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

[Melanie]

I know it's been a hundred years since I've been here. I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to stay away, it's just things I'm dealing with right now. Pain is really bad, but I see the NP at my PM's office today so hopefully we can get things going in the right direction. Plus I've been sick more than not the last few months.

But I really wanted to pop in and wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day (although I guess I missed it :( ) And I wanted to thank Mark and other vets for their services. I never want to know what life might be without the sacrifices our military and families have made through the years. Thank You.

[Mark N]

Melanie, it is really good to see you although I am really sorry to hear about your pain and illness problems. Thanks for the Memorial Day wish and I hope your son, a fellow Marine, and his wife had a good weekend. I hope the NP can get you going in the right direction as a PM office is supposed to make the pain easier to bear. It is hard to get around here when you are sick and in pain so I hope you find relief soon.

I have been having bad pain and spasms lately but I am just trying to work through them for now. I hope I don't have to make any changes to get the pain back under control and just find out it has been a flare. Penny and I went for a walk this morning and it was a flop as I could barely get around after a couple of blocks. We went again in the afternoon and that one was much better as I wasn't feeling so woozy. It looks like our hot temps will come to an end in another day but will get back up after just a couple of cooler days.

[Mark N]

Boy I sleep for a day and wake up the next day and it is much cooler. We had a little bit of rain today but it was cloudy until the afternoon and then the sun came out making feel even warmer. It is suppose to be much cooler today as the high is supposed to be just 60. I did get out to the dr today and stop by the library to turn in two books and pick up two more. Later on I mowed the yard and then got the electric trimmer out and trimmed our bushes that were growing quite a bit. Not much else going on today.

[mrsQ]

Melanie good to see you. I hope the NP will do something to help your pain.
Maybe it is the time of year because mine is acting up something awful the last few weeek. It is all around that L5/s1 area & it just makes standing so hard. I can do it, but the pain makes me start sweating and wanting to throw up which is never fun.
We had that front come through and bring us bit of rain yesterday. It is suppose to be around 90 today which is much better than the upper 90's. The weather channel was calling for us to get up to 99 on monday . It is way to early to deal with that kinda heat.
I have to go do the shopping in the city today at Sams Club & I am not looking forward to it at all. I let Mr. Q do it last time due to my back & we have been out of everything. lol
I hope everyone has a good day .

[Mark N]

We got a heavy rain yesterday with the cool front so we have caught up with the rain we needed. It really rained hard and we had a small river coming down the alley. It is cool enough today Penny had the heat turned back on. Not a lot going on other than the change in weather. It seems like I get around do a few dishes and fix myself something to eat and that is about all I can do. I hope everyone else is doing okay. Karen I hope you got your pantry stocked back up and it didn't cause you to be in too much pain.

[Leeaelle]

Hi All ~ Melanie -- Good to see you, but I'm SO sorry to hear you've been ill and also in so much pain!! I was SO hoping that you were doing better after the last surgery, but I see that's not so. I sure hope your doc can do something for you, and make you more comfortable! PLEASE keep us posted on what happens, ok?

Mrs. Q -- Sounds like you're having an awful time too. I hope you haven't had any changes in your spine and there's nothing new going on. It's so hard to know just what to do sometimes.

Mark - I hope your pain & spasms have eased. I think I hate the spasms more than anything. They take the wind right out of you!

I too have been having a rough time with pain. It's the weather doing it for me, I think but it has been getting worse right along. My doc says it's arthritis, mostly, but they did find another bulge, and "moderate" stenosis. Just wish he'd UP the medication cause what I've got isn't touching it. We'll have a talk soon. '

My daughter just moved home from Tennessee after being gone for 2 years, so I'm DELIGHTED to have her home again!!! She got home 2 days ago, and we're catching up. She would come home for Christmas, but that's just not the same as having her here. So I'm a happy mother! LOL

Hope all are doing as well as they can! Take care & God bless. Hugs, Lee

[mrsQ]

Lee I'm glad your daughter has moved home.

Guess I'm just having one of those good ol pity party days. Just because what is wrong with me isn't easy to see & I try to do what I can instead of sit and whine it seems my family just takes for granted they don't need to help. It just makes me want to sit down and not do a dang thing. I'm sure tommrow will be better but geesh today can just hurry up and be over.
I hope yalls weekend is going better.

[Mark N]

Karen, it is so easy for others to not see our struggle because our condition is generally hidden. They just don't realize all the health issues we deal with and the impact of constant unbearable pain is for someone. Yes everyone deals with pain but they deal with short time pain and don't realize it changes when it becomes chronic. I hope you have a better day today.

Lee, it is good to see you in the room. I better you are a happy mom after having your daughter back following a two year absence. It seems like increased pain is something we are all dealing with right now.

I got out and did some yard work a couple times today. Penny and I took a walk to the kids house and there was Emery standing between the curtain and the window waiting for us to walk down the sidewalk. Megan said she was wanting to play with us so we stayed longer than we planned. Emery like usual made sure we all had our own stuffed toy to hold as I got the giant Pooh Bear this time. When we got back home I went out to do some more edging when Penny came out and asked if I wanted to take her and Tyrel out to DQ. I got in cleaned up and we made a quick run over there and boy were they busy. It was a nice break though as we haven't been there in a couple of months. The kids are coming over today so we will have a family meal of tacos.

[Mark N]

I had a good day today despite the muscle spasms and increased pain. The kids and Emery came over for a lunch of tacos. Emery as usual was a treat. She started of as a daddy's girl which is very unusual for her. She made sure he had a plate and was getting his taco put together and eating it. After eating Darrin went out on the porch swing and Emery was looking out the door at him so I asked if she wanted to go out and she said yes. She pointed to the seat on the swing for me to sit down then she proceeded to push us so the swing would go. Next she wanted to go into the yard and we went out barefoot so the grass would tickle our feet. She wanted to play tag and ran from me squealing and laughing all the way. We did that over and over until finally Penny came into the yard and Emery used her as the safe base. I would chase her and she would go running to Penny to get wrapped up in her arms laughing and carrying on. My spasms finally got the best of me and I had to go down to my chair in the basement but Penny and Tyrel kept playing with her. I asked Megan and Darrin if they were ready a year from now to have two little girls running and squealing around the house. Darrin came down to the basement for a bit and watched TV with me. Darrin and Megan were tired and ready to go home and told Emery it was time but Emery said "dont gamma gammpa's" meaning I don't want to leave grandma and grandpa's house; so they stayed a while longer so she could play some more until they had to leave. It was such a nice day and so much fun. I hope everyone had a good weekend despite our pain.

[Leeaelle]

Hi All ~ The birds are all cheeping - they sure get up early!!! My daughter made dinner last night and that was sure nice. I haven't had anyone make dinner for me in a LONG time, and it was a nice change. I had planned on cooking, but she took over the kitchen and made me sit down. YIPPEE. LOL It's great to have her home!
It was a nice day here yesterday -- the high was only 77 and it was pretty windy, so wasn't too bad. I still don't have my air conditioner in, so i hope it doesn't get too hot for a few days.

Not too much going on. Granddaughter giving me fits, but now her MOTHER has to deal with her -- hehehe. I can just sit back and relax and be a spectator. I love it.

Wish I could get rid of the pain issues -- as i'm sure the rest of you do too. I'm SOOOO tired of it all.

Hope everyone is doing well and I hope everyone checks in. We sure are missing a bunch of people and I miss them all. Have a great day! Hugs, Lee

[mrsQ]

Lee I sure hope you get your a/c in before it gets hot. It was 92 here tonight at 7pm still. They had said we would get some rain today but it stayed way north of us. I hate it but there is no way I can water this whole lot ( 1/2 ac. ) if I keep the plants alive we will be doing good. We have a tiny little vegtable plot with about 8 plants I could not even tell I had put a drop of water on them after about half an hour. I guess I need a soaker hose , the problem is the Lab thing a water hose is a toy. LOL

I love hearing your stories about what Emery is up to Mark, thanks for sharing them.

[Mark N]

Lee, good to hear your daughter is making dinner and giving you a break. Yes you can sit back and let her take care of her daughter while you watch and don't get involved. So all our cool weather is because you don't have the AC in yet:).

Karen, we have been getting the rain that went North of you. Dogs have a tendency to think hoses are chew toys so it isn't surprising your Lab thinks the soaker hose is a toy. I had our soaker hose out today to get some water in spots. Most of our plants are established well enough they can get by with just a little bit of rain.

I have been exhausted since Sunday and today was the first day I got out of the house this week. Even now I am ready to conk out and sleep. I did get out to the doctor for my weekly injection and the pharmacy for my meds.

[Mark N]

Despite taking it easy my pain levels are way up just the way they have been lately. I am at the point that my meds don't work all the way until the next dose. I am not want to increase the dosage but I have been steady for 8 years so I may have no choice if this keeps up. A few months ago I dent through the same thing but my pain dropped back to its normal levels so I hope the same happens this time. I didn't sleep last night but did sleep during the day. I was able to get my SUV set up for an oil change on Monday. I also was able to edge the sidewalk but didn't do any more than that.

[Mark N]

Despite being awake for more than 36 hours now I still don't feel sleepy. I was able to get a few things down today despite feeling I was lacking energy. I made it to the dr for my weekly injection, came home and mowed the yard, and then scrapped, at least got the job started, the kitchen window so prep the outside to be painted as the paint is peeling pretty bad. Penny came home and I had sloppy joes and home made french fries ready for supper following her daily walk. We also watched a couple of the new season shows on USA that we like - Burn Notice - Suits so it was a good day. It was nice to have a good day since the past three have been awake at night when everyone is asleep and sleeping mid-morning through mid-evening and not getting to be with the family much.

I hope all have been having a good week and have plans for Father's Day this Sunday. If we have any plans they are being kept from me but I have dropped some reminders.

[mrsQ]

Mark I hope you get some sleep this weekend.
I think sometimes we are awake so long we just can't get sleepy. I know I have been trying to make myself sleep on the days I have help with my mother in law. I come in the quest room where it stays nice and dark & argue with myself about sleep NOW...it seldom works. Then you have everyone wanting to know why your not asleep. What really is crazy is that I have now got to the point where I wake up every 2 to 21/2 hours without an alarm even when I'm not having to turn my mother in law which is just so not good. I actually got to sleep yesterday while the help was here, woke up with a muscle cramp in my leg but thought at least I got some sleep....then when I looked at the clock I discovered I had been asleep a whole 24 min!!

I love my father but he has some issues and holidays seem to make them worse, the older he has gotten the worse he acts on them so we made no plans for Father's day.
Monday is my folks 45th weddnig ann. so I'm going to try to go up and us all just have a meal together if he will behave.

I hope your family has something nice planned for you Mark.

I did manage to work in the yard a bit yesterday morning. Nothing major just getting the grass cut and the weeds pulled out of the flower beds which my L5/s1 quickly let me know is not a good idea. My petunias out in front of my porch are blooming so good now that we got some rain & between them and the gardina it sure does smell like summer time around here.