I am sitting in my office shivering. It is 18 degrees here, with a wind chill of 2. No, that is not in my office Vonn:D. We only got about an inch and a half of snow, but the sidewalks are all icy. I already had my chairperson put in a call to the physical plant to complain about the sidewalks near the disability parking and entrance. ( I had seven typos in the above sentence. :eek: My fingers are hitting the incorrect keys.) You should have seen me walking in -- remember baby steps in "Mother May I?"

We have snow in our extended forecast, too. Friday night into Saturday....but that could change between now and then.

I'm not doing anything special today. It's cold and windy outside.

Barb, be careful walking on that icy sidewalk. I remember QVC having a thing that you put over the outside sole of your shoe that keeps you from slipping on icy surfaces. I'll see if I can locate it and post the link.

Here it is: http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/v...-SlipOn-Cleats

I'm a fan of castle too. I liked the actor when he worked on the show "firefly" (the basis for the movie "Serenity"). I think he's a hottie. :)

Did you know they actually made that Nickie Heat book and they have the author as Richard Castle? :eek: Saw it in Barnes and Nobles. Half tempted to get it.

I've been running errands this morning. Car tags are due at the end of Jan, so I was expecting a long line at the license office. I was number 3 at 10am! Guess cold, windy weather is good for some things! ;)

Barb, I hope you've made it safely home. :hug:

:grouphug: to all

Afternoon, everybody!!

Back to cold and snowy...Barb, be careful!!
No call from the doc...Sandy, they took some blood too...one that had to be handled under tight rules...I didn't ask why...ignorance is bliss:rolleyes: The little cut the tech. put in my arm bled as soon as I took the gauze off, and bled after I placed the bandage on. But it stopped...

My DH & I watch Castle too...each for different reasons, of course;)

Going to my neuro's wellness lecture tonight. My DH goes with, and we both enjoy the info we get. And the snacks are to die for!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday afternoon/evening!:)

Debbie, we used to use butterfly band-aides on bleeding time test. Man, things have changed since I was a phlebot. It has been over ten years though. LOL Do you remember if they called the special test DIC panel? That's a full coagulation workup.

Jim's appointments went well. The neuro/botox doctor put an extra 100mgs of botox in Jim's legs. That's pretty much the limit. At this dosage he could develop antibodies and if that happens we'll try a different botox. There are two approved by the FDA. She also went over all the side effects of such a high dose. Jim said go ahead because he was already at 400mgs so 100 more shouldn't be too bad. She said yes but she had to tell him anyway. One big side effect is respiratory failure. :eek:

Good Morning all! I made it safely home. Thanks! And now I am back at school. I really did not want to get out of bed this morning. I finally had a decent nights sleep -- took an extra baclofen around 2:00 in the morning when I woke up with spasms. Sometimes, I wonder how I am going to possibly continue teaching until June 2012. I am enjoying my classes this semester, but do not enjoy all of the other work. I have a conference paper to co write with a colleague for April, and we have not even started. And then there are all the committee meetings, grading, class prep, advising sessions ... I just want to go home, take a nap, and read a good book.

Okay, I have to quit feeling sorry for myself and get to work. :rolleyes: Hope you all are having a good day!

hey all!

barb...glad you made it home okay

sandy...wishing jim the best with the increase in med.:hug: How did Mom
do with you away?

debd hope you enjoyed the lecture last night!

Kel and Pam....enjoy your snow! We have no snow right now on the
ground. It looks like April outside.:confused: My dh and kids snowmobile
so they are very sad. Not me, come on spring!

wiz...Im so happy training is going so well. we miss you here.:hug:

fin, vonn, holly, weav, tricia, sarah, moo you all have agreat wed.!:hug:

Heading out to the doc....gotta find out what is going on with my back/hip.
I am actually pretty worried that it is something serious. I am so tired of
the pain!!! I want to excercise and move just a little, ya know?

I have girl scouts in the afternoon so I will be heading to Micheals for the
craft supplies then to the police dept to pick up the accident report. I
am back to sclepping the eighteen year old until we find out if the car
is totaled or not.:(

anyway, have a great day friends!:hug::hug::grouphug:

Good morning! It's a beautiful, sunny day here today. We have one more day of nice weather before the cold rain arrives. Tomorrow is supposed to be 60!

I cannot seem to wake up this morning. I cleaned up the house a little....trying to wake myself up.....but it just seems to have made me more tired. Eyes are still giving me problems so still no driving.

I think tomorrow, while it is a little warmer, I'm going to try and clean up the back porch. I need to inspect what we have stored in our little storage barn in the backyard, too. I haven't looked in there since we had all the rain. Hoping everything is still dry.

Okay, it's only 10 AM but I'm giving in and taking a nap. Ya'll have a good Wednesday! :grouphug:

Morning all! Jim is feeling a little flu like this morning. That's a side effect of the Botox hopefully. It should only last a day or so.

Mom did fine without us but she said she was lonely. LOL

Hope everyone is having a good day. It's so cold up here. :-(

It is actually sunny down here so it does not feel as cold.:0 It is the first time we have seen the sun for days. Temperature are really suppose to fall over the next few days.

Afternoon, everyone...the sun peeked out for a whole 129 min., according to the weatherguy...it's been quite a cloudy January...
Soxie, I hope the doc can help you figure out what's going on...could it be sciatica? Anyway, hope you feel better soon:hug:
Kitty, hope you had a good nap!
Barb, hang in there...you can count the months now!!
Wiz, miss ya, too...

I feel very sleepy right after breakfast every day this week...I have to nap. Then I feel better and can go work out...I actually cleaned the master bedroom and bathroom this afternoon...haven't cleaned like that since the surgery in Nov. Felt good to get something accomplished.:)

Sandy, hope Jim is feeling better...and, concerning your mom, abscence (sp) makes the heart grow fonder;)

Last night's lecture was good...kind of a review of MS, but a bit more specific esp MRIs and what the different lesions mean...also went over the approval of the new drug for improved walking...DH and I always come away better informed.

Well, hope all of you have a good afternoon...those of you in the path of that ice storm...be careful, and have the candles ready in case the electricity goes off:hug:

I was up at 6am getting everyone off to work/school, I tried to stay up. I fought that nap, but come 9am I was out. The UTI is trying to come back, shot night was blahh, it was 18 degrees this morning. I am starting to feel like:deadhorsebeat:. I'm whining, I do not want to take another round of antibiotics. I'm allergic to most of the ones used for UTIs. Only option is stronger stuff that I don't want to use until a total emergency. So I'm spending my day resting and drinking water, taking cranberry tabs, and drinking more water!:p

Pam, I'm sorry. I hope you UTI is not coming back. I am allergic to alot of antibiotics too. I understand your reluctance to take them.

Debbie, Thanks:) I am trying not to count down the months. Right now 2012 seems like a long time. What did your neuro think about the new med?

Sun was out here for about three hours. By the time I got out of class it was gone. I have been checking airline tickets to Austin, Texas for Spring Break. I hate flying, but I haven't seen my little sister or niece since July. Prices have really gone up since last year. The best deal so far means a connection in O'Hare (Chicago) which I really try to avoid, but it does originate from an airport only 50 minutes from here. I usually have to drive to Indianapolis or St. Louis to catch a plane ( over two hours drive).

Anyone who drives a Toyota please be careful!! :eek:

http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/t...ry-102572.aspx

Hey all,
Barb, my neuro ran some of the trials for it...thinks it's a very good drug for symptom management...and 10 mg 2x/day is all that is needed...trials showed that increased dosage didn't improve walking ability any more than the 10 mg. He's really excited, since it is the first drug exclusively approved to treat a symptom of MS...all the others...baclofen, zanaflex, etc., are approved for other diseases, but used off-label for MS.
My DH is counting down the years until he can retire...packages to leave have been offered to his level off and on in the past, but they felt he was "too valuable" to receive one...told him that's what you get for being so smart:rolleyes:
Pam:hug::hug: hope you're better soon...

Burned bill receipts from '03 and '04 in the fireplace tonight...I keep them for 5 years.
DH is at a meeting tonight, so I get to watch the State of the Union by myself. Was invited to a watch party, but decided to stay home...

Our Camry hybrid isn't on the list...at least I don't think so. I have noticed a revving of the engine occasionally in my Lexus hybrid suv...it scares the bejeesis out of me...but it only lasts a few seconds. I've mentioned it to the repair shop at Lexus...they look at me like I'm crazy. We'll see...

Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday evening!:)

Hi Everybody! :grouphug:

I'm in the hotel after navigating here on very slippery roads. I'm hoping this doesn't last. Only two more days of training, yippee!!! :)

I just finished a big taco thingy from Chipotle. Yummy!! :p It was delicious!

Everybody have a good Thursday and I'll try to check in tomorrow. Hugs, prayers and good vibes to all who need them. :grouphug:

I just admire you so much, Wiz. I know this can't be easy for you to do.....but you have such a cheerful attitude about it. :) I'm so glad you're enjoying your new job. Just reading about it makes me tired! :o

Ditto, Wiz, I respect you so much...your attitude is awesome!

Hi every one. Hope your all ok. Just seem to be busy doing nothing at the moment. :p Im sending you all warm wishes and healing thoughts. Love Jackie xxxxxxxxxxx :grouphug::hug: :grouphug::hug:

Hi Jackie! I was wondering where you went! I hope you're feeling better. :hug:

Jackie, :hug::hug:

Wiz, glad you love the new job. :)

Pam, hope the UTI doesn't come back. I know what you mean about antibiotics. I'm highly allergic to a common one, so the ones they have to give me make me feel worse than whatever's going on. Feel better soon. :hug::hug:

Everyone, :grouphug::grouphug:

~~~~~

Yesterday was a major slug day. Wanted to do stuff, but everytime I stood up for awhile my bod was screaming at me to sit back down. Which I did. Think I did a wee bit too much on Tuesday. Did some running around, some exercise, some art, etc. Something made it just a little too much. One of these days I'll have a better idea where that wall is. :D On the plus side, I'm learning to listen when the bod doesn't want me to push any further. :)

As promised, I'm going to try to post a picture of my new kitty.

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/n...e/Sapphire.jpg

Holly, what a cutie! Somebody is enjoying some warm sunshine! However, I can't decide if that is a "I love you Mom" look or an evil eye! :D

Jackie! good to see you post! Was wondering how you were. :hug:

Wiz, enjoy the new job! I too am amazed at your strength and stamina!! :hug:

Good morning everyone! Well looks like I skated by the UTI this time :cool:. I have been taking AZO cranberry tablets for weeks now, but I am not sure they helped. Yesterday I remembered I had a bottle of cranberry concentrate...the unsweetened kind. I have to mix one ounce with 5 ounces of water and add a sweetener. I tried stevia, but it was still too bitter. So I used Agave, but honey would work too. After 4 glasses of this I have no UTI symptoms!! I feel much better today and actually slept through the night instead of the usual up and down all night.

Good morning all! BRRRR! It is really cold here. 14 degrees with a wind chill of -1. We got a bit snow last night that did not seem like a big deal until I started driving to school. I was going really slow and my anti lock breaks still went off a few times. Our parking lot at school (at my building) is an ice rink. I will be so glad when winter is over!!! I did end up getting ticket to go to Austin over Spring Break (March). I hate flying anymore, but if I want to go I have to fly.;)

:)Hello everyone!

Just wanted to wish everyone a good day! I just got back from the
winter concert at the elementary school.,....too cute! I am going back
in a t 12:30 for my shift in the classroom. We will be doing some animal
tracking with someone from the audobon society.:) Its snowing out
so it should be fun.

Yesterday my doc and I decided on doing an epidural for my back and
hip pain. He hopes it will calm all the nerves that are irritated. I CANT
live with the pain so its worth a shot!(get it lol).:D I have an appt on
Feb 12 to get it done.:) I actually am looking foreward to it!

Hugs to everyone out there...have a great day and be safe all!:grouphug:

Holly - What a beautiful cat!!! Thanks for posting the pic.

Hi Jackie - Good to see you back again.

Pam - I hope you start feeling better soon. I too am allergic to many antibiotics. I am really limited in what I can take and am always looking for ways to avoid/beat infections. Hang in there!:hug:

Fin - Good girl for listening to your body. I have resolved to the fact that I will never, ever fully grasp the concept of pacing oneself. I just can't do it. I am glad to hear that you are starting to feel better and up to doing more. :hug:

Wiz - Glad the new job is going well. How exciting!!! I can tell by your posts that you are really enjoying this and made the right decision accepting this job. Now go get 'um!:D

Sox - How are you doing? I hope they can figure something out soon. I thought of you last night as I had dinner at my parents house. They had GS cookies!!! It's that time of year, I guess. I need to tell DD18 as she loves GS cookies and I may have to pick her up some. Not sure what kind she likes though. LOL

Hi everyone else! Thinking of you as well.:hug:

Today, is some order, I am straightening up the house, going to help my parents, picking up some supplies for school, dropping off some things for DD18 at her dorm, getting some groceries in my near empty cabinets & refrig., doing homework, taking a nap, and then going to class this afternoon. How's that for not overdoing it.:o:p

Have a great day everyone!:hug::hug:

Sox, my DDH had epidural injections in his lower back when he was having trouble with a herniated disc. I never got to see the actual procedure but I did have to drive him there and back (well, back at least). It seemed to help him but the day of the injection was rough for him. Not sure if he used that as an excuse to plant himself in his recliner afterwards or not......:rolleyes: :p Anyway, I hope it helps you. I'm sure the procedure has changed since he had it done. It was over ten years ago.

Hi ... been doing more lurking than posting ...

had another blood test (follow-up for neuro) on Monday - and within 3 hours after the test was done ... the nurse was calling me (at 545p) to tell me that my neuro wants me to STOP the copax for a week again - and then to re-test next week! almost had a meltdown .. but, I've been around that mountain one too many times ... and it's been 3 days without copax ... and I'm doing okay .. a bit slower, but okay ...

here's a picture of my cousin, Joan and myself (I'm in the purple) when I went to see her 2 weeks ago today - we haven't seen each over for over 10 years or more ... just life - nothing dramatic ... she has a beautiful home and family ... she likes ladybugs ... this was the only ladybug fabric close that I had ...

reading thru so much, but as I am Maddie is saying MEOWWW, MEOWWWW
seeing all the cats along the threads! haha

I am doing ok, mammogram today, in few weeks I get the spinal MRI ...
hugss to you all, sarah

Hi Everybody!

One more day of training and have to be there at 6:30am for a "kick off" meetiing at a conference center for the 2010 events. :)

We get to leave at 4pm tomorrow then I'll be on the road and heading home to DH, DS's and kitty cats.

Holly,

I love your new kitty and she looks extremely happy. :D

Sarah, Tell Maddie I said MEOW back to her. :D

I hope everyone will have a great Friday and thanks for all the kind replies.

I know I look tired (and OLD, honestly... :rolleyes:) but I'm very optimistic about this job and feel very fortunate. :)

She is so adorable! :) Thanks for sharing her picture.

Been awake since 4:00 a.m., and now I have to go to school. It is 11 degrees here, with a wind chill of -2. I am so glad that it is Friday.

Wiz -- You have a great attitude about your new job. I think I need an attitude adjustment!:rolleyes:

Morning all. Just hanging on by a thread around these parts. LOL Laundry again and some cleaning. Other than that, not much. It's too cold to get out. Even with the weather being cold we are blessed not to be going through that horrible storm going through the south. I read north Texas got 8 inches! What?

Have a good day everyone. Wiz, so glad your coming home and your training is finally over. :hug:

It's so cloudy here.....thick gray clouds that look like they are FULL of snow. Tonight and tomorrow will be when we're supposed to get whatever we're in for. Hoping the bad stuff stays north of us. I'm right on the edge of the line they've set for who gets ice/snow and who gets freezing rain.

I got groceries yesterday so I'm set for whatever happens. As long as the power doesn't go out.....

Has anyone heard from Becky? She's in Oklahoma and it looked like they got slammed. Hope she's okay.

Not doing much today. I got alot of my chores done yesterday......big stuff like dusting and running the vacuum all over the hardwoods to get the dust "bunnies" and cat hair "tumbleweed" that blows around! :o I'm amazed that Gracie isn't bald by now.....I found enough of her cat hair to cover another cat!

Everyone stay safe wherever you are......Winter is just settling in it seems. Have a good Friday! :grouphug:

My brother made a joke the other day that the movie 2012 was coming true! LOL He's in Tulsa and iced over but they managed to dodge the worst of it which hit more south. Everything is shut down. Oklahoma City where Becky is was hit hard. I doubt she'll be able to get online for a bit but you never know.

Ok all you northerner's I have a questions for you. Can you smell snow? I made that comment to DBF last week end and he has been giving me such a hard time about it all week long. I had to rephrase it that you can smell snow in the air, just like the smell of rain in the desert. He still is giving me a hard time. So, can you smell it in the air?

Kelly - I am waiting for my vacuum to cough up a hairball. LOL Tux's hair is everywhere.

Wiz - Glad training is over for you and hope you have a safe trip home.:hug:

Hi everyone else! Just doing a quick check in here as I have lots of dictation to do. Concentration was getting fuzzy so I'm taking a quick break.

Have a great day everyone!:hug:

I dont know if I can smell snow Tricia but you can definately feel it in the air before it
actually snows!

I can smell the cold coming for sure! When the snow is coming it gets really still outside too.

So there is a distinct smell when it snows or is going to snow. It snowed last weekend and I could smell that in the air. The smell is locked in to my memory bank from my childhood. Maybe it is the cold, crispness of the air? Cold moisture? I have to figure this out before I go over to his house so I can state my case. LOL. He keeps laughing about it. :rolleyes:

Sandy - I love that stillness right before it snows and definitely afterwards. There is something so calming about it as well as the colors after it snows. Love it and miss it.