Norms Bait and Tackle

[Vanilla-Jackie]

Jenny...
... whether Bobs dizziness turns out to be something or nothing, it is still best to get it down on his medical records, always best to mention it if only to cover yourselves...

[Joy]

Good morning. I have been MIA for a few days.

I had a few busy days.  Several doctor appts. a funeral and a couple other non-medical appts.  I am feeling better and maybe my live is getting back to some kind of normalcy. Whatever that is. LOL

Jenny, sorry about Bob's dizzy spells.   I know that can be scary.  Most of the time, it does come from getting up to quickly.

Sue, I wanted to tell you that I did write a message to Jack in W.Va. just to say "Hi".  He wrote back that he is doing well and still gets in his walks, with his dog, to Oglebay Park. But, he doesn't have any plans to come back to the S & F group.  I did tell him that so many of us really miss his beautiful pictures.

Mary Ann, the heart doctor wants me to start taking 40mg of the Lasix, instead of the 20mg.  My legs were pretty swollen when I saw him the other day. I know I have not been watching my salt real good, so have to start cutting back. I have not found a good salt substitute that I like.

I think you also mentioned a while back that you take Eliquis. I had to get a new Rx. the first of the year, and my RX plan now has a deductible, which I never had before. The premium went down, but because of the deductible, my new Rx for the Eliqus cost me $551. Luckily, the next time it will be considerably less.  I could get some samples from the doctor, but that means having someone pick them up for me and they only give you a 2 week supply each time.  It is really very inconvenient for someone to have to go for me, so I just paid for the Rx.  I am fortunate that I can pay it.  I have several RX's that I don't pay anything for, so I guess it all evens out in the long run.  Sure is expensive to get old!!

It is a pretty sunny morning, but still so cold !  We have been lucky with not having much snow, but it sure has been cold. My poor furnace is working overtime.

Wish each and everyone a wonderful day. 

Joy

[Mary Ann]

Joy, that is a hefty amount to pay for a med but I know Norm had some expensive meds where he paid through the nose before the began getting some from the VA.  How long does a supply last?  I am insured through my company and I hate to tell anyone about it because I don't pay for my insurance and I get my meds at a vastly reduced cost.  A three-month supply of Eliquis costs me $50; I take two a day.  They mail the meds to me so no one has to go to pick them up.  My OTC meds I get from my grocery pharmacy or from Amazon. 

I've just gotten up.  Tom was fixing his breakfast when I went into the kitchen and I did not tell him but he left one of the range units on.  He went downstairs to begin his work day. 

I don't know what kind of day we will have but it looks OK out.  The temp is 23 degrees.

Mary Ann

[SCFSue]

Good morning, Mary Ann and all you Bait and Tacklers. It's pretty chilly here in Auburn, Alabama this morning.  I'm going out to play bridge after lunch--my friend Terri will pick me up.  We're playing at Olyne's today.

So I need to get into the shower, find some warm clothing to put on, and read until Terri gets here. 

Have a nice day, Every One--and stay warm!
Sue

[Mary Ann]

Sue, it isn't that warm in Grand Rapids, either, as it was 23 at 9 am and at nearly noon is 28 degrees.  The sun is shining, so it may get up to 30 degrees. 

I never learned to play bridge, however, my dad belonged to a bridge club and I sometimes sat in on the game.  It was not the bridge that is played today.  One of the women would "inkle" when she wanted to bid. 

I'll be back later when I've done something.  I think I know what that "something" might be - Tom just left and said he'd be back to fix dinner. I have stew meat in the freezer and I think I'll put that, onion, carrots and diced tomatoes in a crockpot and it should be done by the time Tom returns.  I've been complaining lately and loudly about the meals Tom has been giving me - hot dogs or soup or sandwich.  I want something more substantial and beef stew should do it.

The last time I looked at Lake Michigan there were a lot of whitecaps, which means it's windy.

Mary Ann

[Joy]

Getting back to the computer while I am eating my lunch.  I guess I will be watching the Hallmark channel most of the rest of the day, as all the other stations will have all that mess from Washington.  I don't think they need to monopolize all the local stations. I also will probably read for a while, too.

Mary Ann, that Rx is for 90 days.  The higher price is because of the deductible. For this year, my deductible has been met.  When I have to get it again, it will be $116 for 90 days. That is a big difference.  I have another med that is expensive, also. For years, I didn't even take anything, so I guess it is catching up to me.  But, you do what you have to do.

My husband worked for H.J.Heinz for over 30 years, and all that time, we did not pay anything for any medical insurance or RX. And he was sick for over 6 years.  But, after Heinz was sold, things did change drastically.  During the time when you can change your insurance plans, I thought about looking into getting something cheaper, but I never have to pay a doctor bill or any other balances for tests, etc.  My supplementary pays 100% of what Medicare doesn't pay. Some of the scans I have are 3 or 4 thousand dollars, so, my daughter-in-law told me she thought I should just keep what I have.  So far, I am fortunate to be able to pay for it. 

I have some papers that need copying, so I plan to work on that for a little bit.  I have been lazy long enough. I also have a phone call that I should make.

Have a good afternoon.

Joy

[CallieOK]

My  supplementary insurance is through my late husband's Colorado retirement and has been good for the past 27 years...so far.
However, after my "Wellness Check" last summer, I was billed because the doctor had listed another type of visit along with the Wellness Check and neither Medicare nor my supplement would pay for that.  I guess I'm not supposed to mention anything else that might be bothering me. 

My parents played the "old style" Bridge and, when Mother tried to teach me before I went to college, she said, "I don't think this is going to be your game".  I learned what was then the "new style" in the dorm and sorority house and have done fine ever since.
Husband learned in the army and we both enjoyed "party bridge" but did not do well when friends began to play "duplicate" (we liked to talk too much  ).  I still won't play duplicate but do belong to a party bridge club that meets twice a month and occasionally sub in others.
We used to meet in homes but now almost all meet in local restaurants.

Cold raw day in central Oklahoma but no snow/sleet/etc.  Eagles' nest webcam in eastern Oklahoma shows snow surrounding the mama setting on the eggs.  Shouldn't be too much longer until they begin to hatch.

Have been out socializing this afternoon but still have to go to the mailbox.

Hope Everyfriends is having an Enjoyable Day.

 

[Marilyne]

I wrote a long message this morning, but it's not here, so I guess I didn't hit Post?  I often go back to Preview, a couple of times to clear up my errors, and I think must have I left my message in Preview.  It was a long one, per usual, so I won't attempt to rewrite.

Joy - Good to see you posting some long messages this morning.  It sounds like you're feeing much better than last week!  Interesting that your husband worked for Heinz.  I didn't realize that they had sold out to another company?  Big companies like that were so generous with benefits back then.  AJ worked for IBM for 35 years, and it sounds about like Heinz, as far as prescriptions, and illness coverage was concerned, plus other wonderful benefits like Christmas parties, tickets to musical theater productions, and so many free things for families.  After he retired, they also reorganized, and all those perks are now long gone.

Mary Ann - How was your stew?  When I read your message this morning, I thought it sounded like a good idea, to go ahead and fix your own dinner, as long as you had all the ingredients ready to go.  Tom will probably like it too. 

Callie - similar situation here as far as Bridge was concerned.  My parents wanted to teach me before I went away to college, so my high school BF, and I took a few "lessons" from them the summer after we graduated.  I didn't do so well, but after I got to college, I learned to play at the dorm and sorority house.  There was always a group of three girls, looking for a "fourth".  More fun than study hall!       

[Mary Ann]

Marilyn, the stew did not materialize.  Today was a gripe day and poor Tom was the recipient.  First of all, I have no cookies to go with my coffee and ended up eating soda crackers.  There was one slice and two crusts of bread and they don't take the place of a peanut butter cookie.  When I decided to make the stew, the crockpot was on a shelf in the closet and I could not reach it.  That's Robin's fault because she always asks Tom what to discard and where to put things.  If he isn't handy, she'll do it wherever there is room - and there was room on the shelf.  Later I wanted to make an egg salad sandwich and Robin had discarded that when she cleaned out the refrigerator.  But she left a little milk that was outdated!  She really does a good job cleaning but I think she forgets I live here too.  So I'll do the stew when the crockpot is where I can reach it.                                       

Not only that, we did not get any mail today, even after a mail holiday!  One good thing - I saw a ship twice on the St Clair River.  If I'd had more patience, I would have seen another one, and maybe twice for that one, but I went on to other things!

I told Tom "it isn't easy being 95".  You can't do anything!

Then my computer started acting up.  I thought it was the Internet but my second computer worked.  I let this one rest while I watched TV and after the TV, I shut it down, waited 10 counts, turned it back on, and here I am. 

Mary Ann

 

[Sandy]

Regarding "Food Substitutes"....
I always dread having to substitute
something...
For salt,  I use "No Salt"
    which is mostly potassium.   
    It works for me and even though
    I still take a potassium pill daily,
    my levels of that are great. ]
For "sugar"
    I use "All Natural Stevia"
    and it good for me.  Not perfect,
    but close enough.  Occasionally,
    I will use a bit of honey
Non Dairy is the hardest..
    But I like Almond Breeze for
    milk...  imho,  there is no
    good substitute for cheese ..
    So I have just learned to live
    with out it .. I am a cheese nut
    and really really miss it.

    Once in a while I will buy me a
    hunk of good cheese, and savor it. 

Generally speaking....
time usually helps when
I have to resort to
substituting  foods...

After a couple of weeks,  the
substitutions start to taste
better  and that helps. 

Also I can't eat green
veggies because they are
high in vitamin K which affects
my coumadin.

I have to go back on my diet
(a combination of intermittent
fasting -    I choose eating only
between 11 AM and 8 PM daily..
in conjunction with Weight Watchers. 

I can really loose weight as long
as I follow my food plan carefully
and stick to the hours of choice. 

 It all takes a lot of will
power but gets easier after a
week or so of doing it.  The
cravings go away and I am never
hungry. 

I have talked too long, 
again!   

Have a good night everyone.
and excuse me for repeating myself.
 

[Denver]

Wednesday night HELLO.

THE Bob Cats are still around each day.  A neighbor called tonight to tell us about seeing them out side of her home playing this morning.  I caught them on our cameras this morning also.  They are so cute❣️

Bob's dizziness continues in spite of him trying the suggestion you all shared, so he did call our doctor and with insistence got a appointment for tomorrow afternoon. Before he encouraged a earlier appointment they would see him a week from today😩😩

It is late and I am headed off to bed....pleasant dreams to all.

Jenny

[Vanilla-Jackie]

Jenny...
... relieved to hear that..we know only too well how our menfolk will put off of going to their GP if they can...stubbornness springs to mind...

[Mary Ann]

Jenny, I am glad to hear that Bob is going to a doctor about his dizziness.  And he was smart to insist on an earlier appointment.

Sandy, I think the key words in your eating are "will power".  I don't need the substitutes you take, but I do like skim milk and I know that is an acquired taste.  Tom likes to flavor certain things with mild salsa - he puts it on top of his scrambled eggs, for instance.  I like my eggs with veggies in them and he does a good job there. 

Tom has just left to get weighed.  He is not on Weight Watchers but goes to a weight loss clinic connected to Butterworth Hospital.  He's lost quite a bit of weight since he started and it shows in his face.

BBL

Mary Ann

[Sandy]

Good Morning Everyone,  from
the Rocky Coast of Maine, which
is a bit warmer today.   Temps
will be in the high 20's Middle 30's
and low 40's  today and the up
coming days.     The Sun is shinning
in my Windows facing South East today,
which feels very good.

I have found that "Will Power" gets
easier to depend on once I get a
few days into my diet routine.  And
eventually I only need it when I go 
shopping.  (Because my cupboards will
be barren by that time from all the
foods that I should not be eating.)

Anyhow.... enough of food talk..
Have a good day Everyone,  and I
wish you all would be feeling as
good as possible.

Sandy
 

[Marilyne]

Mary Ann - We all have those "Gripe Days", when everything goes wrong, and looks like yesterday was one of yours!  No crock-pot within reach, so no stew, no cookies to go with your coffee, no egg for an egg salad sandwich, outdated milk, and finally . . .  no mail delivery!  I'm sure Tom, wanted to run for the hills! ha ha    The good part is that today you can make that stew, and also very good that Tom has lost so much weight that it's now beginning to show!

Jenny - Good that Bob got an appointment today, to have his dizzy spells checked out.  He was right to insist, and not to wait a week to see his doctor.  There's always a wait here in the Bay Area, to see a doctor - which is why so many people go to the ER, when a sudden health issue comes up. Keep us posted on how he is doing?   

[SCFSue]

Good morning all you Bait and Tacklers looking in.  It's a cold, dreary and rainy morning here in Auburn, Alabama. I have been up for several hours, but am still not dressed for the day.  Some days it's just hard to get started!  (At least for me!)

I played bridge yesterday and enjoyed the afternoon out with friends.  I had good cards and some not so good, but especially the company and being able to be out of the house.  I didn't win a prize, but had lots of fun--and a very good apple cobbler dessert made by our hostess. 

Not much else going on here today.  If the rain stops, I'll bundle up and get outside for a walk.  If not, I'll just stay inside and read.

Have a nice day, Every One!
Sue

[Mary Ann]

Marilyn, the crockpot is still on the shelf and will stay there until I remind Tom to take it down.  It may be that I make the stew tomorrow and that will take us over the weekend.  Gone are the days when we had a roast on Sunday and fixed it three or four different ways the rest of the week, or until Friday when we'd have steak (that is when my dad and I lived alone).  I don't remember what my mother fixed on Friday but the roast would have been eaten up before that.  We were a "meat and potatoes" family.

Marilyn, my gripe was more frustration than anything else.  Between my right shoulder and my legs, I can hardly get from Point A to Point B.  I don't bother Tom when he is working unless it is important.  He's on the phone a lot, but not always.  We communicate a lot by e-mail because he is glued to his phone.  I call him on the phone seldom, but if I think he is not on the phone, I holler down the stairs.  If he is on the phone, he'll say he's on the phone.  We think we have a pretty good system.  He did not take my gripe personally.

Sue, it's good you can get out of the house.  I can't walk far enough to make it worthwhile.  What walking I do is mostly in the house where I have furniture and walls to lean on if necessary.

We may go to the D&W deli to see what I want to eat.  If not today, then tomorrow.

Mary Ann

[angelface555]

Good morning from the Interior! Absolutely nothing going on this week. Our weather has been warm during the week and cold on the weekends.

[Marilyne]

Patricia - Yes, looks like many selfies I've seen.  I especially like the pose in the bottom right photo - using ones hand for a special effect!  ha ha  

[Amy]

Patricia, that is so cute!! How could one not take photos ??

[MarsGal]

Personality plus!

[Mary Ann]

Patricia, we have a young Chinese/American in our family who looks similar.  Isaiah will be three in early March.  He has a new brother, Ezra, born in November, who looks more Caucasian.  Grandma Jan flew to CA Tuesday to see the family.  I am anxious for them to come to Michigan so I can see them. 

Cute pictures.  I love the expressions.

Mary Ann

[Mary Ann]

Tom took me to supper tonight for my help in buying his car so I had a ride in the car too.  It is a lovely car, black outside, grey leather seats.  His Camry has heated seats and I did not ask about these.  The dash has a lot of bells and whistles and probably cost a pretty penny when new.  We went to Cheers for supper and I had goulash.  I can get four meals from one serving of the goulash and it is good!  We brought most of it home.

I'm in for the night.

Mary Ann

[Denver]

It is late and I am headed off to bed, but I did want to share the out come of the visit to the doctors office this afternoon.

It has been a stressful day with the worry about Bobs dizziness issue.....this morning when he woke up he tried to do the exercise that many do to help with vertigo.....he did it turning on one side, and nothing happened, so he did the other side and it was awful for him.....the worse than ever dizziness and then it made him super sick to his stomach.....we went well prepared to tell the doctor all that has been going one, starting back with the cold he had and before long the doctor was convinced it was not a stroke, Parkinson's or even vertigo issue, but rather pressure in his head/ears.  He did a little procedure on him that consisted of pretty much pooping his ears and it was immediately successful......as the day has progressed it is not quite as good as it was, so Bob is to retry the procedure again before bed and hopefully he will wake up and hopefully there will be no dizziness! 

Thank you for the concerns and good wishes....we are very hopeful this issue w8ll be gone or at least better when Bob awakes tomorrow.

Pleasant dreams to all.

Jenny

[Mary Ann]

Jenny, I hope what the doctor suggested is successful.  Is that something Bob has to do every night for a while?  Getting older is no picnic, is it?

Tom spent the night at a sleep clinic.  He has been there before and has used a CPAC for several years so this was nothing new.  He said he slept OK and they will give him a new CPAC.  He is on at least his second CPAC.  He cannot hear a thing when he is using it and if I really need him, I have to phone him; he can hear his phone but has it shut off except for certain numbers.

Today is trash day and I will get ours ready soon.  I don't know if it is recycle day but I did see someone had their tub out.  Tom is taking a nap now but will wake in time to take out the trash as they don't come until early afternoon.

Mary Ann

[Marilyne]

Jenny - Good to get up this morning, and see a message from you,  that Bob was checked out, and everything is okay!  I've heard of lots of older people having that exact problem, and quite a few of them are right here in Seniors & Friends.  I hope he continues to feel better today so you can get on with your usual activities.

Mary Ann - I didn't realize that Tom, used a CPAP machine.  That's another thing that seems to be prevalent here n S&F.  I can't think of who, but there are a number of members who use them. 

Nothing on tap here today.  I'm thinking about taking pictures of some of my things that are collectible, and selling them on eBay.  I used to do it years ago, right after I left the Antique business, and I had very good luck.  However, times have changed since then, and the younger generations don't want anything to do with the old things from days gone by.  I may try selling a few things, and see how it goes?  It's not the money I care about . . . I'd just like a collector to have these things. 

We haven't heard from BEVERLY in a few weeks?  Hope everything is going well in her family?   I'm looking forward to seeing who posts a message here today! 
     

[angelface555]

Good late afternoon from the Interior where it is zero degrees at 4:07 PM. I spent the day having brunch with friends and then shopping before a cocktail and then home. I noticed after arriving home that my head is plugged, and sound comes to me as if underwater. My throat is sore from drainage as well.

While these colds rarely last more than three or four days, I'm noticing a trend. It isn't the public restrooms, crowded buses, or some other perceived reason. It is merely leaving my apartment and being around people in public spaces. Am  I such a hermit that being around other people is making me sick, or is it merely self-delusion?

Farrah is upset with me. She knows that if I left and returned with bags, that I may have food. Since she is finishing the healthy Blue brand of cat food, she observes me and follows me around to see if I have something special for her. If I go from the kitchen to close to her dishes, she'll run to them and then look disappointed.

 I sometimes think I'll get a small package of treats but then it'll be a downhill slope and we'll be right back where we started last year! It is back to IAMS indoor cat diet food. She now also pays attention to my own meals. But when I offer her a piece, she sniffs and gives me a long look like, "No wonder she feeds me crap!"

I do have a question for my vet. Since I received her in May 2016, she has had only one hairball even though she grooms and sheds. I have never had a cat who didn't have hairballs. I should ask the vet; he's used to my questions. For the cat people out there, do your cats have regular hairballs?

I had a brief discussion with a fellow resident while waiting for my friends to pick me up. The man was ranting and raging over mixed-race marriages and single-sex marriages, bringing armageddon down on us. After noticing that every other person in the lobby was avoiding his attention, he fastened on me asking or more likely prompting me to agree with him.

 I told him he needed to get a hobby, and he scolded me as an antiChrist. I told him that one more word and I would complain to security about public harassment. He's already on shaky ground in that regard as he tends to preach at people. I told my friends about the incident, and they all agreed I egged him on. That a more adult approach would have been nonengagement. They're probably right. I have foot in mouth disease.

[Mary Ann]

Patricia, I have never noticed any hairball from Kendrick.  He does groom and shed, but unless he gets rid of them in the litter box, I have not seen any hair balls.  I do not take care of the litter, Tom does. 

I don't know what I would do if someone approached me as that man did you and engaged in that sort of talk.  I think since you were a captive audience, I might have done the same as you did, or I'd try to walk away.  I think you were right to threaten him with calling security and maybe you should have done that.

We aren't quite as cold as you are, Patricia, as our temperature is 38.  I saw flurries this afternoon but they did not last.  We do have snow on the ground. 

Could you buy treats for Farrah and give her one a day?  Or one a week?  If you give her more than one a day, that's your fault.  She might be more receptive to regular food if she knew at a certain time of day she was going to get a treat.  Kendrick used to get treats but when I ran out, I did not replace them.  Annie is the one who had bought them in the first place.  When I change his food at night, he's always anxious to get the new batch, even though it's what he's been eating.

Mary Ann
 

[Marilyne]

I just dropped in to say Goodnight, although it's only a little past 9:00, and I won't going to bed for a couple of hours yet.  Midnight in Grand Rapids, so I'm sure Mary Ann, is sound asleep. 

Patricia - I'm in agreement with Mary Ann, as to giving Farrah a treat, or maybe a spoonful of wet cat food with her kibble?  It sounds like she's a hungry cat?      I admire you for speaking out to the obnoxious resident!  I would likely say nothing, and immediately get up and go to the opposite side of the room.  In a situation like that, I just want to remove myself from the scene!

[Vanilla-Jackie]

Patricia..
...it would have been nice if the other residents who walked away could have backed you a little more as you were doing this for them as much as you was doing this for yourself in trying to quieten this man from harassing you all...