POTS

     My guess is you have never heard of POTS.  No, I'm not talking about the herb you put in brownies or smoke.  The POTS I'm referring to makes you feel lousy.  I had never heard of it until my beautiful, young daughter-in-law, Paige, was diagnosed with it almost three years ago.  It rocked her world!   And, the worlds of those of us who love her.

  So what is this malady?  POTS is the acronym for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.   It is hard to diagnose or manage.  In the U.S. alone, it is estimated to affect more than 500,000 people and millions world-wide. POTS can strike any age, gender or race, but it is most often seen in women between the ages of 15 and 50. Men and boys can develop it as well, but approximately 80% of patients are female.  Technically speaking, it falls under the broad category of a dysautonomia autonomic disorder. It is believed to be caused by many phenomena, including pregnancy, trauma, and can be genetic. There are many confusing facets of this autonomic disorder which are way over my head.   My watered down interpretation is that having an autonomic disorder means your brain and your heart are not communicating effectively.  This makes me visualize the scene in the movie, "The Jerk." Steve Martin's character tried to clap his hands together but he could never make contact. 

     There is no known cure for POTS.  Sometimes symptoms can diminish with age. Some patients have fairly mild symptoms and can continue with normal work, school, social and recreational activities. For others, symptoms may be so severe that normal life activities can be significantly limited.  Statistics show that approximately 25% of POTS patients are disabled and unable to work. Fortunately, Paige is not in that group, but much to her chagrin, she does miss work a few days per month due to POTS.   Here's the rub:  most people who suffer from it look normal and healthy.  That is why it is so hard to diagnose and is often misdiagnosed.

     Here are some of the symptoms of POTS:  headache; fatigue; sleep disorder; weakness; hyperventilation; low grade fever, tremors; sweating; anxiety/palpitation; dizziness/vertigo; and pre‐syncope/syncope (fainting).  Paige's experiences with POTS included every one of these symptoms.  

      In a way, she was lucky.  When it became overwhelming, she did not have to wait years to find out what the heck was going on or be told in the meantime it was all psychosomatic. After a major episode of hyperventilating and nearly fainting at work one day, she was sent to the emergency room and ultimately hospitalized.  Her family already had a connection with a local cardiologist, Dr. Farhat Khairallah, who specialized in dysautonomia because her father, after fainting while driving,  had been diagnosed earlier with a similar form.  Dr. Khairallah was immediately called in.  He put her through many tests, including a tilt test.  This is a test many doctors would not even consider.  During this test, blood pressure and heart rate are measured.  The patient starts out horizontal on a table and is slowly raised to a 70% vertical position.  One of the criteria for a POTS diagnosis is a heart rate increase of 30 beats per minute (bpm) or more, or over 120  bpm, within the first 10 minutes of standing.  Paige's heart rate fluctuations were right in line.  She realized after her diagnosis and learning more about this syndrome, she had been feeling symptoms for years, dating back to her teens, but it had worsened over time. 

     She explained, " My doctor believes I have been experiencing POTS symptoms since my teens.  As a teen, I started having dizziness and fatigue anytime I would get up from a sitting position,  I thought everyone experienced this so I was not concerned.  My heart began racing so much in college I had a series of tests done, including wearing a heart monitor.  I've always had trouble keeping my hands and feet warm.  I even had chilblains (blistering caused by inflammation of small blood vessels) removed from my toes when I lived in Colorado in the 1990s. I was diagnosed as having Meniere's disease in my ears about 2006.   In 2009, I had painful vasospasms when I was nursing our youngest.  Consequently, I had to stop nursing him after six months.   I had a low grade fever and felt awful for almost a year before my episode at work."

      So what happened after Paige was diagnosed?   Dehydration is known to be a big problem with many heart and autonomic malfunctions so one of the recommendations to counteract the symptoms were to a drink at least 90 ounces of water every day.  Dietary restrictions, strangely enough, included increasing salt intake.  Some researchers suggest increasing vitamin B-12 if blood tests show there is a deficiency because it improves the nervous system.  She was never told that was her problem.  Dr. Khairallah put her on Fludrocortisone to increase her salt retention, Midodrine which causes vasoconstriction, increases blood pressure which allows more blood to return to the upper parts of the body.  He also gave her Adderall to increase vasoconstriction and blood pressure.  In addition, Paige followed up with a doctor 200 miles away who specialized in POTS and, by the way, could relate on a personal level because he had POTS. She was advised to avoid caffeine (except when she needed an energy jolt to function) and alcohol. She was cautioned not to lean over or stand up too quickly because the blood would have a tendency to pool in her extremities and cause the dizziness.  The most consistent research indicates a regular exercise program is the one thing that has the most positive effect on managing POTS. Paige was encouraged to keep her strength by exercising, i.e. walking or riding a stationary recumbent bike.  Another suggestion was to maintain a realistic schedule, otherwise be prepared to suffer from fatigue when she overbooked herself.  

     The water consumption was not a problem.  Paige incorporated an increase in the number of ounces she drank immediately.  Increasing salt was easy.   However, as a working mother of three, who experienced fatigue, dizziness, anxiety, and occasional low grade fever, trying to follow any consistent exercise routine or avoiding a hectic schedule has been nearly impossible.  Although her symptoms are still sporadic, i.e. she has good days/weeks and not so good days/weeks, Paige manages to push through much of the time. 

     Her goal from the onset has been to try to maintain as much normalcy for herself and her family as possible.  Sometimes she feels really good and is full of vim and vigor.  She did cart wheels with her nine year old daughter at Thanksgiving for heaven's sake!!!  Alas, the following week she could barely make it through a day of work much less deal with children, homework, soccer practice, etc.     She dropped the medication after several months because they did not seem to help.  Currently, her approach to managing POTS is acupuncture, taking a daily multi-vitamin and salt tablet, with an occasional B-12 vitamin.  She plans to incorporate a stationary recumbent bike regimen in 2015. 

     I am often amazed at how much she is able to do under the circumstances.  The good news is that she has a supportive husband, family and friends who kick in when she is going through a rough patch.  Not everyone who has POTS has a support group.  For those that don't, there are lots of support groups available, online and otherwise.  If you are interested in learning more or getting help for yourself or a loved one, check out these websites:  http://www.dysautonomiainternational.org; http://potsplace.com; http://dysautomia-support.meetup.com.  

   
 

Anyone Needled You Lately?

      Do your children ever needle you?  Well, to be honest, my son Craig needles me on a regular basis.  Don't get me wrong, I know his intentions are good. You see, he is an acupuncturist.  In his youth, he was quite good in all kinds of sports so I thought he would probably pursue a career in  athletics like coaching or something similar.  Little did I know, his life focus as an adult would become helping people get well, stay healthy, and active as long as possible by integrating traditional Chinese medicine with Western philosophies.

      Truth be known, I was supportive but a bit skeptical when he first decided to venture into the realm of  Chinese medicine by enrolling at the Atlantic University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Asheville, NC. However, he was already a certified massage therapist so I guess it was only natural for him to pursue additional training in finding ways to direct the body's natural blood flow and energy (Qi) to achieve optimal results.  In Eastern medicine this is done through acupuncture, herbal remedies, and positive lifestyle changes.

     Okay, I'll admit it.  I was good with the massages he was already doing for me (who wouldn't be?).  I was fine with herbal remedies.  Heck, I had been drinking herb tea for years.  Positive lifestyle changes, i.e. healthy diet, exercise---you got it! BUT, I was scared of the needle thing. Yes they're tiny little things but...


Yes, this is Craig placing
the itty bitty needles in my knee.

      One day I had a stinking sinus headache.  I mentioned it to Craig and he offered acupuncture as a better alternative to all the over the counter remedies.  I bucked up, let him treat me, and 45 minutes later my headache was completely gone.   After the initial small pricks, I didn't even feel the needles while I was relaxing on the table.  Amazing! 

     That was over seven years ago when he first established his Tallahassee Chinese Medicine practice. He made a believer out of me.  The skeptic in me shut up.  Since then I have received acupuncture and herbal treatments several times per year for other ailments including insomnia, plantar fasciitis, colds, arthritis in my knees, and other leg pain.

  Craig expanded this year.  Another acupuncturist, Rachel Kelley, has joined his clinic.  In addition, he includes a "community acupuncture" concept as a part of his services.  This concept allows the patient to make the choice of receiving private or the same individualized treatment in a group environment for a reduced amount.  The patients actually determine what they will pay on a sliding scale.  This provides an affordable option for people to receive acupuncture treatment.  Quite innovative, don't you think?

     As for me, Craig can keep on needling me.  I believe we'll both benefit in the long run.

    

    

Tell Your children...

       Back in the 1960s, a group named "The Animals" did a song entitled "House of the Rising Sun."   Other groups have done it since but their version was very popular for a number of years.  A line from the song has been on my mind a lot lately.  It goes, "Oh mother, tell your children not to do what I have done."     

        I have been a sun "worshiper" for most of my life.  I used to lather on baby oil and lay out in the sun on a lounge chair for hours just so I could get a premier tan.  When in my twenties I first became interested in writing, I can vividly remember setting my typewriter (this was before computers) up on a table on my patio.  I put on my swim suit, wrote to my heart's content, and absorbed the sun.  Now, I garden, do yard chores, and walk for exercise so I am still out in the sun almost daily.  I started using sunscreen a couple of decades ago even though I really didn't like how it made my skin feel and the way beach sand stuck to it.

       About a year or so ago, I developed a small spot on the crease of my nose.  No big deal...treat with peroxide, antibiotic ointment...you know the drill.  It seemed to crust over, get better and, just when I thought it was gone, it would come back - bleed, scab, crust - over and over again.  During my annual checkup last December, my doctor thought it was basil cell cancer and did a biopsy.  According to the nurse who called me, the biopsy came back negative but there were atypical cells. She said the recommendation was to either use Efudex, a prescription cream that targets precancerous lesions,  or go to a dermatologist.  I figured using Efudex for a couple of weeks was easier so I chose that path.  Besides, Ron had done Efudex multiple times in the last several years and it seemed to work.

       A few weeks later, the lesion came back, and the same pattern of crusting, scabbing, and bleeding resumed.  By late Spring, I was tired of dealing with it  and a bit perplexed.  It also didn't look too cool and makeup didn't cover it.  Finally,  I called my doctor's office and asked them to send me a copy of the December biopsy report.  I guess I should have done this initially because when I got the report, I discovered the recommendation on the report was to have additional biopsies to examine deeper levels.  Either I went brain dead when she said the word "negative" or the nurse never told me the report said this when she called with the results back in January.  At any rate, I became proactive at this point and set up an appointment with a dermatologist.

       Another biopsy was done and it came back positive basal cell carcinoma.  Fortunately, if you have to have skin cancer, this is a "good kind" because it is slow growing, usually not as wide spread, and does not cause as much tissue damage. The dermatologist recommended MOHS Micrographic Surgery which is suppose to provide the highest cure rate (up to 99%) for basal and squamous cell carcinomas.  The goal is to only remove as much tissue as is absolutely necessary.  This is accomplished by first removing tissue at the biopsy and peripheral areas.  The surgeon sends it to the lab where it each section is microscopically examined for evidence of remaining cancer.  This step takes about 30 minutes.  In the meantime, you hang out and wait.   If there is more cancer, the surgeon takes another slice and the same procedure occurs. Potentially, these steps can be repeated several times and it can take all day.

Day After Surgery


        For me, it only took one cut to get rid of those nasty cells.  Yahoo!  Next a plastic surgeon closed it up by pulling some skin from above the area over the hole.  Ron had me back home in about two hours.  Although, they gave me pain pills, I only ended up taking a few Extra Strength Tylenol in the first 24 hours.  The healing process has been relatively quick.  The body has the amazing ability to send the troops to a wound and immediately go about the task of repairing.

One Week After Surgery

      
       After the whole thing was over, the dermatologist completely checked me over for any other suspicious areas.  There were none.  The last thing he said to me as he left the room was, "This was probably from sun damage twenty-five years ago.  Wear sunscreen."

        Like the song says, "Tell your children..."  They probably won't heed the warning but tell them anyway.






    

Making Memories

       Even though we traveled a lot this summer, we were still able to spend some time with our three grandchildren, Cole, 11, Anna Jewell, 9, and Nathan, 5 years old, hopefully making some happy memories.  Memory...now that's a fascinating and perplexing topic.  What, if anything, will the children remember about this summer 5, 10, 20 or 30 years from now?

       Each summer, when we are in town, we do "Philly and Ronnie Camp" a couple of days a week.  It gives us a chance to spend time with the kids and it gives their mommy, Paige, a break.  This year we had them the entire last week before school because Paige had to go back to work earlier then normal for teacher planning.   For their last summer hurrah, we decided to rent a beach house. In addition to the children, we took our two dogs, Molly and Annie. We spent time on the beach, paddled a paddle boat, played games one rainy morning, walked/chased the dogs, and basically hung out.  It was a lot of fun and we had the opportunity to enjoy many special moments with each child. 

       Now don't get me wrong, every minute was not a Hallmark moment.  In reality, it often resembled a mixture of episodes from the Little Rascals, Dennis the Menace, iCarly, and the Ninja Turtles with a few rounds of World-wide Wrestling thrown in.  They really loved the loft feature of the house. After all, it provided great sport.  One or two of them would sneak upstairs when no one was paying attention and throw pillows and other objects over the loft wall to see who they could hit.  We soon put a stop (at least when we were looking) to this game to avoid injury to people and property.   They took our authority in stride and moved on to something else...body slamming one another.  As you might imagine, this activity could never turn out well, especially with their difference in height and weight.  Another attraction at the house was the outdoor shower.  It was great for washing all the beach sand off and keeping it out of the house.  Who knew that it would inspire exhibitionism with the younger two?  After showering, they ran around the lower and upper decks butt naked, laughing and squealing with me hollering "put your clothes on!  The neighbors can see you!"  These are just a few examples of what I like to refer to as "teaching" opportunities.

       But...there were other opportunities, like the lightning flashing through the glass doors in the wee hours of the morning on our first night in the house.  None one else seemed to notice it but Nathan and me.  About 4 a.m., I felt his touch and looked up to see him standing next to where I was sleeping.  He said, "Philly, it's lightning, I'm scared."  I pulled him up beside me and we cuddled the rest of the night.  He soon went back to sleep.  I never did, but I was very aware that just being able to comfort him was a blessing.

       Another time, Anna Jewell privately confided in me that she was worried about how the upcoming school year would go. She shared her specific concerns.  I felt privileged to hear them and have the chance to reassure her it would all work out.  Plus, she gave me multiple hugs and kisses after the "talk."

       Cole was  on the cusp of starting middle school, had very little use for the annoyances of his younger siblings, at least on the surface.   Yet, we watched him play endlessly in the surf with Anna Jewell and Nathan, holding hands, protecting them from the undertow.    He also was fascinated by the magic of the annual "Super Moon" when the moon is brightest and closest to earth.   He watched as it changed positions and shone brightly through the glass doors on the deck.  Although by the last night it was beginning to wane, Cole woke me to stand out on the upper deck to bask in the awesomeness with him. Yes, he did lose some sleep, but he was truly happy to experience this phenomena.

       The question is.  What will the children remember about summer 2014 in 5, 10, 20 or 30 years?  For that matter, what will Ron and I?

    

   

    




      





   

Somebody Talk Me Out of This!

     A few years ago I was introduced to the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain.  We were visiting Ron's sister, June, and her hubby, Chuck, in Raleigh, North Carolina.  It was a rainy day.  Ron and Chuck went to Bass Pro to kill time.  June and I watched the movie The Way with Martin Sheen and his son, Emilio Estevez.  This was the first time I had ever heard about this spiritual trek to visit the burial of Saint James.  It was very, very inspiring.   At the end of the movie, June and I vowed to do the trail some day.  I even printed out the 500 mile trail map and put it on my refrigerator.  After about a year, I threw the map away, thinking it was just a fantasy.  

     Recently, my inspiration has been renewed.   A local sixty year old couple is half way through the trail now.  Gregg writes a blog about their daily experience, including candid descriptions of the scenery, the people from all over the world they meet, the hostels they sleep in,  and their  aches, pains, and blisters from walking 15-20 miles per day.  They've been on the trail for about five weeks.

   A week or so ago, Ron and I went to see the documentary entitled, "Walking the Camino" at a small local theater. This film tracked six "pilgrims" from around the world who risked blisters and exhaustion to do the 500 mile hike. The ages ranged from a young woman who pushed her 3 year-old son in a stroller to a couple of 70 and 80 years young men.  A retired army officer who had completed the trek was at the theater to introduce the screening.  Once again I am encouraged to take on this humongous challenge!

Photo from Walking the Camino documentary

     So what is this trail about?  It is a Christian pilgrimage to visit the burial location of Saint James, one of Jesus' apostles. There are two stories that tell how his body got there.  One of the legends holds his remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain where he was buried on what is now the city of  Santiago de Compostela, Spain.  Traditionally, the Way of Saint James began at one's home and ended at the pilgrimage site with the goal to feel the spiritual influence. The main routes were highly traveled during the Middle Ages. Today, thousands of "pilgrims"  set out to make their way to Santiago de Compostela.  The majority are hikers who walk the route for non-religious reasons: travel, sport, or simply the challenge of weeks of walking in a foreign land. No matter the driving force, many ultimately consider the experience a spiritual adventure of self reflection and renewal.

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

      I want to think I can do this---maybe next June when the weather is accommodating.  I have ordered two books.  One is entitled, A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino de Santiago: St. Jean • Roncesvalles • Santiago (Camino Guides),’'which includes maps and more detailed information about preparation, costs, the daily itinerary, etc., and is written by someone who has done it.  I also ordered A Million Steps by Kurt Koontz who documents his experiences and how it affected him physically and emotionally.

      Ron is supportive of this crazy idea and says he will meet me at the end with a bottle of wine to celebrate my completion.  My son, Craig, is considering meeting me some where a long the way to walk with me (and provide acupuncture treatments).  A friend says she might do a hundred miles with me. 

      To be honest, I'm a little intimidated. I don't have the answers to my fears yet. I vacillate daily from "you can do it!" to "are you crazy!" 

      I am an ambivert which means I like to be around people but also am quite comfortable with solitude.  Will I adjust to sleeping in hostels with complete strangers---men and women---from all over the world?  Past hikers indicate, in addition to the awesome spiritual and scenic experience, meeting so many different "pilgrims" is a highlight of the adventure.

      I guess the biggest concern is my endurance.    Can I meet the physical challenges of walking 15-20 miles per day from one hostel to another for 40 or so days?  After all, I will be nearly 68 by the time I begin. I've also had occasional bouts of arthritis in my legs and knees in the past few years.  This always gets better with acupuncture, drinking tart cherry juice, and physical therapy.  Although, I have not received my books yet to guide me, common sense tells me I have to increase my walking now.  Consequently, in the last five days, I've gone from my normal average 2-3 miles of walking, 3-4 times per week to 5-6 miles every day.  Each day, for the first four days, my legs ached.  At the end of the day I was really tired.   For some reason, walking was not as strenuous today and my legs feel better.  Is my body beginning to adapt or did the hour long yoga class before I started walking make the difference?  Time will tell.  I plan to gradually increase the distance every week or so.

       Maybe I'll feel more confident by Christmas.  This should give me ample time to make travel arrangements.  Unless of course, somebody talks me out of it before then.

Deserts and Canyons and Mountains, OH MY!

     We just returned from a 12-day tour, which included five American national parks---Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Grand Teton, Yellowstone---and many attractions along the way.  All lodging, most meals, and  the driving were all provided.  It was great to let someone else worry about the details.

      At the end of May, we flew out to Phoenix, AZ, and were transported from the airport to our hotel in Scottsdale where we  met our tour manager, bus driver, and the other 43 people we would spend the next 12 days with.  We soon realized this was a very friendly and positive-thinking group that came from various areas in the U.S., Canada and the UK. 

     Each day we all put our bags outside our hotel doors by 7:00 (6:30 a couple of times) so they could be loaded on the bus. We departed for the destinations of the day by 7:30 or 8:00.  Even though as retirees we had grown accustomed to "sleeping in," we got into the groove very quickly, especially since somebody else cooked our breakfast and did the driving.  We saw and learned enough about so many places that each could be a blog on its own and may be in the future.  For now, these are just the highlights.


Saguaro Cacti, AZ

     Our journey started with 110 degrees in Scottsdale, AZ and desert scenes with saguaro cacti.  These cacti can grow to 40 feet and live between 100 to 200 years. The bloom is Arizona's state flower. 

Sedona, AZ

 








     As we traveled on to our next morning destination to see the unique rock formations of Sedona, our elevation gradually increased and we left the saguaro behind.  In the afternoon, we passed through the Navajo's reservations and saw some of their traditional circular and six-sided dwellings with dome-shaped roofs called hogans.

Ron & I on a Lake Powell Breakfast Cruise, AZ

     We spent the night at the Lake Powell Resort and were treated to an early morning breakfast cruise to get a closer look of this beautiful reservoir lake created by the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River and its surrounding canyons.



Grand Canyon North Rim at Sunrise, AZ

      After the cruise we boarded the bus and continued to the Grand Canyon North Rim, AZ.  Words cannot express the beauty of this natural wonder.  The multiple layers of  the sandstone and rock that had formed over millions of years reflected the light of the


moment and changed as the day progressed.  We spent the night in rustic cabins at the Grand Canyon Lodge.  Quite a contrast to Scottsdale, it was so cool at night the cabins were not even air conditioned.  We relished the cooler temperatures, kept our windows open all night, and slept very comfortably.  A pre-breakfast hike with astounding views was invigorating!

Meatloaf Extraordinaire at Zion Park Inn, UT

Next destination was Zion National Park.  This time, instead of looking down into a canyon, our tour bus took us down to the bottom of the canyon.  We all applauded our driver as he expertly navigated all the switchbacks on the way down.  At the bottom, we boarded a tram driven by a local guide.  We were able to stretch our legs by taking a hike along the Virgin River to see a small waterfall, and rapids.  We spent the night at the Zion Park Inn where we had quite the dinner with some of our new friends.  Ron and I had meatloaf but it was such an artistic creation one of our fellow travelers just had to take a picture.

Bryce Canyon hoodoos, UT

     One of my favorite stops after leaving Zion was the Bryce Canyon with its amazing "hoodoo" formations.  They are formed by a process called frost-wedging as snow and ice melts, and refreezes due to the freezing nights and warm afternoons 180 days per year.  Each hoodoo looks like a sculpture of something or somebody, depending on your own individual interpretation.

Mormon Temple, UT

      Salt Lake City was a deviation from seeing the natural wonders.  The Mormon history of the area was quite interesting.  We had a local tour guide that took us through Temple Square and we were able to watch  the Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearse in the evening.  Awesome!



A Selfie on the Chair Lift

       We moved on to Jackson Hole, WY  and cowboy country.  We were entertained over dinner by the Bar J Wranglers.  Hee-haw!   The next day we had a free day to do some optional add-on activities with the group or do whatever we wanted.  Ron and I chose the latter.   First, we decided to ignore our senior citizen status, rode a chair lift up the mountain behind our lodge, and then slid all the way back down on a giant slide. It was a blast!  After that burst of bravery, we just wandered around the town, had lunch at the famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, and played miniature golf. 

Grand Tetons,  WY

           The following morning we drove through the magnificent snow covered mountains of the Grand Tetons. No foothills  obstructed the view of the peaks and canyons that rise abruptly from the flat valley of Jackson Hole.  We were told the Tetons were formed over millions of years of earthquake movement which caused the mountains to rise while the valley floor actually dropped.

      Next on our agenda was the spectacular Yellowstone National Park.  It's everything you have ever imagined.  Unforgettable scenery and wildlife.  We arrived just in time to see Old Faithful erupt.  Funny, we all cheered it on as if it could hear us!.  Since it performs approximately every 90 minutes, we were able to catch another awe inspiring show shortly before sunset from the deck of the historic Old Faithful Lodge.  We enjoyed waking up to below freezing temperatures in Yellowstone and continuing our journey. 

Yellowstone River Falls



Old Faithful, Yellowstone



Bison



Big Horn Sheep

     Our sightseeing tour ended with visits to  the Crazy Horse Monument, the world's largest mountain carving, which is still in progress, and the patriotic Mount Rushmore Monument nestled in the Black Hills of South Dakota. 

       

Crazy Horse Monument,

    
Our last night was spent at the Bar S Lodge in Keystone, SD where we could see the lighted Mt. Rushmore monument from our window. 

Mount Rushmore, SD

   

    The farewell dinner with our new found friends and traveling companions was bittersweet. We vowed to keep in touch, and, who knows, maybe we'll connect again on future tours. 

      It is on my bucket list to see as many of the 58 National Parks as possible. With this trip, I have seen 10.  Guess I better kick it up a notch!!!.

 

   

Toilet Paper & Other Life Mysteries

     Sometimes life is perplexing.  For example, why is it the jumbo rolls of toilet paper you buy now claim to be equivalent to three regular rolls but look just like the regular rolls you used to buy?    And, why do they still run out at the most inconvenient time?

     That's not all...  Why is it when you call almost any business' or doctor's number, you receive a recording telling you to listen carefully because the menu options have changed?  Do you say to yourself, "Oh darn, I just  memorized all their options!"

     When did a pound of bacon or coffee become 11.5 or 12 ounces?

     Who counts the threads in sheets anyway and how do they do it?

     What makes a legal pad legal?


How did anyone figure out how the
heart runs the whole show in our bodies when I can barely grasp how the remote control operates the television?

How can a hacker find my password, when I can't even find it myself?
    
Who first said, "Just saying...?


Pondering some of your own life mysteries?  Please share.

Happy Easter!





    

    

    

      

    



    

To Err is Human but Did You Back Up First?

     Ah...computers, where would we be without them?  If you've ever had one crash, and I bet you have, you know the answer---out of touch and out of sync.  Most of us rely on them, even more than we like to admit, for work and pleasure.  This quote sums it up:  "I rigged my cellular to send a message to my PDA, which is online with my PC, to get it to activate the voicemail, which sends the message to the inbox of my email, which routes it to the PDA, which beams it back to the cellular. Then I realized my gadgets have a better social life than I do !"  — Tom Ostad.

     Our household computers occupied a lot of my time in March.  Our nine year old HP PC started acting squirrelly several weeks ago so it was not a surprise when we couldn't get on it one morning.  Depending on who you ask, the current lifespan expectancy of a PC or laptop is three to seven years. You have heard of Murphy's Law but did you know there is Moore's Law of a Obsolescence (Gordon E. Moore). Moore says the number of transistors on integrated circuits double approximately every two years.  I 'm not sure what that means (found it on the Internet) but I guess we got our money's worth out of our PC.  A friend told me her new Toshiba laptop wouldn't boot two weeks after she bought it so she had to get a replacement.  It just goes to show, humans still rule! Our life expectancy is in the upper 80s. 

    We lucked up. It was the monitor that went kaput, not the PC,  but it was definitely a warning. We had not backed up our files in a couple of months.  We were fortunate to have a friend with a spare monitor sitting in his closet.  I hooked his monitor up, backed up all our files, financial information, pictures, etc. on flash disks and, although our PC was still working, we started shopping for a new computer.   

    Enter a new all-in-one HP Touch Smart PC with Windows 8.1 into our family.  Our "old" PC had Windows Vista so this was quite a jump on operating systems.  It took a few days to set it up to fit into our comfort zone.  The old Start menu was in a different place, had to set up short cuts we accessed frequently on the desktop, and learn how to toggle back and forth.   Email access is also different.  Ron is still adjusting to the change but I really like it.  We are discovering new things daily.  When I can't figure out how to customize something, like eliminating the password sign on requirement, I go to the HP support chat and allow them to remotely access our new computer and fix it.  This is a free customer service. 

     Just when I thought I could get back to Spring gardening and leave computer issues behind, my two-year-old HP laptop started acting weird.  AARGH!  I am pretty sure it was my fault.  One morning I turned it on and the screen indicated a gazillion files were updating.  I panicked, guess I thought a poltergeist had taken over my computer overnight, so I pulled the plug.  Bad move!  It wouldn't boot up afterwards. To get it back up I followed the recovery instructions to get it operational. I was back in business, EXCEPT,  I got script error messages on multiple websites when I browsed.  Somehow in the process, I had upgraded to IE 11.1 so I figured that was the problem.   I did some research and followed through on many so called remedies.  After trying for a few days, I gave up and hired a techie.   Another bad move.  He couldn't fix it either.  His solution was for me to use Google Chrome instead of Internet Explorer.  You see, he just wasn't fond of IE 11.  I paid him, thanked for him for his advice, and after he left I returned to my DIY mode to find a solution. I "chatted" with Cherise at my Norton 360 Security to explore the possibility that I had inadvertently changed some settings during recovery which made it block certain websites.  As it turned out, it was not a Norton problem at all but a Microsoft issue. It seems earlier IE versions were messing up the new one.  Although it was not a Norton issue, Cherise fixed it anyway.  No extra charge!  All's well on the browsing home front!

    Even though technology and computers can be a pain,  don't you love the instant access to information they provide? I would be lost, and out of touch without them.  With patience, I guess we can all set up new systems and try to fix problems.  Happy browsing, emailing, You Tubing, Face Booking, documenting, photographing, etc,, BUT don't forget to back up!

 

    

Word of the Day

       I like new words.   Not to say that I am good at pronouncing or even remembering most of them but it is intriguing to get out of my simple word comfort zone.  Many decades ago, I got hooked on doing the "Word Power" quiz in Reader's Digest.  Ron and I still like to take it with us on road trips to pass the time away.  Several months ago I found a new toy.  I began subscribing to Merriam-Webster's free online "Word of the Day."   MW sends me a word via email every day to add to my repertoire, complete with the definition, usage example, and audio pronunciation.
  


      Now I have never heard, much less used, the majority of the words I get. For example, today the word is parvenu. Use that much in your daily conversations?  Well in case you want to, here's the scoop.  It is a noun and means "one who has recently or suddenly risen to an unaccustomed position of wealth or power and has not yet gained the prestige, dignity, or manner associated with it."  The political arena seems to be a good place to use this one.  Just saying...


     
      I find many of the words funny.  I retain those the best - go figure.  Here are some that cracked me up.

• Chowderhead - noun:  dolt, blockhead.  I had a boss once who fit this description.  Oops, that wasn't nice now was it.
• Mirandize - verb:  to recite the Miranda warnings 
• Sesquipedalian - adjective: having many syllables; long; using long words  :-)
• Xenophobia - noun: fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign.  There's a phobia for everything!
• Addlepated - adjective:  being mixed up; confused. 
• Booboisie - noun:  blend of boob(people who are not very smart) and bourgeoisie (middle class); the general public regarded as consisting of boobs.  Pronounced boob wah zee
• Jerkwater - noun:  remote and unimportant
• Orchidaceous - adjective:  of, relating to, or resembling the orchids;
  showy, ostentatious.

     The hardest part of learning new words is using them. Since I do not have xenophobia I accept the challenge.  BUT, I will end this blog before you mirandize me for being a chowderhead and jerkwater who is an addlepated member of the booboisie who speaks with an orchidaceous and sesquipedalian tongue.

It's More Than a Science

      I had a great experience this week.  It was fun and educational to boot!  I had the opportunity to join a group of fellow Master Gardeners for an early morning cold, but sunny, tour of local family-owned Turkey Hill Farm.  Okay, I acknowledge many of you will not find going to a farm much of an experience to write home about.   Actually, I think I heard some yawns and maybe even a few clicks on that little x on the upper right hand corner of your screen.  But, for those of you still with me, believe me it was quite cool.

      For example, did you know you could grow shitake mushrooms on a freshly cut oak log?  I didn't but it is one of the many things happening at Turkey Hill.   If you want to grow your own, there is a lot of information on the Internet on how to do it.  I learned you have to obtain some spawn initially, which is a fungus tissue used to propagate mushrooms.  You can order it online as well.
     

      As the tour continued, I realized the diverse ecosystem on this 89 acre piece of property was not set up to be a huge commercial corporate-type operation.  Instead, owners Herman Holley and Louis Divine dedicate their days to practicing tried and true, as well as modern, organic and scientific methods to produce vegetables, fruit, and honey. They sell to local restaurants, to the public at weekly farmer's markets, and on the Red Hills Online Market (www.rhomarket.com)
 

      Herman led us through his gardens, fruit orchards, and the pastel colored beehives with enthusiasm, sharing an amazing amount of information, from composting to planting, harvesting to grafting and honey production.  It was quite obvious he had done an incredible amount of research   He frequently referred to Sir Albert Howard's An Agricultural Testament as one of his resources.  It is available on Amazon.



      As I listened to Herman, I knew I would never acquire the amount of knowledge he had.  However, the most impressive and inspirational part went way beyond his "book learning."  His whole sixty-something body exuded the passion he felt about his this farm.  He laughed easily as he shared some of the trial and error methods he and his wife had attempted over the years.  One of those things we learned is that you can get a jump on growing and harvest-ing tomatoes by putting seedlings in the ground as early as February, in north Florida where it doesn't drop below freezing for long.  I have always waited until mid-March.  He contends it makes them stronger but you do have to cover them if you expect a freeze. 

 

      Near the end of the tour, Herman offered all of us a turmeric root to plant on our own.  Now, in case you didn't know, turmeric is a spice which has a plethora of medicinal and nutritional benefits, from being an anti-inflammatory to a cancer preventing agent.   He said, "You should put it in about everything you eat."

I checked it out on the Internet.  It's true!  Chinese medicine has known this forever and Western medicine is getting on the bandwagon now.  I've already put my root in a pot to grow.  Apparently, it does take a while to grow (8-10 months) to a harvest stage, so if you are not patient you can buy turmeric root ready to use in some stores or online.

 

      During the tour, one of my friends leaned over and said, "This makes me want to go home and get started on my Spring crop today!"  Me too!  As a matter of fact, I  potted a variety of tomato, pepper, green peas and lettuce seeds the next day.  I'll keep them indoors until they sprout and then put them under a grow light until they get strong enough to put in the ground. 

      What a great job Herman and Louise have!   Their customers enjoy and  appreciate what they produce. They always have fresh, healthy food to eat, and the hard work and exercise keeps them young.  It's a passion!