Friday, August 11, 2023
MENTAL HEALTH BREAK
I have come to realize that I need a mental health break.
Most of my adult life has been filled with stress and I know that I need to finally take some time for myself and try to find some serenity.
When we are young it feels like life will go on forever, but as we get older we realize how quickly it has passed.
With that in mind, I am going to take some time for myself.
I need to stop and smell the roses.
.jpg)
Suddenly all of the things I thought were so important just don't seem that important any longer.
My Etsy shop has been put on an extended vacation and I am cutting down on my blog posts.
I want to look at the wonderful photos on Instagram without feeling like I need to compete.
I want to play Rummikub with new friends on Thursday night and just laugh.
I want to sit in my chair and spend hours reading great books.
Most of all I want to spend more time with my precious family.
I realize that I need to
Friday, August 4, 2023
WOMEN ARE RETIRING POOR IN AMERICA
This is a repost of a post I wrote two years ago.
It has been updated to reflect any changes I have made in my life.
My Story
If you have read my blog for a while you know that I am a former counselor, but what you may not know is that I was a stay-at-home mom for much of my adult life.
Like many women, I chose to devote my time to raising my children.
It was what I had always wanted to do and I don't regret a moment of that, but what I didn't know is what would happen to me when my husband became seriously mentally ill and how it would eventually affect me.
In my mid-forties, I went back to school completed my last two years of college, and did three years of graduate school in counseling psychology.
I worked for several years, but I found out it wasn't enough. When I reached the age of 62 I took social security because I had crippling knee pain. I had both of my knees replaced but found that ageism is alive and well and I was unemployable.
Here is what I discovered about Social Security and why I was left living in poverty.
How Social Security Is Determined
This is where the problem arises for women who spent much of their adult lives being caretakers for their children and then often of their elderly parents.
Being Out Of The Workforce
Social Security Raises
My Continuing Story
.png)
Friday, June 23, 2023
HOME ACCIDENT
I am cautious about trying not to fall because of my osteoporosis, but a couple of weeks ago I found that although the most common, falls are not the only type of home accident.
Two weeks ago I had a crazy accident.
I was cleaning and dropped something on the other side of my toilet.
Instead of just leaning over to pick it up I sat down on the toilet seat lid and that is when the craziness was.
I didn't realize the seat was loose and when I leaned over it slipped, threw me off, and slammed my back ribcage into the toilet paper holder.
Five days later I was back to riding the stationary bike and feeling great.
However, when I went to get up from my chair I heard a pop, the area that I had hit completely seized up, and I was unable to move.
When realized I was not going to be able to get up I called for an ambulance.
Long story short no ribs were cracked or broken, but the ER doctor said it was a muscle or tendon injury and would take a while to heal.
.png)
The best part was that I got to spend a couple of days at Cary's and be pampered.
Things are gradually getting back to normal but I am trying not to overdo it.
A bit hard when you live by yourself.
For now, I am ignoring the fact that I need to vacuum.
I got out yesterday, dropped off a package at UPS, and did my grocery shopping.
Home is the most common place for an accident to happen.
Here are some ways to help prevent accidents at home.
I would love for you to check out my Etsy shop where I sell vintage and antique finds along with digital downloads of beautiful antique artwork.
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
IT'S A DOCTOR KIND OF DAY
I didn't exactly get my normal blog post written for today.
While looking back at my calendar from last year I realized that I had my first Reclast infusion for osteoporosis last May.
I called to see about getting it scheduled for this month and was told I needed to see my endocrinologist first and he only had appointments open in September.
Ummm!! Why didn't they tell me last year that I needed to do this and made a yearly appointment for me or told me I needed to schedule months in advance.
My Reclast infusions are supposed to be given twelve months apart.
Where are the grownups in the building?
Fortunately, someone canceled for this morning.
So I am off to the doctor. It is seven miles north of me and it isn't my favorite area to drive to, but I will be glad to get it over with.
The next obstacle is going to Emory Hospital for the infusion. It is the hospital where Katy passed away and I haven't even been able to drive past there.
One thing at a time.
Currently, screening for osteoporosis is recommended for women who are 65 years old or older and for women who are 50 to 64 and have certain risk factors, which include having a parent who has broken a hip.
Katy had severe osteoporosis and her spine and rib fractures contributed to her death. She was 41.
I hope that if you fall into a group that should be screened that you will do so.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
I'M SORRY, IT'S MY FAULT FOR GETTING OLD
I have a new response for almost everything. It's "I'm sorry it's my fault for getting old".
I've noticed since I decided to let my hair be silver that people react differently to me. It's interesting.
In some cases, people are nicer but in other cases, people treat you like you have lost all of your senses.
On one hand, car mechanics don't charge me for things they used to. On the other hand, they explain things to me like I just fell off the turnip truck and have lost my marbles.
I cut them some slack because I don't want to shell out the money.
I smile while saying to myself, "I'm sorry it's my fault for getting old".
Yesterday I was driving down my road going five miles over the speed limit when some type A driver whipped around me and gave me the finger.
Once again I mumbled to myself, "I'm sorry it's my fault for getting old".
This morning I couldn't find my container of oatmeal. I finally realized that I had put it in the refrigerator instead of the cupboard. I looked at it and said, "I'm sorry it's my fault for getting old".
When exactly did I start apologizing to inanimate objects?
Now I want to know when bashing baby boomers became a recreational sport.
This morning I read an article about how baby boomers basically need to sit down and shut up. It listed all of the reasons why everyone who isn't a baby boomer thinks we are destroying the world.
Apparently they have written whole books on the subject.
They hate the things we say. They hate the things we do. We stole their future.
We are all lumped into the same category and apparently, we are not allowed to question it when they do that.
There is a collective rolling of eyes when you politely ask them not to lump a whole group of people together based on their age.
I have been known to question their collective ageism, but I guess I will now say "I'm sorry, it's my fault for getting old".
Hold on there is a point where I draw the line. I will not apologize for expressing my opinion and I will not stop pointing out that it isn't okay to lump an entire group of people together based on the characteristics of the people in that group.
I was fighting for women's rights and talking about climate change before most of them were born. Yes, I respect their perspective without lumping them all together and they need to do the same for baby boomers.
Last week I wrote a post on Ageing and Osteoporosis and promised I would update you on my bone scan.
The results were not exactly what I had hoped for. I have osteoporosis in both hips where they connect with the thigh bone and also in my wrist.
Before deciding on a course of treatment I am going to have my PCP schedule an appointment for me with an endocrinologist who specializes in osteoporosis.
I will tackle this like I have tackled everything else in my life. Head On.
Oh, and I will not be saying "I'm sorry, it's my fault for getting old".
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
HEALTHY HABITS FOR A HAPPIER LIFE: AGEING AND OSTEOPOROSIS
Whew, this is a tough one.
I have been thinking a lot about ageing lately. When I went for a routine medical appointment last week my PA asked when I last had a bone scan.
It was four years ago and I was showing signs of osteopenia in my spine and mild osteoporosis in one hip.
My mother had osteoporosis and shrank five inches. The PA told me that osteoporosis is more common in Caucasian women.
So I am scheduling another bone scan and being more proactive with my bone care.
What is Osteoporosis?
Who Is At Risk For Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis Symptoms
- Getting shorter by an inch or more
- Noticing that you are stooping or bending forward
- Shortness of breath
- Breaking a bone
- Lower back pain
Diagnosing And Treating Osteoporosis
Thank you for visiting today. I hope you will come back soon, and in the meantime you can find me on Pinterest, Instagram, LTK, and Etsy.
Saturday, May 30, 2020
RANDOM COVID THOUGHTS
This is relevant to the fact that I need to somehow get up off this chair and get myself back out on that sidewalk.
 |
| source unknown
I don't know how relevant this is to the rest of you, but it is definitely relevant to me. I haven't sunk to drinking wine for breakfast, but not only am I missing people I don't like, I'm missing people I haven't seen in 50 years and didn't like back then.
This is definitely relevant because we can all use some humor these days.
I can't stress the relevance of this enough. Please continue to wear a mask and social distance. 
source unknown
Well, this has absolutely no relevance other than to remind myself that I was once very cool and that the person I see in the mirror is definitely not me.
source unknown
Stay safe, my friends.
|
Sunday, January 19, 2020
BEING PRACTICAL
I love cooking on my mom's old iron skillet. It not only brings back wonderful memories of her cooking when I was a child, but also cooking on an iron skillet is good for you.
I know that iron skillets add iron to your diet, but they are also long lasting, chemical free, nonstick (if you take care of it), easy to clean, and can be used in the oven as well as on top of the stove.
There is one drawback as we get older. Just like last winter, my arthritis has flared up pretty badly in my right hand, which makes it difficult to do some things. Lifting a heavy iron skillet is one of those things.
So Friday, after going to chair yoga (I'll talk about that in a future post), I decided to drop into Home Goods. I have managed to avoid it for the last three months because I haven't been over in that area.
I don't know what was going on, but the place was packed and they had a lot of really nice things. I saw a couple of things, a book shelf and a wire and wood shelf that I would liked to have had, but I decided to be practical.
I found a nice nonstick ceramic skillet for $16.99 and a non metal spatula for $3.99. Somehow I managed to get out of that store for a little over $20. WHEW!!
However, I have to be honest. I am really thinking about those other two things and will probably go back on Monday when I am back over there. I'm hoping they are gone, because I am not sure I can resist.
Since I was next door to Walmart I decided to run in and get a small box for something I sold on Etsy. I bought that size there for 72 cents a couple of months ago. Imagine my surprise when I saw that they had hiked the price up to $2.22.
Ummmm, just NO. When did Walmart start gouging people. There was another woman looking for a box and she said the same thing. I left the box there and stopped at Kroger on my way home. I got the same size box there for 52 cents.
We can't always be practical, but sometimes it becomes a necessity and a matter of principle.
Thursday, January 16, 2020
NEW FRIENDS AND A CANCELLED APPOINTMENT
I love that my daughters and grandchildren are here, but they are busy with their lives and I only see them a couple of times a month.
Also, I miss having friends. I like having friends who are around my age. Tuesday I went to the first meeting of my new peer group that was set up by TTN, The Transition Network.
There were only three of us there for the first meeting, but we sat and chatted for around two hours. It was nice to get to know them. One of the women was in my water aerobics class, but I hadn't ever really talked to her.
I also found out about a chair yoga class that has been added at the Wellness Center, where I was going to walk the indoor track before my knee sprain. It is now on my calendar for Friday morning.
We also talked about some things we might want to do in the future together.
Yesterday was the dreaded dentist appointment. I arrived on time for the appointment, but after I got there I found out that there was some kind of outage in the area and so I had to reschedule for next week. I hate going to the dentist. Now I have the dubious pleasure of waiting for another week.
I wish I had known before I went to the appointment, but it is what it is.
Today is another PT appointment. Hopefully they are winding down now. My knee is definitely getting much better.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
BUSY AGAIN
Sometimes I lament the fact that at my age I need to keep working, but then I think about my grandparents who continued to work in their business until their late eighties. I think about my uncle who will be 100 in June and still helps out with the bookkeeping for that same business.
I like what I do. I like writing this blog and keeping up with all of you, and I love searching for vintage and antique treasures and selling them on to people who will love them.
I have had to adjust somewhat how I do my business. I know that I can't lift heavy things the way I used to and if I do I pay for it (think sprained knee), but that's okay because there are still plenty of wonderful things I can sell.
I've also enjoyed adding Poshmark to my business. It has been a gradual learning process, but it's fun and I hope to build that up more this year.
Being busy doesn't just mean working. I am planning to start back into water aerobics Saturday. I feel like my knee has finally reached a point where I can do that. I'll let you knew how it goes.
Last summer I joined a group for women over 50 who are transitioning into a new phase in their lives. We may be older, but that doesn't mean that we want to just sit around, put our feet up, and eat bonbons all day.
The group is called TTN, which stands for The Transition Network. It is national and we have a local chapter here. I have been waiting for a peer group to open up to join and one finally has. I will be meeting with them for the first time on Tuesday. I think we will be starting with five women and hope to grow to about ten.
I'll let you know how that goes too.
Life is busy again, but that is how I like it.
Friday, January 3, 2020
WEIGHT HARD TO LOSE BUT EASY TO GAIN
I worked hard this past year to lose weight and get healthier. It took me seven months to lose seven pounds. Over Christmas it took me two weeks to gain back six of those pounds.
So instead of needing to lose ten pounds I now need to lose sixteen. SIGH!!!
My doctor told me that at my age I need to eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight. If I eat less my body goes into starvation mode and slows my metabolism down. If I eat more...well we all know what happens then.
Up until Christmas I was counting calories, but let's face it, like most people I wanted to enjoy the holidays. Apparently I did a bit too much enjoying.
Now it is time to pay the piper. Less carbs and no desserts will be my future.
My knee has been gradually improving and so I plan to start back into exercising this week. I will start out with riding the stationary bike and water aerobics as they are supposed to be easy on my knee.
I have found that if I do too much the pain flares up. Vacuuming definitely doesn't agree with it. Do you think anyone will notice if I never vacuum again?
Let me know if you love to vacuum. You will always be welcome at my home and I have a rice cake here with your name on it.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
EXPLODING POTATO AND WEAK IN THE KNEES
I always have good intentions to fix a nice big healthy dinner, but to be honest many nights by the end of the day I just don't feel like it.
Last night I decided that salmon and a baked potato would make a perfect meal. I could just pop the potato in the oven and 15 minutes before it was done I could add the salmon.
It was all going as planned until I opened the oven door to add the salmon. What was wrong with the potato? Why was there a big split down the middle?
I leaned down to look in the oven and that is when I saw it. There was potato all over the inside of the oven. My wonderful potato had exploded and the mess was terrible. There was no way I could cook the salmon in that oven.
As chief cook and bottle washer I made an executive decision. The salmon could wait until the next night. It was going to be an oatmeal kind of night.
In all of the years I have been cooking I have never had that happen, and frankly I hope it never happens again.
Monday I went to see a knee surgeon. I was really worried that my knee had failed, because it was hurting more on Monday than it had since I had injured it. The doctor and her staff were really nice and the office was beautiful. I was able to use valet parking so there wasn't a lot of walking.
After x-rays the doctor said she thought it was a bad sprain, that the knee replacement was fine, there was no sign of any breaks, and there didn't appear to be any infection. It was soft tissue damage.
What a relief. I'm so glad I had it checked out, and I will start physical therapy on Thursday. I found an office just down the street, which is nice.
This is the second time I have done this in the last three years so I am going to have to acknowledge the fact that my knees are a weak part of my body and be much more careful when I am lifting.
My dad always said that aging is not for sissies. He was so right.
Hey there!
etsy shop link
J Jill Shopping Link
Madewell Shopping Link
Wayfair Shopping Link
