WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR AUGUST 2022

Kim: Happy Belated Birthday!

Katla: I am glad you are near your family and your husband is getting great care. Change is difficult even at the best of times and you should be very proud of how well you are handling all of these new developments.

Rebecca: I am so very sorry for your sister's loss ... out-of-order, unexpected deaths seem more painful in some ways. I am praying for you and your family.

Rita: Hugs.

To the new ladies: Welcome!

As you can imagine, the past two weeks have been incredibly busy. My Dad's passing, even though he was 93, was startling as he was physically and emotionally better than he had been in years. Fortunately, my Dad and I had recently been discussing the future and had set up POAs, Living Wills, etc. God's timing in many ways. But now all the work of dealing with insurances, banks, his investments, etc. needs to be done. My Mom is dealing with grief, coupled with declining mental health. And she is most definitely confused. While I spent five days living with her in their assisted living apartment, observed all the reasons why she needs assisted living, and discussed why she needs to move near me ... she is now telling family she is going to look for an apartment. This is a ridiculous statement (she is non-ambulatory, unable to dress herself, and is incontinent and thinks the walls have ears) and living where she is alone without family in the same state is not an option. While I am taking baby steps with her, I can't drag my feet on moving her either.

For the military families out there. My Dad was as patriotic as any American can be. He was in the First Infantry Division of the Army as a bandsman. We requested an honor guard at the gravesite. Not only did we not get one, they never even responded. Saddened me on multiple levels. The funeral director played taps from her phone and she took the flag back to be folded correctly. A few days later, she presented it to my mom.

And here's something for consideration... death certificates are not worth the paper they're printed on. The primary cause of death was semi-accurate, but the contributing factors were sheer fabrication. "For years" he was listed as having chronic and debilitating diseases that he most definitely did not have! Our medical community has some serious problems.

On a positive note, I've lost 13 pounds since July since DH has taken his diabetes diagnosis to heart and we're eating better. He had a recheck of his numbers and they are much better too.

I've been reading along. Thank you to all who wondered how we were doing and expressed your sympathy. I love this group of ladies!

Beth near Buffalo

Beth - Thank you for the update. You are going through so much 💔. 💔 . With grace.

I kept dozing off on the sofa, so I will have to rewatch Shetland, first episode of a new series. Missed most of the second half 😪.

Will sleep upstairs tonight with my fan running.

Love Heather UK xxxxxx

Heather - I hope your son had a success meeting and the temperature wasn’t too bad.

Machka - beautiful colouring. I like the idea of the different mattresses. We don’t have room for a king bed. We were just discussing the size of our home it is about 750 sq feet.

Kelly - I’m glad Tim got some rest. That’s sure helps everyone.

Lisa - 😂 she has said in the past that she doesn’t know what she would do with herself if she retired. A bunch of us gave her lots of suggestions!

Allie - I think Kyle needs some help in controlling the anger it would terrify me.

Vicki - that’s sounds like a terrible position for your driver to be in.

Beth - hugs to you. It’s hard having to tell our parents what is best.

L - welcome

I had ceramics tonight, I got my first glazed piece back. I’m quite happy with how it turned out.



Tracey in Edmonton

Hello to all of you. This will be a long post as I am at home. You can read the first and last paragraph and I won't be offended. I won't even know 😄 I know I said I would be faithful about MFP and the group when I REjoined a few years ago, but, but never gave an explanation. This time, I am trying not beat myself up. The last few years have been crazy. Some years were nuts before I before I disappeared the first time, most after.

My dear sweet husband died in Veterans Home. Thank you to the government for providing a far better environment and care than the $9,0000 plus the cost of medicine and any " extras" charged by the private facility he was in.

The summer after he died, I was in a car accident. I was hit from behind as I was stopped at corner to wait until a person with guide dog was completely on other side of kerb. The kid totaled his car. Skid marks, fluid and parts all over street.

Since then, 2 major back surgeries, having to use a walker, no exercise just PT, and countless minor procedures later, I am the bionic woman. Really. You can almost hear me buzz! I actually have to recharge my battery so my legs function properly. It is kind of funny to have to check my 🔋 and make sure it is has enough power left to get through the day.

Then, my horse died. What I had missed most about the accident, was not being able to rude. But I had the sweetest horse in the world to look forward to riding again. I hope to start therapeutic riding soon. A year later, my pretty kitty died. But, I have a really good group of friends who have been generous, giving, non- judgemental, and understanding. They seem to know what I need before I can form the words. I am very blessed.

Also during this time, my DGD had 2 unsuccessful attempts at CAR-T in the middle of COVID. Then we had to wait for transplant match with COVID still going when she received transplant.
I thank whoever is the donor. You saved a life. The highest form of charity is anonymous giving of something that has no monetary value to someone who will never know who to thank. So I thank the world of good people. Someone who spent many years in defense, intelligence, and law enforcement, always refers to people as neighbors. I think that is a wonderful way to think about people. We all have the potential to be righteous and good to our neighbors. We just need to expand the universe.

But, she ended up with a horrible complication and separate disease that attacked her heart on top of cancer. Somehow she is still going. But almost 10 years with this scourge has taken its toll. Physically certainly. But mentally, as well . The areas she where she is a normal pre-teen are the mouth, texting, and phone. I guess I should be grateful. Now younger sister is sick with something awful that I still don't fully understand. Little one, born at start of COVID, is ok.

I worked through all of this. I did not miss any work because "essential worker". Some of you may remember that I worked in international aid for many years. During COVID, I worked on helping employers and relief orgs to find reliable sources of resources to fight COVID and keep people safe, not just masks and gloves. Our normal work was pushed aside.

This work did make us next on line after first responders for vaccines ( I now have had 4 and will be first on line for the new one) and able to buy a carton of test kits for the office from one of the suppliers. I was grateful I did not have to go to testing center all the time. I was constantly tested so I could relieve DD at hospital.

It was sad that when I walked in hospital to relieve DD while I was wearing a NIOSH N95 mask, nurses asked me where I got it. Better than what they had, and this was in a transplant unit where one would think they would have access to the biggest supplies of the best of everything.

Have also been working on Ukraine relief. The most crucial need is cash, not clothes and furniture. We can't afford to have supply lines clogged with anything other than what they request, mostly very, very specific medical equipment and supplies.
If anyone wants to know how to help here, or for the many food insecure countries, or with refugee settlement, DM me and I can send you list of vetted and reliable aid organizations successfully getting aid to where it is needed. We all say the same thing. Send cash, not stuff.

I am recovering from my second bout of COVID. The first I picked up at a conference 140 minutes from home.
The only way I knew I had it that time was because I had a really bad achy all over headache and decided to test just in case.😩. After a day, the only symptoms were feeling bored and ticked to have to stay in quarantine.

I didn't get it earlier this year in Middle East. However, the current bout is no joke, even with having finished course of PAXLOVID. I picked it up either in US airport where noone it seemed but me was wearing masks, or in Africa. Came home and a day later had bad headache, not jet lag. Well you know the rest of the story.

There is a huge silver lining in this. I have lost 20 pounds with the 2 bouts. I needed to lose weight and I can now at least fit into my pre- COVID wardrobe. However, still not able to fit in pre- accident clothes and haven't even attempted to fit in my riding pants. 20 more to go.

Another silver lining is getting rid of the heavy clothes. A load was dropped off at Goodwill and I have to get someone to take all the other clothes to consignment. If they are in the closet, I can be tempted to eat unhealthy food and junk. So out it all goes.

I resolved not to feel I have to read and post every single day. Before, I felt so guilty about missing days that I gave up. This time, I know I can check in from time to time and feel relaxed about it. And that, my friends and neighbors, is what I am going to do.
With fondness for all of you,
CJ.