Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

Never give up!
Stay focused,
Stay positive,
Stay strong.
(Quote for Heidi)

Julie, thanks for tracking Heidi down.
How horrible it must be for her, especially trying to run the farm and look after all of her animals. No wonder she hasn't been able to get to us.
Heidi, I do hope you can find Doctors that can help you with this. And the thought by some medicos that it's in your mind is such an insult to you and the way you live your life. Take care and may you find help soon!

Glad to hear Heidi has been tracked down and is ok except for her leg. I wonder if a vasculitis specialist can help as this sounds familiar to a problem I had 5 years ago and it ended up being a relatively simple fix.
Must be very difficult for you Heidi to cope with your workload. Hope you are getting some help.
Good idea DoRA about our gum tree. Unfortunately our council refuses to answer in writing - always phone calls. Maybe also because I complained about their improper use of our rates money - councils are for the 3 'R's. Roads, rates and refuse - they are not my social conscience. (And when I raised a fuss about the local ranger coming around and callng our dog outside our property and then putting her in the pound. My neighbour took a video of the ranger doing it.)
Cheers on this very rainy day here.

That thing about the 'ranger' has me biting my tongue... OUCH!

Just popping in again. Life is hectic. Sending positive thoughts, healing energy, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}} to all!

Hello, strangers.
I'm feeling a wee bit better since I started on iron supplementation. We still don't know exactly what's wrong. We DO know that I'm EXTREMELY anemic, causing all the leg pain I've had, and I'm down 4 pints of blood, meaning I'm bleeding internally. All this loss of blood is making me VERY weak. We don't know why I'm so anemic, or where I'm bleeding from. We have more tests scheduled.

Hello Heidi,
I'm so pleased to see your post and to know the iron supplements are helping with your pain.
But I'm not so pleased to hear about the internal bleeding. I do hope they get to the bottom of that soon and fix it.
I know you're an independent person, but I do hope you have some close friends to give you some assistance.
Take care, we miss you here on SA.

Warm Greetings, Heidi!

It's great to see your post. I wish you had better and more definitive answers from doctors. The good news is that you are feeling a bit better. I hope that continues and hope doctors can get to the bottom of your symptoms and get you on the road to recovery! We look forward to updates as you are able. If you'd like, I can check in by phone again in a week or so. Please take care of yourself as much as possible!

Sending everyone positive thoughts, healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, prayers, and ! Stay well, Everyone!

No change yet. Weak as a kitten from the anemia and blood loss. I'm barely getting my chores done. I'm having a lot of bloodwork done Wednesday morning. I hope that gives us some anwers and a lead to fixing me up.

Keeping you in our thoughts and prayers, Heidi. I hope the bloodwork on Wednesday brings some positive help to you.

Hello to Everyone and sending positive thoughts, healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, prayers, and

Heidi, fingers crossed that Wednesday finds reasons and solutions for how you are feeling.

Ditto what Julie and CynB said......

Heidi, we'll be thinking of you on Wednesday and hoping the doctor finds some answers!

{{{{{HUGS}}}}} for Everyone!

The actual colonoscopy is scheduled for Sept 14th. I wish it were sooner, but that's the earliest available date they had.

Sending positive thoughts and healing energy your way, Heidi! Take care of yourself!

Hoping you are o.k. Heidi, Sept. 14th is a long time to wait whilst you are feeling so lousy.
Are you getting help with your animals? You do so much for others, I hope your friends can rally around for a while.
CynB - how is Col now?
We are experiencing the start of spring with the blossoms and flowers poking their heads out. Love this time of year.
Saw the weather report for the upsiders, terrible heat still - the weather sees to be having a turmoil of it's own.
Son from Darwin was here for 2 weeks and was supposed to fly back on Sat. Flight cancelled and earliest is today (Wed) - if this one hasn't been cancelled to. I must admit the few extra dys with him was really good. He was able to move some heavy things around with other son. Slowly getting the house back in order. Just wish daughter would cme and empty the room of boxes that are hers and she has left with us.
Take care everyone and look forward to some better news.

Hello all,
Heidi, hope you are coping with the wait until the 14th. And how are you dealing with the farm work? Do you have any help? Hopefully among the people you have helped over the years, there will be some ready to return the favour.
Midge, good to know you are getting your house back in order and with help from your sons.
Colin is doing okay, but slowly. He has been doing exercise therapy and is keeping up with that but he tires easily and is still very limited with what he can do. He sees the surgeon on 19/9. Hopefully he will be able to drive again soon, and go back to work in a limited capacity - part time, but only in the office, which is his job description - looking after the purchase and maintenance of the company owned trucks and trailers and keeping records for the govt regulators. But he tended to go out and load trucks when they were busy or do site inspections etc. That's what he's got to stop and just do his own job.
He has given up smoking but it has been very hard for him, his last one was 21st july when he went into hospital. He's only just getting to the point where he's feeling like he CAN do this, but is worried that going back to work will make him start again because that was his escape from all the annoyances, to just go outside and have a smoke. I keep telling him that if he starts again the person who will be most disappointed will be himself! I gave it up cold turkey in 2014 and am amazed that I have never gone back. I smoked for 50 years, started in my early teens when cigarettes were available to anyone and no-one except my parents disapproved. (As a teenager that was an incentive!)

Had to laugh at the givng up smoking and parental disapproval. I had the same but I do recall they couldn't say too much as Dad used to hide his ciggies in the chook house and Mum behind the cistern in the toilet when they were 'giving up' for the umpteenth time. I remember trying so hard to smoke and then unfortunately I could without coughing. I gave it up about 2000 but I still feel like the occasional one - especially when we are camping and siting around talking late at night, I suppose we all have our unsociable habits.

Hi, Everyone! I apologize for having been absent for a bit.

There were a few days last week that were challenging, but I got through them. Then Monday & Tuesday of this week were a bit overwhelming (and probably would have been in the past too) with too many things needing to be done and too many hours spent on hold on the telephone. The frustration was a bit more than I could deal with. Luckily I had a few phone calls with some relatives and friends that helped put things in perspective. Last week hubby's last remaining uncle celebrated his 95th birthday. He told me about going to renew his driver's license. It was renewed for FIVE years. I must admit to being shocked at that. I think my state only renews for 1 or 2 years after 75, but his state renewed for 5 years at age 95. Fortunately he doesn't drive very much.

Heidi, I'm thinking of you and glad you're getting closer to Sept. 14 and your colonoscopy. Waiting that long must be difficult and frustrating. I hope you are feeling a bit better as you wait for the days to pass. Are you able to get help from friends to take care of the animals in the meantime?

CynB, it's good that Colin is doing okay. I hope he succeeds in completely kicking his smoking habit! No doubt it will be difficult if he has relied on a smoking break to get out and away from annoyances. Could he do one of his exercises instead of going outside and pulling out a cigarette? Please let him know that we're all encouraging him.

Midge, it's nice that your son has had a few extra days to help with heavy boxes and getting things organized! I hope your daughter is able to come round and gather her boxes that she left with you.

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

Rest In Peace, Queen Elizabeth.

My latest blood tests came back. The iron levels are still down but better than they were. Most other things looked good with one exception. We're hoping that it's an aberation, and we'll be re-doing the tests in 3 weeks. I tested positive for an obscure disease related to rheumatism (super long name which I didn't catch) which will cause massive crippling body pain. There is a treatment.... huge doses of prednisone over a long period of time, which will have the side effect of causing me to gain back every bit of weight I lost from the bariatric surgery, and more. I can't live with that option. Which is why I'm praying that the test was an aberation.

'May flights of angels sing you to your rest'. King Charles III to him late Mama.
God save the King.
Rest in Peace your majesty Queen Elizabeth.

Had a rough day on Saturday. I noticed Skipper, one of the alpacas, in labor late afternoon, and having difficulties. Only one foot was visible, and mom was straining. I was able to pull the second foot out, and tried to help her, but I hadn't the strength. The cria was stuck solid. I called for help from Mike the Vet, But by the time he got there and pulled the baby out (with great difficulty), the cria had suffocated. It was a large chocolate brown male. So far this summer, I've lost every cria.... 3 males. I'm getting really discouraged.

I start colonoscopy prep tomorrow. Yuck.

Sorry to hear about the cria - such a long gestation time and Skipper must be so upset too.
Good luck with the colonoscopy - you already have had the worst of it .
Steroids have many different side effects so hope you will not have to take them.
No. 1 son is in Bali now and enjoying the surfing and snorkelling on a very small island up north somewhere. Wish we had these opportunities many years ago. He is coming back for a month and then off to Chile again.
Hope everyone is keeping well. Cheers

Been through the horrible prep, and only threw up once. Awful stuff. I leave for the hospital in 15 minutes. I hope they find an answer for me.

Heidi, so do I!
We'll be waiting to hear.

The colonoscopy and upper GI have been done. I survived with only a swollen lip to show for it. I'll hear the results on the 22nd, but they suspect that it was caused by a side effect of the bariatric surgery. I just can't win.

Hi, Everyone!

Midge, your #1 son is quite the traveler! I'm glad he has so many opportunities and hope he remains healthy through it all! I hope you are feeling well and getting things done at the house!

Heidi, I hope the results of your colonoscopy don't find any connection between the bariatric surgery and blood loss. At least you got through the prep for the colonoscopy without too many problems. Hopefully you are feeling better!

I'm so sorry to hear about Skipper losing the cria. This has been a tough summer for you and the alpacas!

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

Heidi, I think the ''reward picture'' on today's Medium, might be one of yours...
Elegant Sadie-girl

Sorry, DOrA. I have never figured out how to submit pictures to this site. I'm a bit of a Luddite.

Well, Sadie is a pretty girl & I learned a new word. Bonus!

FINALLY!!!
We have a live, healthy baby alpaca! Barbie gave birth to a white female this morning. Both mother and daughter are doing great.

Hoo-Rah!

Heidi, I'm so happy to hear of the live birth of Barbie's cria. You deserve some good news.

Col got some good news at his follow-up visit to the Cardiac Surgeon. The Surgeon is so pleased with his recovery that he can start driving again and go back to work on a limited basis and increase his hours as he feels ready to do it. I am worried that he will overdo it. He has sat around here for 6 weeks doing very little, I think he'll find it much harder to concentrate and cope with working. But he's got that old-fashioned work ethic that is admirable but sometimes foolhardy.
On a practical note, he'll be taking my car to work because our daughter is using his car to get to and from work until her car has it's motor rebuilt. Not that it matters, I will use my carless days to catch up on all the TV shows that I have recorded and not been able to watch in peace.

Good for Col. Always a ''bright side'', eh, CynB? (tv catch up)

Heidi, I'm thrilled for you and Barbie the alpaca and her new baby crib! That is wonderful news!

How are you feeling, Heidi? I hope you're on the mend!

CynB, that is great news about Col! I hope he takes it easy going back to work and doesn't try to get back to his previous level of work too quickly. I imagine you are looking forward to some uninterrupted television viewing.

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

Of course, that should have been cria! Unfortunately my computer decided it knew what I wanted to say better than I did.

Off to get my colonoscopy / upper GI results.

The good news is that I am not losing blood. I'm down 4 pints because I'm not producing blood at the rate I should be. We need to find out why, now. More tests scheduled.

Well, that's good news of a sort, Heidi. Lets hope that the new tests find a reason for your pain and discomfort. Are you still experiencing the bad leg pain?