INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours

Wren44

There's a project in the NW to make quilts, sweaters and hats for babies being born in refuge camps in the middle east. Each one goes with a heart and the maker's signature. The women are thrilled and feel like they have not been forgotten. Each baby gets a box of supplies and the box is large enough to serve as a cradle.

Anonymous

Smaarty ~ Oooh....he does look so young. He also looks very happy! I'm sure receiving your beautiful quilt was emotional for him too. It will be a treasured heirloom that will be passed on. Just think of his children and grandchildren each hearing the story of the quilt.... how it was made by a kind lady he didn't know, to show the admiration, appreciation and respect for his service to our country. That young man will forever be wrapped in the love you stitched into the quilt. Beautiful!

Wren ~ Finding cradles for all the newborns would be a challenge.........What a loving and clever project!

Loveroflife

Awwww Ms. Smarty, that is so sweet. I see silent love and sacrifice. Almost brought tears to my eyes. He is so young!! I would get emotional too if I were there.

Mommy, please thank your DH for us.

Smaarty

easy free pattern

Loveroflife

Very American!! Love it! Oh, I forgot to mention you look cute with the antler...goes nicely with your hair.

Anonymous

Smaarty ~ those are your Horns of the Valiant

Loverly ~ "silent love and sacrifice" perfect description<3 So happy all went well for graduation and everyone played nice. Teary eyed DH, so sweet, daddy loves his "little" girl Can't believe college is so expensive out there....wow! Witnessing the drowning of your dad's friend when you were so little......words fail me. Such a terrible thing to happen. It must have been hard for you when DD1 started swimming. You're a brave mom to have encouraged her. You would like going to the beach with Marti - she doesn't like to let anyone go past their knees! Until he was 13 or so Marti would yank DS by the seat of his swim trunks to drag him back to shore. I have to keep an eye her - she'll even grab other people's little ones out of the water!

M0mmy ~ it is so strange to think of Connecticut as being hot. The last time I was in MA for the 4th of July it was 57 degrees. I'll take the heat! Your camel made me laugh - hope you're not sloshing around lol

Lookie ~ Those wood floors are absolutely stunning! I hope you didn't do all that staining on your hands and knees... yikes! How is your doggie doing on the hardwood? We have little pathways of throw rugs all over the house so Marti doesn't slip 'n slide.

Purple ~ "no bad news is better than bad news" for sure. I agree with Loverly; the elevated protein is most likely part of the bone mets. (my totally qualified unprofessional opinion) Ugh. Waiting to see what happens...sux. I don't think "normal" people could handle living in cancer land where there is never a true solid answer for anything. You are here and able to wait an' see....that is always the good part Hoping the best for you with your chemo and rad's.

susan3

smaarty..so sweet and beautiful

Wren, it's great what you are doing too

Anonymous

Sensi ~ Chance has such an expressive face! Nothing but love for his mama. I am amazed you're able to drive and do as much as you are! I bounce back from things so slow . I'm still resting from my back surgery last year LOL . So good you're able to take the full 6 weeks off from work. Even when we know that we're not supposed to do things it is hard to resist. Now just stay away from that dang vacuum cleaner!

Sas ~ The Wal-Mart Schmoe! hee-hee. I'm little so I can sneak myself into all kinds of trouble...just not when The Schmoe is on duty That neck pillow gets me everytime! Do you think the gal even realized what it looked like? Purple's LMD is leptomeningeal disease abbreviated....had to look it up. I knew the long name, not the short one. My neuro oncologist had tried to get me tested for it last month. No MRI for me so it would have been spinal tap. I declined figuring that if I did have it I would have already expired. My guy is a research Dr and I think his reasoning was more for his own curiosity. Fortunately we communicate well-ish and he agreed that I was in no peril at this time. I'm hoping Purple's Dr. is also just being over-cautious. I am seeing yet another specialist this Wednesday for a consult to see if I would be a good candidate for radiofrequency ablation. I am curious if it can be done on my hips as well as my spine? My only concern about the procedure is the effect on new bone growth in the areas treated. I'm hoping that it would not prevent the Zometa from doing its job.

Susan~ I never knew that the chemo was excreted through urine and sweat and could be dangerous. I would sleep on the couch too! And I would not feel bad about Shelby sleeping with you on the couch. It would be meaner of you to keep her away from you. Our old doggies need us So much fun getting a new house ready - especially for your sweet little grandbaby! So many happy days to look forward to . Wonderful that your treatment didn't hit you so bad this time!

JunieB ~ Sorry to hear about Rocky. 15 years, long for them, short for us. He must have been well loved. Marti is doing well despite her hips and knees - I think she forgets! Miss Pris is safe from the gator for now. This time of year the females are busy hatching and caring for new babies. They run the males off for a few weeks until the babies are bigger. Mrs. Alligator must have somehow sent a message Mr. Alligator to go back home because now he is gone. Yay!!!! How is the FaceBook going? DS was good and helped me set mine up. It's crazy with all the settings and all. Have you found any friends that you lost track of? My BFF is funny.......he keeps track of everyone every where!

I was out puttering in the yard, cleaning the shed and such. I was worried about black widow spiders - they are plentiful here. I forgot to watch out for this guy! Pris's predecessor once brought one this size into the house and set it free!

PurpleMinion

so since waiting and seeing is all I can do, here's the best way I know how to do it:

PurpleMinion

PurpleMinion

Lookforward

Junie thinking of you as you get closer to your operation.

Loverly glad the graduation went well, you must be very proud of your daughter, how wonderful to receive a scholarship. Your universities are more expensive then ours, my son went to one 15 minutes from home and my daughter went to a collage in our city as well.

Sas I know how you feel about taxes, my husband was reassessed and received a large bill this week, very disappointing .

Susan great baby picture of Reece, don't forget to stretch befor your runs.

Shep staining the floor wasn't hard, my husband helped as well. Since my diagnosis he takes over what ever I am doing, we have a bit of a conflict because I am perfectly capable of doing everything. My dog does fine on the wood floors and because of his age he doesn't run a lot. His not feeling well this weekend, loose poops and some blood from his bottom. We were going to go away for a few days and leave him with our daughter, but will have to see how he is doing. A snake! What type is it and do you have a lot around you. Are you behaving at wal mart?

Smaarty lovely quilt and a nice gesture giving it to a vet. I'm knitting dishcloths , it's becoming much easier and not too many dropped stitches any more.

Purple you have a restful backyard, l put in some greenhouse tomatoes in my yard today because my seedlings are still 1/2 inch so they probably won't be ready till next year. We have had nothing but rain for the last week, we were having a draught conditions but received April and May's totals last week.

Monnie please send some of your heat here.

Sensi hope you are feeling okay.

sensitivehrt

Shep-Chance is such a good boy. I'm a very luck fur mommy . yes .I'm staying away from the vacuum now.  It was kind funny, I recently got myself a short term roommate.  She had come home and asked "did you vacuum"...at first, I was like "noooooooooo", but then I fessed up and admitted I needed to do something.  But then said, I would be taking everyone's advice here and staying away from vacuum for at least 6 weeks.  Just read on another thread that to fully recover from anesthesia, it's 1 week for every hour you were under.  My surgery was 6 hours, so I'm thankful that work is not letting me come back till the 6 weeks is up

Looking-feeling pretty good. Happy that I've been able to drive, but am keeping my trips short. Still really sore under my armpit area.  Only had 3 SNB on the left and none or the right.  Finally have been able to sleep on my sides with little pain.

Hope everyone is well and having a wonderful weekend.

feelingfeline

Smaarty - beautiful quilt project, is this something your quilting group do, quilts for veterans?

Wren, lovely quilt project for the babies in hard times and hard places.

feelingfeline

Shep wooah, glad we don't have those here, or the black widders just ordinary garden spiders scare me. That must have been a scary day with Pris's predecessor.

sas-schatzi

HeLLoooooooo I just said it last week that I need to come here first. Been on for about 6 hours and just getting here now. Housekeeping threads.

Sensi, glad you've decided to take the full time off. How's pain level, range of motion, and healing? Three times Schatzi lead me to get under the dining room table with this afternoons storm coming in, then she gave up. She's still in the closet. When Chance wig-wags can he almost knock you over? I have to stop and lock my knees when Dini starts.

Mommy that's so nice. What field of study? Are you going the bricks and mortar type school you have been doing or on-line?

Loverly, last I knew you were working Monday & Thursdays. Do I read Mondays, Wednesday, and Friday? Is it 3 --12's --pay 36 full time? Part time? If the IRS agrees than I don't owe any tax, if not it will be about 4000$. What's nuts is it was the year I bought the car. I took a lump sum out of my IRA. I had tax with held. and the money was sent in. My tax person showed I was due a refund. The IRS reviewer agreed. They sent me back the 2791$. Then for some reason it was reviewed again. That's when I received the first letter in April. I responded in 24 hours. Then the second letter. I did have presence of mind to remark about why the refund in the first place. I may be able to use that to my advantage when they respond. It's so convoluted I wrote a 4 page explanation of denial. I didn't smart off to them either. I was a good girl. It was difficult because they're were so many errors on their part. Plus, so many demands for money, I still have no confidence that it's not a scam. But the Atlanta Ga. address was right. Your minion got that one right for sure.

Junie, count down. Been there with the spinal thing and being moved after surgery. Mines the c-spine thing. For surgery I always use a special c-spine pillow. I use it rarely over last 30 years. But I figure they are more conscious when the pillows is there to remind them.

JUniebug, Hmmmmm I suggest you talk with your MO and then have your MO's Social Worker help on the logistics of the Portland chemo. Been involved with all of it. I sense trouble. Your request is outside of "normal patient processing" for each group involved. Not done right you could miss the treatment or be left with a huge bill. Even something as simple as the transport to the oncology facility could be lot's of money if the right transporter isn't called. Yes, there has to be orders from the ortho doc b/c he is your admitting doc from the SNF. Doesn't mean that the ortho docs are getting the right insurance approvals for the chemo And what the Portland Hospital expects on the other end and coverages. If you get the MO's Social Worker involved and then check with them until you hear the words "Insurance is approved" for everything and get the AUTHORIZATION numbers.then I'd say it sounds good. Aren't I just loaded with wonderful thoughts.

Chit still on page 1208

sas-schatzi

Smarrty, what a great pic with your soldier. Ditto to what Shep said. So, nice he's home. Quilt was great too. Hahahah, easy free pattern. I tried quilting for one lesson poor fingers and back didn't like it at all. Fingers might have improved, but the back wouldn't. It truly is beautiful. Loverly, right about the antlers. Is that in the photo bomb classification?

Wren ditto to Susan about you cradles and supplies.

Shep thanks on the LMD. I had a meningioma. It was taken out before it became cancerous. It's kind of like DICS(DCIS--brain fart). They never would talk. Weird they just seemed like they didn't believe there was a connection. Oh well, it's over. I agree with you about the research Mo. They function in a different world. But they are the ones that help make advancement :0. Shep where do you live? Gators? That looks like an Indigo?

Susan, check with pharmacy and the chemo nurses about chemo and the baby. Some have restrictions. If it can be excreted through urine sweat, that begs the question about saliva. I know some you have to keep the toothbrush separate. But I think that's for some infusions. All I remember is we found out about it after Greg's chemo's were done or near done. Memories fuzzy. I remember being pissed.

Junie, I missed a few pages and Shep is saying sorry about Rocky? Your last dog? I know you talked earlier about a dog when you were talking about getting your new Cairn.

Purple, I'll be right over with my beer . Lovely backyard.. I have one of those recliners. Paid way to much astronomical. It was when they first came on the market. Now the string/rope is broken. Haven't looked on line for a replacement rope. Did you have any problems with yours.

Lookie, do you know anything about this "reassessment". Their error and the interest from the time it was filed is about 1000$. Just doesn't seem fair when I paid the tax and they sent it back. Turkey's

Oops I thought I was on page 8 when I started I was on page 1211 apparently. Confused. I do know I have to flip to see Loverly's daughters graduation.

Hugs

sas-schatzi

Chit Purple went back and saw where you had spinal taps and worried about LMD. Sorry.. Now reached the part about an epidural lesion. Chit. Did the tell you to drink two liters of Coke or Mountain Dew in 24 hour. The 2 liters is to help with the regeneration of spinal fluid. and the Caffiene helps with the headache...... Don't worry about keeping up, everyone understands. Just enjoy the company.

Yay, Susan running YAY

Lookie, came across your kitchen again. I love it. Is that marble? Aggregate? I know so brazenly nosey. What was that per lineal foot? I did it in my bathroom, but I forget how much. That would so lighten up my space.

Kathy been thinking that I hadn't seen you. Last was, we were talking about ears on W&F's. Wedding plans hmmmm I could complain, but for now I won't. So far I'm not paying for anything. I think Steve get's it. He's probably making a 100,000$ now and I'm on SS. They have the venue, her dress, band, and some other music thing. They are not doing a hotel block room thingy. I tried to explain it. They each have been in and gone to destination weddings galore. They weren't having it UGH. Lots will becoming from out of town. I asked the same thing if anything else was scheduled for St. Pete that weekend. They said not to worry. I did thrift a "Wedding for Dummies" Steve thought she would be insulted, she snatched it right up. The dessert plan must include a cake for the cutting. Sounds good. Makes them responsible for the setting up. Much less risk than transporting. Have you ever watched any of the cake shows. The transport thing they make very dramatic. I've never seen a show where it fell. Of course on national TV they likely would edit that segment. For table flowers if they make their own. They can thrift the vases for a pittance. The thrifts are full of them and they are cheap,If they didn't care that they matched.

Shep nice what you did with Smarrty's kids pic. What did you do?

sas-schatzi

Susan, Always safer to be better than what the protocol say. When I took the Radioactive Iodine I realized from the first pee they didn't have a protocol. I made up this whole thing to protect the skin of the vulva and my hands. I researched the whole world literally. USA/ Canada/ Europe/Uk/Australia and Ireland.. Realized the USA Nuclear Regulatory Commission made the rules. I called them, it was fun. Got invited to offer input when they had hearings the next summer. But decided I didn't want to be on the record with the government talking about my vulva. The type of hearings planned would have their central folks and others would be connected by the webinar things. I took a pass, but sent them my notes. I couldn't believe since WW2 that they hadn't figured out the protocol I did, and the rationale behind each action. That's a second time of changing the world Hahahhaha.

sas-schatzi

Purple I'm saying YAY we have moments that we just need to pretend.

Loverly how far back was the story about graduation. Sounds pretty unsettling ??? School costs............Hmmmmm, I'm shooshing. Kathy's DD's wedding is in Oct. Steve's in Feb. We decided to commiserate together this year OOps just saw I'm not suppose to write a book.

Whenchie , Patty, Mags hootie hooJwoo hoo too. Meadow too mif you are lurking and AnnieKay.

Donnie's in the dog house. Gonna make him pay dearly. He'll have to really make up to me this time.

M0mmyof3

I am exhausted tonight😴 Had a cookout yesterday at my house. Hubby and I gave my younger brother and his wife a break from their kids last night. Niece and nephew had their first sleepover at auntie and uncle's. They were asleep fairly early last night but since it was their first night away from home and I wasn't sure how they would take to being in a strange place for the first time, hubby and I kept getting up off and on to check on them, so I didn't get much sleep.

Anonymous

Sas - having a man is nice and all but I don't think we're meant to keep them in our homes. After the one I have now is gone I'm not getting another one. I'll just borrow someone else's and give him back 😎

susan3

shepkitty...eweeeeeee...black widow spiders...really yuck . Not much scares me...but they would. You are brave

Purple...looks very relaxing. Hope you are doing that

Daughter signed us up,for 2 ....5 k runs...better get more than a mile under my belt.

Move is this coming Saturday ...wish us luck...suppose to,be thunder storming ..it will,be a long drive if that happens. This will,be my first time pulling a trailer...I am kinda excited. Feel,like....I am women hear me roar...hubby is working so,he can't help us move. As long as I just have to,go forward...I think I will be good. Actually all my accidents have happened in the driveway...lol. Even hit my hubby's car in the driveway! Oh well , kids don't have a driveway where they are moving...so all is good

Sas, it's just 24 hour I think that I have to,be careful. They say around pregnant girls and babies. I extend that to everyone...except my dog . And I extend the time too. Feel,better taking extra precautions.

Having trouble sleeping tonight:(. And my eyes get real,blurry at night,,,,so,who knows what I am typing...yikkkkeeessss

Loveroflife

JunieB, hope you find some energy.

Ms. Sas, I work Mondays, every other Wednesday, and Thursdays- 40 hours every two weeks. Can't complaint because I get health insurance for the family. Regarding the Pepcid, PCP prescribed it to me because of occasional nausea. It's just a trial to see if it helps. She thinks I have high acid production. Still have not picked it up yet because I haven't had the need to take it. I am a terrible patient. Don't like to take meds unless I have to.

ShepK, have you received your new tablet?? What a deal!!! I zoomed in on that black thing and had the heebie jeebie. Couldn't help but shudder. Ewwww What is that thing? A rat snake or an anaconda?? You live in South Carolina and not South America, right? I would probably faint if my pet invites that monster reptile inside my home.

Mommy, that is so sweet of you and DH giving your younger brother and his wife a break. Romance is important.

Marriage is not easy. If DH goes before me, I don't want to get another one.

mostlymom

Sas: do they have an allergy test yet for radioactive iodine yet? around 1979, i had a test after having a huge kidney stone where they used radioactive iodine - i had hives develop & the techs & nurses were running around in a panic (which didn't do much for my nerves). after an injection of anti-histamine, it settled down & i've never allowed them to use it again.

M0mmyof3

Love being around my brother's kids in small doses

WenchLori

I agree Loveroflife, I wouldn't trade mine in for anything but there are times I wish I could lock him up in his wood shop! I told him once that I'd never marry again, he got so sad and said he didn't realize he was so hard to live with. I told him I'm exhausted from being told what to do and what happens if I don't. I'm a big girl and I can make my own decisions, let me make my own mistakes. No problems since then and it's been 30 years :-)

The closer my surgery date gets the better I sleep. What's up with that?

sas-schatzi

Mommy, So glad you had a wonderful visit with the family except for the worrying about the kids and losing sleep. Otherwise it sounded like a great day

Shep LOL sounds good. If Donnie had any clue, he'd straighten up.

Susan, you words on the keeping safe with chemo, just brought back the memories of the NRC thingy in 2014. It was fun. They didn't have a non emergent number. I called the hotline. There was this very young military guy on the other end. He was so flustered. Told him what I wanted, and I got a return call from the fella that runs the eastern seaboard. He obviously is very into being safe. He took lot's of notes and asked lot's of questions.. We talked for 2 1/4 hours. I loved it that he took it quite seriously. Then onto the medical liason guy. They were going to revise the protocol in 2015, I was very interested in being involved at first, but the more I thought about it, naw. Going down in the historical record talking about radioactive iodine and effect of urine passage on the skin of the vulva and hands was not what I thought I wanted. So, even though, since post WW2, NO one world wide figured out what I did. That was still not an inducement to sit there and say this "Blah, blah" should be in a protocol. I have more respect for my vulva than that.

Have fun with the move. If you learn any tricks with the hitch and driving let me know, we have to do it soon.

sas-schatzi

LOverly, I know you know your drugs. That dose is for reflux that is severe dx'd by scope and ulcers. All drugs have consequences. I suggest that your thought of intermittent use is better than PCP's overkill, when your symptoms are so sporadic. The beauty of Pepcid is it's onset of action is very rapid where the proton pump blockers take several days. Pepcid is a much safer drug in each category. If the gastric upset is very intermittent it's most likely a food sensitivity/intolerance. For example, corn causes mild abdominal pain and burping, so, I eat it rarely. BUT we still have to continue the discussion on the GI consult. Yellow stools, fatty liver, and change in bowel habits starting at a defined point still needs investigation by the definitive doc. PCP's are limited. PLEASE, make the GI appointment.

MostlyMom How nice to see you. it always makes me happy to see your avatar. It's like "There she is!". The only thing radioactive iodine 131 in the dose level I had it in is used is for thyroid destruction. But there are many types of isotopes and Rai 131 is mentioned for use as an isotope for scanning. We can develop allergic responses or sensitivities. Sometimes it's enough to precluded the use of radioactive isotopes. The common approach for mild responses is to pre-medicate with prednisone and Benadryl. The Prednisone limits the inflammatory response and the Benadryl quells the histamine response. The rash, redness, hives, vein injection(popping up), and itching are a histamine response. Just a guess, the staff didn't have a protocol and were fearful. The initial response of a histamine release can precede the more serious cardiovascular response of anaphylaxis. That's why they were panicked. No protocol and inexperience can cause people to act poorly. You likely have had many scans "With and without contrast" since BC started. The contrast has some form of radioactive isotope in it. If you have had no problems now, then it's just a bad memory.

With the administration of any chemical i.e drug or isotope, how fast it's pushed, and how it is diluted can changed whether a patient has a response.

I changed the practice of the hospital by convincing the Pharmacy head he could reduce adverse event reports by simply not supplying 3 cc syringes to the floor nurses, and only supply 10cc prefilled syringes. That caused the injectables to be more dilute. Less irritating to the vein. Less irritation, less chance for starting a histamine response. It was a learning curve for the nurses.

MM did this answer your question?

Reinforcing thought. Just because there is a rash, hives, redness, vein injection, and itching does not mean it was an allergic response. It may simply be related to how a drug was administered. If a question as to whether it was an allergic response, only the doc should make the final determination. At that point the doc would instruct you not to receive that drug again, and it should be entered into your medical record.

sas-schatzi

Whenchie, How nice your sweetie listened. I had to do the same with my late DH. Often. He never did stop, I just ignored him. Donnie's problems are different, and he's better than he used to be, but when he backslides, I have learned what I need to do to get us on an even keel again. Just wish it didn't ever have to be done.