The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[Tony the Tigger]

Speaking of energy draining, didn't you have some type of surgery lately? If so, how's it going? Someplace in my rapidly aging mind I think I remembered you talking about it.

Thank you. Went under anesthesia 3 times in a few months. September - double fusion in the neck. Results were immediate: better grip and balance. Not too painful. Wearing braces and not moving was a pain - and at last check, the fusion (bone growing around the hardware) wasn’t taking too well. Next check in April.

October was decompression (scraping) in the low back. More painful, easier to heal properly. They messed up and tore the dura (the membrane that contains the spinal fluid) and had to stitch that up, so a 1 hour outpatient procedure became over 3 hours, and 2 nights in the hospital. It has somewhat helped, but not fully. They say it could take awhile longer for my crushed nerves to heal, hopefully eliminating the “lighting in my feet” feeling.

Then December, had a cyst removed since we had met our out of pocket max for the year. They still put me completely under for that as well.

After 4 months without exercise, I was able to go back to the gym in late January. Everything seems to be coming back.

The only thing is I passed out a couple of times in November & December. Wore a heart monitor for 2 weeks, seemed mostly fine. BP drops when I stand up. They advised more salt.

 

[Figgy1]

 

[Goofyernmost]

Thank you. Went under anesthesia 3 times in a few months. September - double fusion in the neck. Results were immediate: better grip and balance. Not too painful. Wearing braces and not moving was a pain - and at last check, the fusion (bone growing around the hardware) wasn’t taking too well. Next check in April.

I think I remember the fusion part. I had a C-4 and C-5 fused two and a half years ago. I didn't have a lost of grip, I had a diminished feeling in my hands. Still do! For that it didn't help at all. Also had the balance problem that has pretty much resolved at this point. I hadn't fallen before, but came close a couple of times. The really was the catalyst in them doing an MRI and then the surgery.

My lower back has stenosis between L-2, L-3, L-4 and L-5. They discouraged me from doing anything about that. I think it was because of my age as well as the length of time for recovery. They figured I'd probably be naturally dead before it could all heal and I could get fluidly mobile again. So since I have at least a degree of mobility they didn't feel it was worth the risk of things like what happened to you but with severe possible results like paralysis. Or maybe they just didn't want to spend the money at the VA. Sophie's choice!

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Tomorrow is Saint Patrick's Day View attachment 848492

My parents are making Cabbage and potato Bake tomorrow for themselves. Its a recipe that they have been making for themselves for Saint Patrick's Day since the mid 2000s.

 

[FutureCEO]

Moana 2 is painful to watch

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Thank you. Went under anesthesia 3 times in a few months. September - double fusion in the neck. Results were immediate: better grip and balance. Not too painful. Wearing braces and not moving was a pain - and at last check, the fusion (bone growing around the hardware) wasn’t taking too well. Next check in April.

October was decompression (scraping) in the low back. More painful, easier to heal properly. They messed up and tore the dura (the membrane that contains the spinal fluid) and had to stitch that up, so a 1 hour outpatient procedure became over 3 hours, and 2 nights in the hospital. It has somewhat helped, but not fully. They say it could take awhile longer for my crushed nerves to heal, hopefully eliminating the “lighting in my feet” feeling.

Then December, had a cyst removed since we had met our out of pocket max for the year. They still put me completely under for that as well.

After 4 months without exercise, I was able to go back to the gym in late January. Everything seems to be coming back.

The only thing is I passed out a couple of times in November & December. Wore a heart monitor for 2 weeks, seemed mostly fine. BP drops when I stand up. They advised more salt.

Oh, ugh, that's a lot in one year. At least you're doing better!

I'm in the same boat, I'm like $100 away from hitting my out of pocket max and I'm like, "alrighty, what should we get done this year?" And mine resets in December...lordy.

Although all that recovery time...and you never watched the Incredibles...

 

[StarWarsGirl]

View attachment 848538

What is this lap you speak of? I generally am forced to lay down and be smothered.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Speaking of the black fuzzball...her latest...

I have hanging bells on either side of my bedroom door. All of my cats have been trained that they ring the bells if they want in or out. I did this initially when I had Belle to stop her from making a bunch of noise when she wanted out, and then put them on the other side so she wouldn't wail when she wanted in. Ella also barely has a meow, so she's hard to hear otherwise and this works. Belle and now Ella generally just ring them very gently. Belle used to do it the first two times gently and then would whack it if she didn't get let in.

Well, now with Jasmine...when she wants out, she rings them like she's supposed to. In...she meows very loudly at first, then WHACKS the bells. And keeps doing it until I let her in. So the first thing I hear in the morning (she usually wants out at 6 or so and I go back to sleep) is "MEOW! *obnoxious bells* MEOW!" Doesn't even wait to see if I'll let her in, just starts complaining that she's not in there even though she left earlier.

I'm like, whelp, so much for the not wailing thing.

 

[MinnieM123]

Here's something fascinating -- 100 years of the Goodyear Blimp. That's the best I've got this morning!

https://www.npr.org/2025/03/15/nx-s1-5320030/goodyear-blimp-100-centennial

 

[Figgy1]

 

[Figgy1]

 

[Figgy1]

 

[Figgy1]

 

[Figgy1]

 

[MinnieM123]

 

[wdwfan4ver]

View attachment 848670

I guess the cat out did my mom's Dumbos. A few years ago, Dumbo hanged Leprechaun by its feet to steal giant pot of gold.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

I’ve got a ghost story. So at the front door we have a mirror still in the packaging. In front of that is a bowl of sunglasses keys that sort of thing. Anyway one night several years ago the mirror fell over but the bowl in front of it had not moved. Couple that with weird noises and shadows moving where there shouldn’t be shadows and yeah I’m pretty sure my house is haunted

I am pretty sure my parents home isn't haunted.

The home in this old music video is more haunted than my parents home is:

There is more than swords moving in this old music video.

 

[Figgy1]

James' first plate

 

[Figgy1]

and a roaster of unstuffed cabbage

 

[JenniferS]

@StarWarsGirl - I know your 30th birthday isn’t for a few months, but I saw this cake on FB and decided to gift you early.