Now I really did it :((

[Calliecake]

Hi Missy, I hope you are having a wonderful time at dinner tonight. Will it just be the three of you or will Greg's brother and his wife also be joining you? How sweet of you to get the earrings for her. I'm sure she will love them. If she is not the type to make jewelery purchases for herself, this will be a wonderful surprise. Every woman I know loves to receive jewelry as a gift. I know from our conversations in the past your relationship with her has not always been easy to say the least. What do you think finally made her come around?

I'm sorry you are not showing any improvement yet with your face. I just hope your doctor is able to come up with a solution when you see him on Tuesday. Hopefully he will be able to give you his opinion on the other treatments you have read about. They really need to come up with something that works. I know you really like your doctor but do think it would help to get other opinions? Thank you for letting me know about Accutane and Rosacea. I had not heard that before. I will let my niece know she needs to discuss this with her doctor in January. The doctor she saw this week did tell her that because she has sensitive skin, it will be more difficult to treat. I know she really doesn't want to take Accutane but I also know she is extremely frustrated with having to deal with this.

I look forward to hearing how dinner with your MIL went.

 

[junebug17]

Hope you have a nice time tonight missy! The earrings sound lovely, I bet she's going to like them! Some people are kind of hard to buy for, I think you made a good choice and there's a special sentiment behind the gift as well. Too bad the weather is so miserable - I'm in NJ (close to Philly) and it has been raining all.day.long. Dh wants to go out for a bite to eat but I'm going to try to talk him into ordering a pizza lol.

Sorry to hear your skin isn't doing as well as you'd like, I really do feel for you, this is a tough and frustrating thing to deal with. Will be thinking of you and hoping you're managing ok tonight!

Calliecake, how is your dh? Is he feeling a bit better? Hope he bounces back quickly from his surgery.

Our holiday plans will be pretty much the same as Thanksgiving - my family will go to my mother's with some kind of dinner (haven't gotten that far yet as to what!) and spend the day up there. How about everyone else?

 

[LLJsmom]

Hi Girls, how is everyone doing?

Missy, how are you doing today? How was dinner with your MIL? What was her reaction to your gift?

I'm just kinda lazy right now. I wonder why that is at this time of the year.

Got the blahs. Wanna go ski and put more stuff on ebay, but just lazy...

Ok, I'm a little distracted cause my son is starting to get into the boy/girl thing. He's in 7th grade, and chatting with girls on text. All harmless, and what we would have done by passing notes or talking on the telephone 30 years ago. It's a wake up call that he's growing up, and it's a little disconcerting. Time marches on and I can't believe my kids are growing up so quickly. ***sigh***

I hope just reading about your holiday plans will motivate me to do something.

xoxo everyone...

And the stupid USPS hasn't delivered my check to Victor yet. So I am just waiting on the check to clear before I receive my ring.

 

[marcy]

Hi ladies! I hope all is well with you. I had a busy day and must get ready for bed. I'll post more tomorrow.

Marcy

 

[marcy]

Hi Ladies,

I guess I’ll stay up for a while. I probably wouldn’t sleep if I went to bed early anyway.

Missy, great plan to have a list of treatments and options ready to discuss with your dermatologist this week. I’ll clearly mark your package of goodies as “to be eaten only by Missy” – that should keep everyone else out of your treats. Blue is my favorite color too but my car is red so I branch out from blue now and then. Now that you mention it I do remember you said Greg wanted a Hamilton watch. Marty has one Hamilton and I know he really likes it. Marty and I are just getting each other stocking stuffers or small things. We bought that Tom Everhart print in October so we decided that could be our Christmas present. He designed his own poker chips for his man cave (Killer Rabbit Casino) so I ordered a T-Shirt with one of his poker chips on it. I am very anxious to see how that turns out. I picked up a few different kinds of candy for him today and will go find a few golf things for him. Nothing much exciting.

I am glad your MIL came around and decided you are okay. I mean, how could she not see how terrific you are? That’s great she is so active at 80. I hope she loves her opal earrings. I hope you all had a nice dinner.

Callie, I am glad to hear your niece has a good attitude about her skin but I sure hate to think being put on the pill might have caused this for her plus the nasty side-effects from that pill. How is your DH doing today?

Junebug, did you end up ordering pizza? We had near 60-degree weather around here today. That’s amazing for December. Do you have a large family when everyone gets together? I hope you have a good time at your mom’s for Christmas.

LLJsmom, I think this time of year lends itself to having the blahs. I hope your day looks brighter tomorrow. And hurry up USPS and deliver your check to Victor so you can get your gorgeous ring.

Marty played golf in Colorado today. I worked on laundry, ran errands and then headed to Colorado myself. Marty’s friend dropped him off at 4 pm at our favorite kitchen store. I picked up a few Christmas gifts and paper plates and napkins for the family Christmas. I thought we’d use the paper plates for the snacks and set them up downstairs on the bar in the man cave.

We also met my sister and BIL for supper. She brought me an envelope of old photos and newspaper clippings of me she sorted out of my parents hundreds of photo albums. I swear that project could take her decades.

Take care.
Marcy

 

[LLJsmom]

Hi...

Marcy, why are photos such an intimidating project? I have so many that I just don't want to deal with but don't want to part with either...

So my son has been texting this girl all night. He got an iphone a couple of weeks ago, and loves it. He works super hard at school, and everything else, so I am ok with getting him this luxury. Anyway, all night, until they say goodnight and go to bed. I'm a little disturbed, but I think that's my problem. Nothing at all inappropriate. I look at his messages all the time. He says to me, "mom, I need some privacy". My response was, "You're 12. At this age, there should be nothing discussed that I cannot know about." He knows I can read his messages anytime. I don't have a problem with kids texting dumb, immature preteen comments to each other. That's fine. It's just kinda shocking that he IS a preteen. And the girl he is texting is in a grade above. It's fine, I keep telling myself. I remember what it was like to be young. And if he has a crush, that's fine too. Those were heady, exhilarating days. I want him to have the chance to experience the feelings. But do they have to grow up so quickly? And I have to say I am impressed that he can initiate and maintain a conversation with a girl older than him.

There was another girl that had texted him, and used the word "orgasm" when she was explaining to him why another girl at school was randomly hitting him. His response was, "Wow, so inappropriate." He did not pursue that line of thought at all and changed the subject. I'm so proud of him.

 

[missy]

Good morning everyone!

We had a lovely time yesterday. It was just the 3 of us as the rest of Greg's family is in Chicago and St Louis and they actually celebrated her 80th early when she was visiting them in St Louis this Thanksgiving. My MIL said she loved the earrings and we had a very nice time together. It had been too long since we last saw her due to my accident so we are planning to get together in a few months so as not to let a whole year go by again.

Junebug, we were in NJ yesterday too (not as south as where you are though) and it was very rainy all day long there and in NY as well. And today is going to be blustery cold brrrrr. Winter is here perhaps not in date but in temperature for sure! I hope you got that pizza yesterday. That's perfect food for this weather.


Callie, I don't think a second opinion will help just because my diagnosis is straightforward (albeit complicated with concurrent existing conditions) but the treatment is not straightforward as everyone reacts differently. Leave it to me to have this ultra sensitive reaction and unfortunately there is no miracle treatment for this.

The problem is since my skin is so reactive I cannot tolerate the treatments so I am not sure what I will do. I pray I am not going to be disfigured from this. This is really scary for me but yesterday I was good because of the steroids holding back the reaction. I have to start tapering though so my derm can see the full extent of my condition this coming Tuesday. I just want to keep applying the topical steroids though so I can go to PT tomorrow without being embarrassed and also so I don't become a shut in...

I think it took time for my MIL to warm up to me because I am so different than her other DIL's. My background and my personality. Very NYC all the way and well a few other issues I won't get into here but suffice it to say I was not the right religion for her haha. But as she got to know me and also as she realized how happy I make her son well common sense got the better of her finally. Thank goodness as it was a rocky relationship for quite a while there though Greg always made it clear to her and the rest of his family that I came first no matter what. He really is the perfect partner (for me) and for all I have been through with his family it was 100% worth it.

How is your niece doing on the Mino? I hope she is starting to see some improvement. Also please update us as to how your dh is doing. We are all thinking of him and sending him lots of healing vibes.


LLJsmom, it is totally normal to feel the blahs this time of year and I think (at least for me) it has something to do with the shorter days and the more dreary weather though I am not sure dreary weather holds true for where you live. I am so jealous as I would love to live where the weather was lovely for most of the year. I love the sun and that lack of sun contributes to my blahs. Even with the Veriliux Happy Light I have been faithfully turning on for an hour or so every morning. Also the holiday expectations add to stress levels this time of year and feelings of not wanting to do much I think.

I agree you should be proud of your son. He seems mature to have just brushed over that subject. I don't think discussing orgasms are an appropriate topic at that age...and yeah time goes so fast. I cannot believe my nieces and nephew are already almost young adults.

I hope Victor gets your check tomorrow so you can get your ring already. I can imagine how impatient and excited you are and I want you to receive that beauty ASAP!


Marcy, wow 60 degrees! I so wish we could have 60 degrees right now. It's going to be in the twenties taking into account the windchill factor. I am freezing and loathe the cold weather. It wasn't always like that but I guess for some of us as we get older the cold becomes more intolerable. My problem is indoor heating flares my rosacea (and probably seb derm too) so I am in a catch 22. Cannot tolerate the cold (flares my skin also) and cannot tolerate the heat...southern California here I come (I wish!).

What you and Marty bought each other for the holidays sounds perfect. That Everhart print is always going to bring you joy when you look at it and those little gifts you picked up for him are the perfect toppers. I wonder what little things he might have gotten you. Something to look forward to.

I think using paper plates and napkins are a good idea. Less cleanup and less stress. I love photos and putting them into albums but as you and LLJsmom wrote it is often a huge undertaking. But for those who enjoy the project it is very worthwhile. I hope your sister enjoys and also shares the albums with you so you can enjoy as well. I used to give gifts of (small) albums filled with family pictures but that was a very long time ago. Memories are priceless.

I am glad we both have the same favorite color. Blue is beautiful in every way and goes well with so many other colors. Thank you for the goody package. I will be on the lookout haha.


As for our holiday plans we are seeing my family on the 21st for a Hanukkah celebration and then Greg and I are having our own little Christmas celebration at the beach house. First time I would have been there since the accident. I just hope my skin calms down so I can enjoy some holiday cheer with my dh. I really just want some peace after this challenging year but I already know some things are beyond my control so I need to find inner peace no matter what is going on around me and to me if that makes sense. I guess I am praying for more inner strength to face whatever lies ahead.

Kristie, I forgot to ask you how you are doing and how is your holiday season going so far? I hope all is well and please share your plans with us. Ovi, you too! And everyone else please share. I love reading what my PS friends are planning and doing and enjoying during the holiday season. Hugs to all.

I am adding a holiday pic of my other nieces and nephew and my MIL from their St Louis Thanksgiving celebration. I am looking forward to seeing them in a few months I hope (planning to visit us)!

 

[Calliecake]

Hi Girls, Missy, I'm so glad you had a nice time with Greg's mom. I forgot his brothers and their families lived in different cities. If I'm remembering correctly that is a good thing as far as one of the families is concerned. Your nieces and nephews are so cute. I'm sure your mother in law loves the picture. My mother in law always loved the pictures with her grandchildren.

How is your face today? Did you decrease the amount of steroid you were using? I want you face to be better but at the same time I really want the doctor to see what you have been dealing with when you go to your appointment on Tuesday. I'm afraid if it looks much better he's not going to understand how awful this has been for you. I hope that makes sense.

My husband is feeling really good today which was great because I was gone all afternoon. A friend of mine has a daughter who is having a baby and today was the shower. It was such a nice time. She received so many great gifts. I was so relieved this morning when he said he was much better. I would have felt guilty leaving him if he wasn't feeling well.

I finally connected with the antique jewelry store yesterday. I have wanted a North South dinner ring for quite some time. She had a few and happened to have one that I really liked and the price was great. She is holding it for me for a few days to think about. She was getting ready to close when I arrived so I wasn't there very long. She had already put many pieces away but said she will hold anything else she thinks I might like. She is closed again next week. I believe she is trying to open two stores and is open mainly by appointment right now.

LLJsmom, I understand how you feel about your son growing up. The time they are little goes by way too quickly. You seem like you are a great mom. It may be a good thing that it's taking a little longer to get your ring. I have no idea how you are going to be able to wait until Christmas to wear it.

Marcy, Are you feeling less stressed about the holidays? I can't wait into hear how Marty's tee shirt turns out. That was such a great idea. You know he will love it!

Junebug, How are you and your mom doing? Did you get your Christmas decorating done? With everything you have on your plate I'm sure the decorating seems more like a chore this year than something fun to do. I probably would have stayed on the couch and drank coffee today.

 

[LLJsmom]

missy I love the pic of your nieces and nephew. It is such a charming group. I hope that you are feeling better today.

Just saying hi. I've been headachy, craving chocolate and depressed for a few days. I'm ok. I'll start working out again tomorrow. I hope that everyone is doing well. I just want to hibernate and never leave the house.

Junebug, I'm looking forward to seeing your ring.

 

[Calliecake]

LLJsmom, You said you have been depressed the past few days. Is everything okay? Are you okay? If it's not something you want to talk about, I understand. I'm just worried about you.

 

[marcy]

Happy Monday!

LLJsmom, I don’t know why pictures seem to be such a big chore; but they sure are. I agree, we don’t want to part with them either. I used to let mine stack up for months; I am so glad we live in a digital photo age now. That is kind of cute your son is texting a girl all night. I also like he didn’t feel that one girls comment was appropriate. He sounds very level headed for a 12 year old. Hurry up check, huh? I hope you are feeling better tomorrow. A little chocolate never hurt anyway.

Missy, I am glad to hear you had a very nice time with your MIL and that she liked her earrings. I bet your MIL definitely warmed up to you once she saw how well you treated her son and also what a good couple you are together. That is awesome Greg just let his family know you came first. He is a keeper all right. The temperature here is very abnormal for December. I know Mother Nature will get us back in no time though. Sorry both the heat and cold can be problematic for your skin. I love looking at photos too; memories are priceless. Blue is also the most common color of sapphire; it’s a win win in my book. You will have a nice time celebrating with your family then spending Christmas at the Beach House. I think you’ll really enjoy the peace and quite there. It sounds great! You have a LOT of inner strength but it never hurts to ask for some help. Your family is lovely; I hope you do get to see them in a few months.

Callie, that is great news your husband is felling better and you were able to go have some fun at a baby shower. Oooh, I am glad you found a ring you are considering. Decisions, decisions. Yes, I am less stressed about the holidays. I am working on my to do list every day.

Our den is coming along. The printers and TV are all set up. We bought an electric leather Flexteel recliner tonight to put in there. It is so darned comfortable I may never come out of the den. I can rattle my cup of ice and tell Marty I need more water. Sweet. Of course Marty wants 2 recliners and a couch recliner for the man cave. I will be anxious to get home tomorrow and test it out in front of the new TV.

I think my Christmas poem is ready to print. I’ll have Marty proof read it tonight and I’ll read it again tomorrow then get that baby printed.

Marty is off to Atlanta next week. I will try to get my Christmas cookies baked while he is gone.

Take care.
Marcy

 

[missy]

Good morning ladies! It is a dreary rainy windy day here today. A Noreaster in fact and hoping that our beach house remains dry and intact...a little bit nervous but mainly because we are not there to check on things and we still have outdoor furniture in the backyard. My dh says everything will be fine. Let's hope so! And I hope everyone is warm and dry and safe where they are!

Callie, that N/S dinner ring sounds divine! Please keep us posted. And well you know that pictures are always appreciated haha. I totally know what you mean also about wanting my skin to clear but not so much the doctor doesn't see what the problem is. Guess what? The steroid worked and it almost looks normal this morning and my appointment is at 8:15AM LOL. On one hand I am so relieved but otoh I know it cleared because I applied topical steroid to it for 5 plus days straight and only d/c'd it for not even 2 days now. It takes time to wear off and rebound. However Greg will be with me (bless him) and there to back me up about how awful it was and how awful I know it will be as soon as the steroid wears off. Not that David (my derm) wouldn't believe me. He would and does. We have a longstanding professional relationship and he knows my medical history and how ultra sensitive my skin is. So fingers crossed he can figure out something for me that will provide long term relief that doesn't involve steroids.

How is your niece doing? Is the Mino helping yet? I am thinking of her and keeping my fingers crossed for her relief as well!

Also, how is your dh doing now? Is he almost back to normal? I am glad you were able to attend the baby shower and hope you had fun. I also hope your mother is feeling well.


LLJsmom, I had to look at your video again your new ring is just so GORGEOUS. Really really beautiful! I hope it is in your possession very soon and we all look forward to seeing it on your lovely hand.

Thank you for the lovely comments re my family picture. They are a great bunch of kids. I miss them and so looking forward to seeing them soon. I want the winter to speed by for more than one reason lol.

Are you feeling a bit down because of the shorter days? Or just because around the holidays there are so many expectations and it can be draining. And you are probably a bit nervous till you see the ring in person. I get that. I hope your feeling down is nothing serious and just a combo of the above reasons. Sending you comforting (((hugs))) and lots of good thoughts.


Marcy, How are you doing? I imagine the holidays must be challenging right now with the loss of your parents still so recent. I know you have a lot of support from friends and family but I hope you know there are a lot of PSers who love you and are thinking good thoughts for you. Biggest hugs from me to you.

Your new electric recliner sounds awesome! Oh I would love us to have a few of those for our living room. No room in our library since we have the Pilates Reformer there. Hmmm there is room at our beach house though. Keep us posted as to what you think about your new chair(s). I like the way Marty thinks...a couch recliner sounds amazing. Never heard of it but oh I can imagine. LOL. Also yay for Marty waiting on you. You deserve it my dear! I am sorry he is going away on business soon but hopefully he will be back before you know it. I wish you lived closer because then we could enjoy bling and other shopping together while he was away.

Please tell us more about your Christmas poem. Is this something you write every year and send to friends and family? Oh and I am looking forward to receiving your delicious baked goods. I will be giving our postal workers generous holiday gifts so perhaps they won't be tempted by your home baked goodies...

Also thank you for that comment about me having inner strength. Sometimes I am not so sure but other times I know I do. It's just not always front and center and there are times I do feel like it is (too) overwhelming but then I realize I am so fortunate with all the good in my life and I am very grateful. Life is full of challenges (and this year has been a doozy) and it really is about appreciating all the good and dealing with the bad as best as one can one day at a time. And I am very thankful for my PS friends who played a big part (and still do) in my mental recovery as well as sharing valuable info with me to get me on the road to physical recovery. Thank you all.

OK enough seriousness for one post. I am attaching a pic of Fred from the other day. After I did my Pilates workout I went to my exercise room to start my elliptical and treadmill workout but had to return to the library to get something and lo and behold guess who was keeping the Reformer nice and warm for me lol. This is Fred doing his combo Pilates workout with his own personalized yoga and meditation element thrown in for good measure. Haha my cats are so zen.

 

[missy]

I saw my dermatologist this morning and he said I have a combination rosacea, seb derm and perioral dermatitis and unfortunately treatment for one aggravates the other conditions. Oy vey. He wants me back on Oracea (40 mg doxy) because that will help get things under control according to him. I have been off Oracea since February 2014 due to developing esophagitis and subsequent overall body burning.

So I am sadly back on Oracea which sort of terrifies me because my other doctors think that it could have been the Oracea that set off my esophagitis this past winter and all the burning I was getting throughout my body for all those months but my dermatologist said I don't have to be on it forever just to get some of my symptoms under control.

He thinks it is part perioral dermatitis because I showed him pics of my face when I was at the height of the inflammation and the red bumps and bumps are perioral dermatitis not seb derm.

He also put me on Protopic (instead of Elidel) for every other night alternating with an anti fungal for the every other night that I am not using the Protopic. He also put me on topical metro gel and to apply metro gel (for my rosacea) every morning. And Oracea (doxy pill) every morning. That's a lot of stuff and I hope it works because I am very worried about my face becoming a mess again now that I have stopped applying the topical steroid.

My derm doesn't want me to start the topical steroid application again unless it gets out of control and even then he wants me to contact him first before I do because taking it has serious repercussions re the rosacea.

OK so that's my update, sorry for the jumbled explanation and thanks for listening.

ETA: The liaison at my other job called me as I was writing this post. I haven't spoken to them since this summer right after the accident. He wanted to know how I was but also wanted to know if I was coming back to that job. I cannot believe after all these months (I haven't worked there since March or April when the burning was at its worse and all my other symptoms were acting up) they still want me back. I am very touched but told him I probably wasn't coming back to them though I would keep him posted. The only job I really want to go back to is the one where I work with my DD population. The able bodied population have their pick of good health care practitioners and don't need me like my patients at the non profit do. But it is nice that he called to see how I am doing.

 

[Calliecake]

Hi Missy, I can't believe your face looked better before you went to your appointment. Don't get me wrong, its wonderful, but seriously!!! I really wanted the doctor to see you at the height of an outbreak so he could see how bad it is. I just feel that the visually helps them some times. That might not really be the case but when I had the allergic reaction to mascara and I called the doctors office, the doctor pretty much acted like it was no big deal over the phone. Once he actually saw me it was a whole different story. He kind of gave me a hard time for not going to the hospital and told me if anything like this ever happens again to tell him I need to be seen immediately. So I guess I feel the visuals help them. On a really positive note it seems like they have narrowed down what the problem actually is. Hopefully you are now on the road to finally getting this under control. I would be nervous about doing anything now that it's calmed down. Kind of like it is finally looking better and why are we messing with anything different right now. It took almost a month to get to this point. Urgggh! I spoke to my sister in law yesterday but forgot to ask how my nieces face was doing. I'll probably talk to my niece today.

On the job front..... I never doubted for a second that they would want you back!

 

[missy]

Hi Missy, I can't believe your face looked better before you went to your appointment. Don't get me wrong, its wonderful, but seriously!!! I really wanted the doctor to see you at the height of an outbreak so he could see how bad it is. I just feel that the visually helps them some times. That might not really be the case but when I had the allergic reaction to mascara and I called the doctors office, the doctor pretty much acted like it was no big deal over the phone. Once he actually saw me it was a whole different story. He kind of gave me a hard time for not going to the hospital and told me if anything like this ever happens again to tell him I need to be seen immediately. So I guess I feel the visuals help them. On a really positive note it seems like they have narrowed down what the problem actually is. Hopefully you are now on the road to finally getting this under control. I would be nervous about doing anything now that it's calmed down. Kind of like it is finally looking better and why are we messing with anything different right now. It took almost a month to get to this point. Urgggh! I spoke to my sister in law yesterday but forgot to ask how my nieces face was doing. I'll probably talk to my niece today.

On the job front..... I never doubted for a second that they would want you back!

Thanks Callie. This is not the job I was worried about though as this job I left in the winter/spring due to my other health issues and wasn't planning on returning there. It's the non profit I was concerned about but it looks like they still want me back as well. Thank you for your support and lovely comments.

Please let your niece know when you speak with her that I am also thinking of her. I know she has no clue who I am but I feel it helps when you know others are thinking about you and care about you. It helps me at least so I am thinking it would be nice for her to know we are thinking about her and care how she is faring.

As for my skin don't get me wrong. It is getting worse again since I d/c'd the topical steroid 2 days ago. It's just not yet at the point of horribleness that it was at last Monday. However having those pics for David (derm) to look at was very helpful but now I am having to go back on that very drug that might have caused all my original health issues but I have to trust David. He is a smart guy and I need to let him take control as I am taking stabs in the dark and hopefully he knows what he is doing re this outbreak.

Just very very nervous because while Oracea did help me for 8 years it started doing more harm than good this winter but David is adamant I go back on it. I took it when I got home from seeing him this morning and now of course I am terrified to start working out as I don't want it to come back up and cause burning of my esophagus.

I am very motivated to do what is necessary to clear my skin as it is still feeling somewhat raw so I know I am not going to remain this clear and this is just a remnant of my steroid application. Fingers crossed these meds help because I don't want to be a reclusive shut in.


ETA: Haha about lying to you and taking the subway lolol. Well I can tell you the truth now that I am back home safe and sound. I took the subway this morning and did very well woohoo! I am no longer taking the cane with me and I was wearing my Timberland boots this morning as it was raining quite heavily so no SW boots for me this AM. And the Tims were very supportive and it was fairly easy doing the stairs. I mean I was still hopping down them somewhat but it was much easier in the Timberlands than the SW boots. More support. And walking wasn't difficult either (except for the toe but that's another issue) and I was overall pleased with getting around today. I am procrastinating re my workout since I cannot recline right now on my Reformer (due to the Oracea) but will get on my elliptical and treadmill in a little while when I am done procrastinating lol.

(((HUGS))) to you Callie and stay warm and dry. It's nasty out here and I am not sure how the weather is by you but hoping it is nicer and drier.

 

[Calliecake]

Missy, I KNEW iT!!! As soon as you didn't make mention of my subway question the first thougt that went thru my mind was she's going on that darn subway!!! So don't think you got away with anything my dear!!! You are too funny!

I keep thinking that maybe I should wait on the ring I found at the antique store as I may find something I like better. What I loved about the ring is the size. Some of them are just too large for my finger and overwhelm my hand. This particular one looked delicate on my hand for they type of ring it is. If that makes any sense. I also love one onthe jewels by grace website, but again it's to large and would overwhelm my hand. I need your expert opinion on this. What are your thoughts. My husband said to just get it and thinks I'm being silly for over thinking it. He said I will talk about this ring for years if someone else buys it. It was really inexpensive compared to what I thought I would spend and with retirement looming I have pretty much put a 4 carat out of my mind. I would rather put the money in a dream kitchen when we buy a new house.

I want to go the antique show in Miami in January. Want to go with me??

 

[missy]

Callie, I am on the elliptical so please forgive typos but I wanted to answer your question. Yes I feel you will be dreaming about this ring if you let it go and someone else purchases it. If you think it would make you feel badly to not get it that's your answer. Does the antique jeweler have a return period?

And a resounding YES to the Miami jewelry show..next January perhaps? Of course if my skin is better and all else is ok I am up for this January seriously but wouldn't be able to commit till I see how I am doing. I'm getting excited just thinking about the possibility lol.

 

[azstonie]

Hi Everyone, Kristie checking in

I wanted to let you know that Finn is doing AMAZINGLY, no need to euthanize my sweet boy! The prednisone, Wobenzym, Simplicef and activity restriction saved him. He can walk, trot, stand, eat/drink, pee and poop. He is super hungry and thirsty from the prednisone,though, but I'm happy to handle that for him I'm just sorry the first round of treatment lasted 1 week (tramadol) which was too long for his musculoskeletal issues. We have begun the prednisone taper, its going to be a very slow taper, so will report back after taper completed.

Missy, the face trifecta, that is sucky. I'm hoping that when your weather gets warmer/less wet that your skin will get on the mend very quickly. The doxycycline, I looked into that antibiotic for Finn because it has antiinflammatory properties, interesting that an antibiotic has that. Would light therapy help it at all? Mayo had a blue therapy that helped certain skin conditions...

Loved the pic of the other branch of your family, good looking bunch!!! An old boss of mine just moved to St Louis from Seattle and I'm concerned she won't be able to handle the hot weather/humidity.

Its 76 and sunny here today in my part of Arizona (burb of Phoenix). Short sleeves weather for sure! The snowbirds here also like black socks with their sandals! FESTIVE!!

Good wishes to you all and thank you SO MUCH for thinking of Finn the Westie. I'm hunting for his Santa Claus suit picture to post here...

 

[Calliecake]

Missy, I sent the jeweler an email telling her I am taking the ring before I even read your reply. If I find something I like better later on I am sure one of nieces would like this ring. Regarding the antique show in Miami, let's plan on it a year from January. You are absolutely right about waiting because I'm sure we would have to make plans in the next couple weeks. It's probably not the best idea regarding your ankle right now. January 2016 sounds perfect! I'm serious about really wanting to attend.

I know you also have a love of antique jewelry. Do you happen to stumble across many north south dinner rings? This will be a right hand ring so I'm not particularly looking for it to have perfect diamonds. Just one that looks pretty. I love that I know I won't see a ring like this on everyone's finger. The older I get the more I want beautiful pieces that you don't see everyday. The ring I found has approximately 1.10 tw carats of old min cuts. They are all small stones in the ring. Missy why the heck am I nervous about this? The jeweler even took 20% off the price because I have gone to the store a few times she was supposed to be open and wasn't.

 

[Calliecake]

Hi Kristie, Such GREAt, GREAT news about Finn!!! This news just put a big smile on my face!

 

[missy]

Kristie, I am so happy that Finn is doing well!!! Woohoo!!! That is amazing news and thank you for letting us know. Please keep us posted and big hugs to sweet Finn! And I cannot wait to see him in his santa suit.

I am so jealous of the weather where you are. Oh what I would do to be able to live in a sunny warm climate all year long. Enjoy and think of us poor wet freezing people occasionally...

Re light therapy I had tried Red Light therapy in 2006 and 2007 for my rosacea. In fact, Greg even built a beautiful red light machine for me and everyone was quite impressed including David my dermatologist. However it didn't seem to help my rosacea and blue light would be contraindicated for rosacea. Red light is anti inflammatory but blue light I believe is good for acne. Thanks though for the suggestion. I appreciate any and all suggestions. I am worried David gave me too many different topicals because my skin hates topical meds but keeping hopeful it will help. Right now my face is pretty irritated and I hardly applied anything today.

Callie, YAY! I am so happy you are getting the dinner ring. Please post pics of it on your hand when you have a chance. It sounds beautiful and even better with that discount! I wish I had an antique jewelry place nearby. My favorite place is a few hours drive from where we live and there are not many deals to be had there unfortunately. But I totally agree on loving what we love and not seeing it on lots of other people. That adds to its beauty for me. When are you picking it up? I am sure you cannot wait because that is exactly how I would feel too.

We're on for January 2016.

 

[marcy]

Hi Ladies!

Missy, I was thinking of you today because we had the weather channel on at work and they were talking about the storm there. I hope your beach house is okay too.

Isn’t that the way it goes? Your face looks the best it has in a while because you are going to the doctor. That’s like when you are going to get your hair cut that day your hair looks fabulous.

I am having some tough times with the holidays, thank you for asking. I know my parents would want me to enjoy the holidays and be happy though. I took a wreath to the cemetery today. Thank you for the big hugs.

We got the recliner this morning and it’s fabulous. It is kind of a deep chair and I am short but just putting the foot rest up takes care of that problem right away. I tested it out several times tonight before, during and after putting up our Christmas tree. It is very comfortable. I think you’d love them at the beach house.

I write a poem that I send as my annual form letter in Christmas cards. They used to be easy for me to write then people started telling me how much they liked them and looked forward to them each year and of course then it became a task for me because people expected them. I work on it for a week or so, make changes then just print it. It’s as good as I am going to get it and still get my cards in the mail.

I love the photos of Fred. It made me smile.

The dermatologist certainly gave you a lot of information and a definite plan for trying to get everything cleared up for you. I am crossing my fingers and toes it all works as planned. I sure that medicine does flare up and cause you problems with your esophagus. It also sounds like your navigated your way through the subway quite well.

That’s wonderful the liaison from your second job called to check on you.

Callie, we are going to have to hook up with Missy on a Find Friends app so we can track her and text her when she’s getting near the subway. That would freak her out! I am happy you decided to get the ring you want and that’s great you are getting 20% off. I am anxious to see pictures of it.

Azstonie, I am delighted to hear Finn is doing so well. My in-laws are in Florence; is that anywhere near you? I found it pretty funny to see people wearing coats and jackets when we were there. We thought the weather was fabulous!

I got my hair cut after work, then we went out for supper and Marty was working on putting up the Christmas tree when I got out of the shower. We got all the ornaments on it.

Have a great day tomorrow!

Marcy

 

[missy]

Marcy, hahaha I love that find your friends app. Never heard of it but LOL I sure would get into trouble if you guys tracked me and what I should and should NOT be doing haha. As of now I am shopping online way too much but not sure you could keep track of that could you now?

Are you pleased with the way your haircut turned out? Did you do anything radically different? How would Marty feel about that if you did? Sometimes I am so tempted to cut off (almost) all my hair especially because it has thinned significantly over the last couple of years and most of all this past year which is no surprise given I stopped taking my hair supplements and everything I have been through in addition. I am very tempted...and I would dye it bright blue if I did cut it all off. Either that or platinum blonde. Needless to say Greg is against this idea completely. LOL. He is so conservative at times.


Ooh please share pics of your Christmas tree! We haven't done ours yet because this year we are toying with the idea of a not real tree because the cats just go crazy with the real tree and it is a mess. A huge mess. But I do love the smell of the Christmas tree in the house!


Your christmas card and poem sound lovely and so very thoughtful. I hear you on when people start expecting it how it becomes a real chore. Greg used to bake (for well over a decade) christmas butter cookies every single year and we would give it out to our co-workers/colleagues/friends/neighbors and family every Christmas/Hanukkah but it became such a chore after a while with everyone expecting it. Months before people would ask about when the cookies would be coming etc as if it was a given and well it was days of baking with too many expectations if that makes sense and Greg just got tired of doing it.

Last year was the first year he didn't bake in huge quantities and we don't plan on baking a huge amount this year either. Just going to bake a bit and definitely we are going to give my surgeon and his staff cookies this year at my follow up appointment. It is something I want to do and Greg is totally onboard with that. While I am not the baker I am his sous chef so I will be helping. And sampling as I go...

I am glad you are enjoying your new recliner! Sounds so comfortable and I love footrests especially these days as I am still keeping my leg elevated. For some reason it feels better elevated even after all these months. I am very tempted to get these Marcy. LOL I must stop shopping.

Thank you for the good thoughts and wishes for my skin and I so hope this works. One's face is the first thing people see and even forgetting about that it is so uncomfortable that it is a real concern. I am hoping and praying this helps and allows me to get back to "normal".

I am sorry this is a difficult year for you Marcy regarding missing your parents. You have been through one of the most difficult things anyone could go through and it is completely understandable that this is a difficult time especially now with the holidays and all. You are right that your parents would want you to be happy and now it is still so fresh but with time you will be able to remember them with more happiness than sadness.I know and am glad you have a lot of support from friends, family and of course Marty but I also want you to know I am thinking of you and continuing to send cyber hugs your way. I know I send lots of hugs but I find them to be healing and comforting and always a good thing at least in my book. (((HUGS))) from me and the kitties.

 

[Calliecake]

Hi Girls, Marcy, That is too funny about the find friends app. I know Missy thinks I'm crazy but I live in an extremely safe little town. Her walking alone in New York City scares the daylights out of me and it sounds like you feel pretty much feel the same way. I would feel so much better if she wasn't alone especially with her not being able to run. I always error on the side of being to cautious. Although if it involved shopping, I'd go to New York City and probably would not be worried. Boy are my priorities screwed up!

I'm sorry it's been difficult lately for you. Your mom and dad sounded like wonderful parents. This time of the year always brings back all the wonderful memories we have with our loved ones. I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you. I'm just happy you will be spending the holidays with your sisters. Hopefully you will be able to help each other. It sounds like you many friends and coworkers who also offer a lot of support as well. Please know we are here for you in the coming weeks to help you through as well. I'm sending lots of hugs your way.

Missy, How is your face today? I'm a little afraid to ask if everything has stayed the same. Are your ankle and toe doing well?

Believe me if when I say if there were an app to track my online shopping my husband would most certainly have it. His brother was complaining a few months ago about his wife shopping too much. He said a package arrives once a week at their home. My husband just laughed and told him he would be really unhappy if he lived with me. A once a week delivery certainly doesn't seem like much to me!
Although I have been good about the online shopping lately. I was much worse last summer when he was out of town. Now in your case I definately consider it therapy. Your stuck in the house, you NEED to shop!

I'm going to the jewelry store tomorrow. I hope I like the ring as much as I did last week. My husband said it I don't love it to pass on it. He said we don't need another ring sitting in the safety deposit box. I kind of feel like I'm settling because it not exactly what I want but on the other hand they are so difficult to find In the size I would like. Most of ones I've come across at antique shows are much too large and bulky looking on my hand. I've been looking off and on for the past 15 years for one. So that's my current dilemma. The woman was so nice on the phone. She said if when I get there I don't think it's exactly what I want she will keep her eye out for what I do want. I am fairly certain I will get this one though.

 

[LLJsmom]

azstonie, I am so happy that Finn is doing better! Yay!

Missy, how are you feeling today? I am hoping everyday will be a good one for your skin. A planned jewelry show in 2016 is a great way to have something to look forward to. And in Florida in January no less. I do love the pic of your kitty on your reformer. They are totally zen. They're looking at you like "what's the problem?".

Marcy, I didn't know your parents passed recently. I'm so sorry. I'm very close to mine, so it would seem so tough. My thoughts are with you and hope that you will find joy this holiday season. So true that they would want you to be happy. But I can see why it is hard.

Callie, are you going back and forth about the ring? Hope you will have peace with your decision, which ever way you go.

Victor is sending the ring out on Monday. So still another week before I have it in my hands. Here is the link to the ring on his site.
https://www.victorcanera.com/rings/engagement/the-jocelyn-with-scalloped-basket

I am ok. Just need to exercise to keep the crazies away. And stop depression eating too. Chocolate, chips, salty sweet. I suck.

Hope everyone has a good wednesday!

 

[marcy]

Happy Wednesday!

Missy, how are you doing today? How is your ankle and toe? Are you sleeping well?

The Find Friends app is great. Marty and I have it and I can get supper on the table for him when he’s walking in the door. I especially like it when he travels; I can see he made it to wherever he is going.

I just had my hair trimmed and reshaped. It turned out good. Marty doesn’t really care what hairstyle I wear. He just says “its hair”. One time I got a bad perm and it was way too short; all he said when he saw me was “are you mad?”

We gave up real Christmas trees because of allergies but the artificial ones are really nice now. You can maybe get pine-scented candles if you go artificial but want the smell. Real trees can be messy.

I understand Greg getting tired of making so many cookies for people. That is nice he is making a special batch for your surgeon and his staff. You should definitely sample them for him to make sure they are up to his usual standards.

I think you’d love one of those recliners. I am going to try and use it once a day to help swelling in my legs. And shopping is always fun.

I wouldn’t worry about other people noticing or thinking anything about your face if it was broke out. I think most people would just wish you a speedy recovery. I am keeping my fingers and toes caught your skin gets better and especially it quits bothering you.

Thank you for the big hugs from you and the kitties. It means a lot to me. My parents gave me a good solid foundation that gives me strength and I will always miss them but I will continue being the happy person they knew and loved.

Callie, I live in a nice, safe small town as well and I have to admit I worry about big cities too. Of course I am sure Missy knows how to take care of herself in the big city. But is we can get Missy to approve our Find Friends app we can keep tabs on her! Marty grew up outside DC and has given me some pointers when he noticed how oblivious to dangerous situation. Yes, I almost got mugged in Denver one time. I walked out of a fast food ahead of Marty and was shoving cash in my open purse, blathering away and not looking around. A guy was leaning against the wall with his hands behind his back. He started to follow me as I walked by him. Marty comes out the door about then (he was throwing out our trash) and sees the guy and stares him down. We get in the car and I get this “Woman! Do you even pay attention to what’s going on around you?” I got the serious lecture then. I at least pay more attention now.

Thank you for the hugs plus the kind and wise words about my parents. They were very good people, they had a lot of friends and the holidays are definitely very bittersweet for me. I find myself laughing, crying and smiling at the same thoughts and memories. I feel very blessed to have been lucky enough to be their daughter. I am close to one of my sisters and have a good relationship with the other one. Let’s just say there was a reason I was picked to be in charge of the estate. One is overly emotional and the other one is very bitter and worried about being cheated out of a penny. I get along great with my nieces and nephews so I will enjoy having everyone here for dinner.

I’m with you. A few deliveries a week is very reasonable. When Marty travels my shopping definitely goes up. One time I was buying a sapphire ring and Marty called me. He was on the golf course too. I asked him if he had an app that buzzed his phone if I was spending money on jewelry.

I hope you love the ring when you see it again. If not; maybe that one you are looking for is still out there.

LLJsmom, a jewelry show in Florida in January sounds like living to me. I was lucky enough to attend the Tucson gem show about 3 years ago. I loved it. I bought a cushion cut tsavorite that day. I am sure my in-laws thought I was crazy. They browsed and sat around on folding chairs while they waited for us to be done.

Thank you for the kind thoughts about my parents. I am very glad to hear you are close to your parents. That is a special bond. I was very close to both my parents and either saw them or talked to them everyday. When Marty switched jobs over 3 years ago my mom was very cool about it; if we moved they were simply going to move there too. I am carefully deciding what routine things I can handle this year and what I might put on the shelf until next year.

If Victor mails your ring Monday what day will it arrive? I bet you are very anxious!!!

I hate to hear you be hard on yourself. Some days we just need that chocolate and salty stuff. Exercise or going for a walk is certainly a good way to lift our spirits. Hugs to you.

We have 2 ½ more days of abnormally warm weather for us. Snow is moving in again Saturday night. Marty flies out of here Sunday. I sure hope his flight isn’t cancelled. They cancel lots of our local flights due to the planes not being full. He is tired of the dash to Denver and leaving his truck in the parking lot.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day tomorrow.

Here is a picture of my Christmas tree and the new chair.

Take care.
Marcy

 

[LLJsmom]

Marcy I had to laugh out loud in the car when I read your story about Marty calling just as you were buying that sapphire ring! That is SOOOO hilarious. You know. There might be a business idea in that, where you get pinged when someone is doing a certain thing, like when my son is texting girls. Lol!! Or my husband is buying yet another piece of luggage that we have no room for. So I think I'm just stress eating because I do not have my ring yet. I finished a whole bag of Sees chocolate covered almonds this week!

Marcy you brave girl you. You're the daughter dealing with the estate. I'm a CPA and I fully appreciate how much work and stress that entails. I live with my parents too. I could not...can't even write it. You are so strong and brave.

On a different note, I wish I could all you girls a treat for Christmas. Can you suggest a way I can do that? If anyone is uncomfortable with the idea, just say so. No offense taken. As I was eating my Sees this week, I realized that people in other states don't have easy access to it. It's not super fancy chocolate but they taste homey, if you know what I mean. I would love to send you guys some but I will ask for I do individual preferences. ((Hugs)) everyone!

 

[missy]

Good evening everyone!

Callie, OK spill...did you get the ring? What are your thoughts? Did you have time to peruse the other jewelry in her store today? Please post pics of the ring on your hand if you bought it. So excited for you! Hope you have it and you love it!

I'm with you and Marcy. A delivery once a week sounds like nothing to me. LOL since I have been home I have been getting literally 3-4 deliveries a week. At least. Haha I guess being home much of the time and online can be a little dangerous. In fact this evening I got a pretty Andrew Marc jacket delivered to me that I just ordered yesterday during their blowout sale. I cannot believe how quickly it came! Almost instant gratification.

OMG LLJsmom, I have to say it again. Your ring is TDF. A work of art. So looking forward to you having it and loving it! Only a few more days.

And don't be hard on yourself. You absolutely don't suck in any way shape or form. It is totally understandable that you are eating a little more than usual right now with feeling a bit down and my advice is to allow yourself some of the unhealthy treats and add in some healthier choices and amp up your exercise and you are good to go! Plus exercise is great for endorphins and getting started is the hardest part. I hope you had a good day today mood wise and I am thinking of you and sending big hugs your way! Just think of that gorgeous ring that will soon be in your possession.

I was not great myself today because we have too many treats in the house from Thanksgiving still if you can believe it. Greg went crazy baking and we are still enjoying leftovers even after sending stuff home with my family. Though we did finish the pumpkin and apple pie finally. I still have the pb chico brownies left from my nieces and well I indulged a bit too much today.

But I am not beating myself up over it and I will get back on track. Just not saying that I will be back on track tomorrow regarding those pb brownies as I have some stress to workout myself and damn they taste good but I will be working it out aerobically and that helps quiet my mind. It's hard to resist the food this time of year though.

You just have to come and visit me here and we can do Pilates together. And the arc trainer really gets the heart rate up.

That is such a kind and generous offer LLJsmom. I cannot believe you are thinking of us with all on your plate and I am touched. Just that you wanted to do that is more than enough for me! I also wish I could send you all some baked goods and perhaps we can get Ella to arrange a way we could get in touch if the other girls are interested.


Marcy, I love your tree! Thanks for sharing a picture of it. And I also love your new chair. Beautiful. And you know I love those plantation shutters. It's a cozy room perfect for relaxing.

If Marty's flight is cancelled what happens? Does that delay his return? I sure hope the snow you are getting this weekend is light and that his flight is right on time so he can return back to you the sooner the better.

And you and Callie don't have to worry about me riding the subways or walking the streets here. Though I won't lie I was slightly nervous coming home from the dermatologist this past Tuesday. The subways on the way home were deserted and I was in a car with only one other person and well the fact that my leg is still not great made me feel a bit more vulnerable but he looked OK to me. I trust my gut and my gut said it was OK. But I hate when the trains are so empty because it makes me more nervous than when they are super crowded if that makes sense. I will never be able to run but that's OK. I am working on making myself stronger and anyway NYC is pretty safe for a big city I think. I never go out at night by myself either. Not these days anyway LOL.

Thank you all for asking about my ankle and toe. My ankle is coming along and I feel I am walking better each day and that I am getting stronger. It is slow progress but I feel I am making progress nonetheless and that makes me happy. However my toe tendon is still pretty stiff/tight. I have to keep vigilant regarding working it and massaging it so it loosens up because it does hurt to bend the toe either way. That is because the tendon is still so tight. I have been working it every day but so far I do not notice an improvement. January 8th is my follow up with my surgeon and if I am still having this issue I will see if he has any advice. I sure hope I can improve it before then.

As for my face I am praying the treatments help. So far my face hasn't exploded from discontinuing the steroids so right now I only have a bit of redness and bumps. But I know that might take a few days for the effects of the steroids to wear off since I was on them for over 5 days. I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that my face doesn't break out the way it did before and to that end I am taking the Oracea, Metrogel, and ELidel still. I haven't switched to Protopic yet or the other med (anti fungal) he prescribed because I don't want to introduce too many new things at once. So I am taking this issue one day at a time and hoping all goes well. Thank you all for your well wishes!

Ovi, we haven't forgotten about you and miss you and hope all is going smoothly on your end!

 

[Calliecake]

Hi Girls, I hope everyone had a good day today

I need your help. I went to the jewelry store to buy the ring today. Well needless to say she has many beautiful pieces. I fell in love with two other rings. I think I narrowed it down to just two though and they are both completely different so I have no idea what to do. I took pictures of both of them but I don't think they look like they do in the pictures. Does this even makes sense? The pictures also didn't turn out well. I really don't particularly like them in the pictures but when I see them in person I want to buy them both. I'm starting to think I'm crazy. The wonan at the store told me to buy one and just put the other one on layaway. What should I do? I swear in the past couple years I feel I've made mistakes with every jewelry or house decorating decision I've made. I don't want to make another purchase I'm not happy with.

Marcy, I feel like such a jerk for stressing about this when I think about all you are going thru this holiday season. How are you feeling? Do you and Marty have a lot planned for the weekend? Do you have most of your shopping done so you can take some time just for you and relax. Your tree looks beautiful and I love Marty's leather chair.

Missy, How long does Victor think it will take for the tendon in your toe to start feeling better? Is there any chance the surgeon will say you need to continue therapy because of your toe? If the surgeon says you need therapy will insurance approve and pay for additional sessions?

Tell us about your new jacket.

I also wish there was a way we girls could talk privately. I have to admit putting things on the Internet freaks me out a bit.

I really do worry about you walking around New York City and riding the subway. I was with my friend that had surgery a few weeks ago and it's still difficult for her to get around. She said 1/2 mile on the treadmill is about all she can take. I can't imagine her riding a subway or walking on busy streets. She said she was nervous to go to the mall due to people bumping into her. I was thinking of you as she was talking. I'm sure the crowds on the subway would be comparable to walking around a mall.

LLJsmom, Please don't ever say you suck again. You do not suck. Everyone eats bad stuff this time of the year. Don't beat yourself up. You'll get back on track. I'm sure you will relax once that gorgeous ring is on your hand. Having something custom made is always stressful. It's always a lot of money, then on top of it you always worry that you won't love the finished product. Though I have to admit it's pretty hard to imagine not loving your ring. It's gorgeous! Could you just be eating junk because your stressed about the ring? Just looking at the rings today made me want to buy a 3 pound bag of M&M's. Chocolate works wonders sometimes.

 

[LLJsmom]

Is this stupid? Here is my listing on loupetroop and you can contact me directly here. I wonder if it works.

Just ignore the cuff sale. I want to get rid of it, but I posted this just so you guys could email me. I know the name is weird. I used my hsuband's weird name for some of his website IDs.

http://www.loupetroop.com/listings/bracelets/coach-brass-cuff