WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR MARCH 2020
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margaretturk wrote: »Stress is not the right word for how I feel about all the info coming to me from this site about the Covid-19. It is graditude. I am grateful for all the info that others are sharing about this because it has helped me make good decisions for my health, for the health of my family, and for the health of our health care system.
I was so grateful that Amber posted those pictures from China becasue it gave me time to figure out how I was going to respond to this health threat. I apprecited knowing about the testing because now I know I have to do what I can to stay healthy, and it helps me make better decisions on how I will engage with the outside world. I am grateful to Macha for posting easy to find resources that make it easy to answer questions I might have.
Because of all you I feel I am prepared as best as I can be to be part of the solution to this threat and also how to best protect myself and my family. It also makes me feel I am part of somethig bigger than myself.
We are already in it together as far as this virus is concerned whether we want to be or not.
Already it is touching so many areas of our lives social, financial, health.
Rather than thinking of it adding stress to our lives we switch the paradime and think of it as another challenge we have faced together in this group. Deaths, divorces, major illnesses, loss of jobs, loss of relationships, mental illness...
We have faced these major challenges together and come out on the other side with love and stronger because of sharing on this site.
I said it once before yes one focus of this group is weight loss. I believe we have gone past that to to become a group that works on motivating us to become our healthiest self.
Yes and please keep sharing all the happy moments too grandchildren, dogs, art, flowers, scenery, dancing those feed the soul. We especially need those right now. So thankyou for sharing
Thank you to all of you here and a big Kindergarten hug to all.
Time to get those 7-8 hours of ZZZZZ.
Margaret
Thanks Margaret.
Unfortunately, it is my life now. I work in the "the industry" so to speak. I could throw a paper airplane in my office and hit the group directly coordinating the efforts for all of this right now.
Since I've gone fully online with my university, my life is now:
-- working all day with constant COVID-19 discussion going on around me ...
-- using public transportation and wishing they'd step up their efforts ...
-- hiding out at home trying to focus on my courses, my husband, and my health ...
-- and preparations for a time when I may very well be at home in "lockdown" for 14 days to 2 months.
I'm not stressed about it. It is what it is and for most of us, it'll just be a mild illness.
And this doesn't even begin to compare with being told your husband has a severe brain injury and won't recover. That was the definition of stress ... and continues to be stressful as we keep working toward some sort of resolution.
Funny thing ... our PM just informed all Australians that we should refrain from any overseas travel if at all possible. I just laughed because we (my husband and I) haven't been able to travel overseas because of his brain injury situation in 2 years and who knows when we'll be able to. The rest of Australia has just joined us! 
I keep looking at the positive. FINALLY people are taking hygiene seriously. Flus and colds have been getting worse and worse here because hygiene has been so lax. People standing near each other and touching each other during flu season. People not washing their hands with soap very often. People just sneezing and coughing without precautions. Despite all my best efforts, I've been getting sick for 1-2 months each winter for several years now. But all of a sudden, people are distancing themselves, washing hands, sneezing into elbows, cleaning things ... it's wonderful!!
I hope everyone will keep it up!
I mentioned preparations ... some of my preparations have health and fitness in mind.- Happily, I've got a home gym all set up. If I'm told to stay at home, my plan is to nip down there for 1-2 hours each day to ride my bicycle (Zwift), row, run, and lift weights. I've also got my resistance band collection for stretching and pilates exercises.
- I've also been ordering more or less the usual food I eat when I'm maintaining or losing weight.
- I've got medications sorted ... mostly.
- If I'm at home, I plan to sleep a bit more ... sleep is always good.
- I've dropped in at used book stores and have picked up some novels to read ... and a book on running. I figure I'll be busy with my courses, but if I have some down time, it would be nice to get into a novel. I have quite a few books at home, but these are new to me.
- And I can Zoom and Skype to talk to people.
Machka in Oz7 -
I'm noticing something else ...
All the soap-free, alcohol-free, scented, infused, "nice" stuff is still on the shelves. It doesn't cut it when it comes to cleaning our hands, mouths, and houses.
Makes me think that people who thought they were cleaning during past flus really weren't, and I hope a lot more proper soaps and alcohol-based cleaners will appear now and in years to come.
Actually, it has started ... I found rubbing alcohol in my local chemist for the first time ever!! 11 years I've been in Australia and this is the first time I've seen rubbing alcohol! I was so excited, I bought a bottle!!
M in Oz5 -
I agree with Margaret - the purpose of the measures the government are taking is not to avoid people getting the virus, but to flatten the peak out so that the health services can cope with those who need intensive care. Most of us are going to get it, unless you take extreme precautions. Those who are immune compromised should definitely do that. And that also means those they live with. We have no immunity to this virus. Most of us will have it moderately. They actually want people to get it in managed stages so that the community builds up immunity for the future.
I actually, very unusually for me, liked our PM yesterday when he said at the press conference that many families were going to lose loved ones before their time. It is inevitable.
The medical people have known all this from the beginning. We are all in this together.
My current concern is getting my money back from Saga. I am worried the company may collapse so I want my money back. Many companies will be going out of business.
Other than that, , I slept better, I'm eating pretty well, I'm exercising more. Alcohol consumption the same. Spring is all around. Occasionally we see some sun! My cold is just carrying on, but not dreadful. Today I ice the birthday girl 's cake.
I will get it out of the freezer in a minute. Very unusually for us we will go by car to my son's tomorrow and use a parking voucher. Got to transport a decorated cake.
We haven't used the car for well over a month. I hope it starts!
Salmon tonight?
Lots of love to all. I am not religious, but the serenity prayer is a good one.
Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx7 -
I think we are all extremely informed (virus)! I vote no more information. We all hear it every where we go. I really enjoy baby pictures, weight loss victories and challenges, prayer and support requests...
Unless one of us is personally affected such as Heather’s trip, personally ill or family then we are here to support you. I think we still need joy and hope in our lives. Have no fear.
Mary from Arizona/Minnesota6 -
Hi @Machka9,
Also in the industry. Spent the last two days in my private practice rather than in the office, where I too could throw a paper plane at the planning teams.
This weekend I'm talking to my Dad who is in a supported living facility how we will care for him if he gets sick. He's in his 80s so we will also have to talk through things like DNRs if he gets sick.
Mum is all organised on the DNR front, our big challenge here is both my partner and I are in community areas with high exposure risk. We share a house with Mum, so just need to plan out self-isolation with illness as an outcome.
I suspect I'm going to be seconded onto the coms team when I get into the office on Monday...25 years of talking health means I'm pretty good at sounding reassuring...and I know how to run a social media campaign better than our coms officer.
I will keep the gym up but will also do my best to walk to work 3 times a week. I know my mental health suffers if I don't.
I've got a bowls tournament in a couple of weeks assuming it's not cancelled, so need to do the weight training that builds my core.
I am hungry and just about out of calories for the day...bugger. Finding the early part of the day much easier than the late. At least I have 200cals more on the weekend days ;-P
Off to put washing through the machine
Kiwibowler AKA Helen
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Wanted to share the other weight watcher in our house - Jack the Tripaw. He has stay slim because of his missing limb.4
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Hi Helen!
Awkward situation for you, but you sound prepared and sanguine.
I've never visited NZ, and can't see it with DH not keen on long haul and having a brother he doesn't want to visit in Australia (long story) , but one day, you never know.
Have you read that running book? I can't remember the title right now, but it begins with Pants. I loved it. About running from the south to the north of NZ.
I think I've read every running book in print. I only started at the age of 68 and have been shuffling along for over 2 years now. The weather has meant I'm doing it less often and my cold is keeping me away from the windy seafront, but in general I love it. I always used to persuade myself that I couldn't run because I had a bad knee, but that is not true.
I take a lot of exercise because I am retired and have the time. I am very fortunate. We have a small room with three exercise machines, so I have no excuse. My DH is a demon exerciser, so his example has changed my life. Until nearly 8 years ago I was a couch potato, overweight and extremely unfit. Everything ached, especially my knee. Now, for my age, I feel pretty good, though I do love my food and drink.
Thanks for joining us. :flowerforyou:
Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx
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Kiwibowler wrote: »Hi @Machka9,
Also in the industry. Spent the last two days in my private practice rather than in the office, where I too could throw a paper plane at the planning teams.
This weekend I'm talking to my Dad who is in a supported living facility how we will care for him if he gets sick. He's in his 80s so we will also have to talk through things like DNRs if he gets sick.
Mum is all organised on the DNR front, our big challenge here is both my partner and I are in community areas with high exposure risk. We share a house with Mum, so just need to plan out self-isolation with illness as an outcome.
I suspect I'm going to be seconded onto the coms team when I get into the office on Monday...25 years of talking health means I'm pretty good at sounding reassuring...and I know how to run a social media campaign better than our coms officer.
I will keep the gym up but will also do my best to walk to work 3 times a week. I know my mental health suffers if I don't.
Kiwibowler AKA Helen
I wonder if I'm going to be seconded as well. Or moved. Twice now, in about 3 days, we've had someone come through with a removalist to have a look at everything. Most of the admin staff have been seconded already and one person in my immediate area is working on something with the data. Because I also work with data, that might be the area I'm required to work.
I'm not worried about getting it ... I expect I will.
However, pulling out of attending classes in person was definitely a step in the right direction!
I am also considering ways to reduce my public transportation use. I've been an advocate for public transportation use ... till now. Your comment about walking to work made me think that I should get off at the first stop in the city and walk from there. That would shorten my time on the bus and increase my walking.
I'd like to ride my bicycle the whole way, and could, but bicycle parking is an issue ... there isn't enough in my building and bicycles aren't allowed up in the offices. So then I've been thinking about using my folding bicycle for part of the trip and I wonder: Will the bus allow me to bring my folding bicycle on board? If I stuff my folding bicycle into a carry bag (which I have), will I be able to cart it into my office without any building managers suspecting it's a bicycle? It's a hassle.
So although I'm not worried about having to stay home or getting it ... I am a little bit worried about my parents (but I hope they've been preparing) and I am worried about my husband.
If I can stay home, that's OK. But if I end up in hospital, that's a problem. I can't leave him home alone.
(It's also a pet peeve of mine to see misinformation.)
Machka in Oz5 -
What a topsy turvy day!Nothing went according to plan. Woke at 2:30 to no power. Snuggled back in to sleep for a few hours, got up, boiled water for tea (thankful for propane stove), fed dogs (thankful for various LED flash lights, lanterns, emergency lights). Joe powered up the generator and plugged in the fridge. Took Shadow to groomer for her first bath. When I asked if I could stay (since it was her first time), the groomer said, no, we'd have to postpone to April as she had every minute scheduled. Then she said she's cutting back and it would be better if I found someone else who would let me stay. Picked up packages at Post Office, came home and talked it over with Joe. Maybe the groomer didn't want me to see how she handled the dogs (though she let me stay the first three times I brought Tumble in.) She did say she'd been bitten recently by a big dog, and Shadow at 6 months is 40+ pounds and quite tall. Joe and I agreed that it just didn't sound right and that I would look for another groomer or even try to do it myself. I'd need to invest in a waist high tub, a ramp, a table and a dryer- and it would be a lot of work.Hooray for hot and cold running water and flush toilets!!!
Without power there was so much I couldn't do, vacuum, laundry, even continue cleaning the stove and parts. After 12 hrs without power, our water holding tank ran low. I was able to assemble the Stability ball chair frame and Dyson Stick vac that I picked up at the post office.
As I was filling a bucket from the rain barrel (for flushing) I heard a woman's voice call "Barbara". Our end-of-the-lane neighbor had driven up to see if we had any info about the outage. This gal is in her early 80s and lives independently. From prior conversations (on Next Door) I'd asked how she felt about dogs, thinking to walk them down the lane meet her. She confessed she's afraid of dogs, especially large ones. Today she drove up to the house and bravely got out of her car despite our barking pack. The poor dear was chilled to the bone, can't use her wood burning stove. We ushered her into the house, Joe built up the fire in the wood stove, and I made her a pot of tea. She had been shivering and was so grateful that I wasn't conscious of the dilapidated and hairy state of our home. We (Joe included!) visited for over an hour when the power finally returned. I'm glad we got to know her better and am especially proud of Joe. He told her to call us if she needed help. Joe's "persona" is curmudgeonly and I usually forget that that's just the mask. When the chips are down, he comes through.
Then heard from the laptop guy that he needed my power supply and laptop password in order to do the work. Drove into town and dropped it off, another day's delay. [sigh]
Went off the rails eating and drinking wine. Tomorrow is BB&B and line dancing, if not cancelled due the state of emergency. Pfaugh. Oh well if cancelled, I'll have time to finish the stove and test the new vacuum
Katla ((hugs)) good to know about Oregon DMV and accidents, thanks! Hope DH is feeling better and that your day is peaceful, restorative and fun!
Helen in NZ LOL I
your non measurement based outcome. In my dreams!
Machka so glad you're able to do uni online. What a relief! Congrats on your high marks, we never doubted you. LL&P!
Lisa thanks for the update, have missed your writing.
Michele $500 for rx?!? And I thought Joe's $350 eyedrops were outrageous. SMH.
Tere hoping the biopsy results clearly point to a quick fix. Have you tried soaking in lukewarm epsom salts?
Allie You've got this. What Amber said. One step at a time. ((hugs))
Lanette thanks for the COVID19 info. Good to know both the symptoms and viability.
Beth "... learn what we need to learn and move on" Amen, sister, amen!
Margaret "We have faced these major challenges together and come out on the other side with love and stronger because of sharing on this site." You bring a tear to my eye. That is exactly how I feel about the wonderful wise compassionate women on this thread. One thing for me to be grateful about for being overweight!
Amber I have no potty training tips, as never had children, BUT... re, member Mama saying that as long as I was in nice soft absorbent diapers, I was not motivated. Once I was in pants with rubber outers that held thera cold liquid in close to my skin, training proceeded apace.
Lighter Lovelies!
Barbara the S. Oregon Coastie AHMOD.
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If there are people on this thread who are consistently posting topics that cause anxiety (virus), it is easy to customize your view by clicking on those names and choosing to ignore them for awhile. This puts their posts into ghost mode. It can easily be undone.4
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I just chose to ignore Heather & Machka but not Barbara (for demonstration purposes only of course):
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For the record, I appreciate the links to factual information about the novel coronavirus.3
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Karen - Glad it was only a demo. I didn't know about that facility, so thanks.
Saga have just announced on the news that they are cancelling their cruises until sometime in May! Hooray, hooray!
My guess is that someone at the top asked Boris Johnson to make that announcement yesterday so they could proceed with Foreign Office advice. They certainly held on until the last possible moment in order to get the most rebookings possible. We want our money back in case they go bust, even if they offer an incentive to amend.
Just to put it in context, in case people think I am making a lot of fuss about nothing. My share of the cruise money is more than half my annual income. For the two of us it is a quarter of our joint income.
We will keep the money in a savings account for another cruise next Spring or early summer when we know the financial situation in the cruise industry.
So. Progress. I expect they are ringing round passengers at the moment. Ours was due to go April 11th, so we won't be the first priority. I'm not going to even try to ring them at the moment.
Much love. Going to the fish market this afternoon. It was too windy and showery yesterday.
Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx6 -
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8888881
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Hello, all,
My opinion, and this is the only time I will say it here, is that the media-driven scare stories make a person who would ordinarily simply stay home with the flu and treat the symptoms go running to the hospital because they think they're going to die--which will do exactly what authorities fear and overload the medical establishments.
I urge all of you not to share and transmit the fear stories and any information that isn't substantiated--they don't help, and can be quite detrimental. I also very much appreciate those of you who keep a level head, do what you can to make your situation safe and understand that our determination as a group to be healthy is the best possible defense against what's happening.
And I do love y'all, but bluntly, I get bombarded from every side about the situation with the virus. It's why I say little if anything about it here, both for your sake and my own. As long as this is the main topic of conversation here, I will have little or no response. I'll read, but don't have anything else to say other than repeating the message above over and over again.
Rebecca, thank you for your message, and I really appreciate the pics of Athena! Here's my contribution to the parade of grands:
Young Levi, getting cuter by the minute - he's now nine weeks old, and you can watch him change and grow, it's all happening so fast. Very smiley baby, and content the vast majority of the time.
Levi's big sister Haley, who will be five years old next week:
Oh... and I love my daughter and the babies (obviously), but had to hide my face so I didn't laugh out loud last night when she announced she was staying one more night. The look of dismay on my husband's face was fleeting (thank goodness) but very obvious. Luckily, she wasn't looking at his face at that moment, she was changing Levi.
Love y'all,
Lisa in AR
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Meanwhile ... it's the weekend and I'm home. And I'm home for the whole weekend!
However, I do have plans ...
1) I have an assignment due on Monday. I have started it but I need to get it done.
2) Because both my courses are online, I need to set up regular times to work on each. I need to get organised!
3) I need to run some experiments to see if I can access a few things from work at home. Not expecting much but it will give me an idea what might need to be done.
4) I need to see if I can make an appointment with my dentist for one day next week. The remaining bit of tooth has cracked away from the new filling. Bah!
5) We might need to zip out to Bunnings ... maybe.
6) Exercise!!
Machka in Oz3 -
Good Friday the 13th
It is my son in laws birthday. I was going to make brownies then remembered a tray of pre-made in the freezer from one of the grandchildren fundraiser. He got a massage gift certificate from me for birthday.
I took zyrtec last night and got almost 8 hours sleep. After visitation tonight will swing by store to pick up a few odds and ends (hopefully). The lines yesterday at the groceries went all the way to the backs of the stores.
Barbara oh I remember the days of no power and a well. Hurricane Ike hit us in Ohio. We were without power for 10 days. I learned to cook lots on the grill. We had a generator for freezer, fridge, and furnace. Went to friend's home for showers. Brought water home from work (only lost power there for one day). We are now on city water, have a propane stove, and have a bigger generator! There is a pigtail on our furnace to make it easier to hook up to generator as well. So thankful your neighbor worked through her fear of the dogs to seek help. Villages are hard to come by in these times!
I have to quit the processed food. Had tyson's airfried chicken again last night. Quick and easy. Joints hurt badly this morning.
Thank you ladies for keeping us informed as well as sharing flowers, babies, and pets. This is my village!
💞💞
Kylia in Ohio washing hands lots!0 -
Lisa- I understand about the grands. We are so use to being 2, that when more are added to the house it gets a little overwhelming. You are right the kids change so quickly! One day they are babies, then overnight they are young people.
HeatherUK yay on the cruise line decision. That should give you some peace.
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Lisa - Adorable pics! I can only stand my much beloved grandchildren for very short periods, especially if there is more than one at a time. Excited to see them come. Delighted to see them go.
Here is Saga's offer. I need to know if the "voucher" is covered by ABTA if Saga goes bust. The 2021 brochure is coming out on March 24th so would be able to book v soon.
Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx6 -
cityjaneLondon wrote: »Lisa - Adorable pics! I can only stand my much beloved grandchildren for very short periods, especially if there is more than one at a time. Excited to see them come. Delighted to see them go.
Here is Saga's offer. I need to know if the "voucher" is covered by ABTA if Saga goes bust. The 2021 brochure is coming out on March 24th so would be able to book v soon.
Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx
Heather - I would take the money back now. While 25% extra is great, 100% now is better in my book than 125% you may or may not be able to use. If you take the voucher and then decide to not use it (for whatever reason), you can't get a cash refund until the voucher runs out in two years. They will probably have a large number of vouchers expire at the same time, so who knows how long the refund process will take at that time. I will be the first to say I don't know how bankruptcy laws work in the UK, if this were the US and the company went bankrupt, the voucher amounts, although large to each person, will be such a small amount of what the company owed overall when it went kaput that the individual people would never see a dime.
Okie in the TX Hill Country5 -
Morning! My kitchen will get a deep clean today!
I can relate to both opinions expressed about our corona virus posts, I skim when I need to.
Barbara lucky neighbor to make a new friend in you and your DH.
Beth rachel is staying in geneseo with online courses -she has a great apt and 2 awesome friends she’s living with. She will graduate that is the main thing (ceremony is not a certainty).
Love all you ladies.
NYKAREN
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Okie - I'm thinking the same thing. In the UK a booked holiday is covered by ABTA, but I don't know if that applies to a voucher. Probably not.
Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx4 -
3) I need to run some experiments to see if I can access a few things from work at home. Not expecting much but it will give me an idea what might need to be done.
Machka in Oz
So ... a few of my work things work at home! I can book leave and take the short online courses they keep encouraging us to take. Not overly helpful. I'll have to ask for home access for a couple other things.
BTW - because we don't know if we're going to be sent home or moved or whatever, I've taken the opportunity to clean my office area ... specifically to clean out my office area.
I've been in that particular office for about 4 years now and have amassed personal stuff there like shoes, greeting cards just in case I need them for something all of a sudden, a brand new spare pair of socks, boxes of tea I've never even opened, food, etc.
So I've been bringing a few things home each day.
It's probably not a bad idea ... there are a few things which are past their use-by dates!! Plus it's a chance to organise things. Kind of a fresh start. I do feel better when I've got an organised work space.
Machka in Oz6 -
HEATHER glad you have decision on cruise
We're a bit stressed at the moment as DH has a heavy cold and bad chest he's had it for just over a week sure it's not Corona but we are due to fly to Spain on Tuesday I may be going alone
Kate UK5 -
Morning Ladies~I am up and having my tea..
I could not sleep for the life of me and then remembered I had adivan.. I took 1/2 and then had to take the other 1/2 and finally got to sleep.. so much running through my mind,,
my granddaughters school will be closed for 2 weeks so I will have her for that time...
right now I am taking things a day at a time.. without trying to freak out...6 -
grandmallie wrote: »right now I am taking things a day at a time.. without trying to freak out...
That's all any of us can do.
That's all I've been doing for 2 years now ... with the occasional "freak out" moments.
I keep telling myself "one day at a time" and "we won't know till we get there". That second one was a 'mantra' for my husband and me from the time we started our relationship. Any time either of us would start to worry, we'd tell each other "we won't know till we get there". So we plan and prepare and try to get all our ducks in a row (or at least in the same pond) ... and see what happens.
All the best!
M in Oz
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LISA ~ Thanks for your comments. I totally agree!
Carol in GA3 -
Allie I'm learning deep breathing techniques for my singing so I have enough air to properly sustain notes. The up side of deep breathing is it calms you down.
When you deep breath you keep your shoulders down and breath deep enough that your stomach comes out as your diagram goes down.
I also go to meditation music and listen to the ones that have piano and scenes from nature. I mentioned this before in how helpful I found listening to this in times of intense stress.
I say enjoy your granddaughter and give yourself some slack. You are not alone. Margaret 4
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