September Chit/Chat

[Howie]

Sunny skies here. I've been cleaning out my desk. Lot's of old papers, even found the papers for my first MRI. Those kinds of paperwork, I saved. But I found lots that were just trash. Now I have room to stick future papers.

[agate]

Whew! So glad you saved the MRI report, Howie.

Virginia, it's so nice that you're gathering up things to send to the people in need in the Bahamas. It sounds as if many have absolutely nothing left.

I've spent much of today just having routine lab work done. There was a long wait for the return ride but the weather was excellent and so it wasn't cold and drafty while waiting.

I wonder how Catdancer is doing.

[agate]

These little annoyances will strike most people here as laughable nonproblems but here they are:

The night before last I was trying to open a bottle of pills. I have trouble with the childproof (palm-and-turn) bottles but the pharmacy I switched to some months ago didn't offer me any options. Well, this time I managed to get the bottle open--and it opened so suddenly that most of the pills went all over the floor, which wasn't an especially clean floor. I don't think I'd have felt like using those pills anyway even if the floor had just been scrubbed.

I counted them as I swept them up so I could let the pharmacy know how many I'd lost--200. They had very kindly supplied several months' worth of pills just recently. I had some explaining to do to the pharmacy, then to the doctor's office.

But that's probably all fixed up. The doctor represcribed it, and in the future the pharmacy has agreed not to give me childproof bottles.

Just out of curiosity, would you use pills if you'd dropped them on the floor?

I might if they were washable pills--certain kinds of capsules or gelcaps, for instance.

The other problem happened when I was out today. I always put everything in a totebag that has straps that can fit over the back of my wheelchair. The bag was a freebie, and I've been using it for years. It might contain my smartphone, my iPad, my cash, all of my "plastic" (ID, insurance cards, bank), my rx sunglasses, food and medicine, plus the all-important disabled parking permit just in case I'm in a car some time.

While out today I found that this bag had huge gash in it--about 8 inches long and growing. It's made of some odd stuff that can't be sewn or taped very well. I had nothing with me that would have worked as a way of holding it together, but I still had to hang onto all of these items without dropping them along the way.

It was a challenge. I tried to use the tape that the lab had used on my arm but it wouldn't stick. I decided I'd just have to hold the bag so that the hole would be shut wherever I went. So I did that. Stuff kept trying to work its way out but I don't think anything was lost. There's also the all-important door clicker that will open the front door to this building remotely--a much-prized item that only a few people here have. I can see some of my neighbors watching me use it with envy written all over their faces. If there's a new gadget someone has, the chances are that they will want one too.

So I wasn't eager to lose any of the things in that bag. I had brought along my late breakfast too. It was as I was eating it that I discovered the hole.

Now I'm home, and have removed everything from the defective bag and transferred it to another (also a freebie--from the Copaxone people, years ago!), and the flimsy old bag is already in the trash. I could think of no further use for it--so out it went.

One more nuisance: When the driver came to pick me up here, he seemed to be propelling the wheelchair from behind as all drivers routinely do. They come into the entryway where I'm waiting and guide the wheelchair down the slope toward the van with its ramp. The slope is tricky enough so that I'm always glad they they do that. But I'm too used to relying on them. Today the driver let go of the wheelchair, assuming I was self-propelling it. But I wasn't. And so I went slamming right into the side of the waiting van.

It was quite a jolt. I turned to him and asked if this was his idea of a joke. It had entered my head that he might have been one of those jokesters who come along now and then.

We sorted it out, and no damage was done to the van or to me.

Those have been my little annoyances in the last day or so.

I'm mighty glad that they haven't been anything as dramatic as a hurricane.

[Ikoiko]

I absolutely take pills that have been dropped on the floor, especially if they are expensive or hard to get.

[Howie]

Well you sure had an adventurous day. As for using pills I had dropped on the floor. Yes, as long as they didn't land in the litter box. Glad you didn't get hurt rolling into that van. I hope the driver learned something.

I got my Comet TV channel back a while ago. I had really missed it because it is the one I watch the most.

My brother called, and we had a long chat.

All that was my day.

[stillstANNding]

If the pill were something like an antibiotic to take on a schedule (like every 6 hours) or something like that and it fell in my own house, yes, I would and I have taken it.

There’s wind tonight and some rain as the hurricane goes out to sea off the coast. Should be over here by 10 AM or so. It’s been in the 60’s with an onshore breeze. Very enjoyable.

Peter flys to Austin, TX in the morning for work.
ANN

[Virginia]

I wouldn't want to take 200 of them that have been on the floor, but I have grabbed up one or two that I have dropped and taken them. It is so hard to hold on to my pills.

I have had similar incidences with the bag splitting. I didn't have personal stuff in it, but grocery bags have split and spilt all over everywhere as I tried to get them into the car at the grocery or from the car into the house. Also, I have dropped things out of my pocketbook and I have to bend over to get the things. Since this is not easy for me to do it is always embarrassing.

Glad you didn't get hurt with the wheelchair incident. Maybe he will pay more attention from now on.

However, Agate you can't say you had a real dull day.

[nuthatch]

Packaging is getting harder and harder to open! Maybe it's just that I'm getting older and weaker. I am loosing strength and dexterity in my hands, so I have to ask DH to open some things. Those childproof caps are awful! I don't know how many very elderly seniors function! I've been noticing how heavy my hairdryer is lately and want to purchase one of those small, light weight ones like I had years ago.

200 pills is a lot to pick up! I have been known to take pills that have dropped on the floor and lived to tell about. I would have picked them all up and put them on a hand towel and rubbed them up to get any dust or dirt off, then put them back in the bottle. Now, if they fell into a cat litter box, not a chance!

Have you never heard of the 5 second rule? Ha ha ha! Of course it would take a lot more than 5 seconds to pick up 200 pills, so I'd just settle for the towel treatment!

Glad you weren't hurt, Agate. Hope he learned a lesson!

[Sunshine]

3CF24103-10A7-42DD-8F6D-F57A887B975C.jpgYes, all of those things have happened to me, except the wheelchair incident was an almost. DH let me go on a ramp, thinking he wasnt needed for that part. Gravity sent me zooming down the ramp. Luckily, nothing was in my path. I did give him a talking to after that...

The pills: If they landed on a clean floor, yes, I always reuse them. I don’t have rugs. If they landed on rugs, I don’t know if I would use them. I def wouldn’t wash any pills.

The fun thing about tile is that if pills drop, it can bounce up to ten feet radius in my experience and I need DH’s help to find them.

I would say, do your pills on your bed over a towel for now on...hate the child proof caps.

Nuthatch there are these gripmaster things to strengthen your hand. I have one: easy to use. $14.95
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
I have the red one by gripmaster.

[agate]

Sunshine, now that I know about those Gripmaster gadgets, I of course have to have one. I'm putting it on my list of "must-haves." I can add it to my collection of hand-strengthening devices. This looks like one I'd be more apt to use regularly.

I checked into some nurses' Websites about pills dropped on the floor. Nurses are taught never to use any pill that is dropped on the floor. Even if the floor is very clean, they are to assume that it will contaminate the pill. I see the point--people wearing shoes have probably walked on the floor, and shoes have been everywhere, picking up everything.

However, about half of them break that rule, especially if the pill is costly. One costing $1,000 (per pill) was mentioned. The pills I dropped were very inexpensive, and I knew that--and was willing to pay for replacing them. I was really tempted to scoop them up and keep them though. They just weren't a washable kind of pill. They're very tiny and they disintegrate quickly. They're about the size of a pinhead. (I'm still finding some of them on the floor even though I've swept it 3 times.)

Yes, I should definitely get in the habit of placing a towel down on a countertop when opening any pill bottle. I do a week's supply at once and always sit over a table while putting them into their little compartments in the mediset container. It's unusual for me to be getting into a pill bottle otherwise but I had dropped one pill from my pill supply and couldn't find it--and so needed to get into the bottle late at night. I was in a hurry and tired. That's when I'm most likely to get into big trouble with whatever I'm dealing with.

There's no way I'd have let expensive pills be discarded. I'd have figured out a way to clean them off, I'm pretty sure, if they'd cost $1,000 apiece.

[Jeanie Z]

:) Okay today. I went out on my scooter and drug the huge new garbage can down to the street for today's pickup. I forgot to have Andy put it out. We usually only put it out on Tuesday for Wed pickup, but full due to Dorian and no pickup then.

A nice young man stopped his car and got out and helped me get it onto the grass.

No call back about PT. I am still doing the exercises but not getting much stronger. I do want to go to the class reunion on the 20th. Praying a lot. Jeanie :)

[Virginia]

Jeanie, you make me feel ashamed of myself - dragging a garbage can to the curb while on your scooter. I can’t get mine to the curb while on my feet. I will say in my defense I would have to try and pull it over very uneven ground and a long way.

We have to take our big cans out to the curb also, but if a person is disabled they will go in our back yard and get our garbage and our recycling. Are you sure they will not do that there? It would keep Andy from having to do it and you too.

Wish you could go to your reunion. I guess it would be too much to ask Andy to take you. Even if you could only attend one big event, you would have an opportunity to see everyone.

[agate]

I recall the days when I had to transport garbage cans. It was hard then, and I was healthy then. Jeanie, I don't know how you even got the thing to fit on your scooter. That's amazing.

In Chicago I had to take them about half a block and then go get them. Often they were strewn around and hard to find. The lids might have blown another half a block away.

You deserve some kind of reward, Jeanie, and I hope it will turn out to be an easy way to get to your reunion.

[Jeanie Z]

:) I drug the can behind me down to the street. It was heavy because the garbage from before Dorian was still in it, plus garbage since then.

I feel stronger. The reunion is only a dinner on the 20th at 6 PM. Still I would love to see everyone as I doubt we will do it again.

Just listened to Serena Williams lose the US Open to a Canadian on the radio. I had hoped she could win at least one more slam. My antenna does not get ESPN. Now I can make dinner. Jeanie :)

[Sunshine]

That is so incredible Jeanie!