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

IllinoisLady

Bright and sunny this morning which makes me go pitter-patter. The sun just wakes up everything that is good for me. I hope all of you are having a nice, bright, sunny day. Today will finish my stay over at the Dr.'s house. Had such a lovely Thanksgiving there. I also got to skip cleaning like a whirl-wind here as well. Many bonusses for me. But, I didn't get out of everything. I will have to resume catching up here with the things I didn't have to do earlier. Also, my yard still needs work but have to hope that we don't get more rain too soon and that it dries out well enough to get after it.

So, it will be wonderful to sleep in my own bed again. I haven't minded sleeping this week away from home. I also got the opportunity to try out the weighted blanket. I will say it did easily cure my soreness/stiffness and other mild like maladies from the change of beds. Usually the first night or two away have been a little rugged, but I didn't have any of that. Still, for me at home, I sleep so well that I don't feel I really need anything like that.

We are enjoying the sound-bar. You are so right Sandy. It really makes a difference to me wearing hearing aids. Dh notices and likes it as well. He thinks voices are crisper and clearer as well. It was an extremely easy set-up. We have a smart t.v. so just two wires and the deed was done. The box as well as paperwork come with three different ways to do the set-up depending on what system you have --- so at first we were a bit concerned seeing all the 'wires' and extra 'equipment' but soon figured out the last option ( just those two wires ) was all that was necessary for our t.v.

Hope you are all having a really great day.

MCBaker

I just ordered bra s from Amazon. The sizing is S-M -L-X, so I shouldn't have a problem with sizing. They wanted me to get a front closure athletic bra. I have always done the hooks in front and twisted it around to the back, but this seems different, like the compression bra, with several inches of bra between the books for more support. Compression bra was getting uncomfortable, so I switched to the bra i was wearing before this inconvenient crisis.

I am going to try a bit of housekeeping today.

ChiSandy

Today is my last day of "freedom" before we resume Bar Show rehearsals tomorrow morning: we open this Thursday! Morning will be spent rehearsing with the band, afternoon doing a couple of run-throughs. Mon. night we do another "dry-dress" rehearsal (no makeup or wigs, everyone changing on the same floor of the Bar Assn. bldg.) before we haul everything to the theater and get our dressing room assignments. (3rd fl. is the lowest, and it's reserved for us "old farts"). Tues. is tech rehearsal, where we get our body-mic assignments (who gets which, when do we hand them back and to whom, etc.) and the house fine-tunes the lights and sound; and we get used to the layout of the stage, scenery & drops. Wed. is full-dress: makeup & wigs, including planning what to where when, where to stash costume parts for quick changes, and how to time getting our wigs & mics (little leeway for the latter, because we all have to share & rotate them). Thurs, Fri., Sat., and the Sun. matinee is the actual run.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Bar Show without snow. (We got off easy the last three years). Snow is to start tom'w morning as rain and turn into snow (or--ugh--freezing rain) after noon and continue through Mon. morning. Various computer models disagree as to who gets more and how much--anywhere from 1/2" here by the lakefront to 12" centered by the downtown lakefront. It'll snow again Fri., Sat., & Sun. We've had blizzards so bad that principals got stuck on their trains and entire scenes had to be cut (no understudies--nobody has the time to take on an extra major role, as most are still practicing full-time), and the choral director had to conduct the band because the conductor got stuck on the road; one year, we even gave away free seats for theatergoers whose shows had been snowed out. After a while, we stopped asking to verify they held tickets for other shows, and let all comers in. We had a full house. (And driving home was such a nightmare that we now take a hotel room at the Hilton across the street for the run of the show).

Made my first dispensary visit yesterday. The place had sort of Danish-modern interior design, with line-drawing murals, teakwood-and-glass display cases, and two ATMs (until Congress de-schedules marijuana, dispensaries won't be able to have checking accounts or take credit cards). I had a really nice "budtender" guide me through. She agreed that smoking would not be a good idea for my lungs (unless I can unearth my 1970s-era homemade bong or find a hookah at a vape-smoke shop), and that vaping might hurt my throat unless I take one tiny hit and let it cool in my mouth before further inhaling.They don't carry oils (except for "RSO" aka Rick Simpson Oil, a formula for more intense pain and nausea relief), but tinctures--which have to be held under the tongue for 15 min. before swallowing. I got some chocolates (dark chocolate blueberry bar and chocolate-covered espresso beans) which were all-THC, some 1:1 (THC:CBD) gummies (they threw in a 100% THC indica one for free) made by a local pastry chef; mostly-CBD blueberry syrup to mix with seltzer (the budtender suggested adding a little limoncello); and mostly-CBD transdermal "gel" pen to dab on my wrist if I get a pain attack during the daytime. With the all-THC stuff, she said to "microdose" and add some of my own CBD oil if I start tripping or get paranoid. Last night, I cut a 10-mg. gummy in half and took it at bedtime. Still took 1/2 hr to fall asleep, but stayed asleep >9 hr. So tonight, I will take it 2 hrs. before bedtime--and turn in early to boot, as I have an early-starting long and difficult day tomorrow.

Wren44

That sounds so hectic, Sandy! I can imagine what a scramble it was when weather kept people from getting there. I hope the snow this year behaves itself. Staying at the Hilton is a good idea.

On Thursday, the UW football team and band were going to WSU for the Apple Cup (huge rivalry). The bus carrying the band hit ice and slid on it's side. They took 47 people to the hospital, but only 2 were admitted. The tiny little town of George was a few miles away and they took everyone to the school there. Pretty soon after it hit the radio, people showed up with food for all the kids from their own Thanksgiving tables. The band director said the band did everything together and they would not perform without the 2 members who were hospitalized. The rival school band learned the UW song and played it at the game. Nice to see everyone pitching in and making the best of a bad situation. There are a lot of good people around. UW won, which is also the tradition.

MCBaker

Sandy, does your theatrical group put on shows as a charitable benefit? Seems like a yearly thing, and professionally done. Lawyers need stress relief, and have in common a sense of the.theatrical. Something on which to come together despite diversity. I have a lawyer-friend who obsesses with golf.

Last night I slept nearly all night solid, I think the only wake-up was when I rolled into my drain-bulb.

I had a tough evening. I saw in my e-mail a notification that someone tried to call me. Then my kindle had a nervous breakdown. I called my friend back and asked her to call me back. No ring. I called my communications provider and proceeded to have a melt-down. We got a temporary fix, and hopefully on Monday everything will be taken care of. I may have to get a new kindle. Undone laundry because of broken machines only added to it. Sleep was a relief, along with the hope that the kindle would also wake.up feeling better. Which did happen.

IllinoisLady

Most people are just trying to get through the day. Be committed to learn to get from the day. Don't just get through it; get from it. Learn from it. Let the day teach you. Join the university of life. What a difference that will make in your future. Commit yourself to learning. Commit yourself to absorbing. Be like a sponge. Get it. Don't miss it. -Jim Rohn

IllinoisLady

Sandy, no way could I keep to your schedule. It really does sound so hectic and to me made worse by so many 'hectic' people doing something together.

MC, glad you got a good night's sleep. I'm such a believer in healing plus hopefully a renewed positive attitude through good sleep. I have attributed the wellness I have pretty much to that factor. That and not shying away to much from germs. So good for the kindle too. Hope the healing stays for it as well.

Had a wonderful night's sleep in my own bed last night. Also, back to having the benefits of the new sound-bar on our t.v. I tried so hard to NOT have to do it, but so happy that I did. I don't know about much of any of these things but chose the Visio one because it had a sub-woofer feature. Maybe it is a feature on all of them, but I took it that it didn't come ( or at least if it did the whole thing had a tinny sound ) on too many of the lower priced models. Just glad that I got over my stubbornness about watching every penny.

The sun is shining but despite that it is due to get colder thru the day and we either get rain, sleet, snow or any other un-wanted winter precip. I'll just enjoy the sun and worry about anything else when it comes. Right now it is being a blessing of a sunny morning which I will happily accept. I hope you are all having one.

ETA: Wren I meant to say hooray for Wiscousin. I'm so glad that most of the players upsets were minor and only two injuries needing hospitalization. Also a real joy to hear of the Good Samaritans making sure there was a holiday meal for the stranded players. Glad Wisconsin won too. I'm fond of Wisconsin for living fairly close and still have a friend there who I was in the service with long ago. She stayed in and retired as a Maj.

Wren44

Sorry, not Wisconsin - Washington. Equally nice people here as in Wisconsin. I've always wanted to visit there but have never made it.

MCBaker

Same difference. Rain and trees. Big water on one side, lots of Native roots. But our winters are nastier.

IllinoisLady

Wren my big oops. I hate to admit this, but I sat and watched the news reports ( with names of towns etc. ) so knew at one time that it was Washington. I do like both states. My BIL was at Western Washington University in Bellingham for a few semesters and my Dh and I went there on vacation one summer. My friend lives in West Bend, Wi. She was raised around Madison. Born in Montana. No stranger to cold.

Anyway, that is how my mind often works now. Sorry for any reader. It must have seemed very confusing.

It is trying ( hasn't made it yet ) to rain. Sure not liking the return of cold. We have had a delightful three or four days once we got past the previous rain a few days before Thanksgiving. Trees are looking pretty bare now as we have had plenty of wind to help bring in a storm. I have a little battery leaf blower that use on the deck. Cleaned it thoroughly this morning and it is full again. Since our door to the kitchen opens ( is basically even ) from the deck, leaves that have gathered there blow in every time we open the door. Never know how many will be sucked in, so we are either sweeping the kitchen or blowing off the deck. Keeps me busy.

Wren44

I hear you on leaves blowing in. Add to that a DH who doesn't scrape his shoes (or rake up leaves) I'm constantly picking them up to put in the compost.

ChiSandy

UW (WA, not WI) is Bob's alma mater (MD/PhD) and my former employer before law school (Genetics lab tech). When we lived in Seattle, we got student tickets and went to every Husky home game. We had to sit on the un-sheltered side of the stands, and we were somewhat rowdy. At one game--I think it was against Purdue--I was body-passed from our seats up top down to the sidelines. (I was much thinner then--in a tight T-shirt and short shorts). We follow them as assiduously as we do the Chicago pro home teams, Uof IL (Bob's former employer during residency & fellowship), Northwestern & Loyola (our "neighborhood schools"). I really miss those days, even though we were poor as church mice and ate a lot of Top Ramen and "Kraft dinner," as the Canadians say. Of course, when the Japanese crab fisherman would come to my law school's parking lot, we'd choose a Dungeness crab; when classes were done, the crab would be steamed and on ice, ready to bring home. At a buck per, it was cheaper than hamburger or even chicken.

Hunkering down for a blizzard, which has yet to arrive in the city (the rain was supposed to turn to snow around 4pm, but so far so good). Once the cold air mass comes in, we along the north lakefront will get slammed with a foot or more, enhanced by winds off the lake. ORD & MDW are nightmares right now, and ORD cancellations have affected the entire national air traffic. Bob is staying down south (he has his overnight bag), maybe inside the hospital itself (doctors' lounge or on-call rooms) rather than the Oak Lawn Hilton, which is a half-mile slog through the snow. By the time we have to rehearse tomorrow night and move to the theater, the snow should have stopped. Might take the CTA down and then an Uber or Lyft for the transfer (younger castmates actually walk the half-mile). Friends say to drive and use Spot Hero, but I don't trust it--what if someone takes your reserved spot? Besides, the closest garage is further from the Bar Assn. than are the CTA stations, and parking near the theater is tricky unless you pay an arm & a leg to valet-park at the Blackstone or Hilton & Towers.

Rehearsal today was fun. We worked with the band for the first time, and the songs came alive with more than just piano. (The "Baba O'Riley/Teenage Wasteland" parody is especially hilarious, with the synth riff & guitar intro just like in the original). Something magical happens when everyone's finally off-book (except for last-minute changes to reflect news developments) and confident: we can let go and really "sell" the songs and dances. (Oh, and someone brought bagels & "schmears").

ChiSandy

Oh, and my memories of George, WA are its Cherry Pie Festival every GW's B'day...but mostly that it was a notorious speed trap. We'd cross the Cascades, heading towards Yakima, tooling along I-90 at 75mph--when suddenly appeared a "Speed Zone Ahead" sign, followed almost immediately by a "Speed Limit--15mph" sign, not enough time to brake. (There's a series of similar small-town speed traps along US 41 in northern WI as you approach the MI U.P. border--yeah, I'm talkin' bout you, Peshtigo, Oconto & Marinette).

ChiSandy

10 pm here on the city's n. lakefront: a wintry mix of sloppy wet flakes and mostly rain. Nothing sticking yet--the ground's too warm. But we have been promised real snow starting about midnight, They revised the accumulation estimates--up here w/in 1/2 m. of the lake they're predicting only 3-4". But in Oak Lawn where Bob is tonight at the hospital it's been snowing for a couple hours & they'll get about 8". My housekeeper (whose visiting family made it out and into the air early this morning) lives in the Austin neighborhood on the far west side, bordering Oak Park--she'll probably get slammed. I told her to use her judgment tomorrow morning--I can handle one more day of cat-wrangling. We have plenty of clean laundry and the garbage isn't ready to take out yet. And I do all the cooking anyway.

The bigger danger at the lakefront is a "lakeshore flood warning." Winds are 30-40mph, the lake is already washing up and over the waterfront bike lanes and jogging paths; and we could be getting waves of 12-18 feet. Fortunately, between us and the lake is beach and >1/4 mi. of streets, and we're up a slight rise. So we won't flood, but those in the Sheridan Rd. condo highrises with underground garages are going to have a miserable time.

And they revised the forecast for the week and the run of the show: no more snow! And the weekend will be in the 40s.

IllinoisLady

I shall try to remember all this day that I am a divine creation with infinite possibilities. -Benjamin Eitelgeorge

IllinoisLady

Brrr outside here in Illinois, but the wind has died down and we didn't ( hmmm, hoping ) get the blizzard/snowfall that it seemed was coming. There are patches of VERY heavy frosty looking places along with some snow throughout all the leaves on the ground. Not so bad, but the cold is going to stay for sure for awhile. So, okay, but not fantastic. I'll have to run my car to warm the windshield so I can clean it off.

Lots to do today, but nothing that shouldn't be fairly easy -- mainly time consuming. Calls to make and just a list of assorted items. I hope you are all going to have a good day. Nice to be Monday and a lot better than I expected.

ChiSandy

About 3" here on the city's n. lakefront; 5" west of Ravenswood Ave.; 7" in the SW burbs (where Bob stayed overnight); and a foot or more in the NW suburbs. East of I-57 all they got was rain.

Beaverntx

Sandy, best wishes for your production and in show biz terms only "may you break a leg"!

MCBaker

I was talking with family earlier today, and they really got a blizzard in western illinois. No snow here. Had a good talk with both aunts. The Dad's side one urged me to call the Mom's side one. I resist calling her because it is so painful. She was a verbal.storm in her younger days. But the family is afraid of her living alone during the winter. She spent part of last winter not far from Duluth, but was massively unhappy. Hopefully my doctors will release me to go down there for a while, and reconnect with friends and relatives, and maybe go see my son. Her daughter recently had some serious surgery.

Sitting in medical office right now. Not for me, for once. reading the new Neil Stevenson novel. An important character is based on Neil deGrasse Tyson, who was also probably a consultant. Science fiction, needless to say.

ChiSandy

Thanks, MCBaker--though not gonna take it literally. Exhausted my annual quota of fractures.

IllinoisLady

I feel the capacity to care
is the thing which gives life
its deepest significance.

Pau Casals

IllinoisLady

The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today. H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most. Buddha

IllinoisLady

Maybe cloudy today but we are headed for some fairly warm weather. Better and better until the week-end ( maybe 60 or 65 ) but then we will likely have rain. I'm still a bit incredulous about all the rain and often at odd times. Just have to keep moving forward no matter what it does. Got a good head start on my bills. That is moving forward. Glad to back home and in my own bed. I re-arranged some of my living room furniture. I had been putting that off for a long time not wanting to have my 'easy' chair so far away from the deck windows. I can still see out of them just fine though.

My last ( new glasses should arrive soon ) eye check-up I finally allowed the Dr. to steer me to some eyedrops specifically formulated for dry eyes. I've resisted for a long time since I have such trouble watching boulders come towards my eye. I was getting to the point where I found myself rubbing my eyes too often. Our hands come in contact with so much that is germy -- so I felt it was a good time to get over a resistance to eyedrops. As the Dr. noted -- I feel like my eyes are cleaner and a bit clearer ( I'm sure they are ) by far. She told me I had a heavy amt. of floaters. Still most of the time I was un-aware of them, up till the last 6 mos. or so. Then I would get blurry sensations that immediately cleared when I rubbed. So far, so good. I think someone here said to put the drop in the corner of my eye -- then let it run into the eye.

As always -- valuable scoops to aid in living and having success.

Hope you all have a grand day.

ChiSandy

I use Systane Ultra (or the store brand equivalent) daily, and Pazeo (Rx) during allergy season. There are cheaper OTC versions of the antihistamine in the latter, but they need to be used twice a day rather than once, and the Pazeo is stronger. Fortunately, I get samples from my ophthalmologist.

Bitterly cold up here. Didn't make 30 yesterday, nor will we today. Woke up to 12F. Snow flurries on & off all day (and maybe "light snow" tonight--the lake effect giveth and the lake effect taketh away).

On the fence about whether to continue using the MMJ edibles instead of Xanax for sleep. (1:1 THC:CBD, or all-THC with a dropper of CBD oil or a CBD-only gummy). OTOH, I do sleep well and long with them; but on the other, I do get some involuntary twitches during the night. I do take half a Baclofen (formerly, a full tab) to keep my spine in line and ward off those agonizing tibial muscle spasms. I used the transdermal CBD gel pen (5% THC) before rehearsal and it eliminated my L arm pain for 4 hrs. w/o making me sleepy or buzzed. (The prednisone I'm on for my laryngitis is keeping my energy up--but also giving me munchies worse than from any joint I ever smoked in my misspent youth).

Here's how much of a MMJ newbie I am: last joint I smoked was >30 yrs. ago, and we rolled our own with both ends twisted. The prop joints (made out of oregano inside tissue or TP) we use in one scene of the show have one twisted and one wide end--sort of like the photos of the real pre-rolled joints on the dispensary menu. I have NO idea which end gets lit and which end goes in my mouth!!!!!!

IllinoisLady

Sandy I have Systane Complete ( optimal dry eye relief. ) It has a little tag on the package that indicates it is a new offering from the company. Many eye doctors in this area seem to like to hand this out and so I knew it would likely cost a bit more than other kinds. My thought was that I had waited several yrs. to begin using anything so I would go with whatever the Eye Dr. recommended. After I've paid for a couple of bottles of it w/o a coupon I may well ask for something else.

I'm clueless on the other items. I was an adult when I tried smoking marijuana. Didn't set well at all so I walked away and never looked back. Have avoided all but a bit of beer or wine and not a whole lot of them either since then. I guess I could say I wasn't really a wild and crazy girl. The first made me sick and with the second I'm far too intent on staying in charge. Maybe in another life I got my fill of some things and can by-pass w/o feeling as though I've missed something.

ChiSandy

I'm a control freak and don't like to get high or buzzed. I am perfectly happy with a good non-alcoholic beer, but I sure wish there were a de-alcoholized wine that tasted even half as good as the real stuff. The MMJ edibles and topicals are strictly for sleep & pain relief--that's why I'm "microdosing" (<5 mg.) the THC.

MCBaker

the twisted end goes in the mouth. Otherwise you would get some dried herb in your mouth and that would be disgusting. I think your prop person is not that good.if I were prop person, both ends would be twisted.

I have an appt with PS tomorrow. Hopefully my remaining drain will be pulled. A friend will be stopping t by with a Christmas present later. My sister will be here late Saturday afternoon. I just finished a batch of Orange marmalade. Taking a break before cleaning the kitchen. CleAning the kitchen is the one thing I don't like about cooking.

I have my new bras, tossed the old. I like the chesty me.

ChiSandy

Thanks, MC!

IllinoisLady

Spirituality is a flower with a thousand petals:
every act, every thought, every talk, every
movement of our heart is a part of it.

Robert Muller

IllinoisLady

Pretty today, but not enough sun for me. Maybe ( I'm generally skeptical of the weather in our little few miles in any direction space here ) some rain in the evening hours, but it should be moderate outside now. I know rain will come over the week-end, but not which day for sure. So, all things will end up on hold but that is okay. I'll be busy with other things. Time to start working on X-mas cards. I've already gotten a couple and I'm sure in short order a lot more will come.

So -- no matter what the weather outside, I'll be working away at something that is likely inside for now.

Dh is coming along okay. Still waiting on the Lyrica that the V.A. is sending, but at least and at last it is coming. Wondering how much he will need it by the time it gets here.

Hope you all have a really nice day.