It's Friday! Chat

Foggy drive in this morning.  I'm so glad I have a very short commute to work.  Another very warm day for us.  I'm sure we're going to eventually have some winter weather in the form of cool temps and dreary days but till then we're all enjoying this Spring like weather. 

Karen, I hope your mom takes your advice about consulting a gerentoligist.  It's such a good idea for elders especially if they see multiple specialists and take meds prescribed by different doctors.  Hope your last days with her are enjoyable.  How is Bugsy today?

An idogger posted a vid on FB doing some freeshaping and it inspired me to do a bit with Gabby last night.  She took to it like a duck to water. :) Rex loves freeshaping and so does Belle though she's very easily frustrated.  Twister is not good at it, at all.  lol

iluvjamison

In honor of National Buttercrunch Day:

 

 

The Queen's Soda

• 2 ounces butterscotch schnapps
• 6 ounces cream soda (half a can)

Combine cream soda with butterscotch schnapps in a glass; add ice cubes.

 

Deb W.

TGIF and I'm off today - woohoo!! It rained all night and I loved listening to it. I have a lot of cleaning to do and might do some baking. I still have a lot of leftover stuff to use up from Christmas and baking cookies sounds like a great, rainy day activity

 Jackie - who posted the video? I'd love to check it out.

cakana

Jackie - who posted the video? I'd love to check it out.

Erin with her dog Aeri.

I'm back in the world -- when I got to the office yesterday, the phone rang and upon inhaling to say "hello" it triggered a coughing/asthma attack

It happened twice within 10 minutes -- everyone here is danged sick of me coughing and none of the meds I had were doing ANYTHING.  Went back to my homeopath who then asked me to go for some testing just to rule out pneumonia.

Spent the rest of the day hopscotching to various dr. offices. 

No, this is NOT pneumonia.  In fact, It's not bacteria *nor* a virus.  It is JUST PLAIN ALLERGY!!! (not yelling -- that's just me being frustrated)

HOwever -- it gives us a direction to go.  It's one of the worst coughs I've ever had but it's NOT from the lungs mostly -- it's just the danged "post-nasal drip" (which, with this cold, as more like been a waterfall than a drop -- UGH -- sorry, TMI)

The dr. put me on Singulair in addition to everything else.  Anyone ever taken it?  What was your experience? good or bad?  (email me if you'd rather)

It's a relief, honestly, to know it IS just allergy and not anything contagious.

The pug had didy-rear last night -- probably had **something** to do with all the OATMEAL she ate when she snagged the big oatmeal cookie out of my purse Wednesday nite.  fiber -- it's a wonderful thing!!! (evil laugh)

Callie, I know you're into all natural so you'll like this, but the ONLY thing that really helps my post nasal drip is the netti pot / bottle.  I use the bottle and it works great for me.  Make the salt solution a wee bit more concentrated than it says and it really helps to suck out extra fluid and flush stuff out.  It takes a bit to get used to it since it's a weird sensation but it really helps me more than any medication.

NicoleS

helps my post nasal drip is the netti pot / bottle

Is the Tiki Bar having any specials where I can order a drink by the gallon?

I have been officially asked by the Board of Directors of my kennel club to assume the position of Obedience Show Chair for our show this year.  Big back story, but this should be interesting...

Paige, I think "congratulations" are in order, but it sounds like it's not that clear-cut.  In my experience, taking on leadership roles in volunteer activities can be complicated (satisfying and rewarding maybe, but exhausting usually).  You know how it goes:  The reward for a job well done is more work to do!  I hope it's a positive experience for you overall.

Doug -- enjoy your time with the snow-blower.  Sure beats shoveling!

Karen, I hope you can convince your Mom to consult with a gerontologist.  Why is it that so often elderly people fight every suggestion someone (usually an adult child) makes in an effort to genuinely help them?  I've seen it multiple times in our family and circle of friends.  Maybe I'm over-estimating my own flexibility, but I think I'd be pretty open-minded about taking advantage of the services out there today for the aging population.  It's not like years ago where people just got shipped off to a depressing convalescent home.  There are so many professional organizations and people that can bring benefits to us as we age.  Why resist them?  But, maybe in another 25 years, I'll be just as stubborn!

We are about 50 degrees here, but there is so much flooding in our county, it's insane.  I had to use an alternate route home from work yesterday.  There are dozens of closed streets with all the creeks that have flooded.  People are sand-bagging everywhere, but some communities have lots of water in their homes.  Even our local animal shelter was in an emergency mode.  They're near a levy that may break, so they had to evacuate ALL the animals last night.  Thankfully, the volunteers came out in droves to bring them home for a night (or two or three . . . more rain is due today).

Paige, I stopped using my neti pot too... but only until I can remember to buy a gallon of distilled water to use with it. I think the people that got the deadly brain-eating amoeba used tap water.

Callie, I've had a cough for over a month now. I am sooooo tired of coughing! Plus I'm having an issue with my back/spine/rib joint and every time I cough it feels like someone is stabbing me in the back. I had the hiccups twice yesterday and I just about died. I went to the chiropractor this morning and it's only slightly better.

Off to the tiki bar!!! But I'll have to be rude and bring my cell phone because I'm anxiously awaiting an update from my sister.

 Jan - I just read about your sister and nephew.  How are they doing, a day out from diagnosis?  Been thinking of what a shock that must be.

I haven't heard. I called once and it went straight to voicemail. I left a message. I'm not sure if she's allowed to use a cell in the hospital.

 OK so many things I want to respond to so apologies for the forgotten ones in advance

Janice pulling hard for your nephew and sister

I didn't like the neti pot as it somehow always seemed to cause a backup into my ears - I KNOW that I have very short eustachian tubes and was one of those kids with non-stop ear problems due to mucus going into my ears that way
However I bought one of these http://www.neilmed.com/usa/sinusrinse.php and its been wonderful. I haven't had a sinus infection in over 7 yrs and I was always battling them. i still get sinus pain from time to time but not the infection. Anyway this bottle thing doesn't seem to cause the same ear issue as the neti pot. Go figure

Callie I started a prescription for singulair a couple of years ago I think.  I do not take it daily but when I am having a reaction I take it and it works wonders for me (or if I know I will be exposed to something that will set me off).  The way my allergist described it is that it is NOT an anti-histamine (only benadryl helps me but it also causes me to be in a coma)  but reduces some other inflammatory response (leukotrienes ). I take it as needed and am thrilled with it.

Jackie, B seems OK, I still think his gait is a bit wide but he isn't paying much attention to his legs and that is the best indicator that he's OK. he didn't limp with a torn CCL except on very rare occasions so I wouldn't expect a limp unless it was extremely severe. 

As for mom, you know it is such a mix of things with her. i don't think cognitively she is truly impaired but a baseline would be good. I do think she a) needs her hearing checked,  b) she needs to become more social, c) she needs to eat better and exercise more (and I don't mean run a marathon just more activity) and most important she needs to do some things that will lift her assessment of herself. She was a very confident woman and dealt with a heck of a lot raising us kids but something has destroyed that which makes me sad.  She has become more relaxed while here and with relaxing become more confident in her movements.  She isn't on meds and is not frail so that is where it gets a bit confusing.

anyway.........................

Karen, I do hope you can help your Mom get a good audiology exam. We found with my Dad that when his hearing started to go, he really didn't know how bad it was, but he was missing a lot of social interactions/conversations and he looked like he was having cognitive stuff going on (because he missed a lot hearing-wise). He has hearing aids now and they do help in a lot of settings.

OK, Sinbad is giving me the stare-down because he thinks it's 5 pm/dinner time!?!?!? It's not even 3:30! He got an early walk so he thinks an early supper is in order.

Took a vacation day today.  The past two weeks of non stop work wiped me out.  Yesterday was a kicker as I was up driving in the snow for four hours then had focus groups until really late. 

Didn't get much done today except for some shopping while Riley was in school and now about to tackle some laundry.  It is sooo cold here - it's amazing that in 6 short months I will be walking around in tank tops and flip flops - funny how that works.

Not much going on tonight nor this weekend.  I think I am going to visit my girlfriend and her new puppy.  She rescued what I think people call a puggle...so basically a beagle mix LOL  His pics are sooooooo cute, I might just have to steal him.

Karen - I sending you good thoughts for you and your mom.  I know what you mean.  My mom was always a strong person but as she's aged and had some health issues she's become more unsure of herself.  I do not look forward to my parents getting older and having to deal with those issues.