Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

I never drink water because of the
disgusting things that fish do in it..
- W. C. Fields

Maybe it's true that life begins at fifty ..
But everything else then starts to wear out,
fall out, or spread out..
- Phyllis Diller

Where are you Heidi? I hope that ear infection hasn't gotten worse. I hope you've been able to get attention for it.
Today is the day that Colin gets to see his Opthalmologist who hopefully will be able to steer him in the right direction with what to do about his eye. This saga has gone on for too long.
One part of me wants him to leave it and be safe, the other part wants him to achieve his goal of getting back some sight in that eye - but with NO complications or danger.
Watch this space.

Hi all .
CynB - hope yesterday has helped Colin to make his decision. Must be very hard for you both.
Heidi - hope you are o.k. now with that horrible ear infection. You get it so often, surely there is something that can be done to help you.
Julie - thinking of you and your hubby - glad to see he is improving, although it is taking such a long time. I think we will all be better once this awful virus time is behind us.
DorA - loved your photos of the cow - it seems your place is certainly preferable to where she came from. Maybe the bear in the vicinity kept her coming back to be near you for safety.00
No 2 son and I had the test this morning as we both have chest infections that will not clear. No. 1 son moved out for 2 weeks to see if he is allergic to anything in our house as his chest complaint is not getting any better and he has had it for 3 months now. I am having CT scan next week (hopefully my naughty smoking past is not catching up with me). We are planning a long driving holiday for as soon as we can once the lockdown is over and the borders are open again. We have a few people to visit in Queensland and my dear 93 yr old friend is not well. She has been incredible - walking about 10kms daily and has suddenly developed palsy. She is currently in hospital and is going to rehab at the end of this week.
Best wishes to everyone.

Love the TOPPs

There's really nothing that can be done about the ear infection. Too much scar tissue inside the eustacian tubes and sinuses. And the infection no longer responds to antibiotics. There's a tube in the ear drum right now to drain out infection. They might think about pulling the tube out and suctioning out more pus, but they can't get it all out.The ENT told me I'm going to have this problem for the rest of my life. I'll just have to wait out bad bouts like now.

We're having so much rain here. Rain every day. I'm trying to find a brief window to mow the lawn without having wet grass plug up the mower. The weather forecast for here shows rain every day for the next 2 weeks.

I just got a phone call from pain management. I had an appointment scheduled for a much needed epidural next week. Well, the doctor I'd seen isn't there any more and the new doctor wants to do a consultation only instead of a procedure. I'm NOT happy about this.

Heidi, that's not good about the new doctor. Don't they understand that you're in pain. Between your back and your ear, it can't be fun. I hope the rain clears soon.
Midge, I hope you all get rid of the chest infections without anything else being wrong.

Sorry, I should have got back to you about Col's appointment with the Eye Doctor. He allayed our fears. There can, of course, be complications but they are rare and they can be fixed if anything does go wrong. They still won't know until they do the victrectomy (look it up, it's not pretty) to clear out all the scar tissue in the eye and then insert the new lens, how much sight he will regain. They are still saying 30-70%, which is better than nil. Col feels better about it now and is going to go ahead with it, he's less hesitant but understandably nervous. Just waiting for a call back from the surgeon who told us his waiting list is about 4 weeks. That brings it to late June, Col's next big worry is that his birthday is early in July (5th) and he doesn't want to be in hospital again on his birthday. Last year he'd just had the bowel cancer removed a few days earlier and was still in hospital, feeling miserable!!

I'm glad the negatives aren't as bad as thought, CynB. I wish Col a miracle towards getting his sight back in that eye. He deserves it. You both do.

Well said Heidi.
What a birthday present that could be - improved sight!
Don't blame you for being upset Heidi - that is ridiculous as you are in pain now and may have to wait longer for relief. Surely they will take that into consideration.

It would be nice if you could inflict 'sympathetic pain' upon the treating physician, so they would know the reality of their delays.

Trivia -

Tonight at 8:20 and 20 seconds
in Military time it will be (it was)

20:20:20:2020.

This only happens
once in history......

Great TOPPS, DOrA!

Hi, Everyone! It looks like I haven't been here in a day or two. Life gets in the way.

CynB, I was going to ask if Col had his appointment with the Eye Doctor, then realized there were posts I hadn't read. Seems that the news is essentially good, and any negatives aren't as big a problem as thought originally. Hooray!. This is sounding so much more positive for Col! It seems he could possibly be getting a very nice birthday present if all goes well! Hoping all medical professionals will be on their 'A Game' when Col's surgery is scheduled!

Heidi, how awful that you now need to deal with a new/different pain doctor who is choosing not to schedule any procedures and is only scheduling consultations. Does he/she think a consultation will provide any relief from your pain? My hubby actually saw his back doctor on April 30 and was told he needs another epidural, and the doctor who does that would call to schedule. Not surprisingly, hw has heard nothing. The current state of affairs with COVID-19 is certainly making it difficult to get adequate health care when you need it! Good luck! I hope you can be scheduled soon! I also hope you can get some relief for your ear infection!

Midge, has your No. 1 son had any improvement since his trial time away from the house. I hope you and No. 2 son get back negative results for the Virus. This is such a difficult time to try to get answers to medical sleuthing! I hope all of the chest infections are getting cleared up!

Heidi, here's hoping you finally got a rain-free day to mow the lawn! I know today was our first day in almost a week without rain.

Thanks for letting us know about the once-in-a lifetime event, DOrA

Thinking off everyone and sending healing energy, positive thoughts, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, prayers, and ! Stay well, everyone!

Got the lawn mowed before the next bout of rains. The ground wasn't quite as dry as I'd have liked, and the tires left a few nasty spots where they spun on the mud. But it looks like today was my only window for a while.

Date fixed for surgery. 11th June, only 3 weeks away. Also our 32nd wedding anniversary. Will be glad when it's all over.
The delays haven't been the Doctors as much as our overworked public hospital system, the downside of having universal Health Care. And because this is a workers compensation claim, it had to be done their way. They too got sick of waiting and sent him for private care , just in time for the Coronavirus to halt all elective surgeries. That eased up a month ago and for Col it's all systems go. Fingers crossed.

Speaking of once in a lifetime event, my oldest granddaughter who turned 20 yesterday (21st) will be 21 on the 21st (of May), 2021.

Glad Col now has a date for his op. This will be an anniversary you will not forget CynB. I don't forget ours - we never celebrate as hubby's mum passed on that day. We are up for 48 in July.
Good comment DorA - it would be good if the medical profession had a taste of what it is like to be in constant pain.
Both results were negative - now I can have Ct scan and my eldest will stop nagging me. Will see him this weekend when he comes home to do the laundry - always handy to have the washing machine available. Nephrologist has told me to never go outside in public without mask and I find it very difficult to comply - so easier to just go between home and office.
Beautiful sunny day here (even though it is only 14C) and leaving work early to clean up a bit at home. No. 2 son has now about 30 chili plants in our front garden that need to be moved to the back. They were at his mate's place and he has sold and moved to the country so have now joined the copious lot he already has.
Really annoyed with our council - they want to charge us for permits to remove dead trees on a block of land we have. I can understand if they were live ones, but we must remove them as they are dangerous if branches fall. So far lowest quote is $2k - don't need that at this time.
Hope everyone keeps well and have a lovely weekend.

Getting ready to work the heifers in about an hour. We're synchronizing them to breed them AI on Monday. They'll be kept up for 1 more week, then go out to join the breeding herd permanently. Once they're out, we can wean Mike's 3 Fall calves, all males. Two are bulls that people are buying for breeding next year.

I hope the time until Col's surgery whizzes by. What a nice anniversary celebration... having Col probably regain sight in his eye!

Hi, Everyone!

Heidi, with so much rain predicted in the near future, it's a good thing you were able to mow the lawn. It's unfortunate that you'll have some ruts from the tires spinning occasionally. But it's still better than the grass growing too long. I think we have nearly as much rain predicted in the coming week or two.

CynB, I hope June 11 becomes another anniversary for you and Col. Your 32nd Wedding Anniversary is certainly worth celebrating! Here's hoping it will become an anniversary of Col getting much or most of his vision back! Sending prayers for the very finest medical personnel doing their very best work for Col!

Midge, hooray for the negative test results! How long will you need to wait for the CT scan to be scheduled?

I don't think hubby's nephrologist has said anything about wearing a mask always when away from home, but we try to enforce that guideline anyway. I ordered some more masks today, as we are almost out of the handful given to him by a kind nurse when he left the hospital near the end of March. He occasionally comes with me when I go out on an errand or to shop - just to get out of the house, though he stays in the car - and wears a mask if anyone is likely to come to the car. Today he had to pick up a prescription at the pharmacy, as I wasn't free to get it, and it couldn't wait until tomorrow. Even though he was going through a drive-up window and he wouldn't have contact with the clerk inside the store, I asked him to wear a mask.

Wow, 30 chili plants about to join even more! I imagine someone likes their food hot! I don't think we could even put 1 plant to use.

Midge, I would think your council would be glad that you want to remove dead and dangerous trees. They ought to pay you, even a nominal amount, as thanks for removing them!

Heidi, how are your knee and ear? Hopefully you were able to finish with the heifers as planned. If they're all bred near the same time, you'll have a busy calling season! I hope when it comes time for Mike to sell the bulls that he'll get a good price!

Thinking of everyone and hoping all of you have a pleasant and healthy weekend!

Sending {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing energy, prayers, positive thoughts, and for Everyone! Take care!

We're having a heat wave, my air conditioner isn't working (day 3 of this), and it's a holiday weekend so I can't get help. And Mike the Vet is due here in a couple of minutes to AI the heifers.

Got 'em AI'd. That means ''artificial insemination'', using frozen semen. Of the 3 heifers, one of Mike's is always cooperative, and the other one is an uncooperative escape artist. She's figured out how to jimmy the automatic head catch, and we have to round her up and catch her again every time. Then mine, who normally has a sweet disposition, refuses to cooperate about going into the chute and gives us a major battle every time. Thank god we won't have to work her again until Fall.

Ear infection is really laying me low. I slept almost all day through. I didn't get up until 5pm. My body is trying to heal itself.

Gosh, it's been slow on here in recent days. There's not many of us left any more. I haven't posted in the last few days because I had nothing to say. Life just lurches along. Even though things are improving Covid-wise, I'm still reluctant to go too far, just the local shops, and the only people I see are family except for neighbours walking their dogs.

Heidi, sorry the ear infection is still so debilitating for you. I hope it eases up soon.

Julie, how are things with you? I hope your hubby is still making good progress.

Midge, I hope you solved the dead branches problem without the excess costs.

2 weeks today to the big eye operation for Col. That can't come soon enough.

Tomorrow, he goes back to see the surgeon who performed the bowel cancer resection operation last July. Hopefully he will also arrange to remove the portacath still in his upper chest and then soon he'll be pronounced cancer-free. Poor man has been through it in the last 2.5 years. Our life has changed so much.

Best wishes for tomorrow CynB for Col, It has been a long journey for him. The next 2 weeks will not be easy either.
Nothing happening here either. Have spent a lot of my time trying to arrange Jobkeeper and shuffle expenses around - a difficult time - hope we can keep our doors open until the end of the year at least.
Heidi - I feel for you with that blasted ear infection. it must be so restricting for you and you have so many obligations with all of your animals. Is your knee better now?
We have had the block mown ($550) and now council wants to send an arborist to check if our dead trees are heritage and can be cut down - for f..sake - they are dead - and only Blackwoods. I can't believe the stupidity of our council - I certainly did not vote for any of them. I also made the mistake of openly laughing when they said that so I am sure we will get the brunt - already had 2 fines issued for the grass being more than 20cms long (like all the council land.). They actually issued the maximum fine in my name and then another in my husbands. They can only legally issue one fine per joint ownership /property- try explaining that to the morons who enjoy their little piece of power. Enough of my annoyance. Hope everyone is going o.k. and keeping their sens of humour up) Cheers.

Sue them, Midge. They broke the law by fining you both.

Good luck to Col tomorrow, CynB. I hope everything goes as well as you both hope it does.

Off to bed. I'm so tired, thanks to the ear infection. Tomorrow I have the consultation with the new Pain Management doctor. I hope he schedules a procedure quickly. I need one badly. My back has been hurting a lot since I was thrown from the horse.

Hi, Everyone! I don't see a post here from me since May 23. I'm sure I read and commented. I must have been so tired that I forgot to press Submit.

Life has a way of getting more and more complicated. I have been trying to do more practicing of the cello. I actually feel and hear some improvement recently after a couple of months of little practice time and some postponed lessons due to hubby's medical situation. Today was my last lesson with this teacher. She will be getting married in August and moving to Washington, D.C. I'm feeling very frustrated that I will lose her as a teacher just as I'm seeing some noticeable progress. My first teacher died in June of 2016, and now I am losing my second teacher. (She had also studied as a youngster with my first teacher, so we had some shared experiences and could sometimes reminisce.) Now I'm in search of another new teacher and at a time when I can't have an in-person face-to-face trial lesson, and must have a lesson via Zoom conference. One complicating factor is that my orchestra meets 2 hours one day a week, and I need to schedule a lesson on the same day of the week, either before or after orchestra, as we live about an hour away from the music school.

CynB, I hope Col's appointment with the surgeon who performed the bowel cancer resection went well!

Heidi, I hope you were able to talk some sense into the pain doctor. With luck, he decided to schedule your injection VERY SOON!

Hubby has his epidural tomorrow. I sure hope it works and lasts more than a few days! He has been in a lot of pain lately, and becomes more crabby the longer he must wait for relief.

Midge, the council seems very inept. How can they issue a fine to both you AND your husband? Hopefully the voice of reason will get through to them

I'm drifting off to sleep. I'm thinking of everyone and sending healing energy, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, , and positive thoughts for All! Take care and stay healthy and keep wearing your mask.

Back from seeing the temporary replacement pain management Doc. We'll be doing an epidural next week. He was kind of upset that I've been on a fairly high dose of Methadone for 20 years... he says it's the most dangerous of pain meds... and he wants to switch me to a different one. I told him that I'll need an epidural first or I probably will have out-of-control pain.

Col's visit to the cancer surgeon went well. All his results have come back clear. Just a bit of housekeeping to go. A colonoscopy check, which won't be done until after the eye op. And once he sees the oncologist on Jul 2nd, if okay with her the surgeon will remove the portacath. Easy day-surgery removal. Col's looking forward to that. It's up near his right shoulder and gets rubbed by his seat belt while driving.

Julie, I hope your hubby's epidural went well. I don't blame him for being cranky if he's in pain. Not always fun being the recipient. Over the past few years, Col has occasionally snapped at me, which shocks me at the time because for over 30 years he's always been very even-tempered. I just have to tell myself that it's the stress. Also I have no trouble giving as good as I get. Lol.
Heidi, maybe the new medication will work as well. But having been on Methadone for so long would give you an addiction to it, wouldn't it?
Anyway, hope the epidural next week is a doozie!

I hope your hubby's epidural was a doozy, Julie. The worse they are, the longer and better they work.

We're supposed to have 3 or 4 days without rain now, so I can get a lot of mowing done. I might even be able to hook up my bush hog and work on pastures. While the livestock are doing a good job of grazing the grass, bush hogging is necessary to keep weeds under control and keep them from out-competing the grass.

Went out to mow the lawn, only to discover that my mower isn't working right. It starts right up, but as soon as I engage the mower blades, it dies. Of course this is Saturday, so I can't do anything about it until Monday. And I have no air conditioning in the house. The condenser bit the dust and has to be replaced. The A/C company had to order a new one, and with this coronavirus epidemic, all shipping has slowed down. I will be lucky to get the A/C fixed by the end of this coming week. And we're due to have sweltering hot temps late in the week.... upper 90's with high humidity.

Oh, the joy of having a keyless entry hybrid car - when the battery goes flat! In over 14 years, this is only the second time it has happened. Absolutely no warning. Col went to collect our takeaway dinner last night and couldn't even get into the car. Took his car, and then went to sort out my car this morning. The keyless unit has a small key in it that unlocks the driver's door only. He then had to unlock the other doors manually but being a Prius the battery is in the boot (trunk) and he had to crawl through from the front while I read the manual to see how to unlock the catch on the back door. That took ages because the little opening was so small. Now he's having trouble extricating the old battery. This is the stage we are at. Then he'll get a new battery and reverse the process. There goes most of our Sunday. Such fun.

There has GOT to be an easier way, CynB. You'd think that was something the designers would have dealt with from the start.

Yeah 'Job Preservation' - call the high dollar repair guy...