SIDEBAR #57 - Travis Alexander forum

[daisymae]

Thanks, Zuri. I went to the clinic today and things look a bit better. The red streaks are inflammation and I have some fungus that I got rx's for, so things should be better soon. Last week they gave me clobetasol propionate and it's helped tremendously. Now he's putting me on nystatin and something else, which I can't remember as I dropped the scripts off at the pharmacy.

 

[Hatfield]

Hello Everyone.

Just wanted to mention something with the hopes that it may help some of us if you have ever experienced feelings of "Depression" around this time of year with the upcoming holidays.

I am guessing that it has hit most, if not all of us, during certain years around this time of year. For me it happens often around this time of year because I typically don't have immediate family close by to share time together. In other years I had family close by but still did not get to visit much for one reason or another.

And of course for some there maybe serious real personal crisis going on which makes things all the more tougher. Whether it be health issues, financial issues, or other major crisis. When they hit around this time of year then it seems to be 10 times worse than if it happened at other times of the year.

Things used to hit me pretty hard around this time of year but what I have done lately that helps me is to TRY to do what they always tell us. I try to remember the real reasons for the holidays. And it doesn't matter what personal beliefs people have because you can celebrate the "festive time of year" and we always have New Years Eve too so at a minimum we can celebrate the fact that lots of people are in a "festive mood" around this time of year.

And I enjoy celebrating the "commercialism" part too. LOL I enjoy the shopping, the lights, maybe a dinner out or two for a change, and so on. I try to compartmentalize that and accept it for what its become rather than get mad at how so commercialized things have become.
I just keep it separate and try not to forget the deeper reasons for the holidays too.

I also have come to accept that I will most likely get feelings of depression too. The feelings now don't surprise me anymore so I have come to accept them too. I just make strong attempts to not let them affect me too much. When they happen, as they surely will, I try really hard to remind myself of the other things already mentioned and it has helped me.
If they get so bad where I am really struggling then I have learned to try to be sure to contact someone to get through them. Even if its just talking on the phone.

So just wanted to share with everyone. Of course none of this is earth shattering news and everyone has heard things like this before.

I just truly wish everyone here the very best this holiday season. And if things are especially rough then I wish for them to get better quickly for everyone.
Bless Everyone here on this wonderful thread.

 

[ILikeToBendPages]

Hello Everyone.

Just wanted to mention something with the hopes that it may help some of us if you have ever experienced feelings of "Depression" around this time of year with the upcoming holidays.

I am guessing that it has hit most, if not all of us, during certain years around this time of year. For me it happens often around this time of year because I typically don't have immediate family close by to share time together. In other years I had family close by but still did not get to visit much for one reason or another.

And of course for some there maybe serious real personal crisis going on which makes things all the more tougher. Whether it be health issues, financial issues, or other major crisis. When they hit around this time of year then it seems to be 10 times worse than if it happened at other times of the year.

Things used to hit me pretty hard around this time of year but what I have done lately that helps me is to TRY to do what they always tell us. I try to remember the real reasons for the holidays. And it doesn't matter what personal beliefs people have because you can celebrate the "festive time of year" and we always have New Years Eve too so at a minimum we can celebrate the fact that lots of people are in a "festive mood" around this time of year.

And I enjoy celebrating the "commercialism" part too. LOL I enjoy the shopping, the lights, maybe a dinner out or two for a change, and so on. I try to compartmentalize that and accept it for what its become rather than get mad at how so commercialized things have become.
I just keep it separate and try not to forget the deeper reasons for the holidays too.

I also have come to accept that I will most likely get feelings of depression too. The feelings now don't surprise me anymore so I have come to accept them too. I just make strong attempts to not let them affect me too much. When they happen, as they surely will, I try really hard to remind myself of the other things already mentioned and it has helped me.
If they get so bad where I am really struggling then I have learned to try to be sure to contact someone to get through them. Even if its just talking on the phone.

So just wanted to share with everyone. Of course none of this is earth shattering news and everyone has heard things like this before.

I just truly wish everyone here the very best this holiday season. And if things are especially rough then I wish for them to get better quickly for everyone.
Bless Everyone here on this wonderful thread.

Hatfield, have you looked into SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, that occurs becauseo f the shorter days so less sunshine that help with vitamin D. I try to get through it by taking trips, and having friends along fills a lot of empty time on our hands during the winter. You'll be OK, we'll help talk you through it.

 

[Hatfield]

Hatfield, have you looked into SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, that occurs becauseo f the shorter days so less sunshine that help with vitamin D. I try to get through it by taking trips, and having friends along fills a lot of empty time on our hands during the winter. You'll be OK, we'll help talk you through it.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I got my new bottle of D just the other day. Yipeee. I still have to get one of those special light bulbs we all talked about. That was such a great idea about those special light bulbs.

Thanks.

 

[ILikeToBendPages]

I haven't heard this this year yet.

[video=youtu;saPeOqxxNHw]http://youtu.be/saPeOqxxNHw[/video]

 

[GigiG]

Hello Everyone.

Just wanted to mention something with the hopes that it may help some of us if you have ever experienced feelings of "Depression" around this time of year with the upcoming holidays.

I am guessing that it has hit most, if not all of us, during certain years around this time of year. For me it happens often around this time of year because I typically don't have immediate family close by to share time together. In other years I had family close by but still did not get to visit much for one reason or another.

And of course for some there maybe serious real personal crisis going on which makes things all the more tougher. Whether it be health issues, financial issues, or other major crisis. When they hit around this time of year then it seems to be 10 times worse than if it happened at other times of the year.

Things used to hit me pretty hard around this time of year but what I have done lately that helps me is to TRY to do what they always tell us. I try to remember the real reasons for the holidays. And it doesn't matter what personal beliefs people have because you can celebrate the "festive time of year" and we always have New Years Eve too so at a minimum we can celebrate the fact that lots of people are in a "festive mood" around this time of year.

And I enjoy celebrating the "commercialism" part too. LOL I enjoy the shopping, the lights, maybe a dinner out or two for a change, and so on. I try to compartmentalize that and accept it for what its become rather than get mad at how so commercialized things have become.
I just keep it separate and try not to forget the deeper reasons for the holidays too.

I also have come to accept that I will most likely get feelings of depression too. The feelings now don't surprise me anymore so I have come to accept them too. I just make strong attempts to not let them affect me too much. When they happen, as they surely will, I try really hard to remind myself of the other things already mentioned and it has helped me.
If they get so bad where I am really struggling then I have learned to try to be sure to contact someone to get through them. Even if its just talking on the phone.

So just wanted to share with everyone. Of course none of this is earth shattering news and everyone has heard things like this before.

I just truly wish everyone here the very best this holiday season. And if things are especially rough then I wish for them to get better quickly for everyone.
Bless Everyone here on this wonderful thread.

I can only speak for myself, but I think that depression during this time of year comes from the confluence of two things:

1) Shorter daylight hours. Many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I know we've addressed this before, but whether you use the special lights or not, there's bound to be a residual feeling that something's missing, or that not enough was accomplished during the day for one to feel good about.

2) Unrealistic expectations. A good friend repeated this mantra to me enough that it stuck: "The secret to a happy life is to have low expectations." Depending on our individual histories, a lot of us might have grown up thinking that somehow, magically, all of our hopes and dreams would come true on Christmas day. Advertisers would certainly have us believe that. Even though as adults we know it isn't true, deep down many of us still harbor that fantasy.

We need to let go of the expectation that the holidays will be something out of a Norman Rockwell painting, and take a moment to appreciate our lives and families for what they really are. They might not be perfect or what we expected them to be, but they are what they are. They're ours to embrace and cherish and laugh about. And after all, why aspire to a life based on a fictionalized version of reality? While it's tempting to think other people have such great lives compared to ours, the truth is that almost everyone suffers from a feeling that their reality is inferior to others. Even those who seemingly have "everything."

I have a friend who has a framed needlepoint with a variation of YesorNo's sig: "Be kind, for all of us are fighting a hard battle."

So my Rx for the holiday season is: low expectations + gratitude =

 

[Hatfield]

I can only speak for myself, but I think that depression during this time of year comes from the confluence of two things:

1) Shorter daylight hours. Many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I know we've addressed this before, but whether you use the special lights or not, there's bound to be a residual feeling that something's missing, or that not enough was accomplished during the day for one to feel good about.

2) Unrealistic expectations. A good friend repeated this mantra to me enough that it stuck: "The secret to a happy life is to have low expectations." Depending on our individual histories, a lot of us might have grown up thinking that somehow, magically, all of our hopes and dreams would come true on Christmas day. Advertisers would certainly have us believe that. Even though as adults we know it isn't true, deep down many of us still harbor that fantasy.

We need to let go of the expectation that the holidays will be something out of a Norman Rockwell painting, and take a moment to appreciate our lives and families for what they really are. They might not be perfect or what we expected them to be, but they are what they are. They're ours to embrace and cherish and laugh about. And after all, why aspire to a life based on a fictionalized version of reality? While it's tempting to think other people have such great lives compared to ours, the truth is that almost everyone suffers from feeling that their reality is inferior to others. Even those who seemingly have "everything."

I have a friend who has a framed needlepoint with a variation of YesorNo's sig: "Be kind, for all of us are fighting a hard battle."

So my Rx for the holiday season is: low expectations + gratitude =

Excellent advice.

 

[ILikeToBendPages]

Tonight a little baby girl will die. Her little soul will leave this earth. Her parents, aunts, uncles, great grandparents and have gathered to say goodbye and to hold her. T, and then they will take her off life supports. She was born with her intestines on the outside of her body, and the doctors were waiting until she grew more before they would operate to correct it, but her little organs have started to fail. I wouldn't with this one my worst enemy.

 

[MsJosie]

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I got my new bottle of D just the other day. Yipeee. I still have to get one of those special light bulbs we all talked about. That was such a great idea about those special light bulbs.

Thanks.

Does this special light have anything to do with vitamin D? I would be so interested.
Thanks.

 

[ILikeToBendPages]

Does this special light have anything to do with vitamin D? I would be so interested.
Thanks.

Sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D. It helps with depression and is for heart health. My levels were very low one year and I took a prescription of it, and now I take it daily. Of course opening my curtains and blinds could of helped too.

 

[neesaki]

BBM You're just OLD (right along with me ) I've never heard Justin Beiber sing, so I don't know what he sounds like.

Cookies! What kind?

I use to bake a whole lot of different cookies during the Christmas season. But now, I bought some of those refrigerated cookie dough thingys last time I went shopping- never tried them. I bought choco chip and oatmeal scotchies. We're going to bake them this weekend (and probably gobble them up before Christmas Eve.:facepalm: )

I've only heard J Beiber sing a Christmas song or two on the satellite Christmas music channel, but I don't think you're missing anything He does that uh-Hu-uh-Hu-uh-Hu after every line or two, sort of like a really sick Tarzan cry, lol. And I'm like, give the kid some Pepto Bismol or something. :floorlaugh: I guess I'm just OLD

I made pecan thumbprint cookies with either red or green icing and colored sprinkles. They wanted them decorated to look like Christmas cookies, apparently because that's what sells the best. I used to bake cookies every Christmas when my son was growing up, those were the fun times. I have thought of trying some of those cookie mixes I see at the store, but then the hard part is rolling and cutting them anyway so I don't know, might as well make from scratch. I actually like those frig. dough chocolate chip cookies, they're amazingly good, as are todays cake mixes. It's hard to make a cake from scratch that tastes better, imo. Sadly I can't have good stuff like that around the house except on special occasions. You ask why, because I would eat them and instead of walking around I'd be rolling, LOL. :rolling::rolling::rolling: :seeya:

 

[coffeejunkie]

Nore is in the hospital. She sent me a short email and she said she would update me later...

Thoughts, Prayers, Jingles.

 

[Spellbound]

Jingles for Nore!! Sending love and feel betters, too.
Glad she is able to keep in contact with you coffeej. Thank you for keeping us informed.

 

[Nore]

Hi all, brought my computer! I went to Dr. on ednsday. Hedid a lot , called me yesterday morning to get to the hospital
as my blood was very low, hemoglobin.checked me , did cat scan and gave me two pints of blood. C scean came back ok .my gastro man just cam this and is doing an enter(cant think of the word. ) esophageal (SP)this afternoon if ok I may get to go home.:seeya:

 

[Zuri]

Hi all, brought my computer! I went to Dr. on ednsday. Hedid a lot , called me yesterday morning to get to the hospital
as my blood was very low, hemoglobin.checked me , did cat scan and gave me two pints of blood. C scean came back ok .my gastro man just cam this and is doing an enter(cant think of the word. ) esophageal (SP)this afternoon if ok I may get to go home.:seeya:

Nore, praying that your tests come back clean. I bet the transfusions made you feel a bit better. Much love and jingles and prayers sent your way from all of us. Xo

 

[Zuri]

My mother was almost a victim of the Grandma Scam. A man claiming to be a police officer called her and said my son was currently in jail, needed bail money. A young man got on the phone, crying, stating he needed $2K and for her not to tell his parents. The instructions were for her to go to. The Food Lion Grocery Store and send 4 vouchers. My mother was so rattled that she went to the Food Lion and as she was filling out the IRS form, the astute Food Lion employee thought something wasn't right and called the police.

The premise was that my son was on his way to the dentist with a friend and $500K worth of cocaine was in the car and they were stopped by LE. He and his friend were arrested. None of this was true, but I had just talked with my mother earlier and had told her that my son needed to have dental work done and there was a huge practice in FL called "Dental Land" which I thought was hysterical. It was the dentist story, along with the crying young man, that got to my mother.

The LEO called the FL police where my son lives and my son obviously was not in custody as he was at work. He also verified there was no Sgt. James Gordon. The LEO then called the 1-888-275-0717 number that my mother was given and spoke to the perp of this scam. The perp cussed the LEO out to which the LEO responded appropriately in my book lol.

My mother could not get ahold of my son or husband, so she called my brother in AZ. He was very upset and managed to get ahold of my husband. My DH got ahold of my son, texting him to call immediately as my son was at work and wouldn't answer the phone.

I had not heard of this scam, but it is one of many going around. I just wanted to share this info so you all could share it with your friends and family. I don't want anyone to fall prey to this horrible scam that tugs at the heart strings of grandparents. I don't know if there is a "Scam" thread on WS, so I am just posting this here for now.

Has anyone else heard of this Grandma Scam?

 

[Zuri]

I just started a thread regarding my post #636 in hopes that the word will spread of this horrible scam. No elderly grandparent, amongst others, should be preyed upon like this. Simply heartless.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?296455-Grandparent-Scam

 

[Hez]

My mother was almost a victim of the Grandma Scam. A man claiming to be a police officer called her and said my son was currently in jail, needed bail money. A young man got on the phone, crying, stating he needed $2K and for her not to tell his parents. The instructions were for her to go to. The Food Lion Grocery Store and send 4 vouchers. My mother was so rattled that she went to the Food Lion and as she was filling out the IRS form, the astute Food Lion employee thought something wasn't right and called the police.

The premise was that my son was on his way to the dentist with a friend and $500K worth of cocaine was in the car and they were stopped by LE. He and his friend were arrested. None of this was true, but I had just talked with my mother earlier and had told her that my son needed to have dental work done and there was a huge practice in FL called "Dental Land" which I thought was hysterical. It was the dentist story, along with the crying young man, that got to my mother.

The LEO called the FL police where my son lives and my son obviously was not in custody as he was at work. He also verified there was no Sgt. James Gordon. The LEO then called the 1-888-275-0717 number that my mother was given and spoke to the perp of this scam. The perp cussed the LEO out to which the LEO responded appropriately in my book lol.

My mother could not get ahold of my son or husband, so she called my brother in AZ. He was very upset and managed to get ahold of my husband. My DH got ahold of my son, texting him to call immediately as my son was at work and wouldn't answer the phone.

I had not heard of this scam, but it is one of many going around. I just wanted to share this info so you all could share it with your friends and family. I don't want anyone to fall prey to this horrible scam that tugs at the heart strings of grandparents. I don't know if there is a "Scam" thread on WS, so I am just posting this here for now.

Has anyone else heard of this Grandma Scam?

BBM - That's a character in the Batman franchise, except it's Commissioner James Gordon. I have heard of this scam, but having someone assist by portraying themselves as a police officer is a new twist. That's really scummy. It's a good thing that employee was on the ball and saved your mother from this scam.

 

[Niner]

Morning! :wave:

Oh my goodness -- how lovely! Thanks for sharing this video. I had no idea that's where the tradition of Christmas trees comes from. Now, I want to go to Riga!

It is a very beautiful city!! I'll hook you up with my brother who lives there, to give you a personal tour!

Nore - JINGLES!! and good thoughts and prayers!!

Zuri - I've heard of scams on grand parents around here. Good for the Food Lion employee!! :happydance:

Lots of errands to run today and grocery shopping... we are supposed to have sprinkles today, so hopefully, when I go out later it won't be raining!!

coffeejunkie - did you see my instructions on multiple quotes??!!

Okay - off to read my other threads!

Take care everyone! :seeya:

 

[Spellbound]

Zuri, I hope someone does something nice for that Food Lion employee. That sure was a close call! Something similar happened to my mother a few years ago .... only the caller told her her grandson was in the hospital in another country. At least she called me to check on him first, but it had her very upset and worried.