September chitchat

[Virginia]

Agate, the storm moved out of my area about 1 1/2 hours ago. There is actually a little sun out. We are standing in water. As far as I know it must have rained from yesterday afternoon until sometime today. At times it was quite hard. It was still very dark about 11:00 this morning, but began to lighten up after. I heard from one brother late yesterday and since they all live in the same subdivision I thought I could safely assume they were alright. We had a number of tornado warnings in the area, but none that I saw were close to me.

I had someone from the propane gas company where I get my gas for my gas logs come around today and light the pilot on the logs. There were several evenings a couple of weeks ago that I could have used them, but the pilot was not on. From what I have seen of the weather forecast, I don't think I will need them this next week. But the weather changes so fast now I had rather be able to turn them on if I do need them.

[agate]

It sounds as if you and your family aren't going to be pounded any more by Helene but I'm concerned when you say "we are standing in water." I hope that doesn't mean that you are ankledeep in water at all times, with water-soaked shoes, but I'm fearing that you might have meant that. Or maybe it's just that everything outside is standing in water, and if you wanted to get to your car, you'd be passing through a layer of water?

I'm sure you're very glad that the worst of Helene may be over.

I think it's good to have your fireplace ready to use about now. There must be nights even where you are when it's too cold to get along without heat.

The heavy rains must have been a good test for that new skylight. How did it hold up?

[Virginia]

We have have had several pounding rains since the skylights went in. I forgot to check today. You reminded me that I do need to go upstairs and check that one.

A neighbor called me about my yard standing in water. I told her I had called the management company because we have had copious amounts of rain for about two months. I have been unable to get any response. She said she was going to call them. I told her to have at it. They walk around my house to take their trash cans to the street and she said it was really bad. I am sure it is. I do not like HOAs. I read that it is better to be in one than not be, but I didn't understand why.

[agate]

Years ago I lived in a condo townhouse that had a homeowners' association. I was even on the board. It seemed like a good idea in that place at that time. It kept an eye on anything in the area that would have affected all of us.

We were almost next door to a small shopping center, and they were about to put in a fried shrimp fast-food place. It would have meant lots of transient traffic added to our area--not to mention the odor of the frying shrimp coming at us all the time. Our board blocked that idea by appearing at neighborhood meetings.

If your HOA consists of conscientious, honest people, they are there to protect your interests and probably have access to resources (lawyers, for instance) that you might not find so easy to have.

That's my take on it anyway--but my experience goes back many years. The way they function now could be quite different. It sounds as if yours isn't rising to the occasion this time.

[Prot]

We had a bit of flooding in the town I live in in England.

[Virginia]

Tim, to say we had a bit of flooding would be an understatement. We have truly been inundated with rain for a while.

How are you doing? How are you feeling? Are you having much pain? I do hope not. Are you able to get plenty of rest at night?

[Prot]

The pain is inconsistent . There's good days pain wise, and not so good days. A recent development is a sudden sharp pain in my right leg, when upright, that has me frozen on the spot for about 30-40 seconds. Too scared to move in case my leg gives way.

My sleep hygiene has never been good, from being a baby to now as a 67 year old. I'm what you'd call a 'night owl'. The buzzing sound I hear nowadays(tinnitus?) doesn't help either. My gums feel fine. I think I was lucky there. .

[agate]

What's going on with the water you're surrounded by, Virginia? Has the rain stopped?

Tim, maybe there are things you can do to improve your sleep. I've noticed that if I'm short on sleep, I do very badly. Not true when I was younger. I could sail along for a couple of days with little or no sleep. I can't imagine doing that now.

Hard to sleep when you're in pain, though.

[Prot]

Agate, I think I'd get off to sleep quicker without that damn buzzing noise.

[agate]

Is there an ENT doctor in your life? If that's tinnitus, there may be some remedies. Might a sound machine help?

[jingle]

A noise in your ear is just h*ll. I can't imagine it being there with no way to remove it. I had a hearing aid that sounded like running water --- I hated it so much . It was Awful but it was gone when I removed the aid.

[Prot]

There's no ENT doctor in my life. Those of us with autism are more prone to having tinnitus. jingle it is irritating.

[agate]

I wouldn't want to put up with tinnitus, I don't think. I've never tried a sound machine but it just might work--by creating another sound, it would mask the sound in your ears and make you less aware of it. It wouldn't make it go away but it might be a sleep aid.

[Virginia]

Tim, I agree a noise always in your ear would be quite miserable. Do ask your daughter or Granddaughter to get one of the sound machines. I have thought of getting one myself, but have just put it off, mainly because my bedside table would not hold it. I have a lamp, a clock and my telephone answering machine on that table. Also, I usually keep a flashlight there in case I need it. There is no other place that I can hook all this stuff up.

Jingle, what did you do when you had that hearing aid? Did you have to get another one?

I think I might need a hearing aid, but they are extremely costly and I have heard many people say they just couldn't wear them after they got one.

I had a notice in my health chart that I have an "acute UTI". What is the difference in a UTI and an acute UTI? It has never read like that before.

[agate]

An acute UTI is one that comes on suddenly--as distinguished from a chronic UTI..

According to the Mayo Clinic, there can be chronic UTIs:

You might have chronic, or recurrent, bladder infections if you have two or more bladder infections in six months or three or more infections in a year.

Somewhere I remember noticing that those sound machines come with settings so you can choose the type of noise you want to have in your background. I found one with 6 options (but have no idea whether it is any good as a product):

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