Morning World! Guess what? We finally got some rain! We also got the French drains done which means I’ve got to water the seed. Our new grader couldn’t find flaps so he went with the pop ups and did a deep gravel filled area under the pop ups. I spread about 5 loads around to different holes in the yard, close enough to not slow them down in their work. There’s still more to do, but that’s life isn’t it? Always something else!
Most of the catkins are off the white oaks, there’s still some on the roofs but that’s okay. Didn’t rain hard enough last night to get them off. Since the fiasco with the ladder years ago and the subsequent rule from the neurosurgeon who said stay off ladders, I will not be getting on the roofs to blow them off. Heck, I wouldn’t do it anyways, roofs are way too steep and I would need a harness. I can wait for Mother Nature to do her thing.
I up and decided to rearrange the back patio as it needed the pollen cleaned off everything the other day. I probably should have thought it out better but I can move things where I want, just a little bit more work. I used to be really good at figuring things out before I started. That skill left me with the rupture, can’t blame it on age as it ran when I bled. But things have improved and I do take stock of those improvements. Now it can take a day or two where right after, yep, wouldn’t have happened in several months.
Sometimes I think of this song by The Faces, although perhaps you remember the Rod Stewart version or the multitude of others. https://youtu.be/oFPYbj6oIYo?si=-j246Sb0fPvR5QMF which always leads me to Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band https://youtu.be/2vRsEC65NTA?si=60Wo_3FCMiPTzAT5. Then I get in a quandary of thought processing when I’m not getting it. It can by anything by the way. When I first ruptured it really did feel like I was up against the wind, taking 1 step forward and 3 back. As with everything, life changes and there’s not the 3 steps back anymore. I credit the stent on that fact of life! However, I do realize that it’s also because I had a lot of tricks (aka tools) in my bag. Perseverance has helped tremendously.
It simply amazes me that our neurotransmitters can keep finding their way around and create new pathways even after all this time! Never give up on yourself! Be patient and kind aka give yourself some grace. While you’re at it, make sure you practice the same with the people who live with you or those you love. Respect of self and others goes a long way in life. BH has been helping me move things on the back patio. I tried to take it slow, got a bit antsy, did a bit of meditation and of course breathing. Watered the new grass seed and realized while changing the hose and turning on and off different sprinklers that BH is not used to physical labor. Always has had a desk job and I may be in a little better shape than BH. I realized it’s much better to be patient, it will get done, eventually.
I am very frustrated/aggravated with myself and the PA at the derm. I apparently allowed him to gloss over things. Do you ever do that? I’d recommend don’t do it, you can learn from my mistakes so you’re not in the same boat as I. Took me awhile to figure it out so now I need to get on that portal and ask questions that should have been covered at my appointment. I’ve already had to get on it and ask about the prescription that all he said on was he was going to order one that the insurance company would cover and wasn’t too expensive. Instead of asking what and getting explicit directions for use, I asked him to put the explicit directions and what it was for on the prescription in my portal. I often get medication that’s for one thing but used for another thing. If it’s not on the prescription, I forget why I’m supposed to use it and for how long. Unfortunately or apparently, BH and I both remembered different directions on how often to apply it than what is written down on the prescription. The positive is I can reach out through the portal and get things cleared up, hopefully…
On to what makes me happy on Sunday mornings, welcoming our newest members!
@jess05 is down in Queensland Australia and on the watch and wait list. Jess shares that at age 19 the diagnoses of a 4mm anteriorly projecting left internal carotid artery paraclinoid/ophthalmic origin aneurysm was discovered. Jess had been having chronic headaches for about 3 years and after telling the 4th new GP was referred to get an MRI. Jess believes its mostly because mum had been diagnosed with a 25 mm cerebral aneurysm in the same place! Mum was treated endovascularly. Jess went to the same neurosurgeon and was given the option to treat but suggested the watch and wait. Jess has started studying radiography! Good for you Jess!
@goodsouldept is over in California. Matt has been diagnosed with a 7mm windsock aneurysm in the MCA (Middle Cerebral Artery) bifurcation. Matt has planned to have it treated in May or June. You can read more because he’s already started a new topic Clipping Recovery Roadmap - #5 by FinWhaleFan Matt shares he lives in Los Angeles with his two kitties, loves fitness, astronomy and music. I bet Matt has gone to one of my favorite places as a child and teen, the Griffith Observatory!
@eee is over in Gloucestershire United Kingdom. Eleni has a diagnosis of a brain condition. We will have to wait until Eleni starts a new topic to find out where and what.
@Lulu33 is also in Queensland Australia. Has had endovascular procedure with coils and WEB device, Shares that it was likely a sentinel bleed which resulted in emergency procedure. Lulu33 has also posted a new topic Arm and leg heaviness after web and coils for unruptured anuerysm - #2 by Moltroub Hope others will go help out…
@Chrissyg1221 ends the week of welcomes. Christine is up in New York. She had a pipeline stent for an unruptured brain aneurysm. Christine shares she’s had bad headaches a year after the stent treatment which are daily and constant. Hopefully she will start a new topic as well. I also hope she’s contacted her neurosurgeon.
Did y’all notice we’ve been to three countries today? We’ve also been from the East Coast to the West Coast here in the USA. It’s a good reminder that we are in different time zones so be patient with replies. From NC to CA there’s not but a 3 hour difference, NC to NY same time zone, NC to England 5 hours. But the difference to Queensland Australia is 13 hours this time of year!
I’d like to take the time to thank our members who share their knowledge and answer questions. We have different specialists using different words for the same thing and it’s great when members can explain it, they are our specialists in translations I believe. Also, thanks again for everyone who responds to other members. I can tell other members appreciate it and love when we get a conversation going. It’s what makes us a support group after all. Please just don’t read it, respond to it! You do have something to add, even if it’s a hang in there or something else. We do need to know we care about others.
For our new members, we usually put things in either the General or Support tab. Click on it and use the box that says “+Add New Topic” fill in everything, subject and whatever you need. If you respond to an existing topic, please stay in the last 9 months or so as members come and go. Older ones may not get a reply. If you do reply to an older one, no worries as it helps me to close them and I’ll let you know. If you’ve put a new topic in a different location used for other things, no worries as I’ll move it and let you know. More importantly, if you run into problems navigating or have a question, let myself know (@Moltroub) or the very kind folks of ModSupport (@ModSupport) I try my best to be your moderator here for the BAF and the folks at ModSupport do all of the support groups of Ben’s Friends which you can read about here https://www.bensfriends.org/
That’s all for this week. Remember to do your breathing, mindfulness, hydration and protein. Rest when needed. Enjoy the Spring weather if you have it, heck if you’re in Winter, enjoy that as well! I’m off to deal with the patio some more…I hope your week is full of wonder, love and hugs!