lazey1

Yum, yum. I have never tasted a cole slaw that I didn't like however my all time favorite is from Kentucky Fried Chicken. I've never been to any of the Greek Island so I am really enjoying the photos of Mykonos; it is so beautiful and so clean. @kazuI love the concept of your Merry Widow cruise and intend to follow your thread. I wonder how many of us regular readers of the Daily are widows. Is a support group here a viable concept? Prayers for all who are in need and double so for Vanessa with her surgery today. I hope she is able to give us an update soon. Yeah for Tana's recent progress. And a big hurrah for all who are healthy and happy. Jane

This widow will be happily following along. I totally agree with Marion expecting that your friendship will grow and be stronger than ever after this first cruise togather. Jane

I have never been to Sydney and my age and medical problems now forbid it. Thank you to everyone who posted photos. Same with Mumbai, thanks for the photos. I love spinich/artichoke dip and I love grilled cheese sandwiches but the thought of mashing them togather is very off putting. I had my semi-annual neurological exam yesterday and my mild peripheral neuropathy remains unchanged. I have not had any colitis flares or bronchial flares for several months and generally I am feeling good except for the frequent, severe fatigue that is heart related. I am scheduled for an enhanced CT of heart and lungs on April 29th then a week later the cardiologist at Banner University will let me know if I am a candidate for the TMVR study, if more tests are needed or if I am not a candidate. If yes he will refer me to the reseachers for hopeful approval. @kazu I am very happy to see that your foot is improving and you will be able to cruise. Remind your self to take it very easy. Prayers for all who need them, whether mentioned or not and hurrahs for those who don't. Jane

I couldn't see any of the eclipse here in Mesa so I watched it on ABC network. Amazing. Feeling somewhat better today but still rather light headed and having some balance issues. I am going to ask my BIL to go with me to the cardiology appointment on Wednesday. Jane

Thank you to all who expresssed concern about my symptons this morning. My medication has remained the same for over 2 months so I doubt that it is medication related. If it happens again I think I will call 911 to go to E.R. as I certainly would not be able to drive to a doctor's office. Jane

I would love to have some of that potato salad if only it could be prepared without salt and low sodium mayo. Pass on the drink and would like the wine. I was at Costa Maya 1 time, took a HAL expedition to visit the ruins of Tulum, the most beautiful Mayan Capitol as the ocean is it's background. A strange day for me so far; I woke up about 15 minutes before my alarm feeling very dizzy, very weak and slightly nauseous. Almost fell as I staggered into the bathroom. After taking my morning meds I made my way into the kitchen by holding onto the walls, fed my cats and had a cup of coffee. Blood pressure was 161/87, high but not alarming for me. After sitting for an hour or so the dizzyness slowly went away. I was afraid to try driving so I watched a live feed for church and now the nausea has gone away. Still feeling somewhat weak but able to walk unsupported. I have an appointment at Banner University Hospital Interventional Cardiology department on Wed. so I will be sure to tell the Dr. about this. @Sharon in AZ thank you for the video of the rocket launch. Gives a new perspective of how fast they travel. @grapau27I swear you are making me gain weight just looking at your food porn. @aliaschiefThank you for posting the beautiful photos of Kuala Lumpur, also the rest of your photos of your world cruise. You are a gifted photographer. Prayers for those who are in need and hurrahs for those who are not in need. Jane

1989 Alaska tour then cruise on the Old Noordam. Still my favorite HAL ship and I have cruised on all of the ships except the Nieuw Statendam. Maybe next cruise on her? Jane.

I am feeling well and thoroughly enjoyed my Mexico cruise on Koningsdam. The only excursion I went on was a whale watch in Cabo. It only took us a couple of minutes to find 3 different groups consisting of a mother and a baby whale. The one closest to shore was the most active I have ever seen. Mom was teaching baby tricks and baby was just plain showing off, in constant motion until we had to leave. I found out that the chefs can cook any food for the sodium restricted diet and make it delicious. I enjoyed the shows in the showroom excpt Humanity which has gotten a bit old. There was a next Step One dance show called move. The vatiety show was good and BillBoard Onboard was outstanding. Mel C. was very good but Clara Vee is phenonimal both as a pianist and as a singer.Either could certainly entertain as a soloist. The only thing that was not good was embarcation in the cold windy rain and debarcation which was even colder, stronger wind and heavier rain. (The storm in San Diego was bad enough that our arrival time was changed from 7AM to about 3AM). Flights into and out of San Diego were being delayed. Of course there were a few people yelling loudly that they would never cruise Holland again because of this. I can not understand why some people feel they are so entitled that they can not endure waiting or getting rained on etc or why they think that HAL has control over the weather and the ports in a storm. Now to read todays posts and possibly yesterdays. Jane

Thank you Jacqui, that is something I never thought about. I will definitely follow Dr. Jose's advise. The first time I had a heart failure problem my feet and legs swelled a lot. The only other time I had heart failure, and wound up in the hospital, I had no swelling of the extremeties, it was all in the abdomen and chest. That was frightening because I didn't recognize why I was unable to breathe. Jane

First a very big thank you to all who answered my questions regarding special dietary restrictions. I think that for lunch in the Lido I will stick mainly to salads with oil and vinegar dressing and ice cream. Very little sodium there. Breakfast I can pretty well handle by myself and knowing there is a special menu iwth help for planning dinner is a relief. If I have to much sodium I retain fluid and it gets hard to breathe and that is something I certainly don't want anytime. I have not been to Ashod but did a land Holy Lands 10 day tour with my DH and my parents back in the mid 80's. The photos are bringing back fond memories. Thank you to all who posted. Prayers for all who need them (especially for Tana's new hospital type bed) and hurrays for all who don't. Jane

and my name is Jovial McNaughty. I would love to have corned beef and either cabbage or sauerkraut however with my sodium restricted diet I can't. A question for any of you who may have cruised while on a restricted diet. My T.A. has notified HAL of the dietary restriction. How is this handled by HAL? Am I given a special menu to choose from; am I given a list of foods with the sodium content listed; am I expected to know the sodium content without help or ??? Jane

@Haljo1935go ahead and rant and/or rave all you want. I hope it makes you feel better to let it out. I was told a long time ago that I could be helpful as a heart with ears. @StLouisCruisers Like you I bought a pair of beautiful black pearl earrings at a shoreside kiosk in Moorea. @Quartzsite CruiserUnlike you we took a glass bottom boat tour in Moorea and saw the same loveliness. We had tone Patricks tour in Bora Bora the day before. Is it just me or is it impossible to choose which island is the best; Moorea or Bora Bora. @grapau27Blessing to you, Pauline and especially for Sarah. You have been through way to much. The Good Lord is the great healer however he does it in his own time, not in ours. Jane

The Ides of March has always been good to me. That day in 1958 my DDDH proposed. We married 5 months later and that marriage lasted for 57 years until he passed. Today I received a call from Banner University Cardio-Vascular Institute making an appointment for me to be seen on April 10 for my Mitral Valve problem. As of today I am feeling better that I have for many months but I am all to aware that the Heart Failure can come back at any time. I am looking forward to my 3/23/24 Mexico cruise on the Kdam even if I stay aboard the entire 7 days. Prayers for those who need them and hoorays for those who don't. Jane

No on the drink and the meal, yes to the wine and I would love the banana cream pie if someone would make one for me. I am having difficulty finding things I can eat and still stay within the 1500 to 2000 sodium limit per day. I think that banana pie would be something my cardiologist would approve of. I've not been to the Phillipines, looking forward to seeing some photos. Yesterday I went ahead and reserved a whale watch excursion and my complimentary Pinnacle Grill dinner. Both of my cats are rescues and right now one of them is tapping my shoulder reminding me it is time for her dry food so I will go feed the cats then find me something for lunch. Priorities, you know. Prayers for all in need that hurrahs for those who aren't in need. Jane

My daughter was born on this day in 1964 along with several other babies at Walker AFB Hospital. No one there had ever seen a Feb. 29 birth before. She was developementally disabled and passed in 1999. I have been feeling better and getting stronger every day this past week. Everyone's prayers here, from my church family and my community along with the current medication are working. A big THANK YOU to all. The ideal medical treatment for me would be open heart surgery to replace the Mitral Valve but that can not be done because of my age, 82, and pre-existing conditions. I am finally beginning to believe that I will be able to go on the Konigsdam Mexico cruise 03/23 through 30,2024. Prayers for all who need them and hurrah's for everyone else. Jane

I have not had the bamboo massage but I do highly recommend the hot stone massage.

I have been to Helsinki Eurodam cruise in 2008. We did not get to the the rock church as some type of stabilization work was being done. Instead we had a tour of the home of Sibelius which included lunch. My cardiology appointment today turned out to be with one of the PA's. She read all of both the cardiologist and the thoracic surgeon notes from the procedures I had last week, explaining all of them to make sure I understood. Basically confirming what I had understood before, the Mitral Valve had severe calcification (stenosis), the Aorta had some minor stenosis which is nothing to worry about, the heart beats well, no leakage except for a very small hole that was a birth defect shared by about 20% of the adult population. The doctors are going to consult further but open heart surgery is apparently not an option. The Dr's may try to get me into an experimental program wherein the mitral valve is replaced using a catheter through the groin. My EKG has remained the same. So for the moment it is wait and see until one or the other of the Doctors calls me. Jane

I just want to say thank you to everyone for their prayers and their encouragements. Jane

Good afternoon dailyites. This is an update regarding my condition. After posting I will go back and read both yesterday's and today's posts. Yesterday at the local Heart Hospital I had a TEE followed by a right heart cath then a left heart cath. I was sedated for the TEE then awakened before the cath's. My cardiologist talked to me after finishing the 3 tests then had a thoracic surgeon talk to me. The findings were severe Mitral Valve calcification and moderate Aortic Valve calcification. All pressures were fine and there is minimal leakage. The cardiologist says surgery is needed, the surgeon said surgery would be high risk for a stroke, that he wants to consult further with my cardiologist and also have a roundtable discussion with other valve specialists and that he will get back to me. He also mentioned an experimental procedure with apparently good results as a possibility. I am restricted from driving for 5 days, no bending and lifting over 10 lbs for 7 days. I can bend with no lifting such as putting shoes on. Today i am having soreness but no frank pain. Now to go read the last coupe of days. Jane

I quit reading our local newspaper (Mesa Tribune) several years ago when it went from a daily to weekly with no home delivery. It was down to just 4 pages and for a city of approximately 500K was just ridiculous. I've never cared for the Phoenix Republic as it isn't local. Love green bean casserole as a side dish but wouldn't cook it in a slow cooker. The wine I would enjoy if someone else bought it for me. Have never been to Japan of anywhere in the Far East. Thank you for the lovely photos @StLouisCruisers. I was seen by the NP in the heart failure clinic and was told that I will probably need open heart surgery to replace my Mitral Valve. This had never been mentioned before. I had been scheduled to a diagnostic TEE on 2/26. It was moved up to next Tuesday 2/13 and added tests of right and left heart catheterization.at the local heart hospital. Then I have a follow up appointment on 2/22. Guess I will learn more then. I am not in pain and actually feel pretty good as long as I am just sitting. Any activity causes shortness of breath and fatigue. Prayers for all who need them and hurrahs for all who are cruising. Jane

Beautiful flowers Sharon. If that is one of the ship's arrangement what is the name of it?

I haven't posted for awhile but I have been trying to keep up reading the daily. I finally have an answer to why I have felt so bad these past couple of months and it isn't a remnant of Covid. Last Monday I had a 10 hour date with the emergency room because I was having such pain and difficulty breathing. Diagnosis was pulmonary edema. Saw my pulmonologist on Wed., lungs are my normal (COPD) saw cardiology yesterday. I was put on new med Farxiga, increased my diuretic and halfed another heart med. Will have more blood work next Wed. and begin treatment in the Heart Failure Clinic next Thursday. Doc. also trying to get my TEE testing done sooner than the scheduled date of 02/26/24. Apparently the test is necessary to confirm that it is a heart valve problem. I have been to todays port a couple of times, no photos. I don't have a dog to date so will substitute my 2 cats. No on the drink, too sweet for me. I would love to have someone serve me the beef stroganoff and the wine. Prayers for all who need them, myself included, and hurrahs for all who don't. Jane

I am quite late today as I was an invited guest to the Naturalization Ceremony for my nephew's wife. There were at least 40 to 50 people who became new Citizens of the USA today. The oath of allegiance is quite long and surprising to me. The entire ceremony was very impressive and afterwards we took her to lunch. She chose a Chinese Buffet. Yesterday I had a follow up appointment with the PA for my Cardiologist. My mitral valve stenosis has progressed from moderate to moderately severe, I have peripheral artery disease with SFA Stenosis in both legs, and mild aortic valve leakage. She changed some meds and ordered a TEE and a referral to the heart failure clinic. She believes that the Mitral Valve may be the cause of my fatigue and shortness of breath. Today's meal and wine both sound wonderful, the drink, not so much. Thanks to all who shared photos of Loreto. tI have been to Loreto 3 times and enjoy it very much. Prayers for those that need them and hurrahs for those who don't. Jane

I went with my BIL, his wife, his son and daughter- in- law for Christmas Dinner at a very good Chinese Restaurant. Turned down an invite from his daughter as there were at least 30 others and I didn't feel up to being with the large group. A nice relaxing day. Celebrating Homeowners Day today by doing laundry and discovered that the appliance gremlin has come to visit me. Drier turned off and on manually but got much hottter than it should and the timers didn't work. Appliance repairman scheduled for Thursday and I will have the washer checked out also even though I haven't had any problems with it. Both appliances are Kenmore purchased from Sears in 2016 so long out of warrantee. I usually like Crackerbarrel but I agree with others that today's meal does not look appetizing; same for the drink and wine. I have been to Cartagena several time and the part I liked the best is the aviary. The photos bring back fond memories. Jane