how about drinking?

camillegal

Mornin ladies,

Illi pray better imaging shows no problems. They look at everything with skepticism once this damn cancer has happened and more than likely it's nothing.

Wow JC u have plans already. It's a good feeling to stop for a while, it's almost like recharging your whole body.

Celia glad u pooped in but u should spend good time with ur family, it's so important.

Lori I didn't mean it literally but that's an OLD movie, remade plenty of times. A man has his picture painted and every year it starts looking older but he stays the same,' so he covers it up and puts it in the attic. While he lives this young life for many many years the pic. just gets really bad. Now I didn''t explain the whole thing cuz it doesn;t have anything to do with u, except to say ur looking good girl. BTW I like that drink looks yummy.

Have a good Monday

LUBS U ALL

goldie0827

Celia, thank you for the VERY NICE compliment. Good luck on finding the right gym.

BG go figure, 1 darned day! Assume you are staying at Harrah's? If you want good drink service, our friend works at the Colorado Belle. She is very tall (6'), thin, long dark hair and very pretty. She is from Poland and her name is Basia. However, the Belle is probably one of the not so very nice casinos along the river, especially down on the end where the brewery is, we call it the dungeon!

Cami, thanks for the explanation on the movie. I had never heard of it.

NM, a leak in the basement is not good. I hope it's an easy fix.

Windy here today, how about you Jazzy? Might go and get my labs today, but really don't want to. But that's every time. I just hate hate hate this time of the month. Getting labs done every 6 weeks for the last 5 years!

DOTD: The Old Fashion (since that is what most of us are)

Ingredients:
1⁄2 tsp Sugar
3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 tsp Water
2 oz Bourbon

Add the sugar, bitters and water into a rocks glass, and stir until sugar is nearly dissolved.
Fill the glass with large ice cubes, add the bourbon, and gently stir to combine the flavors.
Express the oil of an orange peel over the glass, then drop in.

Jazzygirl

Hi friends- hope everyone had a decent weekend. I got a couple overdue things done like a hair cut, and started back to swimming yesterday. It felt REALLY good to get back in the water after a couple months and going to focus next on getting my swimming fitness back after loosing a lot of it last year with having to stay out of the pool a lot with eye things, etc. I also finished the first week on my South Beach Phase 1 diet and am down 5.6 lbs the first week. Going later today for some food to begin the second week.

JCS- so glad you got positive feedback from your primary care doc. Mine has been instrumental for me too, and I have gone to her a couple times when I needed help around things going on with my BS (she is a bit rogue with trying to control some things she shouldn't, drops the ball on others she should be doing for me). I bet it felt good to get that feedback and support. I wish you continued improvement and hope you get that trip to Houston planned.

And that school that got hit by the tornado in your area was just on the local news here as part of some bad weather this weekend. Glad nothing bad in your area.

CeliaC- so good to hear you are enjoying retirement. I hear you on the not having to get up early thing. When I am on my breaks between contracts (as I am right now), the nicest thing is to be able to have a deeper sleep at night as well as not having to get up with the alarm unless I have an apt for something unrelated to work. Keep on enjoying sister!

Cami- your cat gifs crack me up, keep those coming!

Goldie- we had a lot of wind here on Thursday in to Friday. Sat and Sun were nice and warmer and less breezy, but the weather guy on the news right now says the winds are coming. I know the "big winds" as they call them out here in the west that come in the spring usually start here by February (now two weeks away). Sounds like snow later in the week too.

NM- how are you and Miss Sadie doing? Are you back to working a more regular schedule?

Got some business things and home things to do today, but going for a long overdue facial today with two gift certs I got over the holidays. I have home improvement stuff, professional org stuff and more deep cleaning to do around here this week too.

Wishing everyone a good week and will pop in with any newsworthy updates!

illimae

Yes, it was Harrahs, unfortunately, the trip is now off for me. Heard back from MDA today, meeting with neurosurgeon on Tuesday and assuming I agree to the recommendation, I’m scheduled for a Craniotomy next Wednesday. So, basically they’ll cut into my skull and remove the necrotic brain tissue (and underlying tumor, if there is one), then staple me up. Really horrifying to think of but I’m trying to look at it with my usual optimism.

I’ll update as I know more. DOTD was red wine, lots of red wine.

camillegal

Oh Illi I'm sorry ur trip is off but more sorry for the reason it's off. This damn disease is just to much an right when u think things are going better it might snap it's ugly head right back in. My sister had this done and things turned out fine for her, she has a little plate in there but she did say the operation was not bad. If that helps.

Lori I know these tests are a PITA and always praying for good results. All this sucks.

Jazzy u are newsworthy, u always have things going on that ur doing, it's actually wonderful so keep it up for us.

Where is Kim, did I miss something??? She better be fine or I missed something <as usual>

OK just passing by and had to poop in;

Everyone relax and have a good night's sleep or have an extra drink or something.

LUBS U ALL

ChiSandy

Oh, Ilona, praying the surgery gets that necrotic tissue and tumor. Given the choice, I'm sure you'd have preferred "rocket science" over "brain surgery," but it is what it is and I hope that what it is turns out okay.

JCS, yay on the scans and the chemo vacay!

Actually, that "movie" ("movies," actually) was based on a very famous story by Oscar Wilde, "The Picture of Dorian Gray." It's engendered an expression we use to compliment someone who seems not to have aged a bit, saying there must be a hideous picture hidden away in their attic.

Lori, you have barely aged at all! I remember that flip we all had in the early-to-mid '70s--when I was in law school we called it the "Farrah do" after Farrah Fawcett from the original "Charlie's Angels." I didn't own a curling iron back then, either, just a blow-dryer and round brush. Fast forward a couple of years to the '76 Winter Olympics, and everyone seemed to be sporting a "Hamill wedge" pageboy cut (tougher to maintain than it sounds unless your hair was stick-straight, which mine wasn't--it'd always wave instead of turning under). I don't have any photos of me back then, but I do have a portrait done in charcoal--I was too vain to wear my glasses, and I was still a brunette. Had my grays not started to come in yellowish & wiry, I might never have gone blonde. But blonde I've been ever since 1982!

Karen, welcome back. And Mary, time sure flies--it seemed like only yesterday when Anorable was the same age as Evelyn is now.

So where have I been? Here at home. Weather has been up & down, and I caught a cold just after getting over pertussis. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm okay for my Feb. 7 gig at Two Way Street in Downers Grove. Flu is going around now like wildfire--and it's two strains (B Victoria and H1N1 "swine") that this year's vaccine doesn't protect against. (Although the official line is that if you had the shot, which I did, if you get one of those two strains you'll get a milder case). My niece in VA came down with the B strain. But none of the three strains are resistant to Tamiflu. So we're going to get a script to have on hand.

Also been having bad neck & shoulder pain, which I'd attributed first to my pillow, so I got one that was top-rated by Consumer Reports. Seemed to make it worse. I took Tylenol & CBD and slathered on the lidocaine at bedtime but the CBN "night serum" made my throat scratchy--probably triggered some mild reflux. (Eventually had to go downstairs and take a spritz of Indica spray tincture to fall asleep). Took a Celebrex this a.m., and was fine all day. Then after I cooked, I put on my apron and sat down to eat dinner in my recliner. Kept it on, and--owwwwch! Turns out that the "pull" from the neck loop was making me sit unnaturally. So it's back to the topicals...and one more round of the meds. Oh--and take off the apron and put on a sloppy sweatshirt over my clothes to eat. (I cannot eat anything, it seems, without wearing it).

I spent most of the week shopping, running errands, and reorganizing stuff, until the snow hit over the weekend. I'm now in size M or Chico's size 1 tops and either size 12 or Chico's size 1.5 pants. And all those new clothes are making me paranoid about getting them dirty--seems the food stains I get are the kinds that never come out completely, and my boobs catch the sauce drips before they can hit the napkin on my lap, hence the apron. I vowed I'd never turn into my mom (when she lived in FL, she and her friends used to wear these gold lamé bibs or have these chains with clips that turn napkins into bibs--drycleaning is expensive), but I now carry just such a chain in my purse and I'm not too proud to use it in public. Maybe I will try a bib at home rather than the apron. (My old chef jacket is heavy & hot).

And I've been spending a lot of time over on Quora.com--but I've just about had it with them. The questions people ask are incredibly stupid (e.g., "what kind of crystal heals fractures" or "what essential oils cure cancer") --I think that they do that on purpose due to Quora's "Partner" program. I was invited to join it, but it turns out you don't get paid to write cogent answers to questions--instead, you get paid to ask questions that will provoke people to try to answer them on pages with clickbait ads; for every click-through you get paid. Thanks but no thanks. I don't suffer fools gladly (which is why I never had the patience to teach) and I won't play the fool just to pad my purse.

And another reason I haven't been posting much is that typing is becoming a royal pain, due to my stupid MacBook "butterfly" keyboard repeating keys attt (see what I mean?) random, forcing me to keep going back and endlessly editing. I'd take it back to the Apple Store, but from what I hear, they just replace the keyboard with a refurbished one, which has the same problem. Not just that, but in order to do that I'd need to back up my computer, but I've tried two drives now, and the backup stalls on both of ttthem (oh, not again!). Sometimes it's the "r," other times the "e," but tonight it's the "t" key

So I'm going to just hit my medicine cabinet and hope I can fall asleep despite the sore neck. (I don't want to take an opioid--it'll only plug me up).

NativeMainer

good morning Loungettes! Doing a quick poop in, that leak I found in the basement has wet some of the wire so the circuit that my computer is on is currently off until I can get electrician in to look at things.. So I am doing this entry by using my Kindle to read in my phone to dictate, we’ll see how it goes! Sadie says good morning to everybody.


Canny— Wow that’s quite a surprise your sisters grandson dropped on you all! Getting married out of the blue like that? I hope that works out for them.

Goldie— That drink looks yummy yummy yummy! I hear you about the 12 hours of sleeping too. Sometimes that’s just what we need.

I’ll— Sorry to hear about the uncertainty, that’s never much fun. But happy birthday ahead of time, and I hope it’s a very very good one. Keep checking in when you can!

Celia— So glad you are enjoying retirement! Good for you for keeping moving to.

Librarian—The idea of a tornado being so close to you scares me silly. I can’t imagine living with that kind of weather threat. It’s always good to have time to catch up with friends and family. Your niece is on her third divorce ? Holy cow. Are used to do freezer meals, really should get back into that habit. It’s a really good one to have. And a really nice thing to do for your friend who is recovering from knee surgery too.

Goldie— With the wet patch on the basement wall being right where the electrical line is sparking and tripping off the breaker, I have a feeling this is it going to be such a small fix. But time will tell first I’ve got to get an electrician in to take a look at things and we’ll go from there. Love the old fashion drink, I like to think I’m kind of old-fashioned myself.

Jazzy— Sadie and I are back to a bit more regular schedule, I am working a little bit later tonight to do a CPR class, but that should be it for the odd stuff until the weekend. I am doing a 12 hour shift on Sunday again, but I will have Monday off so that’ll be OK.

I’ll— Oh my, not the kind of thing anybody wants to hear about her go through. I’ll be praying for you. That sounds so scary.

Cammy— I’ve been off for a couple of days due to electrical issues in the house. The circuit that the computer is plugged into is off until I get the leak fixed. So I’ve either got to find some heavy duty extension cords, move the computer, or figure out another way to deal with the whole computer thing for a bit. Otherwise Sadie and I are doing pretty well.

Chi—I get caught up in Quora once in a while too it’s awfully easy to waste an off a lot of time scrolling through some of those stories. I hope your neck is feeling better soon.I hope your neck is feeling better soon. There’s nothing worse than a sore neck to ruin your day.

mistyeyes

Illimae - I will be thinking of you. Hoping for the best results.

Jazzygirl

Good morning friends- got the plumber coming soon so will keep this to a shortie.

Ill- I am really sorry to hear the news about needing the procedure to deal with what was found in your recent MRI. Stupid cancer. I would be scared too, but I am before just about any surgery. We will be in your pocket for the day of the surgery so do let us know when that is. Prayers for good outcomes here sister. You hold that trip to Laughlin for the future when you are better and ready for a get away.

Chi- I was wondering where you were and sorry to hear about the cold. I have heard the colds going around this season are brutal. And hope your neck is feeling better too friend. You are brave one to be on Quora.

NM- eek, the leaks are creating electrical problems. You need a good once over on the house by someone to be sure you get everything addressed. My parents used to have problems with leaks in the basement back east and found out there was a small crack in the foundation. Should you look for this too?

Glad your hours are returning to normal too. I was out to the grocery store yesterday and could not believe how many people were there. I was wondering if it was a holiday, is MLK today? Nope, that is next week. I wondered why all these people were not at work and then thought, they are probably weekend work warriors.

Cami- you are so cute. I think a lot of my stuff is not really that newsworthy, pretty mundane but liking the routines right now. I was at the spa yesterday getting a long overdue facial. Came away looking hydrated and refreshed.

Wishing everyone a good Tuesday!

camillegal

goldie0827

BabyGirl, I'm so very sorry to hear of the recent news. Wish I could give you a hug and can't blame you on the "lots" of red wine. I know for me, I would be a hot mess. Does this cause you any pain? Was it just found from scans? Is this an out patient procedure/surgery? How did you win your trip, and I hope none of them gave you trouble with airfare and room reservation. Sorry for all the questions.

Sandy, funny you mention Farrah, I was called that alot. I can remember one time walking down the street and someone hollering at me, "hey Farrah". I didn't really look like her, in my opinion, it was just the hair. Never did short styles. Sorry you are not feeling well and hope it clears soon. Wearing your meals made me think of my DH, always getting greasy butter stains from movie popcorn and we laugh and talk about getting him a bib, which they do make adult bibs. I once leaned into some BBQ ribs at Texas Roadhouse, hitting it with my breast, right at the nipple, wearing a white shirt!

NM, you be very very careful please. Water and electricity don't mix, but I'm sure you are aware of that! And hopefully Sadie doesn't go in the basement.

Jazzy, almost bumped you into the pewl, but certainly you wouldn't mind that at all! How are things with your SIL?

This bib comes with a necklace! I wouldn't want to get it dirty.

Not a very good day for me emotionally yesterday. Just so scared to look at my labs.

goldie0827

DOTD: Electric Lemonade

1 oz. Vodka

1 oz. Blue Curacao

2 oz. Lemonade

1. Add vodka and lemonade to an ice filled glass. Shake well.
2. Add ice to serving glass and pour the mix over. Add blue curaçao.
3. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a cherry

camillegal

Mornin ladies,

Ooo Kim please get that electrical issue fixed ASAP. Anything electrical can be tricky and it's best to just take care of it. I know it can be a money stretch but have 2 estimates and see what ur up against and make sure they explain it to you so u know they're on the same track. There are times u get estimates and they are not trying to fix the same thing, I know u know plenty about this stuff, but unless u have someone u trust completely just get the quotes please.

Ah Sandy ur've been having a rough time of it lately. I thought maybe u were out of town, would rather have hear that. But anything goes with all of us now so I was concerned. LOL and yes that movie was out in the med 40's with Helmut Dantin <sp> as the star. Don't know why I remember such a silly thing but I liked that movie. And u'd better not be catching anything cuz this thing has u down for a while an being in pain is lousy. I know I usually have short periods when my pain is very tolerable but most of the time it sucks. I hear myself groaning which I hate to hear cuz I don't like anyone hearing that.

Misty hope ur doing OK. U haven't been saying to much and it's worrying.

Bob stopped by when he was finished working for a few, I always like that, he's so very nice.

The weather is all iffy here sleet, snow, rain u' think it was winter or something, Im suppose to go out with my GF's from HS Wed. hope the weather is decent. My niece is coming today instead of tomorrow for my shower, sounds good to me She's another sweetheart that helps me lots, as u know. I haven't been to a restaurant in a while so I'm looking forward to it, I love to pick from a menu, such possibilities. LOL

Hope everyone has a good day and when results come in please let us know.

LUBS U ALL

illimae

Thanks for the well wishes, I really appreciate it!

Goldie, the trip was an email offer. I'll be canceling it today, they could charge me $400 for canceling but hopefully they won't or maybe I could reschedule, fingers crossed.

Edited to add: No pain associated with it but the area of likely necrosis increasing in size can lead to very unpleasant things like swelling, seizure, etc, so something needs to be done.

goldie0827

BabyGirl, they better not charge you. Play that cancer card and tell them you would still like to go, but...…….! And would be so gracious if they would allow that.

Jazzygirl

Goldie- my SIL is still the same, in rehab and not improving. I believe her Medicare days will be running out soon, but the plan is for her to stay there for the duration at a staggering cost. My SIL begs my sister to bring her home, but with the permanent vent and feeding tube, there is no way for that to happen. She's been on permanent life support for months now......

A friend of my sister's who lives here (and was around for the family during the crisis in October when they visited) called me yesterday to check in, and think before she called my sister to see how things were going. I was at an apt and missed the call, but called her after and she had already talked to my sister. The friend is a retired physician and asked me very kindly "she is not going to get better is she?" I said I did not think so. We talked through that decisions around when to stop are very difficult now once there were artificial things put in place to keep a person alive. I told her I had not heard anything about hospice, but keep hoping and praying it would come up in conversation. I will be ready to support that when the time comes.

Thank you for asking friend

JCSLibrarian

Illimae- I am so sorry to read about your situation. Best of luck with the surgery and hope recovery goes well.

Chi - I had heard that about the flu shots. I friend of mine is trying to recover from the shingles vaccine. Her arm is still (a week later) really sore and bruised. Not positive everyone should be giving the shots! Some are definitely better than others

NM -House repairs never end. Seems like they always want attention!

Hope everyone else is doing ok. The rain is letting up here, but may have a few more storms tonight. Another tornado hit another school west of here yesterday afternoon. No one was hurt, but lots of cars were messed up. Would love for this to move out of here and things get back to normal.

Take care everyone!

Jazzygirl

JCS- the Shingrex shot is a tough one. I had my first one two months ago and am eligible for number two starting this week. I felt like crap for a day, like a bad day of the flu, but then it moved through quickly. I agree not everyone is a good candidate for some of these things.

ChiSandy

Shingrix is definitely worth it! Unlike its one-and-done predecessor Zostavax (which was 65% effective after 1 month but zero antibodies were detected after only 3 years!), Shingrix is 95% effective. Shot #1 gave me a red upper outer arm--not swollen, not painful, not even itchy--the blotch nearly doubled in size (my PCP drew a marker outline around it at onset, so we could gauge its spread) before it receded a week later. Shot #2 produced no side effects at all. Perhaps my relatively high body mass and slow metabolism kept me from feeling any systemic effects.

And trust me, nobody is a good candidate for shingles--not even the toughest can get through it without agonizing pain.

Problem with the seasonal flu vaccines is that the labs look to Australia & New Zealand around April-May to see which strain seems to be hitting there, and therefore grow the next Northern hemisphere's season's vax based on that. Aus. & NZ had mainly H2N3, so that's what the U.S./Canadian vax was designed for. B Victoria and the unwelcome "return engagement" of H1N1 threw everyone for a loop. Meanwhile, on a hunch I searched my medicine cabinet, and lo & behold: an unopened pack of generic Tamiflu!

Lori, unlike you and your doppelganger Farrah, when I was younger and brunette nobody ever told me I looked like someone famous. But after I went back to work for the first time after becoming a blonde (and a mom), at least two bailiffs told me I was a dead ringer for comedienne Bonnie Hunt. Maybe it was the long hair, bangs & the same eyeglass frames. Then someone at temple told me I looked like Amy Schumer (whose eyes are blue, while mine are brownish hazel). I told her I wish my jokes reminded people of Schumer. (Her cousin Chuck--yes, that Chuck Schumer--was my mom's Congressman back in Brooklyn before she moved to FL. His receptionist was his grandma, who used to call him "my Chuckie").

Kim, careful about that basement--water, even just dampness, and electricity don't "play nice with each other." Leave the risk to the pros, and use your cell data (or an outside wi-fi like a coffeeshop) to get online till the situation dries out and your 'puter is back up & running.

Got a whole bunch of new good hangers and plastic clothing storage boxes from The Container Store (aka Anal Retentives R Us) today. More organizing in the works.

The sore neck & shoulder were indeed ergonomically-induced. Today I doffed the apron as soon as I was done eating, and am using a lap desk to elevate my MacBook. Felt fine an hour after arising and taking a Celebrex. No problems to report tonight!

No real DOTD (seltzer with lime to go with the hot wings at dinner). Bought some unsweetened chocolate Almond Breeze. Might heat it up, add some monkfruit, and top it with hand-whipped cream. Might even spike the chocolate content with Droste cocoa powder dissolved in hot water--the deeper the chocolate flavor, the less I'll notice the almond aftertaste (my pet peeve with vegan chocolate ice cream).

Lori, do I recall you once mentioned taking RSO (Rick Simpson Oil concentrate)? I recently got a syringe of it but have yet to try it--neglected to ask if it was indica or sativa (the latter actually makes me too alert and with too-heightened senses, so I feel twinges & zaps I usually don't notice). If you did indeed mention it, do you take it straight (like on the end of a toothpick) or do you mix it into a flavorful oil to mask the nasty taste? The dispensary in Evanston (3 mi. n. of me) has Mary's Medicinals Indica & CBD patches, CBD gel pens and CBN tincture and though I'm buying on the recreational side tomorrow morning, they told me that if I show my mmj ID card they'll give me priority. I'd buy as a medical patient, because the hours are longer and lines shorter; but in IL you have to register with one dispensary and can only buy your medical supply (with its higher purchase size limit and lower sales tax, not to mention being able to buy on "medical-only" days) there. You can't buy mmj at another dispensary unless you switch online, which can take over an hour. My own dispensary (2 mi. s. of me) has been picked nearlly dry; so that's why I'm going up to Evanston.

NativeMainer

Good morning Loungettes! Happy hump day! Well I found an electrician, and he’s going to work me in as soon as you can. In the meantime I have the inconvenience of not having electrical power to most of my living room. However it is just an inconvenience and I woke up. It doesn’t seem to bother Sadie in the least.

Morning, Misty

Jazzy— I am going to have the electrician give at least the basement a good look over while he is here. The house is probably overdue for a little TLC. There’s no cracks in the foundation fortunately, at least none that I can see, and my basement is also my garage so I’m in and out of it every day. This wiring is under a window. I am thinking that some siding or something probably needs to be looked at come spring.

Cammy Cat— I am getting the electrical taken care of as quickly as I can. It took some doing to find a local electrician with a good reputation. Getting a couple of estimates isn’t really an option right now, most places would charge me $50 or more just to drive out to the house. I’ve got my emergency fund that’s just for this kind of thing, so hopefully it won’t be too too big a deal, but whatever it is I’ll find a way to take care of it.

Goldie— I am being careful, that breaker is still shut off. Sadie doesn’t go into the basement unless were leaving the house for a walk or a ride. That beard with the necklace is absolutely hilarious! But I love the idea.Also love the electric lemonade!

I’ll— I’m praying that the procedure will fix the problems with the seizures and swelling, and that she’ll heal up quickly, and that you’ll be able to get on with your trip anyway.

Jazzy—I am still praying for your sister-in-law and your sister and all the rest of the people involved. Such a sad situation. That kind of care after Medicare runs out can be awfully expensive. But it can be even more expensive to do at home if you count all of the stress that’s involved in being a 24 hour a day care giver.

Librarian— House repairs certainly do seem to never end! At least I’m in a good place financially to be able to deal with something like this right now. I keep praying that you stay safe from the tornadoes. Just the thought of tornadoes terrifies me.

Chi— I am using alternatives to the computer just now, fortunately my router is plugged into a different circuit so I still have Wi-Fi here in the house. If I get really desperate I’ll find an extension cord and run it from the desktop computer to the kitchen side of the house and plug it in there somewhere. Mostly though it’s just inconvenient Mostly though it’s just going to be inconvenient not being able to plug-in the phone and the Kindle while I’m sitting in my recliner. On the other hand maybe I’ll spend less time sitting in my recliner and more time getting stuff done around the house.! In the meantime I will be careful.

goldie0827

Jazzy, so SIL is able to communicate? And if she were to get on hospice, which I don't understand why she can not, they wouldn't tap into their personal monies? So sad to hear that she just wants to go home, but can't. Would your sister not be able to care for her? For some reason, I'm thinking your sister is a doctor, is that right?

Sandy, I do use the RSO aka FECO, fully extracted cannabis oil. It comes in a capsule to which I pull apart and dip a toothpick in. I don't take very much. I have also learned that hormone positive bc should not use a lot of THC. It's very tar like, so I don't think you could mix it with anything. I'm not surprised that in your area the dipesaries would be picked dry pretty quickly.

NM, your basement is your garage? Is your house built in to a hill or something? I'm confused! I had a little chuckle over the fact that you can't plug your electronics in while in your recliner, so perhaps you won't be in it as much! Mine (recliner) has all my cords next to it as well, 3 of them!

Well most of you had seen on FB about my labs, so I will copy and paste here what I put on FB for those that don't know.
Finally something good! My Tumor Markers are DOWN! No where near normal, but it's better than them going up!
My CA 15-3 is 718, down from 863...normal is less than 30.
My CA 27.29 is 769, down from 851..normal is less than 37.
My CEA is 19.7, down from 21.6, normal is less than 3.4.
A year ago, my CA 15-3 was 255, CA 27.29 was 265 and the CEA was 10.0. All still way off from normal, but you can see how big of a jump I've had in the last year. So I am very pleased with the drop!

Tomorrow I'm on the road to Phoenix for MO appt, so probably won't be on here. Wishing everyone a geat day! Supposed to be 60 here today....wowsa!

Jazzygirl

Hi friends- just a quick update before I run to my day. New garbage disposal in yesterday, plumber also gave me an updated training on how to drain my hot water heater in the garage. We have very gravely/calcium rich water here and recommended to be done a couple times a year. He put the new water heater in 2 years ago so overdue but now I have it down with some practice yesterday and will get it in to my routines going forward. I am going to do some upgrades of countertops and get a new sink and my plumber is going to help me with all things sink. Also got a referral from him to a granite guy. Today Lowes comes to remeasure my windows so I can get the final order in for the replacement blinds.

I got a call from my doctors office yesterday after a refill request on my metformin (for blood sugar). They want me to come in for a medication check in and some updated blood work. My lipids have been much improved off the AIs as of my last physical in the fall. I went diabetic after going on the AIs in 2013 and now that I am two years off the drugs, thinks seem to be normalizing. The weight loss will only help to improve things.

Goldie- I did see your post on FB and so glad the numbers are moving in the right direction. Happy dance girlfriend. I hope your MO apt goes well today.

My SIL can't go home with all the tubes in her, she requires institutional care for the longer term. And yes, it will cost a lot out of their resources for her to remain there longer term. My sister is working with her elder atty on things, and think she is giving her good advice about what to be considering around all this. My sister is not one that likes advice though, including listening to her younger sister (me). So I keep in touch, send cards to my SIL, gently ask how she is doing and will be prepared to attend services when the time comes.

NM- fingers crossed on the electrician getting there soon. Hoping the leak stuff gets resolved, do you know where it is coming from? Roof? Foundation?

Chi- I am for sure going to do the second Shingrex shot. My doctor was wanting me to get the shingles shot in my early 50s, but the other one you mentioned was only covered if you were over 60. Once Shingrex became available, she said go. I have known more folks the past few years coming down with shingles, including people going through cancer treatment with lower immune systems. I am going to wait until next Monday to call two of my Walgreens to see if they have any in. i have a bunch of things going on the next few days and cannot afford to feel like crap, just in case it happens again. It is good to hear you had less issues with the second vs. the first.......

Are you feeling better?

Cami- I think today is your day to go out with your HS girlfriends. I hope it happens. Nothing like reminiscing with old friends about old times and all the crazy things we used to do in our youth. Hope there is good friendship, good food and much laughter today.

Ill- thinking of you and hoping that your plans are coming together to get your procedure scheduled.

Misty- yes, Cami is right, think you have not been here since right after Xmas. Hope your new year is going okay.....

Genny, Celia C, Teka, and everyone else I may be missing, thinking of you today and hoping you are well this week!

camillegal

camillegal

Mornin ladies,

Wow ittook me about 1/2 hr. to get back in my computer, hit something andd had to start all over. UGH.

Lori I read on FB so I couldn't react the way I wanted so YAYYAYYAR, such good news for us. I'm so relieved it was better. Anything good is everything good.

Now Illi it's ur turn all good stuff.

Kim when I was little my dad put a pair of big rubber boots at the top of the stairs in case we had water for him not us but they stayed there forever and he never went down there without them on, always scared me then and still does so just be careful.

Jazzy I'm surprised u don't see ur Drs. more for meds It's a pain and there is always some kin of news that things are off. seems like everyone around here has to see them with blood work every 3 months. A few yrs. back, I did get the flu shot and was sick for about 3 months. 2 yrs ago I got the pneumonia shot and ended up in the hospital and sick for another 3 months...so the Dr. is suggesting I shouldn't get them, for some reason they knock me out. So I have to take my chances. Oh well,

JC we're also getting strange weather here to much confusing me for sure.

Yea I'm supposed to go to lunch and now I'm nervous cu of ice. This is so silly for such a dumb reason to. It's just that I fall for any reason and that's always somewhere in the back of my head but I think I have some clothes that I bought that will fit instead of falling down. When u buy on line different stores have different size proportions so it's not so easy. We'll see.

OK have a good hump day anyway u want.

LUBS U ALL

camillegal

HAPPY DANCE FOR LORI

Jazzygirl

Cami- my PCP likes to do a check in with me twice a year on my blood work and meds. I just had one in October and the blood work came in after my office visit and perhaps after looking at that with some refills, she wants to make changes. I called today and made an apt, but cannot get in to see her for a month. I may call to see if I can move up my apt in another month. I messaged her today to see if she wants me to go in advance of my apt to get my A1C done. That tells me she is probably going to lower my blood sugar meds (whoot). My sugars have been very good on this diet, but it is designed for people like me.

I gave them my new insurance info today and they told me my number was not active. Same insurance company but they had changed my subscriber ID, so I am being sure to let places know I have a new number. I just used it at Walgreens last week with no problem, but today I was told it was not working. I had a feeling it was them and called my insurance company and they said they were going through this with all their provider groups. They have a new portal with some changes since last year and some confusion there. By the time I go in for my visit, things should be worked out. Probably will have lots of fun with this new process for awhile (eye roll).

ChiSandy

I am feeling much better, thanks. Went up to the MedMen dispensary in Evanston, but Matt, the guy I spoke to yesterday, wasn't in yet and wouldn't be in before I had to be in Lincoln Park for my mani-pedi. The receptionist said that unless I was registered as an mmj patient with them, I would have to get into the recreational line, which had a half-hour wait. That would have made me super-late for the mani-pedi, and my tech is booked two weeks in advance. So the receptionist texted Matt to give me a call. Still waiting.

I need to see my GYN because my last appt. with her was Dec. 2014, before breast cancer. I no longer need a Pap, but one last pelvic might be a good idea--just to make sure my bulging midriff is just a combo of constipation and visceral/subcutaneous fat and nothing more ominous. I'm frustrated because most of my weight loss was from my face (good), thighs (good), butt (not as good--my twerk don't work), upper arms (the loose skin now flaps in the breeze), and very little from my midsection and Thelma & Louise; however, I lost >3" from my waist between Oct. & Dec. and 7" overall, so I could just be getting used to the way my body looks now and am self-critical once again. If I had a ton of money and absolutely nothing to do and nowhere to go for the next few months, I would schedule midsection lipo, a panniculectomy (the "apron" of fat and now mostly skin that flops from my waist to my groin, courtesy of the C-section 35 yrs. ago slicing through my abs and killing muscle tone; I get intertrigo now along the C-section scar and groin, which is a PITA to keep ahead of), reduction & lift of Thelma (left boob), and bilateral ingrown big toenail surgeries. Too chicken to get bunion surgery--my housekeeper had it and wishes she hadn't. As long as I can wear acceptable-looking shoes, not going under the knife for that.

Bob admits his knees are going--he has to hold on to both banisters when taking the stairs in either direction, and as he got near the top this morning I saw one knee look wobbly. I've been after him to get cortisone/Synvisc shots, since they really help my housekeeper. (What I had 16 yrs ago was "Suppartz," which didn't help me at all--and hyaluronic acid shots have gotten so much more effective these days). I finally convinced him to see the podiatrist this Sunday morning, provided he's done in time to go home or to brunch and watch football. (It's a guy thing).

Sadly, yesterday we lost our beloved bigleaf maple tree out front, which was at least 100-150 yrs. old, planted while my neighborhood was still its own village before being annexed by Chicago. What made me fall in love with this house was when I sat in front of the front attic window and looked out at that gorgeous tree--it made me feel like I was out in the forest. Last year during a microburst a huge lower limb snapped off and fell on to the sidewalk; and after another thunderstorm this spring another huge limb snapped nearly in two and was dangling precariously. I called the city to trim it, and they came out yesterday. When they sawed through the joint of the dead limbs & the trunk, they fell to the ground and shattered like a china plate! Though it still grew a lush green canopy of leaves this summer that didn't turn brown till mid-Nov., its trunk was completely hollow all the way down to 3' from the ground; so they had to cut the whole thing down. It, too, shattered when it hit the sidewalk.

I ordered a new tree from the city. Though I would dearly love a conifer (pine, fir, spruce, cedar) because it grows faster and might give us shade before we eventually move away, it would stick out like a sore thumb amidst all the deciduous trees on the parkways on the rest of the block. Conifers are not native to this part of the Lake Michigan coast--the terminal moraine in which we're smack-dab in the middle was, before enough trees were cleared to build the city & suburbs, all-deciduous "climax forest." Why do I love evergreens? Because they remind me of my years in Seattle, where there was always something green all year long. When we first moved here, something seemed "off" and I couldn't quite put my finger on it--until winter came and all the trees--except some on private property--were bare. We do have an arborvitae (aka white cedar) on our front lawn. When we moved in 33 years ago, it was about 8' tall; now it's over 20'. So I requested a maple (any variety), and if unavailable, my second choice is a sycamore to match the one across the street. The two species' leaf shapes are similar. We might get an oak or elm--they won't guarantee they can match our choice. Planting will be some time between April & October, and if the speed (ha) with which they responded to my tree-trimming request, we'll be lucky to get one by Oct. Meanwhile, if it's a hot summer we'll have a sky-high electric bill because of all the A/C & fans we'll have to run due to lack of natural shade. But at least our lawn will get more sun and we might even be able to grow some flowers out front.

mistyeyes

I am still here and reading and keeping up with all of you. I am busy at work and I have quite a bit of family that keeps me busy. I have 2 grandchildren playing basket ball so I try to make it to at least some of their games. One in high school and one in Jr. high. I have been working at the same place for almost 34 years and I think I am just tired of it. I do plan on retiring early around April 2021. I won't be old enough for Medicare, but I will work something out. Maybe part time job just to pay insurance.

Our weather has been crazy warm for January - even for Florida! I did hear it was going to cool down a bit this weekend. I have been reading about winter storms from shore to shore coming and feel for all of you in its path.

I have to finish some chores before bed, I will write more another time. Take care.

maryland

Hi girls, got a bit of catchin up to do ...again!

Jazzy, good news about the lipids, always a challenge for me, I go to my new?old PCP next week and will be getting all of my blood work done, always a relief when it's in the normal reference range. My insurance is switched again this year so all new doctors...again..had to switch last year and the year before that so my continuity of care is zilch. Now I'm back to University Hospital which is who I had in 2014 when I got the BC and all the tx so I get to go back to the primary car doctor I had then. I need to find another cardiologist (i had to have a stent in 2018) but I'll figure that out later. My appt with my new MO is tomorrow. I had the Shingrex vaccine last year, I had a little soreness with the first but none with the second. All certainly beats having shingles! I've lost a whopping 2 pounds, slow and steady I guess, keeping my carbs way down but I have slacked off on the working out, have to get back into that. Not sure what happened with your sister but I'm so sorry, I'll pray for her and your family

NM, glad you found an electrician that can help you, sound like you've got quite an electrical conundrum. So happy to hear you like your work now, and teaching sounds perfect, I can SO see you doing that! I'll bet you are fabulous at it!

Sandy, sorry to hear about your tree, 150 years old, such a shame but thank goodness it didn't come down on it's own! I had a primary care doctor that sent me to a GYN a few years ago and the GYN told me I never have to go to one again because I don't have a uterus, sure won't ever miss it! Glad you didn't miss your mani/pedi, a girl's gotta have priorities!

Cami, oh i can't believe Joey is 16! Crazy, I know Nora was just crawing but Joey was just in junior high! I hope you got to go out to lunch and I hope you stayed vertical! Glad to hear Leslie is doing ok and managing the ratbastard. I cannot get enough of the cat videos, keep em coming!

Librarian, My DH and I are looking into a place that we can spend winters when we retire and we're looking in your area. I don't want Florida but someplace with mild temperatures, SC or Alabama or Georgia maybe. How long have you lived there? Hope you continue to handle chemo ok, it's really the only tx for triple neg isn't it? Clean scans, no cancer found!!! WOOT, WOOT!!!!

iil, so sorry to hear about the necrosis, hope everything goes ok and they get it all, they say attitude is everything in which case you've got this.

Farrah, yay on the TM's going down, what's the new med you're on, are those the numbers since you started it? Awww, I was hoping that cute little puppy was yours. When I was young, back in the 80's people always told me I looked like Meg Ryan, I think it was mostly my hair as well. Good luck at the MO tomorrow, I see mine tomorrow as well but she's only 15 minutes away. Anyway, love you friend, have a safe trip to the city.

Celia, let me know next time you'll be in the area, I'd love to get together!

Karen, Misty anybody else I missed ...hello.

So I went and watched Evelyn and Nora yesterday, such fun! Evelyn is such a cuddly baby, Nora was much more independent and on the go, Evie likes to stay near. DH went golfing today, 45 degrees, cray cray to me but it was the last of our mild weather, supposed to go down in the 20's tomorrow and stay there. Molly retired and is in FL for the winter so I'm going to at least go and spend a couple of days with her then DH and I will go on a vacay in April but it's going to be a long winter till then I'm afraid. Well, time to go, working tomorrow, hope you all have sweet dreams!

maryland