Reinholt1

Oh my HanShotFirst! Your year has been as bad as mine! The only thing separating the two of us seems to be that we're not in the same rehab center together! Yeah I had those IV potassium, IV magnesium and all the steroids as well just like you. It was absolutely no fun. Especially that potassium. Had to do both oral and IV at the same time. Nasty nasty nasty! Praying the 2025 is a better year for you as well!

Thank you to everyone for your understanding, and support. I hope you all have fun this year. Hopefully I can rejoin you all next year with a gift exchange and the cards.

Thanks Jesusluvu. Yes she loved her sweets! I have a tons of pictures of her eating too. I used to send them to her aide, almost daily, when I took mom out to eat. Her aide used to get a kick out of it. She could never get over seeing a 92 year old woman who could eat as much as my mother did.

Thanks Chris. Hopefully next year will be better and I can rejoin the fun. Maybe I can convince Wittenlover to come over and eat some of my favorite holiday foods with me.

Was looking online to see if there any posts on what American items are popular in the UK. Ran across an article that talked about candies and items that come from the US that are illegal in the UK. So you might want to take a look at that to avoid those items. Hate to see customs confiscating your package. https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/news/article/4894/illegal-american-candy-warning It looks like Twinkies are very popular item in the UK. You might want to consider sending a couple boxes of Twinkies, maybe even some of the holiday versions, instead of the Little Debbie snacks. I've looked at a few posts and it looks like Reese's and milk duds and jolly ranchers, I also very popular. There's a post that gives a list of what they think is the top 10 American candies for people in the UK. https://ohsweetie.co.uk/blogs/oh-sweetie-central/the-top-10-american-candies-that-are-popular-in-the-uk Hopefully that will help you put your care package together.

I'm so sorry to hear this Bopeep. I've been so caught up in my own little world since my old mother took ill and passed. My condolences. I don't know what your family situation is like.... If your siblings have their own family groups and grandkids and all I can easily see where they would not want to get together anymore. That's what happened in my family with my cousins. Everybody was saying it was just too much. But if that's not the case, I would urge you all to reconsider gathering... If it's not on Christmas proper then close to Christmas or maybe even New Year's. Bring the family foods in and just be family and celebrate your Mom's memory while you're together. So many holiday foods that I wish I could taste and enjoy... But it's just me now and I have nobody to cook for. Even if I cut down the portion sizes, that's a lot of food to make for just me.

Hello everyone. This has been a super rough year for me. I can't participate this year cuz I'm still in bad shape. (Probably wouldn't have been allowed to participate this year since I messed up last year.) As you know my mother took ill with afib early in December last year and then she died in January. I ended up getting a UTI at her funeral dinner that was drug resistant. Been fighting with this dumb UTI for the for 6 months of this year. Medical staff would say it was gone and a week later It'd be back again. It finally took its toll in July, I collapsed with sepsis and had to be taken to the hospital. Once again it was a UTI, now with kidney stones, thanks to the sepsis. While being put under to put stents in to hold the kidney stones, I went into respiratory distress and had to be vented. Bottom line is I was 5 weeks in the hospital, two separate 10-day rounds of IV antibiotics because the UTI still wasn't gone after the first 10-day round! In August I was shipped to a nursing home / rehab to get my strength back and to learn how to walk again. I've been here for 2 months now. I don't know where the last 3 months went. . Anyways I am in no position to look for gifts to put cards together etc etc to participate this year. I will be around to watch the boards though, it's always fun to see what everybody sends one another. I will be lucky if I can go back home by the holidays. If I was married or had children I could go home at this stage because I would have help. Since I live by myself I have to be pretty independent by the time I get home. I'm sorry I didn't let anyone know earlier. I have just been feeling so yucky for most of this year because of this UTI issue. I hope all are doing well and I hope all of you are getting excited about the holidays!

I cannot believe how busy and chaotic my life has been since my mother passed. And I think I messed up and not posted in May. Oh well I'm here. Happy June everybody. Busy day for me. For Saturday of every month my CERT team goes out and checks tornado siren poles to make sure they're working. So at 1:00 today I will be out in the community doing that. And I have to get my sermon done for tomorrow morning. Yay for me. I hope everybody else will be able to enjoy their Saturday. Sunshine and mid-70s here in Michigan. It would be a good morning to get some of that yard work done.

Chag Pesach Semeach Gator Pam and everyone!

Also just checking in before it's too late. Purim Sameach Gator Pam! I was just thinking over the weekend how I haven't had any hamantaschen In years. They look good! Thank you all for your condolences and well wishes on the death of my mother. I am doing OK. Just so many loose ends to tie up. I swear this is gonna take forever. My mother was from the depression era and is a huge pack rat.

Hello all! Sorry I haven't been around. Just checking in. As many of you know Mom is been ill since the holidays with a fib. Unfortunately After battling for over 2 months Her body just couldn't take it anymore. She passed a couple of weeks ago. Just starting to get caught up on things now. Will get secret Santa gifts out shortly.

I hope the surgeries give you the relief you need StationChief! Sending good thoughts and wishes your way!

Happy New Year all! Sorry I haven't been around much in December. Mom became critically ill and she and I spent the last 3 weeks together in the hospital. She just got released and came home in time to ring in the New Year. (not that she cares that it is the New Year.) She is still very weak and fragile. But *if* I can convince her to eat/drink and she gets plenty of rest her doctor feels she can recover. Just a reminder as we start this new year....be grateful for those you love, and remember to give thanks for those things we often take for granted... Such as good health. All the other good things the New Years' brings you is pure blessing. Don't forget to give thanks for the extra blessings too! And the best way to give thanks is to take time to mindfully enjoy all the family/friends/good things in your life.

Oh my! I had a cat like that once. Born blind. Loved those flutter balls. Every time he'd get one, he'd walk around with it in his mouth for hours - making those noises a cat makes when they catch a bird. And then he would climb under the easy chair and pluck it. Feathers everywhere! Dumb cat! LOL!

Congratulations jesusluvu! Been there done that! Know how much work that is! Congratulations!