Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?

carolehalston

i'm so sorry, Wren! Today I was filling out papers in my PCP's office and some of the questions were about falling. I have had a black eye and it did take a while to fade. You can look forward to some vivid colors! And joking remarks.

It was not a pretty day here today. Rain, gloom, tornado watch. Forecast predicts freezing temperatures tomorrow night. Protect pets, plants and pipes.

I had fun this afternoon using a new kitchen appliance, a Power Quick Pot. It's one of those multi-purpose cooking appliances, a combination pressure cooker and slow cooker. I think I'm going to enjoy trying out recipes using it.

ChiSandy

Ouch, Wren! Sorry about that broken nose--I'm amazed that you drove home instead of to the nearest ER or urgent-care clinic. I am nowhere near that stoic. Hope they set it so it heals without any evidence of the fracture. As to the shiners, Covermark makes the best concealer, albeit pretty thick. Benefit has a good palette, as does Sonia Kashuk (Target), which comes with three shades plus setting powder. Or you can always rock a great pair of shades and be a woman of mystery.

Speaking of falls, I mentioned a while ago that I bought an LTE Apple Watch Series 4 because of its fall-detection feature and ability to auto-dial 911 if it doesn't detect motion after 60 seconds post-fall. Well, we started pretty heavy-duty Bar Show rehearsals this weekend, with choreography--in my case, basically organized walking and arm-waving. My wrist kept buzzing annoyingly, but I ignored it, thinking it was just another junk phone call and if important there'd be a voicemail. Well, when the director stopped the action to reset some of the dancers, I looked down at my wrist.

The screen read "It appears you have fallen. Do you need emergency services?" with an "I'm OK" button below. So I hit the button. Up popped two more buttons: "I fell but I'm OK" and "I didn't fall." I hit the latter. Well, this happened twice more yesterday and once tonight. I took the darn thing off and put it atop my script, which was on the floor. You guessed it--the watch's altimeter and gyroscope again thought I had fallen (mind you, I laid the watch down gently, rather than dropping it). I went to "settings" on the apps screen, but there was no way to inactivate it or lessen its sensitivity. Had to Google to find out the only way to turn the feature on or off is via the Watch app on my iPhone. (I got the LTE version so I wouldn't have to be near my phone). And the default for anyone over 65 (age shows up in your Health records app) is "on." And even if I shut off the ringer, if I get a phone call on my wrist while onstage, it can screw up the theater's wireless mic system. So guess what I'm not gonna wear in the show?

Nonetheless, I had my penultimate PT session for my back today. I mentioned jokingly I was afraid of falling onstage. Out came that cursed "Bosu ball" (big rubber half-dome for balance exercises done on one foot). Shoulda kept my mouth shut.

IllinoisLady

"In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy."

– David Steindl-Rast

IllinoisLady

What a revoltin' development Sandy. Filed under funny, but not funny at all and maybe what now for good measure. Good though that you do know there may be times you can't wear it. Still something of a bummer since your trying to protect yourself. Hmm, yes. The half balls are hard to deal with and I usually found them too annoying to stick with the use enough to get all I should have from them.

It will stay cold today, but the sun will be out. I think some leaf management is in my immediate future. The deck and stairs are full again after the wind yesterday. Sigh !! Ongoing now until the trees are all done dropping their 'clothes'.

Hope you all have a really good day. Thinking of you Wren.

edit --- Forgot to finish what I was thinking. If it is sunny where you are Wren sun glasses could be a great cover-up -- as long as your outside.

carolehalston

Funny episode with the balance watch, Sandy!

Brrr... It's cold and dreary here, with temperatures in the 40's outside. I always wear shorts to the gym. Just a very short walk to the car under the carport and then a slightly longer hike from car to gym, but I still may develop some goose bumps. Tomorrow morning we're supposed to be down to freezing temperatures.

Have a good wintry Tuesday.

ChiSandy

My PT wants me to practice standing on one leg at home, using a cushion to help. Problem is, I involve my feet & toes to help, and I already have cuboid syndrome in both feet and some neuroma under my fourth & pinky toes on my left. (I have to pad the outer front of every one of my insoles, even orthotics, if I don't want my toes to be screaming at me).

Going to skip taking the train tonight. Just too cold--we're at our predicted high of 28 right now. I would sign up for Lyft's monthly package program ($30/mo for discounts on 30 rides/mo), but except for these couple of weeks I take rideshares no more than twice a week. Doesn't make sense.

Trying to practice the choreography, and realizing that the three things that trip me up are that I am uncoordinated, can't run or jump/hop, and fear losing my balance on the steps where we are on one foot and even just flicking the other (even momentarily). The uncoordination makes it really difficult for me to wrap my head around which arm moves relative to what foot. My brain is wired to swing my arms on the same side as my feet--except on X-C ski poles doing the "diagonal stride," I can't translate that to "left arm & right foot forward." And all that stress makes me move awkwardly, which in turn affects the rest of my performance (I wince when I watch the videos of the group numbers). This might be my last year in the show--I'm already the oldest woman in the cast, and except for a few men (one of the writers and two old guys--83 & 95--who do a baggy-pants-comic routine) I'm close to being the oldest, period. Not many celebrity character roles for an older, chunky woman. And vocally, there are more & more musical theater majors in the cast every year.

MCBaker

Time to pass the baton, Sandy? There are many valuable roles behind the scenes, too. I have trouble standing on my right foot. When I must, I put my left foot around behind my right ankle. It tells my right ankle where it is. Otherwise, my orthotic brace helps a lot. 😂

I have a bunch of concerns, really want to talk to the nurse. She must be busy today. I am second-guessing my request to save my right nipple. It has been a wizened little thing ever since that stupid biopsy when I was 18. Why keep it? It never even fed my babies as well as the other. As well as positioning for a tattoo or blue-on would be much easier.

I just woke up from a nap. Had a good phone call with my son this morning.

ChiSandy

Analyzing the group videos, I notice I'm looking down a lot--must be gun-shy from those falls I took by looking ahead and not watching where my feet were. I also need to be less tentative in my upper body movements and try not to hunch my shoulders even if it hurts to keep them back--need to literally keep my chin up even when crouching. I also notice in the small ensemble numbers I'm fine. I love the singing and the acting, but the dancing is what's (literally) tripping me up. I think I'm also self-conscious about my weight. I was heavier the first two years in the show, but also 16 years younger.

Over the next year I will assess my physical condition, try to get slimmer & fitter if possible, and decide by summer whether to remain in the show. There are more aspiring writers than they can use, so that's out. No stomach for marketing--too shy for cold calls. I'm not very good behind the scenes--can't sew, carry furniture, bend down to make tape marks to set the stage, or build stuff, I get asthma from paint fumes, and there are plenty of younger people who don't want to perform but want to volunteer otherwise (and have the graphics, tech & physical skills to do so). I'm still getting featured in small ensembles where I have solo lines to say or sing, and I like that. I also like to sing the big group numbers--on occasion I've been pulled out of the dressing room to sing on offstage mics when people were having trouble doing dance moves and singing at the same time. Doing that again this year on one number because there wouldn't otherwise be enough time for me to do one of my 8 (!!!) wardrobe changes.

MCBaker

Whatever,...........

MCBaker

Yeah, doing the voice for lip sync might yet be your ticket to stardom. Me, I would rather be running the old Singer behind the curtains.

Wren44

It's really hard to realize that you are just not up for the job the way you used to be. I had to quit a shelter job because it was too difficult physically. I hated to think that was the reason. But it was true.

ChiSandy

Well, at tonight's rehearsal I made a point of keeping my shoulders straight and my head up & forward at all times (we were in a mirrored room). Exaggerated my motions (or so it seemed to me), and the director was happy--especially with my comic acting and singing in the quartet number. (Mirabile dictu, I didn't lose my balance). Nonetheless, I will talk to her after the run of the show (or during the cast parties) about posture & balance--she's a Pilates instructor when not choreographing. Not sure I can do the full Pilates regimen but she might be able to teach me nonetheless.

Trust me, my Singer & I have enjoyed a decades-long separation--not surprisingly, I aced the cooking unit in jr. high Home Ec but nearly flunked sewing.

I'm retired from law practice; and had to cut way back on my folk music bookings due to my hand/wrist/arm injuries and surgeries. Ready to get back into that kind of performing, though not the extensive touring we used to do (and my singing partner still does solo): don't want to stay away from home (and Bob) overnight unless absolutely necessary. 8-hr. drives tax me, and having to stay in motels taxes the budget.

Our temple's music director wants me to join the choir, and provide some harmony (doing some arranging). After the run of the show, I'll be able to.

MCBaker

I have always been poorly coordinated. Whenever I suffer any insult to my nervous system it takes a long time to heal/doesn't heal right. Needless to say, I am petrified of chemo.

I did do a dance/ pantomime in Camelot in high school. Never took home ec, mom felt herself perfectly competent to teach me. I was raised at a sewing machine; her father was trained as a tailor, and they had had a men's clothing store before switching to dry cleaning.

Music ministry at temple sounds great. I am a retired school psychologist. I want to take training in spiritual guidance. I have life experience competencies in so many areas (sigh. Job comes to mind.)

carolehalston

Sandy, your role sounds fairly demanding. You may be even better than you realize. I'll bet you have some admirers among the crew.

It's in the 30's here this morning and the view out the window is dismal. But it's warm and cozy inside the house. The only trip I have to make is a short walk to an outbuilding with the 2nd refrigerator. I'll snatch a package of country pork ribs to cook for tonight's dinner and rush back inside the house.

Poor dh has a dermatologist appointment to have surgery on a cancer on his back. I asked it he needed a driver. To my relief, he said no.

Stay warm.

Anneb1149

Mornin’ all

I have always been a klutz and have no coordination at all. I could spend hours telling you some of my more epic falls, but suffice it to say, I could never do any choreographed dancing. I have trouble just walking-ergo my broken finger on my trip.

Holidays for me were great, but a little strange. As most of you know, I grew up in an apartment in the Bronx. My mother’s whole family (her mother, 2 unmarried sisters, one married sister and one brother) lived on the same street. My mother’s BIL stopped talking to my father when I was very little, and although my parents stayed very close to his wife, it meant we could never get together for the main holidays. They only had one daughter, who we are all still very close to, but there were 4 of us. Don’t know if that was a factor, but we ate all holiday meals at home, while they joined the rest of the family. Because it started very early on in my life, I never questioned it. We always had the full traditional turkey dinner, so never felt deprived. We were a family of 6 and my mom was a stay at home mom, so money didn’t stretch very far. We always had piles of gifts under the tree, but the majority of them were clothes. Looking back, I realize now that the moms of our friends all got together and decided together what the “big” gift would be that year, so one year all of us got bikes, another year doll carriages, etc. I also now know that my grandmother helped buy our big gifts each year. As we became teenagers, and our grandmother and unmarried aunts got older, it became tradition that they would give us each money shortly after Thanksgiving-I think $20-25 each. Our job was to buy ourselves something we wanted, then bring it back to them so we would have a wrapped gift from each of them on Christmas morning. Never quite grasped the “fun” of opening a gift when you knew exactly what was in it, but they were happy and we got what we wanted.

Not feeling great these last two days- nothing I can put my finger on other than tired and a little off. I’m a little better today, I think, but haven’t moved much yet.

Hope everyone is well

Anne

carolehalston

Anne, it sounds like your holiday memories are good ones. It's interesting to me, thinking about living in an apartment in a city. I grew up living in a house in the country with just one other house in view, my dad's mother's house. Actually it wasn't in full view because of a wooded area. Other houses were in walking distance. The road wasn't paved back in those days. Fortunately there wasn't a lot of dust to contend with because it was a dead end road and there wasn't much traffic. Hope you get to feeling better.

IllinoisLady

Not all of us have to possess
earthshaking talent. Just
common sense and love will do.

Myrtle Auvil

IllinoisLady

Enjoying hearing the X-mas ( likely fits somewhat for Thanksgiving too ) stories/memories everyone is sharing. It is hard for me to imagine having holidays in an apt., but then really it is just another house in a way. Since we lived ( all my childhood yrs. till I left home ) in the country I think for me it was really hard to imagine living in the city ( whether house of apt. ) during holidays. We had to go to town ( such as our town was which was pretty small ) for anything and I think the idea that you could live right in the same town as the stores you might frequent which were numerous always seemed a bit high falutin' to me.

I never thought about people who actually lived in town here because it was all so small -- but I knew the city had all sorts of stores. Back then not only many stores, but bakeries ( sometimes more than one ) on every corner with such wonderful food. It was just a way of life then. Bakeries on every block sure don't happen now. We can go to a bakery a few towns a way - but we don't do that often. It is not as good as the old country recipes that were a staple of the bakeries back then.

We sound as though we are going to get about 5 to 6 inches of snow tonight. Oh joy NOT. Well, winter may be early but I am hoping that it will be the quieter winter I was thinking to expect since I hear we are in an El Nino' yr. Not sure of that, but no matter what winter will begin, ready or not. I will be doing my 'setting' chores as well. It is going to be busy for me to get thru the 22nd. Was thinking of waiting, but not sure. I may just plow through doing the best I can as I will only have the one house to go to then. I have two through this week-end. So, hoping my stamina holds up.

Have a good day everyone.

Joan811

Hi from Long Island NY...
Long time away!
It is soooo good to see so many familiar and lovely ladies still here sharing and caring. I think of you often.
And Jackie, I read your quote while finding my placemarks here:

"In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy." – David Steindl-Rast
That just confirmed that this is a place I want to spend more time.
===
As Jackie may have shared with you, I was diagnosed with an intestinal blockage in September. A wise local surgeon, old acquaintance of my husband,basically rescued me from a medical team that wanted to do surgery right away. He did blood work and looked at my history, and did cancer markers. My CA-125 was elevated (pelvic cancers are related). He said "no surgery! until you are seen by a GYN oncologist" This man saved my life...

I left my local hospital and was admitted to Sloan. There are no coincidences...I had been assigned a young surgeon who did laparoscopic exploration and found ovarian cancer. He spent 4 more hours removing 100% of visible cancer from my pelvic and abdominal area, and resecting the two intestinal blockages that were caused by tumors. I awoke to the news, surrounded by 5 of my children and husband. My recovery was amazing, Dr. Z says (every time he sees me). I was up in a day, eating, and even digesting with my poor little intestines working so hard.

It is 6 weeks now, and i started chemo Monday 11/12. It was an easy and uneventful day. Yesterday I got the port for the next 17 weeks of chemo.
I have been doing very well but starting chemo was an emotional shock which made me reflect on what is really happening.

i have already started "living" again...my DD picked me up (3 weeks post surgery) and took me (5 hours) to the World Series in Boston...I also took a pre-chemo trip to Colorado to visit my son in his new home in Boulder. During chemo I will take it easy for awhile until I know which days are my best.
Notice...no mention of work. I am on sick leave and will take disability through March. After that, I will either finish out the academic year (3 months) or retire.
It is fitting, after all these years, that I became ill on a Monday night at work after a 15 hour day. The pain sent me to the ER 2 days later. Now I know...I have learned the value of sleep and rest. I have learned to listen to my body. And I am truly grateful for all the positive influences in my life.

Well, my friends, for me, this makes breast cancer look like a breeze...and it was (Stage 1, 7 years out). I still have to keep an eye on the beast.

I want to wish everyone well...I see lots of things going on here, and I want to comment. But i will be back....I just love BCO and there is no place like it.
Wishing a beautiful day!
Joan

PS - a special note to MC Baker - it looks like you have surgery coming right up. Please know that I will be thinking of you as you face this period of uncertainty and recovery.

Joan811

Wren44

Speaking of bakeries. . . DH goes to the farmer's market every Sunday. Last Sunday he bought a pastry from a Czech lady who is there weekly. We split it for breakfast. It was so good! Thin layers of dough filled with cinnamon and nuts and perhaps a little chocolate. The top had a chocolate drizzle. I think she could have her own bakery, it was that good.

When we were first married, we bought a huge turkey for Thanksgiving. The Friday after we called all our friends and invited them to touch football in the yard and leftovers. Most of them were not married with families and had not cooked. It was a great party and we didn't have to eat leftovers for months.

MCBaker

Thank you, Joan. I will be praying for you.

carolehalston

Joan, I am so sorry you are facing another cancer challenge. Thank you for checking in and updating us. I will be thinking about you and hoping for the very best outcome. You're clearly a fighter.

MCBaker, please keep us up to date on your progress.

I had other bad news recently about a longtime friend, Sylvia. She recently moved back here to Louisiana from TX to live with her son, at his insistence. She began suffering with stomach issues. Tests revealed she has pancreatic cancer and lung cancer. I talked to her today and she was scheduled this afternoon for her second chemo treatment. The main side effect from the first treatment was sleepiness. Back in our younger days, Sylvia and I played tennis in the same league. She was an excellent tennis player, better than I was. Those of you who believe in prayer, I would appreciate your adding Sylvia to your list.

IllinoisLady

What a wonderful and most delightful day. Joan is back. No pressure, but you were soooo missed. I will pm later, but was so tickled to open the blog and spot your picture staring at me. I'm a bit on he old side for war whoops and somersaults so I just smiled from ear to ear. As usual, even knowing pretty much what you would day I hung on every word. Now you will have the supplications of all of us for good health to return as soon as possible.

Carole, I'm VERY happy to welcome your friend Sylvia to and on my prayer list of those I want to receive all the love, care, and healing that the Universe can send to them. I am hoping her se's remain gentle and easy to compensate. Sleep is good. It is a good aid in helping the body relax and de-stress.

I have good news. As I will be watching my doggie pals on Thanksgiving ( and I had also planned to cook a meal for my BIL's and a friend ) I mentioned that I would be really in and out that day with coordinating all of it. She told me to wait a minute and she left the room. When she came back she said she had ordered a turkey dinner for 8 to be picked up ( her daughter will help with that ) and that I should use the big dining room in her house, the linen tablecloths, china, and silver, and everyone could come there. Just wow !!! I am treated like a Queen in that house and I really have to watch ( never even thought this would be an occasion ) what I say or I am given the royal treatment. It is amazing to me. They have always told me to just ask them if I had a need and they would try to accommodate it. Guess they know I do not want to presume on their kindness. I haven't asked as yet. They haven't given me a chance.

They don't know what a blessing it will be to only have to prepare a couple of side dishes ( the things these men always expect me to fix no matter what time of yr. ) and not have to clean the house up beforehand.

Wren, just hearing about your pastry almost made my mouth water. I think many of the old neighborhood bakeries were people of other nationalities who settled in the area bringing their recipes. I fell in love with the cheesecake from that time. It had a layer that really did seem more like cake with the bottom being the cheese. It is so different from the cheesecakes of today. They have nothing that resembles actual cake. The whole thing is more of a cheese filling. If you and Dh try some of the other offerings this lady has I hope you will describe them too.

What you mentioned sounded similar to Baklava which is a Greek pastry.

Again -- so good to see you Joan.

ChiSandy

Joan, welcome back--sending out prayers for strength and comfort in tackling your latest cancer challenge. Wish there were a natural law decreeing "only one cancer per person," but we know there isn't. Your ovarian cancer, despite occurring after menopause and being on an AI for years, is sobering for all of us--I haven't had any symptoms but I might ask my MO about drawing a CA-125 level. (She doesn't do tumor markers unless she suspects recurrence or it has already happened).

MC, HomeEc was required in jr. high at NYC public schools back in the day. My mom wasn't exactly handy with a sewing machine either, but was one of those cooks who could pull great meals & baking out of her pocket and only glanced at recipes--mainly for ideas.

7pm rehearsal call tonight, so the train will be a tad less crowded (and I have more time to prepare before heading out). Also wearing gym shoes--which look funny (loud turquoise/lime green with thick wide soles) but feel like I'm walking on pillows. (Also gonna start weeding out socks with toe seams, which exacerbate foot discomfort). Had what was supposed to be my last PT session--doing great on the back stuff; but I talked to my therapist about balance fears and suboptimal posture, so we scheduled 4 more sessions spread over the weeks till early January. Meanwhile, she suggested I get a referral to Neuro PT for the balance problems, and maybe get tested for anything else (such as inner ear issues) that may be a partial cause.

Getting ready to go--catch you again when I get home.

Wren44

Jackie, It wasn't like baklava. It was a yeast dough, just super thin with the filling. I imagine she rolls it out, spreads the filling and rolls it up to make the pastry. More like croissant dough but not that soft. Poor DD is allergic to walnuts and wouldn't touch baklava with a 10 foot pole.

IllinoisLady

The moment you become miserly you are closed
to the basic phenomenon of life: expansion, sharing.
The moment you start clinging to things,
you have missed the target.
Because things are not the target,
you, your innermost being, is the target -
not a beautiful house, but a beautiful you;
not much money, but a rich you;
not many things, but an open being,
available to millions of things.
- Osho

IllinoisLady

Oh my -- snowing as I type. Except for feeling ( at least for me ) that it is a bit on the early side, it is one of the snows I adore. Fat wet flakes often coming down like rain. evenly spaced while coming straight down. What I fear is that later on, because it may warm slightly, then change later back to colder we may get an icy top layer out of it. Sigh !!! At least right now I can fully enjoy it. The tree limbs are snow covered and one could feel that X-mas is near though more than a month away.

I went out already ( Dh can't even think the thought ) and shoved the deck and walkways. Didn't zip my coat as I knew I'd be too warm. Have my shoes drying. Going out later to try and feed the feral cats, then going on to pick up my friend and take her to get her hair cut and set. I'm getting a trim while there. By then any snow on the highway should be plowed or salted off ( dreaded salt covered car ) so it won't be an issue getting around. Dh started his truck yesterday and ran it lest we needed to have 4-wheel drive but I don't think we will get close to that. I'm not sure how wiling I'd be to take the truck out anyway. He's been in the ditch with that truck when I stayed out ( knock on wood ) so it is tricky at times no matter what its a 4-wheeler.

If you have snow today -- hoping its the fluffy kind. Have a wonderful day.

ChiSandy

Mostly flurries for us, nothing sticking. Nothing freezing, so no salt necessary. Wore my Hoka sneaks last night--cushy as marshmallows and warm enough with wool socks, so if the snow continues to hold off, will do so tonight. We run Act 1 tonight--most of my numbers are in it, so I will get even more of a workout than last night. Must remind myself to go to my iPhone and turn off fall-detection from the Watch app before we start and turn it back on when we're done. (There ought to be a way to do so via the Settings app on the watch itself, but noooo....).

I like to take the train home, because (due to age) I always get a seat so I can unwind and zone out, listening to music on my watch via my wireless Air Pods (invisible under my hat). I take the Red Line downtown: escalator both up to my home station's elevated platform and at my Jackson Street destination from the subway platform up to the mezzanine, then elevator to the street. Unfortunately, there are no down escalators; and the elevator down from the mezzanine to the platform (when it works) is at the other end of the mezzanine (wrong end of the train for my home station, so I have to walk all the way back), which is accessible from the street only by steep stairs. So going home, I take the Brown Line, which has elevators from the street to mezzanine and then to the platform--and the correct end of the train (first car). I ride to Fullerton, where I transfer to the Red Line on the same platform. Nice thing about the Brown Line is that it's elevated all the way (the Red becomes a subway south of Fullerton) so I can look out the window at the cityscape--and at the point I transfer, so is the Red. And when I get to my home station, there's an elevator down to the street.

When I was younger and worked in the Loop, I detested commuting because I always had to stand on crowded trains & buses (or drive to my home station and hope I could park)--I found myself driving and paying for monthly parking (affordable then, horrendously expensive now). Friends tell me to use SpotHero or ParkWiz, but I don't trust those apps to ensure that the spot I reserved won't have been usurped by a non-subscriber. It's cold comfort that violators would be towed or booted, because it still does me no good.

So if it's too cold or I'm too sick or tired to handle the walk to & from the train, I use ridesharing. Lyft has package rates (I misspoke earlier--it's $299/mo for up to 30 rides worth $15 or more, with 5% off the overage. Not worth it--I don't even take $300 worth of rides in any given month. And the $30 prepaid special is good only M-F and through Nov. 20. Nope--no rehearsals after Sun. till the following Sun; and this Sat. is the day I'd be hauling costumes and Sun. heading to a friend's party afterward anyway. I can handle the train tonight & tomorrow, plus Sat. night and Sun. morning, which is $2.25 each way, deducted automatically from my Ventra transit acct.). My Lyft ride usually runs $19 plus tip door-to-door, but parking is $42 and a 2-block walk between the garage and the Bar Assn. Nope.

The only tricky day when I might drive would be Mon. night, when we have to move to the theater after rehearsal. Too far to walk (nearly 1/2 mi.) carrying stuff, train inconvenient for that, and there are more people who need rides than can offer them. (Sometimes we have to volunteer to haul props too). So unless I can get a quick Uber or Lyft, I will just have to suck it up and park my car at both locations and pay through the nose. From then on, I can use a rideshare or take the train from home to the theater--I hate that station, though, because it has steep stairs and no HC access. Parking at the theater is also scarce and pricey. (The nights we stay at the Hilton during the actual run of the show, Bob will get the included parking space, since he has to commute from work on the S. SIde--and there is no train near any of his hospitals or offices).

carolehalston

Beautiful sunny and cold day here today. I had my hair "trimmed" and afterwards went to the nursing home. I picked out my mother's two bingo cards and we didn't do well. Most games we didn't even have a "wait."

Joan811

Thank you for your prayers, MC...today is your day and my prayers are with you. You will be cancer free and ready to begin the rest of your life!

Carole, thank you so much for your kind thoughts. I am sorry to hear about your friend Sylvia. I will add her to the growing list of people we all know who are facing serious challenges.
Sorry you did not have better luck at Bingo. I hope your mother is doing well.

Chi Sandy, thank you for thinking of me. It is shocking. But I have learned that OV ca does not feed on estrogen; therefore, my stopping the AI drug after 6 years was not a factor. (It relieved a lot of regrets I had conjured up). The cancer marker test saved me from a surgery that would have ruined my chances for remission. I am grateful to the doctor who ordered that test. He did it because of my BC history (he ran multiple markers)...and my pelvic pain, digestive issues, and a blockage he could not pinpoint on scans.
I have a new start now, and am hoping for some good years ahead.
I enjoyed reading about your performances and empathize with your decision to continue or move on to other things. You will always follow your passions!

Jackie, thanks so much for your kind welcome ... it feels like I am just picking up where we left off...you are still working and serving others' needs and are such an example to me. Your Thanksgiving treat of having dinner all ready is wonderful! You deserve it.
We had the same type of snow today and I just loved watching it fall heavily and steadily. It warmed here so it is gone...we are on the rain/snow line today. The wind is howling and rain is in the forecast.

Wren, good to hear from you...and yes, those pastries sound great. My diet is still restricted but my mouth still waters!!

I am a night owl tonight as I had a long nap during the afternoon. Heading to lights out soon.
Hugs and prayers,
Joan