thread for middle age to older Christian women.

Teka, LOL You're killin' me! I haven't had any sugar since the middle of Jan. Just don't tell me how delicious they are. LOL

Thanks Hershey. The mice caught in the traps are still making quite a bit of noise again tonight. Actually I really feel like the Lord led me to this company through a discussion on Nextdoor. I had never heard of this company and I just knew that was the company I wanted to go with after spending a lot of time researching other companies and just not feeling led to go with any of them I researched. The guy I got was so good I really completely trusted his instincts as he has been doing this job for 18 yrs. He was so careful to take my concerns for Cammie and myself regarding chemicals.

I guess a mountain lion would do the trick!!! We had a guy post a picture of a tiger that he said got loose from this local zoo. He made it look like the tiger was in someone's front yard. He posted this on April 1. Yes, it was an April fools prank but many believed it and were NOT happy. I got a chuckle out of it.

We have many chipmunks that can do quite a bit of damage. I had one get in my utility room many years ago. When I came home from school he was asleep in one of my garden shoes. I was able to get him outside while he was half asleep. Later I found out he had eaten a hole through my dryer vent so that little critter cost me quite a bit of money.

I'm glad you don't have to deal with the rabbits but having a mountain lion around sounds a bit scary.

Take care.

Love,

Nancy

Nancy, critters can do so much damage to homes (even the small, cute animals!). Several years ago, we bought a very expensive composter. I would fill it with an assortment of egg shells, vegetable peelings, pea pods, and coffee grounds. The concoction was a siren song for the squirrels. They chewed a hole in the top of the composter, crawled inside, and helped themselves to a smorgasbord. We sealed the hole with steel wool and no longer put in peelings or pods of any sort.

The pesky rabbits damaged my neighbor's SUV of all things!! He parks the vehicle outside, and the rabbits started jumping into the undercarriage and chewing on the wiring. The vehicle had to be towed to the mechanic for new electrical components. That was a very expensive repair job. :-(

Nancy, I was in pelvic floor therapy for almost a year before my recurrence (and then I stopped going because I had other things to deal with). My first visit was just talking and learning a few relaxing stretches, and how to breathe deeply, which apparently doesn't come naturally!!

GB, I hope your almost year of therapy helped your problem. I suspect we have different issues but when I first heard about this therapy it was all new to me and you are the first person I know who has had it. My therapist did tell me that the first session we would be talking and no exam.

Carol, thanks for your prayers. When I scheduled these PT sessions a month ago the scheduler had just been through this type of therapy and she made it sound pretty horrific. She scared me to death. When I got to talk to my therapist I told her about the scheduler and she just said she certainly didn't do you any favors. I do think this person was really trying to give me a head's up so I would know what to expect. I have been preparing for this for the last month. I'll be glad to know just what happens because the dread of it all has been building for way too long.

I am going to a special prayer service tonight so I need to sign off for now and eat and run.

Take care dear sisters.

Love,

Nancy

Hi ladies,

Praying for each of you and Nancy for your therapy as well! I went to the ortho doctor about the pain in my thumb joints, he x rayed both hands and said it that there are two problems. One is both hands show arthritis, the right thumb joint is bone on bone, which a cortisone shot would help. And the left thumb isn't quite to bone on bone but the locking of that is caused by a nodule that can be easily remedied by a 5 minute surgery. The surgery is like a colonoscopy which you are out and while there they could give a cortisone injection in each thumb joint to relieve pain. He also offered the injections yesterday, but I have a phobia about needles and am extremely anxious in medicals settings so I said I would think about it. The doctor did seem very patient, kind and compassionate taking time to answer each of my questions. So I'm thinking maybe this isn't just an "arimidex" problem but could be solved "easily" with that simple surgery. Of course I know that cortisone injections only last so long. (GB I am with you in overthinking) 😊.

Love, Wheatfields

Hi dear sisters,

I know some of you have been going through some really deep waters. This is a song I hear almost every day on my Christian radio station. I have the video below. It is worth a listen.

It is a good message for all of us. We are not supposed to go through this journey of life alone.

GB, I'm sorry that you didn't get the results you were probably hoping for with your PFT. I am glad to hear others you know of have had good results. I can't remember if you have ever said anything about flower gardening but I take a magazine called Birds and Blooms which you might enjoy.

Wheatfields, I used to have a fear of needles and I understand how real that is. After having allergy shots for over 30 yrs I got used to it but I was nervous about the cortisone shots none the less. As in many things our fear is usually worse that the actual thing we are fearing. It does sound like the easy 5 min surgery is where you feel comfortable. I have had cortisone shots in my foot, my knee and my thumb and finger. The ones in the thumb and finger lasted a long time. In fact I am not even sure I had to go back for a second series. I too have arthritis but they never said bone on bone that I recall. I will pray that you can have peace with what ever decision you make and that it will give you much needed relief. Thank you for your prayers for my PT. I hope your nurse friend that has accompanied you to some other doctor visits might be available to go with you when and if you decide on that surgery.

Chris, continued prayers for your pain. Praying for your upcoming tests and praying for a good outcome with your new treatment. Thank you for your prayers for my PT as well.

Carol, when are you having your MRIs? Can you send some sun and warm weather our way please.

I am still dealing with an inflamed colon but it is getting better. Usually these type of things can take quite a while to calm down. My 1st PT went well today and she crammed in a lot of information in an hour. I have spent quite a bit of time with this therapist in the past and I feel very comfortable with her. I have some homework to do. She told me today she grew up in Naperville and went to the elementary school I taught at for many years. Small world. Our next session is the one I have been dreading but hopefully it will not be as bad as I am imagining. Thank you all for your prayers. You know you all have mine.

Love,

Nancy

Carol, will you have another MRI after than one? I think you mentioned your foot and maybe your hip as areas of concern. We will be praying for you. Just give us a reminder since Easter is in there too. I'm glad you got to listen to the music video. It is very powerful seeing the video part besides the music and lyrics.

Take care.

Love,

Nancy

Okay GB. This one is for you!!!!

GB LOL I thought you would get a laugh out of that one.

Michael W. Smith is one of the greatest producers of Christian worship music in my life time in my opinion. I recorded his live concert of his revamped Worship album from many years ago recorded with a full orchestra and I have been listening to it tonight. I think I recorded it when I was recovering from my hysterectomy. It came out in 2021. I just sent this new CD called Worship Forever to my sister. They have it in MP3 format as well. I wish they it in DVD format but as long as I can still view it on my TV in my saved recordings I won't need one. I would highly recommend it. Here is a preview of the album. I ordered from Amazon.

Let's keep Chris in your prayers as she had a Pet scan today and will be having her colonoscopy on Good Friday. She needs our prayers.

Have a great weekend dear sisters.

Love,

Nancy

Chris,

In my prayers!

The Michael W. Smith concert was already sold out by the time I alerted a friend about it.

I know this is a winter scene but one of my dear friends wanted a print of this photo I took and it really spoke to her.

Hopefully it will speak to others here as well.

Chris this is for you as you go through your colonoscopy prep today. I've been praying for you all morning.

Love,

Nancy

Carol, remind us when this is approaching. So are you having two separate MRI's? The femur is the only bone in the thigh but it runs from the hip clear down to the knee so perhaps they do need to do separate ones.

I had my pelvic floor therapy today which was going to be the exam that I have been dreading and fearful of for the past five weeks. It was very doable and and I did fine. I am doing biofeedback for it which I also started today. Again, not bad and very doable but very challenging. I came home and celebrated with my first decaf cup of coffee since before the mid of January because of my detox. I was supposed to avoid caffeine so I nixed all coffee since Jan. 17.

Today we are experiencing two rounds of possible severe weather. I asked my therapist what we do in case of a tornado. I said it would be my luck to be right in the middle of this exam and get a tornado siren!!!!! Thankfully that didn't happen. The building is full of glass almost everywhere.

Chris, I am continuing to pray for you during this day of prep before your colonoscopy. Most of us know how challenging that is and praying you will get through this with flying colors.

Love,

Nancy

Nancy, your orchid is lovely. I was given an orchid many years ago. I was told that orchids are tree parasites and "so easy to grow" (their words, not mine). The plant bloomed one time and then transformed into bushy, verdant foliage. Silly orchid. :-)