What's everybody doing today?

[Sewingcreations15]

@Amish Heart welcome home and glad you got home safely .

@phideaux yoghurt has acidophilis in it so see if you can get some good yoghurt into you to balance the effects of the antibiotics. It should level out your gut flora a bit.

 

[Sentry18]

yoghurt has acidophilis in it so see if you can get some good yoghurt into you to balance the effects of the antibiotics. It should level out your gut flora a bit.

Gut bacteria is also improved by eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut as well as foods such as red meat, beans, raspberries, blueberries, almonds, grapes, and... just as important... by not washing your hands very often.

 

[LadyLocust]

@Amish Heart Your time at the farm sounds splendid. My uncle is a veracious reader and a bit of a walking historian. So interesting when you're curious about a certain subject.
@Sewingcreations15 I think you 2 accomplish so much especially for the weather. If you run out of house or yard to work on, come on over. It's just over 40* here today (5-6 C?) but blowing gales at least 60mph! Not sure what the gusts are, but just walking have to lean against it.

 

[DrPrepper]

I will look into it.
Because antibiotics always make me sickly.

Jim,
Antibiotics make everyone sickly! When I teach my "Bugs and Drugs" (Bacteria and Antibiotics) course to our nurses, I remind them that antibiotics are just like chemotherapy, except instead of targeting cancer cells, they are targeting bacteria cells. Unfortunately, they get "good" bacteria as well (like the ones in your gut, for example). At least with most antibiotics (unlike chemo!) your hair doesn't fall out! I hope you are feeling better soon, and I'm REALLY happy to hear you are taking the full course of Bactrim! You don't want that infection to get out of hand - I've seen some pretty nasty things happen to severe prosthetic infections!

 

[DrPrepper]

Gut bacteria is also improved by eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut as well as foods such as red meat, beans, raspberries, blueberries, almonds, grapes, and... just as important... by not washing your hands very often.

Sentry,
Not washing your hands before and after critical functions like eating and using the bathroom is an engraved invitation for the kind of gut flora you don't want to hop right into your system. In addition, things that are not gut flora (like viruses) that are picked up on your hands can wreak havoc - norovirus is one that comes to mind (the cruise ship diarrhea illness). Most surgical infections that start at the skin level are caused by people handling their incision with unwashed hands. I'm not saying you need to wash your hands every 5 minutes, but it is vital to at least try to wash fairly frequently, and when you don't have access to soap and water, use hand sanitizer.

Sorry for getting onto my soapbox, but as an Infection Preventionist I spend my days preaching to people to WASH THEIR HANDS!

 

[phideaux]

I am not sure where the infection came from,
Nurse thinks it was the tie off ,of internal stiching, that's where it was at.
Anyway 3 days of Bactraban ointment, and a few days of Bactrim DS, it is cleared up completely.
One more day of antibiotics.

Sure glad it didn't get into the new hardware.

Jim

 

[Sentry18]

Sentry,
Not washing your hands before and after critical functions like eating and using the bathroom is an engraved invitation for the kind of gut flora you don't want to hop right into your system. In addition, things that are not gut flora (like viruses) that are picked up on your hands can wreak havoc - norovirus is one that comes to mind (the cruise ship diarrhea illness). Most surgical infections that start at the skin level are caused by people handling their incision with unwashed hands. I'm not saying you need to wash your hands every 5 minutes, but it is vital to at least try to wash fairly frequently, and when you don't have access to soap and water, use hand sanitizer.

Sorry for getting onto my soapbox, but as an Infection Preventionist I spend my days preaching to people to WASH THEIR HANDS!

Who said to not wash their hands after using the restroom!? Sure wasn't me. Numerous studies have shows that people wash their hands WAY too much and these antibacterial soaps & hand sanitizers are doing far more to hurt us then help us. People, especially children, are building up resistance to bacteria because of it. Too much hand washing also opens up cracks in the skin which allows more germs to enter the body.

I had some issues years back with my gut flora, based in part because of taking continuous antibiotics for a very tough infection. The specialists I worked with from the Mayo Clinic told me I was washing my hands far too often and to throw out the hand sanitizer. They also provided me with a list of things to do to improve my gut flora and washing hands less often was on the list. They recommended washing only after using the restroom, when coming home, and before preparing food. I followed their advice to the letter and my health has been nearly perfect ever since. In fact our illness prone daughter suddenly stopped being so illness prone after we rid our home of hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial soaps, and just stuck to the guidelines mentioned above using regular soap.

 

[snappy1]

Pressure canning dog food this morning...or at least trying to. Second canner gave me trouble getting the lid on--seemed way to tight and difficult to remove BEFORE letting it run. Oiled seal and checked pressure regulator hole. Finally found that a thin stream of something had touched the outer rim, so washed and lightly oiled that area and it seems ok and is running now. My timing is off since I couldn't do the first two at the same time, but, oh well.

I also have some turnips boiling for mashing and will put away year end filing later.

Will update canner results later.

 

[Sentry18]

Pressure canning dog food this morning

We made a batch of dog food this week for the very first time. We used scrap chicken (meat & fat), beans, carrots, sweet potato, peas, apple, and olive oil. Essentially stuff we had that we needed to use up ASAP before it went bad. We cooked it in the slow cooker for several hours and put it in containers in the fridge. Not sure why, but we never considered canning it. The dogs loved it.

 

[DrPrepper]

Who said to not wash their hands after using the restroom!? Sure wasn't me. Numerous studies have shows that people wash their hands WAY too much and these antibacterial soaps & hand sanitizers are doing far more to hurt us then help us. People, especially children, are building up resistance to bacteria because of it. Too much hand washing also opens up cracks in the skin which allows more germs to enter the body.

I had some issues years back with my gut flora, based in part because of taking continuous antibiotics for a very tough infection. The specialists I worked with from the Mayo Clinic told me I was washing my hands far too often and to throw out the hand sanitizer. They also provided me with a list of things to do to improve my gut flora and washing hands less often was on the list. They recommended washing only after using the restroom, when coming home, and before preparing food. I followed their advice to the letter and my health has been nearly perfect ever since. In fact our illness prone daughter suddenly stopped being so illness prone after we rid our home of hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial soaps, and just stuck to the guidelines mentioned above using regular soap.

Good points! Thanks for your clarifications, and you are correct- obsessive overuse of hand hygiene can be damaging. I suppose I ought to consider how people define "often." In health care, we wash our hands before and after every patient contact, which can be over a hundred times a shift! I do advise people not to use soap and water except when hands are visibly soiled, when arriving and leaving from work, and after using the restroom (or if sanitizer is not available). The hand sanitizer we use (and that I recommend) is supplemented with natural oils and emollients to prevent skin cracking. One problem with soap and water is that it depletes the natural oils in your skin, and does lead to drying and cracking. I applaud you for getting rid of antibacterial soaps- there is no need for soap to be antibacterial. When plain old soap is used properly with friction and running tepid water, bacteria and other pathogens are removed. A big problem I see is when people use "cheap" hand sanitizers. The sanitizer should not be perfumed or colored, and should have at least 60% alcohol. I prefer foam, but gel or foam are both OK. It's worth the extra expense to get a good sanitizer with the added emollients and oils just to protect your skin. In a SHTF situation, people may not have the water available for frequent hand hygiene, and yet that is when it will be most important to prevent infections (unless you are bugging out with a complete pharmacy to treat your infections! ) For my own preps, I stock Purell Ultra Luxurious Foam (made by Gojo). I also stock the half-gallon jugs of plain sanitizer I get at Sams, and my plan would be to alternate use of the two products (but not mix them together!)

 

[snappy1]

We made a batch of dog food this week for the very first time. We used scrap chicken (meat & fat), beans, carrots, sweet potato, peas, apple, and olive oil. Essentially stuff we had that we needed to use up ASAP before it went bad. We cooked it in the slow cooker for several hours and put it in containers in the fridge. Not sure why, but we never considered canning it. The dogs loved it.

I always try to add chicken livers to mine. Organ meat is supposed to be very good for them. I use an 18 quart roaster and a 7 qt. slow cooker to get about 20 quarts. It lasts for us but we add a little high quality dry dog food and they get an egg over it for breakfast.

Mine usually has chicken, ground beef, chicken livers, sweet potatoes, carrots, frozen broccoli, peas and green beans, canned kidney beans, black beans and garbanzos, brown rice and low sodium broth of some type. I let it cook overnight at about 200-225 degrees.


Canner update: Got it working by oiling the rim and lid of the canner lightly!

P.S. It would take a lot more dog food for your pack, I think!

 

[snappy1]

The sanitizer should not be perfumed or colored, and should have at least 60% alcohol.

Thanks! I didn't know that! No more bath and body works!

 

[Meerkat]

Yesterday I deep cleaned

Sewing, glsd to see your ok and hope all our Australian folks are safe from fires.
Good night all I've been up too long so going to try to get some sleep.

Did cook a roast today and some shopping.

 

[Peanut]

I had an unplanned trip to town. My elderly invalids needed a few things. I needed extra keys made for their main entrance, dog food and a few things for the chickens. Just trying to get as much rest as possible. Dad's spine block only lasted a couple of days then the pain returned. Called the people at the clinic Thursday, they said call back on Monday. Said they had to wait 7 days before attempting another block.

I gave him his meds at 11pm last night but I could tell it was going to be a long night. He was up at 1am for a half hour. I finally got him back into his recliner but knew it still wasn't over. I've learned to read his pain levels and physical que's pretty well. So, he was up again at 3:30am for a short while.

I was still wide awake a 5, I couldn't sleep so I got up and made a spreadable spam sandwich for breakfast... A bite to eat was enough to let me crash, was back up at 9. I hope he sleeps tonight, don't think I can't handle this more than 2 nights in a row.

 

[Bacpacker]

Prayers going up for all you guys Peanut.

 

[LadyLocust]

Oh @Peanut I hope it gets figured out so you can all get some rest (not to mention peace of mind.)

 

[Spikedriver]

@phideaux - Glad to hear things are getting a bit better.

@Peanut and @Sentry18 - I like those tidbits about hand hygiene.

I'm settled into Oakland. This town is freaking disgusting. That stuff you hear about human waste laying around in California - it's all true. We had to push garbage and refuse away from the tracks with tractors, in order to have room to work in certain places. Yuck.

My hotel is in a nice spot though, a block away from the beach. I'll try to get down there before it's time to head back...

 

[Amish Heart]

I hate Oakland. I grew up in San Jose.

 

[Spikedriver]

I hate Oakland. I grew up in San Jose.

I worked in SJ a couple years ago. Definitely better than Oakland, but all in all, it was just a better class of losers. I didn't get to see any of the nicer parts of SJ though...I'm sure overall it's better than what I saw...

 

[Peanut]

@Spikedriver I had to check a map to refresh my memory tonight... I was stationed at Mare Island (Vallejo) for a year in the 80's so I know all of the east bay down to Fremont. Then in the 90's I lived in San Mateo (west end of the Hayward bridge). The corporate offices and the R&D facility was in South San Francisco. I had two beta test sites, University of California, San Francisco and Stanford University. There are some great places to eat on the peninsula. The best burger was in Palo Alto, the best fish & chips... San Mateo (Prince of Wales), best breakfast... the Pancake House in San Bruno... find a local and ask, everyone knows these places.

The best chinese food on the west coast is in, of course, China Town... Some great chinese food, one of the best was a block from city hall in San francisco, don't remember it's name...

If you get a day off... I used to rent horses in Half Moon Bay and ride on the beach and there was a great gun range in Mountain View on the way to Half Moon Bay. I used to make a day of it, shooting in the morning and horseback riding in the afternoon.

Check the "Diners, Drive-in and Dives" website. On the show there was a guy from Georgia smoking BBQ the right way, it was located in Oakland. Might be worth a try. Other than that Oakland was a place I always drove through... hurriedly...

 

[Sentry18]

I'm settled into Oakland. This town is freaking disgusting.

I hope this job is a short one so you can get back to the civilized world asap. One of our dispatchers just got back from San Fran / Oakland and said that was a mistake she will never make again. She echoed the same sentiment "disgusting".

 

[Spikedriver]

@Peanut there's too much traffic to fight. I don't generally go too far from the hotel when I'm in larger cities in Cali because of the traffic. There's a Korean BBQ joint 5 minutes from the hotel though, I might give that a try...

 

[phideaux]

I hated CA, the 2-3 trips I was there 40 years ago, and it was like it is now...it was just wierd fruity.

Done with antibiotics,
Haven't had anything for pain for 3 days.
Knee is little tight, tender but ooooohhhh so much better. (6 weeks)

Sure would like to hear from Mobook..

I might visit my church this morning,,
Gotta be careful, flu is rampid in my area.

Jim

 

[Sentry18]

Sure would like to hear from Mobook..

Agreed.

Glad you are on the mend! I would definitely avoid setbacks like the flu. Yikes.

 

[Sparky_D]

Last dose of Prednisone today.

Man I hate that stuff, but it's the only thing I can take that doesn't affect my kidneys...

 

[Meerkat]

I am not sure where the infection came from,
Nurse thinks it was the tie off ,of internal stiching, that's where it was at.
Anyway 3 days of Bactraban ointment, and a few days of Bactrim DS, it is cleared up completely.
One more day of antibiotics.

Sure glad it didn't get into the new hardware.

Jim

Jim glad it is gone. Still don't know why a sulfur drug was used for baterial infection but maybe Dr Pepper can tell us .Either way it worked and thats what matters.

 

[Meerkat]

Talking to daughter about new adventures with her 4 grandkids 3 are now in her custody for a few months.
Her is pic of the little one she said looks like Jack Nicklolson ' minus the loaded diape ' when he first wakes up.

Rearranged living room so hubby can be in here when he has to lay down he wants to be with me when he is in bad pain. Made sofa bed into day bed with boards under mattress and big pillow out of snall pillows crambed into body pillowcase.
Still haven't got to greenhouse maybe later do a little in there too.

 

[snappy1]

Church this morning, then home and put away last year's books and papers, did some eBay photos. Going to hard boil some eggs and make some tuna salad in a little bit and then clean the baths. That should do it for the day!

Wondering if Mobookworm is home yet?

 

[Peanut]

Trying to get a little rest. Dad in horrible pain since last night. I was up until 5am with him again. He was badly disoriented and hallucinating. At one point I asked if he wanted to roll (wheel chair) into the LVroom and watch some football on tv (reruns at 2 am). He said yeah, maybe them boys would want to watch it. I asked which boys... Him, where'd they go? they were by the heater a minuted ago. There were no boys in the house. I called the home nursing folks and happened to get my cousin on the phone (she's a nurse who works there and was on call). She said if he was still disoriented this morning get him to the ER. She called back this morning and talked to my mom and again at noon.

Dad wasn't disoriented this morning, just in a lot of pain. I'm at my wits end here. Those folks at the pain clinic better have some answers in the morning, another spine block, what ever it takes. He can't live like this. They need to do something.

 

[Meerkat]

Trying to get a little rest. Dad in horrible pain since last night. I was up until 5am with him again. He was badly disoriented and hallucinating. At one point I asked if he wanted to roll (wheel chair) into the LVroom and watch some football on tv (reruns at 2 am). He said yeah, maybe them boys would want to watch it. I asked which boys... Him, where'd they go? they were by the heater a minuted ago. There were no boys in the house. I called the home nursing folks and happened to get my cousin on the phone (she's a nurse who works there and was on call). She said if he was still disoriented this morning get him to the ER. She called back this morning and talked to my mom and again at noon.

Dad wasn't disoriented this morning, just in a lot of pain. I'm at my wits end here. Those folks at the pain clinic better have some answers in the morning, another spine block, what ever it takes. He can't live like this. They need to do something.

Peanut so sorry about your dad and hope you can get some sleep soon. The poor man being in pain is so disheartening. Bless both of you. I rented a hospital bed for mama but don't know if you dad could get off and on one of those. Hubby had one too after surgery awhile ago and we want another so been looking .

So far I'm interested in this one below.

https://www.amazon.com/Zinus-Adjustable-Mattress-Foundation-Assembly/dp/B07WL1QRNN/ref=sr_1_13?crid=2F2KPOLDPM5V5&keywords=hospital+beds+for+home+use&qid=1578258791&sprefix=hodpital+beds,aps,175&sr=8-13

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