Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?

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  • 1946taco
    1946taco Posts: 384

    Hope everyone had a good weekend. Happy Hanukkah to those who are celebrating. Chris, if you are still in touch with Karen, please tell her I'm thinking of her too.

    We have our decorations up - such as they are. The house feels festive but don't do anything outside other than a wreath and I stick artificial poinsettias in the large pot on the porch. DD always sends us a lovely pine branch tree - I think this year's is the prettiest ever. Ken's nephew brought us a real poinsettia when he was here last week and we always put the stockings that I needlepointed out but Santa never leaves anything in them.

    Sent a gift to Ken's great-niece (age 8) but even Ella (age 14) wants money or gift cards. DD is always having to pinch pennies so she gets cash and an Amazon gift card. . We don't give gifts to each other. At our age we trying to give things away, not collect more. I did enjoy going to Kohl's to buy gifts for the kids at the food bank. We had planned this as part of our regular Wednesday date but Ken's sciatica really was acting up so I went alone. I thought I had been a really smart shopper until they told me the 30% coupon I had didn't apply to toys.

    Have to admit that although we had our usual Saturday gang over last night, I didn't dig out the Spode Christmas dishes. I plan to give them to the next grand-niece who is being married in Jan. but she has asked me to keep them until she is out of graduate school and in a more permanent location. They will be expensive to ship so better to wait as she also has no storage in her Cambridge apt.

    Next week is the Niners holiday party and Saturday is Ella's Christmas skating show. Maureen always buys us front row seats. We'll eat on the way home. I'm always the driver for our outings.

    Have a good week. Hugs to all who need them. Feel better, Petite.

  • chisandy
    chisandy Posts: 11,646
    edited December 15

    Happy Hanukkah to all here (and those still with us but no longer on this forum) who celebrate, though the joy of the season is dampened by the tragic events of Sunday). Didn't go to our temple's party—Thursday was the deadline for RSVP's & tickets, but I knew from last year I wouldn't be able to get there in time after rehearsal downtown. But Saturday's preliminary dress rehearsal went so well, and Sunday's weather forecast was so brutal, that the director canceled the Sunday rehearsal. It was too late to be able to contact the temple of course—offices closed over the weekend. We missed our Nov. visit to Cooper's Hawk for dinner and our freebie wine bottle, so after the Bears game (leftover cassoulet at halftime) and a nap we drove up to Morton Grove. I was still so full from the cassoulet and a cup of seafood bisque that I had most of my entree boxed to take home. Meanwhile, I forgot to buy candles, so our tiny USB-powered menorah is in the front room window. I did snag the last box of potato latke mix at Whole Foods, along with the closest thing they had to "sufganyot:" mini beignets filled with strawberry-guava jam. Will make the latkes for dinner, along with our Cooper's Hawk leftovers.

    We're on break from rehearsals till Jan. 2, so our assignment is to watch the videos of the numbers, practice the choreography, and (for some of us, present company excepted) memorize lines & lyrics to be fully "off-book." Illnesses, family matters, work (most of the cast members are still actively practicing law) have played havoc with rehearsals—one of the two principals had to drop out this week because of a high-risk pregnancy, and the other is recovering from surgery. So there were a lot of rewrites, reassignments, "place-holders" in the dance line, etc. One cast member showed up Saturday for the first time, after a long jury trial; another—who will be playing fiddle onstage in a production number—is on tour with her band. No flu or COVID, knock wood. I'm managing with the aid of lidocaine foot cream for the Toe From Hell and an array of topicals (Voltaren, Bio-Freez, Arnica gel) for my back and groin strain. Nobody knows, though—I "touch up" my pain management in a stall in the bathroom on another floor of the building, (Not wearing socks under my dance flats—see below).

    Seeing my endocrinologist this afternoon—will ask if I can titrate my Zepbound back down to 5mg. The 7.5 is making it difficult for me to eat enough of what I'm supposed to, and despite evening noshing (not bingeing, thank goodness) on carbs, staying out of calorie deficit is a challenge. When my endo told me last year to stop losing, I was 135 lbs. on only 2.5mg. Now after titrating up to 7.5mg, I bounce between 128-131, depending on time of day and contents of my gut. I know that for my height it's not underweight, but I've lost considerable muscle; and exercise is not really possible if I can't wear socks and closed shoes (other than UGGs) due to that excruciatingly painful third toe-tip callus/plantar wart/bone spur (and its neighboring second hammer-toe with a corn). At least the bunion and ingrowns are behaving themselves. Will ask if I should lengthen the interval between my remaining four vials of 7.5 from a week to 10 days, and then go back to 5mg weekly.

    I'm worried about Bob's mobility—he admitted he needs a "grabber" to pick things up off the floor lest he fall forward again like he did Nov. 1, and he has trouble pushing himself up from chairs. He really needs PT for strength & balance training, and refuses to take anything—oral or topical—for his back & knees. And he claims he can't take time off to go to the orthopedic clinic, much less PT 2-3x/wk. We don't have room for a power lift chair, much less an extra outlet for it. And restaurant seats pose a challenge if the tables aren't bolted down so he can use them to push himself up. His weight has a lot to do with it—he admits he eats gargantuan lunches because he's afraid to eat breakfast on workdays (lest he can't get to a bathroom in time before making it to the office), His portions are huge (twice the size of mine and even half again as big as my pre-GLP-1 portions), Saving grace is that he doesn't like junk food.

    We got down to 1F last night, and it's a relatively toasty 6F now (going down to 2F before slowly ramping up into the low 20s). Above freezing Tuesday, and rain and low 40s predicted for Wednesday. As I type this (about to run the dishwasher and head up to bed) the faucets are trickling to prevent pipes freezing and I'm sitting in the den wearing a heavy Irish sweater in front of a space heater. (Inexpensive one from Home Depot—still waiting for the good wooden-cabinet one, like we had in Lincolnwood, to be delivered a week and a half late). We need at least two radiators bled, the system balanced, and am seriously considering a multi-room programmable thermostat, assuming that's even possible with a hot-water-heat system. (Installing a heat pump & forced-air system is a bridge too far for this 117-yr-old house). Though our landscaper/factotum sealed the windows with plastic, the place (especially this room) is like an igloo, at least for me. Wearing layers in my own house is getting kind of old. I admit that I'm also less tolerant of cold, what with age, anemia and loss of body fat but it is objectively too chilly in here. (Even Bob sometimes wears his bomber jacket indoors). Having an insulation specialist in this week to do an energy audit (using an IR gun to determine the R-values of the perimeter walls & attic ceiling), and probably inject foam into said walls and lay extra batts in the attic. State Farm agrees that since the house was never this cold before the fire, any repairs involving insulation/weatherproofing should be covered, especially since the contractors had stripped three rooms down to the studs and put up new drywall. I've given up on the "public adjuster" (whose company is not BBB-registered but is subject tp online complaints) and his geriatric contractor buddies (whose chief is still in Poland, likely afraid to return to the US lest he be turned away and put back on the next flight to Krakow).

    Enjoying Spain, PR and MN's Northern Lights (too much light pollution here) vicariously through all your photos!

  • petite1
    petite1 Posts: 2,446

    Good morning. I went to an Eirinn Abu concert, yesterday. It was beautiful. I am waiting for the floor people at my Florida house. The NC house got to 13 degrees. I am glad to be in Florida. I am still not feeling 100%, but think I am on the mend. Hope everyone has a good day.

  • carolehalston
    carolehalston Posts: 9,018

    I thought 28 degrees was cold, Sandy! Hard to imagine 1 degree. I dribbled water in the kitchen sink last night, and we have running water this morning.

    Our outdoor decorating was accomplished yesterday. I hung the lighted wreath and plugged it in. I haven't connected it to a timer yet.

    We skipped the concert at the Methodist church yesterday. Our friend Linda wasn't feeling well. She had a cough and sinus congestion and a low temperature. I had sinus congestion and a lack of enthusiasm for going out. LOL. Dh and I were both happy to stay home.

    Today I'm meeting a friend for lunch. She lost her husband recently and is having a hard time with grief. He had bad health but she was not ready for him to go. She's a retired nurse and was committed to caring for him.

    The sun is shining but I will have to dress in warm clothes.

  • betrayal
    betrayal Posts: 5,599

    We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.

    Mother Teresa

  • betrayal
    betrayal Posts: 5,599

    Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate.

    carole, it was actually warmer here in PA than it was in LA yesterday. We reached a high of 30 yesterday and today it is currently 24 degrees. I am staying in the house today.

    We attended our DGD's dance recital yesterday where she appeared in 3 different dances and costumes. I love how she sings along with the songs as she is dancing. DDIL said that she had practiced a lot at home for the show. The show itself had participants that were probably as young as 3-4 year olds up to teenagers. The little ones were so cute and there were a few who were probably around kindergarten age who appeared lost during their routines. I could see the instructors in the wings mimicking the moves they were supposed to make and some were playing catch up or getting elbowed by fellow dancers to do the steps. It was certainly entertaining and we had a good time.

    DD and DSIL came to escort us up and down our slippery driveway and to drive us to the show. It was about an hour away and in a town we had never been to so it was unfamiliar driving. The show was to start at 11:30, but it was still actively snowing so it got pushed back to 1:30. It finished around 3:30. We opted not to go back to DS's house so we could get home earlier.

    We decided to grab dinner out and stopped at the Black Powder Inn for a quick meal. They were not busy so service was relatively fast and the the waitress was super. We all had good meals with leftovers boxed for another meal. DH and I ordered the Pork Schnitzel which was delicious. It came with mashed potatoes and red cabbage. Both of the vegetables were delicious. I have over half of my meal left as does DH. We were home before 5:30 and the driveway wasn't as slippery as we thought it would be. DD and DSIL spent time cleaning off DH's car and the driveway.

    I got an invitation to a wedding in NC from one of my former students. It is in September and I would love to go, but will have to discuss it with DH. She was a student who required additional tutoring because of her learning disability. She was always prepared for class, but had difficulty separating the wheat from the chaff in her note taking from the readings. She also taped and typed notes from class, I would help her integrate her notes with class discussion and clarify any questions she had. She did well on exams and considering her undergraduate degree was in neurobiology, she transitioned well. We also did post-exam review as a 1:1 even though she would also attend the class test review. We would discuss why she chose the answers she did and what she could do to narrow down the multiple-choice answers to find the correct one. She has stayed in touch since graduation and finished her BSN at Drexel University as well. I have a few who opted to stay in touch and that is heartwarming.

    The Bipap is getting better, but I still have times when the pressure dislodges the face mask due to high pressure. I will discuss this with the NP to see what she suggests. The humidity chamber seems to empty early, too. I have adjusted the humidity level but may need to lower the temp as well. It's a learning curve. The dry mouth I get is painful.

    DH got the rest of the tree ornaments down from the attic so I can finish the tree today. The angel is top heavy since she has a ceramic head and won't stay on the top of the tree. I don't have anything to add to the top of the tree so it may remain empty. I'm pleased with the results so far.

    It is the winter wonderland outside with about 4 inches of snow. The deer are looking for forage and I may have to move and then smash the pumpkins for them to eat. They haven't seemed to locate them since they are too close to the house. I like snow when I look out the windows, but the child-like fascination with it no longer rises to the surface.

    harley07, love the photos and your trip highlights. Enjoy the warm weather while you can.

    Sandy, your show rehearsals sound like it is coming together even with all the cast changes. Sorry Bob is having mobility issues. I hope you can talk some sense into him before he has a fall.

    DH had balance issues and I encouraged him to attend PT to help him. He did and he fails to perform the exercises he was taught to keep him upright. I remind him and he insists he does them, but it is clear he doesn't. His balance is of concern. He insists on assisting me with navigation, and I outright reject it because he falls, and I don't want to be dragged down. I could not support his weight if he does fall, and with my osteopenic hips, that's a hard "no" to increasing my fall risk.

    Taco, that's so nice that you donate toys for Christmas to the food bank. This will be a very hard Christmas for so many this year. I've learned that gift cards to grandchildren are much better than trying to buy something they'll like. It does seem so impersonal, but it's what they want. DGS asked for a season pass for snowboarding and DGD wanted a 3 month pass for the Y. So they are done. I still have some small gifts we bought while on our cruise to give them.

    petite1, glad you are feeling better, and happy you are not at your cabin with cold like that.

    Chris, hope your African friends are safe. Hope you feel better.

    Yesterday, I thought of Puffin when I saw an unusual bird in the Japanese maple. It was smaller than a sparrow, but larger than a hummingbird. I googled it and found out it was a Golden-Crowned Kinglet. It also was a male. It's head had 2 yellow stripes with an orange one in the middle. It's body coloring resembled a sparrow's. It was so pretty.

    Hope everyone has a great day and waving hi" to everyone.

  • mcbaker
    mcbaker Posts: 2,104
    edited December 16

    Sandy, I am sure He understands as if it never happened.

    So many people do not know the real story. 1 Maccabees 4:52-60 and 2 Maccabees 10. These do not tell of the miracle of the oil for the lights lasting for eight days when the supply was much less.

    1 Maccabees 4:36-37,1 Maccabees 4:52-59 NABRE - Purification and Rededication of the - Bible Gateway

    The tragedies at Bondi Beach and Brown University are unspeakable.

    My 99 year old aunt fell yesterday and broke her upper arm, in two places. She died this morning>

  • betrayal
    betrayal Posts: 5,599

    If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher.

    A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

  • teka
    teka Posts: 22

    Chris,

    May your aunt RIP.

  • intolight
    intolight Posts: 2,857

    Chris, I am sorry to hear about your Aunt. May you find the comfort you need.

  • mcbaker
    mcbaker Posts: 2,104

    I have no concerns about where she went. Thank you. She was a beacon for the family, being the only one left of her generation. I mourn the passing of time. My cousin, one of her daughters, died a few months ago of complications of lupus

  • harley07
    harley07 Posts: 578

    Chris - condolences on your aunt’s passing. May she RIP.

  • carolehalston
    carolehalston Posts: 9,018

    Chris, I add my condolences. Wow. 99 years old.

    I went to the guest room yesterday to strip the sheets from the bed and launder them. I found them neatly folded and ready to put back on the bed. The last time we had an overnight guest, I had washed the sheets. Too long along to remember. LOL. Now the guest room is ready for my brother and his wife on the weekend following Christmas. The bed is only a queen, and they are both large people. I think it would be more comfortable for sleeping if they stayed in a motel. My brother travels a lot and undoubtedly has more than enough travel points to pay for a motel. But it's his choice to make. He was our previous guest, but he was alone on that occasion.

    They are coming to town to have a get-together with her family still living in the area. That's on Saturday. Then on Sunday to have a get-together with our six siblings and spouses. I already know one sister won't be able to come for reasons too involved to explain. The get-together will be here at our house, and I will be cooking the meal. My brother is mindful that we all are getting older, especially the three older siblings, including me.

    DH is headed to the golf course today, and I plan to attend senior exercise class at the gym.

    Happy Wednesday to all.

  • betrayal
    betrayal Posts: 5,599

    We had to leave our house by 9 yesterday to get to my former home town for the funeral service of DB's FIL. Al had lived a good life and was one of those perpetually happy people who loved life. His decline was rapid and options few, so he entered hospice and DSIL was surprised by how quickly he died. His wife was devastated because this is the second husband she has buried. Hard to believe that we sat with him and his wife at his DGD's wedding just over a year ago.

    The minister who spoke was also one that officiated at my niece's wedding and has a tendency to motor mouth, blurring his lovely messages. He did the same yesterday and again I felt like his message missed the mark due to his rushing through it. The military ceremony was the moment when most become tearful.

    The luncheon after was at the restaurant where we had hosted my parents 60th wedding anniversary party. It has changed hands and has a new name, but the food was fantastic and plentiful. I came home with enough leftovers for another meal for me. The bruschetta was so good. It is a BYOB and my niece purchased a wine called Santa's Little Helper which is from a local winery. It was so good and I seemed to be the only one who drank it, so she gifted me the bottle. I was able to buy some for Christmas at the local liquor store and gifted a bottle to DSIL because as the designated driver he abstained from drinking. He did taste mine, but that was it. Al would have approved of his sendoff.

    When we got home, I finally caught up with our next door neighbor who had worked with Al many years go. My DSIL had wanted me to inform him about her Dad's death. He was surprised to hear it.

    Today is supposed to hit the 40's and I am hoping so since we still have an ice encrusted driveway which I am reluctant to navigate. Of course, I also have back x-rays and MRI's scheduled for today late in the afternoon. I am hoping we can drive up the driveway later since tomorrow is supposed to be in the 50's.

    Chris, condolences on the death of your aunt. She certainly had longevity at 99.

    I took my family on a tour of my hometown while we were trying to kill time between the funeral and the luncheon. I had to walk to school and my DD was amazed at how far we had to walk then. The walk to the grade school was probably the shortest, the one to the junior high longest and the one to the high school the middle length. No buses to school then and we walked in all sorts of weather. We passed the venue where we had had our wedding reception on the way to the grade school.

    Saw my middle brother at the funeral home. He had bypass surgery 5 years ago and really did not look well. He is debating about having another cardiac implant surgery, but undecided as to its benefit. He is 6 years younger than I, was a physical fitness nut, and even though still lean, looked gray and drawn. This is the first I have seen him since my mother's funeral in 2019. He only reaches out to his siblings when it's bad news, though he does keep in more frequent contact with my youngest brother. My youngest brother was also there, but neither attended the luncheon. Nice to see both even if briefly. I will see youngest brother after Christmas when he will paint for me.

    Finally received PFT results and they were actually better than expected. I did very well on the 6 minute walk which translated to a speed of 2.3 mph pace. Pleased with that.

    I hope everyone has a great day and waving "hi" to everyone.

  • mcbaker
    mcbaker Posts: 2,104

    It's about time we told our children the real story of Hanukkah

  • 1946taco
    1946taco Posts: 384

    Chris - thanks for the history lesson. Another reminder that we need separation of church and state.

    Niners holiday party tomorrow. Absolutely perfect weather for golf.

  • betrayal
    betrayal Posts: 5,599

    As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

    John F. Kennedy

  • carolehalston
    carolehalston Posts: 9,018

    Taco, your winter weather is a reward for enduring the summer heat. I played 18 holes a week ago today, and my back has been complaining ever since. I need to get back to some floor exercises for the lower back.

    Our digital picture frame stopped working a couple of years ago, and I have missed it. It worked with a flash drive in a USB port. Recently I started looking for another one, and they're very sophisticated with WIFI connection and phone apps. I did a search yesterday, specifying a USB port, and found one with a 17-inch screen. I ordered it after reading that it would suit older people who wanted a simple option as well as the more sophisticated features. I like loading trip photos on a flash drive and having a slide show in progress. Otherwise, we don't really enjoy the pictures. I have one flash drive with family photos, some very old. The picture frame will be a gift for the two of us. LIke Taco and her dh, we don't exchange gifts anymore.

    Everyone must be busy with holiday activities. Our forum is very quiet. Hope the busyness is bringing pleasure.

  • betrayal
    betrayal Posts: 5,599

    Carole, sometimes the best gifts we get are what we want, rather than what we need. Your shared gift sounds like something you'll enjoy as will any guests who view it, too.

    Taco, I am not a golfer, but my DF was an avid one. Fresh post-op after open heart surgery, he asked his surgeon when he could play golf. He was told in about 3 months, and he was golfing in about 6 weeks. It's a great way to exercise and meet interesting people. Do you get snow in your area?

    Today, I went to Giant to buy some of the items I needed Christmas dinner. I was surprised the store wasn't busy and they were able to bag my groceries. I still need to pickup an few items, but will do that early next week.

    Yesterday I was able to get my back xrays and MRI's done. They schedule them later in the day so I started at 4 pm and got done a little after 6. Home by 6:30 since I had DH drop me off rather than wait around. Tech told me results won't be available until next week. Said they have been swamped.

    I did laundry as well and still had a load to do when I got home last night.

    Today I wiped out the refrigerator before putting the groceries in a d then ironed this evening. So I am caught up for the time being.

    Tomorrow I need to go to cardiology office to have Holter monitor applied. I'll wear it until Saturday and return it on Monday.

    I have a couple of errands to run. I need a birthday card for DSIL. Her birthday is on Christmas Eve.

    A friend let us know hus oldest daughter was accepted at U of PA. She is super smart and I am sure will get some scholarships.

    Hope everyone had a great day. Waving "hi" to everyone.

  • carolehalston
    carolehalston Posts: 9,018

    Betrayal, will you be cooking Christmas dinner for your family? I admire the way you keep medical appointments and continue with domestic duties.

    Our seesaw winter weather continues. Yesterday was in the 70's. I think New Orleans (south shore) came close to 80 degrees. I walked a long route (46 minutes) in the neighborhood, and it was hot in the sunshine. This morning it's in the 40's, but sunny outside. The heat is cycling on. DH is heading to the golf course, dressed in layers. His tee time is 9:30 am, but he always hits balls on the driving range before playing.

    I plan to go to the gym and attend an exercise class. Being around people carries some risk of picking up germs for flu and the "crud," but I'll take the risk. As usual, I have a grocery list for stopping at a supermarket on my way home from exercise. When I was growing up in the country, my parents "went to town" once a week to buy groceries and anything else needed from stores. DH and I buy needed items almost daily.

    I've been following the news about the search for the Brown shooting murderer and am so glad he has been found. The students can return to school without the fear of him still being at large. Another tragic, no-win story of violence.

    Hi to everyone too busy to post.

  • cindyny
    cindyny Posts: 1,577

    I keyed a long story and thought I hit post, but obviously did not.

    Chris, sympathy’s on the loss of your aunt.

    I’ve been working on my computer since Monday. I had updated to Windows 11, and was smitten with myself. Then it asked if I wanted to update an HP driver to make applications work better, sure why not. I ended up with a black screen, after letting it run for hours.
    Next day was a YouTube video on how to turn it on and get to HP diagnostics. I did that and at a point where you pick - restore and keep my files, or restore to new - I picked keep my files (3 yrs of taxes). Even thought the YouTube girl said it doesn’t always work and you need to restore to new.
    Yesterday I turned it on and get “HP removing changes” it ran for hours and then it shut off. Went through that about 3x. Google to AI and it indicated that it’s removing windows 11. It did that for hours and turned off.

    SO went to see Nuremberg with a friend yesterday afternoon, between previews and it being a long movie (2:38), he didn’t get back until 5; gone 4 hours. We were meeting at our neighbors for happy hour 5-5:30. Busy day for him. We went to our neighbors and didn’t leave until 8:30. Great guys, lots to talk about, very pleasant evening.

    I didn’t touch the computer again last evening. It’s taking over my days. LOL The plan is to get back to diagnostics and let it restore to new. Then possibly see if Norton can restore a few files from the cloud. If Norton can’t restore, I’ll be missing tax software from the past 3 years. Previous years I copied onto the external hard drive as well as tons of photos - before I did any upgrades. (If I knew then what I know now… I’d have copied all files!)

    I barely use the computer and if I can’t get this working again I most likely will not buy a new one. I’ll put tax software on SO’s computer, and try to set up my spreadsheets as best I can recall. Excel is where I kept my books read list, and travel NY/FL and reverse, also packing list for the Cape. I probably have hard copies of travel stuff some where. Book list had years of lists - each tab was labeled for a year. I could look back to see when I read something; and total of books read per year (alpha title, then alpha author; weirdo I know!). BC dx year I couldn’t read, couldn’t focus long enough. Anyway, it might be gone as I never printed that out, it was just for me.

    That’s life in a nutshell for this past week. I’ve got some running around for gift cards I’d like to get done with, and maybe gifts for the Christmas party, but they could be gift cards too! Dinner out tonight with neighbors, some won’t be here for Christmas so it’s our celebration with them. If we’re done early we may try to go downtown for Music Walk.

    Computer is looking at me, or I’m looking at it…ugh I’m not a tech person so this is a pain in the patoot. It’s 78 and sunny, going up to 81. Weatherman said we’re about 5 degrees warmer than usual.

    Enjoy your day!

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