Compassion for Physically Challanged Gardeners #15

Thank you, Birdie. I have dyed my hair ever color imaginable over the years. It took me a long time to become comfortable in my skin, but I think I’m getting there. All but my eldest GD inherited my brindled hair and I want those children to grow up feeling more content and comfortable with their appearance than I did. Besides, Jim likes it natural and he is the only one I worry about pleasing these days.
Several of my sisters were stunning beauties. I don’t think my father intentionally meant to be cruel, but he always joked about the crane that had gotten in among his swans. I was the crane. Age is a great equalizer when it comes to appearance, however. My sisters and I laugh about all our petty jealousies and insecurities now, but things like that stay with us a long time. I don’t like face on shots because my weight has gone to my belly and my CHIN. :-0))
Vickie, I have a mitral valve prolapse, a common malformation of a heart valve. I experience arrhythmia sometimes. There isn’t anything new about that. It only gives me trouble if I exert myself too much. The problem is carrying around 50 extra pounds all the time is an exertion. I didn’t worry about it too much at first when I started gaining weight because it was right after I quit smoking. The doctors have given me a thyroid supplement and I have stopped gaining weight. But, the supplement hasn’t done anything to help me lose what I gained before being diagnosed.
Jim WAS a cutie way back when, wasn’t he. The nicest thing about marrying someone you’ve known for a long time is they always carry the images of your younger self in their heads. It colors what they currently see. :-) You always look better to one another than you look to strangers.
Carrie, I had the same problem your DH did when they first put me on cholesterol lowing drugs. They switched me to Lipitor and that dizzy sick feeling stopped and my numbers have been good ever since. You might want to push his doctor to try him on a different one. Kay*

Kay, I thought that was an ugly duckling and you make a great swan.
My grandmother saw to it i had a perm every six months or so.I still keep it pretty much permed.I was the only one in the family wth straight hair.
Kay i feel for your old thyroid problems. I'm slow anyway but then i just drug myself around with no energy.

Kay- We have about the same color of hair and I'm carrying a fair bit more than 50 extra pounds.

I think that is a fascinating haircolor. It is like camelion hair. The color seems to undergo subtle changes in different light. I remember Scraps posted once about how prety you were. Sheri. Has anyone heard how she is? I miss her. Things are tough everwhere, but they are especially hard in her part of the country.
I happened to notice a "Help Wanted" sign when I went out for dog food. On impulse, I applied . It's a fetch -and-carry job at the feed and seed store. They said I was the first woman who ever applied for the job. The job interview consisted of picking up a sack of food from one side of the store and carrying it to the other. lol. I got the usual, "You are a little over-qualified, Sweetheart, but I like your spunk and we will certainly keep you in mind." Being called "Sweetheart" is a sign I'm not going to get a job in my experience. No doubt they are concerned that having a "girl" around they would have to watch their language and clean up their jokes. But, feed stores are like cafes and beauty shops when it come to gossip and local news and they really will keep me in mind. If they are hiring somewhere I am now more likely to hear about it. While I doubt they will hire me, if there is a job opening where someone's sister-in-law's brother works, I'll get a call giving me a heads up.
Vickie, MK is right. There is something fiendish in us that determines our wants. I always wanted naturally straight hair. Are you from that generation where Shirley Temple was the icon for how little girls should look?
It is full dark and the arborist crew just left. It took them perhaps an hour to get the tree down. A woman was organizing the crew. That is probably why it went so smoothly. :-) ~Nadine~

OH yes i was from Shirley Temple era. Even had a Shirley Temple doll. Grandmother had been a hair dresser and thought straight hair was outlandish. Wonder what she'd think today.
Nadine, If that jerk called you sweetheart, You defintely don't want to work for him or even go near him.
I miss scraps too. I had her phone # but have misplaced it. I could look for it online.

Oh, I agree, Nadine is only OUR sweetheart! I'm actually glad for a lot of reasons we didn't move down to NC, and one is that that kind of sexist behavior is just not tolerated up here anymore!

I think waitresses and people over 70 are considered exempt in the south when it comes to sexist speech. . Waitresses routinely call me "Honey." As in, "Would you like grits or hashbrowns with that, honey?" Kay isn't bothered by that. Of course, the same ladies usually address her as "Sugar." "Sugar Pie," on the other hand, is ALWAYS condensending. That one is reserved for children. (Jim)

OK, went to the MD, got albuterol (bronchodilator), antibiotics (just for me; she thinks what with the steroids and the inflammation I'll be more susceptible) and prednisone. She thinks I am in danger of atelectasis which means collapsed lung! Apparently you don't just get it from arrows in your lungs in romance novels, you can also get it from too much bed rest and too many sedatives (and trauma, and blah blah blah). Half of the drugs I take - the anti-pain ones and the anti-spasm ones - are considered sedating. This is scary. This might mean I just keep getting bronchitis over and over until I get pneumonia which I get over and over until I get the one that no antibiotic can kill. 14 years ago when DH and I first met he delicately asked me what effect MS had on life expectancy, and I cheerfully told him "very little," and that the only difference was that I would probably die of pneumonia instead of cancer. 14 years later I am MUCH less active and much more hunched over than I once was .... the hunching is part of the atelectasis. I list to one side which means more fluid collects on one side of my lungs which is the side that keeps getting infected (I'm presuming). YIKES.

You are in my prayers, Carrie!

[hug] carrie

Carrie, Know you are in my prayers too. Gentle hugs. In hospitals they keep unmoving patients turned every couple of hours to prevent pneumonia.
Do they still do that Sheri?

I was thinking the same thing, Vickie. That was a routine task I did for two residents when I worked at Independent Living Apartments in Houston, an apartment complex specifically for para- and quadriplegics. I know that was still the practice in 98 when my mother was battling cancer.
Carrie, did your doctor give you breathing exercises? Shallow breathing and problems with the coughing reflex make people especially vulnerable. I know it is a Catch 22, but you want to avoid hospitals if at all possible. They are breeding grounds for certain types of pneumonia.
Hugs and prayers from everyone here. Kay*

I think the "turn q2h is deffinately still practices for immomile pts. Often, though some patients are not recognised by the staff as unable to change possition withoout assistance. Once again, here is a problem and result of short staffing in hospitals.

I know Sheri, It's so sad. When i was a teenager and worked as a nurses aide. We had 4 pt, sometimes 5. We did nightly backrubs. Bells answered promptly. Now aides have 8+ Not good.
Kay, Not just pnumonia but nasty Staph infections running around too.
Heres to mud baths in natural hot springs.

Here's a bacterial and viral free bear hug for you. ((((Carrie)))) (Jim)

Thank you, thank you for all the germ-free hugs! At least you can't catch anything online!!! Yes, I should be moving more often than I do. I get into my music or my writing or even reading and I don't have the natural restlessness that most people have. Q2h is pretty often!

Yes, and, the flowers you get online don't make you sneeze and wheeze. :-) ~Nadine~

2 days ago I was in the process of 'sitting' on my little yard card cart/garden tool holder . Well I missed the target and sat more on the back edge and went right oback turning over the cart and onto my hips, head hit porch glider. I"M "OK" I guess, It took me a grueling 15 or so minutes to finallu get up. My knees dont work and now are really really sore from sitting so low that they were realy bent much tighter than usual.
Now I can barely walk as both kneees and hip joints are some kind of crazy sore. oh btw I absolutely refuse to have my upcoming decade changer of a birthday. I feel sooooooo old!

Ow, Birdie!!!!! I hate falling...I took a hard one about a month ago, tripped on the sidewalk and went flying forward. I fell hard on my right wrist and left knee. Its healed up all right except for my wrist. X rays showed no breaks so the MD thought it was a tendon pull or something. But thanks to the fibro and age, I think it's going to be a problem from here on out. Argh....if only we could keep from falling!!

That even SOUNDS painful, Sheri! Hopefully, you will have gotten through the more painful part of the healing process by your birthday. I have the big five-o coming in Nov. so I know the feeling.
I used my w/c last week to attend church because of falls. It doesn’t take much anymore to interfere with my balance. The ladies have been moving plants and I stumbled in a small hole that hadn’t been filled yet. I did it two days in a row. They’ve forbidden me to go outside until they are finished digging “man traps.” Neither was a serious fall, such as you had, Sheri, but it made things more painful than usual to walk.
Prayers for a quick recovery. (Jim)

I did not realize just how much pride I had untill now. God is revealing many things to me as I spend more time with Him.

Hugs Sheri and Jim and planti.
I'm working on getting a hovaround.
I've discovered there is a cell phone and service for people on Medicare that has no charges. If it turns out to be legitamate it sure would be helpful to me. I can walk just not far.
You guys take care.

Hi Cando1 this was brought to my attention a while ago by my DD#2 this may help with the cellphone situation not sure but have a look
https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/home.aspx

Thanks Jim , I'll check it out tomorrow. Sounds good. I have all that extra stuff on my phone and seldom use any of it.
Caller ID is nice but certainly not necessary. If i don't know who it is I'm always nosey enough to want to know who it is anyway.I can always hang up on salesmen. I never buy anything by phone unless I've been using them for years anyway. Like Roemons(SP),Pinetree Nursery,and Homestead farms daylillys.
Guess i better amend that. I received my free bloodsugar and blood pressure monitors today. Will have to buy the strips for it. Have'nt got up the nerve to test anything yet. If I do a test I'll have to watch what i eat.ETC!!! I've been very content just guessing.

Gosh, I'm eligible for that b/c of Medicaid. Hmmmmm. Have to check that out - not that particular company but apparently Lifeline is a federal program thart provides phone assistance for disabled people and low income.

Be careful, you guys! I don't fall anymore because ALL my transfers are assisted and I have a lot of help. When I was trying to do it myself, 10-15 years ago, I'd call the fire dept. at least once or twice a month to come pick me up.

New neurologist visit yesterday. Didn't spend a lot of time with me, or do what I would call a thorough exam, which was a little off-putting. Did decide to try me on a medication to maybe help with this Teflon-coated memory. Only thing is...it's prescribed mainly for Alzheimer's. Asked him if he was telling me I was old. LOL. (but it is used for other conditions, too :-)
Carrie, are you familiar with Namenda?

Please, please, please be cautious with the new med, Debra. Just a few days ago the doctors gave a World of Warcraft friend and fellow guild member meds meant to help him with the pain of his migraines. It caused him to have some sort of psychotic episode. Fortunately, he acted on his paranoia and delusions in cyber-space. Aside from making a mess of some legal papers he submitted (He’s an attorney.) he didn’t do damage in the physical world. His wife found him unconscious over the keyboard.
I don’t know exactly what he did on the game because the episode hit its peak in the wee hours of the morning, but because of what he did on the game, he lost all his “reputation points” on WOW. He is currently trying to explain to Blizzard (the game makers and managers) what happened.
Worst of all, test are showing a mysterious gray area in his brain that wasn’t there before. He seems okay, but is not allowed to practice law at the moment. I know they say the reason meds are so expensive in this country is because of all the time and expense spent on the approval process, but I’m beginning to wonder about that. Have you researched the new drug online?
Vickie, seems like my caller ID just tells me "Out of Area" or "ID Not Provided" anyway.
Carrie, I'm afraid it would take the Fire Department with a crane to pick me up. Got to lose this extra weight!. (Jim)

Me too!

I will be careful, Jim. :-) Have some kind of sensitivity to what we believe is a common inert ingredient. Can take generic form of med from one manufacturer, but not necessarily another manufacturer of the same generic med. Peculiar. So I'm faithful, almost neurotic, about reporting any oddball symptoms when starting a new one and generally take them at night, at home, doing nothing much, so a reaction doesn't impact work or driving. Diligent about checking online for side effects and such, too, so I know what might be "normal" with that med and what may be an interaction, etc.

If anyone has watched Addams Family Values, remember the scene where the kids come out of the Harmony Hut and Wednesday "smiles"? That's what my brain felt like the first couple of days on this stuff. Like there were 14 layers of shellac just stretching and crackling and crazing. Not a bad feeling, just EXTREMELY weird. We'll see if it lets the sun shine in. LOL

Please remember in your prayers (those who do) I have fallen hard & fast into a severe deep state on anhedonia.(not been taking care of myself, food, hygiene, even going outside....I just realized that my sudden drop into depression seems to coincide with the start of Trazidone . It was ordered about 5-6 weeks ago as a sleep aide instead of Restoril (dependency issues).......Well I am on another anti depressant that I don't think the 2 mix well

Bless you all my friends. I pray that you and your loved ones have not been in any of the soutnern & east coast tornadoes & storms.

Sheri

Sheri, I can't take Trazadone either. In fact the doctor told me to put it down as being allergic to it. It puts me into a sort of paranoid state. Wish theyed take it off the market. There are other drugs for the same thing without all the bad side effects.
Doctors are on a fad kick right now about not givng anyone drugs that might possible be abused. So the sick and elderly get abused by being denied essential drugs. I hate doctors.We're not teeny bopers looking for a thrill.Anyone looking for thrill drugs can get them on any corner in the country.Off the bandstand now.
Hope you get to feeling better. Keep talking to us.
I'm fighting depression too. Spending as much time outdoors is helping.I am not going to withdraw into a dark hole. I refuse to.I will not.
I have completely cleaned my bathroom.and pantry.Started on my bedroom.Am washing everything washable in the house including my summer clothes. In my sparetime I'm working on my potplants and crocheting. My biggest problem is I can't sleep.Am working on my 3rd night with only a 3 hour nap. The strange thing is I'm not sleepy nor do i have trouble breathing.My ankle and knee are hurting like mad since I've been on them so much. I've wrapped my knee in an ace bandage which helps but I've only got one so the ankle is going unbound. May go to town today and get another one. If i get some sleep. This too shall pass.

thank you Vicki.

I got a good nights (Days) sleep and feel human again.I did cleaning again. Will do more tonight tho i should try to sleep some cause i need to go to town tomorrow.
Keep hanging in there Sheri.
Vickie

Sheri, Kay experienced some wicked withdrawl symptoms when they took her off Trazodone. It may have been because she had been taking 150 mgs. which I think is a rather high dose, but it is something you might want to keep in mind if you decide to stop taking it. I foolishly took one of her Trazodone once. I did sleep, but I felt like a zombie for a few days after I woke up. I know I took far more than a doctor would have prescribed to me, but I would honestly be hesitant to take it again at any dosage. I just didn't feel right for days after I took it.
Nadine has sleep problems, but she won't take a strong sedative. She has a history of sleepwalking and firmly believes sedatives bring on sleepwalking episodes. She introduced me to SleepMax, an inexpensive melatonin and herbal sleep aid carried by Walgreens. Also, switching to a hot bath instead of a shower at bedtime helped me. . (Jim)

right, I dropped to just 1 @night and will probably take the last few every 3rd night a trazidone for a few doses, and then drop to 1 qhas been around since I was practising and that is the way we tapered our patienst next. Tues with . I have an apointment next week with my primary care Dr whom Ireally like and trust . She is Phd and PC and we really click the same age ang lots of similar life experiences.

Sheri, I'm so glad you've found a care provider you can relate to. You get much better care when a doctor is able to see you as a real person and not a diagnosis code.
Have you planned anything special for yourself to celebrate your upcoming birthday?
Vickie, when I tell doctors or nurses that I've never smoked weed or done any kind of street drugs and that I can count the number of times I've drank alcohol on one hand, I don't think many of them believe me. The medical establishment doesn't acknowledge my kind of 20-something even exist. lol. ~Nadine~

Good for you Nadine. Same here (At 70) But am guilty of smoking cigarettes for years.I quit in 1980.
Thats one of the problems with doctors. They lump everyone together into a statistic and no individuals.Thats a shame.
Sheri, Glad you found a good doc too. Is your bithday coming up also? I know Carries is.
I went to town today and had so much fun. Got a blue hydrangia,3 white butterfly bushes,light blue plumbago,yellow sedum,and 3 white double petunias. Hope the hydrangia and butterfly bushes live. They don't look good but i only paid a dollar each for them.
I paid $50 to fill my car with gas. Also had the oil changed and ended up spending $300 on front brakes.Glad they checked things out tho. They are very good to look after my car for me.For some strange reason(goats,dogs,chickens,deer,other wild critters,and mountains) I use my brakes alot up here.My neighbors just bought a motorcycle. Maybe i ought to go that way too. Than i could really be a wild granny goon.LOL
Vickie