Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

Hi All...Smiling for now...I have just returned from spending the day in the hospital emergency room...over 8 hours spent with treatments, exams, blood work ups, x-rays and cat scans all to find out why I was in such explosive pain...and they found that I had compressed fractures...due to the dog attack two weeks ago...who would have thunk it???? Not I....but now I will spend 4 t0 8 weeks trying to allow proper healing to take place...big fun time ahead...not!!! Oh well...at least I know and it's treatable...it really could have been worse and needed surgery, which I couldn't have since I can't have anesthesia anymore ..so I am somewhat lucky. I have very strong pain meds so I should be okay...Now to stay away from big dogs knocking me down...lol. Gotta laugh to keep from crying...which would do nothing to help...life goes on.

Just dropping by to say Hello!

Heidi, I'm so glad it was an easy fix for your AC! Too bad filters aren't covered by the warranty. It's the same here, and the filter costs around $70 or $75, I think.

Midge, how thoughtful of you to knit dog coats and now people beanies. Your current cold weather suggests a large need for them! Good luck with the decluttering of your house - something we REALLY must get around to at our house, as well. You can do it! Keep track of your accomplishments this month, and let us know how you do.

Thanks for the update, Mama! It's not a great diagnosis, but at least you now know why you're experiencing so much pain. And as you say, luckily it doesn't require surgery, which you wouldn't be able to have. May your recovery be as quick and easy as possible. (Yes, I know that 4 to 8 weeks is a very long time.) You can do it!

Sending healing energy, positive thoughts, prayers, gentle {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and for everyone!

A bird sitting on the branch of a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch but on its own wings. Always believe in yourself! ~ Unknown

At the end of the day, tell yourself gently, 'I love you. You did the best you could today. And even if you didn't accomplish all you had planned, I love you anyway.' ~ Unknown

Heidi, you be sure to get yourself a good supply of air filters. I would not wait till the house starts getting hot to change it, either, but set a schedule for every 6 or 7 weeks. Running the unit with a clogged air filter is not good for the unit, it has to work harder, and would be prone to breakdowns. air filters are a lot cheaper than service calls and repairs, AND you stay cool, too

Julie, glad you made it to the site with enough energy to read and post. Once again, not a single word about what is happening in your neck of the woods. Finding enough to keep you busy now that the music lessons are giving you a break? We do like to hear about YOU, remember? About coloring books, there are so many different kinds available, and you can order from Amazon.com. Even can get many as downloadable, printable files. If you buy the digital book, you buy the right to print as many copies of each page as you want. If buying a hard copy book, I like the ones that have one print per page, nothing on the back side of it. good if you want to frame, and almost a necessity if you want to use markers instead of pencils. You can find them so many places now, all the craft stores, Target, Walmart, even some of the pharmacies have a few.

I asked our activity director is there was some way we could hang out creations. Tape or pins are not allowed on the walls, of course, but she will bring clothes line cord tomorrow, I will supply clothes pins, have dozens I am not using, and we hope to get it done tomorrow. We can change them out as more people finish their masterpiece.

Midge, did I forget why you are going to hospital? Whatever reason, hope everything goes as well as can be, that your docs are knowledgeable and have a good bedside manor. Please try to let us know how it goes.

Posting this before I turn the page, as I often loose a post doing that. Hugs!

MAMA, I am so glad you went to the ER, and were taken seriously there. so many times going in complaining of pain, you will not get much help. to many drug seekers go in complaining of back pain or headaches, cause those are hard to find a cause, so that excuse is used. Happy you were taken seriously, and they found the cause.

Did you get a brace or splint of any type to keep from re-injuring the back while waiting for it to heal? Are you OK taking the strong pain pills? Not dizzy or forgetful? we would not want you falling, or forgetting you have turned on the stove. Just be careful is what I am saying. Prayers and sincere wishes for fast and complete healing.

Julie, love both of your TOPS, even if they are twice removed

These filters are supposed to last a year under normal conditions. or 6 months in a household like mine. Apparently, there are no households like mine. They're expensive, though.... ~$40 apiece. Not much less than a service call.

Mama... Please take care of yourself. Coddle yourself. That's gotta hurt.
I believe the owner of that dog needs to pay your ER expenses.

Heidi, any chance you can vacuum the filters to prolong their life? Just a thought.....

Yeah, I know ''they'' don't recommend it, but...........

Midge.... You are a truly good person. With all of your problems you keep thinking about others.

DOrA... Since the reason for the filters is to keep the air cleaner, and to keep junk out of the AC unit to keep it running and keep me comfortable, It's worth the expense to follow their directions and recommendations. It's in my best interests. So I'll do it. Penny pinching rarely pays off.

My 30 year old AC has a filter on the front which I vacuum and the other two were the ones we had serviced and the filters were taken out and cleaned. (I now know where they are). We must have a different type of AC.
I am getting an injection in my knee today. I do hope it helps with my walking.
I played bowls yesterday but my back was not happy about half way through the game. I then put a heat pack under the brace and finished the game! (and we won)

Another frost this morning but looks like it will be a nice sunny day. I will be able to sit in the sunroom and enjoy the warmth.

Mamacita how horrible. I hope the owner of the dog is aware of the consequences of his thoughtlessness. June it must be hard to keep your back ok in this cold. I'm amazed you are back at bowls. We are having hail again today. My dear Truman has already lost his new coat - we cannot find it anywhere. Maybe put it with his collection of mouldy doonas and towels he pulled off the line and hid down the backyard - the only place I haven't looked as it was raining too hard to go down there. We really are finding out why he was in the pound!!! MizT - I have heard so much of these adult colouring books (a couple of my friends are hooked) and how lovely to be able to hang finished creations for others to enjoy. Just like your garden - which reminds me, what type of plants did you replace the pansies with? My op is to have stoma bag reversed. It is elective surgery - with our public system I would have to wait 12-18 months for this one and at the moment I am better than I have been for a while so best to jump in now. Will have an ileostomy bag for a few months and hopefully have that removed - then I can swim again - how I am looking forward to that!! Going to an AFL football show tonight with daughter and BF - it should be fun Of course it is my team that is hosting the event - Collingwood. There is a standard joke here that supporters don't have teeth, intelligence and are bogans. Not true - I have my teeth!! Back to work, take care everyone.

Midge, I bought Pentas for one of the large containers. I had one in a smaller container, bought 2 more to go with, the 3 of them fill a 16 inch pot. Pentas have a cluster of tiny pink flowers, the clusters making a ball, much like a zonal geranium does, only smaller floweretts, smaller diameter ball. this is my first year to grow those, they are annuals here, and a bit pricey to buy, but worth it for a spot of something different. The other flowers I bought were orange Zinnias, but they did not go in the second big container. I took 2 smaller containers, that contained begonias and geraniums, both red, to fill that container, then popped the zinnias into the smaller pots.

I had watered everything deeply on Sunday, but today many of the flowers were so wilted and dry. any container that did not have a reservoir of water (so called self watering pots) was really suffering. OH SHOOT, I did not check flowers in the back garden. the hanging baskets should be OK, but the coleus are in pots that do not have a reservoir, I must check those first thing tomorrow, DRATS! It was so very hot, temp near 100, but a bit lower humidity, I went inside to cool down, and never went back out.

Back under shoulder blade is screaming, I think it is pain med time, and I need my recliner and heat pad. House is getting hotter and hotter inside with 2 days of 3 digit heat and sunshine outside. Maybe I will try an ice pack instead of heat.

Hugs, till later.

MizT heat pad on shoulder and ice pack on neck - good luck I hope it helps with the pain meds. Looked up Pentas on google and I actually had some of these growing but only one season. The frost knocked them off pretty quickly - also a long time ago. I have coleus growing inside (west facing window) and they need watering every few days as they dry out with the heating on. My poor garden is badly in need of some TLC. Only thing flowering now is a yellow daisy and orange hibiscus (planted back in 1973) so is looking pretty sad. Looking forward to spring and better weather to tackle front garden. Back garden is very overgrown (also with blackberries).My boys are having a working bee on this area. I wish them luck - I will only have to provide food and that is easy. Cheers for now.

The storm that came through this afternoon knocked the power out for an hour. It's amazing how fast the house can heat up after 1 hour of no AC. I also had to reboot the fridge again.

Hi, Everyone!

I can't keep my eyes open, so it's off to bed for me. Sending a goodly supply of prayers, positive thoughts, , healing energy, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}}

Heidi, we did not have rain yesterday, in fact for a week previous, but today is a rainy day, yeah! Gentle rain for about an hour, with more forecast. I hope it rains most of the day. that will give my AC a chance to cool down the apartment, cloudy, cooler. I think apartment got the hottest it ever has yesterday. four days of near 100* sunny days, and overnight temps that stayed near 80, just could not cope.


BIG VENT Follows: you can skip if you do not need to read about my first world problems. . . .

Unusual thing happening with my kitchen sink. I thought I remembered the drain had a one way valve to prevent back ups from the large main drain that runs in the hallway. sink is on the inside wall of apartment, through that wall is the hallway between apartments, so any backup has no slack in interior pipes, it will go straight to kitchen sink. I have been getting soap suds from the drain, the drain that carries all waste, sewage drain. Only air with sewer gas smell and soap suds get through the one way valve, but I still consider this sewage contamination. I will not use my sink for anything with a thorough disinfecting with bleach. In last 10 days it backed up 4 times, about an inch of soap suds. anyone in apartment can hear when it happens, that loud of a gurgle. I sent in a report via e mail to both Jan, who makes out work orders for maintenance, and to Linda, who is in charge of inspections and major repairs. Tim E came up with a plunger, after I had told them the sink drains normally as soon as the back up is complete, my frain is not stopped up. AAGGGGGH, why they cannot get the correct message to Tim, but that is another matter, that deserves it's own vent.

Here I am...I've been arguing with my back for awhile ...to no avail...it just won't stop hurting it seems. Yes, I'm in pain and yes, I'm getting better...the doctors said 4-8 weeks, so its only been a few days since he said that...so I know it will take time...BUT I don't want it too ..I want it to stop...Darn it! The meds simply dull the pain and take a long time to kick in...I will have to be more patient..but it's hard. My vent for print...the oral couldn't be typed...Lol.
My check in for now...sending good wishes to all and will read later...know that I care. Peace.

continued . . . .

I just found the remainder of this post, not sure how I sent only part of it.


What Tim is doing is NOT correcting the matter. He said it is a problem they have not yet located the cause. I am not a harpy camper. Not a germ-a-phoebe, but raw sewage in my kitchen scares me. Till it can be solved, I shall keep the chlorine bleach handy, and never put any dishes in the sink.

OOOPS, hours later now and I find this post still in my out box. Interrupted and did not get back. Tanya came with groceries, so I did not have to go to store, yeah. I had a tummy bug all day yesterday and this morning, but that is now gone, but is the reason she shopped for me today. So sweet of her to get the necessities for me, only 8 items, but will tide me over an extra week. She also took home laundry, it is magical, having these things done for me, and much appreciated.

We had a root beer float party today, today was National Root Beer Float Day, and since there are no major holidays in August to celebrate, Staff gave us the Floats Party.

Monday was national Watermelon Day, they served watermelon in Commons, two 'parties' in one week, and reasonably in expensively, too. there was Scrabble, had a ball. If you cannot score high points at scrabble, next best thing is scoring unusual words. I had HUSSARS, MEWS, MEDIA(which had not been used in our games in the 2 years I have been playing, and another unusual word that I was able to fit into a crowded board when I had no vowels, and made a secondary word going down. fun for me today!

Mary gifted Lin a new shirt today. (Two weeks in a row she received a shirt) Mary found a great marked down sale, bought 6 shirts for $60, and one of them was almost half that amount, so the other five for just over $30, real deals. She has 3 others she was going to take back (shirt she brought Lin was not returnable) so I am going to take a look, see if I like and they fit me, and will refund her $$ to her. One of them sounds really my style and colors.

I got the nicest note from an old class mate who now lives in Atlanta. He had come to our 55th class reunion, got my address and information about me there, so he sent a very touching note, offering condolences on the loss of my husband so recently. He skillfully and tactfully let me know he is married but included his phone number, his address and e mail, inviting me to 'catch him up' on the 50 years since we last spoke. I shall answer his short letter soonest.

I need to close for now and SEND this time. I was so busy I went 7 hours between meds, supposed to take it every 4-6 hours, because keeping pain under control is so much easier treating once it is firmly entrenched. I need to hold down my recliner for a bit.

Hugs to each of you, with extras.

MAMA, Do you take your pain meds 'by the clock', as often as prescribed? With that kind of pain, as I just said in post above, it is so much better to keep pain under control instead of treating after it returns. If meds are not lasting until time for next dose, I suggest you call the doc and let them know. Some adjustment could be made, even reduced dose at closer intervals sometimes works. doc will not know your meds are not effective unless you tell him.

Of course he might tell you he cannot safely increase the pain meds, but he should be aware. AND there are non narcotic meds he might could add, and nursing measures that could help. A chat with him might be beneficial. Things I would ask about, if it were me, can I use ice or heat for pain relief, how about a topical anti-inflammatory (Voltaren Gel which is a prescription, or Capsacin Topical) or Lidocaine patches? A TENS unit (those are now less than $50 on the internet) Relaxation and visualization is good, Physical Therapy could help with pain management with deep heat, massage of non injured areas, because you tense to try to splint the injury, a natural instinctive reaction to pain that can cause pain. Unrelieved pain can cause other problems, especially in the elderly. Elderly like you and me and a few others here hehehe

I do not like to know any of my friends are in such pain. Sending thoughts, prayers and wishes that your pain is soon MUCH better, and that the doc overestimated how long it will still be hurting you.

Take care sweetie, and come vent any time you want. Phone me if having someone listen to the unprintable oral vent would help, I am a good listener, and not much I have not heard. If you came up with something new would be a bonus for my continuing education. hehehe.

Big day at the bowling club today. I did not play but just one of the volunteer workers.
Tomorrow night we are flying to Melbourne to watch our grandson play AFL football U/13 grand final. (Australian Football) and will be back Monday afternoon. I will be very busy to may not have time to post any comments.

Have fun watching your grandson, June! I hope his team wins!

June, safe travels, enjoy.

Hi, Everyone!

Safe travels to you, June, and enjoy watching your grandson play in the grand final.

No time to read further up the page, so wishing everyone a good night/day and sending positive thoughts, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing energy, and !

Busy day today, after another night I did not get to sleep till the wee hours. Five hours sleep will do if only occasionally, but too many bunched way close together lately.

Tanya and I shopped a dollar store. I have been looking for flowers and a basket, flat and shallow, to make a door hanging. Kind of use the flat basket as a frame for the flowers, letting flowers spill out of it over edge. The bottom of the basket is what touches the door. Hope you can see it, I see it in my mind. did not find the glue sticks I need, was also looking for colored pencils and fine tipped, I mean really fine tipped, washable markers. I did find a cute pencil box that can take just what pencils I am working with on any coloring page. Served well today as I took it down and worked a while this evening. Much better light in the Bird Room than in apartment.

We picked up take away, strawberry fields salad from Wendy's, for a late lunch, yummy. such a huge salad, with more chicken than usual, was enough for both lunch and dinner.

Sleepy now, hope eyes stay droopy once I fall into bed. Hugs to each of you, with extras.

Greetings! A quiet day here, I see.

MizT, the salad sound yummy. Perhaps we should head to a nearby Wendy's & try it out.

I hope you're not becoming a convert to late nights followed by early mornings! It's a habit I'm trying to change!

Your description of the door hanging you hope to make is good. I have it pictured in my mind!

Sending lots of , healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, positive thoughts, and prayers!

That door hanging does sound interesting, MizT. I THINK I have it pictured, too.

I need to mow the lawn, but haven't been able to because of all the rain. The grass hasn't been given time to dry off before it gets wet again. We were supposed to have a 4-5 day window without rain (IH had the hay cut 2 days ago!!! against my wishes) but it's been raining every night, and overcast during the day. At least the heat wave has broken.

Another baby cockatiel is getting ready to leave the nest box! And 2 more have hatched in another nest box. I'm having a cockatiel population explosion! This makes 15 of them! I'm gonna have to set up another flighr cage for them. Their present cage is 1 meter x 1 meter x 2 meters high. I'm gonna have to figure out how to join 2 cages that size together, with a panel to separate them if I need to catch a bird.

My lawn mower got 2 flat tires. I was able to fix 1 flat, but not the other. The lawn is 1/3 mowed, and won't get finished until the mower is fixed. Which doesn't exactly upset me. The grass is still a bit too wet to mow.

Hi, Everyone!

Heidi, congratulations on all the baby cockatiels! Good luck finding & setting another flight cage! Sorry about 2 flat tires on your lawn mower. The only good thing about it is that you can take a break from mowing.

Time to head to bed for tonight. Sending healing energy, , positive thoughts, prayers, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}}!

Greetings friends, I only have a minute to check in this morning. I am out of here in one hour to go to appointment for a hearing test. My insurance is covering the test, and they have a partnership with a company to get hearing aides at a reduced price. Perhaps they can help me to hear TV and conversations better.

Yesterday I took a trash bag of clothing to Mary's apartment, to see if she wanted anything Tanya and I had culled from our closets. Linn and Judy will get a chance to look later this week. I had to make room for the things I could wear from Tany's discards.

cloudy today, my apartment is staying cooler now, I am a happy camper.

Hugs to each of you, with extras, will try to get back to read soon.

Home from Melbourne and nice to be back to warmer weather. They came second in the football but it was great to catch up with our Melbourne family. The boys are growing up so fast.
I have heard from Mamacita. Her computer is not working. She is still in a lot of pain and the decision for Jazz to cross the rainbow bridge has been made for Tuesday so she is quite distressed. She sends her thoughts to you all. (I got a message from her daughter)

I am SO sorry to hear about Jazz. That just adds to Mamacita's pain.

((((( gentle HUGS ))))), Mama.

Raining here again. This IS getting old.

I got the tire from the mower fixed and put back on. Now I have to wait for the ground and grass to dry up a little more before finishing the mowing.

Thinking of you Mamacita - it is a hard time but you are helping your friend the best way possible.xx

Sending thoughts and prayers, Mamacita. It is such a difficult decision to make, and I know much thought and consideration of both Jazz's needs and yours have gone into the decision-making process. Also sending many gentle {{{HUGS}}} your way. We're here for you, even if your computer isn't working and you're not aware of our support.

Hello to Everyone! No time to write much of a comment, but sending good wishes, positive thoughts, prayers, healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and for everyone!

Hi everyone.
I haven't been able to contribute much of interest lately.
Hope you are all coping ok with life, both with the ups and downs and great times too.
Thinking of you Ouima

Son and I are planning another trip to the U.S. in December. Hope we see some snow. Going via Germany with a 2 day stop over.
Take Care evryone

Rest In Peace, Jazz.
Mamacita.