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Post by Phalon on Jan 5, 2016 6:46:20 GMT -6
Kind of strange, isn't it? I would have thought that with all the heightened instincts animals have (in comparison to our own), they'd be able to recognize a litter mate.
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Post by stepper on Jan 5, 2016 17:05:48 GMT -6
I thought so too Phalon. I've heard before that they see better at night but give up a certain amount of definition in exchange for the night vision. I never took it so far as questioning their ability to recognize others from the same litter without a lengthy separation though.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 7, 2016 7:06:58 GMT -6
I did it!! Whoo-hoo!
I slept for four hours last night. Straight-through!
My head cold has been kicking me in the behind - I feel totally fine during the day (except yesterday when I felt like the walking dead from lack of sleep), but as soon as I lay down, I start coughing and can't stop. Been sleeping on the couch for the last three nights with my upper body propped up, and still haven't gotten more than a few hours of sleep a night - and even that has been interrupted by coughing fits.
But not last night - although I "went" to bed (sacked out on the couch) late, I made it all the way through the night without waking up. Hope tonight is the same.
Uhm...is it wrong to look forward to going to bed at night when you haven't even really begun the day?
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Post by Spock on Jan 7, 2016 14:45:11 GMT -6
... Uhm...is it wrong to look forward to going to bed at night when you haven't even really begun the day? No, it isn't, especially when you haven't been feeling well. Get your rest and get well.
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Post by stepper on Jan 7, 2016 18:37:26 GMT -6
Wow! I've experienced that and it's no fun at all. I found Lazy Boy chairs where you can lock the legs helped sometimes, at least I could get in cat naps. And fortunately, Benadryl works fairly well for me, as will Nyquil. Of course, the caffeine in coffee would work against you if you were to drink that stuff, but if you've been drinking water instead 'cause that's better for you, then that nasty caffeine stuff wouldn't matter.
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Post by Mini Mia on Jan 7, 2016 22:37:02 GMT -6
Sorry you haven't been well, Phalon. But glad you got some sleep finally.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 9, 2016 9:19:12 GMT -6
Thanks all. Six hours last night on top of an hour afternoon nap!
It's really just this annoying little tickle in the back of my throat that triggers the coughing, and the only thing I've tried that works is steaming hot-hot (decaffeinated) green tea which thankfully the head cold masks the dirt flavor of, and Hall's cough drops, which unfortunately, I can still taste.
I usually don't drink coffee at night, but in the morning it helps cut through the sinus gunk and makes my throat feel better; as with the green tea, it's the steam and heat. The other evening though, a friend and I went out and had a few Bailey's and coffee - yum! One of my favorite wintertime drinks - the other is coconut rum and hot chocolate. Just enough alcohol in either drink to taste good and make you feel warm inside on a cold night, without messing with your head.
Mom used to give us a spoonful of whiskey and honey when we were sick - again, not enough alcohol to affect our heads, but OMG, bluck, bluck, bluck! I still can't stand the taste of honey to this day.
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Post by Mini Mia on Jan 9, 2016 19:54:07 GMT -6
I don't like honey either. Mom put a lime in the whiskey to make hot toddies. I don't keep whiskey in the house, but Apple Cider Vinegar works fine in a citrus juice so I keep both of those on hand.
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Post by stepper on Jan 9, 2016 20:26:45 GMT -6
OMG! That sounds exactly like the problem I was having late last year. And, Halls worked for me too. I like honey, but I prefer Cherry flavored Halls. I still have a couple bags of them - at work and here - although I used regular Lipton's tea at work. I didn't think of Chicken Noodle Soup at the time, but I believe the heat from the soup would have helped too. I know it's not a cold, but you could also take a look at Cold-EEZE. Hopefully it's not the same thing I experienced - I had it about 5 weeks and around the fourth week I also had a touch of laryngitis. Towards the end I started taking Benadryl or Nyquil at night and Dayquil when I got to work - that helped too. I still say that at the beginning there wasn't any kind of drip happening, but by the end it was and I had to treat for that too. Alas, coconut is another one of those things I cannot abide. I love shrimp but coconut shrimp - who ever thought of that should be shot for wasting good shrimp! Too bad you don't like honey. Consumption of local honey is a way to build up immunity to certain alergies from local flora and fonna. (A couple naturalists have told me that - and I have no reason to doubt them.) BTW: did you notice what Google had on its sign on page today? www.google.com/logos/doodles/2016/41st-anniversary-of-the-discovery-of-the-mountain-of-the-butterflies-5704071614824448.2-hp.jpg
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Post by Phalon on Jan 10, 2016 9:09:28 GMT -6
The man boss at the nursery swears by a shot of whiskey to relieve a persistent cough. I don't mind whiskey as much as I don't like honey, but I mind it enough not to want to do shots of it to stop coughing. A couple shots though, would probably knock me out enough to get some sleep!
I think at one time cherry was the only flavor Halls made. I "like" the "Mentho-lyptus Triple Soothing Action" best though - as much as one can like something that tastes so icky. I always have Halls on hand - at home, at work, in my purse - they help with some of the symptoms of seasonal allergies too.
I love, love the taste and smell of coconut. The texture though, of fresh or dried coconut I can't stand.
I've heard that many times also (not fauna though - bees don't use animals to make honey!), and even looked into it a few years ago as a remedy for my hay-fever. Its effectiveness (at least when I did my drilling back then) was pretty much still up in the air. Since hay-fever allergies are caused by windblown pollen (such as ragweed - the biggest culprit of my hay-fever), and bees don't pollinate flowers that produce windblown pollen, the honey doesn't contain anything you'd need to build up an immunity to...or something like that. It made sense to me, and since I don't like honey, it was enough to make me decide trying it wasn't worth it.
Neat! Some of those Google logos are so creative.
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Post by stepper on Jan 10, 2016 15:44:01 GMT -6
I know people who say the same, but I've never really liked whiskey. Except for the very occasional drink that is, and even then there's only enough alcohol to flavor the drink.
That may very well be true. When I was younger I had one that I liked as much for candy as a throat lozenge. I think it was Smith Brothers wild cherry Cough Drops. I don't know that they were any good for my throat, but I still bought a box every so often.
WebMD agrees with your statement about it not working - they say it's usually the pollen blowing in the wind (released by non-flowering trees, weeds, and grasses) that triggers springtime allergies, and that's not the pollen in flowers used by bees. On the other hand, the Mayo Clinic had this: " Honey has been studied as a cough suppressant and may have anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, some experts point out that honey can contain traces of flower pollen — an allergen. And one treatment for allergies is repeated exposure to small amounts of allergens." The piece also said it still needed more than anecdotal proof.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 11, 2016 16:27:47 GMT -6
Oh! The guys with beards? I liked those when I was a kid. Luden's too...they were kind of like an early version of gummies, but tougher. Or maybe it was the other way around.
Crazy day today. And it's not even over yet!
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Post by stepper on Jan 11, 2016 18:13:55 GMT -6
Late for you to be posting isn't it? Normally you've been here and gone hours and hours before I get a chance to sign on.
Googled - because..
A Letter to Hermione - David Bowie
He makes you laugh He brings you out in style
Next: Laugh
So long Mr. Bowie
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Post by Phalon on Jan 12, 2016 6:41:05 GMT -6
One of those days that I had a lot going on starting at the crack of dawn with an early morning appointment for my yearly mammogram - lovely way to start the day! Thought I'd just pop in while dinner was cooking.
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Post by Spock on Jan 12, 2016 13:26:02 GMT -6
HOW TO PREPARE FOR A MAMMOGRAM--
Many women are afraid of their first mammogram, and even if they have had them before, there is fear. But there is no need to worry. By taking a few minutes each day for a week preceding the exam and doing the following practice exercises, you will be totally prepared for the test, and best of all, you can do these simple practice exercises right in your home.
EXERCISE 1: Open your refrigerator door, and insert one breast between the door and the main box. Have one of your strongest friends slam the door shut as hard as possible and lean on the door for good measure Hold that position for five seconds. Repeat in case the first time wasn't effective.
EXERCISE 2: Visit your garage at 3 a.m. when the temperature of the cement floor is just perfect. Take off all your clothes and lie comfortably on the floor sideways with one breast wedged under the rear tire of the car. Ask a friend to slowly back the car up until your breast is sufficiently flattened and chilled. Switch sides, and repeat for the other breast.
EXERCISE 3: Freeze two metal bookends overnight. Strip to the waist. Invite a stranger into the room. Have the stranger press the bookends against either side of one of your breasts and smash the bookends together as hard as he/she can. Set an appointment with the stranger to meet next year to do it again. You are now properly prepared!
And just a thought for all you women out there: MENtal illness, MENstrual cramps, MENtal breakdown, MENopause. Ever notice how all of women's problems start with men? And when we have real problems, it's HISterectomy!
P.S. Don't forget the "GUY"necologist!
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Post by Spock on Jan 12, 2016 13:28:54 GMT -6
"The First Time's Always the Worst"
The first mammogram is the worst. Especially when the machine catches fire. That's what happened to me. The technician, Gail, positioned me exactly as she wanted me (think of a really complicated game of Twister - right hand on the blue, left shoulder on the yellow, right breast as far away as humanly possible from the rest of your body).
Then she clamped the machine down so tight, I think my breast actually turned inside out. I'm pretty sure Victoria's Secret doesn't have a bra for that.
Suddenly, there was a loud popping noise. I looked down at my right breast to make sure it hadn't exploded. Nope, it was still flat as a pancake and still attached to my body.
"Oh no!" Gail said loudly. These are, perhaps, the words you least want to hear from any health professional. Suddenly, she came flying past me, her lab coat whipping behind her, on her way out the door. She yelled over her shoulder, "The machine's on fire, I'm going to get help!"
OK, I was wrong, 'The machine's on fire,' are the worst words you can hear from a health professional. Especially if you're all alone and semi-permanently attached to A MACHINE and don't know if it's THE MACHINE in question.
I struggled for a few seconds trying to get free, but even Houdini couldn't have escaped. I decided to go to plan B: yelling at the top of my lung (the one that was still working).
I hadn't seen anything on fire, so my panic hadn't quite reached epic proportions. But then I started to smell smoke coming from behind the partition.
"This is ridiculous," I thought. I can't die like this. What would they put in my obituary? Cause of death: breast entrapment? I may have inhaled some fumes because I started to hallucinate. An imaginary fireman rushed in with a firehose and a hatchet. "Howdy, ma'am," he said. "What's happened here?" he asked, averting his eyes. "My breasts were too hot for the machine," I quipped, as my imaginary fireman ran out of the room again. "This is gonna take the Jaws of Life!", he shouts......
In reality, Gail returned with a fire extinguisher and put out the fire. She gave me a big smile and released me from the machine. "Sorry! That's the first time that's ever happened. Why don't you take a few minutes to relax before we finish up?"
I think that's what she said. I was running across the parking lot in my backless paper gown at the time.
After I relax for a few years, I figure I might go back. But I am taking my own fire extinguisher.
The end.
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Post by stepper on Jan 12, 2016 22:23:25 GMT -6
LOL! I like the story Spock.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 13, 2016 6:50:16 GMT -6
OMG, Spock!!!! You have to go back and edit your "How to Prepare for a Mammogram" post - we are talking about a medical procedure here, and you certainly don't want to provide inaccurate information that may affect anyone's health!!!
Each of your recommended preparation exercises MUST contain the following all-important performance step: DO NOT MOVE OR BREATHE!!!! Put it in bold letters for extra emphasis. Maybe repeat it a couple of times also, just to be sure it's not missed.
Failure to perform this seemlingy simple but essential task will result in having to have the process repeated to the refrigerator door slammer's, car driver's, and bookend squisher's satisfaction.
Sounds like something that might happen to me. Luckily it hasn't. Yet.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 13, 2016 7:04:04 GMT -6
Ooops. I don't know when she returned, but I just noticed Classic Gams is back. Thanks, Joxie.
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Post by stepper on Jan 13, 2016 23:29:30 GMT -6
You haven't had a first time?
I miss the Imp - she's fun.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 14, 2016 6:53:02 GMT -6
The first time might have been the worst, but the procedure never changes.
And now, in addition to being squished into unimaginable shapes and sizes, there's an additional unimaginable possibility of getting stuck in the machine while the fire department, emergency crews, probably a Swat Team, and possibly the Marines are called in? Fun stuff.
'Course, once you deliver a child, modesty flies out the window.
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Post by Mini Mia on Jan 14, 2016 19:48:35 GMT -6
Ooops. I don't know when she returned, but I just noticed Classic Gams is back. Thanks, Joxie.
You're welcome. I did it between Christmas and New Year ... I think. I usually get my mammogram in January, but I kept waiting to make an appointment the same time as Mom's and kept forgetting to do it. I set mine up for February. Mom's not doing good, so I figured I wouldn't bother right now. Maybe never.
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Post by stepper on Jan 14, 2016 21:20:32 GMT -6
Oh Joxcee, I'm sorry about you mom not doing so well.
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Post by stepper on Jan 14, 2016 21:29:56 GMT -6
But one of them may be pretty sweet and that'll be the one who just HAS to help you out of your semi-naked predicament.
I found that was pretty much true of enlistment physicals. Still, I can see where popping out a baby would mean you have no opportunity for modesty, but then, at that moment, I would think modesty is the last thing you'd be thinking about.
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Post by Mini Mia on Jan 14, 2016 22:48:35 GMT -6
Oh Joxcee, I'm sorry about you mom not doing so well.
Thank you. I'm hoping for one of her famous comebacks, but this is why I got her ducks in a row last month. Sadly, we hadn't gotten around to her planning her funeral like she would want it, so it will be up to my sister and I to do that when the time comes.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 15, 2016 7:15:34 GMT -6
I'm sorry too, Joxie. Sending peace, love, hugs and all kinds of good thoughts your way.
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Post by stepper on Jan 15, 2016 19:22:40 GMT -6
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Post by Mini Mia on Jan 15, 2016 22:34:00 GMT -6
Thanks. I try to take it one day at a time and not think about how long we have left with her. I break down and cry every once in a while, but I try to stop it as soon as I can. No need to cry now. Save it for later.
She's so tired. You can see it in the way she hangs her head. Makes me feel guilty that I don't want her to go yet.
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Post by katina2nd on Jan 16, 2016 0:15:23 GMT -6
No need to feel guilty Jox, perfectly natural to want your mom with you as long as possible.
You're both in my thoughts.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 16, 2016 9:23:37 GMT -6
Joxie, it's okay to cry...maybe even essential. Crying is cathartic, and is a natural mechanism to relieve all kinds of emotion. I understand not wanting to do it in front of your Mom so that she gets upset, but otherwise there's no need to hold back the tears when you're overwhelmed.
The guys here might disagree (since not crying is considered a manly thing and all), but there is absolutely nothing wrong with a good cry every now and then. And nobody is going to disagree that with what you've been going through, you deserve to allow yourself that emotional response.
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