OT December Chit Chat

[Virginia]

Has anyone noticed that we have not heard a peep from Howie since eye candy was mentioned. He only came out briefly for that.

[agate]

Is Howie's purpose here merely decorative?

Maybe he's keeping all toasty warm with the new heater, and all of that warmth has made him drowsy.

There was still snow on the ground all day, and the roads were hazardous. Plans to see my son and DIL today were postponed until the weekend. They were to be cooking a dinner for her family today but that may have been cancelled as well. It was scheduled for yesterday but was postponed on account of the weather. Something tells me it might be postponed until some later time too.

They don't deal with snow around here. I watched the parking lot for this building and no vehicles had been in or out of it yesterday or earlier today. By evening I saw some tracks, and even a taxi appeared, but most people aren't venturing up that slope and into this parking lot.

The building management company doesn't want to spend the money to have the snow removed from the lot, and so every time it snows, we're stuck here. Some of the seniors who live here think they can still drive safely when they can't, and so maybe it's just as well that we're all socked in when it snows, but it would be nice to be able to take the trash out to the dumpster as needed.

It hasn't been possible in the last two days because the path is too icy and snowy.

It's only a few inches of snow but around here the temperature hovers around freezing, and so any snow has a way of partly thawing, then freezing up again.

I had overdone with the housework and gift wrapping yesterday, on top of the major computer issue the other day, and having the curtains cleaned as well. So I was glad to have a day just to rest. I took a 2-hour nap today.

[Pegakafarmgirl]

I am doing well with it,, its time for my second infusion, and this neuro, thinks I don't need this,, like huh ?,, ,,

[Sunshine]

Hey Peg! Good to see you again :)

“Huh?”—-indeed!

[Howie]

Good morning! I'm still trying to let Peg's statement her Neuro took 15 vials of blood sink in! Does that sound excessive to anyone but me? When I've had a blood panel done, they took 3 vials for that. Peg, best of luck with the infusion, I hope you see some dramatic improvement.

My nephew brought me a plate with ham, and turkey, and mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes, green beans. Plus a plate of sweet goodies, but I haven't eaten any of that yet. I want to maintain my eye candy status.

[Virginia]

Huh? Doesn't he know you have MS? And like Howie I nearly fell out when I saw [B]15 vials of blood[B] - seems quite excessive to me unless they are checking for something that we don't know about. So what does this Doctor think you need? If not an infusion that you are already on, then what?

[Virginia]

Howie, glad you got lots of Christmas dinner, but actually some of us like "a little" meat on our eye candy. It's alright to eat it. We know you are skinny.

Agate, sorry your plans were cancelled, but glad you are taking the time to get a little rest. When it snows here (which it might do the end of this week) some of us are stuck too. The roads in our community are private roads and the Homeowner's Assoc. says they do not have the money to clear them. When they do, all they do is stack the snow behind my car which means it takes even longer for my place to thaw.

[Cat Dancer]

It's bitter cold here, too. I'm staying warm and inside. Poor TC is outside all the time, running back and forth between house and his workshop. And tomorrow he has to drive 55 miles to see his rheumatologist/oncologist. Normally the doctor is at our local hospital, but because of the holiday the local office is closed. And then on Saturday it is supposed to be COLD still. Well below zero at night, barely above zero during the day.

Otherwise all is well here. Well, as well as possible for two old ill people....

[Cherie]

Howie,
Every 6 months I have 15 vials of blood drawn, every three months 6 vials and every month one vial. Part of this is because I'm on Rituxan which suppresses B Cells. Part of it is that my B12 and D are checked every three months because of the levels of supplementation. Fortunately it is generally drawn every month during my port flush so no missed veins.

Christmas dinner at our house this year consisted of Ham, baked sweet potatoes, baked Mac and cheese, fresh green bean casserole (not canned), Avocado/Mango/Cilantro salad, mixed greens with red cabbage salad, roasted beets and carrots, sweet potato chili (vegetarian), gluten free bread and bran bread and for dessert hot brownies with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. Most of the leftovers were packed up and sent back to the greater Boston area with younger daughter and her family because tomorrow we are doing a sit down dinner here for 18 of David's clients and business associates so there is another ham and more baked mac and cheese and I am doing chard and butternut squash with maple syrup and a couple of other vegetables and will probably make a parmesan/dill bread to go with it all. One guest is bringing dessert for everyone.

Then...Friday is David's 65th so we are going out to dinner at a REALLY nice place then to see the new Andrew Lloyd Weber "Love Never Dies". He does not know this. He only knows he is to be home and dressed to go out by 4:30.

I am really feeling draggy today and did very little except give Dave a list to go to the store to get stuff for tomorrow. He says he will be here to help get everything ready and will even clean up the kitchen after dinner. I am a blessed woman!

[Howie]

Cherie, it sounds like you are eating well. You'll need it to replace all that missing blood in your body.

[Virginia]

Cherie, thanks for explaining all the blood drawing because it is my understanding from the NP that I saw that Ocrevus also suppresses B cells which can cause infections to start up.

[Cherie]

Ocrevus and Rituxan are essentially identical in composition and action except that Rituxan has a mouse model of the monoclonal antibody that blocks the B cells and Ocrevus has a more recently humanized model of the same antibody. They are even made by the same company but Rituxan seems to have a shorter side effect list. You would think that the humanized formula would come with fewer and not more potential side effects like fevers, itching rash, flushing, etc. My first infusion 4 years ago had to be slowed and then stopped and they had to give me IV Benadryl in addition to the oral premed. Since then, though, nothing. Just 5-6 hours for an infusion 4x/year and immediately return to business as usual. One note on this: Many of the docs are adding 100 mg of IV Solumedrol (1/10th of the standard dose to manage a relapse) to try and prevent itching and temp elevation. I refused it because it would cause more problems than it would solve with elevated blood sugar and blood pressure and heart rate and worsening of insomnia.

Oh....I forgot to add that I am also doing a crock pot of Pesto Meatballs which are ALWAYS a hit for tomorrow. Best part, they are so amazingly easy!

[stillstANNding]

Cherie, can you put the recipe in the cooking thread? "Cooking w Cat" or something like that.

Thanks,
ANN

[agate]

About the 15 vials of blood--I'm sure that sometimes I've had that many drawn at once though I'm not sure why.

[Howie]

It suuuuure is quiet in here today.