I'm very sorry, Ken. I hope the family can come together and take comfort from one another.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2023 3:43 pm
by Daehawk
Found this interesting. Dont know if its true or not. Could be one of those fake things on the internet.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2023 4:45 pm
by Blackhawk
Not being all that terribly excited about bread, what's the spoiler?
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2023 4:49 pm
by Kraken
Blackhawk wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 4:45 pm
Not being all that terribly excited about bread, what's the spoiler?
White bread bad. Freezing it makes it 1/3 less bad.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2023 5:13 pm
by Blackhawk
Ah. My grandmother always kept her white bread in the refrigerator to keep it fresh longer. I hated it, and still hate the thought of cold bread.
And, Grandma? It makes bread taste stale and causes it to mold quicker, not slower.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2023 5:19 pm
by gilraen
Blackhawk wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 5:13 pm
And, Grandma? It makes bread taste stale and causes it to mold quicker, not slower.
I don't know about store-bought bread, but the bread we make in the bread machine (so zero preservatives of any kind) has to go in the fridge within a day, two at most, before it starts molding. It'll still go stale in the fridge but it doesn't usually mold.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2023 5:23 pm
by Blackhawk
From what I remember: store bought bread wrapped in plastic gathers more moisture, while paper wrapped bread does the opposite - the cold air dries it out. In each case (because I actually looked this up one time), it recrystallizes the starch much, much faster (impacting the taste.) From what I recall, the 'right' way to store bread that can't stay out is actually to freeze it and reheat it.
Blackhawk wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 5:13 pm
And, Grandma? It makes bread taste stale and causes it to mold quicker, not slower.
I don't know about store-bought bread, but the bread we make in the bread machine (so zero preservatives of any kind) has to go in the fridge within a day, two at most, before it starts molding. It'll still go stale in the fridge but it doesn't usually mold.
Freeze it, then nuke it back to freshness.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2023 1:29 am
by Daehawk
My grandma froze bread sometimes. It did taste horrible.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2023 1:50 am
by Kraken
I routinely keep a loaf in the freezer. It stays there for 1-2 weeks and gets replaced after it's promoted to Active Loaf. One lasting effect of the pandemic is my determination to never run out of anything again.
It still tastes fine, but I'm not starting with white bread. Lately I'm gravitating to Arnold's Oatmeal Nut or one of Dave's varieties.
Do y'all ever see Arnold or Dave's, or is that regional?
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2023 8:46 am
by dbt1949
I freeze my bread all the time. It tastes fine after thawing. If bread ever gets stale I toast it and it's fine. Sometimes I toast it when it's still cold.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2023 9:07 am
by Isgrimnur
Dave’s is available in Texas.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:15 am
by Anonymous Bosch
Kraken wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 1:50 am
Do y'all ever see Arnold or Dave's, or is that regional?
2016
Flowers Foods officially takes DKB nationwide & beyond, including Canada and Mexico!
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:21 am
by Daehawk
never heard of it.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:52 am
by Kraken
Daehawk wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:21 am
never heard of it.
Dave is an ex-con who turned his life around by joining the family bakery after 15 years in prison, and a large percentage of their employees have criminal records. They also happen to make very good bread. Their story is here if you want to know more.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2023 2:45 pm
by dbt1949
I've never heard of it either but I see Amazon sells it.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 12:41 pm
by ImLawBoy
Wife started chemo on Monday. If you were wondering whether stories about how it knocks you out and makes you miserable are exaggerated - they're not. She's on 3 week cycles - infusion on day 1 to start the process, then 2 weeks of pills, then 1 week off. Total of 4 cycles, and then we'll hopefully be done with it.
Meanwhile, I have my first monitoring colonoscopy next week. Fingers crossed that nothing has come back to me - I don't want to go through what my wife is going through.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 12:46 pm
by hepcat
If there's anything at all I can do to help during this trying time since I'm in the area, don't hesitate to let me know, man.
Edit: ...er...not with the actual colonoscopy, that is.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 1:24 pm
by naednek
hepcat wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 12:46 pm
If there's anything at all I can do to help during this trying time since I'm in the area, don't hesitate to let me know, man.
Edit: ...er...not with the actual colonoscopy, that is.
Too late, you volunteered, and you can't give it back
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 1:29 pm
by Kraken
Best wishes for both of you.
My sister's cancer treatment made her miserable, and she confided to me that if she had it to do over, she wouldn't take it. Because she had (adult) children, she felt compelled to enroll in a clinical trial after the standard treatment failed, but she felt terrible for the few more months that it gave her. Don't extrapolate that your wife's situation; my sister's prognosis with stage 4 ovarian was grim to begin with.
hepcat wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 12:46 pm
If there's anything at all I can do to help during this trying time since I'm in the area, don't hesitate to let me know, man.
Edit: ...er...not with the actual colonoscopy, that is.
Too late, you volunteered, and you can't give it back
I made RedWarlord (an old friend who was briefly active here for a while) come out to Chicago to drive me to and back from my colonoscopy years ago. The prep was the worst. Also, I think I upset him by constantly placing copies of the the pictures the doctor gave me of my colonoscopy under his plate when eating and he turned away, in his luggage to discover later, on his forehead while he was sleeping on the couch, etc..
Blackhawk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 5:03 pm
Spoilered for brevity
Spoiler:
So, I've been having fun lately.
I've been having issues with mental fatigue for a few years. That's the state wherein you spend a great deal of time under a heavy cognitive load until you've used up all of your brain's reserves and it starts to shut down. The brain is like any other part of your body - overwork your biceps and they reach a point where it's a strain to lift your arm. Think of studying for a math test, or working on a complex bit of code for hours on end until you reach a point at which you just can't think clearly anymore. You can't remember what you're doing, you get your terminology mixed up, and suddenly even simple tasks (like ordering dinner) require a lot of mental effort.
I first noticed it with tabletop RPGs. I would routinely GM (run) them for 8-12 hours at a time. Then, about four or five years ago, I noticed that I started to shut down after four or five hours. I'd say the wrong things, I'd forget rules, I'd make mistakes. After another year it was down to just two or three hours (where it seems to have stayed.) I also found that I was having a lot of trouble sticking with things. I brought it up here at the time. It was a big motivator in getting me exercising (I dropped 50 pounds and was hitting several times the minimum activity levels every week), eating right, and led to me getting on a medication for ADHD (which I'm now questioning. It may still be the right medicine, but I'm not sure it's the right diagnosis, as the symptoms may be related to this instead.) It all barely helped. Lately I still run out after the same number of hours, but when it sets in, it sets in hard. A few weeks ago, after several matches of a particularly fiddly board game (Sentinels), I hit a point at which I could barely even speak. Every sentence would have the wrong words, or I'd forget what a word was ("Go into the bedroom and grab the box" became "Go into the car and grab the... uh... you know.") And I've been a lot more absent minded than usual lately (I've always had the autistic absent mindedness that comes more from focused thought.)
So I finally realized that it wasn't just me being out of shape or getting older, and went to see my doctor about it. Disclaimer: No, it's not cancer.
But it's cancer related. Probably.
As some of you may recall, I had a fun bout with cancer in 2014. After months of chemo (cisplatin) and radiation, I decided to do the surviving thing, and have since been told that I have a better chance of developing a new cancer than of the old one coming back. I did get a few nice side effects, though - reduced salivary flow, a big chunk removed from the back of my tongue, permanent partial paralysis of my left shoulder (my trapezius is kaput), my teeth falling apart due to the radiation, etc.
It seems that this may be another side effect, this time of the chemo drug. Some people get 'chemo brain' during treatment, only to have it fade afterwards. Others don't get it for years. If it doesn't fade, it's generally permanent and untreatable. It's actually pretty common - there are tons of studies on the neurotoxicity of cisplatin, showing that it can cause attention problems, interfere with neurogenesis, and all sorts of other fun things. It may or may not be progressive (the public-oriented discussions are too basic and PR-heavy, while the scholarly articles go further into neurology than I can follow), but the impression that I get is "Sometimes."
None of that has been confirmed yet, but it's the working hypothesis, and it seems likely. I'm having the usual battery of tests to make sure that it isn't something else that requires intervention, or something else that's more treatable (fingers crossed on the long shot!)
Still, I have no regrets. Being a little more absent minded as I'm hitting 50 is a lot better than being dead at 41.
I had an MRI done two days ago, which should narrow down the cause (hopefully.) It's looking more and more likely that it's a delayed onset side effect from the chemo, and it is making me very not happy.
So, the MRI came back clear after a few days. My doctor set me up with a neurologist in her building (she just transferred to a new city, and is new to that particular ecosystem, relevant later.)
The neurologist was today. Oh my god, what a waste of my time. Here's a summary:
Since my MRI is clear, I don't have any brain problems. Therefore, all of my sudden cognitive issues are because of my autism, and I should follow up with a psychiatrist who specializes in autism.
Setting aside the availability of such mythical creatures, I have doubts about his diagnosis. Here's why:
1. When he asked me when I was diagnosed with autism, I told him when I was 31 or 32. He took that to mean that I didn't have autism prior to that.
2. He said that autism, as it is a brain disease, can cause all sorts of other issues.
Why that makes me doubt:
Re: 1. Autism doesn't develop. It's a genetic neurological disorder. You have it at birth, or you don't have it, ever.
Re: 2. Autism is not a disease. It has not been classified as a disease in more than 40 years. It is, once again, a neurological disorder. Disorder =/= disease.
The thing is, you'd expect a neurologist to have a basic understanding of a widespread neurological disorder, and not be under the impression that it's a disease that has a late-onset variant. It kind of throws his diagnosis and advice into question (not to mention his degree.)
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 5:02 pm
by Daehawk
He sounds like a duck
Perhaps a 2nd opinion is in order.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 5:17 pm
by Blackhawk
I'm still waiting for a first opinion. All I have at this point is a delusion.
If I get in to see a better neurologist, I may send the first one a referral.
Daehawk wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:21 am
never heard of it.
Dave is an ex-con who turned his life around by joining the family bakery after 15 years in prison, and a large percentage of their employees have criminal records. They also happen to make very good bread. Their story is here if you want to know more.
Dave's is my go-to bread. All their varieties have been really good.
The thing is, you'd expect a neurologist to have a basic understanding of a widespread neurological disorder, and not be under the impression that it's a disease that has a late-onset variant. It kind of throws his diagnosis and advice into question (not to mention his degree.)
This dude sounds incredibly bad. That being said, I'm on year 5 of trying to get help with cognitive issues that developed after my TBI. My experience so far has been that *everyone* is horrible at trying to help with brain issues. It's been one useless appointment after another. I'm really sorry you are trapped in that cycle too.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Fri May 05, 2023 4:28 pm
by Zaxxon
Best of luck, ILB. Condolences, naednek. And best of luck to you, too, BH.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Fri May 05, 2023 10:59 pm
by Jeff V
ImLawBoy wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 12:41 pm
Wife started chemo on Monday. If you were wondering whether stories about how it knocks you out and makes you miserable are exaggerated - they're not.
I gave a guy a ride today on his way to his third chemo treatment. Second time around on stage-4 cancer, beat it 30 years ago, now resurfacing in colonic form. He said the first treatment incapacitate him for 5 days. The second, 11 days. He told me about his family history of cancer. I'd guess when asked on a doctor's questionnaire, he needs to request additional pages.
Daehawk wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:21 am
never heard of it.
Dave is an ex-con who turned his life around by joining the family bakery after 15 years in prison, and a large percentage of their employees have criminal records. They also happen to make very good bread. Their story is here if you want to know more.
I never heard of it either. As much as I love carbs, not sure I would go with on whose name implies it will be the one to do me in.
Daehawk wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:21 am
never heard of it.
Dave is an ex-con who turned his life around by joining the family bakery after 15 years in prison, and a large percentage of their employees have criminal records. They also happen to make very good bread. Their story is here if you want to know more.
Dave's is my go-to bread. All their varieties have been really good.
I only buy it occasionally because insufficient preservatives makes it go stale or moldy before I can finish a loaf, which typically takes me 1-2 weeks. That's probably a selling point for those who consume it faster.
Daehawk wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:21 am
never heard of it.
Dave is an ex-con who turned his life around by joining the family bakery after 15 years in prison, and a large percentage of their employees have criminal records. They also happen to make very good bread. Their story is here if you want to know more.
Dave's is my go-to bread. All their varieties have been really good.
I only buy it occasionally because insufficient preservatives makes it go stale or moldy before I can finish a loaf, which typically takes me 1-2 weeks. That's probably a selling point for those who consume it faster.
We keep our Killer Bread in the refrigerator and it easily lasts a few weeks. My favorite is the thin-sliced Good Seed in the yellow package. It's hard to go back to other bread now.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Mon May 08, 2023 1:15 pm
by naednek
who would have thought a 2mm kidney stone would send you to the ER... fun times to be had
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Mon May 08, 2023 1:33 pm
by coopasonic
naednek wrote: ↑Mon May 08, 2023 1:15 pm
who would have thought a 2mm kidney stone would send you to the ER... fun times to be had
The pipes aren't really built for clearing mineral obstructions of that magnitude.
Worst pain I've ever encountered.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Mon May 08, 2023 3:15 pm
by dbt1949
I would believe it too. I passed an 8mm. Also try 1/2" gall stones. Fortunately emergency rooms carry pain medicine for such things.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Mon May 08, 2023 4:18 pm
by Daehawk
Passed a 6mm. Wife passed a 7 or 8mm. Womens pipes are larger. If I coulda passed the 2 the size of DnD dice I would have so I coulda skipped that surgery.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Tue May 09, 2023 10:42 am
by naednek
so woke up yesterday with no pain, today so far no pain. i know i didn't pass it... is it normal for the pain to go away. I read it can come and go. What are your experiences?
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Tue May 09, 2023 11:21 am
by dbt1949
If the stone isn't totally stuck it'll pass to the next stage. It may have passed from the kidney to the bladder or further along the tube to a place that doesn't hurt for the moment. Or it may have passed out of your system entirely.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Tue May 09, 2023 12:13 pm
by disarm
naednek wrote:so woke up yesterday with no pain, today so far no pain. i know i didn't pass it... is it normal for the pain to go away. I read it can come and go. What are your experiences?
Like dbt said, the stone has probably moved to a less irritating spot, most likely into your bladder. It can sit there and cause you no trouble at all for a long time, but you'll know when it finally decides to move on. Depending on the size/shape, it may not actually be that uncomfortable when it comes out, but you'll definitely feel it.
Re: We're getting old (OO medical complaints)
Posted: Tue May 09, 2023 12:20 pm
by Smoove_B
You should probably go and deal with that now while you're not in "kill me now" levels of pain.
