Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

If Plan A doesn't work out -
The alphabet has 25 more letters

Happy TOPP everybody!

Good Evening and Greetings, Everybody! I'm here earlier tonight, so I'll try to stay awake and get the comment sent.

DOrA, I'm sorry the work is taking more time than expected and keeping you away from home. Good news that your finger is mostly healed!

Midge, I'm so glad to hear that kidney function is improving enough that you could return to the hospital for additional stents. Hoping you and your family are all well and staying well!

CynB, just a couple more weeks until Col's next surgery. Crossing fingers that it will be the one that makes a huge amount of improvement in his vision!

Hubby's eye surgery is still on Nov. 17, the new date after the surgeon had to deal with an emergency. We haven't heard anything more, but should start getting calls about a day and time for the surgery, all the pre-surgery questions, and when and where he needs to go to get a Covid test prior to the surgery. It seems like we're always on the go with various doctor appointments for him and follow-up to my surgery. I need to take a pill daily for 5 years, with side effects like joint pain, hot flashes, etc. I turned the ceiling fan on low this evening to see if that helps.

Heidi, I'm glad jury duty was cancelled, at least for now. I can't imagine how that would be able to keep enough healthy jurors for the course of the trial.

Heidi, I hope your thumb is doing better, and hope it won't make working the cattle very difficult, whenever you and Mike the vet find the time to do it. In spite of the thumb, you've accomplished a lot in the past week or so!

I'm getting drowsy, so it's off to bed for me. Sending healing energy, prayers, positive thoughts, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and for all oof you! Take care!

Great TOPP, CynB. Sometimes it seems like we've worked our way through most of the alphabet before we accomplish our goals.

Twas a good top CynB.

Keen observation, Julie.

Just a quick Hello and Good Night. I'm trying to get to bed earlier than usual because we have a long day tomorrow.

Thinking of everyone and sending , positive thoughts, healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and prayers for all!

Morning all!
Oh Julie, you and your hubby spend more time with Doctor's than we do with Col. It does wear you down doesn't it? I long for the day Col gets released from it all. He's still seeing the Oncologist and Surgeon from the Cancer surgery even though he's been declared cancer-free. But not as often, down to every 3 months. And the eye visits just don't stop. They are monthly, and the worst of them is having to in through the city which is busy and confusing and usually I have to drive home because the eye drops they give him while there mean that he can't drive. I hate merging onto busy Motorways. Depending on the time of day, I have made him get the bus into town, change to another bus to go the last few kms up the hill to the Doc. As I say to him, 'look on it as an experience'!

Had our AirCon fixed on Monday, or rather, a whole new unit put in, the ducting didn't need replacing.
Just in time. It seems we can expect mid to high 30c's from Saturday.
Having a BBQ 19th birthday party for 15-16 people for Emily here on Sunday. Am hoping to have it in the outside entertaining area rather than cram all of those people into the house.
Time will tell.

Hi, Everyone!

CynB, we don't much care for all of the doctor visits. For one thing, some of them are further away than we would care for, which is tiring and time consuming. There's also the worry of potential exposure to someone who is Covid positive. We'll be glad to put this stretch of frequent doctor visits behind us! We're thinking positive thoughts for Col and hope he will soon get some good news from his eye doctor!

CynB, congrats on your new AC unit! It would have been far more expensive if you needed to replace or re-route duct work! Luckily, the timing is good for staying comfortable this weekend! I hope the weather holds so that Emily's birthday party can be enjoyed outside! Sending birthday greetings for Emily!

DOrA, I hope your finger continues to improve and you're able to get more of the work finished quickly!

Heidi, I hope your thumb is feeling better! Have you and Mike the Vet decided when you'll be able to work the cattle? I hope it will go well!

Thinking of everyone and sending warm {{{{{HUGS}}}}}}, healing energy, prayers, positive thoughts, and ! All the best to Everyone!

The thumb is still in bad shape. I take the splint off to do dishes, and wash myself, and it hurts like fury to do that. It'll probably take a few more weeks in the splint.
We haven't picked a day to work cattle yet. Most likely it'll be the end oft the month... around Thanksgiving. It'll only take about 2 hours, or less, and should go smoothly. Robert has been begging me to let him come and help. He's bored out of his skull sitting in his apartment, and he is useful in moving cattle into the chute. That should both speed it up and give us some laughs. He can be funny. And he hates my ex-IH with a vengence.

Please stay safe travelling to all those doctor visits, Julie. There's a big gamble risking getting the Covid-19 virus while trying to get other stuff sorted. It's up to you to decide which is the best option. I know you're smart enough to keep a mask on at all times.

I hope Col's next operation is the last, CynB. I clearly remember the accident happening, and it's astounding to me that they've neen able to save his eye at all, much less get him some vision back.

The finger has improved to where there is no longer any pain. There is, however, no sense of feel in the fingerprint area. The nerves may, eventually, reconnect.....

Heidi, I'm sorry your thumb is still such a pain! I hope you're right and it doesn't take more than a few more weeks to heal enough that it feels better!

I hope all goes well when you work the cattle later this month, Heidi! Having Robert's help could certainly be a bonus!

Heidi, thanks for your concern about our possible exposure to Covid when at Dr. appointments. Masks are always required. In fact, his neurologist's office this week returned to allowing ONLY the patient in the examining room. Spouses, caregivers, etc. were required to wait in the waiting room. The next step would be to require others to stay outside, as in their car. If things continue to worsen, we'll be back to everyone waiting in their car, calling when they arrive, and waiting for office staff to call back when it's safe to enter. Hubby must have a Covid test tomorrow to get clearance for his Tuesday surgery. We are 'sticklers' about wearing masks, and we haven't had our 'nearby' D, SIL, or grandie inside our house since February. Hubby hasn't been in a store of any kind since then either.

DOrA, I'm glad your finger is no longer in pain! I've heard that nerves are among the slowest growing cells, so it's not surprising that you're waiting for them to reconnect.

Midge, I hope all's going well and your hospital visit for more stents was accomplished easily and safely. Hoping you and your family are staying healthy!

Thinking of Everyone and sending lots of {{{{{HUGS}}}}}}, , prayers, positive thoughts, and healing energy for Everyone! Take care and stay safe!

Re: Nerves - After both hip replacements, for a long time it just felt like a big lump 'back there'. Feeling eventually returned as the nerves re-connected.

At my Doctor visit, the other day, there was a screener at the door. Temperature was scanned and ''20 questions'' asked. Everyone was, of course, masked up...

Those nerves are what is causing Col problems in 2 areas - one is neuropathy after his chemotherapy. It finished in early January but he still has neuropathy in his hands (mild) but his feet are much worse although there are gradual signs of improvements. Can take two years or even more.
That's also part of the problem with his eye - waiting for the damaged nerves and blood vessels in the back of his eye to regenerate and now the scarring is stopping it.
All that, combined with the nearly 3 years of waiting, the anxiety of facing yet another operation, the feeling that it will never improve, the constant nagging in his mind that the cancer will come back, PTSD from the actual accident, and an unhappy workplace have let to him losing it on Thursday and admitting that he's just not coping. Counselling is being organised. Something I have been trying to get him to do for ages. I need it too, I have the same anxieties for him.

DorA, you're right about the '20 questions' that they ask at the Doctor's appointments. Seems like they find another couple of questions to ask each time we go. They must get so tired of asking and scanning temperatures! They also have had to get 'creative' to keep seating socially distanced.

Wow, if someone could discover a way to speed up nerve regrowth, I think they could become independently wealthy! There are SO many people with neuropathy, including diabetic, non-diabetic, chemically induced! Those are just the kinds I've heard of, but there are probably more. It's unfortunate that Col had to experience losing it, but it's certainly understandable with all that he and you have had to deal with! Counseling may be a big help, I would think. (There are times when I think that's the direction we need to start considering, though I think hubby would drag his feet at the prospect.

CynB, I hope Emily's birthday party is perfect for her.

Thinking of everyone and hoping everyone has a wonderful weekend! Sending healing energy, powitive thoughts, , {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and prayers for all!

Just popping in quickly, as it's quite late. Sending healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}}, prayers, positive thoughts, and for Everyone! Take care! Happy Weekend!

Big storm came through last night. Stuff blown all over. Even my wrought iron picnic table was moved 10 feet!!! I'm going to have to walk the whole fence line today to look for trees on the fence.

WOW, Heidi, sounds like a mighty strong wind! We've had some of that last night and today in northern Illinois. I hope there are no trees on any of your fence line!

I hope everyone is well. I'll be headed to bed soon. Sending healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, prayers, positive thoughts, and !

Good morning all.
It must be windy everywhere. It's been really windy all night here and we're expecting high temps and storms later in the day. Our saving grace is living close to the coast (5kms) which means our temps aren't as extreme as further west. And we live in the foothills of a small mountain to the west that takes the brunt of the storms, they seem to split to get around the mountain which is great for us.

It could be worse. Hurricane Iota has reached a category 5 , with sustained winds over 165 MPH. This is the most powerful hurricane in all of 2020. She's just hitting the Nicaraguan coast right now, and where she'll go from there is anybody's guess.

It's getting so cold outside. Tonight will be our first hard freeze of the season.

Hope you are all able to keep safe - I watch the Aljazeera news at 5am each day and the figures from he States are horrific. We only had about 850 deaths (and that was caused by the ineptitude of our State govt. in handling hotel quarantine) - I hate to think of the pressures you are al under. My 2nd angiogram was ordinary - 4 stents with 1 displaced so may have to go back again If so they will use my arm this time. The op took over 3 hours so cariologist called it quits - or she would have had to get an aneathetist to knock me out. Ended up being in hospital for 5 days as kidney function dropped again and hematoma started. No exertion until hematoma goes so not doing much (not that I really feel like it anyway). That hurricane sounds frightening Heidi - I am so glad we do not experience that kind of storm here. Just as well you have a new AC CynB, I see your weather has been getting hotter. We actually had 28C today - beautiful. My daughter came to visit and we sat out on our new balcony and watched the cows in the paddocks behind with their little ones. DorA - good advice about the drilling - we do that with glass that has started to 'run'. Stops the cracks from spreading. Good news the nerves are healing in your hips - it can take a long time, even a couple of years but usually after 12 months not much happens. Julie - how did you go with your op? Or am I forgetful and you haven't had it yet? Getting very tired so will say cheers for now and take care all.

Midge... you really worry me. Please do everything your doctor orders and suggests. FIVE days in hospital???? That's scary that you were so sick, but I'm glad you got the care you needed. I hope they treated you as well as you deserve. You've had far more than your fair share of health problems. Is there any end to the problems in sight?
((( HUGS )))

And yes, the Covid-19 figures ARE horrific here. Too many people believe the problem is a hoax or exaggerated, and refuse to follow mask-wearing and social distancing guidelines. They feel that THEIR freedoms are being impinged by being told they HAVE TO wear a mask. So they refuse. And the present government refuses to enforce any regulations, since they're the ones spreading the word that it's a hoax. So the virus is spreading out of control. I wish people would realize that wearing a mask is not interfering with anyone's freedoms. It's showing consideration for others and helping fight a virus that has already killed a quarter million Americans.... annd adding over a thousand more to that total daily. Selfish behavior is killing people of ALL ages.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/18/opinions/thanksgiving-covid-19-shared-sacrifice-myth-hemmer/index.htm l

My husband has such a work ethic that he goes to work even when sick - like he did the day after every Chemo he had no matter how bad he felt. However, sometimes he should listen to me. He has had the flu but kept going to work. It was days before his boss even noticed how bad he looked. Sent him straight home with orders to see the Doctor and also to get a Covid test. Now he's got to take it easy! He had the Covid test yesterday, his Doctor didn't think it was necessary as it's 60-70 days since we had a community spread case here in Qld, but he can't go back to work until he is cleared. He asked the Doctor if I should have one too but she said no. Anyway he is now forced to stay home until he's healthy. I can find stuff for him to do here.

Heidi, I do wonder about the people who believe it's a hoax. Don't they see the news? It's everywhere!
I check a site daily called Worldometer Coronavirus, https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
From the start the USA has been on the top of the list, not because of it's importance but because it has consistently had the most cases in the world - almost 12 million. Compared to India (second on the list) at almost 9 million - but they have a population 4 times that of the US.
It's been scary reading daily!

Midge, pleased to see you back, but sorry for your ongoing health problems.
I'm pleased that you were able to see your daughter and have a nice visit sitting on the balcony. Nothing like nature to make one feel calm.
Yes, it's been hot up here for a few days, going to be better today. The media makes so much of it. It's no better or worse than it has always been. It's summer, Queensland is hot, it's sub-tropical. We get massive storms in October/November. And, this year, since we have a La Nina weather pattern, we'll get rain - but hopefully no severe flooding and no big bad cyclones.

We'll be working the cattle on Saturday. That entails pregnancy checking the cows and weaning the calves (except the 3 youngest). Tomorrow 3 tons of feed for the calves is arriving. I will also be putting out 3 rolls of hay.... one for the newly weaned calves and 2 for the whole herd to lure them in tomorrow so they can be penned up overnight before we work the herd.

Just a quick check in. Hubby and I are running on fumes, as not much sleep is coming our way. He had his cornea transplant on Tuesday, followed by a check with doctor on Wednesday, Friday, and next Monday. My surgery went well; hsd intraoperative radiation for about 20 or 30 minurtes. They removed 4 lymph nodes, which were good. They said I won't need more radiation and will just need to take Anastrozole every day for 5 years, which will hopefully prevent any return. I feel so fortunate! Right now there's swelling, a bit of soreness and pink (not redness) and heat, so I called the doctor, who doesn't feel it's anything out of the ordinary. Regardless. I'm going in to see him tomorrow.

I'm dragging,, so I'm off to bed. Take care, Everyone, especially Midge!

Thinking of everyone and sending healing energy, positive thoughts, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and Take care, Everyone!

Excellent news, Julie!!! Thanks for letting us know.
Please try to get more sleep. Your body needs it to heal.

I put out 4 rolls of hay (2 for the cow herd, one for the weaned calves tomorrow and one for the horses and alpacas). The cow herd immediately came up, so I locked them in the lot with the hay rolls. They're now caught for tomorrow morning's work. I'm just waiting for the feed truck to arrive sometime today.

The feed has now arrived. We're all ready to go for tomorrow.

Julie, I'm glad the corneal transplant went well for your husband and that your radiation went well also despite the soreness. As Heidi said, take care and rest up. Hope you're both feeling better soon.
Col has his next operation on 26th November (5 days) as long as he can shake this flu. His Covid test was clear as we expected. But that's Company policy, if you have any similar symptoms you must have a test.
We are replacing our entrance door after the other one (here when we bought the house so probably close on 30 years old) started shredding after some heavy rain. It's temporarily patched. Bought the new one this week and a friend is fitting it in a few weeks but we have to stain it beforehand. That's our plan for this weekend, staining the door and them sanding back to surrounds and staining them. It's all fun here!

Hi, Everyone! Just dropping by. With no doctor appointments tomorrow, we will not set an alarm and will just try to stay in bed and asleep as long as possible. Hubby tells me his doctor likes the way things look. The gas bubble is helping to hold the transplant cornea tissue up against his cornea. He wants to see that continue. We go back again on Monday.

Thinking of Everyone and sending healing energy, positive thoughts, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and ! Take care and stay safe1 I hope we'll all have much to be thankful on our Thanksgiving, which is also Col's next surgery. Sure hope all goes well! And I'm off to bed! Good Night!

I'm ready for today. Mike won't be here until 1:30. I have the whole herd caught in the holding area, where they have hay and water, except Mike's oldest cow. I have her seperated temporarily in the pen where we're going to put the weaned calves. She is unable to keep up with the herd, has a badly injured, horribly swollen leg and is skin and bones. Mike is planning on euthanizing her today. So I gave her a last meal of the new grain I got yesterday, and she has all the water she can drink. She looks really happy right now, scarfing down that feed. Once Mike shows up, we'll put her in an adjoining paddock out of the way. After we've worked the rest of the herd, we'll move her back into the barn yard and put her down. I want to do it in a place where the tractor has easy access.
Robert has been begging me to let him come and help us, so I'm picking him up in half an hour. That'll give us another half hour to get everything ready inside the barn. I need to make sure the chute and pens inside are clean of odds and ends that could injure an animal, get all the gates set in place to move the cows in, and oil all the latches on the gates.

That was wild and wooly. The old cow didn't get euthanized today after all. We have her in with the weanlings so she can teach them to eat grain. We did have one heifer escape (fortunately, she was Mike's, and he accidentally let her get by him), but we caught her again and got her worked and weaned. Several animals did NOT want to cooperate and got stupid. They are on probation. One more episode like today will send them to the sale barn. At least my young (9 months old) bull Laird impressed everyone with his calm good manners.

Sounds like congratulations are in order, Heidi Mike, and Robert, for working the herd today. What a lot of work, and a few unforeseen events, but you got it done. Seems like a good idea for Mike's old cow to be given a little time with the weanlings as a maternal example to help them learn to eat grain. Hooray for Laird showing his good manners and impressing everyone!

I hope Everyone is having an excellent weekend with good weather and good health! Thinking of each of you and sending positive thoughts, healing energy, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and ! Take care!

Robert didn't really do anything except keep us company. He's still having a lot of problems after his stroke. He really wanted to get out and have fun, and this is something he enjoys.

Even though Robert wasn't able to help, it was nice of you to include him so he could feel part of the group and he could keep you company. I suspect being out with others is a real lift to his spirits.

I'm about to head to bed. It's been a rough day, and I'm hoping sleep will be present to help the night to pass. Thinking of Everyone and sending prayers, positive thoughts, healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and ! Take care, All!

I got a lot done today. The cattle had done some damage while misbehaving yesterday. They smashed a metal gate which I replaced today. They smashed a door frame to pieces, so I rebuilt it today. It's now stronger than it was before. And I repaired a section of fence between my property and ex-IH's. It's part of a paddock I want to give the calves access to, but I had to fix that fence first.Of course, today was cold and rainy, so it wasn't much fun working out in it.