THR second time easier (so far)

[Songlady]

LeeApril26 - let me share my other secret recipes: Speed dial: Chinese; Mexican, other Italian delicacies from the pizza place....... enjoy family and try not to get too tired! Or at least not to do damage that will prolong recovery. I figure tiredness is worth the mental boost sometimes.
Peaches - good to hear from you! Busy is a good reason for not BSing (did I SAY that!!?? ) even if it's that necessary "work busy."
zauberflöte, sandybeach, ByGosh, Littlejem, Liveringer (and you already tagged above, and everyone else lost in my hecticness!) - today we have Songboy, his cousins, and their parents (my BIL and SIL) heading in from the Northlands, probably about suppertime. All will stay the night; then BIL, SIL and Niece will head back South. We will keep Nephew. Except that tomorrow I head to the organists' convention for 3 days - so Sman, Sboy and Snephew will have Guy Time. I will check in as I can from the dreaded Tablet. I hear the hotel has a pool.... hmmmm who needs to hear another organ recital!?
In the meantime, Mom's BP is very low, doctor is alarmed, so... stay tuned. (Do I feel this information twisting that back muscle.....? ) Thanks for being there, BS friends!

 

[zauberflöte]

Songlady good family time, and then, you get to run away! Sman will make them clean up
Yes, I can hear your back crunching from here.
Doctors are not supposed to be alarmed. They are supposed to carry on, give information from which to make choices. Maybe it's just too hot for your mom? I do hope this will not require your attention or worry

 

[Nannyannie]

Songlady Stop whatever you are doing and rest for a bit - like most women you must be running around getting stuff ready for your trip, Songfamily's arrival ..........breathe and relax! Get your packing done and leave the rest, they will manage. Try not to worry too much about your mom, not easy I know.
LeeApril26 Speed dial recipes - when I phone our local kebab/pizza/burger restaurant they know our address without me saying! When I started teaching fulltime 20 years ago Friday night became take-away night and that has survived retirement.
Looking forward to a post from the Tablet - I hate autocorrect! Enjoy your hotel stay and don't forget to pack a swimsuit for that pool.
Anne

 

[nmscienceteacher]

Songlady, just a thought, check with mom to see if she is hydrating enough. FIL lives with us and is in late 80s and HATES to drink water. We are giving him all manner of flavored non calorie beverages to try to keep him hydrated. Many older folks don't drink enough fluids. In the summer heat that could contribute to low BP.
Thanks for the reminder on the pedometer...will dig mine out now that I am not on the walker. It didn't work when I was on the walker. You all make me tired just reading about all the things you do...have to remember you are weeks ahead of me in recovery, lol. Hope your convention adds a song to your heart and bounce to your step!

 

[sandybeach]

Songlady, ByGosh, LeeApril26 zauberflöte nmscienceteacher You all sound like you're having busy full lives. Like the song goes...it sounds like life to me . I know I'm enjoying my summer this year. Last year every time I wanted to do something I had to think about, is it worth the pain. Songlady enjoy your convention and Leeapril have fun with your family it sounds like you have some fun days ahead.

 

[LeeApril26]

Thanks, sandybeach. I am doing far more than I have been able to do in more than a year. Glad you are having a good summer, too. Enjoy!

 

[LeeApril26]

Songlady. Have a good and safe trip. Thanks for the international cooking advice. I am impressed by how many guests you've had in the last few weeks. Our guests have been here 24 hours and it's tiring, along with wonderful to see them.
I definitely vote for your sneaking out of the conference for a session and enjoying the pool. If there's a hot tub, that's a great way to start.

Hope your mom is doing better. This heat has been awful.

 

[zauberflöte]

Songlady safe trip and don't get in the way of too much hot air!

 

[Peaches]

Safe (and fun) trip, Songlady! In all ways as usuall, but in bonesmart, hip ways, too. I sure hope you get some relief from this heat and humidity we've been having in our northeast. And your mom--I echo the "hydrate hydrate hydrate" advice, which I'm sure you would know anyway. So glad the mattress topper arrived, despite the chemical smell, which I think is so hard to avoid. I like your recipes, by the way. Right up my alley these days.

 

[ByGosh]

Hi Songlady I want to quickly tell you I hope you feel better and enjoy your convention! Good luck with the SongRelatives coming. Take care of yourself and be careful not to overdo.
I'll write more later, I'm going to help GoshHubby make a strawberry apple pie - he couldn't find rhubarb at Stop & Shop and you got me hankerin' for a pie! How did yours come out? I bet Songman loved it! I'll sit and peel.
I agree with nmscienceteacher about your Mom, and making sure she's well-hydrated, especially in this heat! If her urine is orange-ish or dark, she's not - it should be light light yellow. Also, is she on cardiac meds that could lower her BP? Good to call the doc - I'm sure she'll be ok- there will be lots of people around who can help her out while you're gone.. SongMan sounds very competent.
I had to take yesterday off from BS'ing (as you so cleverlyi put it ) as I had a bad few days and got quite discouraged... "By this time next year...." I keep thinking, but when there's pain, it unfortunately, can be very trying, as you all know!

 

[sandybeach]

ByGosh, how are you doing today? Days with pain can be so discouraging. Do you know what caused it? Did you do something new? Life is looking up for you, soon you will have a pie baked by your husband.

 

[ByGosh]

So sweet of you to ask sandybeach Yes, I did do something different - I went to two luncheons last week on Tues and Wed, mostly sat the whole time, but it was more than I usually do, so that must be it. Otherwise, I'm doing my usual routine - I paddle around the pool most days, not using my legs hardly, keeping them buoyed up, and some usual household cleaning. I was on prednisone the week before last, and it helped while I was on it. But it was only a week long course, and the pain returned after I finished, unfortunately. I did do more that week - shopping and some walking the dogs a bit. Maybe that was also stressful to the tissues. It's hard to pinpoint, but whenever I increase my activity, it's not a good outcome. It does get discouraging, but hopefully it won't last forever.
How are you? Back to work now, and doing well, I hope. We have had some hot weather lately here. How has it been for you? Summer, I hope so you can enjoy the outdoors finally after that long winter you had! I hope everything is going along well for you and your recovery is right on track. Take care and thanks for checking in with me.

 

[Songlady]

Hi Peaches zauberflöte ByGosh Nannyannie Littlejem sandybeach LeeApril26 and everyone's I am at the sincere he and having a good time. I am taking some time off but still I am Tired. Ho well. The mental stimulation is good.
The first night I did not sleep well because the AC was /is so noisy! I stopped at a pharmacy today and bought foam ear plugs. I am so tired I think I'll sleep no matter what!
One more very full day, tomorrow, and then Songman will come up the next morning, attend one concert with me, and we'll go home.
I did great walking for a good part of today and then jet started hurting and limping. because it had been raining I had opted to bring my umbrella (a small collapsible one) instead of my cane..... But a friend noticed my limp. It wasn't raining any longer... So she offered her bug umbrella (all rolled up) and I used it like a cane! Better than Nothing,
Hope this makes sense- writing on tablet.

 

[LeeApril26]

Songlady. Good to hear from you. Hope you sleep tonight and hear some wonderful music. So glad your friend rescued you with her umbrella. Very nice that Songman is joining you and driving you home. Take care of yourself.

 

[Littlejem]

Hi Songlady when I first read your message I did wonder if you'd written it after a 'good' night out but then I realised you'd written it on a tablet and it all became clear!! Sounds like it's been full on for you it's no wonder you've been limping, good job your friend had the foresight to let you use her long umbrella as a substitute cane. Hope you got a good sleep, it sounds like you need it.

 

[zauberflöte]

Songlady I do apologize but I started laughing as soon as I saw that you were at the "sincere he" and couldn't stop. Make the most of the mental and musical stimulation-- are there any big names performing? We'll be glad when you're home!

 

[ByGosh]

Hello Songlady I wonder what you meant to type instead of 'sincere he'? Organ concert? Convention? Hotel room? Hot tub ? Jail cell?? What, what?
It sounds great. I'm sure you walked tons of steps there, so it's not a surprise your hip/leg began to tire out. Did you wear your pedometer so you can give us a full report?
The umbrella cane was a great idea - we have to let Peaches know! It's another invention for her. Or did she already think of that one?
I'm so glad your SongMan can come and listen to a concert with you, and keep you company on the way home. That'll be very nice for you both.
I trust your Mom is fairing well without you at home, and you'll let us know how she's doing when you return.
Enjoy the rest of your concert!

 

[Songlady]

Peaches zauberflöte ByGosh Nannyannie Littlejem sandybeach LeeApril26
I am home! O, my goodness, when I re-read that post I'd done from the tablet......!!! SO funny! And your responses were hysterical. I was sitting here at my computer, hooting with laughter!
The convention was wonderful. Yes, ZF, there were some big name organists, and workshops on playing, singing, new music, etc. Wonderful!
OK. So... the event was packed, schedule-wise. I skipped a thing or two so I could just relax, but still... Lenora and Peaches, I thought of you: most organs are in churches, and a lot of them have STEPS. A few have elevators indoors, but... there were lots and lots of steps, and if I looked down (to place the cane) as I descended, I had a disoriented, "am I going to misstep and fall" feeling. Actually, if I didn't look as much, I was better off.
ByGosh, you BET I had that pedometer! The first day, 6,715; Day 2, 8,347 (!!!!) yesterday, 4736; and today, 4613 steps.
Hip report: Day 1 was fine, so then I had done without the cane for part of Day 2 (the day of my silly entry from tablet, above) and I ended up walking even more. Indeed, I was limping by the end of that day (thank goodness for my friend and her "bug umbrella" - I meant BIG umbrella!! ) and by end of day I'd been back to the hotel and my room to fetch my cane. The next morning, HA! when I woke I was so stiff I wasn't sure I could LURCH to the bathroom 10 feet from the bed! A hot shower helped some, and I eased my schedule as much as I could to still enjoy it all, used the cane, and did OK. My other observations are that the whole experience had too much sitting at one time and then all this walking. My goodness, I hurt from sitting on wooden pews! Or folding chairs! And Peaches, whenever I could I used a "handicap" bathroom, but sometime I had to use a regular one with a ridiculously low toilet seat. At least no one had to rescue me!
It was fun, DEFINITELY "too much" but - it's over now, and I am looking forward to next year!
Goodness, my ankles are even slightly swollen, and that hasn't happened to me since maybe the week OF the surgery?! Time to Elevate!! Thanks for "being there", all!
PS, and Mom seems to be doing fine. Whew!

 

[zauberflöte]

Songlady you sound buoyant-- we can tell you had a good time and the pain was worth it. I hope the after-effects don't last more than a day I know what you mean about looking down too much at stairs-- my brain jerks, sort of.
And so glad to hear your mom seems ok, a great relief!

 

[LeeApril26]

Oh, boy Songlady. I hope those church steps had handrails. I am glad that you had the relief of your mom doing well while you were away. Sounds like it was wonderful, and I'm so glad. Also impressed by all your steps. No wonder you were lurching. Hope you can rest some over the next couple of days.