***THE SENIOR WW CHALLENGE*** Thurs 8/16

Good Morning!

Yesterday Mike's Dr. determined that his problems are from a pinched nerve in his neck. Mike rather discovered this on his own a few days before his appointment. The last time he had these issues were when he was working on a ceiling in his first flip and had his head looking up several hours a day for about a week. His Dr. suggested inversions and tumeric supplements. He goes to the chiropractor and gets relief from similar adjustments. I already take tumeric for inflammation, so he is going to give it a try.

Today I will leave 15 min earlier for yoga as the high school changed start times and I had to drive through a real traffic mess on Tuesday. It doesn't help that they are doing major road widening on that road. If that does not work I may be giving up my 2 morning Land O Lakes classes. The construction was to be completed by August. The new completion date is now October. 

QOTD: Have you noticed the days getting shorter? Do you like shorter days or longer days? November 4 is when Daylight Savings Time ends. Does this change your routine? If so, how?

Tonight is the family dinner for Fred's birthday. Kind of a belated celebration as it was the 5th but his sister is in town from Portland and wanted to treat and included everyone in Peoria, even Maija's boyfriend. Debbie asked Maija if she had prepared him for this and she said Mom if he can handle being with me then the dinner will be easy plus he's really excited to be meeting some of my family! It turns out that Maija's two female cousins who live in Virginia have added Sam as a friend on snapchat or something like that and told him they are so excited to meet him when they're all here at Christmas and he's excited about that too. He just really loves family and gets excited, not intimidated.

Fred has gone golfing but it's foggy so he might have a delay as they won't let you on the course in the fog. Debbie has her normal day today and is taking tomorrow off since she had a 12 hour day Tuesday and also went in for a few hours Sunday. Maija has swim team practice but will be allowed to leave early to get ready for the dinner. Her coach has been friends with Debbie since high school and just loves Fred so said of course she can leave early for "Derf's" birthday celebration! Debbie's friends all named Fred Derf while in high school and he loved it!

Gail you do have a lot on your plate right now but I would wait to make any big decisions as this move is something you've been wanting to do. I think you said it'll be a while before the surgery and then the recovery time so I think it will take you through another winter? If so you will then be able to know if you want warmth and the adventure of making new friends or stay where you would have ice and snow but the comfort of old friends. Just don't make any decision at the moment my friend as you seem so overwhelmed at the moment you need to relax and evaluate what is best for you.

Good morning friends. Gail and Jane, what days you’ve had!

Gail I realize my little community in Florida is special as we all help one another. I hope you find that someday. Yes, my DB and DSIS reminded Don and I we are lucky to still have each other as they have lost their spouses.

Jane when it rains it pours and you’ve had enough rain! But it seems you are resourceful and I wish a good outcome in all this.

I started and finished The Great Gatsby yesterday while it rained. Very good book but my DGS 19 says it is his favorite book and he is well read. That had me puzzled. Maybe it was a genre new to him.

I am about 3/4 through Yellow Raft on Blue Water and I still don’t care for it. Maybe there is a great ending as the book has glowing reviews.

Have any of you read Kristin Hannah. A friend recommended her. I’d have to buy a book as my library is in Florida.

Sharon

Greetings:  I'm off in my own little world right now.  I am weary.  I've had the boys for 3 full days and that's a lot of energy.  I fully expected to lose weight playing with them.  I went back to Thursday ...

Joanne, hope you've got your computer set up so you can use it.

Ruth, I just laughed and laughed at your QOTD last Thursday. About losing weight before vacation.  I have never focused on that, just poke along within my 2 lbs.  However, the west coast seafood is either fried or in salad.  And I don't want salad every day.  So the short of it is that I gained 6 pounds on our 2 week trip.  I didn't feel it until right before we got home.  I know a couple of times I went off the rails, but never to that extent.  And with having the boys and going to the farmer's market with DH I haven't been to an exercise class since we got back.  I'm going to go over and do some strength training shortly.  But, oh my.  I just feel so miserable.  Life is a process!

Jane, if anyone needed a Care Coordinator it's Don.  That's a role in health care.  One person is responsible for coordinating the care that a patient receives.  Think of the ringmaster in the old fashioned circuses.  All of the "rings" are different kinds of care -- PT  OT  cardio   kidney and everything else the patient needs.  And the care coordinator is the one who calls the shots.  Some primary care docs are also care coordinators, but not all of them.  Medicare pays for a care coordinator with a complex needs patient as I understand it.  I don't know if you've ever thought of something like that.  It has sounded for so long like you are taking on that role, and it's a pretty challenging job for someone not in the health care system.  When Don is in hospitals, the care physician is probably a hospitalist.  S/He does the coordinating role while the patient is hospitalized and turns care back over when the patient is discharged.  Since Florida has so many seniors, I have to think that there are care coordinators.  Just suggesting in case you want to talk to your health insurance provider.  I don't know if it's possible to talk to any at Medicare.  I just don't know Medicare.  Maybe there is something in the brochures.   Sorry, but this has been on my mind for awhile.  Patient advocates are great, but you need someone whose job is to get Don's care figured out.  I think it hit me hard when the GPs took away the med that the kidney doc ordered.  

Now on to my next project then I'll be back.

Care coordinator! What a marvelous idea for Don. I hope Jane can do this.

Karen C since Don and I both have apnea machines, it’s usually not a problem. I use a nasal pillow mask but he requires a full mask and when it doesn’t seal what a loud noise it makes.

AOTD I admit when it gets dark early I get bummed but I can’t think of how it would change my routine. Maybe I would be less likely to walk in the dark. But I would at least in my circle.

I did water aerobics today but I won’t go back to that class. All the ladies do is gossip and talk. I can do just fine on my own when we go to WC in the afternoons. I wonder if Marlo is still swimming.

Now I am off to get a haircut and shop for bras.

Karen, You are right. Mike saw the Dr. yesterday. Nothing seriously wrong, just a pinched nerve in his neck (see my first post this a.m.). Care Coordinators sound like an awesome solution for those with complicated medical needs. I will have to check to see if they are available here.

QOTD: Have you noticed the days getting shorter? This morning I got up at 6:30 a.m. and I did notice it was a little darker. Do you like shorter days or longer days? I definitely like longer days. November 4 is when Daylight Savings Time ends. Does this change your routine? If so, how? Yes. My step count decreases dramatically. I will not be walking after dinner. 

Sandy, It appears that Fred celebrates a birthmonth instead of a birthday. LOL I do, too  

Last night we went to a CDD meeting. They are raising fees $150 per year but providing gated security.  I am very excited that the board has figured out a way to do this and keep the costs low. Of course, we had complainers at the meeting. The gates should be up and running by Christmas.

Our Fit 4 Life instructor hurt his back. Jane, I told him about your "pool hanging". He is going to give it a try.

Sharon, Do you have electronic resources with your Florida library card? I am able to listen to some books on Hoopla and Overboard (which I like to do when I walk). They also have eBooks on both apps. I am not too fond of the Water Aerobics classes here, either. Those classes in Ohio were the best, though I am sure, like everything else have probably changed.

Jane having no fridge is only a little worse than having a dorm size fridge, which is what our camper has. I’m sorry Don won’t do the medical coordination.

Ruth I don’t like audiobooks, I’d rather read and hear the voice in my head than someone else’s interpretation. The book is $15 on Amazon so I might go ahead and buy it. I asked my DD who reads a lot and she replied mostly audiobooks as she can listen when cleaning and doing laundry etc.

Bra shopping. Ugh. My body has changed and the brand and size I’ve bought for years is no longer a fit. I made three trips to the fitting room and the style I liked didn’t have my size. So I came back and ordered two on amazon. At least they offer an easy return. And they were cheaper with free shipping!

The sparkly shirt I bought yesterday was returned today. The side seam was partly unsewn.

Sharon