Phyllis4732

So true. The first thing we have done to achieve this is acceptence. Without that, your life wouldn't have gotten this far. While my old life was a lot different, my new life a restart, I just miss the warmer weather. That will never change.

Wow Jean! You're exactly right. What has me surprised though is that Bonnie's DIL had same odd thinking- what is this about not eating anything that has a bone? Vegetarians say nothing that has an eye, I don't agree but can accept that but what do they have against bones? Maybe your son should think twice about his choice of girlfriends. Had a friend who had a daughter who was a vegetarian; he wasn't. Don't know that that was the reason but after going together for a long time they married - it lasted less than a year. OK, she wants to eat Hamburger Helper, fine. Let her make something else for the family. Janice, I didn't realize that you aren't cooking. Is it the mixing or the heat from the stove. I know at first I was afraid of being near the hot pots and certainly did not like carrying them. So, as I believe Bonnnie said, plan whatever you want and let her do the carrying etc. Those wonderful Helper meals and the complete meals (casseroles etc. ) that companies make can be costly too. Buy her a cook book for Christmas.

Lorraine, no, it wasn't the Orchid group - it is a political club. Tonight is the Orchid Culture meeting. It's when you learn all types of things - orchid care etc. The dues is 15.00 or 20.00 a year. Well worth it with monthly meetings and classes every other month (now) Read the piece you have on your messages. You only feel old when you let yourself be. Yes, there are times my body is tired but why sit home and wait for the inevitable. That is wasted time. Worrying about what can happen is wasted time. Not for me!

Very unusual; sounds interesting. Maybe you'll serve some at chat with thecoffee. LOL!

Lucky you! Just have to walk next door. I plan everything and then some stupid job comrs along that I can't resist. Our Nov. meeting here should be great and I'll miss most and get there to say goodbye to everyone. I hope you get people to come. I know that there are 80 patients roughly every 2 weeks. True not all stroke patients but in the 2-1/2 years, only a handful have come to stroke support or even to the reunion party (which is a lovely yearly event) I can't understand it. Perhaps when I hear what your group has decided to do to get people interested, we can do the same. My original room-mate never came to anything - of course she was an odd person. She was supposed to live just a few blocks from the hospital, so it wasn't distance. We both left approximately the same time (she was supposed to leave a day earlier but saw her in the gym the next day with all the special equiptment she could get) and she was walking up and down the hospital stairs with a cane. I was still in a wheelchair and went on to step-down ---not sure she did. So, it also that she was able to make it, and she had a husband who could drive her if she never drove. It could be that people who aren't doing well at the moment, don't want to attend - that psychologically for them it's depressing. Anyway, maybe some of these thoughts will get you thinking of ways your group can avoid this. I'm anxiously awaiting hearing about your experience.

Come on Janice - you know this aggravation and stress you are putting on yourself are no good. I know things are difficult. No doubt your husband feels pressure too. Here he is supposed to be the pillar of strength instead of ill with cancer and needing med costing 1000+. You're lucky it only cocts $15 co pay. It must have gold in it. I had a nausea problem when in rehab. Dumb Dr. I got (switched and took who we could get) sent her medical assistant and he told me the med wasn't making me ill. I told him that I am taking everything I was taking before except that med and never got sick from it. Anyway, he said no one gets sick from it. I said I wouldn't take it and I had no more problem and didn't have to take the anti-nausua pills to correct anything. Dr.s Humph! Anyway, give your husband a little slack. You know he's really feeling badly - and it's not helping you either .

Butch, you do have a shower chair for a walk in shower? Or no walk-in shower? I find them a great help. I don't use the chair- did only once but like to help my balance although I have a grab bar there also. As the others said, You are doing great. OK, now - slowly let Lisa ease back into preparing food and beginning chores, light dusting etc. That's the way to learning. No knives when preparing food yet or getting near hot stove. That time will come and now you don't need cuts and burns.

Ivy plants growing? Not for me..... maybe the weather reallly isn't right here (Florida) but they were in the house (maybe that's what is wrong.) Right now, I'm putting off mourning the death of my Miltonia ( an orchid) that I got at the auction in the spring. It was doing so well and then one day keeled over and died. I've tried just about everything but nothing worked, even with the good roots. My state of shock is too much - it's been sitting on the counting for a few weeks now. Maybe if I put it in the freezer and wait until there's a cure............. So if you want to kill your ivy, send it to me.

GREAT BUTCH!!!!!!! Finally. It's all upstream now.

Thank you for the warning. It is not a mandolin type. It is a Boemer Ultimate Kitchen Helper or Gemusholobel Vegetable slicer. It has a 5" sort of handle that attaches to the vegetable with "needle like" metal prongs and your fingers get nowhere near the blades. It took me 1 year before I would use my Cuisinart because I was afraid of the warning, I know me and am extra careful. It shreds things s,aller than shoestring potatoes. Some day when my brain is extra sharp and I have time, I'm going to play.

Butch, you've got a few friends when you use your crock pot - two are mushroom and tomato soup. They become the best gravy around. Even tougher cuts of meat fall apart when made with the tomato soup. Happy eating or as the late Julia Child used to say - "bon appetit".

GREAT NEWS. BUTCH!

Kristen, sounds like you need some time off. As for your son, he's at a bad age. Teens are different from when I was young. I have a 15 year old grandniece and she is something else. BTW, do not feel badly that your son isn't taking meds. Many of them are quite dangerous. It;s hard to explain to a child his age about his father. Must be a sort of shock to him too. Just when he and his Dad should be doing male- bonding things like fishing, ball etc. his Dad isn't able. How about Big Brothers? Would Patrick feel insulted? If not, could be what your son needs, As for you - are there any groups that have Caregivers Days. Here, every month, a church or a rehab have a program where they "take care" of the patient (feed and have "entertainment and activities) and the Caregiver can go do what she must, whether it be an appointment, hair date at beauty parlor, lunch, a meeting or whatever. I think that is a super idea for the groups that do it. Can Patrick get out to go to a Day Care type place? Things will get brighter for you, I'm sure. Each day is a day when some progress takes place. Just takes forever it seems

Hi Bonnie, I'm sorry for your bad day that you had recently; yep, there will be days like that. My sister had a bone density test done and she was 1 point below osteosporsis. Since then, she managed to trip in the driveway and broke her femur. It takes a lot of therapy to get back and she did. In fact she did so well, she was back climbing a ladder to trim trees etc. but four weeks ago she was careless fixing a drape and was trying not to step on her nightgown (she couldn't wait to get dressed!) and she fell and cracked her pelvis in 2 places. She is getting better from that. For years she has been on acctonal (sp.) and calcium. Of course, you have to be careful - which she wasn't. She maybe would just be breaking bones without doing anything if she had really bad osteoporosis. Had you taken any hormones? That sometimes causes it. So, with her it's her bones; with me, my brain. Hope lately things have gone better.

Hey Marty, Marlem sounds lke a magician. Not really a bad moniker for you. Phyllis

Will be interesting, I'm sure.

Go to it, Stan!

Really great idea Bonnie, I had some of the better recipes of an Aunt that herdaughter shared but ubfortunately, they were where I knew they were but the family moved me and they are probably gone. One gal from Chihuahua Rescue, did a recipe book as a fund raiser. Everyone sent recpes and photos of their chis and a beautiful book was issued. Went like hotcakes. This book, I have. A niece of mine had made a book up of each side of her family. It had pictures and all and was wonderful, She did it so she could pass it on to her children. That's another nice idea. These are great ideas but sure are a lot of work.

My right hand has basically always worked. The real problem with it was writing. I do that but would like my penmanship to be a little better. My left hand has taken over many things. I have been eating fingeer foods with my left hand for quite a while now. Today I went to Sonic and was sitting in the car eating because I was too lazy to get out and sit at a table. I was rushed and had a lot to do after. As I sat there, I had the bag with the ff's on my right and, I dropped one when I finally got ahold of one and said to myself- this isn't working so I held the pkg. in right hand and picked them out and ate them with the left.Worked well. Monday,I volunteered to do some stuffing of invitations for a fashion show a club I belonged to is giving. The chairman set the work up (cards going into envelopes (the responses) but I had to reverse things and put the card in with my left hand. Worked like a charm. Then stamping envelopes- also left-handed. I never practiced anything left-handed, the brain jusy did it. I've been thinking of learning to write left-handed; it could be better. Yes, it is exciting.

Stan, as with all Dr.s there are some that you feel comfortable with and some not. I absolutely did not the neurologist I was given. Fortunately, my BIL went to one he liked a lot, and if he could find a Dr. he liked, I would like him too. I do. He is a bonafide Shrinkand a specialist who reads MRI's and MRA's etc. He's like a kid looking in a candy shop window with those. Since my stroke was stress related, he's definitely right for me. My gosh, does he ever write a lot. No computer, no dictaphone right there, just a pen and your record. oh and a popsickle stick and a large safety pin! (The neurology tools he uses and ofcourse the hammer.

Yes, Pam, I can understand. I'd find lots to door not. but if you need cash for the lifestyle, there are some who can't afford it. Depends what you want. I want a home again. And want to be away from real people for a change. I'm a city girl going rural. Time will tell.

I don't like them but like canned better than fresh. Forgot one- a real weird one. French style string beans rather than the bif fat unsliced ones. Now that's pretty bad!

Marty, hope the cat's speedo and sunglasses match yours! I doubt that you are going to Hollywood, Fla, but that seems to be the speedo capitol of the world. Here's where I get inot trouble. LOL I wrote this on my chihuahua list and said that all the Canadians wear speedos. I was informed that it was the French Canadians who did and the others did not. Eh, GG. Know you must be reading Marty's Blog. So, guess your cat is French Canadian?????????

Stan, if it is "in a creek" let the papers know. Someone looking for publicity maybe a restauranteur will give you a wedding feast of catfish, turnip greens, grits and corn bread; a florist will come up with a bouquet of daisies and dandelions , and a farmer will let you use his plow as a limousine and he may even serve as the chauffeur. The cost $0.00 PS: Invite all of us from Strokenet.

Stan, the little bad helps us to appreciate the good all the more. That is a fact of life. Phyllis