you know what bugs me?

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Flowers from the florist are sprayed with preservatives and they are unhealthy, in general.

I've been chemically sensitive since my car accident in 2000, especially to smoke and perfume. I managed to avoid headaches by teaching online from home for the 10 years prior to my leaving the college. I controlled my environment and have used unscented products since before they became common. Back then you could only buy them at health food stores, at least in Florida.

One of the worst toxic offenders are scented dryer sheets.

Our hospital won't allow flowers in any of the cardiac units, intensive care or children's units. Whenever I'd get flowers delivered to work, I'd give them to the receptionist or, when nobody was looking, throw them away.
 
I'm telling you I can't make this stuff up. I just received a text from a legally blind lady in my building. She knows I'm going in for eye surgery at 6:30 am Monday morning and I usually go to church on Sunday morning.

She wants me to go up there and help her set up games for her Christmas party. We have at least a dozen healthy mutual friends. She has to have it done early tomorrow. I called her and found out that it was one of our HEALTHY mutual friends who suggested she call me because "Kim is good at that sort of thing and it'll make her feel better if she can help."

Now, here's the punch line. I WASN'T INVITED TO THE PARTY 😂 😂 😂 😂
 
I texted her and told her when I would be home. Never heard back.

I do have an appreciation on how it is to not see well. My right eye is useless and still totally dilated. They had the party but I never heard how it went.
 
oh Kim, I have to say I'm glad you didn't go help. You get to let your eyes heal up now and be the most important thing in your life today. Have you been told if they feel your surgery was a great success, or does it take time to know?
 
I went back today and the doctor said it looked good but to expect it to take time to see better. I may wait an extra week to do the second one because I want to make sure the surgery meets my expectations.

OK, a funny story about the surgery.

When I got there the room was kept at 60 degrees. They warned me to dress warm. I did. A nurse started a line and the anesthesiologist came in to ask me about my medical history. She wondered why I didn't want Versed. I told her I didn't think the surgery would hurt and I had taken 10 mg. of Valium before coming. She was good with that and said so. Then she asked me about "your ALS." She said, "do you have the fast progressing or slow progressing?" I was shivering and I just wanted to get the conversation over so I said I've been progressing slowly. She said, "good, you'll probably live another twenty years." I had to think quick knowing they started a line and she'd be with me so I just smiled.

Then the eye surgeon came in and turned on music. All this time they were putting tons of drops in my eyes and I was just praying that my heart wouldn't go into SVT and he'd get on with it. He talked me through everything he was doing. It hurt a little but nothing I couldn't stand again. He said, "you're going to go black now" and my sight was gone. I tried to focus on the music but I kept seeing a red circle. It was getting more intense. The next thing I knew, Johnny Cash was singing Ring of Fire. I couldn't control myself and started laughing. I was hoping I could lie still because the more I heard, the funnier it got. The anesthesiologist asked me if I wanted a little sedation but the last time I had Versed I had a paradoxical reaction and went manic. All I could say is I'll stop laughing."
 
I tried to focus on the music but I kept seeing a red circle. It was getting more intense. The next thing I knew, Johnny Cash was singing Ring of Fire.
That’s really funny. Those red circles are intense. If you’ve ever had a retina exam by a retinologist, that creates all kinds of annoying bright intense lights.

I think most of us here have experienced the noises associated with having an MRI — especially if one’s head is in the scanner. The tech asked me what kind of music I wanted to listen to. But it was a joke because when the scanner ran, it sounded like a war zone or a construction zone which far overshadowed the music.
 
I’m not sure if I hate this or it helps so I’ll ask here. When people comfort me by saying, “It could always be worse” or the opposite “at least your grandchildren are grown “ - or something similar.

In a way it does take my mind away from self pity because I have to think so hard about what it is that could be worse. These are some really terrible alternatives! Hit by a semi truck is one but then I wonder- is it really worse???

As far as being somewhat lucky, yes, I am in many ways.That one makes A little more sense and does also distract me from feeling miserable. But here I’m compared myself to others like those PALS who have it worse than me - like insurance problems or young children- and that doesn’t seem very comforting!

but I really just sit there confused by both types of platitudes wondering if I should feel better or not. hmmmm..... it’s all so weird!!! Should I like these well meaning comments? I’m not sure I like them but also I can’t decide if I should hate them.
 
I don’t think you should like them and I feel they are inappropriate and insensitive Yes maybe others have it worse but that isn’t always comforting and anyway it isn’t their place to tell you.
 
@Doglady personally I think those are very cheap remarks made by completely insensitive people.
Who cares if things 'could be worse' - you are dealing with something huge and horrible and that should simply be acknowledged and you should know you are valued and supported in it.
Maybe someone here can think of a really good response, mine are not fit to type! :eek:
 
@Tillie, I can think of some but I bet they're far worse than yours :LOL:
@karen, I've had the retina exam when I had a blind spot that didn't go away. You're right.....lots of colors. This was about 15 years ago and I thought it was just the aura from a migraine. The real fun came when he put the dye (iodine?) in my IV and I had a reaction. His final diagnosis was either an autoimmune disease or an infectious disease. Never did find out even though he did lots of blood tests. It never happened again and both retinas are good. In retrospect, knowing my ex-husband's history, it was probably some sort of VD :ROFLMAO:
@Doglady, Sometimes people just don't have the verbal or mental wheelhouse to come up with kind words. Others just have diarrhea of the mouth and they wear my patience thin. I've had to cut a couple close friends off and not even because they're Trump supporters :eek: They just keep telling me how blessed they are and how wonderful their lives are and it ends up being a monologue rather than a conversation. If I want a monologue, I'll watch Stephen Colbert.
 
Ok I have a new pet peeve...those chirpy Christmas form letters that say "I'm so busy with my wonderful life I don't have time to write a personal note." I just got one from a couple who had been here just after Thanksgiving and could see how our lives are now. The letter was full of their traveling and wine tasting outings. It got me thinking what my parody form letter would look like...😝
 
Those chirpy holiday cards with the smiling families bug me too. Then there’s the news that they’re taking all the yunguns on a ski vacation. Or DIHALS whining about their twitches and then bragging that they can still run 5 miles or bench press their weight. Just feeling snarky here...
 
I got a "Christmas Form Letter" from my niece. Everything was about her family being in great health and so blessed. It actually talked about running, hiking, and traveling the world. No peace on earth and no mention that she and her husband sold their business for $28 million. That might generate the expectation that she could give her dad a high-rise toilet, which he so desperately needs. I so wanted to write a parody letter back to her but I exercised restraint because she's coming down to visit her father for a couple of days next month.
 
Vltsra, my mind went in the same direction when we received the perfect life form letters when I was taking care of my husband. In fact I entertained myself and my husband with all the " wonderful " pictures and expierences we could share! We had some good laughs thinking about it.
 
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