Chit Chat in VOLTVILLE Thread #2 :)

[SandySu]

Good to hear from you, Reptilr! I wondered whatever happened to you!

Meanwhile, it's time for me to say good night. (The cat is telling me so.) Tomorrow, I plan to go exploring with my camera. I'm not sure where, but maybe Connecticut Hill. They say Bigfoot has been spotted there! Not that I'll get to see and photograph anything so interesting.

Tonight's photo is of the only waterfall now possible to be seen at Watkins Glen. I took it the other day when I stopped there to see when the Gorge Trail would open. This was taken from the parking lot.

 

[marlou]

Good Morning Volties,
Well seeing as I have become the lurker and not the poster LOL I thought I would drop by and wish you all a happy easter!!
View attachment 327284
I hope you all have been well and all have been safe.
Have a lovely day
Mel

And a Happy Easter to you too! So good to see you, reptilr. I hope everything is well with you.

Thanks for bringing Hot Cross Buns.... I'll just take one of those for breakfast Sunday morning.

 

[Wuzznt Me]

Good Morning Volties,
Well seeing as I have become the lurker and not the poster LOL I thought I would drop by and wish you all a happy easter!!
View attachment 327284
I hope you all have been well and all have been safe.
Have a lovely day
Mel

Hey Reptilr! Long time no see. I wuzz just thinking about you last week and wondering how your pet was doing. Still got your bike?

 

[Wuzznt Me]

Sandy Su I always find your photos interesting. Especially the falls. We're flat here in Fl and I haven't seen real falls in years. Like Reptilr and Marlou I lurk a lot more than I post these daze but I'm getting better lol.

 

[SandySu]

Sandy Su I always find your photos interesting. Especially the falls. We're flat here in Fl and I haven't seen real falls in years. Like Reptilr and Marlou I lurk a lot more than I post these daze but I'm getting better lol.

Thanks, Wuzz. I sometimes wonder if I post too many pictures and no one really cares. It's nice to know they are appreciated.

If I go to Connecticut Hill today, I doubt there will be falls, but I was looking on the Internet about possible places I haven't been to before, and they mentioned the Cayuta Creek Trail, and I think that one mentioned falls. I might do that one because it's shorter, though it sounds like the trails are rougher. Also, what will I see at Connecticut Hill? Wildlife is mentioned, but it's liable to be shy, so maybe no good photos. Someone studied the ruffed grouse there. I suppose I should find out beforehand what one looks like in case I see one. Also, beavers were mentioned. I'd love to get a photo of one, but again, the chances are just a little better than getting one of Bigfoot. Deer, of course, but I see them nearly daily in my yard, so they aren't all that special. Maybe I'll just wander down that way in my car and stop at whatever strikes my fancy.

 

[rave]

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I took advantage of this. But .... they were out of Nicquid Butterscotch. The horror!!! 8-o

Good Morning Volties,
Well seeing as I have become the lurker and not the poster LOL I thought I would drop by and wish you all a happy easter!!
View attachment 327284
I hope you all have been well and all have been safe.
Have a lovely day
Mel

REPTILR!!

So good to see you! No more lurking allowed. I wanna hear what you've been up to and how things are goin'. 'Kay?

Good to hear from you, Reptilr! I wondered whatever happened to you!

Meanwhile, it's time for me to say good night. (The cat is telling me so.) Tomorrow, I plan to go exploring with my camera. I'm not sure where, but maybe Connecticut Hill. They say Bigfoot has been spotted there! Not that I'll get to see and photograph anything so interesting.

Tonight's photo is of the only waterfall now possible to be seen at Watkins Glen. I took it the other day when I stopped there to see when the Gorge Trail would open. This was taken from the parking lot.

Wonderful photo. And I, for one, absolutely LOVE all of your photographs. They really brighten my day. Plus, I get to steal 'em for puzzles. But, this photo confuses me. It's a magnificent bridge, but ... a bridge to nowhere?

And a Happy Easter to you too! So good to see you, reptilr. I hope everything is well with you.

Thanks for bringing Hot Cross Buns.... I'll just take one of those for breakfast Sunday morning.

Good to hear from you too, Marlou! I know that you're always out there, but we are so seldom honored by you joining in.

Sandy Su I always find your photos interesting. Especially the falls. We're flat here in Fl and I haven't seen real falls in years. Like Reptilr and Marlou I lurk a lot more than I post these daze but I'm getting better lol.

You are "getting better" and I really enjoy having you here with us more.

Okay - off to do some cleaning and then more planting ----->

 

[Renolizzie]

Good morning, peeps.

Not to worry about me going to the doctor, Raven. I agreed to do the girl check-up. The doctor wants to give me medication for the hot flashes. I am considering it. I don't have the name of it so I will have to call the pharmacy to find out the name and look it up before I say yes. This office faxes it to the pharmacy so I don't have an actual scrip to work from but I will be researching before taking it.

They always push for lots of tests but I am not a big fan of screening tests that are invasive. So, no colonoscopy for me, at this point in time. . This always sends doctors into a frenzy but I think that much of this testing doesn't lives in the big picture. Certainly, having your intestine punctured or internal bleeding is a life changing event and is more common than people want to think.

Also, passing on the mammogram.

I'm not handing out medical advice...just saying what is right for me. Most of the people in my family lived to be too old so why get over involved with a medical system if you feel fine. I did let them take blood tests a few weeks ago and it all looked fine.

 

[SandySu]

Wonderful photo. And I, for one, absolutely LOVE all of your photographs. They really brighten my day. Plus, I get to steal 'em for puzzles. But, this photo confuses me. It's a magnificent bridge, but ... a bridge to nowhere?

The bridge goes somewhere, you just can't see it from that angle. The trail is carved out of the cliff side (built by the WPA, I think) and bridges cross at several places. There are lots of stone steps and a few tunnels built into the rock. It's not a hard trail, except for endless steps at the upper end, but it's an adventure, even going behind a waterfall at one spot. I'll have to post more photos I have of the gorge.

 

[SandySu]

Good morning, peeps.

Not to worry about me going to the doctor, Raven. I agreed to do the girl check-up. The doctor wants to give me medication for the hot flashes. I am considering it. I don't have the name of it so I will have to call the pharmacy to find out the name and look it up before I say yes. This office faxes it to the pharmacy so I don't have an actual scrip to work from but I will be researching before taking it.

They always push for lots of tests but I am not a big fan of screening tests that are invasive. So, no colonoscopy for me, at this point in time. . This always sends doctors into a frenzy but I think that much of this testing doesn't lives in the big picture. Certainly, having your intestine punctured or internal bleeding is a life changing event and is more common than people want to think.

Also, passing on the mammogram.

I'm not handing out medical advice...just saying what is right for me. Most of the people in my family lived to be too old so why get over involved with a medical system if you feel fine. I did let them take blood tests a few weeks ago and it all looked fine.

Lizzie, the latest news (see http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/...-of-physicians-medical-testing_n_1281277.html and many other sites about this issue) is that doctors do too much testing, just as you said. Your instincts are right.

 

[SandySu]

Here are some photos of Watkins Glen gorge. Not my best, but the ones that show the trail best.

In this first one, you can see an example of the steps and how the trail is built to the side of the rock wall.



Here's a particularly pretty spot, where you do walk under some water, but it's not the big waterfall people go under. This isn't the bridge that Rave thought went into the wall, but you can see the basic idea on this one.



Here's everybody walking under the big waterfall.



OK, now I'm heading out for my little magical mystery tour today.

 

[rave]

Good morning, peeps.

Not to worry about me going to the doctor, Raven. I agreed to do the girl check-up. The doctor wants to give me medication for the hot flashes. I am considering it. I don't have the name of it so I will have to call the pharmacy to find out the name and look it up before I say yes. This office faxes it to the pharmacy so I don't have an actual scrip to work from but I will be researching before taking it.

They always push for lots of tests but I am not a big fan of screening tests that are invasive. So, no colonoscopy for me, at this point in time. . This always sends doctors into a frenzy but I think that much of this testing doesn't lives in the big picture. Certainly, having your intestine punctured or internal bleeding is a life changing event and is more common than people want to think.

Also, passing on the mammogram.

I'm not handing out medical advice...just saying what is right for me. Most of the people in my family lived to be too old so why get over involved with a medical system if you feel fine. I did let them take blood tests a few weeks ago and it all looked fine.

I'm with you on testing. The doctors get a fight from me at almost every suggestion. There are tests that I'm required to have in order to receive my MS medicine, but that's about all I'll agree to.

Oh - and for hot flashes - black cohosh took care of my hot flashes completely. My only problem was that I would stop taking them because ... well, I wasn't having hot flashes anymore.

Supplement Guide: Black Cohosh Uses, Dosage, Benefits, Risks

Here are some photos of Watkins Glen gorge. Not my best, but the ones that show the trail best.

In this first one, you can see an example of the steps and how the trail is built to the side of the rock wall.



Here's a particularly pretty spot, where you do walk under some water, but it's not the big waterfall people go under. This isn't the bridge that Rave thought went into the wall, but you can see the basic idea on this one.



Here's everybody walking under the big waterfall.



OK, now I'm heading out for my little magical mystery tour today.

Absolutely breathtaking!! The place looks like heaven to me. Have fun on your mystery tour!

 

[Wuzznt Me]

Sometimes Dr.s do too much testing and sometimes not enough or they don't pay attention to the results. Had my wife's Dr. taken her high white cell count and constant bronchitis seriously they might have found her cancer at stage 1 or 2. Instead he had her take a blood oxygen test while she was sleeping and put her on oxygen. Her last visit to him he said there's nothing he can do. She has C.O.P.D. from smoking. He diagnosed this without even a pulmonary function test. He kept putting band aids on a severed artery. When she finally went to my Dr. for a second opinion she found the high white cell count very disturbing as well as the pneumonia that just wouldn't go away and referred her to an Oncologist, who immediately started trying to find a hidden infection causing it. After several tests and chest x-rays I finally asked him what the chest x-rays showed. He looked them up and said "huh, she's got pneumonia". I wonder how long it would have been before it occured to him to look at the x-ray he ordered. He couldn't tell much about her lung until he cleared that up and did a CT Scan which showed a mass. He reffered her to a Pulmonary Dr. for a Broncospy. By then the cancer was stage 3 and the Pulmonologist couldn't get past the tumor to look in her lung, which was completely blocked at the Broncus. The tumor is basically gone now and she's able to use both lungs again. We see the Pulmonologist next month and I'm going to request the test be redone that had her put on oxygen in the first place. I don't think she needs it anymore. It was just a band aid in the first place. Her blood oxygen on room air looks as good and sometimes better than mine now. It's been pretty rough on both of us since last Nov. but things are starting to look up. Her blood work is showing good although slightly anemic from all the treatments. They're monitoring it closely and the PET scan in a couple of weeks should determine whether any further treatment is necessary. She will be getting scans every three months for the next ten years. I find it encouraging they think she has at least ten years left. I totally agree about the unnecessary tests for things where there are no indications of anything being wrong in the first place. Sometimes I think those are based on what the insurance company will stand still for. But if you are showing symptoms of a problem don't take a simple answer from your Dr. like "It's probably nothing serious. Nothing to worry about Just take this and see if it helps".

 

[3mg Meniere]

I am happy to read that report, wuzznt. Another member of old folks is having trouble with C.

After no insurance for many years, I am going to be busy catching up. I have three stubs that need to be removed from my lower right jaw-- some pain. I have some arthritis at the base of my right thumb that probably needs surgery-- there are many things I can't do to avoid a flare-up. I had pap and mammo yesterday. I am getting by with texting my kids in Cali and KC because of phone problems-- with the new bluetooth--enabled hearing aids, telephone processing with both ears will be much easier. My gynecologist did a thorough interview, and I am going to mention to my GP the possibility of halving my antidepressant. Those are just the things I know about. Very little C in my family, but plenty of cardio-vascular--my BP used to be borderline high, now very normal.

 

[cindycated]

Good Morning Volties,
Well seeing as I have become the lurker and not the poster LOL I thought I would drop by and wish you all a happy easter!!
View attachment 327284
I hope you all have been well and all have been safe.
Have a lovely day
Mel

Missed you, Mel! Glad to see that you're still around.

 

[rave]

Sometimes Dr.s do too much testing and sometimes not enough or they don't pay attention to the results. Had my wife's Dr. taken her high white cell count and constant bronchitis seriously they might have found her cancer at stage 1 or 2. Instead he had her take a blood oxygen test while she was sleeping and put her on oxygen. Her last visit to him he said there's nothing he can do. She has C.O.P.D. from smoking. He diagnosed this without even a pulmonary function test. He kept putting band aids on a severed artery. When she finally went to my Dr. for a second opinion she found the high white cell count very disturbing as well as the pneumonia that just wouldn't go away and referred her to an Oncologist, who immediately started trying to find a hidden infection causing it. After several tests and chest x-rays I finally asked him what the chest x-rays showed. He looked them up and said "huh, she's got pneumonia". I wonder how long it would have been before it occured to him to look at the x-ray he ordered. He couldn't tell much about her lung until he cleared that up and did a CT Scan which showed a mass. He reffered her to a Pulmonary Dr. for a Broncospy. By then the cancer was stage 3 and the Pulmonologist couldn't get past the tumor to look in her lung, which was completely blocked at the Broncus. The tumor is basically gone now and she's able to use both lungs again. We see the Pulmonologist next month and I'm going to request the test be redone that had her put on oxygen in the first place. I don't think she needs it anymore. It was just a band aid in the first place. Her blood oxygen on room air looks as good and sometimes better than mine now. It's been pretty rough on both of us since last Nov. but things are starting to look up. Her blood work is showing good although slightly anemic from all the treatments. They're monitoring it closely and the PET scan in a couple of weeks should determine whether any further treatment is necessary. She will be getting scans every three months for the next ten years. I find it encouraging they think she has at least ten years left. I totally agree about the unnecessary tests for things where there are no indications of anything being wrong in the first place. Sometimes I think those are based on what the insurance company will stand still for. But if you are showing symptoms of a problem don't take a simple answer from your Dr. like "It's probably nothing serious. Nothing to worry about Just take this and see if it helps".

This is sounding very encouraging, Wuzz. I'm so happy for both of you and glad that you were vigilant enough to catch what may have fallen through the cracks.

Couldn't agree more with the part that I bolded in blue. If I'm having issues, then I want the tests; but I don't buy into the bombardment of tests that doctors seem to encourage for no good reason. And - I'm not at all afraid to question my doctors' diagnoses. I was once diagnosed with panic attacks when it was actually an allergy to ibuprofen.

 

[cindycated]

Sometimes Dr.s do too much testing and sometimes not enough or they don't pay attention to the results. Had my wife's Dr. taken her high white cell count and constant bronchitis seriously they might have found her cancer at stage 1 or 2. Instead he had her take a blood oxygen test while she was sleeping and put her on oxygen. Her last visit to him he said there's nothing he can do. She has C.O.P.D. from smoking. He diagnosed this without even a pulmonary function test. He kept putting band aids on a severed artery. When she finally went to my Dr. for a second opinion she found the high white cell count very disturbing as well as the pneumonia that just wouldn't go away and referred her to an Oncologist, who immediately started trying to find a hidden infection causing it. After several tests and chest x-rays I finally asked him what the chest x-rays showed. He looked them up and said "huh, she's got pneumonia". I wonder how long it would have been before it occured to him to look at the x-ray he ordered. He couldn't tell much about her lung until he cleared that up and did a CT Scan which showed a mass. He reffered her to a Pulmonary Dr. for a Broncospy. By then the cancer was stage 3 and the Pulmonologist couldn't get past the tumor to look in her lung, which was completely blocked at the Broncus. The tumor is basically gone now and she's able to use both lungs again. We see the Pulmonologist next month and I'm going to request the test be redone that had her put on oxygen in the first place. I don't think she needs it anymore. It was just a band aid in the first place. Her blood oxygen on room air looks as good and sometimes better than mine now. It's been pretty rough on both of us since last Nov. but things are starting to look up. Her blood work is showing good although slightly anemic from all the treatments. They're monitoring it closely and the PET scan in a couple of weeks should determine whether any further treatment is necessary. She will be getting scans every three months for the next ten years. I find it encouraging they think she has at least ten years left. I totally agree about the unnecessary tests for things where there are no indications of anything being wrong in the first place. Sometimes I think those are based on what the insurance company will stand still for. But if you are showing symptoms of a problem don't take a simple answer from your Dr. like "It's probably nothing serious. Nothing to worry about Just take this and see if it helps".

In comparing my dad's insurance (United Health Care) and my mom's (Kaiser) - I was caregiver for both (mom's outta town) - I have to say, I've been very impressed with Kaiser. They're very thorough, updated in their methods, systematic, and don't seem to miss anything. I would research any of my mom's conditions like crazy, and their treatments always seem to follow everything I've found, step by step. They even took the time to actually explain everything they found, and addressed everything we brought up (and I speak up a lot). Now if I can just get a job there someday, so that I could afford coverage. So expensive now.

 

[rave]

I went on my own mystery tour today, although for those of you that know me - where I went is no mystery at all. Didn't see much of anything other than buggage and birdage. I did encounter a huge velvety-soft mole. Yeah - I petted him. No morels that I could spot yet, but then, my eyesight is none too keen. Heres a few of the newest flowers:

Some of the violets are up


Here's a beautiful, brief-blooming sanguinaria (bloodroot)


Cardamine concatenata (Cutleaf Toothwort) I cheated and had to look this one up. I've never noticed it before.


This is just a shot of the sea of equisetum (horsetails) that follow the bank of the creek. There is an artesian spring that flows out of the hillside and empties into a gravelly stream that ultimately dumps into the creek.


Most of the day was spent in the yard-not planting more seeds and some of the seedlings that I started indoors. We'll see how it goes. Ma Nature is much better with plants than I am.

 

[Wuzznt Me]

[/COLOR][/B]

This is sounding very encouraging, Wuzz. I'm so happy for both of you and glad that you were vigilant enough to catch what may have fallen through the cracks.

Couldn't agree more with the part that I bolded in blue. If I'm having issues, then I want the tests; but I don't buy into the bombardment of tests that doctors seem to encourage for no good reason. And - I'm not at all afraid to question my doctors' diagnoses. I was once diagnosed with panic attacks when it was actually an allergy to ibuprofen.

Her next scheduled visit to her primary was six months from when I asked her to go to mine for a second opinion. It most likely would have been stage four by then and terminal. Kinda scary.

 

[awsum140]

You have to remember that doctors have a practice, with enough practice they may get things right more often.

 

[rave]

Her next scheduled visit to her primary was six months from when I asked her to go to mine for a second opinion. It most likely would have been stage four by then and terminal. Kinda scary.

VERY scary!