Mr. Squirrel was wondering if I would be just a little more generous with the sunflower seeds.
Just love the Spanish moss. There's tons of it at the camp and not a shred of it at my house, less than two miles away.
My new/old fixed up bird feeder is in that pic somewhere.
This morning I realized I had been retired for one month and hadn't wet a line. I pulled out my fav top water lure and gave it a few casts. This is a small bass I caught. He was too small to keep so he went back to grow a little. I only got about three casts before I caught my lure on my neighbor's wharf. I couldn't get it back because he has 5 dogs in his back yard. He got it for me this afternoon when he got home from work. Those lures aren't cheap and I'm now on a budget.
Stepped out in the back yard this afternoon and there was a Great White Egret in my back yard at the house. I've never seen one back there before. It was a gift. I watched him strut around the yard for a while. I also made sure one of my cats didn't go after him.
This is my little mixed spring green garden. The seeds are just starting to sprout. Something else I'll have more time to do.
Of course, it is hummer season. There's lots of them but they just won't stop for me to take a pic.
This was a cool looking mushroom I found. Looks like a little sombrero
195 comments:
It was a good day today...a very good day!
Just finished watching AGT Carol and saw the winner. We were pulling for the dog act. We have watched most of the season until the last couple of weeks. Missed last night.
Carol, just got on here. I went back to previous post to see if I missed anything and am responding to your last comment.
And the Olate dogs won AGT.
Love your pictures Carol.
I especially love the trees with the spanish moss. Brings back great memories.
Most of those dogs are rescue dogs.
All of the final acts were great. INteresting, none of the few singers got to finals.
I am thinking about you now Carol and saying a prayer for your eye surgery tomorrow. I will think of you tomorrow.
They have enough singing competitions. I like the other acts. I wouldn't have been disappointed with any of the other finalists winning. They were all great.
Thanks Jan. I better not see them coming at me. I better be real relaxed.
I blew up that pic in your yard with hummer feeder and there is a little hummer, sitting pretty as you please.
I agree, there are enough singing competitions. We have watched the X factor past couple of nights. We tape it and then zip through all but the acts. Britney Spears is a judge and another girl I have not heard of, Britney is actually pretty good and fun to watch. She has great expressions and her comments are short and mostly not sweet. The other girl's first name is Demi - cannot remember last name.
Well Carol, these pics convey peacefulness & contentment...seems as if the retirement has been successful...
Hope your eye surgery goes quickly with little anxiety...
A new word out there - Photobomb - animals and people who show up in photos that were not supposed to be there. The news show was showing different photos of this phenomenon. Pretty funny. Have you ever gone through your photos and seen some that are photobombed?
Morning. Jan I was aware of the one hummer in my pic. You probably thought that if I didn't see it I'd better rush that surgery. There were just so many more that were flying around.
Oh. I don't have to be at the surgery place until 10. And no coffee, food or drink. Not much to do to distract.
Love the pictures, Carol! You've gotten even better with the camera, and I didn't know that was possible.
The second one is particularly 'magnificent'. I hope you don't mind if I copy it to see if it'll work on my desktop.
Carol, I can't tell you how strong my confusion is right now. I 'know' that if I post on your site, then I may throw off the good balance
you have. I feel just as bad posting at TM because I feel part of Solars leaving TM may be because I made a big deal of my disagreement
with him when he brought up his feelings about our not having freedom of choice again.
I realize I have a tendency to annoy people on both blogs and that they are both better places without me, and therefore I have nothing
positive that I can achieve by being either place. Damn, if I don't feel guilty when I leave and feel guilty when I stay.
After that big thing at TM where every one got so pissed at me for telling Craig that his posts were becoming overly slanted and all
hell broke lose at TM with most of it anger at me, I wrote a simple email to Craig saying that 'I'm sorry'. He wrote me back, and said
I had made a valid point and asked me not to leave. He actually said "please, please, please" don't leave. I think that's because he
needs a certain amount of people there for his ads or something like that.
My conscience is bothering me, because 'I know' I have very little to add to either blog -- even though I have continued talking. I'm not a team player,
and will never know how to be one for long.
I love you and Jan. I like a few people at TM, but I continue t be disappointed with myself that I can't seem to keep my mouth shut (I actually feel guilty for that).
I spoke up here the other day, because I was so hurt that you thought I'd do anything to hurt your blog. I've always thought (and still do think) that you've done
wonderful things there. It's successful, like everything else you've done in your life.
I realize that just the fact that you think I could have done something like erasing the past, or that I haven't always been completely
honest with you shows that you really don't know me at all. I've felt like that for a while and I think it's the nature of the internet --
that it's really difficult for others to know how sincere you are. It's easier communicating in person (you and Jan have had that advantage
from the past -- so you know where each other are coming from).
Everything I'm saying this morning is straight from my heart . Many of the things I've said online sadden me -- things I can never
take back. It's so hard for me to stick with what I know I should do (having tried so many times) -- to
keep my mouth shut. Ivy did it, and I feel I have been weak by not being able to achieve what she achieved.
I woke up thinking about all of this and a I'm working my way through these thoughts now (actually, I have been for a long time) and am appalled by
my lack of self control. If I decide to shut up for a while, I want you both to know how kind and open you are, how much I love you both and that I am broken hearted
over not knowing if I will be able to keep conversing with you (when I do, I feel a great amount of guilt because of the reasons I've mentioned).
I don't want to affect what you have created and I don't want to affect what Craig has created. I just don't know what I will do next, but I do know I
don't want the responsibility of possibly annoying anyone online with my impulsive words any more.
(I originally wrote this on an email to you, Carol... but have now decided to copy and post it here on your site, as I'm not sure you'll get my email -
so here I am, still blabbering)
... please. I prefer no responses. Thanks
Chloe, you can't ruin anything here or anywhere else. If it could have been done, I would have already done it. Don't spend your precious time worrying about any of that.
In the big picture, we're just a little speck.
Boy I could use some coffee. I guess that will have to wait. I think I am ready. Waiting for TW to come pick me up. I'm suppose to be at the center at 10a. It would have been nice if they could have done it early and it would already be over. I hope I can stop for one of my favorite burgers when it's over.
Yeah, but that speck is all we have.
Chloe, I hope you will not take offense at what I am saying. I think you are "overthinking" this whole thing. Carol loves a good argument, believe me - I know. This is where Carol and I are different. I don't like conflict. I don't know Coreen as well, but it is easy to see from her comments that she loves a good argument too.
Once I say what I believe, I back off and don't continue the argument because I believe that usually we are not going to change each other's minds. I don't have any trouble observing (from a distance) other people's disagreements. I just choose, most of the time, to stay out of the fray.
My dad was very authoritarian. We were not allowed to argue with my parents at home and even when there were arguments among us siblings, my mother became distressed and asked us to stop. I am introverted also and tend to not state my point of view except in small groups. In larger groups, if I have something to say, I become nauseated. At this point in my life, I don't think "having my say" is worth it. I am content to be a wallflower.
So Chloe, you can see from all my posts and comments, I usually share what is going on with me and comment on other people's posts or comments but I stay out of disagreements. And I do not feel bad about that.
Thinking about you Carol. I look forward to hearing from you when you get back on line.
Well, I've been home for a while. It wasn't as bad an experience as I worried about even though I wouldn't be eager to repeat it any time soon.
I ran into a few of my past students and it's so nice when they treat me like I'm a celebrity. Will really miss that when all my old students have retired. My nurse was young and didn't know me but she was very nice.
I like to froze to death. They could hang meat in that surgical center, especially in the actually surgery room. The people working in there were in short sleeves. I would have had to have long johns and a coat to work there.
I felt a little nervous but not too bad. My doc usually gives his patients a 5mg valium. They came to give it but I refused it. It's effect would linger and because I'm home alone, I didn't want to be sedated all day. They did give me something IV when I got to surgery and I swear it didn't kick in until it was all over.
Things coming at my eye didn't bother me like I thought it would. With the dilating drops and the numbing drops, I couldn't really focus on what was coming. I did remember it all and I did feel pain but it was short lived. My eye was drenched with numbing drops so I can't see how I could have felt pain but I did and it was a deep pain at certain points in the procedure.
I still can't see out of that eye and it feels like I have some large chunk of something under the lid. Hope they didn't leave a hemostat in it. Just kidding...but that's what it feels like.
Everyone said I would walk out seeing great and I have a total fog over that eye..worse than the one I went in with. I hope that's normal. I did get a call from someone but was away from my phone. I did just try to call that person back to ask if what I'm experiencing is OK. I have an appointment for a follow up at the eye clinic in the AM..on Saturday.
I have to keep that eye closed because of the discomfort. Blinking makes it worse. Does any of this sound normal to you? I was number 17 out of 19 he had scheduled to do today.
I had to be at the surgical center at 10 but I didn't roll in for the procedure until noon. That was a long time to go without coffee and food. TW and I went to 5 Guys burger and fries after.
I'm having trouble typing here so forgive my mistakes. Even my good eye is not real happy. Maybe my vision in my operative eye will get better when the dilating meds wear off. Hope so. Also, corneas are very sensitive so I can't see why there wouldn't be some discomfort caused by a slice thru it.. for at least 24 hours. They also heal very fast.
Jan, Nothing you say could 'ever' offend me.
My problem is a little different than yours: I talk first and regret it later, and that causes me great concern. But if I say 'nothing' when I think something needs defending that causes me even greater concern. But I also remember the old saying: 'If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all". Of course, most of those old sayings just cause me even greater conflict.
I didn't have an authoritative figure in my upbringing, but I didn't have a good upbringing either I feel that I mostly raised myself (obviously without the knowledge to know how to do it). Most things I had to learn 'after' my childhood. You're right. I usually overthink things. Probably something I had to learn to do during that time I felt I was on my own and was to young to know the answers.
I can't imagine you ever being a wallflower, Jan. Don't get that confused with being kind (which you are). I don't mind if others disagree with me, and I don't mind admitting it when I think I was wrong.
Some of what I'm feeling is what a writer that I linked at TM a while back said: that he's tired of having to explain himself. http://www.southernliving.com/community/rick-bragg-southern-journal-00417000073531/
No one here has ever made me feel like that, but I did come back feeling pretty defensive when I was 'suspected' of trying to destroy the old blogs I wrote. I was hurt that someone could think that about me -- partly because I was in a bad place already by a lot of what was happening over at TM. He said he's just tired of explaining himself, and that he's not going to do it anymore. I related to it when I read it.
Jan, just for you, I want to share this beautiful post (at least beautiful to me) that a very nice person wrote at TM yesterday (she's rarely there, probably 'because' she's very nice:
Faire says:
09/13/2012 at 8:53 PM
"Times like this I hear an old Country Gentlemen lyric from the sixties on the soundtrack in my head:
Each newborn baby’s cry is the hope of men grown old
For to change this world and light a brighter way
But alas, they hope in vain for it all remains unchanged
This world’s no place to live in, but it’s home. . .
There’s bound to be a solution to stop all this violence, but damned if I know where--
My whole adulthood, it feels like, the ME has been a pressure cooker. And then I think--it’s ALWAYS been that way--a crossroads for violence, military adventuring, and the worst and best of religious impulses--fanaticism rampant--
Somebody please tell me to hush--"
I was so taken with her post, that it brought me back a lot of the strength that I thought I had lost.
Carol!! Forgive me!
I had those posts I just made pre-written and pasted them before I saw yours.
I didn't even know you were having surgery today. I hope you're doing well.
Here I was all involved in myself, and hadn't even taken the time to get caught up on what's happening in your world yet. I'm sorry.
Chloe,
I do believe that our early experiences are influential in how we are and behave in the world.
Thank you for posting here was "Faire" had said at TM.
I just want to say - that I sure hope you stick around here. I remember a couple of years or so ago someone said that these blogs last about a year. Sure enough, Ivy left and then you left and then it was just Carol, Coreen and me. It is funny that the Swamp has lasted. It definitely has a purpose in our lives.
Carol, glad to see you back. I am surprised that your surgeon did not patch your eye. Our surgeon patched ours for 24 hrs after the surgery. My sister's surgeon did that too. We were given strict orders to keep it patched until we came back next morning - then she took the patch off and did the usual tests. Then we were told to put the patch (it was metal) on at night to keep from rubbing the eye.
My eye was foggy for several days after surgery. John's seemed to clear up faster.
Carol, I am glad when I hear they do a lot of this kind of surgery. Experience is one of the best teachers.
I have been having eye checks so often in the past 15 years because I have a family history of glaucoma. I have no problem with a needle coming at my eye any more. They always deaden it a little before that.
Well, It is over Carol. Don't you have to put eyedrops in it for a while - an antibiotic and a steroid?
We are sitting out on our front porch this afternoon. So nice out - the high today was in the 70's. I love it.
Jan, I think I may have figured out one thing that may be causing some of my problem. They usually prescribe an NSAID eye drop along with the antibiotic drops but didn't because I reported an intolerance to NSAIDs. They usually cause intense GI pain when I take the pills but I'm not sure if the eye drop would have caused the same problem. Not having that drop is probably why I'm having the discomfort and why my vision is not clearing up as fast. There may be inflammation. I hope that is the reason. I still can't see anything but a fog out of that eye. I'll find out tomorrow.
I did call a friend who had her cataracts removed and she was only in her 40s when she did. She said it took her a couple of days before she started seeing well.
And then I just found a potential complication called posterior capsule opacity and it can occur in 20% of cataract removals. I was number 17 of 18 removals today. If that is the problem..it can be treated with a laser procedure. Still hope that it's all better in the morning. Y'all keep your fingers crossed.
And Chloe...love is never having to say you're sorry. But you are very much like me in that you worry too much about what people think about you. We need to both get over it. There are much bigger things in this crazy world to worry about.
Girl...if I had a nickel for every hour I spent, over my lifetime, worrying about if something I said offended someone...I'd have a nice salary right now. Most of the time I bet they never even thought twice about it.
"Y'all keep your fingers crossed."
I'll do more than that, Carol. I'll send all the good will I have out into the Universe to help you through this -- and I have reason to think I have some very protective contacts out there, so you needn't worry.
What you said about the nickles, reminds me of a birthday card I bought one for someone. it said: If I had a chocolate for everything nice you've ever done for me, I'd have an ass the size of New Hampshire.
Thanks Carol and Jan.
I'm not sure how I've made it so long with out you.
I woke up at 2a eager to see if there was any improvement in my vision. One thing that is better, I no longer feel like they left a pair of hemostats in my eye. That's good.
I took off my shield and I can barely make out the very foggy word "Dish" on the TV screen. I fell asleep with my TV on. I can't make out any other words. I certainly ain't feeling like...I can't wait for them to do the other eye...like the doc said I would. It's more like..it will be a cold day in hell before anyone gets close to my other eye.
I'm not feeling like this is going to be a success story. I just pray it's not going to be...I have to learn to live with only one eye..story.
And it's not the doc, he has a good reputation..I think. I didn't read the paper with all the complications before I signed it. I think I noticed the word death and dismemberment but I figured those were a long shot.
Chloe, don't use that as an excuse to eat chocolate. Actually, you don't need an excuse. I keep a frig full of the stuff, several different varieties. Let's see..I have baby Butterfingers, some Ghirardelli dark chocolate with caramel squares and some baby Snickers. I do try to control my intake.
Well, I'm up for the second time today. I have an appointment at the Eye Clinic at 9:15. It's the routine follow up. TW is taking me. Poor TW.
I was rereading that eye article again this morning and it says that cataract surgery is one of the most common and successful surgeries done today. But then it says that this PCO can occur in 20%. With 18 of us getting cataracts done yesterday, that means that 3.6 of us are not real happy this morning.
Glad to hear you're having the follow-up this morning. Maybe they'll ease your concerns.
"One of the most common cataract surgery complications is a posterior capsule opacity (also called posterior capsule opacification or PCO). Although some people call PCO a "secondary cataract," it really is not a cataract. Once a cataract is removed, it does not come back.
During cataract surgery, your surgeon will remove the cloudy natural lens of your eye (cataract) and replace it with an intraocular lens (IOL). Much of the thin clear membrane that surrounds the natural lens (called the lens capsule) is left intact during surgery and the IOL usually is implanted within it.
When the cataract is removed, your surgeon makes every attempt to maintain the integrity of the lens capsule, and normally your vision after cataract surgery should be very clear"
http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/cataract-complications.htm
I actually meant to post the good news part of it: Treating Posterior Capsule Opacity
"Fortunately, a YAG laser can treat posterior capsule opacity safely, effectively and painlessly. This procedure, known as YAG laser capsulotomy, often can be performed in your doctor's office.
YAG laser capsulotomy involves just a few simple steps:
Usually the eye is dilated before the procedure, with dilating eye drops.
A laser removes the hazy posterior capsule from your line of sight without making an incision or "touching" the eye.
Many ophthalmologists recommend anti-inflammatory eye drops following the procedure."
My dear friends here - I am asking for your prayers - whoever you pray to. My grandson, C.S. is in the hospital. He had a seizure last night. He has never had one before. He is being transferred by ambulance this morning to our University Med. Center as soon as a bed is available. They did an MRI and Catscan last night and there found something in his brain. I do not know at this moment what it was. He will be evaluated by one of the neurologists. His dad (my son) and mom have been up all night and I know are proabably exhausted. I am waiting to hear from them.
Carol, glad you don't feel like you have a hemostat in your eye. right now you are probably getting your eye exam. Hope all is well with your eye. I am waiting to hear about it.
I am keeping your grandson in my prayers Jan. Let us know what they found. They couldn't identify what it was or your son just didn't know?
I'm back. I met many of my fellow cat removal pts from yesterday in the waiting room and most couldn't see well either. That made me feel better. Most of them are scheduled to have the other eye done in a week even thought their other eye wasn't as bad.
TW heard that one man was mad because they did his better eye first and now he couldn't see out of either eye. I made sure they didn't do that to me since I'm not planning on having both eyes done now. They came and marked the right eye. If they wouldn't have, I would have circled it for them.
I am having some slow improvement. I can now see fuzzy features on people's faces and can identify fuzzy large letters on the TV.
The doc said everything did look OK but there was some edema. He wasn't concerned. I told him he should inform his patients that they may start out seeing much worse than when they started. Save them some serious anxiety. He said...maybe I should. Doctor...they just don't think like us nurses do.
I also told him that I was wide awake for the entire experience. He said..I know..you talked the entire time. I know..I said ouch several times.
Chloe, that's the same article I read last night. I hope I don't need that extra procedure. One was enough for me. I'm NOT a good patient. And my other cataract will live with me until my vision gets as bad as the one I had removed. I want time to forget.
Jan, Please let us know as soon as you get more information. By 'finding something in his brain', can I assume it must be a tumor? If so, I sure am hoping to hear it's nothing malignant.
I can't understand why so many people seem to be getting brain tumors in the last decade. I hope it really isn't the 'cell phones'.
Sending you love and I will pray for him too (as well as for you and the rest of your family).
Carol, Hope it helped lower your stress level, hearing that others had similar side effects.
I don't blame you for waiting. Hopefully that first eye will be so much better in the future, that you'll feel it worth it to have the other one done.
.... glad he didn't see any obvious complications -- and that you set him straight about warning people what to expect.
also told him that I was wide awake for the entire experience. He said..I know..you talked the entire time. I know..I said ouch several times.
Carol, I laughed and read this above to John.
I am glad your vision is improving - however small amounts.
Carol & Chloe, thanks for prayers and good thoughts for GS. The docs (not neuro guys) think it is a hemangioma. There definitely was a bleed in the brain. He will be transferred to Univ. Hosp. where there is a good neurologist and neurosurgeon. We live just 3 blocks from the univ hosp. I am waiting. I am trying not to call my son and DIL too often. I know they are beside themselves with worry. They have been at hosp all night except each one has gone home for short time to take a shower.
GS is 23 y/o. which is a good thing as young people recover from stuff much faster. He did have a head injury about 15 months ago when he and some friends out at night. A friend (girl) jumped onto his back and he was not expecting it and it knocked him to the ground - hit the right side of his forehead and parietal (side) of his head. He had to have some stitches. I don't remember if they said he had a concussion, but I think so. I know they said he was out for a short time.
Jan, keep us informed on what you find out. If it is an hemangioma, it may not have anything to do with his head injury. Head injury would be more likely to result in a subdural hematoma. A brain cavernous hemangioma could have also been the cause of his headaches when he was young. Do you know where this is located?
I had no idea what you guys were talking about so I looked it up and this is the first thing I found. It sure sounds a lot safer than having a tumor, and it looks like it's always benign.
Cavernous Hemangiomas
February 28, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment
Also known as “Cavernomas” and “Cavernous Malformations”, These lesions have been found with increasing frequency over the past few years because of the incredible accuracy of MRI scanning. They arise from the tiny vessels that separate the arterial system from the venous system of the brain. There is some controversy as to whether the cavernomas are true vascular malformations or very slow growing tumors of capillary blood vessels. They are characterized as truly benign lesions, and can be completely removed and cured by surgical removal. However, as many of these lesions are found coincidentally, they are often left alone if no evidence of hemorrhage is present at the time of the MRI study.
They may induce seizures; occasionally, their removal leads to seizure control when medical therapy fails. When they are noted along with hemorrhage, they most often do not cause neurologic devastation, as do brain aneurysms and AVMs. The reason for this has to do with the very low vascular pressure within these malformations.
http://www.brain-surgery.com/cavernous-hemangiomas/
Just got home from seeing GS. They sent him home with anti-seizure meds to take 2X a day. He will see a neurologist at UNM on Monday at 1 pm. He is staying at his parent's home for now.
Carol, when he had the grande mal seizure last night, he was walking with his brother. He had been having smaller seizures before that but none of the family realized they were seizures. They called them "twitches" but they were strong enough that he almost lost his balance with one. when he had the Grand mal, his brother called 911 so he did go to hospital by ambulance. Carol, I was thinking his parents took him, but I had misunderstood.
He was in hosp for about 20 hrs and they were trying to transfer him to med center but did not have an available bed. So he will be home with his parents until Monday at 1 pm. The docs in the hosp where he was were in contact with the med center neurologist and after reviewing the MRI and Catscan, they believe it is a hemangioma in the left temporal region behind the optic nerve. They will know better what to expect after Monday.
We took dinner and he sat up and ate with us. He looks and acts normal. He has not had any seizures since they began the meds.
Thanks Chloe for looking up and posting info about hemangiomas. GS's mom says the docs have told her that they will probably do surgery if the lesion is in place that they can do that.
It sounds good if they let him go home Jan. If he was the least bit unstable, they wouldn't have let him go.
My eye is rapidly getting better. I'm so happy. Dang it, they could have saved me a lot of anxiety if they would have told me that I wouldn't be able to see for a day or so. All I had heard was how well everyone could see immediately after surgery. I did get an evaluation form and I will stress that in my evaluation.
I did feel better as I sat with my fellow pts in the waiting room and found out they couldn't see well either.
Jan, Thanks for the update. I agree with Carol about it being a good sign that they sent him home.
The most important person he will be seeing is the neurologist. I've never met a medical 'specialist' that wasn't great in his/her field -- and therefore, have great confidence in their abilities.
Hope that anti-seizure medicine doesn't give him any side affects. It's good that he's eating well, because it helps to eat with any medication like that.
I feel sure the neurologist won't have to keep him on them for long. That article made it sound like what he has is very treatable.
Coreen, I haven't gone back to read many post yet, but your 9-11 post was really a nice tribute. It must be nice to live someplace small enough, that you can get up close and personal to take your pics.
In a place as crowded as Houston, it's always traffic jams and over crowded events.
I have to go, but will check in later today.
Have a good day all!
ps Jan, so glad you got to see your gs too. Still will be keeping him and you in my thoughts.
Good to hear that your vision is
improving, Carol...the best I remember about those I know who have had the surgery, the first couple of days vision was blurred but improved significantly thereafter...
Hope to hear that yours has reached that level soon...
Would like to know if you expereienced the 'starburst' effect when driving in the dark from cars headlights coming at you...
That was/is the biggest complaint from those I know who have had the surgery...One of my friends asked me to go with her to her surgeon's
appt before the surgery to listen
to what he was saying....she was
no longer comfortable driving at night because of that effect...& while he did not guarantee that the
starburst effect would end, he said
that often after some time, most patients felt some improvement with that driving problem...but that it would not happen instantly...She still experiences that vision problem, though not as blinding as before...
I also know someone who refuses to drive at night because of that vision problem, she said she would become blinded by the headlight glare & just could not see...but so far she won't have the cataract surgery...
Fortunately, so far, I have no sign of cataracts...I do wear contact lens daily & my eyes are checked regularly....
I also have 2 friends who had laser
surgery to correct vision, (they hated wearing glasses) which I could have but...being averse to any medical procedure (big chicken that I am)..not for me...
Jan, hope that your grandson's condition continues to improve, as the symptoms described certainly must have caused great fear and anguish for you and your family...
Thanks to all of you for your kind words about my GS.
Coreen, before cataract surgery on my right eye 3 years ago, I had the starburst effect when looking at oncoming traffic at night. I had quit driving at night because of it. It greatly decreased after surgery and I drive at night now.
I have a little bit of a cataract in my left eye, but my eye doc says it is not severe enough for surgery as yet. She said medicare will not pay for it yet. That is good enough for me. I too, do not want surgery unless necessary. I guess when the starburst effect occurs, it will be time for surgery.
Carol, I am so glad your vision is clearing. I think you will be happy with the results.
I remembered last night that after my cat. surgery, I had some strange effects - when I closed my eyes, I would see zig-zaggy flashes of light sometimes. It was weird. It lasted for about a month and then went away. I told my eye doc and she did tell me it would clear up in time.
My DIL is having a rough time. She is usually very even termpered and very diplomatic. Late last night she called me and was accusing in asking if we had returned a blow up bed we borrowed. I explained to her that we have 2 blow up beds and had never borrowed one from them. I did not say this, but in fact, they had borrowed our blow up beds on several occasions, and had returned them each time. I was surprised at her tone of voice, as she has never been this abrupt with me. This is the mom of GS who had the seizures.
She just recently lost her mom to cancer and spent about 3 months in another state with her mom during her illness before death. DIL just went through have breast CA last year.
Just came back from laundromat. Washed a down comforter and some store-bought quilts. Drying the comforter in the sun now. The down clumped up so need to try and unclump it. I went on line AFTER I washed it and it said -should dry with several tennis balls or clean tennis shoes to unclump down. Then said putting in sun will do it. I hope so. Next time- I need to READ directions before doing something like this.
It doesn't surprise me that your DIL would be stressed out. It's got to come out. Better out than in.
A lady who had her surgery same day I had mine and who i met in the waiting room yesterday, just called. She ended up with that PCO that I thought I had. I told her that the stats were that it occurred in 20 percent. She said the doc said in 3 months they would do that laser procedure. Yuk.
Didn't know you could wash a down comforter. Thought that they had tI be dry cleaned.
Watching the Saints. They aren't doing well this week either. They gave Drew too much money. He needs to refund some of it.
Sis just got home from some interesting international travel. Maybe she will send me some pics and stories to post.
The down comforter is doing good. I have had it hanging outside for about 4 hours. Every so often I bring it in and break up the globs of down that are damp. Most of the globs are now dispersed now. I read that you don't want that down to stay damp as it will mildew. Next time I am drying it with some tennis balls to break up the globs.
It costs lots less to wash the down comforter. I have down pillows I plan to wash next weekend. I am buying some tennis balls tomorrow. I need some for doing developmental tests with kids anyway.
Carol, it is tough to see a grandchild go through this, but much tougher with your child. I was lucky when my boys were growing up. I do remember when middle kid was in the AF - married with 2 little kids. He was doing night duty guarding some kind of fancy planes. He kept asking for some day duty because he could not sleep during the day. He called me one day and said he was turning in his guns and asking for mental health help. I encouraged him to do that. I also called my brother who was 80 miles away to go see him. Middle son did get some help but I had some sleepless nights during that time.
I meant "much tougher with your own child."
http://www.target.com/p/room-essentials-dryer-balls-2-pk/-/A-13790135
Jan, I impulsively picked up a couple of these dryer balls (semi linked above.. I've got to find that linking formula soon) when I was at Target one day, because they claim to keep clothes from bunching up and wrinkling. I don't know if they do anything or not, but I've had them in there for about a month, and just leave them there when I fold the clothes. The tennis balls may be cheaper, and since they're heavy they may do a better job. I'd just never thought of it. They would be louder though, as these little spongy balls don't make any noise (but like I said, I don't even know for sure that they work). Let me know how the tennis balls work.
I don't like to iron like the rest of you here. Carol, I bet you don't miss staying up late on Sunday nights ironing clothes and doing all the things you used to have to do to get ready to start your week at the prison infirmary (is that what it was called?) anymore.
I also bet there are a lot of people there who miss you. They probably won't find anyone that will put in all the extra effort you did.
Carol, I'm curious. Which sister just got back from traveling.
Hope you get those pics. I love hearing and learning (first hand) how things are in these other countries.
... hope she's as good of a photographer as you are. :)
Chloe girl, I'm not doing anything special with photography anymore. I am lazy and just use my iPhone that is always on me. I point it and press the button. If I'm lucky, something shows up. I don't even know where my camera is anymore.
Chloe, it's big sis, the world traveler that just got back from the Prague and Venice and parts around. She does a lot of traveling. I live vicariously thru her world travels.
This time she went on one of those PBS guy's tours. She was gone for three weeks. I think it was Rick Steves. He has all those European tours. He wasn't on the tour. All I could do was just watch those programs on TV. One day..maybe.
I think I've talked her and her, used to be, husband into coming down next month. They're best buddies. He hasn't been down here since right after Rita. It will be nice to actually be off the entire time and have fun with the both of them. Her ex can help me with some of the projects I'm working on. We work well together and fish well together. He's the kind of guy who has to be doing something all the time. He loves yardwork and lawnmowers. I sent him a pic of my new one. He will be having a hernia repaired next week so neither of us can left anything. I know all kinds of ways to move heavy stuff since I haven't been able to lift anything since I sandwiched those vertebrae. I have one of those mules that I use all the time to move my pool salt and bird seed and potting soil. Everything I use weighs 40 pounds..way over my limit. I've learned how to roll stuff into my basket, roll it into my truck, then roll it out of my truck onto my mule or my little dump wagon. I'm a rolling fool.
And Chloe, I still iron but I never liked it. I think that maybe Jan said she liked it. Not me. Sometimes I'd skip it. I'll iron my shirts and skip the pants since they look wrinkled even after ironing them. Not ironing was easier to do when I had that cataract and couldn't see that well. Heck I was starting to skip makeup since I was having trouble seeing my face. Also can't see the hair on my legs to shave. Really..I don't think I have much of it left anymore. Could be wrong about that. Really, if you have to put on glasses and use a bright light to find the hair on your legs to shave, it's not necessary.
And that mule does not have hair and 4 legs..just in case someone might not be familiar with those rolling thingies that you can use to move heavy stuff. Probably could use one of the hairy kind also but I'd have to feed it and I'm already feeding too way many things.
Coreen, you have to hear this cat.
http://www.aol.com/video/incredible-talking-cat/517473724/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmaing6%7Cvideo-module%7Csec2_lnk1%7C204346
Sorry..too lazy for the easy link. You'll have to copy and paste.
Maybe those moving things aren't called mules but I know I have heard of them referred to as mules.
"We work well together and fish well together. He's the kind of guy who has to be doing something all the time. He loves yardwork and lawnmowers."
Sounds like a dream of a guy. Maybe you ought to not let him leave once he gets there. :)-- seriously, glad to hear you make have a hand to help you get through some of the work you have at your camp. I felt so bad when that hurricane hit La. again.
... as for your photography, yours' is as good as ever, camera phone or not. Hubby has the iPhone too, and the pixels on those camera's are higher than a lot
of the camera's you buy at the store.
"Not ironing was easier to do when I had that cataract and couldn't see that well"
Carol, you still make me laugh so much!
I think it's because I can almost alway relate to what you're saying -- it's just that you put it so much funnier than I do. If I don't put on my store bought, magnifying glasses for a quick look in the morning, it's embarrassing when I look in a mirror later in the day (glasses on), and see what I like. I think you said once, what I've thought for a long time. Far-sighted-ness is a 'blessing' that comes with aging. I always try to make sure that everything I buy has (a little) polyester in it, so it comes out of the dryer looking presentable -- everything except my levi's (which is what hubby always wears too), because they aren't meant to be ironed.
Emma is the best dresser in the house, because she's so cute and is definitely is going to be a 'girly' girl. She likes to pick the clothes that she say's are like a princess, ruffles and all -- and there's a lot of that out there now, at least here in Texas (for one, tutu's and leggings).
The comment block lets you check on edit, but doesn't allow you to edit what you wrote. Am I missing something, or is that right?
Anyway, I'll be checking in later today to see how your grandson is doing Jan. Hope you all have a good day.
BTW, Carol.
I have way too many things that I feed too. It's a lot of work.
... and those motorized helpers we have have to be fed also. Cars, tractors, lawn mowers, house-hold appliances (that love to eat up electricity).
As always, no free rides.
Funny vid Carol, but am I being too skeptical in wondering if Ivan
was really talking....
I would love it if our pets could talk our language...
Friday, our Repub governor decided to close the prison located not far from here. It is where I worked prior to the local jail. The employees found out when they heard it on the news. Surprise, you're out of a job. I hope they stop arresting so many people so they'll have room for those inmates in the local facilities. Actually, we had more inmates at our local facility but probably more than actually needed to be there.
Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate in the world.
Go figure Coreen that the first word a cat would learn is no.
I talked with my DIL this afternoon. GS had his appt with neurologist. They are going to keep him on anti-seizure meds. He will have an EEG next week. He has been told not to drive for 6 months. He is upset about this, says he is going to drive anyway. For time being, he is moving back in with his parents. I think he is going to start on his MS in accounting. The doc told him he may be on anti seizure meds for rest of his life. This is a tough situation for all of them.
No plans for surgery at this time.
I had the feeling he would be on the seizure medication for the rest of his life. There are many people on seizure meds who live a normal life. He certainly wouldn't want to have another seizure. And he shouldn't drive until he is stabilized on the meds. He could put himself and others in danger. Tell him that would be a sure way to lose a driver's license. He will need some time to adapt to that. He's going through the grief process.
Jan, I watched The Voice tonight. I've only seen short segments of it before. I think I will start watching that show. Can you tell me how it works. I'm through with AI. Don't care for the new judges and have been very disappointed in the outcome of that show.
Happy ending story...Remember the dog left on the mountain in Colorado...the 'owner' agrees to give up claim to her...
<a
href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-give-custody-dog-abandoned-colorado-mountain-article-1.1161669>Missy the dog rescued from the mountain stays with her rescuers</a>
Jan, I'm wondering why the EEG. Doesn't seem like they would need that if they thought what they found on that MRI/CT scan caused his seizure. An EEG would be done to diagnose a epileptic type seizure disorder. Hmmm. I guess you didn't get to talk with the neurologist.
Coreen, I couldn't get your link to work so I Googled the story. Sorry, I'm using the lazy link again. Thanks for sharing it.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-give-custody-dog-abandoned-colorado-mountain-article-1.1161669
I do agree the original owner gave up too easily. I would have found help. People will pull together to rescue an animal. That's one great thing I can say about most people. The owner just didn't care enough to try.
Unfortunately, his dog probably still loves him. That's how dogs are..they give unconditional love.
I can see my TV in HD now with my right eye, the one I had fixed and now the other one is starting to get fuzzy real fast. It's doing the same thing the other one started doing months ago. I wonder if they sabotaged it. It seemed fine until after I had the other one fixed. Weird. I really don't want to go through that procedure again. Too soon.
Then..maybe the other one was so bad that by comparison I thought my left eye was OK. He did measure both eyes for lens implants. He did say that I would end up wanting the second one done as soon as I got the first one done.
And Coreen, I did notice tonight, when I took Maggie out, that my porch light had streaks of light shooting out both sides of the light. I only see that with my new eye. Did you say that it would go away after a while?
And Jan, did you get the multifocal lens implant or just the regular one? I just got the regular one.
Jan, Glad to hear that you grandson is safely at home with his parents for the time being.
Sounds like the neurologist hasn't made a diagnosis yet.(?)
... good that he's feeling a little feisty.
Yesterday morning I turned on Morning Joe and they appeared to all be talking about what a loser Romney turned out to be and it was both teams involved in that talk.
Really...are they just figuring this out?? When I saw the first Repub debate I realized what a group of losers they all were. It was almost humorous just how bad they were. I thought..is this the best they can do?? Made me wonder why they kept Roemer out. I think he would have had a great chance. I don't think they wanted someone to have a chance because I can't believe the powers on that team can be so stupid. Then I thought that they might just be OK with Obama..which didn't make me feel any better about him.
Check back with Jan about the starburst effect...she explained it from her experience...
Those I know complained about that before the procedure & the hope was that after the surgery their difficulty with night driving would improve...Jan's comments seem to confirm that there is improvement....those I know say they still experience some diffiuclty with light
from oncoming cars, but not as severe as before...before the surgery some of them stopped driving at night because they could not see when cars were coming at them..slowly after the procedure they have been able to drive at night with better results...mind you, everyone I am
speaking of have had both eyes
done....
And if you think MJ was on a roll about Romney's ineptness yesterday, today they have even more ammunition...with the latest
let's go to the video revelation...
About your question to Jan re: vision correcting lens v. plain lens...
my understanding is that
generally health insurance and medicare only covers the lens placement that is needed when the cataract is removed...if you want vision correcting lens (which one of my friends did get, you must pay out of pocket for that...the cost to her was about $2,000 per eye)....she could have chosen
a laser procedure (which the surgeon only performed at his facility in NY would have cost about $8,000+ for both eyes)....apparently the laser equipment is expensive & not a lot of surgeons opt for that overhead expense vs.
those who would pay the higher costs out of pocket for that choice...since most health insurance does not cover other than the basic cataract removal procedure....
FYI, here most health insurance does not cover vision, maybe you can get a rider on some policies...just like dental is not covered...
Since medicare covers basic cataract surgery, you find that the majority of those who have the surgery are those who are covered by medicare....
People like me pay for contact lens, glasses, etc...out of pocket no reimbursment...the same for dental work...teeth cleaning, & other dental work is all paid direct...
Coreen, I never had dental or eye care insurance. I
Found out after those back surgeries how crappy, not the fish, my regular insurance was. I do think it covers 90 percent of the cataract job but not sure about anesthesia. Considerimg how rotten that was, they should be paying me.
I didnt op to go for the 2000 buck lens. Was kinda afraid of it. I certainly couldn't adjust to trifocals.
Just got out to the camp to start on all my projects here. I took Mag to the Vet to get her nails cut. We have been fighting a flea problem. That Advantage wasn't working this year I finally decided to give her this new pill. I was avoiding it because it makes her a walking pesticide but couldn't stand to watch her scratch. They said the Advantage wasn't much safer and it wasn't working. Maybe we can stop the problem with one dose.
Had a bunch of other places to go including WM for more supplies. I am enjoying my projects but it may take forever to finish them.
Carol, I got the regular lens. Coreen is right, you have to pay out of pocket for the other one.
Shades of the DaVinci Code...a most enjoyable book....
2,000 years later & the mystery continues...but could this possibly be....if this was ever
established...talk about conspiracies...
4th Century papyrus mentions Jesus wife
Even more details to the mystery...
Papyrus refers to Jesus wife
If you want to consider things political...you may like this view from a libertarian journalist...dripping sarcasm...
Secret Romney tape means we can finally stop talking about obama's failed foreign & domestic policy
And if you really want your head to spin...
Questions moderator should ask obama & romney at first debate
I definitely think Mary M was his fav disciple. As you know, she is a fav of mine also.
Does anyone have a problem with Jesus having been married? Doesn't bother me a bit. Maybe the Catholic church will. And if that history was altered..I bet we know who was responsible for that. I'll go out on a limb here and say that the Catholic church is probably the most responsible for the suppression of women over the centuries and they still are trying to do it. They are afraid of us.
How bad was the weather in your neck of the woods last night Coreen? I do kinda keep an eye on everyone's weather and saw a familiar mess over your area last night. When I saw you post last night..I knew you were OK.
Latest storm didn't do what the weatherpeople were predicting...it was really windy until midnight, rained pretty hard for about 2 hours...just was out checking the driveway to be sure no big branches on it...all clear, just lots of twigs, leaves....
Don't think the church would like that narrative much Carol...did you by chance read the davinci code? it was premised on the idea of Mary being his wife & there being a bloodline through time...the book was inspired by groups who claim that theory is supportable but as with all conspiracy themes...it cannot be
established one way or another...does make you wonder though...
Oh yes Coreen. That book stimulated a big interest in the origin of Christianity for me. I bought and read several books by Bart Ehrman and others. Ehrman is a religious scholar.
"Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and is a leading authority on the Bible and the life of Jesus."
I even have several books about the Gnostic gospels. I accumulated a small library on all that stuff after reading the DaVinci Code.
I could probably fill a large box with books I bought and one day I might have the time to read them all.
I need to head out to the camp to start working on all my projects early. I'm having trouble finding people to do things that don't want to charge me an arm and a leg. They want a good day's salary for a couple of hours of work. I'll do it myself first..dang it. But there are some things that I don't know how to do.
I paid Lowes to have someone come out to change my kitchen counters. It took over two weeks just to get someone out there and I had to call multiple times. They had two guys who do it but one works off shore. He finally showed up yesterday and ironically, he was the guy who changed my kitchen counter here at my house many years ago. I didn't recognize him but he did recognize me. When he said hi..like he knew me..I was worried about exactly where he knew me from. I was happy to find out it wasn't from my last job.
Taking a little break. Coreen, I also bought some of.the reference books the author used when he wrote his novel. Some weren't too flattering of the Catholic church.
That painting is kicking my butt. I got most of the ceiling done today with the regular paint. I will finish it off tomorrow and start the walls. I'm also trying to repair the cabinets. One side of my frig had many specks of rust so I've sanded it and am spray painting it with an appliance paint.
I still need someone to rebuild my wall cabinets. I've decided I do want them back. I still have 4 nice doors. Also need some of the subfloor replaced.
I really don't understand these judges on the Voice. They hit their buttons with people who aren't as good and don't for people who really are good..UMO.
Seems I heard yesterday that the states with the highest percentage of pop on some type of government assistance were red states. Ironic isn't it? But one problem is that people who need the government the most often don't realize how needy they are and don't realize that their guy wants to cut them off the gravy train.
I still think that Romney has Asperger's and that's not a good thing when you're running for president. It would be even worse for a president. Doesn't matter how smart a person is, good communication is certainly a must for a president..IMHO.
Can't keep saying...you know what he meant to say.
Well...we do know that NetinYahoo likes him better. Don't know how to spell his name but you know who I'm talking about.
Loved this:
Stephen Colbert Takes On Mitt Romney's 47 Percent Comments
Does anyone know what Jimmy Carter's grandson was doing at a 50 thou dollar fund raising lumcheon for Romney? Has anyone addressed that question??? Enquiring minds want to know.
Chloe, how is little Emma doing? How old is she now? Is she going to school? Is she teaching you any new tricks
I was saying earlier how many people who have gotten government assistance don't even recognize it when they are receiving it, hint hint many of Romney's base.
Tonight Jon Stewart played a clip of this guy,can't think of his name, on a Fox program saying..."I've been on welfare and food stamps, did anybody help me out?". The fool didnt even recognize what he was saying nor probably did most of Fox's audience. You just can't make this stuff up. I often wonder if these people are sniffing some kind of mind altering gas. It's probably the fumes off the BS spewed on that network.
I am back
I don't have much to add to tonight's discussion. Too tired.
One thing. John says he believes Jesus had a wife, based upon his studies in seminary and more recently too.
Played that clip back. It was Craig Nelson who is one of the cast of Parenthood who said that. I wonder if he ever recognized what an idiot he was? Probably not.
I thought that comment that Jon Stewart had snagged from an old Fox show was so interesting because it demonstrates a phenomena in us humans that has always baffled me. We just won't..can't see things about ourselves that we wouldn't like if we saw them but we can see them in others in a flash. Our psyches can be so blind at times. I wonder if you even played that clip back for that guy if he would get it? It's kinda the same thing for people we like a lot. We don't see or hear anything we don't want to see or hear. I guess it falls under the serious denial category.
When we studied psychological defense mechanisms in our first psychology class, I was so impressed. Humans are so fascinating.
It was a beautiful day yesterday and will be even more beautiful today. It was cold outside when I took Maggie out...well, Louisiana cold. If this was Seattle, it would probably be a considered warm.
I woke up very early this morning and stayed awake for a while so I ended up sleeping until 8. That usually never happens.
I need to get out and get going on my projects. I really am enjoying some of them. Painting ain't exactly my cup of tea but it's fun doing other stuff.
It's nice to use some of the tools I've accumulated over the years. I didn't need to buy much of anything. I'm almost as bad with tools as I am with kitchen stuff. I have this Black and Decker 5 in one portable power tool. It's got a mini skil saw, a screw driver, a jig saw, a mini router, and a sander. It's a cool tool. I've used everything but the little router.
Consider this....from observation & listening to a wide variety of people daily( no psychology here)....
the disconnect you see from the stewart clip of nelson...
those that at some point may have used govt help, in the nelson clip food stamps/welfare, honestly believe that since at some point in the past they worked & contributed to the system that provides entitlements (& then returned to work after getting the help) that since they did contribute/continue to contribute, that would be pay taxes) it is acceptable in return, & they do not consider that the same as those other people that never work/worked & yet obtain benefits throughout life...
In the past you have made those observations that you wonder why people who work get no govt assistance (they don't qualify)while others who don't
seem to get just about everything...
And FYI I have absoultely no idea
how to solve the haves/havenots societal differences...life simply is not fair,never has been...
But then again no politican today
does either...they are all self-serving, pandering to their respective bases, pitting people against each other for their own
self-interest...
Consider this as well....when you say that those who have gotten assistance don't even recognize it when they are receiving it...hint, hint Romney's base...
Remember these operative words ...think earn vs. give...those you seem to criticize truly believe they earned that assistance vs. they believe those others expect to be given it w/o
contribution..
I hear these competing visions of
govt assitance all the time...
I hear ya girl and agree. Hey, I've spent a considerable amount of time pondering a better solution to deal with those who don't want to contribute. There are no humane solutions short of sticking them on an island to fend for themselves. None of us like it. What do we do about women who have more and more kids because it increases how much welfare and other assistance they get?? What do we do about the baby daddy who enjoys that assistance while they hang out in the hood selling drugs?? Birth control would be nice but your group doesn't even want that...ironically.
Heck, I did my part trying to preach and educate about that with my population of clients who were big offenders. You should have seen my reaction when this punk 18 yo came into medical wanting to find out why he hadn't been able to get any of his women pregnant. The little girl on the Exorsist looked more pleasant than I did that day..with my reaction. I think my head spun around at least twice.
But giving the extremely rich individuals and corps more tax breaks is totally ridiculous. When is enough an enough. The struggling middle class are paying for the welfare of both extremes. That has to stop. We really have to close the loopholes
My solutions are to close loopholes that the extremely rich use, find a way to brainwash the kids who have been raised in families who have abused the system for generations and to make it better for those who do try to work than those who do nothing.
And we can't always determine who will get short term assistance and move on to being more productive ahead of time. Or which illegal aliens will end up making a great contribution to their new home country. Unless we are decendants of the native americans, we all came here from somewhere else.
I'm sitting on one of my little decks at the camp. I'm waiting for TW. We're going to go get a burger and then come back to enjoy this beautiful weather. My work will just have to wait.
"Chloe, how is little Emma doing? How old is she now? Is she going to school? Is she teaching you any new tricks"
Yes, little Emma is doing wel, Carol --- thanks for asking. She now goes to pre-school every day and has longer hours. It's been such a great benefit to her (and me!). We changed to a school that is a little bigger, a little more like 'real' life. She was being babied too much at the other one (and of course by us).
I am taking her to speach therapy for 45 minute twice a week, because I noticed others her age are talking more clearly than her. There's nothing she doesn't understand, but it's sometimes hard for her to find the words to express herself -- but believe me!.... she eventually gets the point across. :)
Speech is the main reason we wanted her to spend more time around other kids her age, and she's come along tremenously. Plus she has made so many friends there, and her socialization skills have become outrageously good (although she also has been sociable, loves people but her fear of strangers lasted through the first couple of years). She's just too young right now to explain the dangers of some strangers, and of course she is always with a trusted adult to attend to her safety and needs (usually Pa or Nana :).
We've been so lucky, because her teachers have alway just fallen in love with her -- even when she's a PITA -- I just figure she's lucky she's so cute.
She grabbed ahold of a hot pan on the stove Tuesday night, and got 2nd degree burns (blisters) on her right hand, including her fingers (the only good part of the story is that she's left handed). We rushed her to the local emergency room and they wanted to send her to the burn center, so they did 'nothing' for three hours and then wanted us to go by ambulance to -- which we opted against. Speaking of causing a life long dramatization!
We then drove her to the 'Burn Center' downtown the next morning (boy, that was an experience) - I haven't experenienced the true flavor of the traffic down there in a long time. They did nothing there in Emergency either, send us across the way (another experience) to what turned out to be a plastic surgeon, who said there was no need to do anything except it clean and use neosproin to keep it from getting infected. He could tell she was way too active to even try to bandage or anything else. She'd have it off faster than you could put it on. Have I mentioned she gets more hyper when she's tired than when she's not (just the opposite of what you'd expect).
All that took a day and a half for something we could have looked up on the internet. However, it was on the inside of the fingers (the sensitive part) and palm, and they were concerned about there being more permanent damage, so we just kept following through on their recommendations. )
... jeez, it said I comment was too long, and that it had to be under 4096. Speaking of being long winded, I even shock myself.
.... here's the continuation:
(Ha! One could say, Part 2:
All these words, and I'm still leaving out a lot of the details..... but we're left thinking it's mostly the fault of the insurance companies (and the demands they make) -- that and the doctors that work at the ER's are afraid of future liability. This particular hopsital has alway been great in the past, has a good record nationwide, is reasonagly close and I have great confidence in them (Emma was born there). It just turned into a mess this one time, but the worst mistake was that the burn happened in the first place. She was helping her Pa scramble eggs, I warned him she should not be any 'near' a hot pan, but he said she always helps him, and it's not a problem. I walked out of the room for one minute, and that was it. She dived for the pan when he least expected it.
Todays she's back to school (doctors recomendation), will probably suffer when they pop -- but nothing will touch the pain she went through those first three hours (through which we kept her hand in cool water almost continually). That night she slept well.
NOTHING harder than raising a kid - I swear. The more you love them, the harder it is. Now if I can just make it through it with my sanity in tact. (?)
I probably should apologize for using up so much band space!
But, I need to see how your eye's are doing Carol -- and whether or not your burger with TW was good. And tell you we're enjoying the same good weather here.
And Jan, please tell me: How is your grandson??
Has the Neurologist made a complete diagnosis? Is he feeling good (and not driving?
... instead of eyes, Carol, I guess I should have said eye (singular). Are you going to eventually do the other eye?
I like using Sulvadene much more than Neosporin. So many people are allergic to the Neomycin in Neosporin. If the burn starts looking worse that could be the problem. I looked and it is ok for kids.
I would have freaked if I were you. I'm awful with my loved ones. Burns on that area are terribly painful. Worse on fingertips. Did they give her pain meds?
I just don't know how you do it Chloe. I'd be scared every minute, day and night. Are you sure you are still sane?
Burgers were great Chloe. The place had this new burger called a Cajun burger. Had jalopenia jack cheese, fried jalopenias on a neat kinda sweet bun with jalopenias. They got the buns from New Orleans. And, of course, the other burger ingredients. TW thought it was the best burger she ever ate.
Then we looked for mustard green seeds. Didn't find any. Then we stopped at one of those cheap shoe stores. My last nice pair of shoes now look like my yard shoes. They didn't have what I usually get but I found something that would do and cheaper. I usually order them online but keep forgetting. We came back and sat on the wharf and enjoyed the cooler breeze. I got TW out of her house for 4 hours. I didn't get anything like work accomplished but I did work on the weekend so today was Saturday. I'm still at the camp doing nothing. Ahhhhhh
No pain meds, Carol. And no Sulvadene (which if I understand correctly, is a prescription). The ambulance guy told me the same thing as you. I'll take her to her regular pediatrician if I notice any infection starting.
Am I still sane? I'm not sure I ever was.:)
I am so glad that you are happily enjoying your retirement. I'm aware that it is a big transition for many people.
That burger sounds hot! If Hillary's right though, it will kill what ever ails you.
Wish I could have been there sitting on that wharf with you. Sounds heavenly. Ah, September in the south -- a glorious month.
Sounds like you spent a lot of money for nada Chloe! Yes Silvadene is a prescription but you did see a doc with all that running around, didn't you?
I didn't find the burger hot Chloe but September usually is
wow Chloe, I hope you were not too hard on your hubby after Emma got burned. I bet he felt terrible. You know it is hard to prevent all accidents. Kids are going to get some "hurts" growing up. I can just imagine what that night was like for all of you. Emergency rooms are the pits any more.
Carol, that burger sounds great. I remember that little hole in the wall in LC where we used to get burgers and french fried onions. Just thinking about that food makes my mouth water.
Hi Coreen, hope all is well with you. I sort of skim over the political stuff. I have made up my mind and tend to just ignore what I don't want to read or hear.
BTW, I have been thinking about you lately - we have had the prettiest cat hanging around our front porch lately. She is so pretty - but John and I are terribly allergic to cats. She will come onto the porch when we are sitting out there and jump right into our laps. I petted her one day and paid for it. I began sneezing like crazy and had to come in the house, shed my clothes and take a shower and antihistamine.
I don't know where miss cat is coming from. She hangs around several times during the day. I hope she has a home.
Well, we will be off on another road trip tomorrow. Going to Austin to see my sister. She recently moved there with her daughter and son in law.
Going to Austin. I'm jealous. Love that town. Love central Tx..hill country.
Hoping you are watching the short SNL tonight. It's funny. Jan, if you skip politics, you miss a lot of good comedy. The comedy they do about it is funny but the reality of it..is just as funny. Sad..but funny.
Jan, if you pass up taking care of the cat, you may have to go look for that one legged crippled prostitute. That is if it is the same test I had. Maybe you're getting a different test.
I hope you read and remember my story from a while back.. or you will think I've lost it.
And cats have a way of finding people who don't want them in their face and getting in your face. That's how cats are. Fortunately I like them and am not allergic to them. Fiddler doesn't get in my face and my two other cats, that showed up, are scardy cats. They're a tad on the wild side. I used to scare the young fluffy female cat if I looked in her direction but she is getting more used to me. Butch is my boy cat. I think he's the stud in the hood.
just have not had time to watch TV or politics lately.
John and I feel so bad for the little cat. She/he is very pretty. Both our allergies are so bad. We are however getting a little dog from my sis. It was her husband's dog and he died last year. Sis moved to Austin with her daughter and her family and they have a boxer (dog) and he does not like sis's little dog. Little dog's name is Riley and she is a white teacup maltese.
I just got on google and printed out a map to Austin. We neither one have a smart phone. It will be a new adventure. It is not a straight shot like the trip to tulsa or Little Rock. Of course when we go to Tulsa, we do have some turns in OK /city before getting on the toll road, but it is easy.
This morning when I looked out on our front porch, the cat was sitting in an empty space in our flower planter that runs the length of the porch. It was too funny. I took a picture and will post it sometime.
GS is doing ok. No change from my last comment about him.
Chloe, what are the dryer balls called? I would like to try them.
Jan, I always assumed my dryer was female. Never checked for balls.
You are getting the little teacup Maltese? Ahhh. Now I bet she/he is a lap dog.
Chloe, I just ordered a new laptop keyboard for my other computer, the one I like the best. The one that had the letter on the bottom that would no longer work.
I remember your having told us that your husband changed one. I think I remember that. I looked it up and there was even a Youtube on how to do it and it was easier than that pool salt generator box I had to tackle. Now that made me sweat. Well..maybe it was because it was in the sun and probably about 120 degrees at the time. Yes, it does get that hot out in the direct sun here.
Jan, another road trip...you guys are something...how far is Austin...are you bringing the dog
home with you...
about the cat...do wish you were not allergic since pretty sure she needs a home, food & someone to take care of her...hope you decide to try to find her help...are there any groups that take in cats...or someone to take her...
Carol knows I could not allow her to be left outside...to much danger & she needs help...
Well its Iphone 5 morning...so naturally all the NY news show the long line of nimrods who have been csmped out for a week or so...
and the question is always what's with these people...who supports these nims...some say they are being paid to keep a place for someone else..but the rest...Carol, you already know what I think...hey nims get a life!...
Coreen, the cat is so friendly with John and me - and comes up several times during the say - she looks well cared for - but do you think she does not have a home? I would try to find her a home if I could be sure she does not belong to someone.
We are bringing the dog home with us. She is very small and a lap dog, for sure.
Wish I could answer that Jan...my experience cats do not just stay around a strange place just to hang out...they may be lost, abandoned, something out of the ordinary happens to have then just turn up...
Ahhh, how sweet...
Petting zoo pig rescues goat from water and into safety
We are in Ozona or Ozono TX - way out in west TX. I have been in this part of the country many years ago when I was 15, but do not remember it. It is very interesting; the scenery looks much like parts of NM. There are lots of flat-topped hills - called mesas I think. We have see many oil wells and the newer brand of wind mills today. Both are everywhere.
It is much hotter here than in Albuq. Of course, it is far south of Albuq and much lower in elevation. I am missing my 80 degree temps. We are about 250 miles from Austin. Just do not want to travel any longer. We have been on the road about 8 1/2 hours and our bodies are tired.
Coreen, thanks for info on cats. I know virtually nothing about cats. When we get back, if she is still there, we will start feeding her. If she is lost or abandoned, She may be hanging around our house because we have a water faucet attached to a hose in the back that has a leak and is dripping water slowly so that may be where she is getting water.
Coreen, some of the my neighbor's cats do come over here to see what my guys are having for dinner. Maybe the cat's parents are away at work and the cat just wants some company.
Jan, you guys aren't allergic to dogs? I saw on some channel yesterday that this was already a bad allergy season. I'm starting to feel real lethargic and doesn't make sense with the cooler weather. I think it may be due to allergies. This is my worst time of year for allergies. Mine usually start in the late summer.
Jan, Before I saw Coreen's post, I was going to say that if the cat looks well fed, then she probably has a home or at least someone already feeding her... and was also going to advise you that if you feed her,she'll never leave, and with your allergies that wouldn't be good.
One that jumps on your lap like that has been handled since she's been a kitten and is generally easy to find a home for.
I have a feeling that she might have found another nice family to take her in (if she has be dumped) before you get back from Austin.
... oh, and those balls are just called 'dryer balls'. I'd never heard of them, until I saw them at Target, but I just looked and they also sell them online at Amazon. There very light weight, so I not sure they help with a heavy comforter though.
Just read that you're getting a little dog! Congratulations.
And hope you ave a great trip to Austin.
.. that Amazon site: http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Adryer%20balls
Carol, my allergies have been terrible for the last week or so too.
Regarding the Silvadene, the ambulance driver is who told us about it, and we did ask the PA about it, but he didn't want to prescribe it until the burn specialist looked at it. The second ER doctor we saw the next morning downtown referred us over the specialist and by then I had forgotten to ask her about the Silvadene. The specialist said to use neosporin, and we were all so tired by then, I wasn't thinking straight.
I have no idea why it all turned into such a screw up, but if there are complications, I'll take her to her regular pediatrician and talk to him about it, and why this all may have happened. I trust him.
I'll tell you one thing though, nothing like it will ever happen again.
I didn't know you were caring for 2 more cats -- and I had been wondering about Fiddler. The wild ones never become what I'd call cuddly.
When you checked how to change the battery on you tube, did you look for it using your particular brand and model number? That's all hubby e did, and he said there ended up being only 2 screws to remove and that it was very easy. He changed the one on the laptop I'm using now and it works great. I find the Toshiba's laptops sure do last a lot longer than all my previous computers. The battery was cheap!
There is a Window's 8 coming out in October (according to what a guy at Best Buy told me, but I still have 2 that are working great).
Chloe, both my computers are Toshiba's. I ordered the replacement keyboard this morning. And yes, there were two screws to remove, then pull out the old keyboard, pull out this ribbon that attaches it to the laptop and put in the new one. It has been a while since I looked at that You tube. I'll check it out again when I do it. It was about 27 bucks..not bad. Cheaper than a new computer. That computer has good speakers and is a better laptop than the newer one I'm using now.
It said to remove the battery first. I remember your telling us that your hubs did it once.
Yes, Fiddler is still around and getting quite chunky. Just before I moved home she had lost weight and a lot of her hair. Now her hair is thick and shiny and she's plump. She loves to be petted and she circles my leg. I've never really sat down by her to see if she would get in my lap. I wonder if she has been fixed since she's never gotten pregnant.
I feed her on my back porch and she hangs out there off and on. I have to open the screen door to let her in but she can open it herself to let herself out. She just has to push to open the door from the outside but she has to pull to get out. Weird that she can do the harder activity. I feed her inside because the other cats pick on her even though she is much bigger than they are. I feed them all twice a day.
Anyone have anything to put up for a new post. I don't have anything. Jan..you could get some pics from Austin..or pics of your new pup.
Carol,
If she's never been pregnant, then I guarantee she has been spayed (and thank goodness for that).
Maybe she waits to be invited in? Good manners maybe. :) Sounds like she'd rather be outdoors, if she's figured out how to get out when she's done eating.
Size doesn't seem to have much to do with toughness. It's more a state of mind (maybe heredity too) as well as whatever environmental demands they've had to make in order to survive.
Don't ever let the males in, because they almost always spray, especially the feral or semi-feral ones. I guess I consider myself a bit of a cat expert, because over the years, I've had no choice but to learn everything I can in order to care for them in the best way I can.
I've found many homes for a lot in the past, but out here it's a lot harder. But we have a very secure fenced in yard that keeps out dogs. The problem we've had lately are racoons. I didn't realize that they kill cats (if they're left out at night). Especially if they're unable to find food or if they're rabid (which is apparently common for racoons). I've heard they can kill almost any dog (I think they gang up) small or large. That really made me form a fear and therefore dislike of them. I always thought they were so cute, but you can never trust a meat eater, and racoons seem to be much more ferocious than I ever realized.
There's been plenty of pain suffered by us over cats we know have been lost to racoons. They disappear with no sign of what happened, because they actually eat them. It's difficult to even think about. I can keep a few inside, but so many have been dumped here -- we spay and neuter them and offer them as many safe areas as possible to hide and sleep. We keep them well fed and they're all loved... but still horrible things happen to a few every year.
It's always heart breaking.
.... when I say yard, I'm saying 5 acres worth of fenced in yard. If only I could keep out the coons, life would be so much easier.
We've relocated a lot of them, but they multiply like all other animals. I used to hat the possums, but now consider them the least of my problems. They don't eat other small animals.
Life in the (semi) wilderness. I never realized how vicious the wild animal kingdom can be.
Chloe, I did not know all that about raccoons. I too thought they were such cute little animals.
I don't have an allergy to dogs. I think John was allergic to our dog that died about 2 years ago. She was a huge shedder and he began to develop asthma after we moved to Alb. that was also when we let her sleep in our room. I will not let this dog sleep in our room and she is not a shedder like our other dog was. She is also very small. We will just have to see how it goes from day to day. If he does begin to develop the signs of asthma again, I will probably have to find another home for the little dog. I hope he does not. She sleeps in her carrier - always has (the dog I mean) so I will keep her in another room for sleep.
Jan, the animal allergy to cats, I've heard, is from their dander.
If you're someone like me, who is allergic to dust also, then there's plenty of that in any animals fur too. I used to have a lot of allergies to animals, but being around them over the years as made me loose most allergies to them. They will, however, pick up things outside that can bring other allergens in too, so that's why I try to keep the few I can have inside from going out -- that, and night time outside is when they always get in trouble, especially the small ones. It's hard knowing I don't have complete control
I love my animals as though they were babies and when I lose one, it's always so painful.
We've never regretted our move here, and it quickly became the place we want to spend the rest of our life.
I find I've been thinking of the possible upcoming financial crises that they are discussing in different articles, and hubs and I are thinking of trying to prepare by saving more money and perhaps even stocking up our pantry with far out dated basic foods (which I tend to do anyway). It can't hurt and won't be wasted, regardless.
It can't hurt to reduce our cost of living a little at a time either, since we're close to retirement age -- that is, if we ever do completely retire.
Like Carol, and her projects, there's always something here that needs to be done.
Did I mention how nice it is to be back here around you good people?
I hope you fall in love with your new little dog... and feel certain you will.
What would we do without our little critters.
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