February 2024 chitchat

[agate]

That's the thing--when lurkers fall silent, it's so often because they're having such a bad time that they're in no situation where they can say anything here.

There could be a sick joke about joining an MS message board. Something like: "I joined an MS message board. It's really quiet. There's nobody there because nobody is well enough to be there."

I'm glad your neighbor came over with some food, Virginia. That must have been a nice break even though it sounds as if her conversation might have been a bit on the sad side.

Reading is a welcome escape for me too. I try to keep up with the recorded magazines as they arrive but I also listen to books. Just now I'm reading a book I might give up on--"Normal People" by Sally Rooney, an Irish author who has become fairly popular.

[Ikoiko]

Bf tested negative for Covid today. He had a very mild case. I haven’t gotten it.

A friend’s partner just died from Covid, and another friend who has MS spent a long time in the hospital and rehab with Covid recently. It is very much still a threat.

[agate]

I keep hearing that if you've kept up with the COVID vaccines, you'll have a much milder case if you get COVID. Maybe your BF was up on his vaccines, Ikoiko--I'm glad he wasn't hit hard, and it's great that you've escaped.

The evidence on just whether taking an MS drug will protect you from COVID or leave you more vulnerable is really mixed. It may be a matter of which MS drug you're taking too.

[Virginia]

Ikoiko, that is good news that b/f is essentially well and that you haven't gotten it. I have all my vaccines, but it still scares me.

I heard from my brother, Eric this afternoon. He had just left his PCP's office. The doctor told him he thinks he has something like an inflamed trachea (I think). It was more than that, but that was part of it. He said he and other doctors are seeing so much respiratory problems this year, and they just seem to linger on. Eric had been told to take Mucinex by the first doctor he saw when the cough was worse. He took the daytime and night time mucinex until he felt like he shouldn't take it any longer. The doctor today told him to go back on it. He goes Monday morning to get an echocardiogram. His PCP said today if he isn't better by about Tuesday of next week he wanted to put him on prednisone. I guess to stop some of the inflammation. He says his throat still hurts and hurts real bad if he talks much. He told me today that over his eye must have been inflamed because he could just touch it and it was sore. But at least he is better. I hope he doesn't have to take the prednisone.

[agate]

Virginia, has your brother's doctor made sure he doesn't have an infection that could be treated with an antibiotic? If his eye is hurting at the same time as he has a very sore throat, there might be a connection there, like maybe an infection that involves both the throat and the eye?

Doctors always told me to gargle with warm salt water for a sore throat but they also prescribed antibiotics.

Just wondering if he should be putting up with this much discomfort for this long--hasn't it been quite a while?

[Virginia]

Agate, it has been a long time that he has been sick. The soreness over the eye is better now, and while his throat is some better he says it is still very sore, especially when he talks much. I told him yesterday that when I was in my early 20s I had an infection so bad that my eyes were sore to touch. So he knows. He has seen two doctors now and they both pretty much agree. The one he saw yesterday has been his PCP for years.

Today was another cloudy, rainy day. I haven't done anything, not even my exercises. This weather gives me a headache and makes me feel tired. I will try to read a little after I fix supper.

[Ikoiko]

I still need to get an RSV vaccine. My cousin had the virus recently and was very sick. It is probably time for my next Covid booster, also.

Hope Virginia’s brother feels well soon.

[Virginia]

Ikoiko, I haven't gotten the RSV vaccine either. Do you know the symptoms of RSV? My brother and I were wondering if his illness could be RSV. No-one has told him.

[agate]

Virginia, you asked your question to Ikoiko but I hope you don't mind if I chime in with a link to some information on RSV:

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

[Virginia]

Agate, thanks for this information. At least I have some idea what it is now. I didn't before.

My brother was feeling better today. He says his cough is not as bad. Also, his echocardiogram was normal he was told. I really hope he is on the tail end of this and that it goes away. Allergies are to begin here early this year. Both of my brothers and me suffer a lot from allergies. Pine tree allergy is to be real bad and I live in among the pine trees. We'll see. We had a very mild winter and that is the reason the pine tree allergy is to be worse.

I have my new fireplace logs in, but I haven't called the man who is to install them. I got them late yesterday, but I didn't feel well enough today to call and get involved in that.

[agate]

It's amazing how most things can be put off until we feel like doing them. Good for you, Virginia, for not calling the fireplace-log-installer until you're up to it.

Whenever I get anything new, the temptation is to get it up and running right away. In case something is wrong, and I want to return it, for instance, a case can be made for getting right on with it, but I'm trying to curb that whole mindset.

[Virginia]

Fireplace man is due to come tomorrow. I hope they work and it goes smoothly. I do not care to mess with one more thing now. If all goes smooth and everything works well then it is alright. How many times in my life recently has that happened.

I hope Snuggles and family are.doing well. I know she and hubby stay busy with grandkids and other family members, but I sure miss hearing her talk about what she has cooked recently.

[agate]

I miss news of Snuggles too. People have busy lives and she's probably one of those.

Good luck with the fireplace-log man, Virginia.

I've been dealing with a repairperson too because a washer in this building's laundry room has been out of order for days. Nobody seemed to know just what was wrong with it but someone had put an "Out of order" sign on it. Finally I used my money to try the machine. It ate my money and is out of order. Since there's nobody here in the office, and I've been told that the office can't do anything about the laundry machines anyway, I contacted the repair company.

The man was at the front door today when I happened to be out there, and I let him in. He knows what is wrong with the machine (it was too full of quarters because their company hadn't emptied out the coin box recently) but wasn't able to fix it. He will be back early tomorrow, and I'll be letting him in. Or at least he says he'll be back tomorrow.

We'll see.

Sadly, I don't have much confidence in people. I tend to believe that they've meant what they said only when they actually come through.

I hope that the fireplace man will be there and do the job right.

(Fireplace man? Is that another name for Santa Claus?)