Party room- a place for fun, pity, commiserating, or any other thing you come up with

[Melanie]

Judging from the time of your post Mark, I was sound asleep. I was completely wiped out last night. I came close to falling asleep on the phone with the Marine this morning, lol!
Hope you were able to get to the doc without any problems. My PCP likes to see me every 3 months or so too.

Phyllis, if he did join me last night I wouldn't have know, I was THAT exhausted, lol!!

I've been mostly taking it easy today.

[puddykat]

Thank you everyone for all of your support and prayers for Steve. Prior to surgery he was so discouraged, depressed, which isn't his way. He's such a believer in God and his power but it's like that went down the drain which I can understand. I'd be scared of dying on the table, leaving behind his wife and kids; and oh how he adores them all. To hear cancer came back a 2nd time within a year knocked him for a loop. But Kim said he's back to his one-liners, sense of humor. Think I'm repeating myself

Guess we're all having trouble sleeping. Didn't get to sleep last few nights til about 6 a.m., slept til 11. Wish I could take power naps during the day, play catchup. That's just not in my playbook Nor is trying to get meds/food down my throat; they get stuck/choke. Doc knows it, have had a scope down there, problems were minor. Think muscles spasm. Years ago told I had spasmatic heart, put on drugs; local heart doc took me off of them Have to mention all that to my doc when I see him; not in my notebook.

SNOW!!!!!!!!! I believe late Wed/all of Thurs we are due for about 3 inches of the fluffy white stuff, or maybe not so fluffy. SO will be taking the truck so he can get up our driveway Sucker is steep!

My back pain has finally eased up, thank you very much! I'm so glad when I get a day or two when pain level drops; goes up in bed which I blame on a very old mattress, my parents! I just want SO to turn it, not flip it, turn it for me.....not getting anywhere as he says it'll be the same on other side. One of these days I'll turn it my self even if it takes most of the day

Wishing you all well, and restful, painless nights.........hugs, kat

[southernlady]

So not sleeping is normal? I go to sleep about 10ish and am back up around 2/3 and can't go back to sleep.

I try not to nap during the day to keep a schedule of sorts but after a year or two of not sleeping, it's gotten old.

Btw, I use to be a member here before it moved...and somehow lost my post count so have to start over to get to my signature...it's no longer totally valid.

Liz

[Mark N]

Liz, it is good to see you made it back to our site. The last crash and restart made all of us lose our post count. Not sleeping is common around here or it seems like I can't stay awake. Usually pain keeps me from sleeping too much as I wake up after 1.5 hours and then try to get back to sleep. Then I have days after too little sleep that I sleep for 18 to 36 hours depending how exhausted my body is. I hope that now you have found us again you come around often.

Kat, enjoy the snow that you get, it will be fun to see the football game played in snow this weekend. I hope you start sleeping better soon. Don't hurt yourself turning the mattress. Good to hear Steve is feeling like his old self once again.

Melanie, I hope you got a nap in today, you can't be falling asleep on your Marine. The Dr visit went fine like I expected.

I didn't sleep last night but did get a nap in this morning. Made it to the Dr and worked with Penny on finishing up the painting in the basement today. I hope to have a good night of sleep tonight.

[southernlady]

Mark, thanks for the welcome back...I'm hoping with my join date, I only have to get the 10 posts to get access to my signature again. :)

I swear my mattress is full of rocks...at least that is what it feels like on my spine. And yet the mattress is reasonably new and a very good one...we got an excellent one after my surgery in 2006 because I needed to have the best we could get. We got it in 2008 so it's not excessively old. But the insomnia is not new...I finally had enough tho and asked my doctor for something to help...we are still working thru the list to find the best one.

I'm looking to see who I remember from here...seems to be one of the busier boards now. :)

Liz

[southernlady]

Well, wide awake again...woke at 3 and can't get back to sleep. I hate insomnia!

Liz

[puddykat]

Morning all,
Welcome Liz, don't think we've met, nice to meet you. Think your profile said your from TN, if I recall correctly? We've got a lot of snow coming our way tomorrow, at least 6 inches......would you like some???<G> This will be our first big one; it's been an unusual winter so far. Temps have been in 40's, today's last day of that. Don't know if the Packers play in Green Bay, would be nice.....also nice if played in snow storm but don't think that's in the forecast :( Mark, maybe you recall the 'icebowl"?? Don't remember the year, sure do remember the game tho.

I've been almost pain free for last couple days, enjoyed it so much. Today broke the spell when I brought a 28lb box of kitty litter from garage to back bathroom. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. How fast it comes back.

Beeautiful day here in WI, not a cloud in the sky. Last night slept very well. Didn't even turn on TV, got comfy, off to dreamland. Usually not that easy, of course night prior was awake all night....just making up missed sleep. Wish I could nap like you, Mark.

Kitty got a butt hair cut last week, finding she needs a bit more trimming done closer to where she 'delivers'<G> Almost stepped on 'something' this a.m. which was probably stuck to her hair. She's usually very good about things like that, same with trimming toenails......thank God!!!....only time I get a nip is getting her meds down her throat....I wouldn't like getting forced to take them either..mixing in food doesn't work; she's a smarty pants, knows exactly where they are, avoids them like the plague...........ah, could crush, mix w/water, give w/syringe. Sure she'd like that better, plus I wouldn't get my fingers punctured<G>

I was doing a bit of foot preening last night. Cut one nail, didn't realize I snipped myself also til I saw blood....no feeling. strange.

Hope everyone is having less pain today, sleeps better tonight. hugs, kat

[Mark N]

Liz, my wife and I got the mattress with memory foam and it was a big improvement. The only bad thing is it gets very hot and you end up sweating while sleeping. I had given up sleeping in bed with my wife about 8 years ago and this mattress lets me sleep in bed without having terrible pain and spasms. I hope you find one that works for you. PS: We bought another one on Amazon that was very good price.

Kat, Ice Bowl in 1967 against the Cowboys and I was 10 at the time and remember where I was watching it. The Packers are playing all the play-off games at home this year and I saw it was getting colder the next few days with a chance of snow. It isn't supposed to be snowing during the game though. The low pain days do disappear very fast but I hope you get back to those days soon.

I didn't sleep yesterday and got in a couple hours so far but I need to get back to sleep or I will have a lost day. I finished the stairwell for my wife as she wanted me to put some trim on the walls to make them look better. Once again I got her to watch TV with me for a while as we watched her shows. It makes it much better as I don't get much visitors during the day and if she stays upstairs I really feel isolated so she is doing much better now. I did stop over this morning to see Emery and Megan as they were getting ready to leave as I was on my way to the store. Emery had to show me the dishwasher and then point where it was going. She then took me back to her room to show me the new counter for the kitchen and walked back and pointed where it was going. She wasn't acting shy this morning but that may be because momma was getting ready for work. It was nice to stop in for a couple minutes and see them.

[southernlady]

Morning all,
Welcome Liz, don't think we've met, nice to meet you. Think your profile said your from TN, if I recall correctly?
Hope everyone is having less pain today, sleeps better tonight. hugs, kat

Yeap, in TN...we moved here 2 1/2 years ago...husband medically retired and we always wanted to retire in the mtns of TN. So we landed here.

Liz, my wife and I got the mattress with memory foam and it was a big improvement. The only bad thing is it gets very hot and you end up sweating while sleeping. I had given up sleeping in bed with my wife about 8 years ago and this mattress lets me sleep in bed without having terrible pain and spasms. I hope you find one that works for you. PS: We bought another one on Amazon that was very good price.

If you mean memory foam like the temperpedic, I won't touch that one with a 100 ft pole. We had one, I despised it. Too hard and hot for me, too soft for my husband. And then there was the Feb it froze hard as a brick. (we were in the house next to one that had a natural gas explosion...it was Feb in MI and the high temp that month was -10. After three days, they allowed us back in the house but all utilities had been off the entire time we were out of the house. Put my hand down on the mattress and it was literally as hard as a brick...took several hours to thaw and it was even more worthless after that.

I'm open to any suggestions other than the temperpedic.

Liz

[Jo6]

Welcome back Liz. It has been awhile. Hope you are doing as well as possible. Hey Kat!! Girl, you need to pop into the Alzheimers F. now and again. I don't go as much since MIL passed back in May, but I check in to see how everybody is. I've missed you!

Mark, bet you are sleeping this morning. I had a mostly sleepless night. Woke up before 3:00a.m. A real pain this day will be. I can just see that smile on your face when you talk about the grandbaby! I know that feeling and I am just enjoying little Ryleigh so much. She will be 1 in Feb., but she is still so tiny, but getting a bit taller. She was so happy Christmas. most everybody don't see her often, but I think she liked being the center of attention. They live close so I get to see her more than the other great-grandbabies. I like having just 1 at a time. I can enjoy them more. I do love them all though.

Mel and all other's, I think of all of you and wonder how you are. I'll be back when I can sit longer.

My love to you all, Julia aka Jo

[puddykat]

Hi all,
You're right Jo, haven't been to ALZ for quite some time. After the 'blackout' I sorta (speaking of beds) rested my head here and stayed. If I roamed as much as I really want I'd never get off this chair, get nothing done. People here know I love to chat :) I really get confused now on ES board so haven't been there. Hard to keep everyones lives straight and there are a lot of lives there...think confused already.

SIL Steve home from hospital on Tuedsday already, not to go home til Wed/Thurs. Then on way home he had to celebrate by stopping at a sports store first!!! That guy may be very crancy/nervious prior to surgery but shoots all his guns at once once he's outta there. Trouble getting in/out of bed so rests in recliner. Things finally catching up with Kim, his wife; she has shingles...and youngest daughter got ringworm. Using a cream used for athletes foot. Have to google ringworm as SO has it on his shoulder for a few years; he can get cream at store if that works. He came back from heart surgury hospital with that, kidney failure 3 times. Go to em for a cure, come out sicker. Watching SO close now as his kidneys starting to give his trouble again along with BP.

We're just thrilled that Steve is home with his family again. Goes back Jan 23 for checkup.
How's your weather people? We got about 6 inches, temp is 18, real feel 2, winds at 14. Very hard to warm up in here.

Good memory Mark.....someone would ask me where I was at 'this' time....wouldn't have a clue.<G>

TGI to you all, have great weekend........hugs, kat :)

[Leeaelle]

Hi All ~~ I haven't posted in a LONG time, but thought I'd jump in and say "HI". I read back a few pages, and saw where Puddykat's SIL had surgery for cancer, and I'm SO sorry!!! I PRAY that they got it all -- he's sure had a rough time, since he just went thru that last year!!! Prayers are coming! Glad he's home now. :o

I have my granddaughter living with me now. She HAD moved to Mississippi with her Mom, but since her Mom works 2nd shift at a casino, Mariah didn't have any supervision -- and for a teenager, that's not GOOD!! So her Mom and I thought it would be best if she lived with me, and finished up her schooling here, where she BEGAN school. She's been with me since August, and it's been working out quite well. Of course she misses her Mom, but she talks to her every day, and daughter makes the trip up here whenever she can. No way can I drive down there -- this old spine just wouldn't take it.

Melanie ~~ I'm sorry to hear you're having more trouble! It sure seems like this last surgery was EXTRA hard on you! :ambivalence: Did it do you ANY good at all??

I must have slept wrong last night cause I've been "crippled" all day -- my head felt like it was going to blow up, and the back was worse than it's ever been. For once, the right leg didn't hurt, but I almost wish it had -- with the back having all the pain is miserable! Think I'll have a little cheese with my whine.

Anyway -- Hope everyone is ok. Please take care & God bless! :o Hugs, Lee

[Mark N]

Lee, it is good to have you visiting the room. Glad to hear things are going well as adding a family member doesn't always go well. You are right about teens and supervision and I think she is better off with you than having no supervision in the evening.

Kat, good to hear Steve is back home early and if he was stopping by the store to buy a gun you have to wonder about him. I hope your Packers have their defense straightened out as the Giants will be a real test for them.

Julia, you were right about my sleeping and I kept on sleeping for a number of hours. I bet you had fun with the grandbaby and it is nice to hear she lives near to you.

Liz, it is a shame you had such a bad experience with the Temperpedic, ours is actually one made here in Indiana so not the same brand, as it has worked well for us except the sweating. It has been very comfortable for us though.

I finally woke up today and kept busy but didn't do a lot. I did get a piece of wood work on the overhead of the stairs done but that was about all except some tv and reading. It was cold out but I did get out for my script and some Cokes. Not much other than spending the evening with my wife watching Money Ball.

[puddykat]

Lee, good to hear from you; sorry you're in so much pain hon. We Spineys have to stick together. So glad you stopped in, hope you'll keep doing it, love hearing from you.

See if I can get this to work; pic of Steve, girls, Sam, friend walking halls in hospital. Don't know how you're notified there's an attachment......hope it shows up after I "submit reply"......Tallest standing next to Steve is oldest daughter Angela, One peeking thru his armpit is 2nd oldest, Renee...next to her is their cousin Brenna, then there's little Sam, ham of family along with his daddy....both hams<G> Tried copying/pasting but BT wouldn't let me do that.

SO is grocery shopping; his income outweighs our bills, so I'm paying for groceries this time. I also have 2 medical bills to pay. Don't quite understand it but our doc is thinking of dropping medicare patients as some of that $$ comes out of his paycheck. Talk to SO more; get a better handle on it. I would hope he would give his patients fair warning. Mark, pretty sure you're not old enough for Medicare but perhaps have heard of this??

If Temperpedic is like one giant sponge, I couldn't stand that; I still get the occasional hot flash; wouldn't need more with a spongy bed that puts out more heat.

Got out spaghetti sauce from freezer for supper; normally SO loves it but he wants to 'doctor' it up tonight with Italian sausage, spices, etc. I'm sure it'll be good whatever he does to it. I love it, esp. the pasta, love leftover pasta, melted butter/spices, cheese atop; good to go. Kitty would love it too but only table food she gets is chicken/fish, rarely. Don't want to get her hooked.

We got about 7 inches of snow, luckily it's over until next week, and the wind has died down to a whimper.

Mark you should almost be done w/basement; must be a great feeling; all the work you put into it; betcha it looks beautiful. Hope you took some before/after pics. Maybe you'd even like to share? Haven't seen an updated pic of Emery either; she must be growing like a weed! Toss a pic of her in there too.

Well, should get something done while SO gone.....doesn't like noise from vac, now's good time to finish that.

Wishing you all a great weekend......praying for a win on Sunday for the Packers. If we don't get that win, do believe we'll be out of the running right off the bat....not up on how things work.

May your pain be less and less this weekend......and forever. hugs to all, kat Now to see if attachment works........:o

[Mark N]

Kat, like you I have a hard time getting pictures on here so it will be a while if ever that I can put any up. I know it isn't hard once I know how but I don't remember all the steps. Are you ready for the big football game today, Packers take on the Giants. Yes the basement is done except for a few small things. We aren't going going to put in a ceiling over the floor rafters until much later, if ever. Now I will have to find another project to keep me interested. Kat I qualify for medicare because of my disability but I am on my wife's policy instead. Medicare has been cut 500 million dollars by ObamaCare so the doctor have had their fees cut very low and many are not taking new medicare patients or dropping their medicare patients because the fee is so low it can't pay for overhead. When the Bill was passed there were warnings about this but the warnings were ignored saying it was just fear mongering. I hope your doctor works something out for you as a lot of people are going to be put in a bind. Temperpedic isn't like a sponge but it does conform to your body so closely that there isn't air flow under your body which is what causes the heat. The bed isn't for everyone but it is comfortable and doesn't cause pressure points the way traditional mattresses do.


Yesterday was a lazy day as I was awake and did a little bit but felt sleepy all day and dropped off to sleep in the late afternoon sleeping until early AM. It was too cold to get out any way but I wish I could have seen the NFL play-off games especially the 49ers and Saints and the highlights show it was an exciting game. I hope everyone is staying warm with this arctic blast covering a lot of the country. We are supposed to warm up again this week for a couple days before getting back down to winter weather.