Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

“May the stars carry your sadness away,
May the flowers fill your heart with beauty,
May hope forever wipe away your tears,
And, above all, may silence make you strong.” ~ Chief Dan George

Love the topp, Julie!

My mother couldn’t eat pineapple. She had a reaction that mimicked malaria. Or some sodas. The doctors wouldn’t believe she had never been further north than Brisbane. They were convinced she was lying to them, though why she’d lie about something like that I have no idea.

When I lived in Hawaii, some of the folks at my 'working place' had relatives who worked at Dole. Periodically, they would bring in boxes of ''cull'' pineapple, to share. Would you believe that pineapple can be too ripe to can? Mmmm, good! Just like candy...

Nice TOPP Julie!
I love pineapple and have never had a reaction to it. My son tells people he is allergic to it but he's not, he just doesn't like it. He says it's my fault for giving him too much pineapple as a kid. Well, pardon me for wanting him to have a healthy diet!

We have a new saga happening with Col and the treatment of his eye. Last time he went to the Doc at the public hospital he was told they would send him an appointment for the end of August. When one wasn't forthcoming he phoned them earlier this week to be told that he was 'on the waiting list' and would get an appointment when one is available, possibly 2-3 months. He phoned Workcover who have authorised him to see a private specialist which he will be doing and Workcover will reimburse. With a spot of luck we managed to get in with my sister's opthalmologist who already knows about Col's case and is following it. Can't get in until Oct 10th but as soon as a cancellation comes up he'll see the new doc. I'm not thinking that means that anything will happen any faster but it will mean a more personal approach.
For a time there it just felt like he had fallen through the cracks and was in limbo. I don't blame the staff at the hospital, any visit there showed up their problems with understaffing and ridiculous bureaucracy.

Cyn, I knew someone years ago whose son drove (sped) into a tree. When he got to the hospital he saw a variety of doctors, with no one making a real plan. Then the confirmation that it was covered by workcover came through and she said everything changed, suddenly there was one doctor in charge of coordinating his treatment and things started to happen. She believed it was because the hospital knew they’d get more money for his treatment. Based on your experiences, it seems more like coincidental timing.

PS, I’m glad he is going to be treated by someone who cares.

Suzy, how unfortunate that your mother couldn't eat pineapple. Even worse that doctors wouldn't believe her.

DOrA, I hadn't heard of cull pineapple. I guess it makes sense. Possibly it was so ripe that it began to ferment? I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to get the juice on my hands, but it sounds like it was good to eat!

CynB, how awful that the hospital didn't get Col on the schedule for this month, and now say 2-5 more months. I'm glad he'll be able to see a private doctor. Oct. 10 is still a long wait, but being on a waiting list in case there is a cancellation could well get him in sooner. I agree with Suzy; it's good to know that he will be working with someone who care about him as a person!

Thinking of all of our friends, including those who aren't able to post frequently and sending healing energy, positive thoughts & vibes, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, prayers, and

I’m friends with most of my exes, but it’s a run into each other occasionally type friends. Two did come to my wedding. I was in the US when they got married so I don’t know if I would have been invited.

I don’t suppose I should be surprised by Alie, after all she did share a flat with an ex and a current. She is right now playing a game online with her ex, who is in Queensland, while her current, who is in Sydney, plays a different game he bought today.

Doc at last appointment wants to do a blood patch, thinking headaches are from a wet tap', or leak of spinal fluid. Not sure I agree, but it is somewhere to start. He wanted to do it next day, Wednesday, but insurance approval did not come till Thursday.am. the scheduler did not see it when it came in, so I phoned. Even with the expidited status of the approval, and the fact the doc had himself put me on schedule for Erdnesday, She would not schedule me until Monday.
that is the first available appointment. DRats. I have asked to do this with a local, instead of sedation, since this week they gave me sedation medication I have had problems with and yep, had repeat problem that night. the local way, I do not have to have a driver and can again travel the one block via power chair.

CynB. I know what you mean about all those channels and nothing to watch. Three of my past favorite channels are not on the basic package. I can change levels for $20 and pick up 2 of those channels, but lately really not a bunch to watch that I had not seen or not anything to do with channel name. History channel has 'the greatest catch' a commercial FISHING reality show. All channels seem to be loaded with reality shows, those are cheap to produce. I am getting my documentary type fix now on Alabama Public TV. I found the 'remind me' function, and scan the programs and set reminders for the new shows I want to see, If I do that every day first thing, I think the basic will give me something to watch for a long while.

I don’t watch much reality TV, only the occasional singing one. Actually I don’t watch tv at all anymore. I suspect I might start if I end up living alone, but for now I just read and play games.

I fell down! It’s kind of raining. Not enough to need an umbrella, but enough to make the yellow marker paint on paths slippery. There is blood all over my flip flops and I ache a little, but it’s not too bad.

Good luck with your test MizT!

I don't recall being able to take cull pineapple home when I was at Golden Circle. It possibly wasn't suitable for eating anyway, as some of it was discarded because it had a fungus in it. The fungus apparently would cause cans to explode if it was left in.

It probably isn't allowed now, but we could eat all the pineapple we wanted while we were at work. Boy did we learn quickly which were the nice sweet pieces! I remember at the start of one season I was so low on funds that I lived almost entirely on pineapple and milk until payday (Friday). Milk was 18c a pint then, I doubt it would be a viable option now even if eating the pineapple is still permitted.

MizT, I'm sorry your insurance approval was a day late and has delayed your appointment. I hope everything will proceed as planned on Monday, and hope you will get some relief for your headaches! I hope they will honor your request to do it with a local.

I hope all is well with you, Heidi, and that your ear has improved.

Thinking of each of our friends and sending healing energy, positive thoughts and vibes, prayers, , and {{{{{HUGS}}}}}

Suzy, so sorry you fell on the slippery marker paint on paths. Hoping you were able to clean and cover the wound adequately. Also hoping the aches go away quickly!

Oh my, saltie! I can't imagine having only pineapple to eat and milk to drink. I hope that didn't last for too long. That's not very much protein, and so many other nutrients missing as well. Isn't it amazing how we often had to pinch pennies and live from pay check to pay check when we were younger. I remember as a newlywed living on 1/2 of hubby's annual teaching salary (total just under $6,000 a year) and saving all of my teaching salary (smaller, of course) and the other half of his in the hopes of one day being able to buy a house. Our lunches and dinners were usually a hot dog or a peanut butter & jelly sandwich back then. We didn't go out, not even to a movie. But we eventually were able to buy a house.

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Stay safe and well. Feel free to share these {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, prayers, healing energy, , and positive thoughts!

Today's score:

'Bees' - 3

DorA - 0

Ouch!

Julie, your early financial plan sounds like some serious Teamwork, to me...

Julie, it was five days. Most of my nutrients came from the milk. Three pints a day, one on the way to work, one at lunchtime, and one on the way home. Then when I got home there was a slice of bread loaded up with dripping, salt and pepper (I thought it tasted like mock chicken). And tea. A cup of tea at the canteen cost almost as much as my three pints of milk, so it was off my menu that week.

Pre-surgery tests scheduled so far: EGD on Sept 7th, Sleep Study on Sept 15th. There are something close to a dozen different tests I have to go thru,'including psychiatric evaluation, before I can have the bariatric surgery.
Meanwhile, my groin muscle is slowly healing but the torn muscle in my right arm is getting worse.I'm thinking about visiting the ER tomorrow. I have no use of my right arm.

Ouch DorA! I hope you know some pain reducing remedies. I wouldn’t have a clue.

Julie, that was a high price to pay for a house. My brother, the one I don’t talk to, paid triple mortgage payments on his first apartment and lived on breakfast cereal, including his toddler son and wife for a long time so they could upgrade to a house with minimal mortgage. It was weetbix, which aussies and kiwis would know. My generation grew up on them.

Saltie, that would have been a tough week. I don’t know if I’d ever want to eat pineapple again after that!

Heidi, I can’t believe you haven’t already seen someone about your arm. Go.

Julie, I am not sure how to turn off my location thing on my phone. That one weather app is the only place I see this happening. Wonderful weather warning app, I can choose what I want to be warned of, from just tornadoes, to fire weather, 'cover your plants' kind of frost warnings. I do not want to loose the app. My location is not showing me moving about, it is just by my address that it shows where my door to apartment is located.

I just finished watching a very interesting program on Public Broadcast system, PBS for those in the US. OUTBACK, showing NW australia, and Kimberly I think was the name and all the aboriginal rock paintings, the animals there, catching and counting the fresh water crocodiles (how different they look from out crocodiles), they were trying to get a count of them in a gorge where the local animals survive the dry season, before the cane toads reach that area. Seems the cane toads are a problem, looks like good food to predators, but their poisonous skin will kill off many. VERY interesting, covering many subjects pertinent to that area of the world. Enjoyed it very much.

I am scheduled for a blood patch tomorrow about 10 am local . I do hope this works, headache has been a real bother the last 3 or 4 days. Most likely my own fault, as I did not stay flat in bed all day any of those days. After over a week, there are just some things you have to do. Today it was water plants. yesterday I did something just for fun, I went on bus to pepper place for fresh veggies, sunflowers to cheer me, and a nice sausage egg and cheese biscuit for my breakfast Was only up an hour and half, but that was enough. Friday it was to grocery store. Again, hour and a falf. Enough to make head pound drats.

Back to recliner for me, hugs to each of you, with extras.

Just too many things going on at the same time. today was first day of the fewer pain meds, too. And i need to start the new BP medication. My body does not like meds to be changed.

I hope I do not regret asking for this to be done with a local, instead of under sedation. Just to close to last time being put under for my liking, AND they did give me the wrong medication last time. Blood patch is in 12 hours.

Sad news on the Easy page. Canuk Greg has passed away on 7th August. He will be missed.
More details on Easy.

DOrA, so sorry to hear the bees (who no doubt outnumbered you by a large margin) won this round. Do you have any 'potions' or remedies to counteract the wounds they inflicted?

DOrA, Suzy, and others, hubby and I had set home ownership as a goal - very difficult on a beginning teacher's salary. We spent a lot of personal time planning lessons and making teaching aids (so didn't really have much time for evening 'fun'), watched some TV, learned to enjoy board games and an occasional night out with friends at our apartment or theirs. We're still a rather boring couple, but have a nice house and have been able to help our children on occasion. It was worth it, in the long run.

Suzy, it would seem that your brother and SIL also set a priority on home ownership. Their diet must have been more difficult with a toddler, as well. (We were still childless at the time.)

saltie, I can't even imagine 5 days on that 'diet.' At least you were staying hydrated and getting some protein from the milk. Luckily you didn't need to keep that going for a long time. I remember when one of my cousins was in college studying to be a dietician, she and her classmates had the opportunity to participate in a number of diet-related studies. They were paid, and each study only lasted a week, followed by some testing. They felt a week wasn't going to have much of an impact on their health.

Heidi, you will be busy with all of your pre-surgery testing. I hope it all goes well and you 'pass' with flying colors. I'm so glad to hear that your going muscle pull is healing, though slowly. Unfortunately, it's a bit of a concern about the torn muscle in your right arm. I agree; it seems to be time to visit the ER to check on it.

MizT, I hope any appointments you may have in the coming week go well!

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

OOPS, it appears that i should have refreshed before posting, as I missed comments from MizT and CynB.

MizT, so sorry your headaches have stayed with you! I certainly hope that the blood patch tomorrow morning goes well! Will be thinking of you!

The television program about the outback sounds quite informative and enjoyable. I wonder if it was on any local (to us) PBS station.

CynB, thank you for letting us know about Canuk Greg's passing. I don't get to the Sudoku page on a regular basis and wouldn't have known. May he RIP.

Have been reading at times but no time to post. So busy lately - no. 2 son turned 40 and hubby 71. 2 days later son went to Thailand and is now being treated for a severe DVT. Do not know how long he will have to stay before he can fly home, and unfortunately (typical for his son) phone wrecked on the way over, erratic internet connection and no news for 3 days. They have him on Liaxiana which is not approved as yet here. His sister is already packed and ready to go there to look after him but will wait until the end of the week to see what is happening with his treatment. I don't think you ever stop worrying about your children no matter how old they are.
Dora - an afterthought - if you have any bracken ferns the sap from the new growth is great for insect bites.

Cyn - glad to see Col is going to have his own dr who will be taking care of him rather than random drs in a public clinic.

Well today did not go as planned. Short version follows:

Home by one pm from ten o'clock start.
Complications with blood patch , big pain down left leg during and after procedure, continuing now and headache came back. On bedrest now. These things seem to happen to me.

It is now a bit later than when I wrote above. I can now walk without that BIG pain, but cannot be out of bed for long. Heidi, if that had been an epidural pain block today, it would have been a supper dupper Max-ed out dooxie!! I could not imagine anything hurting worse, so that was as near a pain level 1- as I ever want to go

they sent me home after observing me for a couple of hours, via power chair still in big pain, on bed rest for 24 hours, with ice to back. The pain injection they gave me did not touch it, but once home and back on my regular (now lower doses )of pain meds, it has improved a lot. Neighbor who had picked up my lunch came in, found me in bed, warmed lunch, set it up bedside, made me coffee, and went downstairs for crushed ice to make me an ice pack. she deserves the good neighbor award for this month


Hugs to each of you.

Wish I could thank your neighbour for looking after you. One of the problems with being a cyber friend is not being able to help practically when someone needs it. I’m sending a gentle oil rub and wishing it was real.

Every time I come to this site I am sad again for missed opportunities with CG.

Thanks for the tip, Midge. Since I didn't recognize the name, I asked Mr Google. Wiki came up with this info:

A quick and easy remedy for nettle stings is to rub bracken on the affected area. The juice it releases alleviates the sting, and bracken often grows near stinging nettle.

After looking at the picture of the fern, I am sure beyond doubt that I do have bracken ferns. I wish I didn't. An area 2 - 3 meters wide on my neighbors side of the fence for a distance of 200 + meters and on my side as well from the area I mow, regularly, back into the brush. After reading Wikipedia, I know why it's so hard to get rid of.

Tomorrow morning, early, it's round 2 - DorA vs Bees. (I need to clear the trails) Should I be unfortunate enough to be stung by a Bee or Bees, I'll bear in mind your suggestion and give it a try.....

Midge, you certainly do have your hands full. Sending Birthday Greetings to your hubby and No. 2 son, and hoping he his severe DVT will quickly improve and he will be able to come home. You have a great D to be ready to go to Thailand to help him, if necessary. You are SO right; we never stop worrying about our children, no matter how old they are. They will always be our children.

Midge, I hope your suggestion of bracken fern to treat insect bites/stings isn't necessary for DOrA, but at least it is now in her 'bag of tricks,' if necessary.

MizT, what a day you have had! So sorry the pain was so intense. Even though they kept you for observation, I'm kind of surprised they let you go home by yourself, even though you have a power chair. Did they at least ask you call them when you were safely home? Thank goodness for your wonderful neighbor who fetched a meal for you, warmed it up and served it to you, and got ice for an ice pack! Not only does she deserve a good neighbor award, I think I would nominate her for her angel wings.

Suzy, you're so right. Being cyber friends certainly prevents some of the things that friends do for each other.

DOrA, we're cheering you on in the DOrA vs. Bees competition in the morning. Maybe the bees will sleep late and not realize you're out and about early. We can at least hope!

Heidi, did you go to the ER to check on the torn muscle in your right arm? We're thinking of you and care about you!

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

You are so right Suzy, about the bad parts of being a cyber friend. So many times I would have loved to have lived closer to one or other of our Sudoku friends to help them when they needed it (including yourself).
The best we can do is be there at the other end of messenger or to keep an eye on this page.

Bee update.

Went out early, this morning. Temp 36*F. They were still inactive, until I sprayed.

Bottom line. Two nests sprayed. No new stings.

I'll take a look for activity this arvo to see if I need to repeat............

Risqué (Risky), but I’ll take a chance…

If you are taking Viagra make sure it says 'Made in USA”!


We do not want the Russians meddling in our erections.

Haha DorA - couldn't sleep again last night and spent the night watching 'The Americans'.
I am so sorry you are having such a rotten time MizT - hope your pain has settled down.

All the batteries in everything I own seem to be giving out at same time.

Hi, Everyone! Does anyone know where August has gone? I want it back. This month has flown by, but I don't feel like I have much to show for it.

DOrA, hooray for you and your bee spray! Eliminating 2 nests is certainly good for today's score of DOrA 2 and Bees 0.

Great joke DOrA!

I'm so sorry you couldn't sleep last night, Midge! I hope your day went well, in spite of that. (Must be something in the air, as both hubby and I had a mostly sleepless night, too.

MizT, could it be that you replaced most batteries at the same time last time they needed replacing? We try to replace many of ours either in conjunction with the beginning of Oct. (fire prevention month in the States) or when the time change comes in late Oct. or early Nov. I hope you're feeling better today!

Heidi, I hope hearing no word from you means that you're at least getting some sleep and possibly healing!

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

I love finding a good joke for DorA. Enjoy!

One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking her son into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice, 'Mummy, will you sleep with me tonight?'
The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug.
'I can't dear,' she said. 'I have to sleep in Daddy's room.'
A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice:
'The big sissy.'

Heads up! I think we're about to change a page!

That's a great joke, CynB!

Looks like a quiet day here. Our day hasn't been quiet. Both separately and together hubby and I have been dealing with auto and homeowners insurance policies. After MANY calls, emails, and hand-delivered letters, I think it is finally straightened out. PHEW!

Sending {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing energy, positive thoughts, prayers, and to everyone! I think I'm going to call it a night; I'm exhausted.

Cyn