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What a beautiful encouragement to all who walk that path, Cindy!
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Wow, that's a nice reminder! Can't wash that away!
I got a call from the pulmonologist's office and have an appt with them on Aug 7th, so I am set with the doctor's that I need to see to figure out if I do have RA, but he also helps with arthritis as well, so that is good; and exactly what is going on in my lungs. Praise the Lord, both appts are pretty quick too when I thought I may not get to see someone until the end of the year! God is good!
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Cindy - I love that permanent reminder!
Kim - glad those appointments are starting to come through!
Please say a little prayer for Bill. The meds the the NP had me try on his bottom just tore up his skin. He had used something similar before, and we had issues then, too, but I thought it was due to the meds sticking to his underwear and pulling against the sore. Now, I know it's the zinc. His poor bottom is awful and I'm not getting it cleared up at all. I'm afraid we are going to have to use wound care again, but they really didn't do anything different than me.
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Praying for wisdom for you, Connie, and healing for Bill!
Yesterday and today have been rough. Praise the Lord that what I am going through is mild compared to what a friend of mine has gone through, but it still makes you feel lousy! Thanks for your prayers, they are always appreciated.
Love you
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Praying, Kim!
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Had a dentist's appt today - only one minor problem with a bit of nerve showing, otherwise it looked really good - phew!
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Hope they got that bit of nerve covered up! OUCH!
We had 6.3 inches of rain between 8pm and 8am. I wasn't intending on going to Mom's, but I couldn't have gotten there if I had wanted to go. The two interstates that I take were both flooded at the exits I use. The girls got 8.98 inches a few miles south.
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They sure did get that nerve covered up. They paint something on it that will last for a little while. We get little bags to go home with and she put some Children's Sensodyne in mind to see if my tongue can handle that. Most regular toothpastes make it burn. It did fine last night!
That is a lot of rain. We have rain in our forecast for the next week! I hope your stuff isn't coming our way! Oh, that reminds me, I need to water my plants on the side porch!
Love y'all.
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I have a food-related question. There's a lot of talk about government encouraging food industries to make their products healthier - like schools changing from skim to whole milk, and then all the dyes that are used for color. I always liked whole milk, but changed to skim because of lower calories. As for food colors, I noticed that even Crystal Light has added color, but I don't know if it's the petroleum based that is supposedly so bad. Any personal experience or thoughts on all this?
We've had lots of rain this summer, but are going into a warmer and drier period now. I hate to see time pass so quickly, but it's not that long until fall! My son had a rough time last week with a blood vessel bleed in his good eye, which resulted in a few doctor's visits. The consensus is that it's a small bleed and should go away after 4 weeks or so. He's doing good taking his insulin right now, so hopefully things will stay stable.
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Saying a prayer for him, Carole! Hope all goes well quickly. I don't really know which colorings are bad. I looked up "food colorings to avoid" and this is what AI came up with:
Artificial food colorings to avoid include several specific dyes that have raised health concerns. These include Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue), Blue #2 (Indigo Carmine), Green #3 (Fast Green), Red #3 (Erythrosine), Red #40 (Allura Red), Yellow #5 (Tartrazine), and Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow). These dyes are often found in a variety of processed foods such as soda, salad dressings, cake frosting, candy, yogurt, and most processed foods.
I try to look for all natural processed foods which often use the fruit itself as a dye. I drink Zevia, when I want something carbonated, which doesn't have any color! It's weird drinking clear Cola, but if I drink it from the can I don't even realize it doesn't have any color. The Stur is colored with fruits and veggies and sweetened with Stevia.
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I really know nothing about the dyes. I know that I should be more aware of healthy eating, but right now I am more concerned with what Bill can eat without reactions. We just have to do what we can do.
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As Wade often tells me, all things in moderation. I know that the dyes are more important for kids and are one of the reasons there is so much "autism" and "ADHD", etc… Kids having allergic or strong reactions to this in their systems. Oftentimes when these kids are put on a diet without the dyes, their systems readjust and they are normal! Being on a fixed income, we don't always have the luxury of going all natural, but we watch what we can and do the best we can.
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You're all right, we just have to do the best we can. At least the food companies, or some of them, are working to comply with what the government is trying to accomplish. Thanks for looking up those dyes, Kim. I noticed that Crystal Light fruit punch has both Blue #1 and Red #r40! And with Drew being ADHD and falling somewhere on the autism scale, one has to wonder if his childhood diet was a contributing factor.
A dear friend from church visited me last night and we sat on the porch for about 3 hours. It was a little humid, but comfortable. He enjoys writing songs and is working on a way to record my accompanying him, probably with a keyboard connected to his laptop. Should be a fun project.
We're beginning a hot, dry week. Stay comfortable, everyone.
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I thought I had posted this earlier this morning, but dont see the post. I was kind of shaken, so probably didn't his the "post reply" button.
Bill's Palliative Care NP was here this morning and has decided to escalate him to hospice care. She said it wasn't like he was going to pass away soon, but he has gone backward considerably since his last visit and it was time. The hospice part of the agency has to do their evaluation still, but I should hear from them soon. They will provide a lot of things that I am currently paying for, provide extra appliances, bathing and other services. This could be a very good thing, but it still is breaking my heart.
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My heart and prayers go out to you, Connie. 🧡 I understand how it could be a good thing and heartbreaking at the same time
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Ditto to what Cindy said. My heart and prayers go out for you, Connie! No words, just my heart!
In the past two days both of my hands and both shoulders are hurting more than usual. Praise the Lord the hip and thigh are staying the same!
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Connie - I hardly have words, but no words are really necessary. You have my heart and prayers. I've walked this heartbreaking and lonely road, although Dwight passed away in the hospital rather than making it to hospice care. I have a close friend whose husband went on hospice two weeks ago and she said several people (almost too many) came in the beginning, with evaluation and getting set up. But it's been good after that. If hospice sends a chaplain, that can also be a blessing.
Praying for pain relief, Kim. And thankful that not all areas are affected.
I'm playing tomorrow, but with a small string group rather than by myself. I enjoy this because I can play in the background and improvise to support their leading.
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Oh, Carole, that sounds beautiful. I was listening to a string quartet yesterday playing hymns, and this one girl, wow, she played the violin, the piano and the harp! There was one guy who did most of the lead violin parts. It was so calming.
I think that I am having a mild relapse. My SI joint is hurting more than normal this morning on top of the other pain. I am going to give one of my muscle relaxants after lunch and hope it sends me off to la la land. I didn't get good sleep last night either. The arthritis doctor told me that I should get at least six hours every night - well, I got about four last night! Ugh! I just kept laying there waiting for sleep to come. It was between 3:30 and 4:00 that I finally fell asleep, and then got up at 7:30. I'm hoping that I had some micro naps up to that 4:00 time. I must have fallen asleep for a short time around midnight because my pulse went down to 46 and that doesn't usually happen until I fall asleep. The two nights prior to this my pulse got down to 40. It doesn't stay down there for very long, so it's not a problem. I really appreciate your prayers.
Continuing to keep you in my thoughts and prayers, Connie. Praying that you will get to enjoy Bill's company for awhile longer!
Love y'all!
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Editing:
Hospice came and didn't even evaluate Bill, they just went through the sign up process. I guess the Palliative NP referral and the doctor's referral were enough that they didn't go further into the evaluation. Last time we went through it, it was a difficult process. The Lord was looking out for us today!!
Hospice is coming today to do the initial evaluation. I am really praying that we are approved. To me it is going to be subjective since sometimes he still talks and is somewhat capable of doing small things (took him over an hour to clean his fingernails this morning because he won't let anyone else do it). This is not for actual end of life, but due to the fact that Alzheimers is a fatal disease and he is at the point of significant decline. I was talking to a friend at church and they did the same thing with her mother that lived with her. She said they were an amazing blessing and helped with her for a long time before her passing.0 -
I just can't imagine taking care of someone all by yourself. You know how much I admire you for being able to do that! Continued prayers for both you and Bill. I'm happy that you are going to be able to get some help now!
Still not feeling good. My stomach is off right now and I'm having a bit more pain than I have had lately. I took my muscle relaxant the last two nights and didn't sleep well because of weird dreams - won't do that any more, back to the Gabapentin with the Tramadol. It takes me awhile to fall asleep, but I sleep like a rock once I'm there!
Hopefully today will be our last day of high heat. We'll do Zoom again tonight since it's really difficult to cool down our metal building. Lord willing it will cool enough we can meet together on Sunday.
Have a wonderful day. Love you.
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Praying for you three ladies. I'd like to ask for your prayers as well. I think I've mentioned the sore heel I've been dealing with. Well maybe 10 days ago or so I started experiencing some weird feelings in some of my toes - usually when I first wake up. Not exactly tingling like pins and needles and not exactly pain - they just feel off. Because of the internet and my mom's history with diabetes... I've been wondering if it's a blood sugar issue and I might be experiencing some neuropathy. About a week ago I started eliminating all added sugar out of my diet (including the 1/2 tsp I normally add to a cup of coffee - replacing that with cinnamon). I also added a Berberine supplement, because I know that helps regulate blood sugar. I see my doctor on August 7 (the soonest I could get in).
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Cindy - definitely keeping you in prayer! My step-daughter is diabetic and is a huge proponent of using natural supplements as much as possible to help with stabilizing. Berberine is one that she takes. She does take another, but I don't remember which one. She takes so many, I don't remember what is what. But, I do know that the cinnamon is also good for blood sugar, so you are on the right track.
Today the nurse that will see Bill 2x a week was here for her initial visit. Also, the social worker and the chaplain were here. The nurse and of course the chaplain are both Christian and it felt right. There is one small change she is wanting to make to the way we "toilet" Bill, that I'm not crazy about, but if she is correct on the reason, I totally understand the change. And she is ordering a different type of shower chair for Bill. She thinks that he will respond better to showers with a chair he sits in, then moves into the shower….tricking him into the shower. The aide will be using it and teaching me the best way to use when she isn't here. We about had church during the visit, and the chaplain left us with a beautiful short devotional and prayer. He was talking about how difficult it is when he visits with someone that has no desire to come to the Lord, and a few days later they are gone.
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Thank you, Connie. It sounds like the new things you have to deal with are more helpful than intrusive, so I'd call that a blessing.
I'm definitely missing the sugar in my coffee, but the cinnamon does eliminate the bitterness, so I appreciate that. I'm scheduling some bloodwork at Labcorp for right before I see my doctor - probably Tuesday. I should, hopefully, receive my results the next day, but I'm giving it an extra day of pad (my appointment is on Thursday). Thank you very much for your prayers.
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Praying for wisdom and insight for your doctor, Cindy, and that what you are doing already will help! Find comfort in the fact that God already knows and is working on your behalf. Some of the questions that the arthritis PA asked had to do with the toes - autoimmune diseases sometimes affect the toes, but he asked about my toes turning white or blue (which they don't, just when I sit on a metal table and the blood gets cut off at the back of my leg!)
Connie, it will be so nice to have that help. I hope that the new things they are planning work. We ended up using the wipes on Mom because it was so difficult for us to get her in and out of her wheel chair, or any chair for that matter. I'm so glad that you will have help now. How exciting to have Christians working with you! When I had my ovaries out, the surgeon asked if we could pray together before I went into the operating room. I was astonished and enthusiastically said, "Yes!" Don't see that happen much at all.
I keep checking my LabCorp patient portal to see if any of my results are back, but so far they aren't. Some takes days to find the results. It's been a week, so I would think they should start coming back. I won't necessarily understand them, but I like to have an idea before I go in.
Feeling super tired today despite 7.5 hours of sleep last night. Breathing is just a bit harder today. I'm so glad I did the Gabapentin last night and not the muscle relaxant - no bad dreams and hard sleep! Praise the Lord.
Really good Bible Study last night. One of the guys in our Church works with people all over the world on speaking English. One of his students, a Christian in Brazil, and been with us a couple of times on Zoom. It's a lot of fun having new folks to share with. One of our young guys is a Marine and has been over seas for about a couple months, he got home yesterday and was able to join us on Zoom as well. So nice!
I hope y'all do well today. Will keep praying for y'all. Love you
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KIm - It is such a great thing when the people taking care of us, and our loved ones are Christians. When my Dad fell and broke his hip about a year before he passed away, they found that he also needed a pacemaker and would not do the hip replacement without doing the pacemaker first. The day they were getting ready to do the surgery, the head nurse came into the room and introduced herself and said that it was time to take Dad down for the pacemaker. She asked who was in the room, found out that the Pastor was there, and said that she thought we all needed to gather around the bed and have prayer. She actually laid hands on my Dad and prayed the most beautiful prayer. Then we went to the surgical unit and spoke with the cardiac team. The doctor and the anesthesiologist said that they had prayer together before coming to get dad. After he had been transferred to the operating room for the hip replacement and was through with both surgeries, the orthopedic surgeon said that the team had prayer before starting on Dad, but he had come through both surgeries beautifully. Let me tell you, that will stick with me forever. This was not a Christian hospital, just a county hospital, but it made a positive impression on us!
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Wow, that is amazing.
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Wow! My house is starting to feel like Grand Central Station. Not a problem, help is always welcome.
I have to tell a little story. Bill's nurse was here yesterday afternoon. My groceries were due before 1pm, but it was about 2:30 when they were delivered, and they weren't my groceries. Not one thing from my order, and not things we liked or would appreciate (except a half gallon of milk and a box of crackers). The nurse and I were talking about a couple that the wife is on hospice, more because they know that if the meds aren't watched and properly administered that she wouldn't be around. They also have no money for groceries. The nurse said that she took little grocery things to them every time she visited because it just broke her heart. So, when Walmart told me to keep the groceries, guess where they went. She was going to drop them off before her next patient. Fruit, milk, bread, some veggies….some healthy stuff, and then fritos. I really think the whole thing was God ordained. I finally got my groceries this afternoon after being refunded and re-ordering.
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Oh wow, what a blessing! And while the nurse was there - definitely God's hand at work! I was reading about Jehovah-Jireh this morning and it's meaning - God will provide!
Cindy, I was reading about B6 this morning because of something I heard either on the news or at another site, but you can get too much B6 and if you do you can get peripheral neuropathy. The daily dose right now is 100mg, but they are seeing these side effects at lower doses too. It interested me because the tablets I take for my tinnitus have B6 in them, but it is just .67 mg, I take two of them so I am getting 1.34 mg in just that one thing. Many countries are bringing the maximum dose down to 50 mg, but recommend much lower doses than that. I don't have the side effects so I'm pretty sure I'm okay, but I'm going to check my magnesium (sometimes B6 is added), my drink additives (energy drinks have B6), and my vitamins. I saw those side effects and thought about you. It's not likely that this is causing your problems, but something to think about.
Saw the pulmonologist yesterday and he believes that the spots on my lung are from aspirating either acid from my acid reflux or even from when water or food goes down the wrong pipe. I'm using a thickener regularly now in my water which should keep that from going down wrong. He showed us the CT scan and how the wind pipe splits in two near the center of the lungs, but the greater path is to the right lung, so if something goes down wrong it's likely to go to the right lung. If it were ILD it would show up in both lungs, and it doesn't. ILD doesn't improve either, and mine improved from one CT scan to another. He wants another CT scan in 6 months unless I have a bad breathing episode beforehand, then he wants one while I am going through it. So, praise the Lord, something easily fixed! God is good! He suggested I go to a Gastroenterologist since I have chronic gastritis and acid reflux, both can affect the lungs. I really don't want to add another doctor to my growing list.
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Wow - I was thinking how a cocktail of B vitamins helped with cubit tunnel (like carpal tunnel except in elbow). I don't remember the exact dosage anymore, but it got rid of the problem without surgery. I kept it for a long time, but it got lost probably 20 years ago.
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Got my labs back and saw my doctor yesterday. She isn't worried about my numbers (even though my A1C is a little high). She wants me to get an insulin test to be sure. She thinks it could be a B12 deficiency causing the weird feeling in my hands. So I got a B12 shot yesterday and some B12 spray (sublingual) to use at home.
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