01/07/22 TGIF

Good morning ! Liz, Hawaii looks extraordinary ! Relax and enjoy. DD.. pneumonia ! Not anything to mess with. You need to rest and let those antibiotics work ! Do it now on your terms, or be forced to do it later. Sounds like you should stay out of wor****il SanDiego, and go to SanDiego early ! Lizard ing sounds like the ticket ! Peps, hope you are feeling better! Thanks for the comparison of your two experiences with Covid. Ceci, are you considering another dog ? I know that working with Sadie on her anxiety as done lots to reduce mine. Diane, I love Lands End too! So comfortable and well made. Liz, I also agree about the bathing suits holding up to chlorine and salt !

My message therapist recommended an acupuncturist / Doctor of Chinese Medicine to help me clear the cortisol and negative energy from my system. I had an initial treatment yesterday, and will follow up weekly for two more sessions. The session was relaxing. She checked my pulse and my tongue, asked some questions and placed needles in my ear , foot and hand as well as prescribing vitamin e and some gut stuff. About three hours after my treatment, I felt like I'd hit a wall. I ached, felt very cold and was exhausted. I had chicken soup, drank water, and went to bed early. I feel like a new person today. I woke up and decided to make a list of things weighing heavily on my mind. I then identified the items under my control and those that were not within my control. NOTHING was within my control, so they are parked on the list and will not be allowed to take up space in my head.

Acupuncture? I have never tried it though we have a young cousin (late 40's) who does it. It will be interesting to hear how it helps you.

Hawaii has already wowed me with its beauty even here in the city area. We crashed at 8 last night (and I truly mean crashed as our bodies thought it was 1 am). But we stayed mostly asleep until 4:45 am (Hawaii time) which we are very happy with. I am in bed listening to and watching the waves on the beach at 5:15 am. Amazing. We will likely be up and out before sunrise at 7:10 am.

We stay on Waikiki beach for one more night then travel to our condo on the North side of the island where it we will get away from the city buildings.

Aloha and have a safe and healthy Friday!

I'm out of the house for the cleaning people. It'll be nice to have a clean house, though I run out of things to occupy myself while staying out of their way. I did go get gas at Costco. It was $0.75 per gallon cheaper than the gas station by my house ($4.49 vs 5.25)! It's probably not the best quality gas, but it made me happy.

Nothing else planned today. I'm mulling over driving to MI vs flying. Driving, I can stop and see a few towns I want to check out along the way and be flexible about when I leave. Flying means I don't have to drive in snow or ice, something I haven't done in any real capacity in a quarter century. I would avoid the Rockies if driving and head south into TX first. But if I drive, I could always hang out somewhere until roads clear on any given day. I just need to be there by 1/21. My car is a 4Matic (like all wheel drive). I think I have all season tires (need to check), but not snow tires. Diane said she liked her road trip weather app, so I could use that. Scary, but maybe an adventure?

I think that's all I have for now. Take care!

I would be afraid to drive to MI in winter at this point in life, especially alone. But I would have done it at your age! I used to drive anywhere, anytime, in any weather.

Haha Ocean Diane, I did think about going to San Diego early. :) Right now, I've requested a sub on Monday, but ill wait to go back if I'm not feeling better. The doctor said the same thing, pneumonia isn't something to mess around with. I did have to cancel my hair appointment tomorrow, its an hour drive each way, and I don't think I'm up to it. Even if someone could drive me, I don't think I have the energy. Better to rest.

I think acupuncture is an awesome idea. I haven't done it, but we've had friends and family achieve great outcomes using acupuncture. I'm trying to get DH to go for his tinnitus.

It's been a few days since I posted, I think. Nothing much going on here at COVID central. We are still cloistered keeping the world at bay.

NY Times had an interesting article about a VERY SMALL South African study on Omicron. Quite a hopeful outlook! I posted the text in TT.

I have been fortunate/unfortunate to be sick this week while my brother deals with my father's anxiety about today's memory center appointment. My dad has gotten very agitated about this appointment - probably because he understands what is at risk. My brother and I are seeing signs of paranoia and possible delusional thinking, which lead us to believe that there is a steady progression of impairment. My dad offered that perhaps my brother hid his wallet from him then pretended to find it. He diagnosed his girlfriend with gonorrhea because she was uninterested in sex and has been harboring thoughts that she is also seeing someone else. None of this thought processes are typical for him. I'm happy that I have been left out of the mix of his anxiety. He is still being rather paternal with me. I will gladly stay in this role for him and work "behind the scenes" to help him. I think my brother's attorney skills are a bit too impersonal for this type of situation and it is putting a strain on my dad. He doesn't feel safe and supported. My teacher skills are much better suited to this type of family situation.

I am holding off testing for COVID until tomorrow or Sunday. I'm going to be quite disappointed if i am still positive. I'd like to go back to school on Monday. I think Ron should take another week off. He is not rebounding as quickly.

I'm feeling a little sad about the missed dog show..... Blitz could be kicking some major terrier butt! I know the competition.... sigh...Oh, well.... It's only a dog show, right? Right!

I'm beginning to realize that beyond the real essentials of life - food, shelter, clothing, health.... pretty much everything else is "small stuff", or as Diane Ocean realized with her list, beyond our control.... I kind of like that perspective.

Greetings All

Just back from a mission to the vet clinic. Shots and heart worm tests for the old dogs. Not a big deal except getting any vet care is a orderl with covid. Don't know how all those vet techs do it. Dogs did fine. Old Chip (age 15) has lost a little weight. Not bad but not surprising since he does not eat well. Must go buy him some hamburger. Then we went to the bank to make sure DH and I are on each other's bank account as pay on death. Loss of our friend recently made me think about that stuff.

DianeO glad you tried the chinese medicine. Our friend's son is a practitioner. It can really help you. Hope it does. And yeah no sense fretting about what we cannot control. Rest up and enjoy where you are.

DD yikes, pneumonia. Don't rush back to work by all means. Take it slow and go to San Diego where hot rocks await I hope. A steam room at a health club might be good too.

Peps sorry your home has become the covid ward. Not much to do but wait it out I guess. And ditto sorry for your dad's situation. I tried to get my mom to go to one of those memory evaluations (before her Parkinsins diagnosis) but crazy Pat would not permit it. So be glad your brother and you can cooperate on this even if he is not warm and fuzzy. Odd fears were a symptom of Pat's and I was regularly accused of bad stuff. Its the illness talking. Ditto sorry you missed the shows. There will be more soon.

Liz enjoy hawaii and the awesome north shore waves. Do you snorkel?

Not much else here. Beef pot pie last night and more tonight. I will think about more healthy eating later.

Diane S

Don't you hate that we have to think about "what happens if I am incapacitated" at our age? I made sure DS knew where my will and POA were before I left and I changed my Health Care Proxy which pre-dated DH's illness and death.

And yes, I do snorkel but I forgot to bring my own (I do own them for use in Aruba). We will rent them. Mike's son is going to scuba dive but that goes beyond my comfort level.