Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[lenquixote66]

Just now, DaniDanielle said:

April 2 will be the third anniversary of this thread.  Are we celebrating?????

I think that CC should pipe in music and offer virtual beverages.

[DaniDanielle]

Sounds like a plan

[lenquixote66]

29 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

Aaron Judge hit his first home run of the season in his first at bat.

 

Only 62 more to go before he breaks his own record. 😉

Are you at the game ? Does Leonard have a Yankees cap ?

[HBE4]

19 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

April 2 will be the third anniversary of this thread.  Are we celebrating?????

 

Alexander Kraken's for all!

[George C]

46 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

Aaron Judge hit his first home run of the season in his first at bat.

 

Only 62 more to go before he breaks his own record. 😉

Very nice start for Bronx bombers, 5- 0, Cole 6 innings 11k, Judge HR . I liked Volpe asking permission from Brett Gardner to use is #11. Had tickets for game Judge hit his 62 but I was going thru a medical procedure that didn’t allow me to attend, will go to my first game in about a decade in a month with Yankees visiting texas.

[Sea Dog]

Got back from my doctor. He says my itching is Urticaria, which is a build up of histamines. He wasn’t sure what triggered it but it could be by food, environment and other factors. Basically prescribed a steroid and a over the counter medication called Xyzal. It was interesting that he ran his fingernails over my skin and my skin immediately welted up with a red line. Weird, but it doesn’t think it’s anything serious.

[Arzeena]

3 hours ago, Momof3gurlz said:

Same here Arzeena.  Andy had a great idea which I try to do now:  as soon as the list is complete I take a picture of it with my phone.  So if I forget the list, it’s there on my phone-as long as I remember to take the picture LOL.  Some (like my daughters) would say, why not just write the list in Notes on your phone.  I like an old school paper grocery list. 

I like to hold paper too! But everrry time the list is left at home right on the kitchen counter. In NJ we now have to bring our own grocery bags. I used to forget them at home, right by the garage door! Now I just keep some in the trunk.

[HBE4]

42 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Are you at the game ? Does Leonard have a Yankees cap ?

 

I am not, just have the game on as background noise while I gather all the necessary paperwork to do my taxes. 

 

As for Lenoard,  he's the least enthusiastic fan there is. 

 

 

[Arzeena]

3 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Got back from my doctor. He says my itching is Urticaria, which is a build up of histamines. He wasn’t sure what triggered it but it could be by food, environment and other factors. Basically prescribed a steroid and a over the counter medication called Xyzal. It was interesting that he ran his fingernails over my skin and my skin immediately welted up with a red line. Weird, but it doesn’t think it’s anything serious.

Good to hear that it is nothing serious like you feared.

Xyzal is also an antihistamine that suppossedly does not have a rebound effect when taking nasal antihistamines. Get well soon.

[A&L_Ont]

54 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

April 2 will be the third anniversary of this thread.  Are we celebrating?????

Maybe a cruise. 😁

[HBE4]

40 minutes ago, George C said:

Very nice start for Bronx bombers, 5- 0, Cole 6 innings 11k, Judge HR . I liked Volpe asking permission from Brett Gardner to use is #11. Had tickets for game Judge hit his 62 but I was going thru a medical procedure that didn’t allow me to attend, will go to my first game in about a decade in a month with Yankees visiting texas.

 

Volpe is a class act. A lot is expected of him.

 

Maybe Judge will send a home run ball you way next month. Enjoy the game.

[brillohead]

11 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Well, is there really any other reason to work?😁

Exactly!!!!
 

 

10 hours ago, aussielozzie18 said:

@brillohead Congratulations on securing the job as a ER Nurse and finding your birth father.  They say good things happen in 3s so go out and buy that lottery ticket 😀

Ya know, I just might do that!
 

 

9 hours ago, Luckynana said:

@brilloheadCongratulations on your new job!

 

My granddaughter Erin will be graduating from Fairfield University with a Nursing Degree

in May.  She is hoping to work in an ER in Manhattan.

 

I wish her the very best.  Nursing can be very taxing, emotionally and physically -- please remind her to take care of herself!

 

 

8 hours ago, barbeyg said:

Congrats, @brillohead!  

Thanks!
 

 

8 hours ago, Arzeena said:

Congratulations! Thanks for what you do.

Also take care of yourself ...you will need that more now working at the ER.🥰

Thanks!  I was impressed that part of my interview process was asking what I do for self-care (the interviewer tacked on "besides cruising" to this question, b/c she already knew about my obsession!).  It sounds like the staff here is very close-knit, too, taking good care of each other after the hard cases.

The hospital has a health club on the campus which also has a pool, and I enjoy "walking laps" while listening to music... I can pretend that I'm snorkeling in the Caribbean!

 

8 hours ago, TravelGirlinDallas said:

Congrats!! But will this leave you enough time for the B2B2Bs?

It was actually discussed with both my recruiter and my hiring manager -- as long as I schedule them in the off times (which coincide with when I want to cruise), they're okay with me taking a leave of absence for a couple months here and there.  The lack of flexibility was why I've stuck with just doing private duty nursing the last few years, but now that I have a facility willing to let me cruise, I'm looking forward to getting back into a hospital again.

 

7 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

@brillohead Debi, congrats on your new job!

 

Thanks!!

 

5 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

@brillohead Congratulations on the new job. Thank you for doing what you do.

Thanks!  I wish I'd become a nurse sooner in life.  It just fits me so well.  As I was walking up to the door of the hospital, there was an older gentleman being dropped off who had apparent mobility issues.  I offered him a hand getting out of the car, and he was quick to accept.  (I honestly don't think he could get out of the car without help, I'm not sure why he was even trying it!)   Stuff like that is second nature to me.

 

5 hours ago, ValerieJo said:

@brillohead  Congratulations on the new job!  I know we met on a previous cruise.  Looking forward to seeing you again.

 

Thanks, and ditto!  I'm getting excited for Bella 2.0, and it's almost two whole years from now!  

 

 

5 hours ago, DaniDanielle said:

@brilloheadCongratulations! 

Thank you!
 

 

3 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

Yes @brillohead congratulations to your new cruise payment method. 😉😀

 

🤣

So, I found out today in talking to HR that there's a signing bonus for this position.... and I instantly calculated how many cruises that would pay for!  LOL

 

2 hours ago, Luckynana said:

Jim's cousin went back to school in her 40's after having 3 sons and became a Nurse😊

 

I also went to school in my 40s to become a nurse.  I must have been crazy, because I was still working my office job (as controller/office manager for a commercial general contractor), plus driving my son to hockey two counties away several days a week.  I'd put a "rubber glove" over my regular glove so I could turn the pages of my textbook as I did my reading in the hockey rink during practice.  (They only turned the heaters on for games, not for practices.)  

I got an associate degree from a community college ten years ago.  Most hospitals want you to go back and get a BSN degree, but I just can't see the point, since I don't want to get into management.  I wouldn't mind if getting a BSN made me a better nurse, but it's all just classes in things like "nursing theory" and statistics and business management and research.  I can get the entire degree (as an add-on to my ASN) online, without ever touching a patient, which tells me it has nothing to do with nursing and everything to do with "looking good on paper", which doesn't interest me.  

As I said above, I wish I'd done it sooner.  Even before I knew I wanted to be a nurse, friends and neighbors would approach me for medical advice or first aid help.  Nursing is just such a good fit for me, combining the science part of medicine with the caring part of nursing.  

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by brillohead

[Momof3gurlz]

32 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Got back from my doctor. He says my itching is Urticaria, which is a build up of histamines. He wasn’t sure what triggered it but it could be by food, environment and other factors. Basically prescribed a steroid and an over the counter medication called Xyzal. It was interesting that he ran his fingernails over my skin and my skin immediately welted up with a red line. Weird, but it doesn’t think it’s anything serious.

Glad it’s nothing serious Greg and seems easily treatable. Thank goodness he didn’t tell you to avoid bourbon! 

[brillohead]

1 minute ago, Momof3gurlz said:

Glad it’s nothing serious Greg and seems easily treatable. Thank goodness he didn’t tell you to avoid bourbon! 

Greg would have just said, "I've lived a long life... if this is how I have to go, so be it!"  

[aussielozzie18]

6 hours ago, Luckynana said:

Thank you, Bonnie!  Our little 5ft Erin with the softest voice and great smile will be a great comfort to many, I'm sure! 😊

Congratulations to Erin.  Her patients will be fortunate to have her taking care of them.

[brillohead]

4 hours ago, Momof3gurlz said:

Same here Arzeena.  Andy had a great idea which I try to do now:  as soon as the list is complete I take a picture of it with my phone.  So if I forget the list, it’s there on my phone-as long as I remember to take the picture LOL.  Some (like my daughters) would say, why not just write the list in Notes on your phone.  I like an old school paper grocery list. 

I've gotten used to using the Keep app on my phone.  I have a different list for different stores (Walmart, Dollar Tree, Sam's Club, etc.), and I just add stuff to the applicable list whenever I think of it.  Then I can check them off as I put them in my cart and they disappear from my list.  

The nice thing is that they "disappear" to the bottom part of the list, and you can just uncheck the box if you want to repurchase the same item at a later date.  I like to look over the "disappeared" items before I start a shopping trip, too, because there will often be things I didn't think to add to my list that I do need to stock up on again.  I just uncheck them and they pop up to the visible part of the list again.  

I use the same app for my cruise packing... I have one list for my suitcase, and one list for my carry-on (aka the things that would ruin my cruise if they got lost, like my meds and my contacts and my phone charger and my Kindle and my passport).  I have another list for things I have to complete before I leave for my cruise, like print off my luggage tags, reserve my airport parking, etc.  Since I do these same things for every single cruise, it's a nice way to keep track of it all, because we all know that the brain is a risky thing to count on! 

[Momof3gurlz]

7 minutes ago, brillohead said:

I've gotten used to using the Keep app on my phone.  I have a different list for different stores (Walmart, Dollar Tree, Sam's Club, etc.), and I just add stuff to the applicable list whenever I think of it.  Then I can check them off as I put them in my cart and they disappear from my list.  

The nice thing is that they "disappear" to the bottom part of the list, and you can just uncheck the box if you want to repurchase the same item at a later date.  I like to look over the "disappeared" items before I start a shopping trip, too, because there will often be things I didn't think to add to my list that I do need to stock up on again.  I just uncheck them and they pop up to the visible part of the list again.  

I use the same app for my cruise packing... I have one list for my suitcase, and one list for my carry-on (aka the things that would ruin my cruise if they got lost, like my meds and my contacts and my phone charger and my Kindle and my passport).  I have another list for things I have to complete before I leave for my cruise, like print off my luggage tags, reserve my airport parking, etc.  Since I do these same things for every single cruise, it's a nice way to keep track of it all, because we all know that the brain is a risky thing to count on! 

Interesting. Did the app come with your phone or did you get it from the App Store?  (I have an iPhone 12 ProMax).  We have a Med cruise this September with additional days in Venice, Rome & Barcelona.  I’ll have pages of notes for this (restaurant suggestions, etc) that I could easily misplace and they’d also be awkward to carry around and pull out for reference.  An app like this could come in very handy. 

[BonTexasNY]

6 hours ago, DaniDanielle said:

Regards to finding signs from a departed loved one, my son’s wife’s brother was killed about 15 years ago in a horrible accident.  Right after her parents won a car in a raffle at their church.  She went to the cemetery on her parents anniversary and found money on his grave.  It was the exact amount he would have given her for his share of the gift.

We prefer to believe🙏

 

 

Marietta, never stop believing.  Never!

[BonTexasNY]

I never mentioned before how totally scared I was to keep my kidney doctor appointment today.  I had lab work last week and results were not good.  I won't go into detail but my kidney numbers in one area are not where they should be and have been increasing (should be decreasing) for my last 3 visits.  l was in the hospital in 2015 for 10 days with kidney disease, biopsy, large mega doses of prednisone which thankfully brought my numbers way down. I was actually very close to needing dialysis. I was one sick puppy.  Thankfully prednisone and the 21 different pills I took did the trick. Today when he walked into the exam room I burst into tears fearful of what he would say.  He came over, hugged my shoulders and told me the news was not terrible, said there are other ranges that show kidney function that actually have been normal for quite a while.  So, low sodium, more water, less protein, new prescription and I was good to go.  No kidney biopsy, no prednisone (I had horrible side effects...shudder), no hospital stay.

 

Sometimes life can be so good!

 

I wish good health to all of you and your families.  The rest is just icing.

[akcruz]

For any of you with Alexa, use it for your shopping list.  I was reluctant when my daughter first mentioned but it works very well.  As I am in the kitchen or wherever I can let her know to add xyz to my shopping list.  You can then go into the app on your phone and there is your list.  You can also add manually thru the app.  At the store you xan check off what you got and it moves to the bottom.  It starts to get to know what you get and when adding manually gives you lists to pick from.  

 

You can use the list functionality for anything.  We have lists for various stores as well as our lake house to remind us what we need to take with us.  Very easy to use.

[BonTexasNY]

@dani negreanu Dani, how is your DH doing?  I hope his pain has been identified and taken care of.

[Luckynana]

@BonTexasNY ((Hugs)). Bonnie.  I'm so happy for the results the doctor gave you today.  He sounds like a very kind and caring professional.  🥰

[Luckynana]

@brilloheadit sounds like you've found the most perfect job with great employees 😃

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

 It was interesting that he ran his fingernails over my skin and my skin immediately welted up with a red line. Weird, but it doesn’t think it’s anything serious.

That is called geographic urticaria. My bet is from coming home to the dry environment. You should go back to the Caribbean.😉

[brillohead]

56 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

Interesting. Did the app come with your phone or did you get it from the App Store?  (I have an iPhone 12 ProMax).  We have a Med cruise this September with additional days in Venice, Rome & Barcelona.  I’ll have pages of notes for this (restaurant suggestions, etc) that I could easily misplace and they’d also be awkward to carry around and pull out for reference.  An app like this could come in very handy. 

It came on my phone because it's an Android, and Keep is one of the Google apps.  Should be free in the Apple store, too, I would imagine.

I can also access it from my computer, because it's tied to my Google account.  I use Chrome for my browser, so when I open a new tab for a blank page, I click on the "app dots" (not sure what the icon's  official name is, but it's the dots you click on to get to the Google apps, so "app dots" it is!).

 

 

Then the list of various apps pops up, and I click on Keep:

 

It opens the app on my computer, and I can type out all my lists with a real keyboard, instead of tippy-tapping on my phone's keyboard, which I'm not overly fond of doing if I don't absolutely have to.  Decades of office work have me typing at about 842 words per minute on a keyboard, while my phone tippy-tapping leaves a lot to be desired in both speed and accuracy!