MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

Meece

So, Barbe, are you saying it will be noticeable when you wear your gold lamé "tube top"?

barbe1958

Meece it is visible when I wear my summer tops!!! That's kind of why I'm freaking out!! Right now the Frankenstien stitches are what shows most, but the bulge will be quite obvious once the stitches settle down.

Meece

You would think there would be a better way.  I so understand how you feel when you aren't happy with what you see in the mirror when you put on certain clothing.

barbe1958

I wore a t-shirt the other day and when it shifted you could see the stiches! I don't think you'd notice the bulge in a quick shift of fabric once the stitches are gone. So t's might still be okay, but I don't wear "t-shirts" too often. I prefer pretty summery tops.

elimar86861

As much as I like turtlenecks and Nehru jackets, that's a bummer that the pacemaker will be difficult to "hide" in the summer.  Where's the nanotechnology?

NativeMainer

Barbe-- is the area around the pacemaker still swollen?  It probably is and will look a bit less noticable when the swelling goes down. I'm sorry you weren't fully informed about where it would be, or consulted about where you wanted it to be.  

justmejanis

Barbe I am so sorry you had to go through this.  I am sending you lots of warm and fuzzy healing hugs!

cmbear...I have to go see my PCP Friday morning.  I have a skin thing that needs checking.  Mole?  Anyway nothing serious, but hell, we can still have a party over it.  My neck surgery is Aug. 29th.  I am already having mini panic attacks.  Will need tons of support as time gets closer.  I hate waiting this long.

Love and hugs to everyone!

barbe1958

At least I got them to put the device on my NON-LE side. That was forward-thinking on my part to mention it!!! Maybe still swollen....

Janis, be excited/scared. This is a good thing! How do you know when to get a skin "thing" checked? I look on all the sites and my Dh's back looks like he has all the bad ones, but he finally got checked out this year and they are all FINE!!! I'll be in your pocket, but will you have a pocket on if you're going to be nekkid?? My doc told me there are huge waiting lists for people to get checked. Funny how my 29 year old, blue eyed, blond daughter gets checked when her DH gets done (high risk for him). ehehehheehehehe That's one smart doctor!!

reesie

Hi everyone. I just wanted to stop in and let you know I've been reading but have been just too tired to post. Barbe, hope everything gets better quickly.



So I'm all in for the pocket parties

odie16

Hey ladies! 

Barbe - Hope once the swelling goes down, you can be more comfortable with the pacemaker. Hang in there, ((hugs)))

Janis - Day by day and trust we will be there with you during your surgery... Heartfelt hugs & prayers coming your way too!

Reesie - Welcome back/posting. Hope you get some rest & feel better but we understand... You are in our thoughts & prayers whether posting or not. 

I haven't posted in over a week as we just took a well needed vacation but had to comment on the mole thing. My DH had one on his temple last year that I was certain was cancer but thank goodness, not... Better to check regularly anyway... 

elimar86861

reesie,  I had been wondering how you were doing?  I know your energy is at a premium right now, but I am glad you used a bit of it to check in with us today.  Isn't that selfish of me?  Well, if only we could do an energy transference, we'd all charge up and send a blast your way.   I hope you are not wasting any energy on housework, 'cause you know you need a MAN'S HELP with that.  How 'bout one that cooks?

Eph3_12

Since Reesie & I have back to back birthdays, I think we should have back-to-back cooks.  Send him over when you are done Reesie!

cmbear

Marie--nice of Eli to supply the cook, heavy sigh. Can't have you worried about that house work either. Maybe Jeeves here can help you out.

 

make sure you white glove the furniture when he's done! 

mostlymom

i guess i'm doing better than i thought - i didn't even think about cooking or cleaning....  

barbe1958

Good for you mostlymom!!! And Reesie..so good to hear from you!!!

I don't really want a strange guy in my house right now. I'd have to put on more than just my nightie or he might want to jump me....oh wait...is there time to rephrase all that??? 

cmbear

Barbe--I know what you meant! uh-huh. I by the way, I can vouch that these two men ARE NOT STRANGE!!

elimar86861

Barbe, At some point you will, however, have to put your pacemaker thru' the "strange man" test.  Not right now.  That pacemaker is like a new car.  You have the break in period first. 

walker2222

Barb Hugs to you for what you have been going through.

MO wants an CT scan, have scheduled for the 30th.  It was going to be tomorrow, but rescheduled because we just got back from vacation.

My energy level is building back.  Joining the Y through the Livestrong program they are running for cancer survivors.  It is a twelve week program free for survivor and family members.  Found out through a fellow survivor from my cancer care group.  I started Monday working with a trainer which will be twice weekly on Monday and Wednesday.  Today we are adding weights.  Went yesterday and got a great cardio workout with an elliptical bike, never has seen one before and doesn't put a lot of pressure on my bad knees.  Just have to remember to bring my LE sleeve today.

Praying for you all daily.

Eph3_12

hahahahaha-you all crack me up!  Lord knows I need smiles!  thanks.

barbe1958

My pacemaker WILL be getting the strange man test today as I have to go back and let them do all their checking to see if it's drumming the way they set it (different drummer, remember). Was warned it would be a long appointment...sigh. In the hospital they just lay a device on my shoulder and they got all the readings from the pacemaker. Fascinating!!! I'd love to be able to go over the reports and what they tell. I had an "event" the other night and wonder if it was enough to show up on any report.

Joni, I think it's your turn to tell. What's happening sweetie? Still aching for your Mom, I bet, but is there something else hurting you? 

justmejanis

Joni I am sorry to hear you are down.  The loss of a mom is devastating.  I lost mine in 1999, she was just 65.  I am sending huge hugs your way.  Sometimes it takes awhile to remember we can laugh again one day.

Barbe, I don't evny you that long appointment.  I'll hop in your pocket and keep you company.  I hope they can tell you what your event was all about.  I'm here hon. 

Eph3_12

Fortunately no new diaster has befallen me, other than my DD dropped the ball on her college stuff due to severe senioritis, so she is staying at home & attending the local university.  We both were looking forward to her going away & now she's staying here, at home.  I hope we won't kill each other.  She's really a good girl but very self-centered (only child, older parent & extended family-gave her everything! Hmm wonder why she's so self-absorbed?) in regards to me & the household duties, etc.  Give her a volunteer project & she's right there---ask her to pick up after herself, What?????????

Miss my mom more than I can say.  We were best friends ever since I moved back to town in '86.  Very rough.  I'm tearing up as I type this.    

barsco1963

aww Joni - my heart goes out to you. I lost my mom 11 years ago and still miss her like crazy. The tears come less often but thank goodness the memories still flow freely. ((hugs))

barbe1958

Joni, what a blessing you had in your life with your Mom!!! Your grief is truly a validation of your love. You were very lucky to have a Mom you could get close you. I hope each day the joyful memories will edge out the grief. Hugs to you, sweetie!

My appointment only ended up being an hour. There was only one issue. My AVERAGE heart rate is 90. That includes sleeping!!! I had a very quiet week of lying around reading and napping and recovering and yet my heart was working very hard. They said the problem is that it might begin to enlarge if this keeps up. They looked up my files from 4 years ago and a monitor at that time showed the same thing but the doc didn't follow it up!! Idiot! So now we are worried about what will happen as I move around more. They said they could lower my heart rate now that I have a monitor in but then I will have more episodes of Long QT and trip off the pacemaker!! So I'm in a kind of Catch 22 position. They will be watching with interest to see how it evolves, but I don't have to go back for 3 months. Woo hoo!

Then, our brake fluid low light came on. We knew we needed to get our front brakes done, but didn't have the money until this week. We had an appointment for Friday to get them done (estimate $400 - choke, choke!!). When we got to the car after the appt, there was brake fluid on the wheel and my DH could press the brakes to the floor!!! We coasted down the hill from the hospital and pulled into an independant mechanic shop and he could fix it right away. We were lucky!! BUT, there was damage to the calipers because of the delay in getting them fixed so the whole bill was $800!!!!!!!!!  A month ago we couldn't have done it, but the way the pay days fell and my LTD we had enough to cover it!!! We are upset at the double cost, but couldn't have paid even the $400 a week ago before the caliper got damaged. I feel the Universe timed it just right for us, even though it hurts so bad...sigh. 

Eph3_12

Barbe, the brake fluid was on the wheel & DH could press brakes to floor AFTER an appointment to fix the brakes??????? I think I would take the bill from the 2nd place in to the 1st place & ask for an explanation & a refund.

elimar86861

I guess you were lucky, Barbe, in the dark, ironic way.  As in the,"If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all" way.

---------------------------------

Speaking of money evaporating...so now I have been to the accupuncturist (for neck) three times at about $100 a pop.  Didn't do me the least bit of good, so it was time to conclude the $300 experiment.  I guess my "spleen Qi" will have to fend for itself from here on out.

I don't care who joins in this thread, conventional treatment seekers, alternatives, complementaries...I don't care.  There is one reason, and one reason only that we go to any of thepractitioners and that is to feel better, have better health.  It is only natural to try to improve upon one's health, and if one discipline fails a person, it is important not to quit but to keep seeking health.  As I said before, I don't think there is one thing that works for all people, therefore, I have no doubt that alternative truly helps people (as does conventional) and as does even placebo!  (Heck, if I could get a nice placebo effect going for my neck right now, I'd be all over it.)

Here's what I would like everyone on this thread to know:  I went in to that accupuncturist as a skeptic, in other words, no different than I usually feel in going to a conventional M.D or D.O.  I don't have blanket trust for any of them.  [Note:  Don't think, "Poor elimar, she can't find a doc she trusts...they must be crappy," because they are probably as average or as good as the docs you see.]   Here's what I come out of the whole thing with:  I am pissed off.  Not because I was not helped.  I could forgive the accupuncturist for that, as I have forgiven everyone else who collected my money but did not help my neck pain.

What pissed me off (and I have not written the words "pissed off" in this thread once in the last three years; check for yourself,) is that as a parting shot, when he pretty much knew I would not be returning and right before he left the room, he said, "I am worried that I see some of the precursors of ALS in you  Next time you go to your primary care doc you should mention thatm" and then he was out the door.  What a jerk! 

Of course I had heard of ALS, but I really do not have familiarity, so it was only after I got home and did the usual Googling that I found out the accupuncturist made an offhand comment about me having (in his opinion) some signs of a disease that takes away your motor skills and ability to swallow until you finally die (and only 20% are lucky to still be alive after five years.)   Who, with any sense of ethics, makes this type of comment? 

ALS is one of those disease for which there is no actiual diagnostic.  It's more, rule out all the other common stuff in a Dx differential.  That makes it all the more preposterous for the accupuncturist to make a comment like he did.  I'm just mad enough to make a call over there and vent some outrage.

Please tell me there is karmic law and that this a-hole will get ALS himself.   It would be fitting.  

barbe1958

What an asshole!! Yep, karma is a bitch!! He'll get his own back, don't worry, sweetie!! And there is NO way he could know you have a precursor to ALS without bloodwork or testing. He's just jerking your chain. You wouldn't go to him for ALS anyway!! You should have told him that you sensed he had a brain tumour due to some of the dyslexic words he was mistakenly saying. Make him sweat.....

Joni, NO!! We had an appointment for today anyway, but had to have an emergency fix on the brakes yesterday while we were out of town!! Only ONE brake job done. 

elimar86861

Sorry to have gone on about something that is not even B/C related.  (At least it was doctor, treatment, professionalism related.)  Good thing I let some of it out because I just tried calling over to that office and he (and wife assistant) are out of town until next week.  I really like to direct this kind of stuff right back to the source, but maybe I should just let it go.  Carrying the burden of irateness around over the weekend will not be very beneficial for me.  Glad I had a place to vent. 

barbe1958

It's nice to hear something non-b/c related. Is there a council or board that you can contact? It would be a he said/she said issue, but at least it would embarrass him!!

elimar86861

And, yes, Barbe, that is the way I came to take it...that the doc was hoping to mess with my mind.  B--tard!