Mardi Gras! Shrove Tuesday! Pancake Tuesday!

[Nancy]

Decision made a couple errands accomplished.
Have put away items the needed it.
Fetched mail.

Trash can is back from the curb.
Had my lunch.
Taking a bit of a breather now.

Cooking up boiled eggs for later.
Have to put some reusable sacks back in the rig.
Hydrating now.
We are one degree away from the hi temp. for today.

[Lady Maverick]

~~~~Waving Hello to all~~~~~

Life is happening here. There is overwhelming more blessing than complaints, so I'm calling it all good.

TOTALLY SKIPPABLE. I am thinking out loud.
After pondering for 24 hours about yesterday doctor visit with DS17, I am starting to reach a conclusion with what I think about it. After the house was quiet and everyone else was in bed last night, DS17 and I sat and talked about it. I wanted to know what he thought because that is what matters (to me).
Long story short....DS17 didn't score well on a braincheck test given on a tablet in the doctors office. I was in the small room when DS17 took the tests and the test giver NEVER STOPPED MOVING. She dropped things (paper and pencils) and scooted around the room on her rolling chair. She rearraigned her filing folders and moved things around on her desktop. She cleared her throat several times and coughed a couple more times. It was a disaster environment of nonstop distraction for anyone with ADHD trying to focus.
I feel regret because I knew this was wrong environment for DS17 and I didn't speak up. And later I didn't tell the doctor how lousy (IMHO) of testing environment it was. Would DS17 scored better on the test if it was in a quiet calm environment? Yes. Absolutely. I've homeschooled DS17 for years and I know exactly the type of environment that he focuses better.
ANYway, because of the low test score the doctor wants DS17 to start taking ADHD meds again. I gave this doctor a quick overview of the 5 years we saw many specialists and tried to find ADHD meds that worked for DS17 (9 years old at the time) and how none of them were worth the side effects and along the way they caused the tourettes to show up and go wild. The doctor said "you can try the meds and stop if they don't work and there will not be any long term effects". That has not been our experience, and I told the doctor that fact. The doctor talked to DS17 about benefits of the meds and then with DS17 approval he prescribed ADHD meds. DS17 told me later that he felt like the doctor bullied him into trying them.
I did get the prescription filled and brought them home. DS17 is 5 months away from being legal age (adult?) so I feel he should be the one making the final decision. I will support his decision either way.

From my point of view.....DS17 is doing so good in life. He is happy, enthusiastic, surrounded by friends, in a good GF relationship, he loves to work and enjoys it when he has multiple jobs, he is respectful, full of life, surrounded by mentors that he consults with regularly.....so why would we want to start him on a meds again that have been proven to not help him and to actually harm him.

Yes, DS17 is hyperactive. He does not sit still very often. He can sit still when he wants to but he chooses activities that are busy. DS17 might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but he does learn and remembers what he learns. DS17 greatly dislikes using a screen and prefers to be busy with hands-on activities. So, what is wrong with that? Why should he take drugs to mask these ADHD symptoms when they are not causing him problems.
My thoughts are.....Let DS17 be who he is and stop trying to put labels on him & medicate him to score better on your computer test. The meds do not cure anything, they cover up the symptoms. The meds do have risk, and we have experienced them so I’m feeling a bit hesitant from trying them for no benefit that I can see. If he needs and wants the meds in the future, then that is the time we should try them again.

After 24 hours of pondering ....The decisions are made. I support DS17 choosing to not take the ADHD meds the doctor thinks he needs.

[blessedw2]

hello - I finished the additional paperwork.
rinsed the kitchen floor after vacuuming
did three loads of laundry and folding (for mom)
mom is awake - she didn't want to get up yet and the helper is not back yet. She went to friends house and should be back in 15 minutes
brother asked if it was ok to come here tomorrow - I said yes. I am anxious but he did ask.

dinner?

d lady - if your d son felt that way then he was bullied.

When I was a young mom a neurologist (friend of my dad) did a test to see how my brain worked - I was told my responses were extremely slow - dealt with light etc. It was considered a big problem. I always had horrible migraines I too have ADHD (wasn't diagnosed until older) but not on meds. I am not stupid or slow but they tried to convince me that I was slow.

your ds has so many skills and so many talents that he knows where he is in his brain. He is a smart man. he needs to trust that drs. don't always know what is right.

many drs. force multiple depression meds (really hurt dd younger) and Adhd meds now. Years from now they will show that it isn't good like they claim. Dd brain did horribly on those meds. she is starting to trust her mind on what she needs. The one meds work really well for her - the others hurt her badly with so many physical problems.

good for him to trusts his own experiences. he is hard working - full of character and trust worthy.
I agree with you.

hi d Nancy
yay on errands
hydrating yourself - wonderful

wow I didn't realize that ramadan, cheese new years and Mardi Gras were on the same day .
thank you d twins
glad you had a good zoom meeting.

hi d harret yay on morning cards.
cheering you on through such lovely weather!
learn something new every day - how clever! love it.

hi d kitty yay on your progress!

hi d cathy - it's also women's institute day - ! wow.

hi d mystery chicago has a large polish population - we even have polish lessons for children at the high school in a near by suburb - many polish deli's
waving at you!

no headache today yay - I am a bit stressed and overwhelmed but I will keep working in little bits to get things accomplished.

[CathyS]

Thank you for sharing that with us LadyM. I totally agree.

Funny that I can see the benefits for you dson to STOP taking meds that have no benefits and yet here I have been for a few days trying my best to have dh to get these bandages put on his calves and arguing to get him to put the comp. socks back on. It was only after I cried this morning that he changed his mind. He really, really wants the nurses to come here. I might take this over to the husband's health thread because there is more to this whole dang story/rollercoaster.

Any ways.... I went to the W. I. thing this afternoon and so many of them asked how I was doing and how was my dh, etc.

I took a load to the landfill Most of that pile has been buried under the snow for up to a month. 15 bags in 30 days.

Supper is in the oven.

[Nancy]

We've walked while it was sunny yea!
Now the wind's howling and clouds have arrived.
Great choices LM & dson!

Put food in the freezer downstairs.
Got my steps in for the day.
A couple of other bigger times got put away and in smaller sections too.

Dsis asked if I was prepped for the storm this snowing on the mtns. and skiers are very happy!
Yes I'm prepared I got extra cup of soups b/c couldn't find the pea soup like I wanted! LOL!
Got extra hot dog & hb buns as seems I like them with the meat, especially if I'm doing a focused writing week and no cook week.

One young guy did a one arm lift and crawled up to fetch dog food at the back of the shelf for me!
We both laughed about that, dsis enjoyed that I said to tell our our guy cousin that works at the
same company in a diff. state!

Sun is back out one of those just wait a bit days if you do not like the weather it will change.
Did up the dishes.
Did git the vacuuming done in the bedrooms and living room too.
Thanks Harriet. Saw that yt was down and is back up again.

[Harriet]

Glad Twins' had a good Zoom interaction.

LadyM, that sounds very sensible. You could insist upon a second test (not suggesting second guessing the dr, just the environment), but you pretty much know the environment was a problem already. Don't beat yourself up about the time during the test. Hard to decide what to do right then.

Joining Nancy to report success in errands.

We went to the closer version of the very upscale and also large grocery we went to last month, and found it was nearly as nice, just smaller. This location has changed for the better over the last couple years, we thought. Well stocked and interesting selections but also store brands so when I wanted to be cheap, I could be relatively cheap and when I wanted to try new things, I could do that. Produce, hurray, hurray, was high quality, no excuses needed. Extremely pleasant cashier, although no other employee acknowledged us, which seems a little odd, now that I think of it.

So nice to scrutinize my own choices, reach out and touch, read the back or side of a box myself, be critically aware, opinionated. Nice to save the delivery and tip dollars, although they are so worth it many times - cannot complain.

Saw Paczki, btw, for the first time ever. HRH had never, either, and they interested him since he knew the bakery name, but from other things. They were on a small display as you walked in.

Disappointment - we'd forgotten that it now costs money to get cash back at many grocery stores. I know they are not an ATM, but we were supposed to be like family forever when we agreed to the loyalty card many years ago... ..right? Guess not.

[Harriet]

That was not posted, because company came!

Had a visit from my dfarmingcousin who is pretty much retired now, but maybe still has some beef cows only. Not sure. He came because a letter had fallen near our mailbox - similar reasons are the only things that ever bring him here, accepting packages for us, etc. I told him I was going to have to drop letters for him every once in a while, so we'd have a visit. I asked him immediately as he walked toward the house, "Who do I look like?" and he answered, "You look like my Aunt J". ( - I really, really look like my mother with my new short hair.) We talked about old times and new, remembered great aunts.

He was still here when dgsW came so they got to chat. W did some yard work for me with the 4-wheeler.

So meaningful to have a visit from kin you seldom get to see, and everyone be well and able to spend some time, see a grandchild, make jokes.

[Harriet]

YouTube ... .. is down.

I am cast adrift.

Nancy, I can see shorts. Puppy dog walks, so cute, so I'm thankful for that.

HRH is baking for us to cheer me up. I didn't realize that I'm bored with input that other people choose for me. I want millions of things to choose from or I am pouting.

SHEM

"If you don't daydream and kind of plan things out in your imagination, you never get there. So you have to start someplace." - Robert DuVall

[lucylee]

I think I still call Tuesday Mardi Gras, because we don't get pancakes at church till tomorrow. Sounds like a bunch of lazy Methodists, doesn't it? Like, we can't spare a second night this week for church? So tomorrow night, we will have Ash Wednesday and begin our Lenten Bible study (my class is on pause till Easter!) but our men will serve pancakes and bacon for the usual supper before Bible study.
Y'all know, I don't partake of ANY of the activity that goes on in New Orleans at this time of the year, but I would love to have another trip with dh to walk around * and eat * in the French Quarter. Being as much of a prude AND a scaredy cat as I am, I don't know what about it appeals to me, but I always loved being down there at New Year's. Partly, I guess it's the warm weather and the historical atmosphere of the buildings and everything. BTW, I'm not apologizing for being a prude, LOL. We never went during Mardi Gras; that might be too much for me!

Oh my... if YouTube is down, dgd is going to lose her mind. Good thing she had ball practice to occupy her for a couple hours after school!
Glad you had a good visit with your cousin, Harriet!

Tomorrow, dgrands get out of school at 11:30, in order for teachers and high school students to attend a funeral of a long-time secretary who just passed away. She was secretary there for 30 years, including a lot of the time I was teaching, and she was cheerleader sponsor for many years. Just a wonderful person who will certainly be missed. She was an extra mama to all her cheerleaders and a lot of the students in the school.
I am going to pick up the dgrands at school (because ds is taking a cousin who can't drive -- blind -- to a music thing) so I will go to chair yoga, out at 11:00, sign checks if needed at church, pick up dgrands, deposit them at my house, threaten them with strong penalties if I come back and anyone is crying or screaming/pray that they will behave themselves, and go to funeral visitation.

Nancy, I did a lot of running around today, too.
* Teacher group -- and have now posted a picture of our group to the local paper, at the request of group vp
* Post office -- quick visit with dfriend who wanted to hear from dh's cousin
* Dmom's -- found the check she had lost in her car (daunt's payment for funeral throw) -- wrote a couple checks for her -- watched the last half of A Time to Kill with her
* Wmart -- a couple of items that were missing from yesterday's pick-up order

Back home, I have clean sheets lying on the bed, but NOT ready to sleep on and I still need to shower and wash my hair. Yes, it is almost midnight. I might skip washing hair.

your ds has so many skills and so many talents that he knows where he is in his brain. He is a smart man. he needs to trust that drs. don't always know what is right.

Ditto what blessed said there, LadyM!

DS17 is doing so good in life. He is happy, enthusiastic, surrounded by friends, in a good GF relationship, he loves to work and enjoys it when he has multiple jobs, he is respectful, full of life, surrounded by mentors that he consults with regularly.....so why would we want to start him on a meds again that have been proven to not help him and to actually harm him.

And AMEN to your own words! I cannot believe the test giver is so insensitive that she/he would cause such disruptions during a test for ADHD!!! (I mean, of course I believe you!!! But HOW can anyone be so thick-headed as to act like that while a teenager is taking such a test!!! That is insane!!!) Good for you to at least tell the doctor your experience with the meds, and good for you to allow ds to make the decision. I would feel exactly the same way as you.
Your ds is doing sooo incredibly well with so many life skills. I admire him so much. You know, my step-grandmother took ADHD meds when she was an adult. If your ds ever decides that ADHD bothers him enough to deal with the side effects, he can always get a rx later on at 30 or 40 or whatever age he is. You are handling this PERFECTLY. Don't ever second-guess yourself!

My dgs might benefit from meds in some ways also, but I am so thankful ds and ddil have never wanted to put him on anything. They said as long as he was doing well in school and teachers weren't complaining, they thought they would leave well enough alone.

I just looked up Paczki -- and apparently our Wmart has them. Mmmm... looks good.

I ate chicken stew for supper. I have ONE more servings of the Labor Day stew I always brag about. Tonight, I was tired and had a headache and really needed comfort food.
Nancy, I saw where some skiers were caught in an avalanche in California. Scary.

Waving to ALL of you -- and now I want to go out and look at the moon. Is it too late? I've got to look that up.

[lucylee]

Editor's note: The annular solar eclipse is over. Read our wrap story to learn what happened today during the 'ring of fire' eclipse!

LOL -- well, since I don't live in the southern hemisphere, looks like I would have missed it anyway. No wonder no one mentioned it on the weather reports.