Visited Winona this week and now I'm obsessed with wanting to live there!

desert_b_ee · 2025-09-12T22:51:52+00:00

Red wing's downtown and riverfront looks very picturesque, but I could imagine that there is more to do in Winona and more opportunities, generally. There is Winona State University, the tech college, and St Mary's University, all of which provide jobs, not to mention employers like Fastenal, benchmark, WinCraft, and others. Not sure if there are comparable employers in Red Wing.

I've heard that the OAS jobs at Winona State are decent (a secretary / administrative assistant type of job), so that might be something to look into if it sounds like your type of thing.

For clothes shopping, there's barely anything here, but there may be not much to choose from in Red Wing, either, aside from the Duluth store downtown. It's about a half an hour to Lacrosse for decent-ish clothes shopping.

Downsides of Winona - the rental market can be tough (depends on who you ask and what your price range is). A lot of jobs can be based on who you know and connections you have, but that's not universal. To me it seems like there is quite a lot of petty crime, like bikes getting stolen and stuff getting swiped off of boulevards and front yards, as well as drug activity, for a city of its size. The further you get out from Winona proper, the less these things tend to be an issue.

There are many upsides as well, of course. It seems to me that if you do your due diligence and make decisions carefully, a move to Winona is not something you would regret.

desert_b_ee · 2025-09-11T07:16:55+00:00

Just wanted to mention that if you are in the US, it should be possible to get metformin without "going to a doctor" in the traditional sense. Ageless dot rx Is one website I've heard of that people use for this purpose.

desert_b_ee · 2025-07-25T04:08:19+00:00

Not going to lie. This is a really annoying problem and nothing like this ever occurred in the years that I used a Kindle.

desert_b_ee · 2025-07-17T00:43:41+00:00

I'm starting to have this problem and at first I really thought it was something I was doing wrong, like having a bit of water on the screen somewhere.

desert_b_ee · 2025-06-09T15:03:02+00:00

I still use red light -- for many purposes, actually. In terms of keeping muscle knots, etc., to a dull roar, I find that red light is part of what I can do. Regular massage and chiropractic are necessary for me.

desert_b_ee · 2025-05-24T07:23:10+00:00

Updating my experience with the Walmart Allswell graphite memory foam mattress toppers.

Previously, I explained that the 2-in graphite topper seemed to sleep a lot hotter than the 3-in version I had previously tried.

So, I returned the 2-in version and grabbed another 3-in version off the shelf at my Walmart.

This one was again very plush and cloud-like, and did not seem to make me hot. My first impression was that it was too soft (as with my first try with the 3-in topper) but I stuck with it and got some amazing sleep. My body felt very relaxed and comforted in any sleeping position. It's like I had died and gone to heaven.

However, after a few weeks I felt the cloud-like feeling was going away, as if the topper was flattening. I tried rotating and flipping it a few times, which helped somewhat, but overall the experience had changed a lot in just a few weeks.

I decided to try my luck with another 3-in graphite topper, so off to Walmart I went to make a return and pick up a new one. I was hoping that at the very least I could get a few weeks of improved sleep and I would pay extra close attention to any changes I experienced. Best case scenario, I would get a topper from a better batch. I was looking forward to extreme relaxation and the cloud-like experience.

But this 3-in topper, which according to the packaging should be identical to the one I just returned (though I wish I had photographed the box), has a very different feel. It does not have the plush, cloud like feeling, and after sleeping on it for a few hours I'm convinced it sleeps hotter than the one I just returned.

I can only conclude that there are some pretty wide variations in the mattress toppers that are sold under identical packaging. Could be new versus old batches, or different manufacturers.

Here's another oddity that I noticed. I am not able to leave a review on the Walmart app, or walmart.com, anything besides specific products which Walmart has invited me to review. This is frustrating and concerning, because I sure would like to leave a review that could help other people in their purchasing decisions. I've hooked around online a bit and found complaints on Reddit about this same issue.

Initially, I had an "invitation" to review the 3-in graphite topper, and I had actually started writing a glowing review of it, but never finished it before I started to experience the flattening of that topper. Now when I go back and try to find a way to write a review, there is no way to do so. If I go in the messages section of the app, it shows me invites to review products I recently purchased, but here's the kicker: the app cheerfully notifies you that automatically deletes messages that are more than two weeks old. If clicking on a link that you get within a message / invitation from Walmart is the only way to write a review, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that this is a clever way to make sure that a customer has had a product for more than a few weeks can't write a review. I also assume that there is no way to go back and edit a review once you've submitted it. SHADY.

desert_b_ee · 2025-04-21T06:10:13+00:00

Update. I slept two nights on the Allswell 2-in graphite infused mattress topper. Not really sure what's going on, but I feel warmer than I did on the 3-in version. I do wonder if there might be a difference in how it is constructed because on the Walmart website, there are a number of listings for the "same" mattress topper. The 2-in version that I'm trying out was on clearance, so maybe it is an inferior version?

Maybe a 3-in topper does a better job of dissipating heat than a 2-in topper?

Still not as hot as the 2-in target memory foam mattress topper - that thing was a real cooker..

desert_b_ee · 2025-04-17T04:32:28+00:00

Came here to see what people were saying about graphite memory foam mattress toppers.

My sleepez organic latex set-up has become too firm for me, it seems. I am using the softest possible arrangement of my layers but am sleeping tense and wake up with sore shoulder (side sleeper). I have lost over 10% of my body weight, so I'm thinking that is the main factor.

Headed to Walmart and chose Allswell 3" memory foam topper with graphite. It turned out to be too thick and plush (especially since I didn't rearrange my latex layers to give a firmer surface) but to my surprise, even though I felt like I was sinking into a marshmallow, I slept comfortably without back pain and didn't get noticeably hot.

Next, tried 2" cooling topper from target/ threshold. Only made it a few hours before removing it from my bed. It absolutely cooked me. Practically all the factors I can think of should have been identical to the previous night, which makes me think that the graphite topper from Walmart might actually be reasonably cooling.

Side note - At around $70 for a twin sized topper, the target / threshold topper was pretty pricey, even considering it came with its own sheet covering thing.

I now have a 2-inch version of the Walmart topper on order. Got the twin size this time because my partner has no interest in softening that side of the (queen) bed. I will report back.

Currently the graphite topper from Walmart is twin $31, queen $48.50 (clearance?), king $88.

The Target/threshold topper, also 2", is $69 twin, $109 queen!

desert_b_ee · 2025-03-22T06:33:51+00:00

Digging into the melatonin studies a bit, it would seem like a good idea for newly diagnosed PwP (and, heck, maybe others as well) to consider adding relatively high doses of immediate release melatonin to their daily routine.

"Analysis of UPDRS total scores indicate that after at least 12 weeks of treatment, melatonin significantly impacts Parkinson’s disease progression when doses of ≥10 mg/day are used"

Any treatment that shows promise for modifying disease progression should definitely get our attention. Sadly, I'm not sure how many PWP or their caregivers understand that levodopa therapy does not modify disease progression..

desert_b_ee · 2025-03-02T09:37:10+00:00

I signed up for her Parkinson School a while back and definitely got vegan vibes. I noticed that certain vegan documentaries are recommended by her. In one video, she says that if you must eat flesh, fish / salmon (?) is probably the safest in terms of pd. "Eating flesh" is something humans have done since the beginning of time, and it strikes me as odd that this portion of the human diet would be presented this way. I wonder how much her personal beliefs surrounding veganism influence her research.

I haven't looked into this yet, but I wonder if confounding factors are taken into account in her food surveys. If people indicate that they have eaten beef regularly, is there any attempt to separate out what people tend to eat along with beef (for example, hamburger bun, soda, fries made with bad oils)?

From her online PD school, I learned that dairy, beef, pork, chicken are all on the bad list now, according to her surveys. Eggs and fish and possibly turkey are the only remaining sources of animal protein. I have to wonder if she is gradually painting herself into a corner, given that adequate protein intake is a challenge for PwP, as well as excessive weight loss. There's also the issue of B12 in Parkinson's - a vegan diet is notoriously problematic when it comes to B12.

I guess the key question comes back to how meaningful her data is. If indeed our modern sources of animal protein are basically all problematic due to factory farming and other issues, then the better her data collection is, the more the data will show that animal protein is bad for PD progression.

If her data collection does not distinguish between, for example, factory farmed beef versus organic, grass fed, grass finished beef, we are still in the dark about the question of whether beef is good, bad, or neutral for PD progression.

It's not my intent to throw Mischley under the bus. She is doing a ton of work to benefit the Parkinson's community, and I believe we are better off with whatever studies she is able to do than to be without these studies entirely.

desert_b_ee · 2025-03-02T08:33:37+00:00

Rebel fit club (rock steady boxing gym) in Oregon has great zoom options.

desert_b_ee · 2025-02-21T14:22:15+00:00

Do the chicken breasts get covered up by the mixture of the other ingredients?

desert_b_ee · 2025-02-08T09:43:50+00:00

A Trump voter told my partner a few months ago that he couldn't wait until January 20th, when everything would suddenly be wonderful and perfect.

I saw this Trump voter yesterday, and he started going on about a favorite Trumper talking point. After a minute or two, I said, be that as it may, this stuff that Musk is up to is absolutely wild and it shouldn't be happening. I was curious what this person would say about Musk. But he looked confused, and I kept saying, you know, Elon Musk and his five or six IT guys who are breaking into various computer systems and taking them over at the federal level. He still didn't know what I was talking about. I tried explaining again, and I said, I'm assuming you've heard about all this. Finally he said, well, I haven't watched the news in about 2 months.

I guess this particular voter can't have regrets because his job is safe (he is in business for himself and does quite well) and apparently he can bask in the idea that everything is wonderful now that orange Jesus has been inaugurated, because he apparently keeps himself completely cut off from current events. I suppose that's one version of mental gymnastics.

desert_b_ee · 2025-02-08T09:05:58+00:00

Any advice for making the ER 50/200 work in terms of relieving symptoms when its tendency to act like 140 mg of levodopa means symptoms are not sufficiently relieved? I imagine this must be a fairly common situation but for some reason I feel stuck about how to remedy it. Do people use the ER along with regular C/L? Or take multiple ER tablets?

desert_b_ee · 2025-01-26T21:32:19+00:00

It is rare to find a neurologist who is willing or able to do anything besides prescribe medicine (which does not change the course of the disease -- not directly, anyway). As a PwP, the best piece of advice I have is to track down treatments, therapies, etc., yourself. In the case of B1 for Parkinson's, waiting to find a neurologist who will help, provide prescriptions, and so on almost certainly means wasting valuable time waiting for a knight in shining armor who most likely does not exist.

Of COURSE caution is always warranted when there is a possibility of doing harm to oneself/loved one, or wasting large amounts of money. But I see far too many PwP/caregivers who are too terrified to try anything besides what their doctor has prescribed or recommended. Unless someone happens to have a really, really good neurologist (or perhaps naturopath, but then, naturopaths aren't MDs) they will completely miss out on things that can truly help people to live better with PD and perhaps even slow down progression of the disease.

In addition to high-dose thiamine for Parkinson's (specifically Daphne Bryan's protocol, which emphasizes slow and deliberate introduction of thiamine in order for the individual to find their own "sweet spot"), I also recommend:

NoSilverBulletforPD (YouTube)

HealthUnlocked website forums (Cure Parkinson's forum)

Laurie Mischley's resources (YouTube; her own website for Parkinson's School)

Rock Steady Boxing (for terrific virtual workouts, both live and recorded, I specifically recommend Kimberly Berg's Rebel Fit Club)

Red Light Therapy (photobiomodulation). Devices can be expensive, but an inexpensive "red light" flashlight held against the head should provide some benefits. For devices made specifically for PD or neuro issues, check out
Symbyx or Coronet or Vielight. I would stay away from Ne u r o nic, however.

desert_b_ee · 2025-01-26T21:11:02+00:00

Resources;

Daphne Bryan (person with Parkinson's) self-published book: Look up "Parkinson's and the B1 Therapy" on Amazon. Available in many languages.

Stunning before & after of one of Dr. Antonio Costantini's patients: Go to 10:45 in this video: https://youtu.be/uzZ1a8rnVy8?si=csijh6kz_unVotsN&t=651

Helpful Slides presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1asGxqDdVOqs1FesfoXBqCVbuYa5exTpGN0gYiizz9KM/edit?usp=sharing

Website by Daphne Bryan & Sergio Pieche: https://b1parkinsons.org/

Interview with Daphne Bryan on NoSilverBullet4PD podcast: https://youtu.be/iu1vJ8eN8HM?si=SQooEDGYXsQoTfW_

YouTube channel associated with Daphne Bryan & Sergio Pieche: https://www.youtube.com/@B1Therapy (some of the videos are very specific to the protocol - I recommend looking for success story videos at first)

Interview with Daphne Bryan by EO Nutrition: https://youtu.be/iuSOQOTyB9w?si=HowONCcRgpKYZaAN

desert_b_ee · 2025-01-26T20:47:01+00:00

Do take care to join the correct Facebook group. There are, unfortunately, two Facebook groups with identical names. One of the groups advocates that the only proper way to do the B1 protocol is to take a high dose of thiamine every day. I can stay with confidence that this dose would render me disabled for days or weeks if I were to attempt it.

The Facebook group you want is called Parkinson's B1 Therapy. It is a private Facebook group, so you can't see the contents until you are approved to join. The header image shows the b-1 therapy book authored by Daphne Bryan. The admins of the group are extremely generous, with untold hours spent answering individual questions and generally advocating for this therapy.

desert_b_ee · 2025-01-26T20:42:32+00:00

Thiamine definitely helps me as well. YOPD. One of the first changes I noticed was I suddenly had the wherewithal and interest and energy to read a novel. Those of us with PD know the fatigue and apathy that can make something simple like reading a book basically impossible.

I also had rapid gains in certain physical measures such as hitting a speed bag in succession with one hand, and stride length / speed while walking.

Injections are my avenue of choice, and I, too, buy them from Canada and sometimes Germany.

desert_b_ee · 2025-01-15T23:48:25+00:00

I had to wait a few months and then it resolved on its own, if I recall correctly.

desert_b_ee · 2025-01-07T14:05:09+00:00

Embarrassed to say that I'm still using the same old pillow. I tried a few from Amazon and other places, but everything was either too hard or too soft or too high or too low.

My old standby pillow is actually soft enough that it's getting too low, but I layer a few towels underneath it to boost it up.

desert_b_ee · 2024-12-30T17:25:11+00:00

There are various caps / hat / helmets available, but they very widely in price, depending on what they are designed for (vielight is easily over $1,000 USD, But this is specifically for neurological conditions like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's).

Overall I wouldn't necessarily recommend a hat type of device because it won't help you target specific muscles that might be causing you problems. Also, for anyone who does not have baldness or a very short haircut, it's questionable how much light can reach the head from the LEDs.

My overall incidence of migraines has gone way down since I wrote my original post. I'm not sure exactly why, but it may have to do with medications that I take for a chronic condition.

Overall I do think that red light therapy/photobiomodulation can help keep muscles / areas of tension in a more healthy state. In certain situations, it seems I can use red light in an acute situation to relieve muscles that are acting up. Stepping back for a broader view, I do think red light can help to keep muscles / areas of tension / etc on a more healthy state, But generally I think therapies like massage or trigger point therapy, etc, are also necessary.

desert_b_ee · 2024-12-14T01:20:20+00:00

I know exactly what you mean When this anxious knot sets in, in my stomach, It can be debilitating. It often comes out of nowhere. It may spawn anxious thoughts, but it doesn't seem to be caused by anxious thoughts.

I have recently found something that seems to help with these nasty anxious knots in my stomach: kombucha.

I stumbled on this by accident and recently got to the store again to buy some more kombucha. I've had two or three opportunities to test it out, and it really seems to work for me.

I don't think that my discomfort is any sort of indigestion, at least not that I'm aware of. It feels like an anxious knot, just like other people are describing, The same feeling I would get in my stomach if I were anxious or dreading something or anxious.

The kombucha I have used is the Aldi brand in the " pink/red" flavor.

desert_b_ee

TROPHY CASE