December Thoughts

Is everybody okay. No emergency trips to the gym? No bags of coal?

I posted a picture that needs an explanation. Many years ago, when son moved out, all he had to decorate the tree with was empty beverage cans and old pizza boxes, so my wife gave him a delicate little glass DEER ornament. Son thanked us for the MOOSE. Wife gently corrected him. To reinforce the lesson, we gave him a joke moose gift for Christmas-and he returned the favor. The war was on. For about 15 years now, the gifts have ranged from practical (golf club covers, slippers, sweaters) to funny (moose shaped jelly bean dispenser) to educational(books and movies) to obscene (use your imagination). At this years exchange, he gives the wife an envelope with 3 pictures. Wife starts laughing so hard tears were rolling. Son is chanting "I win". He spent hours making a moose. The antlers spread 8 ft and it stands over 6 ft high. He drove to our house, set it up under our kitchen sink window and took the photos.

As soon as it warms up enough to work in the garage, I will start on next years moose.

The Minneopea falls area hosts a lot of wedding in the summer. The falls gorge winds around until it hits the Minnesota river. And they are dog friendly.

Sky had a mixed holiday. Little kids to play with. frequent walks, mixed in with confine,eat to mud rooms. He was quiet and polite and only marked my sons fireplace once. They have a pair of tzus' and Denny was getting territorial.

How is Ruby? About the time you think you have the dogs figured out, they mess with you.

oh sweet suffering Susan! Why can't anyone figure out what is going on in my body and just make it stop???? Yesterday my skin burned all day. Late in the day started with some swelling in my face. Threw everything I've got in the drug arsenal at it but nada. Then the tongue decided to get in on the act and I had trouble swallowing water. Finally broke down and used the epi pen and got to spent thw balance of Christmas in the ER hooked up to monitors and IV's f for fluids and meds. Somewhat calmer today and the hives/rash is smaller but still feels like someone is holding a flame to it. Day 26 of this and I've been in the ER three times. Seen rhe PA twice, the allergist twice and my regular doc once and he brought in a resident another PA and another doc. No food allergies, extensive blood work looks good and no one can figure out what is going on ot how to stop it.

Sigh.

Dixie has decided that Christmas is pretty cool. She got a ton of stuffies and rope balls but her absolute fav waszthe two pound lamb shank that she devoured. She's such a sweet girl that its hard not to spoil her!

Getting old is not for the weak.  For the money you pay the doctors, you think it wouldn't be practice any more.

I wish I could help. but all I can offer is best wishes.

I lucked out when I got my current GP.  He is good, he knows his limits, he looks for causes, and has no problem lining up a specific expert when needed.  He is affiliated with Mayo Clinics, which only hires the best.  I managed to connect with him right after he was hired by Mayo and looking to build his practice.  Now, he has 2 nurse practitioners

helping him..

Doug

I really like my GP and he doesn't hesitate to refer but I'm getting very frustrated. And yeah. Honestly this is frightening as heck.

Glenda, I hope you're feeling better. What an ordeal!

Doug, I love the moose! I cannot imagine what you're going to create for next year. Friends here on the island do a similar thing with antlers at all different times of the year.

The tulips are up 1/2 inch--crazy weather! But, we're supposed to have some snow and ice in time for the morning commute on Tuesday.

I am pretty sure I have to go with "obscene".

3F outside.  About 3 inches of white stuff, with more scheduled for Monday night.  We will probably start getting more reports of snowmobile accidents and ice fishermen drownings.  

Grandkids will be here tomorrow and we plan to see the buffalo.  Maybe do some sledding.  Two of my GKs are really into outdoors and winter sports.  Their Mom doesn't let them have much TV time.

As long as I sit around and do nothing. ...like an old fart....I can keep the reaction to a dull roar. Any normal movement though and it flares right back up. Have already emailed my doc and allergist about the Christmas nite er visit and will be calling as soon as their poo ffices are open in the morning. Someone has got to figure out what the heck is going on and make it stop. This old body can't take much more.

Just maybe Dixie is finally starting to learn to just "do it" when we go out to potty. Twice this morning shes asked and gotten right down to business. I make a huge big deal of it when she does that with the good girl and potty signs and loads of treats. Hopefully she continues since cold weather and snow are due to move in. Honestly that is my only complaint about this girl. Otherwise she's pretty darned close to perfect. Who woulda thunk it possible to get such a great match online?

Must hit the library tomorrow m. All this sitting around doing nothing has left me with nothing left to read!

Piper was a winter pup and learned when the temps were really down.  She could go out, do her stuff. and be scratching at the door for admittance  before I could finish complaining.  Nothing like a -30F windchill for encouragement.

Probably my last post of the year.  It's cold and white.  I need to dig out the toboggan.  Its' been in the attic for 18 years, unused, and in a garage for 17 years before, unused.  We took the grand kids to Sibley park sliding hill, and wow.  What a hill.  Hopefully there is some life left in the old wood.  Sand, polish, new ropes.  

It's 9F in my yard, with a windchill of -6F.  About 8 inches of white stuff, but now the sun is out. Uff da!!!  This state must have been real fun before roads and central heating and thinsulate.  The first settlers did not have Carhartt.  

Party safely, drive defensively

It's too funny --  Charlie (the "Cavalier" who looks way more like an English cocker but with the Prince Charlie coloring) CAME from the depths of the Catskill Mts. in New York (hip deep snow and   below zero temps too), and he's      totally happy with Flooor-daa and 80 degree temps in winter.  The pug backs up to the white house on a 70 degree day because it's warmer next to the siding LOL.  The hound mix doesn't care as long as supper isn't late.   However MOM is totally content, Doug, to leave you to your fluffy white stuff!!      I never minded the cold, but dang I hate snow! LOL

Glenda -- fwiw -- you can now buy  HUGE bottles of Bendryl/diphenhydramine online easily.  When you take the amount of it you and I do,   I'd lose my brain totally if I had to mess with those itty bitty plastic blister thingamys ... life is too short to mess with those!!   I know there are other antihistamines, but a good dermatologist told me once years ago "when you are taking antihistamine for any skin-related issue, Benedryl/diphenhydramine always wins hands down -- there are a million different antihistamines but they are all actually good at different things.."

Stay tight and enjoy the day.  David and I are doing our annual "late movie" on New Years.  We can smooch at midnight and no one cares - it's a couple of blocks from home and no one charges us $100 a piece just to hear someone make noise at midnight.  Making our own 'fun' works LOL.  

I had to go back and catch up on posts -- I've not checked in since before Christmas.

First, thanks for asking after Ruby, Doug. She was fine the following day and (knock wood) she hasn't had any issues since. She must have just had a sudden bout of extreme nausea or stomach pain or gas or something. So weird how it came on suddenly and seemed to clear up within about 5 hours.

Second, I hope you are feeling a little better Glenda. Yikes, I wish I had something to suggest. I'm so sorry you had to include ER visits as part of your holiday "celebrations." You must be so frustrated, not to mention more than a little worried. I can't remember if you talked about this before, but you were tested for a bunch of allergens, right? And were you found to be super sensitive to molds? I just wonder if it's something in your house, and not diet or outdoor environment. When the immune system acts up, it sure can be tricky to figure out the problem. Hang in there!

Doug, I went back to look at the moose photo after reading your funny story. That is fantastic! You have a tough act to follow for next year. I hope this doesn't end with one of you having to put a LIVE moose under the other's Christmas tree!

We're enjoying some very dry, sunny weather, but it was barely 30 degrees on my drive in today. I know that's nothing compared to your temps, Doug, but it's pretty chilly for us, so I put on my puffy coat today. I actually love it because the sky is so blue. I plan to take a walk later this afternoon, but I'll need my ear warmers, for sure.

No plans for us this evening. DH is preparing a beef brisket on his smoker, so we'll enjoy that for dinner. I think there are football games on he'll watch, so I may watch a movie since the games aren't teams I follow. Unless our neighbors light off fireworks at midnight, we'll probably be asleep when the calendar turns to 2016. I hope 2016 brings all of us (dogs included) good health and many happy moments!

so far in the month of December I've had six doctors apts and three trips to the ER. I'm hoping that I don't end up adding to the list tonight. I seem to be doing better. The chest and upper arm are now just ted instead of violently red. The skin is only warm instead of very hot. Yesterday it was very warm. But. We still dont know what has caused all of this. I do have an allergy to molds and tree pollens but the new allergist says they are only slight. Stilll working on getting someone to see me for the punch biopsy BEFORE February the thinking now is askin condition that is causing all the trouble.all Very frustrating and frightening but I'm a tough old broad and will just have to keep fighting until they figure it out.

Calli i do get benadryl in the large bottles. Those blister packs are for the birds! Oh waitm. Birds probably ccouldn't open them either.

No plans for us tonight other than to try to svoid the ER.. Tomorrow will do black eyed peas and collards though!

Be safe everyone. Happy New Year!

Hey all we made it thru the floods and now it is 30. Doug I know that's not cold to you but that why I don't live that far north

Glenda so sorry you are still suffering, sending good vibes. Tracy so happy to hear that Ruby is much better. Hot has those days when he is sluggish and generally not well, I have noticed it is usually a couple of days and then it passes.

The weather here like everywhere else has been weird. No tellin what next week will bring. A few weeks ago the lilacs were putting on buds. I gotta think this won't be good for spring but then we got massive rains and the freezing weather . The dogs are confused to say the least. Kate did you say tulips.

Ron and I are party animals, ha, I am surprised I am still awake.

See you next year my friends be safe and stay warm!