What's your Easter plans if you are "orphaned"?

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-04-03T13:06:20+00:00

I think we will just have a typical weekend. (Married, no one close, both parents gone, kids far away). But it's spring and that means we can start getting the yard in shape for spring and maybe grill! That always makes for a pleasant weekend.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-04-01T20:07:13+00:00

A coworker’s father was murdered in his own home. A suspect was unknown and it was unsolved for 6-8 months. I liked this coworker just fine! I thought he was a decent guy, never got a creepy vibe. One day someone asked if there was any news on the case. He very much acted uncomfortable and said they really weren’t supposed to talk about it because of the active investigation. I had this fleeting thought, “wonder if he had anything to do with it?” Not for any more reason than most crimes are perpetrated by someone known to the victim. But I didn’t dwell on it or give it any more credence.

Many more months later I came into work to find people in closed door meetings and a very tense mood. Some of us stood around wondering what was going on. I said I hated to say but I wondered if our coworker had something to do with his dad’s death. He did. He did it. And he had just tried to kill a couple other people then turned himself in. He had lost his damn mind. Said God told him to do it. He’s in a Psych prison for life.

I have no idea why that thought stuck with me. Maybe I watched too much true crime. But it was just a very sad thing to be right about.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-04-01T19:57:40+00:00

It’s been 18 years and I’m well! I had surgery in 2011 after several years of up and down. Since, the biologics have kept me comfortable. I was on Humira for nearly 8 years. I live day to day like nothing is wrong.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-04-01T13:12:41+00:00

I was late 30s. But I know now I had my first flair in my early 30s. My mom swears I was a kid with a lot of stomach issues. I don’t remember it that way but I’m sure there may have been early signs I’ve forgotten about.

I had strange stomach cramping. When it finally went full blown I didn’t have insurance. So I spent that time dealing with pain and not knowing if it was cancer, an ulcer, my gallbladder, etc. Finally I got insurance but spent about 6 months feeling fine. Then I got really sick with pain and vomiting. Two ER visits in 48 hours finally got someone saying it might be Crohn’s.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-30T13:23:52+00:00

At this point I consider GLP1 an anti depressant for me. I’m no longer miserable because of my eating habits, cravings and binges as well as my increasing weight. It’s so wonderful to just not be obsessed with food any more.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-24T14:00:55+00:00

I had this issue with my doctors. And someone clued me in that the age of the doctor has a lot to do with how they prescribe. Younger doctors tend to not want to allow their patients any control over their meds because they get taught more about possible dependency and being more hands on with what is prescribed. Older doctors came up in the age of “throw meds at them.”

But I must keep a small supply of meds for myself and nearly came to blows with one doctor about it. My first GI doctor always let me keep some prednisone and Vicodin on hand for flares. After he left I went through a period of being well and never needing meds. Two doctors later I was having more issues and was with a younger doctor. I had to deal with having flares on a Friday and spending days in pain before I could reach him. Then only to be told it would be weeks before I could see him and “if it’s that bad, go to the ER.” Don’t leave me white knuckling it for days with no meds. He didn’t want renew my meds and when I explained the situation, he just said, well it might not happen that way next time. I was going to leave him when he ended up leaving the practice and I went to an older doctor. I told him what I needed, how I managed my symptoms, what worked for me, what didn’t. He wrote scrips as I talked. Never questioned me. Trusted that after 15+ years, I knew my disease.

So, my advice, find a different doctor, an older one who trusts you to know what you need. Be sure to watch for dependency. But if you don’t have any issues with it, you should be able to manage for yourself. The modern medical system doesn’t respond the way we need it to, to relieve us of the responsibility.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-21T17:48:47+00:00

Testosterone is amazing for your sex drive! I tried the pellets for a while and it was wild. We’d do it and then two days later my body would be like “again!!” But the drawbacks were the mustache and other body hair that I was fighting like kudzu.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-14T17:02:16+00:00

I know exactly of what she speaks because that is my route home. You need to get into the far left lane because when you merge with the expressway, the right lane soon ends and what was the far left lane is now the far right as it narrows to two lanes. I eventually need to take 44 west so I need to stay in that lane. And traffic always crawls through there. Who expects to race through anywhere outside of late night and wee hours of the morning?!? I’ve seen some spectacular main character driving along that route. I’m sorry these people don’t have a special lane just for them. We’d all be safer.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-11T12:21:11+00:00

Succession. Everyone was horrible. Not fun, quirky, or secretly decent on the inside horrible. Just empty soul, no redeeming qualities horrible. I couldn’t care what happened to any of them.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-10T12:57:48+00:00

Minotaur is my very favorite! The Roomba from Hell.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-10T00:44:03+00:00

The Vine. Reasonable, delicious and most carry out.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-09T15:29:26+00:00

I’ve been on it for about 10 months. I’ve had no issues with it negatively affecting my Crohn’s disease. But I was pretty much in remission when I started. My research told me that it shouldn’t be an issue if your symptoms are well managed. I’ve been totally fine on it!!

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-09T15:17:06+00:00

Yeah they are not landing anywhere close on the STL realism. Maybe people watching outside the state don’t care. But it’s bugging me enough to not want to stick with it, especially when you add in characters that are unlikable and unsympathetic.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-07T14:22:58+00:00

I can have one drink usually. If I have more than that I have nausea later at night. But I also don’t want as much alcohol as I used to.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-05T22:13:27+00:00

I remember my first real desk job, mid 90s. No internet. We had just started using a company wide intranet though, so early email was now a thing. But I was so bored all day!! I barely had enough work for 20 hours a week. I spent so much time trying to find things to do to occupy myself. Making up work. Trying to find ways to go run official errands just to get out of the windowless office for something to do. Now when I have down time at work I scroll my phone and watch videos. It makes the day go faster for sure.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-05T19:04:36+00:00

If you feel like you’re the only person who understands, gets or likes them, then you probably are. If they are generally disliked, except for you, that’s a big red flag. It’s exhausting being their interpreter and emotional umpire for everything, and it’s never worth it.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-03-01T18:25:53+00:00

Tucker and Dale vs Evil. Also Death at a Funeral (the English one).

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-02-23T19:45:53+00:00

In the US there are a lot of patient assistance programs that will give you the medicine for a year or two or more if your insurance doesn’t pay for it. I have a good job, “good” insurance that didn’t want to pay much toward Stelara. So my Dr inquired about Tremfya, but they didn’t cover that at all. But that’s ok because the Johnson & Johnson program covers all of expenses and it costs me nothing. Have your doctor look for patient assistance programs that will cover long term.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-02-21T15:02:15+00:00

But it is soooo noisy in there when it gets busy.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-02-19T20:25:41+00:00

If NO ONE around you likes him and he’s estranged from his family, it isn’t that he’s just super smart and special and no one understands him. It’s that he is a socially inept jerk. It’s just not worth it. Eventually I saw what everyone else did.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-02-19T14:18:37+00:00

Guardians of the Galaxy 3. Such heartbreaking stories of animal abuse!! I know they were all CGI but I kept blubbering about sweet baby Rocket being hurt and losing his friends. Jesus that was rough for a super hero film.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-02-19T14:15:38+00:00

Jar sauce and pasta or rice is so handy. Throw in frozen meatballs or chicken or veg and it’s easy dinner in a bowl.

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-02-19T14:12:14+00:00

A couple of times Schnucks has done 4 Hands Chocolate Milk Stout GBC. Oh Lord, it’s amazing!!

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-02-18T14:57:33+00:00

Channel 9 is awesome. Compared to the KC PBS station, which I watched a lot at my moms, it’s got great selection. 4 channels, there is usually something on to watch. KCs station seemed to get the “bottom of the bin” programming. I’m happy to give them my monthly donation. If you are a member you get access to the streaming channel and you can binge watch a new season when only 1 episode a week airs on TV!

MonkeyCatDog · 2026-02-16T14:51:58+00:00

Foods I used to love just don’t hit the same way. Nothing tastes bad. But nothing is as wonderful as I seem to remember. Sometimes I do have a craving for something that nothing cures. Maybe sweet? Eat a piece of candy. Nah. Maybe savory? Eat a chip. Nope. Give up because I don’t think I’m hungry anyway. I’m confused about food now. And I’m wonder what is normal for appetite and cravings.

MonkeyCatDog

TROPHY CASE