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2024-03-22, 14:15:18
Domestic Goddess: Pollock Fillets seasoned with Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper, Bush's Best Brown Sugar Hickory Baked Beans, Green Grapes and Chocolate Chip Cookies that my husband prepared.  Sorry about the previous type error with my last post.

2024-03-22, 14:03:04
Domestic Goddess: Pollock Fillets seasoned with Mrs. Dash

2024-03-22, 09:31:45
Domestic Goddess: Is this correct, if one would like to post/share a recipe, we do so here?  If so, was searching to see if there were separate recipe categories?

2024-02-21, 22:30:59
Oldiesmann: The chat can be accessed from the menu but I don't kow how often anyone is in there

2024-02-20, 23:18:48
alpiner1: Is the chat live ?

2024-02-19, 23:20:20
junee: Junee

2024-01-30, 11:45:01
Astro: Periodically I use it.

2024-01-29, 20:17:44
mycheal: Love the chat  off and on

2024-01-14, 21:12:20
Oldiesmann: Just curious. Does anyone still use the chat? It doesn't make any difference to me since it's a free service. Just wondering

2023-11-28, 19:23:29
JeanneP: Stiil trying to let Julee know that my EM is   gmjeannep2@gmail.com  and that the  old Comcast on is no longer work, it was to old and they dont do EM anymore


D

Norms Bait and Tackle

Started by dapphne, March 30, 2016, 09:23:16 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

angelface555

#7920
Good morning from a windy Interior! We've dropped from the thirties and early forties to a high of 24 today. The wind is blowing the heavy snow off the birch trees, and they are popping back up from their bent over positions, some of them in a startling fast manner.

I like the lower temperatures because the higher ones tend to bring freezing rain and ice storms. We have become more like Anchorage in rainforest country then we've been as part of the Arctic. We are however expecting to go back up temperature wise on the weekend. Formerly February was always when we had a severe cold. It hasn't happened that way in the last five to eight years.

Larry, I'm glad you are feeling better and more like usual. But I hate to tell you that LastPass was hacked last spring and they say they've corrected the bug that allowed hackers to harvest passwords. Many folks still use either the same password for everything or an easy one using phone numbers or pets names.

I use a similar service for a password manager, and I also have my passwords on my external hard drive as well as a written list. I use Dropbox, but nothing affecting my security is stored there as it is copies of articles I saved and mainly my PSP paraphernalia. I have my photos on Google but also backed up on my external drive as a failsafe. Amazon and Nook are also vulnerable to hacking, but I suppose books are easier to replace if the worse should happen. However, the business or account side might be used as a springboard to other parts of your online presence.

Nothing is failsafe these days so we can only trust in the companies we use. A large hospital paid a ransom to get vital records back after hackers gained entrance to the documents via an Alexa smart system fish tank in the lobby! Police, fire and emergency services around the country have paid records ransoms in the last three years mainly on the East coast or the Midwest.It has become an occupational hazard!

Everything that is stored on the computer has a written or external backup because I have been burned too many times. And my external drive is never left plugged in for obvious reasons. It amazes me that folks spend money on these and then leave them plugged in vulnerable to whatever happens to the central computer. My classes and classwork are too important to be left that way.

MarsGal, I've heard several people have enjoyed that movie. My sister went with her daughter and son-in-law, and they all raved about the film.

MaryAnn, I hope those PT exercises will help after all the pain you have suffered previously.

Marilyne, I am having very similar issues trying to find new doctors here as so many I've used before have or will be retiring soon. Many new ones look askance at seniors with Medicare as it only brings in 70 cents on the dollar. I've heard many services have a Medicare and Medicaid limit or they don't take that patient at all.

angelface555

#7921
We've just had a new weather alert claiming heavy snow, freezing rain and low visibility for both summits and valley beginning this Thursday and continuing through the weekend. Two of our four main highways haven't reopened since the last storm! We are told that more trees may break under yet more snow and ice causing more outages. I hate winter or at least this winter!

Marilyne

Patricia - When my long time ENT doctor retired, I had a hard time finding a new one who would take Medicare. I went without for a long time, but when I got this paralyzed vocal cord problem, I had to see someone.  Finally, an older doctor agreed to see me, and I do like him.  Problem of course, is that he is old and will be retiring soon . . .  and then what? :(  I'm thinking that I won't get a new cardiologist at all now, but will wait until I really need one.  Maybe not the wisest move on my part, but right now I don't really care that much.

Mary Ann

Marilyn, it is hard to break in a new doctor, especially when we are not longer "spring chickens".  My long-time doctor retired in 2001, so I chose another doctor in the practice.  He left the practice in 2002 so I had to choose again.  Doctors in the practice were not accepting new patients so I went to the doctor Norm and Dot had.  He was near here and in his late 40s.  We have found over the years that he really doesn't know how to deal with old people.  Dot is/was in a lot of pain recently and may have called on his day off.  Whatever - he was not available so they suggested she see another doctor.  Our doctor did not have a name for Dot's ailment, but this sub doctor knew immediately what it was.  So she switched to him.  I haven't had any occasion to see my doctor and I think he'll outlast me, however, if I would have something serious that would be beyond his capabilities, I think I would search for a new doctor.  He is the one who ignored my symptoms of A-Fib.  I try not to go to a doctor if I can help it.

I had another PT treatment today and he had me do some things other than what I had done last week.  One I remember doing 40-50 years ago and I don't remember why I was having the therapy.  We will add that to what I have been doing.  He told me my arm would be sore from what I did today and I believe him - it is sore already.  I like to think progress is being made.

We have had rain all day and the temperature is at 60 degrees.  There was heavy fog this morning and Tom said it was terrible trying to avoid pot holes.  Usually with fog the sun comes out, but the rain continued, so it was strange to see fog where we usually don't see it - in low areas. 

Gloria, a few years ago, I thought I was losing hair because when I washed my hair, I could see my scalp.  It may have been because of my white hair.  But I seems to have a good head of hair now.  My hair dresser and I discuss my problem of the left side where it seems to straighten out and there is nothing that can be done with it.  Today it looks good and maybe tomorrow, but by Thursday, it will look bad.  The woman who cut my hair for over 30 years had trouble with it too.

Patricia, my password list is in a little notebook that I keep with my flash and external drives.  I also disconnect my external drives and flash drives when I'm not using them. 

Mary Ann

FlaJean

There are so many seniors living in Florida that I haven’t heard of any medical doctors not taking Medicare patients, at least in the two areas I’m familiar with.  In some areas Medicare HMOs are available that are very good.  Unless the area has large numbers of seniors, it probably doesn’t pay to accept Medicare because the government’s reimbursement to the doctor is so small.

Angel, I also use Dropbox for special family photos, videos, and geneology records in case something happens to my external drive, or a house fire, etc.  I don’t keep my external drive plugged in either.  We keep our passports, birth certificates, etc., in a special folder that we can grab and go if we need to.

JeanneP

#7925
That has been my worst experience getting older now. When I came to town in 1965 I brought my health records. (not much on them other than my Gyno.) so I found a Dentist. ENT. eyes doctor and another gyno. Always have a full health check once a year and so had them for at least 30 years and all great. They they started to Die. 2 in their early 50s. Then came the ones retiring. Would replace and soon they would be gone. My ENT. passed 2 years ago age 51. Had a Primery for simple things like colds etc. He now retired and just don't have one. So now got the news that the big lab that has always done my blood panels yearly has closed its doors after 35 years because the one hospital has been purchased by the big Catholic Health center and the lab depended on getting all the Hospital work but the hospital say will have their own. they were refusing to take some of the big insurance companies for last 2 months but looks like it has been settled. Lots of people now worried about their health insurances has they say their Premiums will have to go higher in order to please the big Hospital. Just hoping I can stay healthy as possible.
JeanneP

wjoan

Forecast is saying snow to start in 2 mins.  Since it is only 30  I guess I will believe them.  LOL[/img]

wjoan

Mary Ann, storks on 3 of the nests already.

MarsGal

I hear you all about trying to find competent doctors who take Medicare. While my doctor does take Medicare, he is about my age and has cut his hours to half days (making it more difficult to set appointments in a timely manner) Aside from one or two other minor (?) issues, he missed George's illness because the annual blood-work results came back okay. He ignored that George was becoming more and more tired and weak, not to mention eventually becoming more and more mentally slow. It took me and his neighbor to convince him he needed to take other action. I told him he should no longer be driving up to Mansfield with his slow reaction time and thinking. It wasn't until the neighbor, the very next day, threatened to call an ambulance on him if he didn't improve by the end of the week to get him to check himself into the hospital. All the first hospital did was pump him full of fluids, saying his electrolytes and such were out of whack. When he lost energy going up the stairs and couldn't go any further, several weeks later, he called an ambulance (this was up home, not here). The hospital in Wellsboro was used to dealing with the elderly and injuries that the drillers presented, and they thought George had fallen, so they did a test on his muscles. They didn't like what they saw. The Urologist was the one that recognized the symptoms and sent him to the Neurosurgeon. After going through several specialists once he came back down here and a total of about six months, he found out he had a "growth" (notice they didn't call it tumor), pressing against his pituitary gland.

My sister recently had to switch Dermatologists because the practice no longer accepts Medicare. Now she has to travel at least twice as far to her new one. I also was using that practice, so I guess I will be looking for a new Dermatologist too. Several years ago, I looked into finding a practice specializing in elder patients, but not very actively. I am inclined to look again. In the meantime, the hospitals around here have been busy consolidating with other hospitals, not so local, to make giant organizations. After switching partnerships with several other hospitals here, Geisinger has partnered with Holy Spirit. I have no faith what-so-ever in Geisinger. The other thing that is happening is that the hospitals are partnering with insurance companies. I can't help but think that will be a problem down the road. Who is truly watching out for the patient when both hospital and insurance company are in bed with each other. Or, do you think I am overly concerned?

Well, that was a soapbox type diatribe, but it feels good to get it off my mind for now. On to other things, it is to get to 72 today then back down into the 40s the next few days with more rain.

I enjoyed The Black Panther, the characters were likeable, the panther bits were there but not overdone, like some of the superhero movies. The meal I chose was okay, but not as good as I had hoped. The cost of the birthday outing was less than I expected, which was a nice surprise.

larryhanna

Hi Everyone.  It looks like we will get to 80 degrees this afternoon and it is already 68 degrees as I begin my day.  I awoke at 3:30 this morning and just couldn't go back to sleep.  So about 5:30 I got up and showered and dressed for the day.  Other than dinner at Church is evening and Scott and Jennifer coming out afterwards I expect today to be a pretty quiet one.  I did get most of my income information summarized and ready to enter into my on line tax preparation program, which I will probably start on today.  We did go to Pizza Hut last evening and they were very busy so other than to give our son a hug when we came in and when we left there was no time for him to sit and visit with us for a few minutes.

Mary Ann, it sounds like you had a pretty full day yesterday.  I hope your PT session went well.  I sure don't consider 57 to be balmy.  :)  That is coat weather for me. Potholes in our road is something that really isn't much of a problem down here since we don't get all of the freezing and thawing. 

deAngel,  I bet those pot and pan and other items you gave your grandson he will cherish throughout his life.  My grandmother gave me a glass front book case that is now well over 100 years old and we have moved it many times.  I wouldn't consider parting with it.  We also have a beautiful old china cabinet with leaded glass on the sides and a center that is surrounded by glass panes in a semi-circle and another antique small table that sits in our foyer.  I have a few other things from my folks that I cherish. 

Marilyne, my Sister-in-law lives in Independence, Missouri and she sent pictures of the ice storm they were having yesterday which was to continue until about 6 pm last evening and we were enjoying another 80 degree day.  You are certainly having some chilly weather and I hope the snow stays away from your area.  Too bad you are losing your cardiologist.  I have had two dentists whose family came from India but they were born in the USA.  The cardiologist I had at Kaiser who put in my last pacemaker was Iranian but spoke perfect English.  My first cardiologist was a Dr. Wong and he also spoke perfect English.  Do have trouble being accepted by new doctors due to having Medicare?  That was a real problem for us when we moved to South Carolina.  However, we have been happy with our doctors. 

Patricia, it sounds like you are having a pretty good February although your weekend forecast sounds terrible.  We were surprised by the weather we found in Anchorage. I had not been aware of the Last Pass hack but I do change my important passwords fairly often as well as my Master Password.  I am willing to live with the risk of continuing to use Last Pass.  They supposedly use military encryption but I guess most anything can be hacked even the NSA, which you would think would be the most secure.  I do use long and difficult passwords for most sites.  There are quite a few that I am not concerned about.  I recently backed up all of my photos onto my hard drive so they are located in two places.  I have a couple of external hard drives but haven't used them in a long time.  That would be a good thing to update at the beginning of this new year. 
 
Jean, most of our doctors are contracted for my our big University Hospital and they all accept Medicare patients.  My cardiologist recently went into private practice but is still tied into the University My Chart system and continues to accept Medicare as far as I know.  The only Medicare Pat and I have is Part A as the Federal Blue Cross and Blue Shield covers the doctors cost with a modest co-pay and the drug coverage is comparable to the Part D.  We would have to have a lot of doctor's appointment to offset what we would pay annually to have Part B.  I keep our most important documents in a safe deposit box at the Credit Union. 

Jeanne, I do feel for the doctors having to deal all the time with the health insurance companies and the big hospitals.  Our University Hospital here is now 200 years old in terms of when it was started.  The medical college of Georgia is located down the street from it and they have a big hospital right across the street from the University and further down the road is the big VA hospital.  There are two other hospitals in Augusta but one of those was recently acquired by the University Hospital System.  The Georgia Dental College is also located nearby. 

Joan, that was very precise weather forecasting if they are doing down to the minute.  They must be watching the snow arrive via Radar. 

MarsGal, I saw a dermatologist last year but don't really have any skin problems so don't plan on seeing him annually.  The last several physicals have been mainly blood work with the doctor only listening to the lungs and heart and no hand on.  Sorry to hear that George had a hard time finding a doctor who recognized his problems.  People really seem to like that Black Panther movie.  Nice that you found it enjoyable and your time out wasn't as expensive as you had expected.  That doesn't seem to happen very often. 

Mary Ann

#7930
MarsGal, as I’ve written before I think many doctors don’t know how to deal with the elderly patients.  My doctor is one of them.  As older doctors retire and young ones start to practice, we may see more of this than we like.  I imagine there are some doctors specializing in older people, but not around here.  That is quite an experience George had and I hope things are going OK for him now.

We have four major hospitals here now.  One took over a second hospital and I know has several branches in the county and adjacent counties.  The other two are branching out too.  I think the plans are working well for everyone but I haven’t had anything major happen yet.  One reason I like it is when I do go to a doctor, I get a bill from the main hospital as they handle the billing for all of the doctors’ offices in the chain.  Of course, first the bill goes to Medicare, then Aetna then back to the hospital billing.  I like to think the hospital, with its several branches, will continue to accept Medicare.  Even my determatologist is big in the area so I hope they will continue with Medicare.  I’ve had two skin cancer surgeries there in the last 12 years.

Larry, we hit 60 degrees yesterday but it rained all day.  When I left for my haircut in the morning, I wore my raincoat, not my winter jacket.  I carried my coat from the haircut to the restaurant and from the restaurant to the car.  Later going to PT, I did wear the raincoat, more for convenience than anything else because I was in a wheelchair there (the elevator is further from the door and then the PT area than I liked).  My right arm hurts this morning, but I was told it would hurt from the exercises I did yesterday.  Today it is 32 degrees at 9:15 am and expected to go to 38 degrees.  It may go down a bit tomorrow, then work its way up by the weekend.

Larry when my dad was teaching in West Virginia, he was a woodshop teacher.  While there, he made a blanket chest of walnut and he also made a gateleg table, both of which I have.  I try to stress to my heirs that my dad made them (their grandfather and great-grandfather â€" the next generation is too young).  I have a picture of me in my high chair with a couple of logs beside me and my mother had written on the back that dad was going to make her a beautiful chest from those walnut logs.  So the chest is nearly as old as I am.  I suspect Dad made the table before that, but I have a picture of my folks sitting in their apartment on either side of the table and Dad could have made it before he and my mother were married.  I cherish them and I hope my heirs will too.

Joan, I haven’t looked at the stork site for quite a while and I guess I’ll have to start now.

I've written a book, so it is time for me to quit!

Mary Ann


Mary Ann

Joan - it was a hard fight and I think I won!  I hope.

When Tom set up this computer, he had several headings with a few sites listed under each heading.  Not too long ago, one of the headings disappeared and that was where the Nestkamera was.  I searched for the site and after about 1/2 to 3/4 hour finally found it.  I have now saved it and it is in my bookmarks.  Computers do have minds of their own!

Mary Ann

MarsGal

Thanks, Marilyne, George is doing well. He keeps regular appointments with his specialists and, as long as he takes his medicines, is is fine. The growth was pressing on his pituitary and it started shutting down. Once the pituitary shuts down, it does not recover, hence the continued course of hormones, etc. he must take the rest of his life.

angelface555

#7933
Good morning from the Interior! The weather is as usual, but it has been snowing lightly since Monday and the wind while minor so far, is constant. The new storm is to begin tomorrow afternoon. I am apprehensive because it was last week's ice storm that lost my internet connection on the twelfth. Our first recorded ice storm in a hundred years in 2006 paralyzed this city, and since then we've had quite a few as we no longer have that severe cold or even that much snow.

I heard from a friend that the Idaho panhandle also has freezing rain and whiteouts. I heard from another friend that the city of Anchorage was paralyzed by an ice storm last week, cars every which way and school buses having difficulties. Schools and many businesses closed during the interim.

Marilyne, I think you are spot on about the hospitals and insurance companies combining. It doesn't sound as if the patient is considered before the money does it? What was that famous movie tagline? "Give me the money, honey"? I am so glad that the system where you have primary and secondary doctors, all vetted by Insurance companies isn't allowed here.

We have enough issues with only one local hospital altho there are several buildings in the complex, heart, cancer, and a two-building home for those needing constant care all under one mantle. Anchorage has three or more hospitals and the different military bases locally also accept the retired military or retired government workers. Our local hospital has gone through several owners and partnerships.

As someone with a lifetime disability, having dealt with doctors for myself, my daughter and that period where I believe none of the doctors did more than accept the written notes that there was nothing actually wrong from previous doctors instead of trying to help her. And the experience with my dad when we had to threaten legal action through a lawyer before Etna paid what they owed.

I certainly am no fan of the medical profit system. So many of the doctors here are retired military, and I know the doctors and dentists here have the highest recorded rates in the nation. The refusal to help Medicare and or Medicaid patients any more than legally required is profit motivated.

Joan, it is nice that Candy has you and her brother. I hope everything goes better for her now and that she finds a good vehicle and can get her storage and her furniture retrieved and set up. I'll have to take a look at the stork cams.

Jean, that is a good idea! I paid a lot for my 4T external drive but have made it back several times over in its security and usefulness.

MarsGal, so many folks seem to have enjoyed that movie. I heard one guy say yesterday that while he went not expecting to like it, he enjoyed it so much that he would see it again. I'm glad that George is doing better now. I've always believed that old saying, "that is why they call it a practice."

MaryAnn, you're lucky to have those items from your family as is Larry. I have some of my mother's paintings and my father's coin collections along with some other things of his. My older sister has the majority of their items.

JeanneP

JOan.  What Web cam are you using to watch the Storks?
JeanneP

JeanneP

#7935
40 years ago here in town we had 2 big hospital. 2 big clinics attached to them and at least 40 doctors in Private Practice. Over the years the Hospital and Clinics had doubled in size. Clinic alone have at least 170 doctors each. Lots of specialist. Most of the Private practice doctors are gone. Dies or retired. Now only 3 that I know off. One in the coloured side of town and 2 from India close to me. These 3 take a lot of Medicaid people. I have 3 specialist for yearly checkup and other things had over the years. I am o.k with them but can tell they are not much interested in Senior over about 65. Don't even know how to talk to them. And only gives 15 min. appoints. Have other people to follow up so can't get to call them . Put us all on computer program to get into where we can find what ever it is they use to talk to us about. Any lab work done. Have to find how it was on line.  It is not going to improve now. It will just get more of a big business. No more family doctors. Seems not to many Of US people going into medicine now as at least 70% now in both hospital and clinics are from other countries. They must not expect to get rich fast like ours thought they would do if going into Medicine. Lots did for a long time. Same in happening in Law practices. Thousands in town now. Lots just practicing in Suing malpractice.  We had 3 seniors die in 2 nursing homes this past few month. and 2 with Alzheimer raped in another.  and by now have 5 law firms with adds on TV wanting to help families sue the nursing homes.
JeanneP

Mary Ann

#7936
JeanneP, our main hospital is Spectrum/Butterworth.  They merged with Blodgett.  Another hospital is St Mary's and our fourth is Mercy, a former osteopathic hospital, but now all four treat whatever ailment is presented.  All of them have branched out to suburbs and other towns up and down West Michigan.  We have a tremendous medical area here with much research and development done.  The complex is connected with Spectrum/Butterworth.  When we read about new doctors, often they are foreign.  I have an appointment next week with my cardiologist and I think he is from either Iran or Iraq - his name is Dahu.   He speaks with a slight accent and has been in the US for many years.

If you've heard about Amway, the founders - De Vos and Van Andel - both lived here.  Rich De Vos is the only one living and he is in his mid-90s.  Amway money bought Butterworth Hospital and started the medical complex.  We are fortunate to have so much medical help available. 

My PT therapist told me yesterday that my arm would hurt and it does.  I have to use it for the mouse of my computer (laptop).  I have an exercise to do yet today. 

Tom and I went to lunch at Bud and Stanley's today and I had pulled pork sliders (2 small).  That will hold me until suppertime tonight.

Before I write a book again, I'll quit.  Maybe take a nap.

Mary Ann

Marilyne

MarsGal - Sorry to hear that George had such a difficult time getting diagnosed, but I can relate!  My older daughter has Grave's Disease, which is a auto-immune thyroid disorder, that has no cure. She had horrible symptoms, but doctors kept telling her she was just going through a rough menopause.  No one ever sent her to an endocrinologist - so it wasn't until she had what is called a "Thyroid Storm", that she was finally diagnosed.  I won't even go into what a T-storm consists of, but she almost died.  It took a year of treatment for her to begin to be normal again.  In the meantime, her marriage fell to pieces, and her husband left her.  Grave's Disease changes your personality, until you start treatment, and then it takes a long time to get back to normal. The symptoms are just terrible, and hard for anyone to deal with. Now she is under control, but has to see the endocrinologist and lab work often, to stay on an even keel.

angelface555

These are all good reasons why the US is ranked between 38th and 40th depending on what worldwide medical ranking survey you see. Lancet, the British medical association's journal has the US ranked even lower.

Sandy

Good Evening Everyone
from the warmer and dryer
rocky coast of Maine.

I am so sorry to hear that many people
are having problems finding and keeping their
providers for their health care. 

I am fortunate to live very close to two
major hospitals that both accept
Medicare ...      and hopefully they will
continue to as I age.   

It's inspection time here again... this Friday,
so I am working on getting things
organized,  again.     

Have a good night,  Everyone..
Sandy
:balloons:

  "It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out."

― Carl Sagan

Marilyne

Mary Ann - That's interesting, about the Amway founders.  I used to know quite a few people who were Amway dealers, but haven't heard anything about it in years.  Is it still being sold?

Our health care system in CA, sounds a lot like yours.  We have four huge ones - Kaiser, Stanford, Sutter, and El Camino, all with their own hospitals. Because we have a PPO insurance plan, not an HMO, we can go to any of them.  My husband's oncologist is located in the huge Stanford complex, so that is his main interest in staying with them. I mostly go to independent specialists, who aren't ready yet to give up their private practice.  My cardiologist, who announced his retirement this week, most likely decided to retire, rather than get involved in one of the huge conglomerates. 

JeanneP

That is what happened here with the Dr. that were in private practice. Would not join the large conglomerates . They got so big. Most would have retired by now. Fact very few still alive. I sure miss a couple of them. They became Dr. for the right reason, not to get rich.
JeanneP

Lindancer

Good afternoon, feels like Spring. Lot of rain in the forecast. Other years that would have been snow.

Larry, I have my grandfathers small table, he called it the telephone table, as when they first got a phone that is where he kept.. I now have a lamp on it and Dennis's flag.   My pulmonary doctor is from India, very soft spoken, so I always have to have someone go in with me to hear what he has to say.

Our hospital has gone in with Northville, which is in NYC, but I see they are also branching out to Conn. and NJ. Now my primary doctor cannot come in and treat me.  when I am in the hospital as many as 7 make they rounds with 1 lead doctor.My prim. doctor is now affiliated with Winthrop Hosp. which is up the Island. He sometimes sends people. I am lucky they let my cardiologist come into the hospital to see me.  There are 9 doctors in that group.

Well I started this post about 2PM, it is now 7:30. I had several visitors so I am now sending Prays and hugs to all in need.

Click for Riverhead, NY Forecast

larryhanna

Hi Everyone.  We are expecting another beautiful day here up into the 80's again as we had yesterday.  I have a pretty busy morning planned as will stop on my way to pick up my friend for coffee at a hardware store and buy a couple of light bulbs that are needed for the light panel in our bathroom.  Then we will go to coffee, stopping by the Fed EX store to send back the back massager that Pat had gotten last month as it doesn't seem to be working correctly.  After coffee I will bring my friend home.  From there I plan on going back downtown to the Church and attend the Wisdom Group.  This will be my first time attending in a month.  Finally on the way home I will stop by Walmart to pick up a grocery order Pat placed on line yesterday.  We did enjoy the dinner at Church last evening as had meat loaf, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, biscuit, salad and a small piece of dessert.  Our granddaughter seemed to be the happiest we have probably seen her since she moved.  Her knee is heeling nicely and she said the PT is helping and she is now experiencing little pain. 

MarsGal and Mary Ann, we also looked for a gerontologist when we moved here but without success.  However, we are happy with most of our doctors.  Like your area the University Hospital here has many satellite facilities like the Prompt Care/ Primary Care places and many offices for specialties and for their doctors.  Isn't the 60 degrees pretty warm for your area at this time of the year?

MarsGal, are we thankful for medicines that let us lead fairly normal, if changed lives.  Glad there is a medication for George that keeps his condition in check. 

Patricia, sure hope you don't get ice with your storm this afternoon.  Ice does so much damage.  Fortunately we have underground wiring in this neighborhood but those lines are fed by above ground wiring so we can still get outages in storms.  However, they are not frequent.  Before my daughter was granted disability (after a long and drawn out experience) she had to rely on the County Hospital in Atlanta.  I think she had generally good care but the wait to see a doctor and even to turn in a prescription and another wait to get it filled was something else. 

JeanneP, I guess the cost of running a private medical practice, including the malpractice insurance, has become so great that many doctors are forced into the group practices.  My cardiologist a year ago left the University system and teamed with another doctor or two to go back into private practice.  She said she had gotten so tired of dealing with both the insurance companies (which continues) and being pushed by the hospital to keep appointment short and do a lot of caths and other things that she didn't feel were in the best interests of her patients.  Every evening around the news time we have one after another ads on TV from lawyers.  The mute button gets a good work out. 

Marilyne, I have two first cousins, brother and sister, who have Graves Disease.  Our son has suffered from IBS for many years and has to pretty much stay away from beef and certain other foods.  Sure glad your daughter finally got the right diagnosis and her disease is under control.  We had the Kaiser/Permanete HMO in Atlanta and had that insurance for around 30 years.  We sure miss it here in terms of now we get many billings from Blue Cross/Blue Shield for our 15% of whatever ever BC/BS allows.  We always found the Amway products to be very good.  At one time we tried to sell Amway but it was not successful as I have never liked to sell or bother friends about buying something. 

Sandy, good luck with your inspection tomorrow.  Glad you have good medical coverage in your area as we do here.   

deAngel, it seems that many hospitals now have hospital doctors that see you in the hospital.

Mary Ann

Larry, yes, 60 degrees is very unusual for us this time of year.  Yesterday we leveled off at 32 degrees and at 8:45 am we are at 30 degrees.  We will go up slightly each day the rest of this week, getting into the 40s by Sunday.  It is overcast now, but radar does not show any rain or snow today.  Maybe tomorrow.

I have another PT session this afternoon.  So far the exercises have been doable and hard enough that my shoulder hurts.  I will do one round of the exercises this morning.

Larry, you have a busy day ahead, but at least when you're at coffee and the Wisdom Group you are sitting down and not exerting yourself. 

Mary Ann

SCFSue

Mary Ann, I'm sorry the exercises are painful, but hope they help.  Did the therapist give you suggestions for relieving the pain? 

Sue

Carol

Reading the posts of those who lost their doctors when coverage changed.  I had a dilemma just a few months ago.  So, I went directly to my doctor and and asked if she (a top doc in Colorado) would keep me on even though I could not use the new insurance plan demanded by her group.  She said, she would.  Massive problem solved.  We stay in Tucson in the winter and I needed a general practitioner here - just in case.  Finally found one who would take on a new patient  - we carry medicare plus another insurance (supplement)  so many will not take only medicare.  It is because.... drum roll......medicare pays slower than molasses.     

Mary Ann:  So sorry for your pain during treatment. 

wJoan:  That is such nice news - family living so close to you.  I really hope that there will not be a fire season this year. 

wjoan

Carol, it is nice to have two of my children living so close.  Dan is out looking for a job now that he is out of college.  He told me he would only find one within an hours drive so in case of an emergency he will be able to get back here.

Mary Ann

Sue and Carol, thanks regarding the shoulder pain.  I had another session today and I know the pain goes along with the treatment.  The therapist is very kind, tells me when things will hurt but has me do what I did Tuesday, only 30 times instead of 20.  I do something new each time with expectations I will do some at home.  The one I like best so far is one I can lay on my bed and hold a cane in both hands, then raise the cane as far back as I can for 30 times.  I asked if he could feel any looseness in that shoulder and he said it is too soon to tell.  This is only the third time I've been there. 

On the way home, we stopped at Wendy's for hamburgers and drinks.  Tom is like his dad in that he takes the scenic drive home, so regardless of the weather, we see nice scenery.

Mary Ann

Marilyne

Mary Ann - That's so nice, that Tom likes to take the scenic way home!  AJ always drives to the nearest Freeway or Expressway when we go anywhere, and he stays on it all the way to our destination and back. He hates to have to stop at signals.  When I'm driving, I like the slower scenic route on a rural highway or through a town, and I don't mind signals.  it takes longer, but not nearly as stressful.

Your PT sounds good. I'm glad you got a therapist who is kind and doesn't push too hard.  I only went through one six week session of PT, when I had what they called frozen shoulder.  I don't remember that exercise with the cane, but it sounds good.  I plan to try it, as it might strengthen my back a little.  My posture is terrible, and it's getting harder and harder to straighten up.

Larry - I hope your two cousins got quick treatment for their Grave's disease??  It makes a big difference if the doctor recognizes the symptoms and puts you on thyroid meds early on.  Once you get as far along as my daughter was, you suffer lots of bad effects on other organs in your body.
Hubby went to Costco today, but I didn't feel like going, so told him to take a look to see if they had the tomato bisque soup you recommended.  They did, and he brought home a two-pack. :)