Staying the Course -- 08--29--2016

[Superbob]

We've had some torrential downpours today -- whole lot of tropical disturbances brewing out in the ocean. Doesn't look right now as though we will get big winds this week, but could get more soakings. Hopefully nothing like the 20 inches or so in last October's freakish storm.

Trying to keep the dawg and myself walked in some still-sweltering weather. You'd think the rain would help, but it feels like a steambath afterwards.

That's about it for the time being -- look forward to hearing from you all.

Cheers,

Superbob

 

[epstns]

Still here, too, SB. We've had some rain, and some near-tropical-storm rain. I left work a few minutes early yesterday because they were sand-bagging the driveway and unless I left, I was going to be blocked in for the duration of the evening's storms. Since I had been there from 6:15 AM on, I opted to just leave.

This morning we again had torrential downpours, but so far they have been of short duration. I only had to drive down one washed-out road, and that one was only 2 or 3 inches deep. Within half an hour, it was just wet with no standing water. As long as there is somewhere for the water to go, we will be OK. It is only when the storms overwhelm the drainage systems that we are at risk. Sort of not what you'd expect, as we are about as far from either coast as you can get.

Repairs in the house are progressing, but not without surprises. It seems that every time a contractor comes out he can do his job but in doing so he has to create another job for someone else. To have pipes fixed, they had to cut walls and kitchen cabinets. The cabinet maker came out to fix the wood and left me with some hardware issues. The guy patched the wall in the bathroom, but left enough touch-up plastering to do that the painter will need an extra day to get the tiny room done. And on, and on, and on. Oh, the joys of owning an "older" house.

 

[honeybunny]

Hi all~ Dreary and rainy in Houston but no real flooding as we've had in the past. Construction of new sewer lines on my street has been a bear though. Supposed to go through October but at the rate they are moving it will be next year before they are done.

 

[Catie]

Raining here today also. Honeybunny, I forgot you're in TX, too.

I am trying to remain true to my exercise goals, but I've fallen short many times the last few weeks. It's like pulling teeth sometimes. I did my three miles after 9 p.m. last night, but they got done.

 

[Superbob]

Good to hear from you all! Meant to say re weight, I haven't been on my WW scales but at one doc's visit I did have to step on scales fully clothed AND with shoes on, and I figure with a deduction for that and an adjustment for these being weight-heavy doc's scales, I am holding steady with weight, doing pretty well. Two a day sweaty walks and not much splurging going on, so maybe I'll find I've shed a few.

Kind of stressed-out.depressed by the coincidence of our 50th wedding anniversary coming up in a few weeks and a marriage of a couple very near and dear to us evidently falling apart. Won't go into more details than that. Just feeling helpless and frustrated. I guess marriage is part of our modern society's throwaway ethos.

Anyway I am trying not to eat whole boxes of doughnuts to make me feel better.

 

[honeybunny]

I've decided that instead of trying to lose weight I'll just grow a few inches.

 

[epstns]

I've decided that instead of trying to lose weight I'll just grow a few inches.

I think the cartoon cat, Garfield, figured that one out when he said "I'm not overweight. I'm undertall."

SB - I know what you're feeling. Sometimes when something that has "always been there" in our lives goes away, we feel untethered. I'm a bit there now, too, but for other reasons. It does pass, as once again we find a "new normal" but the transition time is unsettling. Hang in there. We will manage, won't we?

 

[Superbob]

We will, Steve, thanks! Meanwhile, here is some good news! Yesterday at her cardiologist appointment, DW was told that her holter test came out fine, as did her echo before that. She needs no pacemaker or other cardiac intervention. Just has a routine follow-up in six months.

That's very good news to me for all the good reasons -- and for one selfish one. Now I remain the sole candidate in the family for new cardiac intervention sooner or later, and thus deserve constant attention and concern. (Ha!) Anyway, her good cardio report makes one less worry, which is helpful for us all.

Big storm coming tomorrow, "Hermine" -- we've got our official tropical storm warning, blaring on weather radio right now. Projected 4 to 6 inches of rain and maybe 50/60 mph winds. Not very close to hurricane level as of now, but maybe good practice for when one comes along with our name on it.

Cheers all....have a great Labor Day weekend. Cookouts? Ballgames? TV football? Just chillin'?

 

[Paleowoman]

That's really good news about your wife Superbob ! Must be such a relief for you both.

We're off to France this weekend. Just a hop across the Channel for us (well under it by tunnel) and then a looong drive all down France. So looking forward to it and doing lots of walking.

 

[FredW]

SB, great news about your wife's test results.
Paleogirl, Trip to France? Vacation or other reasons?
Steve, when I see your signature showing: "9 Years in The Waiting Room," I often wonder how did you do that? I thought it was bad enough for me to be in the waiting room for the past two years. Yesterday, I compared my notes with my Doc's and found out that I was first told of my aortic stenosis in 2007, making it nine years for me as well. However, I mostly ignored it until the past year or so, when I was tugging on the serious category. I wasn't worried walking around with mild or moderate stenosis. But walking around with serious stenosis is rolling the death dice, which has a tendency to get one's attention. I feel so much better now with a renewed lease on life and improved strength.

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi Fred - we're going to France for a holiday - vacation !

 

[epstns]

Fred - I'll admit that the first 6 months to a year in The Waiting Room were tough. That was a time of great learning for me, though. My stenosis was, at diagnosis "moderate to severe" but I was asymptomatic. I was lucky enough to find a wonderful cardio who specialized in valve disorders among younger patients. He and I navigated together through all the years until he moved away and I transferred to his associate (also a very good cardio). We discussed and debated my case management and treatment, and both cardio's were of the opinion that no matter what the numbers showed, as long as I was not showing any symptoms they would rather watch than send me to surgery. My current cardio told me "I won't have to tell you when it is time for surgery. You will be telling me." That's just how it went. I finally told him "I'm tired of being tired." We went from there to interviewing surgeons and the rest is history. I was an emotional wreck for the first year or so, but once I realized that with aortic stenosis, as long as you watch for symptoms, the specter of sudden cardiac death is quite remote, I was able to get back to my life.

I guess one could say that since I now have a tissue valve, I am technically back in The Waiting Room, but thus far I have no diagnosed "condition" so I'm just cruising down the highway of life.

 

[honeybunny]

How were you impacted by the hurricane? I've been through a few and they're not fun, esp. when power is lost.

 

[Paleowoman]

The hurricane has made the BBC news in the UK, here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-37248359 Hope everything is okay Superbob.

 

[Trinalovescats]

Sunny here in Seattle. I'm not a big sun person,but while I was in the hospital it was in the 90s the whole two weeks.So I'm making up for it.