My Sanity Needed Vents

[Margm]

V, my son's birthday is this week.  Somehow, I quit celebrating things almost eight years ago.  My daughter is peeved with me, which is nothing new, because I do not care to celebrate anything.  I'm like my maternal grandmother, it is just another day and I guess I rain on their parades.  I buy gifts, but my time of throwing BD parties have long gone away.  I figure at 56 (soon) and 61 (this week), they can "throw" their own BD.  I hear footsteps behind me and I will see them on their BD, but something is lacking in my celebration mode.  

The storms left over 200 thousand people w/o power.  The heat is so sultry humid, into the 100's, and my sister has been in the ER twice in two months, being unable to breathe.

Hope Gwen is okay and not taken prisoner.  Maybe her pain is lessened, I sure hope so.  

V, we move at our own pace with this grief and some actually find someone else to ease the pain, but I doubt the pain ever stops.  Finding someone else is a personal decision, and in my case a long expired, never considered decision.  I'm cranky, hate car hunting, so I will take control of my sister's car and pay her extra each month, she does not need to be driving anyhow.  Still have to take care of paperwork, which I hate, and just getting outside her apartment yesterday put her in the ER last night.  I was coming to get her from the ER on May 22nd when the woman ran the stop sign, no traffic, only two cars on the road.  I've had a rental (paid by insurance company) as my means of transportation..  Am tired of doing any kind of business except paying my rent, not sorry I moved away from taking care of a house.  

Take your time, time is not going anywhere.  After nearly eight years I can finally look at pictures and have good memories, even if they tinge on sadness.  

Your still new at this.   I would like to say it gets better, but unfortunately Rose Kennedy was right, you just develop scar tissue that can just fall off at any time.  

[Margm]

Karen and Dee included.  Have not heard from Gin in so long.  Many more.

[kayc]

Marg, were you without power long?  I hope you didn't lose your food!  I lost everything in my refrigerator when we were without power over 8 days.  
I'm sorry your sister had to go to ER again! Did you driver her? Is she home?

[Widow2015]

 Hi all:

I pop in here every day but really don't have much to share.  My life without my dear husband is very quiet and uneventful.  My son and his family are busy with their lives even though they live just 100 steps from my front door; (yes, I counted them. LOL).  I try not to interfere with their busy life.   My life consists of taking care of myself, housework, food preparations, doctor/dental appointments, etc. required to keep this soon to be 82-year-old functioning.  My entertainment is mainly TV and watching movies.  The local and national news is so depressing I seldom watch; too depressing.  My achy bones and joints don't let me work in the yard very long.  I envy you young'uns that are able to get out and walk and stay active.  

So good to hear from "V" again.  Your beautifully written words are so true on how this life without our special one is, it really touched my heart.  All of you: Kay, Karen, Marg all have such interesting writing styles; in the way you share your feelings.  I wasn't given that talent to write so beautifully so find putting my thoughts on paper or "laptop" very difficult.  Being a "died-in-the-wool" introvert doesn't help either.  My husband was the opposite of me.  He never met a stranger.  Moving forward for me has some positive traction occasionally, but sometimes it feels like I am going in reverse when "the scar" falls off.  I still talk with him and ask him what I should do in many situations.  The pain of his loss will always be with me or until my last breath.  

How nice Kay that you will get to spend a day celebrating your daughter's birthday.  Kodie will be the guest of honor, I'm sure.  

Marg, so sorry to read the weather and storms have added to your worries of caring for your sister.  Searching for a new car would be the last thing I could even think about doing.  It's good your sister has a car for you to use.  Also, I hope your sore muscles and body have recovered from the accident.

Yes, I worry about Gwen, too.  

Hugs to all.  Dee

[KarenK]

Kay, hope you have a nice lunch with your daughter. I'm sure it will be a real treat for Kodie to go.

A bit of crazy around here. Of course, this old woman who sees double for some reason and now my son with a weird one. He came limping home middle of work shift Tues. night.  He had an infected toenail and the infection spread up his leg to the groin(red line and pain). Went to the doctor Wed. morning, got a shot and antibiotics. Fortunately his boss called and gave him vacation early so he wouldn't miss any pay(which he can't afford). He's pretty much laid up for now. Sure a time when I need to be able to get to the store for groceries. Not happening! Maybe in a couple of days, we can manage it together. Cancelled our dental appts. which were today and rescheduled for later. We both have doctor appts. coming up Mon. I just call it "the Kennedy curse". Too bad the money didn't come with the name.  lol

Marg, sure hope your lousy weather improves. I saw the destruction left by the tornado in Matador, Tx. So awful and scary!

Dee, hope you are enjoying summer in your beautiful setting. Expecting 113 in a few days(actually below normal). Can't wait!  lol

[V. R.]

17 hours ago, KarenK said:

V, it is nice to hear from you and to see that you are moving forward. Do that at your own pace and disregard the comments of those who don't understand. It has been 10 years since Ron left and yet there are times when it seems like yesterday. I think it will forever be that way. Some bonds are never broken.

Congratulations to your daughter. I understand the mixed emotions. My son graduated the week we buried his father. He would have been so proud.

Take care. Sending peace to your heart.

Thank you for your congrats Karen. I can imagine how absolutely heartbreaking it must have been seeing your son graduate, without his dad, so soon after losing him, but at the same time making him proud. 

Sending peace and comfort to you too. 

17 hours ago, kayc said:

Exactly. And no moving on from it.

My George passed 18 years ago Father's Day, June 19, before they started calling it a holiday for Juneteenth.  It seems unbelievable to me that much time has passed...one day at a time.  

 

Looking around my church of 23 years the other day I realized only two people there that knew him. They've all died or left. That is sad to me.  That leaves my family and I don't hear from them. I miss my one sister (she died 3/28/22) that would bring him up, I love hearing his name come up, people talk about their memories, but they don't.

I'm glad you checked in! We miss hearing from you.

Marg, let us know how it all came out with the weather! And Gwen, let us know how you are even if it's short.

 

 

"If you mention my loved one's name, I may cry, but if you don't, it will break my heart". 

I feel like writing this quote on a piece of paper and sticking it on my forehead!

I've recently started attending mass in our local village chapel, which reopened last Summer, after being closed for more than 10 years. We baptized our daughter there, and my husband has  been particularly fond of this little characteristic church, situated in this pretty historical hamlet. We have never been church-goers, butI go there now to try and find some peace of mind and remind God that I'm still angry at him, waiting for the answer to my question: "Why?" 

 

[V. R.]

6 hours ago, Widow2015 said:

 Hi all:

I pop in here every day but really don't have much to share.  My life without my dear husband is very quiet and uneventful.  My son and his family are busy with their lives even though they live just 100 steps from my front door; (yes, I counted them. LOL).  I try not to interfere with their busy life.   My life consists of taking care of myself, housework, food preparations, doctor/dental appointments, etc. required to keep this soon to be 82-year-old functioning.  My entertainment is mainly TV and watching movies.  The local and national news is so depressing I seldom watch; too depressing.  My achy bones and joints don't let me work in the yard very long.  I envy you young'uns that are able to get out and walk and stay active.  

So good to hear from "V" again.  Your beautifully written words are so true on how this life without our special one is, it really touched my heart.  All of you: Kay, Karen, Marg all have such interesting writing styles; in the way you share your feelings.  I wasn't given that talent to write so beautifully so find putting my thoughts on paper or "laptop" very difficult.  Being a "died-in-the-wool" introvert doesn't help either.  My husband was the opposite of me.  He never met a stranger.  Moving forward for me has some positive traction occasionally, but sometimes it feels like I am going in reverse when "the scar" falls off.  I still talk with him and ask him what I should do in many situations.  The pain of his loss will always be with me or until my last breath.  

How nice Kay that you will get to spend a day celebrating your daughter's birthday.  Kodie will be the guest of honor, I'm sure.  

Marg, so sorry to read the weather and storms have added to your worries of caring for your sister.  Searching for a new car would be the last thing I could even think about doing.  It's good your sister has a car for you to use.  Also, I hope your sore muscles and body have recovered from the accident.

Yes, I worry about Gwen, too.  

Hugs to all.  Dee

Thank you for your kind words. I relate completely with that feeling of going in reverse, it's like taking one step forward and ten steps back😕. 

 

[V. R.]

10 hours ago, Margm said:

V, my son's birthday is this week.  Somehow, I quit celebrating things almost eight years ago.  My daughter is peeved with me, which is nothing new, because I do not care to celebrate anything.  I'm like my maternal grandmother, it is just another day and I guess I rain on their parades.  I buy gifts, but my time of throwing BD parties have long gone away.  I figure at 56 (soon) and 61 (this week), they can "throw" their own BD.  I hear footsteps behind me and I will see them on their BD, but something is lacking in my celebration mode.  

The storms left over 200 thousand people w/o power.  The heat is so sultry humid, into the 100's, and my sister has been in the ER twice in two months, being unable to breathe.

Hope Gwen is okay and not taken prisoner.  Maybe her pain is lessened, I sure hope so.  

V, we move at our own pace with this grief and some actually find someone else to ease the pain, but I doubt the pain ever stops.  Finding someone else is a personal decision, and in my case a long expired, never considered decision.  I'm cranky, hate car hunting, so I will take control of my sister's car and pay her extra each month, she does not need to be driving anyhow.  Still have to take care of paperwork, which I hate, and just getting outside her apartment yesterday put her in the ER last night.  I was coming to get her from the ER on May 22nd when the woman ran the stop sign, no traffic, only two cars on the road.  I've had a rental (paid by insurance company) as my means of transportation..  Am tired of doing any kind of business except paying my rent, not sorry I moved away from taking care of a house.  

Take your time, time is not going anywhere.  After nearly eight years I can finally look at pictures and have good memories, even if they tinge on sadness.  

Your still new at this.   I would like to say it gets better, but unfortunately Rose Kennedy was right, you just develop scar tissue that can just fall off at any time.  

I don't celebrate special occasions anymore either, since my C left. I only cook  special meals and bake birthday cakes for my kids, but that's all. 

Sending you best wishes for your son's birthday,and I hope your sister is feeling better. 

[kayc]

14 hours ago, Widow2015 said:

they live just 100 steps from my front door; (yes, I counted them. LOL).

 That's funny!  And I think your writing is just fine!
I can walk but am able to do little else with these broken hands.

14 hours ago, Widow2015 said:

Being a "died-in-the-wool" introvert doesn't help either.  My husband was the opposite of me.  He never met a stranger.

OMG, sounds totally like us!

Oh no, Karen! Your poor son! That is scary, hope the antibiotics do their number on him QUICKLY!  And to have to cancel appts, is there no uber or lift to call?  I hate to see you miss dental appts. Everyone schedules so far out nowadays!  Took me 5 1/2 weeks to get the results of my blood test!  But, my IR is great! Supposed to be under 1.5-2 and mine is .81!  Never heard of one so low! I had to share that with my doctor, he didn't know about the calculations (triglycerides/HDL).  Lord knows I've worked hard at it!

12 hours ago, KarenK said:

We both have doctor appts. coming up Mon.

I hope he's well enough to drive by then, but if you have to give 24 hours notice for cancellation or pay for the visit, I'd cancel today and reschedule for later.

12 hours ago, KarenK said:

I just call it "the Kennedy curse". Too bad the money didn't come with the name.  lol

Oh, Karen, you're funny!

7 hours ago, V. R. said:

"If you mention my loved one's name, I may cry, but if you don't, it will break my heart". 

I love this! And so true.

7 hours ago, V. R. said:

remind God that I'm still angry at him, waiting for the answer to my question: "Why?" 

We'll likely have to wait until the other side for answers, if He gave them to us we probably wouldn't get it with our finite brains and still wouldn't likely agree.

Fortunately for me, my son is the cake baker and decorator in the family (neither of us eat sugar so I usually bring us each a SF mug cake for bdy functions).  His cakes are amazing and very artistic!  His cake making area is in his garage (no car has ever graced it).

[Widow2015]

16 hours ago, KarenK said:

Dee, hope you are enjoying summer in your beautiful setting. Expecting 113 in a few days(actually below normal). Can't wait!  lol

Karen:  So sorry to read of your son's situation.  He was smart to get himself to a doctor quickly.  I can imagine the frustration having to change doctor appointments.  It's bad enough having to feel dependent on others.  You are fortunate to have your son there.  Had hoped there would be a solution for your double vision.

Well actually the summer weather just started yesterday here.  The sun finally decided to make an appearance after days of clouds and chilly temps and rain.  The weatherman is predicting a high of 81 today.  That's perfect weather for me.  Your summer weather would do me in.  

Take care, Dee

  

 

[Margm]

5 hours ago, kayc said:

neither of us eat sugar

My "low moisture" diet is not one I would recommend for anyone.  If I ate lettuce or raw veggies, or even cooked veggies, I would either die or sit on the necessity until I wished I would die.  The pills that would help control my tremor had me on the necessity from 4a.m. until 10a.m.  No relief.  My diet for eight years, and I pay for it if I eat off the diet, is potatoes, cakes, cookies, anything made with white flour, fiber content as close to 0 as I can get.  Nutritionist could not believe it and after talking to the doctor was totally bombed.  Said I might could have wheat bread.  Complete night and day difference from keto diet.  I have probably 10-12 crosses on my wall of my bathroom "Please God, I promise not to eat chocolate again, drink coconut milk", and would not dream of eating a raw onion in a sandwich, it would kill me, or make me wish I was dead.  Keeping my blood levels under diabetic numbers is a constant fight and one I'm tested for every four months.  They are very suspicious of this hematoma that won't disappear from right breast.  Was not there before the airbag and seat belt almost removed the whole thing.  I've got to go try to remove the old cigarette smell from the car and three appointments that I would be taking my sister to next week.  She cannot afford to pay car insurance and I'm really afraid for her to drive anyhow.  If she gets out in this hot humid weather, her COPD activates and trip to ER to breathe. More chemo/immunotherapy next week and her little genius brain is poisoned into submission.  She is a walking skeleton, tries to gain weight but cannot taste food.  I don't think you ever beat cancer.  From personal experience, it takes its toll even 30-40 years after last treatment.  They call you cancer-free but you are hobbled with the side effects for life, but you have your life, but you still suffer the cure.  (I'm feeling over or underwhelmed today.)

[kayc]

Dee, where do you live? We've been having 80s last couple of days, supposed to be 70s, we'll see what the week brings. Haven't used A/C recently.

Marg, I don't know how you do it, it seems with low fiber you'd have polyps.  I used to have IBS before Keto, can't have wheat or milk either one. 

My friend Iris was doing so well on Keto but she got this idea it's "what you eat most of the time"...um, no!!!  That's when her tumor rebounded and she's facing surgery this week.  I hate to think what's in store next, I hope she doesn't have to have radiation and chemo would do her in, I remember that year, it was hell. What it did to her liver, which she since healed with Keto.  I never want to go off this, it's healed everything within me.  All but my hand injuries, nerve damage is tricky, can heal or not.

Karen, how is your son doing?  

[Widow2015]

3 hours ago, kayc said:

Dee, where do you live? We've been having 80s last couple of days, supposed to be 70s, we'll see what the week brings. Haven't used A/C recently.

I live about 30-35 miles south of Seattle as the crow flies, neighboring Puyallup, Tacoma and McChord Airforce Base, (now called Joint Base Ft. Lewis-McChord).  I think I recall you said your son was stationed there.

I have an idea where you live because my daughter also lives in Oregon.  She used to live in Oakland but now lives in Roseburg.  She and I are always comparing weather conditions and they are always dryer and warmer.

I too turned off AC after the weather decided to turn cooler.  Like they say, "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute, it will change."  Dee

[Margm]

We are humid and heat index (whatever that is) goes up over 100 degrees constantly.  It is the humid heat that exacerbates my sister's COPD.  I hope everyone gets to feeling better.  Life is strange Kay.  Your same lifesaving diet would kill me very quickly.  I sure miss cornbread, speckled butterbeans, onions, peppers, and the best thing I ever ate was an ear of corn that had been grilled/steamed in its own corn shucks, then dipped in butter.   Nothing corn anything for me, but I can have white rice.  Y'all, stay well hydrated.  

 

[Margm]

Karen, I do not see any follow-ups.  So sorry about his foot and leg, hope the antibiotics are taking hold.  Scott fell off the porch last night while talking to me and rammed metal into his hand, bled a lot.  He has to wear a brace after being shot in his leg and takes some kind of medicine to help him feel in that leg.  Hit in the femoral artery and "died" on the OR table.  With a lot of transfusions, they pulled him through.  The VA provides a brace and special shoes.  Until then (stubborn about going to  doc) he would break that ankle and not feel a thing.  He dropped his phone last night and I could hear him cussing.  I told him to wash it with antibiotic soap and put Neosporin on it and he teasingly (I hope) said he just rubbed dirt on it.  Infection spreads so fast.  Good luck for you and your son.  Let us hear from you.  

 

[Margm]

8 hours ago, kayc said:

it seems with low fiber you'd have polyps

I have had all humanly possible amount of radiation to the lower abdomen.  They cannot do any surgery on me, no stitch would hold and not even surgery glue would hold.  Colon obliterated back in 2014.  No self respecting polyp would even try to grow.  I don't even have to have Pap smears because they said no surgery could be performed.  Going on 10 years and that old string I'm holding on to will break one day, but I've had almost 81 years so far and wonder why I'm still here most of the time anyhow.  

[KarenK]

My son's leg is getting better. He's been staying off of it. I went with him for groceries today to help the best I could. We both have a doctor's appt. on Mon. Another step on the slow journey of trying to figure out my vision problem. It seems to be getting worse but I can still get along okay in the house.

Hope Scott's hand is okay. Sounds like he has enough on his plate already.

My new dental appt. is July 5. Anbesol is my best friend right now. Hoping he can save my last few teeth. Not likely.

[Margm]

My time was spent in the dentist's chair from the time I lost my baby teeth.  By 19, I had almost all of them filled, front top too.  Mama said it was because she didn't take calcium when she was pregnant with me.  My top's had the roots eaten up by some sort of tumor, not malignant.  Had an upper plate after Scott was born, bottom plate in 1998.  Trouble with bottoms.  A friend had the "screw in's" and let us know each day how it went.  No guarantee and the price was in the many thousands of dollars.  My friend takes antibiotics (which would kill me) a lot of times and she had a rough time.  My cousin has the "screw in's" and praises them.  I saw the procedure and you wind up having a sort of "plate" to put over the top of them.  My friend had nothing but trouble and pain..  My cousin said it was easy.  Personally, I'm glad I didn't have it done.  I went to bed with so many toothaches in my teens, I don't miss my regular teeth at all.  I wish you luck with that.  We do not need more pain.  

 

[kayc]

Dee, I'm above Oakridge in the mountains, SE of Eugene about 1 1/2 hours, I 1/4 hours from Springfield. Yes my son was at McChord AFB years ago, we drove up to Tacoma to see him when there.  Seattle is big!  Gwen lives there.  I'm worried about her, esp. how Dee was to her.  I'm wondering what's going on...

18 hours ago, Margm said:

I sure miss cornbread, speckled butterbeans,

This is one thing we have in common, can't have either one, but I do have a Keto recipe for a cornbread lookalike, haven't made it though.

Oh Karen, my heart goes out to you with your eyes and teeth.  My vision is worsening, am so glad I got eye therapy for my double vision years ago, it saved me, and I was young then with kids, busy life.  But my garage wouldn't hold still when backing into it, kept jumping back and forth depending on which eye was winning dominance.  Wondering if you've tried the eye exercises I gave you, they were simple but worked for me.  And your teeth, I have dental insurance through my health insurance (United Healthcare Advantage Program) but I doubt it covers dentures.  I'm glad your son is getting better, and groceries too!

I've had bone loss in my mouth so doubt I could ever get the screw ins, I have a bridge in the front, can't tell, missing half my teeth, all in the back.

[KarenK]

Kay, to be honest, I never tried the exercises. If you could send me the link again, I'll save it. I'm also going to mention this to my doctor. I don't seem to have a dominant eye. Can see fine one eye at a time, but together there are 2 side by side images overlapping. Anything farther than about 3' away. I have had dental insurance through MetLife since I worked for the phone company. Coverage has never seemed to keep up with rising dental costs, but better than none at all I guess. It paid a portion of the upper and lower partial bridges my old dentist made. Rarely wore them as Covid kept me home. They were uncomfortable and no longer fit because of more lost teeth. Just have to see what this new dentist comes up with.

[Widow2015]

19 hours ago, Margm said:

Scott fell off the porch last night while talking to me and rammed metal into his hand, bled a lot.

Marg:  Oh no, sounds painful.  Hope he heals quickly.  

 

5 hours ago, kayc said:

Seattle is big!  Gwen lives there.  I'm worried about her, esp. how Dee was to her.  I'm wondering what's going on...

Yes, Seattle is big and according to what I see on TV is not a place I'd want to visit again.  Many years ago, I'd drive up there quite often with some lady friends to attend stage plays, museums, shopping, etc.  Besides the years of change and progress, and the awful traffic congestion I'd get lost for sure.   When my son has to go there for his work, he drives a truck, he says all the homeless are everywhere.  But, sadly, this situation is not only in Seattle.  

Yes, not hearing from Gwen is a worry.  Keep hoping she signs in soon.

15 hours ago, KarenK said:

My new dental appt. is July 5. Anbesol is my best friend right now. Hoping he can save my last few teeth. Not likely.

Karen:  Hopefully the dental appointment will be successful for you so you can have all your energy to deal with your vision issue.  No one wants to be trapped at home all the time.  Good thoughts for you. 🙏🏼Dee  

[kayc]

On 5/10/2021 at 7:47 AM, kayc said:

I went through double vision years ago, went through eye therapy and it helped.  They told me it was because I didn't crawl as a baby (my mom kept me in a playpen as they were building a house) so I had to go through exercises.  Picking up cheerios with pickup sticks..  Tie a cord to a doorknob and hold it and focus your eyes up the cord to the doorknob, and back towards you, repeatedly.  Hang a ball from the ceiling while being on a balance board (Ron could make one out of a square of wood with a small square in the center, put the small one on the floor). You stand on the balance board while watching the ball swing around you with your peripheral vision (this was the hardest exercise!).  Also, put a 2 x 4 on the floor and walk forward to the end and back on it repeatedly, this was also challenging for me.  All of these simple exercises cost me $900 back in 1992 but worked.  Another one was to look in the mirror in the morning and try to bring your lazy eye in so your pupils are direct in the mirror without one of them going "off."  You can also put your forefinger out and slowly bring it to the tip of your nose while focusing on it,   I've often used that one to bring my eye back in, most of us have a dominant eye and the lazy one can check out, we have to make it work with the other.  They can also put prisms in your lenses to help.

I hope you get an appt. with the eyedoctor soon!  Still waiting for mine, they're behind "due to Covid."

@KarenK

[kayc]

On 2/14/2022 at 3:58 AM, kayc said:

It was simple exercises, picking up cheerios with pick up sticks, standing on a balance board while a ball tied to the ceiling went around my head, me watching it with peripheral vision.  Following a string to the doorknob with my eyes, back and forth.  Bringing my finger to my nose and following it with my eyes.  It worked.  I couldn't drive had I not gotten this.  The garage would jump around and I didn't know which one was real!

@KarenK

[kayc]

On 3/24/2022 at 3:47 AM, kayc said:

Karen, I had to go through eye therapy to get rid of my double vision, my eyes didn't work together, left one went off on it's own.  There's simple exercises you can do to help it, I still remember them after 27 years! 

1. Get a 2 x 5 x4' board, put on floor, walk up it, backwards, forwards, backwards.  Balance is very much tied in.  (They said because I wasn't allowed to crawl when I was little). They also said it affects math ability, which oddly enough, I was great at. My daughter was the mental math winner every year in OR...she didn't crawl much. (Imagine what we could have done!) 
2. Pick up cheerios with pickup sticks. 
3. Stand on a balancing board with a ball hung from the ceiling going around you, holding still you look for the ball to come around you while you follow with your peripheral vision. 
4. Tie twine to a doorknob and hold it, follow the string from you to the doorknob and back, slowly repeat with eyes following...up...down... 
5. Start with finger held away from you and slowly bring it to your nose, following with eyes (I still use this one to bring my left eye in in the morning sometimes). 

Can also get glasses with prism to help bring eyes in line with each other.  I paid $900 out of pocket for these exercises 27 years ago, it was a lot of $ back then but without which I couldn't have continued working/driving.

 

[kayc]

I know I've typed them out this year (April?) but couldn't find it.  No link, this was early 90s, I had to pay over $900 which would be thousands now to get these exercises, but it worked!

22 hours ago, KarenK said:

Coverage has never seemed to keep up with rising dental costs, but better than none at all I guess.

Seems like all dental coverage is this way. I paid out of pocket all these years to see my dentist, but he's retired, I liked his daughter but not the son and when the daughter left the practice, I was gone too. I still get postcard reminders from them and toss. I went with the one my insurance has since the daughter had a clause for two years she couldn't work on us.

22 hours ago, KarenK said:

I don't seem to have a dominant eye.

Most people do, that's why it all culminated for me when I couldn't tell which garage to head for (backing up, steep driveway)!  When the left and right eyes started fighting each other...I had to train them to work together.

17 hours ago, Widow2015 said:

But, sadly, this situation is not only in Seattle.  

No, it's in Eugene too, and very much so here. They come up from Eugene so they can camp up here and it's a problem. They've taken over the park we have, it's a real issue, needles, tents, crazy people going off, begging...

 

22 hours ago, KarenK said:

They were uncomfortable and no longer fit because of more lost teeth.

I had a partial too but no longer have the teeth it'd attach to so finally tossed.

Went to lunch with my daughter for her bdy (it's today but she has to work) had Kodie "working" as a service dog, he was so good! He really listened and heeded everything I said. In the grocery store I had him on the floor by the cart like I was told, although tbh, I liked it better when he was in the cart as it felt he was more a part of me, does that make sense?  I was so proud of him! Last night he was really tuckered out. I asked Figaros for water (II brought his bowl) as he hadn't had any for five hours, and they said they didn't have any! I thought that was crap! If I wasn't on Keto I wouldn't go there anymore just for that!  I had to walk across the store to the drinking fountain to fill his bowl.