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Post by nlwilkins on May 6, 2020 23:33:31 GMT
me too! It has been at least two months since I last put on make up. Had to have a CT scan so had to get out. It felt so weird. I even did my hair.
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Post by nlwilkins on May 3, 2020 16:38:11 GMT
400 miles in one day is not bad - renting a car to drive down would be my suggestion. Two weeks ago hubby moved younger daughter up here in one day - it is 220 miles from there to here. So they drove over 400 miles and loaded furniture on trailer to boot in one day. Hubby is 78 years old and a cancer patient but he handled it easily.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 29, 2020 7:32:16 GMT
I have a little personal experience with this. At thirteen, in 1962, a typhoon blew through the island of Guam and changed the life there for a long time. Most of the island was blown flat with the wind velocity meters broke at 215 knots. We lived through that night in a quonset hut and had to evacuate to next door's hut and then across the street to another hut that was a little more protected. Electricity did not come back on for months - water for weeks.
The emotional and economical effects of that storm have hung around to this day in the island. For myself, I still have nightmares and major stress any time a major hurricane hits Texas even though now we live over 200 miles inland. I had major issues from that for years, waking up in the middle of the night with anxiety attacks. (Evacuating from one hut to another, I was swept off my feet several times, holding my sisters hand is the only thing that kept from being swept away.)
Just think about that - this event was over in one night with after effects lasting months. Think of the Katrina survivors. If you have ever been around a group of them when they meet for the first time, stories are exchanged and talk is of what part of Louisiana they used to live in. It has affected them for the rest of their lives. But now, something has happened that has affected the whole world. Something that has crashed our economy and affected us in many, many ways. How could it NOT affect us for the rest of our lives. It is going to take a long, long time for things to get back to and type of normal. We are facing a very uncertain future when it comes to becoming a functional society again. Food chains are being broken, educational systems are changing before our eyes, healthcare is taking a beating, many, many big companies are going belly up, it is going to be a very hard world to survive in for a long time. Our government is going bankrupt, sooner or later there will not be any money to borrow and we will be on our own. There will be a price to pay for those checks going out to everybody and those loans that will not be paid back. With an inept government and lack of leadership and encouragement from those we traditional expect to provide it will be every man for himself. Pulling together to get out of this mess I fear may not happen.
So yes, I believe we will be changed for ever.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 24, 2020 5:08:19 GMT
That is how I was able to finally get a cat. Daughter and her cat came to live with us while she finished her college degree. It helped that when we were married I had two cats so it was a return to the status quo for me. It only took 33 years! When our first two passed several years ago, we got another one within three months. Now she loves him and he pretends to be indifferent.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 24, 2020 4:58:25 GMT
That is happening here. Only, I cannot seem to sleep in very late, just have to be out of the bed by 9 or so. There have been some nights that I did not go to bed at all. Then last week, I decided to put a stop to it and have made an effort to be in bed by midnight. So far, I have made it every night but two. But plan to keep trying.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 19, 2020 22:24:04 GMT
One year ago I posted a pic of skunks and how they eat stuff in our yard we don't want Five years ago I posted about a nieces son who was waiting on a heart transplant before he was even one year old. (He is doing great now) Ten years ago it was all about my online games - Farmville, Castleville and the like
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 18, 2020 14:58:09 GMT
We have been told to assume that anyone you come in contact with can have the virus. THAT is the answer. THAT is the reason we are supposed to stay home and not contact anyone! Many people we could come in contact with may have the virus and not know it. So assume EVERYONE has it.
If you insist on leaving your home then it is on you. Yes you need groceries, and so on. But, you must evaluate the risks and take responsibility for your own health.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 18, 2020 3:13:03 GMT
I would also try to remember that caring for the newborn will be something the mother will want to do and store up those memories. I would focus on other things so the new mother can focus on the baby. There will be a fine line between being helpful and intruding on special moments. For each mother and family, that line is different.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 17, 2020 13:03:27 GMT
Growing up, we never went to big events or crowded places. Mother could not afford it. Raising our kids, it was the same. The biggest events my daughters went to were high school games. I am saying this to remind myself and others that it is possible to stay sane and have a good life without being around big crowds. Saying we are depriving our children of experiences and a good life because they cannot go to Disney or huge concerts is being silly. Many of us grew up without those experiences and it did not hurt us.
BUT if feel Disney and other huge amusement parks may suffer enough in attendance to figure out measure to help people feel safe. Other venues might do the same. Some one will come up with great ways to do that and these procedures will then be copied by other venues. I believe there are enough families out there that will not risk their health and lives to attend these kind of places to make an economic impact on them. If these places want to continue to make money they will figure it out.
Though I think the time of some of these things is over - such as cruise ships. I will never feel safe on one of those ships again no matter what vaccines are available.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 15, 2020 5:05:32 GMT
It is all over the news about nurses and doctors having their hours cut and many being laid off. It is such a shame.
It seems a little short sighted to me. Yes, they are not being fired. But to expect all of them to be ready and available when needed is unrealistic. How are they to pay their bills in the meantime? I have a friend who cannot even get a job who is looking into other areas of work. She will not be so ready to step back into the line of fire when needed when it means quitting a sure fire job for one that might just end up cutting her hours or even laying her off again.
There has to be a better answer. I don't know what it is, but then I am not an expert on this. But there are people who are experts who need to figure it out.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 14, 2020 23:42:53 GMT
Gone 24 hours without sleep so often Not gone out to eat for four weeks Let my house get so messy Missed my grown (48 and 45 year old) daughters so much (though the younger one is now with us) Worn a mask for two hours
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 13, 2020 13:32:57 GMT
I think it should start with purchasing ingredients that he would feel comfortable using. Then maybe you could prep some of the ingredients at first.
Start simple. Lunch does not need to be a big meal. Tortilla wrapped around lunch meat with a slice of cheese. Tuna fish with a little mayo mixed in eaten with crackers. Deviled eggs and slices of bacon or ham. Toasted English muffin with cheese. Sliced cheese and meat balls (hand made ones frozen ahead of time, or purchased ones) Little sausages with veggies.
You might also prepare leftovers from supper as a home made TV dinner - everything in one dish that is popped into the microwave to warm up.
But, let him fend for himself a few days a week. Perhaps he might get tired of the same things day after day and take baby steps to add variety.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 13, 2020 13:19:01 GMT
Before I retired from teaching, I taught an alternative school where the students were bused in and sat at computers for four hours a day. The computer taught them their academics and I handled the rest. This was for students who were deemed behavior problems and needed to be removed from the regular classroom. It was not ideal, and advancement depended upon the student motivation.
I worked also as an Instructional Designer for graduate online courses. I worked with the professors to set up their courses and do the work to ensure each course was designed to do what it was supposed to do. For most courses it took a few months to get done and a team consisting of a web designer, a graphic artist, myself and the professor. Students who took these classes were able to work a full time job and continue their graduate work without having to meet in person with other classmates and professors.
I can see how online schooling for younger students could work if there were programs set up for it. Students would progress at their own pace and be expected to spend a specific number of hours each day online. Any day that does not have the required hours would be considered an absence. Working parents would have to find babysitters and supervisors for their younger children, but the older ones would have to take responsibility for their work. Schooling could happen in the evenings or weekends as well so parents could still work. In essence, school would no longer where children go while parents work.
The big thing that would have to happen is to cut back the times that students would have to be online together at the same time. Forums and discussion boards would be their main focus of communication and several of these could be set up for each class for group work. This way, families with only one computer could take turns doing their online work. Assignments could be set up for students to do off line and then turn in via computer when done.
Its do-able but would take planning and work. Personal connections between teacher and students would be minimal if any and there should be substitutes put in place to take up that slack. I can see where many of the extras would suffer such as band, choir, sports and the like.
Families with little or no technology in the home could possibly be funneled into small groups of neighborhood centers with minimal contact between groups of families. That way you could lessen any spread of the virus. The small local elementary schools could be used for this perhaps. (Just a thought and maybe not realistic at that.)
It would take a lot of thinking outside the box and a lot of thought put into it. I really could not see it being put into place though without a month or two advance prep if not more.
Basically, the focus and responsibility would be on the family which might not work in a lot of situations though.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 12, 2020 16:44:15 GMT
I lost a special cat to kidney failure. By the time it was diagnosed it was too late. The blood work indicated the end was very near. We took him home to have a little more time with him and found he was worse than we thought. He never peed again, would get confused and not know where he was going. It was like he knew he should be using the litter box, but did not know the why or how. I looked up online what the end would be like for him and decided I did not want him to go through that. Knowing time was limited we took him to the vet the final time the next day.
We kinda wonder if he got into some flowers that were given to me for Mother's Day that year- we kept them up where he could not get to them, but maybe a leaf or something fell down that he ate. It was just too fast.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 12, 2020 2:25:22 GMT
We lost a bunch in the stock crash - more than half our retirement funds. Thankfully, MRD's (minimum required disbursements are not going to be required this year, but we usually use that to pay house insurance, city and county taxes. Instead, we will sock this stimulus check away to pay for that. But it has not come in yet.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 12, 2020 2:19:13 GMT
My poison of choice is Whataburger - we picked up a combo meal after picking up our groceries. Have not been out of the house except for curbside pickup in over a month.
But you all have inspired me, I might just break out the rum and coke.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 11, 2020 20:33:55 GMT
I just have not been cooking. Hubby is on chemo pills that make it iffy is he wants to eat. So most nights it is fend for yourself meals. That means I usually eat snacks like cheese and crackers and the like. When I do cook, it last for at least two days as I just cannot get the hang of cooking for two. I really need to get some meal planning done so as to be eating more healthy for both of us.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 11, 2020 14:54:25 GMT
Where did you get the mask from? was it fit to you? It actually sounds like it doesn't fit you. I have no problem with the nose piece and my glasses. I just make sure it's in the right position before I get my gloves on, and don't touch my face again. Also if your glasses fog up your fit is not right either. You should be able to cup your hands around your mask, and breath in, your mask should suck towards your face, then breath out and your mask should puff out. That means it fits correctly.
This - if your glasses are fogging up that means the air is coming in and out from the top of your mask - UNFILTERED air
A cloth mask should be moving in and out with your breath - that is how you know it is fitting right.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 10, 2020 9:46:38 GMT
I know exactly how you feel. My daughter is in Houston and has been working towards getting back up here to Central Texas for months. Every time it seems like it is happening, something comes up to hinder her plans.
So rejoice away! It gives me hope that mine will be coming home soon.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 10, 2020 9:42:37 GMT
I'm seriously considering getting a generator. Freezer would be no good if there was no electricity. I need to organize my little pantry so I can have a shelf of essentials and rotate them out. Things like flour, sugar, crackers and the like.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 10, 2020 9:36:22 GMT
Thank you for sharing this wonderful love story and I am sorry for your loss. You will be in my prayers -
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 9, 2020 13:57:41 GMT
It depends upon a lot of things. Most times the day before the colonoscopy is when the clean out process happens. So by bedtime, it is all over. But, it can change depending upon what laxative is being used, how much your husband has had to eat, what issues he has and so on. Keep in mind once the clean out is done, he cannot have anything to eat so starting too early is not a good idea.
If I remember correctly, I started my process at 3 the day before the procedure. But each clinic is different in the timing they give the patient to follow. The most important thing to remember is if the patient does not get "cleaned" out enough the procedure will be canceled and he will have to reschedule and do it all over again.
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 6, 2020 9:41:05 GMT
So last night I had to soak off my dip nails. They had grown out so much that I was worried they would bend back and pop off and tear my nail bed.
But the fingers look so BAD!!
Do those press on nails really work? Does anyone have a recommendation for a good set of press on nails? My own nails are so thin that my fingers hurt all the time when they are naked. Plus they tear vertically down into the nail bed - ouch!
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Post by nlwilkins on Apr 2, 2020 9:26:01 GMT
"I'm going to live my life and not be paranoid. I'm not talking about this anymore." bolded is part that particularly bother me. If it was endangering just his life that's one thing, but he's not. Yours, your family and anyone else he comes in contact with for that matter, could be in danger. Pissed, validated. Not on the same page as you, not good. So sorry.
This, he is being self centered and foolish about this like a little kid.
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Post by nlwilkins on Mar 27, 2020 5:06:51 GMT
Being in charge, I have sat down at a table with ten strangers and when they are asked to pick a leader, they all point to me. Teaching - even my daughters think this is my super power.
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Post by nlwilkins on Mar 23, 2020 20:47:17 GMT
When my husband was on home IV antibiotics, they weren’t needles, everything were connectors that pushed into each other. This was our experience as well. The home health nurse came by once a week to change out the connectors and clean around it. We also were able to call if there were any problems. At one point it seemed blocked but all that was needed was for hubby to sit up straight and raise his arm a bit. The picc line went all the way up into his chest and was being pinched. He too was septic and had to stay in the hospital for ten days before they let him come home. I was nervous at first but got the hang of it. Everyone involved was so helpful and nice. They provided every bit of supplies I needed including gloves and hand sanitizer.
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Post by nlwilkins on Mar 16, 2020 8:50:46 GMT
Husband has appt to see have a scan and see his oncologist this week. The oncologist is in a special area of the building with a separate parking area and waiting room, a big waiting room so everyone can spread out. Though, I am going to ask if we can go right back and wait in an examination room OR wait outside and have them text me when we should go in. The scan is a different situation. I am going to ask again for him to wait in an examination room and after he goes in, I will wait outside in the car.
It really is important that he has this done, so we can see if the treatments are working. No sense him being miserable from them if they are not working.
What scares me, is if he gets the virus, he will refuse the ventilator - he is a DNR patient.
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Post by nlwilkins on Mar 15, 2020 6:49:42 GMT
There is the fact that the pay for most teachers is stretched out over the year when they do not work during the summer. The same for some of the other staff. How would they figure that all out as to how much is still owed, etc if they did not pay?
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Post by nlwilkins on Mar 15, 2020 6:42:33 GMT
It looks like the consensus is not to go. that is such a hard decision. Could you possibly use the money you would have spent flying to pay for hiring someone to help her out a few days a week? Or perhaps a box meal subscription for her family? Though you did say there are friends helping out, maybe one of them could suggest what is needed most and will lift her spirits a bit.
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Post by nlwilkins on Feb 29, 2020 7:50:27 GMT
Is it a touch screen? when my cat stepped on my laptop and broke the screen, I was told it was more expensive to replace the screen than to purchase a new one. Fortunately, my warranty covered it. Do you have a warranty on yours? one you had to pay extra on?
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