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

IllinoisLady

I as well hope and pray we all stay well. It will take some vigilance. Hoping all find at the supermarkets what is needed. I get ads and alerts ( due to having a local store ) from Aldi's and in this mornings note ( alert ) they are going to be restricting people to normal amts. of many items. That would be sanitizers, toilet paper, paper towels as well as macaroni/spaghetti noodles . That is good to know. Yesterday at Walmart there were no paper products at all. Almost no lunch meat. If you wanted any it might have been a variety you likely don't normally buy I would say. Milk was quite low and only certain varieties left. Breakfast items ( cereal ) were quite sparse and all the super-sized pkgs. were sold out. Just glancing as we walked to the aisle we wanted I saw lots of empty spots. I don't know whether they have more stock or are waiting on new deliveries. Didn't ask. If you can't find what you need you keep going to stores til' you do or go without. A friend had to go to two stores to find a carton of eggs and Walmart had none of those yesterday either.

I do hope people will stop doing the panic buying. I understand that there could be some reasons -- and there may be people who routinely buy more for a reason. I, myself tend to get extra ( probably being lazy ) of things we enjoy a lot. Also if I have extra money I sometimes spend it for extra food and supplies if I'm caught up or already extra on some of our bills. It has never been really overt though. Hopefully we will all learn to see it as possibly depriving someone who has as much if not more need then we do. In it together.

Happy voting day here and I will be glad to go. So far, seems we are by-passed for virus cases as yet. Then again, with the shortage of testing we cannot be sure. Sometimes you just have to go on faith. I made my usual lg. batch of steel-cut oatmeal and will put portions in individual baggies for a friend and I will take them to her today. She is finally back from the nursing home and I am also spring/cleaning -- washing her kitchen cabinets on the outside as she can't get on a foot-stool or even stand for too long a period. Not a big deal -- just a little help.

Take care and have a good day.

Puffin2014

I'm back from my cruise, have sold my house and am settled in my new apartment. Realized today I hadn't checked in here for quite awhile, too many pages to catch up on.

The cruise was wonderful, temps in the 80's and 90's. Wonderful group of people, no complainers, everyone helped each other when we were looking at birds. I saw 38 new species of birds! Good thing we went when we did, no quarantine required when we got back.

ND only has 1 positive corona virus person in the northern part of the state. The governor is following recommendations and the colleges and k-12 classes have be canceled, libraries are closed. No dine in restaurants. Our building has restricted all visitors, even family, and we've been asked to leave the building for essential things only. All activities in the building have been canceled, those who have meal tickets will get them punched and then take their bag of food back to their apartment instead of eating in the dining room.

I'm stocked up on food and most medicines, can't get 2 of them refilled until next week because of insurance coverage. Am listening to audiobooks on my kindle and working on genealogy online. I've been walking the treadmill in the building, wiping it down well before and after.

Temps are still in the 20's and 30's and there are still huge piles of snow. Flooding is predicted again for this spring.

IllinoisLady

Puffin, welcome home to you. I wondered what you were up to. Apparently forgot you had a cruise to take. Sounds like it was indeed a rewarding cruise with all the 'new' birds to see and I am so glad you didn't have to go through a huge hassle ( quarantine ) on your return. Also glad that ND ( your area ) doesn't have a lot going on virus-wise but glad so many precautions are in place. It is for the best ( though restrictive ) for everyone with friends and family included. It sort of sounds like we could all have a fair amt. of restrictive times in front of us.

Again, welcome home. So glad you are in your new place and not having to be concerned with so much outdoor work -- even more so now.

ChiSandy

As of last night, Whole Foods had plenty of packaged lunchmeat, as well as sliced and cut/wrapped cheeses. Full produce section too. Decent amounts of fresh fish & seafood in the fishmonger case and meats in the butcher case. But self-serve fresh proteins were picked clean, as were milks of all kinds--dairy or plant, refrigerated or shelf-stable. Bread aisle had only burger buns. Nobody would go near the bulk bins, hot bar or salad bar--and I wasn't about to be that adventurous. Between the veggie crispers, fridge, freezers and canned stuff, we've got about a month and a half worth of food. (Also four pounds of Costco imported spaghetti from heaven knows when--but that stuff keeps forever, and there was no coronavirus in Italy 5 years ago).

Bob called--he ate a sandwich from the doctors' lounge so doesn't want shrimp tonight. I had an avocado earlier (we have 5 left, 3 of them ripe and in the fridge), so will have tuna salad in romaine leaf "cups" and a Caprese from the half a tomato I have left over from yesterday.

I felt really crummy late last night, and realized that I haven't had anything made from white flour for so long that I can no longer handle simple carbs. About an hour before eating that avocado, I felt really headachy...but my temp is low and so is my pulse. Then I realize I'd had nothing but coffee & water for over 6 hrs. D'oh! Was afraid that house arrest would mean I'd boredom-eat and sleep a lot, but I think I will be able to hold on to my "girlish figure." Of course, there's no point in changing out of my scrubs (which I use as PJs) into my new cute wardrobe.

Today, my ENT's office called again, and further postponed my appt. (which yesterday they moved from 3/19 to 4/30) to 6/22. I mentioned what I have isn't plain tinnitus but pulsatile & positional (and unilateral at that) and asked if it could be due to something serious. "Maybe," answered the nurse honestly. But the unsaid subtext was that even if it's an AVM or a tumor which would cause a stroke, they're not gonna waste a precious ICU bed on an asthmatic 69-yr-old cancer survivor when they could give it to an otherwise healthy young COVID-19 patient with their whole life ahead of them (and likely a family to raise).

We are going to have to give each other our various passwords and perhaps even buy a burial plot. "Just in case" is getting scarily closer.

keywestfan

Sandy, you seem very young and vital to me. For sure, in a triage you would get the ICU bed and I would be left dry and hopefully high. We, by the way, do have burial plots and each other’s passwords. We are also on complete lockdown at the Mather. Gym is closed, dining rooms closed, all common areas off limits, no visitors, not even family allowed in AND we cannot go out. I do have a follow up with BS Monday, or with his NA( the beautiful Jada) but do not know whether I will be allowed to leave the building. It is said that if one leaves they cannot come back for 14 days, then must totally self quarantine for another. I am an exercise addict, so will have to keep climbing to the 10th floor several times a day. Now I wish I lived in my old home and had my treadmill and elliptical. This whole thing is very scary. All the blonde ladies here will be white haired by the time we can go out again. Serenity, love her name, comes to cut Dahlia’s( our snowshoe Siamese) every 4 weeks, but nada to that for awhile

ChiSandy

Oh, Judy, sorry to hear you and your fellow Mather residents are under house arrest. Are you even allowed to walk the corridors or the rooftop (a "social distance" apart from each other) to "mix up" your improvised cardio workout? And are you allowed to get deliveries?

keywestfan

Sandy, I think we can walk the corridors- will certainly try, but if someone is coming in the opposite direction, may not be able to socially distance. Can get deliveries and can also order from menus posted each day outside the closed dining room and delivered to our apartments. But a different way of living than we did even a week ago. I suppose, in one way or another that’s true for all of us.
judy

Wren44

Safeway says they'll have senior hours from 7:30 to 9:30 on Tues and Thurs.

I read advice on working from home that suggested changing into different pajamas to work.

We don't have wills. I'm going to bring it up again to DH. He started one but had special things we was trying to work out. Then he lost interest. Given his memory problems I wonder about doing a trust rather than leaving mine to him. Not going to bring that up yet with him. Otherwise I would just leave everything to him first and the kids second. No reason to get complicated about it.

I think a lot of people are using their time at home to declutter. At least the line to donate at Goodwill was 4 blocks long and they do 2 cars at a time.

Taco1946

Many independent/assisted living facilities here are "locking down." Our rec centers closed last week. No clubs are meeting. The country club we belong to is still open with limited service. I played golf today and several of us sat on the patio afterwards. Food hoarding is happening and many shelves are bare. No eggs, meat or paper products yesterday. We bought the last 1/2 gallon of sone "exotic" milk for an outrageous price but we are cereal eaters. Many restaurants have gone to drive-up only. Thankfully, my annual mammogram scheduled for tomorrow, wasn't cancelled. I would have hated to deal with the pre-mammo anxiety again. If its OK, I assume BS and MO will postpone me which is fine. I don't need to be taking my germs into places where chemo patients are being treated. Arizona has a very good early mail-in process so we voted without standing in lines. If the stores are still open in Friday, I plan to go buy more yarn. Have lots of books on kindle but I know won't do well if I have to stay home for long periods. I also really worry about the people who need the services of our food bank and/or depend on federal school meal programs. Stay safe everyone.

ChiSandy

Judy, glad to hear you're able to get room service. As to corridor walking, maybe a schedule can be drawn up?

Our public schools are doing curb service for free Federal breakfasts & lunch: 3 days' worth for each kid in the household; not sure how they're controlling against parents coming by any oftener.

One Park District fieldhouse is open, offering programs for kids of essential workers who have no day care--again, not sure how they're policing "social distancing."

IllinoisLady

When you ignore your soul's destiny, when you get caught up in
your own self-interests and forget to care for others, you will not
feel "right." Instead, you will feel empty and unfulfilled. During
these times, you are neglecting your soul--you are depriving it of
nourishment. . . . seek something outside your nine-to-five job...
as an additional source of fulfillment and as a way to feel the joy
of helping others. You can do any number of things to fulfill this goal--volunteer at a community hotline, coach a Little League
team, donate your time to a public school, visit the sick.
Whatever you choose, you will gain a sense that you are
giving of yourself, that you are sharing yourself with
the world, that you are fulfilling the destiny of your soul.

Rabbi Harold Kushner

IllinoisLady

It is getting much messier. I don't think we have many ( since I am not an aficionado of lots of activities around town ) restrictions as yet, but our little berg is not likely I think to get the testing that would identify any problems. I did I think mention Aldi's restricting over-buying of products so there should continue to be enough for any shoppers. Also Dollar General is reserving their first 'open' hour for Senior shopping. So a few adjustments, but that I currently know about, nothing major. I am assuming that most people ( if they get as nervous as reasonable people would or should ) would in fact use their heads about what they do and who they are around.

If and when we get a known case here I expect some BIG freaking out, but more likely that we perhaps should assume that if not here already that it soon will be. I'm pretty much in the category of being restrictive now to an extent so that if things become worse we might have less adjustment to make. Fortunately ( other than feeding the feral cats and I hope I can continue ) I could stay in my house for days and not feel too deprived. I have always been able to enjoy my own company though do like the interaction that I have with others -- but I would hope that if deprived at some point we don't have to do so for too long.

Hoping for all of us since we seem to have to depend more on ourselves right now or our states. Not getting political, but re-stating the obvious.

karen1956

I'm on extended spring break (2 weeks early). As of now, we are supposed to go back on April 6th, but I'm guessing that will change.

Its great for me to have the extra time as my DH had quintuple bypass surgery on the 11th. He came home on Monday after a week in the hospital. He was admitted 2 days before surgery due to an unstable blood clot on the "widow maker" and 95% blockage on all the arteries. Cardiac immediately admitted Craig was admitted to the hospital and started on IV Heparin trip. The surgeon they cariologist was at a different hospital, so on the day before surgery they transferred him by ambulance to the other hospital on Tuesday afternoon. The unexpected school closure is giving me 3 weeks to be with DH. I was off all last week and had planned to take this week off. My oldest daughter was going to come in next week but with all the Covid-19 that has been cancelled. For now, we are happy to be hunkered down at home. He is allowed to go for walks outside with me. I'll also go to the grocery store as needed, but not making any extra trip. Lots of stuff I can do in the house. Doctors are really pleased with DH's progress, but he'll be off work for at least 4 - 6 weeks.

Chi - DH and I redid our wills in September - the total estate planning. We last wrote out will in 1989 when I was pregnant with my second - now we have 3 grown children. Kids aren't on any account yet. My DH and I were on our folks accounts before they passed away. As time comes, we will change the accounts and add their names. Our kids are all very mature and responsible and they would never touch the money without our permission. But I don't think we need to do that now. DH and I are young - he is 64 and I'll be 64 in 6 weeks. Baruch hashem, we will live long lives.

Everyone stay safe. Karen

IllinoisLady

Just found out there are some places making adjustments here. The Rec Center is closed till the end of the month, but will reassess then. The Moose is closed ( the kitchen ) for now so no taco nights on Wednesday nights for a while. Haven't made any other calls, but this small list is from family or the newspaper. It is slated to rain here, which sounds like just normal showers and no big pour downs. So, onward and upward.

ChiSandy

Baruch Hashem indeed, Karen. Saying r'fuah shlema every night now. Jackie, any communal dining facilities are included in the Gov's executive order to shut down dine-in restaurants. Oak Park (a w. suburb of Chicago) now has an official "shelter-in-place" order like the Bay Area's. Evanston (the 'burb 2 miles n. of us) has 5 cases, 2 of them in the skilled-nursing wing of a senior complex on the NW side of town (nowhere near Judy's senior building). Evanston Hospital sent the 3 community-acquired patients home to self-quarantine. Nobody at the complex has been offered any kind of protection, either. The independent-living wing is (thus far) not on lockdown.

I have decided to shelter-in-place: Bob is a doctor, visiting 3 hospitals and a union HMO. I have to assume he may have been exposed even if there's no evidence of infection. He admitted tonight he has visited one SW Side nursing home--he has two regular patients there he can't abandon (one a friend--an FP who had sepsis from endocarditis caused by ignoring his dental health, leading to a bedsore and amputation; the other said FP's wife). Here's what's amazing: the staff and patients of that nursing home are getting tested, but they won't test him. Not just that, they won't even give him a mask. (He lied and told me he wears a respirator at his hospitals--turns out they don't have any for non-ER and non-infectious-disease docs). So we have to just suck it up and stay home--and he may join me (albeit in the guest room--using separate bathrooms, one of which has no functioning shower so we'd have to take sponge baths or use "adult washcloths").

I'm still doing assiduous hand-washing and surface-cleaning of course, but I fear I'm just sticking my finger in the dike.

Wren44

Sandy, I hope your husband does well and does not get the virus. According to the news, a hospital in Bellingham has volunteers making masks for the staff. They didn't have a link to the pattern though.

I think I can make a mask out of a folded bandana. Not N95 of course, but possibly of some use. Easily washed at home. I have an N95 mask they gave me to wear while leaving the clinic after being tested for whooping cough a few years ago. Not planning to wear it anytime soon. It's miserably hot for one thing.

karen1956

The Colorado governor has just banned any gatherings larger than 10 people. Schools are closed through April 17th (for now) - I'm guessing after spring break there will be some sort of distance learning, but I'm not sure how that will work for School Psychologists. Awaiting emails from my supervisor and the superintendent tomorrow. I signed up to help with crisis calls over the next couple weeks. I figure I can take calls and also take care of DH. He is feeling pretty good, but fatigues easily. He just needs to remind himself that it is normal post such major surgery and be patient. Him being in such excellent shape prior to the surgery is surely helping with his recovery. We sent pictures of his incisions to our niece who is an ER nurse at the VA hospital in Portland and she couldn't believe who great they looked.

One of my bf's is an anesthesiologist and she texted me a picture yesterday that looks like she is wearing a hazmat suit.

ChiSandy

A reporter was interviewing (using a 6-foot boom mic) three millennials whooping it up on the beach in Miami, definitely not "social distancing." They said, "We're friends, we've always been together, it's spring break and we're gonna have fun" (hands on each others' shoulders, hugging). Millennials think they're immune (especially in Italy & France--where they're getting sick in record numbers now) and joke that COVID-19 is the "Boomer remover" and "senior deleter." Let's see how cavalier they are when they lose their jobs and want Mom & Dad to bail them out, but Mom & Dad are fighting for their lives.

Where's that tsunami when we need one?

MCBaker

I saw a picture of the beach parties after they were warned, and it looks like they were behaving themselves better.

School psychologists will probably be tele-consultants with parents having difficulties getting their kids to accept the new normal of homeschooling. I can just imagine the problems of parents of kids with pre-existing behavioral disorders. Then there are parents who are working at home and homeschooling, and the problems of doing both with more than two kids. There may be problems with parents who don't want to take the trouble to homeschool their kids, or those who are finding it impossible because they are desperately needed at worksites. Don't worry, they will find work for you.

carolehalston

The states that don't have many positive cases haven't had much testing. We had none in Louisiana until a week ago. Now the numbers are fast increasing.

DH and I need to have a good will drawn up, too. I did a handwritten one some years ago and have it stashed in my sister's bank box.

This afternoon I had a delivery of 30 bales of pine straw to mulch flower beds. Today I finished weeding the beds in front of the house. So they're ready for mulch.

I've also been cleaning out my clothes closet and filling up big bags for the Vietnam Veterans to pick up. DH is contributing some of his clothing. We both keep easing to to larger sizes. I had held on to clothes that were too tight in the hope I could lose weight.

I understand the reasons for the restrictions but it sounds claustrophic not to be able to leave a residential complex. At least I can walk the neighborhood and work in the yard as well as do things in the house. So far I am dealing with the isolation without problems but I'm sure it will become more stressful as time goes on. Not as stressful as being seriously ill.

In a different environment we would be packing to go north to a funeral. DH's sister died early this morning. We're not sure what decisions will be made about a service but neither auto nor air travel is acceptable for us at this time. It's very sad. Her death was not unexpected as she has been battling amyloidosis for eight years.

Take care, everyone.

keywestfan

Sandy, we have very good friends at 3 Crowns in independent living and they are on lockdown- as we are. Though it’s maybe a question of some definition.No-one there or here can ( including adult children) come into the building. As of now, we can go out for fresh air, walk around the block, but not together. and people can walk their dogs. Think it’s the same at 3 Crowns, though our friends there told us they were on total lockdown. There's an announcement here at 10 am and I think our walking outside( yesterday and day before did 15,000 steps) when we walked to Gil’s Northwestern office and more will be forbidden.Taking a course now with ZOOM at NU. Our dining rooms are closed but we can order food and have it delivered to our door or we can pick it up downstairs. But they don’t often have vegetarian options for me and Gil cooks pasta, pasta, pasta which I don’t adore.I’ve figured out how to use Grub Hub, Door Dash and Caviar and can order from almost any restaurant we’ve gone to, Last night wonderful Brussel sprouts, cauliflower flat bread and caesar dressed kale salad from Next of Kin on Davis Street. And so it goes. Going to walk now ( 8am) before dreaded announcement of maybe total imprisonment.

judy

karen1956

MC - I'm a School Psychologist and yes, we will be providing supports via phone and other ways - they are still working out the details. Several of us in my district are on call these next couple weeks through spring break to take crisis calls. It will definitely be different way to support our students.

petite1

Good morning, Ladies. Husband and I ventured out to see what was closed or open. Not much social distancing going on. The waterfront places are open and busy. There were hundred of people out in boats. They must be "working" from home. We only saw 4 places that closed.

MCBaker

Adapt and change through the years has been the name of the game for school psychs. I was agitating for pre-referral interventions even while in grad school in 1982. LOL!!

Wren44

Judy, I don't know how it is there, but frozen vegan bowls are available here in a pretty large variety. Sweet Earth, EVOL, even some Healthy Choice. Most of them are pretty good. And most have grains other than pasta.

I'm wondering if our favorite Greek restaurant will make it thru this shutdown. They had a sign on their building announcing permits for building another soviet looking building and they had no idea when they would have to leave. It would really be a shame to lose them. Family owned and operated and a wonderful place for a lunch and chat.

CeliaC

MCBaker - I would imagine the need for school psychs, as well as psychs in general, will be high with the current times. Aren't you lucky to have your sweet dog there for emotional support!

MCBaker

He is a real sweetie. I have been working most of the day on giving him a haircut. He looks a lot smaller, LOL. Has some areas where the skin shows, but at least I didn't cut it. He feels like velvet again. The clippers seem dull, I might try to put some oil on the blades.

I am way too far out of the game.

ChiSandy

Judy, hope you can still keep up your exercising outdoors. Is there a rooftop garden? Meanwhile, I love Next of Kin. Last time we ate there (we took the L) before I went near-keto, I had an amazing grilled cauliflower "steak" with multicolor fregola sardo (toasted semolina "pearls" from Sardinia, sort of like Israeli couscous) and sauteed spinach.

Gonna sous-vide and sear-finish (on the grill if it's not raining) a ribeye, grill or saute asparagus (got some nice ones last weekend from Plum Market in Old Town), and air-fry an artichoke "carciofi alla Giudia" (Roman-Jewish)-style. Prepping the asparagus will help kill time, as did peeling & deveining last night's shrimp, which we had with bok choy over lime-cilantro cauliflower "rice." Jewel came through yesterday morning with my low-carb bread (much more palatable than the truly keto stuff from the health food store) and Clorox; WF brought me two dozen eggs--cage-free-"plus," not pasture-raised, but they'll do in a shortage.

IllinoisLady

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented,
fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be?...
You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other
people won't feel unsure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
As we let our own Light shine, we unconsciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williamson

IllinoisLady

Carole, I am so sorry you and your Dh lost his sister this morning. Not something anyone can really prepare for since it is only when the loss happens that the actual emotion kicks in. Also sorry you can't attend a funeral. Maybe a memorial could be arranged some time in in the future if things get a bit better. Even that sounds iffy, but maybe more possible. Wishing for you both and extended family condolences and hope for healing from the loss as soon as possible.

Coming late with another long day. For a few days in a row I've not been able to get thru my email entries quick enough to at least get a quote in and will be busy again tomorrow so may be late then too.

Kept my appt. this morning and we will need to go further in the testing procedures. Now another urinalysis that goes to Salt Lake City, Utah as well as here and then maybe after that a couple of other things. Taking one step at a time. Hope it all turns out.

So far here I'm un-aware ( the newspaper has made no indications ) of anyone right in our local area, but a couple of cases in a border county. That doesn't sound good to me and I am just thankful that we live out here more or less on our own. The neighbors to the left of us haven't been around for three weeks or so and since the weather is rotten ( thunderstorms on and off ) it is doubtful they will come this week-end either.

Ventured out to Walmart and Aldi's after my appt. was done. Lots of bare spots at Walmart as yet, though it seemed mildly better in a couple of places. I got another lg. bag of raisins ( only one other on the shelf ) because we use a lot, but still no paper goods. We did get paper towels at Aldi's but despite the signs of only 2 ( bundles of 8 or so to the pkgs. ) to a customer, there were not many paper towel bundles left and no tp. It was nice to see the signs in place, but I'm wondering if we will have to make a "search" when we really need more.