Thread Drift

[Lise]

50 for me is in two years. Yikes.

Tell me about it. I've got 4 years to go. And even then, will I be done? Quien sabe. All my female relatives had their uterii yanked in their 30s/early 40s for endometriosis. So I'm avoiding major abdominal surgery, and that, as Martha Stewart would say, is a good thing.

[maillotpois]

... and one gold Jamaican bar (a limited edition we didn't get to try).

There's a gold bar... ? So GLAD I know about that...

Hey Nanci - Great ride report and great pics!!! Your BF looks like a great guy - and it's always fun to see another TE'er in a picture too!!

Lise - Ditto on the recommendations to not give up on the older dude. And I can second the whole "Bubba's a cutie pie" type sentiment, as well.

Finally somewhat caught up from the week gone. To top things off, my paralegal severely injured her ankle last Monday night - the first day of my vacation - so she was out all week as well. There was a mountain of paper to go through this morning. Got through most of it, and I have 2 of the 3 animals picked up from their respective hotels. Have to get the gecko at some point.

Okay animal psychologists - WTF is up with my CAT??? I got him home from the kitty hotel where he goes all the time and now he won't SHUT UP. He's just walking around meowing and I am about to throw him off the deck. (It's a good 30 foot drop). Could it BE that he realizes the PP isn't here and misses her?? (she has a 4 day school field trip). I can't imagine that he's anywhere near that aware of his surroundings. Is he punishing me for boarding him? For having them give him a bath?

SHUT UP YOU STUPID CAT!!!



Hawaii was great, by the way...!

[maillotpois]

That green bar is way over my head. Kind of like me trying to explain Zinfandel Ice Wine and why I must hoard it and ignore it.

Oh - sorry - it's not actually green. The wrapper is. All their wrappers are a different solid color. Our favorite is yellow - bittersweet. But the green was a special limited edition.

[maillotpois]

I'm using the Nuvaring, so I've got a continuous low dose of estrogen and progesterone, but I'm having these symptoms anyway. The only way to "really" know would be to go off the ring and see what happens with my period, but I'm not willing to risk that kind of pain. I'm planning to stick with the ring until I'm, oh, 50 or something, and then try going off. What the heck. But I'm not going through that pain/bleeding/pain cycle (some call it a lifestyle) again if I can help it. Sometimes I feel like I "should" know what's happening with my body because I'm a women's health care provider. And yet, I remain the same mystery as other women.

Lise - I know you've got the endo issues and I am sure that the nuvaring has been great for that - but that was what I started using at the end of February. And then - oops! Pulmonary emboli!! I figured out they started developing in there probably by the end of March. And now when I see their TV ads for Nuvaring they mention clotting TWICE in the ads. Like "You may clot because of BC hromones, but you may clot even more because of our specific combo of progestin", etc.

YIKES!

I am sure it is safe for MOST people, and the fact that you've been using it for a while means it is probably great for you. It sure was convenient, I'll give you that. But please be extra super aware of leg pains, etc. And be super careful flying or long car trips - walk around.

I am wondering if I should report to Nuvaring that I think they contributed to my PE? Not like I'm mad at them or anything - I just feel they should know.

[Lise]

I am wondering if I should report to Nuvaring that I think they contributed to my PE? Not like I'm mad at them or anything - I just feel they should know.

YES

They need to know. Absolutely. Can't believe I didn't think to ask you. Actually, your doc should inform them, but if s/he doesn't seem to be doing that, you can, by all means.

I am aware of the risks with the estrogen (E2). I also get migraines, and really debated about that, as E2 + migraines with neuro symptoms + over 35 yo = increased risk of stroke. I don't have neuro symptoms, and my migraines have not increased in frequency or intensity since starting on the ring. I talked about it with my doc, read up on it, went to a conference at which it was discussed by experts, and decided that the risk:benefit ratio was worth it to me. Life has all sorts of risks. So far, the benefit of the control of my endo pain outweighs the risk of blood clots & stroke for me. (Not making any recommendations for anyone else here. Let me be very clear).

And, your story, MP, is a cautionary tale for me. I am very mindful of walking on plane flights, and stretching/flexing my legs. Pregnancy is a highly estrogenic state, so I'm always counseling women about that.

Thanks for your concern, too. I hope to have no tales nearly as exciting as yours to tell. How're things, btw, with your health?

[Nanci]

MP, I think you cat is just expressing his happiness at being home. DDB has been very vocal all day, too. i have to type with one hnd because Choco is in the other. I love Choco!

[Bikingmomof3]

[QUOTE=Lise;126835]Hey, BO3, I just noticed the change in the line by your avatar! When you joined us here at TD, I thought, "when she hits 1,000 posts, she's got to change that 'new to cycling' line!"

It's not a very far stretch from "triathlete wannabe" to "triathlete", as many here can tell you. Good on ya.

I am working on it. I am hoping to find a training program that will work for me this winter.

[maillotpois]

Lise - you hit it right on the head - it works for you, and everyone's different.

And the funny thing is even if something works great at one point in your life, later on it may not. I took the pill for years in my 20's - no problem. After the kid, I was off the pill for 10 years (IUD) and it was when I went back on (the nuvaring) that I had a problem. No clotting problems before this, but before I was 12 years younger, hadn't popped out a kid, hadn't developed an autoimmune thyroid disorder, etc. My body is a completely different place than it was 10 - 15 years ago. We're always evolving.

As for the health - thanks for asking. I feel okay, and according to the last echo, the clots are getting smaller. (My pulmonary artery pressure is down, ergo the clots are smaller). So that's good. You should have seen the look on my doctor's face (my internist) when I told her I was doing a marathon, though. It was as if I'd suddenly lapsed into Mandarin Chinese or something. I prefaced it by saying that I wasn't having any more chest pain for the last few weeks and she was still reeling from the fact that I'd been having chest pain at all. But man, what a funny reaction - she has no idea what to do with me.

In my defense, the pulmonologist said I would have some chest pain for several weeks - and I was telling her it had improved... And besides, she told me I could walk and that I should simply listen to my body as to how long, what intensity to exercise. Oh well.

[Bikingmomof3]

MP,
My cat is very vocal. I seriously thinks she believes we are her kittens. She will scold and "bother" the boys until they are safely in their beds. If one is out of town or spending the night at a friend's home she gets all aggitated and will not come to bed and makes sure I do not get much sleep either. She is happy when we are all where we are supposed to be, especially at night. She makes a brilliant alarm clock each morning.

[Kitsune06]

MP,
My kitty Tsuki used to be very vocal. I mean wandering from room to room muttering to herself, then coming back to whatever room I was in to "tell" me whatever conclusion she came to. Very interesting. Probably because I talked to her. I'm thinking your cat is having "issues" with having been away from home for so long, and maybe was used to hearing all the other cats at the cattery.

[Lise]

You should have seen the look on my doctor's face (my internist) when I told her I was doing a marathon, though. It was as if I'd suddenly lapsed into Mandarin Chinese or something.

I'm sure my patients have seen that look on my face sometimes. It's a result of + Trying not to let you see that you have just freaked me out! Hah! We do try not to say, "WHAT?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!" I can just see it: "Oh. Well, Ms. Pois, that is interesting. Are you running this marathon? How's your training been? Have you lost your freakin' mind? Have you cleared this with the pulmonologist? Are you aware that you could have died, woman??" And so on. Good for you. Glad to hear things are improving. And yes. No more E2 for you, missy.

[salsabike]

So I'm reading through today's TD and thinking many things, foremost among them, "What the hell is this special chocolate?" Then I think, well, I have a little chocolate I bought during aforementioned stress consolation Whole Foods trip from Saturday, walk over to get it, and it's...SCHARFFEN BERGER! How funny. I had no idea; I just grabbed some little bars that looked good. One bittersweet, one semisweet. So I'm not SB deprived at all.

Re the spelunking----yuh. I've been at full battle stations since Mom went into the hospital August 1. For the first couple of weeks, I barely saw this board at all. Lots of things have gone by the wayside, and that will continue. I'm just hunkered down.

Go Roux!

SK--arggh. Difficult siblings are just exhausting during this stuff. Bleah. You have my TOTAL sympathy. Wish we humans could have this part go just a little easier. Know it's an obvious comment, but damn, it's hard to watch someone you love go through this tough stuff.

CWR--Nice to know things are a little better with your dad.

Nanci, GREAT ride report! The braking info is really, really interesting and useful to me. And the BF is tres cute.

Lise---No, I got alternating hot and cold flashes too. So we go find Nancy Kwan, let her start singing "I Enjoy Being A Girl", and then give her a zetz upside the head.

Mr. Salsa is on his third consecutive week of East Coast business trips. First week, Syracuse. Last week, Pittsfield Mass. This week, Florida. Don't know how he's staying upright and conscious.

I went by our house today at 3:30 pm and the plywood sheeting was completed on the roof, but not a soul was working. Sure hope I didn't get to pay them to work overtime on Saturday and not work today at regular rates.

Mom is about the same, the nurse at the rehab place says. Which is better than worse, but not as good as better would have been, if you see what I mean.

The laptop we bought so I'd have computer access at this hotel has a keyboard short somewhere that makes it suddenly jump into other lines while I'm typing. That's really, really annoying. And its wireless switch lasted all of eight days before dying early this morning. I can't WAIT to return it.

But the weather here is absolutely gorgeous and is going to be like this all week long. In addition to all the Boeing planes, I can see Mt. Rainier from my hotel window, and Mt. Baker from the parking lot. And we did have a great tandem ride yesterday.

Went to see the cats at the cat hotel again today, and Beeper the Siamese yelled constantly too. Just means they miss you.

[KnottedYet]

Salsa - would you consider an Apple MacBook for your hotel? (after you return the laptop that's busted)

I highly recommend the Apple store at Alderwood Mall. Ask for Ericka, Jack, or William.

[Kitsune06]

I 2nd iBooks. They're very well-worth the money and are great little computers. Mine's second-hand and has had a bowl of ramen spilled in the keyboard... (not mine!) but is still running just fine...

[Brina]

I love freaking doctors out. I wish there had been a camera in my doctor's office the day we called and said, "we are in Botswana and I think I am hyperstimming". It wasn't my doctor, who is used to my antics, but his associate, who I had not yet met. The poor guy sounded like he was going to pass out. My doctor now tells this story as a cautionary tale when patients ask, "is it okay to travel during fertility treatments?"