Thursday it is........

Hi Ladies!!!  Up early, so I'll get the thread started today.

Yesterday I had lunch with two friends I have not seen in years and years.  I had bumped into a former co-worker a few weeks ago who told me Pauline had asked about me.  So I called her and we made a luncheon date, and Pauline also called and invited our friend Susie, another co-worker that we had not seen in years.  Susie's husband died three weeks ago, he had been sick for over a year and she had to quit her job to care for him.  So we had a wonderful lunch - Susie was happy to be out - she said for the past year she could not go anywhere at all because her husband could not be left alone for a minute.  We will all be getting together after the holidays.

The last few days my knee has started to bother me a lot - it gives way, and I get sharp, intense pain - will have to see a doctor about that.  I would like to find one orthopedic doctor to go to - at the hospital where my PCP works, the ortho doctors all specialize....some do knees only, some do shoulders only, etc.  I'm thinking of checking out another medical center in the city.....

Jeanie and Connie, and, I feel so bad for you.  You suffer such great physical, debilitating pain.  My complaints are minor in comparison.  And Vickie and Jeanie and Judy, you deal with such challenging "family situations" that would drive me crazy!

I know I'm neglecting to mention others who are facing emotional and physical pain, and I apologize for that, but my memory fails me.

Don't know if I mentioned before that I ordered a wig - my hair was so thin on top before surgery, and it's much worse now.  I tried a "cap" that would just add thickness to the top of my head - tried it and I just couldn't get it right.  Then I ordered a full wig that came yesterday.  Nice, but too small.  I'm going to get my hair cut really short and try again.  Also will check internet and see if I can find a company that carries extra-large wigs for fatheads like me!

Today I go work at the Food Share sorting and packing the boxes.  I'm so glad I got involved with this group and it's very rewarding.  Between that, and going to church, and reconnecting with former friends, I feel very fortunate.  I've decided too that I'm going to go put my name on the lists for Senior Housing in different towns - I figure the waiting lists are so long (at least two years for most) and who knows how my health will be...just looking at all my options.  Maura has mentioned I could move in with her, but there's a Senior Housing complex two blocks from her house so that would be close enough.

Well, I've written a book again....Prayers and good wishes to all of you.  Stay strong!!

Mary

Hey Mary and Ladies,

Well, I am up and about. I woke this morning and no cramping...I turned over and bed with that cautiously optimism and no cramping...nothing...so I walked around and even bent over and picked up one of the *****es ***** dolls so DH wouldn't step on it and not even a twinge...yeah.  

For those of you who are wanting to post your Christmas stories, I'm aiming for the 20th so if you haven't written yours yet, time's near at hand. I cannot wait to read all of your stories...and please just write and don't get obsessive over the way you write...that's the writing teacher in me...write.  I love it. 

Today is oatmeal day for DH...with all his medical conditions, every other day I make sure he eats a bowl of oatmeal with either raisins or prunes in it. I'm not big on breakfast but I do get a little taste of the oatmeal. I make the old fashioned cook on the stove oats and they are very tasty.  I've finally gotten where I can eat them without splenda and do appreciate the taste of the oat.  

Tonight I am wrapping the last of the little gifts and we are going to fill the jean stockings for the kids....they will be here this weekend and we will give them their stockings but their gifts we normally give to them on Christmas Eve but since my daughter cannot stand to be around me, when I take the kids home, we will put all their gifts in the trunk of the car and DH will transfer our gifts to my daughter's car so she can put them under her tree for the kids...I am sort of sad but then again relieved that for the first time in years, I won't have to deal with chaotic crazy on Christmas Eve...instead, DH and I are going to watch old movies using our apple tv thingy, which, by the way, I love.  

Well, I better go get the oatmeal started...Ladies, I hope you all have a rocking Thursday...all this madness will end soon...I know that those of you who have folks who are mentally ill in your life can agree that major holidays just throw the mentally ill into some chaotic crap for sure. and, I think Christmas Eve is going to be a full moon so that is going to really bring it on. My friend, who is a psychologists, said that Christmas is nostalgia mixed with commerce mixed with pending debt mixed with the need to rush and run around and when you have all of that going on, mentally ill folks just snap. My mother died in December and starting the end of November, every thing Christmas reminds me of hospital rooms and sympathetic nurses...the last few days of my mom's life, my little sister, my brother, and I would come to the hospital after school and sit on the bed next to mom's and we would do our homework and hope she would wake up so we could talk to her. Our older sisters had custody of us and they brought us and we all would sit by mom's bed and talk about Christmas...with her pending death just sitting there and when we left for home, we did so knowing that our kiss might be the last...so, yeah, I get what he is saying but dammit my daughter had a wonderful childhood...but hey, she didn't get designer jeans after my wreck...designer jeans....crap.  Okay, let me stop because now I am sounding off.  

Ladies, rock this day and don't let the holiday get to you...Vic, you can do this; I know you can...Connie, Judy, Eileen, Carla, and all of you fabulous females, let's get this day underway. Think of Tina Turner saying now we gonna pick it up just a little...left a good job in the city....you know how she does it....yep...rock Thursday for sure.  

Good morning Mary and Jeannie and my sistas,

My day started with a phone call from my SIL which made me start crying and I cried for the whole first hour I was awake.  Sigh. But then I got up and there was another little cardinal on my timeline on FB.  For those of you who aren't FB pals, a few days ago, a meme appeared on my timeline with a cardinal in it.  Some people believe that cardinals are visitors from Heaven.  I really had never heard that before, but apparently it's a widely held belief.  Anyway, the little red bird lifted my spirits a bit.  And now, for the third day in a row, I've had a little cardinal appear on my timeline.  I want to believe it is Butch telling me that he's okay and for me not to be so sad all the time.  

Honestly, all I want is for this December to be over with.

So yesterday I got a few things finished, and today I plan to do more.  Today I want to finish decorating my house.  I'm not doing a whole lot.  But last night I unwrapped several of my little snowmen.  They're almost all ceramic, so I'll have to put them where Budder can't reach them, but I haven't seen them in a long, long time.  Not since we moved from Nacogdoches.  They've been in storage.  I do have a few wooden decorations and a few stuffed things.  I've got them down low for the boys to touch and rearrange.  I'm not putting out any of my candles.  No point in tempting fate with the boys.

My main goal today is to wrap presents.  I really really need to lay everything out and see what all I've bought.  I sometimes lose track of what I've bought and for whom.  I need to make sure I haven't forgotten something important.  I don't know what the hell I'm going to do with all of them once I get them wrapped though!  Maybelle has already eaten some of the baubles off of my big snowman!  And she's scratched and pulled the tree skirt out from under the tree several times.  Darn puppy.  I just gave her another rawhide bone to chew on today.  I'm going broke buying things for her to destroy.  LOL!

Carrie went and registered at Babies R Us and Target last night.  Her first shower is Jan 5th and the hostesses need to get the invitations sent out.  She said it made her sad to go and do that alone.  I offered to drive up, but she said no.  It made me sad to think of her as a single mother.  I don't understand either one of my daughters.  Neither one is married to her babies' daddies.  The world is a different place now, and not such a good one I think.  

Jeannie, I have my Christmas story ready for the 20th.  I think this will be fun and good way for us to all get to know one another a little better.  I actually have two blog entries about my childhood Christmas memories.  I will post both of them, but maybe not on the same day.  I also have a children's story I wrote once about New Year's Eve.  I think I might post that as well during the week after Christmas.  

Please, everyone, if you can, participate in this little venture!  

Well, time for me to get busy.  I've been up since 6 a.m. and already had such an emotional morning, I feel exhausted.  But I need to be productive again today, so I will.  

Love you all!

Hi Mary and my OFF family:

So good to hear from all of you. You are all so active. Wish I could say the same. 

Vickie, you are making such progress, even though you might not see it. Probably gotten more done than I have. 

Jeannie, I can't imagine having to go through that Christmas with your mother dying. That's really tough.

Mary, you are really doing well. Good for you ... getting involved and moving forward.

I'm still not feeling well. I slept well,  got up at 7:30 a.m. after 7 1/2 hours of sleep and had breakfast and coffee. Then I dozed in my chair for 15 minutes. I've been doing that on and off for the past two hours. I don't know why I'm so tired (even with caffeine). It's like I can't get enough sleep at all. 

Gary and I went out for our Christmas dinner yesterday to a BBQ place ... I have leftovers that I'll have for lunch today. I had ribs and chicken, very good. Everything comes unsauced and you put your sauces on at the table. Then we went to see the city's light display called Ritzy's Fantasy of Lights. It's in a park downtown. Very pretty. Then we came home and watched "Elf." Gary will be traveling to Texas after our Christmas family gathering Sunday and I won't see him for two weeks.

Anyway, I'm getting sleepy again. As soon as Gary gets out of the shower, I'm going to take mine. Maybe that will perk me up. Have a good day.

Jeane are you in Facebook? I'll pm you my story. It's very simular to yours. When I read your post I started crying!!! My mama died December 23rd 1964. She was 39. I was ten. 

You can friend me I'm Carla Slavin-Klein.

I had to go to Chicago Midway Airport quite early. My daughter had to get Vinnie to the baby sitter and then she had to go to work.

I can gladly tell u I am glad to be going home! This gal is way tired!!!

C

Why don't you email it to me:I'll message you.  I have Facebook but my students friend me so much that I rarely get much use out of it.  By the start of every semester, I have my students from my courses I teach and the new tutors and students coming into the center. I think they are disappointed when they find out that I am not very active on FB...but kids today use some other things like instagram or something. 

Ok my email is [email protected]

Good morning sweet Mary and everyone......

Mary...what a wonderful thing for you finding old friends. I am so happy for you!! That is just a great way of starting over and finding your way to another life. I know you are still grieving. You are definitely heading in the right direction. Making changes. Baby steps....one day at a time. I am very proud of you!!!

Sorry your knee is causing you pain. Hopefully you can be seen by a doctor soon!! 

Sorry the wigs didn't work out...FATHEAD.....LOL!!! Maybe after the haircut it will workout better for you!!

The people at Food Share are so blessed to have you there. That is such a wonderful thing you are doing to help others.

Good idea to get on a waiting list for Senior Housing now. It takes awhile to get in. Here the list is 9 months to a year waiting time. After the holidays I am going to start looking for places near my family. After this last fall I had I know I need to live closer to them. 

As for me..... I am grateful that my headache is gone. I have been up for four hours...haven't got much of anything done. I did my readings and prayers and had a little breakfast. Took my meds and got on line...that is it. Doing a lot of daydreaming today...watching out the window. Not concentrating well today. 

I can't remember if I told you Carrie is coming to spend Christmas Day with me. They are having Christmas with Greg's family today. On Christmas everyone else is out of state , Amanda and Tyler are in Oregon.  Lucas is with his dad this year and they will be with relatives in Wisconsin. Kyleigh will be with Mitch's family. It is her turn to be there.  

I will check in later....you are all so wonderful....I love you all!!

Prayers for our loving OFF Family and their families. Special prayers for those in need.

Loads of love and bushels of hugs to you all......connie d

Hi All,

Want to pop in to say hi today!

Mary, you sound like you are coming along well. I am happy that you are in a better place. You are keeping yourself busy. I was wondering if the hair loss was because of the surgery, but you had yours before mine. Aging does NOT help with hair loss. Mine has gotten a bit better. Before WLS, my hair was so thin on top, it didn't change much after because I was so thin on top. Not bald like but not a lot of hair. My hair seems to have filled out, but I am bad. I don't take vitamins any more, or any of the things we are supposed to take after wls. Maybe that is why I am tired all the time.

Lightswitch (I told you guys I have the memory of a flea, forgot your name) what kind of Christmas stories are you posting? I would like to participate. Some of my memory problems are because I take Klonopin for anxiety and have for a while. So, I am going to see my Dr in Clearwater, a 3 hour drive, my daughter is taking me, I have to see him every six months. He told me a while back to taper off of it, and I am doing it very slowly. Not only do I get forgetful, I become depressed. Anyways, I have gone off on a tangent so be well, dear.

Dearest Vic****ep your chin up, that is all you can do. Make it through the holidays with the love of your family and friends.

And your daughters unmarried with children. I am a progressive thinker. I remember when my sister, the one who passed this year, had to get married when she was 17. That was a disaster. So people don't marry now. Better to me unmarrie raising children than miserable with a spouse. It is, in my opinion, better off for the children to see a happy household than a stressed out dysfunctional one.

Connie, hang in there, sweet lady.

Eileen, your BBQ dinner sounded yummy. Hope you feel better soon.

Carla, I see your beautiful pictures on FB. Welcome back to FL from seeing your granddaughter and family.

For all of those to come, hello and have a great day.

I am just so tired all the time. I need to get back on my vitamins. I am not taking any sort of vitamin any more. Not one supplement.

And the medication, the Klonopin makes me sleepy. I am tapering off of it very slowly (read some frightening stories on Google. Will have a talk with dr when I see him next week.)  And my daughter will be here next week. I have her dog, he is 16 and cannot see too well. When he passes I will do some volunteer work, because being at home makes me stark raving mad. And I have no grandchildren to care or, so I need to keep busy.

Sending all my love and prayers to all of you. Be well.

Arlene - I take Xanax for anxiety - If I just take one tablet I'm fine, otherwise it makes me sleepy. Jim took Klonopin and it made him "dopey".....

And my hair loss - I had thinning hair pre-op, very thin on top, you can see my scalp.  It's hereditary (Thanks Dad!).  I'm going to do a google search later to see if I can find a site where they sell extra-large wigs.