Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[bigskygirl]

Winter in Montana.  

[zoomama]

whoa!!!

[bigskygirl]

The snow was a little above my ankles when I went out to the mail boxes. I felt like I was taking a hike walking in the snow because they did not plow yet. Nice surprise in the mail. My husband's youngest sister sent us a few pictures of her two sons and a $100.00 Albertsons Store gift card, and two $15.00 dollar Taco Bell gift cards. What can I say...My husband loves Taco Bell.

[BitterApple]

1 hour ago, bigskygirl said:

. What can I say...My husband loves Taco Bell.

It's funny, do any women like Taco Bell, because in my experience it's a total guy thing. My husband loves it, and my nephew and his friends practically live there, but it would be a last resort sort of thing for me to eat there.

[emma675]

This is going to be tacky and TMI, but any time I'm "backed up", I go to Taco Bell and things start moving again within hours. I'm not sure that's a ringing endorsement of their food quality, though.

[bigskygirl]

I like Taco Bell at times especially their Taco Salad. I know I should not eat the salad, but I cannot help it. I also like their soft tacos. I also like Wendy's or Subway.

And on a totally different topic. I am seeing a nurse practitioner instead of the GI specialist since he is doing procedures on the morning of my appointment. If I wanted an appointment with the doctor, I would have wait until 1/27. Crossings fingers for good weather and roads next Thursday afternoon.

[Almost 3000]

30 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

It's funny, do any women like Taco Bell, because in my experience it's a total guy thing. My husband loves it, and my nephew and his friends practically live there, but it would be a last resort sort of thing for me to eat there.

I remember way back when, Paris Hilton said she liked TB. I just always thought it odd but it was also before social media was used as income so I assume she really ate there.

[kathe5133]

There is nothing like a Taco Bell bean burrito!  Just beans, cheese, a little onion!  Of course it's not on the menu. I takes patience to order because all progress stops and it takes two people to take the order and probably three to make it!  Improvisation and Taco Bell just don't go together!

[Absolom]

I must live in crazy land.  It's on the menu here.  Plus you can choose from about 25 add ons.

[Barb23]

How is everyone coming along with their Christmas / Holiday prep?  I'm doing pretty good.  I'm still waiting for a large order from the Current company (the wrapping paper, checks, misc junk place.)  I think I found something there for everyone so of course, that's the box I'm waiting for.  My order is probably at the bottom of the pile because I had enough for free shipping &  "special" gifts. 

I feel sorry for my sister.  We go there for Xmas dinner along with my mom & brother.  My BIL's sister & her husband have sort of invited themselves to my sister's for the entire Xmas weekend, spending 3 nights.   It's a long story I won't go into.  They are nice but after 3 days my sister said she'll be happy to go back to work on the 26th.  The husband kind of gives me the skeevies.  I haven't been around him often but when I have been, he makes inappropriate comments, thinking he's funny.  I'm in no way a prude - when Mr Barb & friends get together they act like a bunch of 15 year olds, so I've heard just about everything.  This guy is the type who others think he's great but I just can't see the fascination. I think that's what gets to me. He's very successful & doesn't brag& he isn't constantly saying inappropriate things but he just gives me the creepy vibes.  Let's just say, there's other people I would rather spend my Christmas afternoon & dinner with. 

We are having an icy day here in Maryland.  Temps are supposed to go up so hopefully it will change to rain so people can get around. Glad I'm staying put & plan to start on my wrapping.  

[Arwen Evenstar]

Barb, from where you are, sounds like a good day for wrapping gifts! The cold snap makes its way south soon. 80 degrees in Houston today, but tomorrow will be a different story.

I've got most of my gifts "in" but still waiting on a few.. Wanted to paper wrap, but may need to use bags again, just because still waiting on partial orders. Can't put it all in one box just yet and afraid to use gift bags since many gifts are small items.  Still delayed either way.  House looks like an explosion in a packaging area. Might need to wrap smaller items just so they don't get "lost", as what happens with gift sacks  Food items, I just won't bother....tissue it is...

Will have to do my shopping and errands today as tomorrow will be wretched by our standards. They expect us to see 35 F by morning and it will be a raw, dreary day.  Had my nuclear stress test yesterday and felt like crap afterwards, owing to a very bad headache due to caffeine deprivation.  They didn't have to chemically stress me, but just in case I hurt my knee ankle or leg in that time frame. And couldn't use the treadmill..We'll find out if the inverted curve on my ekg is idiopathic or caused if there's a blockage or asthma issues. Radiology said doc will call you within 10 days. Menopause causes heart changes as well as I need to lose about 60 lbs ...that isn't helping either.  Dad had a triple bypass at 56, but I've had nowhere near the lipids issues he'd had.

May have to reschedule my GI tests to do them at the hospital since the endoscopy center is not being forthcoming as to whether the anesthesia and pathology services they use are in my network. There is no coverage at all for out of network services on my plan. I don't work enough hours to get benefits and my husband isn't back to work yet either.  We can't afford 'surprises", and we are paying plenty a month for insurance we can actually use with respect to our doctors...Any other industry or business that pulls this kind of shit would have been shuttered long ago or sued or boycotted into oblivion.  Only healthcare gets away with this. Used to be if those who coordinated your procedure sent you to an out of network provider, they had to eat it and patient wasn't responsible. No longer the case...

[bigskygirl]

UGH!!! Dealing with the insurance company is never fun. I know the nurse practitioner I see next Thursday will recommend the two tests (colonoscopy and EGD.) The cramps are not getting better.

Right now it is a balmy -22 degrees outside. They said we got around 14.8 inches of snow in six days. This is the same amount of snow we got last winter.  My lower back hurts due to the cold. I will be happy when the year ends. I wonder if I will be put on another med for the Acid Reflux and cramps. I am tired of trying out different meds.

[Arwen Evenstar]

11 minutes ago, bigskygirl said:

UGH!!! Dealing with the insurance company is never fun. I know the nurse practitioner I see next Thursday will recommend the two tests (colonoscopy and EGD.) The cramps are not getting better.

Right now it is a balmy -22 degrees outside. They said we got around 14.8 inches of snow in six days. This is the same amount of snow we got last winter.  My lower back hurts due to the cold. I will be happy when the year ends. I wonder if I will be put on another med for the Acid Reflux and cramps. I am tired of trying out different meds.

All I can say is Brrrrrrrrrrrr! Cold seems to make everything hurt worse. It's so humid in Houston that it makes anytime the mercury dips below 50 almost intolerable to most, particularly when overcast with a breeze. I even knew people from Russia who complained about how miserable the cold in Houston gets. I used to believe we were a bunch of weenies not used to the cold until I heard the Russian diaspora here complaining about it.

[bigskygirl]

Reminds me of people moving to Montana from out of state. After their first winter here, they want to go back after dealing with the cold and the snow.

[MargeGunderson]

It feels like the holidays here! We got a few inches of snow (enough to shovel, not enough to blow), the gifts are wrapped and under the tree, the fireplace is blazing, and I have all of the ingredients for a massive cookie baking session tomorrow. 

[Love2dance]

I just made six mini loaves of banana bread for the neighbors and realized I forgot the sugar when they weren't turning the right color. Sigh. ??? 

[Jynnan tonnix]

Very cold here (highs in the low to mid 20's) over the past couple of days. Lovely snow early turning to rain & slush by mid morning. Supposed to get into the high 40's overnight, then high 50's tomorrow, but rainy, followed by a chill right back into the 20's on Monday.

I didn't even bother shoveling...wasn't going anywhere today, and the snow will be gone tomorrow...

[Westiepeach]

26 minutes ago, Jynnan tonnix said:

Very cold here (highs in the low to mid 20's) over the past couple of days. Lovely snow early turning to rain & slush by mid morning. Supposed to get into the high 40's overnight, then high 50's tomorrow, but rainy, followed by a chill right back into the 20's on Monday.

I didn't even bother shoveling...wasn't going anywhere today, and the snow will be gone tomorrow...

We are opposite here. Very mild today, high 40's and rain ... so everything turned to slush. Tomorrow back in the 20's and snow. So we will have snow on top of ice. Good times. Not.

[Barb23]

Arwen - I'm like you with the wrapping.  I like to wrap person by person, getting all gifts for that person wrapped at once but since I am waiting on items to come, I'll wrap what I have.  Unfortunately there's wrapping paper & bags in the order I'm waiting for.  I wish I could just get one big item for a person but never works out that way.

Regarding the insurance, I'm trying to figure out if I can get my very expensive pain medicine filled by end of year. If it goes on this year, I don't pay anything cuz I've met my deductible & out of pocket.  If it's next year,  I have to pay full amount.  It's due to he filled around the 1st but insurance gives a day or two leeway before that date, so we shall see.  I really shouldn't complain,  our health coverage is very good compared to others.  But having to pay that large amount, along with Christmas bills is still a shock. 

Marge - I'm very jealous.  Can I come stay at your house for a little bit & take in the atmosphere? 

[bigskygirl]

*sigh* I am worried about my thirteen year old cat Tia. She is having a hard time using the cat box, seems to have a hard time moving at times (she can jump up on furniture and the bed,) and not eating too well. I do not want to lose her, but I do not want her to suffer either. She has been with us for almost thirteen and a half years. She is showing the same signs Ace and Smokey did before we made the heartbreaking decision to end their pain and suffering. 99.9% of the time she is a sweet lovely dovey kitty and can purr loud enough to wake the dead. I think she knows something is up and tries to spend more time with me. It could be the cold bothering her, but I do not think it is the whole picture.

[MargeGunderson]

21 hours ago, Barb23 said:

Marge - I'm very jealous.  Can I come stay at your house for a little bit & take in the atmosphere? 

Come on over! There are so many cookies. I'm afraid the snow has melted, though. 

[Arwen Evenstar]

3 hours ago, bigskygirl said:

*sigh* I am worried about my thirteen year old cat Tia. She is having a hard time using the cat box, seems to have a hard time moving at times (she can jump up on furniture and the bed,) and not eating too well. I do not want to lose her, but I do not want her to suffer either. She has been with us for almost thirteen and a half years. She is showing the same signs Ace and Smokey did before we made the heartbreaking decision to end their pain and suffering. 99.9% of the time she is a sweet lovely dovey kitty and can purr loud enough to wake the dead. I think she knows something is up and tries to spend more time with me. It could be the cold bothering her, but I do not think it is the whole picture.

Maybe she has a urinary tract infection. Our 15 yo male tuxedo cat has chronic UTIs.  When they get older, they have trouble squatting and drag their genitalia in the litter and they end up getting bacteria in their tract. I just put puppy wee pads around the litter box. He's a happy cat and has a voracious appetite for an old kitty. A UTI can be fatal, but antibiotics clear it up fast. They gave a shot called Convenia that lasts for 10 days. After 10 days bring kitty back for a recheck. The shot is dosed by weight and isn't cheap, but it beats pilling them daily and then dealing with the nausea and diarrhea some of  them get from oral antibiotics. Acidophilus sprinkled on their food helps with the pudding stool that usually accompanies antibiotics.  Good for people too.

Cats don't like a dirty box, either. If you've more than one, they often don't like to share. Some cats like to pee in one box and poo in another.

Kitties get arthritis, too! Vet can give supplements, but might first give a shot or pills to relieve inflammation.  

Edited December 18, 2016 by Arwen Evenstar

[MargeGunderson]

@bigskygirl, I agree with Arwen, it could be a UTI. My cats are both prone to having them and they act similarly to what your describing. My elderly girl Emma (20 years and counting) gets one about every six months. She's also arthritic so I give her Cosequin every night in her food (you can get it on Amazon, which is also a great place to buy puppy pads). If your girl has trouble getting into the litter box, you might try a low entry litter box - we have this one and it's been great for Emma.

Edited December 19, 2016 by MargeGunderson
Spelling counts

[bigskygirl]

Right now we are keeping an eye on her. She does enjoy her peace and quiet even when she was younger. She does eat a little, enjoys her cat treats, and drinks water. If she stops eating, drinking her water, and cries out in pain, we will be taking her to the vet. Once in a while, she will attack Sassy and try to be playful. It is interesting how pets can end up with the same type of medical problems humans have.

[crazycatlady58]

Bigskygirl, hope your fur baby feels better fast. It is so hard to see them feeling  bad.

[Arwen Evenstar]

2 hours ago, crazycatlady58 said:

Bigskygirl, hope your fur baby feels better fast. It is so hard to see them feeling  bad.

Yes, it is.  I hate it when my poor babies are poorly.

Edited December 19, 2016 by Arwen Evenstar

[emma675]

It dropped down into the teens here last night and didn't get out of the 20's today, brrrr.

Has anyone ever had H Pylori or an bacterial gut infection before? I'm starting to think my stomach flu and/or acid reflux may be more than just that. It's been over a week now and nothing has brought any relief or change. I've been reading the symptoms of HP and it's like a word for word description of my last 8 days. Unfortunately, my insurance doesn't start until Jan. 1, so I'm trying an OTC remedy that is supposed to help and not cause any harm if it's something else. I just want my digestive system to calm down enough so I can actually sleep. This is no fun.

[Arwen Evenstar]

53 minutes ago, emma675 said:

It dropped down into the teens here last night and didn't get out of the 20's today, brrrr.

Has anyone ever had H Pylori or an bacterial gut infection before? I'm starting to think my stomach flu and/or acid reflux may be more than just that. It's been over a week now and nothing has brought any relief or change. I've been reading the symptoms of HP and it's like a word for word description of my last 8 days. Unfortunately, my insurance doesn't start until Jan. 1, so I'm trying an OTC remedy that is supposed to help and not cause any harm if it's something else. I just want my digestive system to calm down enough so I can actually sleep. This is no fun.

Once your insurance kicks in, get it checked out. Insist on an endoscopy! H Pylori over time can develop into ulcers and  some of those ulcers can turn into gastric cancer.  Only a small percentage.  If you are Venezuelan or Chinese, there is a prevalence of stomach cancer in those populations.  I lost my father to this disease. He had no reflux issues, either, and he wasn't either of those populations.

Even if you don't have HP, erosion of the esophagus over time can also lead to precancerous conditions. HP can be eliminated with the right antibiotics. Get a proper diagnosis. I hope I'm not being alarmist, but particularly if you have a history of cancer in you family...do get answers.

[emma675]

Arwen, I gave up after another horrible night and booked an appointment with my GP for tomorrow. I'm going to just have to self pay since my insurance doesn't start for two more weeks, but I have to travel in early January for work and need to get this figured out asap.

Why don't health problems ever strike when you've got time, insurance and extra money floating around??

[bigskygirl]

Good luck @emma675  It is not fun not being able to sleep because of cramps or other digestive problems. Hope the doctor can figure out what is going on.

[Barb23]

Emma, hope things go well at the doctors. Maybe the doctor will reduce his fee since you are paying out of pocket. 

[Love2dance]

@emma675, I hope the doctor will help lead you to answers, or at least some relief until your insurance kicks in. Hugs!

[Arwen Evenstar]

Good luck, Emma.  Hope you feel better soon. Explain the insurance sitch to the doc. They usually have free pharma samples they can give you if it's an expensive Rx.

Edited December 20, 2016 by Arwen Evenstar

[bigskygirl]

I may be having sympathy pain and discomfort for @emma675 because last night and morning I was not able to get a good night sleep because of cramps. I will be so happy when Thursday afternoon comes, and I finally get in to see someone at the GI Clinic after waiting almost six weeks. I feel like I have a bad case of the stomach bug and/or someone is punching me hard in the stomach.

[Arwen Evenstar]

18 minutes ago, bigskygirl said:

I may be having sympathy pain and discomfort for @emma675 because last night and morning I was not able to get a good night sleep because of cramps. I will be so happy when Thursday afternoon comes, and I finally get in to see someone at the GI Clinic after waiting almost six weeks. I feel like I have a bad case of the stomach bug and/or someone is punching me hard in the stomach.

Hope you feel better soon @bigskygirl! On the extremely rare occasions that I get reflux, it's miserable, but I usually have to eat something heinous to get it.  Long wait for an appointment, so I hope you get the answers you need. Docs usually don't have time to spend with people, so make a list of your questions before Hopefully, your specialist will give you something for relief until they can do a diagnostic endoscopy. Hubs had it done and they planted a sensor that measures the pH of his stomach acid...you've got to press a button before you eat and when you're done...before you go to sleep and as you wake.  It will be your "pet" for 4 days.

i was shocked by how long you have to wait, but the only time in Houston we have to wait any length of time is to see an endocrinologist, but I imagine in Montana there are far fewer doctors per capita, and even fewer specialists. We are very blessed in that regard here--some of the best doctors in the world.

[bigskygirl]

The local hospital does try to recruit new doctors. It took years before they finally got an endocrinologist. We have two GI specialists at one of the clinics. I will be seeing a nurse practitioner on Thursday afternoon. The one specialist I would have seen had procedures to do on the morning of my appointment, and I would have to wait to see him in late January. My sleep specialist is from Great Falls, and he comes to Helena two times a month. I wish he would move to Helena. I think there are only two sleep specialists in the whole state.

[Love2dance]

1 hour ago, bigskygirl said:

I may be having sympathy pain and discomfort for @emma675 because last night and morning I was not able to get a good night sleep because of cramps. I will be so happy when Thursday afternoon comes, and I finally get in to see someone at the GI Clinic after waiting almost six weeks. I feel like I have a bad case of the stomach bug and/or someone is punching me hard in the stomach.

Oh dear, then I will wish you the same thing as I did @EMMA675, that you have some relief now (Prilosec?) and a healing diagnosis soon. Hugs to you, too.

[emma675]

Ugh, I hope you feel better, Bigskygirl! The doctor thinks I might have H. Pylori, but I have to wait for the tests to come back. Oddly enough, I didn't get any bills at the appointment, so I'm sure that will be coming in January (after my insurance kicks in, oy).

I had another rough night--it feels like someone has punched me right below my sternum and I'm burping like crazy (which is really embarrassing at work, at home the dog seems amused by it). I actually hope this might be H. Pylori because at least there's a way to heal that fairly quickly.

[Arwen Evenstar]

10 hours ago, emma675 said:

Ugh, I hope you feel better, Bigskygirl! The doctor thinks I might have H. Pylori, but I have to wait for the tests to come back. Oddly enough, I didn't get any bills at the appointment, so I'm sure that will be coming in January (after my insurance kicks in, oy).

I had another rough night--it feels like someone has punched me right below my sternum and I'm burping like crazy (which is really embarrassing at work, at home the dog seems amused by it). I actually hope this might be H. Pylori because at least there's a way to heal that fairly quickly.

Try chewable papaya tablets for relief in the meantime . My SIL lives n the Caribbean and last we were there she told us about how she puts some in the blender with distilled water and drinks it every day. She claims "esta mi salvacion".  Chewable tabs suit us fine as well.

[bigskygirl]

Christmas Spirit in Montana

[Ownedbydogs]

4 hours ago, bigskygirl said:

Christmas Spirit in Montana

Thanks Bigskygirl!!!  This made me tear up.  One of the top things on my bucket list is to go to Montana and see the night sky.  I want to see the stars.  Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays) to you and your family.

[crazycatlady58]

That's  sweet Bigskygirl, thank you. And Merry Christmas  or   Happy  Holidays  . Hope you  feel  better soon.

[Barb23]

That was beautiful.

[lookeyloo]

Really nice @bigskygirl. We are in another pickle here. Mr lookeyloo has continued to recover from the stroke. We met with two fab neurologists in the Stroke Center at the Big University Teaching Hospital. Now his problem is raging anxiety mingled with Panic Attacks. Neurologist gave him meds but they don't work immediately. He can have a tiny Xanax now and then but he is of the nature that "nothing will work". Well nothing will if you don't give it a fair chance. I lived with anxiety for the year he was fighting the sternal wound infection so I know what it feels like.  But he hardly knew I had it because I didn't follow him around with a pained expression on my face telling him every 2 minutes that I wish it would go away. I found a few strategies that worked and I had the Xanax for emergencies. I know he doesn't like feeling this way and I don't like it either. We are trying to get a mental health appointment but don't know how long that will take. The Stroke Center said their first appointment is in June!!!  Grands coming Sunday and I hope he can pull it together. It's nice to have all of you to say "there there, it will get better". 

[bigskygirl]

{{{HUGS}}} @lookeyloo and Mr. Lookeyloo

Is there anyone else at the hospital you can talk with like the hospital chaplain or hospital social services can help out with getting a mental health appointment?

[lookeyloo]

1 minute ago, bigskygirl said:

{{{HUGS}}} @lookeyloo and Mr. Lookeyloo

Is there anyone else at the hospital you can talk with like the hospital chaplain or hospital social services can help out with getting a mental health appointment?

He wouldn't go the chaplain route and apparently mental health is backed up. I did remember I have a potential contact to ask for a name or two. Will do that in the am. Bad time of year too with holiday vacations. He did call the state crisis line and while they were nice enough didn't offer much but the name of a community mental health center which gets bad reviews on line.  But thanks for the hugs. Could use one or a thousand right now. 

[Love2dance]

11 minutes ago, lookeyloo said:

 We are trying to get a mental health appointment but don't know how long that will take. The Stroke Center said their first appointment is in June!!!  Grands coming Sunday and I hope he can pull it together. It's nice to have all of you to say "there there, it will get better". 

JUNE? Their first mental health appointment is JUNE? That is just unacceptable. I am so sorry. Hopefully the grands will provide a not too stressful diversion for now. But someone with that much understandable anxiety should be able to receive help ASAP. There are probably some meditation, breathing, or other non-medication skills they could teach him. Sending healing thoughts and hope for an early appointment availability.

[Mrs. P.]

lookeyloo,

I know what it's like for a husband to be wracked with anxiety over health worries. My husband was an emotional basket case after his heart attack. I tried to comfort him, but the threat of another attack hovered over both of us constantly.

He finally agreed to seek counseling and we found a psychiatrist who specialized in the pharmaceutical treatment of acute anxiety. She was wonderful and really helped him.

Years later he still gets nervous when he feels a pang in his chest, but that passes quickly. I hope you can find help for your husband, sooner than June. You have my prayers.

[Arwen Evenstar]

@lookeyloo and Mr. Lookeyloo, that's just unacceptable that you have to wait that long for mental health  care

Since you mentioned you're Jewish, perhaps avail yourself of your rabbi who may have some resources. Maybe consider getting a service animal or find a way to get him to interact with therapy dogs. People who won't respond to anyone or anything will do so with animals.They have a way of calming us.

 

hugs!

Edited December 22, 2016 by Arwen Evenstar

[crazycatlady58]

Lookeyloo  and Mr.Lookeyloo ,  many many hugs. I agree  with the others JUNE??? Hopefully  the grands will provide  a good distraction . You are not trying  to pull together  a full Chanukah  meal/ celebration  by yourself  are you?  I hope Mr Lookeyloo  will try deep  breathing  or some type  of meditation  to relax .  Things do get better  it just not as fast as  we would  like.