Joe!

He is strangely silent.

We miss you, Joe. Where are you and how are you?

3/1

                     First off I like Ann to know I didn't know you were ill ! I am praying for you and hope you will have a speedy recovery ! 
                        
                     Now for the past three weeks so much going on, I had company from out of town I slept on the loveseat ( Fatal Mistake ! ) my company slept in my bed and snored like a lion, I have never heard anything like it ! I have bad Siatica which I got 40 years ago after having spinal surgery, oh boy did it kick in ! Finally my company left, too late my spine was killing me, so I had to do like I did years ago 800 MG IUbprofin three times a day, so far it's quiet shhhhhhhhhhh ..... Now since late December I haven't been feeling well, cramps in legs and my Dr. insisted on me having a artery test to see if their blocked plus a few days later I had to take a Echocardiogrham test, then we had severe snow on Friday  and yesterday I had to go out against my will and clean off the car before it froze at night. So so far I haven't heard from my Dr. I may have to call him Mon. or Tues., I have been staying in bed on and off so today I will see if I stay up and try to do things, otherwise back under the toasty covers and watch TV with Miss Dusty......
'                                                                             Love Joe

Enough is enough, Joe.  Hope all is well very soon.   I have missed you.

3/1

                                Alice..
                                           Thank You ! You are great medicine, now if only you can
  be my nurse.....

                                                                    Love Joe

We all met in 2006 and are not getting any younger.  We must look out for each other.

3/1

                               Oh my God ! 9 Years ago....

                                         Love Joe

Take care, Joe. Spring will put  a spring in your step!

What Alice and Shelagh said. 
Pain is not something to be endured.  That "tough guy" thing of dealing with pain is nuts. Take whatever you need to relieve the pain do what you normally do.

Wishing you the best, Joe.

Glad you're here.

3/1

                          Thanks, Shelagh, Abe, Alice, DK it makes one feel good to know]
    your surrounded when your not well, I'm worried about Ann, how is she doing?

                                                                      Joe

She is doing --has a great attitude and is taking care of herself.  Our dear Annie.

Joe, I learned a good lesson about company.  When you take an airplane, you put the oxygen mask on yourself then others or you can't help anyone.  Same with company.  Do not give up your comforts to company. If you are short a bed, one can be rented very cheaply and there are many blow up beds that are quite comfortable for company.  As the host to company, you need adequate rest and access to your own comforts and activities to which you are accustomed.  As we age, familiar routines are helpful to our health if we have any health issues.  For some of us, we can still sleep in airport seats and wash up anywhere. For most of us, regular routines are interrupted enough with wonderful friends and family visiting, giving up comfortable sleep is definitely not an agenda item.

I offered my mom the master bedroom with bath but gratefully, she wanted her same guest room with the bath a few feet away.  I was so relieved you cannot imagine.  I would only give it up to her because she is 95.  I was dreaded not having convenient access to all those insignificant comforts to which I am accustomed.

DK is right.

3/11

                     My Dr. called me today with my test results, the heart is good and the
arteries are clear, so since I had another breathing attack yesterday, he wants me
to take a Lung Scan, I see him on Friday....I'll let you know..

                                                                    Cheers..Joe

Please do!

3/11

                                      AJ

                                        Thanks, I will...

                                        Cheers..Joe

3/13

                              Today is my Dr.'s appt. and I will see what this CT Scan is 
about for the lungs, I just hope its not like the one I had once years ago 
they shot iodine in my veins and I got ill !!...

                                                              Cheers.........Joe

CT scans are not fun, but they can be lifesavers.

Feel better, Joe! try having a banana a day to alleviate leg cramps. And take DKs advice. Buy an air bed--they are inexpensive and very comfortable--especially the double height ones. Back pain is nothing to play around with. My wife suffers from sciatica and when it flares up it is no fun. Keep taking the ibuprofen as its effect is cumulative. Be good to yourself.

3/13

                                    Victor..

                                                 Thank you ! I know Sciatica is no fun, I've had it
bad over the years, the worse picking up something heavy .....I'm going to ask
my Dr. today what else I could take for it...

                                                            Cheers...Joe

3/14

                            Yesterday I saw the Dr., we won't be doing that test since he says I've
had two in the last few years. He did say my heart is good and so far from what they can
see my arteries are clear. He wanted me to take  " Prednisone " for 7 days, I took one this
morning and I felt ill, I looked up the side affects and wa shocked that this Steroid lowers
your immune system and it has a warning label on the prescription, stating keep away from
anyone that may have contagious diseases , why the hell would a Dr. prescirbe a drug like
this, he told me  beofre I looked this up and saw the prescription that it may help my
breathing problem !  I'm suppose to call him on the 23rd and I'm telling him I didn't want 
the drug anymore and threw it away.....It's 20 MG...

                                          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prednisone                                        
                       
                 

                                                                                Cheers..Joe

Joe, I feel for you and understand the dilemma when it comes to prescriptions.  Just because a Doctor prescribes a medication, it doesn't always mean it is the right thing for you.  Question the Doctor about any prescription.  Ask him/her about side-effects.  Sometimes Doctors don't recall or don't consult the medical history of the patient and what they prescribe can do more harm than good.  We often assume that Doctor's know it all forgetting that they make mistakes.  Unfortunately the mistakes they make can be life-threatening.  Whenever my wife receives a new prescription, I do a search on the drug and print it out.  If there appears to be any conflict with what she is already taking, she takes the printout to the Doctor and asks for an explanation.  In some instances, the Doctor wrote a different prescription.  One good thing about using the same "trusted" doctor is that he has your medical history.  Changing doctors is a risk, however if one doesn't have trust in the doctor, it is wise to look for another.  When choosing a new doctor, make sure he/she gets your complete medical history.  Trial and error learning is not a good thing when it comes to medicine. 

Wishing you all the best in all ways, especially with your health.

Yesterday I called my brother who lives in Florida.  It was his 80th birthday.  We talked and joked about many things causing much laughter.  It was so good to hear him laugh.  He and his wife has old-age problems and struggle just to pay for prescriptions.  I asked him if he checked out the ACA (Obama Care).  He said he contacted them and filled out forms, but never heard back from them.  That really sucks.  Knowing the kind of healthcare program I have and then knowing people who don't have it, and when something comes along like ACA that can provide needed help only to hear that the administration of the program is lacking, I get pissed.  People are dying for lack of healthcare and that includes the lack of the program's administration.  My brother is not computer literate and has no PC.  The distance involved prevents me from providing assistance.  I will seek an agency service that may provide help.  If you know of such a service, please advise.

3/15

                       Abe..

                                My Pharmacist told me this prescription would be very bad !
  Now I know and the Dr. will know, sometimes a Dr. will say well the risk out
  weighs the benefits...

                                                                 Cheers......Joe

3/15

                            Abe..

                                      Here's a place I found in Florida for your brother to help
him with his prescriptions......

                http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/florida_prescription_assistanc.html

                                                                        Cheers   Joe