September Chit/Chat

[Virginia]

Agate I stayed in a very warm shower for 45 minutes today.

I thought that was about the worse thing I have seen on TV in a very long time. You know who was interrupting, talking over everyone even moderator who is supposed to be good just completely lost control I thought. As for the other person involved he just did ok, not stellar, but alright. I think he tried to talk to the American people and answer questions, but who can do that with someone right across from them constantly talking over them, lying and acting like a complete fool. However, one news station said his supporters loved it. Pretty bad, out of control show, I would say.

Actually, I think it would be Sam who enhances our vocabulary. She picks things up easily.

[Sunshine 2]

Have you had your TSH, T4 and T3 values checked? Thyroid problems can lead to hair loss.
Mine is suddenly coming out as well.
Stress can also lead to hair loss. All of America, except Sam, is under stress.

[stillstANNding]

Have you had your TSH, T4 and T3 values checked? Thyroid problems can lead to hair loss.
Mine is suddenly coming out as well.
Stress can also lead to hair loss. All of America, except Sam, is under stress.

Yes, I had my thyroid levels done and a complete hair loss work up about five years ago. Different president then, and no pandemic.
ANN

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

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

I wrote this reply yesterday afternoon and just discovered that I didn't post it!

ANN ~

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ANN AND PETER!

May you enjoy many more years of wedded bliss!

I’m sorry that you’re losing your hair. What does your hair stylist recommended for regrowth?

I love reading (and salivating over) your delicious meals. Thank you for the vicarious vittles.

Thank you for thinking of me. I’ll explain how I am at the end of this post.

agate ~

I also loved your cookie story. I’m sorry that you are also losing your hair. I wish that I could give you and ANN some of mine. Well, I suppose I could cut it all off and send it to both of you. But what would you do with it?

How’s your wrist doing?

Linda ~

Good news that John is home, and my prayers are with you that you are both well.

Virginia ~

Arthritis is so painful. Jim and I used Aspercreme, which helped. If you can find a good CBD cream, that might also be beneficial. And yes, we also applied good ol’ Witch Hazel.

Can you take Ibuprofen? Start with a small dose and give it time. It’s an anti-inflammatory med.

How kind of your brother and SIL to bring you chili and soup. Enjoy!

I agree with your neuro. An increase in COVID cases throughout the country is being reported now. Is it the second wave or just a continuation of the first? Regardless, we all have to be very careful about potential exposure. A class reunion might be fun, but not if someone or many people get COVID. Why not have the reunion virtually?

Yes, I’ll be watching what you’ll be watching. I hope my BP can handle it.

Sending healing prayers that your symptoms soon subside.

Howie ~

I’m always happy to hear that you are safe at home after your outings. Only a few more days until payday!


MY UPDATE

On Saturday, a memorial service was held for my dear friend, who passed from ALS last month. My girlfriends and I hired a videographer, so that we could watch the service on line on Sunday. The service was outside in the blazing sun and heat, and none of us could tolerate that. Plus we feared COVID. We knew that it would be impossible to ignore the urge to hug each other and her family.

The service was perfect and a true tribute to our precious friend, who was an Angel on Earth in every way. I sobbed the second the video began, and I’ve been crying so much since then. I am grief weary.

My girlfriends and I had a virtual visit after we watched her service, but I had several disconnections during our visit.

So yesterday, I called the iPad provider and after 52 minutes, I managed to change the account from Jim’s name to my name. Of course, that meant that I had to tell two assistants that he is deceased.

It’s just a constant conjuring of Jim’s physical absence. It’s painful. And I have many more of those changes to make to various accounts, as well as the title to the van.

For the iPad disconnections, I was instructed to remove the Sim and then put it back into the iPad. Then go to Settings to reset network settings. Thankfully, I have John, who will do that for me. He had to put the Sim into the iPad last year after we got it, because Jim and I couldn’t figure out how to do it.

When I belonged to a parental grief forum after Michael passed, we coined terms for what we were experiencing. One of those is "Grief Brain.” It is a whole body experience, best described as "a culmination of cognitive, emotional, physical and spiritual disruption or disturbance by grief.”

I am in the depths of Grief Brain now, with a mountain of vital things, which need to be done by me, and only me, before I die. I’m not ill, but then, who knows? I take nothing for granted, so I feel an urgency and pressure on me to accomplish everything, which must be done. From the mundane to the majorly important, I have to keep functioning.

For now, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

Thank you all so very much for your love, support, understanding and friendship.

My prayers are with you and your loved ones that you are well, healing, strong, hopeful, and safe.

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!

[agate]

There you are, Rose!

I'm so sorry you've been grieving for the loss of your dear friend. I hope that you and her other friends will be able to share good memories of her --and eventually get together when times are better.

My wrist/hand is slowly improving and the swelling has gone down. I still have right shoulder pain, which seems to be unrelated to the hand though I'm not sure about that. I've been keeping the aspirin handy and experimenting with various positions and trying not to overdo with the arm activity. Reaching closet rods to hang up laundered clothes is difficult but this shoulder issue has been with me quite a while, and one of these days I'll figure out how to solve it, I hope. The pain gets in the way of sleeping at times.

Thanks for your offer to send some hair. Years ago real human hair was made to make wigs but I don't think they do that any more.

Anyone remember reading "Little Women" where Jo sold her hair because the money was needed?

[Virginia]

Another thing in addition to thyroid problems that will cause hair loss is the medication for that condition called Synthroid or the generic of synthroid. Agate, I don't know if you or Ann are on that medication, but I am. I started on that at about the same time I started on an interferon. I blamed the interferon, but have since found out that Synthroid can do it. I have lost a tremendous amount of hair. I was fortunate that I started with very thick hair, but it is concerning anyway. I miss my thick hair.

Rose, I can not take any kind of anti-inflammatory medication. I get very sick. Even aspirin causes me to bleed internally. We found that out when my doctor put me on the coated baby aspirin. I have tried voltaren for my arthritis but it didn't help. I was checked one time for rheumatoid arthritis but it came back negative. I was not having an attack at that time so I don't know if that would make a difference. About the only thing I can do is take Tylenol and wait for it to get better. I have used witch hazel, but when it is in my knee, wrist and joints in my fingers it is too hard to try and keep it on me. I have wondered about certain foods as having an effect and one time I read up on the foods that were bad for arthritis but I didn't seem to fit into any of that. Agate, have you noticed certain foods might make yours worse?

Agate, I hope your wrist is better.

Ann, wish I knew that both problems you cited as contributing factors to your hair loss would not be around next year.

Rose, there will come a day when you can get together with your friends and laugh and have a good time. I hope that time will not be as long as it appears right now.

Howie, stay safe and keep Sam safe.

Sunshine, hope you are doing well and still able to walk a lot.

[Lazarus]

Have you had your TSH, T4 and T3 values checked? Thyroid problems can lead to hair loss.
Mine is suddenly coming out as well.
Stress can also lead to hair loss. All of America, except Sam, is under stress.

A friend stopped by to see John today. She is having big time hair loss and her doc says it is from stress. (Her husband was quite ill from heart attack and she herself had been sick). Then I listened to a story about COVID 19.......one unusual symptom? Yup. Hair loss.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

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

I do remember Jo selling her hair in "Little Women."

Do you remember Della selling her hair to buy her husband, Jim, a watch chain? And he sold his watch to buy her combs for her hair? "Gift of the Magi."

I don't know whether real hair wigs are still sold, but they might be.

Is it possible that your shoulder problem is bursitis? Would a pillow under your shoulder help, when you're sleeping? Can you reach your shoulder to rub in some Aspercreme? Heating pad for 20 minutes? Ice for 20 minutes?

If your right wrist is the one, which is sore, then it would probably correlate to your shoulder pain. You may be using your shoulder more to compensate for your wrist weakness. If the sore wrist is the left, then, it's possible that your right shoulder has had more use to compensate for the reduction of use in your left shoulder.

Thank you for your condolences. Healing prayers on the way ~

Virginia ~

I've had RA nearly 50 years. Twenty-five years later, I became a vegetarian, and the change was significant and probably why I'm still here and not taking RA meds. Dairy products are often mentioned as inflammatory for RA, but I do still eat dairy cheese. Maybe I would do better without it, but non-dairy cheese is unappealing.

Jonathan had hypothyroid, and the three food groups to avoid are: corn, soy, and sugar. All G Tube feeding formulas contain those ingredients. So, you'll want to avoid them, which it seems you do.

Do you take Vitamin D3? Dr. Fauci told us at the beginning of COVID that taking a multi vitamin and extra Vitamin D boosts our immune systems. Vitamin D3 is also good for our bones and joints.

Here is how I apply Witch Hazel:

cut a paper towel into the size I need

cut paper or cloth tape (in drug stores and on line) to go over the paper towel

attach tape to towel

place on area of pain

douse with Witch Hazel

Elevate the limb

Re-saturate with Witch Hazel when the paper towel dries

It can be a challenge to do this on your own, I know. But even a few minutes of Witch Hazel is healing.

Sending healing prayers to you ~

Sunshine and Lazarus ~

Healing prayers for you also

And at the rate we're going, we'll all be bald before November!

Love, prayers and optimism to all ~

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!

[Howie]

But I still have my long flowing locks I keep pulled back in a ponytail. It's not fair, is it?

[agate]

s it possible that your shoulder problem is bursitis? Would a pillow under your shoulder help, when you're sleeping? Can you reach your shoulder to rub in some Aspercreme? Heating pad for 20 minutes? Ice for 20 minutes?

If your right wrist is the one, which is sore, then it would probably correlate to your shoulder pain. You may be using your shoulder more to compensate for your wrist weakness. If the sore wrist is the left, then, it's possible that your right shoulder has had more use to compensate for the reduction of use in your left shoulder.

Thank you for your suggestions, Rose. I think there may be a connection between the wrist issue and the shoulder pain though I've had the shoulder pain for months now. It's not such a crippling pain as the wrist/hand thing has been, and I'm glad that that is ever so much better. Bursitis might indeed be a possibility.

Pillows strategically placed are enormously helpful, as is aspirin. I happen to have 7 small pillows of various sizes and they come in handy. Two are called neckroll pillows but one is used in my wheelchair for midback support. The other gets used at night in my regular pillow--something the last PT suggested as a way of relieving neck pain. A neckroll pillow is useful for resting my right arm on. It relieves the shoulder pain somewhat.

Ah, the aches and pains of aging.

And the hair loss. Except for Howie who doesn't have hair loss. But then he's not aging.

[Howie]

I don't cut my hair, or trim my beard. The ape man is here!