WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR DECEMBER 2015

Janetr... Glad you are finally on medication for the shingles. And also glad you have things ready for the holidays. Rest and Enjoy your guests!

Lillian ... Hugs ...

Heather ... Are your guests coming to see you or eat your food? I'd cater or use things from that freezer of yours. Whatever you do ... Don't stress!

Sylvia ... Hope you're feeling better today.

Carol NC ... Where are you? Is all well?

Not much snow ... Maybe 3-4 inches. Got the last of my boxes ready for the mail ... Fudge included.

Migraines... I've had them... My son's life has been derailed by them. Joyce ... What you describe would be considered a migraine by most neurologists.

Cookie baking for church event tomorrow and city mission. Really wish my stomach was still off ... It's not ... I'll try to keep Becca's advice in mind.

Have a good day ladies!
Beth near Buffalo

Carol (peach) ... I hate wrapping. I just had to figure out how to wrap and Mail a roaring dinosaur. Mailman should love the noise coming out of box! Gift bags for odd shaped things?

Estate sales/liquidators... Watch who you use or My friend in the clean out business says do your own if you can. Craigslist is how we sold in laws furniture that no one wanted in family. Rest went to Salvation Army after big garage sale. Sadly, a lot of the small stuff is still in my basement...

Beth

Grits, my shingles outbreak started almost in the middle of my back just below my waist line and my clothes all rub on that one for sure, then they wrap around my left hip down around to about the front of my left leg. The last one is right where my leg and trunk of my body meet so the elastic of my underwear rubs right across is. That one hurts and is driving me nuts. I tried going "camando" but then whatever I wear rubs my entire hip more and the whole thing hurts more. lol Oh well, I'm just going on about my business

Janetr OKC

Hi All, life had other plans for me this weekend--I got walloped with a UTI that moved to a kidney infection. On heavy duty anti-biotics and have a to do list that will be left undone. Messy house, empty fridge, concerts galore next week, and gifts unwrapped, ah joy! Haven't exercised in a week and won't be in my immediate future, I do miss it!

So it is time to enjoy a good book and chatting with folks on the phone. That is a good way to heal up, and not worry about what isn't going to get done.

Or as my kid said to me when I started whining this morning: "start making lemonade, mom" Cause we always tell her, when life gives you lemons.....

Karen from NY

Barbie wrote: ":) Janet, your positive attitude is inspiring. You are looking forward to family and fun and memories and not moaning about the challenge of dealing with shingles. You are the kind of person I want in my life."

Oh, Barbie, thank you so much, that means a lot to me. I have 5 older sisters, all but one are the type that go to bed and don't move for a week when they get sick. My sis in CA told me on the phone I was going to have to call my kids and tell them they couldn't come cuz I was sick. What???? No way, I told her that, she told me I was a mess lol Again, thank you, that so warms my heart.

Janetr OKC

Janet, I agree with Barbie! You have the right attitude.

Joyce: We both got the National Parks Pass when we "came of age" at 62. People who are disabled can also get it regardless of age. I have a dear friend who has been blind since her early twenties and has had the pass for ages and ages. :flowerforyou:

Heather: I agree with you on the issue of your DS. Tell him when he gets there and enjoy your day together.

Alison: It sounds as tough you are enjoying yourself in Florida & things are going ok with Tom. Best wishes for continued good times. I have several restaurant strategies that work for me. Sometimes I order a "to-go box" to be served with my food, and put half of my portion into it. Sometimes I order healthy appetizers and ask that they be served with everyone else's dinner. There are several chains that have menus available online with nutrition information so that you can plan ahead. The only place I've bombed is a smorgasboard all you can eat place. :embarassed:

Lillian: Sorry you have to close up your mom's house. We did not close up my mom's home until after her death. She could afford the care facility and the house and it comforted her to think she could go home. Each situation is different and all a daughter can do is her best at the time. Your mom is lucky to have you.

Beth near Buffalo: Cookie baking would likely derail me. I do make room for desserts in my life and don't make room for alcohol. It damages my thinking ability too much. :ohwell: On the other hand, I have LOTS more calories to play with because I forego it. :bigsmile:

Carol: I like wrapping well enough but I hate shopping other than groceries. We're all a little different.

Janetr: Hugs! You are certainly doing your best to take care of a miserable situation with a good attitude. A dear sailing friend of ours had a round of shingles a few years ago and stayed away from everyone until the last of the symptoms disappeared. I have had the shingles vaccine, which I hear is partially effective but not a guarantee. DH can't take it though, because of all of his autoimmune problems. People in our generation got chicken pox or they didn't, measles, too. I did and so did DH. I'm glad that vaccinations were available for our kids & are available for our grandkids. :flowerforyou:

KMB, Seattle: Welcome to a great group! I hope you will stop by often for encouragement and support. I was not able to do anything positive about my weight until after I retired because I lacked insight and understanding. Finding MFP and this group saved me and gave me the tools I needed for success. I'll offer tons of advice if asked, but for now my suggestion is to be patient with the process. Count calories in and out every day and find ways to move more. Stick with it even if you don't see quick results. It took time to put the pounds on and will take time to get them off. :flowerforyou:



I'm feeling a bit better today. Yay! This flu has been nasty and we've had it for more than two weeks. We've stayed mostly to ourselves other than necessary trips for groceries. This morning I've been entertained by, and lectured by, our little tribe of hummingbirds because the feeders were empty. The feeders are full now and are seeing lots of use. Most hummingbirds are migratory but these Annas Hummingbirds have moved here on a year round basis. We adore them.

Katla in Beautiful NW Oregon

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” Thomas A. Edison

December Goals :
1. Log every bite and swallow.
2. Cardio exercise at least 3 days a week. Work on flexibility and back strength.
3. Have fun every day.
4. Drink at least three glasses of water daily, preferably more!
5. Eliminate alcohol.
6. Monitor sleep. Try to average 7 or more hours of sleep nightly.

.

Katla - Thanks for the hug My doctor said my husband should come in for the shingles vaccination. He said even if does not prevent them, it will make them less severe. Jack, of course, doesn't want to. I'll leave that up to him. I have been talking for 3 or 4 years about getting one, even went to Walgreens several years ago and they didn't take my insurance at the time. Then when Walmart by the house started giving them, I talked to the pharmacist and said I'll be back to get one soon. Famous last words, coulda , shoulda, woulda. But didn't.

I'd love to see your hummingbirds. So glad that you are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel with this flu bug.

Janetr OKC

We divided up my Mother's stuff before we had to put her in an Assisted Living Facility. She got to see all that we got because we wanted it. Oldest sister divided up china and thins like that in sets of 4. She had lot of china and crystal. She had previously sold the house to the church in the block next to it. She owned the entire block; her house, my Daddy's old office and my Mimi's houses sat on it. Mimi's house was sold and moved out into the country; Dad's office was bought and torn down. They ended up tearing down my Mother's house and got the town to close the street between the 2 blocks and build a huge annex on it. Once I went to a friend's mother's funeral and someone asked me if I wanted to tour the annex; I told them 'no thanks, it would be akin to walking on a grave in a cemetery. Too many memories of that house growing up. I was only 3 (almost 4) when my Daddy bought the house. Then they rented it back to her for a lot less than she could or would have been expected as rent; then, it would revert back to them.. No apartments in the small town we lived in. Oldest sister tried to get her to live with them; but, that wasn't going to work because the only bedroom downstairs was theirs. My Mother was extremely heavy and they had to replace the lounge chair when they decided it was not going to work for any of them. She finally got the message after the place moved from across the street from the Baptist church in town that we went to, to a place in a neighborhood about 1/2 mile out of town because she knew that 'if' she could see the church, her home was not far away (within walking distance - about 2 blocks away). They were wonderful to her.

When my son had the shingles he could not be around his soon-to-be-at-the-time step-daughter because she had not had the chickenpox. Apparently, that is the only way they are contagious. People who have had chickenpox are the only ones who can have the shingles because the virus is in their body. My Mother used to say that she had (either) the chicken pox twice or the big red measles twice. She probably had the shingles and it had not been given a name back then or something (nearly 64 years ago). I know when my 2 sisters had one or the other of them, I was just 6 months old; and, was given Gamma Goblin to prevent me from getting a bad case; Mother said that 'at least I could not scream, "I itch" for 2 weeks'. ... and she could give me enough medication to make me sleep.

As for snow storms; in Atlanta and down to Columbus and Macon 3" of snow is a 'school day off'; when my niece and her family moved to a town right outside of Denver, CO - she 'thought' the first time it snowed that the kids would be off for so long as they did not have the roads cleared. Her next door neighbor told her it wasn't a day that the school let out. Did so again when 6" fell; did so again at 9-12"; she walked her kids to school and home because she wasn't going to drive in the snow. One day her neighbor called and said, 'now this is a snow day'. It had snowed over 18" during the night and was still blowing snow bad - it was what we might have called a 'blizzard'. She was happy to move back to Atlanta and still does not drive in the snow. She did not snow ski because the first day on the first time out, she broke her leg; so she spent the rest of the week sitting in the lodge with crutches and a cast on reading whatever she could find while her family snowed all day.

Both sons who had the shingles got the vaccine afterwards because the MD said that it would help keep another outbreak from being so severe. After having it, they were all ready to have the shot. You do have to go to the MD to get the Shingles vaccination; unlike the flu and pneumonia vaccines. I get the flu shot every year; and the pneumonia shot will be given to you once before you turn 65; and another time afterwards. When I get a bad cold; I usually get pneumonia; but, have not had it since I had the vaccination.

I think that Neurologists consider a 'bad' headache that is accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light and smells as 'migraines', no matter where they start. If you must go to bed when you have a headache, it is likely to be considered a 'migraine'. Mine usually start at the base of my skull and move over my head (usually to one eye); sometimes both and I 'hate' them. Will start taking medications as soon as they start not matter which symptom starts first. I'll go one round of Rx'd migraine meds, one round of muscle relaxants, one round of Tylenol, and one round of OTC migraine medication over a 4-hour period; and, then I will call the MD because none of that is working for me. Unless it is a Friday, then I call before they close at Noon. Around here all Dentists and MDs' offices close at Noon on Friday and then the only place you can go is to the ER. I'd rather have my teeth pulled without any Novocain than to go to the ER. Especially on a weekend. Been there, done that, won't do it again. I'd start drinking with my meds first - not really.

I wish the hummers would stay here all year round; they only stay about 2 or 3 months at the most. Usually the same 8 or 10 of them. We had one a couple of years who had a broken beak; but, it did not seem to matter to him/her. It just stayed away from the others. We had one feeder on the front of our house that he'd feed at while the others fought over the 4 we had in the back. They'd suck them dry in 2 days. Broken Beak was the only one that came to the front one.

I don't mind the wrapping of presents; but, I too, hate to go shopping. I try to buy along during the year things that I think the kids and grands would like; then, I go out and try to even things up. One might get more boxes; but, how much I spend on them is whatever I have decided insofar as the price. One price for my sons, another price for my 2 DDsnL; and another for my younger 2 grands. This year the DOGD was considered an adult. Since middle granddaughter's birthday is on Christmas Eve, we get her both a birthday gift as well as the allotted amount for her Christmas gift. This year, we also, considered her as an adult. I hate trying to find enough inexpensive stocking stuffers for them. This year the stockings are hung, just for show. None of them need any candy. I've never tried to fill my sons' stockings - way too big!

Hi Everyone, hope you are all ok. Just been reading the posts on here, it would make a fantastic play. There are soo many posts that I can't keep up. I use my mobile, it may be easier to follow on the computer.

I think it was Grit who put something about a mamogram and what she said to the doctor. I can't stop laughing, if only we could get our husbands to get there private parts squashed so tight that they couldn't move just to get a little taste of what we have to go through. Maybe then they would be a little understanding.

My daughter contacted shingles 2 weeks before she gave birth. There was only about 4 crusted spots but they were on her bust and when the baby was born she couldn't breast feed because they were so painful. She had chickenpox as a young child so not sure why she got shingles as an adult.

Not long now until Christmas Day, hopefully we will get to my daughters early that morning to see her excitedly opening her presents. Just completed my food shopping list and will do that on the 22nd or 23rd.

Hope everyone has a great run up to Christmas Day. Enjoy with family and good friends.

Elaine wrote "My daughter contacted shingles 2 weeks before she gave birth. There was only about 4 crusted spots but they were on her bust and when the baby was born she couldn't breast feed because they were so painful. She had chickenpox as a young child so not sure why she got shingles as an adult."

You have to have had chicken pox or you do not get shingles. The chicken pox causes the shingles virus to reside in your body for the rest of your life. If you have shingles, and people are exposed to you that HAVE NOT had chicken pox, they can get chicken pox from you having shingles. Its weird I know

Janetr OKC

stats for the day:
ski machine, 30min, 140mhr, cardio setting, 1.54mi = 232c
rowing machine 10min, lvl10, 124mhr 1717meters = 86c