from back east who will be in town this week. We are going to meet up for dinner on Wed while they here for a birding trip (we have some huge winter bird refuges here in New Mexico). Two of the four coming I have not seen since I moved out here in the mid 1990s, but we have kept up with each other with Xmas cards, social media, etc. I also have a good friend coming to visit for six days in mid December who will be staying with me and we are going to Santa Fe for the weekend too! We will be going to be doing a lot of holiday things during her time here (will also be working part of the time but she is a good independent visitor). Excited to see some folks in the next six weeks I have not seen in a bit….
Hope everyone is doing okay and wishing everyone a good week!
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