WOMEN ages 50+ FOR JULY 2016

Good morning!

Allie - I believe you will make the right decision because of your devotion to family and your experience with dealing with adversity.

Rori - thanks for the lump in the throat, that was really sweet...I was actually hospitalized in Denver. My family lived in rural southwest Nebraska so Denver was the nearest tertiary care center in 1956 (still is). I will be visiting girlfriends in Estes in September! My brother lives in Denver. I am glad that you and Sue in WA had a nice visit.

Lisa - the skies opened up! Do you have waders that you wear back & forth between the warehouse & the camper?

Heart going out to you and all Texans today.

Joyce - storms for you, too! We finally got so tired of being without electricity we put a generator in. I can't believe the peace of mind it gives us, as we no longer worry about what is spoiling in the refrigerator and don't have to contemplate finding an air-conditioned environment which can accomodate small dogs if the heat index is high enough. Which does happen in Virginia sometimes. Hope your electricity stays on.

Sounds like the issue with the ostomy bags might finally be resolving, yay! Wishing you another 5 day success!

Today I am going to go to Jazzercise, do a beginner kettle bell routine, hold a plank for one minute, and

Give a pint of blood to honor of my spunky friend Becca.

Then go to a performance my 7 y.o. granddaughter is in (acting camp).

Heart breaking for the families of Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, and the police in Dallas. Black lives matter. Blue lives matter. All lives matter.

Karen in Virginia

Good morning all. Sad news from the USA. Awful in every way.

I've just had a delicious Japanese style soup. Miso soup , shiritaki noodles, seaweed, cucumber, fresh ginger, garlic, scallions, fresh chilli, and 100 gms of large prawns added at the end. 200 calories and incredibly filling.

DH had to take the car to have a puncture mended today, as the alarm went off while I was on my way to the doctor yesterday. There was a nail in the tyre.
The painters have just finished and have left, but all the downstairs doors and windows are open and it's windy. Our friend will be back next week to finish painting a bit of wood he patched into the French windows. I gave him a birthday card for his wife tomorrow.
I'm going to call in on my friend this afternoon as I'm missing female contact My friend who is in Holland texted me to say she was at a museum in The Hague looking at The Girl With A Pearl Earring. And The Goldfinch. Wish I were there.
She's the one I might go to Dresden with. Before I met my DH I always used to go on holiday with her.

Might go and spend my garden centre refund on ant powder and slug pellets. :ohwell:

Love from Heather

Good morning everyone!
Allison, you just do to much! You need to learn how to say no!
I do not answer each post but I do like to read them. There is just too many! Know I read them and think of each and every one of you when I do.

I have so far this morning called Frontier to straighten out my bill. My next project is looking for affordable health insurance and find out why my insurance was canceled on June 30 when I've paid through July! Then, find a way to get a walk in even though it is rainy, humid, and hot!

Talk later Ladies! I'll post pics soon!

Rita from CT

Pip- Bike related question. I was fitted for my street bike (which I no longer have), but not the touring bike. My legs aren't having any problems; but my hands tend to tingle/go numb while I ride. Could this also be a "fit" issue? Or am I just trying to get out of riding that damn touring bike?

KJ, you are pinching the nerve in your wrist by the angle it is in when you ride. So it is very much a fit issue. If you can alternate how you hold the handlebars so that you relieve the pressure that may help. When I had a "racing" type bike, I would alternate between holding the downward curve handle as it was designed to be held, and holding it at the top (when I didn't need to brake as quickly!). I have nerves that are very sensitive to compression and so I also have the problem in my feet/ ankles when I rode a long time. I would have to stop and walk around a bit to get the feeling back. (I also cannot wear roller blades, ski boots or hiking boots without my feet going numb.)

Another day in the funhouse that is my family. I thought of another way to help me cope.....my sister looks at everything in life as if she was looking in a funhouse
Mirror, her point of view is so stressed it is somewhat contagious spending time with her and her behaviors (OCD severe anxiety and narcissism) especially since I am not objective or professional with family. So I am reminding myself not to join in and look through the funhouse mirror, there is a clearer way to see and feel.
And I know she appreciates all the time and effort I am putting into this renovation project to make her bathroom safe for her. Turns out I have an additional week to spend here but I am taking a break tomorrow to go back to my home to hug my girl and DH

In the plus side I am eating really well and exercising. I have insomnia but I can deal with that. Love to you all, thinking about you as you deal with everything you deal with, together we are stronger
NYKAREN

DJ - thanks, I needed that. I'm back on track

Janetr okc

Lily thank you, I needed that this morning. So sweet of you.

Janetr okc

juliekathleen135 wrote: »

Hi Everyone! My name is Julie and I have used MFP on and off for a couple of years. This is the first time I have joined a group here. I used to be on Peertrainer from 2009-2014. I'm excited to meet you all and share in this journey (cliche, yes, but true!). Here is a little about me:

I am 50, soon to be 51, and had great hopes 8 years ago of weighing 125 by the big "five-O", but instead of loosing, I gained...and lost, and gained. I had gone from 154 down to 135 and now I'm at a 10 year high of 158! I am 5'3" and now not healthy, though I still manage to get exercise in about 3 days a week, I eat like crap and a lot of it. Not fast food, just a lot of cheese, bread, dairy, etc.

My worst habit, however, is emotional binge eating. I will go back and forth to the fridge and continue to stuff my self until I feel this certain point of fullness...I imagine this is what a drug addict strives for...it's like getting some kind of high and then it disapates and I go back to the fridge and do it again until I feel satisfied. Often this pattern includes eating directly from the fridge...I will actually just stand at the door and eat.

So here is where I am at this morning...I'm making a promise to myself to get thru today by eating only proper meals, off a plate (or in a glass with my morning smoothie), while sitting down. Later, I will read more of your stories and list my long term goals and hopefully have some feed back from the community!

Now off to walk!

Julie, sounds just like me. It seems you have made good decisions to get headed in the right direction. Welcome to a terrific group of supportive, encouraging, very special ladies. You've come to the right place. Welcome, pull up a chair and join right in.

Janetr okc

Heather – It took me over a year to get registered online with my GP’s office, whose records are available to my GYN’s office. I think I tried to get on, for a year or more (or so it seemed); but easily a year. They’d send me the ‘invite’; and, it would accept my information and then throw up an error message. Talked to their IT, who had no clue; but, apparently I was not the only one. Took me 4x to get connected to my MD in Macon, GA; but, I have to make sure ‘they’ make the necessary changes in my medications each and every time I go. Most of my medications are from K-Mart, which are on – auto meds; except one that is considered a ‘controlled substance’ … that one I have to call in each time. My mail order Rx’s are automatically sent to me every 85 days for a 90 day supply; I usually have more ‘refills’ than I need because a ‘new’ one is written every time I go to the MD on a 3-month schedule. They are also automatically sent to me.

Language barrier – What does ‘strim’ mean? What is ‘tsatsisiki’?

Carol – I don’t know if it is the ‘heat’ or what; but, when I wake up (fairly early) to have ‘fresh’ coffee with DH; I fall back to sleep all the time. Even after the 2nd cup, I want to get back in bed and finish out my sleeping pattern to wake up, when I would normally wake up by my body’s clock. Usually, if he does not wake me up … I will sleep until 8:15am on the dot. If I go back to sleep after my cup or two of coffee – early … then it is usually about 9:30am. It can make all the difference in my day. I just need 7 hours of sleep at night; or I have to take naps.

Tracie – I agree with Heather about the wall mural; it could go on the wall that has the paneling (you might have to fill in the cracks or seams to make it level; or use a skim coat on it and sand it down smooth this would make it appear that you have a window - full length and width of the room. I think they can be ordered online and you would give them the measurements of that wall. I tried to paint the ceiling in my DYS’s room; but, gave up on it because of the strain on my neck. I’d still like for my DH to paint the ceilings in the house a light blue that is so light that it almost looks white (just a slight twinge of blue). Then I will go back and swirl in some fluffy clouds. I’d like for him to put ‘medallions behind the ceilings; one plain and the other decorated; so I can paint them like the sun and moon. Same plain ones in the bedrooms. I might start with the 2nd bedroom … to lighten it up. It has real wood paneling which is fairly dark and only one window. I’d love to replace our sofa and 2 chairs which belonged to Mimi, circa 1920. I’m not sure I want to go through recovering them; but, if it is significantly less to do so, that will be the way I go. I’d just have to double check with the upholsterer to see if he can shore up the front where the seats rest. They have tied-up springs and when my DYS was living at home (or when he'd come visit) ... he'd "plop" down on them. He doesn't do that to HIS furniture; but, still will plop down on ours. It really needs to be 'replaced'. I'd like to replace my sofa with a sleeper; but, ONLY if they are more comfortable than they used to be. I'm sure they have done things to improve them.

Janetr – I think taking medicines is a ‘man thing’ … I almost have to force DH to take them. He only has to take two of them. He really gets upset that he ‘must’ have a yearly physical to get one of them. He sees his Urologist about every other month or three months. He wants the earliest appointment that can be made.

Susan – Hi! I can empathize with you about the son with bipolar disorder. My own was diagnosed as an adult … maybe around 35+ years of age. Took Lithium until something happened in my body and it rejected my taking of it. Got “Lithium Toxicity” and almost died. I now take Seroquel for that issue which has worked great for me. He also has me on 2 other meds, which with the Seroquel, helps as an anti-anxiety and/or antidepressant. Have a ‘seizure disorder’ that was brought on by the Lithium Toxicity. I had febrile seizures as a child; but, grew out of that. Seizures are pretty much controlled by medication … unless I have some ‘traumatic’ event; and, then I will usually have a seizure. At this moment I am on a ‘driving restriction’ as mandated by the State of Georgia after one on May 12th. I’ve told my PsycheMD that I don’t like being ‘textbook therapeutic’ where it comes to my medication … I prefer to be one step to the side of being a tad bit ‘manic’; therefore it is imperative that I get ‘checked’ every 3 months to make sure the dosage of my medications along with the mix of others is working for me (as ‘normal’ for me). He once asked me to ‘think back’ and tell him when I first thought that I showed signs of being ‘bipolar’ and I told him that I thought it was during my HS years when a few things (too personal to list) occurred that made me ‘feel as if I was afloat in a boat in rough waters)'. Before that, my parents kept me ‘so involved’ in activities … I used my ‘art’ as an escape from things I did not want to have to deal with. Now, I paint for pleasure at my leisure. I guess, that means I take on the ‘persona of a starving artist’, I try not to paint subjects that don’t move me. I enjoy portraits more than anything; and ‘oils, pastels, and pencils – (graphite and colored) the best’.

Karen in VA – While I have “Bipolar Disorder” (manic-depression); I normally go to the ‘manic’ side than to the ‘depressed’ side; only depressed once or twice since I was diagnosed back in 1986. I prefer to be more manic than depressed. The one bout of depression that I had, I did not want to ‘commit suicide’; but, I thought it I could just ‘go to sleep and not wake up’ was how I felt; and, I thought my family would be better off if I did. My DH had talked to my PsycheMD who wanted him to bring me up and have me committed into the hospital. That was at 9:30pm and a more than 2 hour drive one-way and since he is ‘self-employed’ and has to be ‘on the job’ to make sure it is done right and on time; he got my BF to drive me up the next day.

She ended up calling my DH telling him that she could not get me to answer the door; she had knocked on every window. Knew I had to be inside, my car (which at the time I wasn’t allowed to drive - DH would take the keys with him) – although I would not have driven it. He told her where we keep our extra key and she came in and I was totally unresponsive. Called the EMTs and they could not get me to stay awake. They wanted to take me to the local hospital (about 30 miles away) and she told them, ‘no, she was there to take me to Macon to be admitted by my MD up there. She finally got me ‘awake’ by putting ‘ice’ directly on my back … I came up ‘swinging’ and ‘wide awake’. I think I slept most of the way, only waking up and asking her where we were.

Surprised MD, who had reserved a bed for me that night before; he had to call to make sure it was still available. Thankfully, it was … got admitted through the ER; BF stayed with me until they told her that she ‘had to leave’. I was ‘ok’ until she left and then I started crying really hard. I still don’t know who I was the maddest at: DH for not taking me himself, or BF because she had to leave me. She had taken a ‘different’ way up there so that I would not recognize my surroundings and argue about where I was headed. But, at the time, I knew it was the best for me (and for my family). DH called me every night after I would call him ‘collect’ and he would refuse the charges; and, immediately call me right back. I did not have any visitors until the last week I was there. I called a classmate and told her where I was and that I really needed a ‘shirt’; so I would not have to wear my robe in order to wash my clothes. The nurses did not like that either. She brought me a T-shirt; and, another friends brought me 2 tubes of lipstick – having ‘lipstick’ probably did more for me than anything. My friend that brought me the T-shirt has a daughter who is bipolar; they’ve had a lot of grief with her; and, had to have her move ‘out of their home’. She has finally come around and is taking her medications and has gone back to school at night and is working as well.

I think young people have a rougher time dealing with Bipolar Disorder; it was hard on me at the age of 35 with 2 small children and a job that was not so much ‘stressful’ as it was ‘having to work some long hours’. I continued working until about 15 years ago; when I retired on a disability (because of being Bipolar). Being Bipolar is NOT what defines me ... I am a 'child of God, first; a wife, second, a mother 3rd, and a Nana - 4th). After that I am a 'sister and/or a friend'. Then I 'live' with being 'bipolar'.

Re in TX – What do I need to do to get your ‘crockpot’ recipes?

Rita – My DDnL#1 lost her job (basically, she walked out on it); but, that is neither here nor there. It is what it is. She got turned down for unemployment but I’m not the least bit surprised. She’s been looking; but, she isn’t going to find an ‘entry level’ job that will pay nearly as much as she was making, less taxes. She had no health insurance, no retirement, and even after 12 year still only had one week of paid vacation; but, ‘if’ she was sick, her children were sick enough that she needed to be home with them, or if she did anything like attending Honor’s Day or Field Day – that was deducted from her next payday and then counted as a day of vacation. Working conditions had just gotten to be ‘too stressful’ got her. She is supposed to find out today if she got the job she interviewed for on Wednesday (complete with a test on ‘Excel’ and ‘QuickBooks’. Just hoping she did not ‘freeze up’ on that portion.

Pip – I guess getting fitted for a bike is like getting fitted for a bra. The lady I used to go to at Dillard’s had been sent to ‘school’ to learn how to do it. I’d come back another day if she was not there on days I needed to buy a bra. The other lady did not know 'squat' about fitting bras; and when I told her NOT to bring any that had a seem running over the nipple ... that is what she brought in. Seems like when I find a bra that fits me perfectly; in 3 more months the darn thing will be ‘discontinued’. So I usually buy 3 or 4 at a time; 2 whites, 1 nude, and 1 black; but, try all of the on. I’ve found that I need to try all of them on, because sometimes the nude one fits; but, the black ones might not – same for the white ones. I cannot stand having a seam running across my nipples.

Michele – My DDnL#1 makes a ‘red potato (with skins on) that is to die for’. Funny thing is that my DDnL#2 calls ‘potato salad’ more like what I would consider to be ‘mashed potatoes’. Of course, we live in GA and they live in LA (state).

KJLaMore – Do you wear ‘riding gloves’?

Margaretturk and Heather – My Daddy used to say that MLKJr would ‘one day’ be considered a ‘peaceful man’; but, in today’s world; I think not only would he be appalled; he’d be quite disappointed with young people in general. The actions of the instigators reflect very badly on the ones in the neighborhoods that don’t have a ‘negative’ view about the “PO-lice” (PoPo) that the ones in ‘gangs’ and involved with the ‘drug trade’ do. All they want is ‘something for nothing’; and their attitudes seem to be, “I want what I want and I want it now and I do not care who I hurt in the process of getting it.”

Glo – Good that your son is a policeman who is there to ‘serve and protect’ (law abiding citizens). Guns don’t kill people, people kill people; so if they take away all the guns and crimes start being committed with knives … will they start taking away our knives? Will they start chopping off our hands (they can be deadly) … how far does the government want to go to ‘protect us’? America doesn’t need to ‘outlaw’ guns; and, they already ‘know who has guns by the amount and kind of weapons your use as it is, by the amount of ammunition you buy; and, so many duds in a box, too. I think there are enough ‘hunters’ who do it to put ‘food’ on the table that will ‘fight’ total gun control. Especially in the South and Mid-West. Of course, I have ‘my’ view which probably don’t agree with those that live in a ‘high crime’ areas or in a large city where they can avoid that area. So many people in large cities, such as NYC have probably never even 'held' a gun; much less 'shoot' one.

Lenora

I agree with you Margaret

Please don't misunderstand...just because I'm a police officer's mom doesn't mean I condone all their actions. I abhor gun violence and support black lives matter as much as I do blue lives matter.
It's ironic that as anti war activist & women's right supporter back in the day I ended up with one son in blue and another a Navy JAG...go figure!

GLo wondering what I'm going to do now to make a difference on the North Shore of Ma

Hi Gals,
145 posts with breakfast!!! Here goes…
Karen in NY - Family is the biggest stressor for me too… hang in there!

Mia – how could you forget that we are the chatty Kathy group??? (for those who don’t remember chatty Kathy was a doll, with a string that you pulled and she would say one of 4-5 things she “knew” how to say)

Katiebug – thank you for my geography lesson… I need it… I could pick out GA on a map…and know Alanta is it big city (capital I think) but I didn’t even know you had gnats….

Barbie – you are doing awesome, and we know we have your love and support, this is just our time to return the support to you.

Debbie TX – get your passport so you can go visit….

Terri – glad to have you pop in.

Becca – love the quotes

Susan – welcome

Cheri – hang in this one might be better!

Allie – I want you closer so I could give you a real life hug and help you move your DFIL – although I might have to slash Tom’s tires while I was helping.

Rosie - I charge “friends and family” for my services, not the full going rate, but enough for them to take it seriously and not treat me as a slave.

I am so sad for all directly affected by the Dallas event, and also for all Americans who are facing a huge change in the level of comfort/safety we feel in our public spaces. Shed a few tears this morning when I heard the news.


July Goals:
2 fun things a week, Lunch with Ben, visiting with mom, went to dinner for Cajun food.
Log everyday to the best I can, over if need be.
11,000 + steps everyday – like to hit 160 miles for the month.

Smiles.

Kim from N. California