OT October Chit Chat

[Cherie]

I can see where there would be some sadness associated with this but am glad it is finally going to be done. I remember a sense of relief when David's mom's estate was finally settled and closed.

O/T: Did you get the PM I sent you?

[Lady]

Peg, I'm glad things are settling finally. Are you feeling better physically too?
Peg, didn't Shasta have the pups that your granddaughter played with and wanted to keep?

Cheri, Happy 35th Birthday to your daughter Heather. So you and "The Donald" will be in the stock market? Good luck! I hope you make a billion or two.

Gary, be good while your wife is away. Enjoy having your son yell at you instead. Hahaha

Jeanie, how is David?--and you?

Gabriella, I hope you are feeling better since the IVIG. I must find your other post.

Nuthatch, any luck house hunting? Is yours on the market in California?

Virginia and Cherie I didn't know you both went to leaf watchers. Has anyone heard from Laurel at all?

Parsi, your son is 29. I find that so heard to believe. The years pass quickly, my kids make me older too.

Howie, Sally, Lorraine, renee, Ann, and paj. Hello.
What no more LaCeli on here or Meli, or Kathy, or Burr???

I wonder who really just lurks on here and never posts anymore? I bet ALL our friends.

[Cherie]

Well...I'm not exactly in the stock market with "the Donald" but I am hoping to turn around some of the losses in our IRA and SEP accounts. Our financial planner did not use any of the strategies we are learning to use in a "down" or "sideways" market and I lost 65% of my retirement and David 47% of his. His has partially recovered since he had more invested but mine needs some nurturing.

What a day! I had more energy and clarity and got more accomplished than probably any time in the past year! Tomorrow will be 11 weeks since my last Cytoxan and I am still getting B-12 shots weekly. We will see next Wednesday if any blood values are starting to recover. As of two weeks ago, they were not but I feel better than I did two weeks ago.

I met Laurel at the Leafwatchers in Orlando but have never really communicated with her.

[Jeanie Z]

:) Hi Lady and everyone. David is fine. I am dragging and hoping to get some energy soon. Things are piling up as I put them off.

I emailed Laurel and any other Leafwatcher's I had addresses for with the link to this board. I do not know if Laurel's email is still good but it did not come back. I also sent Laura (LaCeli) the email.

I will look through my files and see if I still have Laurel's phone number but I doubt that I do. I hope she and the others will check in. I heard from Maggie May and she is out in Texas with her hubby in their RV visiting kids. Jeanie :)

[Virginia]

I went to the last one in the mountains about 75 miles from Boone, NC. It was in Virginia I think. Very pretty area. Laurel and hubby were there, as was Maggie and her husband, also Lorraine and Robin. I had my friend with me. We had a good time, but I have not kept in contact with them. Actually, I did e-mail Laurel a couple of times, if I remember correctly, and she e-mailed me a couple of times. I lost all data when my old computer went down and do not have e-mail addresses other than personal friends that I have added since then.

Hurt my back and side two weeks ago doing Yoga and had not tried it again until today. It was difficult to get through some of the postures, but I felt it is so important to stay as limber and strong as possible. I have an appointment to go to the doctor on Thursday to see what she thinks I might have done, since I am still having trouble.

Cherie, I hope you continue to feel better. I had just the most awful bout of fatigue for so long that I thought it was here to stay for good. Well, it has gotten better just in the past week (knock wood). I hope it last. I get so much more done and get out more often.

I went to see the movie Ides of March Friday night. Langauge was pretty raw, but the I enjoyed the movie because I felt it pretty much portrayed politics the way it probably is - which is a shame.

Saturday I watched 3 movies that a neighbor had loaned me. I don't think I have ever watched that many movies in one day before. Sunday I drove 50 miles to see my cousin and she and I went to lunch. I spent about 3 hours with her and came back home. I went shopping on Monday. Finally, today I had to buckle down and do house work -ugh!

We haven't heard from Kathy in ages. Also, it has been a long time for Paj and LeCeli and some others. Lady, you are so good about remembering people. I wish all would come back. It is also time for Howie to put in an appearance.

Talk to all of you later.

[Gary]

Hi everybody,

Well my wife spent a few days at her moms and I did NOT buy anything and as a matter of fact I got rid of some junk cars that I was suppose to do about a year ago. Our son was home for a couple of days so we had dinner at daughters house and yesterday I fixed brunch for everybody. I took him to the bus depot to go back home he figured that it was cheaper to ride Greyhound down than it was to drive his Explorer. It was nice to have the whole family together at one time. With school and work it is almost impossible to for everyone to be in the same place at one time. Except for me I sit in the same place everyday!

We had 3/100 of an inch of rain practically rain of Biblical proportions well at least for us. We did have a bit of frost the other morning. But it has not touched the tomatoes yet. And it looks like the farmers will get one more cutting of hay this year. As so much of the country has such terrible drought this year the corn and hay yields were so poor (Peg what do ya think?) that feed crops are being sent else where for premium dollar. This really hurts the smaller dairy and cattle farmers .

I have been having back problems that are not all due to MS spinal stenosis I need to get it fixed and it is not a terribly serious procedure but before they even consider it they want my teeth fixed. I told my Dr hey its my back and legs I don't know about you but I don't walk on my teeth. Well at least not on purpose! But the chance of infection is too great with an orthopedic procedure near the spinal column. Always something. But it would be great to lessen the leg pain at least somewhat. I signed up for dental insurance and my wife added me to her policy at work. Its not a whole lot of coverage but it is at least better than nothing and hopefully it will be enough that I wont have to mortgage the farm to pay off the rest.

Cherie I am glad to see you taking charge of your financial needs and that you are feeling good enough to do it. I have always found that the self directed IRA did better than the controlled ones. Every time that I listened to the "investment councilors" I was lucky to break even. I have been playing around with some penny stocks (me and the Donald) not much because I do not HAVE much but I made a few $$ this year.I have a brokerage account with one of those cut rate places and plenty of time to read up on it. I don't spend the rent or grocery money. And it keeps me from chasing women and also keeps me out of the bars.

[stillstANNding]

Hi all. It's 62 and raining w a bit of brightness about. I'd love to send it to whoever needs it.

Gary, I really am interested in wife's reaction to the organ. Did she make you move it to the barn?

I am well-ish. Going to afternoon Boston Symphony tomorrow. Yo yo Ma. In the meantime, I am resting. I am getting too good at resting. It was better when I had PT twice a week.

Be thee well,
ANN

[Cherie]

Got a call from my neuro yesterday to tell me he is not in town next week when my appointment is scheduled for so they saw me this morning instead. We discussed treatment options and agreed that none of the ABCRs (CRABS) were an option. He is sending me to be tested for the JC virus to see if Tysabri might be an option once my marrow has bounced back from the cytoxan. Also said all of his patients on Gilenya are elevating their liver enzymes and since I had that response to the Interferons, it was likely, in his opinion, that this would happen on Gilenya as well. For now, he is willing to let me continue a drug holiday at least until my labs come back into normal range but I am to continue B-12 injections 1-2x/week (more often when I have a not good day, less often if days are better).

Parents are visiting for a few days. Dad turns 84 this week, is getting lost so Mom must navigate for him. His eyesight is getting worse but he refuses to stop driving. (they live 357 miles from here) They spent most of the day with my sister, her younger daughter, two sons and 4 grandsons then came back here for a short visit with Heather and her two boys . We invited my 88 year old French friend over for pot roast dinner and I had made apple and pecan pies. Good evening. Tomorrow my sister's family and David and I are taking them out for a birthday dinner. They plan to leave for home Saturday morning so they can get back before dark.

60s and misty rain all day today.

[agate]

October 9 was ssusan's birthday!

Belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY to ssusan, October 9! (Sorry to be so late!)
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[Parsi]

Beautiful card, agate.

Happy birthday, ssusan.

[Cherie]

Happy birthday. Where is she? Miss her.....

[Virginia]

Happy birthday to Ssusan. I hope all is well with her. Have not seen her in awhile.

[stillstANNding]

Susan,

Are you swimming or teaching or in a yoga class or 2? Happy Birthday wherever you are. You can't hide from birthdays!

ANN

[SalpalSally]

HaPpY BiRtHdAy SsUsAn!!

[ssusan]

Thank you for good wishes, you guys.

I had a really nice birthday. I hadn't seen this thread.
I am doing well and yes swimming, senior pilates, yoga...

I quit my counseling job September 8 as it had become 90% admin and 10% counseling. I have a job offer for a pt time (10 hrs a week) teaching position in a family literacy program. I would be teaching ESL to the parents. I haven't taught since 2006. It really wasn't an option but in this post Ampyra world I might be able to do it. I have to let them know on Monday.

It will take developing new compensatory skills for a variety of things but worth the try. I miss teaching.

I just came from a really good farmers' market with Linda. We sold all six bushels of beans she had brought as well as potatoes , eggplant and a good number of plants including a fig tree. Linda was rockin. (the good kind ;-)

Thanks for thinking of me. You guys are the best.
~Susan