The Fleet Report and Daily for Thursday January 25th, 2024

[Vict0riann]

Praying hard for Maurice today.  What a worry!  Hope they can help, pdq.  
 

I’ll let you know how Pat’s appointment goes today too, but he is asymptomatic, so it’s certainly not as much of an emergency.  

[marshhawk]

@Denise TI have been thinking about you losing your office.  If it was a place for you to meet people, could you do a daily rent at a hotel and use one of their rental business offices.? That way you are only paying an hourly rent not a monthly rent, if it's a place that you don't go to every day? Or set up an office in your home?  

@Niagarawine I dont think i had a cacio e pepe -what is it?

 

And as far as those pictures of Trevi without the crowds?

 

Very early the next morning-

 

 

 

And I mean we got there early!  There was a couple next to us that were taking pictures of their morning pastry with the fountain.  I really wanted to steal their pastry. The pastry did not like being in the picture.  I know. 

 

Edited January 25 by marshhawk

[StLouisCruisers]

1 hour ago, Cruising-along said:

Good morning (the 26th) from the Volendam! Yesterday we were on Mystery Island and today,  in Easo, New Caledonia. Having a wonderful time! 
 

Thank you all for the birthday wishes. ❤️❤️. I had a very nice day and dinner in the Canaletto with DH, @richwmn, @durangoscots, @Cruisercl and @CruisingSister  

It would have been in the Pinnacle Grill but they canceled a 3-month reservation to accommodate the President’s Club. 😕. It’s the only thing that has gone wrong on this fabulous cruise and I have voiced my opinion. Offers of a free dinner (or all the apologies)  don’t make up for how that was handled. 
 

Thank goodness for our great Dailyites, it was a great evening!

 

 

 

Two lucky gentlemen dining with four lovely ladies!  The cake looks great as usual.🎂

[Niagarawine]

Cacio e pepe is pasta with pecorino cheese served in a bowl,of pecorino with lots of black pepper. It is utterly delicious. There is a lovely little place in Trastevere that specializes in this. I have only found it in Rome,sigh

[Niagarawine]

I need to get my mojo back as my sis says. Trying to work up ambition to get my business back on track.I was in business with my late son and since he died I have not been able to continue but needs must. 

[Vict0riann]

Pat had encouraging news at the cardiologist, he can come off the care list!  His aortic stenosis has progressed, but as long as he has no symptoms, they will just monitor him every 6 months.  Next appointment in July.  On the strength of that, we might book a cruise!

[1ANGELCAT]

3 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

Pat had encouraging news at the cardiologist, he can come off the care list!  His aortic stenosis has progressed, but as long as he has no symptoms, they will just monitor him every 6 months.  Next appointment in July.  On the strength of that, we might book a cruise!

Great news , is it too late to join the gang on the Koningsdam on January 30th😇

[Vict0riann]

6 minutes ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

Great news , is it too late to join the gang on the Koningsdam on January 30th😇

 

Looks good, but now we need new passports - we're going to go in tomorrow to do that!  There's a nice Hawaii cruise on K in April, too...  😁

[ger_77]

Well we’re back home.  The cardiologist saw that Maurice was struggling for air and said he was concerned.   He’s going to go over the echocardiogram tonight and said he’d call us tomorrow about a path forward.   He said in the US aortic valve implants are done at the drop of a hat, but in Canada they’re only given when the patient is close to heart failure.   He also said that he wants DH to have a CT scan to determine the amount of calcification of the valve.  He said that would assist in the diagnosis.   Right now it’s just sit down, take it easy and do as little as possible, to wait for a call tomorrow. 

@Vict0riann great news about Pat!  Hopefully he remains stable so you can continue to travel!

 

Maurice wanted to stop at the Dairy Queen, so we went to the drive through so he could get his barbecued chicken strips and I got a crispy chicken salad that we’re going to have right away at the kitchen table.   And it’s wine o’clock, so I have my glass at the ready.  I might even have 2 tonight.  
 

Thanks again friends, for all your care, prayers and good wishes.  Have a good night.  

Edited January 25 by ger_77

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good afternoon.  We got out of our rut this afternoon and had some fun.  First we decided to walk through the big tent.  We were there a little earlier than the other day, all the handicapped places were taken.  In fact, we had to drive around for a while before we found a place.  It was a bit farther than we'd hoped, but DH did fine with his walker, and we saw just about everything there was to see.  DH got in a longer walk than normal, too.  There wasn't too much new, so we managed to keep our money in our wallets.

 

When we got home, we took the Polaris RZRs side by side out for a ride.  It had been way to long since we'd done that, and it is still fun.  We even wound up on a less groomed trail, but it did not bother DH.  We'll see how he does in the morning.

 

3 hours ago, smitty34877 said:

I drove up to New Hampshire today and every time I stopped I checked to see about Maurice. I hope the doc is able to help today.

My grandson wanted me to see him play basketball tonight so of course I drove up. I suspect there will be more post birthday celebrations here. 
I watch all the Britbox detective shows as well and enjoyed reading the books by Ann Cleeves for Vera and Shetland. DD includes me in her Amazon prime subscription so I also watch all the Scandinavian series as well. They are sometimes more gory but

I have found real life to be gory as well.

We very rarely watch regular TV here anymore.

The urgent care centers in my urban environment are only a little less busy than the ER’s. People have a hard time finding a PCP and then getting an appointment.

 

I will never forget Lou’s PCP not even agreeing to see him once he had the first chemotherapy treatment. We went to the ER which was what I should have done anyway. 
Best wishes to all today

 

 

Terry, I'm glad you were able to get away and go to NH to see your grandson play basketball.  I hope they win.

 

3 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Thanks.  I appreciate the help.  We have no uninsured here.  Everyone’s standard medical treatment is covered.  We don’t have enough Family Physicians (FP’s here) so some are without a doctor.  Nurse practitioners are starting to fill the gap thankfully.  DD DH was a big believer in them to help the Health Care crisis here.

 

Travel vaccines, etc are provided elsewhere - travel clinics or pharmacists to relieve the burden.

 

We are seeing more and more nurse practioners and physician assistants, and have been utilizing their services for about 15+ years.  Our PCP has a very busy practice, so it's hard to get an appointment with him.  Since my visits are basically routine, I see the PA, who got his training at the same medical school where our PCP got his training.  The PA also works some days in the ER of one of the big hospitals in Waco.  One thing I like, is they've picked up on things the specialists missed, and also, they know their limits and are not hesitant to refer you to a specialist.

 

2 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

Good morning (the 26th) from the Volendam! Yesterday we were on Mystery Island and today,  in Easo, New Caledonia. Having a wonderful time! 
 

Thank you all for the birthday wishes. ❤️❤️. I had a very nice day and dinner in the Canaletto with DH, @richwmn, @durangoscots, @Cruisercl and @CruisingSister  

It would have been in the Pinnacle Grill but they canceled a 3-month reservation to accommodate the President’s Club. 😕. It’s the only thing that has gone wrong on this fabulous cruise and I have voiced my opinion. Offers of a free dinner (or all the apologies)  don’t make up for how that was handled. 
 

Thank goodness for our great Dailyites, it was a great evening!

 

 

 

Carolyn, I'm glad your birthday dinner was a success, but sorry about the Pinnacle mess.  Thanks for the pictures of such a great group.

 

1 hour ago, marshhawk said:

@Denise TI have been thinking about you losing your office.  If it was a place for you to meet people, could you do a daily rent at a hotel and use one of their rental business offices.? That way you are only paying an hourly rent not a monthly rent, if it's a place that you don't go to every day? Or set up an office in your home?  

@Niagarawine I dont think i had a cacio e pepe -what is it?

 

And as far as those pictures of Trevi without the crowds?

 

Very early the next morning-

 

 

 

And I mean we got there early!  There was a couple next to us that were taking pictures of their morning pastry with the fountain.  I really wanted to steal their pastry. The pastry did not like being in the picture.  I know. 

 

 

Annie, we've been to the Trevi Fountain when it was not crowded, but that was in the months and years following 9/11.  We've also been there when you couldn't see most of the fountain for the tourists.  Thanks for the pictures.

 

32 minutes ago, Niagarawine said:

I need to get my mojo back as my sis says. Trying to work up ambition to get my business back on track.I was in business with my late son and since he died I have not been able to continue but needs must. 

 

I hope you can get back to your business.  Our condolences on the death of your son.

 

25 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

Pat had encouraging news at the cardiologist, he can come off the care list!  His aortic stenosis has progressed, but as long as he has no symptoms, they will just monitor him every 6 months.  Next appointment in July.  On the strength of that, we might book a cruise!

 

Ann, that is encouraging news for Pat from the cardiologist.  I hope he continues to do well and stays asymptomatic. Too bad you can't join us on the Koningsdam Tuesday.

 

3 minutes ago, ger_77 said:

Well we’re back home.  The cardiologist saw that Maurice was struggling for air and said he was concerned.   He’s going to go over the echocardiogram tonight and said he’d call us tomorrow about a path forward.   He said in the US aortic valve implants are done at the drop of a hat, but in Canada they’re only given when the patient is close to heart failure.   He also said that he wants DH to have a CT scan to determine the amount of calcification of the valve.  He said that would assist in the diagnosis.   Right now it’s just sit down, take it easy and do as little as possible, to wait for a call tomorrow. 

@Vict0riann great news about Pat!  Hopefully he remains stable so you can continue to travel!

 

Maurice wanted to stop at the Dairy Queen, so we went to the drive through so he could get his barbecued chicken strips and I got a crispy chicken salad that we’re going to have right away at the kitchen table.   And it’s wine o’clock, so I have my glass at the ready.  I might even have 2 tonight.  
 

Thanks again friends, for all your care, prayers and good wishes.  Have a good night.  

 

Carolyn, thanks for the update.  I'm glad the cardiologist is taking this seriously and ordering more tests.  I hope your DH can stay comfortable and rest until there is a plan in place to address the issue.  And I hope that is very soon.

 

Lenda

[57redbird]

53 minutes ago, Niagarawine said:

Cacio e pepe is pasta with pecorino cheese served in a bowl,of pecorino with lots of black pepper. It is utterly delicious. There is a lovely little place in Trastevere that specializes in this. I have only found it in Rome,sigh

Chef Ethan Stowell did a demo of this on our 35 day cruise...even got a recipe card....still haven't made it.

[Vict0riann]

11 minutes ago, ger_77 said:

Well we’re back home.  The cardiologist saw that Maurice was struggling for air and said he was concerned.   He’s going to go over the echocardiogram tonight and said he’d call us tomorrow about a path forward.   He said in the US aortic valve implants are done at the drop of a hat, but in Canada they’re only given when the patient is close to heart failure.   He also said that he wants DH to have a CT scan to determine the amount of calcification of the valve.  He said that would assist in the diagnosis.   Right now it’s just sit down, take it easy and do as little as possible, to wait for a call tomorrow. 

@Vict0riann great news about Pat!  Hopefully he remains stable so you can continue to travel!

 

Maurice wanted to stop at the Dairy Queen, so we went to the drive through so he could get his barbecued chicken strips and I got a crispy chicken salad that we’re going to have right away at the kitchen table.   And it’s wine o’clock, so I have my glass at the ready.  I might even have 2 tonight.  
 

Thanks again friends, for all your care, prayers and good wishes.  Have a good night.  

 

Pat's cardiologist didn't say anything like yours did - he just said that at his age, Pat wouldn't be a good candidate for the open heart surgery, they would most likely do it through the groin.  I will have to do some research, but I think that means a mechanical valve.  That they can do in Victoria, anything more complicated they would have to do in Vancouver.   Do they do all the different surgeries in Saskatoon?  It is not a good thing to be struggling for breath.  I hope something gets organized for your husband right away.

[1ANGELCAT]

Good rainy and foggy evening. I was hoping for better news for Maurice @ger_77please take care of yourself.🙏❤️

 

[JazzyV]

28 minutes ago, ger_77 said:

Well we’re back home.  The cardiologist saw that Maurice was struggling for air and said he was concerned.   He’s going to go over the echocardiogram tonight and said he’d call us tomorrow about a path forward.   He said in the US aortic valve implants are done at the drop of a hat, but in Canada they’re only given when the patient is close to heart failure.   He also said that he wants DH to have a CT scan to determine the amount of calcification of the valve.  He said that would assist in the diagnosis.   Right now it’s just sit down, take it easy and do as little as possible, to wait for a call tomorrow. 

 

Thanks again friends, for all your care, prayers and good wishes.  Have a good night.  

 

Thanks for the update. It does seem odd to me that they want to wait in Canada until close to heart failure. Your DH's course seems similar to BFF's DF. He initially had to get a pacemaker for a slow heart beat. That was due to all the calcification around the aortic valve interfering with the heart's electrical system. He felt much better after that, but then the stenosis progressed, and as I mentioned he resisted valve replacement until he had heart failure. Prayers for the best for Maurice.

 

18 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

 

Pat's cardiologist didn't say anything like yours did - he just said that at his age, Pat wouldn't be a good candidate for the open heart surgery, they would most likely do it through the groin.  I will have to do some research, but I think that means a mechanical valve.  That they can do in Victoria, anything more complicated they would have to do in Vancouver.   Do they do all the different surgeries in Saskatoon?  It is not a good thing to be struggling for breath.  I hope something gets organized for your husband right away.

 

That's called a TAVR ( Transaortic valvular replacement) and can be done with either a mechanical valve or tissue valve. Not all hospitals do that procedure, but it's much less invasive than opening someone's chest.

[bennybear]

@ger_77 thanks for the update, really hope you don’t have to wait too long.   Our friend found out in May but couldn’t be scheduled until November as emergencies bumped him.   No talk of heart failure at all.  Different provinces, though.  
 

We have urgent cares in our city,  I went there when I had a break. But at times the waits can be worse than the ER.   

[Sharon in AZ]

Good evening. Lots going on today!  
 

Gerry @ger_77, even though it’s late I wanted to tell you that I’ve been thinking about your DH all day.  My thoughts and prayers are with you and him as you go through this process. 
 

Blue had his dental scaling and paw-dicure today so I got little else done. He’s very needy afterward. 
 

Have a good evening!

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

Pat had encouraging news at the cardiologist, he can come off the care list!  His aortic stenosis has progressed, but as long as he has no symptoms, they will just monitor him every 6 months.  Next appointment in July.  On the strength of that, we might book a cruise!

That is great news! 

[RMLincoln]

@ger_77 Hoping you both get some rest tonight!  Relieved that Maurice got diagnostics run today, hopefully more soon so a good path forward can be identified, and quickly! Praying for Amazing!  
 

My EMS training taught me that for rapid onset/ sudden or dramatic changes (yesterday to today) of issues in the elderly involving head, chest or belly… Go to ER. Preferably by ambulance.
 

Urgent Care is not equipped to diagnose or address these kinds of issues. Waits in ER are by triage with more critical patients seen before less critical patients. Being brought in by ambulance may not shorten your wait time which depends on severity, but the ambulance EMS crew can assess and begin some treatments.
 

In general, it’s not wise to have a friend or family member drive you to the ER because if your condition deteriorates the driver can’t do anything to help you and can be distracted and stressed making the drive less safe. In the rural area where I served in New Mexico (90 mins from ER) we would take patients in our local ambulance-like Rescue Unit and intercept with a paramedic ambulance part way, providing the patient more care-time than waiting for the ambulance to come all the way out to us, while being in radio contact with higher level care providers. (We were licensed EMS technicians-EMTs- but not at the Paramedic level. We did it for almost 19 yrs as volunteers, saw just about everything imaginable.)

 

Patients maintain the right to call 911, be assessed, and decide if they want the EMS ride to the hospital or go by themselves/ private vehicle. There are exceptions such as an accident victim unconscious patient may legally be taken by implied consent because they can’t speak for themselves to accept liability to refuse transport against medical advice, and it’s implied that they would want help.  Enough of that rant … Closing soapbox, going to bed!…. 
Maureen 

 

[Sharon in AZ]

Forgot to mention several things in my earlier post, got sidetracked. 
 

Yesterday was my injection day. Either I messed up or something was wrong with the pen and it didn’t inject properly. I immediately called the company, of course I freaked out first because I only had one left and it is for the cruise. After talking with the specialist and then a pharmacist I was told they would overnight 2 pens. Sure enough it arrived so I’m relieved about that. I had no problem with the new pen I used as a replacement. Whew. 
 

Tomorrow I’ll be late posting (again!). Taking DM for pedicures and then her hair appointment then lunch. Saturday is a 17th birthday dinner for our almost DGD. They wanted to go on Sunday and to a restaurant on the other side of town, an hour away. Oh dear. I think our son realized how stressed out I was about that and offered Saturday on our side of town as a substitute. Another Whew!  I think they will still have the dinner on Sunday for the other relatives. I had a coupon for $15 off $50 at Ulta and bought her some Eau de Parfum (isn’t that a fancy word for cologne?).  I’m happy about that!

 

 

Edited January 26 by Sharon in AZ

[Overhead Fred]

Better late than never....

 

[kazu]

11 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

Pat had encouraging news at the cardiologist, he can come off the care list!  His aortic stenosis has progressed, but as long as he has no symptoms, they will just monitor him every 6 months.  Next appointment in July.  On the strength of that, we might book a cruise!

 

That is WONDERFUL news, Ann 👍. Such a relief!

 

 

11 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

We are seeing more and more nurse practioners and physician assistants, and have been utilizing their services for about 15+ years.  Our PCP has a very busy practice, so it's hard to get an appointment with him.  Since my visits are basically routine, I see the PA, who got his training at the same medical school where our PCP got his training.  The PA also works some days in the ER of one of the big hospitals in Waco.  One thing I like, is they've picked up on things the specialists missed, and also, they know their limits and are not hesitant to refer you to a specialist.

 

Nurse Practitioners are a boon to the medical world.   They seem to be able to spend more time with the patient and as you say tend to pick up things because of it.  Jose was mentoring one before his death that he had encouraged to become one.  She was the recipient of all of his medical equipment and any books she wanted and graduates next year.  Any of her patients will be very lucky, I think.

 

 

11 hours ago, ger_77 said:

Well we’re back home.  The cardiologist saw that Maurice was struggling for air and said he was concerned.   He’s going to go over the echocardiogram tonight and said he’d call us tomorrow about a path forward.   He said in the US aortic valve implants are done at the drop of a hat, but in Canada they’re only given when the patient is close to heart failure.   He also said that he wants DH to have a CT scan to determine the amount of calcification of the valve.  He said that would assist in the diagnosis.   Right now it’s just sit down, take it easy and do as little as possible, to wait for a call tomorrow. 

 

 

Thanks for coming back and updating us, Gerry.  I would have thought they would have kept Maurice overnight for observation until the tests were complete.

I pray those tests are done quickly so that your cardiologist can diagnose and treat Maurice ASAP.  🙏 

 

 

[dobiemom]

On 1/25/2024 at 3:46 AM, rafinmd said:

Just as an experiment I will occasionally post an alternate version of the maps:

I wish there was a second color better than green.

 

 

 

Roy

Love the alternate maps. 👍😍