August 2020 Chat & Musings

[Howie]

Jendie, I really do believe animals can see things that humans can't. Maybe because out brains are too cluttered with nonstop thoughts.

[Jeanie Z]

:) I am having a hard day. My rib cage feels like it is squeezing me. My right knee has arthritis and it hurts to stand or transfer. Andy did my shopping and put ointment on me. I have spent the day on the bed.

I am praying for a less painful day tomorrow. The Shingles make little burns in rows back and forth over my stomach.

Y'all have a good weekend. Stay safe. Jeanie :)

[Howie]

Jeanie, that sounds so horrible. I will also hope for a better day tomorrow.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Jeanie ~

Oh, I am so sorry that you are in so much pain. If you can, or have Andy do this, put some wtich hazel around your arthritic knee. After that, you can apply some Aspercreme.

I worry about you falling and further injuring yourself, Jeanie. I wish that I could be there to help you. My prayers and love are with you.

Cats ~

Cats are actually experts in predicting weather:

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Critters are far more intuitive and in tune with the rhythms of our planet than we are.

Be safe and well and pay attention to the messages delivered by animals in your life. Think about the joy and comfort they bring to you and their unconditional love. This is how it should be for all of us.

Prayers and love to you all and your loved ones ~

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!

[Virginia]

Why am I up at 3AM in the morning and Howie is just snoozing away. I think we have changed places. I don't have anyone to talk to.

[Howie]

It's a lonely place to be isn't it. But it is quiet.

I have been going to bed at 1am, and get up when I get up. And no naps even though I do have a "quiet time" where I turn off the lights, stretch out, and just lie there until I have to get up.

I did quit taking naps because it made me like you are right now. I usually have a hard time going to sleep, and then a hard time waking up. That first mug of coffee helps with that.

I hope you did finally sleep.

[agate]

I've been busy with the worst phase of the housing recertification process lately. I always have to focus on it at this point--the time when I have to come up with all records of expenses over the past year and make sure they tally with the records the management has received from all of the "providers" (pharmacies, bank, doctors, dental insurance, etc.) and make sure I've included everything that is allowable.

This year the situation was far more complicated than usual but that part is over now. At least the interview was done over the phone, and that did help though it was different.

[Virginia]

Agate, is it ever a problem getting all providers to get their information in and to match up with yours? I would think it could be.

Howie, I did go to sleep somewhere between 3:15 and 3:30AM. I got up at 10AM.

[Ikoiko]

Ann asked how my Rituxan treatment was working. The answer is that I don't really know. I have been on it for about 4 years with no relapses and no side effects. But, I do feel like I am slowly going downhill year by year in terms of fatigue and overall ill feeling. I have zero get up and go. I don't know how much is due to MS and how much is due to depression. I take Celexa. I know I would feel better if I forced myself to exercise, but I just can't.

[agate]

Ann asked how my Rituxan treatment was working. The answer is that I don't really know. I have been on it for about 4 years with no relapses and no side effects. But, I do feel like I am slowly going downhill year by year in terms of fatigue and overall ill feeling. I have zero get up and go. I don't know how much is due to MS and how much is due to depression. I take Celexa. I know I would feel better if I forced myself to exercise, but I just can't.

That's the problem with all of the MS drugs, isn't it? I felt the same way about Avonex and Copaxone when I was taking them--that I wasn't improving (but then improvement hadn't been promised) and I was still gradually worsening.

But it could always be maintained that if I hadn't been on an MS drug, I might have got far worse or got worse faster.

[Virginia]

Ikoiko, there are no good answers for most of us. I have heard about such good things that Rituxan has done for a number of people, and some of them have had much more energy. One it allowed her to return to work and travel. It took a couple of years for her, but it worked. Lazarus seems to do fine. She works the farm and goes to the farmer's market and works there in the heat. Weather this would have been true for these individuals if they had not been on Rituxan we will never know. Maybe she will see this post and respond.

[Virginia]

We had an earthquake in North Carolina that was felt here. I saw a picture someone had taken inside their house. It was on the news. Also, I just read on my Nextdoor Neighbor site about 18 to 20 people who said they felt it. I was asleep maybe. It was around 8:06AM. That is unusual for us in N.C. It was a 5.1. I feel like I am in Rose's part of the world.

[stillstANNding]

Ikoiko,

Thank you for sharing that. I did think that the few people I know of on Rituxan were doing so well. I’m sorry that you are not doing better - especially feeling better. Beware of Rebif as it can cause depression. I felt almost worthless and flat on it but am usually bubbly off of it.

I’m on Copaxone now but have no idea what my next drug could be. I watched a friend die of PML in an ICU so any drug that can cause that is out. I’m also running out of places to give the shots. At least there are more choices than ever but they all seem to have more serious side effects.

Jeanie, I hope you have a better day.

Virginia, you get a lot done. I’m glad you slept through the earthquake.

Agate, I know you’ll be glad when that’s over.

Btw, the payroll tax that Trump is temporarily suspending - that money goes to Medicare and Social Security! Is he trying to kill them?

ANN

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Virginia ~

I'm grateful that you didn't feel the earthquake or experience any damage. Our quake was 5.2, but we are sitting directly on the fault line about a mile from the epicenter. So we and all of our neighbors had a lot of damage. From news reports, NC's last earthquake was in 1916. Also, you don't have fault lines there, so I'm wondering whether NC does any fracking. The USGS earthquake map doesn't show any after shocks. So, you're fortunate there. We had after shocks for months.

Apparently it was felt in Virginia, so ... Howie? Did you get to experience an earthquake?

ANN ~

Btw, the payroll tax that Trump is temporarily suspending - that money goes to Medicare and Social Security! Is he trying to kill them?

Yes. Actually, I think he is trying to kill all of us. The U.S. has nearly 162,000 deaths from COVID-19.

Love & Light,



Rose

[agate]

Agate, is it ever a problem getting all providers to get their information in and to match up with yours? I would think it could be.

Howie, I did go to sleep somewhere between 3:15 and 3:30AM. I got up at 10AM.

Getting providers to get their information in and matching it up with mine is almost always a problem. The pharmacy copays are a particularly bad issue because the pharmacy has made several mistakes in billing.

I often have to make calls to the providers to remind them to send in their documents. Sometimes they've neglected to sign or have signed in the wrong place. I'm sure people like me are a huge nuisance to them and I wish it wasn't this way, but it isn't likely to change.