Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Mrs. P.]

1 hour ago, lookeyloo said:

Does anyone have an Instant Pot?  I am enamoured.

My daughter has one and loves it.

[Nysha]

I love Instant Pot. I'm not always organized enough to get the crock pot going in the morning. Last night I threw a frozen roast, red potatoes and baby carrots in the IP with a cup of beef broth for 45 minutes when I got home at 5:30. I made buttermilk biscuits and a chopped salad, and we ate at 6:30.

[lookeyloo]

2 hours ago, Nysha said:

I love Instant Pot. I'm not always organized enough to get the crock pot going in the morning. Last night I threw a frozen roast, red potatoes and baby carrots in the IP with a cup of beef broth for 45 minutes when I got home at 5:30. I made buttermilk biscuits and a chopped salad, and we ate at 6:30.

That sounds great!  We made a roast and turned it into french dip sandwiches.  Easy and delicious.

[jb0495]

Is anyone watching The Putnams? Geez even the Duggars leave & cleave! 

[Arwen Evenstar]

16 minutes ago, jb0495 said:

Is anyone watching The Putnams? Geez even the Duggars leave & cleave! 

Are they just eccentric  or are they also doing this for religious reasons?

[crazycatlady58]

Where are the Putnams?

[ChiCricket]

It's called "Meet the Putmans"..it's going to replay on TLC in about ½ an hour.

"Imagine being part of a family where no one leaves home," says a voice from the preview for "Meet the Putmans," the show about three generations, 10 adults, 15 kids, for a total of 25 people living in one house.

Are you scared yet? Or eager to hear more about the latest reality show about a big, big family?"

Edited January 17, 2017 by ChiCricket
Punctuation

[RazzleberryPie]

What's their reason for never leaving home?

[crazycatlady58]

Well I don't  seem to be able to sleep  tonight  anyway ,  might as well.

[ChiCricket]

17 minutes ago, RazzleberryPie said:

What's their reason for never leaving home?

I'm watching now, and so far it's a mystery..LOL

(I recorded it)  OK... 25 people and just TWO bathrooms?!

   Oh HELL no!

Edited January 17, 2017 by ChiCricket
Only 2 bathrooms for 25 people?!

[Love2dance]

Darn you, small talk posters. You made me look.

[ChiCricket]

Aaaaaaaand  here comes the religion. 

(along with the fact the father was an orphan who grew up in foster homes)

 Wow. I could NOT do this! I have 5 grown kids and thirteen grandkids, and my head is ringing after a few hours with just SOME of them. (Though I love them all dearly)

[ozziemom]

41 minutes ago, RazzleberryPie said:

What's their reason for never leaving home?

They just love each other soooooo much! The word blessings was used, there are lots of kids under the age of 9, I'm guessing fundy

[crazycatlady58]

Well Watching   the Putnams  make me glad I am single  and live with 2 cats. I love  kids but  15 is way to many.

[ChiCricket]

It reminds me of the Duggars in that the family seems to ABSORB the in-laws..the one guy who married in even changed his last name so they could all be Putmans.

  They're likeable enough, but still, the whole thing feels very cultish to me.

[Arwen Evenstar]

13 minutes ago, ChiCricket said:

It reminds me of the Duggars in that the family seems to ABSORB the in-laws..the one guy who married in even changed his last name so they could all be Putmans.

  They're likeable enough, but still, the whole thing feels very cultish to me.

But unlike the Duggars, they seem to have big boy and big girl jobs. I did notice skirts and leggings on the little girls, but it looks like mom is wearing pants. Fundy? Jury still out...haven't watched the show.

You think they'll pick up the Rodriguii with their stinkbus and traveling minstrel show and baby in a cage?

[Barb23]

Is the Putmans a one time special or series? They did a follow up at end saying the basement had been completed on new house & daughter was pregnant with #16 ( or whatever). grandchild. This family really intrigued me & I would like to know more about their financial side.  Is "the family bank account" paying for the loans for the  son & son-in-law to go to medical school? How is that fair to the others?  Why did TLC have to subject us to another large family shopping trip. I can't stand that the whole family goes.   Why couldn't just the moms go?  Maybe bring along one or two of the husbands to carry the heavy stuff.  At least it sounded like the kids go to a real school & not home schooled.  Why couldn't they add a couple of bathrooms to the house they live in now? Did they have more than one fridge? The one they showed was jam packed. I can't imagine trying to get things out of or even know what's in there.

I agree with the rest of you - I've had my share of family togetherness after just a weeks vacation. I can't imagine living like this.

[Nysha]

8 hours ago, ChiCricket said:

They're likeable enough, but still, the whole thing feels very cultish to me.

Most of the reality families start out likable enough, then either they film enough shows to for everyone to realize they're wackadoos with weird religious beliefs/habits/massive sense of entitlement, or things leak out on the Internet that show they're not as squeaky clean as TV would have us think. I think Jen & Bill from The Little Couple is about the only reality family that may have escaped that.

[Arwen Evenstar]

22 minutes ago, Nysha said:

Most of the reality families start out likable enough, then either they film enough shows to for everyone to realize they're wackadoos with weird religious beliefs/habits/massive sense of entitlement, or things leak out on the Internet that show they're not as squeaky clean as TV would have us think. I think Jen & Bill from The Little Couple is about the only reality family that may have escaped that.

Bill and Jen are lovely. If all reality shows could be like that. I hope that they don't lose their marriage like so many couples who have done reality TV often do.

[Almost 3000]

10 hours ago, RazzleberryPie said:

What's their reason for never leaving home?

In a nutshell: The father was a foster kid looking for family love and so he needs his whole family close. He prays on everything and of course it seems this was the answer. There is a family business but one son and a SIL are doctors and work out of the home. Don't know if they're fundie or not because beyond everyone living under one roof and some crosses on the wall, nothing screams fundie so probably just conservative Christian with strong patriarchal leanings.

[Marigold]

I wanna see a special about that family that pipes the Bible in every room 24/7.  I think they could be good for a laugh! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3ZVLn0Nnt4&list=PLd2pt5YWp66Cm88KzsrrIL3qTiY9EYLe0

 

I type reports for work and listen to the craziest stuff on youtube!  I enjoyed her so much...in a crazy way. 

Edited January 17, 2017 by Marigold

[zoomama]

sooo, i fell asleep watching last night. what was the story-line with derrick at the doctor appt?

[wilsie]

I found the some of the Putman family to be very worrisome.  I understand that the father had a traumatic childhood, losing his mother at I believe 8 and going into foster care which he described as hell.  He mentioned learning how to love when he wasn't getting any but his version of loving his family, especially his adult children is really off.  The only daughter, who is married to a young medical student, needed the family to vote on whether they could leave for two years to live closer than the 90 minute trip he needed to make each way.  The husband mentioned he was having trouble keeping alert driving home, saying he might end up in a ditch.  I was bothered that he didn't seem to worry about hurting a patient while at work or any other person on the road, but this man also changed his last name to Putman so they'd all have the same last name.  The trip they all made in a huge bus to the grocery store screamed look at us.  I don't ever want to see them again so TLC is probably signing them to a long term contract.  

[BitterApple]

57 minutes ago, wilsie said:

  The husband mentioned he was having trouble keeping alert driving home, saying he might end up in a ditch.  I was bothered that he didn't seem to worry about hurting a patient while at work or any other person on the road, but this man also changed his last name to Putman so they'd all have the same last name.  

I have a cousin who died in a car wreck after falling asleep at the wheel, so yeah, most definitely that's a legitimate concern. I haven't seen this show yet, but these people sound like whackadoodles. Commuting 90 minutes each way while trying to deal with the rigors of med school is absolutely ridiculous. 

[wilsie]

Quote

I have a cousin who died in a car wreck after falling asleep at the wheel, so yeah, most definitely that's a legitimate concern. I haven't seen this show yet, but these people sound like whackadoodles. Commuting 90 minutes each way while trying to deal with the rigors of med school is absolutely ridiculous. 

I'm so sorry for your loss BitterApple.  It seemed like such an unnecessary risk to take just to keep their grown daughter/sister in the family home, probably only for a few years.    Whackadoodles is perfect description.  

[AUgirl]

On 6/16/2016 at 9:25 AM, Aja said:

I was on a construction crew for three months in Birmingham one time and there was this old dude who would wheel around a large bin to dump all the swept-up sawdust in. If he was trying to get around someone, instead of saying "excuse me," he'd say (in a slow, slow drawl) "Roll tide. Roooolllll tide." 

Alabama native here, non-Alabama fan. Some of their fans are cult-like scary in their devotion to "the Tahd" and "Coach Saban". 

[Marigold]

I'm having money problems again.  My tuition was a week late in my homeschool coop and I got a 7 minute lecture. 

I'm in a bad mood now.

I needed to tell someone that. ;)

[lookeyloo]

Well that sucks!!!  Sorry, @Marigold

[Arwen Evenstar]

40 minutes ago, Marigold said:

I'm having money problems again.  My tuition was a week late in my homeschool coop and I got a 7 minute lecture. 

I'm in a bad mood now.

I needed to tell someone that. ;)

That's just mean and total BS they did that to you...particularly if it's the first time it's ever happened.  Since the typical homeschool demographic is usually a self employed dad, SAHM, and several kids, I'm sure this happens quite often. Clients don't pay their bills or no work for several weeks...you were a week, not a month late...

[Happyfatchick]

I've been trying to get here for 2 days to tell a story, I'm SWAMPED.  But for me, swamped is $$$, so it's happily drowning for me.

Background: in the south (or maybe everywhere), when guys want to express how stupid they feel someone is being, they like to say "he couldn't find his a$$ with both hands".  

Last weekend, my cousin/best bud Jimmy was yanked off his feet unexpectedly by a 150 lb lab mix.  This dog is ENORMOUS.  He's a familiar dog, and he meant no harm, he is just far more powerful than he realizes.  Jimmy had his lead, and the dog was going down a ramp and got interested in a squirrel or something, and the dog took off and literally took Jimmy for a Super Bowl sack.  Jimmy is really sore now, and may have a tear in his right rotator cuff. 

He tells me: I went to the bathroom the next morning for my little routine.  I got done, and tore off some toilet paper with my right hand, but then I realized I couldn't reach back with that arm.  So I put the toilet paper in my left hand, and my left hand sat there looking at me like it didn't have a clue what to do next.  What I'm saying is, I am 50 years old and just realized I can't find my a$$ with both hands.

BAAAAAAAHAAAAAAA!!!

not to take away from the fart story above, that is hilarious!  Last night a friend of ours ended up working in our town later than usual and slept on our couch.  He snores like the Texas Chain Saw...HOLY COW!!!  I was up late working, and my cocker wandered in the kitchen for a snack around 2am, heard that noise and started barking like crazy.  I swear, the apnea going on!!!  One Mississippi.....TWO Mississippi....

[Marigold]

1 hour ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

That's just mean and total BS they did that to you...particularly if it's the first time it's ever happened.  Since the typical homeschool demographic is usually a self employed dad, SAHM, and several kids, I'm sure this happens quite often. Clients don't pay their bills or no work for several weeks...you were a week, not a month late...

That is the truth.  you nailed it. Except my husband and I are independent contractors in a professional career.  But yeah, we don't get paid on a schedule. And we have a lot of kids. hahahha  

WTF? I think this woman is one of the controlling, freak out tense, perfect people.  She lectured me about budgeting money.  

Her kids are animals.  I hope they all give her a week of migraines. 

SO ANNOYED. 

[Arwen Evenstar]

I wouldn't wish a migraine on anyone, even Joshley or Jim Boob...they are horrible and have made my life miserable for the last 25 years...

[Love2dance]

10 minutes ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

I wouldn't wish a migraine on anyone, even Joshley or Jim Boob...they are horrible and have made my life miserable for the last 25 years...

@Arwen Evenstar, have you tried any triptans for migraine? The one I am on is prescription Zomig, and it literally has given me back my life. Imitrix is probably the most well known brand. Worth a try if you haven't, and your doctor approves.

9 hours ago, Happyfatchick said:

Background: in the south (or maybe everywhere), when guys want to express how stupid they feel someone is being, they like to say "he couldn't find his a$$ with both hands".  

Last weekend, my cousin/best bud Jimmy was yanked off his feet unexpectedly by a 150 lb lab mix.  This dog is ENORMOUS.  He's a familiar dog, and he meant no harm, he is just far more powerful than he realizes.  Jimmy had his lead, and the dog was going down a ramp and got interested in a squirrel or something, and the dog took off and literally took Jimmy for a Super Bowl sack.  Jimmy is really sore now, and may have a tear in his right rotator cuff. 

He tells me: I went to the bathroom the next morning for my little routine.  I got done, and tore off some toilet paper with my right hand, but then I realized I couldn't reach back with that arm.  So I put the toilet paper in my left hand, and my left hand sat there looking at me like it didn't have a clue what to do next.  What I'm saying is, I am 50 years old and just realized I can't find my a$$ with both hands.

BAAAAAAAHAAAAAAA!!!

 

I've been needing a @Happyfatchick story. This one absolutely cracked me up. Thank you.

And congrats on the busy work schedule.

[louannems]

I watched The Putmans.  I felt the family has a dark, undercurrent vibe going on.  I bet the dad is extremely patriarchal.  I just couldn't believe the young medical student said if the family voted for he and his wife to not move out, then they would not move out!

 

There is something really strange about that family.  Every adult kid seemed rather terrified of the monthly Tuesday meeting. It would not surprised me if the dad didn't do public punishments during those meetings, something that I read that old-fashioned families did long ago.

The way everyone was crying when Blair and her husband talked about their need to move out was just wrong.  They did vote to allow them to move closer to the hospital for his last 2 years of medical school with the stipulation that they then return to the family house.

 

It did feel very cultist and I think there is a lot that they're not saying.  Even with all that hugging, I sense a fear of the controlling, patriarchal father.

[Arwen Evenstar]

1 hour ago, Love2dance said:

@Arwen Evenstar, have you tried any triptans for migraine? The one I am on is prescription Zomig, and it literally has given me back my life. Imitrix is probably the most well known brand. Worth a try if you haven't, and your doctor approves.

Yup...Triptans are the only things that have made it so I can function at all. Probably kept me from completely missing out on life.

Since I turned 50, my doc is saying that I need to use something besides triptans...I can still use them if I'm in a bind but I should try to use other meds first.  Since my cardiac workup was perfect, and I've already had a long history of using them without complication, my doc hasn't completely cut me off.

[Love2dance]

20 minutes ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

Yup...Triptans are the only things that have made it so I can function at all. Probably kept me from completely missing out on life.

Since I turned 50, my doc is saying that I need to use something besides triptans...I can still use them if I'm in a bind but I should try to use other meds first.  Since my cardiac workup was perfect, and I've already had a long history of using them without complication, my doc hasn't completely cut me off.

I'm glad they help you, too. I know it ups our risk for heart/stroke problems, but I can't imagine not having them. And I am way older than you! My poor mom slept her life away taking codeine for her headaches pre-triptans.

Hang in there!

[wilsie]

Quote

I watched The Putmans.  I felt the family has a dark, undercurrent vibe going on.  I bet the dad is extremely patriarchal.  I just couldn't believe the young medical student said if the family voted for he and his wife to not move out, then they would not move out!

 

There is something really strange about that family.  Every adult kid seemed rather terrified of the monthly Tuesday meeting. It would not surprised me if the dad didn't do public punishments during those meetings, something that I read that old-fashioned families did long ago.

The way everyone was crying when Blair and her husband talked about their need to move out was just wrong.  They did vote to allow them to move closer to the hospital for his last 2 years of medical school with the stipulation that they then return to the family house.

 

It did feel very cultist and I think there is a lot that they're not saying.  Even with all that hugging, I sense a fear of the controlling, patriarchal father.

louannems, I so agree with all of this.  So many odd things going on with these people.  Worrying more about Blair coming downstairs to an empty house than the safety of her husband and the people he will come in contact with in his sleep deprived state.  And it's only 90 minutes away for any of them if they want to visit.  Blair and her husband were only talking about two years and then they would be open to coming back.  

[88Keys]

On 1/17/2017 at 5:26 PM, wilsie said:

I found the some of the Putman family to be very worrisome.  I understand that the father had a traumatic childhood, losing his mother at I believe 8 and going into foster care which he described as hell.  He mentioned learning how to love when he wasn't getting any but his version of loving his family, especially his adult children is really off.  The only daughter, who is married to a young medical student, needed the family to vote on whether they could leave for two years to live closer than the 90 minute trip he needed to make each way.  The husband mentioned he was having trouble keeping alert driving home, saying he might end up in a ditch.  I was bothered that he didn't seem to worry about hurting a patient while at work or any other person on the road, but this man also changed his last name to Putman so they'd all have the same last name.  The trip they all made in a huge bus to the grocery store screamed look at us.  I don't ever want to see them again so TLC is probably signing them to a long term contract.  

This.  All of this.

I caught this by accident and watched for about 20 minutes in horrified fascination.  There is no reason that a grown, married daughter and her husband wanting to move out on their own should be a big deal.  Or that they should need the approval of the rest of the family to do it.  Especially when there is a literal risk to the husband's life, as well as the lives of his patients.  And how does the pooling of finances work?  ALL the money they earn goes into a community pool?  That's insanity.  I can understand sharing things like the electric bill, but do the couples get to have their own savings?  What if they want to take their kids on a special trip?  Do they have to get approval to spend that money first?

And I'm baffled because they really didn't seem to have any deep religious motivations for their lifestyle.  It all seems to be based on the fact that the father was orphaned and left alone and didn't ever want that to happen again.  I'm sorry his childhood was rough, but he needs to deal with those issues and not force his kids to stay around him to make him feel safe.  It's understandable, but it's still wrong.

I don't find them likeable; I thought they seemed loud and brash and annoying.   Especially the oldest son and his wife.  The others seemed to just kind of fall in line behind them.  I did laugh when the one wife (of the middle son, maybe?) said she was glad her husband was tough and wasn't a wuss.  Ummm...your husband married you and still lives with his parents.  That doesn't scream "manly" to me.

[zoomama]

11 hours ago, Love2dance said:

 My poor mom slept her life away taking codeine for her headaches pre-triptans.

Hang in there!

my mother did as well, it is one of my biggest memories of her.  my migraines have dwindled down to just regular headaches nowadays. 

[Absolom]

There is a subforum request in for the Putnams:

They could use some help with individual thread names.

[Arwen Evenstar]

6 minutes ago, Absolom said:

There is a subforum request in for the Putnams:

They could use some help with individual thread names.

Nobody on PTV can beat our snarky Duggar thread names.

[wilsie]

Thank you Absolom.  I responded to 88Keys over there.

I agree so much with everything you posted 88Keys.  Just when you think TLC can't find a family more disturbing and less deserving of a show they put this family out there.   And there are people who will watch this for whatever reason.  

Edited January 19, 2017 by wilsie
I was told that anything I posted over at Meet the Putnams would disappear when the new forum was created.

[Marigold]

The Holy Goalie is the BEST thread name ever.

[Happyfatchick]

I saw a few minutes of the Putnam family.  Creeped out!  That is too weird!  And this from a girl who lives 3 miles from ALL of my immediate family (except my son who lives in NC).  And about to move to the same street, and have some trepidation about that very thing.  Some days I really really appreciate the 3 mile buffer zone.... there's just something a little off about a family who can't quite break away and make an individual unit.  Even the Bible intimates that a young family should leave and cleave.  The father of a young family has to have the chance to be his own leader.

observations about inauguration:  1) I only just learned that the doors on the motorcade car are so heavy that they can't be opened by the President from the inside.  2) Hillary looks like she wants to murder somebody.  3) It bothers me a little that Rosalyn and Laura B are becoming old women.  They were roughly my age (my age bracket at least) when they were in office, and I guess I thought they would always look the same.  Hillary is aging well, comparitively (seems to me).  The pics of HWBush and Barbara are always disconcerting to me.  Why do these people make me feel old when my own face aging seems normal?  4) the Trump kids are all there sans spouses.  That's weird to me: is that a thing?  And ps - Ivanka has on pants.  It's a beautiful pants ensemble with a long crossed jacket, but it's still pants.  Even Hillary is wearing a dress.  (God, I sound like the Queen of England, when truthfully, I'm the queen of embroidery.  No crown...)

And lastly, a story: before Christmas, my son dropped a dog off at my house and hoped I wouldn't notice.  They acquired this dog a few years ago, prior to being married, from a shelter.  She was chipped with my DIL's home address.  She's a little bigger than a Jack Russell, with 3 times the energy and jumping power.  A jumper.  My windows and doors (lots of glass in my family room, glass door to patio) stayed muddy for a month.  Crazy, crazy disruptive dog.  After a couple weeks, she did calm down into the demeanor of my own dogs unless she had the slightest reason to go nuts.  She was way more than happy to go nuts.   Very, very disruptive and not a good fit. Finally, because my son said to, my daughter collected her and took her to a shelter.  My husband and I felt terrible,  but she really wasn't my job (and she was a job).  The next day, someone from the shelter knocked on the DIL's father's door.  They handed him the leash attached to the crazy dog, and said "here you go, someone found your dog".  I told my husband about it, and he broke out with a huge grin and said, "there you go!  Problem solved!!"

[Arwen Evenstar]

Well, 4 days out from colonoscopy.    Dreading the prep, though the one my doc wants me to use is only 5 oz twice. Don't like the idea of having diarrhea for 8 hours....shitting my butt raw. But at least I'm glad I don't have to drink more than that, even though the nurse told me that she's used it, and it's not terrible tasting at all.

I welcome the loss of a few pounds, even if it is temporary, and since I'm also having an endoscopy, I'm happy they're going to knock me out.  With as much cancer as there has been in my family, and having lost my dad to gastric cancer and aunt on mom's side to small bowel cancer, I'm making sure I don't get either. 

I feel like a hypochondriac, but since I'm 50, the colonoscopy is a rite of passage, so while I'm conked out, they might as well look at everything.  I'll also learn if I'm celiac or not, or if it's just a wheat allergy.  I'm not going to do without if I don't have to, but if I must, then I need to know.

The worst of it no solid food...ugh, hypoglycemia faced with near dehydration and the headache and hangry that results is not going to be fun...at least I can have black coffee or tea...I look like I need to miss a few meals anyway..but still...I'm told once I start the cleanout, I won't even care...because I'll be in the shitter....anyone got experience they care to share?

[Happyfatchick]

Are you sure it's only black coffee or tea, Arwen?  I've had 2 and I could have clear stuff - chicken broth, lemon ice.  No red popsickles but clear liquids.  Good luck with that.  Five days from now, it'll be a good story for family gatherings!  (Jk!)

[Arwen Evenstar]

4 minutes ago, Happyfatchick said:

Are you sure it's only black coffee or tea, Arwen?  I've had 2 and I could have clear stuff - chicken broth, lemon ice.  No red popsickles but clear liquids.  Good luck with that.  Five days from now, it'll be a good story for family gatherings!  (Jk!)

Yes, that plus clear liquids, nothing red or purple or blue. I like hot milk in my coffee, but at least it's not total deprivation of caffeine..just can't have my coffee my way...obviously nothing after my requisite liquids to go down with the last dose of prep.  I've got a list of foods I must abstain from from today until procedure.

I'm going to be a real little darling to deal with on Tuesday morning...starving, dehydrated, no coffee, no sleep, splitting headache, and a sore bum...all things that make Arwen stabby ....never done this before and I don't know what to expect...I'm sure it won't be quite as bad as I imagine it might be...I'm such a big baby....and to make it even more joyful, I got my period as well.

[zoomama]

arwen - you can do it!!! btdt many times. the little bottles are SUPER salty so be prepared for that shock.  as for celiac - you need to know. its not to be messed with. and if they do this right, they will give you versed so you will have no memory of it. 

 

as for the period stuff...no bueno.

[Readalot]

Arwen, I have issues when my BG drops suddenly and there is no food around. Surprising I didn't have any issues regarding this during the prep (we did hit Marie Chandler on the way home, that is when my stomach started growling like crazy).  My brain must of overruled my endocrine system! The prep is the worse than the procedure. I have issues with sedatives so I did it my colonoscopy cold turkey. It took about 13 minutes, felt like heavy cramping. I'm three years overdue for my next exam. I just need to do it. Good luck and hope they find answers for you! 

[bigskygirl]

I was told only clear liquids, soda, or jello with no red dyes. I hated the nasty drink because I was told to drink it every fifteen minutes for two hours the evening before and finish it off early next morning. I admit I could not finish it all because I was having a hard time swallowing it, but I did drink 3/4 of it. I was shaking after the first hour of drinking. I was given three pills to help with the shaking and the feeling of possible getting sick to my stomach, but I knew if I took one of the pills, I would get sick to my stomach. I took a nice hot bath to help me feel better and took a couple of naps before heading to the hospital. They did dilated my esophagus because I do have a hard time swallowing at times. It did help for a while, but I am now having problems swallowing again. I think the cold and the snow is affecting my thyroid hormone levels again. Of course, the blasted temperature inversion we have been dealing with does not help either. I notice my allergies are acting up again causing the swallowing problem, chest tightness/pain, tmj and being more tired to flare up. UGH!!!

Monday morning I have my Nuclear Medicine Gastric Emptying Test. No iv's or drinking nasty stuff, but no good drugs either. Ha! I do get to eat two scrambled eggs with a few drops of isotope added to the eggs before they cook them, two pieces of toast, and four oz. of juice before the test. Every fifteen minutes, the doctor will check to track the progress of digestion. No food for four hours before the test, and cannot take one of my Acid Reflux meds this weekend, but to be on the safe side, I will not take the two Acid Reflux meds because it can mess up the test.

Good luck with the test @Arwen Evenstar  If I can do it and survive, you can too! {{{HUGS}}}