Hey y’all! Did you ever hear the old folks tale about snow (or ice) staying on the ground for three days means another bout of it is coming your way? Well, the sleet stayed on the ground from Winter Storm Fern and then Giana just passed through leaving us surrounded in the quiet white stuff. The Weather Channel identifies it as dry snow and yes it is, so good for skiing which I haven’t done in decades. No plans on doing it again. But, there’s always one but, right? If I had a toboggan or a sled, I’d be taking advantage of the slope in our yard and the gravel drive and maybe even Ms. Jan’s yard! The deer have been all over both our yards, I can see the tracks they left behind. I can see the squirrels were on the steep roof of the gazebo. I guess they wanted to play, there’s a couple that have lived under the roof since before we bought the place.
Squirrels are fun to watch aren’t they? They can do an immense amount of damage to structures. I really need to fix it so they have to move on. But, there’s another one, I’m thinking of my luck - Murphy’s Law kind of luck, they’d move to the house or the shop. Our four legged girls love to chase them. One time, the squirrel ran up the side of the brick building aka my shop, and got stuck for a long time up at the peak on the wall. Had to get the dogs inside so it could go wherever it wanted. So for now, they get to remain tenants of the gazebo.
We’ve got about 8.5” of the white stuff on the ground. Yes, I do know that’s not much for folks up North. But we did get more than the areas where folks ski. I looked out earlier to the road that runs in front of our home and it’s ice. Guessing the plow came through sometime during the night and didn’t have any salt to spray. The news reported shortages due to Fern. We have another storm coming this week that’s supposed to bring more.
BH was reading me an article found on FB and checked the news report. There’s a little city called Kannapolis that had I85 North shut down. Of course the heading of the article is incorrect. It said a 100 car pile up, nope, it was a back up due to an accident. There is a huge difference. But we had to laugh at some of the comments.
Are you noticing the “but” theme going on today? Life is full of “buts”. We have to figure out if the buts are going to help or hinder so we need to weigh everything. It’s part of using critical thinking. BH snitched on me to our PT! BH told me before I had to go in on Thursday and he asked why I was having so much difficulty. I told him BH had already snitched but he wanted to hear my story. He asked why I was clearing the sleet off the back porch and steps. Well heck and fire! It’s difficult to get frozen ice off brick and pavers. I mucked up my shoulder a bit more. He gave me strict instructions not to try to shovel snow. Apparently I can make the tears worse and aggravate that dang pinched nerve. I informed him snow was easier to shovel than ice with a plastic snow shovel. He is afraid I will fall and hit my head. As if that hasn’t happened before. Yes it does hurt, no it does not scare me. I do usually say some type of expletive, mostly because I have to put it in my calendar since we all know the docs ask about falls.
I guess I’m more concerned with our dogs safety than my own. Is there a lack of critical thinking going on? Absolutely. Of course I did have to try to shovel it whilst it was snowing so I could keep it under control. Not my brightest moment, but I did stop when I felt my shoulder ache. PT Thomas’ suggestion. He has switched his words from pain to ache. If I go to pain level, I’ve gone way overboard. Ache I get. Yay Mr. Thomas! He is the first medical specialist who has found the correct word for me to understand when to stop! So we are letting the dogs out the garage door! Now that is using critical thinking skills.
Which leads me to what is critical thinking? It’s a process of evaluating without prejudice I guess one could say. I also found this article about using “Mindware” and what can happen if we don’t Mindware: Critical Thinking in Everyday Life - PMC spoil alert the author likes big words like heuristic which I offer this article Heuristics In Psychology: Definition & Examples. Is it the same heuristic the first is talking about, perhaps. But one would have to do more research to discover and not just go on gut feelings.
This is the same with what we need to do with our aneurysms and speaking with the doctors. It is up to us to delve deeper, ask more questions and set aside our emotions. That’s one tough call isn’t it? But we really need to try, we need to know it’s okay to question the way or reasons our medical providers are coming up with what they say. Thomas’s first wife died of a ruptured aneurysm. I think this is why he is so concerned with me hitting my head when my concern is being able to use my right arm the way I want it to work. I will not know, I didn’t ask and my last approved appointment is this week with Ms. Becky.
Now for the reason we are all here! To welcome our newest members!
@SLB is down in Florida. Daughter ruptured and is in ICU. SLB is looking for anything or anyone who can help get them through it as the daughter is fighting for her life. Please start a new topic under either General or Support so we can help by sharing our experiences and support. We know how difficult it can be for family members.
@GaryRJ is also a caregiver but over in California. Gary’s wife is in hospital now in rehab. Gary shares he loves his wife and she told him he had to live to be 93. He says since she told him that, she has to be well enough to spend it with him! I say kudos to you both on that! Please let us know how you both are doing under the General tab! I’d love to read more of your story.
@Chris516 right here in North Carolina (Hey Christopher, did you get snow too?). Christopher shares that he was diagnosed with Vein of Galen aneurysm before his first birthday back in 1968. The aneurysm caused hydrocephalus. I think you’re the first with VOG since I began moderating so for our other members, here’s what I found https://www.texaschildrens.org/content/conditions/vein-galen-aneurysm. Looking forward to reading more of your journey Christoper, just start a new topic under the General tab!
@AudreyLee is in California and is in the early stages of processing what the next step for her will be. Audrey shares that back in November 2025, she was in a side by side ATV accident resulting in significant injuries.She had here C2 vertebrae break, aortic valve damage and blunt forced trauma induced aneurysm. Audrey shares she is sincerely horrified by her diagnosis. We get it Audrey, we can help share our experiences and support but you’ll need to start a new topic under either General or Support tab. Highly recommend you to start relaxation breathing…
@Tigger601 is down in Florida. Tigger (my favorite character) was treated with a flow diverter on a large aneurysm found incidentally and is now in recovery from the procedure. Glad you made it through and didn’t rupture! Really happy to read you’re still able to work. Please come tell more of your story under the General tab, Curious minds want to know…
@Sonyab313 is up in Kentucky. Sonya shares she zoned out at work which led to testing. Testing had indicated a brain tumor but during surgery discovered to was an extremely large aneurysm. She had it clipped and a couple weeks later developed an infection. She had another surgery and over a year later still has an open wound that will not heal. She recently had a MRI and results indicate another aneurysm on the opposite side but it’s less than 1cm so it will be monitored. Sonya shares she also has a twin sister. Sonya I can’t wait for you to tell us your story under the General tab, new topic. Also extremely interested if your twin sister has had an MRI/MRA to ensure she has no aneurysms.
@WestEastCG is out in California. Manish’s mother had a brain aneurysm and is working through support plan now. Manish is based in California, Mother resides in Virginia which complicates everything. Mother was the primary caregiver for her husband.both being senior citizens. Manish, it sounds like maybe your mother ruptured but I’m not sure. Please come talk to us under General tab, we’ve got a lot of members here on the East Coast, many in VA which may be of some help.
@Bella1 is up in New York and had a pipeline embolization device used. Donna was diagnosed and treated for two aneurysms in the Paraclinoid segment of the Left Internal Carotid Artery in January 2025. She shares the PED worked and both aneurysms are occluded. She’s also a business woman and an artist! Great news on the occlusions! You are going to come tell us more of your story right? Just put it under the General section…
@IQuinn1114 rounds us up for the week. Ileana is over in Washington State. She was just diagnosed and is waiting to see what the neurologist wants to do. Ileana shares she had a mini stroke last year and was in the ER for days. She says they sent her home without understanding everything and blamed it on blood pressure and heart issues. She had another minor stroke this year doing all the same studies but this time found a brain aneurysm. Her doctor looked at the two sets of images and the brain aneurysm was there on both sets. She is currently waiting to see what the neurologist wants to do. Ileana is a mother of 3, loves animals, loves to rescue animals as she had a rescue ran out of her home for many years. She currently has 2 Bullies that think they’re babies and a huge iguana. Ileana you know I want to read more of your story, head over to the General tab and start a new topic!
So that’s this weeks newest members! Welcome to all!
I wanted to share a picture of of FB, BH sent to me because I don’t do FB if I did, it would probably give me high BP and I’d be on FB Marketplace looking at things I think I want but probably don’t need…Critical thinking skills? It might be…Stay warm and safe y’all! We keep getting weather alerts due to the temp and wind
