kath/ mckait 2012 ~ Marching into thread #6 ~

5 * star - loved it, breathtaking, keeper, will re-read. Possibly life changing!
4.5 * star - very good, possible keeper
4 * star liked a lot
3.5 * star - very satisfying
3 * star a solid read, nothing extraordinary, worth 1 read
2.5 * star- failed potential but somewhat engaging
2 * star A mixed bag not worth reading unless desperate
1.5 * star It was a book
1 * star Fail ! A bunch of words cobbled together




You have your way, I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist. - Friedrich Nietzsche



Reads for 2012 begin here.. ♥

1. Camptown Ladies by Mari SanGiovanni 4 stars
2. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer 2 stars
3. Come In and Cover Me by Gin Phillips 4 stars
4. The Truth of All Things: A Novel by Kieran Shields 2 stars
5. Mourning Gloria by Susan Wittig Albert 3 stars
6. Defending Jacob: A Novel By: William Landay 4 stars
7. Seriously . . . I' m Kidding by Ellen Degeneres 3 stars
8. Curse of the Narrows: The Halifax Explosion 1917 by Laura M. Mac Donald 4 stars
9. Ashes to Dust by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir 2..5 stars
10. A Heartbeat Away by Michael Palmer 3 stars
11. A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore 4.5 stars
12. Gunn's Golden Rules Life's Little Lessons for Making it Work by Tim Gunn 3 stars
13. The Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede 3 stars
14. The Harp of Imach Thyssel: A Lyra Novel by Patricia C. Wrede 3 stars
15. Until Again: Prequel Novella to BLUE & Blue by Lou Aronica 4.5
16. The Magicians by Lev Grossman 3 stars
17. Chosen by Paul A. Bradley 4 stars
18. Graceling by Kristin Cashore 4.5
19. Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardiff 4.5 stars
20. My Way Home by Cynthia Lee Cartier
21. The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye 3 stars
22. Wrapped in Rain by Charles Martin 3 stars
23. The Cottage at Glass Beach by Heather Barbieri 3.5 stars
24. The Sounding by Carrie Salo
25.Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead by Christiana Miller

Lovely photo for the start of March.

That's a stunning picture Kath - hope your comcast woes are sorted quickly and easily and that you have a peaceful day.

Morning Kath- Great opening photo! A lovely start!

Thank you and welcome everyone :)

As you may have guessed my 2012 theme is trees. I was terribly tired of those
red ones for February :PPP

I am trying to keep tree energy strong, as I am worried about my Japanese
Maple. I so want it to overcome and thrive !

As for comcast.. it it telling that they have to confirm my appointment using my
cell phone number, doesn't it?

Dear World Book Night Giver,

Please read this email carefully and follow the instructions by Friday, March 2.

Book choice

First of all, we're delighted to confirm that the book you'll be giving away on April 23 is Reliable Wife. We hope you're happy with it even if it isn't your first choice and that you are still excited to participate in World Book Night.

yay! finally more World Book Night Info!!!
http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/

I am really looking forward to participating in this :)

What fun! New books to give away. The catch is, I have to give them to people
who are not avid readers.. I will pick them up at B&N only 6 miles away.

I am going to have to make a list..

What an exciting project. May March be filled with happiness for you.

Checking in, Kath. Good morning to you!
Re: a yellow kitchen. I rarely want things to be yellow, but I admit to kind of liking a yellow kitchen (not too yellow, though). Brings to mind a cheerful, sunny spot.....

Have fun picking up and distributing your books!

Mornin' Kath.

Giving books away: Yay!

Yellow kitchen: We had two versions of this when I was young. The first was a mistake, as it came out extremely bright and enamel-looking. The next was softer, lots of light, pretty.

Hope that March is a much, much better month for you.

love and hugs

Good morning my little snifter of peach schnapps! Has the Great Satan's tech been there yet?

I do really like the soft yellow in the kitchen picture you found.

Peach schnapps? I wanna sniff too! And maybe sip?
Oh what I would give for a nice fresh, ripe piece of fruit right about now. This is the time of year I used to visit Mom in FL and got my fill of fresh grown and picked fruits/veggies.

I, too, wish you a very HAPPY MARCH!!!!

Hello!

Hi Linda And for you too, I hope.. and may it be the beginning of a pain free time.
Crossing crossables for that.

Ellen.. Hi! I am ready for a change. WE are going to do the counter tops, too..
not new just a redo from a kit.

Gail, hello. Mine is probably the color that you didn't like :) I love it.. but
I need a change. Spring, you know.

rd.. half an hour late. Did nothing except not let me know when they were here and
disconnect my house form cable buh bye CCU nurse. Again. He ran tests, but did nothing,
said that someone else would be here within 48 hours. Whatever. There is a tech at Margie's house now.
I'm so very frustrated. And Duncan has diarrhea, I don't know why.. he must have sneaked upstairs during the night??? or sometime yesterday and gone. I thought the smell was the catbox, and I
cleaned it .. but when I got upstairs witht he tech. There it was. GAH! And one of the furkids puked in the doorway when I was cooking for Dan. WTF? srsly. And I have had 3 how is Marty phone calls.
How did they get my cell phone number? Srsly.How.

roni, thank you !!!!!! that means a lot, you being so artistic and all..

Thanks Cee... I am not a fan of the peach, most times. Don't know why.
I used to like them. I wish all of us a Happy March.
A peaceful one.

Margie wants me to go out to dinner with her. I may. I may. I took a Xanax..
have had fierce nose bleed 2x today.

I am going to eat something, and sit still for 30 minutes.
No phone no nothing. As soon as Dan leaves.

oops Hi Carrie.. Cross posted. It took me forever to get that post written..
I kept leaving the computer...

*smooch* and an extra Xanax for the Stress Queen of the Great Lakes Region.

I don't think that is where I am.. but what do I know, really.
I will take the smooch at any rate ..

Beautiful photo, Kath! My wife is participating in that book giveaway, too. I know she wanted The Book Thief as her #1 to give others, but I'm not sure whether she knows what she gets to give yet.

I'm here frazzled but here :)

like the tree up top better then the red ones...I'm with you they were becoming tiring :P

Reliable Wife, did you read that one? If not I think you would like it. Maybe hand them out to the Comcast techs? since they come by often :P

Not a fan of the color yellow BUT I like the "gentle" yellow you have chosen for the kitchen :)

peach schnapps eck! blackberry schnapps is a great sipper on cold nights :)

fierce nose bleed 2x today....!?!? what's your BP? (can just imagine)

World Book Night sounds like such a cool thing. I heard about it on our National Radio and it is a great scheme. Maybe I'll just have to start my own here in NZ.....or at least start giving (even) more books away as gifts.

Hello, and here's to a nice new tree for your next (and better) phase!

Kara.. I read it as an ARC for Vine.. it was a good read.
And I have in fact given a book to a Comcast tech... just the one. ..
Yeah.. BP must be high, that is why I scrounged around my sock drawer and found the Xanax...
thought it would help. I didn't take my BP thought it might make it go up more... lol
( hugs btw)

Thanks Megan :) I think they are going to be trying to expand for next year.
They (World Book Night) had some huge issues with their servers and with
communication this year. Still.. it seems to be working out.

I am probably going to go out to dinner with Margie and two of her friends.
I am acquainted with these two women, and one of them is very...........outgoing.
The other makes up for it in gentleness so Hopefully it will work. Rather terrifying.
And we are going to the dreaded Sewickley. ARGH! I hope I don't run into anyone from my old job.

But.. I am going to at least try to go.
I won't be leaving for a while yet so I still have time to back out :)

What the heck is Xanax doing in your sock drawer? Do you keep your socks in the med cabinet? hehehe

So sorry about all the stress around there - but - only one day left to February! YAY!

yeah, I think you should back out and stay home.

I didn't want my socks to be stressed...

OIC

Love trees, love the color yellow in almost everything, and absolutely love the idea of World Book Night. I think it's very cool that you'll be taking part, Kath.

ok... I promised someone.. who was it? That I would try a black and tan....
if you see this pls speak up??? lol. I did try it. I like just Guinness better..
but I tried!

Had lobster mac and cheese. Yum, yum, yummers.

Thanks donna.. and now..

Good night all!

#22 "I think you should back out and stay home."
Oh, good. My reverse psychology worked! hehehe

I scoffed at lobster mac and cheese til I tasted it.
Yum, yum, yummers (as you say)!
Nighty night!

Hi, Kath. My kitchen color scheme was yellow for many years. Mom said that my grandmother used to have a yellow kitchen, but I don't remember it. When we remodeled, I went to a more neutral color scheme. Sometimes I miss my yellow, but not often.

I LOVE my kitchen -- favorite room of the house. The windows face south, so there is a lot of light.

Comcast -- agh. I refuse to deal with Comcast ever again. Ever.

Hi Kath, Hope Duncan's feeling better.

Yay for World Book Night givers!

I stash my emergency drugs in my sock drawer, too... :)

Be well!

eta - I love your tree!

Cee, Thou shalt not scoff at what others eat or read.
Someday you may end up eating your words...or lobster mac and cheese.
Or you may end up liking a similar book! lol
That is a good rule of thumb for me I think. We went to the Sewickley Hotel.
I am not a huge fan of Sewickley, but it was a sort of midpoint for the Pittsburgers
and Margie and me. Also, Casey, who is a blast, loves to go there and eat lobster
mac and cheese. Their The portions looked huge and it was quite pricey. I noticed
it on the appetizer menu.. it cought my eye because it had the word lobster
in it, lol. Casey then declared her love of the dish and I was sold. It was a perfect
portion and yummers. Oh, I almost did stay home... but flung myself out the door.

Terri.. I have been wondering if the reason that I was drawn to that color was due t my great
grandmothers kitchen. I think that was the basic color scheme she used......not sure. I like it,
though.. What color is your kitchen?

Comcast is the devil. We do not yet have fios.

Hi Joanne. He is, thanks. I gave his percorten a day or two early.
I think the stress around here this month affected him, too. I can usually go 5 weeks.
I was pretty sure that was it. immodium till it starts to work, and he is better.

A black and tan and a Guinness. Good sleep aids.

Wondering what today will bring?

Oh and thank you to those who like my tree :) I like it too :)

Hi Kath - pleased you managed to get out and have a good time.

Hope you manage to have a stress free day:)

Kath - congrats on the new thread - having just as much trouble keeping up with you as you are with keeping up with me!

Hi, Kath! Can't believe I had to make the first pot of coffee today at the cafe. :-)

Mornin', Kath. Last night sounds like fun...but I understand the having to fling yourself out the door.

Upthread: if you call people on your cell, and they have caller i.d., your number may (or may not) show up, a possilbe explanation for how they got your cell #.

I love yellow; it's my favorite color. The problem with the old kitchen was that mother mistakenly insisted on high-gloss enamel paint, which looked exactly like that: enamel. That was a bit much on the walls of a 16' by16' kitchen. They switched to semi-gloss or flat, and it was fine. That pic. of the kitchen was a beauty; unfortunately, I'll never have those lovely cabinets--shouldn't complain though; I love our house. Truly love it.

I think I need to go feed the birds...they're pecking at the empty feeders...

Kath, I recommended a Black & Tan a while back (at least, I recommended it to someone - it must have been you!). I'm glad you tried it, even if you decide to just stick with Guinness. No shame in being a purist! I had lobster mac & cheese at one of our gazillion local restaurants a few months back. It was delicious and so very rich. Yum.

Kath - I scoffed at Lobster mac and cheese. True. Nevertheless, I did try it. And I did admit it was yummy. Do I get partial credit for that?

Lobster *sob* is now on my Verboten list for its proven effect on gout attack inducement. *prolonged weeping bout* And I love it so!

My kitchen in Texas was a deep yellow. I loved it. Here, the kitchen is a pretty pale lime-sherbet color. I like it.

Hi calm. thanks :)
The stress has begun, however..
I will not give a detailed account, but just mention that Marty was
livid that she did not have her hair dryer, which Dan took up there and
then she made him take away. She wanted it this morning. She wants to know
why Dan isn't there more. ( he has had to work 2 doubles since friday)
Biatch. So Dan is up there now.

Thanks Paul, I know... crazy!

Hi Joe, Sorry! :)
I had to babysit while my nieces nurse was there to change the dressing.
She called me @ 8 ish, and I went down....

Gail, I Know.. I did not call anyone from my cell... I think Marty gave
it to them .. dare I repeat my earlier comment? I am sorry she is is ill . I still
don't like her. ....Oh, I won't be getting new cabinets! I may be painting mine...
They were new 12 years ago.. I hate them :P. I won't have that kitchen, just
use the colors... and see what I can do with mine...

Hi Ellen! Aha! thanks for speaking up. There was nothing wrong with it..
I am just a huge fan of Guinness :)

Sorry Cee.. I worded that wrong, I meant in general. To be honest...
I was thinking that you had posted that... but I wasn't sure. I was blathering on,
not accusing or anything .. sorry :PPP You get plenty of credit ! Half at least.
(((Cee)))

It was so delicious .... It so delicious! Yum.
Sorry about you not being able to eat it.

*waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh*

lol.. sorry rdear, but see it this way, you have probably eaten much more
lobster in the years that you were able to , than I have in my whole life. It is VERY rare.

*sniff* I'm sure you're right. But I still miss it.

there there .. pat pat..

ty

Well, poop on not getting new cabinets, but paint can do wonders...

Our house is in a bit of an upheaval right now...I think I mentioned we're getting some new living room furniture...tables should be here within two weeks, and the sofa in about six weeks...but Dh had an opportunity to sell our current sofa and tables *today!* and so our room is kinda empty. Luckily we had a couple of extra tables to use as side tables, but we now realize just how big this room is...

Hi Kath!!

You don't happen to have a recipe that you would like to share for lobster mac'n cheese? I think Nate would love that !

Hi Kath- Glad you tried and liked your 1st black & tan. Was this with Harp? Try a Half & half with Bass Ale next time, it's also a winner.

Just saying Hello to my friend Kath, and sorry to be gone for so long. I may never be caught up, but I'm going to try. :)

Barkley and Ms. Stripes say Hello...

Happy days are here again! It's Thursday! W00t! Oh, and it's MARCH FIRST!!!!

And I could not be happier, rd!!! I feel like a weight has lifted from my shoulders!

Angela! So happy to see you here.. do you have a thread? How is life treating you?

Ahhh Mark.. lol

Chelle.. Nope! Sorry...No idea how it was made.... I would not know what to do with a lobster
if I had one, or part of one to cook! lol. I think I will just go back sometime and get it again :)

Gail..I wish I had that problem! I have got to get rid of the coffee table. I hate to, because it
is a wonderful place to put things... but I am really tired of trying to inch around it. I want the
space, but have been putting off moving the table for 2 reason.s For one thing, my oldest son bought it and my end tables for us. ( sigh, bless his heart!I do love him :) and for another .. like I said, I put things there. But I think the room will be better without it. Less cluttered and cramped. It is hard to make some changes though.. but soon. My rooms are pretty small.. all of them.

Kath
Boo, hiss on Marty!


In my younger days (seems like a long time ago), I tolerated more. Compromised energy is a blessing. Plus, I really have no desire to be with selfish, self absorbed people. Unfortunately for you, Marty is family of Dan....

There is a consistent feeling here among the 75 challenge group that we cannot choose family but we can choose friends. And, speaking of friends, I'm glad you are one of mine!

Happy day to you!

I love that kitty gif! And I do agree. Age has taught me that it is okay to choose not to do certain things. At times I do them anyway, for the sake of a third party, but still. I can choose to not.
I am grateful to count you a friend, as well Linda!

Well, yesterday Walter took scissors and cut a slit down each pair of sweat pants he
had with him at the villa. Better access he said. They did some sort of dementia testing ...
he passed.

I am desperate to read, but my brain is not cooperating. Maybe today. February, the file February is gone for another year.

Welcome March!!!



Hope you have a happy first day and all kinds of lucky things happen this month ;-)

Ah, the winds of March will soon be upon us.

Good morning, Kath! No spills this morning -- last night, I took my travel mug up to bed, to be more spill proof!

You asked my kitchen color now? I have a wall covering over the counters/sink/stove that's sort of an off-white and beige with some mauve-ish flowers. The painted part of the walls are sort of a . . . pinkish? But not really pink, sort of almost a pinkish beige, or a beige-ish pink. Don't know the name of the shade. It just works with the rest of the stuff in the room. The room sort of glows when the sun shines in, but not as vividly as when it was yellow. It's more restful. I have photos; maybe I'll post one in my profile gallery when I get time.

ETA Tried the photos -- the color doesn't really show; it's light enough that it just looks off-white in the photos.

Terri... I think I know what you mean .. my LR and DR are tannish peach :)
Your kitchen sounds nice! That is what I like about having a peach-ish color in
my living room. It is a sunset glow. And my bedroom is very soft, very light whit-ish pink and I have red sheers over the white sheers. When I close them , that room has a sunset glow, too.

Cee... I have a little green beany baby bear :) I love her, and I love
the one you decorated with here :)

That is a beautiful picture, Linda.. March winds? We are always windy here for some reason..
but hey, it's March and I am game.

Apart from the kitchen and the laundry room, the whole house is wallpaper. I like that so much better than paint in dining rooms and living rooms, but for my bedroom I want paint, so I can change it every few years.

Hi Kath - hoping that the new month brings you peace and good reading:)

Hi Kath. Welcome to March (that does mean spring is coming, right?). Sorry the drama continues at your place --- there is always something, yes? I mean, a hairdryer? We're going to fight about a hairdryer now? Sheesh and sigh.

Take care of yourself today.

Wait until Marty'sd in the bathtub, then throw the damn hairdryer in with her.

59> Now there's a solution! And from such a nonviolent sort of soul, too..... Still, I'm liking this side of our dear Richard.

Having failed at making myself go to the villa...
and Walter isn't answering his phone anyway..
( probably busy cutting holes in the rest of his clothes.. :(
I decided to cook so I am making :

http://bravetart.com/recipes/RoastedTomatoSauce
except I am using just a few slices of yellow pepper. Green pepper is too strong imo,
and only one head of garlic.. and adding a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
I am going to put it over cheese ravioli.. ( nope, frozen) instead of tortellini

And I am making hot sausage in peppers and onion.. They will get a smattering of this sauce, too.
I am not a huge fan of hot sausage, but Dan is. He is at the hospital seeing his sister..
and hopefully I can get him to pick up something for dessert! yum.

Now I am hungrier than ever. I am having a hungry day. I hate those.

Hi Calm and Ellen! Thanks for the good wishes and yeah... hairdryer.. :P

rdear... .... .... ....

Do tell, how that sauce turns out. I haven't tried the recipe yet..

Don't know what to say about the rest

;-/

Sausage and peppers, I love..but not all Hot....what I do is use Mild & Hot...just cut one in bigger chunks than the other...or leave one variety whole...and cut the other...I do this when i'm cooking for other people who "can't take the heat"....doesn't really affect the sauce, either...Just saying.

Thanks jude.. I have done that, too.. but I guess it is sausage in general that I am not a fan of..
it is too mysterious for me. :PP

To respond to something started in Ellen's thread...
Mine is most definitely Crow. I have had this pointed out
several times. 2-3 by crow :) It is an air totem, and Gemini is an air sign.
I am told that I brought Crow from a Native American lifetime, and this is easy for me to believe.

Sausage is usually a "mystery" meat....i try to get mine from the local meat processing guy, whom I trust..otherwise i buy the expensive stuff...or try to make my own with ground pork and seasonings (the latter is time consuming and has to "sit" overnight...but it's good)...I used to have a recipe...if you'd like the link

Don't know what you're talking about, otherwise...but I have a lovely flock of crows here...that i feed and talk to every day..they are so beautiful and keep the riff raff away

;-}

Just stopping in to wish you a happy March! May the leprauchans dance a jig in your yellow kitchen!

Crow, huh?

"Crows are the keepers of the Sacred Law
and to have a Crow totem is very powerful.

Personal Integrity are your watchwords and your guide in Life.
If you have a Crow totem, your prime path
is to be mindful of your opinions and actions.
You must be willing to walk your talk,
to speak your truth and to know your life's mission.

Crow is a omen of Change.
Crow lives in the void and has no sense of time,
therefore, it sees past, present and future simultaneously.
Crow merges both light and dark, both inner and outer.
It is the totem of the Great Spirit and must be respected as such.

They are symbols of creation and spiritual strength.
Look for opportunities to create and manifest the magic of life.
Crows are messengers calling to us
about the creation and magic that is alive in the world today
and available to us."

(quoted from somewhere)

hairdryer + water + Marty = a very reasonable solution to a long-term problem.

Jude, we have more crows here this year than ever.
They are so clever.. I swear that I sometimes hear them
playing word / call games..

Hi Lynda! Here is hoping the kitchen gets to be yellow. Might not be until next month..
Marty refused some of the tings Dan took her yesterday, and now wants him to take
them today. It is in the total opposite direction from where he works. Not sure If I will
take them instead, he probably will refuse to let me and just do it himself.

Cee... Well then! Thank you, I like that :)
What is your own totem?

Linda..
Terrible maybe, but I have not sent any prayers or energy for her recovery...
as far as I am concerned it is between her and her diety or her demons.. whatever.
She refused to get out of bed to go to her mother when the woman was dying. The
hospital somehow found me at work, I don't know how.. I called Marty, and she told
me the same thing. She was too tired. I called Dan at work, and he managed to get there
in time to sit with her a while. She never stopped asking for Marty.
Marty lived with her mother, had never left home. She finally showed up hours
after Dan ( She lived 7 minutes away from the hospital) and after her mother had died.

sigh.. but it is March!!!! hooray! 60F here today and
snow on Sunday :) I love March!

I think I have more than one totem...
Bear, Dolphin, and Owl are most prominent

Taking Mom to dr this AM - trying to wake her gently

Have a good one today!

Be safe out there in the snow :)

Morning, Kath. Have some coffee with me. Let's devise a subtle plan for Marty...srsly. She sure has manipulation down pat, doesn't she? Erg.

I believe my totem is Hawk, but not positive about that. Surely seems that way.

Rain here today; bridge this afternoon; and good grief, I actually did housework this a.m.! Will wonders never cease!

We think my mother's totem was/is Deer. They keep showing up in the graveyard in the middle of town near her grave. Surprising and wonderful.

Hope it's a good day for you, Kath.

Cee, do you mean polar bear? :) We will wait patiently for you to tell us about your totems and Gail's..

Hawk is so strong! I would not be surprised, Gail. Have fun playing bridge :)
I am glad that you have something that you enjoy to look forward to each week.. now, so does Cee!
Heidi day!

I have laundry in, did my banking and grocery shopping. Bought a few things i usually don't because
the store was taking 10$ off coupons from another store in the area, and sent out 10$ ones of their own. So I divided into two orders, used coupons and bought some shrimp, and extra potatoes.. and . some stuff..

Joe, that is a great story! I bet you're right

*Waves and hugs* Sorry for never keeping up, Kath. I so LOVE that picture in the first post, it's beautiful. :)

Kath, I love crows. And ravens. What a wonderful totem to have! That's a lovely description. Thanks for taking up this discussion. It's kind of fun (and I'm sure we can find a way in which it relates to reading, yes?!).

And Cee, yes, more than one totem. I think that makes perfect sense. In general, I think those of us who respond deeply to animals may have more than one, and we may need them at different times.

Gail, why do you say your totem is Hawk and why are you not sure about it? I agree with Kath - it's a strong one!

Kath, I have this print in my office. It's by Thomas Stream and it's called "Facing Fear." I thought you might like it.



I also encourage you to go to his website if you're so inclined.
Thomas Stream

Ellen, You're right.. I do like it, I like it a lot.

For some reason that link doesn't work.. but I found him..
http://dev.stoningtongallery.com/artistselect.php?fn=Thomas&ln=Stream&ar...

love his work :)

ooops Stepehn! I missed you, Sorry.. I got all caught up looking for the artist..
Glad to see you , if only once in a while. It is hard to keep up with everyone, I know.

Well, I'm glad you could find a link and make it work..... I'm still learning about how to do links and things.
:-|

And I'm glad you like his work!

eta: I had left out a quotation mark, so the link didn't work. Fixed it, and now there are two links to two different sites that feature his work.

I figured it was something like that, Ellen..
but I am glad you fixed it :) I love his work.. one or two in particular have caught my eye..

my birth moon is Big Winds
Animal Totem is Wolf :)

i can't get into this Animal Totem business...i'm still trying to figure out my "place" as a human bean

I am a Capricorn...and am capricious as a Goat

other than that..i better keep quiet

***i love you, Kath***

;-}

>76 EBT1002:: Hey, Ellen. Because hawks appear at important moments of my life, repeatedly. The moments may be terribly sad, or frightening, or even joyous, and sure enough, here comes a hawk. Love them, anyway. Went into the backyard one day in Florida to work on the rose bed, looked up, and directly above me, about 3 feet above my head, was a hawk having lunch in one of our trees. Of course if I had seen him, I would have waited to do the roses...as it was, I just stood really, really still, cast my eyes down and waited for him to finish up and preen a bit. He did...and then flew off with a great rush of wings. It was pretty exciting to me...

Yep.... Gail, I would say hawk for sure..

Jude.. maybe you either have many or none that you have noticed so far :) love back !
Kara... wolf is a good one, I love wolves.. so beautiful and smart.

Hi Kath- Someone mentioned, I should pick the panda for my totem, but since all they do is eat & sh*t, I'll try to pick something else. Are there any animals that love to read?

I think the problem here is that your totem picks you ...

It is my understanding that animal totems do not necessarily reflect your own personality and traits. Rather, they act as guides and teachers when you need it. Is that right?

>74 mckait: Polar Bear would definitely be fitting for me:
"Polar bears are known for their fearlessness and aggressiveness. Polar bears are good hunters and strong swimmers. Humans are their only predator. Because Polar bears are so high up on the food chain it is understandable why they are so fearless. When polar appears you will want to evaluate your fears by looking at the things that make you reactive or act out. Or, you may need to strengthen areas of personal weakness.
The Polar bear is a good provider for his family, anyone with Polar bear as his totem bears the honorable responsibility to provide for others. It is right for the strongest to care for the weakest. Polar bear totem asks that any aggressive behaviors you display are for defensive purposes and not meant to bully."
I think my polar bear would be happy w/me as I am not a bully. But it does have a big job helping me evaluate fears and strengthen personal weaknesses.

>77 EBT1002: Which bird is facing its fear?

>86 msf59: Don't be so quick to judge, Mark -
Panda sounds perfect for you:

"Pandas are cute and cuddling in appearance yet they are very strong. Keep this in mind when making judgments based on first appearances. The contrasting coloring of black and white of a Panda's fur is representative differences in cultures. Black and white also are depicted in yin yang symbols indicating the importance of balance between masculine and feminine energies. When Panda surfaces it is good to work on balancing anything that is off skelter in your life.
The Panda as a totem also represents diplomacy because of the history of China gifting Giant Pandas as diplomatic gifts to other countries. The Panda's appearance is quite exotic, anyone with Panda as as your animal totem is likely interested in the exploration of exotic lands and cultures different from their own.

Agile tree climber, the Panda as a totem has a unique ability to tap into higher knowledge. Panda medicine is a wonderful teacher for soul development."

Kath

Re. Marty, Will's cousin Brian (the one I mentioned in previous posts) is very much like Marty. And, his wicked mother Judy is one of the most self absorbed people I've met.

I have a very short list of those to whom I would wish harm. These two are at the top...I don't feel good when I wish others harm, but I'm not perfect and since I'm other directed most of the time, I can cut some slack and say that I only wish harm in extreme cases, ie when these folk are so egregious harmful to others that I don't want them in my space.

Will's Uncle was in the throes of dementia. Will was suffering from a very bad asthma attack and could not get out of bed. Judy left Uncle Bob with Will knowing Will was very ill and Bob could not take care of himself.

Judy took off for Indiana. Will and I did not live together at the time and I received an early morning call from her telling me that she was going to Indiana and "what was I going to do?"

I told her I was going to work!!! It wasn't my problem. Still, she left. No phone calls that week to check on either one of them. She never came back the day she said she was going to return. When Will called Brian, Brian said he couldn't come and get his dad because he was working.

What a mess!! I took a vacation day during the week to help. When I got to Will's house, Uncle Bob was roaming around the neighborhood stark naked.

I'm nasty enough to hope that what goes round comes round and that when Judy and Brian are elderly and need help, the same will be done to them.

Dan is a good man to help...and, of course, you are a wonderful person as well.

Cee, as to which bird is facing its fear ---- ah, that is the joy of art. Some of it is in the eye and interpretation of the beholder! I admit that I have always though the little guy was the one facing fear and holding so steady in the face of a huge crow/raven (institution of higher ed?)...... But I think you raise a good point: what fears does the other harbor?

Okay, Claudia, I'll take the panda!

Morning Kath!!

Morning Kath, the totem talk is very interesting. So how does one allow a totem to choose them?

Good Morning Kath! The totem discussion is interesting!

Linda... I think that secretly, all of us have at some time wished ill upon others.
I admit that I would not have been heartbroken if she had not survived the surgery.
I am not proud of it, but there ya go. I have so much to say, but no time, as I have to
keep trying to contact the rehab so I can get a list of things she needs. I then have to go and get them.

Cee.. totems.. I don't think there is a hard and fast rule. I also believe that like spirit guides,
you have one, and that one stays with you. Then as needed others step up ..or back. As you need them.
Just like spirit guides.

Lynda, I am sure that you have one, but just haven't noticed :)
Think about it..

Mark.. good luck with panda. lol.

Ok.. why typing this I have made 4 phone calls. I am now waiting for a callback and will
then be outta here for ? I have to take Marty clothing and so forth. So..
I will be back to catch up asap...

Oh and according to both the hospital and the rehab, she is telling people that her
brother took her things away from her and won't bring them back. Truth is she requested
( demanded) certain things.. then sent them right away with Dan.
She wants Dan to bring her certain things daily and take other things away.
I have big old news for her.. sigh. I am not best pleased with her right now. The nurse

I hope you get a chance to relax this weekend, Kath.

yay! I am back. She has clothing..
she has all sorts of things. including diet coke and
sugar free snacks.

I have to make some lunch for us and see how things are going. Debbie took him home today.

Margie said I should wait until at least march 5th before i worry that March isn't taking hold... lol

Now, lunch.

oh and thanks Joe!

Michael D. Higgin, the president of Ireland has a bit to say:

http://www.thechristianleftblog.org/1/post/2012/03/the-president-of-ireland-deli...

have a listen, my face hurts from smiling :)

>89 Whisper1: I'm nasty enough to hope that what goes round comes round
I dont think that is a nasty thought Nancy, I think it's what nice people who do nice things think when they see not so nice people doing not so nice things.

And as for totems, I think mine must be a sloth. Id love to be a sloth.

Agreed Megan... about the goes around comes around..

LOL @ sloth :)

Very quiet here today.....

Morning Kath- I'm just sipping coffee and making the rounds. Ugly day outside my window. How is your weather?

I'm in Mark's part of the world. Slow, gray start to the day. Waiting for the young ones to wake up (son's back for the weekend) so we can take them to brunch.

Hi Kath - hope you are having a good day with plenty of time for reading and no distractions.

24. The Secrets of Mary Bowser Lois Leveen 4 stars

Hi Kath. I hope your Sunday ended up being of the good quiet sort.

Quiet day today Kath. I went to a non-traditional church with a dear friend who found a community there. I was very impressed with what I experienced...lots of time for silent prayer..nice interaction and lots of contemplation.

The theme of the service was the ways in which we pray that are not noisy and word filled.

Hugs to you dear one.

Hi Kath -
A quiet day in your house is a day w/o a crisis.
So... I am also hoping you had a quiet day?
Peaceful hugs {{{K}}}

Ohh Kath, I'm so behind, but I've just been catching up on your stressful adventures. I sure hope things are settling down. Your kitchen ideas look marvelous!

Zip-lining through your thread to day as I need to head out early.
Have a mahvalous day!

Hi Mark, joe and calm .. thanks for visiting. I hope you had a nice Sunday :)

Ellen, well it settled down a mite after noon or so. Marty called me 5 times between 7:30 and 8.
She wanted me to go and buy her a wheelchair and a walker... she claimed they won't give her one.
Then there was more. No further comment. I just told her no, pretty much.

Linda, that sounds nice :) I am glad youhad the chance to go! Hugs back to you.

Cee... nothing that could be called a crisis. Deb had a time of it with Walter and his family and his nurse.
He was nasty and abusive to all, including his family. That is ultimately a good thing. If it gets to a point that Deb wants to find a residential setting for him, I think there will less of a battle with his family. It was the first time they had been in his hom for over 20 years. He always went to them. He was fit and active until recently... a year or so. But Deb and I still think he had a stroke, right after his roof was put on.
He was able to get around and do for himself and walk and he was cranky but not.. this. The doctors say no, but they are wrong. A man who was cleaning up after a broken water heater one day and who cannot walk across a room, never mind get down steps the next? Something happened.

Deb.. adventures for sure! Hopefully things will settle down a little now. I hope they keep Marty in
rehab a good long time. Last time it was 3 months.

um hi-bye Lynda! :)

I didn't do too much yesterday. I talked to my kids, and read and hung with the furkids.
I also watched a bit of bad tv out of sheer drooling indecisiveness about what to do next...

A hair dryer story that might make you laugh...

When I was about 15, went on a high adventure hike. We were packing in our gear, wilderness camping for a few days, packing it all out. The girl hiking ahead of me had a cord swinging out the top of her pack. I asked what it was, she said her hair dryer. I asked her where she imagined she would plug it in? She was horrified to learn that there was no electricity in the wilderness.

LOLOL Jenn, that is hilarious :) Very fifteen though, at least I hope!
I do wonder what her thought process was when she packed :)

Today so far.. has been much better for me than it has for my sister.
i will refrain from the dreary and gory details of hers..

I stripped my bed and Duncan's.. I will do Dan's on Wednesday. I made a big pot of
chili for Dan's dinners for the next few days, and thanks to someone egging me on, I
also made chocolate cupcakes. I put chocolate chips in them. I have chocolate frosting
for when they cool. I rarely opt for the whole death by chocolate thing but, my endorphins
must be low :PP because that is what I wanted.

Duncan's bed covers ( don't get excited, I just use a double zip up cover over his round doggie bed.
and no, I don't know why. I had an extra and so? ) did not spin out ( I hate my front loader)
and I had to do them again. I bent over to load them into the dryer and m back popped..
and now I have a crick in my back to go with my gimpy ankle. I imagine I look like Quasimodo
when I am walking around. Ouch.

Still haven't started a book, after finishing one yesterday, but it has been a little busy. I will
open it soon The Sounding will be next, I think? The author sent it my way and I owe a review.
It looks good. I am hoping the crick in my back goes away before I have to get back down to the basement ! All in all .. my day has been pretty good.

eta

Oh yea! I reinstalled the OS on my laptop. I was getting script errors and
it was driving me mad. The fix seems to have worked :)

"sheer drooling indecisiveness over what to do next"

Sing it, Sister! That's how I get trapped into watching Law and Order C.I. episodes on endlessly running loops...

I'm anti-recommending Peachtree Road for everyone. Just not worth the time investment.

I'm dithering myself over what to read next. Maybe a mystery, or maybe that ARC awaiting a review...

Hi, Kath. Hope you have a quiet Monday now that your cooking and washing are done, and you can get some reading done!

Coming up for a breath, Kath .... thought I'd skim through your new thread (no chance I'll catch up on the previous one) and now that I'm caught up, I can safely say 'hello'. :-)

Reading is far less dangerous to your health than housework!
Just sayin'....

yeah.. I did suggest to my sister a few days ago. that we rearrange things with Life Alert
so that Kim was only called if neither of us can be reached. With two babies
she really doesn't need these calls. What can she do? I think Deb will listen now.
I am #3 on the list, and they are very cheerful and speak very clearly when they
call. Walter is back in ER. I am not sure that they will keep him this time.

They said he did not have a stroke before he went in last time. We, the family disagreed.
I think he may have had another small one overnight? Something happened. At least
he had it together to use his Life Alert button.

Debbie went with him.. I will go to Kim's. The nurse will be there at 8. I think I might
try to go back later and give her a chance to lie down, if she will do it. She has been
cooking dinner for Deb and Bob and the last couple of days, Walter. I have offered,
but ...

So, I don't think Walter is really any worse, at least not when I saw him.
But Deb wanted him checked out. So, rise and shine !

Oh, Kath, it seems like just one thing after another for you. :(

I hope your back feels better. And that at least some of the other stuff with the family sorts itself out. Marty sounds either mentally ill our outlandishly selfish.

Walter is fortunate to have so many caring about and for him.

Hoping things settle down for all of you soon, Kath. Be careful not to wear yourself out.......and get your daily dose of curmudgeon hugs!

I'm sorry to hear about Walter's set back. I hope that he does get admitted and receives good care this time.

Terri, Caro and Darryl.. thanks.

He has the beginnings of pneumonia.
He is being sent to West Hills.. Darryl.. you know where that is, right?
His doctor is out, and the other doctor from his practice won't admit him
to the hospital.. Walters doctor is on medical leave until ?

West Hills is reputedly V good.

Hugs Kath, your all having a tough time of it lately. Thank goodness for little nephlets to brighten your day.

I fed Owen his bottle... and he fell asleep in my arms.
Oliver threw himself at me in a big hug!
Delicious! :)

Aww, I'm not big on Babies..but, it's a blessing when they fall asleep in your arms...

As for Walter...and, i'm going out on a limb here....maybe it's time you and Debbie start to think, seriously, about residential care (nursing home , full time rehab center)...i know..tell me to shut up..but, ultimately, there is only so much that family can do....unless you want to wait for that "call" in the night...

**i'm sorry if that offends you...i'm just glad I never had to deal with such issues with my dad...i would not have been as patient and caring as you and your sister**

;-??????

Loo... I misread and thought you said threw up on you. Wondered at your 'Delicious!' comment ..... went to re-read ....slower this time and had to laugh

Jude... I have nothing to do with any decisions regarding Walter.
My job is to be as kind to him as I can, and trying to stop my sister from
killing herself over bad decisions, a job at which I am not succeeding.

Caro.. no, it was Owen spit up on me.. and he can do it again tomorrow ..
it is well worth it :)

Whew, quick swing through the last many posts. Your life is just one thing after another. Some of that is good (I mean, really, isn't that what life is? -- one thing after another?), but it would be nice for you to catch a break. Maybe having Owen spit up on you is your break. :-D

Oh boy, Kath, so much going on! Take it easy girl!!! Strokes are a scary and hard to always know what is going on kind of thing . I'll never forget when my late mother in law called me from a respite care place, where she was staying for a couple of weeks when my father in law was out of town. My MIL - with whom I was very close, but she lived about 5- 6 hours away and accessible by ferry only, called me and told me that something very terrible was happening,but she could not tell me what it was. She could talk but sounded very anxious. I did not know what to do, expect call the staff at the respite home- which was staffed with RN's. They went into her room and told me over the phone that she appeared to be fine. But what do you know by the next day she had had a massive stroke. I felt so dreadful about it, but I had no idea what was actually happening, and apparently the staff did not either until after the fact.

Anyway, that's such a sad story I have to think of something else right away. Maybe your chocolate chip cupcakes? And here is my furbaby fussing at me for her supper!!

Big hugs Kath!

{{{{Kath}}}}
Don't know what to say.
It's so hard when you can't take control and make things right.
You are a rock for your family -
Do take care of yourself :}

Oh Kath - I truly hope things calm down for you soon. I wish I could something to help. And as Cee says, don't forget to take care of yourself.

Hi Ellen... I get to watch Owen again on Friday morning.. maybe Oliver, too.. but
usually he sleeps. This might be one of the last times the nurse has to come.. she is healing
nicely :) I plan to make the most of it. I took them some cupcakes yesterday.. I am lucky indeed. Kim shares those nephlets so generously!

Deb...What a terrible story. I don't know what to say.
I am so sorry that happened in your family. (((Deb)))
What would we do without our furkids?

Cee... Not so much a rock..
just a part of the current madness.
Today should be fairly calm for me.
I know that Deb will be tearing off to see to Walter... but
I hope that is all she does.

Joanne, I know.. craziness.
It will. I know it is crazy, but it is so much easier to deal
with in March. Something about the feel of the air,
the quality of the light.. the promise of sun on my face..
Today in fact! They say it is going ot be 60F. We might even have sun!!!

So here is what I found out last night. The ER Dr wanted to
admit him. Fluid in his lungs, fever, and heart rate was bad.
His legs are VERY swollen,

She told Debbie they would admit. Then the fill in for his regular
PCP not only put a stop to it, but NEVER looked at him. He never
clapped eyes on Walter, just refused to admit him. Debbie is
going to file a complaint. That means that I have to figure out
how to do it.

I did some googling last night.

So. Today I hope to read. I got a small start on a book yesterday.

so?

Good that Kim is healing and that you are getting nephlet time.

Oh my - poor Walter - how hard it is for him to get the care he needs.

{{{hugs}}} Kath - I so hope that you manage to get some peace and quiet soon.

Morning Kath- Sorry to hear about Walter's continuing health troubles. Sad. I hope you find some time to read today. Good luck.

Good grief... I hope I never have to deal w/docs like that! If they don't want to treat the elderly with respect, it would be kinder to take the suffering out back and shoot them.
(Did I just say that?)
Well, it's frustrating!

Hi Kath, Hope you have a reasonable day :}

Good luck today. ((hugs))!

Bonus nephlet day... I am going down in a few so Deb Can change her dressing.
Deb is much happier today.. Walter may be moved to a different room, where he is
closer to the bathroom. Dr Fuchs ( yes.. that is the name of the bastich doctor )
does visit up there, and Debbie has banned him. She will not allow him near Walter.

Scallops were on sale!!! Not not fresh, but frozen scallops so I will make that for dinner.
With something.. any ideas?

It is going to be warm and lovely here! yay!

So.. there ya go

Dr Fuchs, he can Fuch off cant he?
(sorry, had to say it)

Great news on the baby day coming up, hope you enjoy it. I am super clucky with other peoples tiny ones now. My baby seems so grown up now- how did it happen? And dont even get me started on big bro! Hes busy collecting things to make a go-cart (dont know how a nail file and plastic bottle top will help, but hey, who am I to interfere!), and is coming up with very grown up observations and questions all the time.

*sigh* Ill always have my memories (i hope!)

Take care Kath

My brother had the same sort of experience Deb referred to. In his case, he went to the ER knowing that something was seriously wrong, but they sent him home insisting that he was fine; he had a massive stroke within 24 hours. He survivied, but permanently lost a good bit of his sight as a result of that stroke.

Dr. Fuchs, huh? My mother's SOB doctor was named Dr. Sheetz. What does that say???? (A rose by any other name would smell like garbage?)

I don't see how a doctor who hasn't seen a patient's condition can overrule one who has. You go, girl, with that complaint!

LOL ... couldn't help it .... not laughing at poor Walter's predicament of course, but Dr Fuchs and Dr Sheetz .... you guys just made my day! That's just great!

Oh Terri... I am so sorry :(
My neighbor's niece took her 3 year old daughter to a satellite office of Children's hosp.
Mom told the doctor the symptoms. Mom also said she feels it is appendicitis. They said
oh mom! calm down, she just has a belly ache. They sent her home. Mom took her to
A different hosp. ER. They said it was good she didn't wait, because the child had appendicitis
and might not have survived if she had waited. Happy outcome.
So scary..

Caro.. I know.. when I looked up the Dr Deb told me about ( he pronounces it FOX ) I was oddly unsurprised to find the spelling. Well, Walt has a private room. He is very weak, and swollen.
When Debbie asked if the CHF was being addressed, they said his main problem was weakness and they
needed to address that. I am not a doctor, but I wonder what they think is causing the weakness?
At least he is pleased with his room, and more importantly maybe, so is Debbie.

My ankle is bad today. I have been up and down stairs all day. ouch.
Trying desperately to read. So much to do .. And everything complicated. I needed to print
something.. but forgot that I needed ro reinstall the printer, since I reinstalled my operating system
the other day due to script errors. ( That worked ) I didn't remember till I was upstiars and I didn't bring the cord to the laptop.. so it wouldn't install without being plugged in. :(
that just meant more tips up and down stairs. ouch.

Basically a good day. Warm and sunny and door open for warm to get in.

the book is good .. just my cuppa .. The Sounding now if only I can settle into it now..

Hey Kath! Finally catching up on your thread! Glad to hear that you're having a good idea! Hopefully the good-dayness will work its way east at some point.

*pushes good dayness in Brit and Whit's direction*

Mom also said she feels it is appendicitis. They said oh mom! calm down, she just has a belly ache.

Something like that happened with the (teenage) daughter of someone I know, who wound up with a ruptured appendix. Isn't there a way to check for appendicitis? I'm not a doctor, so I don't know how easy/hard it is to make that call. Obviously, the second hospital your friend went to was able to figure it out.

We have an adorable three-year-old from church whose primary physician diagnosed his cough as a common viral infection, and that the mother should wait for it to run its course. But it got worse instead of better. Much worse. Just this week, he wound up in PICU in a major teaching hospital, on a respirator, with severe bacterial pnumonia. (how do you spell pnumonia? The Chrome spell checker doesn't like this spelling.)

And, yes, I know that a diagnosis like that is probably easy to miss in the early stages, so I don't necessarily blame the doctor for making the wrong call. But I shouldn't there have been some instructions for if it didn't get better -- at what point to seek help if it got worse? (This is very young mother, first child, perhaps too much trust in doctor's opinion.)

Sorry, Kath, seems like I'm blathering on with all kinds of sad tales today. I do hope Walter will be OK, and as for Dr. Fuchs . . . grrrrr! :(

Getting a good doctor seems to be pretty much of a crap shoot...I've seen great and terrible; most patients need a very strong (almost obnoxious) advocate to ensure that the patient gets appropriate care. Maddening. Our bad experiences have been small, but you all have had some frightening ones.

{{{Kath}}} and some soothing little biscuits with cheese as well, and beverage of choice.

Much love to you.

Sending gentle hugs Kath...When is all this stress going to end. Oh, dear, I'm so sorry you are going through all this.

Love

Well, at least you found a book to settle in with when you get a chance.

Take care of that ankle!

Tony Bennett and his "Duets 2" program is on PBS right now--talk about relaxing and calming and just something to savor...I'm recording it as well.

Thinking of you and just wanted to share this feeling.

Terri... train of thought.. it sometimes takes us to sad places :(

Ah Gail, hello my friend, nice to see you :) cheese biscuits sound lovely...
and you are so right, crap shoot. I could tell other stories but .. no. Not today.

Linda :) it is so good to see you at LT a bit more.. Hoping for a quiet day today for everyone!

Joane, true! and I hope for more reading time today. Yeah, the ankle .... it just is not cooperating.

roni.. how nice of you :)
Let me tell you that with the help of some OTC sleep aid, I was very relaxed when you posted :)
Thank you for thinking of me.

Walter called me last night. He wanted Debbie. He couldn't get her so...
He told me he is afraid. I tried to talk to him, but he just really wanted Debbie.
She is still trying to beg the Villa to take him back. He wants to go back there. He realized
that he cant be alone.. and that is making him afraid. I feel very bad for him. I do wish he would have accepted that about two weeks ago....

Anyway... it was warm yesterday, and is nice right now, but will soon rain.
I am wondering if the solar storms will have any effect on communication..
internet..etc...

Terri... train of thought.. it sometimes takes us to sad places :(
Exactly! Well stated, Kath. Thanks for understanding. :-)

He realized that he cant be alone.. and that is making him afraid. I feel very bad for him. I do wish he would have accepted that about two weeks ago....
Poor Walter! (And poor you!) I suppose the realization on his part is a sort of progress, but tough timing. :-(

I'm wondering about the solar storms, too. They said the worst of it hit around five-something a.m., and so far our internet and DISH reception are fine. (Knock on wood . . ;-)

I had a bad time last night with my sore neck/shoulder. Every time I'd find a spot to lie that didn't hurt, as soon as I started to drift off to sleep I'd move a bit, and the pain would shoot me awake. Grrrr. . . . :-{

Mornin' Kath. Just toast with marmalade this a.m., I'm afraid. With coffee, of course.

Hope your day is quiet. We have an appt. with a new dr. this a.m.---soon, in fact--that's always fun.

More gardening today, while the sun stll shines.

>122 mckait: I haven't heard of West Hills, Kath. I would guess that Pitt med students didn't rotate there. We mainly went to Shadyside, Mercy, West Penn, St. Francis (now the new location of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh), Forbes Regional and St. Margaret, in addition to the UPMC hospitals in Oakland.

>132 mckait: I'm shocked and disturbed that the fill in for Walter's PCP refused to admit him without laying eyes on him. He sounds like a lazy SOB to me. I suppose that Walter's PCP and his partners admit their own patients to the hospital, and don't utilize hospitalists. If they do use hospitalists, it may be easier to get one of them to admit him instead.

>141 mckait: Oh good, Walter was admitted after all; I missed that post on my first review. You have way too many posts here; can ya slow it down a bit? ;-)

Yikes. I'm not an adult doctor, so I didn't know that weakness can cause swelling and SOB (shortness of breath). Maybe if his doctors address the CHF, the weakness just might improve.

>141 mckait:, 144

They said it was good she didn't wait, because the child had appendicitis and might not have survived if she had waited.

Isn't there a way to check for appendicitis?

Appendicitis is much easier to diagnose in older children and adults than in children. In adults, who tend to have a more classic presentation, the symptoms begin with generalized abdominal pain, vomiting and fever. With time, the pain migrates to a location known as McBurney's point, which is ~1/3 of the way between the front of the right iliac (pelvic bone) in the front, and the umbilicus (belly button):



If the doctor can elicit pain there, in the right clinical scenario, that is diagnostic of appendicitis in the absence of other confounding conditions.

I had a typical case during my intern year, which I (who had about as much medical knowledge as a cherry danish at that time) thought was due to food poisoning. I was in severe pain and couldn't stop vomiting, so I drove myself to a local ER (correction: I was as smart as half of a cherry danish). Every little bump felt as if someone was stabbing me in the abdomen with a butcher's knife. Despite that, I parked my car in the visitors' lot, and walked, doubled over, to the ER. I told the ER doctor what my diagnosis was. She said "Hmm", nodded knowingly, and proceeded to examine me. When she reached McBurney's point, I demonstrated the "chandelier sign", in which the patient jumps off of the examination table in excruciating pain, hits the chandelier, and falls back onto the bed (that term is typically used for pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), but some use it for appendicitis as well). The astute ER doctor, who knew that I was a pediatric intern, correctly read the expression on my face, and said "You know what this is. I'll call the surgeon."

That's a typical case. Children usually have vomiting and fever, but they often don't have pain over McBurney's point. So, the diagnosis is most often made by a combination of high clinical suspicion, labs (high white blood cell count and high inflammatory markers), and either an abdominal X-ray (which will sometimes show a fecalith, the mass that blocks the opening to the appendix) or a CT scan (which is more diagnostic than an ultrasound on an AXR in demonstrating appendicitis). Because of the difficulty in reaching a prompt diagnosis, children are more likely to present with a ruptured appendix; this can lead to peritonitis, a serious and sometimes fatal infection within the abdominal cavity, as stool (which contains bacteria) and pus pass out of the ruptured appendix.

One other problem with appendicitis is that the appendix can be in a different location than the usual one in a minority of otherwise normal people. It's typically located in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen, but it can also be located in the left lower quadrant, or either the right or left upper quadrant. So, again, a high index of suspicion is necessary in atypical presentations of appendicitis.

Yikes. Sorry for the anatomy lesson.

We have an adorable three-year-old from church whose primary physician diagnosed his cough as a common viral infection, and that the mother should wait for it to run its course. But it got worse instead of better. Much worse. Just this week, he wound up in PICU in a major teaching hospital, on a respirator, with severe bacterial pnumonia. (how do you spell pnumonia? The Chrome spell checker doesn't like this spelling.)

It's pneumonia Terry, so you were close. :-)

Bacterial pneumonias in young children typically follow a viral infection (secondary bacterial pneumonias). So, the PCP may have been right in the beginning. In most cases, the child has cold symptoms at first (low grade fever, runny nose, mild cough), then suddenly becomes much sicker, with high fever, worsening cough and difficulty breathing; abdominal pain, vomiting, poor appetite and lethargy are also common associated symptoms. It's usually at that point that the parents realize something is wrong, and they (appropriately) seek medical attention.

Parents will infrequently become upset with their PCP, as they feel that he or she "missed" their child's pneumonia. I'll ask them about the progression of the illness, and almost always I'll tell them that the child probably didn't have pneumonia when she was seen by her PCP, and it developed sometime between that visit and the day she was brought to the ER or for a follow up visit. I've taken care of hundreds of kids with pneumonia, and some of them developed symptoms literally overnight while they were in the hospital.

It isn't common for a normal toddler with pneumonia to require mechanical ventilation. Assuming that this boy is otherwise normal (no immunodeficiencies or history suggestive of cystic fibrosis), I would assume that he has a double pneumonia (infection in both lungs), or a large parapneumonic effusion, in which the infection has spread outside of the lung, causing a build up of fluid that presses on the lung and the trachea (windpipe) from the outside. I hope that he does well.

And, yes, I know that a diagnosis like that is probably easy to miss in the early stages, so I don't necessarily blame the doctor for making the wrong call. But I shouldn't there have been some instructions for if it didn't get better -- at what point to seek help if it got worse? (This is very young mother, first child, perhaps too much trust in doctor's opinion.)

I completely agree with you here. The mother should have received instructions for what she should do if the child didn't improve by day 7-10 of the illness (which is a typical course for a viral URI) or if he acutely worsened. I'll (almost) always mention that to the parents of a patient that I'm discharging with a viral upper or lower respiratory tract infection, and urge them to go to see their PCP or come back to the hospital ER ASAP if the child develops high fever and/or difficulty breathing.

Wow.. That is a lot of good information, Thanks Darryl..
No, Walter didn't get into the hospital, but a rehab in Moon Twp..
Deb is trying to get him back to where he was, closer to us both.
Bribing the church with cash is next on her list.
It could work.. The Villa is a Catholic facility.

I wonder what today will bring?

Awesome anatomy lesson and medical tips :). One of my son's friends had appendicitis last year and his mom took him to the ER on a gut feeling and they just missed a ruptured appendix.

I think pneumonia is tricky. A couple of years ago, my oldest son, who is a swimmer, was complaining of being tired and having trouble breathing in swim practice. He had no fever or cough, etc. Since he is a regular crier of wolf, we pretty much ignored him, told him to suck it up and go to practice. Finally, after about 10 days, I decided to nip his little game in the bud by taking him to the doctor. Turned out he had pneumonia. Felt I deserved Mom of the Year award over that one.

It seems to me that in most of life - esp. health care, school - we must advocate pretty aggressively for ourselves and our family. The two systems I mentioned in particular are overwhelmed. We are very blessed to have a pediatrician who is very in tune with our kids. She is the only doctor in a very small office. She is the closest thing to the old-time doctors who made house calls. If I call the office, she answers the phone. If I have a "feeling" she listens. We love her, and we realize that we are very lucky.

Anyway Kath, what I'm saying is that you are an amazing advocate for your family, whether they appreciate it or not.

Ohh Kath! Big hugs with all that you are dealing with. CHF is very dreadful and scary for the patient. My dad ( another sad story ) died in 2007 of Lymphoma. But, over the course of just two years, the cancer went to his heart and lungs and damaged his heart really badly so that he had CHF. He died at home , as he wished to do, and we as a family all cared for him. he was just 65 when he died. I remember him , so brave, but gasping for breath and -well, it was terrible. But we did have the happiness of knowing that we were able to be with him 24/7 as he dealt with his terminal illness. Sometimes I still cannot believe that he is gone.

It's great that you are such a good advocate for your family - we had to do that too. Big Hugs!!!!!

oh HELL no! I'm not doing anything...

hugs to all and later.. !

Wow, great posts from Darryl. Hope things ease up some for you today, Kath.

Hmmmm, not sure what that's about, Kath, but it doesn't sound good. Hoping you're snug as a bug at home and not involved with other stuff.

Excellent info from Darryl! I'm always confused as to which side the appendix is on and the symptoms. Thanks for explaining it so well, D!

Kath, just stopping by to let you know I'm thinking about you. I love that we have our own LT doc, even if he doesn't specialize in adults. I hope things calm down a bit --- including your ankle.

sorry sorry ... just meant that I am not doing anything.. just doing what ya do..

Joe
I agree, great post from Darryl.
Lynda .. all is well...just me being in a hurry.. sorry
Ellen.. I know.. he sounds like a gem, I am glad that he takes care of kids...

sorry... back later?

I'm not sure what all the sorrys are about, Kath, but I, for one, deem them unnecessary. xo

ETA: I hope your day is getting better!

Love you, Kath.

Kath, what's going on at Western Psych?

Oh, and Darryl, loved all the medical info. It's so nice to hear from soemone who kows things. We civilians have to sort of shift for ourselves, so your input is always appreciated.

Phew wow I go away for a few days and things actually get worse for you which I wouldn't have thought possible Kath. Keep your head up and things have got to get better.

Sorry Darryl... see note on your profile.
I was off for a while.

Western Psych... shooting.
One shooter, it seems, 9 shot.. 2 dead right now. One the shooter.
Bedlam in the area... all sorts of bldgs locked down.
The incident started at 1:40 and is still an active scene.
They are still searching to make sure that there is no other shooter hiding ..
patients and staff evacuated.

Love you right back Gail

Bonnie.. seriously.. I know.

I've had my head in the sand (or, more accurately, in a book) all day. Best go check the news. So sorry to hear about bedlam at Western Psych. Ugh. Just what we all need. More shooters.

I hate guns.

Oh wait, I think we already had that conversation.......

Thanks, Kath. Yes, I did find out what was going on shortly after I posted the message here. I originally learned about the shooting from Facebook, as there was a message from Pitt about the "Western Psych/WPIC tragedy", which didn't initially mention what the tragedy was. I followed the UPMC/City of Pittsburgh news conference on Twitter, via @UPMCnews. Fortunately, it appears as though all seven of the survivors of the shooting have non-life threatening injuries.

Needless to say I'm very familiar with Western Psych, as it is just around the corner from Scaife Hall, the medical school building, which itself is directly across the street from where Pitt Stadium used to be (it's now the site of the Petersen Events Center, Pitt's new basketball arena). We would walk alongside Western Psych practically every day, and most if not all of us completed our Psychiatry rotations there. Security there was very tight when I was a student, and the massive security officers that manned the ER there looked like they could play for the Steelers.

Western Psych could be a crazy place (no pun intended), particularly when patients who were floridly psychotic or manic came to the ER. I'll never forget doing an intake interview on a schizophrenic or psychotic woman in the ER there as a third year medical student. She probably weighed no more than 120 lb, yet it took at least two security officers to hold her down, whose muscles were bulging as they sweated profusely while she cursed and spat at them.

Some of the students where I worked spent time there. and one of the behavior therapists
had worked there for years. I have heard that it is indeed a crazy place. They were loading patients and
staff into buses. I would not have wanted to be on one of those buses .... can you imagine?

I should have thought to send info your way... sorry.. I know that you have a little spot in your heart for
the Burgh :)

I hate guns, too Ellen, and I can't say it too often.

I am falling way behind on threads...and hone calls. All I can do is say.. sorry.
II will try to catch up. soon...

nitey night!

Kath - I am falling behind too. Not to worry.
We all love you!
And love means (ya know)... never having to say "sorry".
Not sure I agree with that one,
but no need for you to be sorry about anything.

If there were no guns, there would be no shootings!
What part of that don't people understand?

nitey night and hugs!

My goodness, I had not heard about the Western Psych shootings. What's it going to take before something is done about these things?!!!

Yeah, I don't buy the never say you're sorry thing either..
but that was a good movie back in the day.. lol
I am so scattered lately.. sigh. We will catch up someday, Cee.

Lynda. Terrible. Just awful. I hate guns, and the fact that the people
who use them to kill other people can get them so easily. Apparently
this guy had 2 on him? I don't know how long it will be before the
story is straight, if ever. I wonder why he did it?

Tough to go to work there today if you are staff...
tough on people who have family there..

I thought about the staff and patients who where taken
out of there in buses yesterday. I had to wonder if some of the
patients were like some of the kids from where I used to work..
who spent so much time there. Any little thing could set them off.
That could be bad. And if one person went off.. who knows what would
happen with the rest? Scary.

I have nephlet duty this morning. 7:30 ish...

Morning Kath- Just stopping by to say hi! Enjoy your day and enjoy the little guy.

Morning Kath - hope you have a good day with the nephlets.

Yay, hugs and cuddles day!
Does Owen smile yet?
Is Oliver lovin' his little bro? Wondering when he will be big enough to play with?
Have a good one, Kath.

Hope that the snugglin' day with the nevvies is restful and soothing for you, Sweetie.

Keep hanging in there, if you can...

{{{Kath}}}

Well.. the nurse didn't show up this morning. She was scheduled for between 7:30 and 8 am
She texted at 9:30 to say she would be there at 11:30. So, I went to Dan's sister's house to
get yet more underwear and socks. ( she had a dozen of each 6 days ago. ) and her mail..
Then she wanted Dan to bring her and her roommate subway sandwiches. I didn't know about
any of this until I got back from the store after the unsuccessful nurse wait. so.. Dan took her the subways and I went back for nurse, second try.( Deb went to Walter, then out to shop and dinner).

This time the nurse showed up, then I ran home and managed to get some food prepared for Dan
and pack his lunch. I then came to get online .. My download speed was only 8.47 /7.37/ 8.27 and upload was twice what it was supposed to be. upload ( bless comcast ) is usually 16. Upload 2.
So , yes.. I called Comcast. They sent me to a different test site. Same result. So I am waiting for a callback, ( hah! ) to see what they say.. this time.

Other than that... .. all is well .Got plenty of huggles from the nephlets and Owen was very pleased to spit up down my front .. :P But he is an angel and I am glad to see him any time.. Oliver did not as for my iPod even once! but he did give ma a beautiful rainbow picture :)

I am going to read for a bit...
then? Hopefully read some more.

Mark, calm, Gail and Cee.. thanks for stopping by. If my internet holds up I will try to be back
later. I am most assuredly, hanging in. :P

Oy, what a day! I hate waiting for anything...but medical people is the worst wait of all

Comcast? My brother had to deal with them many years ago....so, i will say nothing, except that they seem to be as bad as Verizon is, here

Owen spit up on you as a sign of "love"...i guess, since babies do that so often

{{{Big Hug}}} my friend....

:) He can spit up or down.. my shirt any time!
I love that little one.

Comcast = Nightmare

;-)

I gell asleep in my chair. I feel drugged :PPPP

The shooter yesterday was identified as John Shick. He was 30 yrs old. and had apparently
gone to Western psych to kill the doctor he had seen there.

Weirdly, he had two watches, two fanny packs, two guns and two boxes of ?

The victim of his who was killed was 26 and engaged, and his sister was murdered in 2010.
Sure makes me think about how good I have it .
dear goddess!

xoxo I'm baaaaaaack!

glad.. very.

me too dearie me too

Good grief, Kath. When will they do some gun control!?!?

Well. The nurse took my sister aside today and told her that
Walter's heart is operating at 15-20%
They discussed what measures would be taken...
...none...so.. They told my sister it would not be long now.
Always hard to believe that news, even when you are expecting it.

So now, I am going to sign off for the night.. and see you tomorrow.
Sweet dreams.

To us all.

Sad news. Sorry to hear it, dearest. xoxo

{{{{{Kath}}}}}

{{{{Hugs}}}} and best wishes to you and your family at this difficult time Kath. xx

Gail... sorry I missed posting to your latest post. I was pretty tired...
We will never have gun control. Too many people think it is their right to
be able to "bear arms" and the right caters to them. The right, is wrong.
I do not see a change for the better any time soon.

hugs back to ((Cee and Paul))) :)

rdear, I know. I can just hope he sleeps away, when it is time...

For more cheerful news, I wanted to share the pics of my nephlets...
and one of their mom.

So sorry to hear about Walter. {{{hugs}}}

The nephlets and their mom look wonderful.

Hope you have a great weekend.

Kath, my heart goes out to you and your family. That is sad news about Walter. I'm glad you all have the distractions of those two adorable nephlets. Silly iPad wants to write "nephews" instead. It's hard to maintain sadness with a baby and preschooler around.

Good Morning Kath! I'm so sorry about the news with Walter.

Those pictures of your nephlets are great! Thanks for sharing!

Ah, sorry about Walter's situation, Kath. Sending positive thoughts your way.

Oh! The little darlings! And Kim looks great, too.
Owen is growing - :P Oh, I mean, yay.
If you didn't feed him all the time, he would stay little
and he would not be spitting down your top.
Just sayin'

Hope you have a decent day -
the red-winged black birds are here to join the loner who "wintered over"
Spring is sneaking in :)

I love babies in sleepers. they look so comfy that I want one too. sleeper jammies not another baby :}

Yesterday's post made my head spin so you must be really zapped. Wishing you a blissfully peaceful weekend.

calm and Donna, nice to see you! thank you for your thoughts...

Lynda, I love babies in sleepers too :) When Oliver was little, She usually dressed him in jean overalls or jeans. It drove me nuts! he never looked comfortable :P I am glad she is going with sleepers now..

Cee, he is an enthusiastic little eater.. bless him :)
I love red winged black birds.. have not seen any here..
pictures?

Brit.. thank you.. it is sad.. but he said he is "done" now.. tired.
As for the nephlets.. love them to bits , thank you for looking!

Joe, thank you .. all positive thoughts enthusiastically accepted.

I think Amy is heading up here tomorrow..
not sure about the others...

Sorry to hear the news about Walter, Kath, but love, love, love the baby pictures. Kim looks good--is her infection about gone now?

xo Baby pics, blech

:-P~~~~~~~

Hi Kath. I'm sorry to hear the news about Walter. I hope they're able to keep him as comfortable as possible.

The pictures of the neice and nephlets are beautiful.

Hope this is a good weekend for you all.

Thanks roni.. she still has a fair sized open wound... has a nurse twice a week.. doctor once a week.and Deb does the dressing change the other 4 days. I hang out with the nephlets as needed.

rdear ~ PffffffT you old fraud. ( baby scent)

Thanks Pat... actually, two boys :) but thank you! ( i know, hard to tell sometimes :)
Thank you for the good wishes.

It is a little hectic at the moment.. Deb is going up now... she had errands in the morning.
She asked me not to go today. Her son, Bobby will go and Walter's family will ..
too many people would be bad. I am find with that. I will go tomorrow with Amy.
As of now, I do not think any of my other kids will be coming home. Marty must not have any
requests... she isn't answering her phone. again. That makes it hard to put her into the schedule.
Grrr.

I was thinking Kim was your neice Kath, or maybe neice-in-law? I love Oliver's hair!

kim is my niece.. I guess I am just confused :)

sorry! :P

Kim looks well, if tired, and calm with her babies, who are, of course, adorable.

So very sorry about Walter. My heart is with you, Dear Girl.

#204 No worries. :)

Hi Kath - stopping in to report I had a "snakebite" tonight! I liked it! Finished the whole glass - good stuff! St Paddy's Day -here I come :)

Hope things stay stabilized for a calm weekend for you. Though Amy will be adding some excitement for you :)

Comforting hugs to you {{{K}}}

Kath, so sad to hear about Walter's heart. Like Pat said, I do hope they are able to keep him comfortable. These are tough times for you and your family, indeed. And I know time with the adorable and charming nephlets helps, but the sadness is, I'm sure, still all around the edges.

Keep taking care of you.

xo

>152 kidzdoc: Darryl, that is a really funny story about your diagnosis of yourself! Sorry for laughing, but it is the best. It looks like you are able to laugh at yourself too otherwise you wouldn't have posted?

>198 mckait: When Oliver was little, She usually dressed him in jean overalls or jeans. It drove me nuts! he never looked comfortable
I'm a dresser-of-babies-in-soft-cotton mother. I have a little huge pet hate in babies dressed in adult style clothing (like business shirts and jeans!). They ride up all the time, aren't comfy for them and make them look way older than they are.

Always marvel at your eventual positivity Kath....love the photos of little Owen - I wish they made those jump-suit creations for adults they look so comfortable.

Mornin' Kath -
I'm with you... hugs

#210 : Paul - they do make them for adults too ... They're called Footed PJ Onsies. Check them out at: http://www.bigfeetpjs.com/?gclid=CICzqOGO364CFYNo4Aod-jDJaA

There's so much going on in your life right now I wanted to reach out and send some morning hugs out to you, Kath!

Wow Caro my prayers have been answered, but the pink one is staying in the sellaphane wrapper - give me the tartan is extra short ad super wide!

Mornin', Darlin'. I hope your Sunday will be a good one.

RE: Footed PJ Onesies for adults...hmmm....we could get something going with that idea...a whole group, with mottos and all...could be fun.

*smoochsmooch* You need two for dealing with the mishegas.

Hi Kath! Sorry to read about Walter, hope you are doing ok!

>212 cameling: I was very sad when my Onesies wore out last year...they are so comfy in my chilly house!

Hello, where is Kath??? Oh well, sending a {{{hug}}} any way....

Gail, Pat , Cee, Ellen, Paul, Megan... Hello and thanks for visiting..
Not sure I can catch up with my own thread....

I will do my best...

Thank you all for the good wishes... and positive thoughts...
much appreciated.
Megan, me too... I was all for soft and comfy....still am.

Caro, leave it to you to find footie jammies..
I think they look soft and cute on babies, but the thought of seeing myself in one..
horror of horrors!

Cee, Chelle, rd, Paul, jude and Gail...
( did I get everyone I hope? )

Last evening when Amy got home, we ate and then went to see the kids.
She had not yet met Owen. It was great, but frankly exhausting. I
think Oliver actually ramps up as the evening goes on. Then we came home
and played words with friends
( who else here plays? I can't remember? Did you connect it with your facebook)
and watched some designer thing she likes..
someone got sent home.

sorry I didn't get here this morning... blasted
DST is hellish and I hate it. It makes me feel "off".
Then Amy was here and we went out to have breakfast with Dan.
Dan came home, and Amy and I went to see Walter. He is up and in
a wheelchair.. tired, but sitting up. We took him more candy. His blood sugar was up, but the
nurse told him "Don't you worry honey, you eat anything you want, we got ya covered"
Which is what finally brought me to tears.
Still not sure what is going on with anything. Not sure if Deb will move
him of the opportunity should arise or? Just not sure of anything.
They have him on Thick it which is driving him to distraction .. he won't drink anything.
Debbie sneaks him some water and a few sips of coffee.. and watches to make sure he tilts
forward to drink.. anyway..

I am fine, no worries. I am however, tired. I have a headache and I am being frustrated
in my attempt to accomplish something ( not to do with Walter)
that I desperately want to accomplish. Foiled
by .. circumstances and forms and legalities and stubbornness. ARGH!!!!
And I can't even tell you about it :-/ But if you would wish me luck anyway?

I will do my best to catch up with all y'all later..

xoxoxo

Trouble with those onesies for girls is that you need to pull down the whole top to use the facilities. Brrrrr, in the wintertime.
If anyone knows of them with strategic flaps, please let me know.

I found this link...but don't hold me to their quality:

http://www.pajamacity.com/Drop-Seat-Footie-Pajamas/products/70/

another:

http://www.adultonesies.net/women/back-flap-women/

of course we wish you luck on your project, whatever it may be. As long as it doesn't involve s.i.l. living in your house.

Hope your visit with Amy goes well and smoothly...I hate DST as well. Just leave the danged thng one way or another. Sheesh!

Wishing you luck in everything!

Not sure I can catch up with my own thread....
You don't have to, you know. Remember not to make this yet another obligation or duty.
Catch up with us when you can.
xo

Kath- Just swinging by to lend a shoulder! I hope you have a good day. Gentle hugs.

xo yerself rd

Lynda... it looks like jude ( thanks jude) worked that our for you,
so.. will you get some? Curious minds......

Ahhh, Gail, the project was successful, as of last evening, but the ultimate
goal was a sad failure. But my project was to find out about the goal of
someone else. While it makes me sad, it is not tragic and life goes on.
s.i.l. will not live in my home. She refuses to answer my calls to her cell phone
when I am trying to touch bases with her so I can plan our days. She says she has no
service. Apparently she only has it when she calls to make demands.
Oh and 2x on friday she mistakenly dialed me after not answering my calls for 6 hours.
I had to call the desk to take her a phone.She only has service when she wants it, you see.

Thanks Cee.. that must have worked... see above :)

Hi roni and ellen, Thank you. I know, it does sometimes feel daunting here..
no wonder stasia needed a break, she was amazing with keeping up with everyone!
I come nowhere close. but I will try to keep up with all y'all :) or if not
at least find you to keep you on my radar. Thanks for being understanding :)

I keep having this weird dream where a woman stops me from leaving where
Walter is, telling me Dan and Bob have to carry him down to see the tulips on
tuesday. I keep telling her that there are no tulips yet. She just turns and leaves.
It also involves Walt doing some crazy things like having to get on a bus for
speech therapy. yeesh!

He was funny yesterday. They gave him a list of "K" words to speak
out loud 10 times a day. This is supposed to help him with his swallowing.
He hates it and makes fun of it. I said hey, my name is a k word.. he said too bad,
you didn't make the list. LOLOL ..

He nearly fell asleep when Amy and I were there :(
He is on oxygen, but is also on breathing treatments.
I told him it made him sound like Darth Vader, and he was quite pleased.

THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY is available for pre-order and I just darn well did!

Wonderful! A new Inspector Gamache!

I like your dream, and Walter's sense of humor.

24. The Sounding by Carrie Salo 4 great big stars.

I really liked this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4Pp8F3A298&feature=colike

book trailer

Hey Kath! So sorry to hear about Walter. You and your sister are so good to him. We should all be so lucky. Hugs to you!

I just have to comment on Darryl's post upthread about driving himself to the hospital when he had appendicitis. My husband did the same thing when we were dating! Unfortunately (or maybe FORTUNATELY), he was in such pain that he pulled into a gas station and asked them to call an ambulance. Silly man.

hope you have a good day today! do something nice for YOU.

Sandy K

Kath, I'm behind on threads again . . .

So very sorry about Walter's prognosis. Hugs to you!

I am glad you have that sweet little nephlet to spend some nice time with. What a cutie he is! Love the photos!

Hi Kath, Just checking in. So sorry to hear of Walter's prognosis.

Hugs to you.

I haven't been awake for more than a two-hour stretch at all today. Sleepy even now. I suppose it's change-of-season related but it makes me feel like a log.

Kath
I'm so sorry the stress continues with both Walter and your nasty sister in law.

Honestly, I think you are a saint. Increasingly I have such little patience for game players and your sil does sound rather evil.

Hugs dear one!
Call whenever you need a listening ear.

Ohhh so many hugs, (((((((((Kath))))))))). What difficult and painful times you are having. Good for you, pre-ordering A Beautiful Mystery. Retail therapy always helps, especially the bookish kind.

Thanks Jude, soo many choices. I thought each member of TIOLI should purchase this pattern
But I like the penguins more, or perhaps the pink ones with black cat. So cozy for reading on a chilly night. Too bad Ohio is now sub-tropical.

ETA: Have a great day Kath, despite all the stuff

good morning *yawn*

Weird dream again. Dreamed that I had a grandchild.. ( Craig and Sonia)
He was living with Adam.
Amy knew that but had not told me.
While I was unraveling the mystery ( with the phone ) I looked out
my window because I heard a rooster.. my neighbor had a rooster on the fence
at the front of his house.

Lynda... I have always liked black cats, but can't think of any clothing of any sort
that had them.. I have a night gown with grey and white kitties, though...

(((Deb)))) thanks for the hugs, always so appreciated ! It has settled into a sort of
steady hum... you know what I mean? And yes.. I want to have all of Louise Penny's books on my keepers shelf.....and felt not a moment of hesitation before pre-ordering :)

Linda.. amen to game players! And thank you for the offer to talk..
I may take you up on it one day. As of now.. my Adam is trying to make the
decision of whether to come and when. He last saw Walter at Xmas.. when
he was already not doing well.. but he was much better than now. Right now
Walter doesn't usually remember who visited when.. not even Bobby.. so I told
Adam, if he needs to see him for himself, then come. But not to do it for Walter..
Because more and more Walter wants no one but Debbie. He didn't want Bobby to go in
yesterday when he went up.. would not see him. I have no idea what he will do..

rdear it is the malevolence of Daylight Savings Time. I feel done in myself.
I am reading Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead and as entertaining as it is,
I had no trouble falling asleep last night. It is the total opposite of The Sounding,
and pure funny fluff. I wanted to finish it last night, but.. well.. fell asleep with
nook clutched to me and my glasses on.....

Terri and Sandy.... Thank you, but it is Debbie who is doing all the heavy lifting
here.. I just visit now and then... and pick up the slack for Kim. Not hard at all .

Agree Darryl's post was a hoot :) if you try to picture it. Dan did the same with a
kidney stone once.. I did it with chest pains last year, because no one would get up.
It's a wonder that ambulance services exist ! :P


Thank you all for the positive energy...

Stopping by to drop off another {{{hug}}}

....it's supposed to clear up here this afternoon...then sunshine for the next day or so...which always helps when life is in turmoil

;-}

*smooch* The Song of Achilles is *out*STAND*ing* so far.

I knew you'd like Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead! It made me giggle and chuckle and a few times even laugh out loud. I steadfastly refuse to read The Sounding though. The trailer scared me.

"...but it is Debbie who is doing all the heavy lifting ..."

Don't sell yourself short, Kath. Moral support is a big assist when it comes to "lifting". You may never get any thanks for it, but it's important.

hugs for you!

rd... The Sounding was a very good read... I will read it again...

Ahh, Cee... not as hard as other things..

I was called to Kim's this morning.. got a nephlet fix....
Deb went to Walter after...

He is doing poorly today. They put in a cath..
they must have drugged him or something, because yesterday he said
he would rather die ...

He is very tired.. Deb told me to wait to come up ...
He doesn't want anyone..
I will wait.. until ? She calls or ?

I have to do a quick run to the store after I make Dan his lunch.. and will see..

Hugs for you, Kath. Sometimes life is so hard.

I was at work one day and my sister in law called me very upset. My kids were horsing around after school and my youngest hit his head and it was bleeding so they called her. She was afraid to drive him to the hospital because he has a history of asthma and wanted to know what to do. I said call an ambulance. She was quiet for a moment and said, 'Oh, OK. If that's what you want to do.' Really! I guess I should have told him to walk. LOL

CHF is not a pleasant way to go...my Grandpa suffered for too long and my Dad and his sibs were no help with their constant arguing...You do what you can....and that's it

I would never call you a Saint, my friend...most of those folks came to violent, gruesome ends....nope, would never wish that on you...

;-}

hugs to you, I am sorry about Walter doing so bad...

Today our GP finally managed to draw some blood out of me before breakfast.
I reaaly dislike to do something before I had coffe and eaten something :-(
The waitingroom was WAY to crowded, so Frank went in and I waited in the car, when it was my call he came to get me...

Now waiting for the results, probably next week, because the thyroid values always take long.

xoxoxo

25. Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead by Christiana Miller 3 stars.
A fun read, just perfect to clear the mind after The Sounding..
next up??? dunno.

Hi Carrie :) nice to see you here..
That would have annoyed me :P call for instructions and then question them.. lol
hugs back to you

Jude.. Saint I am not, so thanks for that :)
Sorry that you had to go through that...

Anita.. I know.. crowded places make me shudder...
Hope it turns out that all is well with your test..

I was all set to go up but, Deb texted me ( I hate texting )
and said not to. He didn't want me there. sooooo ok.
He is a little better, ate something..but having some discomfort...

hugs to all

So there's a character in Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie who's like Richard? Did he drive everybody crazy, I mean, charm everybody?

Kath..i didn't go through anything with my Grandpa...but, he's the only one from Dad's side of the family, that i miss...he was a sweet, caring man...and Grandma was a Bitch of the first water

You just maintain...and don't forget to take care of yourself..you will be here after he passses

*did i say something wrong?*

What could've been wrong about what you said, Jude?

As for that cafe proprietor person, I Loftily Ignore his insinuations.

xoxo to Schmoopie

Of course you didn't jude... no worries.. :)

Joe, there is a guy that reminded me so much of rd, that I had a momentary suspicion that he had
written the thing, under a pseudonym... and yes, annoying, but in the best possible way. like rd....

smooch back to you Gus, I mean, rdear...

Moi, annoying?! And who, little missie, told you about the book in the first place eh answer me that who?!

I have to be honest - being loftily ignored is one of my favorite things ever. *must find book*

exactly

and I liked it... so thank you

(aside from the possession, dinna like possession)

LOL @ Joe

So sorry to hear about Walter's condition Kath. Do hope you can keep up with all you have to deal with. {{{Kath}}}

Hugs to you and Walter from across a couple of oceansdear dear Kath.

Hi Bonnie.. So far I am unimpressed with 2012, I have to admit.... hugs back :)
And hugs back to you, too Paul.. sorry I am behind in your threads... I am just trying to keep
up with my own :P

The Fey by Claudia Hall Christian is my current read.. on kindle..
not far into it, but *meh* so far.

Yeah, I can't write worth a dang either. Maybe it's the name?

Sleep peacefully and cuddly :)

Cee... baloney... I have read your reviews. You are a wonderful writer!
Now get busy with a book on G-town!

Did not sleep well.. took an otc sleeping pill, but no luck. Bah!

The Fey.. so far, there is barely enough story to carry the bedlam, and the hero is
a too thin hot chick.. ( she keeps mentioning her too thinness. )

Sorry the sandman didn't stop at your house last night, Kath.
Hopefully, you'll be able to sneek a few Z's in today.

Hope you manage to get some peace and relaxation Kath {{{hugs}}}

Kath, you never listen to me! :p
You were supposed to get a good night's sleep.
I don't know what the problem is - you live such a nice calm life... right.

How is Dunkers doing? I'm assuming good - but want confirmation. He's probably happy you are too busy to count how many times he gets a drink...
Sending your handsome dude-dog a big hug!

Hi Lynda and calm... I suspect it will be a little busy today. Thanks for good wishes and hugs thugh :)
As soon as I get Dan up, we have to go and pick up more underwear for Marty.
I asked her if she was selling them for pin money.... she also wants a few other things ..

Dan will take them, pay the taxes and pick up our income taxes...
I will cook, as it is Dan's day off...and maybe see Walter? He is being very stubborn..
wants no one. Just Debbie.

Cee... I know, very frustrating. Oh well.. nothing to be done.
Dunkers is splendid, thank you very much.. and don't kid yourself... I am watching
the pees and slurps of all five furkids. I have a bit of worry about Angus, he seems to be not eating
as much, but since he is more of a grazer then chow downer, it is a little hard to tell :P
Hopefully, I am worrying about nothing.

Headache.. woke with it. bummer.

It's heading for seventy today. 7. 0. It's not May yet, Weather Goddess! Kath, will you please get on the spiritphone to your kindergarten playfriend/maker of the weather and tell her to chill out (literally)?

No sir. 70 is fine with me. 80 is too hot. 70 works.

Just got back from another run to Marty's house. More underwear?
Seriously? I asked her if she is selling them. She laughed. ye gods.
She wants her tax info.. she is going to do her taxes while high on
pain meds.. whoopie!!

sigh

No word on Walter, yet.

Would LOVE to be a fly on the wall for *that* audit!!

yep!

I'm with you, Kath. 70 is just perfect. I can do 80, but if it climbs into "the 80s", I'm less happy. Seattle gets an average of 3 days per year of 90 or above. It's one of the things I love about it, although this time of year is a bit of a challenge.

Sorry life continues to be challenging and I'm glad you're getting in some good reading to help with coping.

Finally finding the light at the end of the tunnel of my computer woes ... even if I suspect it might be brief. So I thought I'd trip over here to see what's happening before the light goes out again!

yesterday we hit 70 degrees and I wore knee length boots to the office. Today we're at 50 and I'm in bare legs. I need a head transplant.

Hey, Kath! There's been a terrible accident in our county, nearby school district -- school bus and tractor-trailer collision. They've called in the coroner, six medical helicopters, multiple ambulance & fire companies. 1 confirmed dead so far. Horrible! ALL parents with kids on that bus told to report to an area hospital. I am seriously upset. I probably know some of the families involved.

Hi Ellen and Caro...

hectic here.... I will head out soon to see Walter and pick up my sister.
The bridge is out, need to take a long detour. Walter is not doing well. The doctor was
supposed to see him this morning. Did not show up. Bloodwork that Debbie thought had been done 2 days ago, has not yet been done. They turned up his oxygen today. They forced him to do PT and OT. If he can't do it, they have to send him home.. (WTF?) He isn't eating.. unless Deb forces him. His body isn't functioning properly elimination wise.. Do they just send people home to finish them off sooner?
There is much I don't know.. apparently insurance doesn't cover hospice?

I have an 8 am appt tomorrow, to see the p.a. at my dr office. The pain in my ankle has been nearly unbearable the last few days. It hurts all the way up to and beyond my knee. So.. I suspect that will take a while. Nook will be my best friend.. I have to remember to charge .. The pain is bad enough to make me feel nauseated. I have been trying to wait until everyone was sorted, but I gave in.

Terri.. they were just saying that on the news.. horrible

I wish everyone safe and well :(

>238 mckait: Weird dream again. Dreamed that I had a grandchild.. ( Craig and Sonia)
He was living with Adam.
Amy knew that but had not told me.
Those kinds of dreams are quite detrimental to relationships. They feel so real and are hard to recover from. Hope you have!

*gets out Fahrenheit-Celcius converter*
70s are all good for me, 80 I can do too, but anything more than early 80's and I'm a sweaty mess. This morning it was 51.8 (OK, that's actually just 11 deg C), and I'm in bare legs too. But I can see sunshine! So its OK.

Thanks, Kath! So sorry about your ankle pain, but I am relieved that you are finally going to the doctor's office. You work so hard to take care of everyone else, but YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!!!

Amen to that.

Megan, I often have weird dreams..
this was just weird, not one of dreams that feel real.. thank goodness!

Keep us posted Terri.. sending positive energy, as much as I can !

Joe :) you make me smile

Keep us posted Terri.

OK, so far the only death was the truck driver. Witnesses report that the truck crossed the center line and hit the bus head-on. Sounds like all the students are expected to survive. The bus driver and an aide were sent to the trauma center -- don't know their condition. Overall, I think it could have been much worse, given the nature of the crash. And not nearly as bad as the Swiss bus crash late Tuesday. I just saw footage of that one -- how horrible!

I heard nothing about a Swiss crash...
I am glad that this one was no worse... I wonder if the truck driver had
a heart attack or something? :( just a bad thing to happen.

Well, isn't this a cheerful thread!

A moment of silence for children in buses - even with seat belts they are so vulnerable. Pls heavenly angels, protect our children!

Hospice is supposed to be free. Insurance does not cover it. Don't know who does. The state? Charity?

What Terri said #273! So glad you are finally getting it checked... and treated! :-D
I knew when the pain got bad enough you would take action.

Marty's underwear and 70 degrees in March - not going to either of those crazy places...

Take good care - the world's a mess!

Too true Cee.
*must focus on nice people*
Hi Kath, hope your day is went well, and you have a nice full tummy from a delicious dinner. (if that's what your time zone dictates)

lol Megan... dinner is about right :)
That was a great post :)

Cee, I know, crazy... just crazy.
and yeah.. the pain was pretty bad today.
ouch.

:PPP

Thread move! Thread move! Thread move!