March chitchat

[agate]

This is the month when spring might be happening. Green leaves on the trees, bulbs coming up, robins reappearing, more sunshine, less snow, warmer days!

It's also when many lose an hour as Daylight Saving Time begins. Next weekend.

If you've been lurking here but not saying anything, please think again and let people here know what's going on in your life. If you have MS, how have you been getting along with it?

I'm dealing with some dental problems but the pain so far is just to the pocketbook.

I'll be seeing my grandson this weekend. He is looking forward to his 7th birthday party. I won't be there but I understand that the invitations have already been sent out, and it will be a splash party at a local indoor pool. Children here seem to schedule birthday parties at parks or other locations that aren't the child's home. This may have been a custom that started up during the pandemic and is just continuing--I don't know.

I hope some people will check in even if it's just to say Hello.

[Virginia]

Agate, can hardly believe William is seven. He is growing up fast. I think having birthday parties away from home when they get that age has been going on for sometime. I remember my nephew having one at something like Chucky Cheese or whatever it was called. I guess it is to keep the house from getting torn up with a bunch of young boys running all over. They can get rowdy sometime. Are you going to FaceTime with him after the party?

Glad you are not in physical pain from the dental work, but I do know what you are talking about when you say it hurts the pocketbook. Dental work is now outrageous.

As usual I have no plans for the month of March. I might get a new rollator and that is about all. One of my nieces young boys is turning 2 and I have been invited to attend the party. I have sent money for my sister-in-law to get a present for me. I doubt that I will go because it is too far for me to drive. I don't want anyone to have to come this far to pick me up and then being me home.

I hope everyone has a good March. Wish some others would come on and post.

[agate]

Yes, we're here in case anyone wants to stop by. This place isn't populated by ghosts. There are real people still here.

Virginia, I'm sure it's nicer all around to have the birthday parties in another location. I don't know yet about FaceTime but I've put in a request for some photos. Today I measured him and hope to buy him some PJs and maybe rain boots for his birthday, in addition to the "Warden" plush toy. He is a fan of this Warden character (and went dressed up as him for Halloween) in the Minecraft game he plays on a child's iPad.

That's the character. This is the plush toy he'll be getting--sorry about the huge size of this image. I don't know how to reduce the size here.

[Prot]

Was told initially that after 3 months (to allow time for gums to settle)I'd be getting dentures. The reality ? They're currently providing dentures for those who had their teeth extracted in the 1st qtr of 2023. Re no teeth - I've had several incidences of what I would call the dental equivalent of phantom limb pain. Very mild luckily, but like I still had teeth.

GPs are offering equivalent of $590 re negligence claim. The solicitors think it should be equivalent of $7600. There was a lot of emphasis by the paramedics, who've got off scot free by lying, re proper procedure having been followed. The fact that I was treated like a whingeing child because I'm an autistic person with severe mental illness? Brushed under the carpet.

[Virginia]

Agate, I like the large size picture of the "Warden" I think he is cute.

Tim, does your daughter think you should accept, what amounts to a paltry amount, in view of what you should be getting? It is a shame and yet there are times that those of us who can't afford to fight for ourselves seem to come out with less than we should.

[Prot]

Tim, does your daughter think you should accept, what amounts to a paltry amount, in view of what you should be getting? It is a shame and yet there are times that those of us who can't afford to fight for ourselves seem to come out with less than we should.

Virginia, We both agreed with the solicitor's advice, which was to refuse the GP's offer. I think the GPs are basing their offer on the input of supposed independent , but actually markedly biased experts. The one who was a consultant surgeon asked how long I'd had dementia. All because I couldn't remember precisely what had happened over 3 years ago. The psychiatrist decided I had adjustment disorder, and that things could be fixed with a bit of CBT. It's a diagnosis that's far more subjectively than objectively based. Apparently there's something called 'Cognitive Functional Therapy for Chronic Pain'. Here's a critical article about it - Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

What hasn't been acknowledged, within all this, the elephant in the room, is the hurt caused by the way I was spoken to. Sadly there are all too many autistic and/or severely mentally ill persons treated as badly ,or even worse,as I was. I have my problems, which I'm very open about, but I'm also very far from being stupid.

[Prot]

Yesterday was not a good day. First of all had a succession of mini panic attacks(?) . That went on for a couple of hours. I have no idea why. Secondly - A jam backed freezer and me are not a good combination. I had to struggle really hard to open the top freezer drawer and get some bread out. Ended up with the front cover coming off it. I feel so useless,stupid old, and annoyed with myself that it's a real struggle to open the drawers. To add to all that initial insomnia is back big time

[Virginia]

Tim, it may be the insomnia which is causing. a lot of other things not going right, including the freezer door not acting right.

Things will get better. There are good days and bad days with illnesses.

[agate]

One of those days, was it, Tim?

Maybe it's catching. I've been dropping things all day and they weren't things that were easy to get off the floor. I simply can't bend down to the floor to pick up little things. I can get within a quarter of an inch sometimes.

First it was a quarter I dropped on the laundry room floor. Luckily nobody else was there to see the sorry spectacle as I chased that quarter around the room. I had my reacher but it's just not up to something like a quarter. Knowing that as well as I did didn't stop me from trying a few times anyway. I finally kicked the quarter over to a place where there were a couple of shelves that I could use to crawl down and finally snagged the quarter, which by now was wet because I'd already tried a damp paper towel on it.

Later it was a push pin I dropped in this building's main hall in an attempt to pin a notice onto the bulletin board. For a wonder I was able to see it AND pick it up without nearly as much of a problem as the quarter.

There have been several other dropped items. This was on a day when I had entirely too much to do. The first of the month is a busy time around here.

Not being able to do things in an efficient, speedy way can be very frustrating.

And then there are the things that choose the worst times to develop a Problem and need repair. I won't even get started on that situation.

[Virginia]

Agate, take some deep breaths and then tackle one thing at the time. You were resourceful when it came to that quarter.

In the morning I have to tackle and probably have a hassle with my HOA. They sent me a bill and I don't owe anything, but try dealing with an HOA and having to tell them they are not right.

[Prot]

I have always been badly coordinated with a somewhat odd gait + not very good balance. My daughter says I walk like I'm drunk, and I'm one of the clumsiest persons she has known. Many years ago my 1st school in Bangkok voiced their concerns. I was tested for what was then the S word c1962/1963. The result was negative, and other possibilities weren't considered. Nowadays I get more likely to bump into things- knock things over etc, the more tired I am. My fine and gross motor skills are far from good.

There wasn't such a thing back then,early 1960s to mid 1970s, but a child nowadays like I was back then would very probably be labelled as 2e./ twice exceptional.

[Prot]

Not being able to do things in an efficient, speedy way can be very frustrating.

I'm always amazed at how quickly some people can do things.If it's anything manual/physical I'm straggling at the back of the pack, time taken wise.

[Prot]

Tim, it may be the insomnia which is causing. a lot of other things not going right, including the freezer door not acting right.

Things will get better. There are good days and bad days with illnesses.

My daughter should be coming over today to refill my electric pill container. She'll see what she can do re the freezer. Today has been better. The only certainty of a variable disability is the uncertainty of being able to predict how things will be the following day.

[agate]

I have always been badly coordinated with a somewhat odd gait + not very good balance. My daughter says I walk like I'm drunk, and I'm one of the clumsiest persons she has known. Many years ago my 1st school in Bangkok voiced their concerns. I was tested for what was then the S word c1962/1963. The result was negative, and other possibilities weren't considered. Nowadays I get more likely to bump into things- knock things over etc, the more tired I am. My fine and gross motor skills are far from good.

There wasn't such a thing back then,early 1960s to mid 1970s, but a child nowadays like I was back then would very probably be labelled as 2e./ twice exceptional.

Your daughter sounds like a forthright person, to put it mildly.

You mentioned your first school in Bangkok--really? You started school in Bangkok?

I'm really dense early in the morning, as it is here, and can't figure out what the S word might be. "Twice exceptional" is a label that is unfamiliar to me too but I've been salted away at home for decades and am probably a fossil of some kind by now.

EDITED TO ADD:

(Google to the rescue here)

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

[Prot]

Your daughter sounds like a forthright person, to put it mildly.

You mentioned your first school in Bangkok--really? You started school in Bangkok?

I'm really dense early in the morning, as it is here, and can't figure out what the S word might be. "Twice exceptional" is a label that is unfamiliar to me too but I've been salted away at home for decades and am probably a fossil of some kind by now.

EDITED TO ADD:

(Google to the rescue here)

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

I started school in Bangkok because my father was posted to the British embassy there from 1961-1964. The S would nowadays be called cerebral palsy. 2e/twice exceptional = gifted(usually IQ 130+) + ADHD/ASD/dyscalculia /dyslexia/dyspraxia etc