FINALLY NEW ACTERMA APPROVED AND HERE FROM HUMANA! Good Gosh TOO many ISSUES around the House, Not enough sleep with the new puppy, trees, painter is an idiot, faucet leaks, and you name it, I've had heck...

Good gosh! By the time you read all of the information on this new medication, you may be too frightened to even try it! I've been giving myself injections with the other RA medications, some are in a "pen type form" which makes them a bit easier to use. I also give myself B-12 injections each month, with an "allergy medication" type syringe... and although I know they can cause all types of issues like TB. severe infections and so forth, this particular one has been "very rarely" known to cause MS (Multiple Sclerosis) which I don't believe the others were apt in very rare circumstances to cause MS. Anyway, this one is in a "pre-filled syringe" rather than the pen type. 

So that makes it a bit more difficult at first to get used to using. It f course has ONE HUGE set of instructions about "main side effects" how to give yourself the injections, and so forth, then there is a 2nd very LONG paper on ALL OF THE THINGS IT CAN CAUSE, SIDE EFFECTS, AND THE information that is more for the doctors - the medication guide, which of course is extremely detailed. Anyway, it will take me 2 days to just read through it all! I've already done research on it, from the website, but I am having heck again being able to sit for very long at the computer. Now that the one hip is injected and it feels somewhat better, I have the "lumbar thing" I think going on, because today I have pain down my legs, which is usually more about my lumbar sacral spine issues that just the hips. I can't win for losing LOL Plus I am just exhausted. I've got so many things I need to do, and I finally BOUGHT THE FLOWERS to take to the cemetery for Mom, Dad and my Grandparents vases.. plus I have some here at home I think I will put with them so I will have them a bit more full. 

Danged silk flowers are so expensive, and if you buy the 97 cent ones at Wally World or the 1.00 ones at Dollar Tree, then you need twice as many to fill the vases full enough! But, I am just too tired to go out and do them right now. The new puppy Bella has been waking me up at 3AM, most mornings, and then she gets me up, I get my coffee, sit down to watch a bit of Netflix and then SHE GOES BACK TO SLEEP dammit! LOL! But last night, she woke about 1AM, I took her to go to the bathroom, and she got a drink, and I put her back up with me, and she went right back to sleep! :) BUT THEN PEANUT, MY TWO YEAR OLD TERRIER, for some very ODD reason, woke me up at 3AM! He was standing pawing at me, and he wanted me to get up... I kept wondering and asking him if he heard something (but he was not barking) or if he was sick or what. So, then of course he wakes Bella up... Well I never figured out WHY or what he wanted! But of course I say to heck with it, get my coffee, and then BOTH OF THEM GO BACK TO SLEEP, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF ME!!!!! OMG! I was like danged I get one to "behave" and the other one acts out! The "only thing" I think he may have woke me up about, it that he has "seen" and basically "caught" a couple of those little baby "salamander's that I STILL CANNOT STAND! But, they get on their paper under the plastic, and it's slick so that can't get off of it... so I've noticed him looking all around the house sometimes, because I think he may see one, I know a couple of weeks ago, we both tried to get one and the little devil got up under the door and disappeared, before I could get him!!! I HATE THOSE THINGS!!! EEEWWW!!! they creep me out, but I will either swat them, or I have made spray from "hot pepper sauce" which nothing "hurts them" dammit, but it will make them run the heck off my front porch... so sometimes if I can't reach them to swat at them then I keep that spray out with me at night, and spray them. They then fall, LOL, and run off. Anyway, the little babies sometimes get in under the door from my laundry room to my kitchen, and that is where Peanut has pawed a couple, then he gets me, and knows I will finish them off and throw them out!!!! Then My crepe myrtle trees are just worrying me. 

They look so bad, especially the one out by the road. I've not been able to really trim it like I did the others. and it's so full of dead limbs'- I did take my pole saw, and cut a few limbs out of it, and then a couple out of my one by the driveway.... I found out they probably have aphids, for one, but trying to spray them even with regular insecticidal soap is almost impossible because they are so huge. I need a sprayer to go onto the water hose like my Dad used on his Pecan trees... but I threw mine away because it was worn out... and have not gotten another one... plus I CANNOT FIND MY CHANNEL LOCKS! I am so peeved, I have a pair, and then I have other plumbers wrenches but they are too huge. I do have a leak at the spout bottom and I probably need O-rings. But, I was going t take the "ring" loose and see for sure what parts I need, and I don't have the wrench I need to loosen that "decorative" piece over it... and now after reading, it may not even "screw" at all, but just "pry's" off. I've tried to find the right directions. I found the parts, but I can't find exactly mine to know if that piece that fits over it unscrews or if I just need t pry it up, I know the knobs well. I've replaced the cartridges in the hot and cold water faucets several times. 

But, this is the 1st time I've ever had it to leak at the bottom of the spout itself... so between that, and the "bar" the holds my hand held shower sprayer up in my shower that a piece broke off, I glued it back, and I knew it would not hold very long. I have a hand held shower sprayer that I got from TXU and it's heavier that the ones that came with the shower. Plus the tub is now 10 years old, and the "bar itself" is metal chrome, BUT the two pieces on the top and bottom that hold it up are "plastic"... so a piece that holds that screw into the shower wall, broke off inside that plastic piece... Since I have TWO hand held showers one on each side... I am going t try to "glue it again", take the piece off the other side, use it on my side, then put the glued one over on the side I don't use. I can then just eve eave the sprayer off of it completely, that way it won't have weight on it... but I've got to do something. I've left the screw itself in place, so I don't have water leaking behind the shower. 


Just a bit of ALL THINGS NUTS THIS PAST WEEK OR SO!

Talk about "one of those WEEKS!" I've been FIGHTING with the insurance for 3 WEEKS to get my new RA Medication, finally yesterday they called and it should arrive tomorrow, (hopefully, but talk about bad mess... I has to go have blood work done for an appt in two weeks, then went to the hospital to pick up my bone density scan results, from there I went to Waxahachie and sure enough I have bursitis in BOTH hips (as I tried to TELL MY OTHER ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON WHO WILL NOT GO ALONG WITH ANYTHING A PATIENT SAYS) OR SUGGESTS... so I got the left hip injected and go back next week for the right one... 

I got home and the "guy" that I hired to paint the house, and do the new boards around the bottom, had not shown up for days because he was going to "spray" part of it, and it was too windy. I didn't leave until NOON and he was NOT here when I left, but the doctor was over an hour late, so I didn't get home until after 3PM... mu little puppy was upset because I put her in the big kennel rather than lock them in the kitchen... it was cooler in the living room, and then her and Peanut don't pick on each other if I am gone (LOL) 

I think Bella the 9 week old picks on Peanut more that is 2 years old... then I drive up and here are ALL OF MY INDOOR HOUSE PLANTS, THAT ARE ON MY PORCH, SOME OF WHICH CANNOT JUST BE THROWN IN THE SUN, AND HE WAS THERE TO PAINT, BUT THROUGH ALL OF THEM OUT ON THE YARD IN THE SUN! Then I HAD TOLD HIM I WANTED ROTTEN BOARDS REPAIRED IN THE BACK, AND THERE ARE ROTTEN PLACES ON THE END BOARDS, ETC... NONE OF WHICH HE HAD FIXED, I also left a 3 PAGE MESSAGE ABOUT WHAT I EXPECTED, SAME STUFF WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN HE GAVE ME A QUOTE... and he was about half "pissed" at me... and HE WAS PAINTING, GOT OVER SPRAY ON MY WINDOWS, MY MAILBOX, ON MY FRONT LIGHTS ON THE PORCH AND HAD NOT FIXED ANY OF THE ROTTEN BOARDS. plus the paint he sprayed he cannot think he is not going to spray another coat! It looks like I took a "can of spray paint" and tried to paint my house with it! 

Anyway, I had put chili on in the crock pot before I left, I had to come in and calm the little pup down, and she peed all over me! LOL!! And calm the other one down, Peanut was all upset over the paint and the noise... he even painted over OLD CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, THAT HAD BEEN UP ON THE TOP WHERE WE NEVER GOT UP AND TOOK THEM DOWN, THEY WERE THERE WHEN WE BOUGHT THE HOUSE, and he KNEW they should come down, HE PAINTED WITH THEM UP, AND DIDN'T GET RID OF A COUPLE OF LIMBS FROM THE TREE AND HAD PAINT ALL OVER THOSE, paint on my ELECTRIC METER!!! 


Of course NOW, my "rod" in my "big honkin' shower" that holds my handheld shower device up" had a piece break off where it's screwed into the shower wall. Well, I think I found one, if it is the right length, and I believe it is, but just another damned thing to fix. I tried 'gluing" it, and put a "ring" in there to help hold it, but I figured with it being plastic as far as that piece it would not hold for long. So, after about a week, it broke off again. I have two. 

One on the other side I never use, but I still would have to find a way to get that bottom piece to at least hold up that bar. I could leave the hand held shower piece off of it, so no weight is on it... I think I can buy something to fit, just as I said something else to aggravate the crap out of you... and I am so worried about my Crepe Myrtle trees - I think they have either a type of Aphid on them, or what they call a black powdery mold... both can be "fixed" but I just cut another huge "dead" limb off one. The thing it they are about 30 feet at least tall... taller than my house, and have been that tall since I moved here in 2006. So, I know they are getting old. I read that these can last 50 years... but this house was built in 1950. 

I don't know when those trees were planted but they have been here a very long while. I can't stand the thought of losing even one of them. They are one reason I bought this house. They are just gorgeous... pink blooms all spring and summer, then in the fall the leaves turn all of the beautiful autumn colors, and the "bark" peels off of them at a certain time of the year... the 1st time it happened it scared the heck out of me, but it is one of their unique things, so then they have this "patina" almost kind of look... but again I have so many dead limbs, some small but some pretty large... and then just didn't bloom as they usually do... they have LOTS of buds on them, but they are just not opening like they usually do... part of it is the "weird" weather because of us having almost a "spring" like weather so early this year, they bloomed earlier, and now they should still just be filled with hot pink and they have loads of buds but not many are opening... then my Oleanders didn't bloom this year at all. I planted them like 3 years ago, and they have been fine. 

But, this year all I have is "greenery" but not one bloom all season... it 's just a pain in the butt... and of course my damned storage shed doors are screwed up, and I found a "kit" with the new "plastic" gliders etc I "think" will work, but heck again, trying to research, find it, wondering if it will work, and now my faucet in my kitchen, which I've repaired the hot and cold sides several times, and keep spares for them. But, the middle spout where the water comes out, has "appeared" as if it is getting wet around where it goes into the faucet.  

At first, I thought it was just from me, washing it, or getting water on it, but now it feels "loose" so I think it needs a part in it... again now I have to do the research on that faucet, and find out which part that is and then order it.... OMG! sometimes I just think selling and moving into an apartment would be easier..no maintenance, no lawns, no trees, no stuff to do the yard with, not having to deal with "pests" in and out of the house, and so on, no painting inside and out... YOU call THEY fix! LOL!!!

NIH CUTS IN SPENDING??? TAKING MONEY OUT OF RESEARCH FOR US WITH SO MANY ILLNESSES, My own priorities and doctors, Rheumy visit coning & Neck Surgeon, and updates for all

Been a very BUSY and beautiful weekend for me! I FINALLY got that OLD A/C OUT of the window and cleaned that mess up. In fact, I went out this morning to take the trash to the road and someone had already picked it up and taken it thank goodness! I mowed my front lawn, knocked down about 5 BIG old WASPS nests from last year! BUT, those darned things showed up this weekend! I've been waiting, and are already trying to build nests! I had one can of wasp spray but went and bought 2 MORE, which will probably NOT even be enough. The honey bees are also about to drive me nuts.... I am having to watch them, because they may try and rebuild the hive in that old bus. The guy that came and got them last year told me to watch out this time of the year. If I saw many, then let him know and he would bring a box so they would go in there rather than building in the bus again. It took him about almost a month all in all last year to remove all of the hive he could get out, get the QUEEN then all of the workers etc. He came back over like 3 weeks time, and kept getting more and more that he waited to come into the hive, and he got LOTS of bees. He said he felt like that may have been 50,000 or MORE when he finished up. It was scary but amazing! 

But, the damned thing "follow" me around. Yesterday I was working on my porch (I ALSO GOT OUT ALL OF MY HOUSEPLANTS ON THE FRONT PORCH) OMG, TWO OF THE HUGE ONES were difficult, but I have that dolly I can put them on and take them out on it... so I did that, weed eating more in the back lawn, sprayed for weeds again... put out more moth balls around the house and the storage building,did laundry, went to the market, I never made to washing the car, or getting to the cemetery yet... I HAVE THE FLOWERS, for Mom and Dad and my Grandparents all, but the weather was terrible at first, then the wind has been so bad, and that is fine for my parents... but my Grandparents are located where the wind is terrible so I have to actually tie down and anchor the flowers around the bottom of those "vases" on theirs so they will stay in... the flowers have been in the back of my car now for weeks... maybe I will get to that either today or sometimes this week. I have my doctors appt tomorrow FINALLY with my RHEUMATOLOGIST!! When they see how TERRIBLY MY THUMBS AND FINGERS, KNUCKLES ARE SWOLLEN ESPECIALLY ON MY RIGHT HAND I HOPE THEY DO SOMETHING. 

I am getting to where I lose more and more use of that hand daily. My grip is terrible. I barely can carry anything with that hand, and it stays so stiff, sore and swollen... if I get out and do anything, that involves my hands and fingers/wrists, they will swell and just almost not bend they are so stiff. BUT then next week I see my neck surgeon and my Cardiologist, and hopefully I can get the neck surgery done very SOON! The ONLY thing that SUCKS, IS that I MADE A RESERVATION TO GO TO WINSTAR on SUNDAY, NEXT SUNDAY, and my DAMNED APPT WHICH I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT WHEN I WAS MAKING IT IS ON MONDAY! So, I am not sure if I will change one or just "time" the drive back from Winstar to my doctors office, and drive back from there and see him. He is in Dallas, but I will have to really watch my time due to Dallas Traffic.

 It will be kind of mid-morning, my appt with him is at 1:15, so the drive usually takes around 2 hours from my home... so back to that Dallas area, would probably be about the time I would leave the Casino anyway. ALTHOUGH, NOW they are showing we MIGHT HAVE LOUSY WEATHER!!! OF course, always happens when I have something to do that means Dallas driving or if I make plans to run up to Winstar!!! GGGRRR... but that is TX weather this time of year. Anyway, I have got to look some stuff up and have 50 things, on my list... of course I maybe lucky to get 2 or 3 of them done today LOL... but hope all is well with everyone!!! BY THE WAY, DID EVERYONE HEAR ABOUT THE PRESIDENT WANTING TO CUT SPENDING WITH THE NIH???? THAT MEANS LESS MONEY TO HELP WITH RESEARCH TO CURE MAJOR LIFE THREATENING ILLNESSES! HE WILL build a damned wall, BUT does not CARE ABOUT OUR LIVES... WHAT A DAMNED JOKE! It makes me sick to even hear his name, what an ass... I SAID THAT IF HE WAS ELECTED WE WOULD BE IN A WAR IN LESS THAN 3 MONTHS, AND HE WOULD SCREW UP MEDICAL ISSUES FOR US... AND IT APPEARS MY PREDICTIONS COULD BE HEAD ON STRAIGHT!

Stressing Out, Trying to Cope, with surgeries,health,family,doctors, and trying to "get over" all that I cannot "fix".... Weather,Chronic Pain,RA,Doctors,Hip surgery & Life

For some reason (and I know partially some of the reasons) I am just in such an odd, feeling like I am just totally forgotten about, crappy mood that I've been trying to "shake" now for a week or more. I know the weather does not help, this HOT one moment, and in a few hours, COLD, dreary, and you need a coat on, and then that makes my entire body almost have this deep ache, especially in my joints. Even the entire leg from the hip all the way to my foot, has an ache to it... and it was not like that right after the surgeries. In fact after it was repaired, I did not have a HUGE amount of pain, but enough I had to take medication to do my PT, etc... 

But now, even again this morning, I woke up to a horrid headache, that then made me sick to my stomach, and I knew better than to drink any coffee if my stomach is nauseated... that just makes it worse. So, I made a cup of hot tea instead and that seemed to help calm my stomach and I took my nausea meds also. then of course although it was sunny yesterday, with the wind it was still really to COOL to do much outside.. So, wake up this morning to not rain yet, but now it has clouded over, and we have a pretty good have of rain or even thunderstorms later this evening, in to tomorrow and maybe rain on Tuesday also. Plus the ordeal with my Surgeons' office Friday left me pissed... I wanted to make sure I had seen him BEFORE going to my Rheumatologist, so I would have the latest X=ray and know how the hip is healing etc. Plus I have a bit of a purple spot, and have had some what I figure is "nerve pain" down that entire leg, but more than likely that is from my back. 

It is still annoying because I get home to find out they rescheduled my appt for the SAME DAY AS MY RHEUMATOLOGIST IN DALLAS!!!! Well, of course that won't work, so now I have to get them to hopefully schedule it BEFORE I go to my Rheumy. because we want to try new medication the RA is getting so much worse, especially in my thumbs, fingers and wrists. My right hand has swollen spots on it almost all the time now or especially if I do lots of things using my hands... from cutting small branches, to washing my car, even driving makes my thumbs and fingers (the 2 next to my thumb) "go to sleep" or be numb. It is annoying plus that tells me the RA is progressing, which is the last thing I need to happen. I've been trying to keep as busy as possible doing cleaning, throwing away stuff that needs to go, taking care of all of my plants, ready to put them outside as soon as I can... a couple of them HATE being inside during the winter and will look like they are going to die while inside.

 I even put my cool mist humidifier in the room and run it several hours a day. Anyway, I have PLENTY to do that can keep me busy, just going through, and as I said throwing away old things, or getting rid of stuff I know I will never use. I keep lots of things (a few certain things not like a hoarder) LOL that I feel may come in handy later. Sure enough there are many times, something comes up and I need a certain thing, then I recall, I put something away,, that may work, and I don't have to buy anything, or run out to the store, etc. But, there are also things I hang onto knowing fully well, they just need to be trashed. I even do that with coupons now. I cut out what I need and throw away the rest. I had been taking them to the girls at Wal-greens, but so many of them are gone, or they may not have small babies that need certain items that I have coupons for etc. I also pitched a couple pair of old sandals. I had been just using them around in the yard during the hot months, but I had basically "glued" them one or twice, the stone kept falling out of another pair, that we worn out, and stuff like "half-slips" OMG I cannot recall the last time I needed any type of "slip" under clothing - Women's clothes are different or they have a liner in them thus no need for a slip etc. And I had a billion samples of all kinds of shampoo, and those types of things, that I had accumulated over 5 or 6 years, and some of it, was just too old, and needed to be trashed. I also have been going through all of my "hand tools"... like for my plants, hand tools for my yard, spades, things like paint brushes, items to work on my windows with, screws, nuts, bolts, nails, sheet rock things, my screwdrivers, cordless drill, and just an entire "collection" of things such as screws, nuts, bolts, I never throw away, I can guarantee I will need one that size later, so I have been putting those in empty pill bottles, I take off the labels and save some to put those types of things in them. I have several bins, many need nose pliers, vice grips, small saws, hammers, and as I said you name it, I have kept them... so they are going to finally be organized and I went ahead and ordered the "cabinet" with doors - so many, of those types of things can be put away, organized, rather than sitting in a couple of boxes on table tops taking up space, and causing me to have to dig through things when i need something. 

BUT, EVEN WITH ALL OF THAT, I GUESS I AM SICK OF FEELING OR BRING ILL, OR NOT FEELING WELL, or "not doing some stuff" until I get another "review" about my hip and foot. I am just frustrated, with myself, with all of the catching up, with stuff I "am not sure" whether I should do or not... which is really stupid. My surgeon told me last time I was there, I could basically "DO" What I FELT I COULD DO... LOL! not things such as sky-diving, or up on a ten-foot ladder painting right now, or trying to pick up things that are too heavy, and that is more for my neck and back, than it is my hip. I do know I've got some pain from the hip that runs down the inside of my thigh, and they say that can be very present, and is likely after a hip fracture and repair.

 I am also using muscles that were not used for 6 weeks or more... while I was in the hospital and them Rehab Inpatient PT. But, they really were giving me a workout in PT honestly. So, I am avidly doing my ankle and foot exercises, and I make sure I do them with both legs, so both feel strong. I had sprained the left ankle a couple of times also, and due to the flat feet, that tendency to "re--sprain" or for those muscles and tendons to be loose is probably there in that foot too. Right now, I am just having to MAKE MYSELF SIT HERE AND TYPE!!!! It makes my neck and shoulders hurt if I type for very long, a well as my thumbs,fingers and wrists. I guess in "wrapping" up this ongoing FB post, I will close with I know MANY of us are going through the same thing. But, I think I expected "more out of myself" than where I am.

I also felt I would be more "settled" with all of the medical things, so I could get my neck fixed... I know I probably face lower back surgery, especially since we found out I had that "missing lamina" that they feel I was that way, without it there in that area, and I know my discs there are not good either... and even though it's been 8 months or so since Mom passed away, I am still dealing with her, paperwork and stuff, but also that I still in ways grieve for her, and find myself almost "LOST" with her no longer around. I catch myself thinking "I should call Mom and tell her, this, that or the other"... then it dawns on me, that she is not "reachable" from here anymore... so LOTS of "stuff" even more than I've poured out here is causing me to really have a great deal of "stress" that some is really useless... if I can't "fix" it then I should not stress over it....

Catching Up, Letting You know what is going on in my neck of the woods, and telling you I am still here and will be working on my blog.., so don't give up on me....

 

 What's Going On with Me, Facing Surgery on my neck and lumbar spine, The RA getting worse, going to the "casino" hopefully & giving you a thumbs up I am STILL HERE!

 

 

 

https://www.winstarworldcasino.com/

 

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=17685

I've got my reservations to go to Winstar on Monday and stay overnight. Of course I've tried to go at least 3 times over the past couple of months., and something always either happens, or the Lupus Flares on me, so I have to postpone my trip. I DO have many things to attend to, and feel guilty even running off overnight. But, unless this "cold" or whatever the hell hit me a couple of days ago, I hope to be able to get away for a day and night. Lord knows I need it. Actually I need about a week's vacation away from everything. But, then I have the fur-kids, and they already give me enough grief when I leave for a few hours, even with the "sitter" coming in a couple of times a day, they would be a total mess, if I left for that long.

Ironically, now that I am just "me" and "them" (Bub's and Peanut) I spend more times "talking" to them, or talking to me, or singing if I am in the car, or I go into the stores, and I am constantly trying to "quietly" talk to myself. My way of making sure, I don't forget anything important when I go out and do errands.

I've got several decisions to make, some of them have got to be made SOON, like about my Humana insurance. Open enrollment will end on Dec. 7th or so, so I have to make up my mind whether to keep what I have or go to a different plan and so forth. Some things are probably going to change now as far as my insurance, etc. I feel my best thing is to stay with what I have now, even though a couple of my own doctors are not "preferred providers"... this plan allows to me go to a "non-network" provider, and the insurance will pay some after I meet the deductable. That seemed to be okay last year. The only real issue is that my special orthopedic surgeon, unless things change is NOT a preferred provider, so I have to pay his portion of surgery out of pocket, but I know last year that was not all that bad, and the hospital WILL get paid as a preferred provider, so, that makes it a great deal better. I've learned after my hernia surgery, when my doctor was NOT a preferred provider, but the surgery center was, he was kind enough to knock down the price on his end, so I didn't have to pay him a great deal, and in fact I think they sent me back a little bit of a refund.

But, of course, since I put off TWO surgeries last year, both of which this orthopedic surgeon is the ONLY one I trust to do anything to my neck or spine, I will have to encounter bills from him for that. By the time one surgery is done though, I should meet that deductible thus that way, I may not be out of pocket a great deal for the 2nd one. My neck is a must. Plus I don't know what we are going to do about the RA. My right hand, of course my "dominant" hand, is in such horrible shape now, that after trying to stir something, or cut a couple of small limbs, or paint on a wall for even a half hour, cannot open jars, and I can't carry much of anything with that hand and arm. The swelling had increased so much between my thumb, forefinger, and now I have developed a "lump" on my forefinger, which is probably from the RA, and that arm and hand, wrist, continue to grow weaker all the time. I FORCE myself to use it, so I can keep at least some strength in it, but it will almost "lock up" at times, with the RA, so bad. I had a follow up with my Rheumy about 6 weeks ago, and they put me back on the MTX, but it is not working at all. The dose is not as much as when I was on it before, but I don't think it will be the answer.

I also suspect that some of the pain, weakness, and so forth are from my neck, rather than just the RA. With one almost completely flattened disc, and another one probably almost as bad, those in themselves can cause the weakness, pain, stiffness, and some of the symptoms... plus now I find it harder to turn my head, my shoulder blade is beginning to have that "burning sensation" from the compressed nerves in my neck, and now even sitting here for a little while trying to type, that hand, arm, shoulder blade, and even down into my "side" are hurting and feel like muscle spasms, especially in my right side. Of course everyone with any type of joint, cartilage, and bone issues, know that when this weather changed, it did NOT help matters.

As I mentioned at first, I'm either fighting off a cold, or hopefully NOT some type of throat infection. I even almost felt as if I was losing my voice, late yesterday afternoon, and my throat has been kind of sore, along with my lymph nodes once again hard as marbles under my ears.

So, that is why I said I "hope" to be able to get to go to the Casino without having to postpone it again, since my body is trying to fight off "something"... here in town there are a growing number of strep throat issues, along with what they may call it scarlatina, It is a very red rash that goes along at times with strep throat, and there was an article last week in the paper here that our doctors are seeing many cases cropping up...

Out of everything I HAVE had, (I hope I don't jinx myself) I've never had "strep throat".... I had horrible tonsillitis & had those taken out when I was about 12 or so. But, I've never tested positive for strep throat, which is a good thing. You can be a "carrier" though and not have a case of it. Neither one of my kids had strep either, ear infections, they outgrew, but not strep.

Anyway, I am actually working on a "list" or in the process of, the things I need to get done (LIKE GET MY HUGE HOUSE PLANTS IN) before the weather gets too bad on them... and believe me, almost all of them, especially 3 of them are so huge, thank goodness I have this "roller type dolly" made for plants to try and get them in the house. My Palm tree now that has put on 3 or 4 new prawns over the summer, stands taller than my front door. And my fern, that started from a half dead 2.00 one I got at HEB is about 20 feet or so in diameter, and they take up a great deal of space, and are very heavy.... plus I have 4 HUGE Airplane plants, that are as large as I've ever seen so they also are extremely heavy and bulky... so again I am glad I bought that plant dolly a couple of years ago.

The BEES are about gone! He came back out last week and collected as much honey out of that bus as he could reach. It was between two of the heavy metal pieces inside the bus, and he had to cut into all of that to get to the main hive, found the queen, and he said there are now more than 40,000 bees, that came out of that bus!!!!

But NOW, getting someone who has the truck, trailer and wench to pull that piece of heavy bus up onto a flatbed, and haul it to Maverick or someone they can sell it to, will be a chore. I've tried to get the word out, because I am sure with all the heavy metal in it, it would bring some bucks, if you could get it hauled to somewhere like that, that buys scrap metal.

Anyway, there are always a billion and one things you can find that need to be done when you have a home.... I had almost forgotten I STILL HAVE THAT DAMNED BROKEN GLASS in my back bedroom... that I have almost solidly taped in with Duck Tape, and have cardboard over it, but I fear at anytime it could come crashing out of there. I could put a new piece in myself, but needing someone else to help hold it up while it is "pinned" in and then glazed or hell I've put some caulking in a couple of mine in that back room for now. It helps to sturdy that old glass pane stuff, for now, and really those 5 windows need the other "storm type windows" put over them like the rest of the house...So again another project... they just keep coming and coming...

I have got to get busy, so I close for now.... again still lots of stuff needing to be done, taken care of, and so forth... thus the reason I am not here very much. I am online some, looking things up and so on, but I don't have a great deal of time to post on FB. I do well to post on my blog, and do a couple of other things...

Hope all is well with each of you.... Me....