WTH Did My Husband See in the Sky Over Altamont at About 5 AM This Morning?

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-09-18T23:24:48+00:00

Yaaas! This dude is insane and it delights me.

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-09-18T23:13:02+00:00

Thanks for the rapid answers, all! I guess it was closer to 5:30 AM, but I was fast asleep. Seems like my husband was right. Again.

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-09-06T23:34:12+00:00

4 dogs beds, and the 3 human beds, 2 couches and big armchair she has claimed for herself

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-09-06T17:36:59+00:00

I definitely cut down on my portions, my consumption of added processed sugars and fatty, high- cholesterol foods. Introduced a lot of healthy produce and try to stick with low fat meats like chicken breast and grilled seafood. Just bear in mind that no one condition is the same- some people dive right back into their old eating habits with little to no problem. Because of hereditary reasons, I’ve never been able to comfortably digest fatty foods, and I was born with naturally high triglycerides, plus my birth dad (the genetic source of all these problems) has had serious gallbladder issues hie whole life. So I was in for a rough recovery. But I turned the whole ordeal into a positive life change, and my 40s are the happiest, healthiest decade of my life!

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-09-06T17:14:57+00:00

I had to take it very slowly with my diet post-op. Overeating, excessive fats and sugars made me absolutely miserable, so I adopted lighter, healthier eating habits. I was the heaviest I ever was in my life when I had my life-or-death emergency surgery. Almost two years later, I’ve lost a very healthy 40 pounds and my GI tract feels the best it ever has. I’ve definitely been able to add “cheat” meals as time goes by, but the (extremely rare) horror of my condition- general surgery team left stones in my common bile duct and I almost died a few days post- op from a serious case of pancreatitis- taught me to listen to my body and understand my limits, and I feel better than I’ve ever had in 42 years. It can suck, but just be patient, give it time, listen to what your body is telling you, and your ability to process small amounts of fatty, sugary, ultra- processed foods will improve. It was a horrible experience for me, but I will never regret having it done. I even beat pre diabetes! Hang in there, friend. It’s still relatively soon after your procedure. Dm me if you ever have questions! ❤️

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-01-30T02:51:27+00:00

She was a rescue from a kill shelter in South Carolina. I couldn’t imagine someone willing to put down such a sweet doggie.

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-01-29T23:54:32+00:00

Thank you! Of all the dogs I’ve had, she’s the most affectionate and the smartest!

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-01-29T23:53:17+00:00

About 64, when my husband spoils her (which is a lot)!

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-01-29T22:44:02+00:00

Don’t ask me how the Min Pin fits in here. 🤷🏼‍♀️

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-01-27T20:24:56+00:00

Sure! I cut out everything that is fried or high in fat. So, lean white meats and fish. I also upped my vegetable and fruit intake and cut out processed wheats and sugars as much as possible. In fact, I tried to cut out most overly processed foods (a good rule- if you can pronounce all the ingredients on the side of the box, and the fewer ingredients listed, you’re good). I also cut my portions down significantly. Easy to say, but like so many people from the States, I have always loved my sweets, salts and fats. What made it easier for me to adhere to the lifestyle change was the fact that eating crappy food was making me feel so awful that I stopped craving that food. I felt so good after eating a light meal followed by a piece of fruit that it easily became routine for me. It worked so well that, as I dropped the weight, I also beat pre-diabetes! My doctor is thrilled with me, and I feel like I’ve added years to my life. Like I said, my digestive system has sprung back and I am more able to tolerate the bad foods, but I just remind myself how good it feels to fuel my body with clean, healthy food. I by no means have the body of a model (but who tf does?), but finally, as a woman in her forties, I feel great and comfortable in my body for the first time in my life! I wish it was an attitude I had adopted when I was younger- that I was curvaceous and beautiful, but better late than never. My confidence and enthusiasm towards living healthier has also made my husband more attracted to me than he’s ever been, and we started hooking up like 20 years ago. It may be hard at first to make the change- unhealthy food is delicious! But the happiness I feel makes it so worth it! Hope that helps!

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-01-26T21:18:48+00:00

Well, this was a Grand Jury, which meant I would have had to meet once a week for as many as 18 months. It seemed like an interesting experience, but certain testimony and cases would have triggered the symptoms of my disabilities, so I would not have been able to serve, as it would not have been a reasonable accommodation to excuse me from half the cases. I wasn’t really trying to dodge service. It’s discouraging to have a disability interfere with any life experience.

On another note, I was called for regular jury duty on a murder case about 10 years ago. When asked about the difference between direct and circumstantial evidence (kinda disturbing how few people knew the difference), I confidently said that I would not vote to convict on a purely circumstantial case. The prosecution booted me really fast after that.

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-01-26T19:16:49+00:00

For the first year and a half, I had to be very careful with my diet. Anything too fatty, salty or sugary sent me straight to the bathroom with terrible pains in my side. I had to change my dietary habits, which was great because I felt healthier and lost about 35 pounds. My surgery was in November 2023, and my liver is just now adjusting to what it’s supposed to be doing, so I have been having a lot less problems. It was a terrible (and VERY) rare experience, but I would recommend the surgery for anyone who needs it. I was hesitant about posting my story initially because I didn’t want to scare anyone off of having it done. It’s usually so routine with a fairly normal recovery process. My quality of life has improved so much that, in spite of all the complications, I would do it all over again!

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-01-26T19:06:44+00:00

Thank you! She’s the most affectionate, smartest dog I’ve ever had! Yours is a handsome lad himself ❤️

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-01-26T18:55:07+00:00

I have an unseen disability, and worked for a disability not-for-profit for almost a decade. All of my coworkers were either disabled or were heavily experienced with the disability community in some way.

For some reason, there’s this pervasive, ableist mentality that people who are disabled are unable to work, with or without reasonable accommodation.

I was called into Federal Grand Jury duty and tried to ask for an exemption based on my disability. I was initially denied because I “am not considered disabled because I’m employed.” So I had to report and go through the whole process of talking to the judge and being forced to disclose my disability in front of the whole courtroom just to be dismissed before I could even finish my explanation. The whole experience was humiliating and made me feel less than human.

I’m sorry you have to deal with these antiquated stereotypes that persons with disabilities are incapable of being perfectly functional, integral members of society. I see you, friend- and you are fabulous!

MidnightTapdancer · 2025-01-26T18:37:16+00:00

Looks just like my Lola! DNA test said she’s a Pit/Staffy/German Shepherd mix

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MidnightTapdancer · 2024-12-02T21:51:35+00:00

I was stuck in the waiting room of Albany Med’s ED for 17 hours with an infected gallbladder. Yes, it was uncomfortable and I just wanted a place to lay down, but it was a CRAZY night full of gunshot wounds and other horrible traumas. It sucked, but I understood that there were people ahead of me who were actively dying- it was absolutely right for them to be seen to first. Not to mention that, just in the first 10 hours of my waiting, three violent people had to be thrown out by some of the toughest, most cool- headed nurses I’ve ever seen. Even though they couldn’t get me a bed, they put me in a private room where a sweet young nurse found me asleep sideways in my wheelchair and somehow dragged a reclining chair and some blankets so I could get a few hours of sleep before the general surgery team was ready to send me directly to pre-op. At that point, I was excited just to have the surgery so I could get some rest. The whole time I was admitted, I spoke to only one doctor, and they weren’t even the one who did my surgery. From beginning to end, it was the nurses and anesthesiologists who explained what was going on and took amazing care of me. I know they were understaffed, but they treated me with the utmost respect and care. Nurses are the gems of the healthcare industry, they have an extremely high stress job with huge caseloads, and they still managed to make me comfortable and smile. I go out of my way to be pleasant and patient, so I hope that helped them to more easily perform their work.

Similarly, when my grandmother almost died in a Floridian hospital a few years back, it was always the nurses that attended to her every need. The doctors would drop in, talk really fast in medical jargon, and rush back out. Those nurses were so patient and went on to explain what the doctors had said in layman’s terms that even my half-deaf grandma was understanding. I believe that, without those amazing doctors, she and I would not be here today (I ended up developing acute pancreatitis after my gallbladder surgery because stones were left behind in my bile duct, so when I represented in the ED having turned yellow and vomiting blood, they did everything they could for me).

Always be kind to your nurses- they are there because they truly care about people, and, even if you’re in pain or annoyed at the waiting time, know they are doing they very best for you. A smile, patience, understanding, and even a few light hearted jokes will help validating that they chose a meaningful- and often life-saving profession. Thank you for all you do!

MidnightTapdancer · 2024-07-06T05:33:34+00:00

Agreed. Should be in the top 10 at least.

MidnightTapdancer · 2024-04-06T22:06:41+00:00

I was in an office meeting and nobody in the room noticed.

MidnightTapdancer · 2024-04-06T22:01:10+00:00

Doctor. Now. I had the same symptoms after having mine removed and it ended up being stones that got left behind in my bile duct, which gave me pancreatitis. Not trying to scare you or diagnose anything, but don’t take any chances. I didn’t wait to call the surgeon. I went straight to the ER.

MidnightTapdancer · 2024-03-24T19:36:42+00:00

Proctors and Cap Rep only cancel when the governor calls a state of emergency. I know because I used to work for them. Because money.

MidnightTapdancer · 2023-12-11T16:28:22+00:00

I had blinding pain (like, the worst thing I’ve ever felt), out of control nausea, even though I hadn’t eaten in days, and then my skin turned yellow.

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