May chitchat

[Snuggles]

Welcome Flatcap!

I am also relatively new to this forum after having lurked for many, many years. So many years that I felt like I 'knew' everyone here when I joined.

We are alike in many ways. I am in my 60's, my first symptoms that started my diagnosis happened in 2004, I was in the scientific field (computer programmer) which I left in 2010.

Although I am somewhat new to the forum I feel like the members here are old friends. They have been very welcoming. I also do not like the new formats like Facebook and Instagram and prefer the tried and true forums.

Feel free to post about anything: things that you are thinking about or what is going on in your little corner of the world. It does not have to be MS related in order to post. Of course it is ALWAYS alright to post questions/comments/problems about your MS. This is a space where everyone knows and understands what you are going through and can commiserate or offer advice.

I look forward to getting to know you more.

[agate]

I can put in a word on behalf of the tried and true message board format too.

People often try real-life MS support groups, and I have tried a few of them over the years but my experiences weren't good enough for me to return to any of them. It sounds like such a good idea--getting local-area people with MS together regularly so they can compare notes, sympathize with one another, get to know some people, etc.

But when it's hard to get to anything away from home, as it often is for people with MS, and you go to the trouble of lining up transportation well in advance and setting up everything you need to have with you just to go anywhere, and you get there, only to find that there's nobody there, or maybe there is just one other person, and the "group" doesn't do what you thought it was going to do--provide an opportunity for a discussion--you are apt to return home tired and discouraged.

At least with a message board, if you keep going there and finding nobody there, you can just move on without tiring yourself out. You might be discouraged but you won't be nearly as discouraged because you won't have gone to a lot of trouble just to be there.

We do try to be here regularly--though some can check in only occasionally. They're here--just not here so often.

I've tried some Facebook MS groups too, and it's just not so easy to carry on a discussion in that format. Questions get asked, and are often answered, but maybe there would be more answers later, or you want to refer back to that question, but it's been buried by other posts, and it's not very easy to find it again.

[Virginia]

Flatcap, I had welcomed you on another thread, but I didn't realize you had joined our chit/chat thread, which many of us really enjoy. So, I will welcome you on this thread.

Do not worry about how you say something. We are a forgiving group here because we have MS and have learned to be. Just talk about whatever you feel like saying or whatever is going on in your daily life. If you read you will see that I am pretty good at that. LOL It doesn't have to be MS related. Just tell us what is going on with you. Many of us here have gotten to know one another by doing just that and we are looking forward to getting to know you.

I am an old timer on the forum, and I have never really had an interest in any others. I just felt at home here and I hope you will too.

[flatcap]

Thank you for the warm welcome!

Thanks, too, for the directions on adding a picture to my profile. Unfortunately, I tried but still couldn't figure it out. I'm just not seeing the place where I can add/edit my avatar (not to mention I'm losing it where cognition is concerned).

I do relate to agate's story about real-life support groups for MS. My experience with them is limited, but I drew the same conclusions. I have also thought social media, but it just isn't my thing.

Anyway, if you want to see something really cool on YouTube, and if you are interested in hummingbirds, a professional photographer in Oceanside, CA has a high-resolution webcam overlooking a nest in a (relatively) protected area 24/7.

Their Cornell University-approved infrared camera works the night shift. During the day, the show can be spectacular at times. Right now the mother, Olive, is incubating two eggs of her third clutch of the year.

The show is at once stimulating and relaxing, so nest in peace: Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[flatcap]

Emoji Test: ❄️

Yup, it works!

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[flatcap]

More good stuff on hummingbirds.

This documentary runs 52:51

Hummingbirds: Jewelled Messengers (naratted by David Attenborough)

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[agate]

Hi flatcap,
I have some more suggestions about the profile picture but I'll have to put them on here a bit later as I made the mistake of doing a bit of housework on a hot day (the place was being cooled though) and had a fall. Just now I'm busy applying an ice pack and changing a bandage. Luckily nothing broken but an injured left thumb (swollen and bruised but moving OK), and a problem with my right foot, plus a huge goose-egg on my forehead that is still bleeding a bit.

My glasses frame was bent out of shape somewhat but I've more or less fixed it, and new glasses will arrive in a few weeks. My hearing aids flew out but by some miracle everything here is still in working order.

I did want to thank you for adding the link to the emoji Website! We've been hoping our emoji situation could improve somehow around here but none of us knew enough about how to do that. I'm going to explore this new emoji possibility.

As well as the birds!

[jingle]

Thank you, flatcap. I like and respect Attenborough and I certainly enjoy hummers. Here in Missouri we get only ruby throat hummers. Once I lived in California and there we had 5 different kinds of humming birds. What a thrill!!

[Ikoiko]

Welcome, Flatcap!


Agate, I am so sorry that you lost your young daughter! What a terrible thing.

Virginia, I am so sorry that you lost your husband at such a young age.

[Ikoiko]

Oh my goodness, Agate! I hope I can convince you to go to the emergency room about your head injury!!! This is very important, as I personally know more than one person who fell and hit their head, thought they were fine, went to sleep, and never woke up!!! Please don’t be like those people!!! Go to the ER!!! Please!!!

[flatcap]

Hi agate,

Sorry to hear about your fall.

I've had a few of them myself in the past two or three years. The last one occurred on 6/8/22 and was a real doozy. I fell straight backwards on the floor from standing and banged myself up pretty badly, probably concussed as well.

I had a DEXA exam afterwards last year that showed I have osteopenia. I'm lucky to still be walking with MS of course, but my fear of falling has moved up to whole new level with that diagnosis. In addition to taking calcium and vitamin D supplements on the advice of my PCP, I have implemented other measures such as sitting on a shower seat cushion in the bathtub instead of standing; 'fall-proofing' my apartment as best I can; and being extra careful when doing things like simply turning around.

Tip: Place a hand towel under the seat cushion, and once it's wet and you're sitting on it, it won't slip around. This also works without the cushion (although my increasingly bony butt will no longer allow that). In fact, it works if you stand on the towel in the shower. You have to be careful not to bunch it up and trip on it of course, but the towel will basically eliminate slippage altogether. Or it should anyway; that's been my experience.

Another towel tip: If you have one or more of those stainless steel grab bars mounted around your bathtub, you might have noticed they're a little slippery when wet. Once again, the towel trick comes into play, though this time using a washcloth. Wet one of those, wrap it around the grab bar, then pull yourself up (or just hold on). Works like a charm. Also works on the edge of the tub. In that case, you can push yourself up without having to worry about your hand slipping off the edge of the tub and you taking a spill.

I hope you mend well and quickly, agate. It is never any fun to be on the mend.

Also, about your new glasses, I hope those work out as well. I'd be in a real spot without a spare pair on hand. I smashed my glasses up during another fall, and you would have thought I'd gone plumb blind. (Not to mention the fact that I'm so vain I could never order a frame without trying it on for real at the optometrist's office. That takes some kind of bravery I just don't have...lol)

Take care of yourself.

[flatcap]

Hi again agate,

I'm with Ikoiko on this one: Go to the ER or call 911 ASAP!

[jingle]

agate, dear agate. I did not see your post! I guess it wasn't there when I posted. I am so sorry you fell - my goodness, hope all goes well and you are well quickly. We all care so much and wish you well.

[flatcap]

On another lighter note, here is what might just be my favorite Warner Bros. cartoon.

Rabbit of Seville (1950)

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[agate]

This isn't that severe a head injury--no need to be alarmed. It's really mainly a scrape on that bumpy area of the top of my forehead but it was developing into quite a goose-egg there until I did the icepacks. It's stopped bleeding and this afternoon I took a long nap and went to sleep--and I did wake up, Ikoiko. I doubt that I was even unconscious for more than a second or two, if that. I just don't know how I fell or what I hit exactly. I was a bit dazed for a few seconds, then realized there was blood and got right up and tried to deal with the damage.

Great suggestions about towels and grabbars, flatcap! I'm going to keep them in mind as those grab bars do get a tad slippery.