December chitchat

[Lazarus]

Thanks Rose…That’s it. And a better article than the one I tried to post.
I fit in because I do rituxan and also fit in because I had extreme reaction to my second and my third vaccinations.

[agate]

Linda, I've found that just ignoring the "post not approved" message works too. It goes away on its own, or at least that's what it's been doing for me. As Rose says, it's a glitch in the system.

Rose, I don't think I could rub anything on at this point. I've had a few rib injuries in the past and there may be some of that going on because breathing is difficult and talking should be avoided. My arms and upper back just aren't working well and I'm doing as little as possible. It just takes time and more time to get over falls sometimes. Bladder control is gradually getting better but of course my innards were shaken up a bit.

I did do the exercise the very next day and will keep on doing it. I was doing it wrong when I fell. I knew it wasn't advisable but stupidly I tried it anyway. When I'm tired I'm apt to do very dumb things. I won't ever ever be that stupid again, I hope.

A question here for anyone who knows about cars. I glance over the neighborhood messages on Nextdoor and read messages coming from this building management, and there seems to be quite an epidemic of thefts of catalytic converters. A neighbor told me that they are emission control devices. But if I happened to see one being stolen in this building's parking lot, what kind of activity would I be looking for?

Years ago a car's exhaust pipe stuck out at the rear on one side. I believe it still does? Would somebody stealing a catalytic converter be poking around near the underside of the car chassis?

Do they REALLY cost between $800 and $1,200??? (That is what an Internet search tells me they cost.)

[Lazarus]

Hi Agate,
hope you are feeling better…it is scary to fall. I especially hate falling over backwards.
I hope we all survive this winter without any more falling!

[agate]

Thank you, Linda! There's nothing like sleep and more sleep. I woke up today feeling far less as if I'd been run over by a tank. This is real progress.

[Snuggles]

Agate,

I'm sorry you had another fall. I am concerned your breathing and talking are affected. Please rest up and I hope you are feeling better soon. Please keep us posted.

[agate]

Thank you, Snuggles. I've been through quite a few falls and maybe by now I'm getting better at them? Or at least I know what to expect. As Linda mentioned, if you fall over backwards it can be particularly grim in terms of ongoing misery afterwards. I don't know how many times I've fallen off a stepstool backwards.

[agate]

...


A question here for anyone who knows about cars. I glance over the neighborhood messages on Nextdoor and read messages coming from this building management, and there seems to be quite an epidemic of thefts of catalytic converters. A neighbor told me that they are emission control devices. But if I happened to see one being stolen in this building's parking lot, what kind of activity would I be looking for?

Years ago a car's exhaust pipe stuck out at the rear on one side. I believe it still does? Would somebody stealing a catalytic converter be poking around near the underside of the car chassis?

Do they REALLY cost between $800 and $1,200??? (That is what an Internet search tells me they cost.)

I think I've found part of the answer to this. There was another neighborhood Nextdoor post about a catalytic converter theft, describing how it went. The thief probably has to be UNDER the car to get at the catalytic converter. So I look for someone lying under a car if I want to catch somebody at this.

Not sure I'll enjoy playing detective but people are getting upset about these thefts.

[stillstANNding]

One of MIL’s CNAs tested positive for CoVID. She had been off since the 23th but worked the day shift yesterday. Peter was there to meet the electrician and his helper. The OT also was there plus the downstairs neighbor went up for a visit. MIL and all these others exposed to CoVID. This particular aide is excellent - the one who wants to be a nurse. Unfortunately, she has not had her booster and has not vaccinated any of her four children. She fears autism. Fear is a major reason many people don’t get the vaccine (or all of them) or vaccinate their children. MIL will be tested tomorrow and again in a few days if tomorrow’s test is negative.

I was not there yesterday.

Best to you all,
ANN

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

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

ANN ~

What an incredibly stressful time for your family. I am so very sorry.

Unfortunately, people, including children, who are unvaccinated, present a greater risk to those, who are vaccinated of getting the omicron variant. On the other hand, jingle posted that she had the Moderna booster in November and now has COVID. Who knows now what we are to expect?

Trusted experts have weighed in on the potential effects of vaccine resistance, and here it is. We have been living and dying with it for over 2 years.

The problem is that we closed the barn doors after the horses escaped.

COVID was politicized, and now we are paying the price.

Your loved ones are in my prayers, ANN ~ stay strong and hold onto faith and hope.

Love & Light,

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!


THANKS!

[agate]

ANN, that is so sad about your MIL's aide. I hope that those who were exposed will escape the nasty bug. Your MIL's age must be a particular cause for concern. Let's hope for the best from those test results!

I was listening to a panel discussion among the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine, about COVID vaccination, and what they seemed to be saying was that an ideal vaccine would prevent people from getting the disease but this vaccine isn't ideal, and the best we can hope for it is that those who get the virus won't usually need to be hospitalized. They consider that a very effective vaccine but they admit that COVID will be endemic eventually. It will be there, among us, and we may need a regular vaccine or booster shot, as we do with the flu vaccine already.

[stillstANNding]

Thank you, Rose and Agate. MIL’s first rapid test today was negative.

Here’s an update on my mom. As you’ll remember, she’s 96 and living alone in her ranch style home in Pennsylvania. I got a call from my brother Christmas week that he and his wife were in the car driving there. My mom called them frantic about her cat who hadn’t come out from under the bed for 3 days and wasn’t eating. Mom did not want to “bother” a neighbor. She was panicked that the cat was suffering and/or dead.

It’s worth noting that Mom did not share any of this with me in our daily calls as she thought we had enough on our plate. (Sigh)

So, my brother drove the eight hours to Mom’s getting there after 11 PM that night. The next day they had an appointment at an emergency vet at 11 AM. The first thing they needed to do was take the bed apart to get to the cat that was alive. Mom said she got the cat to eat a little kibble as my bro was in transit.

At the vet they waited from 11 AM until after 4 PM to be seen as, being an animal ER, they took more severe cases first including a large dog on a stretcher. ;-(

Kitty’s exam was normal except for obesity. Blood work was normal except for dehydration. The did hydrate her for a few hours. Doc’s assessment was that cat was very frightened by something but healthy and felt safe under that bed. This visit cost over $700! Thinking back, the house cleaner was there on Sunday and that’s when the cat stopped showing herself or coming out to eat. Bro is wondering if maybe the vacuum accidentally got her and put a scare in her.

Mom got a four day visit from my brother and his wife right before Christmas. They bought her barbecue ribs and a huge tri-colored poinsettia, did all of her laundry, extra shopping and her banking. A very happy Christmas for her.

Speaking of cats, where is Howie? He didn’t even bite on the catalytic converter question. Clucking hens….

ANN

[agate]

ANN, that's a relief that so far your MIL is testing negative. I'm glad your mother and her cat got past that bad patch! Waiting that long at the vet's, especially given your mother's advanced age, is unconscionable. Seems to me the vet's staff could have done some tinkering with the schedule under the circumstances. But at least the cat is OK and back home and eating!

Funny thing about cats hiding under beds. You'd think they'd waste away but at least I knew would slink out when nobody was looking and grab a bit of food, then slink back under the bed.

No, Howie didn't rise to that bait about the catalytic converter. And it wasn't meant as bait though it did occur to me when the questions came up that it was one he might know about, and it's a question I'd really like to know the answer to. I don't want to play cop every time I stroll around the parking lot but on the other hand neighbors with cars might be very irritated at me if I passed on by without taking note if some unfamiliar person was tinkering with somebody's car out there.

So Howie, since the topic is catalytic converters, maybe Sam could answer the question even though you can't?

[stillstANNding]

Hi Agate. I neglected to say that Mom was not with my brother and his wife. She ( Mom) has trouble walking ( arthritic hips) and uses a rollator. She only goes to the hairdresser and only when one of us is home to take her.

I worry about Howie. Have we heard from him since before Christmas?

ANN

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

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

ANN ~

A relief to hear that your MIL tested negative. May it continue to be so.

I'm grateful that your brother and his wife were able to help your Mom with her cat and errands. I'm sure that she appreciated everything. An animal ER is like a human ER, as we all know. The worst cases are seen first. With the holidays and COVID, they all might be understaffed. Waiting that long is so uncomfortable, and I hope they were all masked.

Howie visited/logged in 2 days ago. Why aren't you joining in the conversation with us Howie?


Speaking of cats ... it's been raining cats and dogs here for a week. You know the adage that when you wash your car, it rains immediately? Well, I didn't wash my car or van, but John did fix my sprinkler system. Not long after that, torrential rains began. I saw the forecast and turned off the sprinkler system.

John called me this morning and asked whether my house had floated down the street yet.

He and his wife had their boosters yesterday. They had the J&J initially and chose Moderna as their booster. Sore arms, naturally. He woke up with a headache this morning and called in sick. By the time he called me, he felt fine. He just wanted the day off in case any other side effects cropped up. He told me that his teenage nephew has COVID, and fortunately he didn't gather with that side of his family for Christmas. Because he didn't want me taking my bins to the curb in this slick, wet weather, he stopped by this afternoon and put them out for me. He told me to stay inside, where I am safe. He takes such good care of me.

The rain is making a dent in the drought, and the mountains are packed with snow. For scorched Earth Western states, the rain and snow are a blessing.

Thinking of and praying for everyone ~

Love & Light,

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!


THANKS!

[Howie]

Hi everyone. I have been preoccupied by running out of Gabapentin for 4 days. When I finally got them, I had already had a few seizures. But I now have my Gabapentin, and am having my coffee as Sam sits in my lap purring. Thanks for missing us.