March 22, 2010 - Msg 78323: Romeena, prayers you will feel better, please be careful. hopefully your doctor can determine what is going on. maybe you should call on your friends to come and help out with meals and especially driving you to the doctor tomorrow!
take care friend,

Big Maude
March 22, 2010 - Msg 78324:
RO- my prayers for you! How about a good soaking bath in epson salts? Might help .Just a thought.
BOO- I think I can help on the garage door opener, as I just replaced ours last weekend.
Sometimes the "force" of the closing has to be "fine-tuned" a bit. There are usually 2 "screws" on the side of the opener to adjust the force to make it less sensitive going down.
Also, the "trolley" can be adjusted to not go along the rail so far, and that can make a difference also.
Hope that helps.
hey to Big Maude, Tom AUh20 and all!
Lord help our nation!
MDC
March 22, 2010 - Msg 78325:
GOOD SWEEP MAUDE!
March 22, 2010 - Msg 78326:
Romeena-Your last post made me laugh out loud. Sorry, I do feel for you and have offered prayers. But, "Oh lord, what a vision that conjures - that old gal in the commercial! Have I come to that??"
That is too funny. I'd bet money you could get back up. Again, prayers Ro.

Hey There MDC.

auh2o
March 22, 2010 - Msg 78327:
Boo- as to the other problems, that sure does sound like a lot of things going wrong, but i think it also speaks volumes for the "state of the art" these days.
I just bought a special audio system from JCPenny because it had a turntable and dual cassette, as well as a CD player and radio. Well, I got it all set up and the CD player plum will not work, so since it is all in one unit, I'm going to have to take it all back! So I know how you feel!
very frustrating indeed.
Will pray for a rehab revival tonight!
MDC
March 22, 2010 - Msg 78328: Thanks MDC, I will have Bruce check that out. I forgot to mention that my kitchen soap pump is also broken...it is one of those that comes with the faucet. I think Erin pushed on it and broke it or something but it should be more well made than that. Oh well, at least my samsung washer and dryer are still running fine! :-) That's too bad about your CD player.

Boo
March 22, 2010 - Msg 78329: Oh my, Ro I missed your last post and went back to read it. You poor thing. This is all just crazy. I sure wish we all lived near you to give you some moral support and maybe bring you some food (like they did Emma Watson)... ;-) you hang in there and keep us informed as much as you can. We love ya.

Boo

"Help...I've fallen and I can't get up"...
March 22, 2010 - Msg 78330:
"WELCOME SWEET SPRINGTIME..WE GREET THEE IN SO--ng!"

Wow, how did we all forget THAT on saturday!! (:
MDC
March 22, 2010 - Msg 78331: Good evening gang!..Romeena I hope you can get to feeling better..hey possum,Boo,MDC,Rev....Lucy...Mavis did you get all the race fans ran off?..ha ha....well busy here at work...will read in a bit..im here all night......supper menu:Southern fried Chicken,bisquits,cream yukon gold taters,greenbeans,boiled cabbage,Boo tea,Maude slaw,green onions,pecan pie....and I got a news paper to read.....Prayers porch!....SPOT
March 22, 2010 - Msg 78332:
SPOT-I gotta tell ya, that is one nice looking menu.

Boo-That's so true about the quality of a lot of stuff.

How's this for a co inky dink, we're a talking about fighting back and the such, well here's today's Bible verse on my start-up page.
Ephesians 6:10-11
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.”

auh2o
March 22, 2010 - Msg 78333: Howdy, porch. I just got up from a nap in my chair, and I wish I could say everything is fine, but it's not. Still stiff as a ramrod, stiffness in my neck is a bit worse than this morning, and low back very painful. You folks are so kind to worry about me. Eloise has tried all day to get me to let her come over, and Brittney (her daughter, my DIL) has emailed me twice offering to come help out. She means it, too. David is in Irving and was going to come by, but then I'd have to put some clothes on - the sleep shirt I'm wearing ain't decent, so I told him to go on home to Brittney. He travels and has little enough time with his family as it is. I'm not hungry, and if I get that way, I've got soup and stuff here. There's a nice cauliflower, and I can cook that in the micro and have it ready to eat in minutes. Little bit of cheese on it (or a lot!), and it's good.

I'm well cared for, truly. I have neighbors on either side who would be here in minutes if I called, same across the street, and John and Barbara are about three houses down. John is the garden center owner, and is brother to Joe, my landscaper friend. I can call Ted to drop by on his way home and clean the pond pumps, which needs to be done. If I can't get them myself tomorrow, I'll call Ted. All of this is without even tapping my church friends, and my SS class. One phone call there and they'd be all over the problem! I'm not calling them though. A class member passed away Sunday morning, from pancreatic cancer. She had only been sick about three weeks. The class is focused on helping her family right now, and that's as it should be.

Boo, that's just beyond annoying, all those things breaking and failing to work properly. MDC is right about adjusting the garage door opener. I had a new one put in about eight years ago, and had the same problems. It would close to within a few inches of the bottom, then go back up. Actually, that's a safety feature so it doesn't crush someone. When it feels a certain amount of resistance, it reverses. The track had a slight curve in it, which the motor felt as resistance. I called the man, he came out and adjusted it, and eventually came two more times, but he finally got it right and it has worked beautifully ever since. Also, be sure nobody monkeys with those little boxes on either side of the door, the ones that face other. One shoots a beam across to the other one, and if it's not calibrated right, the door won't work. Sometimes someone will hit one of those with a trash bag or some such, and it messes up the door. (Can you guess who might have done that?)

Well, back to my chair, I've had about all of this desk chair I can handle. Be blessed, friends. --Romeena
March 22, 2010 - Msg 78334: I know you have lots of friends willing to do whatever you need, Ro, (and I am very thankful for that) but it would be so nice to be able to do some of what they do..even to just come by and sit a spell and visit with you. You know how it is when you care about someone and they are sick or hurting; you just wish you could be with them. I guess this porch is the next best thing, though. :-) I think your feeling like your class should be focused on the family of your friend says alot. Your church family must be very close and really love each other. I'm glad you are a member there.

Thanks for the garage door advice...HAHA...I'll try be careful with the trash bags. ;-)

Love that verse, Auh2o. Thanks for sharing.

Been sitting outside watching the pups play. It is a really beautiful evening. Perfect weather, sunny and cool but not cold. We have one good-sized patch of burmuda grass in the back and the pups love to roll around in it and I love to watch them. Really hate to see that hot, humid summer weather take over. We have had such a nice winter/spring. I am looking forward to having Erin at home this summer, though. She seems to be calming down and wants to spend time doing things with me like learning to cook, do laundry (Eureka..what a discovery!), read together. That kid loves to read the bible to me at night.

Well, time to go see what is shakin' with the rest of the family. Erin just returned from baseball practice and smells like a wet puppy!

Boo
March 22, 2010 - Msg 78335: I wanted to share a prayer request with my porch friends. A couple of years ago, a friend died of cancer, well a medical errors during cancer treatment, actually. He was 60 at the time and a wonderful man...had been my highschool principle and he and his family attended church with us as we grew up. Last time i saw him was in that old church during a christmas service I attended about three years ago. Well, I just found out that his oldest daughter, Cara, was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. She has a two year old and a 8 week old infant. I am so sad for her and the family. Please pray for Cara, and especially for her mother, Cathy, who is trying to deal with the death of her husband and now this. I knew Cara from the time they adopted her as an infant. We were all so excited for them because they wanted a baby for so long. Sometimes life deals some very heavy blows.

Boo
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78336:
BOO- prayers for sure for Cara and her family!]
I think Rev is traveling or he'd be also.
RO- Just take care of yourself, that is the main thing.
AUH20- great quote- but my armor's been on sooo long now, but it aint heavy, cuz my Brother Jesus holds it up!! (:
Hey, we need a few Mayberry quotes to get me out of my funk due to all the "goings on" and I do mean "such goings on." Thx,
MDC
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78337: Morning Y'all. Boo, will be praying for Cara. I hate to hear of something like that. God is a God of miracles,though-let's keep that in sight.

Hope Romeena has a better day today.

MDC, how's this one?

" I ain't in and I ain't out. I'm in the Twilight Zone!"

Thought that would be appropriate in light of all that's going on in the US these days!

Let's have breakfast at I-Hop. I think Laci could gobble up a few pancakes! See y'all there!

*******************
possum under a rock
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78338: Hey Porch. Hope all is well with everyone.
I have just read a few of the archives and see that all is not well for Romeena. Ro, you are in my prayers that you may get better quick and that it is nothing serious.

That is so sad about Cara Boo. I will certainly include the whole family in my prayers.

The State of Utah, along with a handful of other States is ready to file a lawsuit challanging the farce of a bill that the house just passed when b.o. signs it this morning. I would encourage any of you who's State is not in on this suit, to get in touch with your A.G., your State Reps, anyone who may have some political sway, and urge them to get on board. (If you feel this bill is bad)
To quote Barney, and appease MDC "THIS COULD BE TIED UP IN THE COURTS FOR YEARS!" :)

And maybe we are all looking at this wrong. Maybe it's not a health care bill. Look at it as a "jobs" bill. After all it will require the hiring of 12,000 new IRS agents to enforce it. And whos knows how many more to administer it. Yea buddy, do we know how to run things or what?

Asa
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78339: right Possum, at times like this I remember a friend who's mother had breast cancer when she was a little girl. Her mom prayed and asked the Lord to spare her long enough to raise her girls, and He did. The cancer returned after the girls were grown and in fact, the friend developed breast cancer just like her mom and lived to raise her own children, then died after they were raised. God can do as God chooses and some times His sovereign ways are different that what we would choose. I found out that this is Cara's second battle with this type of cancer. I pray for the Lord's will and peace for all involved.

I know what you mean, MDC, but you know the old saying, "It is what it is". Now it is done and it is time to pray about how things can change in future elections. Faith can move mountains and God will always be in control...no matter what men try to do. Judgement is coming one day and thank God for the mercy shown to us all in Christ!

Prayers continue for Romeena. She was on my mind and in my prayers when I went to bed and when I woke up.

Better get Erin moving in the direction of school. I have little Emily today so that could be a challenge! Two year olds could wear out the greatest of atheletes. ;-)

Boo
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78340: ASA!!! Where have you been??...asleep in weaver's department store or what?!

Boo
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78341: Good morning, porch! Thanks for your messages of concern, I appreciate each one. I had hoped to just get up and walk this morning, but not so. I was told years ago that the time would come when I'd have to have surgery on that lumbar facet joint, and this may be the time. I can't live like this, I'll promise you that. Talk about walkin' crooked! I am literally walking sideways, like a dog, as Andy would say, and dragging my right foot. I'm leaning on a baseball bat for a cane - Eloise has my real one and is bringing it this morning. Right now, the way I feel, if a doctor said surgery would fix the problem, I'd climb up on the table myself. Well, at least I'd try! I'm having trouble even climbing into my own bed.

Yes, Boo, my SS class is remarkable. The whole church is a caring group as a whole, but I think Pat's Class really sets the pace. I stopped at a garage sale a couple of weeks ago and bought two glass casserole dishes, for $1 each. I don't need them myself, and I won't keep them. I know that they will soon leave my kitchen, filled with something good, for a family with a hurt or a need. There will be a little note, instructing that the dishes are not to be returned, but rather to be filled and passed forward when times improve, as someone else has a need. It's just something we do. As a class, we filled 140 of those Samaritan's purse shoeboxes before Christmas, and they went around the world to needy children. We do that every year. We fill baskets with small household items, like soap, toothbrushes, washcloths, dishwashing liquid, scrubbers, whatever. These are then distributed to new move-ins in the local apartment complexes. Naturally, New Testaments and tracts about the church are included. When you think you just about can't stand any more of the idiocy that reigns today, it helps to do something positive like that, and try to strike a blow for reason and good.

So Erin smelled like a wet puppy? Hahaha! I remember that smell, when my kids were small. My dad always said the boys smelled like a rusty can of worms - you know, like you'd take along for bait when fishing. He was right!

Well, I've got to get in that shower. I haven't had a good shower in two days, and those little cat-baths just don't do it. My shower is not in a tub, it's a stall, with a 6-inch stepover below the door. If I should fall, I could climb over that to get out. Eloise will be here shortly, too, and I'm putting a cell phone in reach. This is ridiculous! Something has to be done. I'm not putting up with this, you can be sure of that. The pond needs attention, there are bloomers to be planted, my critters need feed, and the irises are about to burst into bloom all over the yard. I've got to get out there!

Be blessed, friends. --Romeena
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78342:
Romeena, I don't understand you. You have a well thought out plan of action for contacting various people to come to your assistance. But what is your plan to alleviate your pain and immobility?
The link at http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=findado_main will help you identify D.O.'s in your area. I searched for your area and found 14 of them.
Another suggestion is to go to Google.com, then move your mouse to the upper left corner where some links should appear, then click on the MAPS link, type "D.O., [your city], TX", then click on SEARCH MAPS. I found over 15 of them in your area.

Remember when I told you I had injured my back lifting weights? I was immobile just like you. I had to lay in a fetal position for relief all day. When I needed to use the bathroom, I had to crawl on my hands and knees. It was Doctor of Osteopathy who not only eliminated my pain, but got my walking again. Take action before rigor mortis sets in!

from Poor Horatio
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78343:
Good one ASA! ha Was that from the case of the punch in the nose or something to do with two guys squabbling about something ?
12000 huh ASA? And not a dam or a bridge will result. Just paperwork. Strange times!

Postum- I also like yours!
Good words of wisdom PH. Doctor heal thyself! ha
Actually, have Eloise get thee to a D.O., Ro.
MDC
Andy:What'd you put on such a big act for Jim?
Jim: What did you expect me to do? Come back to my home town and say,"Hey folks, look at your hometown failure?"
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78344: Howdy, porch! I'm back from the doctor. PH, your advice is good, and I do intend to seek out a D.O., especially for the chronic pain in my left rib cage. This current situation, however, is unrelated, I think. My doc is very thorough, always leaves you feeling as though you were the only patient she would see all day. She listened carefully to my story, asked some pertinent questions, and then, amazingly, arrived at much the same conclusion I did. I knew where she was headed when she ordered a sed rate, and a rheumatoid panel. She thinks something - we may never know what - set off a chain reaction, starting with the rash, progressing through the stiff neck and finally ending with the severe lumbar pain. It's some sort of weird auto-immune response, resulting in inflammation and associated pain. A nerve root in my lumbar spine is always in a mild state of irritation due to the malformed facet joint. I usually do have a little pain there, but not much. This inflammatory cascade has settled there, inflamed that nerve root dramatically, and that's why it hurts so bad to try to walk. So -- I am to take 2-3 Advil four times a day, and take Flexeril up to three times a day as needed, for about a week. That should cool everything off, relax the muscles that are in spasm, and should fix this current crisis. Then, I will find a D.O. and we will see what's causing the chronic pain in my left side. Nobody else has identified it, maybe he or she can.

I'm bushed. Walking with a cane wears me out, and just hurting is tiring. Eloise chauffeured me around, we ate at Olive Grden and now I'm home, about to go collapse in my chair for a while. Truly, PH, I'm not discounting the DOs. I have a great deal of respect for them, and as I said, my favorite among our OB/Gyns is a DO. However, I also respect my primary care doc, she has done well by me over the years, and I already had this appointment with her. The one thing where she hasn't solved the problem is the pain in my left side, and I'm going to punt that to a D.O. as soon as I'm back on level ground. I appreciate these links, have bookmarked them, and will use them. I may also ask my DO friend for a referral.

Now my chair is calling me, and Toye Starr says it's her nap time, so I guess we'll go curl up for a while. Be blessed! --Romeena
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78345:
RO- one thing I forgot to tell you is that my chiropractor uses a laser treatment therapy on my problem areas and it is quite a blessing. I'd buy one if I could. I'm sure its somethiny you can google.
Anyway, glad you are feeling better. Prayers continue.
MDC
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78346:
Oh ASA, I jusrt heard that Arizona is in on the lawsuit club, plus our legislature acted to pass
some blockages. Funny how they can act so fast
sometimes!
I'd say the chances of the big one staying law is about as remote as Emma Watson staying around as Floyd's full time manicurist!! haha
MDC

March 23, 2010 - Msg 78347:
Romeena, sorry for displaying my "tough love" behaviour. I'm just glad to hear that you do have a plan. I was really concerned since your symptoms seemed to be getting worse with each posting.
Your primary care physician does seem to be more caring and less hurried in determining the cause of your problem (like a D.O. typically would) and not just treating the symptoms (like a M.D. often does).
Ever since I started watching Mystery Diagnosis, I've come to the realization that M.D's are not all that "high and mighty" like some of them think they are.

from Poor Horatio
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78348: Gosh Ro, prayers for your situation. Hope you are on the mend fast. It does not sound fun what you are going through.

I sent an email to Rep. Stupak with just a simple one word question: Why?
I figured he must be getting all sorts of emails and calls and the simple approach might be best. Not that it will do any good, but it is something I am wondering, and I also wonder if he can sleep at night.

-Sterling Holobyte
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78349: Hey, PH, you don't owe me an apology. Your concern came shining through, and is appreciated. Actually, my PCP is unique, in that she does seem to care and is willing to spend unhurried time with each patient. She surprises me at times with the things she remembers! She's a tiny, pretty, young Indian woman who is so smart that sparks seem to be flying off her head. She now has four children, all of whom have been born since she opened her practice. Half my church goes to her, and the other half wishes they could get in. When her practice reaches a certain level, she closes it for a while rather than get so busy she can't be attentive. Actually, she did just treat the symptoms, but in this case it was appropriate. As she said, "We may never know what set this off - could have been something you ate, maybe a chill or an undetected virus, but I think there has been a cascade of related things, each leading to something else. What we have to do now is interrupt the progression and start cooling the reactions. Her treatment is simple - take two or three Advil four times a day, to cool off the inflammation and dull the pain so I can stand to move, and take Flexeril three times a day to relax the muscles, break the spasms and allow me more mobility. Then, as she said, "Your body will work its own way out of this." She kinda sounds like a D.O. - maybe that's why I like her.

Well, let me tell you something about Flexeril. Some of you know that I don't tolerate medications very well - cannot handle narcotics in any form, ever. I didn't know how I would react to the Flexeril (a muscle relaxer), but I just put a big plastic bag nearby, curled up in my chair and took the pill. Four hours later, I woke up! Best sleep I've had in a week. I'm looking forward to taking another one before bed tonight. I can turn my head at least an inch more to each side, and I can walk without the cane. It hurts, but I can walk, and I'm not yelping every step of the way either! I have begun to believe that this may go away. Won't you all be glad? If you're as tired of hearing about it as I am of talking about it, then you're ready for it to end, too. Thanks, friends!

MDC, how about this? The chances of the big debacle remaining law is about as remote as that of most Democrats keeping their Congressional seats at the next election. I'm just amazed at how little they learned from the Massachusetts upset, though.

The "Dallas Morning News" is accused by many of being pro-left, but I really don't find that to be so. If anything, they lean slightly to the right, in my opinion. Ideally, they would be "down the middle", of course. However, the little political cartoon of a few days ago shows a doctor's waiting room, filled with donkeys in business suits, all with their right arms twisted into corkscrew shapes and little stars of pain shooting off of them. The receptionist is saying, "Let me guess. Another Obamacare meeting with Speaker Pelosi?" Hahahaha!

I have an iris open! It's along the west fence, where I have my collection of old irises. Nothing "bought" there, they all came from abandoned houses or overgrown gardens here and there. Most are the simple "flags" of our grandma's gardens, not the outlandish hybrids from the catalogs, but they're so pretty in their simplicity. I like rescuing one now and then and giving it a home.

Well, be blessed, friends. --Romeena
March 23, 2010 - Msg 78350:
Hello porch family.....I just had to check in real quick before I hit the bed. Just got through with a long day in the studio. Guys this cd is turning out awesome. Got a full day tomorrow mixing but hoping to finish it up tomorrow night or should I say in the early morning hours of Thursday.

I'll have to read the archives later. I'm whipped!

Love and prayers for all my porch family!
-REV.
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78351:
Hey sterling, I LOVE it! Good show!
and hey to REV. I'll be praying!
RO- good to hear, sounds like things are improving.
MDC
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78352: Mornin' Y'all! Been up since 4am- I think Laci was in charge of making sure that all the roosters crowed on time this morning-ha! Gonna be a LONG day.
Too sleepy to cook breakfast,so let's go to the Waffle House.

Ro, hope your ailments ease up on you.

Great news about the CD, Rev!
*******************
possum under a rock
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78353: C ock a doodle doo Possum!
(dang rooster even got censored)
Ro, hope you are feeling better today. You have been on my mind much yesterday.

Boo, I wish I was sleeping at Weavers. Just been busy with work and with home stuff now that spring is here. Thanks for asking.

MDC, glad your State joined the suit. Lets hope this thing can be stopped.

"You know what this proves? If you want a good suit you've got to go to Mt. Pilot!"

Asa
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78354: Oh, my! I could not help but laugh, Ro, when you said you were walking sideways like a dog and using a baseball bat for a cane! Using a baseball bat as a cane would cause back pain and no wonder you are "worn out" (your words). HAHA...sorry to laugh at another's misfortune but you know how we nurses are, Ro. Glad you saw the dr and pray the advil does the trick. I know you have a tough stomach but please try to eat a little something when you take it. I would hate for you to start having tummy trouble from it. Of course, Bruce took hefty doses of it daily for weeks when he was having his back trouble and it never bothered him.

You're right, PH. MDs and DOs make their share of mistakes and misdiagnosis. I have seen plenty from both in my years working in hospitals. The most talented dr I ever worked with was a DO, but so was the most inept idiot one. What's important is to take charge of your own health care, do your homework, and make sure the doc has a good reputation. If you have a friend in the area who is a nurse, ask them what they think about the doctor. When working with a doc in the hosptial, nurses learn the shortcomings and strengths of the docs. They also know which ones are putting on a face and don't care about the patients and which ones really care. My current primary care doctor was suggested to me by a doctor friend that I worked with and it worked out really well. My friend knows the real person behind the "MD" title. So many times I have seen drs go into a pt's room with a big smile and talking like butter wouldn't melt in their mouth, only to come out of the room and say something terrible about the person.

Glad all is going well, REV!!

Hope you can sneak in a catnap, Possum!

Better get my Erin off to school. She came home from baseball practice with two new t-shirts and a batting helmet. Her best little friend from school is a little boy named Ronny and Ronny is head-over-hills for Erin. His parents are very straight-laced, attentive parents and watch him like a hawk. When he is over here, they don't allow him to go into Erin's bedroom and they play things like "cops and robbers". He and his parents went to Ruidoso, NM for spring break and brought her back two t-shirts. I wish Erin had a close little girlfriend she could play with but she is always surrounded by a flock of little boys, it seems. She loves sports and such.

Bruce is loading some pictures from the camera so i will get him to help me send some pics to Romeena for the album (if she is up to it).

Better go..

Boo
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78355: Good Wednesday folks, passing through for a minute.

getting my work day started. It is supposed to be a warm sunny day today on my end of the porch.
can't wait to go out at lunch time and soak up some sunshine!

Hope you are feeling better Romeena, been thinking about you. sounds like you PCP is wonderful and has things under control.

back to the doctor for me on Friday, doing better with my recovery. hopefully I am on the downhill side of this!

better get to work. maybe a picnic sack lunch today: bologna sandwiches with mayo, lettuce and tomoato, chips, oatmeal cream pies, tea, lemonade to drink. see you there.

Have a blessed day and "act like somebody"

Big Maude
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78356: Good morning, porch! Just got up - boy, that Flexeril sure knocks me out, but thank the Lord, it doesn't make me sick. If it does, I'm sleeping too soundly to know it! I got up twice during the night (always!) and did pretty well. There is still pain, but it's less than it was, and tolerable for just those two or three minutes. At least I'm no longer using the bat, I've got my real cane. Boo, go ahead and laugh. I've been laughing at myself! On one of those earlier trips, I saw myself in the dresser mirror, and didn't know whether to laugh or scream and reach for the Judge! There was a pale, wild-haired old woman in a baggy sleepshirt, walking sideways and leaning on a baseball bat, yelping with every step. I think any self-respecting intruder would have run like a goosed moose. Oh, I'm a sight.

A second iris has opened beside that first one. I think they're in the same clump. Like I said, they're very simple iris, or "flags" as my grandma would have called them. They're white, not real big and are very plain. The falls (the downward-pointing petals) are narrow, probably not more than 1 1/2" wide and about 3" long. The standards (the upward pointing petals) are also relatively small, and very simple. The hybrid cultivars that are available today are just amazing. Huge, ruffly, ornate flowers that come in all colors and color combinations. I have one that has deep purple, almost black falls, with bright orangey-gold standards. It's spectacular! I've got those gorgeous hybrids scattered all around the yard, and have a whole huge bed dedicated just to them, but I still enjoy my simple little "historic" irises in their small allotted space. After all, it was from irises such as those that the hybridizers developed the outlandish flowers that are available today.

Big Maude, I surely do hope you get an "all-clear" this time. You have put up with so much, and so patiently too.

Boo, I can so identify with Erin. Now I never liked to play baseball (I always get hit in the face in any game involving a ball) but I did much prefer playing with boys than other girls. Girls were so dull and boring, and boys liked to do fun, adventurous things. Most of my cousins were boys, and my mom's sister had three boys. She also had a girl, but she was nine years younger, so we didn't have much in common. There was one boy who was two years older, one three years younger, and one just two months younger. He and I were inseparable. They lived in the country, and I practically lived with them, until we moved to the country too. We rode anything on the place that had four legs, and I guess we'd have ridden a chicken if we could have found one big enough. We ate sweet feed and chicken scratch, we drank from the horse trough, we roamed the countryside and ate berries from wild bushes. Most of them were agarita berries, and they're edible, but some of them weren't. If they tasted good, we ate them. If they didn't, we spit them out, simple as that. It's a wonder we didn't poison ourselves, but the truth is, if one of us ever got sick, it was an event. We were healthy as little horses. What a wonderful childhood I had.

Well, it's time to take those pills again, and I'm starting to hurt, even just sitting here, so guess I'll do it. Will probably sleep a lot today. Oh well. Be blessed, everyone. --Romeena
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78357: Come to think of it, Ro, almost all of my cousins near by age were boys, too and we sure had some good times. I preferred the adventurous to playing with dolls or something, too. I remember I had more fun with my cousin Philip (who was my age) than anyone else in the world! I swear we would get into these laughing fits over things and always end up in trouble because we couldn't fall asleep at night because of them. Those were the days. :-)

Your description of yourself up there was hilarious!

Boo
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78358: You know, I think it is so sad that we grow up and lost that way of having fun that we had as kids. I never, ever feel that anymore. Seems like everything I do feels mundane. Hardly even laugh anymore, either and that is bad because if you know me well, you know that laughing is my favorite pasttime.

Boo
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78359:
Nice set of threads Asa. (:
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78360:
Boo- Sounds like you need a TAGS marathon! ha
I know times are dismal right now, but like they did during WWII, ya gotta keep up the morale or you will get lost in the misery.
Will be praying for you!
MDC
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78361:
Boo, you offer some great advice about doctors in Msg 78354. Although you indicated that some D.O.s are a problem, I have not enountered any yet. I assume that is because they represent less than 10% of the total number of doctors out there.
Whenever our family needed to choose a doctor, such as a surgeon, we always contacted our favorite Registered Nurse, my sister. She would contact all the nurses she trained with and worked with in the various hospitials around our area to determine which doctors had the best reputations with the nursing community. I was always shocked to learn the secrets why certain doctors were to be avoided (such as pending malpractice lawsuits, high number of patient deaths, carelessness, condescending attitudes, etc.).

from Poor Horatio
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78362:
Hey Folks

Ok, what's a D.O.?

Asa-Hidey ho, neighbor! Long time no see.

Gomer: "Ain't that great, Andy? How do you do it? Let me try; Judy, Judy, I can't do it."

auh2o

March 24, 2010 - Msg 78363: I'm back. When I have to get up to answer Nature's call, I try to do everything else at the same time. Thus, I stopped by the computer on the way back to my chair. Feeling a little goofy from the Flexeril, but not sick.

Boo, I'm sorry you've lost your inner child. That's not a good thing to lose. I think it's the little kid in me that loves to garden, enjoys watching birds and squirrels by the hour, and seeks out laughter-loving people as friends. You need to find that child again, and nourish her. You just can't be serious all the time. Dig a bigger firepit, and use it. Go for long walks and leave the dishes in the sink. Make a birdhouse out of a milk jug. Buy a little donkey, and pasture him on your land. They are sooo cute!! Watch cartoons! The original Tom and Jerry cartoons will turn you into a giggling kid again. Check "War and Peace" out of the library, read as far as you can stand, then give yourself permission to say "Good grief, this is boring!" and put it away!! With all the things that are going wrong with the house and appliances, put yourself in charge, and stay sweet. Get the name and phone number of the person who could (if he or she would) take care of the problem. See them in person if possible, but if not, call them and say very sweetly "You know, I have your name and phone number. X needs to be fixed, and I'd like it done within three days. I'm sure if anyone can get it done, you can. You have the authority to do it, so I'm counting on you. If it doesn't happen, I will simply become your worst nightmare, because remember, I know your name and phone number. Do we have a deal?" Keep a smile in your voice the whole time, and at the conclusion of the conversation tell them how much you enjoyed it, and that you're looking forward to talking with them again. Then go out and play catch with Erin. In other words, don't stew about it, just punt it to the proper person, let them know you can and will nag (like a little kid), and be sure they believe you. That tactic moved me from the bottom of a six-week waiting list to the top, to have a leaning utility pole replaced. It was done the next day.

Well, enough bad advice. I'm going back to my chair. Hate to leave the window, because there is a juvenile squirrel on the tree about fifteen feet away, trying to get over his fear of climbing, and he's hilarious. He's about halfway up the tree, and afraid to move up or down. He just keeps switching directions, but never makes any progress. Poor little guy, I'll bet if I walked out there he'd figure it out pretty quick! But I won't. His mama will come get him in a little while. Be blessed, friends. --Romeena
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78364:
Osteopath
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78365: Oh Romeena, you are so funny. Thanks for the advice. :-) Boy, I would love to have a donkey..it's on the list.

Thanks for those prayers, MDC, and YES, I need a TAGS marathon!

Boo
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78366:
auh2o, check out http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=ado_whatis to learn what a DO is that we are talking about.

from Poor Horatio
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78367:
auh2o, here is a little more information. In the United States, doctors who deal with patients have initials after their names. These include:
M.D. = Medical Doctor aka Allopathic Physician
D.O. = Doctor of Osteopathy
D.P.M = Doctor of Podiatry Medicine
D.D.S. = Doctor of Dental Surgery
D.C. = Doctor of Chiropractic

So if you see D.O. after the persons name, they are a Doctor of Osteopathy. In the USA, they comprise less than 10% of all the doctors that deal with patients.

from Poor Horatio
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78368: Boo just read your post about Erin just having little boys to play with.My oldest daughter was like that and I have to tell you I think it made her more assertive in some ways because she speaks her mind and doesn't have a problem talking to men or women.Don't get me wrong,she isn't loud or pushy just assertive.I always said she should be lawyer because she can definitley think on her feet and never gets tongue tied.Well ya'll this is my last night of school,and I'm waiting for class to start and to take this test.So glad all thats left is the national certification test next week.I'm gonna miss my teachers and class mates,they are all super people.Talk to you all later-ky girl
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78369: Hi All.
Just a nice day was outdoor working.
RO hope you are feel o k tonight praying .

TOM

March 24, 2010 - Msg 78370: Good evening, porch! Thanks, Tom, I think things are improving a bit. I'm not using that cane now, at least not in the house. Still hurts to move, but sitting still is comfortable. Range of motion in my neck is improving.

I'm glad you had a pretty day and were able to get outdoors. I sure would love to do that. Guess I wouldn't be doing anything outdoors this evening anyway, as we're under a severe thunderstorm watch. It looks pretty threatening out there, too.

The little squirrel's mama came and got him - basically just chased him back into the nest box - he was only a few feet from it. She left again, and there is a juvie sitting on top of the box now, and two others are peeping out through the entrance hole. Mama will return before dark and shoo the adventurous one back in, and will stay to be sure they remain for the night. Squirrels are excellent mothers, and so much fun to watch. There is another brood in another nest box at the back of the yard. It's about seventy feet from me, but with my binocs I can see it clearly. I see the mom going in and out of the box, but haven't seen the babies. They must be a couple of weeks younger, and are still curled up in the bottom of the nest. Watching them is such fun!

ky girl, Good luck with that test! I just know you're going to ace it.

Well, guess I'll go rustle up something to eat. Fortunately, I have some leftovers and my microwave works, so I'm in good shape. Be blessed, friends. --Romeena
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78371: Hey gang!..got the boat out of the lake today...put away in the barn...gona go put Lake stuff up from the boat...back in a bit...SPOT
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78372: Horatio im a "DOAGS"...Doctor of Andy Griffith Shows"...got a badge to prove it!!...SPOT
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78373: Hey SPOT, since you claim to be a Doctor of Andy Griffith Shows, to watch all of those shows, that requires patience, not patients.

from Poor Horatio
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78374: Um, shouldn't that be "DOGS",spot? LOL!

Just messin' with ya,YOUT!

I am one tired possum. Hope Miss Party Animal is asleep. I'll be right behind her! Goodnight,Mayberry.

*************
possum again
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78375: Hey to you Auh2o (or should I say Wilson) HA! How's spring going up there in New York buddy?

Spot, yer an M.D. now? Good deal. I have this pain right about here.....

P.H. My Doc is both a M.D. and a D.O. He has helped me several times when the old back got the misery on me.

Well to honor MDC, and because of reasons I won't get into, here's my TAGS quote.
"Lets just give him the big freeze."
Message recieved.

I always enjoyed the lyrics to the theme of "Cheers" tv show. Or at least the chorus.

"Sometimes you want to go where everyone knows your name
And they're always glad you came
You want to be where you can see
Troubles are all the same
You want to go where everyone knows your name."

Asa


March 24, 2010 - Msg 78376: Friends I'm done,and I got an A on the test!Thanks for the words of encouragement Romeena,and all the porch friends who have kept me in their prayers and encouraged me.-ky girl
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78377:
Asa, the doctor that treated my injured back long ago was both a D.O. and a Registered Pharmacist. He worked as a Pharmacist to pay his way through medical schoo. I thought that was a unique combination. But yours tops mine. I never heard of a M.D. and a D.O.

ky girl, congratulations on that A. But what kind of test was it? Pregnancy test?

from Poor Horatio
March 24, 2010 - Msg 78378: Oh no, here come the rumors again!! Congratulations, KY Girl! What a relief, right?

Hey ASA..."Making a way in the world today takes everything you got. Taking a break from all your worries sure can help alot. Isn't it nice to get awaaaaay...."

Wait...I hear something.....it's my bed calling me. See ya in the morning.

Boo
March 25, 2010 - Msg 78379:
Oh ASA, I forgot to acknowlwdge your "WILSON" hidye ho, also!
PH, you are too funny!
KyGirl-woohoo! Cool!
Hey to possum and spot.
APB FOR LUCY, MAVIS, HAZEL AND ALL!



March 25, 2010 - Msg 78380: Oops, that was me.
MDC
March 25, 2010 - Msg 78381:
RIP Robert Culp
March 25, 2010 - Msg 78382: Well, I'm glad it's kygirl that's preggers this time & not ol' possum! LOL

Congrats, kygirl!

Hey to Asa!Where have you been hiding??

Gotta go see what Laci is up too-we got a full 8 hours sleep last night- hooray!

Let's go see if Maude will cook breakfast for us this morning- meet y'all over there in just a bit!

*******************
possum under a rock
March 25, 2010 - Msg 78383: Is Robert culp the guy who played Debra's mom in Everybody Loves Raymond?

Mornin' Possum. Glad you got some sleep. I have been having some difficulty in that area since the time change. It is harder to fall asleep now. Can't wait for Saturday so I don't have to get up before daylight!

PH, I was just remembering an episode of Mystery Diagnosis in which a man had gone to drs for years trying to find a diagnosis for his pain. After several MRIs they finally found a softball sized tumor in his chest. Now, how does that happen? I thought an MRI would find something like that!

Well, busy day today. Gotta get Erin to school and go to the grocery store.

I might end up taking a puppy to the vet, not sure. Hank has not been acting right. He almost acts like he is afraid of me and goes into his kennel and won't come out when I call him. I saw him come out right away when I let the cat outside and he seemed ok but he didn't eat last night and that is very unusual. Oh, by the way, we were sitting at the kitchen table yesterday evening and here came a big hawk that swooped down very near us to try to nab a dove from the yard. He missed and flew under the trees, near the ground for awhile. Such a pretty animal to be carnivorous. Kind of hard to imagine a bird eating another bird, but so be it. At least they aren't eating rotting things like those buzzards (and we have lots of them around, too).

Boo
March 25, 2010 - Msg 78384: Did I ruin anyone's breakfast with that last statement?...heehee...

Boo
March 25, 2010 - Msg 78385: Oh boy, I just realized I asked if Robert Culp was Debra's MOM instead of DAD on the show! haha

Boo

March 25, 2010 - Msg 78386:
Hello my porch family.....I got in this morning from a very long day (and night) in the studio finishing up the new cd. Needless to say, I'm a whipped puppy but just wanted to stop by and check in. See ya'll a little later.

Love and prayers
-REV.
March 25, 2010 - Msg 78387:
Boo, softball sized tumor that went undetected for years? I wonder how the doctors explained that? That Mystery Diagnosis sure is interesting to watch. But I also discovered another interesting show called Monsters Inside Me on the Animal Planet channel. They concentrate on illnesses caused by things we can't see, such as parasites. The last show dealt with racoon round worms that invaded a baby. After he swallowed the invisible eggs (probably from eating dirt in the backyard), the acids in his stomach caused them to hatch. The hatched worms burrowed through his stomach lining into his blood stream, where they traveled to his brain. There, they devoured his brain's visual cortex and that caused him to go blind. They continued to devour other portions of his brain so much so that when an MRI was done, the brain was noticeably smaller in size. Once the doctors identified the cause, they were able to kill the worms with medicines. But it took many months. Surprisingly, some of the baby's sight did return. But he had to learn how to crawl all over again, and he didn't learn to walk until he was 4. Although they still don't know the full extent of the damage, as his mother said on the program "He is not the child we had, but he is the child that we love."
You can learn more about this fascinating program at
http://animal.discovery.com/tv/monsters-inside-me/. Ever since I started watching this program, I have a new appreciation of washing my hands before eating.

I remember Robert Culp from being the star of the "I Spy" television program back in the 60's. His co-star was Bill Cosby. Robert played an international tennis player who traveled the world to compete. Bill Cosby was his trainer. This was just a cover story for their real jobs; they were both secret agent spies working for the government.
Here is a bit of trivia. Are you aware that Robert Culp was the biological brother of "Miss Jane Hathaway", the secretary of Mr. Drysdale, the banker, on the Beverly Hillbillies? Her name was Nancy Culp.

from Poor Horatio
March 25, 2010 - Msg 78388:

Hey, Ro. Remember 12-13 years ago when my girls were starting kindergarten, you advised me about how to get through the school years ahead? What I drew from that was essentially 'don't fret the small stuff, let the teachers do their jobs, and don't take any guff.' Sounds simple on the surface, but in practice it was anything but.

Well, you were right, and now we've come full circle. My girls are getting ready to graduate and will be starting college in the fall, and your advice held me up on more than one occasion.

Thought you'd like to know that your wisdom helped keep me sane over the years! Sorry you're walking crooked and hope you get better real soon. (Btw, I can attest to the benefits of Flexoril. Good stuff.)

Peace, all!

~De§~

P.S. Oh, and as fate would have it, one of my girls is going into nursing. :-) The other is going to be a meteorologist, something she decided on when she was 7.