Good Intentions Just Isn't Enough Sometimes

Hi Friends,

Well, when I wrote two weeks ago I had good intentions of writing at least once a week.   Already I have fallen off the wagon and it's only been 2 weeks. Good intentions just isn't enough! 

Fall is at it's peak around here.  I was out a couple of evenings trying to get pictures of our trees around the neighborhood, but unforunately all of the treets have buildings in the view and I have no way of blurring the background.   At least this wasn't taken on a busy street like some were that I took.  

I got a new Nikon point and shoot camera and I'm having fun taking pictures. This one has a anti-shake feature that has worked beautifully for me especially and quite well for Don.    Prior to this camera, every other picture taken by me was blurry.   Now I only get a blurry picture now and then.

After taking several weeks off from my Water walking program at the CP Center, I finally got my bones over there and walked for 20 minutes.   I know that doesn't sound very long, but I know from previous experience that I can't over do in the water.  You really pay for it.   Next time I'll increase the time to 25 minutes, and then 30, and.......  I hope to get there next Monday and then on a regular basis once again.   

We are so fortunate to have the CP Center right in our city.  They have two large pools that have warm water for their clients to help keep their limbs limber!   When the pool isn't in use by their clients, they schedule classes for adults daily.   They have an amazing program for all levels of activity.   My plan is to get on a schedule of twice a week - perhaps Mondays and Thursdays.   

I was out trying to take pictures for a bit this afternoon, but was not successful.   Will try again maybe Sunday afternoon.   What stage is your fall color at?   It's such a beautiful time of year!  Wish we could hang on to these falls days and skip winter!  ha ha

Until next time,

Thanks for visiting.

Mary

"Where Have You Been Little Girl!

Hi,

"Where Have You Been Little Girl..........."    That reminds me of  a song only I don't have any idea what song or what the lyrics are!  Don't mind me, my mind goes off center now and then.  he he  And sometimes things remind me of a song but I can never remember what song!

Actually I was having fun for the past 2 weeks.   A dear Twitter and blogging friend (@PumpkinPuddy's mom) came to spend a week in Wisconsin.   I had a great time and enjoyed her visit so much that it was difficult to say goodbye on the Friday she left.   We even did a mini Wisconsin animal meetup in Oshkosh and met 4 other Twitter friends that live in our state.   This was the first time most of us had ever met in person.    After being on Twitter for a good 4+ years, you get pretty close and know each other quite well even tho you have never met in person.

Of course I couldn't keep up with LadyC 100%, but did manage to spend quite a bit of time with her.  Other times, like when touring Lambeau Field and the Atrium, she was content to have the time to wander around on her own.  Together we went to Door County (my favorite spot in Wisconsin).   And we did a couple of half day things such as going by the University Park along the Bay of Green Bay and sitting by the water, taking a wonderful boat tour of the Fox River on the Foxy Lady (where this picture was taken of the shoreline along the Fox River!  

I had a great time, but was really tired out at the end of each day.   She lives in Colorado, so she had a 2-hour time difference to adjust to.  Unfortunately, I was yawning and ready to end my day at about 8:00 when she was just gearing up.  he he 

Mario posted several pictures in his blog that were taken while she was here if you are interested.  http://mariodacat.blogspot.com/  I will be posting a few of them in my blog too over the next few weeks.

I'm going to try to be a little more regular now in posting - at least that is my goal.   It's either that or I need to give up on the blog.

Hope you are having a beautiful fall.  Temp is in the 70's here and colors are not quite peak yet - but will be next week.

Mary


  

D Tackles Big & Loud

Dear Friends,

A couple of months ago, a very good friend sent us a newspaper clipping of a program offered in her area for Parkinson's Patients.  It is  called Big And Loud.   

I immediately got on the good "ole" internet and researched the program to see if we had one here.   YES!!!

Big and Loud is conducted on a one-on-one basis with an Occupational Therapst and a Speech/Language Therapist.   Parkinson's suffers usually walk in tiny little steps and are not good at picking up  their feet for each step - thus the name "Parkinson's Shuffle."   This program is to re-train the brain to take BIG steps to help improve or maintain balance and hopefully avoid falling from not picking up your feet.  It should help prevent some accidents down the road, and give the patient much needed exercise.  Don has already learned how to get himself off the floor should he fall.  He lays down on the floor and has to roll over onto his knees.   Sounds simple right?  Well, try it sometime - especially if you are over 70!  

The Loud portion is handled by a Speech/Language Therapist.  It should help improve the sound of Don's voice.  Parkinson's patients quite often have very soft voices that don't project well as the disease does affect muscles - including throat muscles.   This should also help later on with swallowing, etc. 

Don is into week 3 of Big And Loud, enjoys the sessions, and has been working very hard at home on his own.   I can already tell he is walking straighter and talking louder.   He's tired out by the end of the day but is very dedicated at getting his exercises in twice a day - no matter what!  It is an intense program as he meets with the Therpists  for 1 hour Monday thru Friday.

I'm so thankful that @Katiebella2's mom happened to see the information in her local paper and told us about.  I'm a little ticked that Don's doctor didn't mention it.  He knew about the program because I asked him about it when Don had his appointment a month ago or so.  Don needed a referral in order to participate and the doctor did give Don the referral.   He did make the comment that several of his patients did well on the program.   He might not have mentioned it because it is a program not offered by his hospital group.  Don has to go to another hospital group to participate.  Fortunately, we have the health plan where we can go anywhere.

If you or a loved one have Parkinson's I highly recommend checking into this program.  It can only help - even if it helps only a tiny bit -  it's worth doing. 

I'm going to try to get on a schedule of posting once a week and get around to visit you every day or two.  It's a goal anyway.

We've cooled off considerably.  In fact we're having perfect weather - 70's and very low humidity.  ha ha - I'm a very happy camper!

Until next time,

Mary

Joke Is On Me

Hi Friends,

I saw the most amazing insect hovering around  my plant tonight right at dusk but I couldn't get a picture as he was outside and I was inside and it was almost dark..

I thought for sure it was a baby hummingbird, so I called a good friend who has lots of them where she lives.  Well, imagine my surprise to find out this delightful little bug is a Hummingbird Hawk Moth.  It sure had me fooled.

Image from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macroglossum_stellatarum

Usually hummingbirds do hang around the plant on our patio, but I haven't seen any this year.   I was so excited to see this little bird-like thing hovering right over the same plant the hummingbirds use.   That's when my friend told me that fledging hummingbirds are usually the same size as their parents.   DUH - I should known that because that's how it is with other birds too. The little guy I saw sure looked like a baby.   He did appear to be gathering necter and his little wings were certainly beating like a hummingbirds.  His body isn't shaped right tho and I couldn't see enough of his beek to see how long that way.    He was a cute little fellow anyway and it did brighten our day here.

Guess the joke is on me this time.   It sure had me fooled and Don too.

Sorry I've been so lax at visiting and even posting.   I just don't have the "get up and go" that I used to have.   Between Twitter and the things I'm involved with there, plus Mario's blog and my own blog, I just can't keep up.   And the big deal is I can't sit at my desk long enough to do everything I should do.   I can't wait until Wednesday when I'm scheduled for another Radio Frequency Abulation treatment on the sacro joint.  It can't come soon enough.

Until next time,

Mary

Needed Brain Transplant!

Hi Friends,

This  week I take the prize for Dumb, Dumb, Dumb Of The Year Award.   Actually, I think I need a brain transplant.    

Here's the "tall and skinny" of it - readership has really dropped off to almost nothing in my blog.   I know I'm pretty boring, but I didn't think it was THAT bad to lose everyone at once.  A couple of days ago i discovered that when I published something, it was NOT appearing in my  own Dashboard, much less any other dashboards.

After much to do about what to rename my blog, I went into settings, changed the name.  Then, like a dummy, I changed the URL also.   I was only making a minor change  in the URL from "ShufflingAlongWithParkinsonsDisease.blogspot.com/ "  to"ShufflingAlongWithPDandET.blogspot.com/   

Dumb dumb here wasn't thinking that all of you readers had originally followed the blog under the original URL of ShufflingAlongWithParkinsonsDisease.blogspot.com/ and that is the URL your Dashboard or  any other means of reading blogs has  been looking for.  DUH!

I have now corrected the URL back to the original URL, so hopefully this will start to show up once again to all who signed up  to receive it.  I spent two days trying to solve this problem when it finally hit me as to what I had done.

If you hear of any brain transplants happening in your area, let me know and I'll sign up.  ha ha - I am a good candidate  for one.

Mary

Slaying The Dragon

Dear Readers,

Shame on me  for not updating my experience with Dragon since I first talked about using it.   How many months ago was that?   I know, there is no excuse.  

Anyway, I have killed the Dragon.  There are two reasons I have done this:

1.  Since the diagnosis of Essential Tremors over Parkinson's, and because I'm on the proper medication, I don't need to dictate anymore.  Usually I'm capable of typing myself.   Thus the motivation ran out the door!

2.  Dragon and Google do not get along.   This past week I had SIL (son-in-law computer geek) remove Dragon.   I still have the disk so can easily download the program again if need be.  I had so many problems both with Google and Dragon while trying to use Dragon.   Google finally won out!  

I would not totally give Dragon the thumbs down.  i know people that have/are using it and have no problem with it.  For some reason that was not the case on my computer.   I had it about 2 years ago, and stopped using it for the same problem - having problems with other programs.   Things are peaceful now that Dragon has been put to sleep!     I think they need to make some improvements in their program.  Oh well, for now we're just humming along just fine without it.

Stay tuned for the next post - I should have some news to share on the medical front.

Until next time,

Mary

Parkinson's Update For D - Moving Ahead

Dear Readers,

The Climbing Rose Bush (Seven Sisters) above is so gorgeous when blooming, but there is getting to be so much shade in our  backyard from our neighbor's tree that I'm afraid each year it won't survive.  The remainder of the flower bed below the trellis is a poor excuse for flowers.  Again, too much shade for sun loving plants.  Guess we'll have to do something about that next year. Don mentioned pulling everything out and just going with grass seed.  Stay tuned on that one.

We have some good news for Don - He saw his (our) Neurologist this past week.   We asked to have a DaTScan done on Don so he would have some peace of mind knowing for sure if he has Parkinson's or has Essential Tremors like I do. That scan will be done next Tuesday.

He also got a referral to another facility where he'll begin receiving two different types of therapy for Parkinson's patients:  "BIG and LOUD" is the name of the type of therapy.   More on these two programs later.   He'll be meeting with a therapist within a couple of weeks.

A very good friend in another state had seen information in her local newspaper on BIG and LOUD and sent it to us.   We are so thankful that she did because it looks like a very helpful program.  We did not even know that it was  available here.   

My back has improved every so slightly from the Aqua Physical Therapy I was doing plus the home exercises that I do daily.  I've also joined the CP Center again for independent exercise in their warm pool - 1 day a week.   

Good things are starting to happen around here - so stay tuned.

Mary

Remember When?

Dear Readers,

"We're having a Heat Wave.......We're having a Heat Wave.......A Tropical Heat Wave.........."   

Ah yes, I'm trying real hard to remember a couple of years ago in January when we had so much snow.   It's pretty hard tho when the temperature outside is 93!   Yup - 93 as in friggin HOT!   Oh, and the Dew Point was 74 today.   Our weather man says anything over 60 for Dew Point and you feel it. I've been drinking ice water all day, but that doesn't help much.   Thank goodness for Air Conditioning.

I've been running my errands in the morning and trying to make them "fast" ones

The weather man promises we'll get relief this weekend, after putting up with Tornadoes rumbling through.   In Wisconsin (yes, the Ice Bowl State) whenever we get temperatures like this, it is followed by severe storms, and they are already predicting tornadoes.  We're having a mini storm right now - high winds, buckets of rain, but the temperature hasn't dropped - no tornado tho - this time.

I know - I should quit complaining as many of you put up with this heat (and worse) for 2 or 3 months in the summer - every summer.  And we do have AC.  You do have my sympathy, but this is NOT NORMAL around here and my body says 'NO WAY!"  If I loved this HOT weather, I would have stayed in the south.    

Here's to cooler days ahead friends.  Hope you all remain cool and safe.  Until next time,

Mary

P.S.  Poor Mario doesn't understand why we won't take him outside when the sun is shinning so brightly.  He would probably be okay - for awhile anyway in the shade, but his humans would not be.

Thanks for listening to me grumble!  he he - I'm still HOT tho.

Essential Tremors Versus Parkinson's - Symptoms

Dear Readers,

Hello from Steamy Wisconsin.  The humidity is so thick you could almost cut it with knife (old phrase my mother used to say).  Not a breeze stirring either - downright  miserable outside.  Thank heavens for AC.

I've had a couple of questions regarding Essential Tremors and how it differs from Parkinson's.   They are closely related.   

In researching this in "The Parkinson's Disease  Treatment Book" by Dr. J. Eric Ahlskog at Mayo Clinic and also  webmd.com - Webmd sums it up the best.

 * Essential tremor is almost always worse when the affected part of the body is in motion than when it is at rest. Tremor associated with Parkinson's disease generally decreases or disappears when the person moves the affected part of the body.

 * Essential tremor is faster than the tremor of Parkinson's disease.

·* Small amounts of alcohol can noticeably reduce an essential tremor but usually have no effect on tremor caused by Parkinson's disease.

  * Essential tremor does not improve in response to levodopa, but it may be relieved with other medicines (propranolol, primidone, phenobarbital, or benzodiazepines).  (No kidding - I was on levodopa.)

  * Unlike tremor caused by Parkinson's disease, essential tremor will sometimes occur in family members.

As you can see, the two are very closely related. With ET, however, you don't get the frozen muscle problems that you end up with when having PD. In my case the determining factor after matching symptoms was the DaTSan, which clearly told the doctor my brain was showing ET versus PD.

Ha ha -I should have tried the alcohol test, but didn't.  Think I'll head for the kitchen after publishing this blog and see what happens.

I'm still taking only 1 tablet of the Primidone daily (but am allowed to take 2 daily). I'm doing quite well on this medication. As i have mentioned before, in some patients with ET the condition can turn into PD. There is no way of knowing and it's only a small percentage of people that happens to.

Oh yes, the back issue - I'm currently in Physical Pool Therapy.  It feels great while I'm in the pool, but then 2 hours later it's back to hurting and ice packs.
Hope you are managing to keep you cool this summer.

Mary

It's A Small, Small World!

Dear Readers,

This weekend we attended two graduation parties (tis the season).   On Sunday an amazing thing happened.   

The graduate's mom was introducing me to her own mother, her stepfather, and her mother's friend (we'll call her Lady H) and mentioned that Lady H was from a city (Beloit) that is 150 miles south of us.   Oh a whim, I asked Lady H if she by any chance knew Lady B, who is a very good friend of ours.   Beloit has a population of about 50,000, so you would expect her answer to be "no!"

Well, I nearly feel over when Lady H said Lady B happened to be a very good friend of hers and in fact, she was also a friend of the graduate's grandma.  Talk about a small world!  Who would have ever thought that would happen.

We had a very enjoyable time discussing mutual memories because they were also friends with another dear friend of ours (Lady BL who has passed on).

So many times I have asked someone from another city/town if they knew "so and so," and of course the answer is always no unless that person lives in a very small town where everyone knows everyone!

It's a small, small world after all!

Has that ever happened to you?


Mary

P.S.   This post was going to be about the difference between PD and ET, but I just had to tell this unusual story.

Honoring Our Armed Forces - Past and Present & News

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7687126@N06/2523097574/">gb_packards</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/">cc</a>

Dear Friends,

I've had time this weekend to reflect on Memorial Day and what it means.   Our men and women in the Armed Forces put their lives on hold, leave their families at home, hopes and dreams are moved to the background, severe injuries, and limbs and life lost - all to protect us. The least we can do is honor them on this special weekend and especially remember those who have lost their lives serving in the military.   Take a few minutes this weekend to reflect on what it means to you.

I found the above picture and immediately fell in love with it because it could have been taken in Wisconsin.   Deer are apt to show up almost anywhere in our state except perhaps in the downtown area of a large city.  The picture in the header of this blog was taken in my backyard when the Magnolia Tree (northern version) was in full bloom.    Because the northern version is extremely hardy, the blossoms, branches, etc., are very different from the Magnolia trees in the south.  But, we'll take what we can get!

Thank  you all so much for your comments on my last post.   I will keep the blog and have already changed the name to http://ShufflingAlongWithPDandET.blogspot.com/   It's a little long, but since I'm technology challenged at times, I was afraid to change the title too much for fear of doing something wrong.   I didn't want Blogger to somehow get rid of my blog.  ha ha - yes, I'm a little paranoid with technology at times.

Sorry I haven't been around to read blogs much lately.   I'll start having a little more time now and my plan is to get back into visiting and reading.

Hope you are having a great Memorial Day Weekend.


Mary

Celebration Time

Photo from Public Domain Files

Dear Readers,

There is definite cause for celebration - I DO NOT HAVE Parkinson's Disease, but have now been diagnosed Essential Tremors.   Unfortunately, Don still has the PD diagnosis, but we'll get through that just like we would have gotten through both of us having the Parkinson's.   My next post will contain a brief explanation of Essential Tremors and how it compares to Parkinson's.  Stay tuned, if interested.

Wednesday, the day of the DaTscan was a long day.  We left the house at 6:00 a.m., picked up our son in law, who took over the driving.  Having a 9:00 appointment at the hospital, meant driving straight down with no stops.  It took a little bit of driving around before we found the right building to enter.  The gal on the phone neglected to give me accurate directions.  

I think I explained before that you have to drink a glass of water and take a pill, to prevent the iodine from harming your thyroid.   Then after a wait of 1 hour in the waiting room, it was time for the injection of iodine cocktail!     I felt nothing from that other than the poke of the needle.   Then came a 4 hour  wait where we could leave the building.    We chose to drive to the nearest Cracker Barrell for lack of knowing where there was any other restaurant.   It helped us kill time and we had lunch.

At 2:00 I had to report back to the hospital for the scan.   I wanted to include a picture of the machine, but now days with copyright laws, I didn't dare.  Let me just say it looks somewhat like a MRI machine - only half as long.   In my case they were only scanning my brain (guess I must have some brains then), so a conveyor belt system took me back to that opening.    There were two arms on either side of the opening that held two steel panels that must house the camera (so to speak).   Those arms moved  those large steel panels around in various positions around my face, head, neck, etc.   It was a little intimidating when the plates met in the middle blocking my vision from the room, but they slowly moved away and changed positions several times during the 1/2 hour scan.

When the scan was over, I was free to go home - another 2 hour trip north.   All in all, it is a very painless test/scan to have and isn't quite as confining as an MRI machine (when you are a larger person in a one-size-fits-all opening). If you ever have to have one, it really isn't anything to worry about or be afraid of.

Yesterday, Thursday, the doctor's office called with the good news.   The scan backed up her thoughts - I have Essential Tremors - not Parkinson's.   That is happy news as Parkinson's is a crippling disease - ET is not. although in some cases it can lead to  Parkinson's.  We'll worry about that when and if it happens.

Now what to do with the blog.  If I keep it, it will need a new name.   I originally started it as a type of reference as to the life of someone with Parkinson's.   

1.  I could keep it going with news on Don's progression (which is very stable at present).

2.  I could delete the entire blog.

3.  I suppose I could just make it a personal blog, but our life isn't very newsworthy at this age.

4.   I could change the name and write a little on ET, although there won't be as much to write about other than ongoing back issues (which are still present).

Any ideas out there.   I'll consider all of them because I really don't know what I want to do with it.

Thanks for sticking with us on this unusual journey.  It PAYS TO GET A SECOND OPINION!

Until next week,

Mary
   

Possible Misdiagnosis!!!!!!

Dear Readers,

I want to yell out GOOD NEWS, but I can't yet as it is not confirmed.   I might have ET (Essential Tremors)  instead of PD.   Ah ha - that's what I said when the specialist was talking to me.

On Wednesday I had an appointment in Milwaukee with a neurologist who specializes in Movement Disorders (Parkinsons, Essential Tremor, MS, etc.)   She had thoroughly reviewed my records before I arrived, and did the standard things each time you see a doctor -  check reflexes, watch me imitate her hand movements, and take a walk.   She also thoroughly quizzed me about the side effects of the Parkinson's drugs I had been taking -  symptoms before and after drugs, results, etc.   She spent a full hour with me in her office just talking.

It is her opinion that I have Essential Tremors rather than Parkinson's.   But, she wants me to have a DaTscan at her hospital in Milwaukee.   It will involve being there all day - drinking a special cocktail (do you want to come along?), inject another cocktail in a vein, etc.  That test will be the determining factor and will produce an image something like this:         

I wonder if I'll be radioactive and glow in the dark.  Woohoo!

I'm still in somewhat of a daze over this.  I'm not celebrating yet, but surely will when the final word is in.   I am thinking, however, that no wonder I was having so many side effects with the PD drugs.   Their purpose, I believe, is to replace the dopamine in your brain.   Well, if I don't have PD, but was getting PD drugs with extra dopamine, it doesn't take a scientist to figure out I was getting way to much dopamine.   No wonder I felt like I was totally drugged all the time - I  was.

Well, enough of that - the doctor did prescribe the proper med for ET, and told me to take 1/2 tablet at night to start with.   It does make me light headed for sure - one step down from dizzy.  Maybe that will lessen in time.   

Anyway dear readers, that's where we are at today!  My appointment for the DaTscan is May 1st - HAPPY MAY DAY!

It still isn't spring here even though the calendar says it is.  It's cold, rainy, and damp.   I'm trying to think S P R I N G !

Thanks for "hanging in there with me" on this journey -  we'll see where we go.   

Until next time,



Mary

Mother Nature Gone Amuck & RFA Update

Hi Friends,

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile.  It's time for the Animal Group on Twitter to have their big weekend-long monthly party.  Consequently we're busy with that.  Ha ha - can't handle as much as I could 10 years ago.

Well friends, the above picture is what we awoke to this morning - front yard and back yard.  About 3+  inches of slush.   Notice the ice on the patio covering?  Also notice the slush ridges on the street where cars drove through to get to work this morning.

Just yesterday we paid the wonderful man who takes care of snow removal.   We laughed at the time knowing it was supposed to snow yet last evening.   He's back now and busy cleaning up 3 inches of snow slush with about 1/2 inch of ice on the bottom!!  Of course the plow went through already and now we have about 10 inches of slush in the driveway at the base!

I'm happy to report the RFA treatment worked on the sacroiliac joint.  But the rest of my back is still a mess.     I'll be meeting with the pain doctor in about 3 weeks.  We'll see what she has to say.  Meanwhile, ice packs help some!

Poor Mario has wanted to get outside so bad this past week, and I won't let him because the ground was so wet yet.  He's only allowed out with his harness and leash on, and it's too cold/wet for his humans to be out there with him.   At this rate, he will have to wait until May at least.   Poor kitty.,    He's so deprived.  he he

That's all for today friends.  Thanks for stopping by and sharing in our misery of spring in Wisconsin.  It's really a nice state to live in - summers are especially nice!  Think SPRING!  Oh, my next blog post will be on the life of Dragon!

Mary

Birthday Greetings To Our Dear Daughter & HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE

SIL and daughter

Dear Readers,

Thought I'd take a break from the usual Parkinson's related topics and wish our daughter a 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY   

with love from Mom, Dad, and Mario

 We are very proud of the person she has grown into.   Apparently her father and I did something right through the years.  Being an only child she did NOT get everything she wanted, but she was spoiled in that she did not have to share our attention with a sibling of the human kind  anyway.  (She would tell you she did have to share with the dog and cat!)   I remember many weekend trips to grandma and grandpa's house where I'd hear "Fritz - move over - you are hogging my half of the seat!"  "Mom - Make Fritz move over - he has his paws on me."  It was funny and makes me laugh when I think about it.

She grew up, married a wonderful man (our son-in-law) and they are happy with two cats and two gerbils in their life.   They are all very special to us.

Amos, age 17

Keiko, Age 17

We had a wonderful family Birthday celebration yesterday with our SIL'S brother and wife, SIL's parents, and of course the birthday girl, SIL, and Don and I.  We are fortunate in that our extended families are all small, thus for birthdays and some holidays we can all enjoy them together.

Take a look at that cake!  It was every bit as good as it looks.   It came from a new Guatamalen Bakery that had recently opened in their city.   I think it might become a new family favorite.

What a great day we had.

HAPPY EASTER or PASSOVER EVERYONE

Mary

Senility Versus Drugs

Dear Readers,

Well, I did it again - screwed up on an appointment.  ha ha - I showed up at the dentist's office a week early for a fitting of a new partial plate.   I was just in there last Thursday (5 days ago - yes friends, only 5 days ago).  One of the office girls even opened the door for me because I was using the walker, and it's a chore and a half to struggle with doors that swing out when using a walker.

I went in, thanked her for opening the door for me,  took my coat off, started flipping through a magazine when another office girl came discretely over by me and showed me a print out of upcoming appointments.   Today's date was NOT on that list. ha ha!   April Fool's Joke On Me  to me!  The sad part is they gave me that same printout when I left there last Thursday.  I could swear I remembered seeing "Dentist" on my calendar! for today.,

I mumbled something about "oh, sorry - I know it's the Parkinson's Drugs messing with my brain again."   The gal said "well at least you can blame it on something that makes sense!   (She was patting her 6-months' pregnant belly) and said I blame it on the mommy-to-be factor myself."

For the record, I checked the calendar when I got home and there is NOTHING WRITTEN ON IT FOR TODAY!    Since I can carry on a conversation rather well yet, I'm sure it's the Parkinson's Drug (Sinemet) that I'm taking.   (1/2 table 2 x a day - I'm not even up to a whole tablet twice a day yet).  Now I have to remember to go next week on the correct day.   I'm thinking of the old string around the finger bit -  will this do it?  

Apparently I can't be trusted with a calendar anymore!

What's your vote - Drugs or Senility?

Until next time.

Mary

FInally Catching Up On News

Countryside on the way to Rome, Italy October 2008

Dear Readers,

My apologies for taking so long to update.     My only excuse is that our involvement with Twitter/#nipclub can keep us pretty busy at certain times if a party is planned.

Two weeks ago I had the RFA (Radio  Frequency Abulation) procedure done.  It's taken about 2 weeks to really kick in, but it has helped greatly with the pain in the Sacroiliac.   I still have other pain - arthritis and fibromyalga in different areas - so I'm still on Tramadol for the pain, but I do cut back on it on days that I can. I'm so happy to report that the RFA was successful.  YAY!

Yesterday I was supposed to go to Milwaukee to meet with a Parkinson's specialist.   Wouldn't you know it - SNOW!   (Darn Groundhog needs to be replaced - we're supposed to have spring now).   It started snowing yestgerday  around noon, giving us 5 inches of wet, heavy, slippery snow by last night.   I heard the weather forecast predicting this storm on Saturday so decided to call and cancel the appointment.     Our son-in-law said driving in snow didn't bother him,  but it would have really bothered me.   I would have been sitting on pins and needles the entire trip.   While I'm anxious to meet with the PD specialist, I didn't feel it was worth the risk and hazardous roads to do so.   My appointment is now re-scheduled for April 17th.   I hope it  doesn't snow then, but it could!!   

Now I need to find a ride for the April trip so son-in-law doesn't have to take another day of vacation.  Daughter is like me - she doesn't want to drive in Milwaukee either.  It's a concrete jungle down there with 3 major freeways merging downtown and cars going 80 MPH.   You need to be really sharp in the brain, which Don and I aren't at this age.   If we knew where we were going and knew where the interchanges were, it would not be so bad - but you don't become familiar and comfortable with that when you only travel down there once in every 3-4 years.

Stay tuned.

Hope it's spring where you live!   It's going to  be a long while a-coming around here!

Mary

What a GREAT Day!

Hi Friends,

What a great day this has been.  First of all it's Valentines Day - So Happy Valentines Day.  Mario got into the act too by giving all the ladycats in the Blogosphere and on Twitter smooches this morning - after he gave Don and I one first.  He does know who is in charge of Kibble.

Today is also our 54th Anniversary!  Of course we were married in elementary school.  ha ha  Where did those years go?   You know I would not change even one year of that time.   When you both start having health problems, you know it's "true love" that carries you thru.

Today I also received a phone call from my health clinic stating the insurance has approved the Radio Frequency Abalation treatment, which I hope will take care of the pain I'm always having because of the lower back and SSI joint.,   They will be going in to  freeze or burn the nerve ending, thereby blocking the pain.   Unfortunately, they don't have an opening in their schedule until March 6th.  But, I've waited this long, I can hang in there for another 3 weeks.  Now we'll have to hope it does what they think it should do - get rid of pain.  Apparently most people that have it done absolutely rave about it.    I'm amazed and thankful that Medicare and the supplemental insurance approved it.  

Next week I'll give you an update on the Parkinson's issue too.  So stay tuned.

As you can see - it's been a great day!  Hope your's is equally as wonderful.

Mary

Oil Painting of Mario and Taming Of The Dragon

Dear Readers,

Isn't that a gorgeous oil painting of Mairo.  It was done by a Twitter/Blog friend - @MaxTheQuiltCat's mom, Lou Belcher, Artist and Writer.  Lou is going to run a special on her 6" x 6" cat portraits for the month of February for $40 + shipping.  She isn't gong to do the one-a-day challenge this time and only wants to do cats presently.   If you have a special kitty living with you and would like to have his/her portrait done, see her kitty's blog for details:   http://www.maxthequiltcat.com/  She does beautiful work and at $40 + shipping, this is a real bargain that you'll probably never find again.  Just look at the attention to detail - even little hair on the edge of his ears!


Taaadaaa!  This post is coming to you via Dragon. Woo hoo I think we are finally getting there.

Dragon and I are getting along quite well. Last week I had about five different calls to their help Center to the point where I'm sure each help person was thinking – quote "Oh no, not her again."   But I did learn a lot and hopefully I won't make stupid mistakes so I get into trouble anymore. I don't know why but the user profile and I just do not get along – I guess I just don't understand it. But the help Center walked through it with me so now I hope I'm on the right path.

I do find dictation is easier as long as I try to think ahead about what I want to say. I do have to do better job on  punctuation however.  And I'm still a long ways away from using the commands with the microphone instead of my hands to make corrections. I guess I'll have to copy down all of the commands and keep them in front of me if I want to go that route. In the meantime I'm stable enough with my shaking that I can use a combination of microphone and typing.  So for now Dragon is a keeper.

Hope all of you are staying away from all the many viruses that are out there and staying healthy.

Until next time,

Mary

Technology - Will I Ever Learn?

Hi Friends,

Well, here I go again.   This will be my 3rd try at the Dragon Program - the program that will type for me if I ever learn to use it well.     I flunked the first two versions.   Yup - FAILED!   In fact about 4 months ago I gave up using it because I was out of help minutes.  You are allowed 90  days of help from the date you install the program.   

This is Version 12 and supposed to be new and very improved., or so the salesman said when he called.  What sold me was that I get 90 days of help again and this one will type in Twitter, TweetDeck, Gmail. without having to use that stupid drop-down box first then telling the program to paste it into whatever program I'm using.  Now if only it won't give me problems with the computer.

Because of my past history of not learning it well, I'm locking myself in my office from this coming Monday morning until the following Saturday or Sunday, depending on my progress.   Last time around I gave everything else priority and gave learning Dragon left over time.   This time it is going to take priority over everything except doctor appointments or other scheduled appointments.  That means I can't read blogs, can't get on Twitter, Can't help Mario with his blog or help him read his blogs either.   I'm determined this has to be given priority.

I hope you will understand why I am not visiting.  I will resume everything on Monday January 28 - back to normal.  Hopefully by that time I'll have ironed out all the bugs between Dragon and my computer, and learned to use the program better than the last two times.   I simply have to make this work for me as many days typing is extremely difficult and time consuming with making corrections or letting all the errors go through because my hands are tired from being at the keyboard.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you come back again in a week or two when hopefully I'll be dictating the blog!

Mary

It Never Pays To Get Too Excited.

Alaskan Cruise  - 2010

Hi Friends,

Recently a good friend and I were talking about our local football team (Packers) and how she was so excited for the playoff game about to happen in our city.  She said "aren't you excited?"   In reality, I don't usually get very excited about anything because if I do, that special thing ends up not happening or I'm disappointed.   So, I guess that ever since I was a kid, I've learned to dampen my enthusiasm about things so I won't be in for a big letdown.   That system has worked well for me through the years, but every now and then I slip and get excited about something.

Case in point.  Yesterday I saw the Pain Specialist at the clinic.  She told me I might  be a candidate for the Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) treatment.  If it works, it could get rid of my back pain and sacroiliac pain for up to 6 months.   I immediately got excited about it, and when  I got home I called one of my friends and told her about it.

This morning my hopes were knocked out from under me when I called the clinic to schedule the start of the process.   That's when I found out that it's a very slow moving process.  They will first give me another shot in the sacroiliac of a shorter acting medicine, which will tell them if I am even a  candidate for the  RFA.   Then they will write to my insurance to see if they will cover the procedure.   Nothing is firm yet - too much has to still be decided.  So my being on top of the world yesterday, to be able to finally get rid of the constant pain,  came crashing to the floor once again.   Yesterday I even told a friend on Twitter that I had good news and would post about it - wrong! 

Stay tuned friends.  This is obviously going to be another ongoing, long saga - if it ever happens at all.   In the meantime I'll just keep taking the pain pills and taking naps with an ice pack and go back to being my calm, non-excitable self.  It just doesn't pay to get too excited!

I was really looking forward to becoming radioactive.  Daughter was teasing me about glowing in the dark and how I might need blinders to sleep at night.  he he! Love her sense of humor - she keeps me laughing anyway.

Until next time - we'll just shuffle along.

Mary

Shake It Baby - Shake It!

Dear Readers,

Singing "We're having a heat wave..............We're having a heat wave.............!
Our temp will reach all of 32 this week -- maybe higher.   In fact, they are talking "melting" this week.   January thaw - here we come!

Hope you all are having a good 2013 so far.   We were humming along here until the other day when I managed to screw up ALL my word documents.   Java came knocking at the computer door  first thing in the morning, so I let her in to do updates.   I then walked away from the computer for a few minutes to give her privacy!

I then shut down the computer, rebooted, and left the house for awhile.

At that point, someone else must have come in - probably that old lady and man that hide things on us.  Only this time they got  into the computer and shook it up!    

When I returned and sat down at the computer, I noticed some of my word documents were missing (first clue that things are NOT right).    When I opened up the document I wanted -  this is what it said:

"..come-with-us-as-we-follow-Alice-In-Wonderland-down-the-rabbit-hole (paragraph symbol).

WHAT???

Upon checking all my documents were full of codes and dashes!

HELP - I emailed son-in-law - our computer guru (whom Don and I can't live without).  Everything else on my computer was acting normal!   i'm sure he was JUST thrilled to hear from me again.   (By the way, I talk to him way more than my daughter because of all the computer things I manage to goof up!)

Some days I am more shaky than other days.  The morning this happened, I was very shaky.  It seems that in all my shaking, I somehow managed to hit a computer shortcut or two which caused this problem.   (who - me!!!  Can't believe that! he he).

SIL took awhile to think about the problem (I keep him busy solving problems he's never heard of before) but he found a computer shortcut that fixed the entire problem with a couple of key strokes.   I tell you - that guy is a life saver to me, especially, and also to Don.   I told him he was a "saint."  But he said the Pope might want final say!   I think the last time I told our daughter I was so glad she married him (even tho I didn't like him at our first meeting) instead of a doctor!  It was better to have him in the family rather than a doctor anyway. he he - my way of teasing and making up for the fact I didn't like him at first impression!

So, here's to our Saint Son-in-Law - You have been such a great son-in-law - over and above the issues of fixing the computer.   We do love and appreciate you as we would a son!  Thank you again for bailing us out of computer problems.

Now if this isn't cause to get back on the right PD medication, than I don't know what is.   I've been dragging my feet at starting the drugs again because mentally I'm so much more with it!   But the downside is much more shaking going on.  

Until next time,


Mary