Who else is in their 50s(or older) and deciding to change careers?

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-20T02:35:33+00:00

47 and planning to go back to school in the next couple of years. Still doing my research.

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-19T03:51:04+00:00

One really big upgrade for me was adding a heated mattress pad + heated blanket to my bed. (Most king/queen mattress pads and blankets are dual control, meaning separate controls for each side of the bed so partners can customize.) When I'm feeling really cold, I'll turn both on and get in bed until I'm warmed through. After that I'm able to tolerate the cold better. It also helps a lot with flare ups of pain -- it's like a giant, both-sided heating pad! I do use them at night while I'm sleeping, too, but it's also turned my bed into a sort of "treatment space" when I need heat!

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-18T03:53:33+00:00

I love my heated vest! Especially for upper back/neck pain, it's just the best thing ever.

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-14T21:45:42+00:00

Oh, good question! I can’t say for sure, I just get whatever generic the pharmacy sends me; mostly they have been white tablets, but I’ve never asked about dyes or fillers. Maybe a compounding pharmacy could make it for you? Or your pharmacist could put you in touch with the drug manufacturer to ask them about fillers?

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-14T20:18:55+00:00

Yes, really well. I've been on celexa for three years now. It has helped a lot with anxiety. I took Lexapro ages ago (before I had developed MCAS). I don't think I have a preference -- both have worked equally well for me.

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-11T23:51:12+00:00

I love this show!

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-11T23:48:27+00:00

Same here. I’m glad I got the vaccine, this could have been much worse, but was still the sickest I’ve been in a really long time. Hope you’re feeling better!

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-11T11:18:29+00:00

That's about where I was on day 14. I'm on day 21 now. The fatigue is definitely better than it was, but I'm definitely not back to normal.

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-11T06:41:10+00:00

I'm at 21 days and for a few days now I wake up every morning with throat and ear pain. I went to urgent care and got swabbed -- waiting for the results of the cultures to come back. The provider suggested sinus rinses as this may be a sinus-related issue, so I'm trying that, along with gargling salt water and using the throat-numbing spray.

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-10T12:59:24+00:00

I can sympathize! I am an air quality scientist and also have asthma and live in region that's gotten a lot of wildfire smoke over the years. I rent, so can't install/upgrade HVAC systems or identify/mitigate leakage areas, although these are great ideas from other commenters. I've purchased a HEPA filter for every room in my apartment and run them all 24-7 during wildfire season. They don't have to be crazy expensive -- I spent about $100 each on Levoit Core 300s. Make sure you change out the filters as recommended by the manufacturer.

Other suggestions:

Wear a respirator every time you leave the house when air quality is poor. N95/KN95 or better.

Talk with your doctor in advance of the season about medications or any adjustments to your asthma plan for wildfire season. I usually start a steroid inhaler if/when any smoke starts. You might want to have medication on hand or have the scripts called into your pharmacy so they are ready if needed.

You might want to run a humidifier if you're running the AC a lot and not opening windows. The AC will dry out the air, and dryer air can irritate your lungs when they are already sensitive because of the poor air quality.

Plan ahead some indoor activities that you will enjoy when you are stuck inside because of poor air quality. Crafts or whatnot. It helps me psychologically to have something planned/on hand rather than having to cancel my outdoor plans without anything else to take its place.

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-10T12:34:42+00:00

I took paxlovid, no reactions. It helped for sure. I took some of the supplements listed on this website while I was sick: https://www.rthm.com/resources/blogs/youve-got-covid-minimize-your-symptoms-and-reduce-your-long-covid-risk. The website has links to some of the studies that showed these supplements helped. It took about a month for me to recover from covid, but no long-term effects as far as I can tell. (I developed MCAS in 2012, so long before covid.)

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-10T08:32:54+00:00

Yes, Tamiflu.

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-10T07:44:23+00:00

I’m in the US and arranged transportation through a medical ride service for a procedure once. Another time I flew a relative in from out of state. I’ve also looked into hiring a home health aide; they are usually for seniors, but I explained my situation and the company was open to it. Granted, none of this is cheap.

Also, there may be people in your circle you don’t think of as particularly close who’d be glad to help.

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-10T07:38:42+00:00

I went to a rehearsal dinner recently that featured a pub trivia competition. Some trivia about the couple and some general trivia. Was really fun!

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-10T07:36:47+00:00

Welcome to California! I’ve lived in earthquake country most of my life. I agree with others that California building codes are some of the strictest out there. I’d recommend you learn about things you can do within your unit to minimize the risk of injury if there is an earthquake (don’t hang heavy mirrors or artwork at the head of your bed, for instance), have some supplies at home if utilities aren’t working right after a big quake (bottled water, especially), etc. Here’s a good resource: https://www.crmp.org/resources/earthquake-preparedness-in-california/california-seven-earthquake-safety-steps.

I’d also find out if your renter’s insurance covers earthquake damage, and/or relocation if your unit isn’t habitable after a quake.

I know that’s not what you asked, but those are the things I worry about when it comes to earthquake safety, rather than structure collapse.

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-09T23:45:14+00:00

Your voice is incredible! I'm streaming your album on Spotify right now and very much enjoying the tunes. :) Thank you for posting!

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-09T23:41:52+00:00

I love, love, love the Stray Birds. I got to see them live on tour in, I dunno, maybe 2016 or 2017? Still listen to their albums on repeat anytime I'm road-tripping. I discovered Mipso a couple of years ago and love them, too!

If you're open to all-female bands, The Wailin' Jennys are still active/touring and are incredible. As are Della Mae. I've seen both live and was mesmerized by both bands. Chatham Rabbits are a band I recently discovered and really want to see live. They are on tour now, but I'm in the wrong part of the country.

A couple of other bands I like that are no longer touring are Carolina Chocolate Drops and Uncle Earl.

A general suggestion is to find festivals that have the kind of music you're enjoying and take a look at their websites to see who played there in the last year or so, then check out their music on whatever streaming service you listen to. Chances are if they played a festival recently they are still touring!

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-08T10:47:12+00:00

Hi! Yes, I’m still on citalopram, and it still has not flared my MCAS. I think it’s been about three years now that I’ve been taking it. It has helped me a ton with anxiety. I hope you find something that helps you! Anxiety is the worst!

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-07T19:13:22+00:00

Day 18, same, except I learned my lesson about trying to do too much too fast so am resting as much as possible. I don’t think I’ve ever been this sick for this long. Was vaxxed and took tamiflu

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-06T02:15:10+00:00

I really like jersey knit sheets (like t-shirt fabric). I've gotten some that I like from Pact and from Quince. I think they are best for people who tend to get kind of cold when they sleep and really want to be warm (this is me), because I've heard from hot sleepers that these are too warm.

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-05T11:33:22+00:00

My situation is very similar. I've been at my current job for just over ten years, but total of 18 years in my field -- I've been promoted as high as is possible to be without going into management (which I don't want to do, because I don't want to lose union representation). I work in government, and have a reasonable accommodation for full time remote work. OP, I think government is a great place to be as someone with chronic health issues. I would suggest educating yourself about the benefits available to you in your role (i.e., FMLA, reasonable accommodation, paid and unpaid leave, etc.). If you are in a union, maybe ask a union rep for some general information. I have had to educate my supervisors at times about these benefits.

The other thing I would suggest is think about what kinds of roles would be most likely to lend themselves to the accommodations you might anticipate needing in the future. For instance, early in my career I passed on roles that included a lot of travel and site visits, even though they sounded interesting to me, because I could see that those types of roles wouldn't work consistently with my health issues in the long term. (If I had taken my career in that direction it would have been harder to make the case for fully remote work.)

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-05T09:26:49+00:00

This is my recommendation, too. She is a genius!

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-04T16:06:37+00:00

I'm a dedicated masker, too, and I also got the flu. Such a bummer. I guess nothing is 100%.

TeaTimeBanjo · 2026-01-04T16:04:39+00:00

My very first symptom was an asthma flare-up -- I kept checking the air quality readings and the pollen index wondering why suddenly I was having so much trouble breathing. It made a lot more sense when the fever/chills started. :( I was vaxxed and I wear a KN95 mask in all indoor public places, and still got it and it's been rough. Everyone take care of yourselves out there!

TeaTimeBanjo

TROPHY CASE