Quarantine and chill and kindness chatty clubhouse: Jump in and join the conversation! All is welcome!

[flyingdumbo127]

Thank you dear Bobbi so much.

 

[Snowysmom]

@flyingdumbo127 So sorry your father is still not feeling well. I hope the pain reliever does help and he feels better soon. I hope your situation improves too.

Good morning. It is 69 here now with temps heading into the mid 70s. Much better than the last couple of days. We are expecting some showers off and on. I hope to get to the lake today before showers come in. Yesterday I went to Market Basket for a few items. That store is always busy. It is the only Market Basket in the area. I am used to living in an area with a choice of 3 or 4 nearby. My friend and I are trying to think of where to go on our annual trip next year. We do not want to fly or do a bus tour. We had enough of bus rides on the shore excursions. That limits where we can go. I don't mind flying somewhere but she does not want to at least for a while. I have to have to think about what is in the New England area that is within a few hours. We have plenty of time to think.

Off to work. Have a good day.

 

[PollyannaMom]

@Snowysmom, what time of year do you want to travel, and how far a drive is acceptable?

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Dear Snowysmom, what about a train ride? There may even be some shorter options such as from LA to San Diego. I'm glad you and your friend are able to plan another trip together. Thank you on my dad.

Thanks to God, I got much more sleep last night. A is a fall risk (she fell and hit her head on Wednesday). A few people told her yesterday not to use the bathroom alone. E, a CNA, sat both inside and outside our room for a lot of her shift yesterday to watch A. E thanked me for get ting her once when she didn't realize A had gotten up.

CNA overnight A brought me fresh water just after midnight. I am not sure anyone has looked in on my roommate A since. A did use the bathroom relatively fast twice during the night. I still clean up after her every time. She does not flush. She also throws toilet paper in the trash. I am so grateful that she only had her overhead light on briefly and has been quiet. What a blessing for us both really. ETA CNA A did look in on my roommate A about ten minutes ago.

Dad, I sure pray, got a healing night sleep. I will first talk to him in an hour or so. He has a very early x-ray appointment that God willing he will either be up to driving himself to or taking a taxi too. He should look into Dial a Ride and similar services just to know how they work.

Dad never did get his as needed pain medication. Ralphs pharmacy (Ralphs is 5 or so minutes away from us) does morning deliveries as I found out later yesterday afternoon. That is good to know. Dad has been taking a muscle relaxer. I just pray it helped him sleep last night. He was really hurting all day :'(

One step always at a time. God, of course, has my dad just fine. I do miss him and if not today sure hope to see him tomorrow.

Thursday hugs and joy to all. I will check back later.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Dear Snowysmom, what about a train ride?

Ooh, good idea!

 

[lynxstch]

Good morning from a still hot, mid 90 degree MD. Despite the radar showing a storm was directly over me yesterday, we didn't get one drop of rain. Now there's no chance of rain today, possibly tomorrow.

I was at Walmart by 8:15 yesterday and the store was almost empty. There was no people standing in the middle of aisles looking aimlessly for what they wanted. I didn't see one Walmart personal shopper doing any orders. I didn't have to wait in line at the Deli, I got a fresh hot rotisserie chicken as it came out of the oven. I love shopping like that. The remodel is finally done as of last week, and the store looks nice, but it's still like a treasure hunt trying to find out where they moved things too. I was done with grocery shopping and all my errands and home by 9:30.

I came home and did laundry, dusted and vacuumed, and then talked to my friend in CO for 3 hours, lol. We never seem to run out of things to say. We're trying to finalize our vacation plans, and since it's too hot to do anything outside, it's a nice diversion.

I texted Summer to ask if they made it to OC okay, but of course, didn't get any answer, not surprising.

Nothing on my to do list today, I may go down to the farmers market just to get out for a little while. I went to the store over the PA line Tuesday, they had fresh Washington State Cherries for $.99 a lb. They were so good, I went back in the afternoon and got another 3 lbs. I may pit some and freeze them for later when I feel like having some.

Have a good day

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Boy that heat was something else the other day! I burned my feet going outside to tend to my plants. DS had to stay here a night when his whole complex lost power - the dogs were happy and slept with him and his other dog. Was glad to have the pool to cool off with, but thankfully it was nice and cool in the house as well.

Lynn that’s an amazing price for cherries! DH loves them and I always buy them but they’re pricey. Last night we treated ourselves to seafood take out and ate it at the beach. It was nice to get out a bit. I’m feeling better every day but still fatigued. Meeting with surgeons about upcoming surgery. DH listened in on a video appt I had yesterday and he said it made him nervous too. There’s a lot to it.

Mona, Dad likely needs an MRI to see exactly what’s going on in his back so they can then fix it. What happens when a disk is herniated is that the usual soft material that’s inside the disc leaks out and turns hard, and presses on a nerve (or nerves; aka ‘pinched nerve’). Almost no amount of medication will give full relief of the pain it causes to the back and going down the leg (sciatica). It can get very miserable and not only that, but it can cause permanent damage to the nerve if not treated promptly. (Foot drop - I had a friend whose husband wouldn’t get treatment and they wound up calling him “The Old Gray Mare” because he wound up having to drag his foot along when the never deteriorated. You don’t want that to happen.) Once they see where the issue is they can go in and inject a steroid right into the space to give him some welcome relief. Sometimes it takes two treatments, and they don’t always last forever.

DH slipped on stairs and ruptured some discs in his back and we went through this process of getting shots for years. It was scary how much pain he was in and he doesn’t like to take medications, but the ones they did prescribe didn’t help anyway. Finally, after he reached his max on shots, he wound up having a minimally invasive surgery where they went in and actually trimmed out the material that was pressing on his nerve, and he had almost instant relief. (Wished we had done it earlier.) That lasted for many years but he’s now back to having steroid shots again, as this “disease” (lumbar or degenerative disc disease) tends to be progressive, ie it can keep happening to other discs as we age. Just normal things day to day like lifting laundry baskets and moving things can cause a disc rupture, often when you least expect it. You mentioned an XRay dept, I don’t know if an XRay will show enough of what they need to know to actually treat this, but maybe. Usually they do the steroid injection under fluoroscopy for accuracy (along with the MRI) but there may be places that do it without that, not sure. The doctors who do the injections are very skilled and can often tell exactly where the problem is just by symptoms and manipulating the foot on the affected side, etc. Please show this to your Dad. Relief is available but it will probably involve this type of steroid injection. If it keeps happening over and over then look into the minimally invasive discectomy. Hope this helps.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16912-degenerative-disk-disease





Snowysmom what about Cape Cod? There is a train that goes from South Station to the Cape, and you could Uber from there, get a rental, or they might have shuttles too. A quiet beach somewhere sounds simple and restful.

Glad to see everyone else posting and doing well. Enjoy this Thursday everyone!

 

[Snowysmom]

We usually travel in May. My friend does not want to sit in a vehicle like a bus or a train for a trip. We are looking at 3, maybe 4 hours away at the most. Bar Harbor is 5 hours and too far for me to drive. If she would get on a plane I could look into some places on the East Coast but she does not want to do so. Also it would have to be not alot of walking, mostly relaxing, and quiet. I am thinking of just going to North Conway area again and doing the Cog Railway as it is a short ride up the mountain and then you can walk as much or as little as you want. Not sure what else. I usually let her rest while I walk around more. Or maybe some place else in NH or ME closer to home. Neither one of us really care for the Cape. We are more north people. LOL!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We usually travel in May. My friend does not want to sit in a vehicle like a bus or a train for a trip. We are looking at 3, maybe 4 hours away at the most. Bar Harbor is 5 hours and too far for me to drive. If she would get on a plane I could look into some places on the East Coast but she does not want to do so. Also it would have to be not alot of walking, mostly relaxing, and quiet. I am thinking of just going to North Conway area again and doing the Cog Railway as it is a short ride up the mountain and then you can walk as much or as little as you want. Not sure what else. I usually let her rest while I walk around more. Or maybe some place else in NH or ME closer to home. Neither one of us really care for the Cape. We are more north people. LOL!

I used to be too, lol, being originally from the north shore. But the Cape has some nice spots, too, I lived there for a while, as well (met DH there). The train ride from South Station is I think only about an hour and a half. Plymouth is really nice, too. When there recently I’d seen that a small cruise ship now stops there. People were walking to eat and explore and then heading back to their ship. Last summer they were widening the channels in the harbor for that. North Conway is somewhere you always like, though, tried and true.

https://capeflyer.com/reservations-tickets/capeflyer-trainpricing-routes/

 

[PollyannaMom]

We usually travel in May. My friend does not want to sit in a vehicle like a bus or a train for a trip. We are looking at 3, maybe 4 hours away at the most. Bar Harbor is 5 hours and too far for me to drive...Also it would have to be not a lot of walking, mostly relaxing, and quiet. I am thinking of just going to North Conway area again and doing the Cog Railway as it is a short ride up the mountain and then you can walk as much or as little as you want.

North Conway is definitely good. We did a ropes course at Cranmore when we were there, but I'm sure there is tamer stuff too.

We also did a short trip once to Newport, RI and Mystic, CT. It was in the fall, but I expect that would be pretty in the spring too. And the Mystic Aquarium is small enough to not be a lot of walking.

The main one I was going to suggest if it came in under your drive time is Lake George, NY. It's about 3.5 hours from Boston, so it should work OK for your criteria. We stopped one year on our way back from visiting family in western NY, and we wished we'd had more time! - https://www.visitlakegeorge.com/

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Thanks again everyone. I will update later. Wish I could accompany you and your friend, Snowysmom

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Dad was able to drive himself to his x-ray appointment early this morning. He had called a taxi from the same company that did such a great job on Tuesday. Today, they couldn't find record of him and never showed up! Not too good at all.

Dad said the x-ray wasn't pleasant but we both are sure hoping it will reveal what has been causing him such pain. He did pick his bedtime as needed pain medication on his way home at Ralphs.

Dad is wondering if he is suffering from another (bigger than the tiny one last year) kidney stone. The x -ray should reveal that. God willing, he should learn the results by Monday at the latest. Right now we are keeping in prayer that he will be able to visit me on Sunday. I haven't seen him since Monday.

The drive here takes 30-40 minutes. Depending on parking, dad often has to park across this very busy street or walk up a hill to get here. Neither of which sound too safe to me for him right now. Sundays, meters are free which he has said makes parking much easier. A taxi would cost a fortune but would might be better than him driving. Right now, I would be very concerned about his going home. He couldn't exactly spend the night here, of course, nor would he want to! First, God willing, he needs to feel better. Thanks again with all my heart for your extra prayers for him.

I pray to have a surprising and positive update from here. I have a new roommate, C. K, the kind charge nurse at my station along with two CNA's, one of whom I have more regularly, all assured me that C is a much better fit than A. C is alert and mobile but steady for the most part. She so far has also been very quiet and was helpful opening our door when she saw me coming back with a delivery I had gotten from Ralphs.

Boost through Ralphs has been wonderful this week. I have been able to get needed supplies that dad would normally bring delivered here. I also got dad a surprise treat of a Kinder Joy egg that he sometimes enjoys. My narrow closet space is full!

God willing we all sleep very well tonight with sweet dreams. Good night, dear friends.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

^ Well that would be interesting if Dad’s pain was from a kidney stone! I thought you said he had sciatica? Here is the usual difference between the two:

Kidney stones and sciatica, while both causing back pain, are distinct conditions with different underlying causes and symptoms. Kidney stones typically cause pain in the flank or side, which may radiate to the abdomen or groin, and can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and urinary symptoms. Sciatica, on the other hand, is characterized by pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, typically down the leg, and is often accompanied by numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected leg.

Hope this helps.

 

[Snowysmom]

Pea You are so helpful and have so much good info to share. Thanks for your caring! Hope you are taking care and enjoying this cooler weather.

@flyingdumbo127 Glad you have a better roommate. Prayers for your father.

Good morning. It is 59 here now with temps heading to around 75. Maybe a lake day today! Thank you all for trip ideas for next year. I am going to see if my friend comes up with some ideas. I defer to her as I know traveling is a bit different for her than for me. She is not a Disney person. But I am tending to lean towards North Conway and doing some things like the Cog railway and maybe Conway scenic railroad. We do like to wander around in the village area too. We have a while to think about things. It has been a busy week at work so looking for the weekend to start. I hope to see Jeff and family as it has been a while since I have seen the grandkids.

Have a nice Friday.

 

[bobbiwoz]

@Pea-n-Me, you are such a wealth of helpfulness and knowledge! Thank you! I pray your operation is successful.

@flyingdumbo127, I am so sad to learn that your dad is in so much pain, and hope and pray he feels better soon.

This week, Tom and I do call taking for SVdP, and we have been busy. We also have ridden our bikes in the morning and have enjoyed the pool. Shop Rite has special pricing for lobsters, and Nancy has indicated she’ll be happy to get two for our lunches! Tom doesn’t like to work so hard, so he doesn’t eat lobsters, maybe he’ll enjoy a hamburger, friends left us some frozen ones they had left over after their vacation last week.

Yesterday, my purple orchid has begun blooming again. The yellow/green one has buds forming. I enjoy taking care of house plants.



It looks cloudy today, and it’s windy. Today’s high is supposed to be to be in mid 70’s, and maybe we’ll have rain. What a difference in weather conditions, from early this week!

Good day to everyone!

 

[lynxstch]

Good cloudy, very muggy morning. It started raining around 8 last night, poured for awhile, then settled down to a steady light rain. After all the heat, it felt good to stand outside in it. It's 72 now going to 77 with chance of storms this afternoon. Back to the heat and mid 90's tomorrow.

I called it on Summer's car. She finally texted me back yesterday that they made it there Wednesday afternoon. But the AC stopped working. She went to an Auto Zone and they found out the fuse for the heat/cool system had broken off. They replaced it but the AC still isn't working. Then the car started shaking. She went to another Auto Zone and they put it on the code reader and she has a cylinder misfiring. That is not going to be a fun 4 1/2+ hour ride home tomorrow. I kept telling her she needed to get the oil changed and have the plug wires changed, but she never listens. I think that car is on it's last legs. She said as of yesterday around noon, they hadn't even gone down to the water yet. The kids wanted to spend the day on the boardwalk, and she can't sit in the sun for hours, so she was driving them down and then going back to the hotel. I am so glad that I didn't go with them.

I went through all my drawers yesterday and set aside a bag of clothes for Goodwill, another small bag for rags, and made a lot more room for my clothes. I'm trying to pare down stuff I don't wear, or stuff I don't use. Today I'm going through the linen closet and getting rid of some of the stuff in there. Have to find things to do since it's too sticky and wet to do anything outside.

Have a good day.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good morning dear friends,

What a blessing! I don't think anyone came in here all night. I slept very well. I am truly hopeful about C!

Thank you dear Pea, very much, big hug. I have been praying extra for you. Dad's doctor guessed either sciatica or a pinched nerve. Dad has not been diagnosed yet as having either. Dad said he wondered about a kidney stone being a possibility based on his experience last year with a tiny one that he did have to have surgically removed. We also have a family member who had a harrowing kidney stone ordeal with some pain similar to my dad's. I don't know the name of dad's once a day bedtime pain medication but I think he said he read it is used to alleviate kidney stone pain. The x-rays and other tests dad had done yesterday will hopefully pinpoint the cause. Thank you all for your extra love and prayers.

Happy Friday to all