Daily Chats and Encouragements

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  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,554 Member
    Lots of heavy stuff going on! Missy and Marilyn, you are in my prayers daily! God knows what's wrong with your daughter, Missy, and as you said, He has it! We have to be willing for whatever His will is.

    My breathing is a bit rougher this morning. I did my Primatene spray this morning and catching my breath is easier, but it seems like I'm having to try more often than yesterday. I don't know if my hiatal hernia has any part in this, but please pray for me that this would resolve without my having to have expensive medical tests to figure it out! It's more bothersome than severe - praise the Lord for that blessing.

    Oh, this was such a great visual picture for me from one of our sermons on Sunday. We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit - picture a glass of water with a marble in it. Fill it to the top - is the glass full? No, there is space that is being taken up by the marble. Well, the marble is sin in our life. Until we take that out, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can't be full of Him!

  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,588 Member
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  • bren5535
    bren5535 Posts: 874 Member
    Continued prayers for all...God knows each name, heart and need and has us in His care.

    I was down for a full 12 hours today after a really restless night and the back pain really kicking in. I am up for awhile now...and will see what I can get out of me.

    While my mattress is very comfy, after 10 years in one spot, it's a bit wallowed out. It's super heavy and could do with a turning like I did back in the days when I had a much lighter one and could do those things. Phases and stages....it is what it is.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,554 Member
    Oh my! Is there anyone you could ask for help in turning your mattress over, Bren? Maybe the later that runs your apartment complex would help you. Or the maintenance guy? It wouldn't take them but a couple of minutes - us, perhaps half an hour of twist, sit, twist, sit... LOL! Even if you could just swivel it so the dip is on the other side of the bed!

    Still having breathing problems. Ugh. Last night was bad, had to take two shots of Primatene. I need to take it now, so won't be here for long. Y'all are in my prayers! Love you
  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,588 Member
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  • bren5535
    bren5535 Posts: 874 Member
    I've considered Little Joe's Movers, Kim. It's just that now, with the bed bug freaks, I am embarrassed to have anyone in! They have no boundaries, you know. Those critters will get a tow out and go home with other folks and the thought makes me ill.
    It takes me about 20 minutes in 4 stages, just to change sheets these days. My back is screaming in 5 minute intervals....Long gone are my days of real physical labor and sprees of anything...cooking, cleaning, shopping, hitting 3 Goodwill stores in one morning. It's now been over 2 years since I popped into a Goodwill store.

    We've been having some rainy days here and cooler weather. I love the rain as long as I'm not out driving in it...Can't hear it without my hearing aid tho. I used to listen to storm CD's many years ago...to sleep by.

    Praying for us all....and thanking God for each of you. Wishing you joy in this new day and God's comfort, healing and sweet rest.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,554 Member
    I forgot about the buggers! Hope you are able to find a solution - good sleep is so important!

    Still having breathing troubles. Haven't heard back from the note I sent my NP, so I guess I'll wait until Monday and give her a call.
  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,588 Member
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  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,554 Member
    I call Him Jesus!

  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,588 Member
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  • bren5535
    bren5535 Posts: 874 Member
    edited October 2023
    Any news on your daughter's situation, Missy? Not getting definitive answers makes the struggle much more difficult, I know. Continued prayers for all our needs represented here.

    I saw the new kitties for the first time just now when feeding Sister (Mama) and Bully Boy (Daddy)....there are either two three of them and one appears to be Calico like Granny, who is Sister's great grandmother at 11 years old. I thought it was one cat on top of the heating element, until they split up, ready to run.

    It's raining again this morning....lovely, gentle rain.

    I made some chicken chili yesterday (not wonderful) and egg salad from the boiled eggs I had for salads that I still don't have done up...Perhaps today? It's hard to be enthusiastic about things that are painful to do....I did manage to get the trash to the dumpster...a big job as I only do it once a week.

    Kim, I hope you get in touch with the NP tomorrow....and get some help. Breathing difficulties will curb activity even more than pain does!

    I'm off to get my coffee and do my plan for the day...Love you all. Be blessed and strengthened in your journey...and find comfort in Jesus each day.
  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,588 Member
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  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,554 Member
    Some days it's just moment by moment trusting Jesus!

    I see, I think, a doctor today. She is the one who responded to my note. She will listen to my lungs. I will mention the idea that the hiatal hernia may be causing the problem if my lungs are clear. This isn't something new to me though. I hesitate to call a doctor because more times than not they don't find anything. It's hard having to pay for these tests that keep coming up negative, yet I still have the problem. Regular doctors can only look into AMA-acknowledged problems (my lipedema is not recognized as a disease with the AMA so my doctors can't put it on my chart as a problem I have, yet my lymphedema therapist acknowledged that I do have lipedema along with the lymphedema - I am a lipo/lympho!) They also don't look at the total picture to see if there could be an underlying problem for all of these symptoms, they just treat the symptoms. But, if it just happens to be something going on with my lungs, then I need to have a doctor look at it and help me. I was transposing some sermon notes onto the computer this morning and one of them had this promise: "No matter what you are going through - God is still God!" No problem I have will ever be more than God can handle. We have to seek His will in what we are going through and see what good He has for us going through it. Perhaps it is to witness to someone we meet as we are going through treatment, or there is something in us that needs to grow or go! I like to be reminded of those things.

    Love you ladies bunches!
  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,588 Member
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  • kzrkzr
    kzrkzr Posts: 83 Member
    Bren, we still do not have answers...it's so frustrating...
    thank you for your prayers!
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  • bren5535
    bren5535 Posts: 874 Member
    I do understand, Missy! We want to know what's happening so we know what to do and how to pray specifically. Hugs and love.
    What beautiful flowers! I love flowers but have had little experience with growing any. I did have my hydrangea bush coming along nicely when I left Alabama...my friend Betty gave me dried twigs (cuttings) from hers...She's in heaven and has been for many years now. She was a precious friend. I stayed with her for a month before I came home, 27 years ago.

    I just noticed this morning that I have a bulb out in here...explains some of the dimness. Better that, than an eye problem!

    Kim, do you have any issues with AFIB? I see the commercials and check off symptoms, always praying they aren't troubles for us. I hear you on the testing...and the expense of such things...to then walk out empty handed and with a much lighter wallet. I was so thankful when I got on Medicare. Will be 6 years in December. I had times of paying over $700 for lab work...it was insane. Whatever our "issues" are....God is fully aware and He knows what we need in every circumstance. Starting with Him.

    I googled mattress troubles and saw tips on placing a bath towel or plywood under the mattress. Like that will happen with that heavy thing! I do think, if I could get my sleep patterns back to normal, where I wasn't spending so many hours IN the bed, that my pain would decrease some. That's the plan at this point.

    I lost the gain Debbie brought with her...comes on a lot quicker than it goes off for sure! Today's stats are 233, 132 and 147/83 62
    Love you all and you remain in my thoughts and prayers...daily!
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  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,554 Member
    Saw my NP yesterday. My lungs were clear. She thinks it might me acid reflux and prescribed a stronger med than the ones I'm presently taking. I've taken it in the past when I had a severe problem with reflux, it wasn't as good as the prescription Nexium. This one will be cheaper than prescription-strength Nexium. If it doesn't work, I will just take two OTC Nexium and see if that helps. I need to call her in a week to see how I am doing. If not better we will look into other things. I don't remember having this much breathing trouble when my reflux was even worse, but we'll see. She thought taking TUMS every other day was a lot - eek, I used to take it more than once a day at one time! Step by step. Jesus knows and will give us what we need when we need it!

    Missy, waiting for information is so hard. Have they checked her for Lymes disease? She could have been bitten quite a while ago and just now showing symptoms. I have a friend who recently was diagnosed with that and she had been bitten years ago. You could check her symptoms online and see if that comes up. Just a thought. Y'all are in my prayers. Jesus knows and has a plan.

    Rain today and cooler temps coming in. My head hurt this morning from the front coming through. Praise be to God it went away quickly! God is so very good.

    Love y'all.
  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,588 Member
    Love the flowers - I grow roses and have about 4 bushes and hopefully next spring will add a few more.

    Acid reflex = for years I have been on a prescribed med for it - since my kidneys went south one year ago they took me off pretty much all my meds - off of the acid meds and diabetic meds. They tell me I am still classified as having type 2 diabetes but have not had to have meds for 13 months now and my numbers are better without the meds then with - doc thought that was funny and said 'guess we dont know it all and shouldn't prescribe before we try natural ways to keep it in control. As for the acid reflex - kidney doctor said no more to that meds as they were killing the kidneys so in its place I am to take 1 teaspoon of baking soda every night when I take the meds I need - my iron pills and a prescribed vitamine D. I have not had any acid attacks now for 6 weeks, my blood work re acid in the blood which we all have is not back to normal where when I was taking the meds it was not normal at all. I would honestly say give it a try - not the best tasting but if you drink the glass of water with baking soda when you take your regular meds it goes down quickly. And not having any chemicals from meds in the body is so much better for us - just a suggestion, ask your doctor about it.

    You mention the cost for medical coverage. I am so blessed with living here in Canada. We used to pay $175 a month for family rate and that covers all medical tests including blood work and hospital stays. Then 2 years ago the government changed it so that we don't pay a thing - I can't imagine having to pay for coverage as you do in the States.

    Today was my time to be accountable for weigh in - I weighed in at 238.8 so a littl up since last week. But the doc told me that would happen due to having surgery and that it would take about one week to reverse. So am praying that next Tuesday will show a nice lose.

    While in for surgery I had an encounter with my Lord. He spoke to me quietly in recovery while waiting the 4 hours to be released. I am to write down all the blessings He has given me showing where I have prayed and it has been answered. Then I am to share it with others that are struggling with weight issues. I remember praying to the Lord then 'but they won't listen because I am still so overweight' and He answered 'Dont be anxious if they dont seem to listen - tell them about how I gave you instructions to clean up your Temple (my body) because walking with Me means you keep you Temple clean = eat only nutritious foods, nothing processed, drink lots of water and very important walk for 10 minutes every day even through the pain as I will take care of the pain when you obey me.' So for the last 7 days I have taken care with my food (must be honest and share that I did have a cinnamon roll which has no nutrition in it all) but was really aware of what I was putting in my body, wanting it to be only nutritous foods that will heal my body, cleaning it out of all toxins that cause illness, I have been getting in my water and even more importantly I have been walking on the treadmill for 10 minutes at a time every day. I walk 10 minutes 2 days in a row, then increased it to 11 minutes and today I will be starting getting in 12 minutes. Pain? Yes - but it goes away after 5 minutes and I feel so good in that I am walking and most importantly am following God's commandment to me. Easy? No not really I would much rather not walk, drink soda pop and eat hamburger or fast food - but that does not go with what God wants - it reflects on my weight and my witness as someone following the Lord. I know I am not perfect and I am sure there will be times I will slip because I do not have the necessary strength as God does, but I do know that when I start the day of with Him first asking for the power to eat properly, drink accordingly and do the walking - well I just feel so much better. Today I also took 3 measurements - neck, waist and hips as He has been telling me to do this - so at the end of November I will do that again to see how it has affected me with the loss of inches - I feel the loss in the 'apron' (hangover) of my belly as it is not bothering me like it was even just one week ago so things are changing. Our God is an awesom God - when we obey, including keeping our Temple clean of junk/processed foods He rewards us. He has blessed me with keeping me off of dialysis now for 13 months when the doctors said back then that I would be on it in 3 months time - I am not turning my back and doing it my way from now on as I have seen His hands on me many times - and it is time I turn my body over to Him. Big thing is now to share this with those that are struggling with weight issues.


    2 Corinthians 2:9
    For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything.

    2 Thessalonians 2:8
    in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus

    1 Corinthians 6:19-20
    Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit withing you whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body

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  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,554 Member
    Wow, Marilyn. I pray you are able to do the things that are required of you by God and by your doctors. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and must take care of that temple.

    I tried to use baking soda to brush my teeth one time, yes, just once, I gagged the whole time. The same happens when I tried to drink apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, gag! I have taken the capsules, but I still don't like it. I have a friend who has no problem with it at all. Ugh! I also got the apple cider vinegar gummies, but they are loaded with sugar, so not good. Tasted great, just not good for me. If I don't like it I won't stick with it. I don't want to do something that I dread doing. I've struggled with acid reflux and producing too much acid for 46 years and have taken pretty much every med out there. The Nexium worked the best, but it robs you of nutrients your body needs. The med that helped but didn't take away acid was taken off the market. Bummer.

    I took my first pill last night, still struggling to breath today. It may take a few days. Lord willing this will help.
  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,588 Member
    Sorry to hear that you had difficulty with baking soda - I know the first couple of night having 1 level teaspoon in 8 oz of water - well with my gag reflex it was difficult but I got it down. I think it went down only because I took it when I needed to take my iron pills. truthfully I have taken the pills for acid reflex (sodium barconbite) but I need to have 12 of them each day and they had to be spread out over the day - 4 at breakfast, 4 at lunch and 4 at bedtime - got to be a problem if I was not at home when I needed to take them so there were times I wasnt getting them. And when that happened I was vomiting acid and making horrible gagging sounds bringing up all the gas and acid. Though I don't like drinking the baking soda I am finding it easier as it is one before bed when I take my other 3 meds - and honestly it has been so nice not to have an upset stomach, gas problems or acid problems - all because of this one way to correct the issue without medication. But you know your body - hope it will work for you

    I have completed 7 days as of Monday with the way to eat according to the kidney doctor. So far not really cravings for things that I shouldn't eat but the temptation is still there - and with the help of my husband who reminds me when I say 'boy would I like to eat ? (such as perogies, chocolate or worse yet soda pop) that when I decide to eat such things I am deciding my health is not important and going against what the Lord wants for me. I cannot stress enough to anyone who has weight problems how important it is to get all the processed foods, soda pop, fruit juices, pastry, candy out of our lives. Though we think there is not much else to eat there is - we just need to retrain our mind - and we need to really 'listen' to the Lord as we are His temple - and when I reflect how I neglected it by eating like I did, well I am now seeing that to be completely wiin tune with the Lord I need to get my temple in order - therefore eating, drinking and walking as He would direct. Please don't be like I have been and think maybe tomorrow or that it costs to much - our health is to important to make those excuses but most importantly our walk with the Lord is effected greatly when we don't eat, drink and exercise as He desires us to.

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