For Older People with Sense

3jaysmom

thanks, Kathy, and all you faithful ladies.. i got some answers today, the ones from the dr i adore...

  its not really good news, but we ALL understand, here, the circumstances are just different..

  it is my ms, just as we thought it might be.. probably worsened by the hypo.. the part of the brain affected in my brain, is toward the brain stem.. the impulses that control autonomic impulses isn't working right.. my walking, falling shows that. the mri i had proved that.. so, the impulses left/right on the swallow muscles aren't coordinating any longer, ie the choking..

  one thing he said that was different than the hosp dr. is, that it MAY calm down, if thyroid fixes itself.. then, he siad that's unlikely, also..

  he told me to get my forms for no tubing, etc and carrying them with.. but, diff than the hospital dr.he says fluid that is "leaking" uncontolavly is going to my 1st brachia?? NOT the lung immed, like they said.. so, if we keep close watch on my brachia, we'll get it "a time or 2" before it 'll be fatal...

  so, he tells me (to his interns horror) if everything keeps goung smoothy (HUH??!!!) you;ll die of pnemonia, not bc.. she almost stroked out, while we were all happy with that!(a softer easier way)

  he said he couldn't say today, tommorrow, 1o yrs from now.. BUT isn't that where we ALL are?? exactly..

  I have to use a yuckky corn starch powder called "thick it" when i drink fluids (YUCK!!) and, he DID finally decide to give me the "big guns" for the staph.. it might be in my lungs, i've had it so long so thats a big yeah!!!

  in order for it to work, he can only use it 3xs a year; so id better do well this time!!!!

  so, thats the news.. nothing to be done, ms is ms, and can be really scary!!!

  i told him i just am concentrating on Qchemo induced hair loss.. how lucky can a girl get!!!

  im still here, and as far as i know, NED.. and thats the most imp of all. just need to get "built up" again.. and stop looking inward, as soon as i have strength.. God has put a few ple in my life that need me, and i can eat with them in the day, and that'll help. my diabetes isn't so good, not being able to eat all day..

  for the most part, i just have to accept a new "phase" i find my health in.. so, thats all.. just acceptance. many of my good friends are in the same positon, and if they can do it, so can i!!!

  enough said. now, we'll just move along..........3jaysOL niow, and this isn't what i had in mind.. we also discussed kvorkian, did you know most of his pts had ms?? its not an option for my beliefs, nor his.. he's Jewish, Im christian, but we see eye to eye onall of that.. with respect for one another.. everytime i see him, im more impressed!!!

  so, Chrissy, get those pics taken.. im also working on some light wigs, so i'll get poics taken soon.. they dxed a kind of alopecia that comes from

chrissyb

Oh 3jays big ((((((((hugs))))))) my darling girl.  You are such a fighter and at least now you have some answers not good one but answers.  Here's hoping the 'big guns' anti-B's do some good and finally get rid of that infection.  So sorry you need that thickening agent but if it keeps you safe from choking for a while longer that truly is a good thing.  I so wish I was closer so I could be there for you.

I don't know what you were saying in you last sentence as it seems to be cut off but talking of wigs, I wore the blonde one you gave me out to dinner a few weeks ago and a friend (a guy) whom I hadn't seen for a few months complimented me on my new hair style and color!  I did tell him it was a wig but it was nice to know it looked good.  My hair is so thin and still falling out........I have no idea why but I still have enough to poof up a bit with the hair dryer when I wash it so I can still get away without wearing a wig all the time but if it keeps going?..............well that's another thing all together......lol.

I will certainly post a pic as sonn as I can to show everyone the new specs......lol.

Love n hugs girl!.   Chrissy

Gingerbrew

3Jays I know you have been waiting for these answers. I am happy you have those people in your life to share your meaals with. I hope you are able to eat more regularly now and your diabetes will improve. 

You sure have to deal with a lot of information don't you? You are good at sorting through it all and making sense of it for yourself. I send you love and peace 3jays.

Blessings

GInger

barbe1958

3jays if your lung is treated with the "big guns", that alone, may make you feel much better!! We all know how much an infection takes out of you...just saps your energy. Prayers being sent!!

chabba

And I will continue praying for you 3jays.

Kaara

3jays:  So sorry to hear about your new issues with MS, but it sounds like your doctor knows what he is doing, and got to the bottom of your symptoms.  I know from personal experience (boyfriend) that MS is an ongoing battle that has to be fought day to day.  He hasn't had an MRI in several years and it does look like he's had progression, but the doc always says he doesn't need one.  He is planning to go off of his Avonex this next month because he's been on the chelation and supplements and feels somewhat better.  I'm not sure it's the best idea, but it's his decision.

Take care of yourself, and if you need anything, let me know.  I'm not too far away from you.

Hugs and prayers! 

ptdreamers

3jays, hugs and prayers.You are among the bravest here, battling several nasty illnesses with grace. I admire you.

Wren44

3jays, Hugs and prayers coming your way.

dragonflymary

3 jjays, you're in my prayers.  Happy you have supportive people around you.  Dragon

Leah_S

3jays, I hope the antib's help you to feel better - big guns should equal big improvement, no?

Praying for you and sending love.

Leah

Isabella4

3jays....just exactly what ptdreamers says ..

I am so proud of you for the battles you are fighting...just don't know how you are coping. At least you got it straight this time, and from a dr. you like. I can't imagine how all these things you cope with let you even manage to get on your computer. You are one brave broad.

Not a lot going on here....I managed about 20 minutes in my garden today....at this time of year normally I would have been hard at it from about midday 'til 6pm most days, but...just cannot do it at all now. I just filled one wheelbarrow with weeds, then called it a day. Now I have to wait until someone comes along and empties the darned thing for me ! I get itchy feet at this time of year, and hate to sit inside looking out .

I have been on pain patches now for two and a half months, pretty well useless...upped the dosage 3 times since I started, and now, at long last, I am seeing a (very) slight difference. I doubled my last dose last Friday, and the pain is still there, but dulled...so maybe this dose will fix me, or maybe I can up it again in 2 weeks...don't know yet. My Fibro. has been giving me merry hell since Christmas, I'm hoping I can get it under control so I don't have to waste another year doing nothing, well, nothing outside. Unfortunately, I'm getting nausea with a vengance this last 3 days...walking about hugging an old towel, in case of accidents !! I was hoping to get to the hairdresser, but have had to cancel my appointment for tomorrow...my 'witch' look looks as if it's here for a while longer. I have all my hair scraped back under a woolly hat...not such a bad look...but...when I pull off the hat I scare all the babies for miles around !

Off for a nice hot shower now, and an early night. Nothing worth watching on TV, so will listen to the news on my radio 'til it sends me off to sleep.

Isabella.

QCA

3jays, I so agree with Isabella.  You are one brave broad!  I like that and it so suits you.  Glad you have someone to eat with so you can be covered there with immediate help if needed.  Now, I just hope the strong antib's will kick butt out of your infection.  That alone will probably make you feel a lot better.  Prayers, always.

Better day here, or at least I didn't work on taxes.  I hate taxes!  But it was the day from hell with GS, who was in all his 2 year old glory.  DIL called when she was leaving work wanting us to keep him longer so she could go to the gym and I said no.  Felt bad about it, but we provide pick-up and delivery most days, + 3 meals a day for him during the week, all for free.  Plus the fact that he is very well cared for by two people who love him to pieces.  But, enough is enough.  DH and I surely didn't have this type of child care when ours were young.  Hopefully all will be better soon when DS is no longer working out of town all week.

Isabella, I know you haven't had your surgery yet, but has it at least been scheduled?  I was hoping that it will help both your pain and your navigation issues.  

Kathy

Kaara

Kathy:  I hear you on those little ones...I kept my 2 year old DGD last Friday and by the time DS picked her up, I was exhausted.  They are like little energizer bunnies at that age, and can't be left alone for a minute.  Sometimes I think our kids just don't realize that we raised them and while we love our Grands dearly, we don't want to be full time parents again, just grandparents.  I'm going to have a delimma to deal with soon because DS is going back to work and they don't want her in daycare.  I haven't yet decided how I will handle it.

QCA

I understand perfectly, Kaara.  It's as if our children can't understand that when we raised them we were a lot younger with a lot more energy. I couldn't do it if DH didn't take such an active role in DGS's care, but I don't like the fact that DH gets to be the fun grandfather and I have to be the one who sets limits on behavior.  Good luck with what you may have to decide! 

Kathy

Gingerbrew

I watch my 18 mo old DGD one day a week from about 5 PM until 9 PM. Thank goodness my husband usually gets home about 7:30 or so. I am not strong. At first DD and DSIL  didn't want her watching TV, but have given way on YoGabbagabba.

Funny song on that program, "don't bite your friends"  At first I thought I was mishearing the lyrics. A good life lesson I suppose. 

DGD also loves the old Mister Rogers programs, I am so glad they hold up so well. 

Hugs Ginger

3jaysmom

thank you so much for all your prayers, and well wishes.. i have 1/2 my mind back, now: i really freaked out, when i first started with the "living will" stuff, that i have to have now.. i even had to get it notorized.. of course, i always have no intabation papers on me, but now, hosp wants them notarized, too.. it sent me in a tailspin for a few days. but "im back" 

  i don;t know how tough an old broad i really am.. i just freak out, and then "moving along"

 there's just some things ya can't do a thing about!!i  appreciate the love and prayers i recieve from my sistahs here..

 im in the "sick" part of the clindamycin right now, spending time in the bathroom.. its k with me, tho, its a problem i usually have , in the reverse!!

 so, i agree, and that was also the drs thinkjing... my body cannot fight this infection, fight everything else.. andm in case , he wants something going thru my system, to get anything that may be happenning in my lungs right now. right, so we've got it all covered!

  Chrissy, im so glad you looked smashing in your new wig..! i've been doing some "experimenting" with new wigs, as it looks like its not coming back on top anytie soonhahaha

  Isabella: when IS your surgery schedualed??? good to "see" you all here. God is good.. circumstances, not so much LOL3jays

chrissyb

Isabelle if you are feeling so nauseated with your pain patches ask you doc for some maxalon or emend or one of the other anti-emetics...........there is no need for you to be feeling so bad.  Like the others ask when is your surgery scheduled for?  I sure hope it's soon!

Sometimes I think our children take advantage of the fact that we are willing grandparents who love our grands but I think Kathy that your DIL was pushing a point to ask if you could care for him while she went to the gym!  I'm so glad you said no.  I'm sure they don't realise just how hard it is for us older people to keep up with the little ones no matter how much we love them, they are exhausting!  Don't worry about being the disaplinarian as they do not hold it against you.........I know........I almost raised two of my grandsons and there were rules in my house that they abided by no matter what and if they didn't they knew they were in strife.............they are 14 and 16 now and still love coming to visit and spen time.  Truly unusal for boys but hey!  who's complaining?......lol.

3jays hope you get over the multi bathroom visits soon and when you are up to it post us some pics of you in your groovy wigs!  Please?

The weather has decided that it wanted to be back to winter so today Wednesday is twenty degrees celcius colder then Monday!  It's coooooold!!!!   I have been dressed but wearing my dressing gown to keep warm..............lol.  I'm not complaining really as I do prefer it cooler and my garden sure does too and the rain we are getting should give it all a really good soak.

Love n hugs all.  Chrissy

dragonflymary

I agree, the grands are exhausting!  I love to take care of them but am always glad to get a little nap when they leave!  Today we actually had a bit of snow--pretty but not exactly welcome at this time of year.  I'm making bread and watching it rain.  Saturday night we're having a family Scrabble tournament and I'm hoping to beat my SIL for the first time.  He isn't even a native English speaker and he still beats everybody he plays.  Wish I was smarter!

Dragon 

Gingerbrew

Dragonfly

Scrabble. If you want to win, make words with as few letters as possible plus the most point count, on every turn.  Clever words don't matter. I used to go for clever words and lose most every time.

I have been playing Words with Friends (like Scrabble) on my IPhone and enjoying it. My eight year old Granddaughter in Arizona is currently playing 4 games with me. 

Good luck.  

Ginger

chrissyb

Dragon good luck with your scrabble game!  As ginger says, small words large letter score will win every time.

I just want to thank all you girls for the prayer said for my cousin.  She finally has all the info and the good news is it was very small, very early, all nodes clear and totally removed at lumpectomy so for her treatment she will be having Rads and Tamoxifen.................phew!!!!!!!   we can all breathe again.

Heading out to pick up the specs!  Yahoooo!!

Love n hugs.  Chrissy

barbe1958

Wierd - again - Chrissy as today is still Wednesday for us!!! You'll have to let us know what happens on December 21st, 2012 so we can be warned!!!! ehheheehhehehehe

chrissyb

Will do Barbe................if I remember that it's supposed to be THE day................lol

macatacmv

Chrissy, good news about your cousin. waiting for the pic of the new specs.

It is snowing here, but should be raining by morning. Hope it's not too windy or the boat won't run. I see RO and NP tomorrow. The RO is going to sign an order for OT for my arm and shoulder issues.

Today in the tx room they showed a video of a hot air balloon ride over CA wine country. It reminded me of the ride my DD and I took in Nov, I almost started to cry. My emotions are just all over the place. So much for the videos being relaxing and helping me to focus. Told  the techs  I was just keeping my status of "problem child" on track.

thinking of you 3jays. 

QCA

3jays, it's so good to see you!  Hope the bathroom visits become less frequent as the clindamycin does its work.  I've taken it occasionally in the past and fortunately it didn't affect me like that.  Always had to have a vile tasting liquid 'mycin as a child since  I'm allergic to penicillin.  Oh, I want to see pictures of the wigs too!

Kathy

3jaysmom

thanks to you all for the "his'  mac; i didn't think uou guys got much snow there.. never saw it there, myself.. hope the ferry runs for ya!!!

  i spent the night on the web, and found some really fun wigs tonight..

 my sons' think im crazy; but #2 son got me started watching anime (japanes art in cartoon form ) a long time ago,, he even entered some in art shows.. i found wigs for the charecters.. one of them has short, light auburn hair, spikey.. guess what im buying my self this paycheck?  i hate that the costume wigs have nylon caps, but this ones' worth it!!! now, for sre, i'll get mur to get the camera out.. he's STILL in PT for his cae accifent, so things aren't really getting done here.. we're both in bed, dozing watching tv. like two old f**ts!!!ah well, we'll get back to it soon.....3jays

3jaysmom

i think its cute.. isabella will hate it her DD would wear it, im sure!!!!3jays

chrissyb

3jays I can just see you in that!!!!   It will look smashing!!!

Well here they are girls, the goggles.........lol

I had them on, of course, when DH and I went for coffee before we did the grocery shopping and we ran into a good customer of DH's (a woman) and DH told her we had just picked up our specs as he is rarely out of the shop and she wondered why he was there.  She immediately looked as you do and complimented me on mine so I quite happy I made the right choice.......lol.......I new that anyway but it's nice to be told so.......hahahaha!!!

Love n hugs all!!!  Chrissy

Isabella4

I have a dental appointment this afternoon, just a check up.

I think I have the most odd dentist on the planet. He is very good at his job, and as I absolutely go nuts at any dental treatment he is the only one I would trust in my mouth.

He is a very short, slight man, and loves to chatter. He will pull up a tall stool when he's rooted about in my mouth , lean back on the wall and chat ! I have to say he reminds me of a pixie on a toadstool !!! It drives me mad when I am in a rush, but so far I haven't had the guts to be rude, and go off on my way without listening to what he has to say.

Silly story coming up here.....I have what is called disastema, a gap between my two front teeth, at the top. It was quite wide, and I was bemoaning the fact before he made me a bridge for the front, as one of these teeth was beyond repair.  He suggested, in all seriousness, that he pull the bad tooth, and make me up a bridge with THREE front teeth to take away the gap !!! No way was I marching around talking to people with three front teeth, and the gap wasn't THAT wide anyway!

In the end he pulled both front teeth, and replaced them with two new ones, on a bridge, just slightly wider than the ones he had pulled out, but still leaving me a slight gap, as that was 'me'.

Love the peepers Chrissy...HOW do you manage to NOT lose them. I have to buy cheapo reading glasses, I have them all over the house. I just dare not buy good ones, as they'd be lost in no time. I am terrible with glasses, just don't look after them, sling them into the depths of my bag, leave them in the garden, in the car....anywhere but where they should be...so decent new ones would be money wasted.

Isabella.

chrissyb

Isabella the only time they are not on my face is when I'm asleep and then they are on the bedside table as I can't see a thing without them.........lol..............so not much chance to put them down and loose them.

Your dentist sounds great but I'm so scared of dentists that I avoid going for as long as possible..........thank goodness I have always had pretty strong teeth.............well until I got BC then some of them decided to crack up    Hope your visit goes well!

Love n hugs.   Chrissy

Anonymous

  Just took the two dogs upstairs out.....Brattie must be asleep in the basement.  Tim had made huge progress....gained almost 13 lbs, but he is still sleeping in the basement room (his choice, but I am happy for that) on his daybed, and spends 1/2 of his day down there on his computer or in front of the tv.....spends maybe 1/4 or more of it running errands (the man loves to shop) or eating out....ALWAYS breakfast and lunch.    Lately I have been cooking so then he eats up here with me...but I am going to have to change my diet and start eating foods that will help my anemia which could be the cause of me sleeping a lot or it could also be just the chemo and my white count being low.   Not low enough for a shot to build it up however, TG.  What were those called...nuelasta was it?....whatever, I hated them.  Anyway, since he quit his habit, Tim now has an appetite and enjoys eating and actually not just orders it, but eats it.....it is amazing because he used to just pick and never ate an entire meal. 

He still drives me nuts, but he really is a good guy.   I have not written about this because it upsets me, but when I was in Chicago on the very last cab trip there from the hotel to the megabus, I lost my brand new Apple Macbook Air.....makes me sick to think about it.   It arrived just before I left and Tim got it for me because I have been talking about them ever since I saw my cousin's in MO last Fall and my cousin knows and works with them and said this one was great.   Also I have wanted an Apple for years since they do not get viruses.   So he got me my new computer and was so happy I could take it with me.  Stupid me could not even get it programed while I was there and I had to use the hotel ones when I checked emails.   But it did make a carryon for me since I could use the case to shove the things that would not fit in my suitcase.   Taking it, mistake #1....putting other stuff in it, #2, allowing the doorman to put it in the trunk of a cab, the biggest mistake at all.   The cab dropped us off....my friend's train was at the station right by the megabus stop....I was still crawling out of the backseat when the cabbie unloaded out stuff, or I should say most of our stuff.  I got out and he was getting back in as we had paid.  She said he just sort of threw out stuff here and pointed and immediately I asked Where is my computer case?  She looked and went OMG, it must still be in the trunk and he was already pulling out.  I am in no shape to chase a cab and she wasn't much better, but she took off walking and I still had hope.  There was a lady who saw all this sitting there and she remembered the phone # on the side of the cab (one digit off, but close enough that when I got the # from the hotel of the orange and black cab, I knew it was the one) and I called them within 5 mins....took me that long because my hands were shaking and I kept misdialing.  I also called home and confessed my stupidity and carelessness.   And my husband being the kind generous man he is called back and got me just as the bus was pulling out and says Get ON the bus.....forget the computer and bag.   It is just stuff and you being safe and on your way home is more important.   Several of my friends have told me their husbands would have ragged on this for days and made them pay for it.....not mine, he says as soon as he gets the money for one more of the ukes he has been selling, he is ordering me a new one.   Of course this just adds to my guilt and makes me feel like I am getting in deeper and deeper, but I am just going to have to accept the fact he adores me in spite of the fact that I bitch and moan all the time and know I am difficult to live with.  Try as I might, I just cannot accept the fact I need an attitude adjustment and need to conform to not being on my own, although I will say he really lets me go and come and pretty much do as I please.  He told me the other day he just is not a traveling person and to go when I want to go.....part of this I know is the dogs....he just doesn't want to leave them in a kennel or with anyone else.    Soooo, Chicago was an expensive trip.  What I gained by taking a bus, I lost with my computer and the jewelry I had bought for gifts for several people that was stuffed in the bag.   SInce I had no luck with the cab co.....I think they are sick of hearing from me....I did not have the cab's actual # that they display on top or the guy's name, but I described him and know I could pick him out of a line up...........I called Apple, got the serial # and then filed a report with the police and spoke with the nicest female detective last night....they are going to check all the cab companies which is going to be a BIG job, I am sure.   From the get go husband has said it's a lot cause....someone is having a field day with all their found treasures.   I also had a whole bag of chocolate in there...Lindt Lindor Balls.....the detective says to me, I don't want to hear about your chocolate, I only want to hear about items of value, the rest all goes under misc....so she just reported my coagucheck machine, the bracelets I bought and of course the big one, the computer.  My library book was in there and I have to pay $35 to replace it.  I was just sick, let me tell you and cried half the way home.   I kept telling myself, I am  not a keeper, I NEED a keeper.   I do not deserve nice things, nor do I deserve a husband who buys me nice things.  So that is my tale of woe.   A bad ending to an otherwise wonderful trip.  Had a wonderful time visiting with my old friend whom I had not seen for 20 yrs, we figured out, got some CE courses, went to High tea at the Ritz, shopped, and got to have dinner with 8 of the women from the Illinois thread.  I still have hope that possibly this cab driver has not had any fares with luggage and my things are still in his trunk..........the detective did tell me she felt having a positive attitude counted for a lot in cases like this and I thought boy, is she ever saying a mouthful, but I restrained myself and did not tell her my entire life history and how I like to say Hope springs eternal.

I am going to copy most of this and put it on the other thread I use since I think after posting a few pics, I will go back to bed for a little while. 

My clot issue is over and now I am just back on my regular dose of warfarin and will get new tumor markers report on Friday.  He said we will go on those and not scans until they stop improving which is fine with me, but I am going to have the orthopedic doc order a MRI of my leg that is still bothering me.