January 2012 Monthly Thread

[AJSCALIFFAN]

Hello everyone!  I have not been here in a very long time and have had a lot going on in my life.  I lost one of my consumers in Oct, so am now down to just one client.  That took away about 90% of my income.  Hope to have some new clients either this month or next.  With so many state budget cuts, most of the types of people I work with have had their services cut dramatically, if they haven't lost them completely.  It's sad that state budget cuts hurt the kids, handicapped and seniors the most.  Guess it's because they can't or don't vote!!  Hubby's job is also on hold right now due to the economy.  He was back to work most of 2011 and hopefully this slowdown won't last too long.

I think most of you know my oldest sister passed away in Sept. and my other sister had a stroke late November.  Sara had her baby the day before my birthday in Sept while doing her last semester of nursing school.  So I had the little guy a lot with her clinical schedule and final classes.  She graduated on December 14th and now just has to take the test to get her license to be a nurse.  (Plus she is still working at Chili's.)  She was one of the top in her class so I know she will have no problem with the test.  The little guy had a horrible time adjusting to formulas, we had to go through 6 different ones before we found one that didn't upset his little tummy.  Our youngest son's baby is due March 4th, another boy.  It will be nice the cousins will be only 6 months apart.  Our son is really excited to become a father (after his initial terror)Our house is full of baby stuff since I watch little Kason so much.  Our oldest son has moved home from up north and living with us at the moment (and Maine Coon cat).  We have to arrange to go up north and get all his stuff by next week.

BHR I too have had that same respiratory infection since Dec 15th.  The cough is horrible and since I don't sleep well normally, it is really bad trying to sleep with that cough.  We had a wonderful Christmas with all the family here in spite of me not feeling well.  I didn't even do any shopping until a few days before Christmas. 
 
We lost two of our dogs this past year so the one (our son's) dog that was left decided to go find a couple of strays to come home with him.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and will have a fantastic New Year.  I hope to go to Nashville in the Spring for a friends wedding and certainly hope to be able to go to a couple concerts this year. 

Hugs to everyone!!

[HariAJFan]

Terry, welcome back. It is so good to hear from you.

You have really had a busy hectic schedule. Congrats on the new babies. So sorry your hubby lost his job.
Hope you will come back & post again. Alan did not have a concert in Atlanta this year so hoping for next year.
Again it's so good to see you on the board agagin. You Go, Girl!
Hugs, Harriet

[BIGHUSKERSRED]

Terry! Hey, it's good to see you back here! It sure sound like 2011 has not been so good for you. Sorry to hear about you losing more of your clients and your husband's loss of job. BIG congrats on the new baby and the one coming soon. I can imagine how busy your schedule has been and is. So, you also had the respiratory infection. I don't know which is worse, the constant coughing or blowing the stuffy, runny nose. I guess I would say both. Hope you're completely recovered from it and that 2012 will be better and kinder to you and your family.

Harriet, thanks for your advice. I refuse anymore to take my cough syrup (Hydrocodone-Homatropine Syrup. . .have you heard of this?) during the day. It makes me feel like I'm drunk and the Codeine in it is putting me to sleep right quick. It's great at night, though. I have slept better the last couple of days...except...my hubby woke me up at ungodly hour of the morning with his coughing and nose blowing. Yep, I've given it back to him. Oh, boy! Now it's me who's telling him to see the doctor and he's being stubborn about it, insisting that he doesn't have the cold. He said that his sinuses are draining badly down his throat and that's making him cough and (I don't want to be gross here, so, pardon me) spit out mucous. My guess is, if he didn't feel any better on Monday he'll go and see the doctor, anyway.

I'm feeling much, much better now. Hopefully I'll get over this soon. Thank you all for all your cares and concerns. Looking forward to a much healthier and better year 2012 for all of us. Welcome back, Terry!

HUGS,
BHR

[LOUIEFL]

Terry, Thanks for  the update .  Sorry to hear what a bad year in 2011 was for you and your family - hopefully things will be in better for all in 2012. Congrats on the upcoming new baby and best of luck to Sara with her test. Bet her little one is getting big.  I just had a new Great Nephew in November.  Hope to see you and the concert trail this year -  Please keep in touch.

[JeanB]

Hi Terry, welcome back on the board.  2011 wasn't very good for you but the birth of your granddaughter makes a lot good. So not everything was bad. I wish you and yours the best for the coming year.
BHR, wish your hubby feel better soon.
have a good time everybody.

Jean

[Luckylady44]

Good to hear from you Terry.  So glad Sara graduated and good luck to her on passing the nursing certification.  She will be a good nurse.  I know she had it rough working and caring for the baby.  I'm glad you were there to help her. 
We're having the same economic problems on the east coast.  It think it is nationally and the programs that are a help to the disadvantaged, elderly are the first ones cut.  But the people in the top spots seem to be able to keep their jobs etc.
Sorry to hear about respiratory problems with BHR and Terry. 
I have my second cataract surgery Monday.  If this one goes as well as my right eye, it will be great.  The last check up a week ago, my right eye had improved to 20/20 vision.  I'm not wearing my glasses except magnifying once in a while. 
I finally found a life size AJ standup.  Got it last week.  They are  rare.  Of course now I'll probably see them everywhere.
What do y'all think of AJ's new song?  I like it.  Of course, I don't think there are many I don't like.
Take care everyone and again, it is good to hear from you Terry.  It has been too long.

[Canadiangirl]

Terry nice to have you back posting.You
have had a busy year. I sure hope 2012
is better.Congrats to Sara and her baby and
graduating from nursing school.Sorry to here
the job situation is not good there.
BHR pray you and your hubby are soon over
the colds.I am like your hubby when my sinus
acts up I do a lot of caughing.
Sharon will pray your surgery goes as well as
your last one did. Like you I love Alan's new song.
It is cloudy but warmer then it was yesterday..
Tomorrow I am going to go do some shopping.
Kelsey is loving her new semster. Gives her a lot of study
time before her volley ball practise. Teresa is being kept busy
with Jess. She has basketball and volley ball until basket ball
finishes in Feb.

Elaine

[katluvsaj]

Terry - so nice to see you posting.  Sure hope 2012 is a better year for you - hope it allows you to post more often.  Congratulations on the new baby & Sara graduating from nursing school. 

Hope everyone who's not been feeling good gets better real soon!! 

The weather here has been unbelievable!  It was 60 yesterday - what a glorious day!  It's kinda scary too, because I remember some of the biggest snow storms I've been through around here have been preceded by warmer temps.  I'll just enjoy this while I can, knowing that we will get some storms eventually.

I'm loving Alan's new song!  So good to see he's starting the radio interviews - can the new album be far behind! 

[AJTexasfan]

Terry - good to hear from you.  I hope 2012 is better for you and your family.

[Dot]

Terry, since we never meet up anymore to see an A. J. concert, I had no idea all of this was going on in your life.
This is the first time I had heard about your sister passing away, so sorry, didn't realize your other sister had a stroke.
Congrat to Sara's new baby, and the other new grandchild you will have soon. Hope you and your hubby get more work this year.
Also, sorry about your infections. I know what you are going through, I contracted an ear infection, sinus infection and eye infection the last of Aug, took me until about the first of Oct to get over it. With the help of a lot of antiobiotics I finally got over it. I had not had an ear infection since I was a child.

My sister fell and broke her hip the middle of May, two weeks later she had a stroke.  She is much better now but still has to use a walker, at least she didn't have any brain damage.  I spent the biggest part of the summer and fall going back and forth to help her and her hubby out. They don't have any children. She did have to spent two months in the nursing home to have thearpy.  But I look around and see people much worse off than the problems we have had in our family.
As a matter of fact I have a first cousin who has lung cancer, his younger brother passed away 3 years ago with the same thing. I have a friend who has bladder cancer. So therefore, I feel very blessed.
Terry, glad to see you post again, I never get on here very often. Guess I need to check more and see what is going on.

[HariAJFan]

Hello, fellow AJ fans. I had another one  of my zany falls last night- in the middle of the night got up to the BR & on the way back tripped over a shoe & had a hard fall. My mouth hit the wooden footboard of the bed & my left shoulder hit the flloor. Thankfully my implants are OK so far but I have a cut upper lip that is swollen about twice its size. I will have to see the shoulder surgeon because my shoulder is really traumatized. Used ice for about an hour on both.It's not the same one I had surgery on in 2010.
I might have a sprained or broken shoulder but keeping it in a sling helps a lot. It could have been worse so I am actually counting my blessings.
Enough bout me.lol

Elaine- Glad Kelsey is enjoying college & know you miss her.

Kathy- in the 60's sunny here- unheard of in January.

Dot- prayers & condolences for your family members.

BHR- You have some very powerful cough medicine so take it only at bedtime. Glad you are feeling better.

Sharon- Good luck on your 2nd cataract surgery.Yes, we members of the 99% struggle on but I bet we are happier than those in the 1%,

Hello to Lou, JeanB & Sherry.

Love to All & love Alan's new song.

[Jeri_MS]

Harriet, I hope you will be ok hon. and your shoulder will be ok too.I had a fall in 2009, so I can identify.. lucky for me
I only parted my scalp right down the middle and emergency sewed it up and it healed great.. From then on I removed all rugs when no one is here visiting.. Bathroom etc..and do not put my foot down until I feel it is ok to.I only walk in the center of rooms and make sure nothing is on the floor..I just made my house a bit safer to prevent falls, also I slowed down a bit, but that is better than getting hurt falling..Please be careful and let us know how you are.. It can happen to Anyone, young or older.
Terry It's great to see you posting!! I have thought of you so much..I knew you must be busy. So sorry your clients were cut.I know it's not easy to live on less with everything so high now..Jobs are mostly part time now here. The Postoffice is
not doing well at all. My son in law with a  degree lost his job and he was hired as a temp, until they hired a permanant
Professor. My daughter is sole bread winner now, but thus far, she is doing great.. Her hubby may even look for an out of State Job to make more and drive home on weekends, if need be..Sometimes even knowing lots of people doesn't help, when there are no jobs.
Terry, so sorry about your Sister, can't Imagine the pain of losing a Sister.Congrats onn the New Little one!!! It's is wonderful and I hope your daughter Sara does fine on her Test and gets where she wants to work as a Nurse. .
Sharon sorry about your surgery, I hope you keep doing well, can't keep a good woman down , Take care abd God bless all of you Dot , sorry about your family also..sounds like my mom, they later decided she may have falled with a mini stroke the first time she fell and she had one before also.. but she broke her femur..she lived 10 years after numerous
things . I hope your Sister will be ok. when it take a long time for therapy, they put them in nursing homes for it..My sister's friend was just in one for months recovering from a fall.she is not that old..
My husband and I have been ill for weeks now with this upper respiratory problem.I am better and he is just coming down with it..He will go to the Dr tomorrow. It must be a bad infection to get over, They gave me enough meds. I still cough some but my throat is better. I Hope we all will be well for 2012 more!Take care Everyone, Jerrie

[AJTexasfan]

Harriet, so sorry to hear about your fall.  Will be praying that you heal quickly.

[ajthecatsmom]

Hello everyone and Happy New Year to you all!  Sorry to hear of illnesses, job losses and that terrible fall Harriett.   Hope you are on the mend.  We did a strange thing on New Years Eve.  They had a nice 4 course meal at the restaurant at the casino we go to.  It was beautiful.  Everything was delicious and a little fancy so it made one feel special BUT.........after eating about 9:45 we went upstairs to the casino and I never saw so many people in my life.  We usually get together with another couple each year but this year they were in Austraila with family.  Once we got into the casino, we were entered into a draw for $2012.00 that was being announced at 12:05 and YOU HAD TO BE THERE. OMG we waited for over two hours and of course did not win.  As soon as they announced the winner 70% of the people left.  WHEW that was a relief so then hubby and I donated as we rung in the new year.  Last time for that.  It is amazing how many people do not have or want I suppose another place to be......Just like us that one time as never again as it was so hot and you could barely move!!!!!

Hope everyone else is keeping well..............Gwen

[Canadiangirl]

Sorry to hear about all those not feeling
good. I pray you all will feel better soon.
We have had such warm weather and today
it is only 15. paying for all that good weather.
Still no snow.
Elaine