The Forestry Forum

A few weeks ago I had a small stroke. I was taking the Hot Rod out for a run. When I got really dizzy and had to set down. 
I don't remember how long that lasted. When I came out of it my R hand was all numb, well just the top half of all my fingers.
I had a doc appointment coming up in a few days. 
When I saw the doc and told them what happen. Well, they got all excited.  :D :D :D
The next day I was in a MRI machine.
They said I had a stroke,, I'm thinking WHAT,  ::) :D

The hand I can live with or have to. What gets me,
I can be talking to you face to face and forget what we are talking about. Most times I remember in 4 or 5 seconds.
Like having a dead spot in your thinking. :D
So I will keep sawing, Have to now, Just got 3 tt loads of W Pine and 4 Try axle loads of Hemlock. Not big but, some wood. :D
I have a ton of orders to fill. Some guys rebuilding big old barns, Some timbers framers putting up new ones, Boat shop wants a bunch of 3x8x14' to put in steel racks to pile boats
up for the winter. 
See we had a lot of rain here, With a little dry-up now everybody has gone back to work. and need wood now. :D :D
I have a doc appointment this Tuesday. 
Will see what they have to say.
In the meantime, Let's Rock and Roll. :D 8) 8)

I did thank the Father for a small stroke, Instead of one that would have put me in a wheelchair. See my mom had one, that put her in a wheelchair, 5 years later the next one killed her.
Let the games begin, :D :D :D :D :D smiley_monkeyfight smiley_beertoast smiley_guitarist smiley_trap_drummer

I hope you hit a grand slam!!!!!

Thinking about ya Pete. This getting old stuff aint for Sissies for sure.

Just take it day by day 

Pete, you're in my thoughts and prayers.  Persevere!

Glad it wasn't worse. If there's a next time, don't delay going to hospital or calling 911.  We have a saying in EMS that "Time is brain".  There are meds that can undo damage if caught in time.  The next day is not in time.

Get well soon. Aspirin a day will help you to prevent another one. Of course, with doctor's order.

Jim Rogers

I wish you the best Pete. 

Prayers for you Peter. Time to start spending more time with your toys and doing or spending some money on your wish list!

That'll just make you stronger so you can keep entertaining the black bears. Don't over do it, that will not be a cure, and get well.

Hang in there and take care of yourself.

I'm sorry to hear this Peter
Hopefully the Dr's can figure out what caused it and help so it won't happen again.
Prayers my friend. 

Thank's all for the good words,
I will push through like many here with a problem.
Will see what the doc has to say on Tuesday.
I have a bunch of questions.

I agree.  hopefully this was a warning that will lead to treatment to prevent the next one.

It's good to hear you have lots of questions, make double sure that you get answers, and that you understand each one.

 I had problems with breathing awhile ago and waited for a week when I was to see my Meyloma Doctor. After being told not to wait on problems I found out I had blood clots at the bottom of each lung. If they had broke loose they could have travled to my heart or brain.

 If you haven't been taking aspirin 81mg they'll be putting you on it. I Hope that's all and everything is going to be ok.

 I have to take a blood thinner because of clots.

I'm writing them down. ??   :D :D ;D
I also want to know what bad habits are ok.  :D :D :D :D :D :D :P ;)
I'm also writing down my B,P. for 4 days morning and night. 
On the B,P,  Machine, I brought the thing with me to see If what I have is the same as theirs. on the readout. 

Ed I am going to make a few adjustments on your comments.  no offense intended.  the clots that go to your lungs, come from the right side of the heart like from the atrium on atrial fibrillation or the veins in your legs.  the deep veins not the ones you can see if you have varicose veins.  also, a bruise under the skin, although it is a clot, cannot go anywhere, only if it forms inside the veins or the heart.  veins get bigger as the go back to the heart.  arteries get larger as they are closer to the heart or on other words get smaller as they move away from the heart.  so, in the lungs, a clot is moving too smaller and smaller pulmonary arteries and eventually get caught.  this is life threatening if there are many small clots called showers of emboli, or one huge clot that stops at the branch in the pulmonary artery going to the right and left lung.  the last one is referred to as a saddle embolus as it straddles the branch point and stops all blood going to the lungs.  these you may only survive minutes and why deep vein prophylaxis is important with cancers and if you are stuck in a bed or chair.  they occur after surgery or on long trips in a plane or car.  walking helps so getting up and moving is good, or freq. stops at the gas stations along the route.  I guess that is why God made old men need to stop and pee often.   :) clots that cause strokes come from the left heart or an artery along the route like the carotids.  these usually form on calcified plaque then break loose and travel along till they cannot go any further again as the branches get smaller and smaller (like a tree).  think of all this as a big plumbing design, like water from the plant starts with big pipes that get smaller as the water is distributed to the houses.  and the reverse is true of the drain water.  smaller pipes get bigger and bigger as it returns to the water treatment plant.  A coronary vessel (heart) clot forms on a ruptured plaque and stays there or travels till it is stuck.  the rupture exposes collagen, and a chemical reaction starts to form a clot as the chemical cascade begins, as the platelets assume (if they had a brain) that you have a cut exposing the collagen and you are bleeding to death.  In all these scenarios the clot is stuck where it stops and cannot get to another organ.  The fact that you had a clot means you need a medicine like aspirin or Plavix, or Eliquis to impede clot formation, or a surgery to get rid of blockages and plaque in a carotid.  In the heart we use stents in a heart cath. or a bypass for blockage in the coronary artery system. Or even a basket to catch clots before they get to the lungs.  our cardiologist, or an interventional radiologist can go in and remover a clot if the vessel is big enough.  the larger the vessel, the more cells it is responsible for suppling oxygenated blood to.  "And that is all I've got to say about that" Forest Gump!

I would say smoking and drugs of abuse are out.  Alcohol in moderation unless it interacts with a medication.  Swearing can be good, but not in front of the women and children.  Otherwise go have some fun!   :D :D :D

Well yesterday I got up and my r side face was numb, R hand too. Went to the ER. at 10 am. They did a bunch of tests.
Have more to do I guess. Called the doc and canceled my appointment. The ER wanted to keep me all night. in between 
emergencies. At 11 pm I told them I came here not knowing I have to spend the night. And my house and stuff were all unlocked.
I went home. Will call the doc today and set up a time to see her.  And do the last test. 

I went online to look up things :o
Most die in 2 to 5 years after one. :D
I'm on meds. Looks to be a roller coaster ride. 8)
And the meds, No booze.

In a way, I can't wait to be with the father and Ann.
I have been so sad for the last 5 years without her.
 I thought running the sawmill and the Hot Rod would help.
It did not. :'(
With a yard full of logs and orders up the ass to do. ::)
I'm getting to the point I don't care.
Life without Ann sucks.

Ill let you know how I make out
If you don't hear from me I'm with Ann.

 Hey Peter, I feel for you losing Ann. But take care of yourself, you don't want to end up half paralyzed and not able to do anything. 

Peter, I hope you do OK.  I am no more an expert in this area than anyone else.  I will just say that having you here does brighten a few faces.  When it is your time, you will have all our prayers and blessings.  Many folks also fully recover and live a long healthy life after a stroke, if they make some changes.  I am not aware of the drug, that you cannot have alcohol with, but I do hope you can enjoy life as best you can.  It is very different it seems.  Godspeed Sir.  Doc!

Prayers are with you Pete. And many of us are really in the same boat with you. Life has an ending as we know and feel it. Just don't know when. 

Peter lm praying for you Sir
Please go the Dr and see what can be done to help you out. I have felt like giving up before with all my health issues. But I try and think about good things and keep my mind busy with projects. 
I know it's tough you got this Sir

Peter,
Keep fighting.
We are with you.
Enough said.

Prayers for you Peter. Stay strong.  You have a large family here thinking and praying for you. 

Peter praying for you. 1999 I started having the entire left half of my body go completely numb and unable to move. 3rd time BP spiked to around 220/140 fell down and laid in my yard for I don't know how long before I came to. Today I am almost fine. Follow your doctors orders exactly and take the medications prescribed. They have some wonderful cures available if caught up front. 

Peter it can be hard for anyone but especially men who pride themselves in being invincable.  In addition to depression made worse by a stroke, we also morn the loss of our health, that in our minds, we thought we would somehow always have.  hang in and I hope thigs get back to "normal" even if some sadness and missing Ann remain.  Doc.

I would not want to be without Brenda.
That internet can make thing seem worse than what it is, sometimes.
I am thinking of you.

 @doc henderson (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=41041) no offense taken, I thank you for clearing up my mistake in thinking of blood clots. I thank you for explaining this, no one has ever told us this even tho we have asked many questions. I do take eloquis so I won't have clots again. The only time I sit for a long time is on Saturday 11:30 am when Mecom Antique tractor auction comes on and Classic Tractor Fever :D ;D ;). I may have go for a plane ride when my granddaughter get married :o 8).
Y'all have a great night.
Ed K

I might be feeling a little sorry for myself. Some have more wrong than me.
And put up a good fight, 

All this out of the blue, has got to me. I will do better.  boxingsmiley

Thank's all for helping me get my head out of my ass.  :D :D ;D
Go see the doc tomorrow  11 am.

It's a good thing you have broad shoulders Peter, they stopped your head from going any further! 😉
Glad to hear that you're back with us. 
Think back a bit to when life was "normal". Remember the satisfaction you felt when you got that sawmill shed built, and when you got the hot rod? Grab onto those memories and bring them into the present day.
 Those doctors can be preachy fuss-budgets, (not the FF clinicians) but most of'em will give you good direction. Following their advice will get you better, so that you can continue to chase after those pride and satisfaction moments. 
Chin up and crack on buddy!

Peter,my wife has had two major strokes.One six years ago and one two years ago.When she had the first one tests revealed that she had had a couple small mini strokes before.If we had known about them when they happened they may have been able to prevent the major ones.She had a rough time with depression after the first one and our family doctor didn't hesitate to put her on Prozac and that took care of it.Actually she is usually in a better mood than I am.After the first one she went through rehab and pretty much got back to normal.After the second one not so much although she still gets around ok.Let the doctors run their tests (there probably will be several) and take medication and stay healthy as long as possible.We are all in this thing together.Hope everything works out ok.

Ed these are misconceptions most folks have.  The tests and medications make more sense when you understand more.  

Peter, if that is really where your head was at, you are a much better typist than I. :)

Next is a heart ck, where they put stuff in your veins then a cat scan or MRI  All the other tests came back good.
The meds are the ?? now how much?
 Did I say I don't like pills? :D

I don't like meds, 18 a day  ;D :o :D.

That's a lot :o

wishes for a favorable diagnosis.
Hang in there Pete

 Peter, how are you doing? Did you find out anything? 

Not yet, Going Sep 8th to get the heart looked at, Were they put nuclear waste in your veins and then in a gizmo to track it. :D :D ;D
Trying to keep BP down to 140- 150.. It was 205 over 100.
I think. Good is 130 over 40 :)

40 is a little low. When I give blood, I saw 112/55 and they almost wouldn't take me. Had them recheck and I got it back up to 120/60. I think you'd be fainting at 40.

"Normal" is 120 / 80. It varies between individuals,  but 200+ is dangerous, as in you might stroke out at any time. Hence your Doc will want to get that down, maybe under 140?

Of course too low is also dangerous, so you have to be careful with the meds. 

the top number (systolic) is the peak or highest pressure in the artery.  the bottom (diastolic) is the lowest right before it goes up with the next heart beat.  if it goes close to 0 you will pass out.  many  older folks do better with a higher pressure, especially if that is what there body is used to.  lower is better, but not if you fall and break your hip, and die of pneumonia in the hospital.

Quote from: doc henderson on August 19, 2023, 05:12:28 AMlower is better, but not if you fall and break your hip, and die of pneumonia in the hospital.

Hence the balancing act with the meds. When I first went on BP meds I would get some dizzy moments when I stood up too fast. Things settled down and BP is now slightly higher than normal. but "controlled" as far as the travel insurance questions go.  Drop it too much and you risk other problems. 

Blood pressure is like hydraulic pressure on your forklift... you need enough to run the cylinders and lift the load, but too much and you blow out the fittings and hoses.  I'm sure the docs will get your hydraulic pressure down.

I find the worst part of lowering my blood pressure is the water pill. 2 cups of morning coffee and a water pill pretty much keep me busy all morning. I take 3 BP pills a day to almost control mine. Salt is a big no no. That is the hardest part for me.

I have learned EVERYTHING has salt in it. ::)

As I heard one guy tell me, If it taste good, spit it out.  :(
It cost more money to eat good, 
But in the long run, you are saving money because you see the Doctors less.

Peter, I understand your pain and loneliness. I lost Karen six years ago and it never goes away but we just have to get up in the morning and do the best we can. Hang in there and keep in touch, we are in your corner. 

We need salt to live, second only to water.  so do your best and do not get too crazy.  If you are white, it barely makes a difference, same with diuretics.  you can see if you can change your meds, especially if there are not fully effective.  maybe do not eat a full family size bag of potato chips.  this is why cattle need salt licks.  We humans eat processed food with lots of salt.

I had a Dr tell me years ago that there is enough salt in one slice of store-bought bread to sustain a human being with just one slice a day!

This only applies to the salt part, not the whole food part!   ;)

That's the thing, Make a meal add the salt from this, and that now your over the top. :D
With the BP and sugar problems I have, I can't eat anything.
I'm always hungry. ::)

Quote from: sawguy21 on August 19, 2023, 09:38:56 PM
Peter, I understand your pain and loneliness. I lost Karen six years ago and it never goes away but we just have to get up in the morning and do the best we can. Hang in there and keep in touch, we are in your corner.

Yes when you're with someone for 40 years you miss them a lot
I went out with some ladies, All they want to know is how big is your wallet. ::) ::) :D

Guys, what a tribute to those women you still miss.  you were blessed to have them.  It is certainly OK to wish they were still here.  Doc.

life has more good than bad. Hang in there Peter there is always sunshine ahead!

I try not to take in anymore salt if I can help it.
It's super hard 
But at my last Dr appointment my BP was way down.
It's tough you can't eat much but fresh stuff

I just don't have a salt shaker. And don't buy salted nuts, chips, etc. etc. 
Food has a taste all its own without salt. Friend who salts everything can only taste the salt. If that is the taste he likes, okay with me. But I prefer more variety. 

BP three days ago was 124/62 at Dr. office. 

I do not add salt to anything that I eat, at home or at a restaurant.  Not even Watermelon.

My Sister and her husband eat with a fork in one hand and the salt shaker in the other.  Also everything gets salted before they taste anything.

Quote from: Magicman on August 20, 2023, 07:31:15 PM

My Sister and her husband eat with a fork in one hand and the salt shaker in the other.   

I've seen people do that. 
They don't even taste it first. They add salt first. 
I don't salt much of the food I eat. She may put salt in while cooking. 
But I do enjoy chips.

I hate unsalted French fries.

Okay, hate might have been a Lil strong. :D

A lot of that is the taste we were bought up with. If that was heavily salted, that's what you expect to taste, and a little salt does tend to bring out the flavour in many foods. I use very little salt in my cooking, except when it's really needed (bread for instance does needs a little). But I lean more into the spices, garlic, chilli etc to give meals some flavour. Home made fries in the air fryer come out good with a little oil and a dusting of herbs / spice, and light on the salt. 

I figure it's Excessive salt like MM mentions that's the problem. Doc wants you on a "low" salt diet, not a "No" salt one.  

Local guidelines are no more than 5g of salt a day (~2,000 mg Sodium). It's when you go over that amount that you start risking high blood pressure etc. That's about a teaspoon of salt. It's likely you will get that in your normal diet if you eat any processed foods. A pack of potato chips in the cupboard says 780 mg Sodium in the bag, so scoff a couple of those, and that's most of your day's allowance  ::)  A glass of diet cola ~10 mg, so no salt worries from a couple of them. 

some of the ol-timers would go round the plate 3 times with salt before they ever tasted it.  some of it is iodized so you get your daily dose you get some of that as well.

If we happen to eat out , which happens very little. 
I notice how salty the food is in most cases.
I'm into the water hard right after.
This spring I started drinking lots more water and I notice it when I don't .

Reminds me of a stern "talking-from" my grandfather back when I was prolly 10 or 11 years old (1950).. sitting at his table and salting down my tomato slices on my plate. The message about that much salt not good for me was very clear and have remembered it since (about 75 years now). 
   That was back in the day when salt pills were in dispensers around the industry plants, maybe to encourage drinking more water to keep hydrated. 

Getting closer to getting the meds right, but I still have no feeling in the top half of my R-hand, Going on Friday for a heart MRI I think it's called

I hope they get your health sorted out my friend. 

Doing good now, my hand works, still feels like it is a sleep I can saw lumber ok. Now I have to work on my diet. And I hate to cook. :D But I am getting better not burning everything. ;D
I know low heat, but, I'm impatient. :D
Been looking for a good woman to cook for me and other stuff ;)
All I found were airheads or Gold diggers. ::) :D :D :D

 :D A gold digger would be sorely disappointed with me. I have a salt shaker that probably Karen last filled and she has been gone over 6 years. I have never liked it but my sister is like thecfarms, she generously salts everything. She is or at least was a heavy smoker so probably couldn't taste her food.

Quote from: sawguy21 on November 21, 2023, 08:12:21 PM
 . I have never liked it but my sister is like thecfarms, she generously salts everything.   

I don't use much salt. Don't even salt my eggs. 
But fries and potatoes need some, steak too.

Pete,

  Forget that low heat cooking and get yourself a good steel wok!. Season it like cast iron. Cook everything at max flame. Most stir fry cooks in minutes.

  Throw in a thin sliced piece of tough beef or cube a pork chop or chicken breast or a handful of shrimp and flash fry it, set that aside, thin slice some fresh veggies (Carrots, onions, peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, etc) and fry in a couple tablespoons of oil for a few minutes, add the meat/chicken/shrimp, season with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, etc. Stir a teaspoon of corn starch in a cup of water and add and stir all over high heat. Takes less than 10 minutes for all. Serve over rice or noodles or such.

  Or make a sweet and sour with equal amounts of sugar and vinegar cook your veggies in that 4-5 minutes, add pineapple or cherries or such with a handful of mixed nuts. Dried cranberries work well with most stir fries. Serve over rice.

  Fried rice is another quick meal.

  I started using my wok in Africa on a solo assignment and loved it for quick simple meals using readily available local items.

   Clean up of the wok is real fast and easy.

Peter, another good option for a bachelor is a crockpot. Put something in before you head out for work and it's ready when you're done. Glad to hear you're doing better and still getting after it.

WV Sawmiller that's too much to get at the store  :D :D But fast yes! I can do 2 or 3 things in the mix. Maybe Ann has one ;)

newwoodguy78
I think Ann has one. Then I will be eating the same thing for 2 to 3 days right? But that is OK  :D Maybe she has a small one. I'll have to look and see.
Thank you guys for the ideas. I should have asked a long time ago. :D :D 8)

Pete,

   I'm not saying use all at once. Yes 1-2 items is fine like Beef and onions or shrimp with Carrots and peppers w/chicken. etc. Mix it up with what is in season or readily available. Take a half lb of tough round steak and slice it 1/8" thick and sear and mix with veggies and it is a good quick meal. 

The crock pot or slow cooker is a single guys best friend, I wouldn't be without mine. I am limited as a cook but kinda proud of my chili, stew is another meal that lends itself to this method. Have a good feed then put the leftovers packaged in individual portions in the freezer for another time. I am still trying to make a good soup.

For a good soup or stew, the meat should be seared a bit in the pot with some butter first. ;D

If you start using the crockpot then get yourself some liners at walmart or the the grocery store. Sure makes cleaning that thing a breeze.

I tried the crockpot thing today. Chicken, onions, and potatoes, with chicken broth. Too many potatoes I think. :D
Tasted like shttt. But I ate it, Have some leftovers mostly potatoes. :D More chicken next time. ;)

Needs some spices. Garlic salt, pepper ,rosemary?

Peter, you may have to yell at that cook up his game a bit. 😁

Quote from: Peter Drouin on November 29, 2023, 10:44:34 PMMore chicken next time.

One way to cook chicken in a slow cooker is basically just add a whole chicken, and cook it. Nothing else. You sit the chicken on some scrunched up aluminium foil so it's out of the juice, and leave it there for 8 hours or so. Forget carving it, it will just fall apart. Eat it with some salad and fresh bread.  Throw the leftovers in the fridge and you have chicken sandwiches for lunch tomorrow. 

Another way is a coconut curry. Needs a can of coconut cream and a generous spoon of Thai red curry paste. Some potatoes, regular or sweet, and whatever other veges you feel like. 

Those are generally meals I cook for the family, especially if I'm going to be out most of the day. Getting home late and then having to cook a meal is a drag, but if it's already cooked, then it's just a matter of serving it up.

A really quick and easy meal just for myself is adding random stuff to instant noodles. While usually considered the food of last resort for starving students, if you throw in some chopped veges, fresh or frozen, whatever you have / like, and a bit of left over meat (yesterday's chicken is good) it makes a passable Bami Goreng. Get the good Thai instant noodles with all the spices to mix in. Takes about 5 mins to cook and you only have one pot, one bowl and your fork to clean up. 

Should have added some celery salt, curry, salt and pepper Pete. Not more than 1/2 teaspoon each. Cook'n without spice is pretty bland. :D

What would an apple pie be without cinnamon and sugar? Not much more than apple sauce with pastry. :D And some apples will make good enough pie but don't soften up good for sauce, too lumpy.

lthough

Quote from: SwampDonkey on November 30, 2023, 02:32:30 AMShould have added some celery salt, curry, salt and pepper Pete. Not more than 1/2 teaspoon each. Cook'n without spice is pretty bland.

This for sure. Growing up here in NZ the traditional meal was "Meat and 3 veges". Spices were salt and pepper... Meat was just roasted or fried. and the veges were just boiled to death. I can actually remember Garlic being a "New Thing" :D


Cooking has come a long ways from those days. But the thing to remember is a lot of "Fancy" food is just the Peasant food from some foreign place. And if the main thing you have to eat is beans or rice, you should probably get creative with the spices. My late Father had certainly been bought up on "old school" food, but he discovered you could cook chicken and pineapple together, that was "exotic" in those days. 


Since I've been basically a "House Husband" for the last ~16 years, I've taken to cooking a bit more exotically. I can do an Indian style onion / tomato curry from scratch, or make Ika Mata (marinated fish in Coconut cream), or even a decent burrito. I'm still working on my fried rice technique, but I'm up to the stage where everyone thinks it's OK. Need to go and watch a couple more "Uncle Roger" clips on Youtube. 


Pete's issue is that when you are only cooking for yourself, there is less incentive to do anything elaborate. Hence the suggestions of quick and easy stuff that you can whip up in a few minutes. 


Another one is thin crust pizza. You buy the bases that are more like a slightly thicker tortilla to look at. Tomato paste, whatever toppings and spices you want, grated cheese and bake for 8 mins. Total kitchen time is about 15 mins.  Although pizza has a bad rep as being "fast food", when you look at it. It's bread, cheese, veges and maybe some sort of meat. It's not really that different from a chicken salad sandwich, so I have no problem with serving up home made pizza to the family. 

I make home made pizza every other week here on Sunday. I don't want it every week, but it's way better than that stuff from a box. Up here Pizza Hut has gone down hill. If you compare here to US Pizza Hut, ours here is box like stuff , terrible crust, and scant toppings. Over in Maine you can go get good pizza and they have salads at noon time all you can eat deal, with 4 or 5 types of sliced pizza. Same thing has happened to Kentucky Fried Chicken in Canada. It's terrible here compared to the Maine restaurant. In Maine some of the KFT restaurants probably have 30 items besides chicken, not here. It's overwhelming. :D

Chain store pizza seems to be a race to the bottom. Price points rather than an actual decent pizza. Vote with your feet, and either pay a bit more at a better joint, of make your own from scratch. Making pizza isn't rocket science, unless you have to sell it for $3.99, in which case you have to skimp...

The crap is way more than $3.99  . Try closer to $ 10.00 . :D I hadn't been in there in years since college, when it was good back then, and only this time with a coupon card. Most people ordered from their cell phones, as mom and I were the only ones sitting.

With Ann here, For 36 years I did not cook anything! She was the best cook, and could cook anything very well. For the last 5 years, I have been fighting the cooking thing. Most times I don't even know where to start. Go out to eat most times. I'm under 200 lb now never been there. I think this food thing has something to do with the stoke I had, I don't know. Most times I don't care. I know, pick yourself up and move forward.
In a way when Ann died a big part of me died too.

Ianab, I will try the pizza thing. If the oven works, It has not been turned on in 5 years.

Sawing 1000s of bf of lumber is easier for me than cooking. :D :D

What don't work, the bears and crows will eat. :D

@Peter Drouin (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=12511) I understand what you are saying. Since Karen passed I have had little incentive to cook other than heating up frozen dinners but I still have to eat. Eating out gets expensive and I don't like noisy bars and restaurants.

 Peter, you can make a good chicken, beef roast or pork roast in a slow cooker. I do it all the time. Well, we (me, the wife and kids) like it anyways. 

 I will throw a frozen roast (or chicken) in the crockpot in the morning, with seasoning, sliced onions, and diced garlic. I like lots of garlic. However, if I'm cooking potatoes I don't add those until later in the day. If I throw them in at the beginning, they overcook and turn into mushy starch👎 Sometimes I'll just make a side of white rice, or wild rice. 

 I use Lawry's Garlic Salt a LOT. I use it on everything. I'm not talking about the stuff in the orangish bottle, this one is white and green. Good stuff.

 Sometimes I'll just throw a package of frozen breakfast sausage I've ground, into the slow cooker in the morning too. It ends up tasting way different than fried sausage. I think it is because when the meat gets to 200° or so, the connective tissue breaks down. The same reason the chickens fall apart, or why you cook meat like a pulled pork you want to fall apart, to 190-200. 

 Anyways, my wife works now, and supper is part of my responsibilites. I'm a "wing it" type, and throwing some meat in the slow cooker leaves me some options when supper time comes. All I have to do is figure out a side. Oh, that breakfast sausage just slow cooked over some white or wild rice is delicious.

I tried the slow cooker, too much juice in it. Had to use real plates to eat it. I always use paper ones. Now I have a sink full of dishes. I hate washing dishes more than cooking.
With paper, I would wash on Sundays. One day in the week.
I don't mind doing the frying pan every day. ;D
Ann has a draw full of knives and forks
A man does have to eat.  :D

And when I do wash I put it all that basket thing on the counter.
Stuff never does back in the draw. ;)

Peter see if you can find someone who sells real, pasture raised, chicken and cook one.  It won't be cheap - it's the same concept as your lumber vs the box store - but the taste will be very different, it will have flavor and be tender.  It's also healthier as the birds take in chlorophyll and a wide variety of minerals which all adds to the flavor.  The fat should be yellow and it's not because they add anything, it's what chicken should look like and what it did prior to the '50s when crowded houses and chemicals became the way to raise chicken.   

The Dixie 150 pack paper plates are pretty tuff to beat. No comparison to the cheap paper ones. 

SS,

  When I read your post I get this vision in my head of hundreds of your hens laying on their backs on towels each with one of those 3 fold reflectors under their chins in the sun catching a few rays. :D :D :D

They do live the good life!!!  :D

Pete,

   You remind me of a co-worker I had in Saudi. He said he only had one paper plate and one plastic fork. He ordered pizza so often we'd use him to give directions to the driver if we ordered a pizza. We'd tell the driver "Go to Mr. Jim's house and we are across the street and four houses down on the left."

Quote from: Peter Drouin on December 02, 2023, 08:25:18 PMAnd when I do wash I put it all that basket thing on the counter. Stuff never does back in the draw.

One of the greatest ideas I ever heard is 2 dishwashers, one for clean and one for dirty. (they alternate)

The best dish washer is on the end of a dish rag and a dish towel. Can't imagine leaving dirty dishes around all week, all day for that matter. I'm not in that big of a hurry that the dirt can't be cleaned up. :D

    My wife likes to store dirty dishes in the sink. I store them in the dishwasher and when it is full I run a load and start over.

   Actually, that reminds me of the old joke:

"I love my wife but she is a nasty woman - just downright nasty! >:( Every time I try to go pee in the sink it is full of danged old dirty dishes! ::)"

Quote from: SwampDonkey on December 03, 2023, 04:35:26 PM
The best dish washer is on the end of a dish rag and a dish towel. Can't imagine leaving dirty dishes around all week, all day for that matter. I'm not in that big of a hurry that the dirt can't be cleaned up. :D

All that's in there is forks, knives, and my coffee cups.
I'm too busy on here reading all the posts in the morning.
Have to get out to the mill. Come Jan 1 I'll have time. :D :D ;) 

 no_no

:D :D

Quote from: Peter Drouin on December 02, 2023, 08:25:18 PMtried the slow cooker, too much juice in it.

Did you put the chook up on tinfoil balls? That's the trick because it lets the juice drain out into the pot and not waterlog the meat. Red meats you can cook in the juice, but chicken needs to either drain or go all in for a casserole / curry with all the juice / gravy  / sauce.   There are some good recipes for slow cooker chicken pieces. You want Coconut / Pineapple / Apricot with that? ;)  

Trying different recipes is an incentive to cook better meals, even if it's only for yourself. 

Tinfoil balls, ???  That's a new one for me. I don't think Ann did that. A slow cooker is a good idea. Just have to try different things I guess. I'll work on that this winter. I'm a man that puts everything in a frying pan. Been times when I eat right out of the frying pan too. ;) Keeps the food hot for a long time while I'm reading stuff on here. ;D Ham and beans is a good one.
Just trying to put more veg in my meals is all.
A good woman is Hard to replace. :D ;)

Iron Skillet Restaurant does exactly that. 

Pete, not sure if you are wanting to do this, but if you make a good stew, and get some storage stuff, you can divvy it up and freeze it.  this is so if you make a big crock pot full of it, you do not have to eat the same thing for 3 days.  I make a "construction stew".  I brown whatever meat is in the fridge.  maybe a couple of steaks and a couple pounds of ground beef.  it can be whatever you want.  I add some chicken or beef broth or just add water and the powder or cubes of broth.  I add some onions and carrots and potatoes.  I then add a bag of frozen California mix to add broccoli and cauliflower.  My brother made this when on the road doing road construction.  Salt and pepper and other stuff to taste.  sorry if this is vague.  this was usually made at the end of the weak to feed guys while watching a game ect.  the key to making large amounts to eat later is getting containers.  We also save all the stuff that Olive Garden comes in.  We have a basket in the pantry full of varying sizes of containers with lids to choose from as needed.  you can cook on whatever day you want and have food the rest of the week to warm in the microwave.  reuse the containers.  just a thought.

The biggest thing I learned about crockpot stews was the Holy Trinity . . carrots ,  onions. ,  celery 

Love a good roast from a crock pot, don't even have to chew it. :)

Quote from: Peter Drouin on December 04, 2023, 06:38:16 AM
A good woman is Hard to replace. :D ;)

Especially one that will help you get rid of the evidence.
I've got a long ways to go to be a fair cook.
GAB

GAB.

   Here is one you may want to show Mike. ;)

Larry's barn burned down, and his wife, Susan, called the insurance company.
Susan spoke to the insurance agent and said, "We had that barn insured for fifty thousand dollars, and I want my money."
The agent replied, "Whoa there, just a minute. Insurance doesn't work quite like that. An independent adjuster will assess the value of what was insured, and then we'll provide you with a new barn of similar worth."
There was a long pause, and then Susan replied, "If that's how it works, then I want to cancel the life insurance policy on my husband."

Im sorry youve had the blues pete, being alone when you arent built for it just plain sucks.  i wish i had a solution for ya other than waiting on the Lord.

Pretty good chance your numbness is peripheral neuropathy from high blood sugar.  Same thing that likely caused your clots, your brain fog, depression, high blood pressure and so forth.  If you suffer from gout, cataracts, shaky hands or tremors would kinda also suggest insulin issues, which can be reversed.  Be happy to BS with ya on it sometime if ya like.  God bless

Pete another method of better eating is  the meal delivery companies. We have used them on and off over the years. You pick the Meals and they send you all the ingredients with instructions, all measured out and you prepare the meal, takes a few minutes and you really end of with some really good meals. It is great for households with 1 or 2 people. We keep the recipe cards and will make that recipe ourselves.

Thanks, for the Info guys. I have my a1c down to 6.2 with diet. I have 5 meals I do now. Nothing like Ann did. But, I'm getting better at it.
And I'm happy now I have the next 3+ months off.
HOT ROD time 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

It was 36° with some sun here today and the ROD and I went for a ride.
Monday is the same, I see another ride coming. ;D
Tue-  Going to put the sawmill to bed for the winter. 8) 8)
Had enough sawdust this year. :new_year:

that's great Pete! Happy New Years!
My mill has a bit more work and then it gets put away for maintenance. it will be time to change a lot of the brushs in the motor and I will change all the cam bearings.

Well things are better now. My BP is under control. A1c is 6.2.
Im on meds. Not milling logs for 3 months is nice, don't have to fight the winter. I will do this from now on. Work on the HOT ROD is coming along too. Time to do the tax thing. ffcheesy 
I do want to thank all of you for your input. I still hate cooking. ffwave  

Good on your A1c!!! 
Eat three good meals a day and all should be fine.

congratulations on YOUR success!  great BP, A1C, eating better, and happy.  God help us all on the taxes! ffcool

Ha, I completed mine two weeks ago, so now all that I need to do is make some more $

Quote from: Magicman on March 10, 2024, 09:05:05 AMHa, I completed mine two weeks ago, so now all that I need to do is make some more $

Are you saying that you will not have to wait for your refund?
GAB

I did not say that but I will say that it will be a "cold day.. ...." when I have to wait on the IRS for anything.

Be doing my taxes tomorrow for my spring bonus.  ffcheesy

@ Stephen1, can you tell me what companies you got the meals from, Rita and I have talked about trying it?

 Peter, glad your doing better, run that Hot Rod down here some time.

 My grandson came up to help with sugaring and did my taxes. He did a great job I only had to pay $15. this yr  ffcheesy smiley_thumbsdown.

Ed_K we used Miss Fresh, then it changed to Cook it. These are Canadian companies. The insulated boxes came with everything to cook the meal, packed in freezer bags, There are probably a few down there in the great US of A for sure. 

Ed-K I'm getting $$ back from the IRS  ffcool
I'm going to let them keep it to cover the first two-quarter payments of this year.

My BP is up and down. yesterday morning was 165--over 130. 
I can tell when it's up, my balance is off. Going to see the doctor and see what she says.

I had a guy tell me rosuvastatin may give me dementia from a side effect. Anyone here this? 

I do not do primary care so not familiar with this drug, but I am with the family.  Remember all the most potent drugs, all have side effects.  If during studies, anyone had a new symptom, it has to be listed.  guess who they give these drugs to.  Us old people.  I would talk with your doctor and see what she says.  Our Hippocratic oath states, "first do no harm".  In practicality then we would not prescribe any drugs.  So, we try to weigh the risk vs benefits.  If it is shown to be a serious side effect (higher than the natural incidence) then there will be a black box warning, and docs will move away from it.  If you watch the TV adds, they are required as full disclosure to list at least the worst and common side effects.  Many drugs will have a long list and end with "including death".  WOW.  It is hard to wade through all the BS.  Talk with your doc.  Regards, Doc.

Quote from: Peter Drouin on April 07, 2024, 07:51:45 AMI had a guy tell me rosuvastatin may give me dementia from a side effect.  

I hope not. That's what I take.

I have had problems with rovasustain,  but I had problems  with all the generic cholesterol drugs they tried.  Then years ago they trialed me on  Crestor when it first  came out and I did well on it for many years. A couple years  ago the rovasustain generic was released after the patent  on crestor expired. My insurance  company refused to pay for crestor at that point and sent me the rovasustain generic as a substitute.  Well after  about  6 weeks taking it I could hardly walk and had constant muscle pain with cramps. I quit taking it and everything cleared  up but my cholesterol skyrocketed.  My cardiologist kept putting in a Crestor prescription with no generic  substitution and the insurance kept denying it. Finally my cardiologist said there is another drug that is a bi monthly injection they had to approve.  Well he sent a request  for that and the insurance  company saw it was 3x as expensive as the Crestor they knew worked so in the end they approved the Crestor. They were both supposed to be the same but turned out my cardiologist had several of us with the same side effects from the generic.  They say satins are bad, but doctors monitor patients and be sure to make a list of any changes you feel to share with them. If you can't control you cholesterol with diet then they are the safest choice for many at this point. Having a good doctor that listens and makes adjustments if needed is the best chance you have to add years to your life. Some may get dementia from a drug, but most will not. If you feel changes let your doctors know and they can make adjustments. Don't ever think you are in it alone because you not. Actually voice this concern to your doctor for their opinion. 

The doctor has me on 20mg one in the morning and 10mg at night. I take 2.5mg of amlodipine in the morning. I think that the cholesterol stuff.
With me opening the mill yard this week after all the snow, A week late. ffcheesy  I have customers calling I need lumber!!!!
Ok, come on Thursday. See I'm open only on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The rest of the time I can cut without someone stopping me. ffcheesy
Things are going to get crazy quickly now.
BP was 172/ 96 this morning.
I have to get on top of this, I don't want another stroke and end up in a wheelchair like my Mom did.
The #2 one killed her. smiley_thumbsdown

It is for high blood pressure and angina caused by vasospasm.  
Amlodipine - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amlodipine)   

2.5 is a low dose, check in with your doctor.

what drug are you on that is 20/10 am/pm?

record your home bp and take it to the doc.  take your machine to the visit to compare to the reading at the office.

Doc beat me to it Pete. Check your B/P 'machine' against what the Doc's office is doing. The home units can give some wild numbers depending on how they are used and made. Back in the day I ran a few ambulance calls where somebody checked their own B/P and got a very high number that scared them, so they called. The had no other symptoms and when we checked them with a conventional manual cuff we found them in their normal range. Trying out their own 
'machine' we found it to be very sensitive the where and how it was placed and gave a wide range of numbers. This became a recurring theme and often turned into a long educational session for new EMT's I was FTO for. Many people from EMT's to E/D nurses and techs can pick up the habit of treating the 'machine' rather than the patient. If the machine gives a number, but there are no other supporting symptoms, suspect the machine. Pulse Ox's are the same way. Once had a new EMT read a pulse of 176 on a pulse Ox and flipped out, but the patient looked just fine, was alert and speaking fine, breathing normal. Turned out there was a 'normal for that patient' and well known and treated arrhythmia that caused the pulse Ox to get a weird reading. a palpated pulse show 78 BPM. And one time I had a nurse in my doctors office do my B/P for an exam. I said nothing as I watched her grab an obese cuff, slap it on me, and record the result. Doc came in and read the chart and remarked that my B/P was perfect, big improvement. I said "Doc, my B/P ain't been that low since I was 16, you gotta re-train that nurse and I told him what she did. He got his own standard cuff and re-checked it, sure enough, right where I expected, just a little high.
 I'm not suggesting this is the case for you at all, in fact I doubt it. It's just a good idea to know that your instruments are accurately working for you. If you had a moisture meter that was always 20% off and you could never tell in which direction, what would you do with it? :wink_2:
 I read a peer reviewed article a while back in the Journal of Medicine where they did a study at Boston Med or Boston University Hospital on B/P's recorded by nurses, doctors, and technicians where they found that depending on the device used, statistically more than 40% of B/P reading could be off by 15-20% on any given day. After that I started paying attention.

As others  have said the home machines can be inaccurate.  I am on my 3rd machine and finally  have one that's close. Another thing I found is take it early before the 2 cups of coffee I usually have with  breakfast.  The nurses in my doctors office mostly use the automated machine for check in and my doctor always double checks the old way. Usually really  close . It took quite  some  time to get the right combo of drugs in my case and the biggest  side  effect of most is kidney damage so blood work is used to monitor kidney function a couple times a year.  Salt intake should be lowered if possible also.
With most cholesterol medications avoid grapefruit and CBD pain relief products. 

if you are having a symptom, and then check your BP, and you are worried about the symptom, the symptom may be the reason your BP is high.  many little old ladies work up the ladder of checking their BP.  We often just observe for an hour, and it is back to normal with no treatment.  we send them to their doc.  too many cooks in the kitchen is not good.  older folks do better and feel better with a little higher pressure.  also, the damage is done over 30 years not instantly.  We do not react to one number or a brief episode.  plenty of ED visits for side effects of too much BP medicine as well.  stand up, get dizzy, fall and beak hip or hit head and bleed.  life threatening stuff.

to be complete, a bp over say 240/140 may break a blood vessel or aneurysm in your brain and be fatal.  hemorrhagic stroke.

I have fasting bloodwork tomorrow morning with the followup appointment next week.  Taking a Cholesterol reducing med requires the quarterly checkups.

I did bring my BP machine into the doctor's office, It was spot on. Showed me how to use it too. Going in next Tuesday. If I live that long. ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcheesy  I look at it this way If the Father wants me, let's go. Everything is in a trust. I'm ready.

And I get to see Ann again.  :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I think a broken heart started my path in this way. 6 years now she has been gone. I still cry when I think of her.
In some ways, I don't care if I live or die. Life without her sucks. I can't put into words how much I miss her.
I feel so empty inside. I thought the HOT ROD would help. 
It did not.
Thanks to all for your help.

speaks volumes about your relationship and lives together.  consider talking with your doc about an antidepressant.  you are stuck here for a while, might as well try to find a way to make it better if you can.  My wife and I both hope we go first.  not our choice.  the stress of your grief may be adding to your health problems.  Not meaning to minimize your pain at all.  Just wish it was all better.  all due respect.

BP 152/100 this morning right out of bed, My balance is so off all I can do to walk and not fall. My memory is bad too. I'm not getting better. How can a man cut wood and lift heavy lumber with a head like this? When I had my stroke the doc did a mri and found a damage vain in my head. Maybe it's getting ready to pop. ffcheesy ffcheesy
The rest of me is as strong as a bull.
I'll be right along Ann.

A broken heart is a hard thing to mend and you are fine example. 
I hope you get better today. patience. Might be time to hire a helper at the mill. 

No doc I don't think I need an antidepressant, Im not crazy sad just sad. Just came in for lunch. The head is better after cutting over 600 bf in 3 hrs all alone. Funny I get out of bed and can't walk well go out and cut some lumber and feel better. Running a Huskey 372 to trim some logs can be a job trying to keep your balance at the same time. ffcheesy ffcheesy

glad to hear.  you do what you need to do to get along!  cutting logs is therapeutic.  Regards Doc.

Quote from: doc henderson on April 11, 2024, 03:28:22 PMcutting logs is therapeutic. 

Yes it is, My math was off today too, Had a customer today buy a bunch of wood, gave him the bill. He looks at it, this is not right. He said you shorted yourself $100.00. I look, yup. He hands me a c note. That's how my customers are. The best.   :thumbsup: 

 I was at the VA one afternoon getting meds, and decided to go to the quick check there. The quick check is in another building so we had to walk maybe an 1/8 mile to it, when ever you go there or to the ER they check you B.P. Well here's a shocker, the bp showed 247/132 they freaked out called an ambulance to come take me to the hospital, when the emt's checked my bp again it was 107/72. the quick check machine was way off. But they sent me anyways. Got to the hospital and again it was 102/69. I kept telling them my pressure has always been around 90/60. That machine being off cost them  smiley_thumbsdown .

Peter, isn't there something else that's not an antidepressant? After our youngest son died and 4 months later we found out I had Multiple Myeloma, Rita kind of got something like PTSD, her Doctor has her taking Venlafaxine Hydrochloride to keep the lump in your throat away. 

 I find that if I go out and find something to do, the feelings go to the back of my head for awhile. Like i said before come on down some Sunday and hangout maybe watch the nascar race.

 Y'all have a great day and more.

I do at times feel sad. Been 6 years now. I went to the library where Ann and the ladies in town get together and nit, and talk a lot. ffcheesy I grabbed a bunch of Anns wool and yarn and gave it away to them. I think there were 8 or 10 there. WELL, they said thanks and went after the stuff like chickens after grain you through on the ground. ffcheesy ffcheesy

That made me happy. And jump out of the way. ffcheesy  Then some asked If I was selling any looms or spinning wheels, I have a house full of them. 
I said yes. Just now I can let stuff go. I put out some roving un-spun hair for the birds to build nests with. Funny a nest looking like a rainbow. ffcheesy
 I'm ok Ed-K just got a bunch of stuff for the HOT ROD. And have customers beating down the door for lumber. A big pile of $$ makes me happy too. ffcheesy
Thanks for the invite. Going out now to chip some slabs before the rain comes. AGAIN