On My Mind

Friend with Covid and bile blockage, is slowly getting better. It has been nearly four weeks now. He is an antivaxer (nothing derogatory there, just fact). I wonder if he wishes he had gotten the vax. But, I would never ask. His wife continues to be healthy, just worn out from worrying so about him.

So it turns out that I have bilateral facet osteoarthritis in my neck. Oh joy, oh bliss! Not!

I had my physio therapy assessment yesterday and my first real physio today. I wasn't sure what to expect but it was passive stuff. I was hooked up to a couple of machines for a while and he did some manual stuff. But as far as actual participation on my part. That was minimal. I guess he's easing into it cause my neck is quite sore and the muscles are very inflamed.

Anyone have any physio experiences they'd like to share? Good or bad? Any thing I should look out for and be careful of? Feel free to share. It would be helpful. Thx

Before I forget, I learned about a resource I have never heard of. They are a resource of resources, connecting people that need assistance with unknown services. Website if thearc.org

If you have heard of this site, let me and others know what your experience has been.

Ali: Click on "Newest First."

Thanks AliBoBali!

Venting, I was much better at managing my father's needs during caregiving -- such as getting long-overdue medical treatment for him and seeing him through different surgical procedures he needed and all the aftercare in between. But meanwhile, I fell apart physically, mentally, and every which way. I'm not sure why that happens to caregivers, but I get it. Caring for someone else can be very draining. Refill your tank starting with simple things, maybe? Get yourself some flowers on your next grocery trip. Go for a walk, slowly, and observe nature. Look up motivational videos on YouTube. That helped me get going again. (((hugs)))

Strange. I searched for this thread in the search bar and it took me to mid-2018 posts. It was confusing for a second there but also nice to see some names of friends who have moved on from the site, like bookluvr. 💛

It's the strawberry supermoon today and tonight. I like the name of it and the idea of a pink moon. I don't like the extra agitation I get -- and I don't care what ANYONE says, haha, or what every single empirical study has found (that there is no correlation between full moons and increased mental *whatever*). I know what I know, and I know I get extra cranky and extra ramped up every. single. month. with the full moon.

Give your elders a pass tonight. Give yourself a pass. 🌕

I noticed a strange pattern with myself (it's probably true for other people too).

I am much better at, and much more willing, to solve other people's problems, than my own. I spent a lot of time helping my Mom, and yet I hardly take care of my own administrative problems.

Part of it, is the exhaustion after helping my Mom with emergencies (she's OK right now). So I need a break, need to relax. But part of it can't be explained that way: honestly, part of it, is just that I'm bad at managing my own life; I don't feel like dealing with my administrative problems. Some of them are simple: go to that government building, do that, sign that paper, go there. And yet I don't do it.

Even health; yes, for sure part of it is exhaustion and stress from helping my Mom, so I let my health/body slide. But part of it, is just that I'm better at taking care of my Mom, than my own body. Taking better care of my own body involves effort.

I'll endeavour to do better towards myself.

hugs & courage to all! :)

just a cute story:
i just saw on international news (true story), yesterday/sunday, a walrus decided to take a nap in someone’s boat.

the firemen were called. they got the walrus out of the boat. but the walrus swam back to the boat and continued sleeping.

the firemen decided he’s allowed to sleep there until he leaves on his own.

It always feels so good to be in my own bed, knowing I will be here for five nights.

Looking forward to tomorrow. It's my day off from dialysis, my physical therapist is taking PTO time and I have no doctor appointments. Just sit around.

barb - hope you are OK!

Barb: Feel better soon.💛

cwillie, yes you are correct that there are more than one study on the cannabis/pain relief issue and this is why they all need to be scrutizined by other respected scientific groups. Anyone can conduct a study, and anyone can conduct a study. This is why peer scrutiny and replication is so important.

To be fair medical marijuana for pain relief has been found to be lacking in multiple studies over many years, it's nothing new. But there are studies that do show benefits for some types of pain in some individuals though, so people who can't get relief through conventional means may find it worthwhile to give it a trial.

And if you have access to recreational cannabis you can choose to get wasted to the point of "feeling no pain" in exactly the same way you might with alcohol.... but of course that's a different thing😂

Countrymouse, the article is about how other scientific bodies scrutinized a study conducted by the US Govt.

"The latest review, by experts from Oregon Health and Science University, was published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

It looked at evidence from 18 placebo-controlled studies and seven long-term papers from around the world.

A total of 14,835 people were involved in the trials and took the products for up to a year."

You can certainly find and read the original US Govt study if you are able to understand the clinical and mathematical languages used. But it is very important that other expert and objective eyes are looking at the original study to make sure it was constructed and conducted properly and that the numbers, stats and conclusions are accurate. This is a prerequisite to another group duplicating the study to make sure they get the same results. If the same results aren't attained, this means either the original study was flawed in some way or the second study is flawed. This is how and why it seems that science flip flops on certain things over time ("eggs are bad for you!" ,"eggs are good for you!", "eggs are bad for you!" ) etc. It has to do with how reliable the studies were.

Maybe you don't like the results of the study? Do you have a horse in this race?

FYI 99% of the time I peruse the DM only for its entertainment value ;-)

Geaton you're rather ignoring the complete pig's breakfast that any self-respecting headline-seeking non-scientific journalist can make of a perfectly good study when he puts his mind to it.

They all do it. The Times ran a headline about summer babies being potentially academically disadvantaged because of lower sunlight levels, hence Vitamin D deficiency, during pregnancy; there followed a longish article reporting more of the respectable work, towards the end of which the lead researcher was quoted as saying that she wouldn't want any pregnant women being alarmed by this. Too late, love, too late.

The Daily Mail - ugh, don't start me. Not as silly as the Daily Telegraph is about the best I can say for it.

If you've got a link to the study, *that* would be worth a read!

Countrymouse, the Daily Mail didn't *do* the study -- the *US Gov't* did the study. DM just reported it.

- *Who* does the study is part of what matters.
- *How* the study is constructed and conducted matters
- Can the results can be duplicated by another scientific group matters
- the size of the study groups matter (so, not a small sampling but hundreds and thousands).

NOT *where* it is reported.

I always look for a parking spot that I can drive straight through to the one behind it so I'm facing out, and I'm willing to walk farther if I have to. I worry about backing out over clueless children and shoppers and I have noticed that people don't wait for someone attempting to leave their spot, otherwise slowly creeping back blindly and hoping for the best is often the only option if I end up wedged between two monster sized pick ups or SUVs. Plus I acknowledge my peripheral vision and ability to intuit where the edges of my car are is not what it once was.

I had my sister with me to all my appointments at the cancer clinic because of all the advice to have two pairs of ears. It was nice to have somebody help navigate the parking and getting through check in and to sit with in the waiting area, the actual appointments I could have done on my own but it did save me having to explain what was said after the fact.🤷

Barb,
Your comment about having an advocate with you at a hospital is valid.

Even having another body there (whether or not that person asks questions) can be helpful because staff will treat you better.

There was a letter put out there by a doctor known to the community on this topic. I copied it. But I did not post it here because I did not get permission, and the format was unfamiliar to me.

My point-if a physician is so strongly telling us all to have an advocate present-we should look into it.

Thanks for sharing.

And I hope you feel better soon.

Geaton - oh dear Lord, PLEASE don't rely on the Daily Mail!

It is a reliable source of confirmation bias for small c conservative readers who think the country is going to the dogs.

Barb, so glad to hear you are ok. 🤞🤞

My DH is useful for bring food & coffee in an ER/hospital setting - that's about it. Certainly not for speaking to medicos & remembering what they said. He's into a healthy life, but has zero interest in medicine or hospitals.

I remember feeling sad/weird when I changed my NOK #2 from my Father to my (just legally adult) child. DH is NOK #1 but I have actually wondered about when I will have to change that. Some days I do wonder a bit more about his little memory slips..

I am very sorry to hear about your DH's MCI 😞.

Take care 🤗

"It's a myth that cannabis relieves pain: Official US review finds 'little scientific evidence' drug is an effective painkiller"

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-10888787/Its-myth-cannabis-relieves-pain-Official-review-finds-little-scientific-evidence.html

Positivity rate nearly 12%. That does not include home tests. Had a board meeting tonight, 5 of 7 absent because they are sick! Be smart!

Glad, I back in more now because I can... now that I have a back-up camera. Most important invention in the 21st century!

Barb, it never hurts to have a good advocate or extra pair of eyes and ears. Last week I took my mom into Urgent Care for a small infected wound. She had put neospirine on it but forgot she is allergic to it (aand bacitracin), so it was itching, but also increasing red and warm. The Dx was cellulitis. Reviewed her meds allergies, including Bacitracin, like 50x during the appointment. An aid came back in to clean the wound and what was she about to put on it? Bacitracin, which I caught in time. Sheesh. Hope you feel better soon!

I think the backing in has to do with the state of the world and the need/ability to get out fast. First responders do this all the time. 😟😟

So, question.

I have lectured my kids always that an ill person needs an advocate by their side.

My mom, in her 80s said "If there's a lying down person, there needs to be a standing up person. If you're sick, someone needs to be there to ask questions".

So today, I was feeling short of breath and for the last week, over exerted. My pulse ox was 90, my pulse was 96, my BP was in the 150s.

CAlled my doc's nurse line, she asked me to relax for an hour.

After an hour, BP was higher, pulse ox was 96 and pulse was 88. I called her back and we agreed I needed to be seen.

BUT I felt fine, was perfectly able to advocate for myself. I knew I just needed an egg and a bunch of blood tests to know I wasn't having an MI or DVT.

My husband, never great in ERs, now has mild cognitive impairment. On a good day, he's doesn't ask the right questions. (Omg, the lady in the next bay asked her husband to find her wallet in her bag--no, not that flap, NO, the other one).

Then my ex, who got wind of this started asking questions. Oy, just let me manage this myself!

I guess this is a vent, not a question. All the blood tests came back fine, will see my cardiologist next week.

Sorry, G, no I'm not. They have been so close a number of times in the last 20 years it was an exciting game!