National Walk for Lymphedema and Lymphatic Diseases

Within a year after having lymph node removal during my surgery for cancer, I developed lymphedema. I found this website for the Lymphatic Research Foundation.  Their purpose is to raise awareness of lymphedema, and raise monies for research, treatments, and hopefully, cures.  They are having a 'walk' to raise money.  This following is from my most recent email from them with their upcoming scheduled events:

Stomp out lymphedema and lymphatic diseases!

THE NATIONAL WALK FOR LYMPHEDEMA AND LYMPHATIC DISEASES

offers a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness of lymphatic diseases, and to raisefunds to support the research to find improved treatments and cures.

Participate in the National Walk for Lymphedema and Lymphatic Diseases! 

Now in 3 locations!

TEXAS - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011

Mayor Arena at Loy Lake Park, Denison, TX 

NEW YORK - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, NY 

 MASSACHUSETTS - SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2011 

Ell Pond Gazebo, Melrose, MA

Register to walk today!

Contact Colleen McGuire at: 855-435-7573 / walk@lymphaticresearch.org. Check out our Walk website at www.walklrf.org to create your individual or team pages.

Can't be there in person? Do a virtual walk. For more information go to www.walklrf.org.

Sponsorships available for one, two, or three walks. Contact Colleen McGuire at 855-435-7573 / walk@lymphaticresearch.org.  

To join LRF's mailing list:  http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/

 

How I Overcame Lactose Intolerance

Yum...I just had a humongous bowl of vanilla ice cream!  I know you're thinking 'big deal, so what?!'  Well, to me it IS a big deal, because for a period of at least 10+ years I was so lactose intolerant that I couldn't even enjoy mashed potatoes because of the milk in them!  I re-adjusted my system without Lactaid, or any of those other products on the market.

I wasn't always lactose intolerant.  I grew up drinking milk, every day, and all the time.  We had a dairy farm, so to become lactose intolerant was almost akin to a slap in the face!  I can pinpoint exactly when I developed a problem with milk.  It was after my divorce when I had no money for food, and I really couldn't afford milk or other nutritious foods.  Then after I could afford food again, I found I could no longer tolerate milk in anything at all. The theory is that once an adult quits having a constant intake of milk they become intolerant of it.

I avoided any and all milk product for years, and I got my main source of milk and calcium by drinking milkshakes that were made with yogurt. I tried soy milks, but I didn't care for the taste, and I found out the hard way that I'm allergic to soy (not mere intolerance, but truly allergic.) Not bad for a start, but you know, I really missed those mashed potatoes, cheeses and things like that. On top of that, my one Dr kept insisting that I must have more daily dairy products. 

My oldest daughter, a veterinarian, suggested that I try re-introducing milk slowly, just a dab at a time, to see if my body could once again get used to milk products.  I started out with a half teaspoon of milk once a day during a meal.  After a couple of weeks of that, I moved it up to a full teaspoon a day for a week or so.  Then it was 2 teaspoons, one during lunch, and one during supper. Through gradual increases, I finally got up to the point where I could at least have a bowl of cereal with milk, or even those mashed potatoes!  Although this seems like a slow and tedious process to most people, I found the end result was definitely worth it.  Just as in the story of the tortoise and the hare, slow wins the race :-)

WRONG NUMBERS

I don't know about you, but I seem to get a lot of wrong numbers.  They either aren't paying attention to what numbers they're dialing, or they misunderstood the number when they first got it or something.   Sometimes they're funny, sometimes confusing, sometimes frustrating, and sometimes entertaining.  Here's a few of my favorite 'wrong number' encounters...

I answered my phone and this guy asked for Jack.  I told him that there is no Jack at this phone number. "But, Jack HAS to be there, this is the number he gave me!"  I then explained how I've had this same number forever, and that maybe he copied Jack's number down wrong.  After 5 times of this guy calling and arguing with me that I have the wrong number, not him, I finally began to lose patience.  My comment that made him and his buddies stop calling?  "Well, maybe, just maybe, Jack gave you the wrong number on purpose because he doesn't want to really talk to you because A. you just don't get it, and B. you can sometimes be a stubborn pain in the butt" ...Never heard from HIM again...ever, lol. I don't like it much when a person misdials and then loudly cusses and hollers at you blaming YOU for answering the phone number HE called wrong.

A couple of months ago an elderly, confused lady called.  She was trying to call her Dr at 10 O'clock at night, hoping to get his answering service.  The first time she called, I politely informed her she had probably misdialed the number.  Two more times she called, and the more I talked with her the more I knew that she must be having some kind of medical problem and really needed to speak with her Dr.  So, I told her I was a hospice nurse, and asked her a few questions. Then I knew she really DID need to speak with her Dr.  I asked if she lived alone.  Yes. Any relatives nearby?  No  Then I asked where she was calling from...Brooklyn New York...and I live in Ohio!  I then decided to ask for her Dr's name, and her name and address, as well as what hospital she usually goes to.  I also asked for her phone number and area code.  I usually don't go this far with a wrong number, but clearly this woman needed help.  I got on the internet and searched for her Dr, in Brooklyn, at the name of the hospital she gave me.  Long story short, I called the Dr's answering service for her, and passed along the medical info about what her health problem was.  I gave them her phone number & address so they could look up her files.  They were shocked that a wrong number from Ohio would take that kind of time to make sure a very ill woman got some needed treatment. With the Dr on his way for a house call, I called the lady back to tell her he is on his way.  Sometimes you just have to play it by ear and do the right thing with a random act of kindness.

Today I got a text message with a picture from...I haven't a clue!  I looked at this picture of these 2 fellows, and had never seen them before in my life. Judging from the picture, I'd say they're either at Bates Motel, The OK Corral, or maybe attending a rifle and knife convention?  I looked at the phone number it was sent from and realized it was sent from a town where my oldest daughter lives...almost 3 hours away.  So I sent them a text back: I don't know either of you, you must have dialed wrong. The surprise was that they actually apologized, which doesn't seem to happen much with wrong numbers.

Free Printable Family Health & Medical History Forms

I was talking with my one Aunt today and the subject of our family's medical history came up.  On that side of the family, it is loaded with breast cancers, heart attacks, strokes, and thyroid issues. I keep track, for future reference.  A couple of times it came in handy when one of my doctors was asking about if this or that was in our family.  It's also helpful if you need to take somebody to the ER.  It's a whole lot quicker to have it on hand and just grab it and go than it is to rely on memory.

This first one keeps all the necessary medical information right at hand, from a short medical history, to allergies and insurance information.  I keep one in my purse because I have a lot of allergies, and a lot of different medical conditions that emergency personnel would need to be aware of.  I have to admit, it sure came in handy when I had to visit a surgeon last year.  I had all the info right there and it made quick work of filling out his necessary forms!  Print one out for each family member and keep it on file.
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/family-health/medical-history-forms

Here's an another site that has a slightly different type of free printable family medical history form.  The first one was from Good Housekeeping, and you never know when (or if) that page would get taken down, so it's nice to have a choice, as well as a back-up.
http://www.overflowliving.com/Simplify_Organize_FreeForms.html

Cornflake Goodies, easy and yummy!

This recipe is simple and easy to make. It's one of the recipes my girls, and their friends, grew up with. My grandson loves them too! This recipe never really had a name, so we just refer to it as 'those cornflake goodies.' They're a good snack, and keep well....that is, they keep well if you can keep them around long enough that they actually need stored hahaha.

Cornflake Goodies
1 Bag of Butterscotch Chips
3/4 to 1 cups worth of peanut butter (crunchy OR smooth)
5 or 6 cups of Cornflakes (generic is fine)

Melt the chips and peanut butter together in a double boiler. (I don't have a double boiler set-up, so I use 2 saucepans. I fill the bigger one with an inch or so of water in the bottom, and put the chips and p. butter in the smaller saucepan and set the bottom of that pan in the water)  Stir them together until they melt and blend well.

Pour the melted mixture into a large bowl that has the cornflakes in it and stir well.  Have 2 lightly greased cookie sheets setting out ahead of time so that when you've got the mixture all together you can immediately put it onto the sheets before it sets up.  I grease the sheets with a little dab of butter or margarine. Press the mixture down and chill the pans in the fridge.  When they're chilled, break into bite-sized bits and store in a covered container in the fridge. 

You might notice that I put a lot of recipes in my blog, it's because I've been asked so many times over the years for them.  Anybody that wants one of my recipes, please feel free to print them out.

Stuttering Kitty...lol

I read this today and thought it was so funny that I had to share it.  It just proves that kids say the darndest things:-)

A teacher is explaining biology to her 3rd grade students. She says, "Human beings are the only animals that stutter." 

A little girl raises her hand saying, "I had a kitty-cat who stuttered." 

The teacher, knowing how precious some of these stories could become, asked the girl to describe the incident.



"Well,'' she began, "I was in the back yard with my kitty and the Rottweiler that lives next door got a running start and before we knew it, he jumped over the fence into our yard!" 


The teacher exclaimed, "That must have been scary!" 

The little girl said, "It sure was! My kitty raised her back, went 'Sssss, Sssss, Sssss' and before she could say 'Sh*t' the Rottweiler ate her!

The teacher had to leave the room...

Fourth of July Quotes

I wish every person in America a safe and happy July 4th, and that they cherish the freedoms that we have living in this country.  These freedoms came not without a price.  Just as on Veterans Day, I salute those in the armed services who work hard for our country, as well as other countries in their quest for peace and freedom. Wishing you all a wonderful Fourth of July, filled with family, friends, barbecues, and the peace from knowing that we Americans live with liberties and justices that not every nation knows and enjoys!  Here are some of my favorite Fourth of July Quotes. 

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism." ~ Erma Bombeck

"My God!  How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!"  ~Thomas Jefferson

"Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die."  ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

"It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you."  ~ Author unknown, but sometimes attributed to M. Grundler

Dangerous Plants That Grow In Our Yards

On one of my newsfeeds today, there was an article about 10 common but deadly plants.  Most people tend to think that most weeds and plants are fairly harmless.  The common ones that come to mind are Poison Oak, Poison Ivy, and Poison Sumac.  Yet there are many other ones we should be careful of, especially if we have children, grandchildren, or pets.

When I was about 5 growing up on the dairy, my grandmother used to pick these berries called gooseberries.  They made a really tasty pie!  I used to stay pretty much in the areas between the house and the barns, but, one day I wandered to the back side of the barn and there were these beautiful berries growing all over.  Plump, luscious looking, and I just couldn't resist...I thought they were gooseberries!  Well, when I went back into the house, my Mother asked what the red was all over my mouth.  I told her I was eating Grammas gooseberries.  She hurried me out the door and had me show her where this patch of berries was.  Next thing I know I was in the emergency room getting my stomach pumped.  I had eaten deadly nightshade! How lucky I was that my Mother noticed, and that I hadn't wiped the juice off my chin to get rid of the evidence.  

Nightshade is fairly common in our neck of the woods.  I patrol my yard around the house and barns just to pull it out and make sure MY grandchildren never get into it and have to go through what I did!  I thought that today I would pass on the link with some of the other poisonous plants.  There are good color photos so that it would make them easier to identify and see if you have any in your yard.
http://www.oddee.com/item_97805.aspx

My 1800's orchid bloomed again :-)

Thought I'd share a picture of my one orchid bloom.  It kind of reminds me of a Christmas cactus bloom, but it truly is an orchid.  What's cool about this particular orchid plant is that it goes way back to the mid to late 1800's, and has lovingly survived all those years.  This plant has been passed down in the family over many generations now, and I hope it can continue to be passed along!

When it was passed down to me, it had not been repotted in many years, and reading up on it, I found it loves to be root-bound.  So...I have not repotted it the past 20 years and it still has a zillion blooms once a year!  Another weird thing about this particular orchid is that it has to summer outdoors in a protected corner where not even much morning sun can get to it.  Where it's housed in my laundry/plant room during the winter, it only gets indirect lighting in a very cold room.  It stays outside all summer long, right up until the nights start dipping into the 40's.  If not, then it will not bloom the following year.

This picture was not of the biggest bloom on the plant this year.  Most of the time they are about as big as a saucer.  For size reference, I set it on the floor because the tile is a 12" X 12" square.  I have many flowering plants, but this is one of my favorites and I look forwards to when it blooms each year!