What are you up to today? This week?

[havanaholly]

I see my work here is done.

[KathieB]

I'm trying to remember what Nepalese cuisine was like, but maybe I never had any in the western hotel where we stayed in Kathmandu. I do remember the chickens and goats at the mountain temple, the sacrificial blood turning the little stream a clear bright red, the saffron-painted holy men, the millions of marigolds, and the fragrant smoke from the wood fires where the sacrifices were being cooked and eaten. Holly, we need to go to the Yak!

[chesterfieldzoo]

I love this thread, personal info and all. I have some of the same health issues and seeing other people have them and how they deal is very comforting and I feel less alone.

Heidi, I also don't put peas in my tuna mac salad. It's quite a joke with an italian friend and I.

Deb, there are many gluten free restaurants in AZ. My ex (lives in Phoenix) is gluten free and he (and wife) eat out almost every night. It seems very limiting at first, but as time goes on you will find more and more things to eat. You also tend to eat better when you actually have to think about what you are putting in your mouth.

I am so envious of Lynette coming to visit! I was going to talk to my husband about flying out myself to help you.

Jeremy, that advice about using the back of your hand is good. Having had many months of bedridden care myself, it's humiliating to have to have other people tend to your every need and many of my nurses were men. Everything was handled quickly and thoroughly and was never made to feel 'personal'. I never made eye contact while being tended to, but I did when it was all done.

[chapchap73]

Deb, I am very well acquainted with the challenges of gluten-free eating since my brother was diagnosed with celiac a few years ago. I have done lots of experimenting with things to make for him, and I can tell you there is a lot out there! This website has been invaluable to me in terms of making comfort desserts for my baby brother. http://www.kingarthurflour.com/ Tons of recipes and live-chat to help if you get stuck, plus every gluten-free product I've gotten from them has been excellent! I wish I could fly out and help you while Bruce is away as well, sounds like you and Lynette are going to have tons of fun!

Muriel, congrats on the new car! DH and I have driven our fair share of clunkers; it's so lovely to get one that just works

This thread is exactly like a big farmhouse kitchen! All of us sitting around with our favorite goodies sharing our lives. Pass the coffee

:weep: :woohoo:

[havanaholly]

...This thread is exactly like a big farmhouse kitchen! All of us sitting around with our favorite goodies sharing our lives. Pass the coffee

:weep: :woohoo:

Here's some blackberry muffins.

One of our paddling friends was put on a gluten-free diet a few years ago and she finds that Sonny's BBQ has lots of choices that meet her needs.

[Muriel]

Oh I was so hoping someone would volunteer to come stay with you Deb, and honestly thought someone would. I'd have come myself if it were possible! What a great family you (we) have

[grazhina]

I've been cleaning up my studio. I had to move everything away from the wall when the carpenters replaced all of the siding on the front of the garage on account of carpenter ant damage. They needed to take the window out too. :waycon:

I have my stuff scattered throughout the studio, the dining room and the basement because I've been working on things here and there, now and then.

I wish I could listen to my favorite morning radio show up in the studio, but it's a California show and I need to listen online. I lose wifi above the garage. :type:

Did you hear how Justin Bieber saved a Russian man from a bear?

http://nypost.com/2014/08/05/justin-bieber-saves-man-from-bear-attack/

I love the Armstrong and Getty radio show. It makes me smile. :tongue4:

[Debra from Olde Cape Cod]

When you said "set to music" I was thinking Sound of music....."The hills are alive with the sound of music of NepalesefoodattheYak........"

[chesterfieldzoo]

I am not a bear and justin's music scares me.

[heidiiiii]

Here is something I will be making this weekend, Puerto Rican Stew. We are getting a new to us (1 years old) fridge with the freezer on the bottom. I figured I would crock pot something yummy for after they men deliver my prize. Even with the humidity, I am determined to finish the kid`s room today. She comes home on Tuesday.
Dinner tonight will be chicken burgers on the grill. Easy Peasy.

Here is my take on the whole matter of being ill, sharing that fact, and proper reaction from others.
Many people have large families and groups of IRL friends to talk to, to vent, and to cry to. Some of us do not, like me. I share because I need to just let it out. Plus you all should know if there is a reason I dropped off the radar all of a sudden. You dont have to do anything but be a friend and listen. There is nothing else required for it. One thing us sick folk dislike is pity. <---Boo Hiss! I have not felt that here but just giving you a heads up. We are still living, breathing, talking, barely walking, dreaming, creating, and loving. We always have something positive to look forward to every day. Dont ever feel you need to physically do something except like in the case of our dearly departed Marlene. Just your presence is required. I speak for myself when I say that I am thankful for a soft place to land other then my husband`s arms or the shrink`s couch.

[Debra from Olde Cape Cod]

Amen Heidi. I have been alone but for my husband here for almost three years now and this forum is my family, my friends, my back porch and my farmhouse kitchen. Love you all and pray for each one. Have shed a tear or two and laughed out loud; have grown stronger because of you.....

[Debra from Olde Cape Cod]

Does this count as a lizard Deb?

[havanaholly]

Ooh, a blue-tailed skink! Aren't they pretty? And I saw this redheaded skink on one of the Panhandle Trace hikes:

[Deb]

Yep, skinks count as lizards. Our whiptails are similar to them. The blue tail means it's a young one and if you were to turn it over, you'd see two blue patches on his tummy too. Is that one at your house Debra? I'm not familiar with the ways of skinks but if they're anything like a whiptail, they're fun to watch because they're curious as cats about every single thing.

Speaking of lizards, mine are being all super active today. There are about three adults roaming around the backyard just looking at stuff and I have at least three big batches of new baby lizards that are about the size of crickets. One group lives under the castle at the base of one of my saplings and they're practicing climbing the tree. It's cute to see them perched on top of the castle like little dragons. There's another bunch under a planter by the grass and a third group hanging out under the oleanders in the corner of the yard. All are close to the walls so they're out there chasing each other in the sun and practicing how to look ferocious. The ones that survive will go into hibernation and those will be the big lizardzillas next spring. I haven't seen signs of the snake recently so they might have a better chance of surviving until fall.

Today has been an excellent day. I talked to Nutti on the phone and we're planning our sleep over next week. I'm so excited that I've actually been unpacking my minis and sorting them according to the houses so we can play and have a great time. I feel so much more confident about having the injections now because I know that with Nutti around I won't be focused on the pain and that already gives me more confidence about Monday morning. I'm soooooooo excited!!! I've never had anyone to play dollhouse with me before so I'm looking forward to that and to just sitting and talking and laughing. See? With all this I don't have time to worry about the injections and less worry means less stress which means that I'll be relaxed and the injections will go better.

am so envious of Lynette coming to visit! I was going to talk to my husband about flying out myself to help you.

Deana, that is so sweet of you to even think about flying out here. I know what a challenge that kind of trip would be for you and that made me feel so lucky to have friends like you and Muriel who lives half a world away but still wished she could come. I truly don't know what I would do without you guys.

Jeremy, that advice about using the back of your hand is good. Having had many months of bedridden care myself, it's humiliating to have to have other people tend to your every need and many of my nurses were men. Everything was handled quickly and thoroughly and was never made to feel 'personal'. I never made eye contact while being tended to, but I did when it was all done.

The touch of fingertips is a more personally invasive sensation and the flat and back of the hand give better control over moving things around too. I quickly learned when bathing older women that I could slide my forearm under their breast to lift it and wash the underside which was much more comfortable especially to older women who were raised with an abundance of modesty. One of the residents who became a friend to me was Catherine; a woman who had spent her life running a foster home on a farm and she was so funny and sweet but she was also extremely modest. She was fussing at use one day because we had to put in a catheter and she was upset that it required two of us because she didn't like having that many people seeing her lady bits. My coworker told her, "Catherine, you don't have anything that we don't have too" and Catherine promptly replied, "Yes, but you're not showing me yours now are you!" I think I ended up half off the bed, holding her hand and laughing just as hard as she was. But that bit of humor on her part changed things and we were all more comfortable after that. I learned to use humor (altho nothing that earthy) with other patients during personal care time by telling them jokes and funny stories about the kids in my school. A lot of the residents got to meet those kids because the nursing home encouraged schools to come visit so I'd bring groups of about 20 kids at a time on field trips fairly often. It was pretty cool to see the generations interacting especially if I coordinated with the activities director for some kind of craft project that could be done together. I was never sure if the residents were helping the kids or vice versa but everyone sure had a good time. I took the kids Christmas caroling there during the holidays and trick or treating on Halloween and passing out Easter eggs they'd colored or May Day baskets they'd made, Since it was a small town there were even a few kids who got to see their grandparents on those trips so that was even more special. <smiling> And that was a happy little trip down memory lane. Now I'm going to go sort some more minis and pet my favorite pieces that have been packed away for over a year.

[nuttiwebgal]

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Ima go play at Debs house...neenerneener!

This world we live in now with the internet is so small....

11/12 years ago.....I was a 500lb shut in woman sitting at my computer meeting and talking sometimes late into the night when we had chat feature

building dollhouses gave me something I lost as each child became an adult who needed me less....

becoming a member of this forum....started on the old forum...gave/gives me real connections to people who cares about the same things I care about...

those nights I sat and "chatted" with my friends from all over the world got me through points in my life that I can only look back in amazement Im still here

and Deb has ALWAYS been one of my inspirations!! I told Tracy...Im SOOOO lucky to meet family Ive only dreamed about meeting...

comere n gimme a sqwach :hug:

and all it took was for us to move to AZ......lol cant wait!!

[Roxxie2]

I am home enjoying the sunshine and doing housework ( in between goofing off)!
PS Check out my signature

[havanaholly]

All the skinks I've ever encountered were terribly shy critters, which made the group encounter with the redheaded one so special for me.

I'm not in a position to offer to come play minis with Deb, darn it! but it's bittersweet "fun" fixing up the old house in Havana to sell.

[pdlnpeabody]

I'm going to try my best to keep this G rated, but if it gets censored by the mods, I won't blame them.

Today was um, interesting. We practiced putting patients on bed pans, oral hygiene, perineal care and catheter care. As if cleaning the bits on a female mannequin wasn't awkward enough, I had to do it in the presence of 14 female classmates. I feel so dirty. When our instructor was teaching us about proper bedpan placement technique, she informed the class, for the benefit of whomever was going to team up with me today, that they would have to use extra care with male patients to avoid "pinching his bits". Whenever I was playing the role of patient, I used my best 90 year-old smoker voice, and when we reached the point of bed pan practice, I shouted "Ouch! You pinched me!" I can't repeat what the instructor said, but the two of us had the entire class cracking up. Luckily, I was one of the few that didn't have to suffer the indignity of having a classmate brush my teeth. I did have to feed the instructor though.

Deb, I was planning to use the "back of the hand" technique, but I didn't see an opportunity to use it. Only one hand (the one holding the washcloth) was in contact with the mannequin at any given time, and the areas I had to apply it to were too narrow for my oversized hand to manipulate around. I think it would probably work better for a general bed bath, rather than perineal or cath care. I have one more day, a practice test, then I have to wait for the background check and CPR class on the 17th before I can take the actual certification exam.

Your former resident is a hoot and sounds similar to what I tell medical staff when they want to do things I won't allow. They always say "I see it all the time, it's no big deal.", but I always respond with: "It isn't mine you're seeing every day and that isn't changing anytime soon." When I was 20, I was 4 or 5 hours into the 8 hour, flat on you back wait that used to follow an arteriogram, when I had to use the restroom. Instead of suffering the indignity of a bed pan, I got up and snuck to the restroom without any of the medical staff finding out. I didn't bleed to death, so I guess 8 hours wasn't necessary anyway.

[kat57]

I had my chemotherapy port put in today. The experience was a whole lot better than I expected,having never had any kind of surgical procedure at all. I went to sleep in the preop room in the 'blink of an eye' and woke up in the recovery room after another 'blink',feeling so peaceful and safe. I slept most of the rest of today and can't say I feel 100% now,as the soreness set in several hours ago. But,it isn't horrible and I have something for pain I'll take at bedtime so I'll sleep. The port is situated above my unaffected right breast,so I expect some minor trouble for a day or two with my right arm and shoulder,but then I'll be used to it. I start chemotherapy Tuesday-wish me luck!

Roxy,you are a trip,my girl! Thank you,my sweet friend! Yeah,pink is my new favorite color!! I keep saying as soon as my hair starts growing back I'm going to dye it pink! LOL

As for how to handle things when taking care of someone,I totally understand,being in the caregiver field,and I do my best to make my clients as comfortable as possible in some of the most indelicate moments. (And have specifically chosen to only work with women,for my own sake,since I am a private caregiver and can choose to.) But I'm glad I am not too bad about that myself,considering where my tumor is!! I have had so much exposure these last few weeks,I'm almost shocked when I DON'T have to remove my blouse! LOL If it were Mardi Gras in New Orleans I bet I'd have a ton of beads by now! Well,I have to joke about it,or cry,y'all!

Deb,I am so glad Heidi will be there with you! You 2 will have a blast dollhousing together! Can't wait to see photos!

As for lizards,we have a resident bluetail under my front porch steps and we've seen redheads a couple of times out back. My son was clearing away some long over grown brush around a tree stump on one far side of the yard yesterday and quit when he encountered a large snake. He said it got away before he could fully be sure,but is afraid it was a cottonmouth! Yikes! We had one slithering across our wide dirt driveway a few months back,so it most likely is the same fellow. Luckily,I have no intention of getting outside while my port heals,and my son will be gone,but we need to get that thing gone ASAP!!

The best thing we saw today was that the baby Carolina wrens have flown the nest! They are the teeniest tiny little things! Mama had built a nest for 4 babies under the hood of the empty propane tank out back. (We don't cook or heat with gas.) They had the most perfect cozy little spot back there,as we don't really use the backyard. But my son came and got me to see one of the babies high on a tree trunk out front and you could hear all of them using that baby bird tweet that sounds so sweet.

[Debra from Olde Cape Cod]

Yes that skink was on my deck here in TN! It was funny because there was a young sparrow hopping along after him--he'd move, the sparrow would hop. As the sparrow got closer, I scared him away--wasn't sure if he would peck the lizard. Have a couple of little ones with the blue tails out front--so now I know what they are! Thanks guys!

[DarlingMini]

I got my finger looked at and turns out it's not broken! Thank goodness. The swelling has gone down a lot and it's feeling much better. A little ice goes a long way!

I've got some bad news... My cat has to be taken to the vet for an ingrown claw. I don't think it's infected so the treatment after removal should be simple, but she is in pain right now Brings back memories of a few years ago when my other cat had an ingrown and infected dewclaw.

[Deb]

I have had so much exposure these last few weeks,I'm almost shocked when I DON'T have to remove my blouse! LOL If it were Mardi Gras in New Orleans I bet I'd have a ton of beads by now! Well,I have to joke about it,or cry,y'all!

Eureka Kat!!! That's genius! The next time a dr tells me to get undressed I'll just shake my head and say, "Nuh uh. Not unless you throw me some beads." <cackle> That'll probably get a better response than, "You first".

[Deb]

When I was 20, I was 4 or 5 hours into the 8 hour, flat on you back wait that used to follow an arteriogram, when I had to use the restroom. Instead of suffering the indignity of a bed pan, I got up and snuck to the restroom without any of the medical staff finding out. I didn't bleed to death, so I guess 8 hours wasn't necessary anyway.

OMG Jeremy, you're as bad as my husband. He had the same situation after he had his first heart attack and stent but the bedpan wasn't going to be an option as far as he was concerned so he got up and went to the restroom. The nurses had all kinds of fits about that! On the other hand, when he had his third one they let him go home after six hours so maybe they took notes of your journey and decided that 8 hours wasn't required. (It couldn't have been that he was being so obnoxious about wanting to go home that they practically shoved him out the door. Naw, nothing like that.) hehehehehehehe

[havanaholly]

Poor Kat! I also get the all-day woozies after anesthesia.

[pdlnpeabody]

OMG Jeremy, you're as bad as my husband.

Probably! I had my procedures in 1996, but a few years later, instead of waiting for the puncture site to completely clot on it's own, they just close you up with crazy glue, so you only have to stay on your back for a couple of hours. That's probably why he got sent home earlier. I knew I would be ok because the day after I had the first one (two weeks earlier), I got hit by a car while riding my bicycle to work. The bike slammed into the area where they did the procedure, but the bike wasn't damaged and I didn't have a scratch on me, so I went to work. The next day I woke up groggy and laying on a sheet soaked with blood. I must have leaked from the puncture site for a while, but I was ok, so I knew I could take a short walk to the restroom.