WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR APRIL 2018

Machka - Sorry to hear about your husband's injuries. Praying that he will get a lot better very soon. Opening his eyes is certainly is a good sign.

Lanette - I forgot what I was going to say ... oh, just came to me ... Chase, who is Taylor's boyfriend of 5 years hopes to get into PT school; and is doing some volunteer work at a physical therapy office. Taylor said that they taught him a procedure that they do when someone is having pain that radiates out from trigger points. She said that he did it on her and once it popped it was instant relief; but, the popping sound was near like a gun going off. He told her the first time he did it, he was almost thinking he had broken a bone. I remember this being done on me when I had a really bad wreck 20 years ago.

Michelle - I take Lamictal and at the moment Dilantin; but, Neurologist is going to check with Dr. Phillips to make sure that taking me off the Dilantin and upping my Lamictal won't affect my bipolar meds. He sees no good reason for me to be on 2 different seizures meds, especially the Dilantin as it has to have its levels checked so often. Since it affects my gums I will be very happy to be taken off it. Will took Phenobarbitol from the time he was 16-months-old until about the age of 7-years. He finally outgrew the febrile seizures. I had them as a child as well. Mother never had to take my temperature because as soon as it hit 101.1° I had a seizure. Will's first seizure was as a result of having the MMR vaccination; but, he never had any reactions to any other vaccine, so he always got them until he entered college. His pediatrician had to write a letter to the school and explain why he was unable to take the 2nd in the series. The college told him that 'if' they had an outbreak of Measles, Mumps, or Reubella, he would just have to drop out during that time. He could keep up with the class, he just would not be allowed 'on campus'. I know since Mallory has never had chicken pox, when he had the shingles he could not be around her. Apparently someone who has never had chicken pox would be exposed to the virus that causes it; but, not the othe way around.

Pip - I hope that Kirby is getting better.

I've got so many MD appointment this month it is unreal. Monday I have a colonoscopy and endoscopy; Wednesday evening I go meet with the sleep apnea people. I have been falling asleep during the day for some random reason and pull my Cpap mask off during the night. I don't understand how or why I do it because it is a tight fit ... you'd think I would notice it. Hopefully, whatever they do will keep me 'bright and bushy tailed during the day and I will sleep better at night.

As for kids seemingly not wanting anything to do with you - know that pain; but, have put it behind me, locked that box, never to open it again. There are a few others that I have done the same with. It is refreshing to get those generations sins out of my brain and move on without bitterness. My sister told me that she won't be coming down until I get out of the splint. I'm out of the one that made my right arm totally useless; now in one that just goes around my wrist. I have a big knot on the side of my arm and it hurts really bad until I put the splint back on.

I went to Americus with my BF a week ago, just to have something to do. Found a gorgeous piece of material that would look wonderful on our sofa. Now, to figure out what to do. Chairs will be totally paid off in another 3 or 4 months. Need to price a new sofa (if we can find one that isn't too deep, and not to high off the ground, and will be comfortable. This piece of material goes wonderfully with the other pieces of furniture in the room and also looks really good with the Oriental rug in the den. I'd like to get a rug to go under our dining room table just to have one under it. But, it will depend on some of the other things we are able to do. I'd really like to replace the kitchen counter and put in a backsplash. The sink has a large gap between it and the counter; and it doesn't appear there is any amount of caulk to fill it; and the corners where it comes together are beginning to split. I'd like some sort of stone; but, I also want my cabinets painted. Light on the top one and a color on the bottom. But, that will depend on rug color and counter top colors. But, most of it is just 'dreaming'. We're still at a stand-still with the porch. Louis needs to buy some of that expanding foam to fill in some of the cracks.

I deleted the MFP account and let it be for about a week since it was hacked and now I am starting over. Tracking food (and exercise) and trying to figure out what is going on. Missed so much by not lurking and reading while doing so. Just needed a break from it, I guess. Not sure I want to stay on FB; but, I have been very careful when making friends and posting. My sister is a 'flaming liberal' and she has certainly gotten a LOT of 'blow-back' rom her posts. Sometimes I want to email her and tell her exactly what I think; but, then she would not forgive me. I'll just let her former HS classmates chime in.

Welcome to all the Newbies, much love and {{{{{HUGS}}}}} to those that need it and whatever you need for the rest of you. I guess I will eventually catch up and put together what is going on. Right now I feel like I have just walked into a party totally underdresses.

Lenora

Our son-in-law is home safe, sound, skinny, scruffy and exhausted. But home.

Love y'all,
More tomorrow,
Lisa in NC

coastalgosgal wrote: »

Machka, sending you all the positive calming thoughts I have four you and your husband. You are so strong, and handling things. Give yourself permission to feel all the emotions though. Somewhere safe, quiet, it will keep your body healthy, dealing with the chaos and uncertainty of life right now. I know for me, it was scary to let myself go there. Like if I cried, I'd never stop, but I did, and I got back up. I had to be strong for husband and my son. Brave faces do come off, but they can be put on again! Hugs to you!!!
Rebecca

I've had people offer to stay with me, thinking I'd be lonely in the evenings ... and I've turned them down.

Yes, I am lonely in the evenings, for my husband, but when I finally get home in the evening, that's my time to have a complete meltdown for a while. If I had people staying, I couldn't do that.

M in Oz

Joyce I agree with you, music is medicine and singing alone or with people is a special gift, so glad you are back with the choir. Your DGD sounds like a very talented and special young person

Yesterday I checked out a new gym, its the same price a little further from home, free parking and the music wasn't too loud, lots of folks my age, machines looked fine, the only down side, it's in a basement, so no natural light. I will sit on the decision but most likely will choose it. DH has been my biggest cheerleader since my gym closed, telling me that I've just got to go back, I'm sad when I don't go and he can tell that I miss the structure and energy boost that regularly working out at the gym has given me. He is my little canary in the coal mine....come on Karen get back to it, you need to take care of you....so sweet!

NYKAREN

Joyce - what a lovely thing to say! Thank you. I worry about you and the Lyrica, and hate it that you're in so much pain, and that it even affects your choir time, which I know is precious to you.

Rori - Part of me feels utterly guilty saying "Yay, he's home!" and then being so happy that he is, so we can go, but we are both SO impatient to get back to our own lives. You had that pegged completely. Now, on with the next phase! We fulfilled our promise - that we would be here while he was gone, and we were. Incredibly glad he's home safe, for his own sake as well, of course. He's a good guy, and adores our daughter and their kids. Woke up more than once in the last six months from nightmares of him getting killed overseas and trying to deal with the grandkid's and our daughter's grief over his loss. If you saw the news on the team in Syria that hit the IED and killed one soldier, it was one of only two times that Brian's airborne medical team didn't go with that crew--so he came far too close for comfort. Hopefully the nightmares are done. Trying not to worry about whether my daughter will deploy soon. Serves no purpose. Can't change it. Leaving our bed here so that our co-mother-in-law (Brian's mother) will have a place to sleep if she needs to come support Brian while Kelsey's deployed.

Meg - I think your family has worked out something that feels right for the family on how to address your DD--and I think we all vary sharply day-to-day on how much we need support and how much we can give. One of the reasons I love this group is that we all know that, cherish the support we get, and give whatever we can to each other at the level we can at the time.

Allie - You will make it through, my darling, because you are stronger than you know. Have you actually signed papers on the condo yet, or are you still renting? Perhaps there is a housing option that is more affordable, if you haven't actually gotten into a mortgage yet? Even if you have, there are ways to renegotiate those, drop your payment levels until you can get out of your bind. There are always ways around financial difficulties. Corey and I dug ourselves out of $115,000 in combined debt that we brought with us in the three years after we married--it was a hard slog, but it can be done. I have faith in you!

Machka - So glad there is some support, and glad, too, that you're allowing yourself to melt down as necessary. That relief valve is so necessary when we're bearing the unbearable. Glad, too, that there is progress on your husband's part--his response to stimuli is quite encouraging, I would think. Some days you win simply by standing up and putting one foot in front of the other. Your strength, too, is just staggering. I think of you often, as I know we all do. Sending gentle hugs, and a soft word in his ear to heal quickly and well.

Love y'all!
Lisa in NC for a week and a wake-up

And, on my side... the next week or two should be interesting. We'll be starting the packing this weekend, and staging everything at the garage door to load in the trailer next Thursday (I'm still working next week). Heading out early Friday morning, slated to get to the rent house in Fort Smith on Saturday the 14th. Egg (the cat) will go with me again, and she'll simply stay in the vehicle. Should still be cool enough that she'll be fine overnight, and much less stressful than trying to get her in and out of a hotel room while traveling. She did well on the way across to North Carolina from Texas--a little traumatized, but settled quickly, both into the drive, and once we got here. We may have to get her a kitten to play with once we get to Fort Smith - she's loved having the resident cat to scramble around with here.

I'm taking a week off to put the house together, which will require buying a piece of furniture or two (including a replacement bed for the one we're leaving here). Everything else is set up - the rental management team will have someone there on the Friday to get the gas, water and electric turned on, and will make arrangements to either meet us or leave a key for us for Saturday. We've got an air mattress or the futon couch to sleep on until we can get a bed. And already made arrangements to pick up the broadband modem for Internet (key for me to be able to work). Have decided not to worry about hooking up cable TV, as we can pick up almost anything we actually want to watch on one of the Internet sites, either Netflix or Hulu or whatever.

Other than that, we're kind of just deciding on the fly - until we get there, we won't even know what we don't know.

Today and next week, finishing up two more grants and a presentation and getting them out the door, as well as prepping for a board meeting where the two of us grant managers will report to the board for the very first time, and putting together a toolkit for the board to assist in fundraising. I'll work from home during the fourth week of April, then drive down to West Texas for the board meeting and grant presentation the following week, and then drive back up to Arkansas.

More than anything, I want this to be the last cross-country trip moving house. We dream often of finding that permanent place, but it may be just a dream, according to my husband. When he said, "We may just keep moving for the next ten years or so," I didn't hit him or anything. Y'all would have been proud of me!

Off to the races, my chickens, one grant finally uploaded this morning after weeks of work, one of the other two is written and up to the boss for approval, and one more to write in its entirety before turning my attention to the board's needs.

Love y'all! Sorry for the "gotta do" list, but it really helps me get my head around it...
Lisa in NC