The Funny Pages - Tickle Me Elbow - The Original

[DingoGirl]

Amanda - how stressful! so glad you got released............

OMG - I am a bit of a freak, I must say......have ALWAYS wanted to testify on the stand against some heinous malfeasor........would LOVE it.......

I am not pheeling silly today, really, but just had to post Denny Crane - this cracked me up - - (the snort that he makes??????? Weezee does the exact same one -- and now David and I do it also )

Open Original Shared Link

[Ridgewalker]

Warning: insane, rambling RANT ahead...

Well, the back pain is getting worse. Called the doctor for stronger pain pills and some prednisone, which usually helps resolve the swelling and inflammation when my back gets bad like this. Doctor may or may not call in an Rx, guess I'll find out in the morning. (I left a message on her line, hope to hear back in the morning.)

I have a major beef with this issue-- any time a patient needs strong pain pills (like big bad old VICODIN) doctors immediately think JUNKIE. I get so tired of it. I have a chronic problem with my back. I'm not a bleeping junkie. Even my beloved family doctor, who we've been seeing for almost 8 years, is becoming more and more reluctant. I hate this crap. Maybe it's not as bad in other areas (or maybe it's worse, I dunno) but around here, even a pharmacist might give you the evil eye when you pick up Vicodin.

Pardon me, but doesn't pain that is strong enough to prevent you from being able to take care of your own kids indicative of a need for strong medicine?

My doctor keeps telling me I should get surgery... even though she KNOWS I don't have insurance. And surgery is no guarantee that the problem won't come right back after a year or so-- I have degenerative disc disease. I could get surgery tomorrow on whatever disc is currently herniated or bulging, and another one could rupture in 6 months. What's the point? Eventually, they've always healed on their own, because after 12 YEARS, I know how to deal with it.

This is the first time my back has gotten really bad this year. (This episode was coming on before the poopathon last night. I think that was the straw that broke Mommy's back.) So that's one good thing. I was having 4 or 5 episodes a year. But if my doc gives me a hard time about this, be prepared for more ranting and raving...

Vicodin helps me stay up and around, which prevents my back from getting stiff and the swellling getting worse. I can take care of my kids, play with them, do a little walking, and do at least the essentials around the house. Without the pain meds, I'm useless, flat on my back on the floor. Combine it with the prednisone, which combats the inflammation, and a couple weeks later, I'm fine again, for MONTHS. Without the combination, it can take a couple for me to get back to normal. I've been down that road before. It's not fun for me or my family.

Can you tell I really HATE even having to ask for strong drugs?! It's gotten me so paranoid I'm already ranting before she even calls me back.

[Darn210]

Just a drive-by psillies . . . heinously busy here . . . AC problems . . . phone line problems . . . knee problems (headed to doc on Monday) . . . and local zoning issues to be fought. Other than that, just sittin' around twiddling me thumbs!!!

Alex - lovely av

Nikki - welcome back and did you see the Loch Ness Monster?? My daughter had to sleep in my room the other night because she had done a little reading that scared her and the Loch Ness Monster was one of the topics.

Susie - sumptin' better will come along that won't involve a 65 mile round trip.

Amanda - So sorry and believe me, I totally understand, I went through something similar with jury duty (I think I've already told that story).

Good Grandma & Grandpa memories here . . . but they're all gone now (the grandparents, not the memories). Had a Great-Grandma that lived to 106 (or 108 - can never remember).

Tom - bet you still have more teeth than my daughter . . . did I mention she's missing 6 out of her front 8? . . . she truly looks like this

and last but not least . . . HOLY CRAP!!!! Ryan's an air traffic controller!!!!

[jerseyangel]

"Jeopardy" was on earlier, and they had a category called "Bodily Fluids"

Only we know they spelled "phluids" wrong

[elye]

Open Original Shared Link

That's me Wild, Crazy, Canadian Bill Shatner...... ..he is truly a scream.

Pardon me, but doesn't pain that is strong enough to prevent you from being able to take care of your own kids indicative of a need for strong medicine?

Ahhhh, Sarah, this is a major poopy-doop cow. I am so sorry you have to go through this every time you need serious pain medication. I am also so incredibly sorry that you Yanks cannot all have access to surgery, on demand, when needed. We may have wait times to deal with up here, but my sis just had disc surgery last month after a two week wait, and there would have been no way she could have gotten it if she had needed to pay twenty thousand dollars for it. It ended up costing her twenty-four dollars, and that was for the overnigfht parking at the hospital.

That's just crummy. I'm thinking about you, Sarah......

Just a drive-by psillies . . . heinously busy here . . . AC problems . . . phone line problems . . . knee problems (headed to doc on Monday) . . . and local zoning issues to be fought. Other than that, just sittin' around twiddling me thumbs!!!

OMG. Janet!! What's yer post count?! I think you're flipping over to 2000, aren't you? I believe that zoning issues are now paired with fluid onslaught in the list of Official Rollover Calamities.....

Yucky knee probs!

[elye]

Unfortunately, you cannot see these characters very well in my av. My grandfather is in full costume in the middle (my dad's father....so my dad comes by it honestly). On the left is my mother, wearing a mask of JFK. On the right is my grandmother (check out the million-dollar legs)......

Just another evening in my childhood household........

[psawyer]

Amanda, what an ordeal.

The law requires these cases to be tried by a jury whose personal beliefs will not conflict with the application of the law as it is written. The Voire Dire of each potential juror in such a case is especially intrusive. You saw it first hand. We no longer have the death penalty in Canada--the last executions were in 1962, and the penalty was abolished in 1976.

Nikki, I agree. Scotland is a beautiful place. My paternal grandmother was of Scottish descent, a somewhat distant relative of Open Original Shared Link She used the name Livingston as an adult, until she married Arthur Sawyer, but there is evidence of it being spelled Livingstone during her childhood. The ancestry is Open Original Shared Link

I'm popping by in part to say I won't be here much, if at all, for the next three days. We are off first thing in the morning to the trade show in Muskoka, and it will be pretty much non-stop for 48 hours. Even if I have internet access in the room, I will be tired and will likely only want to sleep for a few hours before starting again in the morning.

Carry on, my friends. I will be back by late Sunday.

[Ridgewalker]

Well... I'm tired, and cranky, and my stomach is hurting and bloated because I just ate waaaaaayyyyy too much Rice Chex, and I'm worried and depressed because Mom said she thinks the boys have a dairy intolerance (more about that some other time,) and of course I'm still worried about Mom (we should have results sometime early this coming week,) and frankly, the mood I'm in, all I wanna do is WHINE. Sorry. I shouldn't even post this, but hell, I'll throw it out in the universe, and let it go. I'm going to bed now-- tomorrow's a new day.

[nikki-uk]

EEK!!!! It's Friday the 13th pholks! ....be careful out there!!

....dunno if it's the date OR the phluid thing that can happen round here but my washing machine is absolutely REFUSING to spin (after I opened the door and it flooded the kitchen )

It could nae' face the task aheed of it

<huge mountain of clothes to be washed>

Nikki, I agree. Scotland is a beautiful place. My paternal grandmother was of Scottish descent, a somewhat distant relative of Open Original Shared Link She used the name Livingston as an adult, until she married Arthur Sawyer, but there is evidence of it being spelled Livingstone during her childhood. The ancestry is Open Original Shared Link

Fascinating indeed !!

I looked up 'Clan Gordon' which my paternal grandmother descended from.....turns out the 'Gordon's' were in fact French !

Sacre bleu!!!!

Which reminds me - loving everybodies Grandparent pics (I MUST get a scanner)

I had 1 grandparent noteworthy (My Granddad - my Mum's Dad) ....he was fabulous and I miss him terribly.......I'm sad he never got to see hubby or the kids as they would've got on like a house on fire

Sarah and Amanda {{{hugs}}} to you

...I MUST now take the washing machine to task - give it a stern talking to

[jerseyangel]

Mornin' Sillies and Happy Friday the 13th!!!!!

I think it's safe to say that pretty much all of us are glad to see this week come to a close

Nik--you give that washing machine what fer! Tell it your post count is nowhere near a big turnover, so it better just get back in line

Hope everyone is waking up to a better day today

[elye]

Good Morning, Sillies!

Aye, 'tis Friday the 13th.... .... .Nikki, this must be the sole explanation for your phluid onslaught, as you've not got a special rollover imminent. When we were staying at DH's great-aunt's house in Winchester last summer, we used her washer to launder our clothes to get us through the last few days of our holiday. Now exactly the same thing happened - - spin refusal, and flood all over the floor. We'd not experienced this before... .. .is this strictly an English curiosity?

I'm popping by in part to say I won't be here much, if at all, for the next three days.

What??! PeOter! Don't know what to say about this.. .. ... .how will we manage? Please try to pop in from the Muskokas. Have a wonderful, productive time at the trade show. I absolutely luuuuurrrrve the cottage country up there.. ....The Haliburtan Highlands are like heaven on earth.

[Ridgewalker]

Good Morning, Sillies! Well, I'm not feeling so whiny today! I guess yesterday was my allotted Whiny Day, and I'm over it now. Sorry.

I checked out the most FABULOUS blog! I hope it's ok to post the address, since it's not mine? Let me know if I need to remove it. Open Original Shared Link This chick has vowed to use the crockpot every single day for a year, no repeats, and she is gluten-free! I found soooo many recipes I'm going to try, and she's not even half way through the year yet.

[jerseyangel]

Hi Sarah I'm so happy you're doing better today! Don't be sillie about the whining--that's what we're here for!!! (did I just say don't be sillie??? )

Those crock pot recipes look really good....it's perfectly fine to post links like that, in fact, you might want to post it over in the recipe phorum too.

[Ridgewalker]

Cool, I will do that. I originally found the link somewhere here, but it was kinda burried in a thread about another topic, so I'll start a new thread about her. She's got some great stuff, and she's phunny.

[elye]

Thanks for that great blog, Sarah! Now, she really delivers on her recipes, so she's no crocktease.....

There's more scorching weather coming, so the crockpot will be coming out. I shall try a couple of these ingenious recipes.

[Mtndog]

All the grandpas are SO cute!!!!!!! I only knew one of my grandparents briefly (my mom's parents and my dad's mom were gone before I was born). My dad's grandfather lived to 95 but I was only 5 when he died so I only vaguely remember him. Would have loved to have some grandpappies and mammies!!!!!!

Sorry that the winery job didn't pan out, Souczie That winemaker sounds like a narrow-minded lout to me

Just remember that you are special--whether you have a job or not! The right fit will come along for you, probably when you least expect it.

Is Patti the best or what? She has this way of ALWAYS making you feel better!!!!!!!! :wub:

I am not pheeling silly today, really, but just had to post Denny Crane - this cracked me up - - (the snort that he makes??????? Weezee does the exact same one -- and now David and I do it also )

Open Original Shared Link

Omgawawawawadd...I love William Shatner- the guy is a madman!!!!!!!!

Warning: insane, rambling RANT ahead...

I have a major beef with this issue-- any time a patient needs strong pain pills (like big bad old VICODIN) doctors immediately think JUNKIE. I get so tired of it. I have a chronic problem with my back. I'm not a bleeping junkie.

Pardon me, but doesn't pain that is strong enough to prevent you from being able to take care of your own kids indicative of a need for strong medicine?

Vicodin helps me stay up and around, which prevents my back from getting stiff and the swellling getting worse. I can take care of my kids, play with them, do a little walking, and do at least the essentials around the house. Without the pain meds, I'm useless, flat on my back on the floor. Combine it with the prednisone, which combats the inflammation, and a couple weeks later, I'm fine again, for MONTHS. Without the combination, it can take a couple for me to get back to normal. I've been down that road before. It's not fun for me or my family.

Can you tell I really HATE even having to ask for strong drugs?! It's gotten me so paranoid I'm already ranting before she even calls me back.

Sarah- You are preaching to the choir with me on this one! If I couldn't take my pain med, I'd have to sit on the couch all day and do NOTHING. Same thing is going on with me (my doc is getting more reluctant because the office has had some bad experiences). Went to a pain mgt. doc and he wanted to physical therapy but I tried it once (last week) and was tanked for 2 days (not ready stamina or pain-wise). Now I have an appt for meds on Moday and I would NOT be surprised if they said no PT- no meds.

The nurse that changes my PICC line is horrified by all this.....BAD pain is bad for you physically and emotionally. I'll let you know what happens.

Glad you're feeling better today.

Now, it's my turn to whine- gotta go to the hospital as the site around my PICC line looks infected. It's like NOW WHAT???????? Pull the frickin thing- I'm DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jerseyangel]

Now, it's my turn to whine- gotta go to the hospital as the site around my PICC line looks infected. It's like NOW WHAT???????? Pull the frickin thing- I'm DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh no Bev! Geeze, you just can't catch a break I "hear" your frustration with the whole thing and I feel it for you.

Please let us know how you do--I'll be thinking about you

PS--I agree 100% with your nurse--constant severe pain has to be bad for a person on an emotional level as well as physical. No one should make you or Sarah or anyone else feel bad for doing what you must do to function--no one!

[elye]

Oh no Bev! Geeze, you just can't catch a break I "hear" your frustration with the whole thing and I feel it for you.

Please let us know how you do--I'll be thinking about you

PS--I agree 100% with your nurse--constant severe pain has to be bad for a person on an emotional level as well as physical. No one should make you or Sarah or anyone else feel bad for doing what you must do to function--no one!

Everything Patti has said!

...And she's done it again, that Patti - - gone and made people feel better. Like second nature, it must be, Patti.... .... ..you're so good at it. You need to become a guidance counsellor!!!!!

I cannot wait to meet Patti. Our holiday may be going heinously, and I'll be raging at DH, and sick to death of my kids, and I'll start chatting with our Patti, and all will suddenly be right with the earth.

[nikki-uk]

Aye, 'tis Friday the 13th.... .... .Nikki, this must be the sole explanation for your phluid onslaught, as you've not got a special rollover imminent. When we were staying at DH's great-aunt's house in Winchester last summer, we used her washer to launder our clothes to get us through the last few days of our holiday. Now exactly the same thing happened - - spin refusal, and flood all over the floor. We'd not experienced this before... .. .is this strictly an English curiosity?

It would seem so

..me and the washing machine have had some harsh words but it has agreed to clear the backlog of dirty clothes else I get the repair man in!!!!!!!

Oh no Bev! Geeze, you just can't catch a break I "hear" your frustration with the whole thing and I feel it for you.

Please let us know how you do--I'll be thinking about you

PS--I agree 100% with your nurse--constant severe pain has to be bad for a person on an emotional level as well as physical. No one should make you or Sarah or anyone else feel bad for doing what you must do to function--no one!

YES!!

Aunty Patti has put (very well) into words what we ALL feel

Poor Bev + Sarah

I cannot wait to meet Patti. Our holiday may be going heinously, and I'll be raging at DH, and sick to death of my kids, and I'll start chatting with our Patti, and all will suddenly be right with the earth.

BUT also

(jealous)

[elye]

..me and the washing machine have had some harsh words but it has agreed to clear the backlog of dirty clothes else I get the repair man in!!!!!!!

Hell, Nikki! 'Round these parts, this can be a verrrrrry positive thing, having a repairman/plumber/tree guy come over. I should think you'd be half hoping that said washer stays on the fritz.

... .. .Er.....are your English repairman rather ugly, then?

[tom]

Av is my dad's dad. I exTREMEly resemble that side of the family, so that's what I'll look like in 30yrs. (or is it 15 .. . )

My mom's dad is the one who really did speak using 'twere, 'tweren't & such. Always brings a smile.

Nice gramps pix everyone

Oops Em asked long ago about tooth being wisdom tooth. Hehe .. .those came out in the mid-80s. Only had 3 of 'em.

Welcome back Gnichey!!

<ack!!! Washing machine!!>

Eh Pseuzee, bummer on the winery job, but you didn't want to drive 65 miles anyway.

Amanda, sorry about the nasty time w/ jury duty. Grrrrrrrrrr

Gah Sarah - I know that look a Dr gives regarding vicodin. Some tried to push the whatever w/ codeine, but it never did the trick for me.

. .. my sis just had disc surgery last month after a two week wait, and there would have been no way she could have gotten it if she had needed to pay twenty thousand dollars for it. It ended up costing her twenty-four dollars, and that was for the overnight parking at the hospital.

This concept just blows my wee mind.

Argh Bev - hope the hospital trip is short'n'sweet.

I cannot wait to meet Patti. Our holiday may be going heinously, and I'll be raging at DH, and sick to death of my kids, and I'll start chatting with our Patti, and all will suddenly be right with the earth.

Whoa!!! pSilladelphia's less than a month away!!

And Amanda? Orlando trip in ~2 wks?

[dollamasgetceliac?]

Open Original Shared Link

heres a llama theres a llama and another little llama

fuzzy llama funny llama llama llama duck

[Ridgewalker]

Sarah- You are preaching to the choir with me on this one!

Now, it's my turn to whine- gotta go to the hospital as the site around my PICC line looks infected. It's like NOW WHAT???????? Pull the frickin thing- I'm DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bev, somehow I KNEW you'd be right there with me on that one! And the PICC line! How unbelievably unfair to get an infection while getting IV abx!!! How is it even possible?!

I've got an idea, we'll start a "whinery!" Now, how do we charge for that..?

PS--I agree 100% with your nurse--constant severe pain has to be bad for a person on an emotional level as well as physical. No one should make you or Sarah or anyone else feel bad for doing what you must do to function--no one!

I love you, Patti. Ok, so if anyone denies us needful meds, we'll sic Patti on their ass!

...And she's done it again, that Patti - - gone and made people feel better. Like second nature, it must be, Patti.... .... ..you're so good at it. You need to become a guidance counsellor!!!!!

I cannot wait to meet Patti. Our holiday may be going heinously, and I'll be raging at DH, and sick to death of my kids, and I'll start chatting with our Patti, and all will suddenly be right with the earth.

I agree! I wish I could meet everyone this summer! (sigh) Brian and Ezra are going up to Harrisburg next week for a family reunion, but my back just isn't going to make that trip. (That's why I haven't mentioned it yet, I was pretty sure I wasn't gonna make it.) But next year, I'm determined to go, and then maybe I can at least meet up with Patti and Amanda!!!

Av is my dad's dad. I exTREMEly resemble that side of the family, so that's what I'll look like in 30yrs. (or is it 15 .. . )

Gah Sarah - I know that look a Dr gives regarding vicodin. Some tried to push the whatever w/ codeine, but it never did the trick for me.

And he is quite the handsome fella, too, Tom.

Yeah, I agree it doesn't work as well, and often messes with my stomach. Like all ya need when you're already in pain is a marathon vhomitting session! (That would be a pukeathon.)

Well, I went to the doc today, and oh boy was it an event. Part Deux coming shortly...

[tom]

heres a llama theres a llama and another little llama

fuzzy llama funny llama llama llama duck

Oooooooooooo, I can't do flash on this phone, but I'll see it on a pc later.

I've been meaning to ask about the llamas.

I like llamas! My SIL ran a llama-packing guide/outfitter biz in Alaska for ~15yrs.

Always enjoyed staying on the ranch during visits.

Do you have llamas??

[Ridgewalker]

Ookaaayy, so the kids and I went to the doctor today because Lucas has a nasty cough that doesn't want to quit. He saw a P.A, who said it looks like a sinus infection, and she gave us Rxes for abx and a strong cough medicine. I gave him a dose of the cough med a little bit ago, and it's working really well!

So then I asked the nurse if she'd gotten my message from yesterday, and she said yes, and she was going to go ask the doctor about it. Came back and said Doc needed to see me and document it in my file before writing another Rx, but she'd bill me this time, so I wouldn't have to pay today. (Yeah, she rocks.) So I saw my doc a few minutes later.

Turns out she was more concerned about the Prednisone than the Vicodin because of my blood pressure. She checked my bp again, and it's still really high- stroke level. So first thing, she's decided to put me on BP meds- a diuretic for now, just as Patti predicted. It's one of the meds she put my mom on. I think she (the doc) is thinking a lot of this might be hereditary, but pushed me again to quit smoking. <--- scared face.

She gave me some muscle relaxers and wrote an Rx for the Vicodin. At least that'll keep me on my feet, and I can take some careful evening walks to try to strengthen my back.

Then came the most nerve wracking part-- She's been giving me sample packs of my Effexor for years, which I've always hated counting on, but that stuff is horribly expensive. So today I told her I was running out, and she said they've stopped bringing her sample packs because it's getting ready to go generic. But that the generic wasn't going to be much cheaper. Fabulous.

I told her I was going to have to wean off, there's no way I can afford it-- last time I checked, about 4 years ago, my current dose would cost $260 a month, minimum. Furthermore, I don't have enough left to wean off as slowly as I should. (When I miss a dose, I get pretty awful withdrawal symptoms- dizziness, vision problems, nausea.) Sooo...

She put me on Prozac to help with the withdrawal symptoms. I'm not thrilled about this, as I don't have a great history with Prozac, but it doesn't need to be for a long time. Once I'm through the withdrawal, we'll reevaluate my options.

Gawd... Oh and then she walked me over to the lab that is in her building, for a blood draw to check my liver and kidney function. I had both the kids with me, and they were on (relatively) goof good behavior, but Lucas nearly had an actual panic attack. He is literally phobic about blood and needles. I went to stroke his cheek, trying to calm him down, and he jumped back 10 feet, because he thought he saw a needle in my hand! I was worried about him, and still in pain from my back, so my veins kept rolling. No blood today! I have to go back Monday.

So, that's my update. Long winded, I know, but I had to get everything off my chest! The next few weeks are gonna be interesting!