The Venting Thread

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I've now been to the doctor.  No signs of infection or blockage.  My symptoms are consistent with maxillary joint problems.  Which I've had a history of.  I've been gritting my teeth ever since I had teeth to grit.  I guess the wear and tear on my jaw joints is now catching up with me.  I may finally have to break down and let my dentist fit me with a mouth guard to sleep in.  In the meantime, whenever I have this problem the doctor suggests taking ibuprofen before it gets so bad, and eating soft food.  It only lasts a few days at a time.  I didn't even have trouble with it yesterday.

Thank you everybody for the expressed concerns.

Good that it's not an infection. Sorry to hear that it's a chronic condition. SO has sleep bruxism and night terrors. He uses a mouth guard (purchased from a big box store) and it has helped him immensely. Hope you feel better soon.

[mamselle]

I've now been to the doctor.  No signs of infection or blockage.  My symptoms are consistent with maxillary joint problems.  Which I've had a history of.  I've been gritting my teeth ever since I had teeth to grit.  I guess the wear and tear on my jaw joints is now catching up with me.  I may finally have to break down and let my dentist fit me with a mouth guard to sleep in.  In the meantime, whenever I have this problem the doctor suggests taking ibuprofen before it gets so bad, and eating soft food.  It only lasts a few days at a time.  I didn't even have trouble with it yesterday.

Thank you everybody for the expressed concerns.

TMJ has so many different manifestations, good that your MD figured it out so quickly.

Why resist the mouth guard? I'd go for it, it's not an intrusive intervention, or anything.

Hope you find relief soon, in all events.

M.

[clean]

I may finally have to break down and let my dentist fit me with a mouth guard to sleep in

I use a bite guard because I am a night chewer/grinder! 
Ive already chewed through one and will soon need another.
At this point, I can not even sleep without it! 
It can take about a week to get used to it, but once you do, it is wonderful.

And I suggest that you get it from the dentist as it will be form fitted and made from the proper, high quality materials.

[downer]

Today someone I liked explained that they were breaking off connections with me. They had good reasons that made sense. I don't hold it against them. More about them than about me.

It's happened a few times in my life. It's OK, and better an explanation than being ghosted. Still, it's a strange and sad experience, and not particularly easy to talk about with other friends. In this case, there was something about my (ex) friend that I really connected with, which is why it feels like a particular loss.

[mamselle]

I'm sorry for your loss.

That sounds like a condolence for a death, but in a sense, the loss of a friendship is a kind of death.

C.S. Lewis, in "The Four Loves," says that the loss of someone in your life represents, not only your loss of them, but the loss of what they specifically knew about you that no-one else did....so, a loss of a part of your own identity, in a way.

It will take time, but I'll hope for your healing.

M.

[clean]

Somewhere I noted that my Father in Law {FIL} (and Mother in law) were scheduled to return to the Cancer Center Hospital City on Saturday so FIL could begin radiation treatment.  Went to a 'stand alone ER' yesterday.  Both initially test COVID negative.  Minor treatment for symptoms.  Later he felt worse and fever spiked to 102 so they returned.  Several other tests were conducted, but a subsequent COVID test comes back Positive!

Those following events elsewhere on the boards know that My Bride has been with her parents since June 26 when we diverted to the Cancer Center Hospital City from our first short vacation activity in 7 months (3 days at a Better Investing conference, which required everyone prove that they were fully vaccinated to attend).  Instead of returning directly home we traveled to Cancer Center Hospital City and I left My Bride with her parents to help them during their visit, and I returned home.

Subsequently I tested COVID Positive, so My Bride (who has NOT ONE single COVID Symptom) of has been with her parents ever since. She has dropped me a few items at the door, and we talked regularly.

Well, NOW that my FIL has tested positive, my sister in law (Bride's youngest sister) is claiming that MY BRIDE INFECTED Daddy!  My Bride is fully vaccinated and tested negative (with a rapid test) just last week with the rest of the family to be sure that they didnt catch anything, particularly from me/her.  She was negative!  She retested today with a REAL test and will get results tomorrow afternoon.

I told her to Tell Her Sister to PROVE IT, or Shut the FiretrUCK up!  She is the only one to suggest that My Bride is the vector of infection.  I added that she could add, "There is just as big a chance he got it from (Sister in law's toddler) who has been neither tested nor Vaccinated as from MY BRIDE!  Finally, IF she is worried that My Bride is the Typhoid Mary of this disease, then she will just have to find another baby sitter when Inlaws go to Cancer Hospital City and are unable to use FIL and MIL to help babysit!  (Add that HER MIL (hubby's mother) has herself tested positive AFTER spending the day with them.... after a trip to Vegas!!  -- so What Happens in Vegas may no longer Stay in Vegas!!)

Anyway, I have not been permitted to discuss the situation with Sister In Law.  (There is a fear that I will revert to my native language of Profanity and otherwise end up hurting Baby Sister's Feelings because no one has challenged her Batshit Crazy ideas in the past, and MIL doesnt want me to start now!)

So Summary:
I retested for COVID today, will know results tomorrow.
My Bride (though completely free of any symptoms) tested again for COVID and will know results tomorrow.
FIL has tested COVID positive, and will need to reschedule radiation treatment by at least 2 weeks.
SIL blames MY Bride for infecting FIL with no evidence! 

Plans for now are that My Bride will remain with parents until at least Saturday, depending on outcomes of COVID tests.  We are discussing the possibilities of her remaining until early next week because the MANY drugs, and COVID itself might cause 'Digestion area issues..... in my experience, IF you THINK that you need to go, You may Already Be TOO Late!... and FIL already has a hard time getting up).  SO we will see how he is responding to see when she can (guilt-free) return home.   

Glad we have a venting thread, so that I can VENT.

[Langue_doc]

Vent away, clean. If I were you, I would be sorely tempted to bop them on their head.

[AmLitHist]

Vent away, clean. If I were you, I would be sorely tempted to bop them on their head.

+1, Clean.  And at this point, who knows where one picks up COVID?  It's everywhere, and according to various reports I've read, you've either had it, or will get it--not to make light of it, but come on.  Wishing you and all the best.

Vent here:  ALHS, whose primary gardening activity over the decades is and has always been hauling dirt and doing other heavy work, and NOT touching anything green without direct adult supervision (mine), seems to have likely killed my gorgeous, lush bed of zucchini and yellow squash.  By his own description, he "got a wild hair" and went out, before I was even up and around this morning, and decided to "trim back some of the leaves on the squash."  When I looked, I saw about half of the bed consists of huge gorgeous blossoms, and the hollow stems of the leaves where they come out from the roots--the leaves are in the garden cart next to the bed. 

Yes, I DO prune back some of the leaves every year, to open up some space so air and rain can get into the bed and prevent rot etc., but never have I removed everything so that only just about an inch of stems (and blooms) remain!  At least he didn't do the whole bed. It's rained and cooled off a little today, but we're right back into the heat for the coming week. What little is left will probably fry to a crisp when the sun comes out.

What I want to say:  If you don't know what the F--- you're doing, leave it alone!  If you want to help me, don't help me--or maybe go after that crabgrass that's taken hold in the mulch between the raised beds.  You know, the stuff that's the size of a Buick? I'm trying really hard to not say anything. He's been very good about fetching and carrying and trying to help while I've been off my feet. But......damn. I could just cry.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Shit, that sucks ALH. Good intentions and all that. At least you still have some of the row left. Maybe you could ask him to put shade cloth over it to protect it from the Sun?

Also, please vent, clean. I would have lost my mind dealing with that situation. Kudos to you for keeping your cool (mostly :) ).

[mamselle]

Agree.

Help is only help when it helps.

M.

[clean]

Results are in for me.
I remain Positive (and therefore brideless).  I will retest on tuesday or Wednesday, most likely.  That will be 2 weeks after initial test.  (I am feeling much better than initially, but I admit that I still have an occasional cough and sniffles - though my allergies bring me sniffles anyway. 

Still awaiting Bride's test results, but FIL is feeling better, though I hear him coughing.
(HE is wearing a mask, so I hope that is sufficient)

[paddington_bear]

I think I might have had COVID in late May or June and didn't know it.  Beginning in late May I was having some issues related to my autoimmune disease and also had about three days of chills and then a week of exhaustion during the day so that I could barely stay awake for two hours at a time. I already had an appointment with my doctor for my autoimmune issue and brought up the weird chills and he (and a med student that was shadowing him) said it was probably COVID. By then I was better so he said there was nothing to do. I had just attributed those issues to my autoimmune issues, so it never occurred to me to test myself for COVID or isolate or anything (but I live in a small town and don't really go anywhere anyway).

Relatedly, my autoimmune issue is worse and my specialist is referring me to another specialist in another city. It's the same specialty, so I'm curious what this new guy will be able to do that my current one can't. Don't all doctors have the same access to meds, etc.?  The new guy is part of a "center," so maybe that's the difference. I have a follow-up appt with my old specialist in two weeks, so I'll be asking for more clarification about the move.

Because of my illnesses, most of my summer so far has been pointless. I've been crabby and depressed. I'm jealous of people who've been on trips and done fun things. I've been sick and am having a new garage built. (So I'm also broke.)

[clean]

INLAWS!!!
My wife (last tested negative Friday) is with them and all 3 of them are now positive (mother, father, and brother). 
We were talking and she said that she and her POSITIVE brother are going to the post office to restart their mail (which was stopped because they expected to be in Cancer City Hospital for FIL's radiation treatment).  I told her NO!  He is Positive.  He Stays home!  She said that her dad insists that they go and get the mail resumed.  I said NO, my bride said that she can not refuse and offered to let ME argue with her dad.  I accepted.  He was on the phone, so she left alone.  Fine.

I called back later to find that she did go to the post office alone, but then returned to Take Her POSITIVE Brother to Walmart!!  (to pick up medication in drive through).  I am now ANGRY!  and she has the nerve to be mad at ME!

IF she gets sick, she isnt coming home!  She claims to want to come home, but is not taking care of herself!  Being in a closed car with a POSITIVE person is NO WAY IN HELL keeping 6 feet distance! 

So I am fighting hard to resist the temptation to call my FIL and explain that HE Is ENDANGERING HIS DAUGHTER'S HEALTH for NO REASON, except his own selfishness!  He has NO NEED for mail!  SHE can get the prescriptions BY HERSELF!  She does not need to risk contamination by being in a closed car! 

She then claims "we had the windows rolled down", which I call BULLSHIT!  IT is 96 Degrees here today!  No way she is driving with the windows down and staying in the car in the Walmart Pharmacy Drive through with the windows down herself, much less with her sick brother in the car... and IF they are, they are NUTS.... Take a Covid POSITIVE person who had a 101 fever less than 24 hours ago and put him in an unairconditioned car in 96 degree (106 heat index) temperatures?? 

She has been there for nearly 3 weeks helping them with the cancer preparations, and taking care of them before I became sick with COVID so she stayed there, and I was OK with that.  My last test was POSITIVE and now all but her have tested positive there (so far anyway)!  WHEN she catches it BECAUSE OF THEIR STUPIDITY AND SELFISHNESS, who is going to take care of them then?  OR will they just endanger the rest of the town by going to the store KNOWING that they are POSITIVE???

She has scheduled another test for tomorrow.  AS I am familiar with some of the COVID side effects, particularly Grumpiness, I have a strong suspicion that she has succumbed to the virus herself now. 

You have to take care of YOURSELF First so that You CAN help others!  ("Put Your Own Mask on First" ... which has more meaning now than ever!)

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH.  (Primal Scream). 

[mamselle]

@Paddington, I'm so sorry...that's very hard.

Will this help?

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Ji3OaFyCc

Or this?

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKWGB-0yUso

And then, you did get to meet the Queen, remember?

   https://youtu.be/7UfiCa244XE

Maybe last year's post from the British Library can help....all good thoughts.

   https://britishlibraryemails.bl.uk/5JXV-A5ZC-C0B9A3B24156DF9E13LM50029CBBC879F39141/cr.aspx


@Clean: does your wife have someplace else to stay? Is she masking? (Are they?)

It's indeed worrisome not to be together with someone you care for, and believe to be in danger.

But I'm missing something, maybe, if she's staying in the same house with them, and making food or staying in the same rooms with them, how does going out in the car with one of them constitute any greater danger?

Maybe I'm unclear about the scenario, but her exposure risks are the same in either case, it seems to me.

Here's hoping it can get worked out...

M.

[paddington_bear]

@Paddington, I'm so sorry...that's very hard.

Will this help?

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Ji3OaFyCc

Or this?

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKWGB-0yUso

And then, you did get to meet the Queen, remember?

   https://youtu.be/7UfiCa244XE

Maybe last year's post from the British Library can help....all good thoughts.

   https://britishlibraryemails.bl.uk/5JXV-A5ZC-C0B9A3B24156DF9E13LM50029CBBC879F39141/cr.aspx

Man, maybe I'm really crushing it??  LOL!! Thank you!