June 2021 Chit Chat

[Virginia]

Deleted due to double post.

[Virginia]

Happy Birthday to our beloved and much missed Joan (Nuthatch). She would have been 69 today. I wish she knew how much we all miss her and seeing the pictures of her beloved Grandchildren. I would like to be able to tell her that Ann thinks she talks to her through the birds and that Ann talks and carries on a conversation with her. As for me I just miss the text messages and the phone calls and all the sharing we did. The in person getting to know one another and the sharing is something I will always think about when I think of Joan. I do have to admit certain beautiful birds bring her more strongly to mind. But there were so many other conversations to remember. Her sense of humor and above all else her kindness.

[stillstANNding]

Happy birthday, Nuthatch. It’s good to remember her, Virginia. Your relationship with her reminds me of mine with Joy.

ANN

[Virginia]

I thought of that Ann.

[agate]

ANN, Joy always spoke very admiringly and fondly of you.

Virginia, thank you for posting the lovely tribute to nuthatch.

I'm sorry your brother isn't doing better--but it does sound as if Laura was of some help to you today.

Rose, many here can understand your reluctance to accept the invitation to the Dodgers game. Going anywhere is a major project if you have fatigue problems, need to know where the bathroom is, and might be slower at doing things than others around you. And might need a bit of help. We don't want to burden our friends or family even if they assure us it's no problem.

I find going to any place where I haven't been before to be difficult. You never know how much distance you might be expected to cover until you actually get there. Maps don't always give an accurate idea.

And if you rely (as I often do) on Google to give you about the distance from one address to another, that information can be wildly off.

[stillstANNding]

I’m wondering how Linda ( “Lazarus”) and John are and the farm and farmers’ markets, of course. I miss her. I’m sure she’s beyond tired. I also wonder if she had the tests to see if she built immunity from the CoVID vaccine.

Also wondering about SuzE-Q and Brian.

ANN

[Lazarus]

Thanks for thinking of us. Farm life is busy and John is frail and unhappy at being so. You’d think he would have picked up some strategies from me!
Anyway, today he went to market but the guy who goes with him and does all the heavy work did not show up. John had picked sugar snaps and tomatoes and had 2 truckloads of plants! Another friend went with him but it is an awful situation and the stress of having to tell someone what to do to set up is enormous.

So I am home having lots of chest spasms and taking a Valium to stop them. This MS HUG thing is what I deal with all the time lately.

On the other hand I finished a book by Rachel Joyce titled “Perfect”. It is not a light read but a good story, well told and important. The lives of everyday people which take on enormous burdens.

[stillstANNding]

Sunshine, somehow I missed posting after your surgery. Yikes! Happy you got the baclofen pump at long last and hoping you can live a better, more comfortable life and sleep with out alarms for medication. You are brave.

ANN

[stillstANNding]

Sorry to hear about John being frail and the chest spasms you are dealing with. Are you dealing with this heat wave we have in Eastern Mass? Never good for MS.

MS strategies that John could learn: backed up back up plans. Built in redundancy. I hope he can stay cool and in the shade and that his helper is a quick study.

Thank you for the book review, too.
ANN

[Virginia]

Linda, thanks for the heads up on the book. I always look forward to your book recommendations. I am sorry you are having MS hug. When do you get another transfusion? Do you find they get better shortly after an infusion?

Sorry, too about John having problems with trying to train someone to help him. Most people John's age and mine are pretty frail and it is irritating. We want to do, but can't. We don't want to have to tell others what to do, but often must. On the other hand, I am glad he can still go to the farmer's market. With all the problems he has had it is good that he can even be out in the heat.
Hope the MS thing in your chest goes away soon.

Rose, I can certainly relate to you not wanting to go to the game with John. I sometime get tired of staying at home, but I do better here than anywhere else, and there is so much less stress.

Agate, I am like you. I do not like to go anywhere I have not been and don't know the layout and how to get there and get back home, which now needs to be a short trip.

Last time we heard from Sunshine she had come down one dose on her baclofen. I wonder if she has been able to stop any more medications and how she is doing.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Virginia ~

Your brother must be in agony. Many years ago, I had a broken rib, and it was quite painful, so I can't imagine having 6 broken ribs. Was he blowing into a device or inhaling from a device for his lungs? He might be having breathing treatments to keep his lungs open and assist with coughing and loosening up mucous.

I wish that he had a home health nurse to check on him ~ take vitals and listen to his lungs to make sure he isn't developing more fluid.

Prayers continue for all of you.

It's great that Laura is there to help you. I got a bee in my bonnet today and hunkered down to clean as much as I could handle. You inspired me!

Thank you for reminding us of Nuthatch's birthday. You and Joan shared a wonderful friendship, and I know your heart hurts missing her. I hope that you find some comfort in your memories. I miss her too.

Agate ~

Actually, I know the distance from the parking lot to the seats at Dodger Stadium, since I attended many games there during my youth. As soon as John invited me, my mind flashed back to the size of the Stadium, and I just smiled.

I know my limitations, and there is no possible way that I could manage that distance. And up and down stairs to go to the bathroom? Nope! I can envision slipping, falling, and paramedics. And then it would all be televised. Not a fun outing for me.

Beyond that, I know that I couldn't tolerate being in a crowd of 50,000 people. Even if COVID didn't exist, I couldn't tolerate it.

I don't care what any "authority" says, COVID is still here, and it is still possible to get COVID after being fully vaccinated. I think it is too soon to open up everything to giant crowds.

Still, a part of me wishes that I could go, just to relive the experience of being there. The setting is beautiful, particularly at sunset. Memories will sustain me.

Linda ~

You and John continue to amaze me in all that you take on and do. Please be careful, both of you, and watch out for this heat wave.

Sunshine ~

Thinking of you and praying that your recovery is going smoothly.

Prayers, positive, healing energy for all ~

Love & Light,

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!


THANKS!

[Virginia]

Rose, we here in Raleigh, are all very concerned about my brother in Hilton Head. The thing I saw in the text picture was one of the things that they give you in the hospital to blow on to try and keep your lungs clear. The other picture with the rollator looked like he had taken just a few steps from his chair. We are also much worried about a puncture to the lungs. A couple of the ribs that are in the back are very close to the lungs. He is on oxycontin or oxycodone. I am not sure which one it is. My SIL said he was in excruciating pain. Next time I send an e-mail to him I will ask him to get her to tell the Raleigh family if, by any chance, he does have a home health nurse. I think it would probably depend on which emergency room they went to. They have a couple down there to choose from. One is closer to their house, but is much smaller than the other.

They did go to both I found out. The first fall on cement he hurt his head and they took him in then. They did a CT scan of his head. The second trip the pain from the six ribs was so bad they decided to go to another hospital and that is where they did x-rays and found the damage to the ribs. By the way, the CT scan of his head did not show any damage. I have not been able to think too straight since this happened. We have something else going on with my youngest brother's MIL. She and her husband live out close to where my brothers live. This is a very, very sad case.

My niece who is granddaughter to this lady called yesterday. She is due to have her baby July 11th. She went to the Doctor one day last week and found that the baby is breeched. She was very upset at first, but a friend talked to her and told her it didn't take that long to recover from a c-section. If he doesn't turn back around on his own she is going to schedule one a week before his due date. If it is scheduled they can give her an epidural and not put her to sleep. Her husband will still be allowed to be in the room. If it is not scheduled ahead of time they would have to put her to sleep and her husband would not be allowed in the room.

So much right at once. I should know by now that that is the way things are, but the older I get the less able I am to handle them. I dusted two rooms today that I didn't get Laura to do. I hope to be able to vacuum tomorrow. It takes me and Laura both. I am glad to have her.

[Parsi]

Laz, it must be irritating for John to feel frail, especially if it's new to him. Recruiting helpers and training them can not be easy either.

[stillstANNding]

Where is our Agate? I hope she is OK and just busy, busy.

ANN

[agate]

I'm here--but trying to make sure that I'm not seeing too much "agate" on this board.

I'm not everybody's cup of tea. just as no one person isn't everybody's cup of tea, and I hate to think that people are coming here, seeing "agate" all too often, and leaving on that account.

[Virginia]

Agate. I don't think that is happening. I don't know what we would do without you. I had also noticed your absence yesterday, but I thought well maybe she is over on the eagles thread or the exercise thread, but I couldn't find you. Then I thought, well maybe she had an appointment. I know that sometime you do.