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

IllinoisLady

Happy Valentines Day to all. We are not doing much, but I think celebrating by going ( don't even know if it is open today ) the Rec Center and getting walking passes again. Dh and I have both been lazy and need to do a lot better with healthy activities. This ( the walking ) is something Dh can do and certainly can as well. Actually, I think it will inspire him to keep going if I go as well.

The sun is out today though it won't get too warm. The sun always makes it okay for me though. Tomorrow will see warmer weather make its way back to us. Have to go later today and do a urine sample for the Urologist I will see again in a week. Sigh. At least I get to see someone here. I'm thinking we will be successful with his program so far which consists in a lot of gentle washing after using the bathroom and drinking plenty of water which I was already doing anyway. Then again -- after antibiotic tx. it has taken awhile for anything to crop up. Just have to wait and see.

Sorry if I don't reference anything as I'm on the next page. I think there is a way to go back, but don't know what it is. I'd lose everything if I tried.

Hope you all have a wonderful day.

petite1

Good morning. A little chilly this morning, but should turn into a pretty day.

carolehalston

Sunny again today and cold enough for the heat to be turned on. The lunch yesterday with my sister and niece was enjoyable. We ate at a Mexican restaurant that has never been busy the few times I've eaten lunch there. I'm wondering how much business they do.

No plans for today except (maybe) go to the gym for some exercise and later get some things done around the house. Now that I have a cleaning angel coming periodically to do the basic cleaning I am free to do things other than "basic."

It's Mardi Gras season but dh and I have no interest in going to parades any more. If we had a reason for going, like taking visitors, we would probably get in the mood. There is something infectious about the music and the atmosphere.

We tackled cleaning the outdoor grill yesterday but in the middle of the process we decided we should buy a new one. So we wheeled the old grill out to the street. I had already wiped off the outside so it looked pretty good. It's a name brand. I hope somebody picks it up. We have good luck with getting rid of things this way.

I downloaded Turbo Tax and filed our federal income tax return on Thursday. We had overpaid in voluntary withholding so will be getting some of our money back. Much better than having to pay in more.

Happy Saturday.

IllinoisLady

Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.

Frederick Buechner

IllinoisLady

Sunny, but dimming from time to time. It will be warmer today and for the next couple of days. I will enjoy that. Then possible rain for a couple of days. It is often this way which is and can be more un-predictable than the other way.

We were sorta lazy yesterday but did get to the Rec Center to sign up for walking passes. They have gone up from the $12.00 they were to $15.00. Still a bargain for us since we really need the movement. Nice to be able to take a break and sit for a spell too. Can't do that when we walk around the neighborhood. Also the terrain ( though mostly pretty boring ) is easier at the center. I'll still try for a bit of a walk around here. Just to enjoy the woods and all the birds, and animals we get to see.

We were told we didn't need to fill out tax forms at all this year. Hope we got the correct advice This apparently due to this past yr. Dh not working at all. That is fine with me although we still have to file our exemption papers to the county yearly.

Carole, you reminded me that I want to look for some new grill recipes for this spring and summer. Our Kenmore grill , ( purchased new when we moved to this house 17 yrs. ago ) was a problem from almost the beginning when shortly after we allowed a friend to barbecue for all of us on it. He drowned the ignitor switch with barbecue ( we never let him near our grill again ) sauce. Not sure why Dh never replaced the switch, but at long last the grill was just sitting covered and not being used. When my youngest BIL ( he bought our old lake house ) passed away he had just gotten a new grill the yr. before so we tossed our old one out and brought that one home. I think once again we can cook outside and not have the whole project be a chore to be approached slowly and with a lack of desire.

Wren44

We stayed at a time share on Maui that had lots of outdoor grills. Best of all, they had staff that came in and cleaned them so we didn't have to. Grilled ahi (tuna) is awesome.

CindyNY

My grill secret cleaning method is to put the parts in my dish washer. I wipe any big grime off, but mostly just put it in the dish washer with no other items. Makes it nice to know when I return to FL from NY it's so clean and ready for use.

ChiSandy

For Valentine's Day the temp was -1F at dawn and made it all the way up to 10 before it dropped again. We went to the Lyric Opera last night to see Madame Butterfly (which was excellent) and were lucky enough to snag a taxi right away to Avec for our late dinner res--good tthing as it was 9F by then. Tonight it was a balmy 30, so we walked to dinner.

I have my bi-monthly weigh-in coming up Wed., and I'm dreading it--lost only 5 lbs since Dec. Having trouble getting my exercise-walking in, as my stupid L 3rd toe callus hurts like hell (and there's a blood blister beneath it so there's only so much filing the podiatrist can do). But on the bright side, my new Bears jersey (Khalil Mack, #52) is a boys' size L, and it fits!

IllinoisLady

What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think.
This rule, equally arduous in actual and intellectual life, may serve
for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness. It is
the harder, because you will always find those who think they know
what is your duty better than you know it. It is easy in the world
to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after
our own; but the great person is one who in the midst of the crowd
keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

petite1

Good morning, ladies. Warm and sunny in Florida, today.

carolehalston

The new grill is shiny and handsome. DH bought it at Lowe's where he gets a Veteran's discount. The grill was already assembled, which greatly pleased DH. It was priced at $249 but with the discount cost a little less than that, even including tax. We had filet mignon last night and the grill and the griller, DH, did a good job. We actually prefer rib eye steaks, but I have been buying the fillets because they're not as fatty. Not as flavorful either since fat is a big flavor component in beef.

It was raining this morning but now the rain has stopped. It's still gloomy out.

It used to take me a number of hours to do our income tax return, but I learned I was wasting my time coming up with expenses for an itemized return. I would end up doing better with the standard deduction. So I just do the short version from the get go. Our financial affairs are so simple now that our only income is retirement income, social security, pension, and withdrawals from retirement savings. We have no home mortgage and no interest payments that are deductible. My car loan was interest free.

Happy Sunday to all.

CindyNY

ChiSandy - for a while if I knew I was hiking, or even walking a lot, I had to put a silicone sleeve over my toe that had a bad callous. Otherwise it was ectremely painful, and causing a limp. At one point even had to take off my sneaker and walk with one bare foot! I got the silicone sleeve at my foot Dr, but I believe Wal-Mart carries it too.

Both feet have had bunion surgery 2x, and I needed orthotics too. I've got my mother's feet, with my dad's long toes!

IllinoisLady

Your best shot at happiness, self-worth, and personal satisfaction—the things that constitute real success—is not in earning as much as you can but in performing as well as you can something that you consider worthwhile. Whether that is healing the sick, giving hope to the hopeless, adding to the beauty of the world, or saving the world from nuclear holocaust, I cannot tell you. - William Raspberry

IllinoisLady

Gloomy day here and raining this morning. Heavy mist when I went out to feed the feral cats. They don't come in the consistent rain ( and the food would soon mush and melt anyway ) but just misty they will. Their hair protects them pretty well in mist. Then back home to breakfast. Went to the Rec Center to walk. Lots of people there -- being President's Day. Embarrassed a bit -- in the way home we stopped at the mail-box. When Dh got back in the car I told him -- we don't have to come back because it is Pres. Day and there will be no mail. This is bad since we had just discussed the reason why the Rec Center was so full. Some days you just don't have it. I think no problem unless ALL days get like that.

Hope you all had a good day.

IllinoisLady

Today:

MCBaker

Saturday night my fitbit recorded one hour of sleep; too many blankets. Last night I got nearly nine hours of sleep. I was still restless, and my heart-rate was too high, but a big step forward. I took my dirty clothing hamper out of my bedroom. Today I reduced the amount of furniture in the bedroom. I got nearly ten thousand steps in today. Went for a walk whenever Tippy requested one, and went to the gym. Also baked and boned chicken thighs for soup, and made bean soup. And did laundry.

Ought to make a list of things to do for tomorrow, so I can keep it up. My mind is so much clearer when I can get decent sleep.

IllinoisLady

MCBaker, I too hope you are able to sleep well. I've thought for a long while any negative health I have experienced has resolved as well as it could because I've been able to sleep well.....at least 7 hours per night and sometimes more. I wake up pretty much rearing to go then.

MCBaker

Yesterday at the gym, one of the weight machines was "all fouled up", and I left an irritated note on it, saying as much. Of course, I would have left an note using the other word, if I weren't such a lady. The guys had a great laugh over it.

Last night I got 5:49 hours of sleep. I am so eager to get that full-size weighted blanket. We got .3 inches liquid measure in the form of snow last night. Maintenance guy has not yet gotten to work on it.

Well, I have a list of things to do. How many of them will I work on today? I have been commissioned to make a set of cloth dolls for my nieces' and nephews' and own kids' children. I am not as beautifully crafty as Mom was, but I am the crafty one. That project has already been on the back burner for several years. Do some cognitive work at Luminosity, but I am pretty sure my brain glitches are due to my sleep problems. Shorten a pair of pants for a neighbor. Go to the library to get a book that a cousin has recommended. My sister got a pattern and fabric for a coat for Tippy for us for Christmas. That is probably at the top of the list.

Saw a recipe on Facebook for a crustless quiche. And, of course, walk Tippy and go to gym.

IllinoisLady

I remember the morning that I first asked the meaning of the word "love. . . ." Miss Sullivan put her arm gently round me and spelled into my hand, "I love Helen."
"What is love?" I asked. . . .
"Love is something like the clouds that were in the sky before the sun came out," she replied. . . . "You cannot touch the clouds, you know; but you feel the rain and know how glad the flowers and the thirsty earth are to have it after a hot day. You cannot touch love either; but you feel the sweetness that it pours into everything. Without love you would not be happy or want to play."
The beautiful truth burst upon my mind--I felt that these were invisible lines stretched between my spirit and the spirits of others. -Helen Keller

IllinoisLady

Speaking of sleep -- granddaughter called late last night and we talked into the wee hours so likely I will be sluggish today. I did get up later than normal. Oh well, it is okay. I will catch up. Cloudy today -- all day. That is okay too since I'm in that sluggish space it is be a better match. Anyway, I'll find some things to do inside.

I used a weighed blanket while at my employers house. I didn't do well with it. Likely due to the doggies maybe being on the bed with me. Between them and struggling to get out from under the blanket it didn't work well at all. Some time later I noticed the blanket was gone from the bed. I don't think my employer was faring well either. I'd say possibly for the same reason -- the doggies. All the dogs are sm. ones, but hard to move yourself in other conditions at times. Adding a weighted blanket just really made it feel nearly impossible to extricate yourself w/o having to realign the blanket as best you could to get back into bed.

Hope you all have a fantastic day.

MCBaker

LOL. Having tried to co-sleep with Tippy, I am fully aware of that problem. That was before I got out the small weighted blanket that I already have. I have been doing some research, and I will halve my Venlafaxine tablets as an experiment. I have not been depressed at all lately, so that should be safe.

petite1

Good morning, ladies. It is cloudy and a light shower. Labs came in TSH is up, expected has been since radiation and Cholesterol. That surprised me.

carolehalston

Another "icky" day here. Warm and humid. We turned on the a/c last night.

I plan to go to Silver Sneakers today at 11 am.

IllinoisLady

Self-respect cannot be hunted. It cannot be purchased. It is never for sale. It cannot be fabricated out of public relations. It comes to us when we are alone, in quiet moments, in quiet places, when we suddenly realize that, knowing the good, we have done it; knowing the beautiful, we have served it; knowing the truth, we have spoken it.

Whitney Griswold

IllinoisLady

Sun today ( hope it stays all day ) but only in the 40's. That is good enough for me. New BP med seems to be helping a lot though the morning BP always runs a bit higher. Maybe it will come down after I've taken the extra pill for a bit. Hope so, but glad to see the better numbers the rest of the day after my 'dosage' for the day occurs. My wt. is staying stable for now. Helps that over-all more vegetables are being consumed. I had a tall, slender pot to steam veggies ( like broccoli ) on the stove but since found it easier to put things like that on a microwave safe plate, add a couple tbsp. of water, set a vented lid on, ( about 7 mins. ) and there you have steamed veggies. Not sure why I didn't look for an easier way sooner.

Hard to imagine a/c so early in the yr. Carole. We had friends that moved to LA. and I always wondered why since the humidity there I think is worse than ours. I feel for you. We will have plenty of cool , even some cold as yet. On rare occasion we have had snow in April, so several iffy months ahead for us but I am looking very forward to Spring ( hoping to get back to keeping my car up myself ) and the trees and bushes getting their clothes back. I'm just hoping we don't have super rain and wind for Spring.

Hope you all have a fantastic day.

petite1

Good morning, ladies. A little cloudy this morning. I haven't turned the air conditioner on yet. It is nice to have a lower electric bill.

carolehalston

We had solar panels installed several years ago and our electricity bill has been $0.00 since then. In fact we bank some of the electricity we don't use. Of course, it helps that we go north for the hot summer months. It also helps that we have hurricane shutters and lower those before we depart. They help to keep the house cool with the thermostat set at 80.

We plan to have a whole house generator installed and have gotten a couple of prices. We hope to get that done before we depart in late May.

It's a rainy dark day outside. Haven't decided whether I'll venture out to the gym this morning for cardio. I want to go to a class at 1 pm for chair yoga. Maybe the rain will have slacked up by then. DH has an appointment with the dermatologist so he has to go out.

IllinoisLady

Your worth is not measured by what you do. Nor can you calculate the degree of your worthiness by what you possess. Your worth is a function of your being. Your being is colorless, genderless, and believe it or not, ageless. Your being is worthy of honor, admiration, and respect. It is a vessel of love and light. It is a beacon of inspiration. - Iyanla Vanzant

IllinoisLady

I love the idea of solar panels. I don't know of many people using them around here, but likely there are some. We have though had more rain or cloudy days the last few yrs. We have never looked into anything like that as it is doubtful we could afford it. We have had pretty good fortune though with replacing our furnace. We had the outdoor unit ( the kind that usually sits on roofs of buildings ) but it ( with expensive repairs ) barely made it to its original shelf life -- and by the time it got there was doing such a poor job we had to augment with infrared heaters.

Sun today but not really warm. Temp. will be about 33 or so all day. I'm likely okay as long as their is sun. It is not always the temp. but whether their is sun outside that keeps me going. Nothing major planned. Going to get my hair done - its a real mess lately, and then some odds and ends here at home. Maybe a walk at the rec center later. Tomorrow I go back to the Urologist. Hope that goes well.

Hope you all have a great day.

CindyNY

Good afternoon ladies. We are in Rochester, NY - my partners mom at 102 is now in hospice in the hospital. We were thinking the worse but she's taking a good turn - eating, talking, seeming to do better. Talk of returning her to her assisted living.

It's in the high 80's in Ft Myers, 20 here!