June chitchat

[agate]

Here we are in June and it's almost summer. It's nice not to have to worry about snow or turning on the heat.

I believe June 1 is Linda Lazarus's wedding anniversary. So, for Linda and John,

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Linda, I hope you can see that even though it's in a red font.

Virginia, I hope you'll get some answers soon about your nephew. I hope that the nephew's soon-to-be-ex-wife hasn't deleted all the phone messages.

I'm still getting over my fall. It's been two weeks now. Still changing the bandage on the head bump, and it still bleeds just a tiny bit every other day or so but it's gone down in size, and the bruising is less weird-looking. I can see my face now. At least half of the bruising has cleared up. Friday I will mention the foot injury to the podiatrist. The foot is still swollen and bruised but it looks almost normal now. The thumb is still sore and in a splint. Doing buttons is hard.

New diabetic shoes came my way the other day. I thought elastic laces would be good but they weren't good at all. I changed them for regular laces, which felt much better, but I can't do the lacing. My back just isn't up to it. It had been many years since I'd had shoelaces, and so I didn't realize that I could no longer do them.

So I'll have to return these shoes. I found some others that should do if the rules allow it. They are lighter-weight than these and have velcro fasteners. The diabetic/orthopedic shoe company offers only 4 pairs of shoes in my size, and so the possibilities were limited.

That's my tale of woe. I hope everyone else will feel like rambling on about yourselves the way I've been doing. Curious minds want to know....

[flatcap]

June it is! Thanks for starting a new thread.

If you ever decide you want to try elastic laces again, you might want to look at Yankz. I have been using them for years now, and they work exceptionally well for me. They make your shoes easy to slip on, yet they won't slip off if the laces are set up right.

The primary issue I have had come up with Yankz is that setting them up correctly isn't easy. Once they are laced, though, they stay that way. The other thing is, they only last a few years, and that's after what I would call rather minimal wear time. Still worth the money, though, at least to me. They also come in a wide variety of colors, so I was able to get a pair that matched my shoes.

I hope your ailments heal up quickly and you are feeling a lot better soon.

At the moment, I am doing fine, considering. I have pale green bruises forming under my skin, primarily on my legs. Thankfully, they don't hurt, but my stand-in PCP ordered blood work anyway. She thinks I have anemia, so she and my usual PCP put me on an iron supplement. He also ordered a follow-up test in August to see if the iron level in my blood is where it should be.

Meanwhile, MS marches on, as does my Parkinson's. Things could be worse, though, and I am grateful they are not.

Yankz Elastic Shoelaces
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[agate]

flatcap, thank you for the link to the elastic laces option! I'm trying hard to get the shoes right this time around. In the past I've taken whatever was offered but this time I'm being a bit fussier. Looks as if laces are out for a couple of reasons but I'm still considering the options.

Green bruised areas? I hope an answer can be found for you. I was anemic several times many years ago but green bruised areas weren't part of the picture. I tired very easily. The classic self-check for anemia is to pull down on your lower eyelid and see if it's too pale. If it's pale, you might have iron-deficiency anemia. The hemoglobin level in the blood was what they were measuring at the time and probably still is. It's a simple test.

I had to have iron shots regularly for a while along with pills that were called "pink pills for pale people." This was many years ago though. Treatment may have changed since then.

[Virginia]

Agate, thanks for getting us started again this month. Nothing new here that everyone has not already heard. Agate, you mentioned that my nephew's phone might be erased. If we ever get it, I am afraid I expect it to be. However, in a way, as frustrating as that might be, we would be saying why was it erased?

I feel so bad for both brothers. One is grieving so bad, with not even answers to why. The other one is having to do all the running around and I am helpless as far as helping out. The one doing the running around is trying to find a decent used car for my Nephew's teenage daughter. We are going in together and buy it for her because she needs transportation in order to get a job. She has been driving one her Daddy gave her, but he had it financed and he was paying the insurance on it. She has already had a couple of tickets and her insurance is very high, so we need to get that down so we can pay it until she can help out. She is very sweet but naive young girl. She was Daddy's girl and had led a protected life.

As for me personally I need to go to the grocery store and all I do is sit by the phone and wait to see what we are going to do next. I try to give my opinion about the car and things like that. Did all of you know that Kia, Honda and Hundai (sp) all have exceptionally high insurance because they can be easily stolen. We had no idea, and thought we had a Hundai (sp) yesterday. It was a little more than we had planned to pay because it only had about 36,000 miles on it. When Eric called to check on insurance it was going to cost $250.00 per month. Part of that was her record and part was due to the car. We said no way. So Eric is back out this morning looking again.

By the way, if any of you have one of the above cars your insurance will likely not be that high. I think in the more recent models they have installed something to keep them from being stolen that easily.

I hope Linda and John have a nice anniversary. I would love to know how John is doing.

[Ikoiko]

There is a Tik Tok challenge to steal Hyundais and Kias using a special method. It only works on certain model years.

My bf has a Hyundai, but it is too old to be stolen this way. Also, it has a manual transmission, so a lot of kids can’t drive that anymore.

His sister’s Hyundai was stolen recently using this method, though.

V, how nice of you to buy your niece a car!

[agate]

Agate, you mentioned that my nephew's phone might be erased. If we ever get it, I am afraid I expect it to be. However, in a way, as frustrating as that might be, we would be saying why was it erased?

People erase phone messages to protect their privacy. They may have made or received calls that would show up on the phone and they prefer not to have their calls known about, for whatever reason. I can understand that but can't understand why they might have to erase all the calls. Couldn't they just erase the ones they're concerned about and leave the rest?

When my daughter died, the family would have really liked access to her phone messages, particularly to find out if she might have tried to dial 911 or some other assistance number before she died. We'll never know if she had any warning of the aneurysm that killed her but all indications were that she didn't. It really wouldn't help us much to know that she'd called 911, and so maybe it's just as well that her roommate erased all of the phone messages. Still, I wish she hadn't done it. Or she might have asked us first.

I don't know much about cars or car insurance but $250/month for insurance strikes me as outrageous. I agree with Ikoiko that it's really nice of you to help your niece out with a car.

[Ikoiko]

Agate, I can understand that you wanted to have all of those phone messages and every other shred of information that could answer questions about your daughter.

[flatcap]

I found this in the news today.

Revealed: The secret push to bury a weedkiller’s link to Parkinson’s disease
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[Virginia]

Flatcap, I had read an article on this weedkiller possibly being one of the things that can cause Parkinson's disease. They have come out with so many things that can cause MS and then later they may not bare out to be true, and I suspect Parkinsons is about the same.

Well, what has transpired today - Eric got up this morning and started looking at cars again. The only one he found is in Kinsington, Md. So, feeling that we just need to get this over with. He has made arrangements to fly to Washington, D.C. in the morning. He is going to uber over to the dealership in Kinsington and it will probably be about 1PM or a little later before he gets to the dealership. At first he was going to drive up today and take a look at it and if it was what he wanted he was planning to take someone up there with him tomorrow to help him drive it back. He called his oldest son and asked about one of his employees. His son, said why make two trips, I have a friend who lives up that way just call him and get him to go look at it. Eric, talked to his son's friend and he was real nice and said he would go over there right then. He did and called Eric and said it is real clean. It is a 2012 Ford Fusion with only 32,000 miles on it. Eric has driven mine and likes the way it drives. Mine is a 2007 and has 38,000 miles, but it is basically the same. So, today he went to the bank and got a cashier's check, then picked Madison up and took her to sign a power of attorney so he could put it in her name. He is going to the airport in the morning and then over to the car dealership and once all the paperwork is taken care of he will drive it back. That will give him an opportunity to see what he thinks of it and if he feels the engine and transmission are working well.

It was more than what we wanted to pay because he is getting it through a dealership, but still it was less than the Hyuandai and it had twice the miles. So now I can just worry about him getting there safely and getting back safely. He called me again tonight and I was glad because I needed to tell him to be careful driving back. Otherwise, my job as Chief Worrier would not be complete.

He is running so hard and doing so much. Every since his youngest son started playing golf he has wanted to be there to see him play every hole if he could. Coincidence, he is playing here in Raleigh this week and his Dad has not been able to see him hit a single ball. He is hoping he will be able to make it to the golf course Sunday and watch him at least one day. His son understands. He has such a good heart. He won a tournament in Kansas City the week end after his cousin passed away. Before he shot the last put on the last hole, he looked up and said, this is for you and called his name. Then he hit it in the hole.

I went to the store this afternoon, which was a necessity if I was going to continue to eat here at home. I am tired.

Agate, we want my nephew's phone in order to try to get some clues about his death. I pray we will get some answers. I don't think anyone in my family will ever rest easy if we don't find out more than we know at this point.

Edited to add: Sorry, Ikoiko I didn't know your address so I couldn't tell him to wave!

[flatcap]

I agree with you, Virginia. I've seen the cause(s) of MS ascribed to various things. No doubt the same applies to Parkinson's. The article I posted above is more of an exposé of the coverup by the maker of Paraquat, Syngenta, of the consequences of exposure to their product. I found it of interest for that reason as much as anything else.

ETA: Although I never read the book, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, I remember from elementary school hearing her speak about all the chemicals we are dumping into the environment and their known or possible effects. I can't prove it, but I believe a host of diseases are caused by exposure to various chemical(s). I also believe the nervous system is especially susceptible to disease in this regard. We are literally destroying our ourselves and our own home with no end to it in sight.

[flatcap]

So, I just realized that I forgot to go and get breakfast this AM. Last night, I promised myself that I would, even if only because I keep losing weight.

I am now down to 140-145 lbs according to my reasonably accurate bathroom scale. I haven't weighed that much since I was 19-20 years old. I reported this to my PCP, and we are waiting until August to address the issue.

Meanwhile, eating has become a job. I almost never enjoy it and usually can't finish the meal. Most times, I have little or no appetite for anything. I eat because I have to.

I have tried everything I can think of to get around this, but nothing has worked so far. Food just isn't appealing to me. Or at least most of it isn't.

Along with worrying about possibly being anemic until I find out for sure in August, I wonder if this is just another symptom. Maybe night sweats are as well, but I have had those before since my MS diagnosis and they always passed after a time.

I reported all of this to my PCP, and the bottom line is I have to wait until August. Take the prescription iron supplement and wait. Don't forget to go in for blood work the week before my appointment and wait.

Wait because my PCP is only in the office on Monday mornings. Wait because he fills out the paperwork every year that I need to keep the LTD insurance checks coming in, and without which I would be in a real bind. Wait until all of that is over with, and I can move on to a new provider.

Wait, wait, wait, and worry.

I need breakfast. As soon as the rush is over at the place usually go, I hope to be there; I hope I can enjoy it; and I hope I don't forget.

[agate]

flatcap, it's too bad you're not able to eat much. Iron-deficiency anemia can make a person feel generally punk, and it may be the problem. Do you take a multivitamin supplement?

Virginia, when you say

So now I can just worry about him getting there safely and getting back safely.

I realize that having something to worry about seems important for us worriers. But worrying about travel accidents that might happen to someone we know who is on the road is a level of worry that I try to stay away from. There's so MUCH that can happen if you even start thinking about it. I hope you can think of something less drastic to worry about--and it's been so very kind of your family to put forth so much effort towards getting this car.

I went to the podiatrist yesterday, and after I'd said I didn't think I had any broken bones in my foot though it was injured, he took Xrays, and in a few minutes came back beaming and saying, "So you didn't think you had any fractures?" and pointing triumphantly at the Xray, where he had highlighted a line in the picture of my foot.

I had to admit I was wrong as it was clearly there. So I was sent home with something called a "walking boot." I'm to wear it for a month and go back to the podiatrist. It's much more comfortable than the shoe I was wearing, and I'm so glad they came up with something helpful.

[jingle]

Wow - agate - I'm glad the podiatrist helped you and that foot. I hope you're feeling great soon.

[agate]

jingle, each day I seem a little better. Falls take quite a while to get over, unfortunately.

flatcap, about paraquat and the Guardian article you posted a link to: I've been hearing about paraquat as a weedkiller for many years. I've never been tempted to try any weedkiller (Roundup has had a bad press, for instance) because back in my childhood people pulled weeds by hand or got in there with a hoe. That was how you got rid of weeds. You kept after them so they didn't get too comfy. For years I had a dandelion digger and only recently finally parted with it but it was very handy for digging dandelions. It looked like an overgrown screwdriver. But I'm not a farmer--just a very amateur gardener who dabbles in gardening now and then.

It looks to me as if the company peddling the paraquat weedkiller had plenty of resources to spend on lawyers and scientists to skew some data so as to make the product look safe when they knew perfectly well that it wasn't. It's the same old story, no? Big tobacco was found to be doing similar shenanigans, wasn't it?

When legal cases are so often won by the side that can afford the most lawyers, you have to wonder what chance the average person has of seeing a just settlement.

Anyway, flatcap, I hope you weren't ever dealing with paraquat. I do wish these huge companies would stop peddling chemicals they don't know that much about--or if they do know, they keep quiet about what they know.

[Virginia]

Flatcap, do you think it would help you to eat more if you tried to think of things you enjoy eating and fix them at home? I do that and I am not as careful about my diet, I just want to make sure I don't lose too much weight. That can send us down a path we don't want to take as easily as gaining too much. I had lost 5 lbs in just the few short weeks since my Nephew's passing away. Yesterday when I went to the grocery store if I passed something that looked good to me I got it. Of course I bought mostly the foods that are good for you, but I added several items that I ordinarily would not have.

I agree with what has been said about harmful chemicals that we are around, even the cleaning products that I have used all my life. I was always a good housekeeper while I was able to be, so I used a lot of them. Now I know better and do things like wash my kitchen counter tops with Dawn dishwashing detergent, using only a little in a spray bottle mixed with water. In other places I try to get my housekeepers to cut down on what they use. That is difficult because I don't speak Spanish and they don't speak English. But I am doing the best I can.

Agate, I can't believe you have been walking around with a fractured foot. So glad you went to see the Podiatrist when you did. I had to wear one of those walking boots one time. The only problem I had was I was still working and didn't want to get the bottom of the boot dirty, so every time I went out I put on a regular shoe. I could wear one easier now, but just hope I don't have to. I do hope your foot mends well and in a hurry. It has been a while since that fall, so you have been on it for some time.

Eric called and we talked and talked while he was driving back from Maryland. He called after he had driven through D.C. and around the beltway there. He was on I95. Traffic was very heavy, but when he looked in the lanes going toward D.C. it was much worse. It is a beautiful area with the Potomac and places to stop for overlooks, but many years ago when I was living with my husband in that area it was already getting so crowded we decided to come back here.

As far as the car goes he is extremely happy and thinks Madison will love it. He says it looks beautiful on the outside and the inside is as clean as can be. He says that everything is running smooth and good and the air conditioner is cooling really well. The car has obviously been well taken care of. I told him it could have come from an estate where someone died and their next of kin just took it to a dealership and sold it to them rather than advertise it. I am happy that it worked out that well. He says he is too. This will be the first car Madison has owned on her own. Her Dad was on the one she had and it was a small Buick SUV. It was newer than this one but had more miles on it. So glad we couldn't get the Hyundai.