OT October Chit Chat

[Virginia]

Will continue to pray for answers and good outcome and also rest for you tonight.

[Lazarus]

Oh goodness Jeanie and Ann! The only brightness in the struggles you both have endured is the care you got..whether from professionals with a strap to lift you up Jeanie or from the detailed attention in the emergency room Ann....you both had good care.

[Sunshine]

Good grief Ann, you have had a lot lately to deal with. Please continue to let us know how you are.

IVIG all day. Will check your thread when I get home after supper.

[Virginia]

Still thinking of Ann this morning. I know she will check in when she feels up to it and when she finds out something.

[Virginia]

Cherie, Cat and all who have had shingles, why did you forget to warn me about the itching? I can't keep my hands off my face. It is driving me nuts. I have an anti-itch cream, however I can't use it because it draws my face and dries it out and makes it look even worse.

[Catdancer]

Cherie, Cat and all who have had shingles, why did you forget to warn me about the itching? I can't keep my hands off my face. It is driving me nuts. I have an anti-itch cream, however I can't use it because it draws my face and dries it out and makes it look even worse.

Oh, I did tell you all about the itching. Now, 3 or maybe 4 years later, my shoulder (where I had shingles) STILL itches, and sometimes so bad I'm awakened at night, scratching.... It is terrible. When it was at its worse, I wanted to rip the skin off my shoulder down to the bone to get to it. Now there are tiny bumps there that itch. I still sometimes scratch my shoulder raw. It's terrible.

[agate]

That settles it. I called the doctor's office to make arrangements to get the first part of the shingles vaccine. I had the older vaccine 10 years ago and have been told I need to get the new one. So I'm going to do that.

These accounts of unbearable itching bring back bad memories of a bout with eczema I had years ago. The itching kept me awake at night. Shingles itching is probably worse. There was a medicine that helped with the eczema itching too. Sounds as if there isn't one for shingles.

[stillstANNding]

CT scan was OK except for incidental finding of tiny aneurysm on renal artery. It’s just a thing to watch.

They are not done w the cardiac thing. They declared they were but they are not. Tomorrow EMS is taking me to the Brigham for a Cardiac CT w dye that I am allergic to. They are going to give me 120 mg of prednisone in 3 doses over 14 hours and a dose of Zyrtec right before I leave. At least the test should be quick. The entire pelvis and abdomen CT took 5 minutes.

Meanwhile stomach is the same. They say they want to rule out things that could kill me first and then move on to the liver enzymes and the stomach.

That’s the plan.

ANN - who married the right man

[Virginia]

Thank God for Peter. I can tell he is with you Ann, but then I knew he would be. I cannot imagine what you are going through. It is just so much. I will be glad when they get to the stomach thing and get it over with and tell you what is wrong and what they are going to do about it. It is time. You have suffered enough. Prayers will continue on.

Do not like the consistency for my face, but saw some Aquaphor laying on my bathroom counter and just picked it up and put it on my face where the itching is the worse. Cat, your description of what is still going on with you is not helping me at all. Anywhere on the body would be awful, but on my face if I have to contend with this for years....well, I just don't think I can.

Agate, here the Doctor offices are not giving the new shingles vaccine. You can get them free at most pharmacies. You need to call a pharmacy near you and see if they are giving it. The Doctors here are recommending that you do that because it is very expensive in their offices.

Does everyone realize that soon Howie will have been gone a week. I do hope he has power by now and is getting groceries in and he and Sam are sleeping in air conditioning.

[Howie]

Virginia, I JUST got the power on. A WEEK without power is like a week in hell! I've been buying bags of ice to put in the fridge to keep it cold. But today, I decided to just let it go, and eat out.

I missed coming here and seeing you guys.

[Virginia]

Howie, we missed you so much. So sorry you have had a week in hell!! Glad it is over. I hope you get groceries tomorrow. How did Sam fare? It is cool here and I hope it has been there. We had some days that were too warm to go without air conditioning in the past week, but the nights were fairly cool. What an ordeal and I feel sure it took you by surprise. As I recall you were expecting heavy rain and that is all. Thank goodness we have our detective (Agate) who found out you were at least alright. I guess it depends on what you call alright!!!

[Howie]

Sam has been fine. I made a trip to the store yesterday JUST so she would have her turkey. But she's not spoiled...........

[agate]

Well, he made it back! Congratulations on coming through it in one piece, Howie!

I don't know how you managed there without heat or air conditioning or light--OR the Internet--for so long. Tried to call you but got only recorded messages. I recalled that you said you keep your phone turned off but thought maybe you'd turned it on on account of the emergency situation.

Being without the Internet must have been difficult. I mean, how could you possibly get along without US?

What was it like? Do you have neighbors who were affected? Were any of them helping one another? Was Sam unsettled by all of the wind and rain?

Any damage to your place or to Pinky?

[Howie]

The only damage was a limb that fell a few doors down, right across the power line. The folks to my left had power, but from me on down, were dark.

My phone died right in the middle of talking to my brother, right after a long chat to my sister. How rude!

But I'm back now, my phone is charging up, and tomorrow, things will be back to normal. Tomorrow will be a big shopping day, and I'll get restocked. I'm so glad it's over!

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((ANN)))))) ~

Are you going to the Brigham hospital associated with Harvard? I'm hoping that means that you are receiving superior care. And I hope the view of the arboretum from your window is soothing and peaceful for you.

Wow, 120 mg of Prednisone is a LOT! I'm praying that you can tolerate it well, along with the Zyrtec. How I wish that there was some other alternative for you.

My thoughts will be with you all day tomorrow, and I will anxiously await your update.

Healing prayers continuing ~

And thank you, Peter, for being a wonderful husband!

Love & Light,



Rose