Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[louannems]

I'm watching tonight's episode of Love It Or List It.  The couple looking for a new house, or an improved existing home have 7 kids, aaaaaaand they homeschool, aaaaaaand the sister moms groom and tend the littles.

 

I've lost the ability to post on most threads here.  When I click on the box to post, no keyboard pops up, or the keyboard does not work, or a previous post picture pops up and I cannot get rid of it. I'm not sure if it's a glitch on this board, or my tablet acting up!

[DangerousMinds]

I have some trouble reading and posting here on my tablet as well. It really really doesn't like the threads with pictures and constantly reloads.

[Barb23]

21 minutes ago, louannems said:

I'm watching tonight's episode of Love It Or List It.  The couple looking for a new house, or an improved existing home have 7 kids, aaaaaaand they homeschool, aaaaaaand the sister moms groom and tend the littles.

 

I've lost the ability to post on most threads here.  When I click on the box to post, no keyboard pops up, or the keyboard does not work, or a previous post picture pops up and I cannot get rid of it. I'm not sure if it's a glitch on this board, or my tablet acting up!

I've been having trouble too.  Not with posting but in changing threads. I used to be able to go from one to the other but now it locks up  & I have to leave the Duggar's show/site & go back in again to get to a different thread. Doesn't happen all the time but enough to get on my nerves.  I use a tablet & am not a computer person so not sure what's going on.  I think Sew Sumi has posted she is having problems too.  It's not just the Duggar's site,  I have same problem with other shows.

[Absolom]

It's even acting a bit oddly on a laptop.  About 1/3 of the time it goes to the end of the thread and not the last post and some of the photos don't load.

[emma675]

I use a laptop and have been noticing recently that it won't go to the last post, it jumps to a random spot in the middle. I wonder if they are having some site glitches?

[Happyfatchick]

OH! OH! OOOOOH!!!!!  (As in: pick me, pick me!!!) concerning best and worst gifts and @Love2dance, you NAILED IT!!!!!   The worst (WORST!!!!) thing is assessories for the house.  I N.E.V.E.R. do that for a gift, not even a wedding gift, or even if I think I know this person better than anyone else.  One of my best friends in the world DOES that.  Please DONT!!!  Dream catchers, bronze things (a bronze dove!!!), silvery glitzy things, things that are suppose to spin from the mantel.... things that don't match anything I have (and aren't a thing I want to start collecting)...

 I have a 2-fer for the worst Christmas gifts.  One: the thing that you open the box, pull something out of tissue paper and your brain says, "what IS that???"  I haaaaaaate when that happens.  It was a decoration for my house both times, both times in public.  I know my face, and the whole time I'm exclaiming "oh, I LUUUUUV it!!!" my face is saying, "are you even holding it right-side-up?"   The second was when I was in HR and people would bring me gifts like I was a teacher.  Mostly odd little Christmas nic-nacs.  I'd bring a box of stuff home and it would sit on the kitchen table for a month.  That sounds incredibly vile and condescending.  Sorry.  One year my 2 associates in payroll got me a box of Reese's Sticks.  Best office Christmas gift EVER.

My best Christmas wish would be to have a fun gathering - just a family PAR-TAY with mimosas and games and laughter and pictures and NO GIFTS.   I grind my teeth about this every dang year.  My grands get presents from me and 2 other sets of grands, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, their parents and Santa.  Really?????  I'm looking at this thinking, "What is REAL about this situation?"  I swear, we need to back this train up and rethink.  It is CRAZY.  Reading over this, Ima say if I weren't nearly 60, I'd surely sound like I'm OTR, huh?

[bigskygirl]

I remember one year when my husband's sister got him cake pans. Really...The man is on dialysis, and you get him cake pans. One year my mother-in-law got us a box of sugar free candy after he had his transplant and was diagnosed with diabetes due to one of his anti-rejection meds side effects. Talk about putting thought behind your gift for your son who was diagnosed with a life threatening illness and had a kidney transplant. Seriously!!!

And lets not forget the ole lets choose names of family members to buy a present for. My darling in-laws did that one year without asking us. They also were expecting us to buy presents for all the grandchildren (even my one sister-in-law's foster children we never met. ) The ironic thing is we never heard from two of his sisters after he had his transplant, but they went ahead and decided to do this behind our backs. My husband made the suggestion of gift cards, and it went over like a big lead balloon. No more choose names anymore for us. *evil grin*

One more thing I also hate getting is the blasted Christmas letter. Got one from my husband's youngest sister one year, and it boiled my blood big time. I hate it when people try to pretend their lives is so much better or worse than anyone else's. They hardly gave my husband the time of day when he was on dialysis and/or had his transplant, but lets send him and his wife the same crappy Christmas letter you sent to others. I was tempted on sending her my own version of a Christmas letter stating how well my husband was doing, how hard it was to be by his side while dealing with my own health issues without support from others, and how his donor and her family thought of others during one of the worse times in their lives, and because of it we all could learn a lesson how to think of others especially strangers and choose to make a decision to save others instead of thinking of only about yourself.

*end of rant*

[lookeyloo]

@Happyfatchick - and that is why our favorite holiday is Thanksgiving.  We aren't Christian so don't celebrate Christmas anyway, and Chanukah is a very small holiday with minimal gifts.  It's more about the story and the food.  Thanksgiving does it for us.  

@bigskygirl - my late MIL used to do a Christmas letter and she never asked for input and didn't live close to us so when we got it we wondered who those people were with our names?  Different degrees, different careers, etc.  At first we were annoyed, but then, we just laughed.  The people who got the letter knew who it was coming from.  

[bigskygirl]

Did you see the Everyone Loves Raymond episode where Marie was coming up with her own Christmas letter after reading the one letter from a relative. She got together with Debra to come up with their own letter.

[Happyfatchick]

I decided to come back and elaborate on the... thing... I received from my boss one year.  At the office Christmas party, with the room full of other people, I pulled out this pottery... thing... from the tissue paper.  It looked sort of like a pottery chalice.  Sort of.  He was BEAMING.  "Do you like it???"  [I lied.  I beamed right back and said, "I love it!!!"]  He left the room briefly and my friends were all whispering, "what is it?"  

I don't know!  Too shallow to be a cup, and it's on a little pedestal.  Not flat for a candle, and odd shaped, sort of bent at an angle too.  Does it hold a tea light in its little weird cup-on-a-pedestal???  One of my friends upends it, wondering if we're looking at it wrong.  Nope, even stranger that way.  And then...we got the church giggles.  When he came back, he explained that he and his wife picked "it" out at an art museum on a recent trip to NYC.  I kept "it" for years, knowing he'd picked "it" especially for me, and thinking I would enjoy "it".  And I did enjoy it, no kidding.  We played "name that thing" lots of times with guests.

[Love2dance]

HAPPYFATCHICK and BIGSKYGIRL, you have both made my day with your stories. People are so unpredictable and sometimes astounding! Thanks for sharing!

[bigskygirl]

I did see my one sister-in-law once at my husband's brother wedding, and my husband has seen his one sister at a couple of funerals. He did tell me once his one sister, who I call the wicked witch of eastern Montana, said it was a good thing I did not go to his mother's funeral in TN because she would have made a scene. Make a scene at your mother's funeral. Talk about Klassy with a capital K.

[lookeyloo]

3 hours ago, bigskygirl said:

Did you see the Everyone Loves Raymond episode where Marie was coming up with her own Christmas letter after reading the one letter from a relative. She got together with Debra to come up with their own letter.

Yes we loved that episode!!

[Happyfatchick]

I get 2 of those predictable newsletters things every Christmas.  Neither of the senders are smart enough to know nobody cares.  Both are typed with many many many typos, and the one is typed by a man who did a five year stint in the Navy during 'Nam but had made a life career out of talking about it.  (I can't help but compare him to my Daddy, who did 23 years in the army but except for his on-post sticker in the car, you'd never know it.  He was exceptionally proud of his service, and was a military geek until the day he died but rarely talked about it).  I personally only know his accomplishments (he was the leader of a sharp shooter group that traveled the US in competitions and beat the pants off everyone else) from my mother, and from notes on the backs of the pics he left behind).  The newsletter guy likes to write like that old cartoon character who's name escapes me..."me and the wife drove to Washington state to take care of the rug rats fer a couple weeks this summer.  Changed diapers, slung hash, bottle fed them critters that ain't old enough to make it to the head yet.  Hated to leave, them twins is so cute" etc..  Cringeworthy, truly.

the other is single space and typed on a sheet and 1/2, tiny print, and all about why Fred isn't working "this year". What his new ailments are (Fred hasn't worked since 1979 with various ailments, but his wife - my cousin - has never missed a day of work), and part of Fred's at home duties are allotting the pennies that he's always controlled, so that he can afford his next get-rich-quick scheme in which to invest.  They live in Oregon and we like the distance. 

Gawd, I sound so bitter.  Maybe I should explain some... so fall has come very late because (I assume) of our crazy weather.  It is still warm here in the south.  I'm always depressed in the fall - I suffer depression, like many others, but mine is definitely always worse in fall.  The leaves turning and dying is symbolic I think.  Synonymous.  Meanwhile, my daughter has returned to work (a very good thing!), and because she's in her "training" period in ER in a new hospital, she's on days.  And she has 4 children that have become my responsibility during the week.  I love them, you know I do - but FOUR... along with the neighbors children in and out, and my other granddaughter who is a "twin" to and inseparable from my daughters youngest.  And I have orders to get out, lunch to fix, messes to clean, instructions to give... and I'm not used to organizing my day with children under my feet, although I love them!!!  AND we're still negotiating and discussing buying my parents house, now empty and waiting for a decision).  I have furniture to disperse, clothing to bag and donate, wars to win.  AND my living room is full of stacked processed barn wood for flooring that I refuse to put down until the house issue is decided because I love it and it's going with me if I move.  My garage is full of boxes of Christmas decorations (not sure where to put a tree if the flooring starts going in next week as planned originally...).  As I type this, my husband is with an appraiser at my parents house.  And sadly, I'm not sure I want to live there.  Right now, I have 3 little precious miles between me and all my grands...and non of them drive yet, I'm sure you can draw a conclusion to that riddle.  I'm losing my mind.  

One very heavy kiln-fired snowman made it into my foyer somehow.  He may be my only decoration this year.  Bleh.

ETA (ps):  my house is much much nicer than the shoebox I grew up in - it's going to take MUCH money and hard work to make that place cute (my kind of cute...).  I'm eclectic but very specific.  My parents, bless them, were practical and as frugal as most of that era... it's a "house", not a warm home.  All about functionality (and what was on sale when they needed - for example - - new countertop in the kitchen).  For me, it's all about sentimentality, my Daddy built that house with his own 2 hands.  It was his proudest accomplishment.  And functionality - it is on the very same road as my older children and my grands and my brother, with whom I am close, and his wife, whom I adore.  Let me describe the kitchen at Mama's.  The countertop (on sale) is powdery baby blue.  The walls were cheap paneling (the only thing they could afford at the time).  the paneling was painted and feather painted (I'm not making that up) with a pearlized pink.  The backsplash is very pale yellow.  The cabinets were handmade by my Daddy, have very thin pine doors, and were crackle painted by my mom during her crackle paint phase.  In the back of the room to tHe left (partitioned off) is the laundry with stacked up appliances, including a very incredibly stinky front loader - I've spent HOURS trying to dig the mold and smell out of that thing...

their bedroom is HUGE, the whole back end of the house.  But it opens up to an incredibly ugly bathroom where the shower (it was a good deal, ON SALE!!!) is blue.  Everything is cramped and tight.  The tile is white and tiny.  That whole space needs to be ripped apart and redone.  And the bedroom is (3 guesses...) cheap paneling.  I could sink $50k into that place right now, this second, just to sell it.

and for all that, I'm considering leaving my beautiful house with raised ceilings, granite countertops and custom oak cabinets...a walk in closet the size of a small bedroom, a beautiful deck outside facing the woods...

well, when you put it THAT way...

Edited November 30, 2016 by Happyfatchick

[Barb23]

14 hours ago, Love2dance said:

HAPPYFATCHICK and BIGSKYGIRL, you have both made my day with your stories. People are so unpredictable and sometimes astounding! Thanks for sharing!

I agree & I love the Raymond episode.  Unfortunately the only couple/family  we got a Christmas letter from is now divorced.  We really miss it - it made for some good laughs. I like the cards that are done with a photo but for years I felt guilty about throwing them away. 

[louannems]

My sister sends a brag form  letter every Christmas describing ALL the AMAZING things her kids and husband have done.  This letter truly makes me feel unfortunate with my own normal kids and husband!  My daughter has taken to reading the letter out loud in her TV commercial voice (but wait-call now and we'll double your order!!!).  We all laugh and laugh!  If only my sister knew!

[CherryMalotte]

I hate that X-mas letter shit.  We used to get one from my mom's cousin, a nice guy in theory but it always seemed like he and the wife would go on about the good deeds they'd done and oh we just retooled our plane (they have big bucks) and oh isn't life wonderful and our sons are so great blah blah blah.  I just totally lost it after reading one of these, I think it was the year the economy tanked, there were several family deaths, my husband had lost his livelihood and was just being trained on a new job, just a crap year.  So I sent one back, dripping with sarcasm and pointedly stressing that not everyone is in their same rosy condition of life.  My PS was BTW, I really hate these end of year newsletter recaps, don't you?

I never got another.   

[frenchtoast]

So, I have a Christmas dilemma. Mr. Toast bought me a gorgeous artificial tree nearly 10 years ago. Many times people have mistaken it for real. It's full, beautiful lit, just terrific. But...and there's always a but...our ceiling is actually 7 1/2 feet, which is the height of the tree (and most trees, actually) and it's 5 ft wide. So it really takes up the room in an already cramped living room. We totally redid the 3 season room which has a much, much higher ceiling and we could put it in there. And get a smaller/narrower tree for the living room. But it's really tight money-wise for us this year, and we do love the tree. So Mr. Toast suggested that we try to put the tree up without the bottom part, just the middle and top. It looked great--took up less space, could finally have a tree-topper, just great. Until I noticed that the lights on four branches don't work. First time that has ever happened. We had purchased an LED multifunction 7 1/2 tree and I just put that up and....I don't like it. The bulbs are those little dots instead of a fake incandescent. I don't like it! There is another tree I saw that is 7 ft and also LED but with the bulbs I like and the quick connect (it plugs in via the pole) but it's only white. And I like mulitcolored. I joked that we could get the white and I could put the multicolor LED lights on and then we could have a white and a mulitcolor tree. Now I'm seriously considering it. 

I'm torn between putting up the huge tree and ignore the missing lights or getting the shorter and narrow one in white and add some color lights. I don't think I can keep the narrow LED button bulb one. It makes the tree look black. It's so weird. I'm so torn!!

[emma675]

I loooove those "here's how amazing our family is" Christmas letters! I especially love the ones that come from people I know and how different they are from reality. My parents get one from a fundie family every year (I'm not sure how they even know them since we are so far from fundie) and this family is so Duggar-like, it's scary. Hordes of kids, home schooling, girls wear dresses or skirts, the whole shebang. I treasure reading that letter because it's so over the top about how God has blessed every single part of their lives right down to the crumbs on the floor, it slays me.

My artificial, pre-lit tree has finally bit the dust. None of the lights worked when I pulled it out, so I hung some plug in strands on it and I plan on buying a new tree after Christmas when they are super cheap.

[bigskygirl]

I admit I do not have a Christmas tree. Between not having the space for one, and Sassy probably knocking the tree over and breaking bulbs, I really do not miss having one. Someone we use to know thought it was terrible we did not have one and brought one for us. I wanted to ask who died and made her the Christmas Decoration God, but we took the tree anyway (we do not have the tree anymore since we did not have the space for it in our shed.) I guess it is another one of my holiday pet peeves, but it drives me nuts when someone gets his or her underwear in a knot because someone does not have a tree and other holiday decorations up.

[frenchtoast]

It should be noted that Mr. Toast is a non-practicing Jew who has completely co-opted Christmas. He likes decorating outside, he likes the food and having a Christmas tree up means he has a good reason to set up his model trains. 

This is from two years ago. (We didn't put the trains last year because we had new dogs.) There is a dog futon under the windows now, which makes it difficult to fit the tree let alone the trains. We're toying with the idea of running them under the futon.

 

[Micks Picks]

Love the tree and all the takes on Christmas letters.  I used to be known as the master tree decorator using some lights, mismatched decorations, and garland only.  Got to admit, they were great.  I've lost the spirit for it now.  Ad I don't do Christmas cards because I got so bummed over the letters people sent  So now I don't get too many cards, which suits me since I can't read much anyway, and certainly don't get the letters.  It's better this way.

[Barb23]

4 hours ago, louannems said:

My sister sends a brag form  letter every Christmas describing ALL the AMAZING things her kids and husband have done.  This letter truly makes me feel unfortunate with my own normal kids and husband!  My daughter has taken to reading the letter out loud in her TV commercial voice (but wait-call now and we'll double your order!!!).  We all laugh and laugh!  If only my sister knew!

My son read the letter we received in a similar type of voice like your daughter does  & it cracked us up. The letter was from good friends of my husband so we knew how they really lived & how the letter was doctored up to sound much better. 

46 minutes ago, bigskygirl said:

I admit I do not have a Christmas tree. Between not having the space for one, and Sassy probably knocking the tree over and breaking bulbs, I really do not miss having one. Someone we use to know thought it was terrible we did not have one and brought one for us. I wanted to ask who died and made her the Christmas Decoration God, but we took the tree anyway (we do not have the tree anymore since we did not have the space for it in our shed.) I guess it is another one of my holiday pet peeves, but it drives me nuts when someone gets his or her underwear in a knot because someone does not have a tree and other holiday decorations up.

We don't do a tree either (mainly cuz of my RA limitations) & I agree with you about people questioning why we don't have one.  Mr Barb bought me a Charlie Brown Christmas tree (that's what it is actually called) a few years ago.  It's about a foot tall, spindly, with a lone ornament & I think it's great.  So easy to get out & put away. Lol.  My MIL almost had a stroke when he told her he had gotten it for me but I don't care, it's my tree.

[zoomama]

5 hours ago, frenchtoast said:

So, I have a Christmas dilemma. Mr. Toast bought me a gorgeous artificial tree nearly 10 years ago. Many times people have mistaken it for real. It's full, beautiful lit, just terrific. But...and there's always a but...our ceiling is actually 7 1/2 feet, which is the height of the tree (and most trees, actually) and it's 5 ft wide. So it really takes up the room in an already cramped living room. We totally redid the 3 season room which has a much, much higher ceiling and we could put it in there. And get a smaller/narrower tree for the living room. But it's really tight money-wise for us this year, and we do love the tree. So Mr. Toast suggested that we try to put the tree up without the bottom part, just the middle and top. It looked great--took up less space, could finally have a tree-topper, just great. Until I noticed that the lights on four branches don't work. First time that has ever happened. We had purchased an LED multifunction 7 1/2 tree and I just put that up and....I don't like it. The bulbs are those little dots instead of a fake incandescent. I don't like it! There is another tree I saw that is 7 ft and also LED but with the bulbs I like and the quick connect (it plugs in via the pole) but it's only white. And I like mulitcolored. I joked that we could get the white and I could put the multicolor LED lights on and then we could have a white and a mulitcolor tree. Now I'm seriously considering it. 

I'm torn between putting up the huge tree and ignore the missing lights or getting the shorter and narrow one in white and add some color lights. I don't think I can keep the narrow LED button bulb one. It makes the tree look black. It's so weird. I'm so torn!!

maybe the lights dont work because part of then are hooked into the section of tree that you didn't use. i had trouble with my tree lights yesterday but finally found the missing connection and now the lights work. i did add 2 strings of colored lights as well..

[lookeyloo]

To quote Mrs Joshley Smuggar - "aaaaaannnddd" - Mr lookeyloo is back in the hospital after another episode. This time I called 911 and they got to the house pretty fast and now the symptoms are abating and the CT scan with contrast was negative.  So tomorrow an MRI. We are both a little nutsie right now. We had a tree when we first met because Mr lookeyloo was used to having one. My family never had a tree. Then we had a cat who hurled himself into the tree over and over. So we gave it up and haven't looked back. 

[Love2dance]

10 minutes ago, lookeyloo said:

To quote Mrs Joshley Smuggar - "aaaaaannnddd" - Mr lookeyloo is back in the hospital after another episode. This time I called 911 and they got to the house pretty fast and now the symptoms are abating and the CT scan with contrast was negative.  So tomorrow an MRI. We are both a little nutsie right now. We had a tree when we first met because Mr lookeyloo was used to having one. My family never had a tree. Then we had a cat who hurled himself into the tree over and over. So we gave it up and haven't looked back. 

So very sorry LOOKEYLOO, you must be frantic. Hopefully the MRI will give you answers and solutions. 

[ChiCricket]

Sometimes I "like" a post, because I want to acknowledge what the person wrote.         But it feels weird when it's something someone wrote about their husband (Like Mr. Lookeyloo) being in the hospital, for instance.

 I love this site, but wish it had more options like Facebook.

In other words,I am a lazy ass, who doesn't always feel like responding to a post, and I just want you all to know that my taking a millisecond  to click that little heart is my way of showing I sympathize with you.

  Especially after just going through having to call 911 two times this year for my husband.  He was having seizures that I woke up to in the middle of the night (and this guy has never had any thing wrong with him health wise before this year.) Scared the jebezus outta me.

2016 can SUCK it for various reasons :/

Edited December 1, 2016 by ChiCricket
Because I wanted to

[Happyfatchick]

Oh Lookey.  That is unbelievable.  Poor thing!!!  (Both of you!)  is he in Grady again?  (Please say no...)

A Grady story:. (If you don't "know" Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, it is our answer to Boston General.  It's the inner-city hospital - right on the freeway, so you've seen it if you've passed thru Atlanta.  But it's also our best bet for a trauma center, as it is owned and staffed by Emory doctors).  My brother was burned very badly in an industrial accident nearly 30 years ago and spent 7 weeks in the burn center at Grady.  It is our best and worst feature rolled into one tidy package.  A nurse was raped in the parking deck just after he was released.  And of course, his burns were bad enough that we were afraid we'd lose him, and we have a family history of vigilance at hospitals.  We're just country people, so Grady was a little frightening for us.  I was there with my parents for well over 24 hours until we felt like he was going to live.  When we left to come home and shower, my Dad, who had a big hollow spot for a sense of humor, looked at a homeless man asleep on a bench just outside the ER doors and said, "well, I see he made it home safe".  

We were parked in that burn unit waiting room for a couple weeks before we got comfortable enough to leave at night on a regular basis, and there were several men that would pass thru every night with cups asking for change.  The same ones every night, but their story changed every night.  And my brothers FIL would comment to them every night, "but last night you said your sister was in ICU - and tonight it's your mother".  

So one night, one of the regulars came through on his nightly change mission.  He was a big guy, this one.  And he said he just wanted to get enough change for a cuppa coffee.  Just a cuppa coffee and he would go on his way.  The FIL stands up and says, "come on then, I'll go buy you a cup of coffee".  The man was taken aback and said, "you can just give me the money, I can buy it myself!"  The FIL says, "no no, come on, I'll get you some coffee, and I'll get you something to eat".  The big guy stands straight up and says, "YOU DON'T TRUST ME!!  JESUS WOULDN'T LIKE THAT!"  The FIL says, "Jesus just now told me to buy you a cup of coffee and something to eat".  Big guy says in a huff, "now you putting words in Jesus mouth.  Jesus wouldn't like that!"

i bet that line lasted in our family for 10 years.  Whenever one of us did something another wanted to push back on, we'd always say, "Jesus wouldn't like that!"

[Love2dance]

1 hour ago, ChiCricket said:

Sometimes I "like" a post, because I want to acknowledge what the person wrote.         But it feels weird when it's something someone wrote about their husband (Like Mr. Lookeyloo) being in the hospital, for instance.

 I love this site, but wish it had more options like Facebook.

In other words,I am a lazy ass, who doesn't always feel like responding to a post, and I just want you all to know that my taking a millisecond  to click that little heart is my way of showing I sympathize with you.

  Especially after just going through having to call 911 two times this year for my husband.  He was having seizures that I woke up to in the middle of the night (and this guy has never had any thing wrong with him health wise before this year.) Scared the jebezus outta me.

2016 can SUCK it for various reasons :/

A thousand "likes" for this post. LOL

But seriously, I have so often wanted to be supportive on these threads with a sad face, or mad face, or heart, when a simple "like" didn't seem appropriate. It would be so cool to have a general "I support you" icon, that doesn't necessarily say you "like" the message. But I have no idea what that would be. Thumbs up is too casual.

Anyway, CHICRICKET, I hope your husband is doing better, and yes, wishing for everyone who has had a difficult year a better 2017.

[frenchtoast]

@lookeyloo, so sorry to hear your husband is back in the hospital. Hoping hard they figure out what is going on!

And truly, 2016 can go suck it. Ray of light is that brother is strong enough to go back to work and his job was still there after over a year on disability. Otherwise, a really crappy year. 

[bigskygirl]

@lookeyloo {{{HUGS}}} for you and your husband. I hope they can finally figure out what is going on. It is scary when your spouse is sick. I thought I would need to call 911 a few times for my husband.

2016 can go take a flying leap at a rolling donut. @frenchtoast glad to hear your brother is strong enough to back to work and his job is still there.

[lookeyloo]

thanks everyone.  It hasn't been easy.  He had another episode in the hospital last night.  He isn't bouncing back as fast.  They think they determined it isn't cardiac related but a blood vessel in the connective tissue .  It's called small vessel disease and all of his numbers are very good so who knows.  His speech is still off and he just doesn't seem like himself.  I had to step out of the room a few times for a big weep.  I appreciate your good wishes.  Totally.  They're awesome.  (Compliments of Jilly Muffin)

[crazycatlady58]

Lookeyloo  ,  big cyber  hugs. Wish I was close  by, I would  bring you a meal. Hope they figure  thing out FAST. 

[Lisa418722]

On 12/1/2016 at 0:53 AM, Happyfatchick said:

Oh Lookey.  That is unbelievable.  Poor thing!!!  (Both of you!)  is he in Grady again?  (Please say no...)

A Grady story:. (If you don't "know" Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, it is our answer to Boston General.  It's the inner-city hospital - right on the freeway, so you've seen it if you've passed thru Atlanta.  But it's also our best bet for a trauma center, as it is owned and staffed by Emory doctors).  My brother was burned very badly in an industrial accident nearly 30 years ago and spent 7 weeks in the burn center at Grady.  It is our best and worst feature rolled into one tidy package.  A nurse was raped in the parking deck just after he was released.  And of course, his burns were bad enough that we were afraid we'd lose him, and we have a family history of vigilance at hospitals.  We're just country people, so Grady was a little frightening for us.  I was there with my parents for well over 24 hours until we felt like he was going to live.  When we left to come home and shower, my Dad, who had a big hollow spot for a sense of humor, looked at a homeless man asleep on a bench just outside the ER doors and said, "well, I see he made it home safe". 

When I first moved to Atlanta (from the Nashville area) I was told by my new coworkers that if I had a trauma, I wanted to go to Grady, but as soon as I could, I wanted out of Grady.  Over the years I've learned that is very true. 

lookeyloo, I hope he gets better soon. 

Edited December 2, 2016 by Lisa418722

[CherryMalotte]

A big hug to you lookeyloo...here's hoping he is on the road to recovery soon.  I'm having good thoughts for him.

My husband was driving home Sunday night in my car when a 19 year old kid pulled out of a strip store (really bar and laundrymat) area and caused a huge ole accident.  I'm waiting for the estimate to come in...but if it's not totaled I'll be surprised.  Husband took ambulance from scene and has elbow fracture.  The kid got the ticket for failure to yield.  So we are now relying on my kid's car, because my husband's regular vehicle needed work and it's not something I'd safely drive.  

I've had enough of this year.  It was the worst, the absolute worst.  

Edited December 2, 2016 by CherryMalotte

[Love2dance]

3 hours ago, CherryMalotte said:

A big hug to you lookeyloo...here's hoping he is on the road to recovery soon.  I'm having good thoughts for him.

My husband was driving home Sunday night in my car when a 19 year old kid pulled out of a strip store (really bar and laundrymat) area and caused a huge ole accident.  I'm waiting for the estimate to come in...but if it's not totaled I'll be surprised.  Husband took ambulance from scene and has elbow fracture.  The kid got the ticket for failure to yield.  So we are now relying on the kid's car, because my husband's regular vehicle needed work and it's not something I'd safely drive.  

I've had enough of this year.  It was the worst, the absolute worst.  

Oh dear, the hubby's all seem to need extra protection this year. Sending hopeful, healing thoughts to all. 

Shouldn't the boy's insurance provide you with a rental car, CHERRYMALOTTE? That doesn't seem right if they don't. Sorry about your husband's fracture, but so glad it wasn't more serious.

[CherryMalotte]

Shouldn't the boy's insurance provide you with a rental car, CHERRYMALOTTE? That doesn't seem right if they don't. Sorry about your husband's fracture, but so glad it wasn't more serious.

I think with this week being what it was and being in shock about what happened I only asked about a rental the other day, and they will provide one either in the event of fixing it or for the alternative.  Didn't need it this weekend because my sister in law is eagerly taking me out tonight (to get away from her husband, my husband's busybody older brother) and we will do a wee bit of shopping and commiseration over beef sammiches.  I am really happy it was not more serious, I was freaked out over his knee that he'd had the replacement on being injured but all is well there.   He did have to have his wedding ring cut off because his hand was swelling at one point but no big deal.  I'll just tattoo 'PROPERTY OF' on him somewhere.

In the lighter news, we will attempt to put up a tree this weekend maybe, with just the lights.  Our half grown beast of a kitten is a chewer and climber, so I am not putting on ornaments until I know he won't eff around with them.  In fact, we may end up with just lights and a tree.  

[lookeyloo]

Gosh @CherryMalotte!!!!  Glad to hear it isn't more serious!  But serious enough.  Who wants to get a call like that!!  

Mr. lookeyloo came home today but he is definitely not fixed.  All the folks at the hospital were very encouraging and Mr. lookeyloo's sister the vet who is Very Knowledgeable about all things medical because she has access and knows her way around a research study, concurs with treatment and gave him a pep talk about relaxing and getting back to normal.  I told him we will do whatever we can and that we are not letting the fear of another one control us.  Easier said than done but I have to present that to him.  We both can't be basket cases, at least not at the same time.

@Happyfatchick - don't know if you've been to Grady recently.  They are the top stroke and trauma centers around here and the new CEO has worked hard to clean things up.  The ER wasn't awful the first stroke but it wasn't crowded either. But when one says "chest pain" or "stroke" one avoids the waiting room.  I walked to the parking garage in the dark twice and there was no problem.  There is plenty of security and I didn't have any times I felt unsafe.  Maybe it was a fluke, but, that was our experience.  Second time we called 911 and they said Grady was "on diversion" so go to closest hospital which is Cobb Wellstone.  Turns out they have a stroke center too and we were very pleased there.  We found the staff to be knowledgeable and attentive.  All of them.  

Monday we call for a followup cardiology and neurology appointments and schedule speech therapy.  He can speak and is understandable but when he is tired, a little slurring.  He has always had a lot of saliva (gets that from his mother) so now there is a little that leaks out now and then.  He is not a slobbering mess, and can feel it, which they say is a good sign and with exercises that will stop.  Whew!  I am enjoying a glass of wine but don't want to get too relaxed.  We must maintain a hyper vigilant state!!!!

I really appreciate everyone's good wishes.

[Barb23]

Regarding hospital locations.  Here in the Baltimore area, the Univ of Maryland Medical Center's Shock Trauma unit is one of the nation's best.   We are also lucky to be the home to the world renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital.  Most people don't know it is located in one of Baltimore's worst neighborhoods. A relative is a nurse there & they recruit nurses from all over the US.  They are shocked when they get here to see where the hospital is located especially the ones from the Midwest who have barely been to a larger city.

Sending good vibes to whoever may need them.  2017 can't get here fast enough !!

[emma675]

2016 has just been a dumpster fire of a year. I'm ready for it to end but scared that 2017 could be worse.

Thoughts and prayers to everyone's hubby's who are dealing with issues. I'm not married but I can't even imagine how scary and frustrating it must be.

[Arwen Evenstar]

@lookeyloo, so sorry to hear about your husband.  That's just terrible. Much love to you.

Much love to all dealing with challenges right now, be they your own or to someone you love.  I've missed several pages, and been lurking rather than posting.

As Emma said, this has been a dumpster fire of a year.  Houston has been decimated by the oil and gas job market, yet we are faring better than most places.  It's impacted the local economy because people haven't been able to spend the money they'd normally spend: dining out, salon appointments, those who would normally drop $100 in a shop will now only buy $20 worth. I'm only just checking in with my friends, most of whom have been dealing with the uncertainty and all the health problems that go along with the stress. Many who still have jobs have taken pay cuts and reduced hours.

Though engineers are traditionally "highly compensated employees", living in Houston isn't cheap and protracted unemployment and underemployment soon makes people "rent/mortgage burdened" and funding one's healthcare gets expensive when no money is coming in. Obamacare here is still half the cost of COBRA for a better policy than my former employer.. COBRA would have been 1700 for me and hubs, and unemployment comp in TX is maxed out a 1900 a month.  This means an even tougher time for those making far less or those who didn't get to work long enough to fund their rainy day.

My nail tech is lucky to book 2 or 3 pedicures a day and this is at a fairly high end salon, and she is their only nail tech. She's hurting because bookings are way down.

[allonsyalice]

Yup, 2016 has been a trash year. I can't think of one good thing. Okay, Grrase Live. But other than that, nothing. 

I'm throwing my mental energy into making December a good month, and I hope it's a good month for all of you too. 

[lookeyloo]

Thank you @Arwen Evenstar - much appreciated. He seems to be doing okay but he is terrified of another one and no one can guarantee he won't have one. 

People are suffering so much - our friends in Louisiana still and the fires all over plus the sicknesses. Hoping for a better year. 

[Jynnan tonnix]

3 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

Thank you @Arwen Evenstar - much appreciated. He seems to be doing okay but he is terrified of another one and no one can guarantee he won't have one. 

People are suffering so much - our friends in Louisiana still and the fires all over plus the sicknesses. Hoping for a better year. 

I think that a lot of people everywhere are just looking for the slate to be wiped clean of 2016....Wish it could work that way! But sending all the best thoughts your way. 

[Arwen Evenstar]

15 hours ago, Jynnan tonnix said:

I think that a lot of people everywhere are just looking for the slate to be wiped clean of 2016....Wish it could work that way! But sending all the best thoughts your way. 

Yes indeed! 2014 thru this year have sucked eggs for me! Between losing my dad, gaining 40 lbs I don't need, hubby and I came close to splitting up (we're much happier now), hubs out of work since mid 2014, me scrounging up part time/some time work since early 2015, right now my focus is making December a good month and having a happy Christmas.

Sorting out our health and finances and our home environment keeps me plenty busy...the famine may soon be over and it will be "balls to the wall" for the next 4 to 5 years until the next downturn. 

But as far as this year goes, I'm looking forward to the Puerto Rican New Years Eve tradition of Sacude Zapato Viejo, throwing this year out like an old shoe.

Edited December 4, 2016 by Arwen Evenstar
Typos..time for new glasses

[Tabbygirl521]

On 12/1/2016 at 5:08 PM, lookeyloo said:

thanks everyone.  It hasn't been easy.  He had another episode in the hospital last night.  He isn't bouncing back as fast.  They think they determined it isn't cardiac related but a blood vessel in the connective tissue .  It's called small vessel disease and all of his numbers are very good so who knows.  His speech is still off and he just doesn't seem like himself.  I had to step out of the room a few times for a big weep.  I appreciate your good wishes.  Totally.  They're awesome.  (Compliments of Jilly Muffin)

{{{Hugs}}}. 

[Marigold]

2016 has sucked for me too.  These Duggar boards are my mental health break from reality. 

Add me on the list who will be happy to see 2017 come in. 

[bigskygirl]

One of my cousin's daughter fiancée is missing in South Dakota after the boat he was in capsized while he and a friend were duck hunting. Sadly, his friend did not make it. My cousin's daughter is pregnant, and she is trying her best not to go into labor. They called off the search for now. The weather is not pleasant right now with snow and below zero wind chill temps.

[ginger90]

3 hours ago, bigskygirl said:

One of my cousin's daughter fiancée is missing in South Dakota after the boat he was in capsized while he and a friend were duck hunting. Sadly, his friend did not make it. My cousin's daughter is pregnant, and she is trying her best not to go into labor. They called off the search for now. The weather is not pleasant right now with snow and below zero wind chill temps.

Oh my, good thoughts going out.

[Marigold]

4 hours ago, bigskygirl said:

One of my cousin's daughter fiancée is missing in South Dakota after the boat he was in capsized while he and a friend were duck hunting. Sadly, his friend did not make it. My cousin's daughter is pregnant, and she is trying her best not to go into labor. They called off the search for now. The weather is not pleasant right now with snow and below zero wind chill temps.

Oh how horrible.