I'm sorry, Connie. I hope the tests say 'much ado about nothing' and that the doctors are supportive and encouraging rather than judgemental.

I'm sorry too, Connie, and hope there are things you can do that won't be too onerous and will still make a difference.

Good luck with your plan, Laura. The thing a lot of folks who are off nightshades forget is that peppers, all kinds of peppers, and including powders and flakes, are still nightshades. Hard thing to remember.

H and StY stopped at Multnomah this afternoon. Very impressed. And I don't know why they're not here yet. 200 miles? Pfft, nothing! The clock seems to have stopped.

What a delight to have them home safe and sound, Beverly.

The thing a lot of folks who are off nightshades forget is that peppers, all kinds of peppers, and including powders and flakes, are still nightshades.

That was a real disappointment! I can manage without tomatoes and potatoes, but I love my spicy add ons.

Oh, dear, Connie. Hope the scans show something easily treatable.

In me news, I walked from the apartment to Metro today instead of taking the bus. (It's a little odd -- the bus doesn't go to the nearest Metro station.) It's about 1/3 mile driving, but I can reduce the distance a bit by cutting through a shopping center parking lot. I've been a little nervous about it because I'm still using a cane, and I haven't walked any real distance in -- probably at least a year. It took about 20 minutes, and I had to stop twice to take a breather, but I did it.

I now have three ways to commute to work -- walk to one station, take a bus to another station, or drive and park at yet another station.

Oh, Karl, glad that you like them, sad that it's been hard. I feel some renewal in the winter cause it's a reprieve when you live on the sun's surface...however, without a campaign, when I'm not writing, I'm thinking about my life and that is not very satisfying either. Connie, things happen...it's awful, but don't add guilt to it too. (I think doctors lecture so much because they don't know as much as they wish they did, and that feels bad, but they can count the hell out of your fat grams or whatever.)

In my daily flood of medical emails one today discussed to helpfulness of probiotics in bipolar disorder. The gut, man! I keep seeing more articles about gut/brain interactions. [link]

My yearly holiday anxiety and depression showed up in full force today. It's late this year because ltc has been so joyful about Christmas, but it's here.

That's interesting, Laura. I've seen depression/gut studies, but not bi-polar before.

Sorry to hear that, sj. Do you have the lack of light depression? Or straight up time of year? (I can identify with the latter, not so much the former, given SoCal). Whichever, I hope you find a strategy that works for you to find your way through and past it. (And hey, you've got a friend in San Diego you can visit if it's the light thing). *Hugs*

I'm sorry, sj. The pictures that you have posted of joyful ltc have brought many smiles to my face.

There have been a few pangs of empty nest feelings with the kids not living here this year, but them not living here the rest of the year balances that! Just kidding as in I generally like having them around and miss them more than I expected. Good to report that having so many of Mom's things around has helped with missing her quite a lot. Unpacking and putting out her Christmas treasures has brought only good feelings. She lived well until she was 95 and although I will always miss her I feel she was ready to rest.

Of course I am not complete with my preparations at all, but I'll just do what I can. I'll be late with my Buffista gift only because I have the parts but need to do some assembly. Also really need to make my list for Christmas dinner ingredients.

Epic, it's both. I just don't have the energy to do everything that needs to get done, and I get so overwhelmed every year.