Cris, I'm sorry to hear of this - I hope the change will bring your blood sugar in line.

Janet, will keeping hoping you will be able to avoid surgery.

DreamOn145 wrote: »

She said that psychologically, people think they are not as bad if they are not taking insulin "yet" but in truth insulin is a natural body product and it has a lot fewer long term side effects on the body than pills do and that more oral diabetic meds are much harder on the liver and kidneys. Just a thought.

That's pretty much what the RN consultant AND the doctor told me.
It's just hard to face the fact that another organ has checked out. (My thyroid has been pretty useless for years)
Oh well, onward we go.

Re: Gelatin. I've never taken it... can't help with that.

I'm going to go color my hair and think positive.

I needed a treat today. I haven't been to a Starbucks in over a year, more like year and half. They have a special running this weekend, 2 for 1 on the holiday flavor coffees and the same for the mini snowman donuts. So I dragged my DH over and for a few bucks we both had a lovely holiday treat. The red cups are pretty and the skinny peppermint mocha was delish as well.

Vive la France. So sad. I love France, Paris and yes, I love those formal Parisians as well. Breaks my heart for them to be such a target for those madmen

Went in for my CRT-D device check on Monday. They said the battery is starting to get low and the device will need replaced in 4-7 months. I keep picturing an energizer bunny moving slower and slo..w...e...r....

Joell: I, too, am a francophile. France is the only place outside of my current home that I become "homesick" for on a regular basis. A dear, French friend said she could never understand why Americans called the French rude. I said it was because they aren't actually rude, but, as you say, "formal." Americans are very friendly, fast-moving society, we rush around and say "hello" to everyone; but we are not a polite society. The French think only crazy people say "hello" to strangers on the street, yet they will go out of their way to be formally polite and take things slowly and expect the same politeness in return. When a stranger doesn't smile and become our best friend, we think they are rude. Personally, it is the politeness, formality and slowness that I love. I really don't need my server in a restaurant to be my best friend or even tell me their name as we do here. I just want good service and, in return, I will treat my server with the dignity and respect all people deserve.

grandmothercharlie wrote: »

Went in for my CRT-D device check on Monday. They said the battery is starting to get low and the device will need replaced in 4-7 months. I keep picturing an energizer bunny moving slower and slo..w...e...r....

Joell: I, too, am a francophile. France is the only place outside of my current home that I become "homesick" for on a regular basis. A dear, French friend said she could never understand why Americans called the French rude. I said it was because they aren't actually rude, but, as you say, "formal." Americans are very friendly, fast-moving society, we rush around and say "hello" to everyone; but we are not a polite society. The French think only crazy people say "hello" to strangers on the street, yet they will go out of their way to be formally polite and take things slowly and expect the same politeness in return. When a stranger doesn't smile and become our best friend, we think they are rude. Personally, it is the politeness, formality and slowness that I love. I really don't need my server in a restaurant to be my best friend or even tell me their name as we do here. I just want good service and, in return, I will treat my server with the dignity and respect all people deserve.

Glad you 'get' the French. When we were last in Paris, in 2004 and the tourist traffic from the US was still extremely low, so we had felt like we had the City to ourselves we stumbled upon the Carnavalet Museum. It is dedicated to Parisian history. The guide saw we were American, thanked us for coming and then gave us a guided tour for free that lasted almost two hours and ended with us having an expresso, again on the house, with him to just chat. He explained how difficult it is for them to come to the US even for a vacation, the visa alone is over US$200. He wanted us to know that the French people do not dislike Americans, they understand that the politicians and political policies are not a reflection of all the people. When we left he even kissed us both on the cheeks, as they do their friends. He was so kind, funny, and intelligent. And we had other similar encounters on trips to France before that, this one was just so touching to us. We had been wondering how we would be treated due to Bush policies,etc., and really we were treated so special everywhere we went on that trip.

Will the battery replacement involve any surgery for you?

Joell: I have been to the Musée Carnavalet. It is a museum that is sadly often overlooked yet so well done.

I always think that it is funny about the "kiss" or the "faire la bise." It is actually a much more sanitary method of greeting than shaking hands. When you watch people start their shifts at work, they kiss each co-worker and go through the ça va? ça va. ça va? routine. That isn't so bad in Paris, when you only double kiss, but in other parts of France it might be 3 or more! Takes quite some time. They do "the Kiss" in other countries, too; but, of course, here in Puritanical U.S.A. we would be accused of sexual harassment!

On your trips, have you ever used a Paris Greeter from Global Greeters? Global Greeters are wonderful volunteers around the world who take you on a walk, usually in their own neighborhood, not as a "tour guide", but to show you the local side of life. Since I travel alone and don't like "tours", I have done this in a couple of different places to experience where the locals go to stroll, to eat, etc. Great way to make a friend.

Yes, the device replacement will require surgery, but not as extensive as the first time. They will not have to remove the wires that go into my heart, but only the device. They will reconnect the existing wires to the new device. (Even if for some reason I ever decide I would want the device removed or turned off, they wouldn't remove the wires. They would leave them.) When I go in, it will be done as an outpatient or just an overnight stay. There is soreness. Not terrible pain. For now, I have to start having it checked every month. If it would wear down quickly, or if something is wrong with it, it makes a doorbell sound through my skin. Not long ago, someone had a notification tone on their phone that sounded like that. I wasn't sure if it was someone else or me!

Hey Sharon, I checked the recipe thread and could not locate the recipe for Bath Stew.

If you have the link to it can you please post it here?

Ohhh. Dreayts. Typing without being able to see.

retirehappy wrote: »

Hey Sharon, I checked the recipe thread and could not locate the recipe for Bath Stew.

If you have the link to it can you please post it here?

Can't figure out how to link. I HAD NOT put that one in after all. Sent it to someone else. Sorry. It's on the Recipe section now.

I don't have SHop showing on my feed. But everything fires look different.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10104645/recipes-and-other-food-tips#latest
Maybe this time the link to Bath Stew will stick.

For those who are fellow dog walkers - or just animal lovers - I thought it might be fun to post pictures of our main motivation for frequent walks, whether short or long. My two are Gypsy (mom) and Peaches (her puppy). They showed up in our yard in spring of 2003, when the puppy was just three months old. Our vet tells us Gypsy is a Manchester terrier / miniature pinscher mix and we have no idea who the father was, so the puppy's mix remains a mystery.

The picture of the two of them is from quite a few years ago, when they were younger. The separate pictures are from this fall. Gypsy, the mom, is black and Peaches is brown. They're shown in their usual environment - lounging on the living room furniture.

Tobie is totally adorable!! Thanks for posting, Jan... I see he likes to use an iPad

Yes, they allow us to sit on the furniture too, only so we are close enough to pet them...

To my American friends on MFP. I am thankful for all friends whether you walk beside me in person or share my journey over the 'net.