# Much Ado About Nothing! eh!



## DustyKat

This is place to talk about...well nothing really! 

It might be somewhere that you want to put a funny story or talk about the culinary delights of your country or state. Perhaps it is a place to discuss the linguistic differences between us eh, or about the family holiday. Maybe just maybe we will come here when we feel guilty about hijacking someone's thread and talking about...nothing! :biggrin:

Most of all I think it will be a place to come to escape the reality in which we all live and that can't be a bad thing eh. :wink:

Thanks guys...:ghug:...and recognition must be made to Farmwife for both the idea and the title! :medal1:

Dusty.


----------



## KWalker

Only Canadians can say eh! Lol


----------



## DustyKat

I know eh! If you have seen it then Tess will! :lol:


----------



## Farmwife

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! (Imagen tears running down my face as I accept this major award)
:queen:
First I would like to thank my parents for teaching my that windmills are the source of all our wind.

I would also like to thank my hair stylist when I was 13 for dying my hair purple and lying that it was red. I was teased for weeks.:blush:

But most of all, to my dear husband for telling me beavers only kill people at night!:shifty:


Farmwife:soledance:


----------



## Farmwife

OH, cow skiing and cow tipping coming soon!


----------



## marjaw

http://www.bratwurstpages.com/dialect.html

Speaking of dialect, I could not have said Wisconsin better than this guy. If you nead a laugh go read this page. Then laugh harder when I tell you it's all true. aina hey!


----------



## KWalker

Aww man, I just noticed this is in the parents section. Brb, see you guys in 9 months!


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, Wisconsin-ites use 'eh' too!!!  Farmwife - they even have a definition for it!  :lol:

Farmwife - great idea for this thread!!  Your speech left me a blubbering mess! 

Dusty - as always, great intro - no one could've said it better!


----------



## Tesscorm

Wow, seems CONGRATULATIONS are in order, Walker!!! ???


----------



## crohnsinct

WT Hey Farmwife?  Didn't thank your cast and crew...the little people who helped you achieve such greatness?  

KWalker...Congratulations! I hope you never really have a reason to be here other than fun and general parenting advice and sicussing the best Poutine recipe and beaver tails!


----------



## KWalker

Haha not yet. I shouldn't even be thinking about children yet!


----------



## crohnsinct

Haha watch out that's when and how I got #1 and #3!!!


----------



## DustyKat

> First I would like to thank my parents for teaching my that windmills are the source of all our wind.


Eh? So what are you saying, y'all have windmills up ya bum???


----------



## Tesscorm

Lmao!!!!


----------



## KWalker

This thread>


----------



## crohnsinct

Marjaw: That was hilarious but dear Lord another city hater! Seriously where is my gang?  Hiding in an alley somewhere?


----------



## Farmwife

DustyKat said:


> Eh? So what are you saying, y'all have windmills up ya bum???



OH MY, Is that where it really comes from?:ywow: WOW, my parents have lied to me all these years!!!:ymad: I calling them NOW! 
:thumright:They won't believe this!:thumleft:


----------



## DustyKat

@marjaw...We use the term bubbler too! I just googled it and aside from some weird ass places in the US, just joking! (or amI) Oz is the only other place that uses the word. How weird is that! 

Thank god for this thread or I would never have never known! :worthy: It has paid for itself already! :lol:


----------



## Tesscorm

That is too funny... you (meaning both Dusty and marjaw) really do say 'bubbler' ?!?!?

So, let's see...  if we mix a Canadian with an Aussie/Wisconsonite with a midwest farmer's wife and throw in a bit of Brit asking for a drink of water...  we'd have

Hey y'all, I'm dang parched here, if anyone's seen a blimey bubbler give me a hoy, eh? :ybatty:


----------



## Farmwife

:rof::rof::rof::rof::rof:

That their is poetry, y'all!


----------



## DustyKat

Yes we say bubbler! Has and always will be a bubbler!...

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/06/30/2940956.htm

...that's MY proof...better than the barns I say! :rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

HEY!  But my barn proof had a picture of cute little O in it!  And I'll have you know those dilapidated old barns are still standing...right through the supposed Tornado...good thing O wasn't standing in front of them or she would be in Canada by now eh. 

And seriously?!  Not much happening in your parts for an article that long to be written about darn bubblers and the quality of the drinking water...ratepayers=taxpayers I assume.  

In case your wondering in the city if you find a bubble and it actually works you don't drink from it...never know who used it as a toilet!


----------



## crohnsinct

And just to take the wind out of Farmwife's sails... yes I know you don't have bubblers in the country but life is so clean and pure and natural that if you get thirsty you can just take a drink from the creek (pronounced crick) while you are catching tadpoles...


----------



## crohnsinct

And speaking of using a toilet...I was in a drug store today with O and that girl had to go.  She asked the clerk if she could use the rest room.  He said no employees only...do I need to paint a picture of mamma bear racing down the aisle to kick clerks ass?  Needless to say she got to use their bathroom.  Don't mess with a Crohns mom...we know the bathroom laws!!!!!


----------



## DustyKat

So not true crohnsinct! Yup, we drink out of the crick but sometimes we head to the big smoke (town of about 2,000) and they is pretty darn sophisticated there cos they have a bubbler in the park where we skin our rabbits and catch yabbies, then we throw them on that outdoor cooking stove, I think they call it a BBQ!


----------



## momoftwinboys

OK, from a former Bostonian (lived in Los Angeles and now in Midwest)  I have chuckled to myself in the city vs country exchanges (Thanks, Farmwife, CrohnsinCt and DustyKat for the entertainment).  Find myself true to my roots, mostly a city girl at heart (surrounded by country boys, husband and kids)... Here is how ya tawk baustin.. just rememba if it ends in a "r", drop the "r" and if it ends in a "a" add an "r" so...car =cah and tuna fish is tuner fish.
http://www.citydictionary.com/MA/Boston/9566/?sort=0

BTW, Boston also refers to a water fountain as a "bubblah"

Love Canadians,  used to go up to Montreal to watch the Bruins and Canadians play.  Montreal is such an awesome city.

Still can not get used to some Midwest expressions,  Why do they say your need to put that "up" whan they mean put that away and away may be down?

Hubby said one time that he would like to live somewhere rural... my response.."I can hear cow moos from our back deck....we are NOT gettin more rural than this"


----------



## Tesscorm

Okay, bad enough my coworkers think I'm a bit batty, staring at my computer and LMAO on my own...  now my husband's walking by shaking his head!  :lol:

By the way, Crohnsinct, you've got your stories wrong...  O would be in *Kansas *now, NOT Canada, with her little Toto!  :lol:


----------



## DustyKat

Woohoo! WTG Mama! 

Now all you need to do is call a restroom a toilet and a drugstore a pharmacy! Get it right girl! :lol:


----------



## Tesscorm

Oops...  just remembered she LEFT Kansas...  didn't land there! :ybatty:


----------



## DustyKat

^^^^Oooooooo a hat trick! 

Don't anybody ask what a hat trick is!!! :lol:


----------



## poppets mum

Amy after rectal exam by GI, "He did that to me and I didn't even get a sticker"?


----------



## DustyKat

Oh that is just the best! Bless her...


----------



## crohnsinct

HOLLA Mom of twin boys!!!

Dusty and Tesscorm...LMAO! 

Hat trick...we have hockey in the states but not 100% sure what exactly that means...something to do with the number three...please don't tell my girlfriend who married a Stanley Cup winning all star hockey player.  She told me she met someone when we were really young.  She was getting married.  I was all protective asking what he did.  She said he plays hockey.  Yeah but can you guys make it on that (she was a struggling model) she says yeah I think so.  She told me his name I was like yeah o.k. whatever.  I went home told my brother and he almost fainted.


----------



## Tesscorm

That is sooo sweet!!!  I hope you got her a sticker! 

Dusty, Crohnsinct, you must have some Canadian blood in you... a hat trick is three goals in one game in hockey!!!  Woohoo!!! :hockey::hockey::hockey:


----------



## crohnsinct

GO AMY! That is hilarious!  I say we get that girl a user name and slap her on this forum!


----------



## momoftwinboys

Agreed, Amy has quite a sense of humor.  A sticker is not asking alot:ytongue::ytongue::ytongue:


----------



## DustyKat

Ahahaha, I thought hat trick was only a term used in cricket! Yeah in cricket it means you get three batters out in three consecutive balls. But do you know why it is called a hat trick! :lol: 

Your secret is safe with me cause I have no idea about hockey or the Stanley Cup!


----------



## Tesscorm

Wikipedia:

A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he was presented with a hat bought with the proceeds.[1] The term was used in print for the first time in 1878.[2]
The term was eventually adopted by many other sports including association football, water polo, and team handball, but did not become popular in North America until the mid-1940s in the National Hockey League.


In hockey, fans throw their hats on the ice once a player has a hat trick.


----------



## DustyKat

Well done Tess! :award2:


----------



## DustyKat

Heavens to murgatroyd! This thread is surely living up to its name! :yfaint:


----------



## crohnsinct

Heavens to Murgatroyd
Meaning
An exclamation of surprise. 

Origin
'Heavens to Murgatroyd' is American in origin and dates from the mid 20th century. The expression was popularized by the cartoon character Snagglepuss - a regular on the Yogi Bear Show in the 1960s, and is a variant of the earlier 'heavens to Betsy'. 

The first use of the phrase wasn't by Snagglepuss but comes from the 1944 film Meet the People. It was spoken by Bert Lahr, best remembered for his role as the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz. Snagglepuss's voice was patterned on Lahr's, along with the 'heavens to Murgatroyd' line. Daws Butler's vocal portrayal of the character was so accurate that when the cartoon was used to promote Kellogg Cereals, Lahr sued and made the company distance him from the campaign by giving a prominent credit to Butler. 

As with Betsy, we have no idea who Murgatroyd was. The various spellings of the name - as Murgatroid, Mergatroyd or Mergatroid tend to suggest that it wasn't an actual surname. While it is doubtful that the writers of Meet The People (Sig Herzig and Fred Saidy) were referring to an actual person, they must have got the name from somewhere. 

No fewer than ten of the characters in Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera Ruddigore, 1887, are baronets surnamed "Murgatroyd", eight of whom (or is that which?) are ghosts. Herzig and Saidy were well versed in the works of the musical theatre and that plethora of Murgatroyds would have been known to them.

Where then did the librettist Sir William Gilbert get the name? It seems that Murgatroyd has a long history as a family name in the English aristocracy. In his genealogy The Murgatroyds of Murgatroyd, Bill Murgatroyd states that, in 1371, a constable was appointed for the district of Warley in Yorkshire. He adopted the name of Johanus de Morgateroyde - literally John of Moor Gate Royde or 'the district leading to the moor'.

Whether the Murgatroyd name took that route from Yorkshire to Jellystone Park we can't be certain. Unless there's a Betsy Murgatroyd hiding in the archives, that's as close as we are likely to get to a derivation.


----------



## crohnsinct

No one googles faster than the mothers of chronically ill children!


----------



## DustyKat

You got that right! :ybiggrin:


----------



## Tesscorm

crohnsinct said:


> No one googles faster than the mothers of chronically ill children!


:rof: :rof:  So true!!!  :lol:


----------



## izzi'smom

I still like the term "fair dinghum". It had me SMH at Dusty for weeks!

From what I remember of my Sociology class, in upstate NY they say we don't have an accent. 

TY for the idea, fw, and thread, DK!!


----------



## DustyKat

Fair dinkum Angie! Tell me "fair dinghum" was an auto correct!   :lol:


----------



## crohnsinct

Going to google AGAIN!


----------



## DustyKat

Waiting...


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Finally  ! Something I'm good at ~ Nothing ! :ylol::ylol:

Love this thread so far :thumleft:


----------



## DustyKat

For hire...The amazing pot plant cat sitter!...



...this is Sarah's idea of outside time for Stella. :yrolleyes:


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:

Tracy - considering that the thread jumped to two pages in the span of an hour, _NOTHING _seems to be something we're all good at!  :lol:

Crohnsinct - may be wrong but I think Dusty once called Stephen's Aussie GI a 'fair dinkum'...  I _think _it was a good thing! 

Dusty - good for Sarah!  Better than the alternative we've had to deal with...  our dog has been sprayed by a skunk TWICE this summer!!  *UGGHHH!!! *


----------



## crohnsinct

fair dinkum  

1)Australian Slang Word to express suprise. 
2)Statement of acknowledgement. 

Similar term to "No Sh!t"
1)Person A - I nearly had a car accident today! 
Person B - Fair Dinkum? 

2)Person A - It's going to cost me lot of money to fix the car. 
Person B - Fair Dinkum


Haha I googled it right away but then my dog got into a brawl with another dog who was off leash and on our property...our dog has electric fence.  So had to run outside to break it up.  Great!  Now my dog has bad ass city rep too!  We mine as well move back.  No skunks in the city!!! 

SUCH LANGUAGE DUSTY!!!


----------



## Farmwife

WHAT, y'all have a party with out me!!!!
Don't you guys sleep.
Have you even payed attention to your families today!

I read where one of your kids asked for at least a sticker after her exam. FUNNY
That made me think of a e-mail I got. This is for older kids/Adults with a great sense of humor!

Funny thing to ask  the GI DURING your scope:

1. Take it easy Doc.. You're boldly going where no man has gone before. 

2. 'Find Amelia Earhart yet?' 

3. 'Can you hear me NOW?' 

4. 'Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?' 

5. 'You know, in Arkansas , we're now legally married.' 

6. 'Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?' 

7. 'You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out...' 

8. 'Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!' 

9. 'If your hand doesn't fit, you must quit!' 

10. 'Hey Doc, let me know if you find my dignity.' 

11. 'You used to be an executive at Enron, didn't you?' 


And the best one of all: 
12. 'Could you write a note for my wife saying that my head is not up there?'


----------



## crohnsinct

OMG!  I have tears in my eyes I am literally laughing THAT hard!  That is classic!


----------



## Tesscorm

LMAO !!!  :rof: :rof: :rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

Is a sudden desire to do housework an EIM cuz it is 10 a.m. and O hasn't come down yet.  I went up to check on her and she is in the laundry room DOING ALL THE LAUNDRY!!!!!  

We are going on vacation tomorrow and I haven't packed a thing so maybe she is just trying to tell me something...like get off the damn computer and get packin!


----------



## Farmwife

I tell my hubby all the time to fire his housekeeper and cook. :thumright:
But he says, :yfrown:no she should be forced to do it it it's done.:frown:
 I don't believe men should marry more than one woman BUT... 
I can sure see the benefit of it for the women.:biggrin:


----------



## Tesscorm

When my husband 'nags' too much about something, I tell him he can look forward to having it done by his SECOND wife!  :lol:


----------



## Farmwife

My hubby joked about me having a twin sister and second wives.:ymad:
For legal purposes I can not type what happen next to him.rder::runaway:


----------



## Tesscorm

I've seen variations of this joke a few times...  may even have seen it on here somewhere???


Man of the House

The husband had just finished reading a new book entitled, You Can Be the Man of Your House.

He stormed over to his wife in the kitchen and announced, "From now on, you need to know that I am the man of this house and my word is Law. You will prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, and when I'm finished eating my meal, you will serve me a sumptuous dessert. After dinner, you are going to go upstairs with me and...well... you get the point.

"Later, you are going to draw me a bath so I can relax. You will wash my back and towel me dry and bring me my robe.... Then, you will massage my feet and hands. Then tomorrow, guess who's going to dress me and comb my hair?"

Without even looking up from her morning paper the wife replied, "The funeral director would be my first guess."


----------



## Clash

:rof::rof::rof:What an awesome way to get the day started!!! You all have had me in stitches!!

crohnsinct- Oh if it is an EIM I sure hope C gets it. Right now it works like this. Me: Time to do some cleaning. C:utahere:

Kudos to Farmwife and Dusty...great idea!!


----------



## izzi'smom

Farmwife said:


> WHAT, y'all have a party with out me!!!!
> Don't you guys sleep.
> Have you even payed attention to your families today!
> 
> I read where one of your kids asked for at least a sticker after her exam. FUNNY
> That made me think of a e-mail I got. This is for older kids/Adults with a great sense of humor!
> 
> Funny thing to ask  the GI DURING your scope:
> 
> 1. Take it easy Doc.. You're boldly going where no man has gone before.
> 
> 2. 'Find Amelia Earhart yet?'
> 
> 3. 'Can you hear me NOW?'
> 
> 4. 'Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?'
> 
> 5. *'You know, in Arkansas , we're now legally married.'
> *
> 6. 'Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?'
> 
> 7. *'You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out...'
> *
> 8. *'Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!' *
> 
> 9. 'If your hand doesn't fit, you must quit!'
> 
> 10. 'Hey Doc, let me know if you find my dignity.'
> 
> 11. 'You used to be an executive at Enron, didn't you?'
> 
> 
> And the best one of all:
> 12. 'Could you write a note for my wife saying that my head is not up there?'


:rof::rof::rof::rof: 

LMAO this is fantastic!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Ha!  When I got married I told my husband I could only be good in one room in the house...He didn't pick kitchen or laundry room


----------



## Tesscorm

The barn???  You MUST be good to warrant two of them!


----------



## Tesscorm

Hey Crohnsinct...  Saw somewhere else you're heading off on vacation!   Hope O got all your laundry and packing done! :lol:   Have a great time!!! Are you heading off somewhere exciting?!?!?


----------



## crohnsinct

Barns...haha I won't go in them...the residents scare me.  

Getting in the car at 6 a.m. with the two younger girls and two dogs (one of them a 60 pound greyhound the other a psychotic Catahoula) and going to West Virginia to pick up Gaby from her mission work (she is roofing houses - I can't get her to put her dish in the sink and she is roofing complete strangers houses!!!).  After that driving to Florida to see my parents for a few days, then off to West Palm Beach for a week just the immediate fam, then back to rents to see them brother, sil and nieces then drive home.  

I am packing the Prednisone to ward off the evil Crohns spirits!  You know the drill...if you have it you won't need it.  

I HATE packing...still don't have one thing in a bag!  I am pathetic...not a word Farmwife!


----------



## Farmwife

I wasn't going to say anything!
(type it maybe):tongue:


----------



## Sascot

Thanks for all that - a good laugh.  Awake at nearly 1am after watching the opening ceremony for the Olympics.
Everyone in bed but me - the tooth fairy has to come tonight!!  I am sitting waiting for Amy to go to sleep so I can go and rake around for the tooth.
Have a good holiday Crohnsinct!


----------



## Farmwife

Sascot-
  I'm glad you got a good laugh!:hug:
   But just to warn you the Tooth Fairy can cause problems in your home.
That's right!!! The Tooth Fairy visited my little sister one night. 
She came down the stars shouting for joy! :applause:
It seemed the Tooth Fairy left her a hundred dollar bill.:ywow:
 My Daddy was so MAD at that Tooth Fairy:angry-banghead:   
We then had to put our tooths into glass jars by the sink

However, that bill magical turned into a 1 dollar bill by the next morning!:eek2:

The moral of the story...Don't mix up money in the middle of the night!


----------



## DustyKat

Oooooo, have a fab vacation crohnsinct! 

	
	
		
		
	


	




...assuming you get your bag packed in time! :ylol2:

Good luck with the tooth fairy Sascot! 

	
	
		
		
	


	






And Farmwife...LMAO at your Dad!...all the more reason for you guys to adopt our monopoly money!...


----------



## Lisa

everyone is laughing here!!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

Pasobuff - what a cutie!! 

Crohnsinct - guess teen girls are all the same! :ybatty:  Enjoy the trip!

Farmwife - LMAO!!! :rof:

and, Dusty...   your monopoly money looks just like ours!  (I would post a pic too but haven't a clue how! :redface


----------



## Twiggy930

Here's ours.  So pretty, like a rainbow.  Soon it will even be plastic just like the Australian currency!  Definitely less confusing for the poor tooth fairy...


----------



## jmckinley

Y'all are crackin' me up!

Talk to ya soon! I'm fixin' ta go to bed....Ryan is turning 15 tomorrow!


----------



## izzi'smom

@jmickinley "fixin'" lol!!! Dredging up the country vs. city debate, eh?
lol-ing here too!



LOVE the rainbow money...ours is so boring!!


----------



## DustyKat

Plastic Twiggy! Bite your tongue...they are p-o-l-y-m-e-r! :rof: I reckon they made up that fandangled name cause they thought we wouldn't like plastic money! :lol:

Love the pic Angie! :wub:


----------



## Tesscorm

Angie, I LOVE the pictures you've posted!  Your kids are adorable!!  :Karl:


----------



## Clash

I would really like to adopt the Old British system of money....there is just something fun about saying farthing, Ha'penny, penny, thrupenny bit, sixpence, shilling, two bob bit, half crown, ten bob note...just such colorful words!!!


----------



## KWalker




----------



## QueenGothel

Lol thanks I needed that. We don't say eh or fair dinghum in Michigan... You just get a lot of WTF from here. We are the worst economy, cheapest housing in all of the USA, and not to mention the downfall of the big 3.  We think and type WTF more than anyone else in the world I think.  

If I actually lol'ed in real life as much as I lol'ed on the Internet people would think I were a bit nuts.  Just saying


----------



## Farmwife

Ok, I have few minutes to right about the true country art of cow tippin.

Cow tippin is simply to walk up to a cow that's sleeping in the upright position and push over until the animal falls.

Thing to consider when cow tippin.
1- Alcohol should never be involved before or during this event!
2- Night time is the best for this. Cow's can't see you coming.
3- Walk quietly. They mat not see you but they might hear you. Getting killed in a stampede is not the way to go.
4- Make sure the bull is not present at this time. They will charge you and will not stop if your screaming for you life
5- Approach the cows only.
6- Push on their sides quickly and swiftly. 

Words of warning!!!!
1-Trespassing is illegal. The cops will not think this is cute.
2 After pushing cow over. Their is a chance she might brake and or injure something. You will get fined if caught.
3- Their is a chance of injury to you from being shoot by a farmer.
NOT because we're MEAN, but because we figure you are to stupid to live!!!!!!!:rof::rof::rof::rof::rof:


----------



## Crohn's Mom

What's with the Aussies trying to beat our USA's misty may and Carrie Walsh in volleyball at the olympics DustyKat ?!?!! LOL I'm not happy right this minute ...


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Farmwife, I grew up in Illinois for a bit and we had nothing better to to but go cow tipping and corn pullin! LOL


----------



## DustyKat

Settle petal! :lol: 

Okay confession time now T and don't you get me started or you may regret it! :nonono::ylol:...I find the Olympics and sports in general about as interesting as watching grass grow! The whole money thing...lets not go there. :stinks:

Dusty. utahere:


----------



## Twiggy930

Dusty!!!! I have been lead to believe that all Australians are sports nuts!!! You are shattering my image of the country...


----------



## DustyKat

Oh no! I have burst your bubble, how unpatriotic of me!...

	
	
		
		
	


	






Dusty. zythunder:zythunder:zythunder:zythunder:


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Im not a big fan of watching sports either, but I do have a soft spot for the Olympics, and tennis in general.  Gab and Austin have played nearly their entire lives  

No bursting of any bubbles here..I won't watch sports with my husband due to his non-stop screaming at the tv thinking they can actually hear him coach ! :rof:


----------



## Catherine

Sitting in car listening to the Olympics on radio, as the coach has brokendown.


----------



## Farmwife

What coach? Why did he brake down? 
I just glad it's not me braking down!!!!
We only use are TV for DVDs.


----------



## Tesscorm

Crohn's Mom said:


> I won't watch sports with my husband due to his non-stop screaming at the tv thinking they can actually hear him coach ! :rof:


:lol:  

You ought to hear some of the parents at our 'kids' soccer and hockey games! :ywow:


Farmwife - I bet you'd be watching the tv if Cow-tipping was an olympic sports!:wink:  And, thank god Emily no longer rides - all those Saturdays I thought she was safe and sound, doing 'healthy' activities at the barn and, now I learn, she was actually cow-tipping! 

Catharine - hope the coach is moving along and you weren't too badly delayed!


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> Farmwife - I bet you'd be watching the tv if Cow-tipping was an olympic sports!:wink:


I can just watch my US congress in action and get the same affect!:ywow:


----------



## Tesscorm

Lmao!!!


----------



## Catherine

The swimming coach was a hour late, no fun sitting in a cold car at 5 am with 4 kids and the day only got better from then.  School nurse rang 10, to say Sarah needed to be ppicked up followed by a trip to the gp.


----------



## Lisa

On a lighter note, my half-brother came by yesterday afternoon - he lives about 3 hours away and had to go back up past Watertown (another 4 hours past me) to get his boat which he left there after his vacation last week when he lost a wheel hub/bearing.....

Anywho- he got here in the afternoon, in time for the rain to have disappeared, then I grabbed my Mom and daughter and we went out for a nice 2-3 hour ride up and down the Mohawk River!.....then he spent the night before heading out at the crack of dawn....

Nice visit!

ps - hope Sarah is ok!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

:sun: :sun:  What a great way to have spent the afternoon!!!


----------



## Farmwife

That sounds like a wonderful afternoon. 
Well more for you, than your brother.
Poor guy all that driving!


----------



## Catherine

Sarah is fine, will write more on her thread.


----------



## crohnsinct

Hey girls!  Got some downtime on vacation and thought I would get caught up. 

Paso and Ang: can your kids get any cuter? 

Who carries money anymore? Debit or credit! I want pretty money. 

Bully Aussies!  Beat USA in womens 400 realy in swimming! 

Dusty: heard on the Olympics broadcast today the Australians hold the world record for longest and I think largest pub crawl...could you get behing that? 

Catherine: glad sarah is feeling better 

My baby turned 18 today...she can't drink legally yet but to celebrate she bought a lottery ticket (legally)(didn't tell her our religion frowns on gambling...but sure if I hit the jackpot and tithed the winnings that would be o.k. with them) and drove her sisters for the first time (previously had jr license so couldn't). Damn I am getting old...quiet farmwife.  

Check in with you guys in a few days.  Stay well!


----------



## poppets mum

Late response, but yes Amy does have a great sense of humour and she did get some stickers. When we thought her tummy ache was simple constipation she called it Bob in hopes the hard stool would turn into a blob. Now she talks to him, telling him to leave her alone. Lol


----------



## Farmwife

Crohnsinct- Tell your baby girl a late happy B-day from me. :birthday2:
I'd rather have my kid buy lotto tickets than liquor!!! 
Of course that could untimely lead to a life of a gambling addition. 
You know, never mind!!:shifty:


On to the fine art of Cow Skiing!

It's way more easier then cow tippin. 
RULES

1- No liquor should be involved. EVER
2- This works best in the cement poo covered barnyard. 
Go just after the cows have been their awhile. 
One cow can poo 100 lbs. a day.:ywow:
3 Walk  to a cow.
4- Grab tail of cow.
5- Hold on to tail as long as you can
6- KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!!!

I've never done this because I like to keep clean. 
My hubby does not do this because I do his laundry!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

And I thought being on a farm was 'clean' living :facepalm:  My little patch of grass out back is looking better and better! :lol:  I'm afraid to ask Emily if she ever did this!


----------



## crohnsinct

O.K. so cow tipping and cow skiing are officially off my bucket list.  Not because I don't WAN'T to do them but because I CAN'T do them...you are asking me to not consume alcahol AND keep my mouth shut...IMPOSSIBLE!


----------



## kimmidwife

Crohns instinct wish your daughter a happy 18th from us. It is a big milestone. She will be able to vote in this years election!


----------



## momoftwinboys

Ok farmwife, I have a question. Went to college in what we called the country. Is cow tipping real or something u just tell us city folk about to snicker behind our backs. 
Btw gracie makes me smile every time I see her pic.


----------



## crohnsinct

haha yeah right mom of twin boys and re that pic of Gracie...don't you just love it.  It makes me smile everyime I see it too...it is like she is laughing at us. I hope farmwife never changes that avatar.


----------



## Tesscorm

crohnsinct said:


> ..you are asking me to not consume alcahol AND keep my mouth shut...IMPOSSIBLE!


:rof:  

Wish your baby a fantastic birthday and good luck with the lottery ticket!!!  Woohoo!!!! :banana:

Kim - great to see you around. Was just thinking of you and Caitlyn this weekend!


----------



## crohnsinct

LOL My daughter just got her college room mate assignment and she is from Ontario canada...good thing I have the eh tutorial from Tesscorm to give her! maybe we will bring some Beavertails on move in day to make her feel at home


----------



## Tesscorm

Lucky girl!!!  An Ontario roommate!  Can't get better than that, eh!  :lol:  I have a recipe somewhere for Beavertails...  I'll find it and post it!


----------



## DustyKat

Hells Bells! I just hate the way work interferes with my time here! :voodoo::voodoo::voodoo: :lol:


EEEEEEK A GREAT BIG HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY TO O!!!!!









I HOPE SHE HAD A FAB DAY FULL OF FUN AND SURPRISES.    
​


----------



## crohnsinct

Thanks Dusty but the 18th birthday was gaby's (one of my non Crohnies), Olivia's older sister.  I know...hard to believe I have other children! 

Tess:  She is going ot college in CT but they posted all the room assignments and roomates etc on the kids school pages so we were stalking the page at midnight.  She got in a very social and cool dorm.  She is in a suite with 4 double rooms a bathroom with two showers and toilets (like that accomodation for our Aussie friend) and a common sitting room.  She is totally psyched and I guess since she is shy (just like mom) it is good because she will meet lots of people but am I really paying all this money for her to meet people???????  I might be quite happy with a studying hermit


----------



## Clash

I hear you on the money!!!! Dorms these days are awesome....my older daughter signed up with one that was basically an apartment 4 bdr, 4 br huge living room and kitchen with dining area. My dorm was the size of a small walk in closet!!


----------



## DustyKat

OMG! I knew I was confused when I was reading through all these posts but that just goes to show how mashed my brain really is! I wonder if having kids with Crohn's gives you  shit for brains? You know, like when you are pregnant you have placenta brain. Well that's my excuse and I am sticking with it! :rof: 

Happy Birthday Gaby, the lost child of crohnsinct...well one of them anyway! :ylol:


----------



## poppets mum

Note to self. No matter how much cute puppy cries, never ever let him on the bed.   Was rudely awakened at daft o clock with a warm wet foot.


----------



## Clash

:rof::rof::rof: LMAO yep, been there done that...they are so cute when they are begging not so much at daft o clock with a warm wet spot in the bed!!


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof:  Aww, but they are soooo cute! :heart:  Trying to convince my husband to get a second dog but he's saying NO! :ymad:  (But, to be fair, he does almost all the poop & scooping, walking, training, etc. so I can't argue too much! )


Dusty - I don't think it's having kids _with crohns_ that gives you 'shit for brains'; it's just having kids and a husband that does it!  :yrolleyes:


Crohnsinct - Gosh, I wish I were going to university now!  These dorms now are incredible...  Emily chose to stay home (because she didn't want to eat 'junk food' every day!    Farmwife - either my cooking's not so bad OR it's sooo bad that it creates its own 'portion' control! :lol  But, the dorm we looked at was pretty nice!  Huge, shared entertainment room, big screen tv, x-box, playstation, etc., tons of couches, a small gym and laundry room on each floor, etc.!


----------



## Farmwife

I'll take the warm pee over a pile of  unknown slim in the bed :ywow:
and your girl rubbing her mouth saying I feel better now!:stinks:


----------



## crohnsinct

Omgosh you girls have to stop.  I am laughing so hard reading in bed that I am waking Georgia up (2 year old catahoula pup hi is yes IN MY BED)


----------



## Tesscorm

Farmwife said:


> a pile of  unknown slime in the bed


Hey, that's what I call my husband too when I'm pissed at him!  :lol:


----------



## crohnsinct

^:rof::rof::rof:^


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> Hey, that's what I call my husband too when I'm pissed at him!  :lol:


:blush: I'm shocked!
:rof:


----------



## Farmwife

momoftwinboys said:


> Ok farmwife, I have a question. Went to college in what we called the country. Is cow tipping &#55357;&#56366;real or something u just tell us city folk about to snicker behind our backs. &#55357;&#56860;




I was rereading this thread to cheer me up and found this from momoftwinboys.

The answer to your question is YES to both!

Yes, cow tipping is real and.......
Yes to us country folks laughing behind your backs.:rof:

Another Farmwife Story.
(Please imagine that I'm telling this story sitting on my rocker on my front porch)
Theirs a story around these here parts. 
That a city slicker wanted to prove to a ruff cowboy that he was man enough to to stand up to anyone. He said give me a test, any test.
Well the cowboy quietly said while pointing to a field over yonder, well if your brave enough to go cow tippin I wreckin your man enough to be considered a cowboy. The city slicker puffed up his chest and marched off to the field and began to push with all his might. It was harder than he thought. So he rolled up his sleeves to his well pressed and starch shirt and even pushed harder.
Well with a mighty thundering crash he pushed it over and ran back, well walked briskly, to the cowboy and said THERE!!!!
The cowboy said with a sneaker, that their was mighty fine pushin on your part. Now go back and stand up my fence post the cows are on the other side of it.:eek2:


----------



## Tesscorm

:kissgrits:  _from a city slicker!_   :lol:


----------



## Farmwife

:kiss:




:rof::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof:


----------



## DustyKat

Tesscorm said:


> :kissgrits:  _from a city slicker!_   :lol:


If you insist...(((sigh)))


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh my!!!  :awe:   :lol:

You country folk are getting just a bit too uppity! :ytongue:


----------



## Tesscorm

We've booked a cruise!!!  Woohoo :banana:  :banana:  

Not until New Years but...  whatever!!!   I need the time to lose some weight (or else that ship's going down - no iceberg needed!  ) !

 :ytongue:


----------



## my little penguin

:rof::rof::rof::rof:

too  funny but something to look forward too.


----------



## crohnsinct

How fun!!!! Where ya goin'?  Lay off those Beaver tails!


----------



## kimmidwife

Yay Tess,
Can I hide in your luggage? Lol ,we went on our first cruise last year and had so much fun!


----------



## Tesscorm

We're going on the Allure of the Seas.  Looks like an incredible ship!  It's a caribbean cruise with stops in Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico.  I'm really excited   My husband and I went on a cruise before but, it was for our 1st anniversary so, it's been a long, long, long time! :lol:

Kim, absolutely hide in my luggage...  with all the 'skinny' clothes I'll be packing, there'll be lots of room! :banana:

And, yes, gotta cut out those beavertails, s'mores, fruit loops, doughnuts, pizza... :ymad:


----------



## kimmidwife

Ok, I better cut out all the snacks too and so I can lose weight and fit in! LOL


----------



## izzi'smom

Back off Kim, I'm going to work out like crazy so I can beat you up and hide in T's luggage instead! 
On a serious note, I hope you have a *wonderful* time...I have never been on one but have heard great things about them!!


----------



## Farmwife

EVERY ONE BACK OFF!!!!!:voodoo:

I'm going!
I'm the one that hasn't had a real vacation in 11 years.:ywow:
I'm the one that has to cancels plans 
because either my girl is stuck in the bathroom or a cows giving birth. :voodoo:
If anyone can beat that, let me know. 
Till then I win.:dance::shifty:

Make the luggage extra large. I don't plan on losing a lick of weight.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

I'm already extra
Skinny so I can go now ! No time
Like the present- move over ladies I'm crawling in! LOL


----------



## crohnsinct

You girls are so silly  I don't have to hide at all... Stephan's personal nurse and caretaker here!


----------



## crohnsinct

Was in onee of those silly stores with funny cocktail napkins etc...here is your thought for the day: 

I finally got my sh*# together and now I am constipated!


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh my!!, I'm off to buy the extra large, expandable luggage! utahere:


Oh, what fun we would have!! :banana:

Although... I'd hate to be sitting at the table next to us, :ywow: listening in on our dinner conversations! oo: :stinks: :thumright:


----------



## Tesscorm

crohnsinct said:


> Was in onee of those silly stores with funny cocktail napkins etc...here is your thought for the day:
> 
> I finally got my sh*# together and now I am constipated!



We'll definitely have to use those napkins at our dinner table!  :lol:


----------



## Farmwife

:dance::dance:I'm all for a joint cruise.:dance::dance:
Just as long as we each have our own restrooms.
Nothing nastier than mothers knocking each other out:voodoo:
 to get their kids to the bathroom first.:stinks:

:heart:


----------



## Tesscorm

Just for a smile... 

He didn't like the casserole
And he didn't like my cake, 
Said my biscuits were too hard 
Not like his mother used to make. :frown:

I didn't perk the coffee right 
He didn't like the stew, 
I didn't mend his socks 
The way his mother used to do. :yfrown:

I pondered for an answer 
I was looking for a clue. 
Then I turned around and 
Smacked the sh-t out of him.... 

Like his mother used to do. :ymad:


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm, DustyKat has to have a smiley to go with that poem! 

I found this joke about colonoscopy.



I went into my proctologist’s office for my first rectal exam.

His new nurse, Evelyn, took me to an examining room and told me to get undressed, and have a seat until the doctor could see me. 

She said that he would only be in a few minutes.

After putting on the gown that she gave me, I sat down.

While waiting I observed that there were three items on a stand, next to the exam table: 

A Tube of K-Y jelly, a rubber glove and a beer.

When the doctor finally came in, I said, “Look Doc, I am a little confused. This is my first exam… I know what the K-Y is for, and I know what the glove is for, but can you tell me what the BEER is for?

At that Doctor Paul became noticeably outraged and stormed over to the door.

He flung the door open and yelled to his nurse…

“Evelyn!!! Goddammit woman! I said a BUTT LIGHT!”

:ylol:


----------



## Tesscorm

LMAO!  :rof: :rof:


----------



## Lisa

Hey there....getting a few before bed chuckles while sitting in a hotel room in Brattleboro, Vermont...heading to Maine in the morning.....


----------



## Farmwife

Have a safe trip pasobuff.:thumleft:
 Fill us in when you get back.
 I live through others stories.:ylol:


----------



## kimmidwife

Tess and farmwife,
I loved both of those! 
Paso buff ,
Let us know how Maine was I always wanted to go there.


----------



## my little penguin

:ylol2::ylol2::ylol2::ylol2::ylol2:


----------



## Tesscorm

Paso, enjoy Maine!  Went to Kennebunk when I was a kid and I still remember loving it!  Have fun!


----------



## izzi'smom

Lisa have a blast!!!


----------



## DustyKat

A cruise Tess!!!!!!!! Hot diggity dog!!!!!!!!

I hope it is the Allure of the seas...







and not the Pirates of the Caribbean!...







Come on guys, what's all this talk about squeezing into luggage, the ship has life boats doesn't it?! :eek2: We just gather at the dock, go on board for some pre sailing drinks 

	
	
		
		
	


	




 and then we just pile in the life boats. Lose weight? Sheesh, who needs to do that when you have a life boat! 

Dusty.


----------



## Tesscorm

Any cruise that includes Johnny Depp would be an Allure of the Seas for me! :Karl:

And, I like the lifeboat idea!!!  (But, just know...  I'll share my luggage but not Johnny! :lol


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> Any cruise that includes Johnny Depp would be an Allure of the Seas for me! :Karl:
> QUOTE]
> 
> Tesscorm
> 
> Gee I'm sure your husband will love to meet Jonny!
> Or has the pirates thrown him off yet?
> 
> :rof::rof::rof::rof:
> 
> 
> Oh, I just gave you my first HUG. Not the I'm supporting the thought of Jonny Depp. I just wanted to push the button to see what happens.


----------



## Tesscorm

Hey, Farmwife, it's one BIG ship!   No need to toss anyone!  :bigwave:  (In any case, I'm a hoarder! :lol

Thanks for the hug, but I don't know how to tell if I've been hugged?!?   But, I've hugged you back. :ghug:


----------



## kimmidwife

Ok I need to get in on some of this Jonny Depp action. He has been my favorite since 21 jump street. If Jonny will be there I am definitely comming! Save some space on that lifeboat for me!


----------



## Tesscorm

hmmm, lifeboat, johnny...  no need to be saved! :banana:


----------



## Farmwife

Sorry girls. I don't like Jonny Bepp.:ywow: I guess I have to go in the luggage!


----------



## Tesscorm

Good thing as I wasn't planning on sharing anyway!  :lol:


----------



## Sascot

Well had a good laugh catching up with this thread! :ylol:
Tess - jealous - I've always wanted to go on the Allure.  We have been on the Adventure of the Seas in the Med and that was fab!!
I'll have you girls know I used to have a brown belt in Karate - so I would win!!!:queen:   Now if I could just lose enough weight to get the belt round my waist - I would show you some moves :lol2:


----------



## dannysmom

Hi ... when did we get Hug buttons?    I just noticed this today.


----------



## crohnsinct

Hey girls I'm baaaaaack! Got home this evening to three refrigerators that are broken.  I didn't get a chance to clean them out before leaving so it was quite the mess.  Just crawled upstairs and thought I would check in on you all.  Geez!  Johnny just got seperated and you girls are jumping all over the fresh meat...although I can't say I blame you.  Going to bed now as I have to be up early to teach vacation bible school. 

I will read all the treads late tomorrow.  Hope everyone is well.  O is great although she did start bleeding again but she is due for an infusion on Thursday so I can't complain.  

Hope you are enjoying Maine Paso!


----------



## izzi'smom

Stop that bleeding O...and get cleaning those fridges, sister!!! You girls can have Johnny...so not my type. I just want a vacation!


----------



## Sascot

Glad to have you back Crohnsinct - just wondering, why do you even have 3 fridges? Managing with just one (non-broken) over here :ybiggrin:


----------



## Naturelover

Pew! What's that odor coming from crohnsinct's house? 

Three refrigerators! Seriously!? Are you raising a football team or something of the sort?

Sorry you have such a disgusting mess to come home to. Good luck getting the frigs nice and clean smelling again.

O, please stop bleeding. It freaks out your mother whether she wants to admit it or not.

I have an awesome hubby, so you all can have Johnny, I don't need him.


----------



## crohnsinct

Italian = 3fridges!!!! 

Well actually, we have a fully furnished apartment attached to our house.  We let Young LIfe hold their weekly meetings there and host visiting missionaries and visiting family from time to time so I have various drinks and such in that one.  All the ice cream and frozen veggies in the freezer got ruined though. 

In the house kitchen we have two because we wanted that built in armoire look...honestly...you can not tell there is a fridge in there..maybe I will post a pic. 

Oops and then we have two fridge drawers in the bar but they died a long time ago and we haven't replaced them yet. 

So I guess you can say I hoard appliances:ycool:

Silver lining...my frisdges are all super duper clean and ready to go for the new school year.  So psyched!  And yes Farmwife...I took my toothpicks and scratched out every little crevice and fold in the insulating strip on the doors!


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  Being married to an Italian, I completely understood why you have 3 fridges! :rof:  And, for those who don't realize this... Italians don't actually 'need' the whole football team, they just cook enough food for them anyway! :lol:

Being Portuguese, we're very similar...  except me!  Annoys the heck out of me when my mom brings 'something' to a dinner I'm hosting and then brings 'more' than what I prepared in the first place!  :lol:  Love that she brings iit all but wish she'd tell me so I could save myself the trouble of cooking my own dinner! :rof:


----------



## Sascot

:rof: That so reminds me of my mother-in-law!  Ah the joys of "you have to finish it" as we all look in horror at the never-ending food on the table. :yrolleyes:


----------



## Farmwife

Sorry ladies I'm of Irish decent. You NEVER have to tell us to finish what we're eating! We just DO!:rof:


----------



## Sascot

After giving up with trying to work out how to post pictures, my tired computer savvy husband has kindly put one photo of my kiddies on a gondola in Venice into an album in my profile.
No I haven't figured out how to add it to anything else yet.  So if you are interested you will have to make your way to my profile (I think)


----------



## Farmwife

Cute picture.
 Did you get my PM? My laptop is touchy.
I think I'm going to add pics to my album. I have a nice one of me but.................
I don't know if I want you all knowing what I really look like. 
*Maybe *if crohnsinct puts her real face on hers I'll do it.


----------



## Tesscorm

Sascot, aww, what a great picture of your kids!!!  They've both got great smiles!  Now you'll have to learn to put some more on! 

Farmwife - is Grace always laughing at us??  :lol:  She is just the cutest little princess!  

Okay, I've got to figure out how to post pictures...  I've been meaning to put on Stephen's grad picture and Emily's taekwondo tournament picture...  but, just haven't taken the time to figure it out! :blush:

And, as I'm am starting to feel very left out...  I will also be sending out some friend requests...:hug:

As for mothers and mothers-in-law...  who's seen Everybody Loves Raymond?  Know Marie?...  my mother! ... :heart:  (Although, to be fair, I have given Stephen the heads up...  Marie = Me when he's married! :rof


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> Farmwife - is Grace always laughing at us??  :lol:  She is just the cutest little princess!
> QUOTE]
> 
> Yes she is laughing at you Tesscorm.
> I started using "eh" at the end of sentences and she think it's funny, eh!:rof:
> 
> PM if you want to know how to do the pictures. Be happy to help, eh.:tongue:


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof: :rof: :rof: :rof:   Hey, you're close enough to us that the 'eh' should come natural!  Are you north enough to have that 'Fargo' accent?  Would love to hear that with an 'eh' !!!  :lol:  

I'm going to give the pictures a try this weekend, if I can't get it, I'll start hollerin' for you!


----------



## izzi'smom

Oh, what a sweetie Grace is!! and I'd love to see pics of you all...I'll see if I can figure out how to do mine


----------



## crohnsinct

Been soooo busy I can't even explain it.  When are these kids going to go back to school so I can get back to my Crohns business? 

Sascot: Ah you have joined the desperate for friends group and decided the way to drag us all in is with cute pics of your kids...well done. 

Farmwife: I don't have many pics of me as I am always the one taking the pictures!  I will try to find one that won't scare the rats in your barns away and will post it.  

Hoping to get all caught up with the goings on tonight!  Hugs to you all in the meanwhile!


----------



## Sascot

Oh yes, my cunning plan is working - my friends list is slowly making it's way on up! :ycool:  Less than one week till the kids go back to school and I suddenly realised Amy has no school shoes .  A fun trip to the shops this weekend I think!


----------



## Farmwife

I just got this e-mail. It's bit long but worth the read!!!!

This is is exactly why I hate to read e-mails. Ignorance is BLISS!:rosette1::soledance::rosette1:



As we progress into 2012, I want to thank you for your educational e-mails 
Over the past year. I am totally screwed up now and have little chance of recovery.

I can no longer open a bathroom door without using a paper towel, 
Nor let the waitress put lemon slices in my ice water without worrying 
About the bacteria on the lemon peel.

I can't sit down on a hotel bedspread because I can only imagine 
What has happened on it since it was last washed.

I have trouble shaking hands with someone who has been driving 
Because the number one pastime while driving alone is picking one's nose.

Eating a little snack sends me on a guilt trip because I can only 
Imagine how many gallons of trans fats I have consumed over the years.

I can't touch any woman's handbag for fear she has placed it on 
The floor of a public toilet.

I must send my special thanks for the email about rat poo 
In the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet sponge with 
Every envelope that needs sealing.

ALSO, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

I can't have a drink in a bar because I fear I'll wake up in a bathtub 
Full of ice with my kidneys gone.

I can't eat at KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant 
Freaks with no eyes, feet or feathers.

I can't use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a 
Water buffalo on a hot day.

Thanks to you I have learned that my prayers only get answered 
If I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

Because of your concern , I no longer drink Coca Cola because 
It can remove toilet stains.

I no longer buy fuel without taking someone along to watch the car, 
So a serial killer doesn't crawl in my back seat when I'm filling up.

I no longer use Cling Wrap in the microwave because it causes 
Seven different types of cancer.

And thanks for letting me know I can't boil a cup of water 
In the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face, disfiguring 
Me for life.

I no longer go to the cinema because I could be pricked with a 
Needle infected with AIDS when I sit down.

I no longer go to shopping centers because someone will drug 
Me with a perfume sample and rob me..

And I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask 
Me to dial a number for which I will get a huge phone bill with calls to 
Jamaica , Uganda , Singapore and Uzbekistan ..

Thanks to you I can't use anyone's toilet but mine because a 
Big black snake could be lurking under the seat and cause me instant 
Death when it bites my butt.

And thanks to your great advice I can't ever pick up a 
Dime coin dropped in the car park because it was probably placed 
There by a sex molester waiting to grab me as I bend over.

I can't do any gardening because I'm afraid I'll get bitten by the 
Violin Spider and my hand will fall off.

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in 
The next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land 
On your head at 5:00 p.m. Tomorrow afternoon, and the 
Fleas from 120 camels will infest your back, causing you 
To grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur because it 
Actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor’s 
Ex mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's best friend's 
Beautician!

Oh, and by the way...

A German scientist from Argentina , after a lengthy study, 
Has discovered that people with insufficient brain activity 
Read their e-mails with their hand on the mouse

Don't bother taking it off now, it's too late.

P. S. I now keep my toothbrush in the living room, because 
I was told by e-mail that water splashes over 6 ft. Out of the toilet.. 

NOW YOU HAVE YOURSELF A VERY GOOD DAY…


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof: :rof: :rof: :rof: :rof: :rof: :rof: 

OMG, that is SO FUNNY!!!  I'm embarrassed to admit how many of those issues have begun to concern me in the last few years!  

Although due to my detest (okay, crippling fear :blush of bugs, ever since I saw an earwig (and he DID have an evil leer) peaking out from the edge of the toilet seat (AFTER I used it!), I have since lifted every toilet seat I've used to check!  :ywow:  I can't imagine anything would be more traumatic for me that to be bitten on my butt-naked butt!


----------



## crohnsinct

Hilarious!! 

You forgot to thank the person for asking you to help with their recent huge inheritance for which you can keep a small sum after fowarding them the rest...

Or how about the person offering to help you with your "love" life with those magical pills...they have tried it and they just had to share...and they must be your friend cuz they call you "hun"!


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Farmwife that was flipping hysterical ! LOL

And boy I feel special this week with all the new friend requests !  Especially since I am hardly around lately due to my crazy busy life :thumright:


----------



## AZMOM

You are special and I'm too mean to get friend requests.  ;-) ;-) ;-)

I love the silliness.  I need to laugh!

J.


----------



## Tesscorm

Awwww, Julie, I friended you!    You have, at least, one friend! :lol:


----------



## Farmwife

You got one from me!


----------



## crohnsinct

Ha ha me too Julie - This is definitely a case of be careful of what you wish for!


----------



## DustyKat

Oh no! I feel so left out......I didn't get any friend requests. Just because I live at the arse end of the world it doesn't mean i don't have feelings, bums have feelings too ya know!...wwaaaaaaaaaah!...:tongue:

Dusty. :ybiggrin:


----------



## Sascot

Loved the email article - and yes I catch myself doing a few of those things mentioned too. Just made Amy's lunch after wiping the top of the can of beans!!:ybiggrin:.  I'm surprised we can eat anything these days without one of them causing us unmentionable damage!


----------



## Naturelover

:rof:

Thanks for the email article. I love it! The article truly shows how neurotic we've all become.:ylol2:

:rof:


----------



## Sascot

Well, kids go back to school tomorrow. For the first time I am actually quite sad to see them go.  Used to be looking forward to the peace and quiet, but as they get older and they get more independant, I am starting to really appreciate their company.  Oh well, I am actually working for an hour tomorrow :yfaint:, I have a client coming for a treatment on his sore ankle.  Off to the land of actual paid work - my poor husband would say it's about time :lol2:


----------



## Farmwife

It does get lonely Sascot. My son is only five and I have to ask him to spend time with me. He's just to busy fighting imaginary fires and rescuing Grace from burning buildings aka, the back of the couch.
I homeschool. I'll never know the joy my mom had sending her six kids off to school. I swear to this day I could here my mom laughing when we left.


----------



## Sascot

You are a brave woman homeschooling!!!  I love my kids with all my heart, but would never have the patience to teach them as well.  I would be turning that rolling pin on myself :ybatty:


----------



## Tesscorm

Finally figured it out...  set up an album and posted a picture of Stephen!


----------



## crohnsinct

WTH?  I kept trying to get on the forum all day and when I type the address in it comes up with nothing.  Kept saying recheck my address...I started thinking damn they moved and didn't give me the new address:shifty-t:


----------



## crohnsinct

Tess...what a handsome boy...bet he has to beat the girls off with a stick.


----------



## Tesscorm

I had the same problem yesterday with the site...  We wouldn't leave you behind! :rof:  Who would keep Farmwife in line?!?  Her and Dusty would start getting all uppity with their Country Girl talk - fair dinkums, Sam Hills, bubblers, cow tipping, etc., etc. :yfaint:

As for the girls...  I'm the one beating them off! :voodoo:  Stephen's quite happy to have them around! :ycool:  And, thanks!


----------



## izzi'smom

crohnsinct said:


> WTH?  I kept trying to get on the forum all day and when I type the address in it comes up with nothing.  Kept saying recheck my address...I started thinking damn they moved and didn't give me the new address:shifty-t:


Yup, it was all a ploy. Farmwife set it up! :ytongue:


----------



## Farmwife

ika:Ha/Ha she never find us here.:ywow:What, she found us:awe:We missed you.utahere:


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof: :rof: :rof: :rof:


----------



## Catherine

Great looking boy.  Is he dressed for ice hockey?
How do you make the album private?


----------



## Tesscorm

Thanks!  Yes, that was right after their final Championship game   (Minus the helmet and gloves.)

There was an option when I set up the album that gave three choices re public or private...  you just click on your choice (I chose one of the private options, granting only my contacts and, I think, moderators access).


----------



## crohnsinct

Yep!  Bribing friends with pictures...pathetic ploy!


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof: :rof:  What about you?!?...  humph, talking cupcakes and s'mores!  :nonono:


----------



## crohnsinct

Well I didn't say I was sharing!!!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

Just a tease! :ymad:


----------



## crohnsinct

Moving my baby into college today.  Leaving at 9ish...can't stop crying...she can't either.  She woke up today and said "I can't do this...I don't want to go" .  This is tearing my heart out.  I KNOW she will love it and be fine...how could she not I packed every imagineable thing she could possibly need and the place is like a freakin resort!  But still hard for all of us...close Italian family and all...

...and she only has one fridge and it is one of those little dorm room ones at that (apalling conditions I know) and every kitchen gadget she could possibly need...and three bags of food...how much you wanna bet the kitchen stuff never gets touched?  No bottle opener though:lol2:


----------



## DustyKat

Fair dinkum! How did you guys get back on here! I thought I had you blocked from the site! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! :kissgrits: :ylol: 

Ooooooo nice pic Tess, he surely is a handsome lad! :wub: 

Seems strange you lot talking about sending your kids back to school and off to college crohnsinct! Awww she will love it, bless her...:hug: 

Ummmmmm, your daughter doesn't want to leave and mine couldn't get away fast enough! What does that say about me??? BTW, that is a rhetorical question!!!!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

Crohnsinct - OMGosh, she is going to have soooo much fun!   But, so hard for us moms - our babies are all grown up!    Enjoy the day, get her all settled in with tons of food, supplies, warnings, hugs and kisses (don't forget her cupcake club membership)!  :Karl: 

But, hate to break the news...  they're all twist-off now! :cheerss: :headbang: :beerchug:


And, thanks Dusty!  And you're certainly not alone :yrolleyes:...  Stephen may be home one more year but he's counting down the days till he heads out!


----------



## Tesscorm

Dusty...  talk of our babies growing up, moving away, etc. got me thinking... :duh:  Just curious, given that Matt is in remission and near Stephen's age, do you accompany him to all check-ups and meet with the doctor/GI?  (Sarah, I realize, is much further away, older and has had more time/experience in handling her Crohns so I am assuming she goes on her own...)

If NOT in remission, I would certainly still meet with Stephen's GI, but just wondering how you handle it as Matt is IN remission.


----------



## crohnsinct

O.K. well set her up, lingered for lunch and left her.  We had to hug fast and run...like ripping off a band aid.  I am just so worried about her because there aren't any activities set up for the kids and classes don't start until Monday.  Oh and her room mate is going home already this weekend (not the one from Canada...she never came..this is a new one).  

Then to add insult to injury the dorm she is in doesn't even have a common kitchen...can you believe those sub par living facilities?  How is she supposed to make her Sunday meatballs, sauce and pasta.  What do they think I am paying all this money for...certainly NOT the library that is open 24/7!  With no oven she will really need that cupcake of the month membership! 

It is really funny because every tour we went on I was checking out the kitchen facilities and hubby was checking the gym...nice priorities huh?  

Oh well...going to drown my sorrows in a nice bottle of wine.  Anyone care to join me in a virtual glass? :depressed:


----------



## DustyKat

Hey Tess, 

Sarah is in full control of her Crohn's now but if she were to relapse I would be there in heartbeat!  

It has been quite some time since I accompanied Matt to anything, except for GI visits which are now annual. The last thing outside of this was his u/s last year for a suspected incisional hernia, so about October last year I think?? 

Matt will always indicate if he wants me to go with him to any appointments and he normally does outside of the routine GP and bloods which are every two months. If there are any anomalies, Crohn's wise, the GP speaks with Matt and then rings me.

Dusty.


----------



## Farmwife

O, crohnsinct it will be ok. They'll feed her. She won't have to beg.....I hope?:shifty:

I don't drink alcohol but I do drink pop as if I was an alcoholic so....
I raise my glass of ice cold Mt. Dew in sympathy to you.


----------



## Sascot

Hey Tess - that is one good looking boy you've got there.  I bet you have that stick ready to beat the girls off - or you could borrow farmwife's rolling pin!
Chrohnsinct - I am dreading the day Andrew goes off to Uni or college, will miss him like crazy.  Have to say I loved university - I had a really great time.
Well I actually baked a banana loaf today :biggrin:.  It was very tasty - would share with you all if I could, not that there's much left.
Actually forgot to put the eggs in the cake (which I had already put in the oven) so I had to whip it out of the oven pour it back into the bowl, mix in the eggs and put it back :blush:.  Thankfully it tasted ok


----------



## DustyKat

Oh crohnsinct...:hug:...she will be just fine, I promise!  

You know when I said Sarah couldn't get away fast enough? Well I mean't that literally...

Bear in mind our academic years follow the calendar year. The college (that is what we call the on campus residences) that Sarah applied for and was accepted into was a private one and so rent is paid 52 weeks of the year. Uni didn't start up for Sarah until the first week of March but you could take up residence on the 1st of January. Guess when Sarah left for Sydney? Yup, the 1st of January! Suffice it to say it was a couple of weeks before other bods started to drift into the apartment she was in! :lol: 

There was a sprinkling of others in the college at that time and she did make some lasting friendships in those initial few days. If anyone remembers my talking about the Chinese lass who came for a visit to my home in January of this year and the lass that painted Sarah's portrait for the Archibald prize...well they are two of those lasting friendships.  

Dusty. xxx


----------



## DustyKat

Oh about the glass of wine, it's bloody 8:15 in the morning here! What will the neighbours say! Not that I give a toss cause they can...:kissgrits: 

Cheers big ears!


----------



## Farmwife

DustyKat


Well I'll be, what in sam hill does "toss cause" mean?:shifty:


----------



## DustyKat

Stone the crows Farmwife! Are you fair dinkum?!?!?! I swear, you lot are just going to amaze and impress your family and friends with your new found vocabulary! :rof: 

Actually it's "give a toss", the cause was just the shortened version of because. 

Not giving a toss = don't give a shit.


----------



## Farmwife

Oh, you see the American version is...........I couldn't give a rip.


----------



## DustyKat

Well hush my puppies and prune my magnolia's! I never.


----------



## Farmwife

DustyKat said:


> prune my magnolia's! I never.




Well I do declare Ms. DustyKat you just gave me a new sayin. I love it!


----------



## Tesscorm

Gosh, so much to talk about!!!   I've got to type FAST to try to catch up! :emot-dance:

Crohnsinct - I think it's actually nice that she has some 'quiet' time...  she'll have the opportunity to explore the campus without crowds, meet other kids who are also there 'alone' and they'll have the chance to sit and actually chat without rushing because they are on their schedule.  (Then again, who we kidding?  It's PARRRRTTTTYYY time! :dance:  :luigi:  :banana 

And, kitchen?  Of course, YOU are making AND delivering the meatballs and sauce!  (How do you think _Mama's Pizza_ delivery started!?)  And, what!!, you didn't send her individual portions to freeze in the mini-fridge???  Stephen's not leaving for a year and I'm already thinking what I can send him that's healthy, can be frozen and he will eat!  What kind of Italian are you? :ywow:

But, I will not only join you in a virtual glass, I will have a real one (only in the spirit of friendship!)   _(So, have you called her yet? :ytongue_

Dusty - thanks.  Was just wondering if I'll ever be at a point when I'll feel comfortable letting Stephen handle this on his own! :redface:  But, I guess once he's stable with new GI, meds, etc., the comfort will come. 

Sascot - Thanks.  Stephen actually had the most amazing girlfriend!  OMG, she was beautiful (looked like Reese Witherspoon), was a great dancer (int'l scholarships/awards), wrote/directed school play, 90 average, would bake cookies for Stephen's entire team when they travelled, each cookie iced with the team's colours and player number, MADE him a blanket because he mentioned the 'couch' blanket didn't cover his feet :yfaint:, went to each teacher and got notes, etc. when he was sick, made him broth when he was on EN, forgot to say she was a sweetheart, OMG, I could go on and on and on.  And THEN, hush my puppies and prune my magnolias, he broke up with her!!!   Said he wanted to be on his own (understandably, they'd dated from 15-17 years old - he'd never really _NOT _had a girlfriend).  

But, told my hubby, Stephen doesn't realize...  it's no different from going into a casino and winning first hand!  Where in Sam's Hill the fun in stopping then and there?!?  So, you keep playing and spend the rest of the night trying to get back what you had at the beginning! :lol:


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> Where in Sam's Hill the fun in stopping then and there?!?  :



Well prune my magnolas, y'all are using sam hill a lot. It's nice to know I can contribute in such a mighty fine way. Y'all are as sweet as a Georgia peach!:kiss:


----------



## Tesscorm

Yes, I've given up my "eh"s and am sticking with fair dinkums, Sam Hills (been trying to work in bubblers but that's a toughie!) :lol:  But, sure do like the 'prune the magnolias'!! 

By the way...  'give a toss', 'give a rip'...  lame!!!  In Canada, we don't 'give a rat's ass'! :lol:


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh, and Sascot, forgot to ask...  your 'no egg' cake...  Crohnsinct's recipe/instructions?  :lol:


----------



## jmckinley

Crohnsinct...I will join you! I could fair use a glass myself! First week of high school, just got his driving permit, texting girls...Oh my! Where's the blasted corkscrew?  Oh wait, I probably have a bottle that the top screws off!:cheerss:


----------



## crohnsinct

Tess: HEY!  Kick me when I am down...and drunk!  Will respond tomorrow when sober! 

Sascot: Yes!  College was the time of my life...that's what I am afraid of :shifty:

LMAO!  I actually have already texted her...She forgot her water bottle and her friend from town moves in tomorrow so I needed the address...O.K. and I snuck in a few questions...she is doing great.  

Tess: Fair Dinkum!  That girl ruins it for the rest of us!  What in Sam's Hill is she up to?  Tell her to stop being so darn perfect.    

I'll stop now...my magnolia's need a rest.


----------



## Tesscorm

You've had a rough day!  Now you know she's fine and will have a friend tomorrow! You go enjoy your wine now!!!  

And, I think you've got your Country Aussie down pat!!! :medal1:


----------



## Tesscorm

Just had to share my thoughts...  was in a meeting earlier where there was discussion re a stock that wasn't performing as had been expected.  While I was sitting there, listening to people grumbling, etc., I wondered how everyone would have responded if I'd just said "well, hush my puppies and prune my magnolias, isn't this a disappointment?"  :rof:


----------



## Naturelover

Well bust my britches! Ya'll been havin' a mighty nice time in my absence.

We have: "No sh#t Sherlock" as well as "I don't give a rats a**." Sorry just couldn't bring myself to type the words.

Don't drink alcohol, doc denied me tea and chocolate today after an endoscopy w/biopsy so I guess I'll just toast everyone with my valencia orange and carrot juice. Ha, ha!

Opps, I've already slipped up and ate some chocolate M&M's. How dare a doc deny a woman of her main food group! Well! I never!

When my first son went to boot camp and tech school, I held the door wide open for him. It was either he left or I was gonna kill him. He was being so arrogant and mean. Was a bit better when he got back, but the one thing he procured at boot camp was a sailors mouth. Couldn't wait for him to deploy. He is maturing now. Thank goodnes. Still has a ways to go; but he has gotten so much better. We can now tell he loves his family. LOL!

Daniel wants me to come to his more important doc visits. He is allowing me full access to his medical records for now. I told him when he is ready to transition to the docs on his own, I would respect that, but to keep in mind that I'm always available for questions if he has any. 

It's nice the kids are growing up, but sad that they are no longer little children. Our lives have focused on them. Now what will we do?


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> "well, hush my puppies and prune my magnolias, isn't this a disappointment?"  :rof:



Well, where in sam hill was sam hill?:lol2: You think I don't have feelings Tesscorm????? Maybe next time your in a day dream you can think of sam hill. Thank you very much!:ybatty:


----------



## Tesscorm

Ahhh, I would use Sam Hill when it's a 'heated' discussion...  "Where in Sam Hill have you been all day!?!?!"


----------



## Farmwife

Sorry mother I was helping your parents settle into their new home because their to elderly to live on their own. 
By the way mother where were you????
 I'm the grandaughter and I'm helping YOUR parents. 
It's sad you know when your grand daughter  Grace is using the loo more the the elderly living there.:yfaint:

Sorry Tesscorm, I had to get that out!!!!:ylol:


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  what a great daughter you are!!!  . This mamas out tonite!  :banana:  just waiting for my 'live' friend but had to check in here first. :lol:


----------



## Farmwife

Have a good time.
This mama's off to bed. Nighty night y'all.:ghug:


----------



## Crohn's Mom

I FINALLY have a full day with absolutely NOTHING on the schedule  ~ Amazing ! 
So where is everyone else today ? Don't you all know youre supposed to revolve around MY free time ? :ylol:

It's nice to be able to sit here and catch up on everyone's updates! I may not respond to all, but I think my eyes are strained now from all the reading today! Just look for my "thanks" and "hugs" and you'll know I'm always stalking you! :hallo3::hallo3:

Hope you're all having a relaxing, fun weekend ! :ghug:


----------



## crohnsinct

Haha I am doing the finances and bills today :boring:  Every now and then I reward myself with a check on some threads...still so behind from vacation and the craziness afterward.


----------



## Sascot

Well we went to a bbq this afternoon - and yes it is Scotland so it did rain! Andrew's football team won 11 - 0 today which was fab. Now I have Amy's friend over for a sleepover tonight :ybatty: - who knows when they might go to sleep.  Never quite understand why it's called a "sleep"over


----------



## DustyKat

Crikey Sascot! That's a cricket score! Well done Andrew! 

	
	
		
		
	


	





I am on holidays!!! Yeehaw!!! Hence why I am up and down like a honeymooners nightie when it comes to catch up time here! :ylol: 

Oh yeah Tess, we don't give a rat's arse either! :ybiggrin:


----------



## crohnsinct

Leave it to Dusty to bring sex into the discussion AGAIN!


----------



## Sascot

Well wasn't that a fun night last night :yfrown:.  Amy's friend decided she missed her parents - managed to get her to sleep which I thought would be the end of it, but no, was woken at 2am and 3am.  Had to call her parents at 3.15am to come and get her - so very, very tired


----------



## Farmwife

I feel for ya Sascot.
 My niece is staying the week-end. She never has had a problem at sleep overs. So the ONE night Grace sleep through the night is the night that my niece decides she's NOT tired and misses her mommy.  Will see how she does tonight. We had a church outing to the sand dunes. There tired, I tired and sore. They should sleep like logs.

The sad note is Grace seems to be very pale now and has a low grade fever. I guess it was to much for her little body. But boy she could keep up with kids twice her size.:thumleft:

:soledance::rosette1::soledance:


----------



## Naturelover

Crohn's Mom said:


> So where is everyone else today ? Don't you all know youre supposed to revolve around MY free time ? :ylol:


Crohn's Mom, Didn't you get the memo? Everyone revolves around my free time. Snicker, snicker.

Crohnsinct, Can you slip over here and do some of my finances too? They're just so boring... especially the medical bills.... Sigh....

Sascot, Sorry to hear the sleep over didn't go so well. Do get some rest. Don't have that child over for a sleep over ever again! There's a reason it's called a sleep over. It's kinda like a hang over, only it's a sleep over cause the kids are so tired from staying up all not and NOT bothering the parents beauty rest, that they need to sleep there (over) until they feel like going home. LOL!

Have you ever heard of a "funover"?


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Oh that memo must have been lost in cyberspace somewhere ! LOL

Went and pampered myself today and got my hair done  Trying out the "bangs" thing again..haven't had bangs since well, the 90's? yikes ! LOL you know what they say tho...Bangs over Botox !! :rof::rof:


----------



## Naturelover

Crohn's Mom, Sounds like you had a wonderful day. Treasure it for a long time to come. 

I have bangs. I've had them for a long time. They grow way too fast and drive me crazy sometimes.:rof:

I had a day of pampering recently when my family and I went to the family camp run by Joni and friends. www.joniandfriends.org The camp staff brought in hair dressers, massagers, folks who painted our nails, gave us foot baths with various creams to put on our feet and even had a craft we could make. We had such a blast. It was for ladies only. We snuck my 14 yr daughter in. (She doesn't look 14, she looks and acts older.) She loved it. I hadn't seen her smile like that in about 7 months. She even won the drawing for a door prize. Bless her heart, she shared her prize with me. How sweet. (My daughter is also undiagnosed and has been in a lot of pain for months now.)


----------



## crohnsinct

Natural...so you figured you would just keep the bangs until they came back in huh?  I am feeling like that with clothes these days.  

It is my anniversary and my kids (well the two who are still home sniff sniff) insisted on watching my wedding video.  Our cheeks hurt from laughing so hard at the 80's hair styles, clothing and way we danced.  So glad I saved my dress in case one of my girls wanted to wear it.  O tells me it is hideous.


----------



## DustyKat

I didn't save my dress because I never had one in the first place...yes, as much I hate to burst all those saintly bubbles that you hold me in...Dusty lives in sin! :rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

No freakin way!  You never got married?!  Still with the kids' dad?  That is so funny cuz my husband and I never talked marriage he just went out and bought a ring.  The night he was going to propose I was going on and on about why do people get married...so stupid..I don't need a piece of paper...just live together.  Needless to say he proposed 2 months later.  Still wasn't sure but figured I could always change my mind.  Also didn't want children.  23 years and three children later.....


----------



## DustyKat

Nope never and yep, Mr. Kat is the kids father. 

The funniest thing is when when someone goes on about people not being married and having kids. I sit and listen and then say, I'm not married and I have children. They usually say (between the coughs and splutters), oh but that's different! Really??? :rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

LMAO!  Isn't it fun to catch people like that?  I get to catch people all the time when they talk about the "resource room" kids at school taking all the attention or the "short bus" kids...oh you mean like my daughter?!  Bite me!


----------



## crohnsinct

and yes Dusty you are different:shifty:


----------



## DustyKat

and unusual. :ylol:


----------



## crohnsinct

DustyKat said:


> and unusual. :ylol:


Why?  Because you troll the internet looking for dancing poo smileys?


----------



## Naturelover

What is LMAO? I know, I know, sheltered life, blah, blah, blah...

DustyKat, I think it's awesome that you are with the kids father. Some people flip psychologically once they are married and end up getting divorced. So what was the point of marriage? Just make sure you both have good wills so that when one of you kicks the bucket, the other won't be left high and dry. You got no judgment from me.

I'm with you crohnsinct, keep the clothes until they come back in. Just like the bangs. Who's got time or money to waist. Hee, hee!

:ylol2: I'm with you all. I love catching folks eaten' their own words. It's loads of fun. Yep, my son rode the short bus in preschool. He went to a special ed center. So glad they have services for the little ones. Now he's in college and his "short bus" is his fathers old Honda CRV. :rof:

I drive the long bus (Honda Odyssey):highfive:

Gotta take a short break and cut hubby's hair and possibly son's hair too. Be back in a few...

utahere:


----------



## DustyKat

crohnsinct said:


> Why?  Because you troll the internet looking for dancing poo smileys?


That amongst other things. :ylol: 

Get outta here Naturelover! LMAO!!!

Laughing My Arse Off...or as you yanks say, ass. Which is a donkey btw. 

LMFAO...now do you want me to spell the F out?


----------



## Naturelover

DustyKat, By George, I think I've got it! Nope you don't need to spell out the F. Besides, the system might reject it. You were going to spell fairy, right? Snicker, snicker.:lol2:


----------



## DustyKat

Fairy?? Hell no!! I wouldn't have said F&*^ing but I would have said fecking.


----------



## crohnsinct

Well in my world f=fat these days!  Can't wait for these kids to go back to school so I can get back to working out!


----------



## Tesscorm

Got a bit of catching up to do here... 

Naturelover - that sounds like my kind of camping! 

Crohn's Mom - glad you had a nice day!!!  Let's see a pic of the new 'do! 

Dusty - Enjoy your holidays!!!!

Sascot - What a score!!!  Way to go Andrew!!  (just out of curiousity...  we are talking 'soccer', right?  Or are you actually talking about 'American' football?) And, hope you've had a chance to catch up on some sleep!


----------



## DustyKat

Oh god! Start running Tess!!! Football is football is football, the purists game, life and death, the only true sport! It's SOCCER! :rof: 

@sascot...Do you follow the Scottish premier league? Does Andrew? I don't but Matt does, I don't know that he follows any particular team, and my Dad is Scottish, he is a Hearts man through and through.


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof:  Crikey...  just asking!!!  :lol:


----------



## Sascot

Dusty I agree - football is FOOTBALL (yes, soccer), very very important in Scotland!  We do follow the Scottish League, our team - Falkirk - is in the first division (one division down from the premier league). Don't think Hearts is liked by anyone in our family, :ylol:.
What's with all this pampering people?  It's all I can do to get a shower for more than 3 mins before someone is shouting for me!!
Crohnsinct - way to stick to your guns!  Married and 3 kids later :yrolleyes:
I had a dream last night that I had 3 kids and was pregnant with my 4th :ybatty:.  Can't tell you how relieved I was when I woke up to just 2 kids :lol2:


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof:  What a dream!!!  

I have a friend who had two small children, wanted a third but hubby wasn't so sure...  so, no big deal, two was good...   however, as she had had two babies and was now a busy, busy mom of two small ones, the job of 'taking care of business' was left to hubby...  :ybatty:   a surprise pregnancy soon followed, with TWINS!  :runaway:  (But, honestly, there is ALWAYS something going on at their home!! Always lots of fun!! )

I will never forget something her son said to me, he was too young to get the meaning and was just repeating his dad...  He was approx. 6 years old, younger sister 2 and twin girls just born, I asked him how he felt about having 3 sisters, he shrugged and said "I dunno but my dad said when they're older, him and I get to go away for a week every month."  :rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

jmk: i know right?  I remember a day where we were talking consistency, color etc and Izzi's mom chiming right in all while eating her lunch! 

Sascot: he constantly reminds me of his two biggest i told you so's...trust me he says...I was right about marriage and kids.   And a dream?  You were seriously sleeping long enough to enter dream state...SCORE!  

Off to go see my coed..yes, already!  She needs a printer and all I am is a bank but I will take it if it means I can sneak a peak at my girl.  I am sure she won't allow much more than a drive by...


----------



## Tesscorm

Banker is only 'one' of our jobs!  :lol:  But, you know..., she could have just asked you to transfer funds???...  she could actually just be missing you as much as you're missing her... :kiss:


----------



## Clash

crohnsinct, I would pick up some ink too, they go through it quick!! Unless you want to save that for another visit!!! And I agree maybe she just wanted a little Mama facetime!!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Well, I picked up the printer and a sandwich from her favorite sandwich shop oh yes and three or four grocery bags of snacks (no comments...remember I am Italian!!!).  M&M's no Hersheys.  Anyway, we went to her room (shocked she had us seen in public), we installed her printer, she took her sandwich and she kissed us good bye.  Oh yeah and she gave me a book to be returned to the bookstore and said I could feel free to go myself while she sat in her room and ate her sandwich.  Wham Bam Thank-you mam!  I am sure Dusty has some clever hooker reference for my quick visit.  

So if she needed mommy time it seems and hour and 15 was all she needed.  I did pick up and bring ink but darn Clash that was a good idea to save it for another trip. 

Ah yes and she told me about her "friend" from h.s....she got written up her first night there for alcohol!!!  I was freaked.  Don't get me wrong.  Not freaked about the alcohol as much as I am freaked that she is going to school with kids sooooo stupid that they get caught their first night there!  Also perturbed she is ruining the reputation for our high school.  O wants to go to that school.  Guess G will have to prove the family rep for now. 

I type as I drink my big glass o wine!


----------



## Tesscorm

At least they get written up for alcohol!  When Emily was looking at various universities, we looked at Uni of Toronto (largest, most respected, most prestigious, blah, blah, blah in Toronto), we look at one of their residences - very nice, small apartment style (each apt with 4-5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living area with couches), 3 levels of security - into 'private' areas, again into apt and again into each bedroom , co-ed floors but single sex apts and they matched up roommates by interest, not age.  BUT, I don't consider myself prudish, not even close BUT each resident was allowed to have 2-3 sleepover guests, either sex.  So, in theory, Emily would be 18, could be rooming with a 22 year old who has a boyfriend who's 25 and Em could be waking up to a living room with two to three 25 year old men!  I found this really bizarre and was very uncomfortable with it.  

She chose to go to another university for other reasons but, out of curiosity, do you guys find this strange or is this normal?? :yfaint:


----------



## Naturelover

Hey DustyKat, pull the door to on your outhouse. Your knobby knees are getting on my nerves. :heart:


----------



## Sascot

Tess, reading that does kinda freak me out as a parent.  However, as far as I remember at my university they had blocks of flats with about 5 bedrooms sharing one kitchen/lounge and bathroom.  There were no adults manning the doors, the flats were co-ed and I don't think there was a limit on who you could bring back.  I of course was still staying at home with my mom and just drove into uni - think I missed some partying!!!


----------



## DustyKat

> Wham Bam Thank-you mam! I am sure Dusty has some clever hooker reference for my quick visit.


You are making me blush crohnsinct! :redface: 

Some of the residences here are same sex, usually the ones with a religious affiliation, outside of that they are all co-ed. Sarah lived in an 8 bedroom, 4 bathroom apartment and the mix was 5 guys and 3 girls, all different ages. There was one guy in another apartment that was was about 30 and they called him Dad! :rof: 

@Naturelover...Well stop perving on my knees!


----------



## Clash

All of the universities J looked at had coed residences, most suites were separated but that is it. There were overnight guest rules for some of them but for the most part there wasn't. When we first toured I have to admit I was freaked but J more so by the space of the older dorms closer to the uni and the distance the newer suite dorms were from main campus so she decided on a state school for the first two years where you weren't required to live in a dorm as a freshman. But honestly, her neighbors ended up being guys and I swear if it wasn't for them cooking she would've starved and they were constantly checking on her and her roomies, changing the oil in her car, meeting her at work when she got off so she wouldn't have to walk to her car alone. Wish I could move them right on through college with her!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

:redface: Well, maybe I am more prudish than I thought!  :lol:  When I was younger, I shared a place with friends, male and female, but I think what threw me was that she wouldn't know who she'd be waking up to...  and that they could be so much older.  Guess it's time I woke up and smelled the coffee! :wink:

Then there's Stephen :facepalm:...   went out with a friend this past weekend and they both tend to look older than 18...  after a club, they'd gone to eat something and a couple of women started to talk to them, asked them how old they were and S and his friend said 21. :lol:  Women started oohing and aahhing that they looked 'older' but, 21 was 'okay' (women were 25 and 27!).  They all ended up eating together, etc.  S said the women started reminiscing about their proms, so S and his friend did as well, only difference being, the women were going back almost 10 years, S and friend, 2 months!  :lol:  Women ended up giving the boys their numbers!  :yfaint:  S and his friend then admitted how old/young they really were and women snatched back their numbers!  :rof:   (Gotta wonder what he DOESN'T tell me! )

I think they both need to go out of town!!!  Ignorance would be bliss!!!:dance:


----------



## Clash

Tesscorm I do know the feeling!! In return for the cooking, oil changing and getting her safely to her car from work J frequently goes downtown to pick them up after the bars close!! She says they make their plans knowing if they get into a tight they can call her and she will get out of bed and go pick 'em up and bring them home. I wouldn't want to be them though because J is the grouchiest little thing when you wake her up, probably in their bar state they don't even notice though!!


----------



## Tesscorm

That's a pretty good deal!!    Don't get me wrong, I think co-ed sharing is great, probably better than a bunch of girls only, like I said, it was just the 'stranger' and age thing that got me.  Then again, I'm sure a big part was the whole transition with her moving out, etc.   I think she ended up with the best of both worlds though...  ended up staying home but one of her best friends is in residence downtown - most weekends, she stays with her friend...


----------



## Clash

Yeah, the age thing became a factor this year for J but not co-ed. Her and her roomies decided to move to a new development that just opened but two of the roomies didn't turn their lease stuff in until late so that divided the four into two pairs...then they paired J and her roomie with 2 grad students who are 30, J is 19!!! We were so worried, I mean 19 year old teeny boppers with 30 year olds but they are two years into their MBA and each work 2 jobs so J says she literally never sees them...so far so good.


----------



## crohnsinct

Yeah the age difference would freak me out but more from the perspective of it being their first time at college and it impeding their ability to make friends and most definitely the fact that an older person is way more likely to have a male visitor staying over. Ewww! Boys=cooties.  

And Dusty?!  Coed apartments?!  That explains a lot.


----------



## Twiggy930

Hey Tess be glad she hasn't decided to come out this way where she could have a dorm room in walking distance to a nude beach...


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  Apparently, women are legally allowed to go topless in Toronto but, to be honest, I don't think I've ever seen any women going topless here...  (my prudishness came from somewhere! :lol:  Certainly not from Portugal where they're ALL topless at every beach, waterpark, etc.)  

Funny enough, although it is allowed, we just had a protest demanding that women be allowed to go topless ???  Then again, the protesters are Raelians, people(?) who believe the earth was created by aliens (which I suppose makes them aliens too??).


----------



## Farmwife

:thumbdown:I don't wish to see any alien offspring naked. Go back to your own world!:lol2:


----------



## Clash

Okay so if there is a law that women can go topless maybe they were protesting that the law doesn't specify that alien women can go topless :confused2::confused2:

Yikes so now not only do I have to worry about invading aliens but also topless invading aliens:shifty-t:


----------



## crohnsinct

:rof::rof::rof::rof:

You guys suck!  I declared Tuesdays "No Tush Talk Tuesday" and vowed to stay off the forum and devote my time to my home, dogs and children and you have sucked me in!


----------



## Clash

Honestly though crohnsinct...you are abiding by No Tush Talk Tuesday...we are talking about alien titties not tushes so really it is safe!!


----------



## crohnsinct

:ylol2::ylol2::ylol2:


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof:  :rof:  :rof:

Give it up Crohnsinct...  you need us to get through your day!  :lol:


----------



## Clash

Crohnsinct, how insane do you think C's GI will think I am if I start the convo with well the other day while researing and talking about naked aliens I realized C needs some dental work and this might be something I should discuss with you...:awe:utahere:


----------



## Tesscorm

Question for any Floridians near Fort Lauderdale...  Kimmidwife, Crohn's Mom, ???

Can you suggest a hotel (not expensive but clean!!!) that is right near the airport?  We decided to leave a day early for the cruise, just in case of weather delays up here, but the availability of flights sucked!  Our flight gets into Ft. Lauderdale at midnight...  so I really just need a place to sleep, nothing fancy, as we will be leaving the next morning.


----------



## Clash

How much longer until you leave, Tesscorm? The excitement is building, I bet!


----------



## Tesscorm

Clash, you definitely need to explain your train of thought!!!  :rof:  How did you go from naked aliens to cavities?!?!  Now I definitely know some of us have ADD!  :lol:


----------



## Tesscorm

We don't leave until Dec. 29 but because of the holiday season, I want to make sure we get a room booked...   You know how it is, if I don't get it done now because it's _too early_, I'll leave it and leave it and forget about it and before you know it, it'll be _too late_ and we'll be sleeping at the airport!


----------



## Clash

Ha ha....On Crohnsinct thread about O I had asked a question about dental procedures and Remicade and what I should discuss with GI...it just followed through to over here and naked aliens!!


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> Clash, you definitely need to explain your train of thought!!!  :rof:  How did you go from naked aliens to cavities?!?!  Now I definitely know some of us have ADD!  :lol:


It should be plan as day.:shifty-t:
 Seeing naked aliens causes one to lose there teeth. 
Their by needing a dentist.:sign0085:


----------



## crohnsinct

Tesscorm said:


> :rof:  :rof:  :rof:
> 
> Give it up Crohnsinct...  you need us to get through your day!  :lol:


Yes I do Tesswhich is exactly why I am coming on the cruise with you.  Book a hotel room for the others also...they don't technically have to sneak into the suitcases until we board the ship. 

Now if you would all get over here and help me with the cleaning and cooking I would be all set...oh that is not what you meant by support?


----------



## Farmwife

I'm off to take my children outside. I leave you all to this insanity.
:cool2:
Oh, Grace poo-poo today. It took 3 days to do it but she did. YA!:thumleft:
I have to get the brakes on my SUV fixed.:thumbdown:
What was that about ADD??????:ylol:


:rosette2:


----------



## Clash

Umm...that naked aliens cause cavities and poo that takes awhile cause brake wear...or maybe...

Farmwife, I'm so glad that she was finally able to go!!! I hope you get some answers soon. I know it must be hard and I hope that precious little one gets to feeling tip top real soon!!


----------



## Tesscorm

You should've just taken Grace for a drive with you...  if I was a passenger with you driving an SUV with no brakes, I'd shit my pants!  And it wouldn't take 3 days!  :lol:

But, way to go Grace!! :banana:


----------



## crohnsinct

That was classic Tess!  :rof::rof::rof::lol::lol::ylol2::ylol2:

Farmwife: Yay Poo:dance: Dancing bananas will have to do as I see David hasn't found us worthy of dancing crap yet and I would venture to say that after today we may never be!


----------



## crohnsinct

O.K. I am off to buy school supplies with my kids.  I bribe them every year.  For every item they can find in the house to reuse I pay them a dollar.  They think I am being all environmentally conscious or trying to reduce the clutter in the house or just too cheap to buy supplies..truth is I am just too lazy to drag out and get them and the crowds at Staples drives me insane.  If the darn teacher's would get a list more than two days before school starts I could order the crap and never have to leave my bubble! 

Try not to get us kicked off the forum while I am gone!


----------



## Tesscorm

What a great idea!!!  Wish I'd thought of that years ago!!!


----------



## Twiggy930

Oh no... I have discovered a new method of procrastination... searching for smileys...


----------



## crohnsinct

Well that was awesome!  Went to Staples and sent O and her sister off to find O's pencil case and binder ring along with all the other crazy, fighting parents and kids and I ran to the printer ink section which was quiet and calm because no sane person darkens the doors of Staples the week school starts.  Met O and her sister at the register and skipped out with my bag of three things.  I was the envy of every parent in there:ytongue:


and I saved a bundle and got my shelves and drawers cleaned out!!!SCORE!


----------



## Tesscorm

Way to go!!! :applause:

I think I'm going to use the same ploy with my kids' clothing!  I'll save on buying them more clothes (won't have to buy new jeans to replace last season's perfectly good jeans) that they have and they can stop asking me for money because they'll have some from 'recycling' their clothes!  :lol:


----------



## DustyKat

> How did you go from naked aliens to cavities?!?!


Elementary...aliens probe cavities. 

Question about school and dress. Do any schools over there, US/Canada, require a uniform?


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Private schools mostly Dusty 

Public schools do have what they call "dress code" though, mostly outlining what is unacceptable (short shorts, spaghetti strap tank tops, shirts with cursing or drug/alcohol reference, etc..)


----------



## Clash

All the public schools in our area have a dress code that requires collared pullovers and khaki pants. There is no requirement it be a certain color though, like the shirts can be any color and the pants can be black, tan, or navy.

C goes to military school so he is in a class A uniform everyday but Friday then it's black pants with school collared pullover.

Dusty, a friend of mine lives in Sydney and her two young kids(twins) go to The Scots College, not exactly sure what that is but they have the most adorable outfits. They also now have the most awesome accent!!


----------



## DustyKat

All schools require uniforms here...public, independent and private. 

Scots College is a private boys boarding/day school. Private schools usually have their own uniform shops and you have to buy everything from them including shoes and backpacks.


----------



## Clash

How long has it been that way? It just seems to have come into play around here in the last five years. Before that the schools had lists of what was allowed and what wasn't but the actual outfit wasn't dictated. Both my kids came through before for the khaki/polo rules but of course both went to military school in Grade 6 so then uniform was required. We have to buy their military dress from their bookstore, shirts, gym clothes, shoes, pants along with insignia, nametags, rank and such.


----------



## DustyKat

At least since the start of the last century as far as I know. 

How do you guys feel about a uniform or stricter rules when it wasn't a previous requirement?


----------



## Clash

I heard alot of the parents in the district had a problem with it. I remember there were several public school meetings about it and many fought the implementation. I think after the first year all the ruckus died out.

When my daughter was in high school she said she would never make it on time at the public school for picking out outfits and getting ready, since at her school the girls have to wear their hair off their shoulder(either cut to that length or put up). She said she was glad she didn't have to go through all the trouble of getting ready.


----------



## crohnsinct

Surely you jest Dusty.  This is AMERICA...the home of the FREE and the brave and the stylish (yes that is in the original anthem).  It is our RIGHT to wear whatever we want to school and not have our individual expression taken away from us...as long as it doesn't distract someone else from their ability to learn.  We went to war to preserve that right!   

Now my personal opinion...BRING IT ON!  I LOVE uniforms...no distraction or teasing over clothes..easy to get dressed in the morning...save money and so on and so on.  Tessa went to private school the first two years and we LOVED the uniform.  It was a nightmare on days off picking out clothes to wear.  She was just saying the other day that she wants a uniform back.  I so wish our district would go to uniforms BUT it is everyones hobby showing off their style and labels so doubt it will happen anytime soon


----------



## Farmwife

I home school and would love for my kids to ware uniforms.:lol2:


----------



## Tesscorm

Our public elementary schools do not have uniforms.  We have two publicly funded school systems - regular public and Catholic public.  Regular public high schools do not have uniforms, Catholic public high schools usually have a basic uniform - gray/navy/black slacks, plain white tops.

My kids went to a Montessori (private) elementary school and they had uniforms.  Both went to a regular public high school and I distinctly recall my daughter (who loves clothes!!) really missed the convenience of uniforms.  She felt she had to 'dress up' for school, had to have certain clothes, etc.  She even wrote an essay in grade 9 or 10 discussing the merits of school uniforms (can't imagine she won many popularity points there! :lol

There's been talk, meetings, votes, etc. here to implement uniforms at all schools but, so far, no go...  although there have been certain schools that have agreed to 'test' uniforms for certain time periods (not sure of response...)


----------



## Tesscorm

Twiggy - :lol:  just saw your spaceship!!


----------



## Twiggy930

I LOVE school uniforms!  My kids spent a few years in public school, where they did not have uniforms, and then we switched them to a private school which has a uniform.  Definitely prefer the uniform and so do they.  

Dusty, I once saw a girl waiting for a bus in Brisbane and I couldn't figure out why she was dressed so unusually... until my sister informed me that it was a school uniform.  I was so surprised at how different the uniforms were from what we have here.  They looked something like this...


----------



## crohnsinct

OK so "No Tush Talk Tuesday" didn't work so I declare tomorrow "No Wenches Wednesday" Talk to you all Thursday...yeah right.


----------



## Naturelover

DustyKat said:


> @Naturelover...Well stop perving on my knees!


Haaaa, haaa, haaa! A little shy about your knobby knees eh?:dance:


----------



## Naturelover

twiggy, love the alien smiley. Don't think I've ever seen that one. 

We need that on the forum. Really need to get David to give us the dancing poo and alien one. Haa, haa! 

...and of course, Robert still needs his shock button installed...


----------



## DustyKat

You're too damned late crohnsinct! If it was no wenches Wednesday I would be at the start of the line but it is already well into Wednesday afternoon here! 

@Naturelover...I love my knobby knees! That's way I am showing them off!  

@Twiggy...Yep, that is a pretty stock standard uniform for a private school. This is the uniform my kids school, public, has...


----------



## Catherine

The uniform dusty posted is similiar to my girls winter uniform 

The year 7 girls are unhappy that their skirts have to be mid way between the knee and the ankle.  They also not pleased that there tie has been replaced with a crossover.  New uniform rules this year.


----------



## Tesscorm

Our uniforms were almost identical (different colour) although the tie and blazer were only required on 'formal' days - every Monday, school trips, Remembrance Day, Canada, day, etc.  Other days, they had the same bottoms but had a choice of tops - golf shirts, sweaters, turtlenecks, etc.  Girls could choose between a skirt, skort or pants.

Catherine - our girls used to be upset about the skirt length as well   As soon as they stepped out of school, they'd be rolling up the skirt at their waists! :lol:


----------



## crohnsinct

OK all this talk about uniforms is giving me the hives.  I declared to my girls (for the umpteenth year in a row) that we are going to lay out our clothes for the week on Sunday to make mornings less hectic.  I have heard there are moms who actually do this...probably alians!


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  That's why I (and the kids!) LOVED the uniforms!  They only had to decide whether they wanted to wear the white golf shirt or the green!   And tops (except dress shirts) were unisex and Emily and Stephen are so close in age (and size, at the time), the tops were pretty interchangeable...  whatever was clean worked! :lol:


----------



## izzi'smom

Wow! No uniforms here. Mainly the parochial schools require uniforms, but none of the public ones. I actually like (*gasp*) buying my daughters clothing, but then again she is only 5 and I haven't let on that she has an option  There are rules about shoes (no flip flops/open backed sandals ) but that is basically the only restriction.


----------



## Sascot

We have always had uniforms here, and also did in South Africa, so never experienced non-uniform.  I think it's great!  I wash and iron 3 shirts each, 2 polo shirts for gym days, 2 pairs of trousers each and that's us for the week.  Woe on them if they get something dirty and I actually have to do more washing :ymad:


----------



## Farmwife

I love the thoughts of uniforms. I'm homeschooling mom and love the idea of having my kids have uniforms because it saves on the budget and the children every morning know what to put on? I real might do this.:ghug:


----------



## kimmidwife

In Florida many of the public schools require uniforms. My kids school requires it. Is the first time they have had to wear one and they hate it. I think it is great except when you had to lay out the money to buy them all at once for three kids. ( oldest and youngest don't go to schools with uniform only three out of the five).


----------



## Naturelover

No uniforms for public school here. Just rules about no undergarments showing etc. No pj's. Yes, kids were wearing their pj bottoms out in public. Some wear pj top, bottom and house slippers. Come on! Seriously! Why?

When my kids were in private school, it was basically kaki's and polo shirts. Girls, polo shirts and uniform skirt or skorts.

I home school. We love not having uniforms. Daughter dresses conservatively now by choice. So no issues there.


----------



## DustyKat

Gotta say, I love uniforms cause that's one less decision I have to make everyday!


----------



## Tesscorm

Kim, yes it is a bit tough at the beginning but, as you have three wearing the uniforms, I have no doubt you'll find it less expensive going forward.  Especially as you can 'hand down' articles!  At times, Emily outgrew Stephen and her tops and gym clothes just went to him and all I'd need to buy him were two or three pairs of pants for the year!   Assuming your kids all have to wear the same colour socks - suggestion - buy all the SAME socks, same pattern, etc. - makes sorting so much easier!! Made the mistake one year of buying a variety of grey socks - some ribbed, some plain, some with diamond patterns   Nightmare trying to match all the same colour socks!!


----------



## crohnsinct

LMAO!  Check this out! Saw a promo for this show last night.  Wonder if we aren't letting this one out of the US?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Neighbors_(2012_TV_series)


----------



## jmckinley

Oh, I hope we're keeping that show all to ourselves! I'd hate to punish the rest of the world with our crazy ideas LOL... Of course, now I will have to watch the premier. 

Sounds like 3rd Rock from the Sun!


----------



## Tesscorm

I may not be a Hershey Kisses fan but...  Hershey's, s'mores and a crackling fire... (and 0 calories!!)


http://www.vat19.com/dvds/hersheys-smores-candle-crackling-wick.cfm?adid=youtube


----------



## Farmwife

Silly thoughts for the day! Received this in an e-mail.

Spread the Stupidity:yrolleyes:

 Only in this world .......do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.:ymad:

Only in this world.....do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke. :ylol:

Only in this world .....do banks leave vault doors open and then chain the pens to the counters..:ybatty:

Only in this world......do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.:eek2: 

Only in this world ............do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.. 

Only in this world .....do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.:yfaint:


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> I may not be a Hershey Kisses fan but...  Hershey's, s'mores and a crackling fire... (and 0 calories!!)
> 
> 
> http://www.vat19.com/dvds/hersheys-smores-candle-crackling-wick.cfm?adid=youtube



That's amazing. If money grew on a tree I would soooooo buy that!!!!!:biggrin:


----------



## DustyKat

Yes! keep it to yourselves! I don't need punishing! 

	
	
		
		
	


	





Now...OMFG...you can't be serious! A candle that smells like s'more's! :yfaint:


----------



## Tesscorm

But, did you listen to it?  It crackles!  :lol:  Just like a campfire!  Come on...!  It doesn't get better than that! :rof:

Of course, then we'll all be roasting marshmallows over our stoves, wondering where that darn craving is coming from!


----------



## Naturelover

Tesscorm said:


> But, did you listen to it?  It crackles!  :lol:  Just like a campfire!  Come on...!  It doesn't get better than that! :rof:
> 
> Of course, then we'll all be roasting marshmallows over our stoves, wondering where that darn craving is coming from!


Haa, haa, haa, haaa! 

Having a sucky day so I broke down and comforted my self with a Hershery's Special Dark Chocolate Bar. Feeling better already, well not my tummy. Oops! But it sure tasted good!


----------



## crohnsinct

SERIOUSLY?!  How does one burn boiled carrots? 

I'll tell you how.  You only put a bit of water in the pot so they will cook faster and while waiting jump on the forum (aka your addiction, obession..you choose) to check on Gracie, C, Rowan etc and get pulled into the abyss and totally forget your very clean carrots cooking away until you smell your pot burning!!!!!!!!!  

I hope while you are laughing at me you are also very impressed I am eating carrots with my lunch!


----------



## Tesscorm

crohnsinct said:


> I hope while you are laughing at me you are also very impressed I am eating carrots with my lunch!


:ybatty:  I imagine you're washing down your clean burnt carrots with your organic nutritionally dense Merlot!


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> :ybatty:  I imagine you're washing down your clean burnt carrots with your organic nutritionally dense Merlot!



Crohnsinct-
If the carrots got burned can they still be considered clean?:shifty:

You city folks and cooking veggies.:ytongue: 
Me and my clan we run out to the garden over yonder and pull our carrots out and eat them by the time we get back home. No mess for me to clean up!


----------



## jmckinley

Crohnsinct, I am blaming you! In my quest to search the forum to find out the story behind the burnt carrots, I burned my sugar cookies!

Farmwife, I like them raw too, but it's a no go for Ryan on the raw stuff. Definitely not clean, but the best is carrots with butter and brown sugar! (copper carrots, yum!)


----------



## Clash

Mmmm that sounds delish, the copper carrots not the clean burnt ones! LOL Aww crohnsinct...you care you care...you really really care! 

Umm is it wrong that I'm now craving carrots and sugar cookies?


----------



## jmckinley

Clash said:


> Umm is it wrong that I'm now craving carrots and sugar cookies?


Not together, I hope! People might start to wonder :whistleinnocently:


----------



## crohnsinct

Yeah well the worst part is I was cleaning the peeler after lunch and managed to slice my finger.  WHO does that?  

Hubby says all the restaurants and take out places in town are going under since I started cooking and they must have little voodoo dolls of me or are praying to the culinary gods to get me to stop this nonsense!!! I am tempted! 


SUGAR COOKIES???!!!!  made with whole wheat flour and sucanat I am sure....


----------



## Clash

jmckinley said:


> Not together, I hope! People might start to wonder :whistleinnocently:


Ooooohh let's not even think such thoughts!!!:shifty-t: If that was the case I would be on straight jacket forum...one in college and one in hs I'm feeling accomplished, I don't think I could start at the beginning again!:yfaint:


----------



## Tesscorm

Having an 18 and 19 year old, I've been through the baby stage, toddler, elementary, pre-teen and the 14-16 year old stages...  but, sometimes, in some ways I feel like NOW is more demanding than ever! :yfaint:  

The independence and desire to do normal things (clubs/bars, dates, staying over at friends' homes who are 'new' friends, alcohol, driving, living or travelling on their own, etc.) and the accompanying worries (ie, Stephen's best friend was just robbed and beaten up last week when walking home from a concert, spent the last week in the hospital and had to have a number of surgeries! )

The stresses and worries (theirs and, then, ours) about schools, jobs, their futures.

And it seems I have more medical concerns now then I ever had - of course Stephen's crohns but even my daughter seems to be having more random issues...

Ugghh...   I keep hearing it gets easier but am not seeing it! :lol:  The 'work' is easier but I seem to worry about them more now than ever before!   (Farmwife, you may be drinking pop right now but, give it a few more years...  forget the dairy farm, you'll be making and drinking your own grappa like a pro! )


----------



## Clash

Tesscorm, I agree completely on the difficulty of having teens. I feel like I was alot less worried about J obtaining her drivers license and taking to the road than C.

The stresses are greater to me too in alot of respects and the ones you have mentioned are definitely at the top of my list. I've been able to let go and allow J more independence and freedoms than I have C. But on top of having CD, it is like the crazy and unexplained always land on him. Plus, being a boy I swear his feelings of invincibility far out weigh any I experienced with J. I mean, c'mon using a large plastic container as a sled pulled behind a golf cart downhill!!!! And when you call him on it he's like "what it's really durable plastic, they drop food from airplanes in these containers, they are that sturdy"...sheesh where does common sense go in the teenage years!!! And I'm going to give him permission to get behind the wheel of a vehichle...insanity!


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  That is so funny!!  So typically 'boy'!!  Although, I think because my daughter's always been very athletic and is now doing competitive tai kwon do, she's the one with that 'invincibility' factor :yfaint: which worries me even more!!  As strong/athletic as she is, she'd be no match for any guy who really wants to do harm...  but, feeling invincible, I worry that she doesn't 'worry'.  Ugghh!  

Sad to say but I think what happened to Stephen's friend really opened his eyes to what can happen!  All of a sudden, he realized 'if it could happen to him, it can happen to me'!  (Thank god his friend will be okay but he now needs physio and has had to leave school and postpone his course until January!)


----------



## Clash

That is so sad that something like that happened, I preach to J about awareness of her surroundings and enviroment but like you said her size compared to an attacker would make for no match. I'm glad he is healing well and will be okay.


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh my gosh that poor boy and his poor family!  I am so hope he is going to be O.K. enotionally as well as physically. 

Geez!  I remember the things my gal pals and I used to do in college.  It is amazing we made it out alive.  Scary what goes through a kids head! 

As for C and the sledding....sounds like fun to me too!  I love boys!  I wanted three boys...got three girls...when I delivered the first and they said it's a girl I said, "what am I supposed to do with a girl"...hahaha the doc said "pretty much the same thing you do with a boy"...maybe that is why I have three self declared tom boys.  Someone is seriously laughing at me up there!


----------



## Farmwife

Oh dear Clash and other parents.
Let's face it. They do stupid thing that we don't know about.
 You know I'm telling the truth because we did them too. :shifty-t:
When I have time I'll have to share how we won the down hill slope winter mattress race. 
That's right. Off the face of a mountain. 
Ya BABY! So stupid. :yfrown:
Now I still here popping pain pills to help me function.


----------



## Tesscorm

You're right, Crohnsinct...  when I think back to when we were young, I'm not sure how we made it!  I don't know if it was actually safer years ago or if, as parents, we're just so much more aware of everything???    

And, so you've got the best of both worlds - the adventures of tomboys and the worries of girls!  *X 3!!! *:lol:  No wonder you need those mommy supplements! :hug:


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, Farmwife!!!  :rof:  Now that I've learned about cow skiing and cow tipping, can't wait to hear more about the mattress races!  :lol:


----------



## Clash

Oh yeah if it comes back ten fold I'm in serious trouble, since as a teenager I fell out of a car window as the car was moving(only about 15 mph) while yelling at the kids in the car behind me(the driver pop the clutch and I lost my balance, I remember nothing of this my last memory was my friend and I deciding to skip school that day)!!! I was in ICU for 3 weeks and a coma for 2 weeks!!! Everyone says that is what accounts for my slight unhingedness today! Needless to say my kids have gotten the don't hang out of car windows, ride in back of pickup, stand up through sunroofs lecture a dozen times!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, your poor parents!   Glad you're okay now! :lol:


----------



## Farmwife

Wow Clash thank God you made it!

That's right up their with my finger in the blender story. To this day I can't drink anything that comes out of the blender red. Of course my stupidity didn't put me in a coma.


----------



## Clash

No way, finger in the blender?!? Yes, the days of my youth are filled with miss steps vacant of rational thought or common sense!! I am truly horrified by my actions at this point and my poor parents bore the brunt of worry and frustration for most of my teenage/college years. When this incident occurred I was staying with family friends as my parents were on a trip overseas, poor things that was their last trip out of country, I think I did them in on worldly travel.

Hmmm...maybe I should give that safety lecture one more time this evening!


----------



## Tesscorm

Farmwife - EEWWWW!!! uke_r:  

Crohnsinct - stay away from blenders!


----------



## crohnsinct

Clash!  Yikes.  your poor parents...the poor people in charge of watching you...imagine making THAT call.  But yes it does explain a lot. 

Farmwife:  which finger?  We city girls need certain fingers if you know waht I mean? 

Tesscorm: got it...no margheritas..wine, vodke, beer, grappa etc.. screw tops, corks and pop tops only!!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

^^^  :rof: :rof:  ^^^  Forgot about that certain finger! :lol:


----------



## Sascot

Wow, those are some good stories of our misspent youth.  Seems to me that I was quite lucky to get away with the stuff I did without serious injury! :ycool:
I remember a friend and I following a car (filled with cute guys) all the way into downtown Johannesburg (scary place :eek2 and ending up in some random club.  Made it out in one piece thankfully!
I'm afraid the scare factor was all too real in good old SA to really get up to any major mischief.


----------



## crohnsinct

Well while Clash's daughter was texting about a great pair of boots (did you get them for her btw) Gaby texted me to tell me she is sick. She said they think just a bad cold but doc isn't at the school again till Tuesday. Quick strep test came back negative. O has infusion on Monday and we pass by the exit for her school. She asked me to bring her something to help her feel better. I am dying! I want to run up there and get my baby girl and nurse her back to health right now. I love that she is being all independent and staying at school but it is killing me. Maybe another glass of wine will help.....


----------



## Farmwife

WHAT???:voodoo::voodoo: You good for nothing crohnsinct!!!!!:voodoo::voodoo:

You just pm that same post!!!!!
What you can't think of anything new?????

Put the wine down and go smack yourself in the mirror! Tell yourself it's from ME!!!!:voodoo:


:rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

LMFAO!  Yes but in your PM you got oh so much more!  You are killing me!  I give and give and it is never enough for you.  I want a divorce!


----------



## crohnsinct

And maybe I had to find compassion elsewhere because I didn't get it at home...did you ever think of that!


----------



## crohnsinct

And btw even with one glass of wine I can stilll find my own face to smack...I don't need a mirror!!!!  

HAT TRICK!


----------



## Farmwife

Well maybe you find it at home if you would get off the computer........did you ever think of that!:voodoo:


:tongue:


----------



## Farmwife

You need to see the mirror in order to SEE why you have to smack yourself!:rof:


----------



## Farmwife

Good night one and all. 

What's wrong with us?


----------



## crohnsinct

Hat trick farmwife!


----------



## crohnsinct

Why do you think something is wrong with us Farmwife?  Isn't everyone trolling Crohns forums at 9:00 on a Saturday (isn't that in a song by Billy Joel)


----------



## my little penguin

Hey I resemble that remark- all good crohnie moms are researching and checking the sights on sat evening while dreaming of clean/ scd/paleo/fodmap safe bread baking itself


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh, Crohnsinct, she just doesn't understand you, she's not able to give you that emotional support you need!   And, it doesn't matter how much you do, it's just never enough! :ymad:  All her talk about sweet apple blossomsuke_r:

:lol:

Aww, but I can imagine how hard it is for you to be at the church fair, eating your pizza and sugared dough and forcing down that cab while your poor little baby is nursing herself as best she can!   You're doing the right thing...  making her a stronger person, a more independent person who can take care of herself!   (Think, think, think...  there must be some reason you need to be driving by that exit!! )

And, yep, listening to that same Billy Joel song here!


----------



## momoftwinboys

:ywow: Weekends are when I can catch up here.... I peek now and then on my phone at work and at the end of the night during the week.  A year ago, I would not have thought this was how I would spend a Sat nite


----------



## Twiggy930

Saturday night and here I am too...  And I just ate a SCD waffle!


----------



## crohnsinct

YES!  Driving by that exit on our way to and from infusion tomorrow.  On our way back we will stop and drop off a care package and maybe if I am really, really lucky she will fit us in to her very busy schedule and let us take her out for a bite to eat.  It is an awkward time but come on Italian and in college...won't turn down food and especially if it is free.  Here's hoping she has an appetite and the cold hasn't ruined my big chance!


----------



## Farmwife

I hope you get to take out your oldest!
It's the least she can do for spending your money and making you worry!


----------



## momoftwinboys

I put a pic of my boys out in my album today from our vacation at the beach. It was picture nite so they r dressed similar. I sent out some friend requests so I could share. If I missed u and u want to see let me know.


----------



## Farmwife

How cute your guys are!!!:hug:
I was kind of hurt that I didn't get an invite, then I realized we were already friend. Ya for me!!!:dance:


----------



## momoftwinboys

U crack me up.


----------



## Tesscorm

Aww, they are so cute!  I'm sure it must be challenging at times but having twins must be lots of fun!


----------



## Sascot

:ylol2: Beating you all - spending quality time with my gorgeous boy while catching up with the forum on the laptop.  Talk about multitasking 
Slightly concerned by the smell of burning meat from downstairs - yes I am making a meal from scratch - steak pie, but been too busy on this forum to go check it!  
Oh well - my husband says it's not a meal I've made without the house fire alarm going off :blush:


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  Burnt meat at your place, burnt carrots at Crohnsincts...  I feel like a some sort of Julia Child over here!


----------



## crohnsinct

^:roflanim:

Farmwife: candy at school?  Definitely not clean! 

Saw G today.  She looks great.  We had a quick meal together.  It was adorable though watching her sisters just gab away so excitedly telling her their stories each vying for her attention.   T told her that one day she went up to her room and cried and sometimes goes up there so she could smell her. 

When we dropped her off it was a tear fest.  She said , "See? this is why I don't come home and don't want you to visit.  It is too hard to say good bye all over again"  She broke my heart. 

But yes, it was great seeing her.  I may see her again next Wednesday...I bribed her with shopping!  She isn't a princess but desperately needs some new shirts she says.  Yay!


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, that's so sweet!    I'm so glad you were able to see her and spend some time together!  :hug:


----------



## Farmwife

I'm glad you had a good vistit!:thumleft:



:rosette2:


----------



## poppets mum

What's a vistit Farmwife? it sounds a little risque to me.:rof::blush:


----------



## Tesscorm

^^ :rof: ^^


----------



## crohnsinct

LMAO!  and I have a good one!


----------



## Tesscorm

I'm afraid to ask what exactly it is that you have a 'good one'??


----------



## Farmwife

If one is afraid Tesscorm that's good sign to not ask.:wink:


I'm feeling better from the flu.
Three days and no body cleaned!:voodoo:
Good night to all. 
Think of me as I'm ironing to 1 am this morning.:kiss:


No call from the doc today.:voodoo:


----------



## Tesscorm

Just finished my ironing!  :lol:  Glad you're feeling better!


----------



## crohnsinct

So tomorrow is O's 13th birthday and she is leaving on a retreat with the youth group.  She requested unclean brownies.  For some reason my girls are convinced their dad makes better brownies than me.  For years we have used the same box.  They say he has a special ingredient.  Yeah, he doesn't cook them all the way so they are mushy!  Anyway, O is licking the leftover batter in the bowl.  Sure sweetheart...you go ahead and lick that raw egg batter with your suppressed immune system...I don't care what you all say I am NOT giving back my mother of the year award! And tell DCF to come tomorrow morning because I am drinking my wine right now!


----------



## crohnsinct

And where are you Dusty?  I hope your daughter is O.K.?!  Please come home we miss you.


----------



## Tesscorm

:birthday2:  Happy Birthday Olivia!!!!   Have a GREAT Day!!! :medal1:

Have lots of fun on your retreat!!!:rosette1:


----------



## Catherine

Happy Birthday O.


----------



## jmckinley

:thumright:Have a great day O!:thumleft:

:bdayparty:


----------



## upsetmom

Happy birthday O   :bdayparty:


----------



## DustyKat

Aha!!! This time I will get the right birthday! 

A Great Big Happy 13TH Birthday to O!!!!!!!







I hope she has a fab day and I'm sure she will!​
I'm here, I'm here! Can't you see me waving my hands! Sarah is fine hun.  I have been crazy busy during the weekdays, work and what not, and so have only had the weekends to play catch up! Looks like I have loads to do this weekend and I will update about Sarah too.  

Chasing her tail Dusty.


----------



## Farmwife

:birthday2:

I hope O has a GREAT day!!!!!

WOW:eek2: A kid at college and a 13 yr. old and your 70's fast  approaching...:hug: How you keep yourself from jumping from a bridge is beyond me.:confused2:



:rof::tongue::rof:


----------



## Tesscorm

Wow!  ...  is that ever nasty!   :lol:

Farmwife, you didn't know???  us City Girls and our wine...  alcohol makes for a very pleasant preservative!    It's all about clean eating! :thumright:


----------



## Farmwife

Your right Tesscorm. That was mean.

Oh dearest crohnsinct I'm sooooooooooo sorry about bringing up your age.:hug:


----------



## my little penguin

Happy birthday O!!!!
Farmwife - just don't know what to say.


----------



## Farmwife

:tear:

I said I'm sorry! What more can I do. Do you want me to bleed????


----------



## crohnsinct

hahaha Thanks Tess...I was thinking the same thing!  

Bleeding would be a start but a few dozen pastry shells express shipped would be a nice finish...I will save them for my dirty days.


----------



## Farmwife

Are you kidding me.:eek2:
 Do you know how much delivery charges would cost?:voodoo:
I'd rather bleed!:rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

I'll get Mary on that right away!


----------



## Farmwife

You leave Mary alone.:voodoo: She was so sweet till she meant YOU!:tongue:


----------



## Farmwife

OK Clash I saw a Y-tube clip of Honey Boo Boo.
A six year old beuty Queen. I hope you meant this one.

Here's clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9nbhzKaqvA

My opion is coming for what little it's worth in a little bit.


----------



## Farmwife

Ok, hopefully you saw the clip.

Clash I love America. I BLEED red white and blue.:us_flag:
BUT..................................
I would seriously consider telling your congress men to succeed from the union and kick those people to the surrounding country.:kissgrits:

I physically feel stupider for watching the clip.:yrolleyes:

They have wrongly deprived me of precious time that I could have put to better value like poking myself in the eye.:eek2:

Clash I know you said they walk around with a bodyguard now. Perhaps they do this to guard US from that child.:runaway::voodoo:


----------



## crohnsinct

LMAO!  And really Clash?  What is up with Georgia?  There is another new realty show...can't remember the name but after I stopped vomitting Friday night I came out to 4 princes from other countries coming to the US living in Atlnata as regular joe schmoes looking for the  love of their life.  

Is there a reason these shows take place in Georgia?  The state settled by debtors and the crminally insane?


----------



## crohnsinct

So one plus to eating dirty and getting sick...I am in bedwatching the emmy arrivals on E and later the show...guilty pleasure!


----------



## Clash

Didn't I tell you guys not to watch? I think it should have a warning label for risk of brain atrophy. The body guard thing like I said is a rumor I've heard mostly through locals on fb so I don't honestly know if that is the case. Such a sad commentary on what passes for American entertainment these days! Don't be looking at me for any explanation on why these shows have made their home here...I willingly admit I might be slightly unhinged but that show makes me cringe, run duck and cover possibly not in that order depends on whether I've had my Mommy Supplement!


----------



## kimmidwife

Happy Birthday O,
I can't believe I didn't see this until today that it was her birthday! Caitlyn's is tomorrow and mine is Friday.


----------



## Farmwife

Kimmidwife
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU BOTH!
I hope you both have some great days.

Clash you mean you don't have a Honey Boo Boo flag hanging in you yard to show your support?:ybiggrin:
We are in no way blaming you for Honey Boo Boo.:yfrown:
We're just dumb struck (I mean that literal) that a show like this can get peoples attention.:rosette1:


----------



## crohnsinct

Happy Birthday Caitlyn!  I hope you are feeling good enough to enjoy it! :birthday2:


----------



## DustyKat

Honey Boo Boo?! What the hell sort of name is that?! I though you were all talking about some revamp of Yogi Bear! 

Then the clip...I am rarely lost for words but that was jaw dropping...I am dumbstruck! :yfaint: 

And don't even think about sending that family here! Transportation of the socially undesirable stopped in the 1860's!!!

Dusty. :ybatty:


----------



## Clash

Happy Birthday to both of you!!!

Dusty, come on now you sure you dont want that societal trainwreck even for a visit!!!


----------



## crohnsinct

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  O texted her sister in college that daddy brought home Magnolia cupcakes tonight.  I am going to see "college" tomorrow to bring her electric blanket and some other supplies (yes it is electric blanket weather in ct already)...anyway, "college" texts and asks me to bring her a cupcake....There were only three...one for O, one for little sis and one for me...do I really give up my Magnolia red velvet for "college"?  Is there no end to a mother's devotion and sacrifice? 

Don't get all excited...it is just another hit andrun vistit...she has too much "work" to do....anyone want to take a stab at what "work" means?


----------



## Tesscorm

crohnsinct said:


> There were only three...one for O, one for little sis and one for me...do I really give up my Magnolia red velvet for "college"?  Is there no end to a mother's devotion and sacrifice?


:rof: :rof:  Poor you...   My heart breaks for you making, what surely is, the ultimate sacrfice - Magnolia's Red Velvet - for your precious baby!!! :ywow:  (Pass it along and just reminding yourself...  "it isn't clean, it isn't clean, it isn't clean!" :stinks

Hope you enjoy your drive-by visit!


----------



## Farmwife

Poor crohnsinct the your love and devotion bring my to tears.

Remember this saying,:nonono: a minute on the lips, lifetime on the hips.

I hope you have a good drive by visit.:thumleft:


----------



## Tesscorm

Farmwife said:


> Remember this saying,:nonono: a minute on the lips, lifetime on the hips.


:rof:  OMG, I need to tattoo this on the back of my hands!!!  So I see it EVERY time I reach for food!  :lol:


----------



## jmckinley

Or we could just go ahead and tattoo cupcakes on our bums!


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:


----------



## crohnsinct

A minute on the lips?!!!  You have obviously never seen me inhale these cupcakes!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

^^ :rof: ^^  You're too funny!!!


----------



## my little penguin

:ylol::ylol::ylol::ylol::ylol::ylol:


----------



## Clash

So ummm...C turned 16 today. We went and he took his road test and got his licence. I just watched him pull out of the drive way on his own and head to school. I had the strongest desire to run, screaming after him down the road, drag him back home and pull out his boyhood toys from long ago, lincoln logs, tonka toys and demand he play, with spongebob racket going on in the background while I fixed him a snack! :ylol:
When your oldest child goes through the milestones of growing up you are anxious and excited for all that the future holds, it is exhilarating to see them take each step, try out their wings of independence and grow into their future. You feel all those same emotions with your youngest but with an added touch of sadness that your baby is no longer. I'm so proud of the young man, C is becoming. He has had such battles to overcome this year with his diagnosis but he faces each battle with a fearlessness that lets me know he will be in control of his own life and health long before I am able to let go.


----------



## Tesscorm

Awww...  It is so hard to see them grow up!  I sometimes find myself already looking forward to doing the things I now miss with my children with my grandchildren :ybatty:  So, I know exactly what you mean...  I so miss those moments, when the two of them would be playingillowfight:, after their baths, in their pjs, with Spongebob or Barney in the background.  They were so cute and cuddly back then! :lol:  

My two are only 13 months apart, so it was great growing up in that they were at similar stages, liked similar things, etc. and are very close now.  But, often I feel I've barely had time to catch my breath after Emily's crossed one of those milestones before Stephen's crossing the same one! 

C sounds like such a great kid!  You must be so proud of him, especially, as you said, facing his battles and coming through stronger than ever!  You've done a great job! :medal1:

And, most importantly,  :birthday2: to C!!!  Have a great weekend!  And congrats on the license!!!


----------



## Clash

Thanks for the birthday wishes. Tesscorm, mine are almost 4 years apart and J declared herself C's 2nd Mom long ago and much to C's dismay. If I had a dime for everytime I heard "You're not my Mom you can't tell me what to do!" well, let's just say I'd never have another financial concern!!

They have become closer as they have gotten older especially in the last year since C got his dx. J is alot more patient with him and feels very protective of him.

With all that these kids go through I thought watching him drive on his own would be a piece of cake...ehhh not so much!

I know it all happens in the blink of an eye, Barney to college before you can take a breath! I have often said I wish they were closer in age but I've never looked at it as you described!! All of our kids are such troopers, they have shown strength beyond measure, we should all be proud!!


----------



## Farmwife

:dance::dance:HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO C !:dance::dance:


----------



## my little penguin

Happy birthday !!!!
Enjoy his day!!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

Totally off topic from C's birthday...  but, had to pass these along...

Q: WHAT IS AN AUSTRALIAN KISS?
A:It's the same as a French kiss, but 'down under.'

Q: WHAT DO YOU DO WITH 365 USED CONDOMS?
A:Melt them down, make a tire, and call it a Goodyear.

Q: WHY WERE HURRICANES NORMALLY NAMED AFTER WOMEN?
A:Because when they come, they're wild and wet, and when they go, they take your house and car with them.

Q: WHY DO GIRLS RUB THEIR EYES WHEN THEY GET UP IN THE MORNING?
A:Because they don't have any balls to scratch...

Q: What is a man's Ultimate embarrassment?
A:Running into a wall with an erection and breaking his nose.


----------



## upsetmom

HAPPY BIRTHDAY C    :bdayparty:


----------



## crohnsinct

NO WAY!  I miss one day on the forum and C has a birthday and is driving!!!

Happy Belaed Birthday C!!!! Ugh!  Can't get smileys to work on this darn laptop...at swim practice.  Tell him I owe him a smiley!


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh and haha lesson to be learned girls...I had O 5 years after G and then T four years after O...my kids span 9 years...by the time T leaves me G will be back living with me...or O...I will never have an empty nest!!!!!


----------



## Clash

haha funny you should say that crohnsinct, as independent as his licence have made him C has always said he wasn't ever leaving home

When he was younger I thought this was so cute, now I'm a little worried:shifty-t:


----------



## crohnsinct

Holy Hormones Batman!!!!  

O has been a complete wreck for the past two days...crying and fitting over the stupidest things...I am sure it is puberty rearing it's ugly head...think I just found another hidden blessing of the crohnsing days...DELYED PUBERTY!


----------



## Clash

Ahhh I remember those days with J, during travel ball season no less. Up at bat, strikes out is inconsolable, next at bet hits a double, angry it wasn't more. We lose a game she is upset we may not get to play out the tournament, win the next one she is mad we are going to be at the ball field all day!:hallo3: Ummm...who is this harmone monster and where did my little girl go!!!

Hope she's even keel soon!!:thumleft:


----------



## DustyKat

Holy haberdashery Clash!!!...

Happy 16th Birthday C!!!







And mega congrats on getting your licence!​
Dusty.


----------



## Clash

I'll have to show your posts to C about his birthday, I told him yesterday we were all meeting in Chicago and he said well that's a little creepy a bunch of parents sitting around talking about their kids' poo!! :blush:

Thanks so much for all the birthday wishes!


----------



## jmckinley

crohnsinct, thought you might need a laugh today. Thought of you when I saw this!


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof: :rof:  Very funny!


----------



## Farmwife

Are you kidding me!!!!!!!!???????
:rof::rof::rof:

When I picture crohnsinct, that's how she looks. :eek2:



Where is crohnsinct????
Could it be she has a life outside of this forum????:confused2:


----------



## izzi'smom

LMAO...I posted that one the other day...still makes me smile. 
Wine is cheaper than therapy...don't judge 
(I'm with crohnsinct on this one)
And she's been away 5 hours...give a girl a break-she's sleeping off her last bender!


----------



## jmckinley

:eek2:   A life without us? No way!   :eek2:   She's just keeping us in suspense!

Hey, I'm up for a glass of wine anytime. Couldn't watch an Alabama football game without one! In fact, I could really use one right now! Just finished watching about 10 high school bands perform and trying to keep the audience quiet. I've gotten lots of ugly looks tonight. I started out trying to nicely explain about being quiet and ended up  :kissgrits:


----------



## Sascot

:ylol::ylol:  Very good quote!  Was just thinking last night that it's probably a good thing I don't really drink at the moment (too many calories when trying to lose 3 stone)!  The way things are going at the moment, I would be soaking up the wine.


----------



## Tesscorm

My daughter was in a soccer tournament a couple of years ago, our field was directly behind a high school's football field and we were at that field ALL day...  the high school band was practicing   We (loudly) heard the same songs over and over and over and over...!!! :ybatty:  I soooo could've used some wine that day! :lol:


----------



## jmckinley

At least it was different bands, not much song repetition. It was the "chaperoning" that wasn't so much fun. :ymad: People can be so rude. And after 5 hours on my feet, I was ready to teach them some manners! Our band, being the host, played last. So the natives were restless during our performance 

Tess, you should come listen to practice at my house! When you hear only one instrument, you only get parts of the songs. I love the saxophone, but can be reminiscent of having an elephant trapped in the house!


----------



## DustyKat

Hope you don't mind jm but I edited your pic post. 

Dusty.


----------



## xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx

I've never been in this thread before, thought it might be a good place to post: I'm bored! I've applied for 5 jobs this week (good for me as there isn't much around). Looks like I'm about to be the last one out of my uni friends to get a graduate job. SO fed up!!!


----------



## Farmwife

xX_LittleMisssValentin_Xx  eek:That's a long name...How did ya choose that one??)

I feel for ya.
My lttle sis has a degree that only one other in our university has. Lots of hard work to finished. She now sits at a desk and rents out apartment.:yfaint: However she's just happy to have a job that pays good and we're all happy to have her and her little girl live by us.:thumleft:

I hope you have fun looking around this thread. 
Just remember most of us parents were sleep deprived, stressed out and yes some of them were drinking and typing.:sign0085:


----------



## Clash

xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx I feel your pain, my daughter is in college now and feels so uncertain about her major. The things she is passionate about don't hold many prospects for jobs and she has already switched majors in an effort to be in a more employable field when she graduates, but she isn't happy. It is just such a sad economy for young people trying to get their foothold in a career! I hope something works out for you real soon!!


----------



## DustyKat

Well hello LMV! 

I have been wondering how you have been getting on since graduating. :hug: I hope you find something soon hun. I will have everything crossed and will send loads and loads and loads of luck your way!...:goodluck: 

:hang: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## DustyKat

OMG! LMFAO!!!

Sitting listening to the radio and on comes an old Tony Orlando and Dawn song. Can you guess which one???...

Candida!!! :rof: 

Perhaps this should be the first in a repertoire of IBD songs! 

Dusty...


----------



## crohnsinct

I'mmmmmm Baaaaacccckkk!  (read with Jack Nicholson voice from the Shining) 

Sorry about the break...life got in the way and actually only on for a few minutes tonight.  Maybe over the wekend I will get caught up. 

JMK: love the pic but really girls when I drink my pole keeps me steady on the dance floor!!!  

And btw I AM working on that Chicago trip!


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof: :rof:  Glad you're back!  :lol: :lol:


----------



## poppets mum

Mmmm wiiinnne, you sound like my kind of people.


----------



## jmckinley

:rof::rof::rof:

crohnsinct, Glad you're back, if only for a few minutes! I am glad that things are going well and you can be living fully! 

I could use a glass myself after the day I have had. Thought I'd share with you ladies just in case anyone else had a crazy day! This is the story I posted on Facebook: (Sorry for the length, but it's a funny story!)

By now, most of my Facebook friends have seen my post about the cat. What a day! So for my Honest October (see my other posts), I want to share with you what I will call the Treed Cat Caper! 

Yesterday, I heard a cat meowing all day, but could not find it. My neighbor Kathy came over and said that her cat had been missing for a few days and was up a tree in Gena's yard. We tried talking it down, 
then Gena tried talking it down, then all of the kids tried talking it down. No luck! So we went to bed hoping it would find it's way down over night. 

First thing this morning I received a text from Gena. The cat was still meowing in the tree. So off to school with Ryan who said he would not get anything done today for worrying about that cat in that tree! I reassured him it was coming down...now why did I do that? Because I'm a Mom obsessed with worrying about a flare! Set myself up, huh? Gena went for a run and I tried to do some work. We agreed to meet out there after her run. I met up with neighbor David and we stood there trying to think of a way to get it down. No ideas, so back in the house to work. While Gena was running, I decided to do some internet sleuthing on getting a cat down and posted on Facebook for ideas.

We might have been inclined to leave it alone to come down on its own except for the circling hawks. We were flapping our arms to shoo them away as they circled the tree. They could hear the cat and smell the tuna. We were not about to have a wildlife program about predator and prey going on in Gena's front yard. So let's just see....hmmm, food at the base of the tree....Gena and I put a can of tuna in a bowl. I threw a rope over a limb and we hoisted the food up into the tree. It got stuck on a small limb. Picture this....Gena got a ladder and went up to move the small limb keeping the bowl from moving. I am under her holding the ladder and she tilts the bowl. Bam! Now we are both covered in tuna standing under a tree talking to a cat and giving it climbing instructions! I HATE tuna! Now I have to say that the cat did come down about 10 feet for all the effort.

During all of this, my neighbor Kathy (who actually owns the cat) is calling tree services to get the cat down. Finally, she calls that Lee Montz is on his way to get the cat down (THANK YOU BARBARA)! So I go in to grab some lunch and one bite into my sandwich, he shows up. I don gloves and a pet carrier and we head across the street. 4 people on the ground directing and Lee in a bucket, the chase is on! The cat, not being a people person, dodges every effort to be rescued. Lee is probably sea-sick from moving around in that bucket, but he continues his pursuit. Up, down, all around...until finally the cat, who we have discovered can climb both UP AND DOWN just fine, jumps from the tree and runs like H*%@ for home.

So the cat is down, the tree guy's gone fishing and I am sitting here, smelling like tuna, telling you about the Treed Cat Caper! What a crazy day!


----------



## xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx

Thanks for the support guys! Its hard, just have to find a way to keep going and stay positive! To be honest I'm fairly happy staying in all day and working on my hobbies (knitting, crochet and music). If it wasn't for the worry of my bank balance and in the back of my mind knowing I want to use my degree. 
Farmwife - I think I chose that name at about 17/18 and I had been on other forums with so many members that they all used to put characters around their names (these forums were mostly populated by teenage girls!). I thought that looked pretty! But yeah it is long, for the purpose of tagging I have LMV set as my nickname thing!!

And I love the story about the cat - glad he is ok, I love cats!


----------



## Clash

:rof::rof::rof: Oh my the "The Treed Cat Caper" has me in stitches!!! You should turn that into a childrens book!!! Ahhh...I have tears rolling from the laughter! :rof::rof::rof:


----------



## Farmwife

:lol2::lol2::lol2:


----------



## Farmwife

DustyKat said:


> Candida!!! :rof:
> 
> Perhaps this should be the first in a repertoire of IBD songs!
> 
> Dusty...


Dusty

You can have Candida and NOT IBD ya know.:shifty-t:
(Leave me in my bubble:ymad

Oh so many song come to made.
How about that drinking song from a couple decades ago- Burning all the way down.:cool2:

I heard one on a commercial- I never wanted to be here.:sign0085:


----------



## DustyKat

Well hush my puppies and prune my magnolia's! Aren't I the muddled headed wombat! I never knew that Farmwife...:wink: 

Dusty. :lol:


----------



## crohnsinct

Hi guys, 

I know I _said_ I was back but this personal trauma I am dealing with is taking a bit more of my attention and time than I had anticipated.  I so desperately just want to spend a day in bed with my laptop getting caught up with you all but right now I am needed elsewhere. 

I hope everyone is doing well and want you all to know that you are in my prayers and thoughts everyday even if I am not on here giving you a hard time and sharing my virtual drinks.  

Hugs to you all until I can get back on!


----------



## Tesscorm

Hey, you just take care of what you need to (hope it's nothing too serious!)! :ghug:  We're certainly not going anywhere and will be saving the 'cheers' :cheerss: until your return!


----------



## Clash

Yeah what's a virtual glass of wine without you, crohnsinct, we'll just remain sober and responsible until you return!! :ylol2: Bahahaha...did I say that with a straight face?


----------



## Sascot

Oh dear, Crohnsinct - hope everything is ok so you can get back to us!


----------



## Farmwife

I'll be praying for you to have strength through this trying time.:kiss:


Don't worry about getting away for awhile. I'll do my best to destroy :voodoo:your influence on this forum and slowly fill in your gap.
 Evil master plan at work.:dance:


----------



## DustyKat

Oh my goodness crohnsinct...:hug:...I hope everything is okay and you are soon able to overcome the trauma you are facing. 

Thinking of you and sending healing thoughts your way...:Karl:

Dusty. xxx


----------



## DustyKat

Further to the mention of the beloved jelly babies in another thread...







Who loves the delectable chocolate flavoured chicos!...







Nom, nom, nom...:lol:


----------



## Tesscorm

I've never seen chocolates ones here! :ymad:


----------



## Sascot

On a random note - I was woken up last night (or morning) at 4.15am by the doorbell.  Thinking it was a drunk person got the wrong house or something, I carefully peeked out the window.  Imagine my shock when I saw a police car sitting outside (no they hadn't come for me ).  Popped downstairs half asleep and spoke to the policemen. Apparently they were looking for the son of the woman who sold us the house.  I wonder what he has done! :eek2:


----------



## Farmwife

DustyKat, I'll keep my beloved jelly beans and gummy worms. :ymad:I LOVE the sour ones.:thumleft: Yummy. But I will take the choc chicos.:thumleft:

Sascot I'm sooooo glad every thing was OK. I remember a story of a cop going to a house to tell the lady her son was killed in a car accident. The neighbor lady rushes over as the cop is talking to lady, to comfort her best friend. This lady's son pulls up alive and well. The cop calls dispatch and relieves he got the wrong house. The the cop looks at the neighbor lady and say sorry maim I have some bad news. CAN YOU IMAGEN!!!


----------



## crohnsinct

OMG!  That story is awful Farmwife!  

I don't know what I would think if a police car pulled up at 4 in the morning...yikes!  But I will tell y'all I also got woken up at around 3 or 4 by some horrid banging noise.  I woke up looked out the back window and one of my neighbors was turning on all their outside lights.  Then the brave thing was walking around.  Now that I knew it wasn't a drunken stupor I thought it was safe to wake hubby and make him go downstairs and turn on our outside lights...still don't know what the noise was about.


----------



## poppets mum

Serious thought for the day!!!!    
If you crossed a bull dog with a shizu what would it be called?:ylol:


----------



## Tesscorm

Sascot...  Wow, you've got me curious now!!!  They wouldn't tell you what happened?

Farmwife...  OMG, that is terrible!!!  I can't believe police would make that mistake...  I'm not sure I'd ever get over a mistake of being told news like that, and the poor neighbour!

I had a case of mistaken 'identity' once...  I was in my early 20s and dating a guy called John Doe (he had a fairly common Portuguese surname and my maiden name was very common, the Portuguese equivalent to 'Smith').  One afternoon, while I was out, two very upset Portuguese women came to our house, a mother and daughter, asking to speak with me.  As I was out, my mom asked them to come in and wait.  While they were all waiting for me, the two women began crying and begging my mom to help them with their problem.  They asked if I was dating John Doe, my mom said yes.  They then explained that John Doe was the daughter's husband and that they had two young children.  The daughter talked about her heartbreak, that she didn't want him to leave her and the children, etc., etc.  I show up, clueless to what's going on, and find my mother and these two women bawling, and all three of them looking at me like I'm less than scum!  :lol:  My mother's saying that there's no way I could've have known and her eyes are pleading with me to say that this is, in fact, true! :ywow:...  It took a while before the three of them could actually explain what they were talking about; apparently, the husband and mistress had the same names as my boyfriend and I!    I don't they they were convinced until I showed them a picture of my John Doe.  Naturally, they were very apologetic! :yfaint:


----------



## crohnsinct

O.K. yeah sure Tess..if that is the story you want us to stick to I will oblige!  That bubble has been around longer than we thought!


----------



## Farmwife

Oh, Tess you poor mom. :smile:Wait hold on, why didn't your mom try to defend you?:yfaint: Interesting.:ymad:


----------



## Farmwife

poppets mum said:


> Serious thought for the day!!!!
> If you crossed a bull dog with a shizu what would it be called?:ylol:


US congress


----------



## Tesscorm

Yes, my poor mom!   She thought that I had been lied to by my boyfriend (although, I did sense a slight quiver of desperation as if she thought I 'may' have been capable of doing that! :lol  But, OMG, amazing what problems mistaken identities can cause!  :yfaint:

I have another funny/sad 'marriage' story...  I live in my happy bubble but, all around, seems like bombs are going off!  :lol:

When I was about 16 or 17, a friend worked at a gas station.  She was away for a weekend and asked me to fill in for her.  Saturday morning, this good looking blonde guy in a purple corvette (not an easily forgotten guy! ) and pays for his gas on his Visa card.  After he drove away, I realized I had run it through on a MasterCard slip.  I panicked thinking that my friend would get in trouble because the station wouldn't be able to collect the payment, etc. so I looked his name up in the phone book.

His wife answered the phone and I explained what happened...  She was very nice and said not to worry, she would send him back so I could rerun the card.  She then asked when he'd been by and where the station was.  When I told her, she asked me to describe him ...  apparently, he was supposed to be away on business for the weekend and NOT in the city!   Not sure if he ever came back to rerun the charge!  

NEVER lie, you will be caught! :ybatty:


----------



## DustyKat

Just how many marriages have you broken up Tess?!?! 

Dusty. :ylol:


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  to this day I feel bad abt the blonde guy and his wife!  Especially as my friend later told me it any of the slips cud be used for any card so there hadn't even been a need for me to call!


----------



## jmckinley

Tess, Don't feel bad! You may have saved that woman from years of deception!:thumleft:

Poppet's Mom, you must have been watching Dumb and Dumber last night too!!!:roflanim:


While we're telling cop stories....last year I had a police officer show at my door looking for me. Apparently I had written a check for $1.39 in college that bounced....(many, many, many years ago) and he was there to let me know!:emot-cop: Really? Isn't gas like $3.60/gallon? What in the world? Boy, was that convenience store behind on it's billing!


----------



## crohnsinct

JMK Really?:rof::rof::rof:

Not much real crime in your area that the police have time to hunt that ridiculous claim down...oh yeah forgot you live in the bucolic country,


----------



## Tesscorm

^^^ ditto to Crohnsinct's comments ^^^

I can't believe they 'came after you' for that!  Are you sure you haven't been profiled on America's Most Wanted!  :lol:


----------



## Farmwife

jmckinley said:


> While we're telling cop stories....last year I had a police officer show at my door looking for me. Apparently I had written a check for $1.39 in college that bounced....(many, many, many years ago) and he was there to let me know!:emot-cop: Really? Isn't gas like $3.60/gallon? What in the world? Boy, was that convenience store behind on it's billing!



I think he just wanted your number!:tongue:


----------



## jmckinley

Crohnsinct, Yes we are in the country. Yee Haw! :kissgrits: But you know it's a college town and we do have a some crime (drunk and disorderly, hit and run, public nudity LOL...). 

We did have a man take an automatic rifle into a bar and shoot 10 people about 2 months ago. Shocking in a country town. Everybody blames it on those crazy college kids! 

So the cop could have found something better to do with his time, but what he did was nice actually. He saved me the embarrassment of being arrested over a buck! :eek2:  :eek2:  He said that if I had been pulled over, they would have arrested me. He even tried to pay it for me, but they wouldn't let him! It's the police station/court system that was being ridiculous.


----------



## Farmwife

jmckinley said:


> He even tried to pay it for me, but they wouldn't let him! .


I still say he wanted your number!:rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

jmckinley said:


> Crohnsinct, we do have a some crime (drunk and disorderly, hit and run, public nudity LOL...).
> 
> .


Well dang!  I gotta move to bama! Hey I think I picked my tattoo...a crow!  An offering to the Crohn's Gods.


----------



## Twiggy930

crohnsinct said:


> Hey I think I picked my tattoo...a crow!  An offering to the Crohn's Gods.


Oooooooo!  I like it!!!


----------



## jmckinley

Crohnsinct, Just come on down! We can go out and make SURE that we drink that bubble right back into place for good!  :beerchug: You know I've got this friend...he's a :emot-cop: cop...he can get us out of trouble!   :emot-dance::emot-dance:


----------



## Sascot

:rof:  As always - this thread cheers me right up!
Well everyone, I am off to Amsterdam for a short break (will be back on Friday, so no one panic)
I am going to have a little adventure and hopefully both the kids can have some fun and not think about being not well!!
Of course I just looked up the weather and it's raining there as well :ybatty:


----------



## crohnsinct

Aw Sascot!  have a great time.  I hope the kids are relatively well and can have some good fun times with their mamma!  Can't promise things won'y disintegrate rapidly around here and I am not talking about our kiddo's health either.


----------



## jmckinley

::cheers: Yay for a break! Have a great time Sascot! At least the rain will give you an excuse to make the kiddos rest a little and maybe you can get some too!


We will try to keep the forum  under control (Crohnsinct :ycool! I said TRY... OK, so maybe we'll just try to keep it to a minimum :headbang:  :headbang:


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh, lucky you, Sascot!  _"Just heading off to Amsterdam for a few days!"_  That sounds like so much fun!   ENJOY, ENJOY, ENJOY!!


----------



## Tesscorm

Totally off topic anything we've discussed here...  

Question for anyone???  maybe Dusty or Kimmidwife???  My doctor just called and said that I've got to take care of my fibroids 'now'- apparently, just dealing with the symptoms isn't going to cut it anymore :ymad:  She said my hgb and ferritin can't stay at this level (hgb 83, ferritin 5).  She thinks ablation (a minor surgery that she'd briefly mentioned last year) would resolve the problem and wants me to follow up with my gynecologist.  Do you have any knowledge/experience with ablation?  Is there much of a recovery?  Would you have any concerns about doing it before our vacation (over New Years) or should I hold off until January?


----------



## Farmwife

I'm NOT Dusty or Kimmidwife but I has it done a year and a half ago.
The whole surgery lasted an hour. Recovery time was quick. One to two days IF that.
You just make sure to rest when you need to and take your pain meds to help.
However I still started 2 weeks later. Some women go years without out a period.
Many are drastically better. My next step is a hysterectomy but my OBGYN said I was a bit young for that so let's do this one first. Glad I did!!!! My life was given back to me during that time of the month.


----------



## Tesscorm

Farmwife said:


> My life was given back to me during that time of the month.


OMG, you understand!  :worthy:  It's been brutal at times! :lol:

Okay, so, if I can get it scheduled for November, shouldn't be a concern at all by Christmas! 

But, really, you got your period back after two weeks! Ugghh :ymad:  Is it, at least, much lighter?


----------



## Catherine

Can't comment on the op.  

But hemoglobin and ferritin are way to low, there at the levels where iron influsion are considered.  Those levels would most likely giving you symptoms.


----------



## Farmwife

Yes it is lighter and little to no pain. But I had to make the hard decision not to have more kids. I wanted a big family (4-8 kids). But the OBGYN said caring kids with these problems would be risky and we already lost twins when I was 6mo. pregnant. I didn't want to go through that again. So I a mommy to two beautiful kids and an involved aunt to 5 kids and have two in heaven.


----------



## Tesscorm

:ghug: :ghug:  Oh my gosh, Farmwife, I'm so sorry you had to make such a heartbreaking decision.   And am so sorry about your twins!   :ghug:


Catharine - yes, literally, since the nurse called with some 'urgency', I've been feeling very light headed! :ybatty:  :lol:  

But, seriously, in hindsight, I can see symptoms I hadn't associated with anaemia (dumb as I should certainly know the symptoms!).  My muscles seem weak/fatigued and I'm short of breath with just a bit of exertion but I just thought I was out of shape and had to get to the gym more often.  Two weeks ago, I went on a hike and was barely able to make it up a 'moderate' hill.  That actually freaked me out a bit as I'd never felt like that! Could barely catch my breath and my heart was racing but, again, thought it was due to a combination of  the tail end of fall allergies, that I was in even 'worst' shape than I'd thought and that I was still getting over a chest cold.  But, really, it did seem to just feel 'wrong'.


----------



## crohnsinct

Yuck!  Sorry to hear about the surgery Tess and that you have been suffering for so long.  It never ceases to amaze me how a mother can put off her own health and endure such discomfort so she can take care of her kids. No experience her but good luck! 

Farmwife:ghug::ghug:


----------



## Tesscorm

You're so right, crohnsinct!  

Funny... Friday evening, I was with my friend whose daughter also has crohns, she was telling me about her own health issues and I was saying 'are you nuts, get yourself to a doctor!  :lol:

Our kids always come first! Even when it comes to cupcakes, eh!


----------



## Catherine

Won't comment on the op itself.

But if the op fixes the anemia which it should, you should be feeling much better of Christmas.


----------



## Farmwife

Let's face it:shifty: the last thing we want is to be sitting in a doc office for US!
I pushed back my surgery twice and also pushed back the follow up apt. with the surgeon.:ywow:
Yes, I'm bad. I'll try to do better, next year.:ytongue:


----------



## crohnsinct

Seriously people!  In my hour of need and two days and not one funny discussion?! :yfrown: Where the heck is Angie?  Tell her to quick post about Izzi and maybe you will all find some sort of nonsense to go on about.


----------



## Farmwife

Perhaps we were honoring you and not posting on her because you were no where around.


----------



## Tesscorm

Nothing humorous when you're not about!


----------



## Sascot

Tess - my mom has known quite a few people who had the ablation and never had anyone with any issues with it.  I believe the recovery is reasonably quick as these things go.  Make sure you rest properly for a couple days!!
Farmwife - sorry to hear about your twins.  It certainly seems the two beautiful kids you do have are super special to keep your heart happy!
Well guys, I am back from Amsterdam - it is a great city and thoroughly enjoyed the trip.  The only drawback was Amy!  I am becoming quite upset about her level of pain as well as the general reluctance of any medical staff to help her in any way :yfrown:.  She woke up at 5am in the hotel in agony in her bottom - crying and actually asking for Calpol (which she hates). Seemed bad enough that I considered phoning a doc there.  However she eased off after an hour and managed to get back to sleep.  I feel so sorry for her.
On a lighter note - it was quite amusing seeing her face as we wandered the shops in Amsterdam (no where near the red light district of course :shifty-t
all the t-shirts, slippers, mugs, etc with Canabis leaves decorating them, and of course the slightly rude magnets, mugs etc.  We walked past a Sex Museum - "sex throughout the ages" :ylol:  - all she said was "Eeeeuw!"


----------



## Farmwife

Good girl Amy!!!! Give that girl a present.

Grace on the home was arguing with her brother:yfaint: because he wanted her new stuffed animal she got from the PA doing the x-ray, she told my son NO, YOU CAN"T HAVE IT!!! I HAD SOMETHING STUFFED UP MY BUM-BUM!:lol2:


----------



## Tesscorm

I was just thinking today that I so miss the cute and funny things kids say when they're young! 

I'll never forget driving Emily and Stephen home from school one day, they were about 10 years old.  The two of them are in the back seat and, out of nowhere, Emily asks if I've ever had sex. :blush:  So, I jokingly say, ' well, at least two times'.  Then she asks 'do you have to be naked?'  Still keeping it light (and not knowing where this is all coming from or going???), I tell her 'you don't HAVE to be but it makes things easier '.  She starts going on and on 'OMG, mom, you're so nasty, I can't believe you said that!!!  Ewww, that's gross. OMG, that was so nasty mom', etc., etc.  All of sudden Stephen, the _younger _one, pipes up and says 'oh be quiet, you're going to do it and you're going to like it like everyone else!'  :lol:  Emily,  eyes now wide open, asks 'wow, you've done it already?'    He says 'nooooo, but I just know'.  :rof:  That was the end of that conversation!


----------



## crohnsinct

OMGosh!  Now you got me laughing...doesn't take much to get you girls on sex now does it!  

Reminds me the other night my younger one wanted to hang in bed with hubby and I.  She does that a lot and I just had it and said no she asked why and I said, "maybe daddy and I want some alone time"  she ran screaming from the room...is that all it would have taken all these years? 

Farmwife: write that one down that is totally adorable!  Reminds me of I think poppets Amy after an internal exam, "he did THAT to me and all I got was a sticker"  That one is a classic!  

Sascot, welcome back.  Sorry about Amy's pain but how funny about her reaction.  Hey maybe we need to relocate the Poo Crew get together to Amsterdam?  Maybe not...way to dangerous!


----------



## crohnsinct

Tess: pretty sure I read once that your recovery will require no house cleaning or cooking for at least six weeks...just sayin'! But yes!  Lots and lots o' wine!  Antioxidants and all...wanna keep infection at bay!


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof:  Awww, you're going to miss her when she stops asking to hang out in bed with you!


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, YES!  I like your 'recovery'!!!  And, just to be safe...  I should probably head down to Chicago to get some good fresh air during my recuperation period!  I would probably need some of my friends there to make sure I don't have a xxx  (OMG, blonde moment... what do you call it when someone gets sick while recovering?!?!?  setback??  :lol:  Another reason I need my friends with me! )


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> OMG, YES!  I like your 'recovery'!!!  And, just to be safe...  I should probably head down to Chicago to get some good fresh air during my recuperation period!)



Tesscorm,

No one go to the city for good fresh air.:lol2:

Do you know when your having this yet?


----------



## Tesscorm

Farmwife said:


> No one go to the city for good fresh air.:lol2:


Well, I was going suggest YOUR place but, if I'm bringing all my friends here, thought we might ruin your reputation at home!  There'd be a whole new show called Bunnies' Poo Poo, starring Farmwife! 


The ob-gyn hasn't called me back yet.  They've always returned calls BUT it usually takes a couple of days (between work and Stephen's GI apptmt, I didn't call them till Thursday).  Am planning to call back on Monday.  If, because of timing, etc., it seems that doing it before the cruise isn't a good idea, the other option they'd given me was a progesterone IUD.  I'm not crazy about that because of the hormones and the fact that my mom had uterine cancer years ago but, as a temporary measure, I think it would be fine (and then do the ablation in January).


----------



## Farmwife

No that's not the name!!!! :ywow:
It will have to be Moo-Moo's Poo-Poo. 
:heart:We're a dairy farm after all.:heart:


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof:  So...  I take it we're on???


----------



## Farmwife

RULES
No swearing
No drinking
No smoking
Y'all will have to bow when I walk into the room.

If y'all can follow those simple things, we're on!!!

Or y'all can go to Chicago and send me updates on how it's going.
 Did I mentioned the GI might send Grace for a test in Chicago?:shifty:


----------



## jmckinley

Read this on Facebook and wanted to share it with you ladies....



Like tempered steel or glass, certain additives have been placed within you to increase your ability to stand up to the pressures life will throw at you. The fact that you’ve been exposed to this level of testing is a sign that God has given you the grace to handle it. He’s not going to let you escape this trial because He’s equipped you to deal with it. So stop feeling sorry for yourself, or giving up, or saying you can’t take it anymore. Not everybody in a gym can handle the same level of weight because each is at a different stage of development. But the trainer knows. He will push you to your limit, but he will never add one weight more than you can carry. God is a good trainer and He’s working according to a plan. He not only knows the right technique, He knows how much weight needs to be added in order to get you to the next stage of development. He will let you strain, shake, and sweat, but He won’t let you break.

Have a beautiful day!


----------



## Sascot

That is a really lovely quote!
Farmwife - I am saving for my trip to Chicago, but can't bow to you I'm afraid - I have a bad back


----------



## imaboveitall

Hi girls, didn't realize until now that this thread was where the party was :emot-dance: :headbang: illowfight: :beerchug:

Tess, I accompanied a girlfriend to her uterine ablation, it was no biggie, she said the sedation aftereffect was the worst part. Very little pain and she was at work the next day.

Violet's at King's Dominion (amusement park) today with the Key Club, I am so happy about that. 


Ok carry on :heart:


----------



## my little penguin

Cool kings dominion is a lot of fun.
Farmwife I am picturing dancing cows between their cow patties( poo poo)
What test in Chicago ?
I am ok with farm party 2012
Not heading to Chicago anytime soon.
Just no moon shine tesscorm could take the whole jug ...
Then we would be in a heap of trouble .


----------



## crohnsinct

Farmwife said:


> RULES
> No swearing
> No drinking
> No smoking
> Y'all will have to bow when I walk into the room.


In other words NO FUN!  Meet you in Chicago then!  Hey look you will kill two birds with one stone...attend the Poo Crew Weekend AND get all our opinions when GI tells you the findings...don't worry we will set hime straight...as long as we can walk straght. 

Holy Cow!  I got progressive lenses today (zip it Farmwife...remember you have to respect your elders) and I feel permanently drunk.  These things positively bite!  They told me to give it three days,,,wonder if I start drinking if I will see better...probably worth a try...ya know in the scientific experimentation interest of things.


----------



## Farmwife

my little penguin said:


> Cool kings dominion is a lot of fun.
> Farmwife I am picturing dancing cows between their cow patties( poo poo)
> _*What test in Chicago ?*_
> I am OK with farm party 2012
> Not heading to Chicago anytime soon.
> Just no moon shine Tesscorm could take the whole jug ...
> Then we would be in a heap of trouble .


MLP, 

The GI mentioned having Grace do a measurement of rectal pressure and motility.
He said only a few places have the know how to do these things. Chicago was one and Cleveland OH. was another place doing these.
Has anyone heard of this???:sign0085:
Sorry once he (GI) mentioned Chicago was brought up, my hubby and I went into shock and didn't get the full reason why.:shifty-t:


I agree NO MOONSHINE FOR TESSCORM OR ANY OF THEM.
But most of all NO FARMWIFE IN CHICAGO!!!


----------



## my little penguin

http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/c/colonic-mano/

I would recommend Cincinnati children's if my child had to have Manometry.
That can be quite painful.
 I really would ask what they intend to confirm with the test.
What are they fishing for ?
And get a second opinion Gi first ( including a scope)
They will do a records review there (cchmc) even without seeing her.

Cchmc has one of the top Gi programs as well as a top colorectal program if they are looking at  motility disorders .
Pm me if you want any specific names etc...


----------



## my little penguin

http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1040/mainpageS1040P3.html

Other place would be Boston children's - they are number one in the country.


> Tests
> How is Hirschsprung's disease diagnosed?
> Your child’s physician will do an exam and then some or all of the following tests:
> Abdominal x-ray — This can show a lack of stool in your child’s large intestine or near the anus as well swollen segments of the large and small intestine.
> Barium enema — A procedure performed to examine the large intestine for abnormalities. A fluid called barium (a metallic, chemical, chalky, liquid used to coat the inside of organs so that they will show up on an x-ray) is given into the rectum as an enema.
> This results in a clearer x-ray and gives your child’s doctor a better picture of what’s going on.
> Anorectal manometry — A test that measures nerve reflexes. Since it’s the nerves that are affected in Hirschsprung's disease, this test will alert your child’s doctor to the possible presence of the disease.
> Biopsy of the rectum or large intestine — Your child’s doctor takes a sample of the cells in your child’s rectum or large intestine and looks at them under a microscope.


Hope that helps
Hugs


----------



## Farmwife

Oh MLP you did IT!!!:rosette2:

When she had the test on Friday right away the PA said it Doesn't"T look like  Hirschsprung's disease. I bet that was what he was fishing for. I haven't posted on my thread but the PA said her colon looks fine enough? No tumors. YA. 
Of course I feel the the problem is upper GI. I just wish she would clear out all the barium. Nothing but liquid is coming out. She's still happy for the most part, :shifty-t:besides the asthma, painful hiccups, belly pains and painful bum. Time to find my bubble!:rosette1:


----------



## my little penguin

Just before forewarned our uppergi with sbft they said " it looks normal and definitely doesn't have crohn's"

Sometimes those tests are not what they are cut out to be.
Good luck


----------



## Tesscorm

my little penguin said:


> Just no moon shine tesscorm could take the whole jug ...


No worries MLP :thumright:...  I'm sticking with the special brownies! :yrolleyes:




> Holy Cow! I got progressive lenses today and I feel permanently drunk. These things positively bite!


You are one cheap date!  Throw on a pair of bi-focals and you're groovin' up a storm with that pole! :yfaint:

jmckinley - thank you so much for that quote!!!  It's beautiful! :rosette2:

Julie (imaboveitall) - so glad you've found the party!!!  Was wondering where you were hiding...  (now we know who has the moonshine! :blush: )


----------



## imaboveitall

I do live in (though am NOT a native of) Virginia, near Franklin county the official moonshine capital. Really, they have tshirts declaring such. Is there a drunken smiley...uke_r: nope hungover will have to do.


----------



## Sascot

Unfortunately no "special" brownies here.  I was told to look out for them, but maybe they were on side streets :shifty:.
Crohnsinct - you should have your eyes lasered like I did!  Couldn't see someone's face clearly across the room but now I have better than 20/20 vision :ysmile:
You know I couldn't believe how open they were in Amsterdam about Cannabis (being that it's illegal in UK).  Did you know the cannabis leaf is actually quite pretty and the t-shirts/jumpers/mugs/kids slippers :ywow:, were actually quite tasteful and had I not known what it was, I probably would have bought some of them!


----------



## DustyKat

Good grief Sascot! You mean you've already eaten them all?!?! :yfaint:


----------



## crohnsinct

I did get the laser by one of the top docs here in the US and HE SCREWED IT UP!!!!!!! I have permanent issues that won't even clear up with glasses.  Day two and these progressives still suck!  I really just need the glasses for driving and distance...well yeah and readers for reading but at this point I will happily go with two pairs and do the switcharoo all day.


----------



## jmckinley

Crohnsinct, I don't know about the switcheroo! I can see distance fine, but need glasses for up close and reading. I am finding it hard to see things in the car like my phone or gps. Might end up running off the road somewhere trying to switcheroo!

:luigi::luigi:  WOO HOO! Moonshine and special brownies at the farm! Everybody wear your boots and bring a paper sack and a pillow case! We're going cow-tippin' and Snipe huntin'!  Mr. Farmwife won't know what hit him!  :emot-dance::emot-dance: Crohnsinct...those glasses might come in handy after all!


----------



## my little penguin

DS ran a fever of 102.5 F this morning .
Turns out he has strep. Started abx 
Will call Gi in the morning to see if there is anything to watch out for while on remicade.


----------



## Catherine

Traffic Report this morning on ABC radio.

It started with this is a serious traffic report.

Please look out for Kangaroo on the 4 level of the long term carpark at Melbourne Airport.  The animal is stressed.


----------



## Twiggy930

This made me laugh!


----------



## crohnsinct

:rof::rof: Are we sure it's not just Dusty? :rof::rof:


----------



## Farmwife

Catherine said:


> Traffic Report this morning on ABC radio.
> 
> It started with this is a serious traffic report.
> 
> Please look out for Kangaroo on the 4 level of the long term carpark at Melbourne Airport.  The animal is stressed.



Update on the Kangaroo in the airport:

Upon further inspection of the wild and stressed out animal; it was discovered to be a middle aged women in a drunken state screaming where's my ticket to Chicago.

This is Farmwife reporting. Devin back to you in the studio.


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof: :rof: :rof:  Very good!!!  :lol:

MLP - how's your son?  Hope the strep doesn't cause any complications! :ghug:

Crohnsinct - my husband couldn't wear the progressives!  They constantly made him nauseated...  he's chose the switcharoo!   I've worn contacts for distance for years and have recently been noticing I sometimes reading glasses.  Just something to ask your dr. - one suggestion from my dr had is to wear one contact for distance, one for close-up.  He said 'some' (only approx. 30%) people can do this but, for these 30%, their brains adjust to the differences between their two eyes. He offered to give me some sample lenses to try for a few weeks.  Haven't tried as the need for reading is still only in dark restaurants, etc. but something I'll, at least, try when needed.


Just wanted to add a little blanket apology :blush:  Sorry I feel like I've been neglecting some of your posts...  unfortunately, I've been preoccupied with Stephen and things have been a bit busy so, sometimes, I've only had a little bit of time to jump in and out!  Am trying to keep up with everyone but just haven't had time to always post but am always thinking of all you guys!! :ghug:


----------



## DustyKat

Boing, boing, boing...

	
	
		
		
	


	




 and :kissgrits: crohnsinct...

Dusty. :ybatty:


----------



## Sascot

:ylol::ylol:  Very funny!"

A question for all you mom's with teenagers - what can I do about bad acne?  Poor Andrew is taking after me and his back is covered with bad spots.  I went onto the pill to help my skin at 15, but can't do that for him, :lol2:.
Any advice on how to get rid of them or at least get them under control?


----------



## my little penguin

You guys lol too funny

DS is better on the abx .
Just watching closely.

No idea on the acne .


----------



## Jmrogers4

Tesscorm;518842. - one suggestion from my dr had is to wear one contact for distance said:
			
		

> I do this actually I only wear one.  I've always been pretty much blind in one eye but not too bad in the other so about a year or so ago when I noticed my arms were not quite long enough nor could I get those pill bottles close enough to my face and the Dr. suggested trying to wear just one.  Works for my wacky brain at least so far. :shifty:


----------



## Clash

Sascot, C's acne was fairly bad on his face and back then the pred exacerbated it. We went to a Derm, and she gave us some topical antibiotic cream and Diffren Gel(px acne cream) for his face but since C couldn't take a systemic antibiotic she sent us to an esthetician. This lady knew her stuff, she had 23 years experience and she for face wash she had us to mix up Cetaphill face wash and plain corn meal about 1/2 to 1/2, you just want it more creamy than pasty, for face(and it has been the bomb). For his back, she had us purchase a back brush(not too stiff or too soft) and mix a  clean spray bottle  with 1/2 water and 1/2 witch hazel. C has absolutely no more acne on his back, none and he has been doing this for 2.5 months. His face looks awesome too, it is a huge improvement and really smooth. He only uses his prescription stuff for his face 3 times a week now. No one can believe the difference, but she has been doing glycolic peels on his face so that has played a huge role. His back, though, has cleared up entirely with the water and witch hazel spray. He sprays it on in the shower, lets it sit for a min. or so then scrubs it off with the back brush. He wouldn't take his shirt off alot during mid summer or go to swimming parties because it was so bad but for the last month he has been going to all of his friends houses for swimming parties. Hope this helps, I know how it can really bother them even if they aren't vocal about it.


----------



## crohnsinct

Yeah OK Sascot...you went on the pill when you were 15 for "acne" and you didn't eat any of those brownies....and you people blame Tess and I for being the bad influences...


----------



## crohnsinct

So yesterday in health class O found out that our state legalized medical marijuana and that Crohns in on the list.  Silver linings???


----------



## kimmidwife

Ok I am on my way to Connecticut ASAP! Seriously my doctor talked to me about medical marijauna for my illness ( severe fibromyalgia and a nerve disorder called RSD) but unfortunately it is not legal here yet. I would tell your daughter what I told mine it that it is a medication like any other and to be used according to the directions when really necessary.


----------



## Sascot

Yes Crohnsinct - I am completely innocent of any wrongdoing - ever!
Thanks Clash - I haven't had time to look for pure witchhazel, but I bought some acne wipes with witchhazel in them from the local supermarket.


----------



## Farmwife

DustyKat said:


> Boing, boing, boing...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and :kissgrits: crohnsinct...
> 
> Dusty. :ybatty:


DustyKat front and center!!!!!



Ya now it takes a community to make a family.:yfrown:

crohnsinct wasn't the only one laughing.:shifty-t:

Lets not forget Catharine for telling us the news report.:thumleft:

Or what about Tesscorm thinking it was funny in general.:lol2:

Or how about my award winning reporting I did.

I'm just saying when you favor one, you hurt the others.:thumbdown:


Like the pic of Grace?:shifty-t: It was taking at the beginning of a HUGE corn maze. If I had taken a pic of after we were done you would have seen Grace pouting and dragging herself out pleading for us to pick her up and my son still scared their were bears around.:yfaint:

:rosette2:


----------



## Tesscorm

She looks adorable!!!


----------



## my little penguin

too cute


----------



## crohnsinct

I am serious!  That child is always laughing behind her hand...like she is laughing at us.  You probably told her you were taking her picture for your Crohns Crazies and just the thought of us makes her laugh.  She is soooo cute!  Is her hair getting long? 

And wow...jealous much...just cuz I get Dusty's arse all to myself?


----------



## jmckinley

Adorable pic of Grace!

...and Crohnsinct... the silver lining is O can make our brownies for our trip to the farm :ylol:  Seriously, though...I got nothing!


----------



## DustyKat

OMG! You are one green eyed monster Farmwife! My arse is big enough for all of you, no need for fighting and fretting! :lol:

Ah crohnsinct...I know all about the secret of the 'hand'! Pretty poor excuse it was though...just sayin'...:rof: 

Grace surely is a cutie patootie! :wub: 

Dusty. :hippy:


----------



## Farmwife

DustyKat said:


> Ah crohnsinct...I know all about the secret of the 'hand'! Pretty poor excuse it was though...just sayin'...:rof:



Hey DustyKat it's either the hand or no pic at all.:tongue:

That's right crohnsinct doesn't know I have access to Dusty's secrete life, through Dusty secrete thread.:ghug:

See....now I feel special!:hug:


----------



## DustyKat

I know, I know...(((sigh)))

You are very special Farmwife...:wink: 

Dusty. :kiss:


----------



## crohnsinct

Whaaaat?!  Secret of the hand?  Dusty's secret thread?  I hate my life!  It is getting in the way of my forum obsession.  Must get back to the forum hours a day.....tomorrow....


----------



## Catherine

Hi my friends all thing medical

This is not a crohn's question.

I have a script for doxycycline hydrochloride 100mg for myself,  I haven't had the script filled an yet as I can't getting my head around taking this medication for 6 months.

Its to treat a patch of rosacea.


----------



## Tesscorm

I don't know anything about doxycycline hydrochloride but what is it that you're worried about specifically?  Ie, is it the dosage or length of time??  Is it possible that you can discontinue early if the rosacea clears?

:hug: I know ever since Stephen's been diagnosed and I've become so much more aware of the side effects of meds, I'm more sensitive and concerned about ALL medications, but whether I'm right to worry or whether it's sometimes unnecessary worry, I just don't know...  :ghug:


----------



## Catherine

I think now worry about all meds also.  The skin specialist said if I start the medication I need to do the full course which is 4-6 months.  She said my important decision is whether to start the medicine at all but nothing else will clear the rosacea.


----------



## Sascot

Catherine - I suppose it depends on how much you want to get rid of the rosacea.  If it annoyed you enough to check in with the doctor, then you must be wanting rid of it, if so, then it's probably best to take the meds.  I am assuming it's an antibiotic?  If it is then you can take precautions like having it with food so it doesn't irritate your stomach too much and take a probiotic every day as well to ward off any thrush.


----------



## DustyKat

I agree with Sascot Catherine. :hug: (Doxycycline is an antibiotic Sascot)

I tend to assess medication on what it will do for me rather than how it will affect me. What I mean by that is if it is going to improve my quality of life (QOL) then I will take it. This may be something as simple as taking a cough medicine...if the cough I have is only a middling thing then I won't take it but if the cough keeps me awake half the night and I know the medicine will stop it then I will knock you over in the race to get to it! :lol: I use this philosophy with all meds, no matter how simple or complex. 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Tesscorm

Hmmm, I think I'll apply the same QOL logic to merlot or special brownies!!! :lol:  Crohnsinct, care to join me in adding some TLC to our QOL? :luigi:


----------



## DustyKat

:lol:! Oh nice one Tess! Turn my quaint idea into some debauched excuse to get pissed and high! 

Dusty.


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof:   :yrolleyes:   :rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

I am on my way!  Just had my conference for the youngest and just looking to get pissed and high!


----------



## DustyKat

OMG! I just had a thought! Just posted this on my blog thread!...







...Now YA'LL PACK YOUR BAGS AND HEAD TO MY TOWN!!!...we'll have a ball! 

Like I said in your thread Tess...upstairs for thinking but it's downstairs for dancing! Woot, woot!

Dusty.


----------



## Tesscorm

I prefer to spending my time downstairs!!  :banana:  BUT... is a Turkey Run anything like cow tipping?!?!   Crohnsinct and I will definitely be needing to improve our QOLs! :yfaint:


----------



## Farmwife

We have a turkey trot also Dusty.:soledance:
It involves a riffle and patience.:ybiggrin:
Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same with out it.:thumleft:


----------



## DustyKat

Ours just involves plenty of entertainment and loads of booze! 

Right up Tess's and crohnsinct's path! :ybiggrin: I can just hear crohnsinct now, in her best chugging voice, turkey, turkey, turkey...:beerchug: 

Dusty.


----------



## Tesscorm

Well, the Turkey Run's sounding awfully fun! :headbang: although, before I commit, I do want clarification on what 'riffle' means...  loads of booze and some oh-so-patient riffling could be fun too! :lol:


----------



## Farmwife

No riffle as in bang, bang, your dead.:shifty-t:
:thumright:Nothing like a Golden roasted Turkey on the table for the holidays.:thumleft:



WHY MUST YOU LADIES ALWAYS THINK "DIRTY".:yfrown:


----------



## Tesscorm

Farmwife said:


> WHY MUST YOU LADIES ALWAYS THINK "DIRTY".:yfrown:


:rof:  Growing up in the city and being a little short on  big strapping husbands, we can only _imagine _what happens in corn mazes and hay piles! :thumright:




Farmwife said:


> No riffle as in bang, bang, your dead.:shifty-t:


Ahhh, I get that at home...  hubby just went hunting last week!  When I told him killing a bunch of innocent birds just wasn't impressing me :boring:, he tried to tell me how macho he is and should these 'survivor' shows ever become reality, survival instinct will kick in and all the women will want HIM as HE will still be able to put food on the table! :lol:  ....I'm thinking of going vegan!:ytongue:


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> :rof:  Growing up in the city and being a little short on  big strapping husbands, we can only _imagine _what happens in corn mazes and hay piles! :thumright:
> 
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> 
> 
> :yfrown: See what I mean.
> DIRTY, DIRTY, DIRTY!


----------



## Tesscorm

Seems to me that _your _imagination is, perhaps, working overtime!  :lol:  

Here I'm thinking that you can get lost in the maze or fall deep into a hay pile and you need a big strong strapping guy to help you out!  

YOU seem to have a different story to tell!


----------



## Farmwife

Oh,:shifty-t: my bad!:ybiggrin:


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh sure, now suddenly...  there's silence!   :lol: :rof:


----------



## Sascot

:ybiggrin: Have to agree Farmwife, it's your mind that seems to leap to DIRTY way quicker than any of us


----------



## crohnsinct

OMGosh!  You girls!  LMAO!  

Yes, when I read Turkey my mind immediately went to the booze!!!  

Tess:going  vegan! :rof::rof:

farmwife: the gig is up...they are now seeing you for the perv we all know you are!!!!  

Off to my Christian concert tonight and wondering if concessions will still be serving beer? 

Rushing home tomorrow to do a trunk or treat.  So excited about the idea for decorating our car.  Will post a pic tomorrow!


----------



## Tesscorm

Have fun at your concert...  maybe you can 'sneak' in a couple of beers in your purse!!  Just in case.. 

:lol:

Have never heard of a trunk and treat!  Will be watching for your pictures!


----------



## jmckinley

Crohnsinct, you are not alone. My sis in law in I had the discussion last year about whether or not it would be wrong to stop and have a brew on the way to WinterJam!   :beerchug:

I did a Trunk or Treat last year and decorated the car as Cat in the Hat! Ryan and I were Thing 1 and Thing 2! 

We have a Turkey Trot also. Sadly, it does not involve either crohnsincts or farmwifes idea of "Turkey". Ours is a 5K held the Saturday after Thanksgiving! You get to go run off all the other "Turkey" :eek2:


----------



## hawkeye

jmckinley said:


> We have a Turkey Trot also. Sadly, it does not involve either crohnsincts or farmwifes idea of "Turkey". Ours is a 5K held the Saturday after Thanksgiving! You get to go run off all the other "Turkey" :eek2:


There was a race here with that name not sure if it was a 5K or 10 K - the Santa Shuffle and Resolution Run are coming up here.


----------



## crohnsinct

Hi All, 

I know it looked like I was working my way back but now this hurricane has derailed me again.  We are under madatory evacuation by the water and school is closed for three days.  I don't know what access if any I will have to a computer etc....or alcohol for that matter (don't suppose they have any at the shelter huh and for the record during Christian concerts they do NOT serve beer and wine even though it is on the concession menu).  

The concert on Friday was totally amazing.  O and her friends had a blast.  We got home in time for trunk or treat and our car won all sorts of prizes.  Will try to post a pic before leaving home.  

O swam her first swim meet healthy and bested three out of three times and a couple by a lot...two of her times qualified her for other meets so we are in a very happy place right now.  

Hope everyone else in the storms path stays safe and sound.  See ya in a few days.


----------



## Tink572

Stay safe crohnsinct and everyone else in Sandy's path. Check in when you get a chance.


----------



## crohnsinct

O.K. posted a pic of trunk or treat and just realized  never posted a nice pretty picture of the family.  Trust me the old hag in the picture who only had three hours of sleep and who is not wearing any make up is not me!


----------



## Clash

Crohnsinct, you tell whoever is in charge of the evacuation that you have to report into your committee on an regular basis because we will all load up and invade the area on a search and rescue mission that would scare the Frankenstorm itself! Please stay safe!


----------



## my little penguin

Stay safe


----------



## Clash

Crohnsinct the pic was awesome! How did you guys ever come up with that idea! I bet y'all blew away the competition! Oh and way to go O! Woohoo on the meet!


----------



## crohnsinct

Yeah yeah yeah...invade!  Forget Chicago and bring the booze to the shelter!  

I came up with that idea and actually didn't know we were going to participate until Friday morning!  I told you CT is the Martha Stewart capital of the world!   

Oh yeah and lost in the picture is the fact that we had "Rubber Ducky you're the one" and Splish Splash I was takin a bath" playing and I had a jar of water and splashed the kids as they came up for their candy.  It was a hoot and a half.  So while the rest of CT was preparing for a state of emergency I was yucking it up in my car tub!


----------



## crohnsinct

and before you even ask Tess or Farmwife yes there are clothes on underneath and no the ballons are not a part of my act!!!!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

Hmmm, so you say... :ywow:   But, is 'Rubber Ducky, you're the one' part of your act???  Cuz, I could definitely see how that could worked in :ytongue:

I've been running around most of this weekend but was truly so happy to read your update...  loved the car!!   And loved to hear of O's swim successes!!!  Woohoo!!!!!! :medal1:  Amazing news!


Take care of yourself over the next few days! :ghug:  Let us know how you're doing when you have a chance!!!

And, anyone else in the storms way - also, please TAKE CARE!!!  :ghug:


----------



## crohnsinct

So getting on the computer for 15 minutes at a time and rather than email my family do my banking etc I am checking in with you guys! 

I brought my laptop figuring I could just use my battery power if electric went out etc only to find out the high schools don't have wifi.  Apparently the kids would be surfing the web on their laptops or iphones etc when they should be taking notes.  Who would do something like that?  THat is like  if you were at work and constantly checking the forum...that's just wrong! :shifty-t:


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof:  And just who are you implying???  

How are things there?  Looks terrible on the newscasts!   Hope you guys are all good!!!  Is Gabby with you?


----------



## Clash

haha...Well C has wifi at his school and I am all but certain that is what he uses it for because he never knows what is on the actual Edline site that gives, notes, lectures, test times...ughhh!

It looks rough that way, I have a friend that lives in Brooklyn and they evacuated to CT. Ummm...I'm a little worried since you guys evacuated too!!!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Stay safe, been trying to check in on the news reports while at work.


----------



## Farmwife

Stay safe crohnsinct!!:hug:
My Aunt lives in upstate N.Y. and she was told to leave.
Which shocked us because she's no where near the coast and high elevation.
I guess for them it will be the wind guest.

BTW the wind has picked up big time here in Michigan. Were use to November gales but they never change wind direction ever 10 minutes. STRANGE!!!:yrolleyes:


----------



## Twiggy930

Stay safe all you east coasters.


----------



## Twiggy930

Happy Halloween everyone!  

I hope everyone out east weathered the storm alright.  Got my fingers crossed that you are all ok.


----------



## Susan2

> 27-07-2012, 10:24 AM
> DustyKat
> Super Moderator
> 
> Join Date: May 2010
> Location: New South Wales, Australia
> Posts: 16,895
> 4,629 Thanks in 2,789 Posts  Happy Halloween everyone!
> 
> I hope everyone out east weathered the storm alright. Got my fingers crossed that you are all ok.


Interesting date that you have here, Dusty. Looking at the content and the post's place at the end of the thread, I'd say that you posted it this morning. 

	
	
		
		
	


	





I can't get this to quote properly so have just copied and pasted.


----------



## crohnsinct

Hi Everyone!  We are all safe. Roads closed.  Power out everywhere.  No hot water, shelf stable food only (haha clean diet totaly out the window), no heat..no cell service...but we are all fine and the clean up begins today. I am at a local Y for showers, charging and internet access.  Daughter at University is fine as well although they have cancelled classes until next Monday and want us to pick her up.  I guess college kids with nothing to do for four days spells trouble. 

They say we may get power by tuesday and it is going down to 22 degrees this weekend (note to self..more wine for warmth)!!! 

Although we are fine the town is a disaster.  Halloween has been moved to next week (assuming the roads will be safe and power is restored).  Many people have lost their homes and I hear it is even worse in some areas of NJ and NY.  

Thanks for all your prayer and concern.  I also pray for everyone else.  

Well, leaving Y now and will talk to you all Tuesday.


----------



## Clash

Crohnsinct, I have been thinking so much of you and your family. Glad to hear you all are safe. So sad the devastation this storm has caused. My thoughts and prayers will remain with your family and those affected by Sandy. We have missed you!!!


----------



## Sascot

So glad to hear you and your family are safe! Good luck with all that clean up. Must say wine is a good idea - I always feel warmer after a glass or two!


----------



## DustyKat

> *27-07-2012, 10:24 AM
> DustyKat *
> Super Moderator
> 
> Happy Halloween everyone!
> 
> I hope everyone out east weathered the storm alright. Got my fingers crossed that you are all ok.


OMFG David! I know you are jealous of me but this is taking things too far! 

This is just freaky...posted this on the 31/10/12...well obviously due the reference to Halloween...the date has changed, the time has changed, my avatar is gone...I can't report it (just comes up as my first post)...and even going advanced is a tad haywire!

What spell did you put on it David! Isn't trick or treating enough for you?! :rof:


----------



## DustyKat

Phew! Thank goodness all is well with you crohnsinct...:hug: 

The damage and destruction we are seeing on the news reports is just heartbreaking.  What a sad and difficult time for so many, especially so for those that have lost loved ones.  

Be safe and take care, :heart:
Dusty. xxx


----------



## upsetmom

Crohnsinct glad your safe.......thanks for updating


----------



## Farmwife

Unreal storm we got wind damage up here.
We were on the outskirts of it. Power out to many.
But NOTHING like you guys.

So happy your safe and sound crohnsint.
 What would I do with out my buddy to pick on?:yfaint:
Still you'll be gone for a while so I'll have to find temporary
replacement. :shifty-t:
Tesscorm and Dusty here I come!:ylol:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Glad you are safe crohnsinct.  Hope power comes on soon, you are correct in the meantime there is wine (Isn't that why you have a bota bag of it for skiing, or is that just me?)


----------



## Twiggy930

Weird things are happening on this thread.  I am the one who posted the Halloween post but it was attributed to Dusty.  Weird.  I wouldn't mind being Dusty, I'd have so much more knowledge...:ybiggrin:

Really glad you are ok Crohnsinct!


----------



## Catherine

Crohnsinct,

So glad to hear you and your family are ok


----------



## DustyKat

Awww, thanks Twiggy. :kiss:

BUT OMFG! Just schedule me now :ybatty:, I'm a plagiarist! I didn't even read the body of the post, :redface:, I was too intent on bagging David! :rof: 

Spooked Dusty. :bat:


----------



## Tesscorm

Farmwife said:


> Tesscorm and Dusty here I come!:ylol:


Girl!!!!, we are gonna have some fun!!  :banana:Woohoo!!!  Forget Chicago - we're headin' over to Amsterdam!!

Put away that Mountain Dew, we're pulling out the Tequila!  :awe:  And forget Crohnsinct's poles and balloons (lame!), Dusty's taking us to where the 'roots' are!!! :allright:  (And, do what you may BUT you're NOT chopping them off this time! :awe


----------



## momoftwinboys

Thx for the update crohnsinct. Hope u are all back safe and sound in your warm house with wifi soon. Looking forward to hearing about things getting better out there.  The northeast has had more than their share of late October nasty storms recently. 
Take care


----------



## Farmwife

Pictures to cheer us up.


This collection of pics is called:

The best babysitters.


http://www.binscorner.com/pages/w/winners-of-the-babysitting-contest.html

ENJOY


----------



## Tesscorm

Aww, those are so cute!   Amazing what our pets will tolerate from our kids!

Years ago, our poor dog, a doberman (they are mean ONLY in the movies!!), was turned into a 'horse' every Saturday with Em and her friend.  The girls would come home from riding lessons and would then teach the dog to trot and jump poles in a circuit they would set up! :lol:  And then Stephen would play 'hockey' with the dog by try to get the ball past the dog to score - as long as there were two balls (one for her mouth) and the other she would try to catch with her paws, Stephen said it was like trying to 'deke' a player! :lol:  

I drew the line when Em wanted to paint her toenails pink!


----------



## jmckinley

So glad to hear you  are okay crohnsinct. It looks just devastating up there. Hubby's cousin lives in NJ and has no power either. Brings back a lot of memories from the tornado here last year. If there is anything we can send your way (I know wine is always an option :biggrin, let us know.


----------



## Farmwife

So in honor of our friend crohnsinct survival of the storm lets play.......

:thumleft:What do we look like?:thumleft:
Now we know what crohnsinct looks like. Well at least in the bath tub.:sign0085: For those who have no idea what I'm talking about...yes it is that bad.:ylol:

So I'll be the first to start and anyone can add to my description of the person and or change it.


*Clash,*
I picture her with black long hair. Tall and on the skinnish ( new word) side.
She's quiet but mess with her kids and she'll tare you apart!!!!


----------



## Clash

Haha I just posted how you rated in getting my description right then saw where you wanted everyone to add to it so, I deleted but for some it might be a little easier because my first profile pic included me. 

But ummm....Farmwife, why you picking on me first why not Tesscorm, Sascot or Dusty!!


----------



## Farmwife

Come now your a talker? Who knew? Yes I have the best come backs after the fact. I hate that!!!!


_*Tesscorm*_

She's a bit harder to figure.
She's intelligent to a point.:ylol:
She's feisty until she's ....not.:shifty-t:
Her appearance I think is put together but not matchy (new word).:thumleft:
I think she's of normal stature with a bob hair cut.
Her weight is..........normal.:cool2:


----------



## Farmwife

You screwed it up Clash.:yfrown:
 Now I add indecisive to your character.:ylol:


----------



## Clash

Ooopsie you read my last post before I deleted it but yep I'm talker, neurotic, slightly unhinged and severely clumsy... well now that we have summed me up glad you are moving on to Tesscorm...

I see Tesscorm as stylishly put together professional of above average height and slight build.


----------



## Farmwife

All right Clash now your just sucking up to Tesscorm.:yfrown:


----------



## Clash

:nonono:No,Farmwife that is the actual visual I get of Tesscorm!! 

Unfortunately, ever since all you guys had that Chicago getaway adventure fantasy I went from seeing Dusty as a real person to a cartoon Kangaroo that wears flip flops:facepalm:


----------



## Sascot

:rof::rof:  You guys are too funny.  Need all the laughs I can get :thumleft:.  It's like talking to someone on the phone - they never look like you imagine.  Still can't get the hang of posting pictures so you're safe from pics of me


----------



## Jmrogers4

What a fun game, I'm loving the descriptions, guess I'm out since all you have to do is look a few posts earlier and there I am.
Sorry Farmwife but I get the same visual as Clash for Tesscorm.


----------



## Farmwife

Clash said:


> :
> 
> 
> Unfortunately, ever since all you guys had that Chicago getaway adventure fantasy I went from seeing Dusty as a real person to a cartoon Kangaroo that wears flip flops:facepalm:



Trust me that was no fantasy!:yfrown: More like nightmare.:yfaint:


----------



## crohnsinct

No fair that pic of me sucked!  I am posting new pic later to redeem myself. 

Yeah, I have seen pics of JM, Clash and Tess (eating a beavertail which is pretty much how I picture here...briefcase over shoulder, food in one hand wine in the other...happy gal...ready for a fight if she needs to) 

And yes, while at the bar we are wondering why our gal pal Clash isn't there on time...did she get the date wrong again? get lost? Oh no she is at the gay bar not realizing she is the only woman in the joint making friends with everyone she sees and starting to panic about what might have happened to Tess and CIC to make them this late...she is strating to call the ER's.


----------



## crohnsinct

So the town emergency communication came through this morning.  They are happy to report that less than 1% of our town is without power not including the beach area...um half our town is the beach area.  WTH kind of statistical reporting is that? 
But I like it...I am a size 2 not including my ass!


----------



## Tesscorm

I have never posted a pic of me!!!  :lol:  Crohnsinct, I hate to disappoint you and Clash but Farmwife was much closer in her description!  

Intelligent...  to a point... then I hit a wall and turn into one of those electric toys that just keep bumping into the same wall! :ybatty:  Then, again, that could be the 'feisty' side thinking - 'will you friggin' move already, I'm coming through!?!?!?

Put together but not matchy - absolutely!  How the heck is anything going to match when half my clothes don't fit me!?!?

Weight...  normal - right again! ...for a European with no willpower!

So, in essence, short, dumpy, mismatched with curly, crazy hair! 

Now my thoughts...  Crohnsinct faked her picture!  There's no way a European who eats cupcakes all day and drinks wine all night can be that thin! :ymad:  ....Oops, forgot about the pole-dancing!  :lol:  That'll burn a few calories!

Clash - I'm with Farmwife's description - she may not be hanging out car windows anymore but she's still a rebel and walks with a swagger! 

Sascot - LIAR!! :lol: - You posted a pic of Andrew and Amy so you most definitely know how to post pictures!  Now you OWE us one!!!

And, dear Farmwife who I once pictured as a petite sweet blonde cutie!  Hah!!  Now I know better...  Blonde amazon (ok, michigan) goddess is more like it!  One of those annoyingly 'nice' people who do it all - manages the farm, makes princess dresses for her princess and goes cow-tipping for some exercise!  Biggest heart around BUT cross her (or hers) and she'll leave you quivering in a puddle of Mountain Dew!

I've seen Dusty, Twiggy and Jacquie so I've got to stay quiet there!


----------



## crohnsinct

and we don't even know Dusty's real name so forget about figuring out what she looks like!


----------



## Clash

So no one else now sees Dusty as a cartoon kangaroo in a pair of flip flops(one of my fav profile pics of hers)....laid back but plucky with an affinity for roots...well I guess that solidifies it then I am slightly unhinged.

Now tell me again wth am I doing in this gay bar...is the wine better there because that might be a determining factor!


----------



## crohnsinct

What's that I hear rapping on my window?  SLEET AND HAIL!!!!!  Oh and look there is their friend snow.  And I got out this morning and see Christmas decorations up around the town stores and such.  How could it be snowing and why are there all these Christmas decorations up when it isn't even Halloween yet?  Why do I feel like I am in the movie Ground Hogs Day?


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  Our stores have had Christmas decorations up for a while now (some since mid Oct)!   LOVE Christmas but...  there's a time and a place!   One of our drug store chains started playing Carols in the store the day after Halloween, they received so many complaints, they've stopped the carolling!  :lol:

But... poor you... i hate rain, sleet or snow!  Like you all down there don't have enough to deal with!  I was born in Portugal; was destined for a much warmer climate!  Not this sh...t!  Hate it! 

Well, we have raccoons in our attic!  What fun!  We've been doing some renos and part of the work left some access to our attic from the outside...  The raccoons have set up house and home!    Just glad it's not skunks!  Our dog's been sprayed twice by then this year!


----------



## crohnsinct

OMG!  NO!  We city girls don't do well with critters in our space!  Ewwwww!  I would be booking a room at the nearest Hyatt right about now.  

Bet farmwife would know what to do with those coons....a girl has to eat ya know! And they make nifty hats! 

True story...it was on the news here that a woman in Michigan was offering two rooms in her house for refugees from the hurricane.  I told all my friends not to go...probably farmwife looking for some extra farm hands!


----------



## Tesscorm

crohnsinct said:


> True story...it was on the news here that a woman in Michigan was offering two rooms in her house for refugees from the hurricane.  I told all my friends not to go...probably farmwife looking for some extra farm hands!


OMG!!! :rof: :rof:


A couple of years ago, we had a friggin' forest full of guests in our chimney!  We don't use this fireplace so, I guess a case of 'use it or lose it'!   I was cleaning up the room and the dog started barking at the fireplace, couldn't figure out what was freaking her out and all of a sudden, a bird flew out.  Husband came in and somehow caught it.  Okay, all is done...  few minutes later, same thing!  All in, three birds came out of the chimney!  Called someone in to find and close the opening, well...  he found a cemetery of dead animals in there - birds, squirrels, etc.   And, then, I imagine because he 'disturbed' it, the smell came!  OOOOOMMMMMGGGG!!!  You have no idea how bad it smelled!  (Have no clue why it never smelled before??)  The room has a cathedral ceiling (two floors high), so makes for a large room to air out and I 'think' the stench rose to the top and stayed there!  We had windows open, fans going, 24/7 and it still took WEEKS (4, 5, 6 weeks!) for the stench to leave!  Had to clear out the 'fabrics' that could hold the smell and were thinking we were going to have to repaint the room.  It finally cleared but took a really long time!  Thank God the room had a door to it so we could close it off from the rest of the house!

Considering we live in the city (suburbs), we often seem to have the pleasures of nature first hand!  We actually had a huge turkey walk across our backyard last year!  Poor dog was totally freaked out again!  :lol:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Clash said:


> So no one else now sees Dusty as a cartoon kangaroo in a pair of flip flops(one of my fav profile pics of hers)....laid back but plucky with an affinity for roots...well I guess that solidifies it then I am slightly unhinged.
> 
> Now tell me again wth am I doing in this gay bar...is the wine better there because that might be a determining factor!


I'm sure it is. As well as the dancing and nobody to bother you so you can enjoy your wine :ylol:


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> And, dear Farmwife who I once pictured as a petite sweet Blondie cutie!  Hah!!  Now I know better...  Blonde amazon (ok, michigan) goddess is more like it!  One of those annoyingly 'nice' people who do it all - manages the farm, makes princess dresses for her princess and goes cow-tipping for some exercise!  Biggest heart around BUT cross her (or hers) and she'll leave you quivering in a puddle of Mountain Dew!



Yes, I'm all those thing.:thumleft:
Tall, beautiful and smart.:thumleft:
Women want to be me and men wish their women were me!:thumleft:


----------



## Tesscorm

LMAO!!!  

but, it must certainly have been your modesty that won your husband over! :ybatty:


----------



## Clash

Ok why isn't anyone else at the gay bar with me??? I mean I do have better wine and apparently more dancing...with less interuption so I can throw down all my cool dance moves...what's at yall's bar?? Wait a sec...Wait a sec...does the other bar have a pole??? Is that why Crohnsinct is refusing to come find me?


----------



## Tesscorm

I think you're on your own at the gay bar! :lol:  All those well built, good looking, well dressed men with great dance moves and all unattainable!  What a tease!  :facepalm:

I think I'm going to hang with Crohnsinct and all those firemen and rescue workers needing some TLC! utahere:


----------



## Clash

LOLOL!!!  Ohhh CIC is with the firemen and rescue workers, I thought she was trying out her moves at another bar...but she hanging out at the firestation of course with the fire pole...should've known...now are we anywhere near Amsterdam yet?


----------



## Tesscorm

:facepalm:  I'd forgotten about _that _pole!  And, my oh my, that pole is so shiny and big!!!  

By the way, have I missed something...???  What's with the CIC?  Crohnsinct-in-crisis?  Crohnsinct-in-custody?  Crohnsinct-is-cruisin'?


----------



## Farmwife

CIC= *C*rohnsinct *I*nsane at *C*orrection facility?
Just my guess!:yfaint:


----------



## Clash

LOL!!! Ok I have tears now...literally crying I am laughing so hard!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Wow!  You guys really did miss me...you are getting it all in aren't you?   

Crohnsinct Is Crying

Just for that I am not sharing my rescue workers!


----------



## Clash

But still sharing the firemen, right?? Right? Seriously, though right?


----------



## Clash

Oh and if it is *C*rohns *I*s *C*ruising that would be in a convertible filled with white balloon bubbles possibly by the firestation....


----------



## Tesscorm

crohnsinct said:


> Wow!  You guys really did miss me...you are getting it all in aren't you?QUOTE]
> 
> Was that you're opening line at the firestation?!?!?


----------



## Rick60

Eahe


----------



## Farmwife

Alright let's move on in this game.:cool2:


:rosette2:Suzysu:rosette2:

Shorter than some but a gentle soul with a lovely smile.
A caring mother with a full head of fiery red hair (Irish) that's very hard to manage.
Wardrobe is casual yet feminine. Her attitude is kind but a of a quick witt!


----------



## Farmwife

Rick60 I don't know how you are:shifty-t: but I feel the need to apologize for these ladies.
Hard to control they are!:yfaint:


----------



## Tesscorm

How come you're so much nicer when you describe Suzysu?  

(Although I do agree with your description.)


----------



## Clash

:yfrown:I'm not good at this game, all my people are cartoons:shifty-t:

 When I hear Suzysu for some reason I think Betty Boop. I love that cartoon:thumleft:

Although for Sascot, I do get Sean Connery's equally hot girl cousin or possibly Sean in drag but I think the Scot part does that :ybiggrin:.

 Sheesh sorry guys, I do have an imagination it just tends toward the insane!:ywow: (sorry I couldn't find an insane smiley)


----------



## crohnsinct

Seriously crying you girls have me laughing so hard. 

YEP!  That's my suzy to!  And Sascot also.  Tall, slender, put together, nice coif although bags under the eyes from lack of sleep and ready to blow at any minute, has been seen crying about town to get her way...the woman stops at nothing.   

MLP on the shorter side, short bob jet black hair, sweet face, ivory skin, slouches a little because she is on computer all day pouring over research but has loads of friends because she is always in the know about all things.


----------



## Farmwife

MLP wears glasses. She's brainey (new word). All brainey people ware glasses!!!!


----------



## Farmwife

Onto Catherine,

She's a professional through and through. Friendly to all but puts up with no back talk or put downs. Her wardrobe is to die for and her hair is shorter but very stylish. The women around her wonder how she keeps it together and looks so good. Oh lets not forget her competitive edge she has pass onto her kids. She might be professional but she screams the loudest at the swim meets!:ylol:


----------



## crohnsinct

O.K. trying to redeem myself but can't seem to find a decent picture.  Anyway, posted graduation photos but keep in mind it was 97 degrees and 150% humidity so be kind.  Also posted pics of a wedding this summer but again it was summer and we were in the car for 5 hours getting there.  

I think I know what I want for Christmas...some glamour shots!


----------



## Farmwife

NO way!!!
Your beautiful!
I pictured you as a blond!


----------



## jmckinley

Crohnsinct, you would have loved :yfaint: it when we raised the squirrel! Just walking through the house minding your own business and WHAM! Squirrel comes flying out of nowhere and lands on your shoulder! The things we do when our kids find abandoned critters!

Hey...we can now plan the next fantasy trip to Colorado! We can have legal special brownies!


----------



## Clash

Mmmmm....brownies!!!! I saw a quote on FB today about last nights elections:

The big winner last night? Peyton Manning! He just bought 21 Papa Johns franchises in a state where they voted to make marijuana legal.....

Haha he has the munchies covered!!


----------



## Farmwife

No talk of politics here! NONE

:yfrown:
I have to go find a bridge to jump off now!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Clash - :ylol2:
Crohnsinct I just sent you a friend request, I've been nice to you so please accept me so I can see what you look like as well :rosette2:


----------



## crohnsinct

Wait?!  Marijuana legal?  Or is it just medical marijuana?  Genius nonetheless! 

Farmwife...take two advil and go lay down you are obviosly not well. 

JM...how could that be that we are not already friends.  Going right away to accept request.  Bahahaha pictures work every time!


----------



## Farmwife

Jmrogers4
I don't remember you begging ME to be your friend???

Ok so we Know what you look like now but like but let's guess at you personality.

Jmrogers4, (PM with your name, so impersonal to type a screen name)

Your a laid back, take it as it comes person. Your supper creative and driven as long as you want to do it. I think you are one of the favorite personalities we have here. I think you are the kind of funny to be around and people make you center of attention in any gatherings. :rosette2:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Pretty close - Yes laid back and quiet until you get to know me then watch out :ylol: (Maybe it's the red hair) Creative as long as I can copy exactly what someone else has done.  Imitation is the best form of flattery right?


----------



## my little penguin

In tears here...
Poles gay bars firemen .....
Ok back to fireman 
That thought made my day.

Ok let's try this 
CIC
Tall brunette ( once upon a time ago) now blonde highlights
Always has a coffee mug and sharpie markers in her 
Very large purse( sharpie for O's swim meets)
Clips Starbucks coupons and stores them in large files on her ipad.

Clash ( I have not looked yet at the pic)
Also tall blond - very southern drawl .
Has car routes timed so if her son is late driving she can speed dial the car and located it on her GPS . While she is visiting the local gay bar exercising ( dancing on the bar)...

Tess-
Short blond ( once brunette)
Very organized all papers including pump directions filed on her phone . 
Double paper copies at home but in a pile to be filed later.
A suitcase always packed just in add there is a trip to Mexico or the Caribbean .( watch out since jmrogers( jaqui ) is hiding in the case.


----------



## Clash

Bwahahaha!!! MLP those were awesome!! I have long dark brown hair, yep I'm tallish more like lanky(blech such an awkward word) but you nailed me on the whole if C is late...GPS, EMS, GSP, FBI, CIA Fire Dept. and for good measure possibly the Marines!!! Poor fellow when he turns 18 he's going to put in to go to college in Alaska!!


----------



## Farmwife

That their is about the funniest this you've ever typed MLP! :ylol:
Thanks for not picking on me!:thumleft:


:rosette2:


----------



## Farmwife

Jmrogers4 said:


> Pretty close - Yes laid back and quiet until you get to know me then watch out :ylol: (Maybe it's the red hair) Creative as long as I can copy exactly what someone else has done.  Imitation is the best form of flattery right?


We do the same kind of "art work".:ylol:

My mother-in-law is so gifted at art. Takes her hours or days to do a mural.:yfaint:
She asked me to help once, got on the computer found the closest pic I could of the scene and you guess it. Traced it and had it done in an hour if that. She got so mad:mad2: and said I cheated and said ya.....but now I'm done!:ylol:


----------



## Sascot

:ylol::ylol:.  Just been on a night out (shocking - there is a world out there once the kids go to bed) :yfaint:.  Went to see Michael McIntyre (comedian) and he was soooo funny.


----------



## my little penguin

Don't worry farmwife
You get something special..... Bahahaha
Brainey glasses.
I wear contacts thAnk you very much...
No more papers for you.


----------



## Farmwife

MLP
Brainey glasses was a complement! 

crohnsinct is the one who said you were a hunch back!:shifty-t:

:yfrown:


----------



## Clash

Strangely enough, even though MLP's screen name should evoke images of a cartoon penguin for my description of her(now thanks to Farmwife wearing brainy glasses):ylol: my visual of MLP is actually, one of petite build, slender frame with shoulder length sandy brown hair with a lab coat. Sorry MLP, but with all the research you seem to do in my visual you are always in a lab coat!:thumleft:


----------



## crohnsinct

Whoa Farmwife!  You started this mess!  I said hunched over NOT hunchback! 

Clash...pant pant...yeah yeah...MARINES...yeah yeah...pant pant...that is like firemen to the 10th power!  

MLP: highlights...bahahaha that is my gray starting to show! 

JMRogers..sorry girlfriend but I do not see you as the crafty/artsy type.  Copier yes!  I see you as easy going and ready to let the house go to hell in a handbaske if a friend calls with some idea of fun.  Good boy mom...ready for an adventure at every turn...natural lover...well nature putter upper...sorry but a flying squirrel and my son would be put up for adoption!  

Tesscorm: one more personality trait...bake sales? Nah tell me how many cupcakes you need and I will have Magnolia deliver them,,,fundraisers? Whatever...just tell me the cost of the trip and who to make my check out to....I'll pay extra just don't bother me!   

Farmwife: bake sale...oh oh sign me up...I will make 20 dozen of the best mini quiche shells filled with fresh eggs from the farm and fresh cheese from my very own cows.  Wrapped in my basket lined with a custom print I sewed myself to match the season or holiday of choice.  All while Tess and I sit back and pay $3 a quiche and exclaim what a bargain butr where is the french hazelnut vanilla frappachino grande?  But alas farmwife cheated...she used some refrigerated dough for the pastry and bought the basket liners...fraud!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Flying squirrel YIKES, not in my house must be jmckinley.  They would all have to sleep outside.  Although with the recent mountain lion sightings in the neighborhood maybe just the squirrel and if it ran into the mountain lion it's on it's own.  Although we do have quite the zoo going on, 2 boys, 2 cats, a dog and a gecko.
Yes the house generally looks like a tornado has hit it, with both the boys always doing different sports and activities it's usually in to drop off one and pick up the other, of course I can always squeeze in some margarita time with the girls :ylol:
Ahhh Fireman!  The one and only time I have ever been stuck in an elevator was with 4 fireman and a surgeon.  It was quite the experience.


----------



## crohnsinct

Aahh yes it was jmk!  

"Trapped" in an elevator with four firemen...nice try JM,,,how much did you pay your friend to gunk up the works?


----------



## crohnsinct

O.K. seriously?  Just happened to turn on the tv before 11 and saw promos for a show "Chicago Fire"  Really?  Sounds like we have to watch.....


----------



## Jmrogers4

:ylol::ylol::ylol::ylol:


----------



## Crohn's Mom

I love reading this thread ! You all are so flipping funny ! LOL


----------



## Jmrogers4

Well I wont get to watch Chicago Fire tonight,  I have to make sure my house is clean and we have clean clothes as we are making a quick trip to the big city (Seattle) this weekend and my mother-in-law is coming to take care of the zoo.


----------



## my little penguin

Hmmm ... Sounds like my kind of show 
Too bad the kids took over the dvr.


----------



## jmckinley

Hey, didn't Washington legalize marijuana also? It was a vote for recreational, not medicinal! Can you believe it? Brownies for everybody!

Yep, the squirrel was me!


----------



## Clash

So wait are we meeting in Chicago, Denver or Seattle??? Decisions, decisions, decisions...


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, I am bloody laughing out so loudly my family thinks I've gone completely loony!  (I told them 'just call me Clash from now on!' :lol

I don't even know where to start!...

But, priorities...  *FOUR FIREMEN AND A SURGEON!*  :worthy:   That could be reality show - XXX Factor!   I just want to know what type of performance could get them booted off!  

MLP - OMG, your description of me was so bang on!  :rof: :rof:  I literally JUST threw out the Reintroduction of Food Diet (figured I'd posted it enough times I could always look here if I needed it)!  And, Stephen's medical records...  First, made an extra copy for me (just in case), then made another copy for his GP!  My two copies sat in a pile for 4 months, one I stashed in an envelope for safekeeping, the other... well, bought THREE binders cuz I wasn't sure how I would organize them!  Have I mentioned that I have all of Stephen's lab results in an excel spreadsheet with mini 'cheat' definitions (cuz I'm not really smart enough to remember what it all means), with the lab's high and low ranges and the entries are formatted to automatically glow bright red if they fall outside of the range!  I was thinking of charting them but wasn't sure what I would do with Stephen's HGB charts with trending lines!  :lol:  (By the way, anyone wants a blank of this spreadsheet, I'll leave in the definitions, lab ranges and formatting,  I'm happy to forward to you! )

But, MLP, I think everyone's bang on with their description of you...  very similar to mine...  except I think long sleek dark hair in a pony tail!  Yep, can totally see the lab coat over totally awesome clothes!  And, okay you've got contacts but you've also got trendy reading glasses!

Crohnsinct (or should I say CIC?) - I am with you on the bake sales and fundraisers!  Who the heck would want to buy my cupcakes when they can get them for free (hmmm, sounds like something my mother told me years ago! :lol but you know what I mean.  And, CIC, save that table at Starbucks!  Skim milk cappuccino with double chocolate!!  And one of those new Seattle's best brownies on the side!

I've probably missed something but there was so much I missed here in the two hours I tried to bond with my family :facepalm:...


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh, by the way...  Chicago, Seattle or Denver... doesn't matter to me, I really do have a half packed suitcase in my closet!  :lol:


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh, how could I forget!?!?  CIC - LOVE the pictures!!!  You look so 'nice', not at all the way Farmwife describes you! :lol:  But, seriously, you look GREAT!  

Now I'm friggin' stressed!  I've got some major reno work to do!  :yfaint:


----------



## Catherine

Jmrogers4

You have a zoo, need to come to my house, 3 girls, dog, cat, rabbit, 3 chicken, burgie, two turtles and approx. 18 fish (won't stay still to be counted).


----------



## Catherine

Me I'm insurance professional although didn't go back to work after Sarah's MRI wasn't in the mood.  My hair is blonde and very long.  Have no interest in fashion.


----------



## upsetmom

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUSTY.....:birthday2:

I HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT DAY


----------



## crohnsinct

What?!  It's Dusty's birthday? How did you know that?  Are you one of her lucky friend's on facebook?  You probably know her real name too!  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUSTY!  For your birthday we didn't pick on you!


----------



## crohnsinct

Catherine said:


> Me I'm insurance professional although didn't go back to work after Sarah's MRI wasn't in the mood.  My hair is blonde and very long.  Have no interest in fashion.


Haha "wasn't in the mood"  that is pretty much how I picture you.  Not gonna do anything you don't wanna do.  Also picture you not into fashion.  Can't be bothered bugger off type.  Tall,,,yep,,,Long hair...yep but I  had you brunnette.  A natural beauty with no make up...women hate you.  The mom of a ridiculously talented lot but stays out of the competitive fray with all those psycho parents.  A true friend who would go to the ends of the earth for her friends. Not a cook or a crafter.


----------



## Farmwife

Sorry crohnsinct,:redface: still not part of her inner circle! Maybe if you were nicer to me I would tell you about her secret thread!

:heart::dance:HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN DUSTY!:dance::heart:


----------



## Farmwife

I'll take your guys zoo any day.
1-Farmer, 2 kids, 2 Lg. breed dogs, 15 barn cats, 80 some milking cows, 1 bull, a lot of calfs and yearling and parent-in-laws that live BY us!!! Need I say more! Oh, lets not forget the birds that call our farm home. DustyKat can tell y'all how I love my birds.:voodoo::voodoo::voodoo:


----------



## Clash

:bdayparty::headbang: *Happy Birthday Dusty!!* :bdayparty::headbang:


----------



## upsetmom

crohnsinct said:


> What?!  It's Dusty's birthday? How did you know that?  Are you one of her lucky friend's on facebook?  You probably know her real name too!


I just happened to see it where the birthdays are.....Don't know what made me look there...:lol2:......and no i don't know her real name.


----------



## Farmwife

Her name's not DustyKat????

What? My hubby calls me farm wife!!!!






OK lets finish this game that has taken on a life of it's own.

DustyKat

:heart:A professional with a heart of gold.:heart:
Short of stature with think crazy hair that has to be pulled back to keep it tame.
She has curves to die for (HAPPY BIRTHDAY) and a vocabulary to make a sailor blush!:ywow:


I'm I right?:shifty:


----------



## DustyKat

Fair Dinkum!!! I feel like I've wandered into the twilight zone! :yfaint: 

Aside from the fact that I am so bloody lost, thank you all so much for the birthday wishes! :hug::hug::hug:

Until yon post above I thought my description ended with me being Skippy's (The Bush Kangaroo) love child! 

Some right, some not right...

Heart of gold? Depends which side of my mood you are on! :lol: 

Stature? Not short but closer to that than tall.

Hair? Long and Auburn in colour but under control. :wink: 

Curves? Yes but at this point they have not deteriorated to 'matronly'. :lol: 

Vocabulary? Yes, I would make a sailor blush.  

*Personality - Try as you might you will never be able to insult me. Many have tried but failed miserably. :biggrin:

*Humour - Wicked and irreverent. Just in case you weren't sure. :tongue:


----------



## crohnsinct

HAPPY HALLOWEEN Y'ALL!  

That's right it is finally Halloween round here.  Although, 40 less houses to trick or treat at this year:ywow:


----------



## DustyKat

Boo! Happy Halloween crohnsinct! 

Shame about the houses.


----------



## Sascot

That's a shame about the missing houses Crohnsinct!  Hope you all manage to have a happy Halloween.


----------



## crohnsinct

Just got home.  It was so sad.  Lots of tears.  I think ther reality of it all is starting to hit everyone but it was a beautiful night to be out and those who are left and who decided to give it a go gave the kids a good time.


----------



## DustyKat

Very bittersweet crohnsinct...:hug::hug::hug: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## jmckinley

Okay, so I am posting a great new idea for a calendar to count down to Christmas! This is a craft project I could get into!

Crohnsinct, you should take a look at this!

http://www.stylemepretty.com/gallery/photo/30970


----------



## Farmwife

I mean for crying out loud!:voodoo:
Why must you egg her on????:ybatty:
Shame on you jmckinley!:eek2:


:rof::rof::rof:


----------



## my little penguin

:ylol2::ylol2::ylol2::ylol2::ylol2:
too funny


----------



## crohnsinct

:rof::rof:Now that's my kind of advent calendar:rof:

Believe it or not, I am in charge of the advent workshop at church and they want me to come up with a clever advent calendar...think this will fly?


----------



## Farmwife

No it won't fly!!!!!!!:voodoo:

Seriously, what's wrong with you!:tongue:


----------



## my little penguin

hey if they can put chocolate or candy behind the ones for the kids.....
well..
 I don't see the harm.:lol2:


----------



## Tesscorm

I LOVE IT!!!  

If anyone's looking for a fundraising idea, this was one of the most successful fundraiser we had on both Emily's soccer and Stephen's hockey teams...  Called it Holiday Cheer (basically it was a stock your bar) draw. Tickets were sold for $10 each and first prize was 12 bottles of mixed alcohol (ie one rum, one vodka, etc), second prize was a wine tasting (3 or 4 bottles of wine) and third prize was beer (3 or 4 bottles of different beers). Gotta tell you it wasn't hard to sell the tickets for $10. We always ran it a bit before the holidays. 

We just had to be careful as the kids got older that they weren't buying for themselves!!!


----------



## jmckinley

crohnsinct, you could still do some kind of consumable advent calendar. 25 boxes/bottles with "safe" items like chocolate, mints, etc


You could also do "25 Acts of Kindness" with something to do on each date like "Send a card to a distant friend" :hug:


----------



## DustyKat

Hmmm, why not a get Dusty to Chicago advent calendar where you each donate daily to my cause? :rof:


----------



## Sascot

Oh dear!!  Now if you just replaced the wine bottles with pear cider - I would be happy to give it a try :ylol:
On a side note - I have had a really fun few days (not said that for a while) :thumleft:
Went to the Twilight films marathon - all five films in a row with the last one just after midnight!  Super fun and loved the new film :ybiggrin:.  Then I went home, got 4 hours sleep, took the kids to school and went to see the new film again with another group of friends .  The TENS machine seems to be working, so no wimpering to be heard - all good :thumleft::thumleft:


----------



## jmckinley

Officially jealous Sascot! I haven't been able to go see it yet. I wanted to go Friday during school, then Ryan informs me that he wants to see it too! Then today, I wouldn't take him because he had homework to do! Grrrr!


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, you let homework get in the way?!?!?  :yfaint:     :lol:

By the way, I love your 25 Acts of Kindness advent calender...  what a nice idea.

I'm also all in for the Get Dusty to Chicago fundraiser...  anyone for a stock your bar ticket!  :lol:  I think we raised about $1,000 the last time we ran the draw! :thumright:  hmmm???  You all think selling to Crohnsinct alone might raise enough money!  :kiss:


----------



## Farmwife

I hope you know we're going to turn her (crohnsinct) into an alcoholic.:shifty-t:
Oh who am I kidding, she's probably one already.


----------



## crohnsinct

I prefer the term connoisseaur if you don't mind! :ytongue:

Hey is Dusty's Christmas countdown ticker freaking anybody else out but me?


----------



## Farmwife

Talking about Christmas I just got this video about why we don't give our "elders" technology without explaining it to them.



*The daughter who's visiting her dad, ask him how he liked the i-pad she sent him.*

It's in German but you'll get the point.

http://www.snotr.com/video/8965/



:rof::rof::rof:


----------



## upsetmom

Good one farmwife......my husband walked in the room wondering who i was laughing at..


----------



## DustyKat

crohnsinct said:


> Hey is Dusty's Christmas countdown ticker freaking anybody else out but me?


Mwahahahahahaha...:evil:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Jack found this and I had to share


----------



## jmckinley

Great photo. That is awesome!  :dog: :emot-waycool:

Love the video farmwife! Some don't do much better even when you do explain the technology to them! :ywow:


----------



## Farmwife

All right! Time for another game.

This is called....(Yes I stole this idea from another thread.):kiss:

*You know your a parent to an IBD'er when.......*

I'll start.


You know your a parent to an (possible) IBD'er when.......

You tell your hubby to run like the wind, when your little girl looks up at you and says oh no mommy I have to go poo and your standing in the middle of a HUGE corn maze.:rof:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Farmwife said:


> You tell your hubby to run like the wind, when your little girl looks up at you and says oh no mommy I have to go poo and your standing in the middle of a HUGE corn maze.:rof:


Oh we have so been there!  We were at the football stadium this summer for his younger brothers football game and he gave me the look :eek2: We both were dying laughing after we finally found a bathroom on the other side of the stadium I can still picture Jack running as fast as possible with cheeks clenched, oh the looks we received.

Here is my entry - whenever you walk into someplace you immediately note the location of every restroom and mark the quickest ways to get there.

Here is another one but this may just pertain to my crazy kid.  You are in a nice steakhouse and Jack after finishing 1/2 his steak is begging me to eat his broccoli  - Yes he said "PLEEEASSSE can I eat my broccoli now!, look how much steak I ate"  I think everyone at the table turned and looked at us with the craziest look.  Another one we still laugh about


----------



## upsetmom

When you start checking the toilet for any signs of diarrhea..:ybatty:


My daughter is a lot older than Grace so i TRY not to question her too much...


----------



## Farmwife

How about...

I'm not paying that for underware!:ymad: Do you know how many she goes through?:eek2: I'll wait till there on sale.:rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh yeah totally been there.  Hiking 3 mile sinto the woods with a kid not in remission yet.  Track meet 3 minutes before the start of her race running for the portapotties...

But you know you are the parent of an IBDer when your kid uses the porta potty and you are analyzing all the other poop deposited prior to your child's.


----------



## Jmrogers4

crohnsinct said:


> But you know you are the parent of an IBDer when your kid uses the porta potty and you are analyzing all the other poop deposited prior to your child's.


:rof::rof::rof::rof:


----------



## Farmwife

crohnsinct said:


> But you know you are the parent of an IBDer when your kid uses the porta potty and you are analyzing all the other poop deposited prior to your child's.





:facepalm:uke_r:


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh see Farmwife you are not a seasoned IBD parent yet...nothing grosses us out!


----------



## Farmwife

Remember I'm a monitor. I can have your post removed! I'm just saying, be nice!


----------



## crohnsinct

Ah yes and I just noticed that even  if I did accept the forum monitor invite you have more thanks in less posts so you would probably still out rank me!  But I am older and you are supposed to respect your elders so :ytongue:


----------



## my little penguin

Sorry FW but I have to agree with CIC here.
Seasoned Ibd mom 's just can't be grossed out by ANYthing coming out of any of either end.
I have so btdt too many times .

Mine:
You stock up on cottenelle single flush able wipes so your DH can have them in his pocket, in your purse, in the backpack etc.. 
You always have a backpack complete with wipes fresh clothes,
A barf bag and bucket, zofran plus pedialyte singles no matter where you go
Just in case.

One more:

You mention blood to the Gi during an appt . DS heads to the bathroom during the visit and you see the Gi running down the hall way ( like a slow motion movie) . Both of us ( doc and myself) are yelling "Don't flush"  at DS who is in the facilities.:ylol2:
The rest of the staff thought there was something really wrong going on.


----------



## Farmwife

MLP and crohnsinct. :hug:
Isn't strange my daughters poo fine. Others make me sick. I may not be a full timer IBD mom but I am a full time dairy farmers wife and a cow poops up to a 100 lbs A DAY! Maybe that's where I get my nausea of other peoples poo from.:ybatty:


----------



## Crohn's Mom

These are all Too funny ! 

You know you're a parent of an IBD'er when your daughter comes home to visit and see's the surprise mom has left for her in her room - 2 economy size packages of toilet paper - and she gives you a giant hug and is super excited ! LOL


----------



## Farmwife

You know your a parent to a (possible) IBD'er when.......

You see Miralax on a sale and figure you mine as well start stocking up!:ytongue:


----------



## Farmwife

Jmrogers4 said:


> Here is another one but this may just pertain to my crazy kid.  You are in a nice steakhouse and Jack after finishing 1/2 his steak is begging me to eat his broccoli  - Yes he said "PLEEEASSSE can I eat my broccoli now!, look how much steak I ate"  I think everyone at the table turned and looked at us with the craziest look.  Another one we still laugh about



:shifty-t:
Just your crazy kid.:rosette2:


:ylol::ylol::ylol:


----------



## Sascot

:rof::rof:  That is too funny!


----------



## kimmidwife

that is so funny!


----------



## Farmwife

Or how about a little twist to the game.

You know your a full time forum  member when.............



You we re-read your post and see the spelling mistakes but you figure they'll get the idea.:ylol2:


----------



## upsetmom

You wake up and the first thing you do is check to see whats happened while you were asleep..:ylol:


----------



## Crohn's Mom

When you spend your Sunday in your pjs not feeling good and read posts ALL day just to know you're not alone


----------



## crohnsinct

you guys! :rof::rof: I say as I sit in my bed with lights off checking in on y'all before I go to bed!


----------



## crohnsinct

When none of your friends have nice normal names and your children start asking you how are Farmwife and Dustykat today:ybiggrin:


----------



## Tesscorm

:thumleft: :thumleft: All of the above! :thumright:  :thumright:


----------



## crohnsinct

:rof::rof:OMG!  My 9 year old just came in and asked me if we ever really talk about Crohns on this forum.  I said yeah why?  She said I laugh way too much:rof::rof:

Particularly funny dayon other thread.


----------



## Susan2

Tell her that laughter is known to be the best medicine.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Thats Awesome! LOL


----------



## crohnsinct

Just tried to "Thank" one of Patricia's posts and got a Fatal Error message...they are on to you Patricia!


----------



## my little penguin

Too funny!


----------



## izzi'smom

I'll join in...whenever you have a question your sig other suggests you ask your friends on the forum, not your doc.


----------



## Sascot

Have to agree with all the above :lol:.
---When you have withdrawal when your internet isn't working for a night!


----------



## Farmwife

Here's another one.

You know your a parent to an (possible) IBD'er when.........
 Sunday school teacher comes and get's you because your girl need to go poo-poo.


----------



## izzi'smom

Sascot said:


> Have to agree with all the above :lol:.
> ---When you have withdrawal when your internet isn't working for a night!


Lol! I have been going crazy at work when I have nothing to do and no internet access...of course I have a million things to do at home when I *do* have access! :sign0085:


----------



## Farmwife

How do you know your addicted to a forum when....

When you check your e-mail and see them number in the 60's and feel the need to change your e-mail address.:rof:

Because let's face it...you check it enough that being notified isn't needed.:tongue:


----------



## upsetmom

Farmwife...you can change the settings so you don't receive emails.


----------



## Farmwife

upsetmom I was kidding.
I still feel needed when I see those.:hug:


----------



## upsetmom

I'm glad you do ...i find it annoying


----------



## Clash

Ummm...not to change the subject but I came downstairs to the kitchen and C was shaking this re-purposed spaghetti sauce jar and it was filled with slimy yellow stuff, before I can register what he is doing he dumps it in the frying pan and begins to stir.

His new and improved scrambled egg recipe:
2 eggs
a dash of milk(his words not mine)
a fist full of shredded cheddar(or whatever shedded cheese he finds in the fridge)
a spoonful of olive oil mayo
3 shakes of garlic powder
sea salt(2 grinds) and pepper

Shake the jar til your head spins then fry it up and and dump on bread.

Seriously...where does he get these ideas!?! And with these cravings I'll never keep him out of a flare!


----------



## Tesscorm

LOVE IT!!!  They sound good!  . ... I think....  Did u try them?


----------



## Clash

Oh yeah, I had to, he insisted and they were quite good! Oh and I left out a hand full of chopped up baked ham.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

How creative ! 
And it sounds delish!


----------



## Tesscorm

Just curious...  Do you guys put ketchup on your scrambled eggs?   Hmmm... Good!!!


----------



## Clash

I don't but my grandfather did, in fact he put it on everything. He liked a little food with his ketchup!! HA


----------



## Crohn's Mom

All my kids put ketchup on their scrambled eggs ! LOL
We did as kids too ~ JJ will NOT eat eggs any other way


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh you've GOTTA put ketchup on scrambled eggs!  On mac and cxheese too!  Especially KD!!


----------



## Clash

Okay, I think I may be OCD because it isn't the taste that keeps me from doing it but the combination of bright red and yellow, those colors together freak me out just a bit...I know I know I'm probably unhinged! Oh and when that green ketchup came out I was running for the hills!!


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Baked Mac n Cheese mixed with some tomato soup ! 
That's the shizzzzleee !


----------



## Tesscorm

Clash;54Oh and when that green ketchup came out I was running for the hills!![/QUOTE said:
			
		

> :rof:  with you on that one!!!  Cudnt even bring myself to try it!  uke_r:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Jack likes ketchup on his ketchup as we like to say.


----------



## izzi'smom

All of you ketchup peeps have me cringing. Ketchup belongs on fries, burgers, and (hoffmanns only) dogs. Nothing else. Gross. UGH! and LMAO cm at the shizzle! We have been doing a lot of greens here (sauteed, well, GREENS- broccoli rabe, spinach, kale, turnip/beet, with meat-pepperoni, prosciutto, or ham) and half moon cookies for a treat...YUM!!


----------



## DustyKat

KETCHUP?!?!?! 

No such bloody thing! It's Tomato Sauce! And I hate the stuff! :lol:


----------



## Catherine

I agree with Dusty.  Only belongs on sauages.


----------



## Susan2

It doesn't belong anywhere, as far as I'm concerned. Wouldn't have a bottle in the house.:wink:


----------



## Sascot

Nooo, ketchup does not belong on eggs!!!  I'm very much in the "on burgers and chips" and that's about it!


----------



## Catherine

I could livr without tomato sauce but the girls love it.


----------



## Farmwife

YES, YES,YES!!!!!!!

Ketchup on eggs it a must!! 
My brother uses hot sauce on his. My hubby uses salsa on his, my twin uses syrup on hers, my dad loves chili on his and I won't say who but....
chocolate sauce has been applied to scramble eggs also.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Farmwife said:


> YES, YES,YES!!!!!!!
> 
> Ketchup on eggs it a must!!
> My brother uses hot sauce on his. My hubby uses salsa on his, my twin uses syrup on hers, my dad loves chili on his and I won't say who but....
> chocolate sauce has been applied to scramble eggs also.


I think I just threw up in my mouth a little ! LMAO


----------



## Farmwife

Oh so many insults, so little time!!!


----------



## izzi'smom

Chocolate "sauce"? Like Hersheys? Firstly, it's not real chocolate. and on EGGS????!! I'm ith cm on this one. ICK!


----------



## crohnsinct

A - Ketchup in a bottle is NOT CLEAN!  

B - Ketchup on sausages is gross..unless of course said sausage is a hot dog 

C - Can't eat a burger, hot dog or fries without it.  I actually even dip my potato chips in it..Ewwww!  

Clash - I wish one of my kids liked to cook! Keep that boy around and experimenting.  His concoctions sounds good to me although the mayo?


----------



## Tesscorm

Izzi'smom - read of another idea to incorporate greens in your diet.  Haven't tried it yet but maybe this weekend...  make pesto sauce with spinach/kale.  Also, as most/all pesto sauces use some sort of nut, which Stephen can't have, I'm going to try to add a bit of nut butter instead of the actual nut. (Not sure about the ketchup in this case )

Also, a while back I had some broccoli that had been boiled and left to cool and was then drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper and white wine vinegar.  Okay, :lol:  maybe this isn't a big deal to some of you better cooks out there but I'd never thought to put vinegar on cold, cooked broccoli and it was delicious!!!


----------



## muppet

I used to put ketchup on my eggs as a kid. I don't usually care for it that way now, but it's become a comfort food for me. When I'm feeling sad or down I put ketchup on my eggs and I feel a little bit better. 

I always have a spare ketchup in the pantry for when the one in the fridge runs out. It's one of the few things I make sure I have a backup supply of, never want to be caught out with hot dogs on the table and no ketchup ready to go!!

I always buy the Simply Ketchup stuff from Heinz. It contains sugar instead of HFCS. I buy the "throwback" sodas, too, for that matter, that have sugar instead of HFCS. I'm not sure I've noticed any improvement in my health, but it sure tastes better.


----------



## muppet

crohnsinct said:


> A - Ketchup in a bottle is NOT CLEAN!
> 
> B - Ketchup on sausages is gross..unless of course said sausage is a hot dog
> 
> C - Can't eat a burger, hot dog or fries without it.  I actually even dip my potato chips in it..Ewwww!
> 
> Clash - I wish one of my kids liked to cook! Keep that boy around and experimenting.  His concoctions sounds good to me although the mayo?


Some day I'll call you out on this Clean Diet stuff and make you defend it.  In my opinion any diet that comes in a book with a glamour shot of the author on every cover is suspect. 

From what I've read, most of the diet is common sense, about 80% of it is scientifically and nutritionally supported, and 20% of the stuff is voodoo :voodoo: old wive's tale level nonsense. I haven't done any in depth study yet, though. :wink:


----------



## crohnsinct

LMAO!  So true about that wench.  But really Clean Eating has been around way before her.  She just marketed it!  

You are right.  Clean eating is common sense.  It is all just about cutting out all the processed crap.  Going back to nature.  Eat it as you found it.  Amazes me that someone has found a way to make a fortune telling us what we already know...I do love her books though:shifty: Great recipes and explanations of nutrients, vitamins, their roles etc. 

Proof?  Hmmm...our family had great success with it at the end of the summer.  O's disgusting infected eczema went away with no drugs.  Went off for hurricane and haven't gotten back on and eczema is back and she is tired as hell.  Maybe coincidence but we are going back 110% today.


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh and while we are talking about things that amaze me...it also amazes me that companies have convinced us that the stuff we buy in packages that have year long expiration dates and a list of ingredients we can't pronounce have convinced us it is good for us!  

I do miss Hostess and Drakes though:ywow:


----------



## Farmwife

In the Christmas spirit let's do a new game or should i say memories!

The best Christmas gift I was ever given!


When I was 13 I got a diary with a heart lock on it. For some reason that meant the most to me because my mom saw me now as a young women that needed privacy for her own thoughts.


----------



## Susan2

I think that you should start a new thread for this, FW. It's a lovely thought for the season.


----------



## Farmwife

Perhaps your right Susan2 but it took me forever to color code the words. There's got to be a better way?


----------



## Susan2

If you "quote", then just copy all of the words, you can paste that into a new thread. I could do it, but I'd prefer it to be under your name.


----------



## Farmwife

Thanks!


----------



## izzi'smom

Vinegar on broccoli??? UGH! Unless it's basalmic!
I have been eating greens for weeks now. Dropped 8#. A tiny amount of meat for flavor, maybe a splash of broth, and sauteed (kale, broccoli rabe, spinach, turnip, beet etc greens). Better than a salad (It is in the 30's here and I need warm, comfort food) and with some salt and pepper...YUM!) This way I don't feel bad that the past 3 nights I have gone out for a drink with friends...LOVE empty calories!!
Also a huge fan of diet cranberry sierra mist...and it's seasonal. I couldn't find it for a couple of weeks so I panicked and bought 16 2 liters and 2 twelve packs...do I have a problem?? :shifty:


----------



## jmckinley

:rof::rof:

Angie,

I have friends here who feel the same about the Cranberry Sierra Mist!


----------



## my little penguin

CIC most ezcema has been proven not to be related to food at all.
Not saying clean eating is not good for you..
But highly unlikely to cause or stop an ezcema flare kwim .

Christmas is sneaking up on me ( hush FW )
I have done nothing - tree is stil in the box ( real trees and allergis. Do not mix)
No shopping done no cards
Aaahhh!!!
Sitting here at the super long swim meet  since 7:30 am hoping to finish up here by 4:00


----------



## Tesscorm

Ugghh!!  I'm with you MLP re Christmas!!  Had thought I would do it 'lightly' this year...  just a few decorations, beg another family member to host (altho it's probably my turn this year :redface, etc. as we're leaving on the cruise on the 29th but... plans have changed!  :lol:  My father won't be able to 'visit' for Christmas day unless it's at my place (where he can go lay down, rest foot, etc. if necessary)...   so...  the scramble is now on! :runaway:  Decorations, cooking, gifts, wrapping....  oh my!!  :ack:

Angie - I swear the broccoli is great with the vinegar!! :ylol:  Not at all what I would have expected either!  Boil/steam it, let it cool completely, add salt, pepper, olive oil and sprinkle white wine/cider vinegar.  It really is worth a try:thumleft:  (Haven't tried it with the balsamic...)


----------



## izzi'smom

my little penguin said:


> CIC most ezcema has been proven not to be related to food at all.
> Not saying clean eating is not good for you..
> But highly unlikely to cause or stop an ezcema flare kwim .
> 
> Christmas is sneaking up on me ( hush FW )
> I have done nothing - tree is stil in the box ( real trees and allergis. Do not mix)
> No shopping done no cards
> Aaahhh!!!
> Sitting here at the super long swim meet  since 7:30 am hoping to finish up here by 4:00


Cardstore.com has 75% off cards with promo code thanks4you.
If you type in the addresses they will stamp/mail them for you for free!
It would mean stepping away from crohnsforum though...


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Went Christmas shopping.
Two stores
Two presents
$600 later...Done for the day!
Yikes! :yfaint:

is this where I insert a sweet little saying like..."the looks on their faces when they open the presents...
Priceless!" ?? to make me feel better ?? LOL


----------



## muppet

$600 is a third of my Christmas shopping budget. 

Today I found adult-sized hot pink footie pajamas with owls on the feet.

Guess what my wife is getting?


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Oh I'm far from done - that just killed me today ! LOL


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Oh see - I KNEW you belonged here with us moms!


----------



## Farmwife

muppet said:


> $600 is a third of my Christmas shopping budget.
> 
> Today I found adult-sized hot pink footie pajamas with owls on the feet.
> 
> Guess what my wife is getting?


Perfect muppet.

Tell your wife I just saw adult size pink bunny pajamas. :thumright:
Ya know the one from A Christmas Story Movie. An all time classic.:ack: 
Tell her I'll send her the link. Y'all look smashing darling.:heart:


Crohn's Mom it never gets cheaper. For my 5 yr. old boy I was thinking about getting him a leap Frog tablet. Simple right? NO WAY. All different kinds and prices. CRAZY! Grace simple. 18in. doll with hair she can brush and a wardrobe to die for. Of course the doll will need a carrying case and hangers for the clothes and shoes. CRAZY!


----------



## muppet

We got Izzy one of those tablets, the Explorer model that looks like an iPad. No reason Grace shouldn't have one, she could use it in the bathroom.


----------



## my little penguin

FW leap frog is so worth it.
My oldest got a leapster at age 4. Seven years later it went through two kids and we handed down to another three year old.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

I agree Muppet ~ and great tool for the  homeschooling parents !


----------



## Farmwife

Really? She'll be 4 next month. I tought she would be to young? 
Hold on. My kids are 20 months apart. They can share. I just saved money! HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ME!


----------



## Farmwife

COOL, I was going to get him a DS2 but I would preferr Leap Frog I think.


----------



## muppet

The apps for the Leappad thing are $20 a piece though. I'm not sure it's worth it. We ended up giving Izzy's away because we bought it at age 2 and it was too advanced for her. She uses my android phablet (phone/tablet hybrid) constantly and we're probably just going to get her a cheap android tablet this year, like a Kindle Fire or something, to play educational games on and maybe some animated children's books.


----------



## my little penguin

This is a thing once one gets their little grubs on it - no one will let go.
It is designed for age 3 on up.
 Also second or third good for the long bathroom trips.


----------



## muppet

Izzy's upstairs in bed singing "Rudolph" very loudly instead of sleeping right now. When she gets to Santa's lines, she puts on her deep "man" voice, it's really something to hear.


----------



## Farmwife

Thanks,
Hubby is home and he said that he wants a tablet for x-mas so he can join the forum so he can talk to me! :ybiggrin:That's my cue to part ways. Good night y'all.:rosette1:


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Considering what I remember of Izzy's history muppet ~ that must be a truly special and heartwarming sound ! :heart::heart:


----------



## izzi'smom

CM, you need another daughter, right?! I had to quickly stuff my stocking full of junk from around the house last year as I hadn't thought about it. I think this year I will concoct a story about how Santa doesn't do mommies. UGH. But I am fairly certain that $600 is more than I have spent on Christmas in it's entirety. THat includes my cards and the tree 
Muppet. You poor wife. Hot pink footie pajamas are NOT a girls best friend. 
FW, my 5 and 2 year olds have kindle fire's ad both handle them fairly well...I was surprised.


----------



## muppet

CM I can't even explain this past year. She's gone from a little wooden puppet to a real girl over the past 12 months. I can't explain it and I don't care that I can't explain it. Every time I talk about it I cry.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Angie ~ Gab only asked for 2 things for Christmas and of course I had to tell her to pick one LOL
JJ has a relatively short list , but geezzz the items they want as teenagers are outrageously priced ! 

I think someone should sneak your kiddos a note telling them that santa wants them to make mommy a coupon book good for chores, pampering (neck massage, manicure, etc), breakfast in bed ~ there's so many things they could do themselves and surprise you! That was one of my all time favorite gifts from my kiddos ~ and they didn't spend a dime


----------



## muppet

Izzy would be happy with a block of wood. Sarah wants a 3DS. She's getting a first gen model because Target put them on sale. She'll probably be disappointed it's not an XL. 

She keeps reminding me that her iPhone is eligible for an upgrade in the Spring. I asked her what sort of job she's planning to get by then.


----------



## izzi'smom

LMAO @Izzy's job! Izzi told me she wants an iPad. :faint: I told her she's second on the list, right after me. I just got a Kindle Fire in the mail this week...these kids don't know how good they have it!! I had twigs and berries to play with at their age (we grew up in the country, remember? )


----------



## izzi'smom

Double post...


----------



## Crohn's Mom

iPad was Gabs second on the list - and JJ wants one too :/ I just can't afford two and other gifts they'd like. 
I'm considering kindle fires ? 
I have an iPad and I love it, but hardly use it. And the only reason I have it is because it was free  
I'm considering restoring it to factory default and letting gab borrow it for however long - she knows this and says that's fine  
Unless my numbers win in the lottery tonight ! LOL


----------



## izzi'smom

I love the kindle fire...but then again I certainly am not up on technology. lol! Far more reasonable than an iPad. (Or gasp! two lol!)


----------



## Sascot

Wow, Christmas is big business these days :ylol:.  The problem with kids as they get older, the presents get smaller but more expensive.  So come Christmas day, it looks like they're hardly getting anything yet we've spent alot!
We decided to spoil the kids for once since they have both had such a hard year!  We were going to get Amy the Kindle Fire, but we decided to splash out and get them an iPad mini each.  Nearly fainted paying that :yfaint:
Maybe it'll keep them amused at all the hospital appointments :thumleft:


----------



## muppet

izzi'smom said:


> LMAO @Izzy's job! Izzi told me she wants an iPad. :faint: I told her she's second on the list, right after me. I just got a Kindle Fire in the mail this week...these kids don't know how good they have it!! I had twigs and berries to play with at their age (we grew up in the country, remember? )


Hehe. No no, see, Izzy is the 3 year old who is quite content with whatever you may care to gift her. Sarah is the overbearing 14 year old who thinks the world owes her a data plan..


----------



## izzi'smom

muppet said:


> Hehe. No no, see, Izzy is the 3 year old who is quite content with whatever you may care to gift her. Sarah is the overbearing 14 year old who thinks the world owes her a data plan..


Sorry...missed Sarah's name tucked in there...that's what I get for posting at work...
Hope you have more luck with your Izzy than I had with mine...she was content. Until this year. UGH! and 14...I don't even want to contemplate the future. Roses, butterflies, and rainbows in my happy bubble. (I'll end up like Dusty, plucking my eyelashes out lol!)


----------



## kimmidwife

Instead of an iPad think about a google nexus. It is way cheaper. my oldest just bought himself one. It does everything the iPad does and is more portable. My kids haven't asked for much this year except my oldest. He wants flying lessons! I told him I would get home one. Today he is taking the ACT. If he does well we will get him another lesson. (For you nonamericans the act is a test you take to get into college. We have two here the act and the sat. You can take one or the other or both). Caitlyn was easy this year she wanted two pairs of fancy sneakers under $100 for both. My next one, asked for a bunch of fun things from the dollar store and one small gift. #4 he takes after his brother wanting more expensive stuff he is getting a ninjago set from Costco and some kind of car that turns into a helicopter and flies (I think that one is more for my husband then him. He loves those kinds of things! Sophia my youngest is getting a play kitchen I found at a thrift store for $12. She has been wanting one and we found a pots and pans set and a food set each for $10. She will be so excited!


----------



## muppet

I wanted a Nexus but they're still a bit pricey and the Kindle HD has some killer features like a subscription service for $5/month to a huge library of kids' books and games...

...oh yeah by the way thanks to all the Kindle Fire talk on this thread I just went out and bought one for my wife and one for Izzy as a potty training companion/incentive. I blame all of you!

Now I have to scramble to fit these into my shopping budget as now I've overspent on my wife by 50%. She's gonna be mad.


----------



## Catherine

I have have remind Sarah she can't have much other that the camera len I need to buy her.


----------



## muppet

Christmas shopping shenanigans:


----------



## my little penguin

for all the ladies who need a pick me up.

FW cover your eyes

for all others
there is always virtual chocolate:lol2:
and ESPN


----------



## Tesscorm

Crohnsinct - no, it's not about the cocktail!! 

Thanks MLP


----------



## jmckinley

:mademyday:

Thanks MLP!!

Muppet, Tell your girl to love that Iphone. My son, who's 15, still has a slider dumb phone that's pay as you go! It could be worse!!

Ryan's Christmas list is non existent. After we said no to the iphone, he hasn't said anything else. He just got 2 video games that he prepurchased at his birthday. Who needs more games and more reason to have argue about getting off his bum anyway! So Mom's gonna get creative and see what I can come up with that he needs/would want. This ought to be interesting!


----------



## izzi'smom

Muppet...hysterical-love it!
Dear MLP...
Thank you for making my morning. and wherever that is, Izzi wants to visit ("That must be Hawaii!" she says lol!) I want to visit too. My idea of a vacation=a book, a beach, and a cabana boy.


----------



## Farmwife

my little penguin said:


> [
> 
> _*FW cover your eyes*_
> for all others
> there is always virtual chocolate:lol2:
> and ESPN


Why cover my eyes mlp?:ybatty:

I stare at that every day.

Y'all should be jealous:ylol:


----------



## crohnsinct

MLP!  I almost changed your screen name to bubble burster after that reality check on eczema...but then you redeemed yourself on the Christmas front.  I have done not one thing yet!!!!! And have something like 50 gifts to buy not including hubby's staff!   But then you posted that pic.  Sorry girls but ewwwww those trunks are horrendous...too short...like something from the 70's!  Go longer trunks or speedo buddy but that in between crap has gotta go!  He needs a woman (or man no judging just love) in his life to fix him up right muppet?  


As for gifts, we are usually pretty simple round here.  Kids get 1 gift from each person and 1 from Santa.  There are no lists or asking.  If you ask for something you don't get it.  

One year we did a $20 Christmas.  No gift over $20 it was so creative and fun.  Made us Concentrate on the true meaning.  The family then went to the city and got 2 for tickets and saw a show and had a simple dinner...looked at the Christmas windows...that is our kids favorite gift now.  

May have to reenact that $20 Christmas less show as hubby just found out no bonus this year (no FFLD cracks muppet...I saw your Christmas list and they are laying off half his department.  Bah Humbug!


----------



## muppet

LOL we had many years of $20 Christmases and it wasn't for the sake of quaintness.  Before that, it was cookie Christmases where I put my dubious baking skills to the test. And our list is only like, 20 people. This year it's 8. Poor, poor Fairfield dwellers...  utahere:

We're all scheduled for one-on-one meetings with our VP this coming month to "discuss our skillsets" on the eve of a major reorganization. The only other time I've ever been reassured of my job security so many times in one week was the last time I got laid off.

I hope your husband isn't part of the cut, CCT, there's nothing funny about layoffs.

Also if your pool boy friend up there was looking for a man in his life, he'd already have better fashion sense. :lol2:


----------



## imaboveitall

God, when they were young I got al kinds of gifts. Toys are so fun to buy :mario2:, and their excitement over the tree, Santa etc...
But as they got older the kinds of gifts they wanted got really boring (to me, to buy) and their excitement turned to ennui.

They have so much stuff I've stopped buying gifts for Christmas.
They are both OK with this.
My adult daughter asked her boyfriend to donate to a no kill animal shelter for her gift. 

I do love the music though, and the church services.


----------



## muppet

So, my wife was on U-Verse this morning searching for Christmas specials to record for the kids....






Good job, U-Verse...


----------



## Tesscorm

Farmwife said:


> Why cover my eyes mlp?:ybatty:
> 
> I stare at that every day.
> 
> Y'all should be jealous:ylol:


Ya know...  when I saw the picture, the first thought that came to mind was' Oh, look, Farmwife's vacation pictures!'  

And, I'm with all of you in the 'hardships' of Christmas gifting - expensive, boring, stressful, etc.!  It was so much easier when they were little and just loved toys!  

When my kids were little (around 3ish??), they used to receive sooo many gifts (in addition to those from family, they would receive gifts (some small/inexpensive but that was irrelevant to them) from friends of mine, closer coworkers/friends who would get them gifts, etc.) and that one year, it was horrible - they'd barely torn off the wrapping from one before they were yelling next, next, next!  Ughh!!!  So turned me off!!! After that, I made a rule, they were allowed to open two gifts first thing (one fun and one that I knew was clothes...), and then one more gift every hour...  They actually appreciated/enjoyed each gift and it kept the anticipation going for hours.  The rule died away over the years as the number of gifts lessened and they got older...  Now I can only afford to get them one anyway!  :lol:

Crohnsinct - I love that $20 idea!


----------



## muppet

I'll never forget Sarah's 6th birthday. We bought her a Mac Mini and a keyboard and mouse, all wrapped separately.

My dad and his (awful, now gone) girlfriend were there with her young boy around Sarah's age, and of course they brought a gift or two of their own.

The kids played and we had lunch and then cake, and then the presents came out. We always let her choose which gifts to open first, and the first one she unwrapped was the keyboard for the computer. 

The next few were from my dad and his girlfriend, opened hastily and tossed aside with "Nope, this isn't the computer, next!"

And then the whole scene was ruined by the lecture she got... hoo boy.


----------



## izzi'smom

Tess and CICT...LOVE those ideas!!

I am SO tired of trying to limit the gifts that they get (Izz's birthday is the 19th on top of it all) but I LOVE the thought of spreading out the appreciation. I don't have them all day this year (just a few hours in the am) but when I DO I am taking full advantage. 
We had to take turns opening...still love that!

Muppet...Christmas for all, huh? LOL!


----------



## izzi'smom

If only it were this simple...


----------



## muppet

Happy puppy.


----------



## Clash

A fb friend of mine does the four gift rule with her kids, one thing you need, one thing you want, one thing to wear and one thing to read. 

Another fb friend that was hit hard this year with layoffs and such is making her grands(8 of them) quilts from her fabric scraps. Most of the scraps are from outfits she has made them through the years so they will be full of memories.


----------



## izzi'smom

Muppet, you're less scary than kermit with the big gun. Just sayin'. 
And my kids want to come play at your house. lol!


----------



## hawkeye

Clash said:


> A fb friend of mine does the four gift rule with her kids, one thing you need, one thing you want, one thing to wear and one thing to read.


I like the one thing to read thing - books are great - usually have one or a few  on my list each year - and enjoy having a book to read start to finish over the Christmas holidays


----------



## muppet

Of all the days for our youngest to have a clueless substitute hastily trying to memorize faces of who will be picking up their 3 year olds at lunchtime, today is probably the worst one to pick.

Hopefully she's on the ball enough not to start expounding to a bunch of 3 year olds about the Newtown shooting. Our youngest doesn't know a thing about it and won't for years as far as I'm concerned.


----------



## Tesscorm

Muppet and Crohnsinct (and anyone else I've missed who lives in Connecticut) - What happened is such an incredible tragedy!  Impossible to even express my feelings.  Everyone I've spoken with, here, so far away, is heartbroken, I can only imagine how difficult this is for you and your children being so close to Newtown.  May God give those families strength to get through such an extremely difficult time!  And I hope that those of you living nearby also find the strength to get through this and the knowledge to help your children deal with the tragedy.  :ghug:


----------



## muppet

I really feel guilty that this shooting has affected me emotionally so much more than previous school shootings. It's much closer, it involves really little children, but still I don't think you can really call one mass school shooting more horrific than any other. Still, this one has hit me right in the gut. We really agonized over whether to send Izzy to school today or not, which really, is stupid. Of course she should still go. There's no reason I should be any more upset by this than someone in California or Canada or Spain. Or, we all should have been inconsolably upset about all of them. I don't know. I'm so depressed about this and I feel like I should be because that's what empathy is, but at the same time I feel like I haven't got any right to be upset because I didn't lose my tiny precious child, and I got to hug her this morning and kiss her head and tell her I'd see her this afternoon after naptime.


----------



## izzi'smom

It must be hard being so close, muppet. I'm sorry. 

You aren't the only one agonizing...I have friends here who kept their children home today. Some are talking of homeschooling. Hoping you find the strength you need to get through one day at a time. :heart:

I didn't tell my kids. My son is too young and dd worries about absolutely everything already. I am a bit apprehensive about what she will hear from her peers today but am prepared to discuss it if need be.


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh Muppet!  I have been feeling the same way.  I am beside myself with grief and just can't get past it and also feel guilty.  I can say that previous shootings of children also have hit me hard but like you say not like this one so close to home. One of the funerals was held in my town (we are two towns over) and I stayed home all day because I just couldn't face passing the funeral home.   

I told my 9 year old a bit about it.  At the time it wasn't random so she felt safe but now that the story changed I am not telling her.  I made her lunch and put her on the bus today realizing how lucky i was to have that privelage and to never take anything for granted but also a tad skiddish.  This whole thing also put Crohns in a totally different light if even for a little bit.  

We have many friends through swimming around there but since my swimmers are older not many were at that school.  Only today the stories and connections are coming through.  One  swimmers cousin died...another swimmers friend was one saved by Ms. Soto, parents of a slain teacher are members of our church.  

I truly do believe the whole world is grieving this event and also hope that it enlightens all of us to atrocities near and far that we should grieve and pray for daily.


----------



## muppet

I still don't know what to do with it all. I want to make some sort of memorial to these kids and I didn't know any of them. I haven't come up with what's appropriate yet.

Only tangentially related, I sent this email to our superintendent this morning:


> One thing I've taken away from this incident is that I'm even more angry than I was before about the locked doors on my kids' schools, with the door bells and video intercoms and remote locks, treating every visitor, including parents, as a potential threat or invader. They were always security theater with a side effect of making parents feel alienated in their own children's schools, and now they've been dramatically demonstrated not to work. Not only do school secretaries casually buzz people in without checking the camera around half the time, but in this case absolutely no one buzzed the shooter in. He broke in and did all that damage despite the school having had that security measure in place.
> 
> Take the round-the-clock locks off the doors and let's stop treating the entire community as suspect, since it demonstrably does nothing to stop a determined attacker anyway. If anything the locks and intercom provide a false sense of security which over time will cause even trained and oft-reminded staff to stop watching the entryway themselves. It's like I always tell my dog, who barks every time there's a knock on the door: "Burglars don't knock."
> 
> I realize this may be a bit of a non sequitur, but I remember a Plainville where the schools didn't masquerade as mini prisons and I miss it. This incident, I feel, has dramatically proven that the paranoid "for the children" culture which has surrounded our school system in the last decade or so has produced some ineffective and misguided measures that should be re-examined.


I'm just tired of feeling almost guilty when I walk up to a school building with one of my daughters inside and need to come in for something. Doors locked, ring the bell, make sure I duck my head for the camera so they can see me, and justify my presence. It's very impersonal and prison-like and clearly unnecessary and ineffective. When my oldest was very young you could still simply walk through the door and report to the office. I think here's an example of a change made with good intentions but that has produced no good results. It shouldn't feel like a taboo to be in my kids' school. Maybe that taboo makes a school seem more of a challenge to a whacked out shooter, and therefore more enticing and interesting. How many moves and TV shows are there about prison break fantasies and bank heist fantasies. Maybe we're elevating schools to that level in the minds of sick people. 

Even if we're not, what good is locking the community out of their schools when it doesn't prevent what happened in Newtown anyway?


----------



## crohnsinct

Hi guys, 

For those of you looking for a simple way to support the Sandy Hook surviving children, teachers and community at large, I thought I would pass along this very simple project.  It is a particularly easy way for younger children to get involved.  No need for grand gestures just a simple snowflake says it all! 

Welcome Students to a Winter Wonderland 

When school resumes for Sandy Hook, it will be in a new building. Parent-volunteers are working to ensure that the students are welcomed back by a winter wonderland with the entire school decorated with as many unique snowflakes as possible. We encourage senders to be as creative as possible, remembering that no two snowflakes are alike. Please make and send snowflakes by January 12, 2013 to the Connecticut PTSA address at the end of this email.   

Thank you for your generous support and dedication to the children and families of Newtown, Connecticut.  


Please send all snowflakes and donations to:  
Connecticut PTSA 
60 Connolly Parkway 
Building 12, Suite 103 
Hamden, CT 06514


----------



## muppet

I hope that helps somehow. Those kids are never going to feel safe again. How can they ever lead a normal life after a trauma this bad? Those parents and siblings, I can't even imagine. The scumbag didn't just take away the lives of those people, he tore chunks out of the lives of everyone near them, forever.


----------



## Tesscorm

Muppet, I understand what you're saying and the ineffectiveness against someone like the shooter in Newtown, however, being one of those paranoid, neurotic moms, I do agree with the security (locked doors, etc.).  It's unfortunate that we live in a world that requires us to go to these lengths but I would rather take these lengths and provide greater security to our children.  The one situation (but has happened more than once) has been perverts gaining access to schools during the day and hiding/waiting in the girls' washrooms, in one case I remember, the girl was assaulted.

We will never be able to completely protect our kids from someone like that shooter (it could have been a school employee... bypassing ALL security measures) but it does provide a certain level of security.

But, addressing your concerns that you feel like a intruder in your own daughter's school...  there are ways that schools can avoid that....  My kids' elementary school had similar security (locked doors, cameras, etc.), however, the front doors were open and there was free access to the main lobby where the office was located; to go beyond that, a visitor had to be allowed through a set of locked glass doors into the classroom areas.  As a regular parent, you had only to wave at the secretary and she would unlock the doors as you passed through the lobby.  Certainly wouldn't have stopped a shooter but neither did it stop a parent...


----------



## muppet

Well, I don't want to start a political debate or anything, but I think the locked doors on schools are about as effective as the TSA. That is to say: not at all, and actually damaging to society.

Something is only a security measure if it works. Otherwise it's nonsense. Like Lisa Simpson once said, I have this rock that protects me from bears.

In a perfect world where people acted according to their training day in and day out, this sort of system might work, but right now all those buzzers do is train administrators and teachers that the buzzer is the only thing they really need to watch out for, despite being trained to the contrary over and again.

And then the people who are directly tasked with watching the buzzer become so used to letting everyone in that eventually they aren't even watching it anymore themselves.

At my daughter's elementary school they don't even ask who it is anymore about 70% of the time when the buzzer rings. They've become so accustomed to recognizing everyone that they assume they will. Often when I walk in I have to get the receptionist's attention, because she wasn't looking to see who was entering the hallway. They buzz in whole groups of people at times. Parents hold the door open for whoever happens to be standing out there, not wanting to be rude. Etc. You can't replace vigilance and common sense with a button, but if you install the latter I think you encourage a loss of the former.


----------



## crohnsinct

Hmmm...before we moved to the burbs, my daughter's school had one way in and out.  After 9 a.m. doors locked and school had a uniform, armed police officer at the door. He was the keeper of the buzzer.  Over time he got to know the families and you simply buzzed and were let in, signed in at the desk and went on your way.  I never felt like an intruder but also felt safer that he was manning the door and not an office worker with half an eye on the job.  If officer Dave walked away for a minute...no one got in until he returned.  Extra benefit was he got to know the kids, neighborhood etc.  Scared the neighborhood thugs away from the playground too!  Maybe after I hire my resident GI I will hire my kids their own personal officer Dave!  

In our town, schools are wide open.  This makes me a little uneasy.  Our office has big windows but they are always covered with posters, decorations etc.  The locking system wouldn't have stopped this guy but at least it slowed him down and alerted the staff so 911 calls were made faster.  I shutter to think how many would have died in my town's schools before anyone even knew what was happening.  But yes, even one child is too many.  And ugh!  In the news yesterday, a high school swim coach fired for molesting high school swimmers...now how do we stop those people?!


----------



## muppet

When I was in school the halls were nearly empty during class periods, but all external doors were locked from the inside save the main entrance. You couldn't enter over by the gymnasium, but you could at the main lobby, which was watched. 

A main lobby constantly watched by a fishbowl office with large windows is far more security than a buzzer will ever be. I hate to sound crass but the 20 seconds between glass being shot and the guy gaining entry isn't much of a head start. Every school in my town has this arrangement, with the recent addition of buzzers. 

I think the extra faux-security teaches the kids to be afraid of the world at worst and at best it teaches them that the appearance of safety is the same as safety. This country has an overdose of fear as a part of mainstream culture since 9-11 and it's been to everyone's detriment. I don't want my kids feeling like they need an armed police officer watching them at school in order to be safe, and statistically, they don't, so why create the perception?


----------



## Tesscorm

It's just sad that this has even become a conversation...  my kids certainly grew up differently than I did...   it was RARE that there were any kids playing on our street (and we live in a safe, suburban neighbourhood - no apparent reason to worry about kids playing outside!) so my kids grew up with structured activities.  Not saying it was all bad, lots of great came from the hockey, soccer, etc. but I was always sorry that they had little of the 'adventures' of just hanging out in the neighbourhood...

I'm so sorry for the people of Newtown and other small towns...  the belief they had that their kids were safe has probably been shattered.  Just like when we all got the diagnosis that our kids have crohns, all of a sudden you realize that the 'it can't happen here', CAN actually happen!  

I also think gun laws have to be changed.  While Canada's may be tougher than those in the U.S., I heard on the news that Canada's are actually quite lax compared to the rest of the world.  Again, another level of security that won't prevent EVERYTHING but, more security does it make it tougher for those that want to harm others.

As I said above, it's just sad that any of these issues are concerns that need to be discussed/addressed. :ymad:


----------



## muppet

When I was a kid, I ran around in the street, played in the woods, and came home when it got dark and/or cold. I wouldn't let my oldest play outside unsupervised until she was 12.

What's changed? I know what has NOT measurably changed:

* child abduction statistics
* violent crime statistics
* molestation and other sexual assault statistics

Our kids are not statistically in any more danger now than they were in the 1960s, so what's different? We're more afraid. Is that a good thing? I don't think it is.


----------



## muppet

We need to ban guns based on fire rate and magazine size, not silly things like barrel length and what type of stock they have. Nobody needs a gun that will fire 300 bullets in 15 minutes. Not one person. There's no justifying it outside of a warzone. If you feel you need a gun like that, you have a pornographic obsession with firearms, plain and simple.

The other thing that needs to be tackled is mental illness. We stigmatize it so badly that people are ashamed to seek treatment, and as a nation most of us actually believe that they should be ashamed for being so weak/evil/whatever. 

In extreme cases where the sufferer will NEVER be willing to seek treatment, and that unwillingness is due to the illness itself, something still has to be done. The standards on forced incarceration for mental illness are very high by design but they need to be more nuanced, and there needs to be a reasonable number of facilities, with reasonable protocols and procedures and treatments in place, for those people to go once that very difficult hurdle is cleared.

Right now we have an insanely broken system with poor standards and almost NO facilities. In fact we've recently, in the past 10 years, closed down most state hospitals. Eventually those people are released from the system until they commit a crime so that they can be jailed.


----------



## crohnsinct

^^^Tru Dat^^^  AMEN!


----------



## muppet

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/12/18/obituaries/691323.txt

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/12/18/obituaries/691335.txt

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/12/18/obituaries/691337.txt

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/12/17/obituaries/691212.txt

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/12/17/obituaries/691211.txt

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/12/17/obituaries/691208.txt

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/12/17/obituaries/691205.txt

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/12/17/obituaries/691204.txt

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/12/17/obituaries/691203.txt

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/12/17/obituaries/691200.txt

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/12/17/obituaries/691294.txt


----------



## muppet

http://stratford.patch.com/articles/obituary-victoria-vicki-soto-age-27

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2012/12/15/news/doc50cce7f2df5fa708346092.txt


----------



## hawkeye

This is so sad. Even though I live far away, this still hits close to home moreso than any shooting, maybe its because of being a parent.  My heart and thoughts go out to the families.  Muppet and Crohn'sinct, my thoughts are with yoiu and yoiur neighbours as well.


----------



## jmckinley

I second hawkeye's statement. I am far away, but not far removed from this tragedy. I am just so sorry. It makes me so sad that I can't wrap my brain around it. 

I can't for the life of me figure out what has gone wrong with our society. It's not just guns, or mental health, but a compilation of everything. We've removed religion from society, isolated ourselves so that there's no sense of personal or community responsibility. Our leaders aren't in it for doing what's right, but for self promotion. They are supposed to lead by example, yet show no character at all...

Ok, stop babbling! I need a HUG!

I am going to get some of the neighborhood kids involved in doing snowflakes over the break! Let me see what other acts of kindness I can do to get out of this slump!


----------



## jmckinley

Muppet,

There's a movement going on facebook called "26 acts of kindness". Someone has challenged everyone to do 26 acts of kindness in honor of those lost. Simple, but meaningful.


----------



## crohnsinct

LOVE THAT IDEA JMK!  Thanks for telling me about it as I am a facebook holdout!


----------



## izzi'smom

I was trying to nott get involved in this debate, but I have a few thoughts. 

I don't think it's about gun control, the lack of religion in schools, or inefficient security. 

I do think it's about mental illness. 

I work overnights in a hospital. EVERY SHIFT I WORK someone is brought in involuntarily under the mental health law. We have no psych ward, and the local hospitals don't have enough beds to fill the need. By the time the patient is seen by social workers the next morning, or after the weekend, often times their symptoms have subsided. 


My uncle is in a mental hospital for shooting my grandfather 20 years ago. I was 15. 

He was diagnosed and medicated, but stopped taking his meds. 

My heart breaks for this mom:
http://anarchistsoccermom.blogspot.com/2012/12/thinking-unthinkable.html

I have to ring the doorbell upon arriving at the school. I don't think it is foolproof, but it doesn't offend me. 

I believe that semiautomatic weapons serve no purpose in the hands of your average American, but I learned to shoot at a very young age and believe in the right to bear arms, although I currently have none in my home. 

I believe that we need accountability. If that means God (Allah, Budda, etc) to you, or a higher power, or to the universe, so be it. 

At any rate, my heart is aching for all those touched. It is unfathomable. :heart:

Whenever you face an evil element in this world that harms you or people you love. . .
Don’t give up.
Don’t just go on with your life.
Keep doing as much good as you can
because it’s good that overcomes evil.


----------



## muppet

I think it's probably primarily about mental illness, but I also challenge any gun rights activist to explain to me why anyone needs a gun capable of putting 300 rounds into 27 people in 15 minutes. You just can't justify that amount of firepower in civilian hands. We don't need it, fantasies about overthrowing a tyrannical government, surviving the zombie apocalypse, and beating all of the odds and turning away a determined home invasion notwithstanding.

But absolutely, the way we treat the mentally ill culturally, politically, and socially is a big mess with a whole host of issues that are screaming to be addressed.


----------



## muppet

The pathetic Westboro Baptist Church crazies are staying at the Motel 6 down the street from my house. If I weren't stuck at work I might have been arrested by now. Sorry if that makes me sound like an "Internet Tough Guy". I know they claim to love the negative attention, and probably they even do, but that doesn't mean they don't still deserve a punch in the mouth.


----------



## Tesscorm

Completely agree with the above - Mckinley, Izzi'smom and Muppet.  Something has definitely gone wrong with our society... lots of contributing factors from guns to loss of community to lack of funds for mental illness to glamourization of violence in entertainment (movies, games, etc.), etc.

And, unfortunately, there are sooo many issues to resolve, I'm not confident that they can be solved 

But, I do believe gun control is an easier fix than some of the other problems...  my husband is a hunter so, even in our home, there is the belief that a responsible person should have the right to own a gun.  I 'accept' this but with reservation.  As my husband only goes hunting once or twice a year (sometimes even less), he usually keeps the gun at a 'co-hunters' home, where there are no kids but, I believe that there's no reason guns can't be kept at a secure storage facility.  Before you go hunting or target shooting, you go and pick up your gun from storage...  Stephen plays hockey, his skates always need to be sharpened - we don't have a sharpener at home, nor does anyone else!  Before games, you go to the store and sharpen the skates.  This 'errand' doesn't take away from the enjoyment of hockey!

I realize this doesn't address the issue of people who are collectors (again, no real easy answers..) but I do think it would help in reducing the number of stolen guns that end up in the wrong hands.  We had two random 'large' shootings in Toronto this year...  one at the foodcourt of Toronto's biggest mall and the other at a neighbourhood bbq.  A number of people were killed at each, including children!  Lots of talk about change but nothing's been done.  In both cases, gangs were involved and, I'm guessing, stolen guns were used.


----------



## muppet

I don't think any aspect of the fix is easier than any other. There will be no impounding of guns already owned, registered or not. I doubt there will be a nationwide buyback program, either. You can stop selling the worst of them by law, and over several generations they'll dwindle, but there's not going to be any overnight benefit from changing the gun laws since raids and impoundings are not going to happen.


----------



## crohnsinct

NO WAY!  Tell me they are not really going to show up at the funerals of those little angels and torment those families!  Great!  Just when I stopped crying and am right back to tears.  I say we organize every CT citizen and our near by NY neighbors to go surround those churches, synagogues, funeral homes and block their access!


----------



## muppet

There was already a large counter protest being organized for the principal's funeral but the family requested it be cancelled. I think it's misguided on their part to try to "take on" the WBC on their own during their grief, but it's their call. I think they're worried about a circus. The best counter protest would be a silent wall of pitying looks in WBC's direction, but it's hard to get everybody on board with that, people can't help themselves shouting back and showing anger, which WBC thrives on.


----------



## Farmwife

:heart:I'm so proud of all of you. :heart:
I wish the media would be this respectful of the different sides.

So many good points from all of you. 

My  simple country view is to say I do hold to my God and my guns with pride. 
I was taught by parents to respect firearms. As parents it's our solemn job to make sure our children's know not to touch them until there of age and understand what will happen if they do. Of course their unable to get to them but the doesn't matter, they should still know what can happen if they do!!!!! 

My heart breaks for this town. 
I was a proud teacher and loved each student as my own.
 Those teachers did what came natural to them.
We all should be proud this town and hope and pray that if we ever face the same hell, we'll come out hero's like them.


Edit: I took out some statements here. :wink:


----------



## Clash

FW, It is a constitutional right not only to your husband's beliefs but also according to the constitution. Also a high powered rifle is what most use to hunt game with are you sure you didn't mean assault rifles? I just think it important when presenting your views to be clear about what you are conveying using the wrong words can change what you are actually stating your beliefs to be.


----------



## Johnnysmom

I just wish the mother of that shooter would have come to the realization that guns should not be in HER house.  If you have an angry, withdrawn, young adult male child that has mental health issues don't have guns in your house.  It is just the responsible thing to do.  We can't predict who is capable of these unspeakable crimes but I hope that this 20 year old would have had a hard time raising the $1000 this gun would cost and going out and obtaining one.  I would hope a gun dealer would engage this young man in a conversation before selling him a semi automatic weapon.  There seems to be some common sense missing from the sane adults in our society.


----------



## Farmwife

Clash said:


> FW, It is a constitutional right not only to your husband's beliefs but also according to the constitution. Also a high powered rifle is what most use to hunt game with are you sure you didn't mean assault rifles? I just think it important when presenting your views to be clear about what you are conveying using the wrong words can change what you are actually stating your beliefs to be.


Clash,

Oops! Can you tell I don't hunt.


----------



## Farmwife

Clash

BTW, I thought I was being clear but........
 that could be more my ignorance of proper sentence structure, then getting the right message across. If I offended you..sorry.:redface:


----------



## Clash

No, I'm not offended. I just felt certain what you had typed was not what you were trying to convey from the context of your post.


----------



## Catherine

I remember my father being upset about the Australia gun buy back after Port Arthur.  He had get rid of couple of guns but he still has guns and hunts.

One thing that happen with the buy back is that people who didnot know why had the gun in the first place handed them in. eg guns that were handed down it the family.


----------



## Tesscorm

I don't know what the guns laws are anywhere else (certainly not an expert on even the Cdn. laws! ) but, from my husband's explanations, guns here must be stored unloaded in a locked cabinet and bullets must be kept in a separately locked cabinet not within the same vicinity (not sure if that means separate room, etc.??) and you need a licence to buy the bullets.  My husband made the point that, while it won't eliminate those using stolen guns and bullets, it does cause 'delays' during a moment of emotional rage.  The delay in finding the gun cabinet, getting the lock open, finding and again getting bullets out of a locked cabinet may be enough time for the rage to subside and some rational thought to come back...  Are the laws similar in the U.S., Australia, UK?

I'm not sure if I ever told you guys about the time I saw a guy walking around our neighbourhood (actually directly in front of my kids' elementary school) with an assault gun (I think that's what it's called :blush: - very similar to the one shown by the Newtown shooter)...  I was driving by, saw a guy standing/pacing at the bus stop and thought he was holding an assault rifle!  But, thought 'nooooo, that's crazy'.  (This was about a week or so after the camp shooting in Norway.)  But, then thought, if everyone thought as I did, who knows what can happen...  so made a u-turn and drove back...  repeated... ended up driving by four times!  It was such a bizarre thing to see that it was hard to believe I was really seeing it (especially as I just drove by quickly - smart enough to figure out I shouldn't be slowing down! :facepalm - some guy, casually pacing the sidewalk with this assault rifle slung over his shoulder, in hand -  (Husband later asked what was I thinking acting like target practice?!?!  How did I know he wasn't going to start shooting at me?!? :lol  Anyway, after my fourth drive-by, I saw a police car, flagged him down and told him...  then went home.  My husband and Stephen went out just a couple of minutes after and told me a couple of blocks up, the intersection had been closed and there were about 8 police cars surrounding a bus!!!   I never did find out what happened...    my moment of hero-dom!  :rof:


----------



## muppet

It also creates delays in accessing the gun for self defense, which, even if you were able to get the gun "in time", your odds of shooting your own family, intruder present or no, are astronomically higher than ever shooting an intruder and preventing injury. 

Half the arguments rationalizing why anybody needs a gun are just bad arguments. The only really valid one is "I have a right to own one" and in the US, you do, but some limits on that right need to be discussed, clearly.


----------



## Catherine

I 'm same about Aus laws but we also have the two locked cabinet rule.

It being reported in our media that our laws are being used by both sides in US to support their position.


----------



## izzi'smom

:bdayparty:On a happy note, six years ago today (literally right now, at 4:30 pm), my sweet Isabelle came into this world and gave me the best job ever, being a mama! 

We were discussing that she was a c-section yesterday before bed and I was conveying that I didn't care how she got here, just that she was a healthy baby girl. She said "I'm so sorry that I turned out to be sick". 
I just got home from three hours with twenty two five year olds and am about to host all of the family for her party. I am going to h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶d̶r̶i̶n̶k̶ premedicate before they arrive. :cheerss:utahere:I will try and catch up later. :heart:


----------



## Farmwife

Happy birthday izzy!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Happy birthday Izzi! And a toast to you too mom


----------



## Clash

:birthday2:Happy birthday Izzi:birthday2: And:cheerss:cheers to you, Mom!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

:bdayparty:  Happy Birthday Izzi!!!  :bdayparty:

And way to go mom for bringing such a beautiful little girl into this world!!! :cheerss:


----------



## Susan2

izzi'smom said:


> ...We were discussing that she was a c-section yesterday before bed and I was conveying that I didn't care how she got here, just that she was a healthy baby girl. She said "I'm so sorry that I turned out to be sick".


Oh, Angie! 

I do hope that Izzi has a very happy birthday.


----------



## my little penguin

Happy birthday izzi!!!!!


----------



## crohnsinct

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAUTIFUL IZZ!  I know you already have the best present of all..an awesome mom! Enjoy the rest of your special day! 

:birthday2:


----------



## crohnsinct

Tesscorm said:


> my moment of hero-dom!  :rof:


Oh I don't know about that Tess..you have been my hero many times over!  

Everyone on edge here.  Some guy called in almost the same exact story as yours.  Guy all in black walking by train station carrying a rifle slung over his shoulder.  They locked down schools in three surrounding communities.  Turns out the "rifle" was an umbrella.  They arrested the person who called in the tip...now that seems wrong.  I hope he is off the hook by now.  

I went for a run with my daughter yesterday and was wearing all black.  Our route takes us by the elementary school.  She suggested we take another route...didn't want to freak people out.


----------



## upsetmom

Happy birthday Izzi.... :bdayparty:


----------



## jmckinley

Happy Birthday Izzi!!!

Hope the premedication helped!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Hey just realized the rubby ducky in our trunk or treat pic in my album has a big M on it and a football helmet...Is that a State or U of M Duck?  I hope neither...I would hate to get in the middle of that war!


----------



## Farmwife

crohnsinct:yfaint:
You sitting...........
In a convertible:eek2:
Strapless:confused2:
No make-up
Bubbles (balloons) strategically (THANK GOD) place,:cool2:
And your worried about the duck?:ybatty:

:ylol:


Still the neatest idea.:ghug:


----------



## crohnsinct

LMAO!  You gotta point.  Too bad it's on to of your head!  

After seeing Mary's new avatar I told hubby I wanted glamour shots for Christmas! 

Oh and hey I think I saw the footie PJ's Muppet got wifey.  Oh and I was on line in a store and some guy offerd to let me go in front of him.  I said no cuz my order is complicated (ya know being a high maintenance type and all) and he said "no really go ahead it is my 26th act of kindness"...how sweet!


----------



## muppet

Where's this photo I have not seen? Eh?


----------



## crohnsinct

Ah!  You have to be in my inner sanctum of friends Muppet.  If you want to really see the hideous photo send me a friend request (shameless the way I bribe people to be my friend).  But also promise to look at the other pictures although they aren't any better...graduation 97 degrees and a wedding in summer where I sat in a car for 5 hours.  I always seem to have an excuse huh?


----------



## upsetmom

Nice photos... crohnsinct


----------



## muppet

I don't use photos of myself much online since I lost the ones from when I was good looking 10 years ago in a hard drive crash.


----------



## muppet

Because, more recently:


----------



## izzi'smom

:rof::rof::rof::rof::rof:


----------



## my little penguin

:lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2:


----------



## crohnsinct

Can you say doomsday prepper?:ylol2:


----------



## Tesscorm

:ylol2::ylol2::ylol2::ylol2::ylol2::ylol2:

Too funny!


----------



## muppet




----------



## Dexky

Muppet….you need a haircut dude!!!  Nah, I'm just a jealous q-ball


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Dexky !!!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Ha!  My husband tells everyone he isn't bald...it is a solar panel for a sex machine! :lol:


----------



## Farmwife

crohnsinct said:


> Ha!  My husband tells everyone he isn't bald...it is a solar panel for a sex machine! :lol:


:eek2::eek2:


So this is the reason you drink.:rof:



:tongue::hug::tongue:


----------



## hawkeye

crohnsinct said:


> Ha!  My husband tells everyone he isn't bald...it is a solar panel for a sex machine! :lol:


Haven't heard that one in ages...just like the song solar sex panel


----------



## hawkeye

Dexky said:


> Muppet….you need a haircut dude!!!  Nah, I'm just a jealous q-ball


Dexky's back


----------



## muppet

OK so, Izzy went through the excruciating and fraught-with-uncertainty spectacle of going through her well-stocked toy box and picking out everything that can go to disadvantaged boys and girls, admittedly with convenient timing to make room for Santa's arrival.

About half an hour later, bedraggled, slightly teary eyed, and with a giant sack full of donation-worthy toys and games, she throws one arm up and proclaims, "I Mrs. Claus!"


----------



## izzi'smom

Poor, poor Izzy!
Was it on here I read to leave the sack for Santa to take to the disadvantaged kids??
(Yup, my mind is gone. Blame it on the kids).
I had a discussion with Izzi about donating her (new, unopened) birthday party gifts to the hospital, particularly the infusion unit where she got her Remicade and/or the inpatient and surgery units. She's agreed to give all but one or two gifts away. although we'll see what happens when the day actually comes lol!


----------



## muppet

New and unopened?  Wow mom, that's hardcore...

 2


----------



## izzi'smom

Yup. Way too many toys here. 
12/19 birthday, followed quickly by Christmas? 
Her "friend" party is in January, and I told her that she is lucky to even have a friend party...I never did, and there are many other children that don't. 
Our friend did a book swap...bring 2 gently used books...one to trade and the other to donate to charity. Loved it!


----------



## Tesscorm

Bon Voyage!!!! :bigwave:

Hope everyone has a wonderful start to the New Year and that it brings only lots of health, happiness and love!!!

Everyone stay safe and 'uneventful' while I'm away!!!!  And lots of luck and hugs to everyone starting new treatments and getting over recent complications!!!

Will miss you guys!!  :grr1d:   (_Guess I'll just have to find some other way to occupy my time..._:dance: :cheerss: :dance

:heart:    :heart:


----------



## Farmwife

Wait hold on...........

I'm not in your luggage or your son's personal nurse.:eek2:
You can't leave me here.:voodoo:


Have a great time:hug:



:ghug:We'll miss you.


----------



## crohnsinct

Um...yeah!  I made up that position so of course it is mine.  Besides, I am a wine consultant so no offense but who do you think she is bringing...a dairy farmer or friend with a case of wine?


----------



## Farmwife

Well crohnsinct,  you might be a winey (new word)
But I am a chocolate consultant.
 So Tess dear, my expertise won't cause a hang over in the morning!
Choose wisely!


----------



## Tesscorm

Well, I kinda need you both....   nothing better than some yummy milk chocolate with a sparkling glass of bubbly!!! :thumright:


----------



## crohnsinct

Chocolate wine...bam!


----------



## my little penguin

You guys can't come since I am already on the boat waiting ....   
Snooze you lose.
Hahaha :lol:
Enjoy your trip Tess


----------



## kimmidwife

Have a great time Tess! Talk to you soon!


----------



## DustyKat

Bon Voyage Tess!


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Awe Tess - we will miss you! 
Have a blast dear - you so deserve it !


----------



## Sascot

Have a fab time Tess!
Chocolate wine - eeeww! :ack:


----------



## izzi'smom

Enjoy, Tess!!
A local restaurant serves chocolate wine...it is TDF!! Anyone that wants to come visit upstate NY gets one on me!!


----------



## DustyKat

Welcome to my world! :ylol2:

[youtube]_veIGGP1Uh4[/youtube]

Dusty.


----------



## izzi'smom

UGH...I don't even want to *think* about those days approaching...but LMAO because it's not my kid!!!


----------



## Jmrogers4

:rof::rof::rof:
Yep, that is sounding more and more like my world from both boys.  I always told my husband they were mine until they were teenagers and then he could have them


----------



## muppet

Oh God, the apathetic conversation I can sort of deal with. It's the entitlement and nuclear whining response to every repeated request to do a chore that should have been done hours or days ago, that I like repeatedly asking for even less than she likes being asked. It's a good thing our house has thick walls that muffle sound or the neighbors might think I'm a lunatic...


----------



## crohnsinct

Ah!  In our house nothing is FAIR...I swear I have come to despise that word!
Of course those comments always send me into a diatribe ranting to my kids "ask the Sandy Hook children and families about fair" "or the neighbors whose little boy just died of brain cancer".  To which my kids then call me Debbie Downer...and I say "you started it"


----------



## muppet

I was spoiled by Sarah when she was young. She came out of the box all sweetness and light. Nary a tantrum to be had. When we'd go into a toy store and I'd tell her put that down, it's time to go, she would listen without hesitation. She always obeyed, always said please and thank you, and never talked back even once.

Then she turned 13 and it's like somebody swapped my kid with an android programmed to drive me to homicidal mania. I have no idea what happened.


----------



## DustyKat

You can deal with the apathetic conversation muppet because you are looking in the mirror and also don't have teenage boys! :rof: 

That video is definitely a guy thing...teenage girls are a whole different matter. Where the boys have suddenly realised that they were born with a finite number of words and so are using them very springy the girls have equally realised that the excess words were given to them. We, the parent's, find ourselves in a constant state of flux. Wishing more than anything that the boys would do more than grunt and the girls would stop giving a two thousand word essay as to why they shouldn't have to answer the question! Is it any wonder my head hurts when they are under the same roof! :lol:


----------



## muppet

I think you'll find I don't fit gender stereotypes very well if you get to know me. 

Anyway, she's verbose about the things I couldn't care less about and mum about the rest.


----------



## DustyKat

Awww muppet, you are a SNAG...:hug: :lol:


----------



## muppet

I'm not well studied enough on my Australian slang to know whether I've been insulted.


----------



## DustyKat

Dexky is a SNAG so you are in good company. :biggrin:


----------



## muppet

Looked it up at urban dictionary.

Uhh... no. Not quite.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

LMAO Dusty! 
Believe it or not - the boy in the video is more like Gab! She's a girl of very few words ...


----------



## upsetmom

A typical conversation with my son....:yfaint:


----------



## Jmrogers4

And the one letter response on a text "k"


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh my gosh.  My Gabs too!  One word answers..very non commital...you would think she was an agent for the CIA or something.  O on the other hand is the town crier but she is only 13 give her time...she will learn that parents are on a need to know basis.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

I find it more frustrating with a girl who does that; I still have a hard time trying to get her to actually speak in sentences at almost 20 years old! LOL


----------



## izzi'smom

muppet said:


> I'm not well studied enough on my Australian slang to know whether I've been insulted.


I would have thought that Dusty meant a catch, in a positive way, but you piqued my curiosity. 

Maybe it was this:
Sensitive New Age Guy (S.N.A.G). Similar to the Metrosexual, but more timid and sensitive. Dense clusters of Snag's can be found at woman's issues rallies. Extreme examples have been known to experience regular menstrual cramps. 

But even funnier, the Australian slang:

Australian for sausage.
"Buy a few snags and we'll have a beer and a BBQ."

So, Dusty, which is it??


----------



## upsetmom

A SNAG is usually a sausage....but you never know with Dusty.


----------



## Clash

Wow, Dusty you hit the nail on the head with the boy/girl vocab comment!!! I read this article once that said to ask questions that wouldn't allow for one word answers...which might work with any other subset but teenage boys!!! J, my daughter on the other hand can turn even a one syllable answer into a multiple syllable word. "J, have you washed those loads of clothes of yours yet?" Her reply, "Nooowaah."


----------



## muppet

So... we've been having problems with our salt tank in the living room. The "sump" tank underneath the main aquarium sprung a leak, and multiple attempts to fix or replace it weren't going well as the tank/stand is very narrow front-to-back which sharply limits what I can do under there.

SO, we decided that a new, slightly wider tank and stand were called for. Our fish are growing and need more space anyway. So, I did some fancy bookkeeping and found a way within our budget to afford a tank replacement by borrowing against our home maintenance budget until tax refund time in February. It's all accounted for and we should be all set, hooray for Dad (me)!!

The girls and I decided to have an "unveiling" of the new (sleek, black, handsome) tank stand and we worked together removing the straps and box carton ends protecting the sides of the tank. As we removed the top carton end, we found a free promotional item lying on top of the stand!!

...it was a shank one of the warehouse workers must have misplaced. Oh how he must be going crazy looking for it. It's the blade from a "click-up" razor knife, with one end mummified in a combination of masking and shipping tape for a makeshift handle. Luckily Sarah and I spotted it before Izzy.

I wrote the company a nice note. They're a fairly well known supplier of mid- to high-end aquariums.


----------



## kimmidwife

Wow that is pretty scarey!


----------



## crohnsinct

The children from Sandy Hook are going back to school tomorrow in their new digs in the next town over.  Please say a prayer for them and their families that the transition goes as smoothly as possible. :rosette1:


----------



## DustyKat

izzi'smom said:


> I would have thought that Dusty meant a catch, in a positive way, but you piqued my curiosity.
> 
> Maybe it was this:
> Sensitive New Age Guy (S.N.A.G). Similar to the Metrosexual, but more timid and sensitive. Dense clusters of Snag's can be found at woman's issues rallies. Extreme examples have been known to experience regular menstrual cramps.
> 
> But even funnier, the Australian slang:
> 
> Australian for sausage.
> "Buy a few snags and we'll have a beer and a BBQ."
> 
> So, Dusty, which is it??


Well done Angie! :medal1: 

It was the first but since a SNAG is a guy and only guys have the Aussie slang meaning of snag, AKA a sausage, I think it wouldn't be out of place to say that muppet is both...A SNAG with a snag!


----------



## hawkeye

muppet said:


> As we removed the top carton end, we found a free promotional item lying on top of the stand!!
> 
> ...it was a shank one of the warehouse workers must have misplaced. Oh how he must be going crazy looking for it. It's the blade from a "click-up" razor knife, with one end mummified in a combination of masking and shipping tape for a makeshift handle. Luckily Sarah and I spotted it before Izzy.
> 
> I wrote the company a nice note. They're a fairly well known supplier of mid- to high-end aquariums.



Looks like something that one would find in a prison.....

From the seedier side - 

http://observatory.designobserver.com/slideshow.html?view=758&entry=4597&slide=1


----------



## Dexky

DustyKat said:


> Dexky is a SNAG so you are in good company. :biggrin:


Sometime Neurotic Angry Guy


----------



## Catherine

It was a very hot day here yesterday at 42c.  Victoria was lucky we haven't had major property losses.  Thinking of the people Dunelley, Tasmania and surrounding area where it appears there were up to 100 buildings and possible one life have been lost to fire.


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh my gosh Catherine.  I haven't heard anything about what is going on.  What is going on?


----------



## Catherine

There are major bush fires burning to Tasmania.  Dunalley is a small seaside town about 50km from Hobart, it has lost about 30% it buildings.

It bush fire season in Australia.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Hope they get the fires under control soon, we had a bad fire year here - the smoke was awful.  We're freezing now -14 C or 6 F. Wishing you were a little cooler - that is really hot.


----------



## muppet

It was 7F here yesterday. Coldest I can remember it being in years.


----------



## Catherine

It's only 25C today at noon.  It may get couple of degrees hotter.


----------



## upsetmom

Catherine at least it's cooler for you today ...
we live right near the ocean so even on a very hot day we still get a little bit of a breeze.


----------



## Catherine

Had the discussion with boss yesterday that if they call a code red my children will be coming to work.  Everyone use think I was overly concerned about fire risks before Black Saturday but now most of our neighbours will leave their homes as the CFA say our homes can not protected if a fire starts in the National Parks.

It great today is cooler.


----------



## DustyKat

We tell it like it is:


----------



## my little penguin

:rof:


----------



## Trev

only in Australia.


----------



## DustyKat

That looks very NZ to me!


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh my....!!!!  It seems I have LOTS of catching up to do!!!  

I haven't had a chance to read through ANY threads yet...  but to all the new parents (it seems there are a few new names ), I'm so sorry you've had to find your way here...  but I'm sure you've received some great support and advice!  I hope all the great parents here have helped you get through some difficult moments! :ghug:

Without having read the thread, I do give my wholehearted support to the MLP Fan Club!!  Woohoo!!!  Much, much deserved (although I saw some notice that CIC was adding to my workload! :voodoo:  Do I really give the impression that I'm the right person to be sewing and filling Penguin shaped heating pads?!?!  :yfaint:  :lol

Cruise was FANTASTIC!  Started off a bit rocky...  I NEVER get sick but NOW came down with a bad cold (effin-really?!?!) on the 29 and 30th!  Fever, chills, etc.!  :voodoo:  Then , pulled a muscle/tendon from pulling (not even 'carrying' my suitcase) - think I packed a wee bit too much!  :lol:  But, all was good by the evening of the 31st and things just got better from there! :sun:  We all loved it but the kids LOVED, LOVED it!!!  Emily judged the Sexiest Man contest (which Stephen entered!), Stephen also entered another contest where he had women throwing their bras at him and he ended up in his boxers wearing one of the 'thrown' bras in front of an audience of 200 people!    Food, entertainment, service was all amazing!  E and S say they want all future vacations to be cruises!  Given their ages and work/school schedules, we'd thought this would probably be one of the last 'family' vacations for a while, so thought the cruise would be a good way to go 'out with a bang' but, apparently, all we did was set a new minimum 'standard' to reach each year! :yfaint:  Forget _Freedom 55 _- I'll be working till I'm 75!  :lol:

All in all a great time...  NOT happy to be back to dealing with reality - work, snow, etc., etc.! :thumbdown:  But missed all you guys!!! :ghug:  Hope everyone's been good (or, at least, stable!)...  will catch up in the next few days! :thumright:


----------



## Clash

:mario2::mario2:Woohoo, Tesscorm is back:dance::dance:!!!!!!!!!!!! So glad to hear your vacation went well! It sounds like it was a blast!


----------



## upsetmom

WOW..sounds like some holiday.
Glad to hear you had a great time.

Now back to reality and start sewing those penguins...:ysmile:


----------



## Farmwife

WHAT KIND OF CRUISE THROWS BRAS AT TEENAGE BOYS!!!!!

AND NO ONE SAY.........A FUN ONE!:yfrown:


I'm so glad you had a good time. We've missed you!:rosette2:


----------



## muppet

Our new fish tank is up and running:






Old and busted in the background. The filtration equipment wasn't running correctly and a tank upgrade was the easiest way to fix it (sadly not as fast as I would have liked, but all the fish are happy.)

We got a new Kole tang. Very pretty. Izzy says his name is "Jack West".


----------



## Farmwife

Cool muppet.


----------



## muppet

Jack West is a little stressed out. Sarah cracked up when I sang to him:

_Hey I just met you
and this is crazy
but here's some pellets
so eat some maybe!_

After she caught her breath, Sarah's response was "I love this family!"

High praise from a 14 year old.


----------



## izzi'smom

Fantastic tank, muppet...I had a 150 gallon in my old place that I aspired to make a saltwater tank. I couldn't even keep the friggin guppies alive in it. Pets and I are not meant to be!

Welcome back, Tess!!! I have never been on a cruise...soon, although I am fairly certain it will be a ladies one sans children...my 2 YO would see your son and forgo the boxers...he's think it was a naked dinner party!!


----------



## muppet

This is just a measly 75 but big enough for a very small tang to join our clowns, damsels, flame angel, and engineer goby. 

The e-goby was pretty cheesed about being moved. He spent all last night building new bunkers all over the sand bed.

And of course, the minute I got everything set up and had 24 hours to enjoy the splendor of the new tank, 2 bulbs in my 4 bulb fixture burnt out and now the color spectrum is all messed up. It's always something. 

Sounds like you had fun despite being cooped up in a sea-going, claustrophobic, disease-breeding science experiment, Tess!!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Beautiful tank muppet.  We have not had fish since my youngest at 2 (now almost 12) got up in the middle of the night and decided the fish were hungry so fed them a whole jar of food and then decided they were dirty so they needed to be taken out of the tank and washed with a whole bottle of dish soap.  He left them on the counter covered by a dish cloth and calmly took himself back off to bed.
Welcome back Tesscorm sounds like a great cruise.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Gorgeous tank Muppet ! 

We tried to have fish once ~ once.
JJ insisted on them, we tried ~ we bought quite a few ~ JJ named every single one of them Joey. (he was 4 years old).
They lasted almost a week ! 
We gave up raising fish LOL.


----------



## muppet

There's great forums out there for both fresh and saltwater fish. It sounds like you may have started too fast if you bought a lot right away.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Thanks, but that was 10 years ago, and I think he's over his fish phase ?

Well, maybe...he has a beta fish in his room that he bought a few months back and he has managed to keep that one alive ! 
His name is Oscar ~ so at least the everything is named "Joey" phase has been outgrown haha.


----------



## muppet

Ooh. The great betta debate. Bettas are almost impossible to kill but most aquarists will spend hours explaining why tiny betta bowls are horrible fish torture chambers.


----------



## DustyKat

Squeal!!!






Soooooo fab to hear you had a blast!  

:mademyday:
Dusty. xxx


----------



## DustyKat

Like I said...we tell it like it is...


----------



## Tesscorm

Great tank, Muppet!!!  I wish I had the talent to have a beautiful tank like yours!  But, like Crohn's mom, I have a hard time keeping goldfish alive! :redface:  Although, Emily did have a beta fish for quite a while...  




> WHAT KIND OF CRUISE THROWS BRAS AT TEENAGE BOYS!!!!!


  Most definitely the kind that an 18 year old considers FUN!!!  :lol:  All part of the game but, the women were literally taking off their bras in the audience and throwing them down!  :lol:  (It was restricted to an audience of 18+!)

Crohnsinct - we had 'YMCA' performers on board!!!  You would have loved it - all sorts of uniforms with lots of poles to hang on to!!!  :yfaint:  (And I DO mean the poles attached to the ship!!!! :lol

Angie - DO, DO, DO go on a cruise with the girls...  you will LOVE it!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Snow day = fighting = shoveling snow = brotherly love


----------



## Farmwife

Wow, some handsome looking sons! OK, so if I had to guess the boy with the 12 on his hat is your IBD'er. Right? Are they close in age?


----------



## muppet

What are these black widow logo coats I keep seeing everywhere this winter? Are they a new thing?


----------



## Tesscorm

Great pic!!  And, yes, very handsome boys! :thumright:

My kids used to LOVE snow days but we rarely get that much snow


----------



## Jmrogers4

Thanks FW and yes the one with the 12 is Jack the IBDer, James is 11 they are almost exactly 2 years apart and they get asked quite often if they are twins.

Muppet - It is a ski brand Spyder and I like them because the have these little extra growth hems in them, you just pull out the stitches and you can get an extra year of wear.  He like them because he says they are the warmest when he is skiing.  They have been around for a while at least for skiing, this is his fourth one.

Thanks Tess, we just finished building a giant snow turtle in the front yard, we tried for a snowman but it is a mix of good packing snow and fine snow we couldn't get it to stay together so we just piled it up and shaped it.  Gotta build something in the snow when you get a snow day from school - Now they want to play video games so I suppose I shall let them after some hot cider (for Jack) and cocoa for James and I


----------



## muppet

I'm surprised the IBD kiddo can tolerate the cider. Apple juice, especially with any pulp in it (like you get with pressed cider) is definitely on our list of triggers in this house.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Shhh don't tell him it comes out of a box and is powder until you add hot water to it, then I squirt a little whip cream and viola!


----------



## muppet

Still, though, powdered apple juice. And dairy!! What a lucky kid to be able to eat both of those things.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Yeah has never had a problem with either and he doesn't like chocolate. The other one however is lactose intolerant so no whip cream for him and has to be made with non-lactose milk or soy and he doesn't like apple cider


----------



## muppet

When I was a kid it was on dairy, low residue. I got no ice cream, hot chocolate, couldn't do cider, no pizza... it was a crappy childhood from a goodie perspective, let me tell you.

I'm glad your son isn't as limited.


----------



## Farmwife

muppet
Out of curiosity, is your girl limited in her food choices?


----------



## muppet

Sarah follows the same low-residue, no dairy diet that I did (also low or no grease, hot spices, stuff like that), EXCEPT that I allow her occasional exceptions when she's doing well. My parents didn't allow any exceptions and the result was that I binged on "forbidden" foods in my late teens and early twenties to make up for lost time. I've been hoping to avoid that with her by getting her used to moderation.

I'm not convinced it's helped.  The moderation, that is.


----------



## Clash

Jmrogers, what handsome boys! It looks like they had a great snow day!! Wish you guys could send some our way, of course a light dusting just about shuts our state down!!! Ha!


----------



## DustyKat

Oh wow Jm, what a fab pic! And such handsome lads! I bet you are one proud Mum and rightly so!  

Do you think I would only end up with a puddle if you sent of that snow down here? :lol: 

:mademyday:

Dusty. :heart:


----------



## Dexky

Awesome pic Jacqui!  But you can keep the snow


----------



## Jmrogers4

I don't know Dusty from the sounds of it you might end up with a dry box :ybiggrin:
I like the snow as long as I don't have to go anywhere and can sit in front of the fireplace with a warm drink and just look at it, but given the choice between a warm beach vacation and a snowy ski resort vacation, I will take the beach everytime!


----------



## Dexky

Jmrogers4 said:


> I don't know Dusty from the sounds of it you might end up with a dry box :ybiggrin:


I just really, really am having a hard time resisting this….but I will anyway!!


----------



## crohnsinct

OMG Dexxy I went there also but thought better not.  Glad to see I wasn't the only one!


----------



## muppet

Tsk


----------



## Jmrogers4

Desky - should have known you would go there  funny non the less. Dusty - Sorry for the set up


----------



## my little penguin

looks like fun in the snow-
 ours all melted 

Muppet- we were told not to limit his diet either- we tried once- it made no differeence so Ds has no restrictions-
He only has to drink the prescribed number of peptamen jr.

GI's no longer recommend what you were told to do as a child-
Have you discussed the restrictions with your daughter's GI.:hug:


----------



## muppet

Our GI in Hartford thought diet restrictions were useless. Our GI in Boston doesn't agree and I will tell you that in my 30 years of first hand experience, it makes a HUGE difference for me and seems to allow the meds to do their thing. I would fire any GI that claimed diet wasn't relevant to IBD and never look back.


----------



## DustyKat

Jmrogers4 said:


> Desky - should have known you would go there  funny non the less. Dusty - Sorry for the set up


No worries, things are hot and moist at present. :biggrin: 

Anyway, since when have Dex and cinct ever been backward in coming forward! Don't be apologising for their baggage! :ylol2:


----------



## izzi'smom

Diet modification seemed to help immensely the first time...and not make a speck of difference the second! At this point she is so good I even let her have popcorn...but I couldn't find any trigger foods regardless. 
...and Dex and cict *giggle* you weren't the only ones lol!


----------



## DustyKat

Go on you lot, bring it on! I may blush...:redface:...but I won't wither away!...:lol:


----------



## Dexky

I guess discretion sometimes is the best part of valor…

Blush!!  I doubt it!


----------



## jmckinley

:eek2::eek2:

I really should go back further when I am trying to catch up with you guys! My mind wandered too dexky and cinct! Sorry Dusty!


Food never made a huge difference in controlling anything. There are some pain triggering foods though and I can definitely tell about foods by the gas :stinks:


----------



## muppet

In my opinion, "trigger" foods are hard to discern readily. "Trigger" is sort of a misnomer as, at least for me, there are VERY few foods that will cause me problems close enough to when I've eaten them for me to readily associate the two. It was only through long elimination, and gradual reintroduction, that I was able to figure out a lot of foods that might sometimes bother me, and even then it usually takes more than just one portion on one day.


----------



## jmckinley

I know it's so strange that everyone is so different in their responce to IBD. For Ryan, one meal of beef, raw spinach or a hot dog is immediately painful. Alot of the rest is just guesswork. Too much dairy or bread...all cause gas. Oh the joy of trial and error!


----------



## poppets mum

Tried fodmap for 6 weeks and were very strict with it and still can't figure out what causes the pain.


----------



## Farmwife

Time for some laughs.......:ylol:

You know your a parent to an IBD'er when.................................

You both use the same arthritis rub.

When your hubby goes to use the lou but first he ask his 4 yr old girl if she need to go because he's not coming out for awhile.:yfrown:

You heard your child burp and pray theirs nothing behind it!:shifty-t:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Thanks farmwife, I could use some laughs

when the doctor tells your son to have a milkshake with breakfast every morning and to make sure you use real ice cream for the extra calories, so you sneak in a 1/2 bottle of ensure when he is not looking


----------



## Farmwife

Jmrogers4 said:


> Thanks farmwife, I could use some laughs
> 
> when the doctor tells your son to have a milkshake with breakfast every morning and to make sure you use real ice cream for the extra calories, so you sneak in a 1/2 bottle of ensure when he is not looking



:ylol::ylol::ylol: I dreamed about that as a kid!



When the doctor tells you to put sugar on her frosted flakes.:rosette2:


----------



## jmckinley

...when you wish you were married to a plumber because the potty is stopped up daily!!!


----------



## Farmwife

.......your child uses her n-g tube as a fishing pole in the tub!


----------



## Tesscorm

...  when your non-crohns child mentions any unusual BM in passing and says 'cuz I know you always want to know...'


----------



## Farmwife

....your girl shouts through the bathroom door, CAN YOU HEAR ME KNOW!


----------



## poppets mum

:stinks::stinks::stinks::stinks::stinks:When your lovely sweet little girl is slowly killing everyone in the household with her farts. Paint peeling off walls,plants dying and I can see a mushroom cloud of toxic gas hovering over the house.:stinks::stinks::stinks::stinks::stinks:


----------



## Susan2

:rof:


----------



## jmckinley

:ylol::ylol::ylol:


----------



## CarolinAlaska

When your hubby enters the room doing a happy dance because he created a new way to hide a can of Ensure and it was ingested successfully!


----------



## Farmwife

CarolinAlaska said:


> When your hubby enters the room doing a happy dance because he created a new way to hide a can of Ensure and it was ingested successfully!


:thumright::ylol::thumleft:


----------



## Jmrogers4

yep, been there and make sure you put the evidence at the bottom of the trash


----------



## poppets mum

Maybe that could be a new thread idea, sneaky ways to hide Ensure. My kid seems to have a sixth sense about it. I swear she knows the minute I have opened the can.
And she is at school. Haha


----------



## Farmwife

You know your a parent of an IBD'er when,
.......your child is in the middle of the grocery isle and says, I need to go poo poo and you instantly you reason with in your head....

1 amount of time to get home, 
2 the miles per hour you can legally do,
3  the weather conditions, 
4 the need of food, 
5 what food are the closest to get, 
6 what you can live with out for this trip

:heart:All this so your princess can sit on her throne in peace and your glad your not stuck in a public restroom wishing they had a chair.:heart:


----------



## Tesscorm

...  when your Crohnie comes out of the bathroom and says 'wow, that was a really good poo!' and you get a happy, warm and fuzzy feeling!


----------



## Farmwife

OK, time for some laughs. Of course on the selfish side this is to make Farmwife laugh!
Time for funny "clean" jokes.

Please share some of your "clean" jokes!:heart:

Now when I state "clean"  I mean Farmwife "clean". Not crohnsinct "clean"....that would involve wine and service men, not Dusty "clean"..I shutter to think what she'll come up with.:ack: Not QueeenGothel "clean".....It would probably involve torture tools. Same goes for the rest of ya! 


Here's mine.....


Q-What did the pirate say when he got a heart attack?
 A-Arr me hearties!:ybiggrin:


A man rushed into a busy doctor's office and shouted "Doctor! I think I'm shrinking!!"
 The doctor calmly responded, "Now, settle down; I'll fit you in... You'll just have to be a little patient."


Q: What did one Illinois prison inmate say to the other?
 A: "The food was better when you were Governor.":biggrin:


A doctor says to his patient, "I have bad news and worse news". 
"Oh dear, what's the bad news?" asks the patient. 
The doctor replies, "You only have 24 hours to live." 
That's terrible," said the patient. "How can the news possibly be worse?" 
The doctor replies, "I've been trying to contact you since yesterday.":ywow:


----------



## my little penguin

Too funny!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

Why was Tigger looking in the toilet?  He was looking for Pooh!

(The only clean joke I can remember!)


----------



## my little penguin

http://www.butlerwebs.com/jokes/toilet3.htm

Clean poop jokes
Including types of poop

Enjoy:ack:


----------



## Susan2

Can you have clean poop jokes? :ybiggrin:


----------



## Crohn's Mom




----------



## muppet

Fingers crossed that my roof doesn't collapse in the rain today.  There's a 4 foot drift up there on the gabled portion that I hope will just slide off when it gets heavy. My roof rake was seized up and couldn't extend to full length on Saturday and after 8-9 hours of clearing I'm wiped anyway. There's nowhere to put a ladder really and anyway I'm afraid of heights.  

I cleared as much of the porch roof as I could, which was nearly all of it. That's the flattest section and the most likely to be damaged. The rest should be OK. Fingers crossed.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

fingers and toes crossed Muppet ! Good luck !


----------



## Jmrogers4

Watching the news over the weekend and thinking about all of you back east.  Hope you dig out soon with no damage.


----------



## muppet

There are snowbanks on the interstates the size of several houses, blocking lanes and half of most bridges. The snow can't be pushed off without closing (and then reclearing) the road below, but they need shovels and dump trucks to take it away, there's nowhere to put it. 

Lanes suddenly end on the highway with no warning (except in on or two places where there are orange cones flattened into the side of the bank by multiple collisions), and today there's freezing rain. 

This has caused about 80% of all drivers to slow down a bit. The remaining 20% seem to be trying to demonstrate their abject stupidity and or contempt for all life.

The surface streets aren't any better. Intersections are in new places based on plow trails, visibility at EVERY intersection is ZERO because of high snow banks, and NOBODY is slowing down even a little to compensate.

In the next town over, several streets are one lane that must accommodate traffic in both directions, but people don't bother to look down the road before taking off down the gap, so multiple times I've had to sit there giving a stern look to a stupefied intellectual mutant staring at me and wondering why I don't drive up on a bank and go around them. Since I checked, I don't back up. They can back up.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Let me guess if it is anything like here - some big ol 4 wheel drive SUV.  Hey buddy that may get you out of the ditch but it ain't gonna stop you from sliding in.
We had the same thing here a couple of weeks ago big snow storm followed by freezing rain.  By the time hubby reached work after spending 1/2 scraping off 4 inches of frozen rain there was 2 inches re-frozen on windshield.  He called and told me not to leave the house until rain had stopped.


----------



## Maree.

Yuck sounds thorougly horrible.  I've never managed to find any redemining featuring in snow, my husband and sons who like to ski disagree but I think they'd change their minds very rapidly if they had to deal with that.


----------



## muppet

This is something I used to see on the news. Now it's in Connecticut. No global climate change my butt.


----------



## Maree.

I'm guessing I'm safe from the snow as long as we stay on the Arabian Peninsular (not that I have a clue how long that will be for).  There is climate change here too but mostly of the hotter dryer variety.


----------



## Tesscorm

Farmwife....  is this considered clean??


*When you're from the country, your perception is a little bit different.
*
A farmer drove to a neighbor's farmhouse and knocked at the door. A boy, about 9, opened the door. "Is your dad or mom home?" said the farmer. "No, they went to town." "How about your brother, Howard? Is he here?" "No, he went with Mom and Dad." The farmer stood there for a few minutes, shifting from one foot to the other, and mumbling to himself.
"I know where all the tools are, if you want to borrow one, or I can give Dad a message."
"Well," said the farmer uncomfortably, "I really wanted to talk to your Dad. It's about your brother Howard getting my daughter Suzy pregnant".
The boy thought for a moment...
"You would have to talk to Dad about that. I know he charges $500 for the bull and $50 for the pig, but I don't know how much he charges for Howard."


----------



## Jmrogers4

:kiss::ylol2::ylol2::rof::rof:


----------



## Farmwife

:ywow:Well????????? Did he ever find out how much to charge for Howard???????:shifty-t:




:rof:


----------



## Tesscorm

You thinking of renting out hubby??


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> You thinking of renting out hubby??



NOPE!

Bills aren't that tight, yet!:wink:


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  At least you know you have options...


----------



## muppet

Sorry I suck at being around again lately. Storm stuff, kid stuff, home stuff... I only have so much head space and I'm easily distracted.


----------



## crohnsinct

STORM!  I live on a pretty major road and on a corner so needless to say the plows dump all the intersection snow in my driveway.  REALLY?!!  They couldn't mound it up 5 feet further down?  Took us a day to get from our house (had to climb out the window because we couldn't open the doors - they open out)to the end of the driveway.  Another day to clear the end of the driveway and the cars.  Today all day to do the sidewalk and the mound at the end of the street so the kiddies can cross the street...although doubt cars would see thtem behind the huge piles. 

Anyway, if school doesn't open tomorrow I am storming town hall and Iwant you all at my trial! 

Muppet: how is the job situation?  Are they done with lay offs?


----------



## crohnsinct

Hubby's birthday was yesterday...guess what he got...NO! Besides that!  A snowblower...so romantic!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Ohh I so shouldn't go there but...... blower  someone has to fill on for Dusty.


----------



## Johnnysmom

My mind must be in the gutter with you Jmrogers4, because I was thinking the same thing!


----------



## crohnsinct

:rof::rof::rof:


----------



## Farmwife

That is NOT a clean joke! You guys need help!


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Actually FW .... you're the minority here ! 
Maybe you should jump on our band wagon...majority rules and we know how to have some fun ! LOL


----------



## crohnsinct

Well if you wanna help O.K. if you are into that kinda thing!


----------



## Farmwife

Ha..Crohn's Mom....... 
_*majority does NOT rule on my farm the one holding the pitch fork does!!!!*_

At least our (country) kind of fun doesn't end us up in jail (most of the time)or some kind of regretful tattoo!!!!!

Now I'd love to debate country vs farm (which I would win) but hubby is home and has to be fed. Good old country values!!!!! Now where did I put those hot pockets?????


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof: :rof:  now you're really going to throw FW into a tizzy! 

But I was going to suggest, with all the snow FW got, being stuck in the house and all...  Maybe Farmhusband would like a blower too!!!  Birthday or not...  Just the nicest thing for hubby on a cold winter day!


----------



## Farmwife

Tess we have TRACTORS...you should be jealous!!!!:biggrin:


----------



## crohnsinct

O.K. but my hubby may take offense that we are discussing this all on the "Much Ado About Nothin" thread

Um yeah..O.K. FW...I am in the burbs and got 3 feet of snow and couldn't leave my house for 2 days (Ban on driving and busy digging out and all), then school closed for three days...I am thinking the city looks pretty good to me about now!  Landlords shovel sidewalks and restaurants deliver 24/7!  Heck, even the liquor stores deliver...and yes if you all must know I was calling hubby begging him to get home before the storm....cuz I was out of wine and he passe liquor store on the way home!


----------



## Tesscorm

Hmmm!!!   Who's riding the tractor?!?


----------



## crohnsinct

Well now I have heard of blowers, I have heard of trains but Tractors?  Care to elaborate FW?


----------



## Farmwife

crohnsinct said:


> and yes if you all must know I was calling hubby begging him to get home before the storm....cuz I was out of wine and he passe liquor store on the way home!




Your love story is that of legends!


----------



## crohnsinct

Farmwife said:


> Now I'd love to debate country vs farm (which I would win) but hubby is home and has to be fed. Good old country values!!!!! Now where did I put those hot pockets?????


City hubbies pick up dinner from one of the 5,000 restaurants they pass on the way home.  1 Point City!


----------



## Jmrogers4

:ylol2::ylol2:  What did I start, well I guess CIC started it but I took it there


----------



## Dexky

What the hell are you ladies up to 'round here??


----------



## Farmwife

crohnsinct said:


> Well now I have heard of blowers, I have heard of trains but Tractors?  Care to elaborate FW?


City girls can never fully understand.....anything, in general!:ack:


----------



## Dexky

They know how to open doors with just a smile.


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof: :rof:  LMFAO!!!!!!!!!   :rof: :rof:


----------



## hawkeye

crohnsinct said:


> OHeck, even the liquor stores deliver
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of our local liquor stores was snowed in
> 
> http://www.theweathernetwork.com/yo... John/upload/1/786?ref=ugc_yourweather_search
Click to expand...


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh so you heard I met him when he was a bouncer at a club and was kicking me out.....second time we were on a stuck elavator and he had a pizza...hey a girl's gotta eat!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Well I must have the best of both worlds here, you can ride your tractor right up to the Applebees on the corner and the liquor store is on the other corner.  We don't have a snowblower but the neighbor does although we do have a leaf blower


----------



## Tesscorm

Dexky said:


> They know how to open doors with just a smile.



Are you talking city girls or the National Guard?!?


----------



## crohnsinct

hawkeye said:


> crohnsinct said:
> 
> 
> 
> OHeck, even the liquor stores deliver
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of our local liquor stores was snowed in
> 
> http://www.theweathernetwork.com/yo... John/upload/1/786?ref=ugc_yourweather_search
> 
> 
> 
> Now THAT is a National Emergency!  I will send you some of my guardsmen...city girls share!
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


----------



## Dexky

Who mentioned the Guard?

City girls just seem to find out early,
how to open doors with just a smile.

You know The Eagles!!


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Oh hell - y'all can borrow my hubby - he's a "wine guy" ! It's what he does for a living - you'll never run dry even in snow storms ! LOL


----------



## Farmwife

Jmrogers4 said:


> Well I must have the best of both worlds here, you can ride your tractor right up to the Applebees on the corner



COOL!:biggrin:


----------



## Tesscorm

Dexky said:


> Who mentioned the Guard?


Who else!  CIC!!!  National Guards came to rescue her!


----------



## Farmwife

Crohn's Mom said:


> Oh hell - y'all can borrow my hubby - he's a "wine guy" ! It's what he does for a living - you'll never run dry even in snow storms ! LOL


crohnsinct stop pm'ing T to get a date with her hubby!!!!


----------



## hawkeye

Interesting news story here today about a Tavern celebrating it's 50th anniversary - bar laws have changed over the years  - to quote the press release "Women were not allowed, and all patrons had to be seated. "

http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/news/news_release.2013.02.0116.html


----------



## Dexky

Tesscorm said:


> Who else!  CIC!!!  National Guards came to rescue her!


This is moving so fast, I can't tell who is lol'ing at whom!!


----------



## Clash

CIC, here I am taking my valium, hiding in the basement waiting for the next severe weather event, looking up Dr. Forbes TORCON eval on weather.com and you are up there partying with the Guard...something seems askew!


----------



## crohnsinct

Crohn's Mom said:


> Oh hell - y'all can borrow my hubby - he's a "wine guy" ! It's what he does for a living - you'll never run dry even in snow storms ! LOL


Throw in a pizza and I will take you up on that offer!  

Ashamed to say it was my business too (up until August) but found my cellar empty more than I care to admit!


----------



## crohnsinct

Tesscorm said:


> Who else!  CIC!!!  National Guards came to rescue her!


Twice! Love those boys!


----------



## Crohn's Mom

LOL Cic - I hear ya there !


----------



## crohnsinct

hawkeye said:


> Interesting news story here today about a Tavern celebrating it's 50th anniversary - bar laws have changed over the years  - to quote the press release "Women were not allowed, and all patrons had to be seated. "
> 
> http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/news/news_release.2013.02.0116.html


What about poles?  Could I hang on my pole?  Could I be let in if I was on my pole?


----------



## Crohn's Mom

We are SO much worse than the "last one wins" thread! LOL


----------



## Dexky

Why would anyone go to a bar if there weren't any women there??


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Three pages of banter - just what I needed.  Thanks everyone.  Now I'm heading home from work with a grin...


----------



## muppet

crohnsinct said:


> Muppet: how is the job situation?  Are they done with lay offs?


They're not really doing layoffs, just a lot of reassignments and uncertainty. Right now I pretty much don't have a boss and won't until September or later. It's a little unnerving.


----------



## Maree.

I grew up on a farm but am definitely a city girl at heart, I can cope with camping holidays but I love having things close, ideally within walking distance as I get bad migraines and won't drive if my head is playing up.

I've got a travelling spouse (away ~80% of the time), IT consulting seriously sucks. Useful for getting him to pick up duty free alchol but for daily errands it mostly comes down to having to do it myself.


----------



## crohnsinct

Maree. said:


> I've got a travelling spouse (away ~80% of the time), IT consulting seriously sucks. Useful for getting him to pick up duty free alchol


Yay another city girl and she speaks my language!  My hubby travelled a while ago and have to saythe perk is one less person to pick up after...I know I know...they should be doing it themselves!


----------



## Maree.

I don't let him bring his washing home either.  If he has consecative weeks in the same city, I insist he's only allowed to bring hand luggage home and generally encourage him to come home once a fortnight for 3-4 days as once the travel time is included coming home each weekend, is just disruptive without him being home for worthwhile chunks of time.


----------



## Tesscorm

Clean jokes for FW :yoshijumpjoy::

Here is the Washington Post's Mensa Invitational which once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting or changing one letter and supply a new definition:

And the winners are .........

  1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time. 

  2. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.

 3. Intaxicaton: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with. 

  4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

  5. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stop bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

  6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

  7. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it. 

9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

11. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you. 

13. Glibido: All talk and no action.

14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. 

 15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web. 

16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out. 

  17. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.


The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words:


And the winners are......

  1. Coffee (n.): The person upon whom one coughs.

  2. Flabbergasted (adj.): Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained. 

3. Abdicate (v.): To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

 4. Esplanade (v.): To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly (adj.): Impotent.

  6. Negligent (adj.): Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown. 

 7. Lymph (v.): To walk with a lisp...

  8. Gargoyle (n.): Olive-flavored mouthwash.

 9. Flatulence (n.): Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller. 

10. Balderdash (n.): A rapidly receding hairline.

  11. Testicle (n.): A humorous question on an exam.

 12. Rectitude (n.): The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

 13. Pokemon (n.): A Rastafarian proctologist.

 14. Oyster (n.): A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism (n.): The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there. 

 16. Circumvent (n.): An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Tess, those are awesome.


----------



## Farmwife

crohnsinct said:


> City hubbies pick up dinner from one of the 5,000 restaurants they pass on the way home.  1 Point City!


Let me set the record strait crohnsinct!!!!

You can get takeout on the farm too.

Want streak??? Point to the cow and we'll make it happen!

What milk?????? Hand me a clean jug and I'll make that happen too.


Benefits of my takeout?

1-Good clean country air when ya go to get it!:medal1:

2-Ya don't get robbed going to and........from!

Tess except for the swear word those we're funny!:ybiggrin: Thanks


----------



## Tesscorm

What swear word?!?!?!  I didn't see one and, skimming it now, I still don't see one!!!  :lol:

That I can't recognize one... what does that say about my language???   WTFFF!!! :facepalm:


----------



## Farmwife

Number 2. Us pure minded country folks pick up on that stuff faster!


----------



## Susan2

But "anus" isn't a swearword on here.:ytongue:


----------



## my little penguin

Yeah that -I even let ds use that one


----------



## Tesscorm

That's a term of endearment on a trading desk!      :kiss: followed by as.....!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Why is Grace using Splash by NG?  Just curious.


----------



## izzi'smom

An ER doc I work with tells his kids the alternate term for "anus" is a medical term. Oh, the conversations at school LMAO!


----------



## izzi'smom

Knock, knock.
- Who's there?
Smell mop.
- Smell mop who?
(Potty humor at it's finest)


----------



## Dexky

I had to read that five times before I realized that *was* the punch line!  Duh!!


----------



## my little penguin

Reading it out loud helps


----------



## Jmrogers4

Only took me twice Dexky  Are you guys getting ready for baseball season?  Jack has assessments on Saturday - moving up to the big field this year.


----------



## my little penguin

We are avoiding baseball
Last year they kept putting DS in as catcher . ( aka target practice since he can't catch)
The kid brushes easily from the Mtx or 6-mp
So lots of bruises .
Sticking to swimming


----------



## Jmrogers4

Jack's favorite position is catcher, he was the only kid who would do it back in his pitching machine days and it has kinda stuck although he didn't get to play catcher last year now he is at the point where they like to use the big kids.  We never did get into the whole swimming thing.  I've asked a couple of times but they never seemed that excited.  Jack has been all about baseball since he was 4 years old.


----------



## my little penguin

Being bad parents we didn't give them a choice about swimming. They started lessons at the y at age 3 and did 6-8 week sessions every winter and summer .
So by age 6 they wanted to compete to get ribbons 
We just love the flexible schedule. Practice is 5 nights a week but you can pick which nights you want to go as well as which meets you sign up for . Perfect for crohn's -
Gi uses DS meet times to track his disease since we have times for the past three years.
It works for us .


----------



## Tesscorm

I'm so glad Stephen's competitive hockey is over!!!!!   There was many, many a time I wished he'd gotten involved in another sport like swimming, baseball, tennis!

I was truly worried sick at every game due to the hitting!  Over the last few days, the news has been carrying a story about a 16 year old boy who was hit from behind and broke his neck!  Luckily, he will recover but will never be able to play contact sports again.  And it was a 'dirty' or illegal hit (at least if it were an accident, it might be a bit easier to accept)...  the boy who hit him may be given a lifetime ban (at least in the youth leagues, until 18) but, even if not banned, his coach has said he's no longer welcome on the team (this obviously wasn't the first time the kid played this way).  But, we had lots of this when Stephen played!   There were games (specific teams) where I literally felt like Stephen was going off to do battle.  It literally made me sick to watch but I was too worried to not attend!  :yfaint:  One less worry... whew!


----------



## Twiggy930

My son is going to try lacrosse for the first time this year.  He wanted to do it last year but he was too sick.  I am a bit concerned because it is a bit rough.  We'll see how it goes I guess.


----------



## Jmrogers4

My younger son plays lacrosse he played last year for the first time.  He absolutely loved it and I was lost for the first few games trying to figure out rules and what was going on.  I was worried about the roughness as well but they are pretty good about when you can check and how you can check and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be and they are only supposed to hit the other stick with their stick not each other.
Lots of running though.  He is playing again this year.  He spent most of his time last year practicing how to cradle the ball.  At that age it's a lot of dropped balls and scooping them up, not a whole lot of time to be rough


----------



## Dexky

I don't think EJ'll ever play organized ball again.  He aged out of little leagues and the poor boy is not the most physically gifted.  His athleticism clearly comes from his mother's side.  He's ok with it anyway.  Gonna stick with piano and guitar!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Dexky said:


> I had to read that five times before I realized that *was* the punch line!  Duh!!


I had to read it more times and read your comment before I finally "heard" it in my head!  Call me dense!


----------



## hawkeye

Dexky said:


> I don't think EJ'll ever play organized ball again.  He aged out of little leagues and the poor boy is not the most physically gifted.  His athleticism clearly comes from his mother's side.  He's ok with it anyway.  Gonna stick with piano and guitar!


I am thinking basketball and soccer for our little guy.


----------



## Maree.

Liam is football (soccer) mad which is good because unlike big brother he's not built for basketball.  

In football stature isn't so important Lionel Messi is only 5ft 7" Maradona was 5ft 5".  Liam loves that Messi is short, it makes him feel so much better about his height.  Speed, agility, skill and ball awareness matters a lot more than being big.


----------



## Dexky

Maree. said:


> Liam is football (soccer) mad which is good because unlike big brother he's not built for basketball.
> 
> In football stature isn't so important Lionel Messi is only 5ft 7" Maradona was 5ft 5".  Liam loves that Messi is short, it makes him feel so much better about his height.  Speed, agility, skill and ball awareness matters a lot more than being big.


Who??


----------



## hawkeye

Lacrosse seems to have caught on here in teh past few years.  "Enrollments" in soccer are up, those in hockey are down


----------



## Maree.

Dexky said:


> Who??


Lionel Messi is 25 years old player with FC Barcelona & Argentina, has won more awards than any other player ever (Has won the world best player award for the last 4 years).  He is the hero of all small boys who love football.

Messi was Argentina's best U12 but he was tiny, nicknamed the flea.  Medical tests showed he was only going to reach 4"9'. 

FC Barcelona in Spain signed him at 13 and paid for medicaal treatment.  Following which he reached his adult size of 5"7' and 148 pounds however there is no controversy about the drugs used to get him to grow as it was done for medical reasons and he's still fairly small.


----------



## DustyKat

Dexky said:


> Who??


Bloody ignorant redneck! Sheesh...:yrolleyes:


----------



## Dexky

Like you knew!!


----------



## DustyKat

Ummm, you really think I don't?....Hello...Matt?!


----------



## Dexky

Oh I'm sure Matt knows!  I bet when he starts talking soccer, you just hear "Waltzin' Matilda" and nod and smile a lot!!


----------



## Maree.

I don't think my dad had watched a soccer game in his life until we visited last northern summer.  Liam had him up at 2 am to watch European Cup replays!  My experiences is boys small & bigger can be very good at getting family members enthused about the things they are passionate about.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Here's some "nothing" for ya'll...
It's after noon here. I'm still happily in my p.j's.
Feet up, slippers on keeping my toes warm, and laptop in lap.
I haven't had a weekend day like this in so long, I forgot what it feels like ! LOL.

I should be out preparing for Gab's 20th birthday dinner tomorrow. 
However, she won't tell me what she wants us to cook, so she may not be getting anything!


----------



## Dexky

Get off your arse T!!!

I hope Gabs is feeling like celebrating!


----------



## Crohn's Mom

actually, she sarcastically informed me of what a great birthday it will be while she sleeps the day away ! :voodoo:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Enjoy the lazy day Crohn's mom I think we all need those. And Happy Brithday to Gabs tomorrow.  Wow 20 she is ofically out of the "teen" years reason enough to relax


----------



## Crohn's Mom

This beautiful young woman, who happens to be my daughter, will be 20 tomorrow !! Wow ! 
Happy Birthday to my "baby girl"! 
:birthday2::birthday2:


----------



## izzi'smom

Happy, happy birthday!!! And she IS gorgeous!!


----------



## DustyKat

Happy Birthday to Gab!  







Are you feeling old Mummy? :lol: 

Oh man T, she is smashing and no mistake! :kiss: 

And best of all I have already posted on fb cause we are just so ahead of you lot! 

Dusty. :heart:


----------



## Farmwife

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAB!

I need to show Grace her pic and say their's a real princess. She's beautiful!


----------



## Dexky

Smokin'!!


----------



## Niks

:bdayparty:


----------



## Tesscorm

:bdayparty:  Happy Belated Birthday!!!!  :banana:

Wow, what a beautiful girl you have!!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

Didn't want to whine on the same post as I wished Gabby Happy Birthday!  :lol:


Not a big problem, just really confused...

WTH is going on with my iron?!?!?  Had a blood test yesterday, and my GP's new assistant (NP?) just called and said my doctor is seriously worried about my iron levels and wants to know what the gynecologist is going to do about the fibroids because the heavy bleeding needs to be stopped immediately!!  I didn't know what to say...  I thought she was calling to say that my iron levels were SO MUCH BETTER!!  I told her I'd had the surgery in January (obviously GP didn't get report) and that I've had minimal, truly very little bleeding since then.  

I admit, since the surgery, I have forgotten to take my supplements more often then not but, I wasn't too worried because I thought I'm no longer losing blood so... it'll all fix itself, right??:redface:    A couple of days ago, I was even telling my husband how much better I feel, less tired, less moody... what a difference it makes to get iron levels back up, etc.  Now, I find out they're not any better! :ybatty:  (Unfortunately, NP didn't have my actual levels in hand, she's going to call back.)  

I'm so confused???


----------



## Catherine

Tesscorn

First thing get your hemoglobin level has it gone up?

Are the iron level actually worse?

If the hemoglobin level is up there isn't as much to worry about as the body has been using the iron to make hemoglobin.

Also if your not taking the iron supplements it not as much a concern either.

Just starting taking the supplements again and retest is 2-3 months.

If your hemoglobin is down that another story, and is cause for concern.


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm
I had the same surgery but different reasons.
I think Catherine is right on the ball.

Have to go... I asked Grace to sit on the couch and she thinks the world is going to end.:ybatty: Oh, how I love the mood swings of pred.:ybatty:


----------



## Tesscorm

Thanks Catharine   Your explanation makes sense.  I was also thinking that perhaps, there hasn't been enough time to rebuild iron (both stores and/or HGB?) since surgery and, as GP didn't know I'd had surgery, may just have been expressing concern at yesterday's low level while assuming that nothing was being done to fix the problem???

NP didn't call back with the numbers, assuming she was waiting to speak to the doctor....  If she doesn't call back by noon tomorrow, I will call.


Thanks FW...  you made me smile!  Sometimes miss having little ones around!


----------



## Dexky

I missed your surgery Tess!  Hope that^^explains it!


----------



## Clash

Tesscorm, as I read your OP about the iron I was thinking the same as you, maybe it just hasn't been long enough for the stores to build up. I hope they call with all the info tomorrow and don't leave you wondering for a couple of days!! Hugs!!!


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Ummm Tess ~ you sound like my college kid ! :lol:
Take your supplements and wait for your blood results (and doctors!) to tell you that they're no longer necessary !!  

Hope it's just a miscommunication between docs tho !


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  Tracy, I was thinking the same thing... :redface:  I'm constantly on top of both my kids to take their vitamins, etc. and then there's me...  :ytongue:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Well I guess we will be clothes shopping this weekend and not for myself.  Jack can't button any of his pants.  These are the ones I had to have altered so they would fit him around the waist.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Awesome.  Great problem to have!  Better get some long ones cuz I'm praying he's gonna start shooting up soon too!


----------



## Tesscorm

Woohoo!!!  Awesome news!!!  :thumright:


----------



## crohnsinct

So we finally enrolled O in the Remistart program.  We get a lot of correspondance from the Remicade people and EVERY time they send us a letter, approval, the card etc they also include their ginormous Medication guide with all that mice type and the listings of all the things that can go wrong and probability and such.  

How come they take every opportunity they have to send you this thing?  Is it required by law?  If I wasn't a little skiddish before I certainly could become so now...it is almost like they are CYA'ing or something.  And now that I think of it, when O first started infusions, I got all this same stuff in the office, then by mail from Remicade and then by e-mail.


----------



## Tesscorm

Have to admit, I usually LOVE dealing with people/organizations who are efficient, offer lots of info, available to answer questions, etc., etc. but I have also found the remicade experiences just a little scary!!!  GI put me in contact with a nurse from BioAdvance who has been super nice and helpful, dealt with insurance, etc., then the people from the infusion centre have been really nice, calling to schedule, offering info, etc., then the pharmacist called to offer information, give me their hours, run through all Stephen's other meds and supplements, said if I have questions to call them and they can reach the GI when necessary, etc., etc....  

Hard to explain what makes me nervous about it but it's like they're all SO nice and helpful that there must be some reason for it?!?!?   and, yes, I know I sound a bit stupid and paranoid!  :lol:  (maybe I'm just not used to such efficiency from our medical system :facepalm


----------



## Henrietta78

Grrrr...H has been SO good about taking his iron supplement...and now he is back to fighting it again!  Can't bribe him with dollars or BBQ chips.  *sigh* I will lay off him for a couple of days and hope that he resumes compliance.


----------



## crohnsinct

Tesscorm: feels a little cult like huh? 

Henrietta: BBQ chips?!  I would do ANYTHING for BBQ chips.  ugh...maybe time to up or change the anty.


----------



## Tesscorm

Crohnsinct - YES!!  :lol:  I think that is what it feels like!  It may be because I never wanted into this 'club' but I'm there and now everyone's trying _too hard _to convince me how great it is to be there!  

Since I am 'there', I'm certainly grateful that it's all so efficient and easy but just can't help that I'm not getting the 'warm and fuzzies'! :lol:  (...Perhaps my hubby would just say 'Oh, she's _never _satisfied!'  :rof


----------



## crohnsinct

LMAO!  Come off it.  I am in that club and you know you practically begged your GI to let you in so you could be just like me:ylol:

Bet if they served you wine at infusions you wouldn't bat an eyelash.


----------



## Tesscorm

A little bit of wine, a couple of Marines at the door, a little footrub...  hmmm...  I could be convinced! :kiss:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Wine and BBQ chips?  I'll join 
Don't we all want to be like you CIC - Wine, poles, firemen (A girl can dream)


----------



## Clash

Haha! CIC just because you bring the bottle in your purse to the infusions doesn't mean they are serving wine!!:lol2:

I'm in that club, and get this I just let them give C an infusion at 3.5 weeks last month...I had valium for that though!

Joining sucks but the membership does have the benefit of all the other wonderful remicade Moms that will vent, cry and drink right along with me.:ghug:

Oh and I just made a new email address and let the hubby pick up the mail when all the Remistart precaution/reminder thingies started coming


----------



## Tesscorm

We are terrible at picking up the mail! Thank God I never see the mailman, he must curse at us every time he tries to jam in MORE mail in our already overstuffed box!!  :lol: so, I haven't seen all this literature you're talking about...  hmmm, will make sure hubby picks that up...  no worries that _he_ will read it! :ybatty:


----------



## my little penguin

Thankfully- gi never gave us any of the pamphlets or booklets on remicade- maybe because I asked too many questions-He just briefly went over them .
They did give a minor 3 paged typed thing when Ds had his first infusion but nothing since.
  Other than discharge instructions.

So the key is to keep giving the GI copies of research papers then they assume you know all the risks SO...you don't have to be reminded every single time with the big book of papers.

I want so BBQ chips but add doughnuts and chocolate - 
I am going to need it 
I am taking DS on Monday to get his infusion on Monday and purposely giving him 
steroids in the docs words so if he does have a reaction it should be so bad.

The only thing keeping me calm is I have two epi pens strapped to him at all times
-and I have used them before .


----------



## Sascot

Mmm, what are bbq chips?  Sounds good, along with the chocolate and wine.
Just to give you guys a laugh - I have managed to pull a muscle in my back - while drying my hair :ybatty: 
Have to say my husband has been very sympathetic - after he almost fell over laughing! :yrolleyes:  So unfortunately no wine for me while on the muscle relaxants from the docs or it will be me falling over :ylol:


----------



## izzi'smom

Bahaha! Sorry but that's hilarious! Hoping your back is feeling better soon and you can get back to self medicating with wine. BBQ chips are potato chips with BBQ flavor. Potato chips take up entire grocery aisles here...we have all kinds...it's pretty ridiculous!


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Sascot BBQ chips= are BBQ crisps in UK lol
Couldn't help laugh sorry hope ya back feels better


----------



## Tesscorm

Sascot - :lol:  Sorry but had to laugh!  I hope it feels better soon!  (You may want to consider a brush cut going forward??? :rof


----------



## Tesscorm

MLP - Good luck on Monday!!!!! :ghug:  :ghug:

I hope ALL goes smoothly.  Some chips and box of chocolate Timbits in hand won't hurt anyone! 

(In case you don't know, Timbits are the 'holes' of doughnuts!  :lol:  So, little bite size doughnuts!!:banana


----------



## crohnsinct

Sascot!  How much hair do you have and how thick is it?!  See, you should have short thin bunny rabbit hair like me!  No hair dryer necessary.  Hope you feel better soon. Shall I send some cute medics your way? 

Ang: whole aisle...ain't that the truth! And now there is that big contest from one of the manufacturers for a new flavor...I think there are 4 or 5 in the running.  They are making them in limited production the one that sells the most wins.  Can you believe th obesession...I avoid that aisle like the plague...you know what they say...can't have just one (bag that is!)


----------



## DustyKat

Oh no Sascot! :eek2: I hope the injury heals soon! 

BUT! As the saying goes...there is always someone worse off...don't know if you have seen this before but it is hilarious, just don't pull a muscle!...

[youtube]LdVuSvZOqXM[/youtube]


----------



## DustyKat

Hmmmm...


----------



## Jmrogers4

Still looking at his thumb HAHAHAHA!


----------



## Sascot

:ylol: :rof:  Dusty, my poor back hurt with all that laughing!  A bit better today - hopefully back to normal wine consumption within a few days :lol2:


----------



## my little penguin

:lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof:

too funny ...thumb


----------



## Niks

Have had a bit of an accident prone few days too Sascot!!  Burnt my hand and had my hair pulled badly at work, now can't move my neck!!!  Ooops, love BBQ chips though!  :ylol:


----------



## Niks

Blimey!  That was not meant to be THAT big!!  xx


----------



## Dexky

Ouch!! How??


----------



## Niks

I opened the oven at work and it was just the steam!!  This is a picture 24 hours after at minor injuries, they cut the blisters off!  Now redressed and have to leave it for 4 days before getting it redressed.  Doesn't hurt now, but hurt loads at the time!


----------



## Sascot

Wow - that is some burn!!  I am just impressed you managed to get the photo on there, never mind how big it is - still can't manage that myself :lol2:.  Pity you don't live nearby - I could have fixed your sore neck!  Too hard to massage my own back though :ylol:


----------



## izzi'smom

OMG that burn looks awful...feel better soon!!

And Dusty LMFAO at still looking at his thumb...I have seen that before but laugh hysterically every time!!


----------



## DustyKat

OUCH Niks!!! That sure looks sore!  

:getwell: 

Dusty. :heart:


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Niks!  How did you do that?!  Horrible!  How did you get your hair pulled?  You are not having a good week!  Yikes!

Dusty!  That was a real LOL!  When I saw the picture of a thumb, at first I was wondering if it had to do with your post!  LOL


----------



## Niks

Lol Carol, just having one of those weeks!

I work with Severely Autistic young people in a Residential College.  They have complex learning difficulties and can be severely challenging.  Having said that I love it and wouldn't work anywhere else!  They are amazing :ybiggrin:


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Time for a pixie haircut, then!


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Ouch Niks! 
but I love that you love your job ! It takes a special kind of person to do what you do :hug:  

Dusty..oh Dusty....LMAO !!


----------



## jmckinley

Sascot and Niks...ouch! :eek2:

Niks, better go for a tight bun! They can't get ahold of that. I had my hair pulled once at the teen unit of the psychiatric hospital. I was taking a class at the University and had to work there. Guy pulled my hair every week!

:ylol::ylol: Good one Dusty!!


----------



## Niks

Ahhh, our guys will get you however you wear your hair..  Some people wear head protection, but it just makes some of them more determined!

If they can't get your hair they'll bite, punch, kick etc...  :ybatty:


----------



## Catherine

Just realise I was kidding myself, thinking I could understand my middle daughter math homework.  She said she studying circles and starting telling pi =180 degrees, pi / 2 =90 degrees and from there it just more confusing.


----------



## Dexky

I don't know what ^^^that means Catherine but I learned more from helping my kids with their homework than I did in 18 years of school!  But math is a different story…in many instances, I can show them how I learned to solve problems but they have learned new methods so my old ways just don't cut it!


----------



## Catherine

There are 3 types of math in year 11 & 12., general/further, methods, & specialist.

Sarah is doing further which I can kind of understand which is purposely the easy math.

Rachel doesnot do that well at that math but she is doing methods and specialist.  This  maths is well pass my understanding of math.


----------



## Maree.

I don't remember learning radians at school.  They're pretty straight forward and I'm sure you'd grasp the idea pretty quickly if you looked it up but I don't think it was something we we're taught.

I've noticed there is a much bigger emphasis on geometry in the maths the boys are learning than there was when we we're at school.


----------



## Catherine

Right, maybe I could get that, but then you add cos & sin which I didn't understand the first time around.


----------



## Jmrogers4

khanacademy.org  It is my math life saver.  Videos, step by step on tons of math and it is the "new" way they are taught Dexky. We also like algebrahelp.com


----------



## Maree.

At some point either during high school or university there are going to be some things they are stronger at than we are.  If she's comfortable doing her homework without help and is getting good grades I wouldn't worry about not understanding the work.

If she needs help, it might be time to consider tutoring.


----------



## Catherine

She has applied to be accepted into the tutoring program at school, the tutors are Monash uni students.

Specialist math she averaging 70%, managed to get almost 100% for one unit and bearly pass the other.

We has school interviews last night managed to complete 17 interviews in just under 2 hours.


----------



## Maree.

The tutoring program sounds excellent.  Hopefully she'll be accepted for that.  
Be good to pull up her scores in those other couple of topics.

It's always a good sign when you get through interviews quickly, our interviews can be exercises in public shame, they are held in the halls with rows of teachers at desk, so there is no such thing as privacy.

I had a long wait to speak to Owen's history teacher because the school Superintendant (overall principle for both junior and senior school) was ahead of me in the queue and getting a serious blasting about his sons effort levels.


----------



## Tesscorm

Our interviews were held in the classrooms but you know it's not going to be good when the teacher says 'oh, _you're _Emily's mom?!?' :yfaint:

I'm sure you've all found this but, very often, a teacher's style can make all the difference.  The teacher (grade 9 history) above told me that Emily was constantly on her 'wall of shame'  (lo and behold, Em's name was on the board! :lol because she was always asking questions and taking teacher off track of her lesson plan, didn't allow the teacher to finish the lesson before she'd start putting up her hand, would give her opinion on something being taught, etc. (Emily is not shy! :lol, yet, during the same interviews, I met with her science and english teachers and they said 'great kid, always participates in the class discussions, encourages class discussions by offering opinions, science teacher said she'd gauge the class understanding of material by how often Emily was asking questions...

First time I realized how the exact same characteristics/actions could be viewed so differently - positive by some teachers and negative by others.  Needless to say, Em did not like that history class, nor the teacher and didn't do well in her marks!


----------



## Clash

Tesscorm, we were in a similar situation when C was younger. Apparently, C had a hundred questions about each lesson and the teacher was confused because she could tell by his questions he understood the material so she thought he was doing it to make trouble and gave him a set number of pennies, he could ask 1 question per penny and when he was out of pennies, questions had to end. But all of his other teachers enjoyed C and said his ability to discuss class topics and ask insightful questions about what they were reading was great.


----------



## Tesscorm

That's funny about the pennies!  That so would've stressed Emily to know she had a limit (she probably would've been asking me for pennies before school)!  :lol:  

I thought it was great that Emily wasn't afraid to ask questions BUT, to be fair to that teacher, I did tell Em that classes didn't revolve around HER questions and sometimes, she did have to let the teacher finish before waving her arm, jumping up and down in her seat and crying 'I don't get it!' 

Funnily enough, once Emily was out of that teacher's class, that teacher actually loved Emily and was a great supporter of her in some extra-curricular projects/activities!  (I guess as long as SHE didn't actually have to deal with Em! :lol


----------



## Maree.

I think sometimes that how willing teachers are to discuss and debate there subject with students and respond to questions gives a lot of insight into:
1. How well they know and understand the topics they are teaching (above & beyond what's in the text book.
2. Whether or not they are passionate about the material that they teach.
For the teacher who loves his or her subject and knows it well questioning kids can be an absolute delight to teach for those who don't I think they can be incredibly hard work.


----------



## Tesscorm

That's what I thought too Maree.  This particular teacher of Em's was older and my impression was that, although she seemed to love history, she was very set in her ways and had a rigid lesson plan for each day.  Em asking questions and, perhaps, taking the discussion in a different direction flustered or frustrated the teacher; maybe resulting in her having to change up the next lesson.


----------



## Clash

Yes, Maree. I agree with you!! My daughter had a math teacher that was absolutely awesome. And til this day, my daughter who is a junior in college will call this math teacher if she runs into a problem or concept that bogs her down. She says noone can explain it like this teacher.


----------



## izzi'smom

They *do* exist!
I took the kids to Ontario this week and almost fell over laughing when I saw this!!


----------



## Niks

izzi'smom said:


> They *do* exist!
> I took the kids to Ontario this week and almost fell over laughing when I saw this!!


We went to Ottawa for an Ice Hockey Tournament years ago when my boys were young and played.  

Beaver Tails are AMAZING!!!  Lol, we did laugh though :lol2:


----------



## Tesscorm

Niks, were you at the Bell Capital tournament?  My son was in that years ago... it's a huge international hockey tournament held in Ottawa.  There were teams there from UK, China, Russia, Finland, etc. that's why I'm thinking maybe it was the same tournament.

mmm, craving beaver tails now!   I have a recipe for beaver tails using pizza dough, I'll see if I can find it and will post it.


----------



## Niks

Tesscorm said:


> Niks, were you at the Bell Capital tournament?  My son was in that years ago... it's a huge international hockey tournament held in Ottawa.  There were teams there from UK, China, Russia, Finland, etc. that's why I'm thinking maybe it was the same tournament.
> 
> mmm, craving beaver tails now!   I have a recipe for beaver tails using pizza dough, I'll see if I can find it and will post it.


Ryan is nearly 22 now!  We went there when he was 7!  We played lots of little rink games, it was an amazing place and the Canadian people who hosted all the games were incredible!  We all had so much fun :lol2:  Jaime was only 4. 

Our guys went and met the Ottawa Senetors, they were allowed to go in the locker room.  We saw a NHL game too, I know Colorado Avalanche  played with Patrick Roy between the pipes!  Ryan's FAVOURITE netminder, he was beside himself .. Good times xx

I remember all of us skating the canal, which is where we found the Beavertails!!!  Such an awesome experience xx


----------



## Tesscorm

Stephen was just a bit older when he went, I think maybe 9 or 10.  This tournament is only for the younger age groups.  Stephen's team ended up winning the tournament for their level and their final game was played in the Scotia Centre/Corel Centre (think that's what its called?? - where the Senators play), they used the Ottawa Senators change room, their bench, they had the lights, buzzer, etc. during the game just like a real NHL game (only thing missing were the fans! :lol.

Something I don't think we'll ever forget!  

One day, I'll have to skate the canal too!!! :ybatty:


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Back to your discussion on parent-teacher meetings.  Our school assigns times - each parent gets 15 minutes with their kids' teachers.  We have 3 kids there (It is K-12th grade!), but we had 4 there at the beginning of the year.  Anyway, they always scheduled our conferences back to back.  We'd have 15 minutes then a bell would ring and we'd be expected to be at the next teacher's room then switch again, etc.  If one parent goes long in front of you, your time gets cut off.  If you go long, then your next child's teacher will be waiting and you'll lose out on that conference.  Needless to say, I didn't find it very helpful.  It was too rushed and not much productive info ever passed.  I was pretty frustrated until my husband told me not to worry because if there was a problem we could schedule a meeting with that child's teacher any time.  Starting in 7th grade the parents meet with the student and all their teachers in a round table discussion.  These are okay.  They are student-led.


----------



## Tesscorm

Ours were similar, Carol...  15 minutes and the buzzer would ring...

Beaver Tail recipe

Pizza dough
3 tbsp sunflower oil or as needed
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cinnamon

Tear of a small portion of pizza dough (depending on size you'd like).  Roll out thin in a beaver tail shape.  Repeat for as many tails as you'd like, lay flattened beaver tails on floured tray.

Combine sugar and cinnamon in shallow wide dish.

In skillet, heat oil.  Once hot, add a 'beaver tail' and brown.  When brown on the bottom side, flip and brown the other side.

Remove beaver tail and drain on layered paper towels.  While still hot, brush with butter and dip one side in sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Not sure this recipe is clean, healthy or acceptable under any diet!   But...  Enjoy!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Tesscorm said:


> Ours were similar, Carol...  15 minutes and the buzzer would ring...
> 
> Beaver Tail recipe
> 
> Pizza dough
> 3 tbsp sunflower oil or as needed
> 1/2 cup melted butter
> 1/2 cup white sugar
> 1/4 cup cinnamon
> 
> Tear of a small portion of pizza dough (depending on size you'd like).  Roll out thin in a beaver tail shape.  Repeat for as many tails as you'd like, lay flattened beaver tails on floured tray.
> 
> Combine sugar and cinnamon in shallow wide dish.
> 
> In skillet, heat oil.  Once hot, add a 'beaver tail' and brown.  When brown on the bottom side, flip and brown the other side.
> 
> Remove beaver tail and drain on layered paper towels.  While still hot, brush with butter and dip one side in sugar/cinnamon mixture.
> 
> Not sure this recipe is clean, healthy or acceptable under any diet!   But...  Enjoy!


Glad to hear these are not made of real beavers' tails!  They sound tastey!  Maybe we'll try a gluten-free variety...


----------



## Tesscorm

They are yummy!  But rarely have them as they are just sooo not healthy! :lol:


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Nothing that good ever is!


----------



## S mom

Mmmmm, just chiming in for beaver tails!  I never thought of making them - thankfully -otherwise the kids would be requesting one daily and that wouldn't be good


----------



## Tesscorm

I've actually never made them myself...  I went to a cooking demo/class once and they made the beaver tails using this recipe, so I know the recipe is good... but, when I've had beaver tails, it's been at Niagara Falls or Wonderland (amusement park), etc.  Luckily, they're not available at every street corner!


----------



## S mom

Ottawa and Banff National Park for us - fortunately both a far hike away from us!!


----------



## DustyKat




----------



## DustyKat

Closely followed by the...


----------



## Twiggy930

Now this is a beaver tail!!!  They are a ski hill treat for us.


----------



## Dexky

If fried dough, butter and sugar wasn't bad enough^^^. Let's add chocolate frosting and Reese's Pieces!!  I'm glad someone explained what beaver tails are though


----------



## izzi'smom

Bahaha at the chart, Dusty! Stealing! Dex, I think you were mia for the discussion regarding local foods...it was enlightening!


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh my!!!  I've never seen a beaver tail like that!!!  :ylol:

Dusty, love those!!!   I think the winebulance is in front of Crohnsinct's house! 

:lol:


----------



## CarolinAlaska

I love this thread!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Yeah! the boys will be home in a couple of hours!  They have spent the week with their grandparents volunteering at an animal sanctuary in Utah.  The first couple of days was great, got so much stuff done, stayed in my jammies all day one day, but with hubby at work and the boys being gone it was very quiet around here


----------



## Clash

Sounds like the boys will come home with plenty of stories, an animal sanctuary, how cool! 

I've been productive the last few days as well, C has been enjoying hanging out with friends and now spring break starts so he is headed out of town with friends and I have a clean house so I plan on doing as little as possible!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Bahaha the winebulance IS my house!


----------



## Dexky

izzi'smom said:


> Bahaha at the chart, Dusty! Stealing! Dex, I think you were mia for the discussion regarding local foods...it was enlightening!


I'm always MIA!!  I'm never IA!!  It's my MO!!  KWIM!!


----------



## izzi'smom

^^Wow, Dex, you've some so far! lol!


----------



## Dexky

Ty!!


----------



## Twiggy930

This may or may not have been my breakfast this morning...


----------



## Twiggy930

My beaver tail spot.


----------



## DustyKat

^^^^:lol: x2!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

I gotta get a booth like that and start a trend here in AK!  This could go over big!  Shh!  Don't tell anyone!  I don't want anyone to do it before I do!


----------



## Niks

Looks AMAZING Twiggy!!  x


----------



## Dexky

Looks like those WA state cappucino huts that are literally everywhere!!


----------



## DustyKat

LMFAO! Well I never...







...I can hear those banjos duelling Cletus Bo Dexky!


----------



## Dexky

Shoot, I ghost writ that there book!  My cuzn Bo can't do no readn and ritin'!


----------



## crohnsinct

Twiggy: Breakfast of champions!  I see bananas so you have the fruit veggie checked, Perhaps that is Nutella under the bananas and there is dairy and hazelnuts in that so protein and dairy checked.  And the dough checks the breads category.  Look at you!  All food groups with one dish!  Pat yourself on the back with both hands!


----------



## Twiggy930

crohnsinct said:


> Twiggy: Breakfast of champions!  I see bananas so you have the fruit veggie checked, Perhaps that is Nutella under the bananas and there is dairy and hazelnuts in that so protein and dairy checked.  And the dough checks the breads category.  Look at you!  All food groups with one dish!  Pat yourself on the back with both hands!


You can have breakfast with me anytime!


----------



## Jmrogers4

crohnsinct said:


> Twiggy: Breakfast of champions!  I see bananas so you have the fruit veggie checked, Perhaps that is Nutella under the bananas and there is dairy and hazelnuts in that so protein and dairy checked.  And the dough checks the breads category.  Look at you!  All food groups with one dish!  Pat yourself on the back with both hands!


Love the way you think!


----------



## Farmwife

Jmrogers4 said:


> Love the way you think!




Jmrogers4 :confused2:

Oh, for the love of God almighty Don't tell me you've gone to the dark side.:ymad:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Nah, just a dark shade of gray 
Don't get me wrong, I love desserts for breakfast with a cup of coffee but I have never been able to justify them


----------



## Farmwife

Jmrogers4 said:


> Nah, just a dark shade of gray
> Don't get me wrong, I love desserts for breakfast with a cup of coffee but I have never been able to justify them


HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Live a day in a farm wifes boots and you sure will!:ylol: Their's a reason why I am the size I am. My new favorite saying....I'm NOT fat, I'm abundantly blessed!:lol2:


----------



## Jmrogers4

That's great.  I'm becoming more "blessed" as the years go by.
Breakfast this morning - lemon meringue pie (there was one piece left from Easter, somebody had to eat it).

Off to lacrosse game, first week of games for the boys, last night Jack and baseball, left the house at 7:30am returned at 8:45pm today is looking much the same and tomorrow and Friday and Saturday and next week - heck let's just say the next 6 weeks!


----------



## Farmwife

Jmrogers4 said:


> That's great.  I'm becoming more "blessed" as the years go by.
> !




AMEN!:lol2:


Have a good time tonight or should I say for a couple weeks.


----------



## crohnsinct

Jmrogers4 said:


> Breakfast this morning - lemon meringue pie (there was one piece left from Easter, somebody had to eat it).


Lemon = fruit
Crust = bread 
Meringue...made with eggs = protein 

If you had a glass of milk with that dairy and BAM! Hit all the groups! You are good to go!  

I had a hard boiled egg a hard boiled  white (free range organic egg...protein) , piece of cheese (organic, dairy) , croissant (bread) with jam (organic strawberry...fruit), 4 lemon cookies, 6 Hershey Kisses, 3 or 4 oatmeal M&M cookies and 3 or 4 mini Twix bars.  See I get all the healthy stuff out of the way first then go in for the kill!


----------



## Tesscorm

I'm liking the CIC diet...  perhaps a new diet thread is needed? :thumright:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Creamer in my coffee? Although it is non dairy Remember I'm lactose intolerant so dairy bad!
Dinner tonight - red vines at the lacrosse game


----------



## Twiggy930

This is cracking me up!  This morning at breskfast I had to choose between lemon meringue pie and carrot cake with cream cheese icing.  I went for the carrot cake. My son complained when he found out I ate cake for breakfast so I told him he could do the same if he baked the cake.  I may have inspired him to take up baking...


----------



## Twiggy930

What's a red vine?


----------



## Tesscorm

Was wondering if she meant red wine???  :ytongue:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Red licorice.  I could bite the ends off and use it as a straw to drink wine


----------



## my little penguin

I like how you think
Just a breakfast shake here--
Very boring


----------



## izzi'smom

Izzi's GI got a "compliment" in a survey..."Dr. XX is GREAT; he actually acts like he cares"!
So...he's a good actor??? lol


----------



## crohnsinct

Twiggy930 said:


> My son complained when he found out I ate cake for breakfast so I told him he could do the same if he baked the cake. QUOTE]
> 
> :rof:awesome comeback!
> 
> And again hitting all the food groups in one dish...you are the master!


----------



## Johnnysmom

My son never wanted breakfast before crohns.  I never made him eat much, but now I do and he doesn't seem to mind.  My daughter is now the one who doesn't want to eat breakfast.  I am wondering if this is normal among kids WITHOUT IBD??  I don't have any ability to understand what is normal kid behavior anymore...


----------



## crohnsinct

HA!  I hear ya Johnnysmom. I wish that mom with the normal kid who eats the right stuff, learns at the exact right pace, grows according to  the charts etc would out herself!   

My supposedly healthy 9 year old hates eating breakfast.  Drives ne insane because well I am Italian and was put on this earth to feed people but also love breakfast and it is the most important meal right?  So I stopped forcing her but one day thought hey what if she just doesn't like breakfast food and I presented something else.  So sure enough, once I started giving her chicken, pasta, salad, veggies and hummus etc as a choice she was gobbling breakfast down.  Sent her to school today after eating salad with roasted peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers...stinking like garlic!  Barforama!


----------



## Tesscorm

I'm not sure about 'most' kids specifically but I think lots of people just aren't hungry first thing in the morning.  I don't eat breakfast until approx. 10am but that's usually not possible to do for kids while at school.

When my kids were small (so years before Stephen was diagnosed), I used to give them 1/2 of a Carnation Breakfast with their breakfast.  They may only have eaten 1/2 toast but I felt better knowing they'd gotten some nutrition.  I only gave them 1/2 because I found the entire 'pack/can' was quite filling for them.  Also, it was very thick, so I diluted it with milk - they were happy because they thought they got chocolate milk every day! :thumright:


----------



## crohnsinct

So does it matter if you ration your Easter candy over a week or so eating 5 pieces a day or you just shovel the whole bag down your throat while drinking your mornng tea and reading the forum? 

Same amount of total candy intake right?


----------



## Maree.

Liam is the opposite, breakfast is the best chance I have to get food into him.  If he doesn't eat well then I know I need to worry because he either has a lot of pain or severe nausea and I know his appetite is going to be non existant all day. 

His appetite decreases steadily as the day goes on.  I try to give him a good snack straight after school and we generally eat dinner at 5:30 because I know after about 6:30 I have almost no chance of getting him to eat more than a couple of bites.


----------



## Clash

My non-IBD kid has never been a fan of breakfast. She says it makes her nauseated to eat early in the morning. Admittedly, I didn't push it...well until standardized testing time! You know how they beat it in your head to make sure they get a good breakfast for testing, I'd be chasing that child around with a full on breakfast those mornings!!

So in HS I overheard her telling a friend, "Yeah, my Mom thought breakfast during CRCT would get me into Yale."

Ummm..no I didn't..well okay maybe I did a little!


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  Shoot, I should've given them the WHOLE can of Carnation Breakfast! :facepalm:


----------



## Farmwife

Maree same here. My kids are big on breakfast and lunch. I grew up the same way.
My dad had all us kids (6) get up by 5:30 am (no I wasn't raised in the country). We always could have are fill of breakfast foods. My mom accomplished more by 10 am then most do all day long. Still to this day if I have a big project I want it done by noon.


----------



## izzi'smom

CICT I do the same...may as well get it over with...I'm going to eat it all anyway!


----------



## Maree.

Crohn'sinct I need your unique perspective on food 

Started my bread starter today which got me in a baking mood, so decided I'd try to make a vaguely healthy chocolate cake, ingredients below:

6 eggs
5 oz ground almonds 
4 oz agave 
5 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa mass) 
1/3 cup organic butter
1/2 cup spelt flour (wholemeal)
2 tsp baking powder

Can I pretend it's healthy? Or do I need to save my children from potential harm by eating myself.


----------



## jmckinley

CIC,

I tend to just go ahead and eat all the candy...no rationing here! I figure it gets it out of the house and hopefully makes me so sick of it, I won't go buy more for a while!  :ylol:


----------



## crohnsinct

Maree!  That sounds yummy!  Let's see.. 

Almonds - awesome source of protein 
Eggs - more protein bonus points 
Agave - non processed sugar nice and clean 
Dark Chocolate 70% - well, chocolate is processed but 70% has so many heart benefits and since we are aging and under a lot of stress we really owe it to our families to take good care of ourselves so the way I see it you are being rather selfless here! 
Organic butter - organic is good...from grass fed cows no doubt. 
Whole meal Spelt Flour - breads check and whole double check 

The only food group you are missing is fruits and veggies so yeah maybe you should do the mommy scarifice thing and eat it all yourself:ylol: 

JMK: I like the way you think!  Hopefully it doesn't kick my sweet tooth into over drive and send me to the market buying more:yfaint:


----------



## Maree.

CIC I love your nutrition reviews  Guess I could make a raspberry coulis to go with it to deal with fruit and veg deficincency.  

I've found I love agave, I think it tastes much nicer than sugar, so think will stick with it even if/when I abandon my attempts at healthy food.


----------



## izzi'smom

Maree...do you replace sugar with it in regular recipies or do you have to search out agave specific recipies? and why can't I spell recipie? Argh.


----------



## Dexky

Because you're thinking about pie!!


----------



## Maree.

I have a powdered version of agave that I replace sugar with in normal recipes, the tin says to use 80% the amount as sugar.  If the recipe doesn't sound very sweet I often wont change the recipe but if it's already rich I'll increase one of the other dry ingredients to compensate.

For example in the chocolate cake recipe, I decided I'd prefer this was less sweet not more sweet so I reduced the quantity of agave from 125g to 100g and increased the amount of almond meal from 125g to 150g.  I also sometimes add almond meal to recipes that don't contain it, to replace some of the sugar, as I like the flavor.

I haven't done it yet but I'm sure you could make meringues with agave and they'd taste great.  I'd use 80% of the sugar recommended then 20% nut flour.

I also have a light syrup version, which has quickly become Liam's favorite toping.  I much prefer the taste of it to maple syrup.


----------



## Catherine

Why are you replacing sugar with agave?  Do you prefer the taste?


----------



## Maree.

Liam's GERD diet used stevia in all it's recipes but I didn't like the taste, it's ok with strong flavors but it really does need masking.

On the forum I found agave suggested as another healthy alternative to sugar so gave that a try and it tastes great, so I think I'll probably continue to use.


----------



## Catherine

Just be carefully with it due to high fructose content.


----------



## Maree.

I'm aware that agave doesn't have the advantage of being low calorie that stevia does.  Advantages are meant to be that it's low GI and you can use less.

However that hasn't really worried me as neither of my boys have a weight issue.  Other than calorie content what other issues about fructose that I should consider?


----------



## crohnsinct

Quite a while ago I posted a handy dandy list of non processed sugars and measurements for substituting for sugar in the clean diet thread.  I like to use Sucanat or Rapadura because they are clean (not processed) and have retained some minerals, vitamins and nutrients.  I think I also posted something in that clean eating thread about the benefits of these.  

So you see the 100 or so easter cookies I have eaten since Sunday were actually good for me because I made them with Rapadura!


----------



## Catherine

One of reason why the fodmaps diet works for gots of people with IBS is that it reduces the intake of fructose as well as others.

There are members here removing High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) from their diets and if your follow their thinking you would also remove agave as some believe it is even higher in fructose.

All i'm saying is check it out for yourself.

http://www.foodintolerances.com.au/food-intolerances-fructose.aspx


----------



## crohnsinct

CRISIS!!! CRISIS!!! What will Twiggy put on her Beaver Tails now?  Come on Germany...hand it over and no one will get hurt! 


Thieves in Germany decided to go for a different kind of precious material this weekend. Instead of the real deal, robbers went for chocolate gold in the form of everyone's favorite gooey dessert spread: Nutella.

According to the Associated Press, thieves in the German town of Bad Hersfeld got away with a whopping 5.5 tons of the chocolate-hazelnut spread. The jars were stolen from a parked trailer. That excessive amount of Nutella is worth about $20,710 or 16,000 euros.


----------



## my little penguin

Hopefully they will hide all if the Nutella for ever and ever
( sorry twiggy)
FA to hazelnuts makes Nutella not very popular in my house
But elephant ears are ( aka beaver tails but roundish )


----------



## crohnsinct

Well I guess if you have never tasted it you could live without it but at this point if O developed an allergy to anything in Nutella natural or not I think you would all just have to buy stock in the makers of the epi pens! 

My 18 year old says that if she could ever not eat cheese that we should just pull the plug. 

Italians!  All about the food around here.


----------



## crohnsinct

And just to stay true to my clean eating rep...there are much healthier alternatives to Nutella...organic, much less suagar etc.  My kids like it fine but Nutella will always hold a special place in their hearts.


----------



## Susan2

I have never seen Beaver Tails (or Elephant Ears, for that matter) in Australia.  :eek2::eek2::eek2:

That might, of course, be because I eat almost no takeaway food, except sushi.


----------



## DustyKat

You are right Susan, we don't have them here. The closest thing we have to animal food is a bear claw. :biggrin:


----------



## Tesscorm

Ah, we have bear claws too!  :lol:  We also have chicken fingers and pigs in a blanket!

Re the nutella  The thieves can keep it!!! uke_r: Love chocolate and nuts but I can't even stand the smell of nutella!   The rest of my family loves it though!


----------



## Twiggy930

You guys crack me up!  Contrary to how it may appear I am not a huge Nutella fan.  Don't get me wrong, if it is the only chocolate option I will go for it but it would never be my first choice.  My son on the other hand might not live without it...  In fact if he is feeling too terrible to eat anything else he can usually still eat Nutella.

I've been good the last couple of days and had yogurt with bananas and granola for breakfast.


----------



## Tesscorm

Stephen's all-time favourite snack/treat for YEARS were Pillsbury Country biscuits smothered in nutella!  :yfaint:  Everytime he had a friend stay over, he'd ask me to make them as an evening snack!  :lol:  I imagined every little boy going home and saying 'wow, you should see what Stephen's allowed to eat before bed!'  :lol:


----------



## DustyKat

Something we can all relate to...and oh so true...


----------



## Niks

Love this Dusty!!  xx


----------



## Sascot

That is sooo cute! And very true


----------



## Dexky

Nothing like puppy eyes to get your point across!  Now a collective "awwwwwwww" from all of us!


----------



## crohnsinct

I finally have a clean one for FW! 

Person 1: I just watched this awesome movie 
Person 2: Cool, what's it about
Person 1: The wife is brutally killed by a cold blooded killer and the son gets really hurt. Then there is a twist and the son is kidnapped.  The father then begins a quest to find and save his son, with the help of a mentally ill female. 
Person 2: Wow, I want to watch that movie.  What is it called?
Person 1: Finding Nemo.


----------



## Farmwife

THANK YOU crohnsinct!:ghug:

Thank you :confused2:for calling Dorree "mentally ill" and not just a "female".
I could have just kick my hubby at the theater.:ybatty:


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Farmwife said:


> THANK YOU crohnsinct!:ghug:
> 
> Thank you :confused2:for calling Dorree "mentally ill" and not just a "female".
> I could have just kick my hubby at the theater.:ybatty:


I think I'm missing this part of the story... can your retell it?


----------



## DustyKat

...


----------



## Dexky

Memories of your first car in the 50's Dusty?


----------



## DustyKat

Maybe...

Beats having memories of your first car in the 00's (19 that is)...a tin lizzie.


----------



## crohnsinct

O.K. I posted on darling Devynn's thread that I was pretty sure my girls would not ever give their lunch to another child not because they are cold and insensitive but because they are sweat hogs!  

Today, my youngest came home and told me she gave away her home made, italian, pain in the butt to make mommy only makes them twice a year cookies to her friend because she didn't have a lot to eat for lunch!  

I don't know if I should feel like a good mother for raising such a great kid or bad mother for ever doubting my child haha or worse for being pissed it takes so much to make them!


----------



## DustyKat

:nonono: Oh ye of little faith cic! :rof:

Well done young one! :medal1: 

Dusty.


----------



## DustyKat

Cute but deadly...ahahahaha


----------



## hawkeye

Kind of sounds like The Honest Toddler

https://twitter.com/HonestToddler

www.thehonesttoddler.com


----------



## DustyKat

:ytongue:


----------



## Tesscorm

_*WOW!!!!*_ :yfaint:  not sure what else to say! :lol:


----------



## Twiggy930

Oh my!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## ChampsMom

Count me in!!


----------



## crohnsinct

NICE! That made my day!


----------



## Farmwife

:facepalm:


----------



## DustyKat

I wonder if they can get any closer! :lol:


----------



## Dexky

When'd you get a Mac???

And, you do you keep the window on your stove that clean???


----------



## DustyKat

I have had a Mac for yonks! I received it for my birthday in 2011.  

I use to wash the glass until I came upon this fab little gadget thingy called SmartBurn. I was sceptical at first but it is a fair dinkum goer! :thumleft: 







http://www.smartburn.com.au

Oh just FYI...it is an Aussie invention! :lol:


----------



## Dexky

How much$$$ and how often do you use them?

….of course it is!!  All good things come from the land of Oz!!


----------



## DustyKat

I can usually pick one up for about $35.00 and it lasts the whole season, so about 5 months.


----------



## Dexky

OK, I'm sold!!  Now I must go googlin' cause that ain't a phone number I could call!!


----------



## DustyKat

Damn, do i get a commission?


----------



## Dexky

No, but if it works, next winter cuz I hope I'm done for this season, I'll give you a warm, heartfelt, publicly acknowledged thank you!…and I may even say something nice about Australia and the intellectual superiority that so evidently abounds there!…outside of NSW!


----------



## DustyKat

Kiss my arse Dex!


----------



## hawkeye

Dex, Dusty - how much wood do you guys burn in the winter.  I went through 2-3 cords when we had the wood insert at the old house.


----------



## DustyKat

Never heard of a cord.  

We buy ours by the tonne and we use about 3 tonne in a milder Winter and 4 tonne in a colder Winter. 

Bear in mind though we have quite large extremes of temperature. On the most extreme end for a Winter's day we can go from -11C to 18C so the days we burn at high rate all day aren't huge, plus we both work so the fire just trickles a lot of the time.


----------



## Dexky

A cord is essentially two ricks.  A rick is a stack of firewood 4ft tall by 8ft long assuming two feet firewood length.

This winter I burned about 3 cord I'd guess.  Last year, I doubt I used half that.


----------



## Trev

DustyKat said:


> Never heard of a cord.
> 
> We buy ours by the tonne and we use about 3 tonne in a milder Winter and 4 tonne in a colder Winter.
> 
> Bear in mind though we have quite large extremes of temperature. On the most extreme end for a Winter's day we can go from -11C to 18C so the days we burn at high rate all day aren't huge, plus we both work so the fire just trickles a lot of the time.


what a great way to buy firewood, 2 ton of wood and half a ton of water.

we buy ours by the cord, 8ft x 4ft x4ft.  or by the cubic metre.

also not cold enough down here for a fire yet.


----------



## Trev

DustyKat said:


> I have had a Mac for yonks! I received it for my birthday in 2011.
> 
> I use to wash the glass until I came upon this fab little gadget thingy called SmartBurn. I was sceptical at first but it is a fair dinkum goer! :thumleft:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.smartburn.com.au
> 
> Oh just FYI...it is an Aussie invention! :lol:


may have been invented in the land of oz, but the inventor Peter Hutchison is a KIWI........


----------



## Dexky

Trev said:


> what a great way to buy firewood, 2 ton of wood and half a ton of water.
> 
> we buy ours by the cord, 8ft x 4ft x4ft.  or by the cubic metre.
> 
> also not cold enough down here for a fire yet.


Haha, that's some expensive water!!

....and now we know the truth behind the real genius down under!!


----------



## Maree.

For those of you (DustyKat at any rate) who've been waiting to hear what my husband brought me for our wedding anniversary.  (Quick recap: on the day of our anniversary he was in Ghana sightseeing around the coast, and I was stuck home looking after a sick child & walked into a door & broke my nose.

I didn't get anything 
He bought hand painted bracelets for our nieces in Australia,  and a  Ghana Football shirt for Liam but nothing for me.

I feel seriously cheated   Think a visit to my favorite jewelery store (Turkish) or my is in order.


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh my gosh!  How did I miss the broken nose story?!  That's awful!  You poor thing. 

Husbands forget anniversaries because they aren't counting...it is just a blissful experience and not one to be counted down on a calendar...or so says my friend's husband when he forgets.  

Hubby and I are odd...we don't exchange gifts or really celebrate (for us...we do for the kids) birthdays, anniversaries, valentine's day, mother or fathers day.  Just Christmas and this year we may (emphasis on may) take a trip and call that our Christmas gift and be done with it for the rest of this year.  Sounds kinda sad, I know but it works for us.


----------



## Maree.

In this case he didn't forgt the anniversary just decided he couldn't choose between al the beautiful jewellrey and craft items he saw in Ghana ded I should pick something for myself when we ent there as a family.

Talk about wishful thinking!  Although he's aware that Liam's been really unwell he still had this idea in his head that we we're taking the boys to Africa this Summer, really can't see that happening at this point.


----------



## Catherine

Start checking out the needles now.  

I think Africa is on the no list.


----------



## Maree.

He would need Yellow Fever & Typhoid.  Yellow Fever is a live vaccine.  Typhoid isn't. still harsh.

Yellow Fever vaccination lasts 10 years and if we get an opportunity would be great to do as it opens up lots of future travel options.  But I'm not comfortable having him vaccinated for Yellow Fever when his BMI is so low (I guess I should check with his doctor whether my concern about this is justified.)  I feel like he can't really afford even minor help blips at the moment.

Also Africa means anti malarial medicines and even if your careful a reasonably high risk you'll get a dose of gastro at some point during your stay.  Once again I just think he's too thin right now to be able to cope with those things.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Not to mention what a bad case of travelers diarrhea or gastroenteritis could do...  I think you should think long and hard about this trip...  I hope he feels better this summer either way though.


----------



## Catherine

I think it one of those things if definite no, better to find out now.


----------



## Sascot

I would stick my neck out and say there are so many beautiful places you can go that don't need any vaccinations at all. Vaccinations are one of my pet peeves (a touchy subject I know) after my daughter started all her issues the day after her pre-school boosters.
Also feel free to ignore me, but Africa is not a place I would take my kids - ever. Having grown up in South Africa - we got out as soon as we could after being robbed 8 times in a year and a half, one of my friends was robbed at gun point, my uncle got shot (he survived), another friend had their car hijacked and I was going everywhere with mace spray in my handbag.   I know that 98% of people living in these places are really kind and welcoming - but there are those 2% that make it a risk I am not willing to take my kids into.
These are just my feelings from personal experience, maybe we had just been really unlucky.


----------



## Maree.

My husband goes to Ghana for work and he absolutely loves it there and raves about the place (boys have seen lots of photos).  It doesn't have the same sort of violence issues that some other parts of Africa do but health wise there are lots of things you can catch (which is a concern for me when Liam is so fragile.)

Because we've lived and travelled in the third world my boys have been vaccinated for most things.  

Pete has been away about 90% of the time this year and only has 4 weeks over the Summer, so the plan has been that we'd do some travelling with so we had a bigger block of time together as a family.   But not sure that's going to work out this year.


----------



## Maree.

Catherine,  the travel planning cycle for Pete's work is really short.
4 - 6 weeks out he has vague ideas what he thinks is happening but its still at the flip coin likelihood that, that is what will actually happen.
1 - 2 weeks out priorities are finalised, flights are booked and he knows where he is going.
If we're working around his work timings it's going to have that same level of total unpredictability.

It's still 6 weeks until Summer holidays so discussions as to what we'll do and where we'll go are still unbelievably vague.  I'm hoping he can push off the next block of Ghana work to at least August (I've strongly encouraged him to try to do so).


----------



## Twiggy930

I LOVE to travel.  We are definitely planning on taking the kids to Africa sometime.  We all got the Yellow Fever vaccine prior to a trip to Peru in 2011, and prior to my son's diagnosis.  I hope to go to Namibia and Botswana.

I would check to see if getting the Yellow Fever vaccine now is advisable.  If possible I would do it even if you aren't going to go to Ghana this summer.  I HATE the fact that my son won't ever be able to get this vaccine again and I am super happy that we lucked out and got the vaccine before he started azathioprine.  

Now I'd better get planning that trip.  Or more accurately, I'd better get to work so I can afford that trip.  :yfaint:


----------



## crohnsinct

Wait!  What happened to was it Georgia?  You know the place with the beautiful countryside, lovely people, great grains and og yeah a welcome bottle of wine?  I would pick wine over diahrea anyday! 

Sascot: did you live in a city? :eek2:


----------



## Maree.

Yeah we are heading to Georgia on 20th July for 10 day.  But there's a month between end of school and that trip (dates were set by timing of visit from my uncle & aunt).

After Georgia I'll probably take the kids to Australia.
But there is a month to fill in before that, when my husband will be working, really don't want to be stuck in Dubai on my own with them in mid Summer (when it's too hot here to do anything much.)


----------



## crohnsinct

Maree: :bigwave:ADOPT ME!  I come potty trained, no medical issues, college and wedding already paid for and I clean my own room.  ADOPT ME!!!!!!!


----------



## Maree.

Your welcome to come and visit anytime!  The Winter is nicest.

Liam got his first business travellor passport aged 7 (48 pages instead of the usual 24) because he'd completely filled the previous one.  My kids have a rude awakening ahead of them when they finish high school, leave us and return to the real world.

About a week before we headed away last Summer, I had a conversation with them that went along the line:
Aren't you excited?                                              Answer: No
Where going away for 8 weeks, to 4 countries                      We do this every year.
Most kids your age would think that's really exciting               No one we know!

At which point I was ready to throw things at my spoilt brats.  Don't get me wrong, most of the time their great but they do take for granted how lucky they are to have such amazing travel opportunities.


----------



## DustyKat

Cutsie pics from Oz to brighten your day...:biggrin:


----------



## DustyKat

Hmmm, think I should make this my philosophy to live by...:lol:


----------



## DustyKat

How fab is this cake! Hush my puppies and prune my magnolia's, some people are so talented! Did any of you guys in the UK see this?...


----------



## Tesscorm

They're all cute but I love the dog running!!! 

Our new puppy came home on Thursday... OMG, if anyone's seen Marley and me, you'll know what we're dealing with! :yfaint:  This little guy is absolutely adorable (will post some pics this week) BUT is biting EVERYTHING and EVERYONE with razer sharp teeth!!!!  Yesterday morning, he grabbed one of Em's shoes and took off with it, chased him down and put them away.  He followed me, I took my shoes down from the shelf (can't leave them out!), as soon as they touched the floor, he was biting them, tried to shoo him away with my feet, he started biting my toes, got my shoes on, still biting at shoes...  ran into the family room, saw a rolled up area rug hidden behind a chair, on a trunk (because he'd already thought it was a chew toy), he was able to reach a corner of the rug, tried to tug it down, hubby grabbed it and put it on the chair, he started jumping on the chair to get it down, hubby pushed him down, he ran under the wall unit with all the electricals (lots of wires! ), had to pull him out by his hind legs...  keep in mind, all this took place within 10 minutes AND he is only 8 weeks and 9 pounds...  OMG, what have we gotten ourselves into?!?!?!? :ack:

That picture above, of the dog running...  is how he spends all day!!! :lol:


----------



## Sascot

Love all those pictures!
Crohnsinct - no I didn't live in the city (somewhere I avoided unless absolutely necessary).  We lived in a nice, quiet suburb!


----------



## Twiggy930

That sleeping dalmatian is a CAKE???  Unbelievable.  It looks so much like a puppy I'm not so sure I'd feel ok about cutting into it!  :ylol:


----------



## Jane and Nick

My good friend asked Nick what he had for breakfast today and he said two waffles and a side of steroids ! I thought it was hilarious.


----------



## crohnsinct

AW thanks for the laughs today guys!  I just can't get those three girls (and one little one) in Ohio out of my mind.  Been so sad all day  That story is so heartbreaking.  Just when you thought it was safe to turn on the T.V.. ..


----------



## crohnsinct

On a more cheerful note....O's concert is tonight.  She is in choir (and band).  She tells me at rehearsal today the choir director had to move her to the risers because she has grown so much.   

Bahahahahaha...:kissgrits: Crohns!

Yeah I know fw...shame on me...bad city girl!


----------



## Farmwife

crohnsinct said:


> Yeah I know fw...shame on me...bad city girl!




crohnsinct

:confused2:Oh, you do miss our country vs. city banter don't you.:ghug:

I'm sorry my city slicker friend I've been away but the farm calls. It's nice to get the fresh air and raise my kids with good old fashion values. 

I hope you can do the same....just take a weapon/dog/hubby with you.


:ylol::lol2::ylol::lol2::ylol::lol2:


----------



## Maree.

Looked at the calendar this morning and realised just 5 weeks to go until the Summer holidays.  Can't wait.  I'm so ready for this year to be over.


----------



## DustyKat

Thanks for that Maree...

Meanwhile in Oz...half way through the academic year and very quickly sliding into Winter. :lol:


----------



## Jane and Nick

Nick shared this morning at the bus stop that there were only 15 days of school left ! 
Then one of the kids said wow Nick you are getting really fat ! But your legs and stuff are still really thin, it's like your face got huge. Then the bus came and away they took him. I then cried all the way back to the house, worried all day and went to pick him up so he wouldn't have to ride the bus home. Guess what,  he was fine about it, he said the other boy was right and it was just an observation ! He said it made him feel sad but its OK. WOW, he is just a great boy who makes me proud every single day.


----------



## DustyKat

He is a deadset champion Jane!  Makes my heart sing, bless him. :heart: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Clash

Ok so my daughter, J,(non ibder) told me of a recent conversation she had with some friends at college.

They were on the way out to eat and there were four of them. Two girls in the front(A and M) and J and a guy(R) in the back. While in convo, on the way to the restaurant, the guy states, "Yeah, I use my disease to pick up girls." J realizes from his facial expression that he does have a disease and the comment is in jest but the girls in the front think he is in jest about the whole comment and tease him about "his supposed disease" all the way to the restaurant. J can't find a moment alone with them to tell them to knock it off the guy is being serious about having some type of disease.

So at dinner he wonders out loud(his first time to this restaurant) what would be safe for him to eat. One of the girls(A) says teasingly, "Why will it affect your disease." J kicks her under the table and says he really has something and he says "yeah Crohn's Disease." 

J said then it turned into a parody of ettiquette errors because the other girl(M) then replies "oh well that's nothing, it's not even serious.", to which A kicks her under the table because she knows that J's brother has it but then A turns right around tells the guy that he can have the chipotle buffalo chicken fajitas with jalapenos to which J kicks her under the table because she figures the boy can't eat that with CD. Then the other girl gets kicked under the table by one of 'em because she says everybody has some form of CD so she doesn't know what the big deal is.

J said, by the end of the night she thought that every inconsiderate comment you could think of regarding chronic illness or someone dealing with CD had been covered by her two friends and that their shins were probably fairly black and blue. She said in the end all she and the guy could do was laugh because their friends were tripping over themselves with all the inappropriate comments.

Oh and J really hasn't been around since C was dx'ed since she was already at college and I didn't think she really knew that much about CD but apparently she has researched too at some point.


----------



## Farmwife

:confused2:I just want to send a hug out to all those in Oklahoma USA.:confused2:
Up here in Michigan we are being told that the tornado was 2 miles at it's base. 
My heart goes out to everyone involved and prayers to all the families of those who died,:confused2: especial the children that die in the school.:confused2:


----------



## Farmwife

Clash your story reminded me of "Who's on first".:lol2:

I've had some shin kicks in my day. :ybatty:


----------



## Farmwife

You know your a parent to an IBD'er when................................................

Your 6 yrs old non-IBD'er is going poo and Grace (4yrs) walks up to the door and YELLS, :yfaint:
Are you ok? Don't push to hard! If it hurts I'll tell mommy. Don't flush! Do you need a book?
:lol2::lol2::ylol::ylol::lol2::lol2::ylol::ylol::lol2::lol2::ylol::ylol::lol2::lol2::ylol::ylol:


----------



## Hope345

Farmwife:  sounds like your daughter is very considerate of what others may be going through too............ so cute!!!!!!!


----------



## my little penguin

FW you trained grace very well.


----------



## ChampsMom

How sweet!!!!!!!!


----------



## Farmwife

my little penguin said:


> FW you trained grace very well.



No MLP, she trained* me * very well.:smile:


----------



## Sascot

:ylol:  Farmwife - that is sooo cute!
Well, I'm off to have an operation to remove a lump on my shoulder today :eek2:.  Seemed like a good idea at the time - it has been bothering me recently.  However, it's typical - doesn't feel too bad today and I am slightly worried about the general anaesthetic. Last time I had an op, the anaesthetist managed to cut a hole in my throat while intubating me!
Oh well, in a few hours it's all over and I won't have the unsightly lump and can wear my bathing costume with pride (pity about the other lumps and bumps :ylol


----------



## upsetmom

Sascot ....Good Luck with your operation...:ghug:


----------



## Tesscorm

Good luck!!!!  Hey, one less lump is one less!!   Hope recovery is quick and easy!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Good luck! I'm sure you will be smashing in your swimsuit


----------



## Sascot

Thanks.  Op is over - was pretty straightforward.  Feel sooo groggy though - my eyes keep wanting to shut.  Not had that before.
Did ask the surgeon if I could have a free tummy tuck at the same time, but he didn't take me up on it :ylol:


----------



## Farmwife

:smile:So glad to hear all is well.
:confused2:Sorry about the tummy tuck.:ymad: Horrible doctors!!!:ylol:


----------



## ChampsMom

Glad all went well!  Enjoy the sleep!!  I spent half of my day at the doctors (for me) today - he kept apologizing for having me there that long - and all I could think was I read two magazines *2*!!!  Without kids calling my name and the dog barking and the phone ringing and the computer begging and, and, and...   laughs...

He asked if I could come back tomorrow to do a stress test - Yep!


----------



## Dexky

Shell, you're the only person on the planet whose stress level goes down at the doctor's office!!


----------



## ChampsMom

@ Mark - Laughs!!


----------



## DustyKat

Best baby shower cake ever??? :ylol:


----------



## Tesscorm

That is soooo funny!!!


----------



## kimmidwife

That is awesome!!!


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Fab cake lol


----------



## DustyKat

This is hilarious!:

[youtube]PKffm2uI4dk[/youtube]


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Sascot, I'm glad your surgery went well, I hope it continues to heal without problems.  That cake is funny - I hope it was an all-ladies shower!  I don't think I'd have the guts to bring one like that!  Makes one lose your appetite regarding eating it!  I think it would be funny to have at an OB/Gyn gathering too.


----------



## Dexky

DustyKat said:


> Best baby shower cake ever??? :ylol:


Well, at least it's better than the crap cake!


----------



## Tesscorm

Don't think I saw the crap cake but...  maybe I'll pass!


----------



## Dexky

It was as disgusting as it sounds!!  I'm sure Dusty loved it!


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Yummy I love baking


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

What do you think of this, it was made 
A little boy who was mad on gnomes lol


----------



## Jmrogers4

Did you do that one?  That is great and looks yummy as well.


----------



## Farmwife

:cool2:Now I'm hungry for cake.
That will be great for the diet!:ylol:


----------



## Tesscorm

That is such a nice cake!!  Wow, if you made it, mylittlesunshine !


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Thanks everyone


----------



## Farmwife

Wow, what talent!
Do you do this for fun or a career?


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

FW both, I do cakes for home, family and friends.
But I also help make cakes for a kids charity


----------



## Farmwife

Oh, that's so great! Bless you for that!

I've always wanted to take a class for cake decorating.
But I decided it was cheaper just to be jealous of others.:cool2:


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Thanks  FW


----------



## DustyKat

Wow Mls! That is fabulous! 

You surely do have a gift. Well done! :thumleft: 

Dusty.


----------



## upsetmom

Nice cake MLS!!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Holla MLS!  I was a cake decorator in a previous life.  What did you make the gnome out of?  Love the painting!


----------



## DustyKat

Poor kitty. :lol:


----------



## Catherine

Gosh that reminds of how Sarah picked up Rachel as baby.  Poor Rachel had to stay in a play pen for her own safety.


----------



## Farmwife

That reminds me when my son picked up a kitten and was ringing it by the neck. 
I yelled *stop* but my hubby was laughing to hard to be of any help.


----------



## Sascot

Cute photo!
Well my aunt is visiting me from Miami - so nice to see her, it's been 28 years since I saw her. 
Then she drops a bombshell - she's just got over c.diff :yfaint:. Apparently she was really ill with it, however the doc must have given her the all clear to fly. 
Do I have to worry at all about Andrew? She has stayed on Flagyl to cover herself for this trip.


----------



## Tesscorm

Gosh!!   I don't know if you need to worry about Andrew but, for peace of mind, I would call the GI's office and get their thoughts.  If they have concerns, you can take precautions right away; if they are not concerned, you can simply enjoy her visit!


----------



## DustyKat

Hey Sascot, 

The normal recommendation is that once someone is free of diarrhoea for 48 hours they are able to resume normal contact with people. I would imagine if your Aunt was given the all clear to fly she must have been free of diarrhoea for at least that period of time. 

I would probably err to caution though and ensure that hand washing hygiene was up to scratch with everyone and if you have more than one toilet I don't think it would be unreasonable to ask if she would mind just using the one whilst the rest of the family used another. 

I hope the stay goes well and you all have a fab time together.  

Dusty. xxx


----------



## DustyKat

*CONFUCIUS DID NOT SAY...*

Man who wants pretty nurse, must be patient.

Passionate kiss, like spider web, leads to undoing of fly.

Lady who goes camping must beware of evil intent.

Squirrel who runs up woman's leg will not find nuts.

Man who leaps off cliff jumps to conclusion.

Man who runs in front of car gets tired, man who runs behind car gets exhausted.

Man who eats many prunes get good run for money.

War does not determine who is right, it determines who is left.

Man who fight with wife all day get no piece at night.

It takes many nails to build a crib but only one screw to fill it.

Man who drives like hell is bound to get there.

Man who stands on toilet is high on pot.

Man who live in glass house should change clothes in basement.

Man who fish in other man's well often catch crabs.

Finally CONFUCIUS DID SAY. . ....

"A lion will not cheat on his wife, but a Tiger Wood!"


Dusty. :ylol:


----------



## DustyKat

Ahahahaha, classic! 

*Guess who kept everyone awake last night: :lol: *


----------



## DustyKat

:ylol::ylol::ylol:

*DON'T EAT TURKEY SANDWICHES, NO MATTER WHAT!!! *

A little boy and a little girl attended the same school and became friends. 
Every day they would sit together to eat their lunch. 
They discovered that they both brought turkey sandwiches every day! 
This went on all through the fourth and fifth grades, until one day he noticed that her sandwich wasn't a turkey sandwich. 

He said, 'Hey, how come you're not eating turkey, don't you like it anymore?' 
She said 'I love it but I have to stop eating it.' 
'Why?' he asked. 
She pointed to her lap and said 'Cause I'm starting to grow little feathers down there!' 
'Let me see' he said. 
'Okay' and she showed him. He looked and said, 'That's right. You are! Better not eat any more turkey.' 

He kept eating his turkey sandwiches until one day he brought a peanut butter sandwich instead. 
He said to the little girl, 'I have to stop eating turkey sandwiches, I'm starting to get feathers down there too!' 
She asked if she could look, so he showed her! 

She said, 'Oh, my God, it's too late for you! 
You've already got the NECK and Giblets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

:rof:that's fab x x


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol: :lol:


----------



## jmckinley

:eek2::eek2::eek2:


----------



## Jmrogers4

:ylol::ylol: too funny!


----------



## my little penguin

:lol2:too funny


----------



## upsetmom

Good one Dusty!!!


----------



## kimmidwife

lol!!!


----------



## Sascot

:ylol::ylol:  Very good !
Well everyone, I am off to Germany this evening to go to my cousin's wedding!  Very excited although it has been made slightly more stressful since Andrew is unwell with a cold (I hate leaving them when they are sick) and we also have fracture clinic for him this morning.
After assuming Andrew's sore finger was just a sprain I took him to A&E on Monday.  Well bad mom here!!!  He has a fracture and a mallet finger - the tendon has torn away with a bit of bone so his finger can't straighten :ybatty:
Now he has to wear a splint for 6 - 8 weeks and even then there is no guarantee because it was over 10 days since it happened.  Feel awful!


----------



## upsetmom

Have a good time at the wedding...:cheerss:

:ghug:...Sorry to hear about Andrews finger....
sometimes its hard to know whether something is serious or not. I hope it heals properly.


----------



## Tesscorm

Have a GREAT time away!!  Just enjoy yourself - you deserve some carefree time! 

Hope all is okay with Andrew!  Bad mom here too...  daughter sprained ankle at soccer once, coach put one of those disposable icepacks (which are usually only cool-ish) directly on her skin and wrapped it securely.  At home, hubby and I kept telling her to ice it (with a cloth barrier), she kept complaining it's red, it hurts...  we said, 'no kidding, you sprained it!  If you want to play soccer, suck it up!'  :lol:  The next day, my mom offered to take her to Emerg, I thought it was a waste of time but, whatever...  turns out Em had frostbite!!!  Poor thing!  That disposable pack was obviously much more potent than usual and having been put directly on her skin had caused the initial frostbite and we worsened it by telling her to keep icing it!  I felt terrible about it!     Years later, she still reminds us of that incident! 

No worries while you're away...  just have fun!


----------



## kimmidwife

Have an awesome time Sascot, don't feel guilty theses things happen. It is hard to know when an injury is minor or not sometimes.


----------



## Farmwife

Have a good time Sascot. Don't worry, he will:ymad: torture you for years to come. No need to do it to yourself.
Now if you don't mind I have to call and remind my mama about the time I fractured my leg and she didn't believe me. I wonder if she'll make me chocolate cake this time.:lol2:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Have a great time.  Don't worry about the finger we've all done that or had it done to us to some degree.


----------



## Twiggy930

Have a great time in Germany!  My son broke his wrist this past weekend.  I too didn't think it was that bad...


----------



## DustyKat

Have a wonderful time and safe trip Sascot! 

I don't think it is very hard to overlook these type of things hun, particularly in view of what you have been dealing with. :hug: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## DustyKat

Anyone who has ever thought of exercise as fun should be horse-whipped!

*A WOMAN'S WEEK AT THE GYM:*

Dear Diary,

For my birthday this year, I purchased a week of personal training at the local health club.  Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.

I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Christo, who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear. Friends seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! 

The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress. 
________________________________

MONDAY:
Started my day at 6:00 am. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Christo waiting for me. He is something of a Greek god with blond hair, dancing eyes, and a dazzling white smile.  Woo Hoo!!

Christo gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!
Christo was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time he was around.

This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!
 ________________________________

TUESDAY:
I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door.

Christo made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then he put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. His rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT!  It's a whole new life for me.
_______________________________

WEDNESDAY:
The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking
lot.

Christo was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. His voice is a little too perky for that early in the morning and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying.
My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Christo put me on the stair monster. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators?  Christo told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life.  He said some other shit too.
_______________________________

THURSDAY:

Asshole was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late, it took me that long to tie my shoes.
He took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. He sent some skinny bitch to find me. Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine, which I sank.
_________________________________

FRIDAY:
I hate that bastard Christo more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic, little aerobic instructor.  If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it.
Christo wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the damn barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich. The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher.  Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?
________________________________

SATURDAY:
Satan left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing his voice made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel. 
________________________________

SUNDAY:
I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over.  I will also pray that next year my husband will choose a gift for me that is fun like a root canal or a hysterectomy.  

I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

Dusty.


----------



## Maree.

Totally love it.  

Reminds me a little of the ridiculously enthusiastic physio at my pain management clinic, who felt throwing up every 10 min (side effect of pain killer withdrawal) wasn't an adequate excuse to get out of having to run up and down flights of stairs.


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Love it ! LOL 

Reminds me of when I joined a gym once .... Once


----------



## Farmwife

DustyKat said:


> I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!
> 
> Dusty.




AMEN!!!!!!!

:ylol:


----------



## DustyKat

I found this pic on fb and ain't it the truth! BUT I reckon it's on the page that Dex created! 

WTG Dex...Hillbilly Hangout! LMFAO!

https://www.facebook.com/Hillbillieshangout


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, that is so adorable!!!


----------



## Dexky

If I had created that page, I'd wear your derisive comment proudly!  I should be that creative!!


----------



## DustyKat

:ylol:


----------



## DustyKat

Now this is an ad for train safety in Melbourne. It has a catchy tune (I have been known to walk around singing it) and is hilarious: 

[youtube]IJNR2EpS0jw[/youtube]

Enjoy! :ybiggrin:


----------



## Farmwife

:eek2:UMMMM..................No words! 

:yfaint:It answers a lot about "Down Under" though!:lol2:


----------



## Twiggy930

That is hilarious!!!


----------



## Jmrogers4

OMG!  We love playing that game.  There were a couple of new ones as I don't think we have gotten to those levels yet.  LMAO I will probably be singing that all day.


----------



## Twiggy930

It's a game too?  I only saw the song.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Yes, the boys and I  share in itunes account and the boys downloaded it, so it showed up on my ipad and of course I was thinking what the heck did they download but I couldn't stop laughing while playing it.  It is absolutely hilarious and harder then you think.  I just showed the video to my younger son and he is rolling on the ground laughing.


----------



## crohnsinct

Hi - larious!  My girls overheard it and came running downstairs cuz they play the game also.  Thanks Dusty, I am now the cool mom who knows all the dumb ways to die!  THree minutes tho?  Would would have guessed?


----------



## DustyKat

LMFAO! 

I saw this a few months ago from a friend at work. She was cursing that she couldn't get the tune out of her head! :lol: 

I knew it was a public service announcement but until today I had no idea it had gone viral and also spawned a game! :yfaint: 

Dusty. :hallo3:


----------



## Catherine

My middle daughter studied this media.  The first two months after it was released train related accidents in Melbourne dropped by 30%

They also looked at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYPwTHY0B-0


----------



## Dexky

Oh for heaven's sake Catherine!!  Don't get that started again!!


----------



## Susan2

There are lots of clever versions of it on the web now - lovely one from Minnesota on dumb ways to fail (your exams).


----------



## crohnsinct

Thanks for the laughs guys.  

Last week of school...Woohoo!  Only 8 more lunches to pack!!!!!


----------



## poppets mum

Just found out school has been cancelled for their last week due to severe flooding. Been a weird few days. Whole calgary and surrounding area is in a state of emergency.


----------



## Tesscorm

I've been seeing the newscasts and pictures from your area!  I hope you are not directly in the flood areas!  But, even being close by, I can imagine it must be causing so much hardship for you now! :ghug:


----------



## poppets mum

Our neighbourhood is ok. I volunteer at The Childrens Hospital and many parents couldn't get in for their sick babies. It is them i am most worried about probably having to deal with flooded housing plus a child in Hospital.


----------



## Tesscorm

Glad to hear your home is okay!  But, gosh, yes, you often don't think of all the personal hardships (beyond the obvious) that can come with these situations!  :ghug:


----------



## DustyKat

Dexky said:


> Oh for heaven's sake Catherine!!  Don't get that started again!!


Hahaha sucked in Dex! We are all alien socialists down here that are going to dominate planet Earth!


----------



## Dexky

Well, when we're all free of evil insurance co's and outdated restrictions like natl borders and such…I'm gonna move next door to you!!


----------



## DustyKat

I double dare ya to Dex! 

I have a length of hose and a jar of vaseline at the ready!


----------



## Dexky

Woohoo, I'll just follow the yellow brick road on down to Oz!!


----------



## DustyKat

:cat::lol2::cat::lol2::cat:


----------



## upsetmom

Had to share this!!!!
Today my son bought a rainbow lorikeet. He named it Dexter....I told him to think of a shorter name as that was too long so he said ok its called Dex!!!!
So Dex it is!!!....l had to laugh....So now l have a bird to look after as well.....As if l don't have enough to do.


----------



## DustyKat

LMFAO! I just hope the bird doesn't live up to his pain in the arse namesake! :ylol: 

I hope your boy enjoys his new pet, , and happy cleaning mum! Aren't pets just fab! :yrolleyes: 

Sarah dropped Stella off here in December for us look after for a couple of months. Guess who is laying on the hearth in front of the fire? No prizes mind! :lol: 

Dusty.


----------



## upsetmom

He said he will look after it, he brought it home with no cage and told us to look after it for a while until he came home.  We then had to go find a cage and try figure out what to feed it as its only a baby.


----------



## DustyKat

Hmmmm, the age old gap between their idea of looking things after and ours! Ugh! 

Look after it well and you will only have about another 9 years of bird sitting! :eek2: 

Dusty.


----------



## upsetmom

9 years..:yfaint: We've only had it for a few hours and l'm sick of it already. We took it out of the cage and everywhere it went there was bird shit. I like to have a clean house so l can't see it staying in the house for long.


----------



## DustyKat

:lol: I would be just like you! Ewwwww, I'd hate a bird crapping all over the house! 

Sounds like a nice outside cage is just what the doctor ordered!


----------



## crohnsinct

OMG!  Sorry upsetmom but that is too funny.  I tell everyone at times it seems my life is all about $#@t!  If I am not inspecting my daughter's I am cleaning up or stepping in my dog's!


----------



## Tesscorm

No complaints anyone!!!  I swear our new puppy has IBD! :yfaint:  With his symptoms, you'll be certain that's what he has!   He's been to the vet a number of times, lots of tests, eating a special easily digested food, pills for D, D 5-7 times/day (sometimes more!), giving him rice to help offset, we feed him an enormous amount and he's still skin and bones, etc., etc.!  Some of you may remember, my last dog also had a brief colitis episode!   What is it about my house?!?!?!?


----------



## Mehita

Maybe he's gluten intolerant? I do know of several dogs who are. Strange, but true!


----------



## Tesscorm

Whether IBD or gluten intolerance, it's just too crazy!!!  :lol:  While we, at home, all love our pets, my husband and daughter, in particular, are really 'into it' - training, watching dog shows (on tv), the right breeder, the right exercise (not too much, not too little!!! :lol, right diets, etc.  You can only imagine the poop inspections going on!  My hubby and daughter were actually outside, the other night, with a flashlight to inspect and discuss!  :rof:  ...OMG, just give me my wine!!  :ybatty:


By the way, I'm not totally cold-hearted!!  I do hope he's okay...    I just think it's too bizarre...


----------



## DustyKat

LMFAO...Sorry to laugh at your expense Tess. :redface: 

They say dogs sense things...are you sure you picked him and he didn't pick you? You now, knowing that you have already researched IBD and have extensive experience? :lol:


----------



## Tesscorm

Don't blame you at all for laughing, I've laughed too (hubby actually got mad at me! ) !! :ylol:  But, what else am I to do?  Hmmm...  utahere::beerchug:


----------



## DustyKat

Ugh! If you didn't laugh you would probably be crouched in the corner, rocking away and puling out what eyelashes you have left! :eek2:


----------



## kimmidwife

Upset mom,
Lorikeets are the worst birds for house pets. They are very sweet but because of their type of diet their poop is extremely watery. Other birds make better pets. We had a conure. She was wonderful and quite clean only pooped in her cage.
But speaking of poop, the kids convinced me to buy a chinchilla. Now chinchillas are the cutest sweetest animals except for one problem which I did not find out about until we got her home. They have no anal sphincter. The poop just falls out and boy oh boy do they poop. There is chinchilla poop everywhere. It is like small little chocolate chips so they do clean up pretty easily but it is just out of control. It is actually driving me nuts ( kind of glad we started this conversation because I really needed to rant about this) I don't know what to do. She is so cute and sweet and she just loves us. She sits on our shoulders and jumps around us when we let her out. I am very torn because I want to get rid of her hut I feel bad the kids love her and she loves us. Her poop is everywhere and it even falls out of the cage by the ton. She is in my younger sons room and there is poop in his shelves and in his closet. No matter how much I clean I find more!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

That makes me think of our bunnies.  They must not have anal sphincters either.  They poo everywhere!


----------



## kimmidwife

Believe it or not chinchillas poop more then rabbits! The whole reason I let them talk me into a chinchilla is I am allergic to rabbits and chins are hypoallergenic. Chinchilla for sale! Anybody want one?


----------



## Dexky

As the husband of a vet, I can say with absolute conviction...all you animal lovers are nuts!!  Even with a lovable name like Dex, it's still a bird shitting in the house!  If some random bird came in a window and shit all over the house, you'd hit it with a tennis racket or something!  Deb(wife) hugs her new kitten and tells me it helps lower blood pressure...bull hockey!!!  I walk in and see it sinking its claws into the leather couch...it definitely does not lower mine!!  'Bout time to move outside kitty!!


----------



## crohnsinct

So that's a yes to wanting the chinchilla Dex?  Just drop it off Kim...they have so many animals they'll never notice!


----------



## crohnsinct

Watch where you shop Dex! Read the signs in order.


----------



## Farmwife

Dexky said:


> As the husband of a vet, I can say with absolute conviction...all you animal lovers are nuts!!  Even with a lovable name like Dex, it's still a bird shitting in the house!  If some random bird came in a window and shit all over the house, you'd hit it with a tennis racket or something!  Deb(wife) hugs her new kitten and tells me it helps lower blood pressure...bull hockey!!!  I walk in and see it sinking its claws into the leather couch...it definitely does not lower mine!!  'Bout time to move outside kitty!!


You and my husband can so be friends.

There was a sad story of a farmer the killed ALL his cows and 
then killed himself and my hubby said....
I can so understand.:ylol:


----------



## Mehita

DS says someone needs to invent chinchilla diapers. They have them for dogs, so why not?


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## my little penguin

Love it cic


----------



## poppets mum

Maybe a pet cat for the bird? He he


----------



## Jmrogers4

:ylol::ylol::ylol:


----------



## Mehita

*lol*


----------



## upsetmom

Today the bird isn't driving me as crazy...I put a towel down on the floor and it didn't move from there at all....it actually stayed there and played with its toy...:grr1d:


----------



## DustyKat

kimmidwife said:


> But speaking of poop, the kids convinced me to buy a chinchilla. Now chinchillas are the cutest sweetest animals except for one problem which I did not find out about until we got her home. They have no anal sphincter. The poop just falls out and boy oh boy do they poop. There is chinchilla poop everywhere. It is like small little chocolate chips so they do clean up pretty easily but it is just out of control. It is actually driving me nuts ( kind of glad we started this conversation because I really needed to rant about this) I don't know what to do. She is so cute and sweet and she just loves us. She sits on our shoulders and jumps around us when we let her out. I am very torn because I want to get rid of her hut I feel bad the kids love her and she loves us. Her poop is everywhere and it even falls out of the cage by the ton. She is in my younger sons room and there is poop in his shelves and in his closet. No matter how much I clean I find more!


We have very strict quarantine laws in Australia, so chinchilla's being rodents they are banned. 

Now I am happy they are banned. :smile:


----------



## Susan2

There actually are diapers (also called Flight Suits) for small birds.


----------



## DustyKat

No way! :rof:


----------



## upsetmom

Wow diapers for birds!!!!.....:yfaint:


----------



## Dexky

crohnsinct said:


> View attachment 2003
> 
> Watch where you shop Dex! Read the signs in order.


:ylol::ylol::ylol:

What are you saying Cinct??


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG!  LMAO at all the diapers and comments!  :rof:  Shame both my daughter's birthday and Father's Day has passed...  they probably would've appreciated doggy diapers!

Last night, when it was poop time for our puppy, BOTH hubby and daughter went out (it's an 'event' for them), as my daughter was leaving the room she said 'you know, mine and dad's goal is to find a good shit'!  LMAO!!!  (I had to laugh, thinking about what I had posted here yesterday!)


----------



## kimmidwife

Tess,
 That is so funny! 
Meh iota,
We are trying to work on a chinchilla diaper.


----------



## crohnsinct

kimmidwife: that pic I posted is from a website that sells them!  They sell flight suits to! 

Dex: LMAO!  I was ofcourse referring to the body part not your personality...poor abused forum member.  Dusty has you cowering in a corner flinching and any bitch's comment.


----------



## crohnsinct

Sorry guys...feeling very defeated tonight and still at swim practice so can't drink so you are it!  

Reading all that nickel stuff got me thinking wonder if nickel causes psoriasis.  Goggle and BAM!  All this crap about low nickel diet curing people's psoriasis...all antidotal but still.  High nickel diet is all the stuff O eats...plant foods, soy, seeds, veggies, beans, nuts.  But her IBD and overall health is going so well....I think.  

Then C's cough and Jarogers and the MTX causing the deep cough and having to pull her son off.  Just when you accept the risks some stupid complication. 

Just feeling like damned if we do or damned if we don't! 

Well, maybe just looking for a reason to drink some wine when I get home.


----------



## DustyKat

Oh man cic, I so hear you mate. :ghug: 

You think you finally have reached some level of acceptance and risk taking then BAM...someone has pulled the rug out from under you! It sucks. Not to mention those of you dealing with more than one disease...trying to juggle which disease is given more credence at any given time. 

I am even feeling a little fraught at the fact that we adding Pentasa to Matt's meds! Pentasa! Little inoffensive 5ASA that it is, a small dose, just as a precaution. How pathetic am I! :lol: 

Now shove over woman! You will have to fight me for the bottle! :ylol: Nah, I'll share with me Crohnie mates. :wub: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Jmrogers4

I'll have a couple for you CIC, heading out to a comedy club with an old friend and her hubby is driving us.  Jack is at camp and James is staying the night at grandmas.


----------



## crohnsinct

NICE JOB JACQUI!  Got rid of the kids and got a designated driver.  You go girl!


----------



## my little penguin

We just go with the scariest disease at the time .
Those meds rule all else takes a back seat.
Which would explain the three dermos we went through 
Since two wanted to "play" with his asthma meds to fix his skin.
I don't think so....

It does shift. Though 
Tightrope walk all the time .


----------



## Tesscorm

When I am having a down moment or feeling panicked, I'm so grateful to be able to come here and find, not only friends, but camaraderie with friends who truly understand and care!

This disease sucks in so many ways...  the meds, the symptoms, the rollercoaster, etc., etc., having this outlet here is invaluable! 

Dusty - I think ANY change, even one as mild as adding pentasa, is a scary reminder that things can change and that's always unbalancing (to say the least! :yfaint.    :ghug:


----------



## DustyKat

Thanks Tess. :kiss: 

This place is just the best ay? Just like a big 'ole comfy armchair...pure bliss. :wub: 

Dusty.


----------



## Tesscorm

DustyKat said:


> Just like a big 'ole comfy armchair...pure bliss.


That's the perfect way to describe it!!! :thumleft:


----------



## Dexky

crohnsinct said:


> Just feeling like damned if we do or damned if we don't!


I wonder how many times that sentence or some derivative has been used on this forum  Drinks all around!!


----------



## Catherine

Men!

Husband went to the doctors today, with the instructions to get a referral to a specialist  for his type 2 diabetes. Dr told him he didn't need a specialist because sugar test was 8.2.  He got sorts of diabetes complications eg eyes, feet, plus others.

My husband is quite a number years older that me and what him to be as healthy as he can be.  The chemist advice was to get a specialist opinion as he on a unusual combination of medications for the diabetes.

Wouldn't give him copy of the MRI of his shoulder.  This is the same clinic which miss read Sarah ultrasound.


----------



## Tesscorm

Drives you crazy, eh? :hug:  Sometimes it feels like having a husband is just like having another child (sorry Dexky :ack:, but I did say 'sometimes' ).  And exactly why I would NEVER let hubby take Stephen to GI apptmt! :lol:  

But, I hope you can convince your husband to go back/call and again request a referral to a specialist.  My dad has diabetes and, as you're obviously aware, if not properly taken care of, it can cause lots of complications; it was was the catalyst for all the problems he had over the winter (and is STILL being treated for)!


----------



## Catherine

This gp told husband you only need a specialist if you need insulin injections.

My husband has already has surgery on both eyes for bleeding at the back of his eyes.

They are going to threat the shoulder with corticosteroid injection at a local hospital.   

I have told him that I want to attend his next appointment.


----------



## Tesscorm

I think that's a good idea!   Everytime my mom would suggest going to the doctor with my dad, he'd always say he was fine, he could handle it, etc., etc....  until the problems began! :ybatty:  My dad now says he would never be able to handle all the apptmts, meds, etc. without my mom coordinating it all!


----------



## crohnsinct

ERGH!  Catherine, are you married to my husband?!  Also a diabetic with complications whose GP insists he has it all under control and GP can handle his case...Really?! Cuz the blood sugar numbers, feet, legs and weight I am looking at are way outta control. 

Funny Tesscorm...another child..:rof::rof:


----------



## Tesscorm

They even give the same answers as kids....  Yes, I knoooowww,    okay, okay,    I'm fine,    don't worry,   I'll call/I forgot,   etc., etc.  :lol:


----------



## Dexky

We don't need no stinking doctors!!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof:  Hmmm, where have I heard that before???


----------



## crohnsinct

Dexky said:


> We don't need no stinking doctors!!!!


or directions!


----------



## Tesscorm

LMFAO!!!!  :rof: :rof:


----------



## Dexky

crohnsinct said:


> or directions!


Doesn't everyone have GPS now??  I always use the female voice setting...just so I can remember what it was like before.....turn here, turn there, watch where you're going, you do see that truck don't you....nag, nag, nag!!!!


----------



## crohnsinct

OMG!  LMFAO!  :rof::rof::rof:

I am glad it is the same in every other marriage!


----------



## crohnsinct

BTW - I use the male voice with the Italian accent!


----------



## crohnsinct

Hey y'all.  Leaving for our mission trip Sunday so won't be around.  

Yes, I am cooking again this year for 150 mission workers.  3 meals a day for 6 days.  Ugh!  This year will be so much harder than last.  IDK if I can look at those tubes o'meat or hockey puck frozen sausages much less eat them. Not a drop of alcohol all week either! :stinks:

Keep it together while I am gone.  Keep your diets clean and the forum cleaner!  

Kim if you make your big announcement while I am gone you will pay! 

All of you in hospital and such I will be praying for you. 

There will be lots and lots of prayer all week.  If anyone wants us to pray specifically for them pm me and I will add you to the list.  Non IBD issues welcome as well!


----------



## Farmwife

Where ya going.:hug:

Keep the forum clean...what do you think I've been trying to do????:tongue:


----------



## Tesscorm

> tubes o'meat or hockey puck frozen sausages


  You'll have them all going vegan in no time!


----------



## crohnsinct

FW: Newark NY...well at least you have one less loose canon to have to watch 

Tess: I like that!  Maybe that is my mission?  I am sure all those teenagers would love to learn about the virtues of plant eating.  They have just been waiting for someone to come along and throw out their fruit loops, French fries tacos and oreos and I am just the mom for the job!  O will be so popular!


----------



## Dexky

crohnsinct said:


> FW: Newark NY...well at least you have one less loose canon to have to watch


Canon...is that just your wry sense of humor coming through?  I live by a relaxed set of canons as well


----------



## DustyKat

Have fun cic and cook up a storm! 

I'll keep an eye on things! The forum will be spick and span with me at the helm! :thumleft:

St Dusty of Oz.


----------



## Susan2




----------



## DustyKat

^^^^Hmmmmm, that seems a little unclean. Perhaps I should delete it? 

	
	
		
		
	


	





St Dusty of Oz.


----------



## Tesscorm

Clearly a warped sense of 'clean'!  :lol:


----------



## DustyKat

Hmph! Looks like the disrespectful cloth will get a work out today! 

	
	
		
		
	


	




 :lol2:


----------



## DustyKat

For my bro Dexky. :kiss:


----------



## DustyKat

This is an oldie but this guy is brilliant! 

[youtube]_-BPF21Ep60[/youtube]


----------



## Dexky

Wow!!  Louis was brilliant wasn't he??


----------



## Crohn's gal since 1989

Tesscorm said:


> OMG, Wisconsin-ites use 'eh' too!!!  Farmwife - they even have a definition for it!  :lol:
> 
> Farmwife - great idea for this thread!!  Your speech left me a blubbering mess!
> 
> Dusty - as always, great intro - no one could've said it better!


The difference between Canadians and New Yorkers is that Canadians say,"How's it goin eh?"

New Yorkers say,"Eh how's it goin?"

:ylol2:


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## Dexky

I'm neither thanking you nor hugging you for that!:tongue:


----------



## Tesscorm

Dexky, I think the correct response would be... :worthy:


----------



## Dexky

...nor bowing!  All you beaches can kiss my arse!  We don't need no stinking doctors, directions nor nagging mothers!!


----------



## Tesscorm

LMAO...   I'd be worried Dex!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Dexky said:


> Doesn't everyone have GPS now??  I always use the female voice setting...just so I can remember what it was like before.....turn here, turn there, watch where you're going, you do see that truck don't you....nag, nag, nag!!!!


This reminds me, when I do my Wii Active 2, I always choose the male coach cause I don't think I could put up with some girl with a perfect body telling me to work harder... !  LOL


----------



## DustyKat

:lol2:


----------



## DustyKat

Yep, Sarah's cat is possessed. :cat:


----------



## Twiggy930

We are on holiday in California and this morning we are planning to go to a water slide park.  So my husband asks my son, "How's the gut?".  Son responds, " A little upset."  Husband counters with, "Do you think you can go to the water park?  You're not going to be the brown jet are you?".  We then all laughed so hard we were crying.


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, that was funny! 

Enjoy your vacation!!!


----------



## kimmidwife

That is hysterical! Have an awesome trip!

Dusty,
Yesterday I went to my niece's camp for visiting day. All their counselors are non-American. She has one counselor from Australia. I met a counselor from Ireland, from New Zealand, and from Argentina. It was really cool. Ooh those accents! What a great experience for the kids meeting people from all over the world. I talked to the guy from New Zealand for quite a while. I told him we are hoping to take a trip to Australia in the comming year. We have friends living there for three years so I am hoping we can figure out the finances to go visit.(Plane tickets are so crazy expensive!)


----------



## DustyKat

We don't have an accent, all you guys do! :lol: 

The kids must love it and the counsellors must have a fab experience too. 

Where do your friends live? 

Ugh! The cost of flying is outrageous so I hope you get the chance to head out here. Good luck! 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## kimmidwife

Our friends live in Sydney.


----------



## Sascot

Had a good laugh looking at some of these posts.  Twiggy - have a great time!
We are back from our cruise which was unfortunately a bit disappointing.  The weather wasn't great - alot of clouds/cold wind, so we couldn't swim much.  However it was really good to get away and have someone else cook, clean, etc.  I enjoyed Madeira, Tenerife and La Palma.
Now I have done loads of washing - only for my washing machine to break down!!  Is it very sad to be excited about a new washing machine?  :eek2:


----------



## Tesscorm

Sascot, if this is your new washer, I'd be excited too!!  :dance:




But, sorry the weather wasn't better on your cruise!


----------



## my little penguin

:rof::rof:

 I "think" I need a new washer... ASAP
:tongue:


----------



## Niks

Lol!


----------



## Niks

Seriously didn't mean to make it THAT big!  lol


----------



## my little penguin

:cheerss:  love it


----------



## Jmrogers4

Looks like new washers for everyone.  I'll take one of those.  Everything smells like campfire right now


----------



## crohnsinct

LMAO!  I'll take washer.  Throw in cook and I have died and gone to heaven!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Oh can we get a whole set?  Washer, cook, cleaner and cabana boy as well to bring me my wine


----------



## crohnsinct

New game!  What strikes fear into an IBD parents heart? I'll start...

This past weekend we were away at a swim meet.  In hotel Saturday night drinking tap water like crazy.  Next morning go to restaurant across the street and they tell us due to boil water restrictions for the town no tap water, ice, soda etc.  WHAT?! :eek2: 

So in addition to praying that the problem occurred after we went to bed and the water she drank was safe I was watching her like a hawk and asking her for full reports every time she went to the bathroom!  Who got sick?  ME!  :ybatty: Not bad though. 

BTW - Hotel never notified guests...not even Sunday!


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Holy (crap) CIC ! 
Argghh ! 
I hope you're feeling better by now ?
Stupid hotel not notifying you !


----------



## kimmidwife

That is just crazy! Thank goodness she did not get sick. I hope you are already better. Stinkin hotel. You should call the management company and lodge a big complaint. who knows they may even give you your money back if you make a big enough hoopla but that is not the point they did not do the right thing they should have informed guests.


----------



## crohnsinct

Temp hit 100 degrees F in Ct yesterday.  I know a lot of you guys have this same crazy heat.


----------



## Mehita

It's not often we hit 100 in Minnesota, but the heat index was 105 today. So, what did we do? We baked brownies, muffins, and cookies all day!

It's also a tradition to go out for ice cream on the coldest day of the year. One of those things that accidentally became a tradition.


----------



## Twiggy930

Well, everyone should head on over to Northern California because it is FREEZING here!


----------



## crohnsinct

And your from Canada and used to the cold so if you are calli9ng it cold dang it is cold!

Duck into a nice winery for some Cabernet..that'll warm you up


----------



## Twiggy930

I've been checking out the Zinfandels very yummy.  In Oregon now and still COLD! Going to find a Voodoo Donut!


----------



## crohnsinct

OMG!  What is a Voodoo Donut and why have I never been to one?!


----------



## DustyKat

You have crazy food over there and I don't want to know! :lol2:


----------



## my little penguin

Never heard of a voodo doughnut
Now I am curious


----------



## ChampsMom

It was 102 today in our area... CRAZY, icky hot... give me the snow!!!

(CIC - that's crazy about the hotel!!)


----------



## Farmwife

Heat index hit a 105 here. CRAZY it's northern Michigan.

Then the air conditioner broke and on the same day the Dermatologist said the Grace has heat induced eczema. :ybatty:
We have to do all we can to keep her cool and dry from sweat.
 Sooooo turned the sprinkler on and she had a ball. 
Oh then my son tipped the sprinkler and it flooded our tent while I was trying to bake snacks for the farmers shaken the cherries. FUN TIMES. It's cool tonight. LOVE IT!:tongue:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Vodoo Donuts in Portland YUM!!! Maple Bars with bacon on them.  :thumright:
Was in Oregon over the weekend we were at 80 in the mountains.  Only 101 here today which is better then the 109-110 it was, that is just crazy.  I'm not sure what we will be doing for Jack's b-day in about 10 days as it is too hot to do anything.


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, I had to look up Voodoo donuts...  :yfaint:

Remember Dusty 's baby shower cake?  Well, these donuts should've been at the bachlorette party...  Cock-n-balls donut :rof:



http://voodoodoughnut.com/doughnuts.php


----------



## DustyKat

^^^^LMFAO! Could I have some fun with that!...

Hmmmmm...I never did tell you about my camping trip around central Australia with the priest and the banana did I! :rof:


----------



## Dexky

Farmwife said:


> I was trying to bake snacks for the farmers shaken the cherries.


Usually, I just shake my head and think WTF??  But really FW...WTF??


----------



## Farmwife

What Dexky????

I'm doing the snacks for the hard working farmers shaking the cherries. My MIL is doing their lunches.
In yesteryears, breakfast and dinners were also provided.

Is that what you meant or am I missing something???


----------



## DustyKat

Maybe our southern fried Dex doesn't know that you can shake cherries off a tree. :ybiggrin:


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, sorry but I was with Dex on this one!!! :lol:  I did NOT know you shake cherries off a tree! 

And, Dusty...  hmmm, camping with a priest...  searching for roots where the sun don't shine?  

And, the banana??? Hope it was not too ripe!!!


----------



## Mehita

I had no idea on the cherry trees either. Maybe we all need to visit the farm? Field trip anyone?


----------



## Twiggy930

YUMMMMMMM.............................  Voodoo Doughnut..............................  This was my pre-dinner appetizer last night.


----------



## Twiggy930

This is my breakfast this morning...


----------



## my little penguin

yum


----------



## DustyKat

No way! Please tell me you don't eat doughnuts and bacon together! uke_r:

Now, if you think you may take offence at my story do not read on! Remember, it involves a priest and a banana. :nonono:

So, many, many years ago when I was in twenties I had not a care in the world and my wickedness would run rampantly unchecked. :evil:

One day I decided it was time I went on another adventure so planned a trip around Australia. 

	
	
		
		
	


	





One leg of that journey was a camping trip down through central Australia. There were about thirty us of varying ages and professions, all strangers thrown together for trip of a lifetime. 

	
	
		
		
	


	





Hidden amongst us was a quiet, reflective sort of man in his early thirties. This piqued my interest, as it does, so I decided I would sit next to Dan one day and probe a little deeper into what he did for a living. Dan was standoffish and aloof, I do believe I denoted a touch of arrogance in his countenance and felt that was particularly unwarranted. He eventually acquiesced to my questions and told me he was a priest. I was somewhat shocked by this! Not that he was a priest so much but that he held himself above others. :nonono:

Poor Dusty, she didn't understand. How could this cold and aloof man be a priest. Did he not have any feelings or compassion? So Dusty had a revelation, one might say, and she decided she would make it her mission to see if this man was capable of the sort of emotions we mortals felt. Dusty was also very irreverent. :redface: 

It was a bright and sunny Winters day and we stopped to partake of some morning tea. As we stretched out under the canopy of glorious ghost gum I decided my particular fare that day would be a banana. As I was peeling the said fare I noticed Dan sitting a little way away watching me. He obviously did not notice that I had seen him as he continued to stare at me. I don't know what came over me but as I started to guide the banana toward my mouth and between my lips I stopped, I didn't take the bite that Dan was expecting but rather I started slipping the banana in and out of my mouth in a slow show of what one would call fellatio. I could see Dan was mesmerised and so the show lasted much longer than I had originally intended. He snapped out of it when I took a bite out of the said banana. As I finished my morning tea I idled over to Dan, he was very red in the face and I enquired after him...are you well Dan? You look a little...bothered. He couldn't speak and was bent over with his arms folded across his lap. I didn't know what to think but the only conclusion I could come to was that Dan was human after all. 

	
	
		
		
	


	





St Dusty of Oz.


----------



## upsetmom

DustyKat said:


> No way! Please tell me you don't eat doughnuts and bacon together! uke_r:


Thanks for saying what l was thinking.


Dusty :nonono:..poor priest...:rof::rof::rof:


----------



## Twiggy930

Don't knock the bacon and doughnuts until you've tried it.  I even went to a wedding a couple of years ago and instead of wedding cake they had a tower of maple bacon doughnuts.  

Dusty I think you read The Thorn Birds a few too many times...


----------



## DustyKat

:lol: 

Hmmmm...the bacon and doughnuts is likely an acquired taste. Ewwwww.


----------



## my little penguin

:rof::rof::rof::rof::rof:

so funny


----------



## Jmrogers4

We have to stop at vodoo donuts everytime we are in Portland.  All I can say is once you've eaten one of those maple bacon donuts it haunts you and soon you will be dipping your bacon at home into maple syrup trying to replicate the taste to no avail.
Great now I'm going to be dreaming about those donuts - forget Krispy Kreme.

Dusty - :rof::rof::rof::rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

OMG!  LMFAO!  :rof::rof::rof:


Ha Twiggy!  WE can always count on you for a delectable delight can't we?! 

Ha Dusty We can always count on you for....well you know what for? 

Farmwife: I think I shook my cherries a few times but no one gave me diinner or baked goods!  And relax with the cherries comments people!


----------



## kimmidwife

Dusty, you Aussies crack me up!!! :rof::rof::rof:


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, you guys all crack me up!!!  Dusty, I can NOT believe you did that! LMFAO!!!  Is he still a priest or were you a life altering experience?!?!?!?  :lol:

Re the Voodoo donuts, thank God they're not in Toronto!  Stephen loves doughnuts and loves bacon...  I can only imagine his diet if they were offered TOGETHER here!!! :yfaint:


----------



## DustyKat

I have no idea Tess. Never saw him again after that trip.  

I guess he either went on a sabbatical or to an asylum. :shifty: Bet he doesn't eat banana's though. Ouch. :lol:


----------



## Dexky

Shaking not shaken FW.  TBH, I have seen pecan shaking but no, I didn't know they harvested cherries like that.  We've been eating those good MI cherries like crazy recently though!  Do you have cherry trees FW?


----------



## Dexky

DustyKat said:


> Poor Dusty, she didn't understand.


Poor :dusty: indeed!!  A well written account though!  You shameless hussy!!


----------



## DustyKat

I'm sure you would have enjoyed the show had you been there Dex. :wink:


----------



## Dexky

I always do :dusty:...thanks!!


----------



## Farmwife

Dexky said:


> Shaking not shaken FW.  TBH, I have seen pecan shaking but no, I didn't know they harvested cherries like that.  We've been eating those good MI cherries like crazy recently though!  Do you have cherry trees FW?




Yes, we have cherry orchards Dexky. You guys made me laugh. Where did you think cherries came from?:rof: BTW...peaches, plums, apples all come from trees too.:tongue:

Off for another fun filled week. Bye y'all!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Twiggy930 said:


> YUMMMMMMM.............................  Voodoo Doughnut..............................  This was my pre-dinner appetizer last night.


I was totally picturing the same as Twiggy for a voodoo donut. :voodoo: I don't eat gluten or pork, so the actual voodoo donut sounds pretty nasty to me too.  I like the donut part but it doesn't like me... oo:  At least it is incentive to not eat what would just go to my belly anyway and make me fatter! :tongue:


----------



## Dexky

Farmwife said:


> Yes, we have cherry orchards Dexky. You guys made me laugh. Where did you think cherries came from?:rof: BTW...peaches, plums, apples all come from trees too.:tongue:
> 
> Off for another fun filled week. Bye y'all!


Uhm yeah, I knew cherries come from trees but I didn't know you shook them off!!  I presume there is a machine that does the shaking similar to pecan harvesters.


----------



## DustyKat

No, you just grab the trunk and start shaking.


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh no you di int Dusty!  I will just leave that one alone!


----------



## DustyKat

^^^^You filthy minded girl! :yfaint:

Dusty. :ybiggrin:


----------



## my little penguin

:ylol2::ylol2::ylol2::ylol2:


----------



## Niks

:rof::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof:


----------



## Dexky

Ahahahaha..ha...ha..hum?  I don't get it!!


----------



## DustyKat

Yeah sure Dex...:yrolleyes:...and I don't have your balls in a jar on the mantle.


----------



## Farmwife

Dex I would LOVE:thumright: to tell you how we shake the cherries...........
 but I can't:shifty-t: word it in a way that these sick minded women:yfrown:
 won't turn it into something sexual.:voodoo:

You can me pm is you real want to know.


----------



## crohnsinct

HEY what happened to our hug button.  Did we wear it out?:ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug:


----------



## Tesscorm

My, oh, my Farmwife...  I'm not only smiling, I'm *blushing * :blush: at the thought of those big strapping farmers shakin' those cherries!   I bet there's a fair bit of time spent 'looking for roots' too, eh Dusty?  :ytongue:

Farmwife...  I want you to keep a straight face next time you ask one of your farmers how the cherry shakin' is going?  :rof:

Yes, where is our hug button?!?


----------



## Niks

Haha!!  So funny. :applause::applause::applause: We could do with a Cherry Shaking icon!!  

Weird about the Hug button!  xx


----------



## Dexky

What's wrong with the hugs!!??  I'm huggin' everyone but :dusty:!!


----------



## Crohn's Mom

Hug button in full force here!


----------



## Niks

Hugs are back!!  x


----------



## DustyKat

Not a real brand newy but a fab Friday song  ...

[youtube]G7fASdvrR-g[/youtube]

BUT! All you Canadians, tell me this...how the hell did that blue heeler get all the way over there and into that clip?!


----------



## upsetmom

OK l need some help!!!!

I soaked my son's white shirt in bleach and it turned yellow..

I read that soaking it in vinegar might get it out but it did nothing.

Does anyone know how l can make it white again before he kills me!!!!


----------



## Niks

upsetmom said:


> OK l need some help!!!!
> 
> I soaked my son's white shirt in bleach and it turned yellow..
> 
> I read that soaking it in vinegar might get it out but it did nothing.
> 
> Does anyone know how l can make it white again before he kills me!!!!


Uh Oh!!!!  Have been caught in the bleaching trap too!  I think the only thing to do is dye it a darker colour?  Sorry  :ybatty:


----------



## DustyKat

:eek2: 

I don't really know upsetmom but this seems a pretty good site with info and discussion: 

http://www.mamaslaundrytalk.com/have-your-white-clothes-turned-yellow/

Good luck! 

Dusty.


----------



## upsetmom

Niks he won't be happy if l dyed it a different colour.

Thanks Dusty l read all these sites last night.

I think l might have to buy him a new shirt...$70 gone..:yfaint:

I don't even know why l bleached it wasn't even dirty.


----------



## DustyKat

Yep, sounds like a new shirt. Ugh!  

You aren't a bleaching nazi are you? :lol: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## upsetmom

DustyKat said:


> You aren't a bleaching nazi are you? :lol:
> Dusty. xxx


Yep!!!
I have a bucket full of bleach right next to my washing machine..:lol:


----------



## DustyKat

I think you need to go to BA (Bleachers Anonymous).  

Hi, I'm upsetmom and I have a bleaching problem...

Dusty. :ack:


----------



## DustyKat

Well hush my puppies and prune my magnolia's, so that is where Dex has been!...The Redneck Olympics!...

http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/pigs-feet-and-flying-loo-seatsrednecks-get-into-olympic-spirit/story-e6frfq80-1226691105656


----------



## upsetmom

DustyKat said:


> I think you need to go to BA (Bleachers Anonymous).
> 
> Hi, I'm upsetmom and I have a bleaching problem...
> 
> Dusty. :ack:


:rof::rof::rof:


----------



## Dexky

DustyKat said:


> Well hush my puppies and prune my magnolia's, so that is where Dex has been!...The Redneck Olympics!...
> 
> http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/pigs-feet-and-flying-loo-seatsrednecks-get-into-olympic-spirit/story-e6frfq80-1226691105656


I'm just glad to see it was in Maine and not Kentucky!!  I did like the guy's quote about a redneck being able to make fun of himself.  I'm nothing if not self-deprecating!!


----------



## Catherine

Son:  What did you do my shirt?

Mother: Son, I am sorry I can be no longer trusted to do your washing. You are quite welcome to do your own washing, so these errors no longer occur.


----------



## upsetmom

Catherine said:


> Son:  What did you do my shirt?
> 
> Mother: Son, I am sorry I can be no longer trusted to do your washing. You are quite welcome to do your own washing, so these errors no longer occur.


I was just thinking the same thing.:lol:

I haven't told him yet .I'm still trying to figure out a way to make it white...l went shopping but l forgot to have a look for something.


----------



## upsetmom

I once ruined a pair of his joggers by soaking them in bleach. They where white with a black stripe ....after i soaked them the stripe went brown. You'd think l would've learnt my lesson.


----------



## Catherine

Is the shirt an even colour all over?  What fabric?

Try Spotlight or Lincraft, look for the dyes, next to them you will find color remover but they only usually work for removing color so that you can re dye.

Sarah wonders why I won't let her use dye inside my house! She managing to spill the water while emptying out the dye and dyed one shoe purple.  Got love dye and candle wax.


----------



## upsetmom

Catherine said:


> Is the shirt an even colour all over?  What fabric?


Yes all yellow!
75% cotton
20% polyamide
5% elastane


----------



## Catherine

Try lemon juice.

http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-whiten-yellowed-nylon/

You can also try color remover if there is no color trim.

For future reference polyamide is nylon and as you found out bleach turns nylon yellow.


----------



## Dexky

Catherine said:


> Son:  What did you do my shirt?
> 
> Mother: Son, I am sorry I can be no longer trusted to do your washing. You are quite welcome to do your own washing, so these errors no longer occur.


What did you do to his shirt??  I tried this technique with my wife...I screwed up the laundry, the dishes, the vacuuming, the dusting, the mopping, etc., etc.....it didn't work!!


----------



## Mehita

On the topic of laundry...

When washing out poo from clothing, do you do anything special besides hot water and soap? Do we need to worry about spreading germs or things?

Just curious.


----------



## Johnnysmom

I do the sanitize cycle on my washer.  It just heats the water up more.  Or cycle for whites if your washer doesn't have sanitize cycle.  I do the same thing when there are viruses in the house.

But, I have a serious germ issue.:ack:


----------



## upsetmom

Mehita said:


> On the topic of laundry...
> 
> When washing out poo from clothing, do you do anything special besides hot water and soap? Do we need to worry about spreading germs or things?
> 
> Just curious.


I've have only come across this problem with my husband a few times. 
The first time it happened l decided to rinse the clothes first before putting them in the washing machine...and it was the last time l did this....it made me sick..uke_r: Now i just throw them in the machine on a hot cycle with disinfectant....and if they're very bad l just throw them out ....luckily it doesn't happen often.


----------



## Dexky

Your husband??


----------



## upsetmom

My husband has a brain tumor... and sometimes he can't control his bowels.


----------



## upsetmom

Catherine said:


> Try lemon juice.
> 
> http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-whiten-yellowed-nylon/
> 
> You can also try color remover if there is no color trim.
> 
> For future reference polyamide is nylon and as you found out bleach turns nylon yellow.


I tried the lemon juice and it did nothing.

The color remover removed the yellow and now the shirt is a nice cream color.


----------



## CrohnsKidMom

Upsetmom, I'm so sorry about your husband's illness.  I didn't know.  I will keep you and your family in my prayers. 

On the topic of laundry, I have used a product called "Iron Out".  It works well on whites for getting out, well... iron, like if you have hard well water, or bloodstains (yikes!), or a host of other things.  Just don't use it on colours, it will bleach them.  

DustyKat, thanks for the "Great Big Sea" video.  Great bunch of guys from Newfoundland.  I think the Newfies do trades with you guys.  You send the cattle dogs, they send the Labrador retrievers.


----------



## upsetmom

Dusty l love your new avatar!!!


----------



## Dexky

Looks like animal abuse to me!  I hope he/she pees on your bed!!


----------



## Catherine

A NSW road safety ad.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-...7-hands-off-mobile-phones/4870164?section=nsw


----------



## crohnsinct

I am sending that to my 19 year old driver. 

You people have the longest public service announcements!


----------



## Tesscorm

Love the avatar too!!!


----------



## kimmidwife

That was a long video. I don't know if it would do it for these Americans. You should see the horrible ads they have on TV made by people whose lives were ruined by texting and driving and these idiots still do it!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

upsetmom said:


> I tried the lemon juice and it did nothing.
> 
> The color remover removed the yellow and now the shirt is a nice cream color.


So, has your son seen it yet?  Can you pretend that it always was cream?  Maybe he won't notice...


----------



## upsetmom

CarolinAlaska said:


> So, has your son seen it yet?  Can you pretend that it always was cream?  Maybe he won't notice...


My daughter was the one who told him otherwise he wouldn't have known.

You should have seen the look on his face when she told him it had turned yellow.


----------



## Jane and Nick

Hello friends,
Just wanted to share something only you would understand. We were celebrating a step forward with my hubbies scan results with a bottle of bubbles and  Col said here is to health, happiness and family, then Nick pipes up and lots of poop ! I looked at him as if to say way to spoil the moment with eleven year old humour, but he said no mum here is to lots of good, normal pooh ! 
I drank a toast to lots of pooh !
X


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  That's so cute!

To poop!! :beerchug:


----------



## Niks

To normal poop!!!  :beerchug::cheerss:


----------



## Jmrogers4

I'll raise a toast anytime to normal poop! :wine:


----------



## my little penguin

:wine:

lots of normal poop:ylol2:


----------



## crohnsinct

Now there is something I can toast to! :ylol2::wine:


----------



## DustyKat

A highly dangerous virus called "Weekly Overload Recreational Killer" (WORK) is currently going around. If you come into contact with this WORK virus, you should immediately go to the nearest "Biological Anxiety Relief (BAR) centre to take antidotes known as 'Work Isolating Neutraliser Extract (WINE), "Radioactive UnWORK Medicine" (RUM), "Bothersome Employer Elimination Rebooter' (BEER) or "Vaccine Official Depression Killing Antigen" (VODKA). 

:ycool:


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## Tesscorm

Thought these were funny...   But, the first one I thought really applied to all us parents! 



And this one...  well, I'm thinking poor Dexky!


----------



## upsetmom

Tesscorm said:


> the first one I thought really applied to all us parents!


How true is that..:lol:

BTW love your new Avatar.


----------



## Dexky

Tesscorm said:


> And this one...  well, I'm thinking poor Dexky!
> View attachment 2096


Thanks...I think  How else would I learn anything w/o all you mudders to correct me!


----------



## Mehita

DS thinks this is hilarious. "Yup, that's me, mom!" :rof:

http://www.zazzle.com/prednisone_monster_post_cards-239426838645238441


----------



## DustyKat

:ybiggrin:


----------



## hawkeye

Nothing wrong with kids (toddlers) on leashes.

I have heard stories of kids being harnessed to the clothesline in the yard so they would not wander off.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

If you don't have a fence, and you can't stay with them every minute, that might have to be the solution temporarily... especially if there is dangerous water around...


----------



## Mehita

School picture day tomorrow... with the swollen pred moon face. Lovely. Already planning on re-takes.


----------



## Tesscorm

As school is starting soon... :tongue:


----------



## DustyKat

As many may know we lost our GI to politics this year. Well we had our Federal election yesterday and our old doc won the seat he was contesting. I don't think it would out of place to say that he will no longer be looking at arseholes but working with them instead. :ybiggrin: 

Dusty. :eek2:


----------



## DustyKat

So true and yet so understated...:ylol:


----------



## Dexky

DustyKat said:


> As many may know we lost our GI to politics this year. Well we had our Federal election yesterday and our old doc won the seat he was contesting.


Matt's GI? or the hospital where you work?


----------



## izzi'smom

I was wondering this also dex


----------



## DustyKat

Matt's GI, hence the new one that needed blooding.


----------



## upsetmom

Dusty my daughter wants to know if that's your cat in your Avatar?..


----------



## DustyKat

Hey upsetmom, 

No, it is just a random pic from the net.  

We do have a flat faced cat that would sit and pose like that though! :lol:


----------



## upsetmom

DustyKat said:


> No, it is just a random pic from the net.


I told her that but she didn't believe me.


----------



## DustyKat

LMFAO! One up for mum! :ybiggrin:


----------



## DustyKat

:wine:


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Thought I'd share with you guys


----------



## crohnsinct

I sure hope that is a cake that was delivered to you beautiful woman!


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Actually a cake I made to sell at a  fundraiser


----------



## crohnsinct

IN YOUR WHEELCHAIR?!!!!!!!!!  Wonder woman!  We need a new smilie for you!  It is beautiful!


----------



## Jmrogers4

That is beautiful and looks so yummy!  Hope it raised lots of funds


----------



## Niks

It looks amazing MLS! What a talent!! Xx


----------



## Trev

hey Dusty, ive heard cats look like their owners.??????


----------



## upsetmom

WOW MLS!!!   That's beautiful..


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Mylittlesunshine said:


> Thought I'd share with you guys


Wow, so pretty!


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Thanks guys.... I'm trying to keep myself
Busy sometimes can't do much.
We raffled it off and made 450£ just on cake
Raffle.but grand total of the night was 
£2050.


----------



## DustyKat

Wow Mls!!! What an amazing gift you have! Well done on all fronts, how very proud you must be and rightly so!  

:mademyday:

Dusty. xxx


----------



## DustyKat

Trev said:


> hey Dusty, ive heard cats look like their owners.??????


Nah Trev, I don't have blue eyes. :ybiggrin:


----------



## crohnsinct

Dang!  Wish I lived near by...O would have no problem keeping you busy with cake requests


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Guess o loves cake then lol


----------



## crohnsinct

Love would be one word you could use...obsession or addiction would also work


----------



## kimmidwife

MLS 
That is one gorgeous cake! I wish I could order one from you for Caitlyn's upcoming Birthday next week!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

MLS, your cake alone brought in almost 25% of the earnings!  You should be proud!


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Kim If I lived closer I would of made one no 
Problems


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Carol thanks didn't think like that until u said. 
It's worth it as its going towards building a
New tumour unit in the hospital I go to
Will be ready in 2015 fingers crossed x


----------



## crohnsinct

Fingers crossed you won't be needing that unit anymore!!!!!!!


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Crohnist ill be under the tumour unit 
For 10 years check ups every 3 months
If it don't return.


----------



## Mylittlesunshine

Wow I know where I could come then for 
A taste tester then crohnist


----------



## crohnsinct

:ymad: O.K. well I guess a quick hi/bye everything's o.k. pass through visit will be o.k. but no lingering allowed!


----------



## Shelleyskis

Or a 2-4. To deke someone out is totally Canandian eh? 

The worst is when you also get the French-Canadianisms up against the France French. They sub-title Canadians when they speak on TV there. It's quaint...

But speaking of Aussies...LOL I worked with/travelled around AUS, and holy. Someone told me to meet them in the avro (still not sure how to spell it)...I spent all morning trying to find the freaking place until I was told it meant 'afternoon'.  An Aussie will always try to a word and mash it into one or two syllables if possible is my experience. Fun times with those guys once I became fluent in Aussie.


----------



## DustyKat

LMFAO! 

No wonder you couldn't find it! It's arvo! :lol:


----------



## Shelleyskis

You Aussies are hilariou---AND the laziest linguists out there! 
At least I never fell for the drop bears!


----------



## upsetmom

Shelleyskis said:


> But speaking of Aussies...LOL I worked with/travelled around AUS, and holy. Someone told me to meet them in the avro (still not sure how to spell it)...I spent all morning trying to find the freaking place until I was told it meant 'afternoon'.


:rof::rof::rof:


----------



## DustyKat

Bugger! The drop bears would have been a good one! :lol: 

We just don't waste our time with long words when we can shorten them and we like to add an o at the end for effect...morno's, arvo, smoko, righto, goodo...:ylol:


----------



## Tesscorm

Just catching up... MLS - that is an amazing cake!!  Wow!!

And, haven't a clue what the heck is with the Aussies and their' 'o's!!???  Make our 'eh' quite tame!


----------



## Mehita

We went to Australia for our honeymoon. Had no idea what anyone was saying...


----------



## DustyKat

Fair dinkum! Our lingo is bonza! :ycool:


----------



## Johnnysmom

That cake is awesome!!  You really do have a gift.


----------



## crohnsinct

http://gawker.com/this-three-minute-commercial-puts-full-length-hollywood-1309506149


----------



## Tesscorm

This one's just for crohnsinct :ycool:  (Does this count as a good deed? )




And this one's for all my friends! :heart:


----------



## Tesscorm

Thought this was so cute


----------



## DustyKat

Flipping hell! :yfaint:

These images were snapped at 10.10am Australian local time (Friday 2nd of Aug) on a live radar site, showing the USA and Australia.

The worlds most stressful Job - An air traffic controller in the USA...


----------



## Tesscorm

Gosh yes!!!  I can't imagine the stress level of responsibility!   I hope they are well paid!

It must have been absolutely crazy on 9/11 when they stopped all flights and all those unscheduled landings suddenly had to be coordinated!! :yfaint:


----------



## Dexky

What's the orange vs yellow?


----------



## DustyKat

On the tracker yellow is real time and orange is a five minute delay...

http://www.flightradar24.com/-1.4,12.74/2

It is a fab site cause if you know someone who is flying you put the flight number in and watch their progress!


----------



## Mehita

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

Does anyone have experience with a ruptured eardrum? My non-IBD kiddo has an ear infection and woke up with blood in his ear. Waiting for the ped to call back. We always seem to be waiting on drs.

Any thoughts or suggestions? I've already read most of the Internet.


----------



## ChampsMom

Tesscorm said:


> This one's just for crohnsinct :ycool:  (Does this count as a good deed? )
> ]


Worked for me!!


----------



## ChampsMom

Mehita said:


> Waiting, waiting, waiting...
> 
> Does anyone have experience with a ruptured eardrum? My non-IBD kiddo has an ear infection and woke up with blood in his ear. Waiting for the ped to call back. We always seem to be waiting on drs.
> 
> Any thoughts or suggestions? I've already read most of the Internet.


Sorry to hear about this... Is he in a lot of pain?  It is surprisingly not difficult to perforate your ear drum (easier than most would think anyways...)  

Typically it is not uber serious and will be treated much like a severe ear infection (maybe some amped up antibiotics).  Multiple perforations can be problematic and lead to hearing loss.  

I hope he feels better soon.


----------



## CrohnsKidMom

My friend's child had a ruptured eardrum due to an ear infection.  Once it ruptured, the pain subsided.  He was put on antibiotics like you would be with a typical ear infection.


----------



## Mehita

Thanks, guys. Antibiotics, heat compresses, Tylenol for pain if needed, and time *lol*. Great, more waiting!

Always something, right? We could use a whole lot of boring nothingness around here for awhile. That would be soooo nice!


----------



## Johnnysmom

The pain should subside once the ear drum ruptures.  No pain drops (or any drops) should be used once the ear drum has ruptured.  It happened to my son on two occasions and both times he needed an oral antibiotic and everything healed up just fine.  

Hoping for a very uneventful October for you!


----------



## Farmwife

So in my search for some laughter I found this article from CNN.

ENJOY and LAUGH. 

Trust me, you won't look any better.:rof:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/27/tech/social-media/apparently-this-matters-haunted-house/index.html?hpt=hp_c3


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Farmwife said:


> So in my search for some laughter I found this article from CNN.
> 
> ENJOY and LAUGH.
> 
> Trust me, you won't look any better.:rof:
> 
> http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/27/tech/social-media/apparently-this-matters-haunted-house/index.html?hpt=hp_c3


Have you been there?  I don't like to be scared...but haunted houses are usually pretty hokey unless they have live people in there jumping out at you...


----------



## Tesscorm

FW - that was hilarious!  OMG, I love haunted houses... once I'm out of them!   They scare me to death...but I keep going back!! :ybatty:  Don't know if you guys have seen this but Ellen Degeneres sends her assistant to a haunted house every year..  this is one of the clips. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrfPFkB8G5w


----------



## Farmwife

I hate scary...anything. I hate being spooked. I don't really get scared I get MAD. 
My twin snuck up on me once.....ONCE!

My poor hubby, I make him watch a movie first if I think it's going to be scary and then I make him watch it again and tell me when to close my eyes.:rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

Yeah...I went to Niagara this summer and had a "friend" try to get me into one of those....luckily I had my 9 year old as an excuse not to go in...well, someone had to stay with her!!!!!


----------



## Mehita

...the moment you realize you've gone from  "Mommy" to "Mom".

*sigh*


----------



## Mehita

Need a smile? This is our beloved hospital... lots of brave kiddos there.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...top_uri=/watch?v=N8xnLkyKgsE&feature=youtu.be

...and yes, all the nurses are that awesome and fun


----------



## Jmrogers4

That is fabulous!  Love it.


----------



## DustyKat

:lol: 3 year old on the toilet talking to himself about his regrets at having eaten too much....

[youtube]mLfecOL7VMI[/youtube]


----------



## Farmwife

My hubby and I needed that laugh.
:rof:
Thanks Dusty:hug:


----------



## crohnsinct

That was hilarious!  Obviously a Canadian! :ylol2::ylol2::ylol2:


----------



## Tesscorm

Yep, must have been the poutine!  :rof: :rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

How did we let this thread fall to the second page.  Clearly we need a little laugh.  Got this from a friend who doesn't necessarily agree with my diet. 

   For  those of you who watch what you eat, here's the
final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth
after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

    1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer
heart attacks
    than Americans.

    2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart
attacks than
    Americans.

    3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer
fewer heart
    attacks than Americans.

    4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer
heart attacks
    than Americans...

    5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of
sausages and
    fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.


    CONCLUSION:Eat and drink what
    you like.Speaking English is
    apparently what kills you.


----------



## kimmidwife

:rof: Crohnsinstinct,
I am cracking up over that one!!!!!!!!


----------



## Catherine

http://twitter.com/stephenbsander/status/390730265699840000/photo/1

Sydney today.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Wow! Pretty in a scary way.  Hope all the fires are contained soon.


----------



## Mehita

I need to buy a new thermometer. I've had a couple of the digital ear ones now and simply am not impressed. Any suggestions?


----------



## Jmrogers4

We have the forehead scanner one.  I like it quick and easy.


----------



## Mehita

Is it a particular brand, Jacqui?


----------



## Jmrogers4

Had to go pull it out of the cabinet.  It is Exergen temporal scanner.  I think you can get them anywhere $30-$50 depending on where you buy.
Here they are on sale at Target http://www.target.com/p/exergen-temporal-scanner-infrared-thermometer/-/A-13009184

edit *** best thing you can take temperature while they are sleeping***


----------



## Stephyjane

Managed to order one on Amazon uk. I've been looking for a decent thermometer for ages. Thanks.


----------



## crohnsinct

Who woke Dusty up? Or did she just sober up?:ytongue::wine:


----------



## DustyKat

Bugger off! :lol: And where's my fecking goon sack!


----------



## crohnsinct

Nothing but the best for you classy lady
http://www.thetroymurphyshow.com/goon-sack-in-a-handbag/


----------



## DustyKat

LMFAO! Perfect! Who said we Aussies don't ooze class! :rof:


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, that is hilarious...  Now, Crohnsinct, how is it that all the way in CT you were aware of these goon sacks?!?!?  :lol:


----------



## DustyKat

I reckon she googled the goon Tess! :rof: 

Now y'all would know the Game of Fortune...

Well I think you should arrange this for your next party. All you need is a hills hoist and a goon sack and voila! Goon of fortune! Now this is real classy...

[youtube]vqFFyW01FXA[/youtube]

Ahahahahaha


----------



## Tesscorm

LMAO!!!!  Meanwhile, the women had their own games out front...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=q9HDIO74LNI


----------



## Jmrogers4

Oh, I'm laughing so hard I can barely type!!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

I can't help but LMAO every time I see it!!  :rof:  I can't wait for a bridal shower so I can use it as a game!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Tesscorm said:


> OMG, that is hilarious...  Now, Crohnsinct, how is it that all the way in CT you were aware of these goon sacks?!?!?  :lol:


I thought this was a don't ask don't tell forum!  So while we are asking how is it you had that video of the women so handy?  Which one are you? 

I think I would prefer the games with the men (that didn't come out the way I meant it):smile: the womens game looks like you could get hurt!:eek2:


----------



## Tesscorm

I didn't think poles would scare you!!!  :rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

When they are vertical!!!!!!


----------



## DustyKat

Dirty, dirty girls. :lol:


----------



## Tesscorm

Don't you all love texts that start with 'mom, I'm okay now...' :facepalm:  I don't know how your phones work but I get an alert with the first few words of a text on my screen as texts come in.  So, I was in a meeting with three other people and I'm seeing...

"mom, I'm okay now..."   

next text...    "  "

...   "I took a pass and..."

...   "Have most movement..."

Needless to say, I have no idea what I agreed to in the meeting! :rof:

Finally spoke with him and he thinks he popped his shoulder out (and back in) again last night at his hockey game.  'Took a pass and tried to shoot' and felt a pop and sharp pain.  Says he's in lots of pain now, but he can move it.  

It's so hard when you're not with them...  have sent him about 10 txts with instructions 'Ask Dr for a sling to take weight off', 'Remember no nsaids!  If he says it's okay with remi, tell dr it's because of crohns not remicade', 'since you're there, ask for the flu shot'....  :lol:

Now, question for you guys...  I was going to tell Stephen to let the doctor know that he does not have full immunity to mumps and if they have some sort of 'at risk' notification list shud there be an outbreak at school.  But, then I was worried if Stephen's attendance at the school could cause a problem since he isn't completely immune.  Would the school restrict him in some way because he could pass it on???  Any idea?


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## Clash

Ok guys I have a question, so I knew fecal calprotectin results varied by age:

2-9 years old/upper limit 166/ug/g of feces
10-59 years old/upper limit 51/ug/g of feces
>60 years old/upper limit 112/ug/g of feces

But has anyone seen references ranges other than this? I've been having issues and the GI did an FC test(which really didn't seem related to my issues) and the result came back 143 but the nurse said that was in normal range because upper limit was 163. 

I'm a little confused now, since we keep hearing from GIs that they like to see their "IBD" patients below 150 or even below 300 but below 50 is normal and since it is unlikely we are all using the same lab, so the <50 seemed to be standard.

I do understand that different labs have different variations and I'm going to pick up a copy now and will post what it says.

Edit to add: Umm yeah I know this is a weird place for this post but it isn't about my kid or even IBD.


----------



## Jmrogers4

I'll look at Jack's tonight I seem to remember it having a normal range on the sheet but we were told 160ish for upper limit of normal as well. So Jack's last 2 first was 90 and last was 293 in September.  GI's comment "I'm not too concerned since normal is 160 and below"


----------



## Clash

I would like to think that the difference is the labs that are conducting the tests, you know...using varying reference ranges or different units of measure but C's was done by labcorp and so was mine.

Anyway, I wasn't expecting the FC level to tell anything since my issue seems to be this build up of chest pressure and an inability to burp(I have never been able to burp) followed by tachycardia, upwards of 150. The first time it happened I went to the ER because I had no idea what was happening, blood pressure was normal, EKG normal just tachycardia. I had the GI px some nexium and that is helping with the pressure/burping some but I'm still have bouts of it that end in tachycardia. I've also worn a heart monitor(GP ordered it) still waiting on results. Oh and lastly my heartrate now stays above 100(as low as 106 and high as 122)between the higher attacks.


----------



## Catherine

Clash

 Our Normal range is 19.5 to 50 ug/g

Sarah last test was 192.3

I going to type out below the notes written on the test results

Median values in patients with symptomatic colorectal cancers 350 ug/g

Active, symptomatic inflammatory bowel disease 200 - 40,000 ug/g

Values above 100 mcg/g inidicate SIGNIFICANT inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.  Etiology could be associated with the following: IBD, infection, NSAIDS use, polyps, adenomas or colorectal cancer.  Calprotectin may also be elevated in children with chronic diarrhea secondary to cow's allergy or multiple food allergies. Further investigative procedures are necessary to determine the cause inflammation.

Whether inflammation or neoplastic, the cause of elevated calprotectin MUST be ascertained by endoscopy or radiography.  If these evaluations do not yield signs of overt disease, other tests may be considered - intestinal dysbiosis assessment - allergy antibody assessment - celiac panel - comprehensive parasitologist profile.


----------



## Clash

Thanks, Catherine. I had the report faxed to my GP so I could go pick it up. The nurse said she was faxing it right then but I drove to the GP during errands and no copy of the report sent yet!

Ughhh...frustrated. All the ones I have found have said <50 but I found this on labcorp testing site:



> Specimen:
> Stool (unpreserved, random)
> 
> Volume:
> 1 g
> 
> Minimum Volume:
> 0.5 g
> 
> Container:
> Clean screw-capped plastic vial
> 
> Collection:
> Do not contaminate outside of container; do not overfill container. Loose stools are acceptable.
> 
> Storage Instructions:
> Samples are stable  for 11 days ambient or at 2°C to 8°C. Stable  for one year at -20°C. Temperature should not exceed 37°C during shipment. Ship refrigerated at 2°C to 8°C.
> 
> Causes for Rejection:
> Serum or plasma received; stool contaminated with urine; sample outside of the container; specimen older than 11 days of collection before tested; samples taken from diapers unless portion taken has not been in contact with diaper material; preserved stool received
> 
> *Reference Interval:
> 0-120 μg/g*


source

So does the part I have bolded above "Reference Interval" refer to the reference range labcorp uses or is that referring to something else?


----------



## Mehita

I just looked and I have the same values and info as Catherine.

I would think it's the reference range Labcorp uses as "normal".


----------



## Clash

Mehita, when you stated:



> I would think it's the reference range Labcorp uses as "normal".


Are you referring to my post #1729 and the "Interval Range"? Or my post #1725 where nurse said labcorp listed reference range as upper limit 163?

By the way it seems all of these labs are using μg/g which is the same as mcg/g so how can one lab state that anything over hundred requires further investigation and another saying anything below 163 is normal. Better yet how can C's labcorp ref range normal be <50 and my labcorp ref range be upper limit 163?


----------



## Mehita

I was referring to 1729.  Okay, don't quote me on this but here's a thought...

I know sometimes DS's celiac labs get sent to special laboratories and if I understand it right each lab (meaning facility) has a different range of what is considered normal based on a database of all the blood work they've ever run for that specific test over time in their facility. So when we changed docs and he used a different lab/facility we got a different set of ranges. 

Also, could the ranges be different for you two due to age or sex? Grasping at straws here, sorry.


----------



## Clash

Mehita,

I think you might be right with the first, the hospital I used sends to either quest labs or labcorp. I would think insurance may factor into which is used but then C uses labcorp and the nurse told me my order was for labcorp. I just happened to notice a sign in the lab that said state whether you/ins prefer labcorp or quest labs. So I got to digging and found this from Quest Labs website(I don't have the copy of mine yet, the GI never faxed it to GP) but:



> Calprotectin, Stool
> 
> 
> Test Code
> 
> 16796
> 
> CPT Code(s)
> 
> 83993
> 
> Includes
> 
> Calprotectin, Stool
> 
> Preferred Specimen(s)
> 
> 1 g Stool unpreserved collected in a Sterile leak-proof container
> 
> Minimum Volume
> 
> 0.3 g
> 
> Alternative Specimen(s)
> 
> 1 g Random liquid stool collected in a Sterile leak-proof container
> 
> Collection Instructions
> 
> Collect undiluted feces in clean, dry sterile leak proof container. Do not add fixative or preservative.
> 
> Transport Temperature
> 
> Frozen
> 
> Specimen Stability
> 
> Room temperature: 11 days
> 
> Refrigerated: 11 days
> 
> Frozen: 1 year
> 
> Methodology
> 
> Immunoassay
> 
> Performing Laboratory
> 
> Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute
> 
> 33608 Ortega Highway
> 
> San Juan Capistrano, CA 92690-6130
> 
> Setup Schedule
> 
> Set up: 2 days a week a.m.; Report available: 3 day
> 
> Limitations
> 
> NSAIDs may cause elevated results.
> 
> *Reference Range(s)
> 
> ≤162.9 µg/g*


source 

Notice the bolded part, so had we used labcorp(I'm assuming we didn't at this point because I don't have the copy to verify for certain but their ref range is <120) then my fecal calprotectin would have been elevated and according to Catherine's lab report my result would 





> inidicate SIGNIFICANT inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract


 but since the hospital apparently used Quest labs I'm normal.

Ok that freaks me out just a bit...just saying. They are all using the same measurements. And I do understand the reference range being set by a sampling in their test subjects but there are numerous studies that list the <50 result for normal reference range. 

They do this just to make us more nutso right, I mean what other reason could they have. And if C has a test come back 163 from labcorp and they say it is high, I'm going into to my quest lab bubble and saying "No way Jack, that is normal!"


----------



## crohnsinct

True story.  A nurse at our IBD center is the center coordinator.  She is involved in everything.  She spoke at the IBD Conference thingy they had for the patients and parents.  She said many years ago one of her first nursing jobs was in a ped surgical unit.  Most patients they saw once but the IBD patients they called frequent flyers.  They didn't like taking care of the ped patients.  Not because of the kids but because of the parents.  She said they were all crazy.  It was the one thing they all had in common.  What is it about IBD that makes these parents crazy? 

Fast forward and she is working at the IBD center.  Her daughter is a patient of the director.  He tells her your daughter has Crohns.  She replies, "oh you must be mistaken, that can't be, because I am not crazy".  She says, "I am now". 

So yes Clash!  They do this to us to make us crazy!


----------



## Clash

I'm not sure what to even do with this result, I have yet to find a study that doesn't state some type of secondary testing needs to be performed if the result comes back above the norm. The stated norms I've found in studies are <50 and <65. 

It's not like I can go to the GI and say "Excuse me but I'm an IBD nut and research most of my day away and though I know that paper says anything below 163 is normal but ummm it's wrong!" I'm just confused, my little penguin, Dusty, what is y'alls take on it?


----------



## my little penguin

I say let sleeping dogs lie .

The reference range differs more than likely because the equipment they use to measure it may be calibrated differently etc...
Meaning their reference range corresponds to a different reference range at a different faculty because of the equipment or chemicals etc that facility uses to measure the test.
Most studies would state used method xyz to measure it per astm std abc .
There are industry standards for everything from equipment to chemical to the method used.

So in a nut shell in this case trust the results are normal .


----------



## Tesscorm

Clash said:


> It's not like I can go to the GI and say "Excuse me but I'm an IBD nut and research most of my day away and though I know that paper says anything below 163 is normal but ummm it's wrong!"


Hmmm, we may not say it but how often have we thought it?!?:rof:

In any case, while I couldn't find a specific answer for you, I did find an interesting link.  Was going to post it even before I read your comment about researching all day! :lol:  It's a bit long so I haven't read it all but it certainly did pique my interest.  Enough that, I'm going away tomorrow and, my thought as I skimmed it, was 'oh, let me print this so I can read it while away!'!!! :ylol2:  How sad is that?

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1097/00054725-200606000-00013/full


(So, I may not be around for the next week or so... although, I'm sorry, I have been MIA lately...  have just been so busy :eek2


----------



## DustyKat

Hey Clash, 

I well hear you about the nutso side of things! :lol: And as hard as it can be not to compare different labs and then start doubting that what you see is a true representation of results I agree with mlp with letting sleeping dogs lie and take it on face value but that does not mean you can’t question it. 

As has been said, pathology companies use different equipment and they also set their own reference ranges/intervals based on their own data. In doing so they need to ensure that the protocols they have set up in establishing that data are an accurate and consistent representation across all their labs. 

The result before you has to be taken into context along with all the other clinical and objective data your GI has in front of him about you. I personally don’t see that there would be anything untoward in saying to the GI that you find the results concerning and would like some clarification and reassurance about them as your son has Crohn’s and you have dealt with FC results for some time now both in the laboratory and research sense. Go on to say that during this time you have never seen reference ranges akin to those that this lab gives and therefore it makes me uneasy and questions as to whether I need further tests done. If this is the lab that the GI regularly uses then he will be use to their ranges and will have established a feel for what he sees on paper and what he sees sitting in front of him, asking the question will either validate your concerns or allay them so it a win/win in my book. 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Mehita

So... I was just thinking, DS has had 3 MRE's and each has been a nightmare. We KNOW he has small bowel disease. After skimming Tess's link and the bit about use of Fecal Cal in kids, I'm wondering why we can't just use Fecal Cal as his marker. It appears to be a good indicator for him and it would be so much easier than contrast. He has to have some pretty deep emotional scars by now, KWIM?

I know MRE has it's place, especially for small bowel, but it can really take a toll on a kid too, especially after our last experience.


----------



## Mehita

... and why did you have a fecal cal done, Clash? Feeling ok?


----------



## my little penguin

*Role of Fecal Calprotectin as a Biomarker of Intestinal
Inflammation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Michael R. Konikoff, MD and Lee A. Denson, MD*

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...loPgy_rngtxvMQ79wd8WnqQ&bvm=bv.56146854,d.aWc



onlinelibrary.wiley.com
 has it

lots of different ref ranges here for healthy adults
just saying….


----------



## Clash

Thanks, My Little Penguin and Tesscorm. I'm going to read through that article. I found some more info as well, so one uses immunoassay and the other Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) not sure if that is the same thing or not. But I did read an article from the FDA about the standards and how the reference ranges should be dependent on certain things it was really interesting too.

My only other concern is that I know I have repeatedly told people on the forum the norm for FC is <50 with the addendum that GI's don't mind seeing 150 in IBD patients(our wiki also addresses this in a similar manner) but if member are using labs with different values then I am giving out bad info as is the wiki.

I'm all for taking it as normal as long as my symptoms subside, although I don't think the FC test is appropriate for what I have been experiencing anyway. And I'm not so concerned that I am dealing with CD it is other nefarious things that most worry me since my symptoms don't line up with most of the ones people talk about on here.


----------



## Clash

That is basically the article I was reading, I noted this:



> A cutoff value of 30 mg/L (150 µg/g) for
> fecal calprotectin gives 100% sensitivity and 97% specificity
> for discriminating between patients with CD and IBS.


and this:



> A cutoff value of 30 mg/L (150 mg/g) for
> fecal calprotectin gives 100% sensitivity and 97% specificity
> for discriminating between patients with CD and IBS.suggested cutoff for a positive test was 10 mg/L. With the newer assay, the suggested upper limit of normal has been
> changed to 50 µg/g. Husebye et al17 demonstrated good
> correlation between the newer and older calprotectin assay
> when stool samples were analyzed with both methods.


But the older method was referring to measurements using 10 mg/L instead of µg/g and I assume another standard to testing that wasn't immunoassay or ELISA because I don't know if they are the same or different.


----------



## Clash

Mehita, C's disease is located in his TI at his IC valve and FC has been really reliable for him so far. In that, when he was in the hospital in February, he had FC stool test and colonoscopy the same day and MRE the following day and the GI said the FC results went right along with what he had seen in the scope, on biopsies and on the MRE. But giving the choice I would wrangle C back into the MRE if we were experiencing problems and the option was giving...he's a little scarred from it as well though.


----------



## Clash

Dusty, thanks for the info, I missed your post some how up until now as well as Mehita's post.

I think I may go with the tactic you laid out. Besides this GI wants to put me on levsin for IBS, I generally have a bm once a week, I can't imagine what slowing my already slow gut would do, plus it says to discuss with your doc if you have rapid heartrate or arrhythmias and I'm still trying to find out if that is why I am having these tachycardia episodes.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Yes Jack's was done at Quest, finally pulled it and it does say < OR = 162.9 mcg/g but this is really helpful as it sounded like this was going to be a test we will be using more since his bloodwork at same time showed normal levels.
I had always heard the < 50 as normal as well.  Thanks Tess and MLP for posting those links


----------



## DustyKat

No issues with anaemia Clash?


----------



## Clash

Dusty, I can't be sure but I don't think so. I've been to the ER twice with tachycardia, both times EKG and blood pressure were normal. It wasn't until the second time that I put together that before the tachycardia starts I keep feeling the urge to burp and can't and there is a build up of pressure in my breadbasket(not sure the med term for that area). They also ran blood work and I assume checked HBG but also sure they didn't check ferritin. The only thing low they said was postassium, the first visit, but only slightly so and they didn't think it caused the issue. There have been more tachycardia incidents since then that I didn't go to the ER for. They don't seem to be tied to anxiety and happen after my largest meal, supper. They also all coincide with this pressure and feeling like if I could burp it would ease. And that is true when I am able to burp then the heart rate starts going down.

Now isn't that the craziest thing you have ever heard? Non burping tachycardia...I'm a test case for the oddities on that one.

Even on nexium, I have acid that at night that comes up in my throat and mouth, the bed is elevated but no help. Kinda at a loss.

Oh and finally, the breadbasket area(I've had my gall bladder removed) is tender when pressed most all the time but especially so during the episodes.

Wow...now I kind of sound like C with the "some times my big toe hurts and I think it affects my swallowing" but that's where I'm at right now.

They have me on Ativan and Klonopin to control the heart rate but even on those my rate is usually over 100, any where 106-122 or 25. 

Sorry I put a damper on our usually funny thread guys.


----------



## DustyKat

There is a definite link between some gastrointestinal and cardiac disorders Clash. 

http://bjcardio.co.uk/2009/07/cardiac-manifestations-and-sequelae-of-gastrointestinal-disorders/

Roemheld syndrome is another connection between the two but not much discussed in medical circles these days. 

The only reason I know is that my boss, although she has no other symptoms, just can’t burp, ever! So we were wasting time at work one day and doing a lot of googling! :lol: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Clash

Thanks so much Dusty, I appreciate that article. The ER docs, the GI and to some extent my GP look at me funny when I tell them it starts with pressure/not being able to burp and ends with tachycardia. I'm printing this.


----------



## DustyKat

Good luck Clash! And I know you know how to push for answers!  

Dusty. xxx


----------



## ChampsMom

Clash - have they done a 24 hour monitor and 30 day heart monitor on you yet?


----------



## Clash

Just the 24 hour monitor and the results came back today as normal yet the doc wanted me to start on Toprol not because I have high blood pressure(generally 115/68) but because it can slow your heart rate. I'm not comfortable starting a med without knowing why it is actually happening. I've made an appt. with GP(he had his med asst to call with results and that he had called in a px for Toprol) on Monday to discuss this. I'm thinking of going to a cardiologist to make sure all is well.


----------



## my little penguin

definitely "go" ..make that run to a cardiologist.


----------



## Catherine

I second the cardiologist.


----------



## ChampsMom

Clash said:


> Just the 24 hour monitor and the results came back today as normal yet the doc wanted me to start on Toprol not because I have high blood pressure(generally 115/68) but because it can slow your heart rate. I'm not comfortable starting a med without knowing why it is actually happening. I've made an appt. with GP(he had his med asst to call with results and that he had called in a px for Toprol) on Monday to discuss this. I'm thinking of going to a cardiologist to make sure all is well.


Absolutely go to the cardiologist!  I spent a couple of days in the hospital in May after arriving at the hospital thinking I was having a heart attack.  They ran a ton of tests, I was seen by the cardiologist on staff there and then referred to an outside cardiologist who did further testing (and some repeat testing).  

Because things like tachycardia come irregularly a 30 day monitor would be better.  You don't actually wear the monitor 24/7, but instead when you feel it come on, you grab it and put it on your heart, it takes a reading and then you phone that reading in (it was actually quite interesting).  

The cardiologist seems to think my problem has been with me most of my life.  I had a doctor diagnose me with a heart murmur at age 16, but no other doctor has ever been able to hear it.  Instead what they have discovered (with the advancement in technologies) is my heart tends to work really fast (tachy) and then slows down.  Sometimes it adds a beat, sometimes it skips one... which I thought was quite interesting... I've always considered myself to be "ambitiously lazy" - you know, hurry up and get everything done, so I can lay around and do nothing (though I rarely get to the do nothing part, it is always my goal, laughs...)

The Toprol can help (I'm on something similar, another beta blocker), but mine has come with some weight gain   ugh....  

I wouldn't hesitate with making the appointment.  Good luck!!


----------



## Clash

Thanks for the info, ChampsMom. I am going to see a cardiologist, now to find one. I'm from a fairly small town so I'm thinking I may go to a larger city(with a larger selection).

Thanks for all the advice guys, my husband felt I needed to see a cardiologist as well. When he arrived home from work I informed him it was settled the committee had decided I needed to see a cardiologist!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Regarding the FC test, what we've found helpful about it is not whether it is high or not, but whether it is high for her.  Before treatment it was in the 700s, then midway through treatment (EEN) it had dropped to the 400s.  With her last supposed flare, it was in the 50s, so we were able to realize it wasn't actually a flare...  Sadly it takes over 2 weeks to get the results, but when the other tests never show an abnormality, it is good to have something that is reliable to show whether she is having inflammation.


----------



## Clash

That is how it is used with C as well and has the added benefit of correlating with MRE and scope done at the same time. 

As for me, it was the first FC test, so I have no baseline and the confusion of normal reference ranges only added to the mystery. My husband has suggested getting the FC done by the GP from labcorp and seeing what the result is. If it came above 50 on that one where the level is <50 then imaging may be in order.


----------



## kimmidwife

I am glad you are going to make an appt to see a cardiologist. Sounds like that is what you need. I had a 14 day heart monitor test for heart palpitations a while back. They made me wear it 24 hours a day for two weeks. Wasnt to bad. they found out I get extra beats. thank goodness it is benign.


----------



## crohnsinct

Here is a video from a little girl with cancer at the same hospital that O goes to.  Her dream was to make a video that went viral.  Maybe we can all help her?  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbAFjZ-4ACU&feature=share&list=UUYhFvnOMu_JK-4APn_ENzUQ


----------



## Jmrogers4

Posted to my facebook page hope it helps her.  Pretty awesome Crohnsinct


----------



## Tesscorm

On my facebook too!! Great video!


----------



## ChampsMom

Posting on my FB!


----------



## Tesscorm

So... my dog.  :yfaint:  I don't know how many of you will remember but our dog, close to two years ago, was diagnosed with colitis.  Weird, I mean how much IBD and such can one household manage but such is life...  dog got better, etc., etc.  Sadly, she passed away from old age last year.  Spring came and we got a new puppy in April(ish).  Hubby bought him from some bigtime breeder (so you'd expect all would be good ), actually had him shipped up to Toronto from Tennessee!!  Anyway, this puppy arrives skinny as can be!! Literally nothing but skin and bones.   And then diarrhea every day...  off to the vet, lots of tests, all is good... just a skinny dog in a skinny breed adjusting to new food, etc.  Months go by, dog is still skinny as can be... hubby's feeding him all kinds of special foods - low fat, high fat, high protein, easily digestible, probiotics, dry, cans, once a day, three times a day, etc.  Dog has lots of energy but you can literally count every bump on his spine!  And still D most of the time.  Back to the vet AGAIN, now testing for h.pylori, giardia, etc. AGAIN but vet doesn't really think that's it (as we've done countless rounds of antibiotics)...  we now have two probable diagnoses...  IBD or Pancreatic Insufficiency, both chronic, lifelong illnesses!  Seriously!!!!  WTH?!?!?    What is with our household!?!?!?

Of course, now I'm worried sick about Stephen catching something!!!  I asked the vet and he confirmed that, yes, it is possible for Stephen to catch something (if its a bug).  I think Stephen's GI already thinks I'm a PITA mom (pain-in-the-ass for the new parents here ), can you imagine what he's going to think when I call to ask him if I should be concerned about Stephen being around the dog?!?!?  And, Stephen's coming home this weekend for his infusion... 

And, then to top it all off...  this is the same vet that treated our last dog for colitis, when I asked about Stephen catching something from the dog, the vet asked if Stephen had ever been tested for H.Pylori because, apparently, it can be transmitted from human to dog and given our history (like we're bad doggy parents for letting our dogs catch things from our family!!).... :yfaint:

Oh well, at least I was able to discuss every test and result with ease at the vet's office, I was even able to suggest a couple he said he'd have to ask the specialist about! :lol:

As Dusty would say...  onwards and upwards!


----------



## Mehita

I've heard you can catch c diff from pets too. Anyone know for sure?


----------



## kimmidwife

Tess,
What is with your family? Lol, have you tried giving the dog probiotics?


----------



## Jmrogers4

Oh Tess you poor thing


----------



## Tesscorm

Mehita - not sure about the c.diff.  I did ask him about c.diff. specifically and he said that dogs do not catch c.diff. but... I googled it and, yes, dogs can have c.diff.  Who needs university degrees?  Just google it!  :lol:

Kimmidwife - yes, dog is on probiotics...  not our son who has crohns but, yes, our dog gets powdered probiotics mixed into every meal! :yfaint:

Sometimes, if you don't :ylol2:, you will just 

:ybatty:

In my google searches...  http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e7396

        hmmm... something to ask the GI??? :lol:


----------



## Tesscorm

Just to make life interesting...  the dog's probiotics were in little foil pouches (a pouch is to be opened and sprinkled on each meal).  Not sure how many we had but...  this morning, the dog somehow found the pouches and ate them all! :ywow:  Not sure if too much probiotic is harmful???  And, hubby now worried about how he's going to digest the foil!!!

Anyone remember the dumb but really happy puppy, think it was on Looney Tunes cartoons...  I swear we have the live thing!  This dog may be starving to death, may be skeletal, may be fighting all kinds of bugs but he has NO IDEA there's anything wrong with his life!!  The dog is constantly happy as can be and has so much energy that when he's indoors, it's like a tornado has come through the house!  I can totally picture him finding all these foil packages and thinking "ooohhh, a new shiny toy!!!  Slurp, slurp!" :lol:


----------



## Clash

LMAO!!! Holy cow...that is the funniest visual I have had in a while!


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh my!  This a.m. my psychotic dog ate an apple cinnamon Nutri Grain bar wrapper and all. 

I know, I know Nutri Grain bars are not a clean food BUT I bought a box when our French exchange student was here as she would eat nothing but the processed stuff.  We had one last bar left and my girls were fighting over who gets it because clearly there won't be another one in this house in a long time.  Guess the dog settled that fight.  They are going to be mighty pissed at the pooch when they get home.


----------



## Tesscorm

Wow, you have definitely done something right when the kids are fighting for a Nutrigrain bar!!! 

Just reminded me of some Jimmy Kimmel 'challenges' - parents told their kids they'd eaten all the kids' halloween candies and then recorded their reactions!  :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOlpdd7y8MI


----------



## crohnsinct

The next Kimmel challenge: 

"Tell Tesscorm and Crohnsinct you drank all their wine"   


OMGosh that boy who said I just want you to be happy brought me to tears.


----------



## Tesscorm

I know   some of those kids were so cute and funny!  He's done lots of these 'challenges', some of the others were giving kids some really awful Christmas gift (ie rotten banana, etc.) or after one week of summer vacation, waking them up and telling them they were late for the first day of school!    Poor kids... but good for a laugh! :devil:


----------



## poppets mum

:ylol:Last year my puppy ate one of my Australian Pearl earrings. I tell ya that was one expensive shit the little bugger had the next day.:stinks:


----------



## Farmwife

That's horrible!!!!!!!!!!
Tell kids you ate there candy and then laugh.
No wonder this country's messed up.:ybatty:
That's just as bad as the dad that said he take his little kids to Disney.
Drove them around and around and pulled up to a burnt out warehouse and screamed NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't know what the kids did, I was laughing to hard by the end of the story.:rof:


----------



## Tesscorm

Okay, question about my dog and Stephen...  so far, parasite testing negative, still waiting on pancreatic testing but tests have shown high level of gastric bacteria - vet is thinking possible SIBO.  My question...  if the dog has SIBO, can this affect Stephen?  From the little research I've done, I don't think so but just wanted to verify here (I know some of you have experience with SIBO)...


----------



## my little penguin

Btw Disney is getting rid of the guest access pass .
They have a new system instead but could spell more trouble for crohn's kids


----------



## crohnsinct

Tesscorm said:


> From the little research I've done,


Who are you kidding?  We IBD moms put a doctoral candidate to shame when it comes to research!  You no doubt have sited at least 10 sources with graphs!


----------



## crohnsinct

poppets mum said:


> :ylol:Last year my puppy ate one of my Australian Pearl earrings. I tell ya that was one expensive shit the little bugger had the next day.:stinks:


OH NO!  Who fished it out?


----------



## Tesscorm

Just for a smile... [/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

ooops, sorry I don't know how to make these smaller!


----------



## poppets mum

Crohnsinct, I tried looking for it but couldn't find it. Could still be in there for all I know. Then some day he might end up with a colitis dx.


----------



## poppets mum

Specially loved the first one Tesscorm. Soo true, wish I had invisibility powers like the hubster does.


----------



## Catherine

What loser, complains to his children about how unfair is that he has being 100% of the driving for 10 years and it costing him too much in fuel.  Can't remember a single 5am drop of for swimming.

That's right same loser who thinks it his ex wife should deliver and pick up said children as he has lost his licence for speeding.

Good one dad!


----------



## Mehita

My friend's 2nd grade class is learning about geography. Looking for people to fill out a very short survey. I think we have a pretty worldly group here 

Do you mind filling it out? 

http://goo.gl/0Y9Wfb


----------



## Susan2

Done. :thumleft:


----------



## Farmwife

Done, as we know Michigan is exciting place to live. Water, water and more water.


----------



## Johnnysmom

Done


----------



## Momto2girls

Done


----------



## Clash

done!


----------



## Tesscorm

Done


----------



## Jmrogers4

Done.  Mountains and high desert


----------



## Catherine

done


----------



## upsetmom

Done


----------



## momoftwinboys

Done


----------



## crohnsinct

Haha I did it to!  Love when someone is interested in me...even if it is a seven year old!


----------



## crohnsinct

Just for you Catherine....saw this on Craigs list once and thought it was hysterical...for those who don't know, Craigs list is an online advertising site like the old fashioned classified ads in the old fashioned newspapers.  

For Sale
Wedding dress, size 12.
Worn once by mistake.


----------



## Susan2

crohnsinct said:


> Just for you Catherine....saw this on Craigs list once and thought it was hysterical...for those who don't know, Craigs list is an online advertising site like the old fashioned classified ads in the old fashioned newspapers.
> 
> For Sale
> Wedding dress, size 12.
> Worn once by mistake.


:ylol2:


----------



## CrohnsKidMom

Also done!


----------



## Mehita

Thanks you guys! They're going to be so excited.


----------



## crohnsinct

LMAO!  O just came home from school and for art she says she needs to bring in a kitchen gadget/tool that I could live without for weeks.  :ylol2::ylol2: Help yourself to whatever you want:ylol2::ylol2: JUST NOT THE WINE OPENER!


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof: :rof: :rof:


----------



## my little penguin

Just not the take out menus or phone right:ycool:


----------



## Tesscorm

All in the name of health...


----------



## crohnsinct

View attachment 2291


----------



## crohnsinct

Sorry that^ came out so large.  Maybe one of our multi talented monitors can resize it for me. 

So last night at Thanksgiving dinner O ate an olive in her salad and announced, "oops!  I swallowed the pit" and laughed her fool head off.  

Anyone wanna guess what went through my head?!


----------



## Tesscorm

Isn't it amazing how it takes next to nothing to panic us?!?!?  Hope nothing comes of it!!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Well since it was Thanksgiving and my brother had been plying me with wine all day (it's always some one else's fault) I wouldn't exactly say panic but I am waiting for the first few BM's to prove it isn't stuck in there somewhere and did stop drinking in case I had to drive to the ER.


----------



## kimmidwife

So my youngest child has had issues with blood in her poop on and off. Right now the GI has us keeping an eye on it since all her tests including fecal calprotectin have been normal. But anyway we are always checking her poop for blood. Tonight she tells me I think there is blood Mommy get the flashlight. I run and get the flashlight and I said I don't see any blood sweety. She says I don't see any either Mommy but look there's a hidden Mickey!!!!!
:rof::rof::rof:


----------



## Mehita

Head cold + airplane this Saturday = not good!

Load me up with your quick fix home remedies, please. I'm already doing hot tea, honey & cinnamon spoons, and neti pot. No meds yet.

What else?


----------



## Sascot

Don't know if you get it there, but I have managed to stop 2colds with Vicks First Defence nose spray. Start it within 48 hrs of a cold and continue for 2 days after you feel a bit better. Burns a lot, but works for me.


----------



## Tesscorm

To help just for a short time, I would also take a decongestant nasal spray to use 20-30 minutes before flight...  I normally use Otrivin.  (This might be the same as Sascot's Vick's suggestion??)


----------



## crohnsinct

Oil of Wild Oregano...two drops under the tongue every morning.  Knocks it right out.  As a preventative it is great at warding off all kinds of thinga also.  

I like the Boiron family of products...Cold Calm or oscillo. 

Feel better!


----------



## kimmidwife

Be careful with neti pots. There is an issue with them. I can't remember at the moment exactly what it is an not home so can't look it up right now but I remember it was something serious.


----------



## Mehita

Oooo... I do have Cold Calm here.

Neti Pots - just need to know your water
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/03/rare-infection-prompts-neti-pot-warning/?_r=0


----------



## kimmidwife

Ok glad you knew.


----------



## Mehita

I remember when that came out. The news made it sound like the world was ending when it was only two cases. Well, two cases that are known. Can you imagine? One day you're using a neti and the next you're crazy sick. Those poor people.


----------



## Mehita

The I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River was lit up in orange and blue this morning in honor of Crohn's and Colitis Awareness week. Made me a little teary eyed. Sounds odd, but this bridge and the river have been such a part of my life...

Not sure how to post a photo, but in Facebook you can search for the CCFA Minnesota page.


----------



## crohnsinct

LMAO:rof::rof:  O was looking over my shoulder while I was reading the forum.  Dancemom's sig came up and next to starting Methotrexate was the little cheerleader.  O says, "why would someone put a cheerleader next to Methotrexate?" 

I guess I could have gone with, "well darling it is because we are all mommies and it tears us up when our darlings are hurting and ill so if starting a drug will give you a little relief we are thankful for that" 

But I opted for, "oh this is not really a Crohns forum...it is a cult of parent's intent on punishing their children for all their wrongs by using awful drugs"  

Yeah I got the teenage eyeroll.


----------



## DanceMom

Haha!  Yes, because secretly I've always wanted to inject evil toxins into my children and now my dream is finally coming true!  WooHoo! lol


----------



## my little penguin

now that is a "dancing poo" is really needed when you want to go with insanity like a biologic
 so your kiddo doesn't look like this oo:


:dusty: are just for the toxic stuff like methotrexate.


----------



## crohnsinct

So O has her first really bad cold since dx.  Just took her to ped and ear infection.  Ped prescribes Amoxicillin...this after we went over all her current meds mind you.  

Pick up script (which was happily filled by pharmacist) and here is the warning: 

Methotrexate/Penicillins

This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.

Medical warning:

Serious. These medicines may interact and cause very harmful effects. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.

How the interaction occurs:

Penicillin antibiotics may decrease the ability of your kidneys to remove methotrexate from your body.

What might happen:

The levels of methotrexate in your body may increase and cause serious. possibly life-threatening, side effects.

What you should do about this interaction:

Let your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) know that you are taking these medicines together. Your doctor may want to monitor the amount of methotrexate in your blood, change the dose of your methotrexate, or change your antibiotic. Let your doctor know right away if you develop nausea, stomach pain, yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark urine, fever, fatigue, a persistent sore throat, easy bruising or bleeding, black stools, a change in the amount of urine you pass, skin rash, breathing problems, dry cough, diarrhea, or mouth sores while taking these medicines together or after finishing taking these medicine together.Your healthcare professionals may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.

So for starters, really?!  Why do we have to police everything?  I mean it could be nothing and just one of those CYA warnings but then shouldn't doc have said, "you will see this warning and it is fine don't worry"  

And really?  If I notice nausea, stomach pain, fatigue, mouth sores, diarrhea call the doc?  Did I mention she has IBD?  

Fever or dry cough...um yeah...already has those.  

Too funny.  Oh well, GI nurse hasn't heard from me in a month so she probably misses me terribly.


----------



## Farmwife

A whole month of not hearing from you......................:confused2h that poor nurse.

:tongue:

That's why is important to read the warning everyone.:hug:


----------



## crohnsinct

And they wonder why all Crohn's moms are crazy:ybatty:


----------



## kimmidwife

That is frightening! Actually it is the pharmacist who should have said something. As much as pediatricians try to stay on top of stuff like this the pharmacists are the ones who study drug interactions and nowadays the computer should have been able to alert th pharmacist about a possible interaction between these two medications. Did you get it filled at the same pharmacy where she gets the methotrexate from? That is why it is so important to make sure your pharmacist know all medications you are taking.


----------



## crohnsinct

Kim: YES!  Same pharmacy!  I am sure it is a big ole nothing BUT someone should have said oh yeah see this...don't worry.  Now I have to waste my time tracking down the o.k. from the GI who right about now is the only person I trust anymore.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Yes I agree with kimmidwife.  When Jack was on Imuran and we added allipurinol the pharmacist was up in arms when I went to go pick up the alipurinol saying he can't take these together.
After our adventure with antibiotics and c-diff over the summer I told Jack's GI I was not giving him antibiotics anymore unless he okay'd them.  He just laughed and said yes, you should probably call me before giving him anything.  Although if he ped rx'd it I probably wouldn't worry since he has UC and always checks drug interaction.


----------



## crohnsinct

Maybe I should switch to the local pharmacy dude and not the chain pharmacy that is open 24 hours and has a drive through for convenience.


----------



## Tesscorm

crohnsinct said:


> And they wonder why all Crohn's moms are crazy:ybatty:


YES!!!!!!  We don't start out this way, it's them  :shifty:  who make us crazy!! :ywow:

but, hope the GI gets back to you quickly so you can get on with her treatment


----------



## crohnsinct

Tesscorm said:


> YES!!!!!!   it's them who make us crazy!! :ywow:


and paranoid eh?


----------



## crohnsinct

GI says go ahead with Amoxicillin as her dose of MTX is pretty low and even with the increased effects it should be O.K..


----------



## my little penguin

Yeah that- sorry just seeing this--
DS was on abX more than once with MTX and other things..

I always loved the call a doc if nausea etc...... comment 
When I tell them about the IBD symptoms.
I would get well. when its worse than his normal.:ylol2:

Hope she turns around quickly


----------



## Tesscorm

Posted a new album with pictures from the ice storm here.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Wow beautiful! Thank you for sharing


----------



## Tesscorm

Thanks, they were just taken with my phone so not the clearest of pics (could also be the photographer :lol but, during the day, with the sun shining on all the ice, it really is spectacular...  shame it came at a price.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Yes I've seen all the devastation and power failures on the news.  Glad you are all okay and enjoying some time together


----------



## Tesscorm

My kids, especially my daughter, were going crazy with no power...  because, of course, with no power, we also couldn't readily charge phones or laptops!  :lol:  She just kept asking 'but what are we supposed to DO???'  I suggested board games or reading...  she went to her boyfriend's place as he had power.  But, Stephen, hubby and I did spend the evening, all in the family room, each holding our own candle and reading.   Then we all slept in the family room as we were lucky enough to have a fireplace.  It's a gas fireplace so didn't give off as much heat as a regular one but, it was better than nothing!  

Saw on the news today that there are still approx. 30,000 people without power...  feel so sad for them...  especially at this time of year.


----------



## Farmwife

Downstate Michigan at one time had 200,000 still without power.
QueenGothel (Mary) did you lose power?

We're good up here but we got 3-5 feet of snow but we're use to it.
One night it got to -30F with wind-chill.


----------



## QueenGothel

Nope we haven't lost power but my In laws did for a while.  A friend of mine that lives in Lapeer lost power for 4 days and came back on on x-mas eve.


----------



## crohnsinct

So y'all know that my IBDer amazes me with her can do attitude, straight A's, two hours of track practice followed by two hours of swimming 5 days a week and meets on weekends.  I asked her today what keeps her going.  She sent me a link to this video. 

HAPPPY 2014 GANG! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUsHePihYO4


----------



## Sascot

No ice here, but storms a plenty!  The weather has been terrible - gale force winds and pouring rain.   It does make life interesting though - every time I go into the back garden everything is in a different place :lol2:.  The trampoline even knocked over the garden shed - hoping the stuff inside is okay!


----------



## Catherine

Today is my middle daughter 17th birthday, we were planning a early meal at restaurant.  The restaurant meal was just a little later planned.

We had two hour trip to emergency with Kerry due to an accident with a wheelbarrow.  She some how managed to tip the wheelbarrow on herself.  Initially she though her only injury was a twisted ankle from falling.  The ankle is fine.  

She has been given a week off swimming, as she has a large cut between her big toe and the next toe.  In the end they decided not to stitch or glue.  Just bandage the toes together.  She is also happy they decide a tetanus booster was not necessary.

A birthday to remember


----------



## DustyKat

:birthday2: Happy Birthday to your daughter! :heart: 

I hope the next one is just as memorable but only because it will be an 18th!  

Dusty. xxx


----------



## crohnsinct

and hope she has learned her lesson...NO manual labor on your birthday!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Happy 17th to your daughter, hope her foot heals quickly


----------



## Catherine

The birthday girl had a great dinner.

Her sister is recovering well, has decide shoes are a must when operating a wheelbarrow.
The chickens need to eat, she moving a 20kg bag of chicken food.  As she said she was looking after her back.


----------



## Farmwife

Happy Birthday to your girl.
Wheelbarrow injury? That's a new one. Just goes to show you that anything can hurt you.


----------



## Catherine

Yes it took while for hospital to believe us.  The nurse first asked what she was doing standing on the wheelbarrow to fall off.  They still can't believe how she managed to cut of skin between her toes.

Such a big bandage for a 1cm cut.

http://instagram.com/p/ihe3remhVq/


----------



## Tesscorm

They certainly don't ever want us to have a dull moment, eh?  

Glad all turned out well (or as well as possible ).

Lots of :birthday2: wishes!!


----------



## Mehita

Ice cream party at my house on Monday and you're all invited. The high temp for the day is expected to be -15F. With the wind chill it will feel like -30F. C'mon over!

Oddly, it's become a family tradition to go out for ice cream on the coldest day of the year. This year will be extra special since it's supposed to be the coldest day of the DECADE!

AND we have even more reason to celebrate as we're coming up on the one year anniversary of DS's resection - the day he got his life back.


----------



## DustyKat

Yay DS! and long may it continue!  

I will gladly come over, we are sweltering!


----------



## Farmwife

Ok you win. You'll be colder. 8 degrees but wind chill will make it minus 10-20.
We do  here hot chocolate here.


----------



## Catherine

We lost our beautiful old dog Roy Boy yesterday.

2013 was the hottest year on record for Australia.


----------



## DustyKat

Oh Catherine, I am so sorry for your loss.  My thoughts are with you hun. :ghug:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Happy New Year!  My credit card got hacked this morning.  I just got a call from my bank asking to confirm that I purchased airline tickets in Bangaldesh... Umm Nooo Do you see any tickets to Bangladesh as I'm pretty sure I would have to get there first.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Ohh Catherine just reading through the last posts..  So sorry for your loss.


----------



## DustyKat

Ugh no Jm!  I tell ya, you could just string them up! Grrrrrr. 

I had that happen a couple of years ago. The bank wanted to confirm if I had withdrawn 500 pounds out of an ATM in London (England)! I asked what date and if I had made any other transactions that same day. They said there was one from our local pharmacy. I told them as much as I would like to be in London I really don’t think it was possible for me to be in two places 12,000 miles apart.


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh Catherine I am so sorry!  I totally understand as we lost our Greyhound the Sunday after Thanksgiving this year and I was totally devastated!


----------



## Farmwife

It's *minus *35-45 with wind-chill. 
ALL schools (hundreds) in upper Michigan are closed, simply because it to cold.

:ymad:Ok so let me vent. :ymad:
I remember going to school when it was minus weather.
My mom would wrap my whole head with a scarf, put socks OVER my gloves, Extra socks on my feet and kiss me good-bye and tell me to run in place until the bus gets here.:cool2: I survive. A little bitter but I'm here!:smile:


----------



## Tesscorm

Catharine - so sorry to hear about your dog.   We lost our dog last year as well, so sad... :ghug:

FW - Have you ever watched The Christmas Story?  About a little boy who wants a bb gun for christmas?  Great movie...  and there's a very funny scene that you've pretty much described of the mother dressing her kids to get to school in the bitter cold!  If you haven't seen the movie, worth watching.


----------



## Kero

Crazy weather this year! In the Edmonton area, last time we had this much snow at this time of year was back in 1996! We haven't even really gotten into our big snow months, Jan/Feb/Mar. My driveway is kind of a death trap because I can't get out and shovel and hubby works out of town. Usually there are kids coming to the doors for shovelling, but none this year


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> FW - Have you ever watched The Christmas Story?  About a little boy who wants a bb gun for christmas?  Great movie...  and there's a very funny scene that you've pretty much described of the mother dressing her kids to get to school in the bitter cold!  If you haven't seen the movie, worth watching.


"He looked like a tick about to pop". Classic , classic movie. That's all we watch Christmas day. As a kid that movie drove me nuts and now it's my pleasure to drive my kids nuts with it.:lol2:


Catherine I'm also sorry to hear about your dog.
My dog died 2 years ago at the age of 3. I still miss that dog.


----------



## DanceMom

It is 65 degrees here right now and overcast.  It is supposed to get cooler as the day goes on.  Tomorrow's high is 46 and the low is 29.  I know those of you up north would appreciate our "warm" weather but 46 for us is freezing!  We can't even wear flip flops! lol


----------



## Farmwife

Well you can ware flip flops up north.
All you have to do is put a few layers of socks over the flip flops and stick those babies in a nice insulated pair of muck boots and your good to go.:smile:


----------



## crohnsinct

HA!  It is 50 degrees F in CT today. BUT expected to drop to 8 by nightfall.  Yesterday we had an ice all over the place.  Mother Nature!  Typical woman...can't make up her mind...or changes it based on whoever is pissing her off at the moment!


----------



## Jmrogers4

My younger son considers this shorts weather it was 22F when he left the house this morning and is supposed to get up to about 35F so above freezing = shorts.  We are supposed to have snow later in the week and I'm freezing but feeling for all of you in the mind numbing cold. Do you have the option to just stay in bed all day under the warm covers.
Off to the hospital for bone age x-ray and blood tests.  1st Remicade infusion is Thursday - YIKES!


----------



## Mehita

It's currently -17F here in Minneapolis with a windchill of -37F. We're supposed to bottom out at -50F. They're saying it's colder here than some parts of Mars. That's crazy! School has been cancelled statewide and they're talking about canceling tomorrow as well. There is a 90 degree temperature difference between the inside of my house and the outside.

Of course we're out and about. Someone (ahem) lost his retainer so we had to go out for that and get impressions. I was surprised at how many people were out. There was actually traffic! As long as we were out, why not get groceries and haircuts? Check, check, and check.


----------



## Farmwife

YA, I just talked to my mom and she's doing a bunch of running around town.
We can't up on our mountain because the visibility is near zero.


----------



## Tesscorm

Life goes on, eh?  Still need those groceries, those retainers, ...  :lol:

A few nights ago we had 'frost quakes'!!   Had never heard of them before!  Middle of the night, we heard a huge boom, the whole house shook.  Daughter came running in 'what was THAT?!?!?'.  Husband thought it was a sheet of ice cracking on the roof, didn't make sense to me since it was dropping down to -25 overnight but???  Then, DD started getting messages from other friends asking if she'd heard the boom.  Turns out it was frost quakes - when the moisture underground freezes and expands and then has to 'shift' like an earthquake.  Happened two more times that night.  We only noticed a couple of days later that the doors on one side of the house are jamming and there are noticeable gaps in the door frame... we're assuming the quake was actually strong enough to shift the house!  

Wondering if we'll get more tonight, temperature is supposed to drop to -35C (-30F)


----------



## Mehita

That whooping and hollering you hear is my boys. School has officially been cancelled for tomorrow too.

Wow, never heard if ice quakes before. That had to be scary!


----------



## Tesscorm

LMAO...  when I started reading your message, I thought you were going to say the BOOM was just your boys yelling about no school! 

Yeah, the first one was really scary (especially as, in my mind, I wasn't really believing my hubby's explanation! :lol, once I knew what it was, I wasn't really worried.  However, I certainly didn't expect that it would really shift the house!   But, funny enough, my first thought was about 'power'.  Our power lines are below the ground and when we were out of power, there was some discussion about how being below ground is supposed to protect against most weather related problems (unless the main transformers go)... so, when DD explained about the frost quakes, my first thought was 'OMG, don't let it affect the power lines!'


----------



## Farmwife

Tesscorm said:


> Life goes on, eh?  Still need those groceries, those retainers, ...  :lol:
> 
> A few nights ago we had 'frost quakes'!!   Had never heard of them before!  Middle of the night, we heard a huge boom, the whole house shook.  Daughter came running in 'what was THAT?!?!?'.  Husband thought it was a sheet of ice cracking on the roof, didn't make sense to me since it was dropping down to -25 overnight but???  Then, DD started getting messages from other friends asking if she'd heard the boom.  Turns out it was frost quakes - when the moisture underground freezes and expands and then has to 'shift' like an earthquake.  Happened two more times that night.  We only noticed a couple of days later that the doors on one side of the house are jamming and there are noticeable gaps in the door frame... we're assuming the quake was actually strong enough to shift the house!
> 
> Wondering if we'll get more tonight, temperature is supposed to drop to -35C (-30F)



:awe:
My hubby and I have never heard of frost quakes. Amazin and now kind of scary!


----------



## Tesscorm

Apparently, it's not very common...   read that the last occurrence was 30 or 40 years ago!  

ummm..., I'm ready for the global warming!!! :sun:


----------



## kimmidwife

Wow you guys are having all that crazy weather while here we are enjoying 82 degrees F. Tonight it is supposed to drop to 35 then a high of 62 on Tuesday then back to the 70's on Wednesday.
Catherine so sorry to hear about your dog. It is very rough on the family. They really are like family.


----------



## Niks

All of your weather sounds crazy!  It's been pretty grotty here too.  Storms and rain .  Flooding everywhere!


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG Kim...  82 deg F sounds heavenly just about now!


----------



## Catherine

Where has summer gone.  Its 18C in Melbourne today.

We are missing our dog, he was a member of the family for 13 years.  He pass away at 15 years.  

Sadly our rabbit escape from his cage the next day and somehow got out of backyard.  We have put out flyers and have had not luck locating him.


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh Catherine, I'm so sorry about your rabbit!!  I hope you do find him!  And, it is so hard losing a pet...  it's been a year and we still miss our dog very much!


----------



## DanceMom

I know some of you will get a laugh at this, but there are quite a few people here that are upset that school isn't cancelled tomorrow. I have a feeling many will keep their kids at home. When it dips below 50 here people lose their minds! Lol


----------



## crohnsinct

I notice Makena's Mom is being silent on the topic of weather...good choice Hawaii!  Hell hath no fury like a frozen IBD parent!  

Went to the market and bought milk but had a meeting at church before I could get it home.  Left it in the car figuring it was cold enough.  Got out of my hour long meeting, came home and tried to poor the milk only to find it gunked up by chunks of ice!!!!!!

Better not leave my wine in the car:ylol:


----------



## DustyKat

What are you all whingeing about…it’s Summer! 

	
	
		
		
	


	





Dusty. :wine:


----------



## Mehita

I love this song... it's kind of become our Crohn's song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbKEYYr0XRI&sns=em

... and we always crack up at the "gotta go" part. :ylol:


----------



## crohnsinct

Brilliant!  This happened a couple towns over.

http://news.sky.com/story/1193363/crashes-as-pool-is-emptied-on-road-in-big-chill


----------



## DustyKat

:eek2: :lol: Upstairs for thinking and downstairs for dancing!


----------



## Tesscorm

A few smiles...


----------



## Catherine

I need suggests for staying cool tomarrow.

The kids will ok, they will be at home and we have cooling that works.  Forecast is 43c for tomorrow (decided to believe this one of the other company is saying 46c):ybatty::ybatty:

The cooling is not working at work.  Today was only 36c, and it was 27.5c in my office.

We are expecting a cool change on Saturday.


----------



## crohnsinct

YIKES Catherine!  How is it legal for then to require you come in with temps that high and no a/c?  I sure hope they have fans! The air quality in a closed up building like that can't be good.  

How bout the old fashioned bowl of ice in front of a fan?


----------



## Catherine

The poor conditioning man was on the tin roof trying to fix the cooling today.  The manufacture sent him wrong part.   It will take two days at least to get a replacement part.

We have a working water filled cooler and I have purchased ice for it.  

Probably not legal but I work for a very small employer.  I am his only full time employee.

Pretty cash maybe buying ice poles tomarrow.


----------



## Farmwife

I was told to keep the neck cooled and that will help the rest of the body.
Grace and (me) handle heat really bad, so I bought ice packs that you just break and the chemicals cool the pack and stuck it to the back of our necks and it works good.
Last summer both our air conditioners broke two days apart. Of course the hubby was convinced fall was coming. It didn't and he had VERY UPSET girls. :ymad:lol


----------



## crohnsinct

http://www.hotgirlspearls.com/index.html


----------



## Tesscorm

OMG, poor you Catherine!!!  I don't suppose you can work from home until the air conditioning is fixed??  If not, I hope you can work some shorter hours for the next few days.  Drink lots of water!! but other than that, I have no other suggestions.

FW - careful with those cooling packs!   Emily got real frostbite from using one! :lol:  As you've probably found, when you activate them (ie when you break them), they are usually 'cool' not super cold... as, apparently, the older they are, the less cold they get.  Most of the time, they've been shipped in and have sat in the store for a while and then sit at home (or, in our case, the coaches bag) for another while.  Emily hurt her ankle at soccer so her coach put one of those packs on her ankle (directly on the skin) and then wrapped it up so it would stay on while hubby brought her home.  None of us had any concerns about it being directly on her skin as, like I said, they are usually only 'cool'.  By the time she got home, it had probably been on her ankle for approx 30 minutes.  We unwrapped at home and it was a bit red - but, no more than you'd expect after being kicked in the ankle and then having a ice pack on it.  We kept icing, off and on, during the day.  Poor thing kept saying it was hurting and we kept saying 'well of course it hurts, you injured your ankle!  Part of playing soccer - suck it up!' :lol:  My mom kept asking if we shouldn't take her to ER to have it x-rayed and I kept saying no because it wasn't broken or she wouldn't be able to walk on it and it would have swelled.   Anyway, my mom is persistent and, by the next day, I finally told my mom, if you want to take her while I'm at work, go ahead.  The doctor looked at it, said it wasn't broken but said she clearly had frostbite!!  :yfaint:  The kicked ankle healed within days, it took weeks for the frostbite to heal... and, 3 or 4 years later, I think there is still a faint scar!  (Case study in Bad Parenting 101!  :lol


----------



## Farmwife

Tess
Wow, I've heard you have to be careful with the heated ones because of burns but not the cold ones. Thanks for the info. The ones I use have never caused that but will keep an eye on it.


----------



## Sascot

I have actually heard a few physios here stopped recommending ice packs probably for that reason. We were told to just soak a face cloth in really cold water, squeeze well and use that instead.
On a side note, I am going for a colonoscopy and laparoscopy on the 27th. I have been having really bad pain in my lower right side for a couple months which is getting worse. Hope I last that long - living on pain tablets. If he can't see anything wrong he may end up taking my appendix out. :eek2:


----------



## Tesscorm

I hope you're okay until the 27th?!?


----------



## Catherine

Hi guy, it currently a beautiful 29.5C inside.  Just need to go outside to remind myself this is cool as it is 41C outside.

On a site note a small Victorian Country town had their power cut off to for maintenance today when the forecast temperature was 44C.  The powers to be decide this morning to cut power an hour early that there notices to the residents advice.  So people who planning to fill water containers this morning were unable to.  Nice day to be without water or power.


----------



## DustyKat

:eek2: Sending loads of luck your way for 27th Sascot! :ghug: 

@ Catherine - No way! What a bunch of drongo’s! :yfrown: I hope you are surviving the heat okay. Not as hot up here but the humidity is so low I reckon it could near mummify ya! All I can say is I am glad I am not on centre court at the tennis. :yfaint:


----------



## Catherine

Coping ok with the heat so far.  It was 31.5c inside when I left work at 5pm.

Currently 36c in Melbourne, at 10 pm.  We have the cooling on home, ok as long as you don't try and do anything.

New part for the work cooling should arrive Thursday, don't know whether the cooling man will enjoy being on the metal roof to fit it.

Hopefully they got forecast wrong, tomorrow 43, Thursday 45, Friday 44, Saturday 26.


----------



## Catherine

Why did anyone think it was a good idea to hold the Australia open in January.  My husband and I have ground passes to the tennis for Wednesday of next week.  They comes with free food and drink (actually make that wine).


----------



## DustyKat

Bloody hell! On all counts!


----------



## DustyKat

Ooooo, lucky you! Maybe the weather will be cooler by then?? Good luck! 

Dusty. :wine:


----------



## Naturelover

You can use ice packs on you as long as you have some sort of cloth between you and the ice pack. Do not keep an ice pack on for more than 20 minutes at a time or you could risk getting Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - CRPS (Previously know as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy - RSD.) 

Remember the rule for ice packs or heat packs: 20 minutes on 20 minutes off. Better to keep the packs off longer.


----------



## Catherine

Bit far out to know about the weather but look like high 20s low 30s.


----------



## Catherine

Leaving work shortly, it now 31.5c inside and it only 1.00pm.

It currently 38C outside.

Found out today the work conditioning can't be repaired and need to be completely replaced:eek2::eek2:


----------



## Tesscorm

Trying to be sympathetic but...  :yfaint: after dealing with ice storms, frost quakes, polar vortexes and -30deg, I'm feeling a bit jealous of your +38deg!  :ytongue:


----------



## Catherine

I completely understand Tesscorm.  38C is normally ok but it now 42C. I am currently home and trying to stop my slight heat related illness developing further.  I was reading and printing emails at work to action then forgetting to action them.  We decide to only open office to 1 pm as without cooling we have no cool flow.  hopefully the weather will break on Friday.


We had dry thunder storms last night which started 250 fires.  Currently 20 fires are out of control.  The weather conditions scare me as we had temperatures like this in the week leading up to Black Saturday.

The spokenperson from the ambulance on this morning news said they treated 80 people for heat relate illness.  20 of them were children who had been lefted in locked cars


----------



## Tesscorm

Kidding aside, extreme temperatures, hot or cold, can create a lot of problems!!  Thankfully, we never have experience forest fires anywhere near me but the devastation they can bring is horrible!   We had a bit of heatwave last summer and also had a number of children left in locked cars!!  Some of which who died!  Don't understand that at all!!!  

I hope the heat breaks for you soon!!


----------



## Catherine

We have just had thunder and rained for about 1 minute.   Really large drops and the ground already dry.

Extreme temperature are bad.

We had deaths of children left cars as well.


----------



## Makena's Mom

Hi!  I haven't been on in a while and missed the weather discussion.  But, I will admit that its been gorgeous here.  I love Hawaii winters!!  Lots of rain, cooler nights, perfect.

On a side note, Makena has been doing very well on the Remicade.  Her second treatment was last Friday and her fistula is about half the size it was before we started Remi, which is fabulous.  I think we're almost there!


----------



## Farmwife

I'm so glad she's doing better.
You can keep your warm weather. :cool2:
I love my snow flakes and watching my cute husband shoveling.:ylol:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Last time I was in Maui was exactly 15 years ago I was pregnant with Jack and the weather was nice.  It was nice going from a freezing cold rain in Seattle at the time to a nice warm rain. Didn't mind seeing my cute husband on the beach instead of all covered up


----------



## Catherine

The weather has broken now back to mid 20c low 30c.

We decided to add to our pet collection.  My youngest daughter has always wanted a snake.  No we didn't get a snake.  None of the adults in the house were willing to sign her license application. I wonder why:eek2:

We settled on ten tadpoles, 7 spotted marsh frogs and 3 brown tree frog.  The first of the brown tree frog left the water today.  He is about the size of my thumbnail.


----------



## Mehita

We just got notice that school is cancelled for tomorrow again... too cold! This will be the third day this year. If this keeps up, we're going to have to extend the school year into the summer.

20-30C sound fabulous, Catherine!! I'm so tired of snow and cold and it's only January. Three months to go yet. We have so much snow that when I shovel the drive I have no place to put it. The snow banks are taller than me


----------



## crohnsinct

Farmwife said:


> I'm so glad she's doing better.
> You can keep your warm weather. :cool2:
> I love my snow flakes and watching my cute husband shoveling.:ylol:


ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!!! I do all the shoveling here and I am talking snow so don't even start with me.  5 degrees f and my pipes froze and burst yesterday.  Fun and games!  No water!  At least I have heat and my Crohnie is in remission or this could be messier than just water everywhere.  Going to rip down the walls now.


----------



## Gmama

Oh no CIC!! That's awful!! Water damage is lousy!!!


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## kimmidwife

I really like that post crohnsinstinct!


----------



## Mehita

My boys aren't even going to get an education (tho they do climb trees well) because Mother Nature can't control her temper. No school tomorrow, possibly Tuesday as well with temps at -40F. 

But I will not complain. It means less exposure to all the germs, bugs, viruses, and infections at school, right? Influenza is starting up. The school nurse called last week with a heads up.

Hope your water pipes are healing well, CIC! That must be a headache...


----------



## upsetmom

Mehita said:


> temps at -40F.


:yfaint: Wow!
l can't imagine it being that cold. The coldest it gets here in winter is about 10c .

Stay warm..:ghug:


----------



## crohnsinct

upsetmom  :ytongue:

Mehita: thanks!  The plumbing is fixed and the walls back up...even hung the kitchen cabinets back on the walls and kitchen fully functional.  My kids are going to school tomorrow...life is good! 

Kimmidwife: thanks!  I have a daughter with a weird and severe form of dyslexia.  The tell me she is just shy of being a genius but she fails miserably in school.  I spend the last 15 minutes every morning shoring her up for the day ahead and the first 15 minutes when she gets home putting her back together again.


----------



## Farmwife

crohnsinct said:


> upsetmom  :ytongue:
> 
> Mehita: thanks!  The plumbing is fixed and the walls back up...even hung the kitchen cabinets back on the walls and kitchen fully functional.  My kids are going to school tomorrow...life is good!
> 
> Kimmidwife: thanks!  I have a daughter with a weird and severe form of dyslexia.  *The tell me she is just shy of being a genius but she fails miserably in school.*  I spend the last 15 minutes every morning shoring her up for the day ahead and the first 15 minutes when she gets home putting her back together again.


:rof::rof::rof:
The motto of my life.


----------



## Sascot

Well that was a truly awful day!  Had to take the Moviprep to clear out for my colonoscopy tomorrow.  Hats off to all these poor kids that have to go through that on a regular basis.  Really struggled to drink the 2 litres I was supposed to (I may have given up towards the end)!!! Yuck, yuck and double yuck!!!


----------



## Susan2

One of the advantages that I count for having had a proctocolectomy is that I will never again need to have a colonoscopy and so will NEVER again have to drink Moviprep, Golytely (surely nothing has ever been so cynically named!) or any of the other preparations.


----------



## Farmwife

Sascot said:


> Well that was a truly awful day!  Had to take the Moviprep to clear out for my colonoscopy tomorrow.  Hats off to all these poor kids that have to go through that on a regular basis.  Really struggled to drink the 2 litres I was supposed to (I may have given up towards the end)!!! Yuck, yuck and double yuck!!!


Yes I'm not looking forward to getting one.......ever. 

But like Susan2 said I'm thankful for Grace's g-tube. When my boy had to do clean out, he asked if he could get one. you know it must be bad.:smile:


I hope all goes well. Update when you can.


----------



## Mehita

I know you all have been jealous of our weather here. :ylol:... now that it's warmed up a bit (20F woohoo!), the snow is back. I posted a couple of photos in my profile page under "Fun Photos".


----------



## Farmwife

20ft drift. I kid you not. Yes, it warmed up and now our snow is thick and heavy. I'd rather have -20 degrees with light flakey snow.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Couldn't help but laugh


----------



## DustyKat

Looks perfect to me! A+ :medal1:


----------



## Sascot

Well that's me 6 days post op. Have to say I wasn't expecting to feel as bad as I did - poor husband had to work from home 4 days instead of two. Only now starting to feel able to move better.
Ended up having my appendix out as it was attached to tubes near it, 2 polyps removed from the large bowel and biopsies of an area of inflammation. Waiting for biopsy results a week on Monday. Hope it doesn't show anything bad :eek2:.
Hate not being able to drive and get out the house! Hopefully back to normal soon.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Glad surgery is over with and your on the road to recovery.  Hope for good results from biopsies.


----------



## Twiggy930

:getwell: Sascot!   

crohnsinct:  I LOVE the cartoon you posted.  I have two dyslexic kids and a dyslexic husband so I am the odd one out in the house!  My son also tests with an IQ in the gifted range but is dyslexic on top of it.  Currently trying to figure out how to get him into a honours math program for high school but it has an entrance test and he really struggles with written tests, even though his knowledge of the math concepts is really good.  Was up to 2:30 am the other night fretting about it all.  ARGH!


----------



## my little penguin

Twiggy- does canada have IEP( individualized education plans)?
 You could request all written portions of the test be read aloud to him since the idea is to test math ability not reading KWIM.


----------



## Twiggy930

He does have an IEP but his issue is with written output not reading, my daughter's issue is with reading but not written output just to keep things interesting!!!  :ybatty::ybatty::ybatty:  I think they will likely allow him more time to write the test.  I just get frustrated with people that confuse quick reading or good test taking skills with intellect.


----------



## Tesscorm

The way the school system is set up really can be a struggle for some kids.  My daughter struggled all through elementary and high school.  She was never diagnosed with any type of learning disability but I always believed she would have benefited from some sort of specialized teaching???  But, tests were the worst for her...  she would sometimes become incredibly overwhelmed, stressed, crying, she'd actually breakout in itchy rashes all over and, at that point, couldn't focus at all which just worsened all her fears!  Inevitably, she wouldn't do well in her tests/exams which just increased her anxiety when the next text came along.  :ybatty:  

What finally helped her, when she was in grade 11/12, was meeting with a ped psychologist who helped teach her how to manage a 'test/exam' environments.  I can't begin to tell you how much it helped!!!  From that time, she has been a different person when facing tests/exams!?!?  I regret waiting so long in getting that type of help...  I always focused on tutors to help her better learn the material, thinking that a stronger understanding of the material would lessen her test/exam stress.  I never really looked for outside help in helping her deal with the environment itself but, it was this specific help that has made a huge difference.


----------



## kimmidwife

Sascot,
Sending healing hugs! Hope you feel better quick!
Twiggy and Tess I know what you mean. One of my other daughters has a form of dyslexia as well. She is very very smart! but it makes life hard. It is one of the reasons we are homeschooling.


----------



## DustyKat

I hope your recovery is going well Sascot?? 

Sending luck and healing thoughts your way! :ghug:

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Sascot

Thanks for asking. Ended up back in hospital on Tuesday. Had bad rectal bleeding so had an emergency colonoscopy (the blood had cleared me out!). They had to inject the polyp wound site with adrenaline and cauterize the area. Wasn't much fun plus sedation wore off halfway through :yfaint:. Overnight stay again but back home now. Hopefully that's it all done now. Time to get back to normal!


----------



## Tesscorm

Oh my!!!   That sounds horrible! Poor you!  Glad you're back home and hope there are no more bumps.  :ghug:


----------



## DustyKat

Good grief! :ghug:

I hope the road to recovery is smooth from here on in. Good luck! 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## crohnsinct

Yikes Sascot!  That doesn't sound fun at all!  Hope it is smooth sailing from here on out! 

To all you moms of dyslexics...my 10 year old dyslexic was doing homework yesterday and was to lazy to turn her paper around to write right side up.  So she wrote her name with the paper upside down and wrote with beautiful penmanship!  Dyslexics are notorious for poor handwriting and my daughter takes the cake.  We thought it was funny so she did the whole spelling work sheet that way with the same results.  Today she came home and announced she can read upside down also and that it was actually easier.  Wonder if we stumbled on something scientific here.....


----------



## Tesscorm




----------



## upsetmom

After having braces on for 2 years they're finally coming off today but my daughter is devastated .  

Last night she noticed a brown spot on her front tooth. l told her it could the glue....:confused2:.It doesn't look like a cavity 

I've read some peoples teeth get stained once the braces come off because they didn't brush their teeth properly. Anyone have any experience with braces coming off.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Usually they are white spots, calcification that are under or near the brace line.  My younger son has one from his braces.  They don't go away.  If it is a cavity it can be filled and not look any different from the rest of the tooth.  Could be anything.  Hope it is something easily taken care of and she can smile her pretty braceless smile.


----------



## Tesscorm

Both my kids had braces but we had no staining issues.  Hope it can be easily fixed!


----------



## DustyKat

Sarah had braces but had no staining issues when they were removed. 

I hope whatever it is isn’t permanent but I’m sure whatever it is it can be fixed?? Was it not obvious when the dentist took the braces off? 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## upsetmom

I'll let you know what happens, right now l've got one very upset teenager..:lol:..She wasn't this upset when she was dx with crohn's.

Dusty they're coming off at lunchtime.


----------



## DustyKat

Doh! :redface: 

Good luck! I hope all goes well! :goodluck: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## crohnsinct

I had a brown spot on a tooth once and it turned out to just be a stain from tea...looked like a cavity for sure to me.  Tell her not to freak until the braces come off and she gets a good thorough cleaning....I know easier said than done with a teen girl!  

Congrats on getting the braces off!


----------



## upsetmom

We saw the dentist today as well.

Good news is the brown spot on her front tooth was only a stain that came off easily .....bad news she needs 5 surface fillings on her back teeth. Her last check up with the dentist was only 6 months ago, l can't believe she needs 5 fillings.:confused2: 

Anyway her teeth look perfect and she can't stop smiling.


----------



## DustyKat

Fab news about the stain! :dusty::dusty::dusty:

Not so fab about the fillings. :voodoo:

Fab about the smile though! :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Gmama

Great news about the stain coming off....love a smiling teen!!!

We put so much $$ into DD mouth, I told her that she can break both arms falling down but don't EVER let anything happen to those teeth!! Lol!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Quote: "So mom, ya know when you go pee and you don't realize you have to poop...well that just happened"  

ERGH!  Trying to get a sample for a fc test from my constipated child.  Mine as well request an audience with the pope!


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## upsetmom

:rof::rof::rof:

Thanks, l needed a good laugh!


----------



## Tesscorm

Toddlers & Tiaras with Tom Hanks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPLWKBWkn3s

How to stop a nightmare

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfNnfpRj7No



And, recently there was talk about some of our boys loving bacon...  Bacon Roses!!  OMG, this would be Stephen's ultimate Valentine's gift!  :lol:


----------



## DustyKat

Indeed...


----------



## Tesscorm

Lmao!!!


----------



## my little penguin

Dusty
I think the parents need this smiley here


Especially CIC , Tess , JM


----------



## Tesscorm

Love it!


----------



## DustyKat

my little penguin said:


> Dusty
> I think the parents need this smiley here
> 
> 
> Especially CIC , Tess , JM


:lol: 

Do ya’ll want me to prepare a case to take to Crabby? :hallo3:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Most definitely.  I love it.


----------



## crohniekid

Gmama said:


> Great news about the stain coming off....love a smiling teen!!!
> 
> We put so much $$ into DD mouth, I told her that she can break both arms falling down but don't EVER let anything happen to those teeth!! Lol!!


I think this is hilarious as T (my crohnie's twin) broke both his arms bike riding with our family friends in August!!!!  All I could think during the 14 hour wait to set them (they needed to knock T out because they were worried about shock) and the follow up the next day at the children's hospital to make sure the left didn't need a pin was "Thank God for health care....and that it wasn't his TEETH!!!"  LOL!!!:ylol:

---Right arm was casted for 4 weeks and left 9....finished the summer and began school with them....you'd never guess now....AND he wants to try freestyle skiing like he saw in the Olympics....you know where three girls in a row broke/dislocated something.....


----------



## DustyKat

Thought of the day…


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## Tesscorm

My thoughts EXACTLY (to both of the above) !!!  :ytongue:


----------



## Jmrogers4

This is awful but I was laughing so hard...  I was talking to Jack about a news article about marijuana e-cigarettes being found in schools.  He tells me "I don't do anything except shoot up on remicade but it's only once ever 8 weeks so I've got it under control"


----------



## DustyKat

Perfect…


----------



## DustyKat

…


----------



## DustyKat

Sounds about right to me…


----------



## AZMOM

That iPad one is the funniest damn thing I've seen in awhile! :rof:


----------



## Sascot

I thought the iPad one was funny too! My kids just rolled their eyes :ylol2:


----------



## Jane and Nick

Got this sent to me today, it made me smile. Thought I would share.
Rest Your Mind

I know you have been laying awake at night wondering why baby diapers have brand names such as "Luvs," "Huggies," and "Pampers," while undergarments for old people are called "Depends."

Well here is the low down on the whole thing.

When babies crap in their pants, people are still gonna Luv'em, Hug'em and Pamper' em. When old people crap in their pants, it "Depends" on who's in the will!

Glad I got that straightened out so you can rest your mind.


----------



## Tesscorm

Just a small 'worry' vent...  S was home all weekend and all was good but just called me to say he feels absolutely horrible, throat is killing him, said he feels like he's dying   Said he felt feverish last night and had some chills.  And stressing because he has an exam tomorrow!  He's not usually much of a complainer so must really be feeling lousy.   He's going to go to a walk in clinic...  Ugghh, hate that he's away right now and really fighting the urge to just get in car and go over there!  I know it's just a cold/strep?? and I can usually control my 'panic' when I can SEE him, but so much harder when I'm depending on his call or text to know how he is!  :ymad: :ybatty:


----------



## Tesscorm

Tested positive for strep.   And now has prescription for penicillan.  

At least his exam was deferred for a week so he's coming home...


----------



## DustyKat

{HUGS} and warm wishes for you and your lad, Tess. :ghug: 

Thank goodness he is coming home! I well know the worry of dealing with things over the phone and there truly is nothing better than eyeballing our babies! 

Thinking of you. :heart:

Dusty. xxx


----------



## DustyKat

#lestweforget #ANZACday

The sun rising on the dawn service in our town today…



Dusty.


----------



## Jmrogers4

That is breathtaking gorgeous.  Just WOW!


----------



## Tesscorm

Yeah, just WOW!!  Beautiful!!!


----------



## AZMOM

I love that, DustyKat.


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## Jmrogers4

I need the number of the plumber that installed that


----------



## Tesscorm

He's crohnsinct 's plumber!  :lol:


----------



## crohnsinct

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jenni...ght_b_5230283.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063


----------



## Clash

Ok my bubble builder did not mention I could get the wine faucet...I mean it is obvious no bubble would be complete without it!


----------



## Tesscorm

Let me know when you're done with your bubble renos - I'll come visit!


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## Farmwife

That last one CIC had my husband laughing all the way out to the barn.

He ain't stupid enough to mention my weight gain.:rof:


----------



## DustyKat

Someone’s having a birthday today…Catherine! :dusty::dusty::dusty: 

A great big Happy Birthday to you! 







I hope it is a fab one! Dusty. :heart::heart::heart:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Happy Birthday Catherine, hope you have a fantastic day !


----------



## Farmwife

:bdayparty::highfive::bdayparty:
Catherine have a great day.


----------



## my little penguin

Happy birthday Catherine !!


----------



## upsetmom

:birthday2:

Happy Birthday Catherine!

Have a great day.


----------



## Maya142

:birthday2:
Have a wonderful day Catherine!


----------



## Tesscorm

!!!!Happy Birthday Catherine!!!!


----------



## kimmidwife

:drink:Happy birthday Catherine!!!!!


----------



## Catherine

Thank you all for your birthday wishes.  The day started well.  Still too young to be the mother of  a 18 year old. 

The day has gone downhill from there.  My husband doctor give him a referral to a diabetes specialist.  A referral that he wouldn't give at end of last year.  The appointment is not until the end of July.  His blood sugar is sitting at the 20.  For my American friends normal blood sugar is below 7.5 non fasting. 

The doctor's great suggestion was he retire and look after himself.  I love for him to retire about my wages are just not enough to support 5 people.



Thanks for listening.


----------



## DustyKat

Good heavens Catherine! :ghug: I hope he can be see sooner than that!  

Is the GP doing something about the blood sugar in the meantime?! 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Sascot

Happy belated birthday wishes! 
Might be worth nagging the appt person for a cancellation.


----------



## Catherine

Hi DustyKat,

No change in meds.

Diabex 1,000 1.5 twice day
Diamicron 60mg MR SR 60 2 tablets morning
Lipitor 40 mg 1 daily
Trajenta 5 mg 1 daily

He has been doing exercise program in case study for a unv student.  The student supervisor was so concern at the reading today she rang the gp.  They won't let him exercise due to his age if the blood sugar reading is over 20.  The reading only dropped 1 in hour.

This gp won't give copies of results at the referral says:

Serum glucose

13.2 nmol/L (4.0-6.0)

Date.   Hba1C%.  HbA1c nmol/mol
11/04/12. 10.1     ---         87
17/10/12.  10.9    ---         96
19/06/13.   8.7.    ---        72
14/01/14.   11.5.  ---       115
2/05/14.      10.6  ---         92

How the hell was this ever considered controlled :ybatty::ybatty:


----------



## DustyKat

Do you know how much more leeway there is in his meds before insulin? 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Catherine

The dr said that they like patients to see a specialist before starting insulin.  This dr told my husband you only need a specialist if need insulin.

You probably can tell I very angry my husband who wouldn't pay to see another gp 6 months ago to get a referral in a specialist

He feet are very bad.
He already that surgery for bleeding behind his eyes(both)
His body is falling part.


----------



## Catherine

My understanding is insulin is the next step.


----------



## DustyKat

It sounds like the sooner he gets this under control the better.  :ghug: 

Thinking of you. :heart: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Tesscorm

I hope you can get an earlier apptmt with the specialist!  Also think it can't hurt to call office periodically and request/remind that you would like to be called if there is a cancellation. :ghug:


----------



## kimmidwife

Oh my goodness Catherine, I am so sorry for what your husband is going through. It sounds like he needs to be started on insulin ASAP. I am going to try to tag XMDMOM as maybe she has some advice for you.


----------



## crohnsinct

Happpy belated birthday Catherine!  You and I are living paralell lives!  My husband also has type 2 diabetes.  He is not under good control but I just attended a 5 day diabetes summit and there are a plethora of drugs before Insulin is needed.  There are also very dangerous and harmful drugs being given out like candy.  Also, diabetes is the number 1 disease controllable through diet.  Let me be more specific Type 2 Diabetes that is!  My husband has had excellent results with diet but unfortunately, falls off as soon as things get good and we start the whole ride over.  

When you are ready, p.m. me and I will send you some good sites to read over...although it really should be them doing the reading shouldn't it:ymad:


----------



## xmdmom

Catherine, I'm so sorry that your husband is dealing with this. I don't know how his doctors watched for 18 months while his Hemoglobin AIC was so high.  With a BS of 20  (which I think equals 360 mg/dl) I'd think insulin would be likely. It's true that sometime you can add a third oral drug but with such high blood sugars, it seems unlikely. No matter what, he needs some effective therapy NOW.  From what you wrote, he has complications of long standing diabetes that has not been well controlled. He needs a specialist. I don't understand the system where you are but I would be direct to the doctor and tell him/her that it would be negligent to wait weeks or months to see a specialist. He needs to get his blood sugars down closer to normal and he needs someone who knows what s/he's doing.

[[[HUGS]]]


----------



## Catherine

Hi Guys

DH. Blood sugar is 15.6 this morning, we went out for dinner and he broke all the diet rules and the sugars dropped.

About six weeks ago my Dh started a exercise programme with a PHD student with the aim of using exercise to better control the diabetes.  This has resulted major swings in sugar levels.

DH wants to wait for the specialist appointment on 21 July, there is nothing I can do about that.

  DH and his boss are going to work out a work roster with hours that better suit the diabetes.  His sleep patterns are all over the place due shift work and morning swimming drop off/pick up.

DH is of the older generation (62) sometimes it like dealing with my parents.:ybatty::ybatty:

Going to see if I can buy some keytone? Testing slips today.  I think I can get these over the counter.  I understand testing this important in advanced diabetes. 

By the way DH doesnot have advanced diabetes (according to him, as you have to be on insulin)

I think going to need my own thread for my non Crohn's life.

For DustyKat and the other Australian reading how do you an appointment is going very badly and dr giving up you.  They let leave without signing the Medicare form.:rof::rof:


----------



## DustyKat

:lol: 

Ketone Urine Test Strips are available over the counter.


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh!  How I hope if you can't get in to a specialist right away he takes this seriously and reads as much as he can and at least starts with his diet.  

Do you guys not have the blood monitors where you are?  Little prick of the finger and test strips.  Sold OTC and some are very inexpensive so you don't even need insurance.  My DH is supposed to test himself after every meal.  

One of the things I learned in that summit is that yes, the guidelines are that the A1C is supposed to be less than 7.5 but really it should be much lower.  Historically, the old drugs were not able to reduce BS to less than 7.5 so that was the number they settlled on as a guideline.  20 years later drugs have gotten better but we never changed the guidelines.  Damage can still be done at 7.5.  So DH is to aim for even lower than that. 

DH and I have had many of the same dinners.  I get tired of nagging and so let him go and then see how horrible it is and nag again.  It was hard as an Italian (think bread, pasta etc) to change his diet.  

For him anyway, it is also a  hard disease to swallow because he doesn't feel ill.  Unfortunately, the ill affects of the disease take a long while to hit and by that time it is hard to change habits.  

Are there any diabetes education programs at your community centers, health clubs etc?  It is such a huge disease here in the states that these programs are everywhere. Those could help while waiting to get in to the doc. 

Checkout bloodsugar101.com.  She has diabetes and has a pretty easy to navigate page and is encouraging.


----------



## DustyKat




----------



## Catherine

Crohnsinct

DH has been dx with type 2 for 12 years.  He has done the diet.  Is taking 3 diabetes drugs.

With the PHD student who also just happens be his boss at work.  They made improvement to the diet which included cutting white bread, alcohol and potatoes.  Increased exercise.  Lost weight - 4kgs.  End result glucose control is worse. 

He has days went glucose level has been too low to allow the exercise programme to go ahead.  But over the last 3 days has a reading over 20 each day.

He has decide ring the specialist on Monday and advice them.


.:ybatty::ybatty:


----------



## DustyKat

Don’t ya just love who won Eurovision! The bearded lady rocked it! :ycool:

:mademyday: 

Dusty. :ybiggrin:


----------



## Sascot

Missed it . I am in hospital just now - so bored. I have been having pain in my right side and under ribs, so waiting for a ct scan. Hoping they find something on that - really not wanting an internal :ybatty:


----------



## DustyKat

Oh no Sascot  I am so sorry to hear that. :ghug: 

Good luck with the tests and I hope you soon have answers and are feeling better. 

In my thoughts. :heart:

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Sascot

Well that was useless as usual. Had ultrasound which is clear then the surgeon decided not to "radiate" me with a ct, so sending me home with painkillers and antibiotics in case it's a kidney infection. Oh well 
Thanks for the well wishes


----------



## kimmidwife

Sascot,
    Could it be a kidney stone? I have one right now. They are so not fun!


----------



## Sascot

I am not sure. Nothing showed on the ultrasound but my mom says ultrasound doesn't show small stones/gravel. It's really weird, at the moment I have no pain, but then in a few hours it may just hit me. 
What are they doing to treat your kidney stone?


----------



## Tesscorm

Was so sweet, had to post.


----------



## crohnsinct

Here is a shout out to our US Mid Western friends who had a white Mother's Day


----------



## Catherine

Quick update on my DH.  We have moved from the low GI diet to a low carb.  The glucose levels have dropped to 5.4 to 9.6

We have now been told to watch the low glucose levels and to make sure he carries pure sugar at all times.


----------



## kimmidwife

Sascot,
    I get kidney stones all the time. I now take magnesium at bedtime every night and have been getting less of them. I think the one i had passed because the pain went away. I get what they refer to as gravel, very small stones passing through. I think the magnesium is hopefully keeping the big ones away. I also drink water with lemon in it. A lot of lemon, that helps reduce them as well.


----------



## Sascot

Thanks! Will try both.
Vey frustrated, they didn't bother with ct, so my GP wasn't happy. Been to a urologist who will do the ct next week hopefully. Pain is a bit better but still feeling off, getting joint pain, headaches and some tingling in my face. Falling apart! Thankfully the kids are okay just now.


----------



## DustyKat

Love the news pens the boss got for us!…:ylol:


----------



## Sascot

Really love them! Send some over 
Think I have finally figured out what's wrong with me! (No thanks to the doctors)
I have almost every complication of ankylosing spondylitis . Flaring really bad just now, joints really sore including chest and jaw. Can't take anti-inflammatories as they give me heartburn - feeling horrible


----------



## Tesscorm

Sascot, so sorry you're feeling so badly!  Have you been diagnosed with AS?  I'm sorry, I didn't know!  Or are you still in undiagnosed limbo?  I'm just sorry you're still not feeling well. :ghug: :ghug:


----------



## my little penguin

Have you tried mobic with food and a antacid ?
DS uses Zantac .
Have you seen a Rheumo ?
Hope it gets better .


----------



## Sascot

Thanks, not diagnosed yet. Had to go to doc today with bad chest pain - she said costochondritis. She agrees it could be AS and will get referral to Rheumo, but so far the waiting list on nhs is over a year :eek2:


----------



## Maya142

Sascot - both my girls take Prevacid, it's the only way they can take NSAIDs without them tearing up their stomachs.
M uses Voltaren gel on her ribs for costochondritis. I'm sure your GP could prescribe it if you can't get into a rheumatologist for a while.


----------



## DustyKat

Sending hugs and healing thoughts your way Sascot! :ghug: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Tesscorm

I hope something can get you feeling a bit better soon!  Uggh, a one year wait - I really hope that can get shortened!!!  By a lot!!! :ghug: :ghug:


----------



## Farmwife

:hug: I'm sorry I didn't know it was that bad for you.
I hope you feel better soon.


----------



## Maya142

Sascot - for jaw pain, my daughter was given a night guard which helps some.Her dentist had it made (see you don't even need a rheumatologist  )
We may eventually do steroid shots in her jaw but hoping it doesn't come to that.
I hope they're able to get you in soon, AS is the worst:ghug:


----------



## DustyKat

DustyKat said:


> Love the news pens the boss got for us!…:ylol:
> 
> View attachment 2815


Okay, aside from the fact that it should say new not news, wish I had dollar for every blunder I make in a post, how many of you remember a rule you learnt at school that you can’t shake even now?  

My nemesis is got. Yes, I did write it in this post but boy oh boy did I stutter and stammer over it and I rarely use it. 
When I was in 3rd class the teacher, he was a real spunk so that probably helped! :eek2:, told us that there was no reason why we should ever have to use the word got as there were numerous other words in the English language that are far more eloquent. With that we all had to write the word got on a scrap of paper, we then we went outside and the teacher dug a hole under a big old gum tree. We then all threw our scraps of paper in the hole and the teacher filled the hole in.

We buried got and I have scarcely used the word since! Lesson well taught Mr. O’Neill! :rof:


----------



## Farmwife

:rof::rof::rof:
The burial under the tree is hilarious. 


*Ain't* 
My teacher use to get so mad at the word ain't.
 Even now my spell check ain't going to let type ain't.

Remember people, *ain't* ain't a word.:lol:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Gotta, as in I gotta go to the store. Can still hear Sr. Lillian saying gotta is not a word.  Never got to bury it under no tree, guess I gotta go do that.


----------



## DustyKat

Well ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Ain’t no doubt about that.


----------



## Tesscorm

For those down under...


----------



## Farmwife

Thank Tesscorm, that's a great translation.:rof:


----------



## crohnsinct

DustyKat said:


> we then we went outside and the teacher dug a hole under a big old gum tree. We then all threw our scraps of paper in the hole and the teacher filled the hole in.
> 
> :rof:


OMGosh!  You girls have me LMAO!  So a gum tree is a real thing?...if I remember elementary school choir properly it is something the kookaburro sits by yes? Eating all the gum drops he could see? And laughing his fool head off as I beg him to save some for me. :rof:


----------



## DustyKat

Oh sacrilege cic!  Of course gum trees are real! As to that bloody song…I wish a had a dollar for every time I had to sing it in rounds! Jesus that was hard as a little tike! :lol: 

And Tess! Don’t you be lumping us in with those Kiwi’s (AKA sheep shaggers!) Ewwwww. :rof:


----------



## Trev

us Kiwi's speak proper English, that was definitely Aussie slang.


----------



## DustyKat

Bugger off sheep boy! :sheep:


----------



## Mehita

CCFA Take Steps PSA... that's our team picture about three seconds in :ycool:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&a=&v=t02NPol9GV8


----------



## Farmwife

Good looking group. You must be so proud.


----------



## Tesscorm

Question for you all... not crohns related.

I've noticed that S seems to be developing a bit of an underbite.  Until the last few weeks/couple of months, I've never noticed this so must be something new and you'd think I would have seen this before if his bite had always been like this?? as it's quite noticeable to me now.  He did go away for school over this past winter, so although he visited often, I wasn't seeing him day to day..  but, isn't he a bit old (19, almost 20!) to suddenly develop an underbite?  He had all his wisdom teeth removed in February - could that have caused this?  He says he doesn't feel anything different.

Any thoughts?  I'm sending him to the dentist, just curious if anyone has any thoughts??


----------



## Farmwife

TMJ- When it's flaring it changes my bite but it hurts.
I've been told by Grace's Rheumy that TMJ can be common in the family of arthritis.


----------



## Tesscorm

Hmmm, just looked that up but he has none of the symptoms - no pain, he says no change in how his mouth feels, etc. - he hadn't noticed anything.  But, _I _can see it when he talks (normally, you wouldn't see yourself talking) and I can also notice it's changed his pronunciation of words (not anything bad but just a difference).

But, am thinking it's very coincidental that his wisdom teeth were removed just a few months ago.    Perhaps related?? but, dentist said his wisdom teeth were quite badly positioned (ie bottom ones growing in sideways - front to back inside gums, rather than up into mouth - if that makes sense :lol and he only had three wisdon teeth (I think only one on top).  So doesn't surprise me that there would be some shifting going on in his mouth but, if anything, you'd think he'd be developing a overbite with the bottom jaw receding back with that extra space after removing two sideways teeth???

Doesn't make sense to me??


----------



## DustyKat

That does seem odd Tess. If he is still growing I think the jaw also continues to grow outward. Seems too coincidental though that it has occurred after the wisdom teeth removal. 

A change in bite occurred to me too but that generally ends up causing pain. 

Let is know how he gets on. 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Catherine

Is it the bit that changed or have the teeth moved?

Both Sarah and Kerry had plates to make their bottom jaws grow.


----------



## Tesscorm

His teeth look straight...  Not sure if I can get him to let me have a good look inside without huge rolling of the eyes :lol: but, his front teeth look fine.  What I'm seeing when he speaks or smiles is that his bottom teeth are pretty much directly below/flush with his top teeth.  I'm sure I would've noticed this before if his teeth had always been positioned like this and also sure it would've been mentioned when he had braces years ago.  I thought he was past 'growing/developing' but maybe?? and maybe I missed the change sooner because he's been away???  But, just very coincidental re the wisdom teeth.

Catherine - are plates similar to braces?


----------



## Maya142

Plates are retainers I think. M had one prior to having braces.
 Tess - my older daughter's teeth shifted after her wisdom teeth were removed, I think it's quite common.


----------



## Tesscorm

Just sat in a meeting with S and sat diagonal from him...  had a good sideways view :lol:, bottom teeth are definitely straight up flush with top ones when he's speaking.  Whether newly shifted or not, can't be good. :ymad:  

Thanks Maya - I thought shifting might be possible, I just hadn't heard of it happening...


----------



## my little penguin

Mine shifted after having wisdom teeth removed same age - really made the straight teeth from braces a mess.

One of my other kids has an retainer like thing to fix the jaw prior to braces as well.


----------



## Catherine

What my children had similar to retainer but a more difficult appliance to wear.  When the appliance in you can't open your mouth and has worn for least 12 hours per day.  The appliance fits on the top teeth but forces the bottom jaw forward making it grow.

With Sarah the gap between teeth when closed was 10mm before plating.  Kerry had a 14mm gap and her front teeth tilted forward to allow the bottom lip in fit under the teeth.

They were not used in place of braces but in attempt to avoid needing to brake the jaw.  Luckly for us this was successful in both cases.


----------



## Tesscorm

Wow!   Definitely need to get this checked soon.  On the way home, he said while his current relaxed bite doesn't feel 'different', if he were to position his teeth in what he thinks is a 'fitted' position, it hurts his jaw 'joint' so he lets his bottom jaw naturally slide forward.   Said he doesn't think this is new since wisdom teeth but isn't sure...

Hope he doesn't need anything as drastic as you've described, Catherine.   But, now I'm thinking maybe it's not just the wisdom teeth - given his comments about the jaw joint and that his teeth look totally straight (he let me have a better look ).


----------



## Farmwife

I had my jaw broken and set back in place when I was 19. Ya, my TMJ was that bad.
I still have to slide out my jaw to open wide.


----------



## Maya142

M's rheumatologist taught her to slide her jaw out when it hurts, so that she can open her mouth wider. She has arthritis in her jaw, but TMJ disorders in general are quite common. Our dentist made a night guard for her that helped a bit.


----------



## Twiggy930

This made me laugh.  23 Places You Absolutely Must Poop Before You Die

http://news.distractify.com/culture/arts/17-places-you-absolutely-must-poop-before-you-die/?v=1


----------



## Farmwife

:rof:Number 24 is my fav. Thanks Twiggy:hug:


----------



## Catherine

For Tesscorm


Jaw Growth: The width a jaw stops growing between 2-4 years of age, the forward growth of the maxilla (upper jaw) stops at approximately 9 years of age, while the lower arch can continue to grow forward until age 16 in females and 19 in males.  The final growth vector is the vertical, in females continuing until approximately age 16 and in males 19.  Since adults can present with skeletal discrepancies, ranging from mild to severe problems, the treatment in certain instances requires surgery in conjunction with the orthodontic treatment.

http://www.irvinepdo.com/ortho-adult.html

It won't end like my girls.  We first knew we had problems with Sarah's jaw at 7-8 years.  In Kerry case we knew before she started school.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Thanks Twiggy, better not show it to Jack or he'll be begging for #23.  Actually both my kids would.  Our modem died over the weekend and my younger son was complaining said he had to poop and couldn't poop without the internet :eek2:


----------



## Clash

Hey guys, I have a question and hope to draw on someone's med. knowledge.

I had my gallbladder removed several years ago. A few times a year I have these attacks in my upper right quadrant that are almost unbearable. I've been reading and researching(I know, right) and my symptoms seem to match some type of biliary spasms, such as sphincter of oddi dysfunction.

I hate these attacks and I'm having one today. It takes all I have to not pick up and run to the ER.  I take nexium and with this attack I also took levsin.

The interesting thing is after the gall bladder surgery I have been unable to take pain medication as it seems to cause this same kind of attack I am experiencing now. The meds that have caused it are iv morphine and dilaudid, as well as the pill form of hydrocodone. So any way I was reading that opoid meds can cause spasms of the biliary, which I found extremely interesting since before my gall bladder surgery I was able to take any of these meds except I never cared for the hydrocodone type pills because they made me nauseated and icky feeling.

So I was wondering would the levsin have any effect if these are biliary spasms(i guess I'll know in a bit) and are there any other meds that would help. I'm going to discuss all this with my GI and he is going to say I Google too much but honestly I can't face another of these attacks.


----------



## Tesscorm

Uggh, sorry you are in so much pain! :ghug:  I have no advice to give you but I hope you can get an answer from your GI! :ghug:


----------



## crohnsinct

Tesscorm: My teeth shifted after I graduated college so shifting can certainly happen but I wouldn't imagine they would move so far forward as to line up with the upper teeth.  The jaw doesn't get bigger...rather teeth move within the jaw.  My question was whether or not he was jetting his jaw out.  A while ago I noticed I do some changing of position with my jaw due to stress.  Also, ear infections and such make it so if I position my jaw forward I am in less pain.  Maybe something is causing him to do that and now it is just habit? 

Very odd...keep us posted. 

Clash: sorry no advice just hugs.  Sorry you are in so much pain!


----------



## Clash

Thanks VIC and Tesscorm, the attack has passed. It lasted a couple hours. I don't know what it is but I have honestly got to get to the bottom of that issue! It really hasn't happened it quite awhile, I even thought I was rid of it.

I do think the levsin helped but who knows. I only think about finding answers when I'm in the middle of having the attack, afterward it becomes out sight, out of mind.


----------



## Catherine

Queen's Birthday Long Weekend and it also the opening of the Victorian snow season.

http://ski.com.au/snowcams/australia/vic/buller/buller1.html

It should be a great opening for the snow rabbits.


----------



## my little penguin

SNOW!!
I forget your in winter when we have summer ...


----------



## Catherine

My Little Penguin, you need to look at the pictures!!!!


----------



## Farmwife

Catherine,
It's that considered a lot of snow for you guys? :eek2:
How much snow do y'all get?


----------



## Mehita

It's man made snow, isn't it? I thought it was pretty warm near you. Well, compared to what FW and I experience in terms of snow and winter.

Will there be snow in August? We have official dates!


----------



## Catherine

Farmswife, it quite normal for the ski season to open with sightseeing snow.  This is an unusually year as there is no snow.  We have been skiing right where the those pictures were taken.  Once was enough (too cold)

Mehita, you could see snow in August if you really wanted too.  It considered a day trip from Melbourne (Mt Buller)  approximately 31/2 to 4 hours by car.

There also may be snow on Mt Dandenong.

Mt Buller gets natural snow but they also make a lot of snow.  The conditions have to be right for snow making and we are having a mild winter.

Melbourne is going for a top of 13C today, with tonight low of 8.

Mt Buller is currently 9C with overnight low of -2.  Too warm for snowing making.

According to newspaper reports it snowed in Melbourne on 27 July 1882.:eek2:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Skiing may be a little difficult. :ylol2:


----------



## DustyKat

Happy dogs…and a cat! :mademyday:

[youtube]DePFiF-nNoE[/youtube]


----------



## DustyKat

:wine:


----------



## crohnsinct

Moviegoers sat down to watch a movie.  They likely never expected the video that played next on the screen. 

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...ted-the-video-that-played-next-on-the-screen/


----------



## DustyKat

Boo! And make the most of it!…


----------



## hawkeye

2049, I should still be around


----------



## Farmwife

Just to let the Parents know there's a very good thread  by DJW called
What Does IBD mean for you?  <Press for link.
It's a good read, sad, but good.
DJW said Parents can join in.:hug:


----------



## Catherine

A beautiful day of timekeeping.  4 x 800 and 3 x 1500.  What fun recording every lap time. :ybatty::ybatty:

My youngest did 5PBs in 3 events.  She managed 4PBs in the 800 (100, 200, 400 & 800).


----------



## Tesscorm

Had to share... 

Written by a 90 year old
This is something we should all read at least once a week!!!!! Make sure you read to the end!!!!!! 
Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio ...
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short – enjoy it.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but don't worry, God never blinks.
16.. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19.. It's never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31.. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative of dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you need
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."


----------



## Catherine

It snowing down to 600m

http://www.mtbuller.com.au/Winter/Snow-Report/Snowcams

Beautiful weather in Melbourne to today top of 12c.

The Yarra River has burst it banks, flooding in Central Melbourne.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-...ated-with-calls-for-help-wild-weather/5546354


----------



## Tesscorm

Too funny!!  

http://imgfave.com/view/4832182?r=pin


----------



## Tesscorm

I just need to vent, ugghh! :ymad:  :ymad:  

I've told S over and over and over to use sunscreen!!!!  He's fair skinned and on remicade!!!  Friday he went a beach town, spent all day Saturday with no sunscreen (although, in his defense, it was overcast all day and he didn't think he needed it ) - of course, he got an absolutely brutal burn - chest, stomach, shoulders and back!   I put aloe spray and lotion on last night/this morning and it did look slightly less red this morning.  But, still bad enough that he didn't go to work because nothing could touch it.  

After work, I walk into the house to the sound of S screaming in pain!  I guess hubby put too much of the spray/lotion on??? and it irritated the skin.  S was literally screaming and crying from the pain!  OMG!  This, from a guy who played 'one more shift' in a game with a separated shoulder because he didn't think it was 'so bad'! Ugghhh!!!  I wanted to take him to ER but he insisted that it was fine all day until dad put too much ointment on???  IDK...   Went to pharmacist and got another lotion and am keeping him on tylenols and well hydrated.   He's a bit better now and sleeping.  It's not as red as it was earlier but still really red.  There are a couple of small blisters but only two small ones.  Just worried it's such a bad sunburn. 

Why do they not listen until after it happens!!!

Any other suggestions would certainly be appreciated.


----------



## Maya142

Oh Tess, your poor boy! 

My older daughter who's 20 also did that once and never again. Her sunburn (mostly on her face and shoulders) was not nearly as bad as your son's sounds. We used a lot of aloe, since it was the only thing she agreed to use.

We see an AS doctor/researcher who has spent the last 15 years studying TNF-Inhibiotrs who told her sternly that she MUST wear sunscreen. That, combined with the painful sunburn, has made her extremely careful.


----------



## Clash

Awww poor fellow! C just came back from the beach as well. Although he used sunscreen, it was the spray kind. So he did well except for his back where he has stripes of sunburn :ybatty:

We are using aloe on the stripes. It isn't nearly as bad as what you are describing. I hope he finds some relief quickly!


----------



## Tesscorm

I think he's really learned his lesson this time.  Because he is fair skinned, unfortunately, it's not the first time he's had a burn (usually, like you describe, 'stripes', Clash - he uses the spray too) but it's never been like this.  Actually, I've never seen anyone yell/cry from a sunburn.  I was in 'don't think, just do' panic mode!    The pharmacist thought that, perhaps, the spray and/or lotion had a bit of alcohol and that's what caused the reaction (and, according to S, dad gave 20 'sprays' while I only did 3 or 4??) - I suppose that makes sense.  I've used this stuff for 20+ years and never had a problem but???

He doesn't have a fever and says he feels fine otherwise (so no dizziness, etc.) so I'm thinking the fact that he's sleeping is good???

There is a spot on his collarbone that I noticed last night - about the diameter of a pencil and it looks greenish (like a bruise), so 'under' the skin.  He says it doesn't hurt and it's the only spot.  Probably totally unrelated (I just noticed it because I was putting the cream on)???  Sunburn can't cause something like that, can it?


----------



## Clash

I don't think that sunburn would cause that kind of appt.

When C's sister was a toddler, I slathered her down in sunscreen for a day at the water park and I missed a spot on her shoulder blade, unknowingly. She burned really bad in this paisley shaped spot the size of a quarter, it didn't blister but scabbed and scarred. I was so upset although she didn't seem to be bothered by the burn. Mederma faded the scar but we had to go to the doc for some type of cream. It was horrible, I felt so bad!


----------



## Jmrogers4

That sucks Tess, my younger son got a burn like that at camp a few years ago (fair skinned as well)  It was so bad the nurse at camp called me and he was crying from the pain and we discussed whether or not I needed to come pick him up.  He only had a day and 1/2 left of camp and really wanted to stay and was not going to be out on the lake anymore so he stayed, We used cold compresses, aloe and neopsporin.  He still has scars where the blisters were.  It was bad so I feel you and poor S.  I had at least one of those myself in my teenage years (fair skinned redhead here) and they are no fun.


----------



## DanceMom

My kids were blessed with a darker complexion, and because I put sunscreen on them obsessively they've never been more than a tad pink for a few hours.  I, on the other hand, have the amazing ability to burn despite sunscreen and shade.  I can't say I've ever been as bad off as what you are describing though.  For me, I put lotion on every 1-2 hours.  I'm not particular about the type/brand, as long as it is thin and rubs in easily.  I also soak in a vinegar bath at least once a day.  My husband laughs at me for doing so but vinegar is my cure-all, lol.  I sure hope he heals quickly!


----------



## Tesscorm

Poor S is fair skinned, freckles and a bit of red in his dark hair (actually, if he doesn't shave, his beard is fairly auburn) in a family of olive skinned Europeans!  I think he picked up every odd gene from the few blondes/redheads in our families. 

But, even being olive toned, I've had a few sunburns too (you can get lazy and overly confident when you think you _can't _burn!).   

Hopefully, there'll be lots of improvement by tomorrow morning.  I imagine he's full up on his vitamin D till Christmas! 

DanceMom - what do vinegar baths do?  I've never heard of that.  How much do you use?  ...just curious.


----------



## kimmidwife

Vinegar helps but I heard burns like crazy. I just heard about this crazy thing for burns that is supposed to help heal them super fast. It works for any type of burn. Take a potato and place in the food processor. Once it is processed down take the mush and place it on the burn. Do it three times a day for the next few days and it will heal rapidly and is supposed to prevent scarring.


----------



## DanceMom

I use about 1/2 a bottle of apple cider vinegar in a tub filled half way.  Other times I'll pour it directly on my body in the shower and let it sit for 5 minutes or so.  It does sting a little while it is on, but I swear it relieves the sting for several hours afterwards.  Then again, it could all be in my head like my husband says, lol.


----------



## ChampsMom

We come from a long line of red head, faired skinned, freckled face folks... Sunburns are an unfortunate chronic issue for us.

We treat it like a burn - cold/cool water (whether it is in a shower or with a soft soaked T-shirt - avoid wash clothes they tend to be rough); white vinegar (we prefer it over apple cider vinegar, but it is just a preference thing, we get less sting from the white vinegar - I *think* it might be a wee bit more mild?  or it could just be in our mind?); and then Tylenol.  

I hope he feels better soon - sunburns are miserable...


----------



## Sascot

What a shame. It is easy to forget when it's cloudy. My son hates sun lotion so I worry he will not bother if I'm not there. I doubt S will forget ever again after this!


----------



## Tesscorm

Thanks Kim, I think I do recall having heard about potatos.  I think I've even heard about putting a slice of potato on a bug sting??  There must be a soothing component.


And thanks re the vinegar.    I'd never heard of that.  We're going to Portugal in August - I'll make sure I get a bottle when I'm there and keep it on hand.  (But, hopefully, we won't need it!)

The burn did seem less red this morning.  But, he was sleeping so I couldn't get as good a look as I wanted!  :lol:  I just wanted to make sure it's not blistering, etc.   Going to get some neo or polysporin and will use that later (thanks Jacqui ) - hopefully, it'll preempt any infection from any blisters.  He's due for remicade on Saturday so don't want any complications.

And, yes, Sascot, I'm sure he will remember from now on!  :ybatty:


----------



## DustyKat

What better place than here to bring up toilets…

Now you do I realise that toilets in Oz are different to those in the US? :lol: 

I think this was the one single thing that freaked Sarah out the most! After landing in LA and making her way to the toilets she then went from stall to stall thinking that toilet after toilet was blocked. :lol: She finally worked out that it was normal over there to have such a high water level and so then spent the rest of her holiday thinking that every time she sat down on the loo she was going to get a wet bum! 

Dusty. oo:


----------



## Catherine

For those interested in my snow reports.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-...ues-with-more-wintry-weather-forecast/5640032

A special weather report Philip Island

http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/phillipisland.shtml:ghug::ghug:


----------



## Mehita

It's going to feel like home.


----------



## Catherine

Like home in Summer?   I know it wouldn't be like home in winter.


----------



## Mehita

Just the snow will feel like home. Last winter (Nov-Mar) we had snow banks of four feet! Your current temps will feel like our fall and spring weather - nice.


----------



## crohnsinct

O has been filling out questionaires and health history forms a bit lately.  She tells me in the car, "ya know when this whole thing started I used to have to check off the other box but now Crohns has it's own box"  Sad commentary:ymad:


----------



## DustyKat

A great big Happy Birthday to you Jacqui!!!







I hope it is choc full of love, laughter and surprises! :heart::heart:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Aww, thanks Dusty, looking forward to the boys taking me out for dinner tonight.


----------



## CrohnsKidMom

Happy, Happy Birthday!


----------



## Farmwife

:bdayparty:


----------



## Maya142

:birthday2:
Hope it was wonderful!


----------



## Tesscorm

*HAPPY *:drink: :dance: :drink: *BIRTHDAY*


----------



## Clash

Okay gurus, I have a non IBD kid/non IBD related question.

My daughter is the nanny for an 18 mos old boy on her off days from class. Today the child(who has been sick all week with some type of viral infection) like flung his head forward with his mouth open toward her face so it busted his lip and his teeth made a small cut on her nose. The Mom is there(works from home) so they cleaned the boy up and she said the cut on her nose was barely bleeding. 

So now 6 hours later little bubbled blisters are coming up on her nose where the cut is. I told her to peroxide on it and all she had was neosporin as far as ointment. Now I'm wondering if she should get this checked out at an urgent care clinic or go to the pharmacy for a different ointment?

Ideas?


----------



## Farmwife

Cracked nasal cavity? happened to my co-worker at school. Same circumstances.
I sure hope not but keep an eye on it.


----------



## Clash

Hmm...I don't know? It is on the bridge of her nose just a small cut from the baby's teeth(looked like a think scratch) but now these little blisters are popping up on the cut.


----------



## Farmwife

My hubby put a hammer on the bridge of his nose (opened a couple inches:ack but just  he said doesn't remember bubbles.


----------



## my little penguin

Human bites that break the skin at all can lead to a lot of trouble.
I would definitely go to urgent care ASAP.


----------



## my little penguin

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/218901-treatment#showall

Talks about nose bites


----------



## Clash

Thanks so much MLK, I feel the same way. She is keeping the baby while the parents go to a fundraiser tonight so she can't leave until 10pm also I know the uni she attends has a clinic so maybe she can go there. If not hopefully an urgent care center. It looks freaky! This child of mine, I swear she had the weirdest catastrophes befall her!


----------



## Sascot

Definitely worth getting seen, human "bites" are so full of germs. Well at least our kids keep life interesting!


----------



## Clash

She is on the way to urgent care. All facilities were closed last night so she had to wait. She sent a pic, it looks icky, ughh.

Also hubby has a summer cold so C and I are avoiding him since surgery is Tuesday. What a week!


----------



## Clash

Doc said it was nasal cellulitis, px antibiotic, ointment and instructions that is she gets a fever or headache she is to head to ER.


----------



## my little penguin

Glad she got meds hope they work fast


----------



## Clash

So is cellulitis of sort contagious and if so by contact or air or?

She has mentioned coming home for the night but I need to know about this in regards to C. I mean if they don't share anything and avoid physical contact?


----------



## my little penguin

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...s/preparing-for-your-appointment/con-20023471

I would avoid all contact ( share towels bathroom etc...)
Especially since he is having surgery so soon.

That said when DS had cellulitis no one else in the family got it .


----------



## Clash

Ok my parents live only a block away so we can swing the no contact thing even if one has to spend the night there. I would just prefer that she be home if we are watching for fever and headache, kwim.

Thanks for all the info, my little penguin, you truly are a guru and a blessing!


----------



## kimmidwife

Just catching up. Sorry to hear this. Very very glad she was checked out. Hoping she is doing better today!


----------



## DustyKat

How is your daughter Clash? 

Way late to this and that’s stating the obvious :lol:…

Cellulitis isn’t contagious but certainly avoid contact with the infected area if you have any open wounds and don’t share towels/flannels. 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Clash

The meds worked really well, the ointment almost overnight. But the antibiotics have wreaked havoc on her female system, she had already taken one diflucan to no avail and has another one px'ed for after she finishes the antibiotics.

Hey, but here is something interesting since the third day of antibiotic her bms have gone from D to normal and back to once or twice a day instead of five.


----------



## DustyKat

Thanks for the update Clash.  

Fab news and so good to hear that the meds have worked well! As for the bowels…hmmm…that gets the mind ticking! 

As to the the lovely antibiotic side effects…:voodoo:…I hope things soon balance out for your lass, bless her. :ghug: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Clash

Thanks Dusty. She is supposed to schedule her oscopies as soon as we get C settled at home so I can go with her as well. C is so amicable about most procedures I have a feeling J will be a bit more dramatic! Yay me!


----------



## Tesscorm

Pre-dx, cipro may have helped alleviate S's symptoms.  He started to have on and off again symptoms for a few months, he'd have d, fever, nausea, etc. for a few days, then they'd go away for a few days, then back...  over the couple of months we were seeing his GP and testing, etc., the symptoms were gradually lasting longer and the 'good' periods were getting shorter.  Finally, when the GP didn't know what else to try, she prescribed cipro.  I don't know if S took enough to make a difference as he had an allergic reaction after two doses but, after those two doses, his symptoms went away for 2-3 weeks and we thought whatever 'bug' he had was finally gone.  Obviously, you/we know it was not a bug but, for whatever reason, the cipro seemed to take away the symptoms for the longest period since he started having them.

Also, when S was admitted, his only treatment was Flagyl for a week through IV (EEN was started after the week of flagyl) and his symptoms cleared up almost immediately on flagyl (and then the EEN took over).

S seems to have responded really well to antibiotics???  Not sure how it works but seemed to cause a positive reaction for S.


----------



## Mehita

Totally non-IBD related... but y'all always have great advice.

Anyone have experience with nasal cauterization for daily nosebleeds in kids?


----------



## Jenn

I had the cauterization done at about age 15 and it worked. Hurt like hell. I still get occasional nosebleeds though, not nearly so severe. It helps to use Aquaphor lip repair daily.


----------



## my little penguin

DS was told to use Saline gel which reduced them plus increased allergy meds to stop them if needed.
No cauterization.


----------



## Farmwife

^^^^^ We were told the same thing, use gel and allergy meds. It has helped me a lot. I use to get horrible nose bleeds.


----------



## Mehita

Yeah, he's already doing the gel, saline and allergy meds. Still having nightly nosebleeds, except the last two nights. Maybe we're good for awhile again. 

Cauterization was suggested to us a year ago and I let it go because the nose bleeds tapered off and like Jenn said I keep reading how painful it is. We saw the allergist last week and she thought cauterization is next up for him as well. So, two drs have now recommended it...  *sigh*.


----------



## Sascot

Could I ask you lovely people a question? I have had bad joint pains which the rheumatologist has no answers for. I am just living with it, but the thing that is completely freaking me out is my body feels like it's vibrating hard. I feel it more in the upper body but I do feel it in my legs a bit. It is an awful feeling and I am worried there is something really wrong. I have told the GP and rheumatologist but they kind of nod and say "oh right", and that's it. 
It doesn't help that I feel really ill in general. I know a lot of you have experience with rheumy issues, just wondered if anyone had heard of this body vibrating feeling? Much appreciation for any help


----------



## Tesscorm

Sorry, Sascot, no idea on the vibrating.  But, that must feel awful.   If the rheumo doesn't have an answer, I would keep pushing your GP to send you to a different specialist...  maybe neurologist but just a complete guess?!?  Can you try to narrow down a cause/trigger?  ie when you are tired, when you stand/sit/or lie for a period, hot/cold, etc.  Maybe also ask to check vitamin levels, perhaps it's related to a deficiency??  Lots of hugs!! :ghug: :ghug:


----------



## Sascot

I think my GP wants to run and hide when she sees my name :lol:. Onto my third specialist - due to have an endoscopy and small bowel MRI if my insurance gets sorted. Will wait and see what they say before trying a neurologist next :ybatty:


----------



## Tesscorm

:lol:  Well, your GP should have learned by now, it's easier to just start on the referral process right away!!    But, really have no idea if a neurologist is the right specialist...  it's just a thought!


----------



## DustyKat

Let me poop…

[youtube]crHqgShbhbQ[/youtube]


----------



## Tesscorm

That is so funny!  :rof:


----------



## izzi'smom

I'm going to have to show Izz...I am sure her brother will be delighted but I think she will get a laugh as well. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## my little penguin

DS really enjoyed it


----------



## crohnsinct

Seriously?  What was the desk lady at the lab thinking when she told me results would be to doc within three days?  Don't they cover this at employee orientation first thing? 


Rule #1: NEVER Under any circumstance give a patient an estimate of when lab results might be available. 

Rule #2: Never talk to pediatric patient's parents and NEVER, EVER make eye contact!  Avoid all interaction at all costs! 

Rule 3#: If you have broken above rules  resign your position as the phone will be ringing so much you will get no work done.  Leave town immediately and hope said parent did not get your name.  Further pray this parent didn't let the GI know what you said.  If this happens consider another career choice.


----------



## Catherine

They printed on our copy of the lab request form.  Ring dr for results in 3 days.

They like to give themselves an extra day, and most results are here the next day.


----------



## crohnsinct

That's nice Catherine...we typically don't get an estimate but this woman must have slipped....or did I shake her down for an answer?:shifty-t:

Wow is it really the end of Tuesday?  I hadn't noticed...results were to be at doc on Monday...silly me.  Perhaps they will call tomorrow...hope I remember to bring my cell phone with me so I can catch the call. :tongue:

You know us city girls...so relaxed and laid back....


----------



## Farmwife

Anyone else getting snow?
The USA is getting hit hard.
I'm used to snow but it's getting bad here.
3ft in about 4 days.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Setting records here....  We usually get a couple of inches and then it melts within the next couple of days.  We got 9" a week ago and it's snowing again right now.  Supposed to have freezing rain this weekend followed by snow all next week.  Glad my mom and out Thanksgiving plans are only a mile and a half away.
Hope everyone stays safe and warm in this crazy cold weather!


----------



## crohnsinct

The National Guard is up in Buffalo, NY!


----------



## Pilgrim

We're in Canada and you're getting our snow!!! Hooray!!!! Thank you!!!!

(and we don't want it back)


----------



## Tesscorm

I'm with Pilgrim!!!  We've got a bit but only a couple of inches.  But it is frigid and windy!!!

Is it too early to start the countdown to summer?!?!?  :lol:


----------



## crohnsinct

Did you say you are frigid and full of wind:ywow:


----------



## Pilgrim

Let's see, if there's a countdown to summer, and you live in NW Ontario, then summer starts in June. Only 209 days to go :rof:

But we can then cast off frigid and full of wind for hot and sultry.:ycool:


----------



## Catherine

Our risk bushfire risk for this season has just been upped from "mild" to "major".


----------



## Farmwife

Pilgrim said:


> Let's see, if there's a countdown to summer, and you live in NW Ontario, then summer starts in June. Only 209 days to go :rof:
> 
> But we can then cast off frigid and full of wind for hot and sultry.:ycool:


CIC tries for "hot and sultry" but is just full of "wind". :tongue:


----------



## Pilgrim

Catherine said:


> Our risk bushfire risk for this season has just been upped from "mild" to "major".


Not at all your season for snow. Wish somebody could send some your way. Hope you are safe and rain falls soon.


----------



## Mehita

We had about 6" of snow in MN, then it was 50 F yesterday so most of it turned to slush. Overnight the temps dropped to freezing and it snowed again so today we have sheets of ice hidden underneath the snow. Both of my boys wiped out going down our driveway. Not a great way to start a Monday!


----------



## crohnsinct

crohnsinct said:


> Seriously?  What was the desk lady at the lab thinking when she told me results would be to doc within three days?  Don't they cover this at employee orientation first thing?


:rof::rof:Maybe she meant this Monday? :rof::rof:

Yes dears...I sent an email to the GI nurse...at this point I am thinking there is more missing poop in the world! :ylol2:

Mehita:  I hear ya!  Your poor boys! While we didn't have snow we had the freezing temp and today it is 70 degrees f.  What is going on?


----------



## crohnsinct

70 degress F here yesterday.  My daughter did her run in shorts!  Mid 50's today.  Forecast for a foot of snow tomorrow!  Mother nature s really a joker!


----------



## Farmwife

It all melted! 3 ft gone over night. 3 wonderful days of green.
 ALL came back last night. Grrrrrr


----------



## Catherine

We are having a cool week here.  Top of 20C today warming up to 30C.  Lots and lots of rain.


----------



## Mehita

30C is a cool week? Wow! I might show up at your door tomorrow, Catherine.


----------



## Catherine

Yes it a cool week should get to 30C on Sunday.

Wednesday - 15C cloudy, going for top of 20C
Thursday - 18C sunny
Friday - 21C
Saturday - 23C
Sunday - 30C


----------



## Catherine

Took my daughter to vote in her first state election today.


----------



## crohnsinct

In honor of so many here who always look and act more than fine.  You amaze me and I pray every day for a cure.  If there is one thing this disease has taught me it is NEVER to judge anyone because there are so many silent struggles we don't see and will never understand.


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## Tesscorm

Question...  but not about crohns...

Two nights ago, my daughter (no crohns) was up 5, 6 times because she was itchy all over.  In the morning, she was covered in raised, warm hives (eyes, torso, arms, legs, feet).  They still haven't gone away and she was up again last night because she was so itchy.  She hasn't eaten anything new (actually, follows a fairly strict diet for fitness reasons so eats pretty much the same things every day), no new clothes or bed linens, no new detergents or soaps, hasn't gone anywhere unusual, etc.  No confirmed known allergies (although nickel is questionable). 

Any thoughts at all on what could cause this kind of reaction?  While she doesn't have what's generally considered 'sensitive' skin, she does seem to sometimes develop random skin rashes, etc. that just disappear after a few days.  But, never to this extent...  

Couple of things...  she gets itchy and red (and sometimes isolated hives) when she gets stressed.  She's in the midst of tough exams - do you think stress could cause these all-over body hives?  Also, she had the flu shot on Friday - could this be a reaction to the vaccine, 3-4 days after the vaccine?

If it doesn't go away by the end of the week, after she finishes her exams, she said she'd go to the doctor (but says she's just too busy now).

And, any advice on anti-itch treatment (creams??) - she tried benedryl last night, said it made no difference at all.


----------



## my little penguin

My mommy non doctor experience
Localized hives - allergic reaction -typically contact -benadryl helps .
Systemic hives ( full body ) typically needs oral steriods plus benadryl 
Benadryl needs to be given every 4-6 hours for days for Ds when he is reacting.
As far as cause
We have found for Ds even if the food is the same the brand the same doesn't mean no new Allergen was introduced .
Manufacturing lines change and cross contamination rate is very high so it could be anything
Keeping a food diary of brands etc and calling to determine if they clean between line runs .
Fruits /veggies sprayed with stuff

Has she cleaned her house or appt?
Visited a new house /library etc???( dust )
Taken any new meds vitamins supplements ??
Do the hives appear with 2 hours of eating anything?
Hives can also be caused by stress or viruses 

I told Ds he needs to color code his 
Food
Outside
Drugs
Because it's Tuesday  etc....

Try to minimize things as much as possible
Dove scent free soap
Scent free laundry soap /dryer sheets
Watch top eight allergens
Milk wheat peanuts treenuts eggs soy fish and shellfish 
Some add sesame


----------



## Tesscorm

Thanks MLP.  She eats mostly a clean diet but, you're right, even with no 'prepared' foods, chicken, fish, veggies, etc. are still processed as far as cleaning, separating, cutting, packaging, etc.

Was just about to say no to all you suggested might trigger, and just remembered she just started a new job at a car dealership.  Worked all day Saturday...???  Although hives didn't start until overnight Mon-Tues.   But, certainly something to watch - she works again this evening.

If it is stress, today didn't help...  on her way to her exam, train shut down, everyone sent out for buses, traffic, she jumped off bus and grabbed a cab, totally stressed texts coming to me about missing exam, etc.  In the end, she made it only a few minutes late but... :yfaint:  Only one more exam to go... 

You might know??  Any reason why hives would worsen as the day goes on?  She said it's horrible at night but, by the time she wakes, they're much lighter but then, have gradually gotten worse through the day.

And, hubby and her were debating her diet...  he said her body can build up intolerances to her food because she varies it so little, eating the same thing day after day; she said the opposite, that, if anything, her body will build intolerances to the foods she's not eating...


----------



## kimmidwife

Tess,
 New exposures at work makes sense but also a reaction to the flu shot, or stress. Even though she has not had time to go to the doctor I would give them a call and se if they think it could be fro. The shot and like MLP a said to make it go she made need a short course of steroids. By the way my sister in law had sudden onset of hive outbreaks for several years no explanation ever found and finally they seemed to come less  often


----------



## Clash

I just went to the GP and overheard the nurse telling a patient that they had a number of people having a reaction to this years flu shot. So, you know, I was all about asking her about it. 

It turns out the patient had reacted before and the reaction were coming with the elderly and the high dose shot they receive. The nurse said in their GP group as well a several other in the county this was happening. I asked is it just the elderly and she said that was who the high dose shot was recommended for and that haven't had any reactions this year to the regular one. Weird huh?

I broke out in hives all over and the derm gave me a pred burst, told me to take benedryl and gave me a cream that I've seen MLP mention before. The derm said it could've been anything and I should've come in sooner for the pred. I had waited almost two weeks. I thought it was poison ivy but she said nope some type of contact dermatitis.


----------



## DanceMom

A gets random hives occasionally. They're pretty severe, with large welts and swelling. We give Benadryl and have a prescription cream from dermatologist.  We would only resort to prednisone if the Benadryl didn't help. For A we think the hives are more of an autoimmune issue than an allergic issue.


----------



## Tesscorm

Thanks all. 

She did end up going to a walk-in clinic after her exam yesterday - said dr wasn't concerned, told her to use Reactine during the day and Benedryl at night (not sure why?), didn't recommend/prescribe any creams.  I didn't know she'd decided to go, so never had a chance to mention any steroids.  But, she did ask about the flu vaccine and was told it wasn't a reaction to that.  Dr is probably right but, sometimes, the doctors at the walk-in clinics seem to give only cursery looks at these sorts of things.

For now, she says the reactine helps more than the benedryl...  we'll see how it goes over the next few days. 

Thanks again!


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## Catherine

Please include the people of Sydney in your prayers today.


----------



## upsetmom

I just heard on the news 3 people had been released or escaped. 

What a horrible time for the hostages and their families. My thoughts and prayers are with them.


----------



## Catherine

I have heard the same.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Heard about this on the news this morning, hope everything turns out okay and the situation is resolved quickly.  Prayers to all.


----------



## DustyKat

Far from an ideal end.  

Many questions to be answered about the gunman.


----------



## Clash

My friend, living usually eats there with a group of her photog friends but they had chosen the Guilluame chocolate cafe that day for a change.


----------



## crohnsinct

Now here is an Elf on the Shelf location we could all appreciate!


----------



## Catherine

Question regarding by non Crohnie.

I'm looking for ideas to keep cool while exercising in extreme heat.

My youngest in competing in 1 km swim tomorrow.

I know water is not enough, so will be using sport drinks.  Lots and lots of zinc sunscreen.

I know crohnsinct posted a formula for water requirements.  She is approximately 99lbs.

The forecast is 38C (101f) winds 35kmph.


----------



## crohnsinct

Hi Catherine. The formula we use for regular hydration is half body weight in ounces so for her about 50 ounces of water a day. That is without extreme heat and exercise. I would make sure she gets at least that for days before the swim. When I has summer meets we also use one of those frog tog's.  Basically a towel type cool thing you put on your neck. Also squirt bottles that have the fans on the end.

Another big swim!  She is incredible!  Good luck!


----------



## Catherine

It midnight here and still 30c.

Ok that's approximately 1.5 litres.  She has two sports drink one before and one after the swim.  I will buying water on the way down (two hours by car).

This is third big swim since Christmas.  

This one is called the Danger 1000 Ocean Swim.

http://janjucsurfclub.com.au/danger-1000-2/


----------



## Clash

Ok so has anyone happened to catch that show that came out this season, titled Red Band Society. I've actually read that it is probably cancelled for next season.

Anyway, the show takes place in a children's hospital or ward and each of the kids are dealing with difficult diseases or illnesses. I caught a few of the episodes. Strange thing is these kids live at the hospital practically, but there are rarely parents around, at least not in the episodes I watched. Well, a long lost Mom showed up for one of the kids and two Moms whirlwiinded through on another. 

The hospital life can be boring but they make marshmallow krispies with stolen stuff from the nurses break room, they are up and down the halls. One leaves to check out a keggar at a close by sorority. 

So mildly entertaining but not at all representative of hospital life or what I've lived of life at the Children's Hospital. But, I happened to mention all of this to C the other day(apparently he watches the show) and he just gave me this look and said "Yes, it is Mom." Seriously? If that show's representation of those kids' experiences are similar to his own then either they are over medicating him or I'm not medicating myself enough!!!!


----------



## DanceMom

I've seen a few episodes and it was just too fake for me.  I'm far more into Dance Moms and Real Housewives! lol


----------



## crohnsinct

Clash: I read your post as I sit in the hospital caf next to a woman talking on the phone explaining that she has been here a week with her son in ICU and the doctor says he is probably going to die.  So sad what people find entertaining and how the media can distort real life! 

Dancemom:  please tell me that Dance Moms show is not any where near the reality of the dance world.  Those women are vile!


----------



## DanceMom

Our studio is relatively peaceful, but we've had the occasional whacko as well.  I think it comes with most competitive things involving kids.  Our directors are pretty good about running off the ones that cause problems.  But any time you have a group of women spending far too much time together there is bound to be drama of some sort! lol


----------



## Jmrogers4

Jack loves that show and is so upset they are cancelling. But totally agree with it not being realistic of hospital life. And some seriously absentee parents what you only show up for surgeries (maybe) and to bring them home. And the doctor is a surgeon and specialist in everything because they're all his patients


----------



## crohnsinct

Lol!  Well lest you think I don't have time for realty tv I did catch a marathon showing of Secret Prince one rainy Sunday. Now don't tell me any of that is fake . Heard that show is cancelled also


----------



## DanceMom

Never heard of Secret Prince, but I'm pretty ticked that Parenthood is being cancelled!  I love that show!  That family is so real and I've loved crying and laughing with them every week.  Majorly bummed.


----------



## Maya142

I loved Parenthood! I was sad about that too. 
I saw an episode of Red Band Society and thought it was very unrealistic. That's funny that C thinks it is realistic Clash! Makes you wonder what he's doing when you're not looking (keggar from a sorority?! Really?!!).


----------



## Clash

CIC, I read an article about what you are describing. There was a group protesting the fact that the show tries to make being sick chic and trendy and really falls short of what kids with these illness truly have to go through and leads outsiders to believe that it is not as devastating as it can truly be.

I loved Parenthood the movie but never got around to catching the series.

DanceMom, I've had to stop watching Dance Moms since Chloe left the show, that kid was so adorbs, the Mom was slightly insane acting but that kid was just awesome.


----------



## DanceMom

Chloe does seem like an absolutely sweet girl.  I'm glad she left though, for her own self-esteem and well being.  Just wasn't a good fit anymore.  I bet most of the girls are actually very down to earth and friendly.  We've seen JoJo around since she was a toddler at our National competition.  She's really that loud and silly, lol.  And A has competed against and taken Master Classes with the Stars kids (Dance Moms Miami).  So always interesting to see familiar faces (Moms included) on TV.


----------



## crohnsinct

Secret prince:  these princes from other countries come to the U.S. and live as regular folk and try to find their wives. It was hilarious and we love the girls reactions when they think they have fallen for joe blow and he is really loaded but they have to move to a far off land.

Parenthood. Love that show!


----------



## my little penguin

There was an Eddie Murphy movie on that in the 80/90's


----------



## Clash

Ok I'm sorry to be flipping the script again but I've had my hr fairly under control then recently had to start flagyl. And now my body is doing some funny things and hr is higher again. I don't think it's the flagyl since I've taken it before but I looked up side effects. There was nothing pertaining to my issues but I found this



> Crohn's disease patients are known to have an increased incidence of gastrointestinal and certain extraintestinal cancers. There have been some reports in the medical literature of breast and colon cancer in Crohn's disease patients who have been treated with metronidazole at high doses for extended periods of time. A cause and effect relationship has not been established. Crohn's disease is not an approved indication for Flagyl (metronidazole) .


This link:
http://www.rxlist.com/flagyl-side-effects-drug-center.htm

Now I figure it must be, as most are, very rare but I had never seen this before. I wonder what they consider long term and high dose.


----------



## kimmidwife

Wow clash that is scary!


----------



## DustyKat

DanceMom said:


> But any time you have a group of women spending far too much time together there is bound to be drama of some sort! lol


What? Like here? :shifty-t: :ylol2:

I haven’t seen it before any literature either Clash but I figure it this way…

Like you say, I imagine it would be a rare side effect…But if Flagyl helps achieve and/or maintain a state of remission then I think its risks would likely be less than that of the increased risk of dysplasia that chronic inflammation has the potential to cause. Sheesh! I sound like I am doing a deal with the devil! :eek2:


----------



## DustyKat

How many doctors does it take to change a lightbulb. :ybiggrin: 

[youtube]gSw4CLV14sQ[/youtube]


----------



## kimmidwife

Dustykat,
That was hysterical!!!!!


----------



## Catherine

I wonder why kids think it ok to kick, pull, and scratch.  

I hate the fact  I need to tell my child she needs to toughen up.  She shouldn't have too!!

Their not playing for sheep stations.


----------



## DustyKat

I hope all is okay Catherine. :ghug: 

Thinking of you and your lass. :heart: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## crohnsinct

Catherine:  this was in an open water race?  It does get vicious out there doesn't it? 

Umm sheep stations?  Off to google!


----------



## crohnsinct

Quiz about measles.

http://reference.medscape.com/viewarticle/839440?src=wnl_edit_specol&uac=190064FK


----------



## Maya142

This is from the Spondylitis Association of American but applies to everyone on Anti-TNFs:



> Patient Question:
> 
> "Lately, there has been a lot in the news about the measles outbreak. It made me think about vaccinations and the prevalence of parents not to vaccinate in my state. In some areas of my state, the vaccination rate is only 50%.
> 
> "I am an AS patient on Remicade and I tend to catch every infection and virus that is going around among adults and children. I know that the risks with Remicade are mainly fungal and bacterial, but I am thinking that my immune system is so out of whack that viruses (I catch a virus every other week during flu season) are a problem, too. I would love some advice. Thanks!"
> 
> Answer from: Lianne S. Gensler, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine; Director, Ankylosing Spondylitis Clinic, University of California, San Francisco
> 
> Measles is a type of virus that had largely disappeared because of a very good vaccine, the MMR. Because some people did not get vaccinated, measles has begun to resurface. What is the risk to AS patients on a TNF inhibitor?
> 
> There are several issues:
> 
> Any immunocompromised patient (TNF inhibitors included) is at increased risk of infection. We have no data on what the risk is with measles specifically, but I expect it would be a little higher than the general population. Keep in mind, that though there have been several cases recently, it is still quite rare compared to far more common viruses, like influenza.
> 
> If a patient on a TNF inhibitor has a child that has been vaccinated, this will help protect the whole family as you can only transmit the infection once infected, and it is expected the vaccination will prevent this.
> 
> If a patient is worried about their measles immune status (because they were vaccinated a long time ago or even had measles) they could check a blood level to determine if there is persistent immunity. This would be reassuring if positive.
> 
> What about revaccinating? We sometimes boost patients if they lose immunity and before they are pregnant. Unfortunately, the MMR is a live vaccine, so if a patient is on a biologic, the vaccine would be contraindicated. A patient would have to let the biologic wash out of the system and then stay off of it for a period before restarting after vaccination.
> 
> If a patient without immunity is exposed (and particularly one that is immunocompromised), immunoglobulin (antibodies) can be given, if available. Note that they are temporary and do not protect individuals long-term.
> 
> An unanswered question is whether we should be checking immunity before initiating a TNF inhibitor with the recent resurgeonce of measles. It is certainly making me rethink my practice pattern, which does not currently indicate this test, based on lack of evidence. As science and diseases evolve, so too will our practice of medicine to keep patients as safe as possible.


----------



## Farmwife

We're having a good old fashion snow storm.
The wind-chill  right now is -15 degrees. 

Anyone else getting this cold?


----------



## DustyKat

I hope all is well Fw. :ghug: 

In answer to your question…not in the Southern Hemisphere. :lol:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Sorry Fw, sunshine and 60 degrees Fahrenheit here.  Stay warm.


----------



## crohnsinct

20 below 0 with the wind chill and blizzard warnings here. So DONE with the snow! 

Hey Dusty:kissgrits:


----------



## DustyKat

Hey crohnsinct a question for you, after I remove my lips from your arse of course...

Should I turn the ceiling fan on low to make things just an itsy bit cooler as I sit here on the deck on a glorious Summer’s day?

Oh yeah and the pork medallions marinated in lime, coriander and sweet chilli sauce are just about ready to lift off the BBQ. :rof:


----------



## Catherine

crohnsinct said:


> Catherine:  this was in an open water race?  It does get vicious out there doesn't it?


Yes it a 2km open water race.  Yes they can be very vicious.  The older ladies can't believe how bad the 12 - 17 age group is.

My dd finished the swim but had a panic attack afterwards.  Spent a lot of time with St. John volunteers.


----------



## Catherine

DustyKat said:


> Hey crohnsinct a question for you, after I remove my lips from your arse of course...
> 
> Should I turn the ceiling fan on low to make things just an itsy bit cooler as I sit here on the deck on a glorious Summer’s day?
> 
> Oh yeah and the pork medallions marinated in lime, coriander and sweet chilli sauce are just about ready to lift off the BBQ. :rof:


Where having a BBQ too.  DH has the cooling on!!  36C.  Sarah afternoon shift yesterday was cancelled due storm damage.


----------



## Farmwife

-10 degrees below this morning with -25 wind-chill.:eek2:

Y'all can keep your BBQ'ing warm weather. :tongue:
The children and I spent last night cuddled on the couch under blankets watching Frozen.
Not a bad way to spend a Valentines evening.:kiss:


----------



## hawkeye

Farmwife said:


> -10 degrees below this morning with -25 wind-chill.:eek2:


Is that Fahrenheit?  We've got the same temps this morning, Celsius though, and a blizzard outside.

Fired up the BBQ last night for a nice steak


----------



## Farmwife

hawkeye said:


> Is that Fahrenheit?  We've got the same temps this morning, Celsius though, and a blizzard outside.
> 
> Fired up the BBQ last night for a nice steak


Yes it's Fahrenheit. The sun has come out but its only getting colder.
The snow has stopped at least. Now it's time to dig out.:sign0085:


----------



## kimmidwife

It is freezing here in NJ too. For those that don't know we'r had to move up to NJ for the year for my medical trial I am participating in. The kids are living the snow but not the cold!


----------



## crohnsinct

Is procrastination an EIM of Crohns?  After a 4 day weekend I have two girls sitting here at 9 p.m. suddenly doing all their work for tomorrow!  And it isn't like I didn't ask at least 4 times this weekend...any homework? :voodoo::ywow::stinks:


----------



## Jmrogers4

We just jumped in that boat with you. Feel like I'm doing a lot of nagging tonight.  What makes it worse is it's only 1/2 day tomorrow for him since it's infusion day.  Told him he could do it tonight or at infusion tomorrow instead of watching movies like he usually does but tonight would be a better choice.  Oh why do they have to be teenagers and not do things when I tell them to and how I tell them


----------



## crohnsinct

hawkeye said:


> Is that Fahrenheit?  We've got the same temps this morning, Celsius though, and a blizzard outside.
> 
> Fired up the BBQ last night for a nice steak


Our BBQ is covered with snow besides I would have to shovel a path to it!  After all the other shoveling I have been doing lately that can wait for the spring thaw! 

More snow today which is good because that means it is warm enough to snow...a balmy 20 degrees F.


----------



## CrohnsKidMom

No schoolwork being done here-it's ANOTHER snow day.  We have about 2 ft of snow, which is no big deal, except on the weekend it went above freezing, rained  a lot, then we had a flash freeze.  Hubby slid sideways out the driveway this morning.  They don't recommend that for school buses!


----------



## crohnsinct

The ice is the worst!  Be careful out there! 

I also hate snow days because the kids get soooo lazy.  We got snow last night and my kids were shocked they had to go to school.  What?  No delay?  No closing?  

Roads were a mess though and we really should have had at least a delay.


----------



## Tesscorm

Heard on the radio this morning, long range forecast is cold the rest of February and a colder than usual March.   Gratefully, we haven't had tons of snow but am so tired of this cold!!!  :voodoo:


----------



## Pilgrim

We're just used to it here. -40 again this morning. And that is where the Celsius and Fahrenheit scales come together. So, same same. But, our ice road is in good shape over the lake and Good Day for Humira! We can spend it cuddled up in front of the t.v. 

C'mon Spring!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Stay warm my friends, my kids are a little jealous of all the snow.  They may not get to do their final ski races this week because of lack of snow and it's been warm enough that a majority of it has melted from the ski resort. Supposed to be close to 60F


----------



## Tesscorm

I am so jealous Jacqui!!!  Pilgrim...my sympathies!  :lol:


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Farmwife said:


> We're having a good old fashion snow storm.
> The wind-chill  right now is -15 degrees.
> 
> Anyone else getting this cold?


Us, but no new snow.


----------



## kimmidwife

Been very cold here in NJ too!
I cant stand it! makes my body hurt even worse then I normally hurt!
The kids are loving the snow though!


----------



## Maya142

Apparently there were record breaking lows in NJ a few days ago Kimmidwife! But it's supposed to warm up soon (relatively warm anyway). 

My daughter was also horrified that we didn't have a snow day here in NY today :yrolleyes:


----------



## crohnsinct

30 F in New England...break out the shorts!


----------



## Farmwife

Still the artic up here but we're use to it also.
The pipes in our barn has frozen. We're use to that but this time in froze the pipes way down in the ground. Not good!
 Needless to say I've been running the water in the house.....
I will not lose my showers or toilet!:ymad:


----------



## crohnsinct

BTDT!  Every winter.  Houses built in 1835 don't have insulation!  Even after they burst and we had to replace kitchens and walls and put insulation in they still freeze...every week these days:ybatty:


----------



## Catherine

I have been receiving instructions all day on how to lodge bulk claims for storm damage.  Luckly we don't have any effected clients in QLD or NT.

 One company even issued instructions yesterday afternoon almost  12 hours before the first cyclone made land fall.:eek2:


----------



## Farmwife

We had a lake in or yard.:eek2:
Hubby saw something and went to look and there was water shooting out a few inches.
Yup, the pipe bursts under ground and came bubbling up.
The bad part was, he couldn't turn off the water because the other pipes would burst.
Thank God it didn't flow towards the house.
Grace wants to go ice skating now.:hug:


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh man Catherine!  I heard about the cyclone's and immediately thought of you all!  Glad you are o.k. but geez...Cyclones?!  I have never heard of such a thing except for in movies and books! 

FW: When life gives you water and cold...go ice skating!  You go ahead.  I will sit in my heated bed cuddling my doggies.


----------



## Catherine

where off to a 2.5 km swim.  Expected up of 36C.


----------



## Tesscorm

Wow!  36 degrees...  :sun:  



(But, have to admit THAT is become a bit too hot for comfort! )


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh no!  I hope she doesn't run into those vicious competitors!  Good Luck!


----------



## DustyKat

Cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons are all the same thing. Just different names depending on where you live. 

Trivia (and since I am so F.O.S): In the northern hemisphere they move counterclockwise and in the southern hemisphere they move clockwise. :lol:


----------



## DustyKat

They are all categorised the same way too…


----------



## crohnsinct

Is there no end to your brilliance Dusty? :ylol2:


----------



## DustyKat

If you mean from my colon then I would have to say my anus. :ybiggrin: Otherwise no.


----------



## Tesscorm

Lmao!!


----------



## CrohnsKidMom

I saw the devastation on the news caused by the cyclone.  So sad.  The weather is crazy!  The thermometer is so up and down here, we get snow, then rain, then everything freezes again.  My sister-in-law lives in Vancouver, BC, and she sent me pics of their beautiful cherry blossoms and daffodils.  I appreciated that a whole lot.


----------



## kimmidwife

Dusty and Catherine,
Glad you are safe! Didn't even here about the Cyclones. I thought cyclones were the same as tornados not hurricanes.
At least that's what they call them in Kansas!
(Wizard of Oz Reference for those of you that don't know it


----------



## DustyKat

Thanks Kim.  

I am just fine, we are well far away to only catch the extreme lower edge of it. So only a rain depression here. 

Catherine is in Victoria so even further from the tropics than me! :lol:


----------



## Susan2

...and I'm right down on the southern Victorian coast, so I'm even further from Ron's weather. It has, however, been hot here for the few of days and we have had thunder storms. In fact the thunder is rolling around at the moment and we should get some heavy rain soon.


----------



## izzi'smom

I am procrastinating shoveling the inches of snow in my driveway...we were up to 95" of snow before the weekend here. Love this article about the area:

How brutal? Let us count the ways.

1. The average temperature has been just 10.4 degrees. That's nearly 15 degrees degrees below normal, and puts February 2015 in the running for the coldest month since records began in Syracuse in 1902.

2. More cold. If the forecasts are right, this would be the first month on record in which the temperatures never rose above freezing. The high on Feb. 4 was 32, and it might hit 32 again on Sunday.

3. Cold winter redux. Remember how cold it was last winter? That made Lake Ontario so cold, it never really warmed up, and the low temperatures this month pushed the lake to near-record ice levels this week.

4. Snow. So far this month, 48.5 inches of snow has fallen in Syracuse.  It's nearly double the February average of 25.3 inches.

5. More snow. Snow has fallen on every single day this month. Seven days have had 3 inches or more. If you pay one seasonal price for driveway plowing, you're getting your money's worth this month.

6. Snow plus cold. With all that snow falling and none of it melting, there is more snow on the ground than at any time in the past eight years. The snow pack as of Thursday night was 26 inches deep. The last time we had that much was Feb. 17, 2007, when the snow pack measured 29 inches.

We still bundled up and went out (It's winter break), although perhaps showshoeing at the windy, frozen lake on a 7 degree day was a bad idea-we lasted about ten minutes and I am fairly certain Izzi got frostbite on her cheeks (I TOLD her to keep her scarf over her face, but I couldn't see her with my glasses foggy from my breath lol). 

Spring, where are you??!


----------



## kimmidwife

This cold is so crazy! We didn't go out yesterday at all. Today it warmed up to 35 degrees it almost felt like summer! This weather has been nuts. I don't remember ever before seeing tons of floating ice in the Hudson river but there is now. It almost looks like where the Titanic went down!


----------



## Farmwife

We've warmed up to 8 degrees. A couple days ago the day time high was -14. Hey I'll take 8 anytime.


----------



## Catherine

We are going for our cold February maximum temp in 10 years.  But our night time temps are high that usual for February.

January was also a cooler than normal month for us.


----------



## DanceMom

It has been cool, breezy, and damp here....lots of rain.  72 degrees here now but the sky is gray and yucky.  Someone near here (my work) keeps burning yard trash and my lungs feel tight every day - and I don't even have asthma!  I won't complain though since most of you seem to be freezing!  We had one day with the high of 45 and 1/2 my kids stayed home! lol


----------



## DustyKat

If you are on twitter or fb you must have seen this by now! So what colours do you see?!



It’s either: 

White and Gold 

or

Blue and Black

I see Blue and Black


----------



## upsetmom

White and gold but my kids see blue and black. Been discussing this all afternoon.:lol:


----------



## upsetmom

Ok, something weird just happened....l now see blue and black....what happened?   :yfaint:


----------



## Catherine

I see white and gold.

K and DH see blue and black.

R sees pale blue and gold


----------



## crohnsinct

White and gold. My daughter says the original picture says people who see blue and black are emotionally unstable. Hahaha:ylol2:


----------



## Tesscorm

Blue and black here

But why are people seeing different colours?


----------



## Farmwife

White and gold. I'll ask hubby when I see him next.


----------



## Farmwife

Grace just said blue and black. Weird....what's going on?


----------



## crohnsinct

Picture of the real dress.  So why do we see two different colors in the other picture?


----------



## Jmrogers4

Blue and Black, I've seen it several times on different media and it's been blue and black


----------



## crohnsinct

Frustrates the hell out of me that I see gold and white!  WHY?!  

In the real picture it is obvious but why does the other picture yield two different results?


----------



## Farmwife

Jmrogers4 said:


> Blue and Black, I've seen it several times on different media and it's been blue and black


No it's WHITE and GOLD as in....plain as day, white and gold.


:yfaint:


----------



## Farmwife

CIC, that's not the dress in Dusty's pic.


----------



## crohnsinct

Sorry FW...apparently it is.  There are various other pics of the dress and it looks blue and black in all of them.  I can accept that a certain picture distorts the color and makes it look completely different but what I don't get is how so many people see it differently in the same picture.


----------



## Farmwife

My hubby is laughing because he sees white and gold.
 I want to know why people are seeing different colors. 
It's just amazing. On my facebook it's going around and we're arguing there also. lol


----------



## Jmrogers4

Farmwife said:


> No it's WHITE and GOLD as in....plain as day, white and gold.
> 
> 
> :yfaint:


Now it's white and gold! What weird magic have you done to me farmwife?


----------



## Jmrogers4

and I scroll back up and it's black and blue!


----------



## upsetmom

Woke up this morning and the first thing l wanted to see was what colour the dress was, l'm now seeing white and gold....weird.


----------



## Farmwife

Well the dress debate has made it's way onto the news. lol
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/this-dress-color-war-is-the-perfect-way-to-end-a-wonderful-day-on-the-internet/ar-BBi1yMp

The funniest part is the comments from Sesame Street.:ylol::ylol::ylol:
_*
"Me think cookie is chocolate chip but @Elmo think it oatmeal raisin. We no can decide! Help!" — Cookie Monster (@MeCookieMonster) February 27, 2015*_


----------



## crohnsinct

Lmao!  My college girl sent it to me asking what color the dress was. I thought it was a dress she bought and she was really wanting to know what shoes she should wear with it. I told her white and gold but you could wear this or that.  Even told her I thought the dress was pretty. I don't laugh at me!  Life is good under my rock!


----------



## upsetmom

crohnsinct said:


> Lmao!  My college girl sent it to me asking what color the dress was. I thought it was a dress she bought and she was really wanting to know what shoes she should wear with it. I told her white and gold but you could wear this or that.  Even told her I thought the dress was pretty. I don't laugh at me!  Life is good under my rock!


6am here, and l'm trying not to wake everyone.:rof:


----------



## Farmwife

Jmrogers4 said:


> Now it's white and gold! What weird magic have you done to me farmwife?



Jedi power:rosette2: May the force be with you.:biggrin:


----------



## DustyKat

crohnsinct said:


> Lmao!  My college girl sent it to me asking what color the dress was. I thought it was a dress she bought and she was really wanting to know what shoes she should wear with it. I told her white and gold but you could wear this or that.  Even told her I thought the dress was pretty. I don't laugh at me!  Life is good under my rock!


Ha! and you reckon I’m F.O.S! :rof:

I haven’t seen the dress as anything but blue and black. 

Mr. Kat - white and gold
Matt - white and gold
Sarah - blue/lilac and gold. There always has to be one that’s different. *sigh* :lol:


----------



## Maya142

Blue and black....it's doesn't even look remotely white or gold?!
M sees white and gold. S sees blue and black. Very weird.


----------



## Maya142

http://www.wired.com/2015/02/science-one-agrees-color-dress/
Great explanation - now I see white and gold :lol:!


----------



## izzi'smom

I've seen this a few times and for the first time, it looked white and gold to me! I scrolled back up and it changed...so funny!


----------



## Susan2

I see blue and a bronze colour!


----------



## SupportiveMom

You know this is big news when even Dr Oz talks about it!


----------



## Catherine

K swum her last swims of the open water season in Melbourne Swim Classic today.

We had the pleasure of meeting Floyd Taylor the organiser over the season the second speaker on the radio link below.  What an amazing person!!  Floyd is living with Agammaglobulinanaemia.

www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2015/02/26/4187737.htm


----------



## crohnsinct

Real conversation today: 

O: What do you call that place...ya know...the United States Postal Service Me: The Post Office. 
O: YEAH! 
O:  What is that thing in the upper right hand corner? 
Me: a stamp? 
O: Yeah!  Cool how things got done in the olden days. 
Me: You're grounded! 

Raising kids in the information age is interesting...my kids don't even know what an encyclopedia is! Well at least they know not to biblio Wikipedia.


----------



## Clash

Ok guys I really need to vent. This is about my non IBD daughter.

She is away at college. It is midterms and she leaves for a spring break cruise on Thursday. Her roommate got sick last week and her doc put her on a zpack. J, my daughter picked it up from the roommate on Sunday.

I had her to go to the urgent care clinic that she has been to before and today was the first day she had enough time to go. She has a sore throat and fever with body aches.

First, since it is urgent care they require the coinsurance payt upfront. We don't have a co pay but since she hasn't met her deductible she had to pay 108.00

Second, this doctor touched no bodily fluids. No flu test because they had run out and no strep test because her sore throat didn't meet strep symptoms! I'm sorry, correct me if I'm wrong but it is strep throat not strep toe, right? No blood work either.

He then proceeds to tell her it isn't bacterial and it isn't the flu. It's not the flu because the flu only lasts 2 days. So if it was the flu and she was still sick then that would mean something was seriously wrong! WTH, in what world does the flu last just two days? Why in the hell are millions of people getting a flu shot for an illness that lasts only two days!

So he doesn't know why the roommate got antibiotics because it is viral(no blood work, no flu test, no strep test only a visual assessment). He then says it's upper respiratory and gives her steroids, cough med and a pain pill px!?! 

So now if she does have some type of bacterial infection that requires antibiotics she will be patient zero on a boat of 1000s! 

We paid 108 dollars and this doc did no strep or flu test or any type of blood work, nada. Apparently, my child must have a button that lights up on her body that alerts docs to viral or bacterial infections, because I see no other way this doc could have determined her illness. I'm so fecking pissed!


----------



## crohnsinct

That is beyond bizzare!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Hope it is just something viral but talk about incompetent I want one of those magic thermometers that tell me what my child has without any further testing.  It sure would save some trips to the doctor.


----------



## Clash

I mean I can't even puts words to how pissed I am.


----------



## Farmwife

108 dollars I'd be as mad as a hornet too!:ymad:


----------



## Clash

So the meds are a steroid pack, Tylenol 3 and benzonatate, which is some type of pill that reduces the reflex in the lungs to supress the urge to cough, which is great but she isn't really coughing.

I think what makes me the most angry is that she had to pay 108 dollars and they didn't even have quick flu tests they had run out. I mean, how can she have to pay a fee and the doc not even have standard tests available to assess the illness. I want our money back! And no step or blood work, I feel scammed.


----------



## crohnsinct

OMGosh!  Clash!  I had a similar situation with my college girl this summer.  Made an appointment for a physical.  She had a form for the camp she was working out...you know like the kiddie camp forms.  She is overweight, has terrible acne, sisters with IBD, dad with diabetes etc.  Doc was with her for all of 5 minutes.  Looked at her eyes, ears, throat and checked the boxes and off she went.  No blood tests, urine dip, discussion of her weight and health risk or anything.  Good to go.  I called the insurance company and complained and refused to have that count as our "one free preventative physical" and demanded they pay for another.  They agreed.  I would definitely call and complain.


----------



## Clash

I can't right now because all that would come out is colorful, descriptive profanity. I do plan on calling though.


----------



## DustyKat

Bloody Norah Clash! That sucks! Little wonder you so pissed off. :ghug: 

I hope you get the refund that is so justly deserved when you ring the insurance company. Good luck! And i hope J is soon on the road to recovery. :heart: 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## kimmidwife

That really stinks! I would call and give them a piece of my mind!
Benzoate cough medicine works great. but why the heck did he give her a steroid unless I missed something she doesn't have asthma does she?
Steroids reduce the immune system that would not be something g I wanted her to take unless she really needed it.
Have her pick up some Emergen-C take two packets a day it works really great!


----------



## Clash

He suggested the steroid pack would help with symptoms quickly since she leaves for cruise tomorrow.


----------



## Sascot

I know we "don't pay" for our GP but it sounds like most of our GP visits! My kids just go now expecting the doc to tell us it's a virus and give no medication.


----------



## kimmidwife

Clash that is crazy. Is she feeling any better today?


----------



## Clash

She doesn't have a fever anymore and the achy feeling is gone. She said the steroids seemed to have given her the energy needed to make it through mid terms. I think that's why the doc px'ed them myself because she kept telling him she couldnt be in bed all week because of mid terms and cruise. But still...ridiculous.


----------



## Maya142

Wow, can't believe a doctor would prescribe steroids just for that! Glad she's feeling better though.
My college age daughter has also had bad experiences at urgent care. She tries to avoid going there now if at all possible. She's found the health center at her school to be much better.


----------



## Clash

Yeah, I'm not sure her university clinic is much better. She had never used it but is going on others' accounts about it.

A few weeks ago a student went to the uni clinic with high fever and vomiting. They told her it was a stomach virus. 

She had been living in the US with an aunt and uncle for 2+ years for an education as she was from another country. Her roommate had to call her uncle to take her to the ER later that evening because it had gotten so bad. She died four days later.

There is some controversy as to what she had as uni officials as well as hospital officials state is wasn't a contagious illness(like meningitis) but the roommate's parent says that the roommate was with the family when they were told she had meningitis.

The official cause of death, I think, was listed encephalitis.

Who knows, there were apparently a lot of panicked parents and students. I don't know whatever came of it but it seemed illogical to me that anyone would be covering up meningitis since there is a CDC protocol as far as public awareness that hospitals follow.

Anyway, that's not the reason she didn't go there, the wait times can be really long for walkins and she didn't have time in her class schedule for that.


----------



## Maya142

Oh my gosh Clash, that's so scary. That poor, poor girl. 

S's health center has been very good about squeezing her in when she's sick to check for strep or an infection or whatever. I guess we have been very lucky. There are long wait times there too though, but since she's on Humira and MTX she knows she has to get checked out so she really has no choice but to wait.


----------



## kimmidwife

Clash that is terrible! Scary that the university could have been so irresponsible. Maybe she needs to find another urgent care to go to.


----------



## Clash

Yep, she really needs to find a gp there. I at do that this summer as well. There are 3 more urgent clinics up there though. She may have better luck at one of those. I'm just ready for her to leave for the cruise and then get back home!


----------



## crohnsinct

Snow day  (and prep day for O) and I think it is a great day to get caught up on cleaning.  About half way through the day I find O laying around watching Netflix.  

me: Why aren't you cleaning 
O: I AM!  I am cleaning my colon!


----------



## Farmwife

:rof:
OMW, I love O's attitude. She might be more country than I think.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Yeah, Jae would definitely hone in on the "can't do anything" during her cleanout...


----------



## Catherine

My middle daughter began university yesterday on a public holiday.

She is studying science although hasn't done any science at school since year 10.

Comment of the today.  Studying Statistics will make you more critical.  When you see a news reports telling a study has found a cure for cancer.  The first thing you will ask is how many people are in the study.

:dance:Someone to help understand all MLP studies:dance:


----------



## my little penguin

Yes it's all a numbers game


----------



## Tesscorm

So my husband is having problems with arthritis in his knee...  totally unrelated to crohns but thought you all might have some thoughts/ideas.

He seriously hurt his knee when he was in his 20s - he was riding a snowmobile, another came and drove straight into him and his knee got caught in the centre!   Shattered his kneecap, which was rebuilt from hip bone, etc....  you can all imagine the damage done.

But, he recovered very well and, considering the damage, it has not bothered him very much.  Periodically, it would flare up, weather sometimes affected it, would swell, hurt, etc but icing and resting it would resolve the problem within a few days.

Now, in October/November it became inflamed, swelled, sore, etc...  worse than ever before.   The pain wakes him three to four times a night, it stiffens after resting it only 15-20 minutes,  he literally can barely walk in the morning.  This current flare wasn't caused by a recent injury, just a random flare.  He tried the usual - icing, advils, tensor band, resting it, etc...  but barely helped.  Went to specialist - x-rays showed moderate to severe lateral arthritis.  Specialist said nothing could be done other than live with it or knee replacement!   My husband is not ready to have surgery, especially as it seemed to go from 'an annoyance' to severe requiring surgery overnight!

He had a cortisone shot in January which didn't help at all!   Now, he's doing physio to build up his muscles, riding bike and stretching (favouring that leg for so long now has considerably weakened the muscles) and has seen a naturopath for some knee massage - these have helped his mobility.  He has added fish oil, an 'arthritic' supplement (not sure what it is now) and is taking celebrex (helping very little).  All of this has shown some improvement but not a lot.

His knee/leg is also very, very stiff and this seems to bother him almost as much or more than the pain??  He's also finding he's having hip pain, shoulder pain, sometimes pain along his entire leg...

I seriously wondered if it was RA but x-rays show damage in exact spot of old injury and his other knee is fine.

So, while his is osteo not rheumatoid arthritis, does anyone have any thoughts?   Any suggestions on supplements?  Relieving stiffness?  Treatments?  Any other thoughts??

Thanks!


----------



## crohnsinct

Accupuncture?  Is the supplement Glucosamine (sp?)?  And no post from CIC would be complete without mention of an anti inflammatory diet...although I think he pretty much eats that way. 

I will let Maya and MLP handle the ret!


----------



## Farmwife

Ya Tess, I was think Maya would be of more help than me.
Your poor hubby. I sprain/broke (never went to doc) both ankles within two weeks of each other. They flare but it does still go away. I'm not looking forward to when it stays.


----------



## Maya142

Given he has pain in other joints, I would ask for a referral to a rheumatologist. It's probably osteoarthritis, and the other joint pain is caused by walking funny because of the knee pain or something similar, but really a rheumatologist can only really say.

We haven't really had a lot of experience with osteoarthritis, just AS. My husband has had multiple hip replacements and was very glad of each of them, even when he had his first one at 32. His hips were so damaged he could barely walk. He actually recovered fairly quickly from the replacements - just a few days in the hospital.

He could try different NSAIDs  - just because Celebrex doesn't work doesn't mean another one won't. We had to try 12 before we found one that worked for M and didn't upset her stomach. If he is taking an NSAID, make sure it's with food!

Accupuncture is supposed to help but my girls have had enough of needles so we've never actually tried it! They also take fish oil but really no other supplements. Heat, ice, a TENS unit are some of the things we try for pain. 

Sorry Tess, no other ideas. A rheumatologist might have more ideas but if the joint is really destroyed he/she will probably recommend surgery.


----------



## Sascot

Help, freaked out. My daughter just told me she is hearing voices at night. They tell her she is fat and ugly :ywow:. I cannot tell you how weirded out I am about this. Physical issues I am used to dealing with, but this is another ballgame. She is only 12, is this something to really worry about? Has anyone else heard anything similar. So worried!


----------



## DanceMom

As in auditory hallucinations? Or maybe when she is alone she has those thoughts? I'd get some clarification and contact her doctor. Poor thing!


----------



## my little penguin

Can you get her to a good kiddie psychologist ( not pyschatrist ) quickly ?

In her sleep or when she is awake ?
Also
Let her ped know 
Hormones can do wonky things and sometimes kids are just weird without anything being really wrong ( at least per our kiddie psychologist -who we adore and think should come standard issue btw)
Good luck


----------



## Maya142

Sascot, that's so scary. I hope you can get her to a doctor soon :ghug:


----------



## kimmidwife

Sascot,
Sent you a PM.


----------



## Sascot

Thanks everyone. I didn't want to make too big a deal of it last night with her so don't know a lot of details. She said it's been about a month at night so while she is on her own.
I will make a GP appointment, unfortunately nothing else is quick here. I imagine the wait for psych is about 4 months. It's just odd timing, she is so settled at the moment, plenty of good friends and doing well at school. Hoping it might be the Amitryptaline


----------



## Tesscorm

Sascot - I hope it's nothing serious.  Did she seem upset when she was telling you?  It does seem odd coming when all else seems to be good??  :ghug:  


Re husbands arthritis - sorry, thought I had responded yesterday...  but, guess I didn't hit 'send' :blush:

CIC - the supplement is not glucosamine - he was going to buy it but pharmacist recommended this other supplement that is formulated specifically for arthritis.  But, I wouldn't be surprise if it includes glucosamine.

Maya - I did suggest a rheumatologist to him, specifically because of the other joint pains.  But, as you said, we both think the other pains are likely being caused because he's favouring the one leg and altering his walking, standing and sleeping positions.

One of my husband's concerns re surgery is that, given his age, he will end up having to replace the 'replaced' knee at some point and he's worried that future surgeries will not have the same success.  Has your husband had any issues with the repeated surgeries?

And, re the TENS unit - is this prescribed by a GP, specialist or p/therapist?  

FW - poor you!  Actually, same thing happened to my MIL many years ago - sprained one ankle and broke the other at the same time!  Ugh, very tough time while recovering (for us too as she came to live with us!    Not fun for a couple of newlyweds!  :yfaint but, once recovered, she's never had any further problems and she's now in her 80s!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Sascot, some medications cause hallucinations.  I wouldn't be surprised if it was her amitriptyline.  You might do some research on what meds can cause auditory hallucinations.


----------



## Maya142

Tesscorm, my husband's last set of hip replacements were over ten years ago. He sees his hip surgeon every year and so far there is no measurable wear on the replacements. Last time he saw his surgeon he took my younger daughter's hip MRI's. The surgeon said, yes, she would have to have replacements but when she'll need them depends on how well her meds are working.

My husband must have looked horrified (she was 17, after all) so his surgeon told him about these new implants that are lasting 30-40 years, meaning M might only have to have surgery once. He said in the future, they will have replacements that last even longer!

That said, my husband has had 3 surgeries on one hip and two on the other, and no issues at all. I honestly don't think he remembers he has AS or metal hips.

TENs unit was prescribed by her pain management doctor but I'm sure a GP could prescribe it and a physical therapist could definitely prescribe it. It helps enough that M has managed to avoid taking strong pain meds many times.


----------



## Tesscorm

Thanks so much Maya!  I'm sure my husband will be very glad to hear this info on the surgeries!  I hope it continues to go very well for your husband!


----------



## Maya142

Tess, wanted to say that my mother tried yoga for her knee - she was told by a knee surgeon that a replacement was inevitable. Well, it's been 6 years, yoga really helped and no surgery necessary!

Also, for knees, partial replacements are an option depending on where the damage is. I don't know what recovery is like, but if he does decide to see a surgeon, it might be worth asking about.


----------



## Tesscorm

Yes, he did read about partial replacements and is going to ask about it.  He's hoping he may be a candidate because the damage shows only on the outside of his knee...

I told him to ask his GP about a TENS unit today (hopefully, he did)...  and have also mentioned yoga...  if only husbands listened better than kids! :yfaint:

Sort of off-topic but related to yoga and it's benefits...  anyone who wants to be inspired, should watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9FSZJu448  - amazing story about this person's recovery through yoga.


----------



## Sascot

Tess, had a thought while I couldn't sleep last night :ysmile:. I watched a programme from a Spanish hospital where a patient had had an accident and his ankle ended up really stiff after recovery.
The consultant was able to inject a fluid of some kind, like a replacement joint fluid which allowed the joint to move more freely and stopped the bones from rubbing together as much. He used a needle straight into the joint cavity and injected this fluid. Seemed to really help, only needed two treatments before a good improvement


----------



## Maya142

:lol: Tess I can't figure who's better (I really mean worse) at listening, my husband or my kids!! 
I have also heard of the kind of joint injections that Sascot's talking about: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00217

This is a good overview of knee arthritis: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00212


----------



## Tesscorm

Thanks for the info!  The injection looks interesting!  

Yesterday, his GP pxed a new anti-inflammatory (apo-d???) and referred him to a specialty hip/knee arthritis clinic in one of our top hospitals...  hopefully, it won't take too long to get in.  It's just incredible how he went from having lilttle to no issues in Sept/Oct to barely being able to walk on it since Oct/Nov.  There was no lead up to it...  one day his knee was swelled and was sore (which would happen periodically) and, since then, nothing has really helped!  The p/t has helped a bit but, in reality, minimal improvement.     He's also in a trade which requires physical work - this hasn't helped because it's next to impossible for him to give his knee a prolonged break.

He's going to try acupuncture today - not sure how quickly that would give relief??

Thanks for all the info/suggestions - really appreciate it!


----------



## crohnsinct

maybe you should ease up on the "honey do" list for awhile:ytongue:


----------



## Farmwife

Tess my mother in law gets those injections in both knee that Sascot and Maya mentioned. It works well but my mil knees are bad enough that it doesn't last long. She absolutely refuses knee replacement.:ymad:


----------



## kimmidwife

Tess,
accupuncture is cumulative. But each session should bring some relief. It has helped me immensely. Keep us posted how it went and if it did not help that much yet tell him to give it a chance.


----------



## Tesscorm

FW - hopefully, the injections will help, even if only for a little while. 

CIC - Okay..., fine! :ymad:  I'll get my own wine!  :ytongue:

Kim - actually, his leg was so bad today, he didn't even leave the house!   So no acupuncture...  I just hope he gets into this clinic quickly!


----------



## Catherine

My mother has had a full knee replacement.  Her only regret is that she didn't do it sooner.


----------



## Tesscorm

Yes,  I've heard that from so many people!  When the dr initially mentioned surgery, the idea completely threw him as his knee had been fine just weeks before.  But, the more people he's spoken with who've had the same experience as your mother, Catherine, I think he's beginning to accept that may be the way to resolve it.     I think, as time is going on (and as he tries one thing after another), if this clinic makes the same recommendation, he'll seriously consider it.


----------



## Maya142

Is he using a cane to get around Tess? My husband was very stubborn about using one when he first had trouble with his hips but eventually he had to, and it definitely helped.

We were horrified that he needed hip replacements but honestly, they've been the best thing for him. He would be in a wheelchair without them.


----------



## crohnsinct

Tesscorm said:


> I think he's beginning to accept that may be the way to resolve it.     I think, as time is going on (and as he tries one thing after another), if this clinic makes the same recommendation, he'll seriously consider it.


And what a sweet, kind, loving nurse you will make.  Doting on his convalescing self!  :rof:


----------



## Tesscorm

Actually just bought a cane for him on my way home tonight.   

And, CIC, I also bought him his favourite chocolate bar because I figured he'd need a treat! :ytongue:


----------



## crohnsinct

A treat that you fully intended to share!  I am  onto you! :ylol:


----------



## Pilgrim

My husband has osteoarthritis in both knees from from a relatively young age due to overwork of his joints (very physical workplace). He didn't want to go the surgery route or the cortisone shots. So, what we found helped (after many years of trying many things) are his orthotics. Maybe your husband should look into orthotics? They are a bit of an adjustment, but he hasn't had to ice the knees except for maybe twice this winter after particularly miserable work days. It was a big improvement.


----------



## Tesscorm

Thanks Pilgrim.  Actually, he has been fitted for orthotics and a knee brace; we're just waiting to receive them!  He's hoping one, the other or both will also give some benefit.

Yesterday/last night were pretty rough for him.  On Wednesday, the p/t did a treatment using some kind of 'suction' (not sure what it was??), she said it would help reduce the tightness/knots in his leg muscles.  She did mention that it would hurt the next day but the pain was horrible (I hope she didn't do something! ).  The new pain med the dr gave him, apo-diclo, alleviated his 'arthritic' pain but, frustratingly, it was tendons/ligaments/muscles around his knee that were giving him pain yesterday!  :ywow:  Hopefully, today will be better.


----------



## my little penguin

Has he tried a warm water arthritis pool??
In the US the ymcas have warm water therapy arthritis pool for the average person to use daily .
Also you can use parafin wax - thermabath has sheets that can be dipped and placed on the knee or any joint for that matter


----------



## Tesscorm

Thanks MLP - he hasn't tried either of those.  I had suggested regular swimming to help build up his leg muscle but have never heard of the warm arthritis pools.  

I'll look into the parafin wax strips.  Is the benefit just the heat?  He has been wrapping his knee with a heating pad...  and it does help for a while.


----------



## Pilgrim

Tesscorm said:


> Thanks Pilgrim.  Actually, he has been fitted for orthotics and a knee brace; we're just waiting to receive them!  He's hoping one, the other or both will also give some benefit.


Well, let him know about our experience with my husbands orthotics, maybe it will give him some hope! He must be feeling miserable (and you must inevitably suffer along with him!)


----------



## Tesscorm

Thanks, I will pass it along!  I've been sharing everything I've learned here with him...  it always helps to know something has worked for someone!  

Yes, he is getting really frustrated and upset.  At one point this week, he just couldn't manage work.  He works for himself so 'back-up' is limited - luckily, he was able to hire someone he knew right away but he's not happy about the situation.  

The fact that he asked me to buy him a cane yesterday was a bit of a capitulation because he had fought the idea when it was first suggested to him.  He's feeling what we've all felt here when we've gotten the runaround with our kids.  GP is sympathetic but of limited help, first specialist was basically no help but, even still, when my husband tried to schedule a follow-up, first apptmt available is Apr. 29!  GP referred him to the brace/orthotic clinic but they only help as far as the brace/orthotics.  This clinic recommended his current p/t but, while he likes this therapist (may change his mind after this 'suction' treatment!), her knowledge is limited to p/therapy.  Naturopath/Asian dr has also offered some advice but, again, it's not 'specialist' advice.  So, he's feelling like he's grasping at straws with no clear direction and not even sure if what he's doing is good or bad!  And, of course, nothing will work overnight, so you have to go along with it for a while...  Really hoping he gets an apptmt with this arthritis clinic soon!


----------



## my little penguin

For DS he dips his hands
The warm heat from the wax is much more effective than a heating pad 
We have tried the heating pad first
I tried it once just to see and the type of heat is very different 
Good luck


----------



## izzi'smom

Dd asked me repeatedly to go home while we were at my parents this past weekend. I thought it was boredom as her cousins left.
Until we got in the car and she said "I don't know why they bother buying toilet paper. They should just use sandpaper. It feels the same." 

I have never laughed so hard. We now carry our own tp lol.


----------



## Farmwife

Ya, Grace remarked how soft the new paper towels were, all she did was stare and I knew she was thinking...............I wish it was toilet paper.:soledance:

I'm expecting a roll to go "missing" any day now.


----------



## Jmrogers4

:rof::rof:
My kids won't go at school because they say the schools buy sandpaper for toilet paper and it's too thin.  
They're toilet paper connoisseurs can only use the good stuff.


----------



## Maya142

:lol: That's hilarious
I once bought the "wrong" kind of toilet paper (it was extra strong not extra soft). M freaked out!! She still talks about it like it was this major traumatic event in her life :yrolleyes:.


----------



## crohnsinct

That is hilarious Angie!  

Yep!  Toilet paper diva's here also but for O it is the sandpaper stuff because everything else makes her psoriasis there really bad.  Go figure!


----------



## Susan2

That's another advantage of having an ostomy! You can stop being paranoid about the toilet paper. :ytongue:


----------



## izzi'smom

Lol at the "wrong kind". Cict, she has it there too? As a fellow psoriasis sufferer, ouch! 
My mom buys Scott "for her septic" and I like cottonelle but will buy a couple of others-soft with texture is good. She tells me the schools is ok.

 Needed-mini tp rolls, single use. Marketed with extra undies, wipes, and poopouri.


----------



## my little penguin

Charming sells little single packs of tp
I think at the dollar store or similar
My mil got one for DH as a gag for Christmas


----------



## my little penguin

http://www.safetycentral.com/chtogotrtoti.html

Link for some travel packs of tp


----------



## Susan2

my little penguin said:


> http://www.safetycentral.com/chtogotrtoti.html
> 
> Link for some travel packs of tp


I was trying to find a source of toilet-tissue-to-go in Australia and found this on Amazon:

_Toilet Tissue To Go - 3 pack
Buy new: $9.98
4 Used & new from $2.99_

:ack:


----------



## Jmrogers4

Susan2 said:


> I was trying to find a source of toilet-tissue-to-go in Australia and found this on Amazon:
> 
> _Toilet Tissue To Go - 3 pack
> Buy new: $9.98
> 4 Used & new from $2.99_
> 
> :ack:


I don't know which I'm more shocked at $10 for a 3 pack of tp or used tp


----------



## izzi'smom

Wow! $2 for a 50 sheet roll!! 
I was only joking about to to go...I removed the core from a partially used .50 roll of cottonelle and tucked it in a Ziploc. I should fancy up the packaging and sell it lol! I like it as is, though-also fits a pair of underwear


----------



## Catherine

My youngest is off to camp this Thursday.

They have all learnt how to treat snake bite. :smile: The group 2 year ago put the knowledge in the practice.:confused2:

K is under instructions to avoid all contact with grass.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Catherine, I hope your youngest has a great and safe time at camp!


----------



## crohnsinct

Boy Catherine!  I wish I owned the wine shop near your house!  Your girls are really putting it to you! :drink:


----------



## Farmwife

I hope she has fun Catherine.


----------



## my little penguin

Hope she enjoys camp
Minus the grass of course


----------



## kimmidwife

Hope she has an awesome time! And avoids the grass! (Both kinds of course! :yfaint


----------



## Mehita

Fundraising ideas for the Take Steps walk? I was thinking of a garage/rummage sale, but that seems like a lot of work. Any ideas?


----------



## crohnsinct

Quote of the day:  

T has a softball tournament (she is a catcher) this weekend but had diarrhea this week.  It has since cleared and she said, "Phew!  I am glad that nonsense stopped.  Being a catcher with diarrhea could be a very messy situation"  

Note to self:  enroll daughters in charm school.


----------



## crohnsinct

Mehita:  Decorate cans and place them at local businesses. 

Near us, local restaurants will donate a portion of their sales to your cause if the patrons bring in a flyer.  We pass them out at school, sports teams, churches etc.  

We make a lot of money with tag sales...always have a bake sale table with it. 

...have you heard of Flocking?  Look it up...basically plastic pink flamingos placed on a lawn.  The person pays to have them moved to a friends lawn...people can pay to protect their lawn also.  My daughter's softball team does this and makes a lot of money and it is fun to flock the people when they aren't home etc..a funny twist would be if you could find plastic toilet bowls...or how about toilet papering a home....what?  goes with the theme!  

Bounce houses/YMCA's etc.  have the kids sell tickets t a night of fun.  Y get's a portion of the proceeds and the rest goes to the cause.  Sell food/ice cream etc.  

I probably have a ton of others but am running out for a few.  Will pick the girls' brains for their favorites.


----------



## Mehita

Out of the blue DS just told me that berry flavored Propel reminds him of Volumen... so he's not going to drink berry Propel anymore.

Mmm, okay.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Well the nurse told Jack it tasted like blueberries so I guess I can see that.  Jack says it tastes like no blueberry he's ever had but I could see that it's pretty sickly sweet.

I've seen the flocking idea with a toilet, they painted it purple and same thing pay to have it removed/moved to a friends or just protection.  There was a sign as well so it brought awareness to Crohn's.  I'll see if I can find the pictures/site again.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Well this one's for cancer but you get the idea.


----------



## Tesscorm

Had to share this... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKLnhuzh9uY


----------



## izzi'smom

Lol...blooper reel is funny too!https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=E9LrUEK97AA


----------



## Tesscorm

This one's especially for CIC...  the one who likes her men in uniform!  (Just imagine the uniforms...)

http://blog.theveteranssite.com/che...=cheerleader-tribute-troops&utm_term=20150318


----------



## crohnsinct

:rof: I DO like a man in uniform but shirtless works just as well! 

But geez!  I think I could have babysat half those kids!  A little too young for even a dirty old geezer like me! 

The mop pom poms was too funny!  Nice to see them having fun!


----------



## Tesscorm

I didn't notice the mop pom poms!  :lol:


----------



## kimmidwife

Love it Tess!!!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Tesscorm said:


> I didn't notice the mop pom poms!  :lol:


Of course you didn't!  You were looking elsewhere :shifty-t:


----------



## Clash

Hey guys, totally non-CD related but lab work for me just came back. We were testing my potassium, it's been a bit low a couple times. 

Anyway, all was well except osmolality was 269 NNR 275-293. And my ALT/SGPT was right on the lower limit at 12 with NNR of 12-78. Anybody know what these are? I mean I know ALT deals with liver but exactly how not sure. I'm assuming the doc wasn't concerned as I didn't get a call.

A lot of my levels were on the very low end but these stood out to me. Oh and since this was a CMP what would I have to request to get my cholesterol checked?

Tia to anyone who can shed some light.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Clash said:


> Hey guys, totally non-CD related but lab work for me just came back. We were testing my potassium, it's been a bit low a couple times.
> 
> Anyway, all was well except osmolality was 269 NNR 275-293. And my ALT/SGPT was right on the lower limit at 12 with NNR of 12-78. Anybody know what these are? I mean I know ALT deals with liver but exactly how not sure. I'm assuming the doc wasn't concerned as I didn't get a call.
> 
> A lot of my levels were on the very low end but these stood out to me. Oh and since this was a CMP what would I have to request to get my cholesterol checked?
> 
> Tia to anyone who can shed some light.


ALT is a liver enzyme.  I wouldn't be concerned about a low normal. That is very good.  Cholesterol screen is called a lipid panel. You'll want to fast 12 hours before obtaining it.


----------



## Clash

Thanks, CarolinAlaska. I see no reason for my cholesterol to be high but I don't think I've ever had it checked.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

You never know.  Some tiny little salad eating women have incredibly high cholesterol numbers due to bad genes.


----------



## Clash

Yep, my Dad has bad cholesterol but it was definitely due to his eating habits. But, you are right, you never know besides the diet I have to follow now doesn't lend itself to healthy


----------



## Mehita

Lipid panel. I'm 5'2" and 115 lbs with genetically high cholesterol - lucky me. My last check was the highest it's ever been so I started tracking what I eat in My Fitness Pal where you can specifically see cholesterol and I eat almost none. I don't smoke or drink and I run or walk several miles almost daily. It's frustrating.

DS's 23 and me report indicated a possibility for high cholesterol too. 

Even if your clinic says you don't have to fast for 12 hours before, I'd still do it. Just to be sure. If you do end up with high numbers, let me know and I'll share all my cholesterol  secrets.


----------



## Clash

Thanks mehita, I'll let us know how it goes. So would you say the 23 and me was a good purchase?


----------



## Mehita

It was free for DS with their IBD study. Were you thinking of it for yourself? 

It's a little tricky because they can't give health info anymore, but you can send the info to another company who extrapolates the data and gives you a health run down for $5 more. I found the data interesting and somewhat helpful, but the big thing to remember is that even though you carry a genetic predispsition doesn't mean you will get disease x. A lot of the info still confuses me, but overall helpful and confirmed many of the genetic family health issues we already knew about.


----------



## Maya142

We really liked 23 and me - it was right on target for M - showed many genes for Crohn's, AS (20x greater risk for AS, not a surprise since she already progressed to AS from JSpA) and even lactose intolerance. Showed heart disease that runs in my family.

She also has genes for every other autoimmune disease that exists - Lupus, RA, Scleroderma, MS - but I'm ignoring those for now!

Our rheumatologist and the researcher we see both said to take it with a grain of salt - that it doesn't account for gene to gene interactions or something. But it was still pretty cool.


----------



## Tesscorm

Mehita, would love to know your cholesterol secrets!   My cholesterol was a bit high last time, doctor is giving me six months and wants to retest...  if not lower, wants to add meds.   So, would love to know what you've found that might work.

Re 23 and me...  that just scare me.   Totally sticking my head in the sand but not sure I'd want to know about genetic predispositions...


----------



## Mehita

I'm still a work in progress. I'm supposed to get follow up labs run in May, but here's what I've been doing:

- tracking food intake in My Firness Pal. In the settings you can specifically track cholesterol and fat. In the US, an ok amount is 300mg, but my dietician said I should try and stay below 200mg. I've read several articles indicating high risk people should shoot for less than 100mg. Without much thought, I have typically been in the 75-80 mg range, which makes the high labs annoying. 
- diet is critical. No fast food, lots of good fats, fiber, etc. I eat homemade oatmeal every morning from this link http://www.theyummylife.com/Instant_Oatmeal_Packets. Admittedly, getting a little sick of oatmeal, but I'm sticking with it until the next labs. Needs to be steel cut oatmeal.
- exercise! I either run for 30 minutes or walk 3 miles every day. The kids got me a Fitbit awhile ago and my goal is 8,000 steps a day. Type A personalalities and Fitbits.... 
- I take a cholesterol reducing supplement from a company called Melaleuca. http://www.melaleuca.info/ContentImages/WebContent/psDoc/PIB_Phytomega_enUs.pdf
- I can't find the link, but I read something recently about the change in thought on high cholesterol and how it's due to inflammation. The article suggested increasing vitamin D to reduce inflammation. I take 2000iu. 
- fish oil. My dietician recommended increasing either fish intake in meals or supplementing. Right now I'm hit and miss on supplementing. I take it in a liquid form and simply forget a lot since its in the fridge and not with my Vit D on the counter.

Hope that helps! If my numbers aren't down in May I think I'll go nuts after all the changes I've made... and probably have to start meds.


----------



## my little penguin

Mehita 
Unfortunately some folks have high cholesterol regardless of weight  and diet due to genes.

One thing I did was no meat or dairy the week before my draw 
Numbers dropped drastically 
Good luck


----------



## kimmidwife

Mehita,
I also have genetically predisposed high cholesterol. Mine was borderline but I totally turned it around in six weeks time without changing anything else and it was totally by accident. All I did was start taking turmeric. Turmeric has amazing effects on cholesterol. Everyone should take it.
I buy the one from viva labs, curcumin c3. It is the best one. My cholesterol in six weeks dropped and my HDL the good cholesterol went up to 74. The best it has ever been.
The one thing to know about turmeric is if you need to have surgery stop it two weeks prior as it is a mild anticoagulant.


----------



## Susan2

For some people, alcohol raises cholesterol. A friend of mine lowered her cholesterol dramatically by excluding all alcohol - but, for another friend, it made absolutely no difference.


----------



## Tesscorm

Thanks!  Great info!

Really need to start (re)incorporating some of the suggestions!  I was doing the oatmeal but, I did get sick of it...  but, I should stop thinking that 'this is lifelong' and just focus on a shorter time period (ie eat oatmeal everyday only 'until' test ...  deal with later, later!).

I was also adding cinnamon to my diet...  again, have fallen out of the habit but, I have brought a cinnamon shaker to work and was adding a few shakes into every coffee...  I couldn't find any real studies confirming it's benefit on cholesterol but did find lots of anecdotal info and there are other health benefits so...  nothing to lose.

I'm on the same 'deadline' as you, Mehita... have to go back for testing in May :yfaint:  ughh, I'd better get more on the move here! :ack:

Mehita, do you know if your supplement includes turmeric?  I was looking it up and found lots of good reviews but couldn't find a list of ingredients.  Wondering if it would be okay to try your supplement and also add turmeric??  I already take fish oil, vitamin D and a multi. (Not every day but probably manage to remember 4-5 days a week...)


----------



## Mehita

Tess - I just checked th label and don't see turmeric anywhere. Here are the ingredients from the bottle:

Vit c
Vit e
Phytosterol esters
Fish oil
Coenzyme Q10
Alpha lipoic acid
Lecithin
Bromelain
Sorbitan oleate
Triethyl citrate
Gelatin
Glycerin
Water
Lemon oil
Lycopene

The oatmeal recipe I posted above is nice because you can create different flavors to avoid boredom. Also, you can sneak in the good stuff like cinnamon, chia seeds, flax, etc. Plus, since you're making it yourself, there's no junk and you know exactly what's in it.

Have you looked into the curcumin that kimmidwife suggested? Isn't curcumin a form of turmeric? I just started reading about curcumin last night. I think that will be my next step if my labs still suck.


----------



## Tesscorm

Yes, that's exactly what I was considering...  adding a turmeric/curcumin supplement.  But, I'd wondered if your supplement already included that in it's ingredients.  

Haven't looked at your recipe yet...  But, yes, a bit of variety helps.   I also once found some savoury oatmeal recipes - haven't tried any yet but I'll try to find the link and add it here.


----------



## Tesscorm

Savoury oatmeal recipes

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/16-savory-oatmeal-recipes


----------



## Mehita

I just ran across this video again and thought I'd share (again). I like how it's simple enough to share with family and friends, yet gets the big point across about IBD.

http://medvideos.org/video/107/ibd-crohns-disease-vs-ulcerative-colitis


----------



## DustyKat

Curcumin is the beneficial compound that is found in Tumeric. Bear in mind when purchasing a Tumeric supplement that it also contains black pepper to aid its bioavailability. 

This is what Matt takes as an example of ingredients: 


700mg per capsule (standardised to contain 590mg Curcumin) 

100% Organic Curcumin extract

Contains 100mg Bromelain and 10mg Piperine to aid absorption


----------



## Tesscorm

Only in Dusty 's hometown...  :lol:


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-...naked-in-after-hours-adult-only-event/6367010


----------



## DustyKat

That is not my home town! We don’t have a traffic light let alone an escalator! :nonono:

But…I did travel to Canberra to attend said event. Is my arse one of those in the picture? No, simply because the sun that shines out of it is so blindingly bright that it can’t be captured in a photo. 

Dusty. :kissgrits:


----------



## Tesscorm

Apparently, ....where the sun don't shine...  doesn't apply to you!  :lol:

Some of the comments in the article are hilarious...

"I believe that many of his works are best suited to the nude viewer, because your whole body can partake in a colour experience."

"Once you're there... you go, 'Oh I could look at all art like this, for the rest of my life'.  _(I guess it all depends on who you're standing next to... :lol_

"He has a room which is called the Gansfield room. It's coloured light and it was really quite beautiful to see people *exit*," he said.  _('Fess up Dusty - this bloke was obviously blinded by your light! :sun_

Another art lover said for him, the naked viewing had changed his perspective on art entirely.

"We loved it... we did a naked cartwheel together, in the National Gallery of Australia,"  _(Again, Dusty...  'fess up! :dusty_


"You don't have the clothing distracting you."  (Really?  It was the clothed bodies that were distracting in the past?? :lol


----------



## DustyKat

We are very creative lot 'down under’ :lol: 

Don’t know if any of you guys have this version of ‘I won’t let go' but these kids…wow! I reckon the song pretty much sums up how we all feel…

[youtube]4M1__0GEiBo[/youtube]


----------



## kimmidwife

This is great! If you have ever been dismissed by a doctor or made to feel crazy by them,

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10205484180891376


----------



## CarolinAlaska

kimmidwife said:


> This is great! If you have ever been dismissed by a doctor or made to feel crazy by them,
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10205484180891376


She played that well.


----------



## Sascot

Haven't clicked on this thread for a while. The diet stuff is interesting. I am trying Mark Hymans diet - basically gluten, sugar and dairy free :ywow:. I have managed well and after the 10 day detox I am able to eat a few extras like gluten free crisps. It really seems to be helping, I feel a lot better and am losing weight.
Unfortunately it can't heal everything and I will be having a hysterectomy in a couple weeks. Bit is a shock but definitely not planning any more kiddies so that's okay


----------



## Tesscorm

I'm glad you're feeling better!  ... you've been struggling for a while now!  Good luck with the hysterectomy!  I hope all goes smoothly and you have a quick recovery :ghug:


----------



## kimmidwife

Glad the diet is helping! Good luck with the hysterectomy! I really hope it helps!!!!


----------



## crohnsinct

IBD Patients will be in high demand!


----------



## Mr chicken

Funny


----------



## Farmwife

I have NEVER knitted while using the potty!:ylol:


----------



## Sascot

That's good! Amused me, since I am still mostly stuck at home bored while I recover.


----------



## crohnsinct

I read the article and apparently the bus is a real thing in England!  But they say and I quote, "don't worry the seats are not toilets and a deposit will not be required for a ride".  LOL!


----------



## pdx

Hope your recovery is going well, Sascot.


----------



## upsetmom

Sascot said:


> That's good! Amused me, since I am still mostly stuck at home bored while I recover.


How are you feeling?


----------



## kimmidwife

Hope you are doing well Sascot!


----------



## Mehita

In case you need some variety in your vocabulary:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/lyapalater/how-many-of-these-words-for-poop-have-you-heard#.bu5NwgZ1y


----------



## Farmwife

Mehita said:


> In case you need some variety in your vocabulary:
> 
> http://www.buzzfeed.com/lyapalater/how-many-of-these-words-for-poop-have-you-heard#.bu5NwgZ1y


:eek2: who knew their were so many names but #39 is my new fav, pooplets.


----------



## trinity1913

Farmwife said:


> :eek2: who knew their were so many names but #39 is my new fav, pooplets.


Not that I'd admit to watching it... but Southpark had a really funny episode where one of the boys was pooping in the urinal, and they made a point of using every euphemism in the book. (Or on the web, as it is here!)


----------



## Sascot

Thanks to those checking up on me. I am over 5 weeks post op and feeling "almost normal". Still getting tired easily and aching by the end of the day. I suppose I am doing too much - hard not to go back to full mom mode and try do everything myself!


----------



## Catherine

Questions for my friends who understand cold weather and sport.

Do hot drinks before activity help?

What is the best method for re-warning the body?  Do you try and warm very quickly?

Is dizziness a sign of a low core temperature?

I am hoping to be better prepared for next weekend swim.  The swim will be 1.2 kms.  The water temp should be around 10C and air temp 12C.  So a little warmer than today when air temp was 6C.


----------



## Mr chicken

I know DS has trouble regulating his body temp in his lower legs
Besides blankets ( so the body doesn't have to try to keep up.
 Massage the area keeps blood flowing easier
And
He told DS to drink warm herbal ( non cafenared tea)
Warm fluids let the body again not have to work so hard
I would assume similar for cold sports 
Good luck
( exactly why are they swimming in such cold water ??)


----------



## Catherine

There are two events on the Open Water Swim calender.  

Kerry has elected to swim both.  They are both Ocean Swims.

She does train outdoors once a week, the water is heated to 28C.


----------



## Mehita

No advice, but please wish her good luck from us!!


----------



## kimmidwife

No advice other then hot drinks and maybe a heated blanket. Good luck!!!!


----------



## Mehita

Hope all my Canadian neighbors are doing well! It's very smokey in the Twin Cities today.


----------



## Tesscorm

Why smokey?  Am I missing something very obvious?!?!  :ybatty:


----------



## Pilgrim

Tesscorm said:


> Why smokey?  Am I missing something very obvious?!?!  :ybatty:


Nothing exciting or illegal. Forest fires are raging at an historic rate.


----------



## Farmwife

LOL Tess, I was thinking the same thing.

I haven't caught the news lately. I haven't even heard of the forest fires in Canada.
I hope y'all stay safe.


----------



## Tesscorm

I've been so busy lately, totally out of the loop!... have barely seen the news!  Hope everyone near the fires, are doing okay!

S turned 21 over the weekend and we had a surprise party for him!  The running around picking up stuff and hiding it has been keeping me so busy.  But, turned out really well - he had no idea!   Anyway, guess there's no denying it...  both my babies are all grown up!   (At least, most of the time!  :lol   But, must admit... :blush:  as much as I sometimes miss their younger years, I am truly beginning to settle in and enjoy the freedom that comes with having 'grown-up' children! :dance:


----------



## crohnsinct

Where there's some there's firemen!  Just sayin.....

Stay safe everyone.


----------



## Farmwife

crohnsinct said:


> Where there's some there's firemen!  Just sayin.....
> 
> .


:yfrown: leave it up to you to find the positive in forest fires!


----------



## CrohnsKidMom

There are wildfires burning on the Saskatchewan prairies, and forest fires north of Vancouver, BC.  My SIL lives in Vancouver and she said the city is cloaked in smoke.  I don't think she's had any exciting encounters with firemen though.  I'm pretty sure she'd have mentioned that!

Stay safe!


----------



## Mehita

*waiting for the firemen photos*...


----------



## Catherine

Don't you just love it when DH comes home and tells you his diabetes specialist has declared that he is mystery.  He has only one patient who diabetes has been harder to control and he has lots of patients.


----------



## Farmwife

Hugs Catherine.:rosette2:


----------



## Catherine

Thanks far wife.

DH lost 5 kg :rosette1:but had to increase insulin to 90 units per day.:frown:  He is a puzzle.

Still gets reads of 15-16 :frown:but HbA1c is down to 9:ybiggrin:


----------



## crohnsinct

Hmmm it isn't my hubby's diabetes that is hard to control it is him!  Doesn't take the condition seriously:ymad:

Hugs to you and hubby though :ghug:  Is he under a lot of stress?  There was a time my dh was doing great with diet and exercise but he was under extreme stress and his sugar numbers were high.  Stress releases something into the body to give you the energy to keep going (can't remember the name of it for the life of me) and the body sees that as sugar.


----------



## Tesscorm

hmmm, the connection with stress makes sense for my family...  my mom has never had high sugar, however, she's been under a fair bit of stress for over a year - taking care of my dad, lots of things being thrown her way.  And, recently, her doctor has warned her that her sugar is rising.  Certainly could be other factors but, interesting that you mention stress and that has been the biggest change in her life recently.


----------



## kimmidwife

I second that stress can cause abnormal sugars. Here is an article about cortisol the stress hormone and the things it can do to the body.
http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/111609p38.shtml


----------



## DustyKat

LMFAO! :rof: I bags being the CEO! :worthy:


*Hospital to replace doctors with parents who have done their research*
Published on July 17, 2015  in News  by Doktor Spudd

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – A large tertiary care center in Sydney, Australia is pulling out all the stops to try and cut their expenses. As of next month, all doctors and nurses currently on staff will be replaced by parents who have done research on the Internet.

“I can’t tell you how happy and relieved I am when a patient tells me they have done some research on the internet” said head of neurology, Dr. Eric Sheppard. “It’s only topped by a patient telling me they have a family member who is a nurse.”

The hospital is excited about how much money this move should save them, not to mention the overwhelming support from parents everywhere.

“This is a great move in my opinion” said anti-vaccer Meryl Dorey. “Most parents know more than doctors anyways, so this is a huge step in the right direction.”

The current staff are in the process of being moved to other less innovative health centers.

http://thespudd.com/hospital-to-replace-doctors-with-parents-who-have-done-their-research/


----------



## Farmwife

DustyKat said:


> LMFAO! :rof: I bags being the CEO! :worthy:
> 
> 
> *Hospital to replace doctors with parents who have done their research*
> Published on July 17, 2015  in News  by Doktor Spudd
> 
> SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – A large tertiary care center in Sydney, Australia is pulling out all the stops to try and cut their expenses. As of next month, all doctors and nurses currently on staff will be replaced by parents who have done research on the Internet.
> 
> “I can’t tell you how happy and relieved I am when a patient tells me they have done some research on the internet” said head of neurology, Dr. Eric Sheppard. “It’s only topped by a patient telling me they have a family member who is a nurse.”
> 
> The hospital is excited about how much money this move should save them, not to mention the overwhelming support from parents everywhere.
> 
> “This is a great move in my opinion” said anti-vaccer Meryl Dorey. “Most parents know more than doctors anyways, so this is a huge step in the right direction.”
> 
> The current staff are in the process of being moved to other less innovative health centers.
> 
> http://thespudd.com/hospital-to-replace-doctors-with-parents-who-have-done-their-research/



:rof: :rof: ............... and :rof:
It's bloody brilliant!!!


----------



## Catherine

My middle daughter started working as a swimming teacher yesterday.

Students:  Why did we have to change teacher.  It was so hard to remember J name so we just keep calling her Sarah.

Teacher:  I'm Sarah's sister

Students: Did she get fired?

Teacher:  No she in England with boyfriend

Students: is she on her honeymoon?


----------



## Tesscorm

Just something for a laugh...

So, now we know...  How Canada's politicians spend their time...  :lol:


http://www.torontosun.com/2015/07/21/20-of-ottawa-residents-on-ashley-madison


----------



## kimmidwife

Tess,
That is crazy!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

Unbelievable, eh?  :lol:  Apparently, our politicians truly are scr...wing everyone!  :rof:


----------



## Farmwife

Any help would be great!

Tomorrow is my husband's  40th birthday! 
For all you party planners is there anything that would be funny to do to him. 
I want it to be funny.... ya know, lasting memories. :thumleft:
We're having a surprise party tomorrow, 
which isn't easy to keep it surprise when Grace almost gives it away everyday for the last two weeks.:yfrown:


----------



## Mehita

Can you line up the cows in a "40" formation?


----------



## Farmwife

:ylol: only if there dead first..... now that would be memorable..... and I'm sure illegal in some states.


----------



## Tesscorm

:rof: :rof:

Hope it was a great surprise!


----------



## kimmidwife

Hope he had a really great birthday!


----------



## crohnsinct

I am pretty much figuring that seeing my 21 year old daughter order her first legal drink is justification for the three I needed to get through the night :drink:

...the waiter carded her and didn't even have the decency to ask if she was out with her sister! :ymad:

But LMAO...she ordered a trio beer tray...I said I will have the same...O was up next and she said, "same".  That's my girl!


----------



## DustyKat

21! You could have already had 3 years of drinking excuses by now if you lived in Oz! :ylol:


----------



## crohnsinct

It's true!  They rank up there with the greatest fashion creation in my book anyway! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QltPmNxbDss


----------



## crohnsinct

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyN0JH8Q9CE


----------



## Jmrogers4

Haven't watched the second one CIC because it's late and I need to go change out of my yoga pants and into my jammies.


----------



## Mehita

Can I vent?

General Mills recently made changes in the U.S. to make their Cheerios line gluten free. They're not using certified GF oats, but came up with a way to mechanically separate the protein out. Problem is that many Celiacs are getting sick from the new Cheerios, DS included. 

I'm so frustrated because the boxes are all labeled gluten free, yet there is this chance that they're really not. A friend has a gluten detecting dog who passed one box, but not the second one she gave him. Why does GF labeling in the U.S. have to be so difficult?? How am I, as a consumer, supposed to know who and what I can trust? Argh!

DS was so excited about Cheerios and now is totally disappointed. 

There is a chance that he simply can't tolerate oats (some Celiacs can't), but even for that, how are we supposed to know? Is there a test?

Vent over. Thanks.


----------



## Mr chicken

Mehita
Bummer on the new label
That said most parents of kids with food allergies
Do what I have done in the past
You just call the companies and determine how they label things 
Wash lines etc...
Most have standard practices 
So the big companies are good at giving the info
So just a pain but not that complicated 
Keep a list of Main mfg
Note practice
Repeat in 1-2 years
Read every label three times


----------



## Catherine

Food manufacturers here pushing at times for us to move to the same standard as the US.

We have lots of foods labelled that the may contain traces of gluten.  Most of these foods will not contain any gluten.


----------



## Mehita

Mr chicken said:


> Mehita
> Bummer on the new label
> That said most parents of kids with food allergies
> Do what I have done in the past
> You just call the companies and determine how they label things
> Wash lines etc...
> Most have standard practices
> So the big companies are good at giving the info
> So just a pain but not that complicated
> Keep a list of Main mfg
> Note practice
> Repeat in 1-2 years
> Read every label three times


Yes, I've been doing this since diagnosis back in 2008. I have a 3 ring binder full of phone numbers and notes. I'm just tired of doing it and spend way too much time doing it.


----------



## crohnsinct

No Joke!  Sermon at church today was entitled, "Being patient when you're NOT"


----------



## crohnsinct

http://www.tickld.com/x/frustrated-mom-writes-the-funniest-letter-to-her-kids-about-their-summer


----------



## Farmwife

This is so funny........ until you realize it's totally true.:wink:

the article is called.....

Frustrated Mom Writes The Funniest Letter To Her Kids About Their 'Summer Behavior'. This Is Priceless.



http://www.tickld.com/x/frustrated-mom-writes-the-funniest-letter-to-her-kids-about-their-summer


----------



## crohnsinct

Put the moonshine down Farmwife...I posted that same article last night...look above^!


----------



## my little penguin

Farmwife
There are programs for that .....


----------



## Farmwife

crohnsinct said:


> Put the moonshine down Farmwife...I posted that same article last night...look above^!


:rof: Great minds think alike. 

Ha mlp, I don't drink alcohol, so my mistakes are simply my stupidity without any help from substance abuse involved. :tongue:


----------



## pdx

Well, this is just a huge vent, but I just found out yesterday that my younger daughter was exposed to lice a few weeks ago, so I did a thorough lice combing on her, and I found one louse and a few nits.  Ugh!  My kids have had lice once before, many years ago, so I know how to deal with it, but what a pain.  Don't families dealing with Crohn's get a pass on things like lice?!!

My younger daughter was so upset about it.  She just started middle school yesterday, and that's really not how she wanted to start the new year.  

It looks like we caught it really early, so hopefully E and I won't get it.  My husband shaves his head, so at least we don't have to worry about him.  

I do have to say, though, that when my kids had lice before, I thought it was the end of the world.  After dealing with Crohn's for the last year, though, lice doesn't seem like that big a deal at all.


----------



## crohnsinct

LMAO!  Nope!  No pass.  Both O and T got ice this summer and it took us forever to wrangle those little buggers...probably because the girls kept going to camp.  Haha and you are right...after inspecting and playing with bloody and mucusy poo a few bugs are nothing!  The girls and I rather enjoyed our quality time with the conditioner combing or hours.  Actually helped with O's psoriasis as the comb picked up the flakes and sch.  Their hair was never so tangle free.  Silver linings.


----------



## Mehita

Anyone have experience with concussions? I have the HUGE no no list, but looking for ideas to pass the "brain rest" time with my energizer bunny this week.


----------



## hawkeye

Mehita said:


> Anyone have experience with concussions? I have the HUGE no no list, but looking for ideas to pass the "brain rest" time with my energizer bunny this week.


Listening to podcasts in a dark room.


----------



## kimmidwife

Mehita,
Basically rest and more rest.


----------



## Mehita

kimmidwife said:


> Mehita,
> 
> Basically rest and more rest.



I feel like I have an infant again. Little short bursts of "entertainment", nap when he naps, stare at the walls, asking big brother to play with little brother so mom can take a shower. And we're only on day 4! He's getting frustrated too. I've read about kids getting depressed and I think he's heading there. 

To top it off, DS has his infusion tomorrow and I have no one to watch DS #2 while we're at the hospital. I really don't want to bring him with us because it's always bright, loud and three hours, yet I'm not comfortable leaving him home either. I have calls out to the far reaches of my "village".


----------



## pdx

It's hard enough to balance life with one medical condition in the family--two at once sounds really hard.  Hope you can find someone to stay with DS2 tomorrow, and that he's feeling better soon.  How much longer does he have to rest?


----------



## Maya142

I don't know much about concussions but would he be allowed to do (easy) puzzles? Or lego? Card games or board games (Monopoly?). 

Good luck!


----------



## kimmidwife

Hope he gets better quick!!!!


----------



## Mehita

One of DS's friends came over to hang out with concussion boy - thank goodness, because we just got to the infusion center and it's PACKED. All four chairs in the group room are being used and the little guy across the way has Sponge Bob blaring. 

Maya - he can only do really light thinking things. No puzzles, but we've been doing lots of Uno and Legos... until he gets a headache. Then it's back to a dark, quiet room.


----------



## Mehita

Anyone ever deal with Osgood-Schlatters (disease)?


----------



## DustyKat

Matt suffered with both Osgood-Schlatter’s and Sever’s Disease and I think he was in Year 6 when it first occurred. IIRC the Sever’s was worse for him as it affected both of his heels (he is a soccer player). The Osgood-Schlatter’s affected his right knee only but the pain did extend up to his hip causing pain on abduction. 

With the Osgood-Schlatter’s he found exercises to be the most effective and Panadol when needed. For the Sever’s we used inserts in his soccer boots and again, Panadol when needed. 

Both diseases lasted about 9-12 months and as you can probably imagine there wasn’t resolution but definite and significant improvement once the soccer season finished. 

Dusty. xxx


----------



## Catherine

What's happening with our weather. Coldest winter in 25 years.  Hottest day in October since 1908.  October 6th, 35C, today 18C.  It dropped 10C in 3 minutes yesterday.

A control burn out of control.

I do prefer it when the fire season doesn't start in October.  It going to be long hot summer.


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## crohnsinct

How did we let this thread slip to the 4th page?  We need a laugh! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQZ2UeOTO3I


----------



## Jmrogers4

Love John Oliver! he cracks me up.


----------



## Clash

Haha! Too funny!

We need to start an Outrageous things our kids do thread.

C had his iron infusion a couple days ago. He went by himself, hospital out patient (actually his gf went with him).

So I get a text after he arrived 

"Hey they took my fingerprint and I panicked and made myself a privacy patient so if you need me to sign something so you can see the records I will."

WTH does this even mean?!?! 

1. Why are they taking your fingerprint?

2. Why does taking your fingerprint panic you? Are you a wanted man?

3. And why does all that result in you answering no to Can we place you in the directory if any ones calls for you?

4. Lastly, why do they ask that about the directory when your just there for an iron infusion any way?

And why again are you panicked over fingerprints? Is there something you haven't told me?


----------



## my little penguin

Clash 
Times like this make me glad my ibd kiddo is only 11.


----------



## crohnsinct

Wanted man!  LMAO! :ylol:


----------



## kimmidwife

That is crazy! Why the heck would they want his fingerprints!
I would be calling the hospital and asking about that. That is just ridiculous.


----------



## Maya142

Some New York hospitals have a fancy new system where they scan your fingerprint to identify you. NYU Langone is one of them, I think.

:lol: Clash sounds like something my kids would do! Poor C, he must have really been freaked out!


----------



## Tesscorm

I missed this before...  OMG, too funny!!!  (Was tough hiding the smile while reading at work! :lol


----------



## Catherine

Snow on the Victorian Alps in Summer

http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/6993478-3x2-340x227.jpg


----------



## CrohnsKidMom

Such a pretty pic!  No snow in Nova Scotia yet, but it is coming.  It is always coming.


----------



## Jmrogers4

Just a little snow here but then it's not summer.  Ski resort opened last weekend.  Boys took their board and skis to be waxed so they are ready to go this weekend


----------



## Farmwife

No snow in upper Michigan. This is very strange for us! Nice but strange!:dance:


----------



## kimmidwife

Love the picture! No snow here! Thank goodness!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

https://m.facebook.com/officialjosh...33440098053/556300924407967/?type=3&source=48


----------



## Sascot

Wish we would get a bit of snow, even just a couple days. 
Feeling happy, in London for a show and Christmas market with Andrew. Nice to get some one on one time with him that's not a hospital appt, ha ha!


----------



## Farmwife

Have fun with your son.
Still no snow here and still loving it!
I will admit that it's hard to get in the Christmas spirit with out the snow.


----------



## Mehita

You all can have my snow! We got 6" last weekend. Messy, yucky, and wet (although admittedly a little pretty).


----------



## Mehita

I sure hope this little one is able to get her disease under control and they have a plan. The GI she sees is also DS' doctor. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTGzHRADoK8&feature=youtu.be


----------



## hawkeye

Anyone put their tree up yet?


----------



## Jmrogers4

Yes, just did.  Haven't done any shopping yet though.  How about you Hawkeye?


----------



## my little penguin

Shopping mostly done 
Tree up
Trying to find low fat low sugar cookie recipes that taste good but won't make Ds sick


----------



## Farmwife

No tree here. We have an 8 week old kitten that I'm sure is part devil. 
I can just see the tree being shredded by morning.
I think I'll put one up ( fake tree) on Christmas eve and take it down the day after.


----------



## crohnsinct

I think maybe you have to have walls in your living room before you put a tree up...in the middle of major house reno that of course we started the Monday after Thanksgiving! Since we are doing the reno ourselves I also haven't done any shopping or cards or decorating anywhere else in the house (too much dust).


----------



## Maya142

Farmwife, we have a 6 month old kitten who is definitely part devil!
She just shattered a wine glass by getting on the dining table and knocking it right off :ybatty:.

Going to put the tree up tomorrow - then I'm sure we'll watch her destroy the ornaments:ylol2:.


----------



## crohnsinct

^ this was M's bribery kitten right? :rof:


----------



## Maya142

Of course :yrolleyes:!


----------



## pdx

E was diagnosed last year on December 18; we had a hospital admission, scopes, and 1st Remicade infusion all during the week before Christmas.  Not our best holiday ever, so we've been really doing it up this year.  :emot-dance:  We got our tree the day after Thanksgiving, and we have tons of lights up outside.  (No kitten here, but our lazy old cat did already break an ornament. :cat

I always leave the outside lights up until at least February.  It's often dark and rainy here in the winter and the lights are so cheerful.


----------



## pdx

crohnsinct said:


> I think maybe you have to have walls in your living room before you put a tree up...in the middle of major house reno that of course we started the Monday after Thanksgiving! Since we are doing the reno ourselves I also haven't done any shopping or cards or decorating anywhere else in the house (too much dust).


Oh man--you're brave!  Sounds like a major project!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

No Christmas tree here.  Our house is too small and we also have a kitty who would not leave it alone...  We have lit our Hanukkah lights this week though .


----------



## Catherine

Tree up.  Making decorations. Glitter everywhere.


----------



## crohnsinct

pdx said:


> Oh man--you're brave!  Sounds like a major project!


Well it wasn't supposed to be but it was like the book "if you give a mouse a cookie". 

Let's repair this wall. 
If we do that wall rePair this bookcase 
Rip it out I never liked it 
If we rip that one out have to rip the other out 
Oops have to repair those walls 
No floor under bookcase 
Original wall a mess because of water damage 
Repair gutters 
Patch wood floor 
Rip up rug 
Sand and finish floor 
Can't put ugly chairs in new room 
Paint and reupholster 6 old chairs 

House built in 1835 so lots of little surprises. 

Tree will go up christmas eve the latest


----------



## hawkeye

Jmrogers4 said:


> Yes, just did.  Haven't done any shopping yet though.  How about you Hawkeye?


The tree went up yesterday, decorating it today. Shopping underway.


----------



## Clash

Trees been up about a week. Most of the shopping done. Stockings are full.

My DD helped put up and decorate the tree last week. Of you ever want C out of your hair just mention bring the tree and ornaments out. He picked up an extra work shift just to avoid that holiday magic! Doesn't mind opening the presents though!


----------



## Sascot

Our tree is up and most shopping done and wrapped! Andrew loves Christmas so took him to London and went to the Winter Wonderland. I love all the lights, it's always sad when they get taken down in January!


----------



## Maya142

Finally got a tree and our kitten is very interested in chewing on it (of course). 
We looked it up and apparently Christmas trees are mildly toxic to cats and 
dogs :ybatty:.

It's going to be a fun christmas .


----------



## DanceMom

No tree yet. Have to wait for a friend with a truck. Shopping is done, minus the calendars I always make for the grandparents. Now to sweat while we enjoy the holiday activities. It was 83 degrees today!


----------



## Mehita

Tree went up the weekend after Thanksgiving. Shopping is finished minus some delays from Amazon. All that's left is cookies!


----------



## crohnsinct

You people have to stop!  I am freaking out! Still no sign of Christmas in my house and only a smattering of gifts bought!  I a going to log off the forum until after Christmas! utahere:


----------



## Farmwife

Ha CIC, you still have me beat.:ack: I haven't even got gifts yet. No tree, no gifts, no decorations yet. 
I swear I love Christmas but the no snow is killing the drive to get anything done.
My kids start Christmas break on Friday. I guess I'll get into the spirit then!


On a funny note,
Have y'all seen those blow up Christmas figures, like the 10 foot kind of Santa, reindeer and snowmen?
I pulled into a fancy subdivision yesterday and saw a bunch on a law and thought to myself they looked so gaudy:ack: Pulled closer and realized it was my mom's house.:rof:


----------



## Mehita

Got a message from the high school this AM that a student made threats on social media earlier this morning and that police were going to be in the schools and having a presence. They said the student wasn't going to be in school today. Even though DS wasn't feeling great (again), he felt he had to go to school so no one would think it was him. Just another thing for kids (and parents) to worry about.

Nausea woke him up last night around midnight. He was up for 45 minutes, took a Zofran, and went back to bed. I have to get through my scope today and then call his GI again. DS and I were quite the pair last night!


----------



## Maya142

Aw poor kiddo. Did the Zofran help? Nausea shouldn't be waking him up at night, I would definitely call his GI.

Farmwife - :rof: So funny!!


----------



## Tesscorm

Aren't we all a bunch of busy little beavers!  

FW - LOL!  I have the opposite problem with my outdoor decorations - we have none, which wouldn't necessarily be outrageous except for the fact that I LOVE them and my husband is an electrician!!! :ymad:  I've been asking for years that he spend some time to put up lights... for me, for the kids, for the spirit of the season, etc. and he just always puts it off!  I've threatened (and, swear, I will do it one day!) to hire those Christmas light services to come do it for me!  (I did actually look into it last year but the cost was like $700!   -- cudn't bring myself to pay! )  BTW, pdx, I wish everyone left their lights on till Feb!!  I think they look so pretty!  It should be a 'all winter' tradition, not just for Christmas!

And, I do have the tree up and house decorated and a fair bit of my shopping done! :ytongue:  I hosted a christmas party this past weekend so had a decorating deadline to meet!  :lol:


----------



## DanceMom

Our neighborhood goes all out for holidays.  We have a few decorations for Halloween but none for Christmas. My husband and ladders just don't mix.  Fingers crossed we get our tree tonight!  Then it will feel more like Christmas.


----------



## my little penguin

Outside is decorated bushes trees etc...
Nothing requiring a ladder btw 
Mehita let us know what the GI says


----------



## DanceMom

my little penguin said:


> Outside is decorated bushes trees etc...
> Nothing requiring a ladder btw
> Mehita let us know what the GI says


We don't have trees and I wouldn't want to light up our bushes and scare our rabbits away. The girls love peeking in on them and feeding them every day.


----------



## Mehita

Maya142 said:


> Aw poor kiddo. Did the Zofran help? Nausea shouldn't be waking him up at night, I would definitely call his GI


It helped a lot.


----------



## crohnsinct

Catnip infused ornaments (sure to please!): For those moments when you think: “I really wish the cat would spend MORE time knocking the ornaments off the tree.”


----------



## Maya142

I think that....never! Our kitten knocked off five ornaments and broke one today. Have no idea how to keep her away from the tree :ybatty:!


----------



## Tesscorm

We put up a gate all around the tree this year because of our puppy!  :lol:  We bought a 3-piece gate to block the puppy into certain rooms/areas...  ended up using it as a gate blocking the tree!


----------



## CrohnsKidMom

This morning I caught my puppy (she's 5 yrs old) delicately unwrapping a box of chocolates in a corner, which I had put under the tree last night.


----------



## hawkeye

Maya142 said:


> I think that....never! Our kitten knocked off five ornaments and broke one today. Have no idea how to keep her away from the tree :ybatty:!


Orange peels?  Supposedly they don't like the citrus scent.  Our cat just came home yesterday after a 6 night vet stay for urinary blockages.


----------



## crohnsinct

My kids are playing a new game on their phones.  It is a Family Feud style game.  category came up last night: 

Things parents say to their kids

My girls yelled out, "let me see your poop" 

I guess they didn't poll IBD kids because that wasn't one of them.


----------



## pdx

crohnsinct said:


> My kids are playing a new game on their phones.  It is a Family Feud style game.  category came up last night:
> 
> Things parents say to their kids
> 
> My girls yelled out, "let me see your poop"


:rof:


----------



## kimmidwife

That is funny!!!!!!!


----------



## Mehita

Am I the only one seeing all the advertisements? When did this change? Kind of annoying.


----------



## Maya142

No, I can see them. Very annoying.


----------



## my little penguin

Not happy with them either


----------



## crohnsinct

Glad I'm not the only one!  I thought I was going crazy!


----------



## pdx

yep, I'm getting them too.  I don't mind ads in theory--something needs to pay for the forum's servers--but the ads seem to be slowing things down a lot, and some are showing up inside of posts, which doesn't seem right.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

They were there last night, but gone this morning.  They were pretty powerful and hard to ignore, weren't they.  Very distracting.


----------



## Tesscorm

Gone for me too.  :thumright:


----------



## crohnsinct

Omgosh!  No one hit the powerball lottery and the jackpot is up to $1.3 billion!!!!!  

New game!  What would you do with your winnings?  

My family would if ofcourse make a donation to the girls' hospital and CCFA  but also open a residential school for special needs kids and adults. It would have horses, a farm, a performing arts center, pool and the best food possible!  

Your turns!


----------



## hawkeye

What is the amount that taxes take off of the lottery winnings? Here in Canada lottery winnings are tax free.

I'd donate some to charity, set some folks up for life and retire. Not sure what I'd do for a hobby / sideline once I retired. I'd keep my occupatiobal credentials and memberships  up to date and perhaps work pro bono or on an expense only basis for a few hours a month.


----------



## crohnsinct

hawkeye said:


> a few hours a month.


:rof: YES!  We wouldn't want to over do it! 

Taxes...50% is a safe bet.  But here is the thing.  With this lottery you only get the 1.3 billion if you agree to take payments each year until the $1.3 is reached.  They have a lump sum cash payment option but then the jackpot is reduced.  With the current jackpot the lump sum is $806 million...:boring: NOT!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Yep,of course take care of the family,  set up a charitable foundation, would love to give grants for crohn's research and never fly commercial again!


----------



## Sascot

I would love to open a pain clinic for kids here as there's none in Scotland. Donate some to charity and go on a relaxing holiday somewhere sunny. We have had about 2 days of sunshine since November!


----------



## Tesscorm

OMGosh, I don't even know where I'd start... :ywow:

Absolutely take care of family, friends, definitely some charities and crohns research, I'd travel, volunteer and am not sure how I would fill my days otherwise but I'm sure it would be a fun and interesting challenge!...


----------



## DanceMom

I'd buy a larger home...my forever home. I'd pay off all of our debt and buy lots of clothes/shoes. I have several friends/family members that I'd like to set up comfortably. Definitely do some traveling! I'd probably give to charities pretty freely because doing for others makes me feel good. And I'd never have to worry about medical debt again!!


----------



## Maya142

I think we'd want to put the money towards a cure for AS! Also some money to Crohn's and Gastroparesis .

And I'd love to travel and go somewhere warm!


----------



## my little penguin

Let's see
Money towards 
Polycystuc kidney disease
JSpA
Crohn
Gastroparesis 
Food allergies 
Asthma
So just a few things


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

1.3 billion oh boy would i splash that around to a few folks n charities . To be free of debt n have my family n friends ok for life. That would be amazing. Id arrange to fly you all to a beautiful destination so we could all meet in person and have a wonderful carefree time. .


----------



## anitas.paul

Sort my family out donate a bit to the bluecross and migraine clinic/ouchuk some to crohns research and the rest is for me to fulfill  my  dream of relocating to Durban bar that I'm just gonna get saving have won the health lottery twice though lol


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

Lol if i win il relocate u to Durban so you can be with your lovely  lady. Might give you some to spend too if your good


----------



## Catherine

k did an open water swim today and it was very difficult.   The course was 2km out and back.  They were told the tide would assist them on the away out and return would be neutral or slightly assistance.

The event is listing as experience open water swimmers only with lower age limit of 16.

They normally pull out swimmers who will take longer than 90 mins to Finish.  K was swimming with a older male swimmer, he asked her whether though the tide was really strong she agree it was.  He check his watch, told her he was pulling out as they had already being swimming for 70 mins and were a long way from the turning mark.

K managed to catch one her team mates and they manage to complete the swim together.  It was an amazing proformance by both girls:dance::dance:

:shifty:the tide was not giving any assistance on the way out:ywow:


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

Hi Catherine, so pleased that your daughter completed the swim. Well done to her what a star she is :dance: a great achievement


----------



## Sascot

That's amazing. Just thinking about it makes me tired. Glad she's doing so well


----------



## CarolinAlaska

I can't imagine.  Good for her!


----------



## kimmidwife

Great job that was awesome!


----------



## Tesscorm

That is incredible!!  :dusty:


----------



## crohnsinct

i read your message to o and she said,"she is amazing!  Way to go k!  Kicking some man butt!" I may have cleaned that up for the forum


----------



## Catherine

K was very happy to finish.  4kms total time 1 hr 47mins.  First 2km approximately 1 hr 20 mins, return approximately 27 mins


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

Wow that is really good, was she rocket propelled on the way back!! You must be so proud.


----------



## Sascot

Totally unrelated but I got a job!!!
Freaking me out slightly as I haven't worked for 17 years. Still can't believe they actually hired me, lol. Part time travel money consultant starting next month


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

Woo hooo!! So pleased for you.. well done im sure you will be an asset to them.


----------



## pdx

Congratulations, Sascot!


----------



## crohnsinct

good for you sascot!  You are leap years ahead of me!  I don't even know what a travel money consultant is!


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Congrats Sascot.  Working makes me crazy, but the money is sweet.


----------



## Clash

Wtg Sascot! Good luck with your new job!


----------



## Maya142

Congratulations Sascot !


----------



## my little penguin

Congrats Sascot!!


----------



## Mehita

Way to go, K! When I told the boys she was doing that, they both got bug eyed. DS said he can hardly run a mile, let along swim 4K. Good for her!

Congratulations, Sascot! Is it presumptuous of me to assume you've accepted a job as a gastroenterologist? I'm sure you'd qualify. 

The big news here is that DS is going on his first date this weekend. High school girl ask boy dance. I must admit, bit of a shock, but I'm very happy (and nervous) for him. He says she's even more shy than he is, so it ought to be an interesting night. Do you know how hard it is to find a suit for a boy who's not quite man sized??


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

Aw bless them, how cute they sound. Hope DS has a great time


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Mehita said:


> Way to go, K! When I told the boys she was doing that, they both got bug eyed. DS said he can hardly run a mile, let along swim 4K. Good for her!
> 
> Congratulations, Sascot! Is it presumptuous of me to assume you've accepted a job as a gastroenterologist? I'm sure you'd qualify.
> 
> The big news here is that DS is going on his first date this weekend. High school girl ask boy dance. I must admit, bit of a shock, but I'm very happy (and nervous) for him. He says she's even more shy than he is, so it ought to be an interesting night. Do you know how hard it is to find a suit for a boy who's not quite man sized??


Maybe you can rent something through a wedding shop?


----------



## Jmrogers4

Mehita - Just a suit, been there we had pretty good luck with JCPenny's a lot of their suits went up to 16/18 so in between that boy man size.  Burlington as well.
Way to go K, makes me tired just thinking about it.


----------



## my little penguin

Same here at Kohls -and JcPenny's since you can get different jacket size from pants


----------



## Tesscorm

Congrats Sascot!!!  How exciting! :dusty:  But, I'm curious...  what is a travel money consultant?

Mehita - how exciting too!!    Good luck with the suit!  Can't wait to hear how the date goes!  :kiss:


----------



## Sascot

Nothing too exciting, but a foot in the door and a bit of me time. I basically sort out people's travel money in whatever currency they need for their holidays. Should be nice - most customers will be happy since they are off on their holidays - a cheerful job.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Sascot said:


> Nothing too exciting, but a foot in the door and a bit of me time. I basically sort out people's travel money in whatever currency they need for their holidays. Should be nice - most customers will be happy since they are off on their holidays - a cheerful job.


Sounds nice and not too stressful.  Enjoy!


----------



## Farmwife

I just wanted to post a word of warning about floor space heater with auto turn offs.

Well by God's grace we were spared from losing our house in a fire.:blush:

The 3 year old space heater in the entry way tipped over after I left to take the kids to school.
My hubby was running late to farm chores ( thank God) and came in to get his bibs on and saw a smoking space heater... still running... tipped over.... on high heat.:ywow:
 It would have only been a matter of time until the fire caught.

Obviously the auto turn off stopped working! Always beware and be careful with space heaters!!!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Glad everyone is safe and the only damage was to the space heater.


----------



## Tesscorm

I almost never leave anything running at home.  You hear these type of stories too often!  

Years ago, I left the dishwasher running when I went to bed.  Something malfunctioned and the drying cycle didn't shut off all night.  The cabinets surrounding it and the counter top were boiling hot!  Not sure if that could've caught fire but not something I want to chance again!    (Same with clothes dryer - I never leave it running overnight or when I'm out.)

Glad nothing more happened at your place!


----------



## Farmwife

It's so scary to us.
My parent in laws lost everything in a house fire a few years ago.
Two old wires that were left from a remodeling job years earlier stl had juice going thru them ( no one knew this) and arched a foot across and set the fire in the basement.
We hate fires here!!!!! My poor mother in law still is traumatized by it.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

I'm so glad your husband was running late!


----------



## anitas.paul

Glad too that hubby was running late and all are well


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

Phew that was close. So pleased all is well.


----------



## pdx

Glad your family and house are all OK, Farmwife!


----------



## Sascot

Glad you're all okay.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

I've been sitting in preop for my nonIBD son to have a minor surgery for 7 hours.  He was supposed to be brought in 5 hours ago.  I literally called them 2.5 hours ago because we hadn't seen anyone for hours and I thought they'd forgotten us.  They just came in now and said we're next.  Apparently we were bumped for a couple emergencies.


----------



## pdx

Wow--that's a long time to wait--how frustrating. Hope he gets called back soon.  Was he able to eat while waiting, at least, or was he NPO?


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

Oh no hun. Nightmare that hanging around one. Drives you batty doesnt it . I have had the emergency one crop up before now too. Sending hugs to you both n hope your seen very soon. Best wishes n hope all goes smoothly for the minor op .


----------



## CarolinAlaska

pdx said:


> Wow--that's a long time to wait--how frustrating. Hope he gets called back soon.  Was he able to eat while waiting, at least, or was he NPO?


NPO since 7 am central time.  Yea for iPad.  They just took him back.


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

ipad's are a god send arent they.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

He didn't peep for hours once he got that thing.  I never let him do that at home!


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

Aw bless him. I know home is different isnt it. But stuck in a waiting room , its a life saver from the boredom. Hugs


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

Talking about this has reminded of when my son was little. Games consoles were just comming into play in a big way. Where was my son.. out in the piddling down rain playing out. Could barely get that boy in the house, except when he was poorly. So he rarely went on his console even if i would have allowed him to spend hours on it. Which i wouldnt have done, so good job really lol


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Yeah, he'd rather be doing electronics unfortunately.


----------



## crohnsinct

My kids tell me Facebook says it is National Hug Day!  Here are some extras for all of you just because! 
:ghug::ghug::ghug::hug::hug::hug:


----------



## Susan2




----------



## Catherine

Miss almost 17.  Comment after being admit to hospital on Saturday night.

_*I'm in lose lose situation.*_ 


Situation 1.
Lose: I'm fine.  Lose because I will have stay here trying to sleep in a neck brace with no pillow.

Situation 2.
Lose: Because I have really damaged myself and need to be here.

:dusty::dusty:Situation 1:dusty::dusty:


----------



## Tesscorm

Trying to keep them positive up can be a full time job sometimes!    Thankfully, it turned out okay!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Where are all the girl scouts?!  Isn't it cookie season?  My girls are all older so none of their friends are girl scouts.  I just had to buy the supermarket, rip off, thin mint cookie:voodoo:

Not the same!


----------



## pdx

We have a dangerous number of girl scouts in our neighborhood!  We've ordered, but the cookies aren't here yet.  I've got to start being a little more careful, though.  A year of making high calorie food for E has left my jeans a little tight...


----------



## Farmwife

No girl scouts yet for us.:confused2:

Yea I agree pdx, why is it we get this food to plump them up but it's our waist line that pays the price.:yfaint:
Maybe I should buy as twice as much in hopes she'll eat more:highfive:. 
Yea the sounds reasonable.:ylol:


----------



## kimmidwife

FW,
That sounds like a plan!


----------



## Tesscorm

Not related to crohns but just need a bit of info from you all...

My father was admitted to hospital a couple of weeks ago.  Intitally they thought he had termporal arteritis (vasculitis of arteries in head) and started him on prednisone (50 mg).  Subsequent tests have shown he did not have this so they are going to start tapering him off pred.  He's been on pred for 14 days.  The tapering schedule is moving to 40 today, 30 tomorrow and then reducing by 5 each day.

Because S has never been treated with steroids, my knowledge is limited to what I've read here.  This seems to be a pretty quick taper - but, of course, I'm comparing it to the situations here and I'm dealing with an adult who, it turns out, does not have a condition that needs to be treated by the pred.

I'll spare you the details but hospital care can sometimes be lacking (as we all know), so I just want to make sure this is handled correctly.  If the taper is too quick, what happens?  What should I watch for?

Thanks guys!


----------



## kimmidwife

Tess,
Since he has not been on it long term I think that should be okay. I would also have him take a vitamin B complex which helps when you wean off prednisone.


----------



## Sascot

Feeling yucky today. Just found out my calprotectin is raised - oh boy!


----------



## pdx

Oh no--are you being tested for IBD too, or was the test for something else?


----------



## Clash

Sascot, I hope everything is ok. I must have missed the thread where you were having tests. Hope you get to feeling better soon.


----------



## kimmidwife

Sascot,
Oh no!!!! That is terrible. Feel better and keep,us posted what is going on!


----------



## Tesscorm

Wish you were feeling better.   I hope the elevated FC leads to some answers and, hopefully, to something that can be quickly treated. :ghug:


----------



## crohnsinct

Sascot:  What are your symptoms?  FC in older adults (and I say that with love) can be from a number of causes that we usually don't even consider with the kids...I hope it is one of those easy fixes.  Keep us posted!


----------



## Sascot

Thanks. I had to take 4 strong antibiotics last year May/June and it really messed up my stomach. It came and went for a while but the pain and nausea is getting worse. I assumed IBS, but the GP sent the calprotectin away just in case. Who knew it would show anything. Not a high reading but enough for them to tell me to come in
Crohnsinct - it's bad nausea on and off, tummy just feels 'off' and sometimes like a blowtorch is burning my intestines plus random bad pains that last a while then disappear completely.  Believe me I am feeling much older :ysmile: these days


----------



## pdx

Hope it turns out to be something that's easy to treat, and that you're feeling better soon.  :ghug:


----------



## Maya142

Sascot - I remember you saying at some point you were going to be tested for AS? Did that ever happen? People with AS can have higher FCs and often have gut inflammation. Just something to look into if you still have joint pain.


----------



## Sascot

They never came to any conclusion about the joints, the rheumatologist just sent me off. Joints have actually been fine since giving up gluten


----------



## kimmidwife

Sascot,
Did they test for Cdiff? Especially after being on antibiotics.


----------



## Sascot

Yes, tested last year and again a couple weeks ago. The regular stool test for c diff and bacterial infection was negative


----------



## Optimistic

Sascot, I'm sorry you are dealing with this. Your description of the pain was so vivid and horrible. 

We really don't need anyone else with issues around here, so I've decided this needs to be something very easy diagnose and address. 

I hope this is behind you very soon.


----------



## Mehita

Hugs to you Sascot!


----------



## Mehita

As of this morning, my 11 week old puppy is on Flagyl. The vet was starting to give me the run down on the med and I stopped her and told her we're good (and why). Let's hope tonight we're not running outside every hour for diarrhea!


----------



## Tesscorm

We have two dogs...  between the dogs, my husband's IBS and Stephen's crohns...  poop - size, frequency, texture, colour, etc. is a very normal discussion in our house!  :lol:  It's such a typical conversation at home, it's discussed as easily as the weather but I have seen some odd looks on visitors (ie daughter's bf)!  :rof:


----------



## Farmwife

Yup, I just told Grace that it's not common in a public place to talk about poop.
Lol, she thought that was weird.


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Jaedyn has been so descriptive about her poop on at least one occasion that I think she may have shocked her GI!!  It certainly took her off-guard.  Not an easy task I'm sure!


----------



## crohnsinct

Waiting for FCP results getting a little punchy.  Here is a little diddy for you.  Sung to the tune of "Oh Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?" 

Oh where, oh where
Is my fecal calpro?
Oh where, oh where did it go?
My patience is short
Is has been so long
Oh where, oh where can it be?
I hope it went down
I should check with nurse White
To see what she could see
Or shut my mouth
and check the portal website
I wonder what could it be


----------



## my little penguin

I assume it sounds better with :drink:


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

Nice little ditty. 
Hope you get the results very soon..


----------



## crohnsinct

my little penguin said:


> I assume it sounds better with :drink:


LOL! Doesn't everything?  

Fuzzy Butterfly: I know I am the forum wineo but please tell me I am not imagining things...didn't you used to have a different user name?


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

Hi no your not lol.. i  had a change.. was mandyk.. well still am really haha.. i thought id have a change ,they say its as good as a rest but im not convinced


----------



## my little penguin

Decided today that crohns is the gift that keeps on giving

Unlike say asthma
You get a dx 
Get a med 
Maybe have a flare every once in a great while (5-10 years )
But only affects the lungs

Crohns should not be defined as a disease of the gut 
At all
It truly is a systemic disease 
That is the gift that just keeps on giving


----------



## fuzzy butterfly

Ye thank you crohns you generous bugger you !!!!


----------



## pdx

A local grocery store was having really good sales this week.  The organic butter that's normally $7.50 was $3.50; the super creamy, high-calorie ice cream that E eats every night was $3 instead of $6; the Larabars that she eats for snack at school every day were $1.  So I bought 12 pounds of butter, 40 pints of ice cream, and 64 larabars. I must have had 70 billion calories in my cart. :redface: The lady behind me in line asked if I had a restaurant.  :ylol:

E is up to 108 pounds!


----------



## Tesscorm

Funny story I thought I'd share 

We were walking our doberman, Mika (about 50 pounds) when, suddenly, from around the corner, a fluffy white 10 pound Pomeranian came charging at her! Full of piss and vinegar, barking, growling, actually took a small bite at Mika's leg. Happened so suddenly, other an a quick yelp, Mika didn't have a chance to react before hubby reached down and picked her up. Took a minute before the Pomeranian's owners came running but, what a sight... 6' man holding his 50 lb Doberman, high in his arms, while a barking, growling fluffy white Pomeranian kept them pinned to the wall! LMAO Hubbysaid it happened so fast, his first thought was 'this isn't going to end well!' and scooped up Mika! 

I wish I'd thought to take a picture!  :lol:


----------



## Farmwife

Lol about your husband.
I know people think I'm nuts but I'm more scared of small dogs than big ones.


----------



## crohnsinct

Parody
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS3xaXsh6vo


----------



## malorymug

I love zdogg! I follow him on fb. I like his thoughtful discussions about dignity at end of life.


----------



## Clash

So weird things going in with the Hubby.

Last Monday he started with low grade fevers and body/joint aches. No other sympyims. We figured it was viral.

Thursday, we went to urgent care. Still only fevers and body aches. Fevers spiking 103. Negative flu test, CBC looked good white count low normal, nothing in the labs to indicate viral illness (monocytes lymphocytes normal) Doc gave a z-pack.

So he's been doing Tylenol then motrin to get fever down but would only come down to 100-101. Then yesterday fever got 103 and nothing would bring it down so went to ER. They couldn't give meds because of all the fever reducing meds he had taken so 2 bags of fluids.

They did blood cultures to send off and all the basic. Flu test still negative and CBC looks good.

Doc ran a course of vanco (just in case?). And said to see GP and possibly rheumatologist because the only thing he can come up with is something rheumatic like sjorens or lupus (doest really fit either).

99.9 when we left Hospital. 101.9 when we got home. 102.9 when we woke up. Doc also said (when I asked at what point should I bring him back if fever spikes over weekend and can't get down) take a cool bath fevers aren't fatal.

That's all we got, any gurus have suggestions of tests? I'm wondering about tick borne illness.


----------



## hawkeye

Lyme is the first thing that came to my mind.


----------



## my little penguin

Lyme
Adneovirus
Lone star tick disease 
SpA

Tagging maya142


----------



## Maya142

You could try an infectious disease specialist. They will test for Lyme and other infections.


----------



## Maya142

Fever seems kind of high for SpA. We have low grade fever here with SpA -- between 99.0 and 100.2 usually. Doesn't get higher than 100.4 F ever. 

 It could be Lupus though... Seeing a rheumatologist might help.


----------



## Clash

Yeah I don't know what to think. We have a new puppy but it's on flea and tick med, he works outside with the phone company. He's pulled two ticks off of him from work and there was a knot with one of them. But that was in May and the end of July.

I guess we'll go to the GP tomorrow then go from there with rheumatologist and infectious disease.

I just don't know what to think.


----------



## my little penguin

Given he pulled ticks off
I would push for Lyme testing /infectious disease
It can take a while to show up


----------



## CarolinAlaska

Sorry to hear it.  Did anyone do a urinalysis?


----------



## Clash

Yes they've done it twice. So far everything they've tested has come back normal.

Today the highest his fever has been is 102.7. This is the 6th or 7th day. His first dose today which was Tylenol and motrin was the only time he didn't have fever. Since then it been Tylenol then motrin and the fever stays about 101 or 102.


----------



## Sascot

I would agree with Lyme disease. Difficult to diagnose though as the blood test isn't always reliable


----------



## Clash

Okay went to the GP today. He ran more blood work. He said we'd wait for the cultures to get back. He hopes it's a self limiting viral illness but if hubby has 2 more days of fever then he sending him to an infectious disease specialist. Still running fevers today but didn't start til after lunch.


----------



## Sascot

Glad the GP is going to refer him.


----------



## kimmidwife

Clash,
I am so sorry hear. Have had limited reception the last two weeks. I agree that this sounds like Lyme disease. Please keep us posted.


----------



## Tesscorm

Have been away for a bit.  Clash, I hope your husband is doing better???


----------



## Clash

Still having fevers but the fevers aren't 24/7 anymore nor are they getting as high. The past two days he is fever free til about 12 or 1 then the fever starts climbing. Where he was spiking 103 it is now around 100. Can be controlled with Tylenol and advice whereas in the beginning neither would touch it. Overnight, the fever goes up and he sweats it off.

I can tell he feels a bit better, less lethargic and more animated.


----------



## my little penguin

So is he seeing infectious disease since he still has fevers


----------



## kimmidwife

I am glad he is feeling a little better! Very good to hear!


----------



## Clash

We're to call the GP on Friday is the fevers aren't completely gone then he's going to give us the names of some colleagues in infectious disease, one in a med size city an hour away and the other in ATL. So, we'll choose and make an appt.

Oh he still really thinks it's viral and is fizzling out now since fevers are no longer constant and not spiking as high.


----------



## Tesscorm

I'm glad he's beginning to feel better.  Hopefully, his GP is right and this will run it's course and be finished!  :ghug:


----------



## pdx

How's he doing today?


----------



## Clash

Hey guys fever broke Thursday and hasn't occurred since. GP says more than likely viral and we'll probably never know what exactly it was. Still, he's waiting on another call about the blood cultures and if any thing has shown up in them. It was negative after 2 or 3 days but that was early he said.

So fevers, body aches and joint pa8n are completely gone. They lasted 14 days.


----------



## Maya142

Wow, that is one nasty virus! Glad he is doing better!


----------



## pdx

Good to hear!


----------



## kimmidwife

Very very glad to hear!!!!!


----------



## Clash

Yeah, I was really starting to get nervous but counting Thursday we've had 4 fever free wake ups! I'm so thankful! I haven't felt completely comfortable until this morning. But it does seem whatever it was it has passed.


----------



## Sascot

Glad things have settled!


----------



## Tesscorm

Yes, I'd be getting nervous after 14 days too!  Nasty!!


----------



## Farmwife

I have to share a funny! 

Grace and I were in Wal-Mart. 
We were passing thru the aisle that had the laxatives
An older couple was arguing over which stool softness the husband had used last. 
So Grace:yfaint:
Takes it upon herself to walk over and told the man about a wonderful product called miralax. :ylol:

Her advice to him had the whole aisle (about 20 people at this point:facepalm: ) in laughter. 

She said. .....
Mix well with a cold beverage.
Drink fast because you'll hate if you don't. 
It might take days to work but when it does you should stay near the bathroom.:awe:
Or bring a change of clothes

The older couple said thank you and looked at me to say something but I shrugged my shoulders,  smiled and left.
Sometimes the genius of an 8 year old need no reply! :thumleft:


----------



## kimmidwife

Love it!!!!! Such a cutie!!!


----------



## Tesscorm

Very cute!!  :dusty:


----------



## crohnsinct

Got this on my twitter feed from an IBD Dietician: 

7yr old: Mum, what happens if you eat lots of tinsel?
Me: probably emergency surgery to prevent obstruction somewhere in your digestive system.
7yr old: *blank face* *small voice* you get tinselitis


----------



## crohnsinct

Just wanted to send some hugs and prayers to our friends in the southeastern US affected by the flooding.    :ghug:


----------



## crohnsinct

Sorry guys but after all these years, the thought of someone watching a Crohn's mama and our antics still cracks me up.  Today, T had labs which of course included calpro.  We got the sample last night but I didn't have a jar so I grabbed a Tupperware from my drawer.  My oldest daughter with her most disgusted face and voice said, "you aren't going to use THAT are you?".  I said, "relax!  I'll clean it!".  LOL mean mommy.  

Anyway, took frozen sample to lab in Tupperware, along with plastic spoon and paper towel to wrap said spoon in afterward.  

While T was in the lab getting her blood drawn, I ran outside with the jar and sat in my car transferring the frozen poop into the little jar.  BUT frozen sample was too wide for jar so I had to saw the poop in half and shove it into the jar. I left the Tupperware and spoon carefully in the car and ran the sample in.  On my way out, I found the dumpsters and disposed of my home spun lab supplies.    

I wonder what the person parked next to me would have thought had they seen that.


----------



## happy

:ylol2: Thanks. I needed that today.


----------



## my little penguin

LMAO
Completely needed that


----------



## pdx

:rof::ylol:


----------



## Tesscorm

Lmao!!!  I can just picture it!  is there anything a mom won’t do?!?  :lol:


----------



## crohnsinct

WARNING RANT AHEAD

Today was T's annual 504 meeting at school.  Counselor asks T how she is feeling.  T said, "good".  Even though she on and off has pain, stomach distress and nausea.  But I get it, no need to go into details...not missing school, competing school work, straight A's,  so basically good.  

We were going through each of the accommodations and the counselor asks T, "have you ever used this one" for each and T answers, "no".  So the counselor says and I swear she said this, "Oh o.k. great so how about we take this one out".  And Pilgrim thought her head almost exploded?  I think my head spun around three times before it exploded!  But I calmed myself down and figured maybe she just doesn't know the unpredictable nature of IBD and decided to school her...nicely....well as nicely as I could...and I swear she said, "that's nice but I am going to take this out and if you find a need in the future to put it back in we can".    

ARE YOU SERIOUS?  

We are talking things like self monitoring for gym (which she has NEVER done because she is a jock and LOVES gym).  I tried to explain that taking it out means if she ever needs it she has to suck it up and participate until a time when we can get an appointment to ask for it to be put back in. Which can take a week or two (3000 kids in the high school and only 5 counselors so do the math). What sick kid needs that pressure?  

Also tried to take out self monitor for assignments...sure cuz if the kid is in the bathroom writhing on the floor all night they should have to worry about going to school without their assignment and hope to heck that they can get a 504 appointment and a new document sent to the teacher same day.  

Yeah, I left the office refusing to sign any changes to her 504 and not hungry for lunch because I just ate a very green and uncooperative counselor! 

The kid has never, ever taken advantage of one single accommodation.  I would venture to say that most kids on here are loathe to take advantage of their accommodations. They are some of the toughest kids anyone will ever meet.  So why take them out.  I could see if you felt they were abusing them but really?  And yes, I would like to believe that most teachers are decent, caring humans and would entertain a conversation with a student independent of any 504 plan but we all know there is always one in the crowd.  Plus T's school is ginormous and the teachers don't really get to know the kids all that well and there is a good  sized population there who are always working the angles or just downright irresponsible so I wouldn't even blame them if they didn't quite buy an "I'm sick" story without an actual 504.  

Just leave the 504 alone...thanks anyway! I wanna go back to my small town in CT.


----------



## pdx

Rant away, CIC--that sounds like a horrible meeting. T's counselor clearly doesn't understand IBD. Maybe you can share some more info with her?


----------



## crohnsinct

Oh the best was when we got to assignments.  It said something like, T has the right to adjust assignments to lessen her work load when not feeling well.  So for instance if it is math do only half the problems or she even has the right to skip assignments.  Again she has NEVER taken advantage of this.  Well the guidance counselor agreed to leave it in but then said, "we usually put in there that you have to give advance notice so we will put that in".  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  What part of Crohn's is unpredictable do you not understand?!


----------



## happy

crohnsinct,
I am sure sorry to hear you are dealing with this frustration. 
When my now adult son was a young child, he was so resilient like T. He loves sports and he played at the most competitive levels that he could. I heard teachers and other parents sometimes complain about the fact that he "played in the game, but was not playing at the practice". It was the coaches and other kids who came to his defence because they were the ones who had seen him clutching his belly and laying on the bench while 'watching' the practice rather than participating in it. (And for more evidence, he had that ghostly white complexion with the big black circles around his eyes.) But as soon as he felt better he was zipping around the court, rink and field. This resiliency has really helped him with long-term schooling and playing at higher-level sports for the years that he was very healthy. Now he is ill again and the resiliency is helping him get through the long diagnostic process again while trying to work at a very intensive year-long internship that will shape his career. I don't know how these young ones do it--but they have no choice but to carry-on. 

Keep up your superb advocacy for T. You are helping T learn what she will need to do for herself one day. In the meantime that counsellor had better watch out! :shifty:


----------



## my little penguin

Big hugs cic 
That’s a tough one 
In high school they try to pull as much as possible from the 504 
At least we were told that 
They even said in most cases they are always eliminating accommodations 
That said they did feel Ds needed all of his accommodations plus a few more


----------



## Maya142

> And yes, I would like to believe that most teachers are decent, caring humans and would entertain a conversation with a student independent of any 504 plan but we all know there is always one in the crowd. Plus T's school is ginormous and the teachers don't really get to know the kids all that well and there is a good sized population there who are always working the angles or just downright irresponsible so I wouldn't even blame them if they didn't quite buy an "I'm sick" story without an actual 504.


This is so true - and I say that as a teacher as well as a parent! You absolutely have to have 504 because there really is one tough teacher...often the gym teacher :yrollseyes: (which is just beyond ridiculous to me). 

I would also say that 504s are important if your child is thinking about college -- even if you're expecting them to go to college, because they're 5 now. Most schools require a standardized test - the SAT or ACT. If your child does not have testing accommodations normally, College Board may refuse to accommodate them. Same with college - the Office of Disability Services at most schools will expect to see accommodations set up in high school, even if they weren't used regularly. 

CollegeBoard also does not like to give kids extra time on exams unless there's a good reason (a learning difficulty, like ADHD or dyslexia or a physical reason). So it's good for them to see that specifically documented or explained. They refused to give extra time to my older daughter (though she got extra breaks, which was enough for her) but gave it to my younger one who had many more issues and more extensive 504 plan and a clear explanation for the accommodation (hand/wrist arthritis).

Anyway, my point is just that since getting accommodations is such a process, that you really have to set them up as early as possible - before a child flares, ideally.


----------



## crohnsinct

MAYA - OMGOSH!  Same here!  College board denied O extra time or stop the clock testing and she was going to the bathroom like 4 times an hour.  T doesn't have bathroom issues and she gets time and a half to take the test. WE didn't even request it the high school did!  

The guidance counselor told T that if you get extended time and you finish early you still have to sit there until the time allotted is up.  T was like, "No way, I'm out" and wanted to drop that but she is just a sophomore and I told here "No way, you never know what might happen in the future".


----------



## Maya142

> The guidance counselor told T that if you get extended time and you finish early you still have to sit there until the time allotted is up. T was like, "No way, I'm out" and wanted to drop that but she is just a sophomore and I told here "No way, you never know what might happen in the future".


This is true for state testing in our state - M hated it. The state testing is pretty easy - it's like 9th grade math and English. So she most definitely did not need extra time. She actually had to get a letter to say in writing that she did not want to use her accommodations for this test and she wanted to test with her classmates - not with students who were getting 1.5x-2x the normal time.

I would agree with you - don't drop that accommodation if at all possible - you never know.

My daughter says she was allowed to leave early from AP exams (as soon as she was done) but she can't remember what was allowed for the SAT - she thinks she had to stay till everyone was done. 

But she says she did NOT get extra time for the SAT (or PSAT), like I said above - she was denied but could have appealed. But she didn't really need it, thankfully, so she didn't appeal it.

I will have to check to see what she got - we should still have her letter from College Board.


----------



## Maya142

> College board denied O extra time or stop the clock testing and she was going to the bathroom like 4 times an hour.


I'm really shocked to hear this - I can understand extra time because that they really do not like to give out. But extra breaks or stop-the-clock bathroom breaks?? That should be a no-brainer with IBD . I'm shocked - that was one accommodation we never got pushback for.

Poor O - she is incredibly tough. The SAT is hard enough without having to leave to go to the bathroom so much.


----------



## my little penguin

College boards won’t give accommodations unless you PROVE  that you used /needed those same accommodations earlier in high school 
We were told to have them added as early as 7th grade to cover for college boards later


----------



## my little penguin

504 does NOT transfer to college though 
Helps some with office of disabilities but 504 is purely K-12 
Not college at all


----------



## pdx

E received a "stop the clock" accommodation from the College Board for bathroom breaks. The related accommodation on her 504 is that she is allowed to go the bathroom at any time during her classes. 

Our only issue with this has been at the school level. When E took the PSAT last year as a sophomore, her school put her in a room with people with all different types of accommodations, and then everyone in the room was given extra time. She didn't know enough to question it, and it didn't matter in the end since sophomore year is just for practice. I've since read that the College Board will disqualify results for issues like this (receiving the wrong accommodations).

This year the PSAT results matter for National Merit scholarships, and E wasn't flaring at the time of the test, so she just asked to take the test in a regular room and that wasn't a problem. 

The SAT is given at testing centers, rather than at the school, so I will be sure to check in with the center ahead of time to make sure that she is given the correct accommodations. 

And I know I should be responsible and talk to her school about the accommodation issues just so that they are more careful about it in the future...


----------



## Maya142

> 504 does NOT transfer to college though
> Helps some with office of disabilities but 504 is purely K-12
> Not college at all


It does not transfer automatically or anything like that. I meant that it helps with the Office of Disabilities - it is easier to get accommodations if you can have a doctor say the child (and by child I mean young adult!) has had these accommodations for years and they have helped the child succeed, and *very* importantly, that the child still requires them in order to succeed.

Remember that college students are not always honest - both my daughters have known kids whom faked ADHD/dyslexia in order to get accommodations at school. My daughter even dated one guy who bragged about  - she dumped him the day after he said that!!

Anyway, my point is that the Office of Disabilities does put you through a whole process to register so you can receive accommodations, for various reasons. They really do want to see "proof" that you need accommodations and that usually comes in the form of documentation from the doctor. But it does help to say you've had these accommodations in high school and they helped.


----------



## Maya142

> The SAT is given at testing centers, rather than at the school, so I will be sure to check in with the center ahead of time to make sure that she is given the correct accommodations.
> 
> And I know I should be responsible and talk to her school about the accommodation issues just so that they are more careful about it in the future...


pdx, She will likely be in a room of kids with various accommodations for the SAT. Most kids will have extra time instead of extra breaks for stretching (for arthritis) or stop-the-clock bathroom breaks (for IBD). My daughter took the SAT 3 times and we were lucky that it was offered at our high school. Each time she got a teacher who knew her as the proctor, which made her feel better about asking for extra breaks (familiar faces make the experience less scary I think!).


----------



## crohnsinct

*HAPPY MOTHER"S DAY TO SOME OF THE BST MOM'S I KNOW! :rosette2::medal1::applause::worthy:*


----------



## Jo-mom

Awwwwwww and back right at you!!!!!  I have to say that I think that the mothers on this forum are extraordinary!  Happy Mothers Day to all of you!!!!


----------



## crohnsinct

Can you break the refresh button?


----------



## crohnsinct

The weirdest thing just happened.  O's nurse came for infusion.  Put the IV in and mixed the Entyvio.  Took the bottle and went to fill the bag or some such nonsense and the bottle exploded in her hands!  YIKES!  That is a VERY expensive spill.  

O is supposed to leave tomorrow so they are sending another supply overnight and her nurse will come as soon as it is delivered.  Good thing Entyvio infusions at home are only an hour because this kids a plane to catch and the airport is 2 1/2 hours away!


----------



## my little penguin

Yikes 
Double yikes


----------



## pdx

!!! That is so crazy! Hope that the new supply comes in time.


----------



## crohnsinct

Happy Mother's Day to all of you amazing warrior moms!


----------



## my little penguin

You too !!!^^^^


----------



## Tesscorm

Lots of extra good wishes to all the moms today!!


----------



## Jmrogers4

I need to check in more but yes, Happy Mother's Day to all


----------



## Tesscorm

Love the new pic!


----------



## Jmrogers4

Tesscorm said:


> Love the new pic!


Thanks,  he's all grown up in fact most of the time I'm an empty nester although they are both home now and I'm loving it


----------



## Tesscorm

Jacqui,

Current times aside, being an empty nester must be giving you lots of time to rediscover your own interests!  I was just getting my groove when all this started!  Do you all have pickleball?  It's all the rage up here!  Like tennis for seniors!  Lol!!  Lots of fun and great exercise!  I'd also started taking Bridge lessons and a friend and I were going to join a Dragon Boat team this summer...  Can't wait until we can all get back to normal!!

For now, my daughter has chosen to stay home (she can't see the logic in paying for rent when it's free at home!  lol), but S has been living downtown with friends for over a year now.  He loves it and I can't imagine that he'll be moving back home.  I miss him but, when things were normal (and I wasn't working from home), S and I would meet for lunch once a week plus he came home to visit most weekends.  So, it was all good.    Of course, miss him now but I do take him groceries every couple of weeks (an excuse to see him!) and we've been doing family facetimes to watch Netflix series together.  lol (Tiger king was crazy!  What bizarre people!!  lol  And now we've just started Waco.)

Now that some of our kids are grown and moving on with their lives, what has everyone else been doing with their free time?!  (pre covid-19)  (And, for those with smaller kids, cherish the time you have when they're young; in hindsight, it passes so quickly!!  But, it is nice to have them as adults too!  lol)


----------



## Jmrogers4

I've wanted to learn to play bridge for a long time.  I think I definitely need to do that.  2 of my really good friends that I've known since high school we all became empty nesters at the same time so I see them a lot more now that we're not all involved with our kids' activities.  
We were supposed to go on a cruise next month, it hasn't officially been cancelled but I'm certain it will be if not we will cancel just not risking it with hubby's underlying conditions.
We have several tennis clubs around me, I'll have to check them out and see if they have pickleball.  I've actually gotten more active (I'm not sitting watching them play anymore)  I've gone to the climbing gym and I love it.  I live about 1/2 mile from some great hiking trails so the dog and I do that a lot.  My husband and I actually just sit and read some evenings with no TV on!!  There were never any dishes in the sink when I got up in the morning (that has once again changed with their midnight meals and being home.  I love having them home and miss them when they're not here but honestly I'm enjoying the empty nest (Shhhh!)


----------



## Tesscorm

LOL, yes, when your kids are small, you can't imagine not having them around but, as you said...  Shhhh!!  

Re Bridge - I found an app called Funbridge.  It's free (for the most part anyway) and it offers 12 or 13 lessons and some free deals to practice each lesson.  And then, you get 10 or 15 free deals per week to play.  I haven't gotten so involved (or so good) as to join tournaments, etc. but it's an easy app to use and very easy to understand and short lessons.

And, that's disappointing about the cruise... but totally understandable why you'd want to cancel.  

And, those dishes...  with my daughter still home, I'm still waiting to wake up to no dishes in the sink!  Heaven!  lol


----------



## Catherine

Two of my 3 are at home.  My husband has been enforced into retirement.  Sarah is living in Melbourne as the hospitality industry is completely shut down.

Her youngest sisters are doing university from home.  There is talk that K university will start face to face classes in June.  Our schools are planning to be fully open first week in June.

I wake up to dishes in the sink.  But girls do all my washing. 

I am the only one still employed.


----------



## crohnsinct

Wow Catherine!  You kinda need the job so you can escape the house eh?  

When my kids were little I used to look at other moms and wonder how they looked so good. Happy, rested, fit. Then I finally got all three of mine into school and I realized that was the ticket! I finally had 2-3 hours to get things done and actually went to the gym.

The next liberating stage was when I could leave them home alone. Then when they could drive themselves.

Not at empty nest yet. My 25 year old was just about to move out when corona hit. Then O came home and T us still home for another year.

G helps out A LOT but it is the non stop cooking that is driving me nuts.

I can handle the dishes but with 3 girls it is the fighting that is driving me nuts. Last night’s blow up was over a hair tie!


----------



## Tesscorm

_You kinda need the job so you can escape the house eh?_

I'm thinking the same!  Family time is great but some 'me' time, even if at work, is nice!!  

I've been working from home but I'm thinking I may go into the office a couple times per month.  There are some things just easier done from my office and, it's an excuse to go somewhere!  And maybe walk somewhere 'different'.

And, yes, CIC those growing stages were great!  Some were scary at first (the teen driving stage!) but, liberating all the same!  

And, OMG, yes with the cooking!  Wow, sometimes I feel I don't leave the kitchen all day!!!  And my food bill is crazy!!  Although I think that's more a function of rising prices than just the three of us eating all meals at home... prior to lockdowns, we did eat out sometimes but we all often took our lunches (even breakfasts) to work.

Our schools (universities) are starting to announce Fall classes be mostly online.  Two large Quebec universities have announced online until January and, I think, one or two others have said courses with large registrations will be online with only small labs, etc.  I really feel for kids who graduated high school this year...  they're missing their grads/proms and will miss the excitement of the beginning of post-secondary.  

Some elementary schools opened up on Monday in Quebec but most parents kept kids home.  Our school year ends in approx. one month, so parents I've heard from are saying it's not worth the risk to send their kids to school for just a few weeks.  I'm sure the news on Kawasaki disease isn't helping alleviate fears.


----------



## Catherine

I am luck to still have a job.  I go into the office everyday.  We are not set up work from work.

There are more people out and about.  Our number of cases are quite low.  18 cases of virus were dx on Tuesday in Victoria.  Our state in currently testing anyone who wants a test.  Over 100 000 tests have been done in the last fortnight.

My husband is doing most of the cooking.  The younger girls don't fight much.

Internet is a problem with on line learning.  Our speed is good but the connection is not stable.  K can't screen share.

But life is good, we are happy and healthy.


----------



## crohnsinct

Crohn's Funny! 

O has colonoscopy on Tuesday.  Two day prep.  Covid test at hospital tomorrow (the BIG prep day).  Hospital is 45 minutes away.  No way would she make the trip two days in a row while prepping during a flare with every public restroom closed due to COVID.  So I booked a hotel room by the hospital.  Got a 4 star hotel on Priceline for peanuts.  But I was the only person checking in with a twelve pack of toilet paper under my arm.  I would give anything to hear what the other guests said about that!


----------



## my little penguin

now that is funny !!!!


----------



## Jo-mom

Thank you for the entertainment.  Good luck to O.  You are one smart mamma and she is so lucky to have someone who thinks about everything!  The mamma clock doesn't stop working even when they reach adulthood.


----------



## Farmwife

OMW.......
I can't believe this post is still going. 
That's fantastic!

I'm trying to read up on everyone I remember.
I'm older now so my memory is even worse. 
Hugs to the ones that are the "long timers"
And hugs to the new comers.


----------



## crohnsinct

We are all concentrating on the wrong thing!  When looking at colleges we are all worried about being near a major medical center when in reality I have come to realize what you need nearby is IKEA!  

How I went to 4 years of college, living in small dorm rooms without IKEA is beyond me.  I have just spent the weekend selling her old IKEA furniture from old apartment and buying and putting together stuff for new apartment. Not to mention all the nifty storage and organization boxes and what nots.


----------



## Pilgrim

We did IKEA this weekend too! No college kids right now but planning to redo space for our youngest two daughters who share a room and we wanted to add individual desks in for the future probability of online school. 
I wish we had thought to go a few weeks ago before the college kids! Stock was lower. Looking forward to a glass of wine to aid in assembly!


----------



## crohnsinct

TikTok - Make Your Day
					

TikTok - trends start here. On a device or on the web, viewers can watch and discover millions of personalized short videos. Download the app to get started.




					vm.tiktok.com


----------



## my little penguin

@crohnsinct 
So very TRUE


----------



## Tesscorm

Love it!

Wishing everyone and their families the very best over the holidays!  Lots of prayers that 2021 brings us all health and happiness!!


----------



## crohnsinct




----------



## crohnsinct

Our little group has a wide reach.  I wanted to let any of our members affected by the tornados last night know that we are thinking of them and praying that they and their families are safe.


----------

