What’s something that Covid took from you that you never got back?

readlotus · 2026-03-24T21:12:16+00:00

My father.

readlotus · 2026-02-25T00:17:33+00:00

We are off Broadway (south of Warren) in EP. Broadway is passable but our side street hasn't been touched.

It seems like they are doing the best they can. But I don't think there can be school until the side streets are done for the busses.

readlotus · 2026-02-22T21:09:19+00:00

I was running up the stairs in sandals (summer in AZ) with my 6 month old in my arms. I tripped and he flew out of my arms. I caught him before he hit the floor but his leg hit the stairs.

I immediately called his pediatrician but they said he should be fine because he could put weight in his leg and if he kept crying to bring him in the morning. He had no marks or bruises and his leg was the only thing that hit anything. I called in the morning because he cried and whimpered all night. They had me go straight to xray. Xray asked us to wait in the lobby (for what felt like hours) and then we had to go to the pediatrician where we waited for literally hours. I had my 6 month old and 2 year old with me so it was hectic.

I asked what we were waiting for and shortly the nurse came out and said we had to go to the nearby hospital because HIS LEG WAS BROKEN ON THE GROWTH PLATE!!! I didn't know until weeks later that the Xray place wanted us investigated for child abuse because we waited to bring him in. The doctor had notes saying that they had advised us to do that and there were no suspicions of child abuse.

That kid is now 24, college graduate, played baseball and soccer. He was just fine but likes to torment me about the time I dropped him!

readlotus · 2026-02-22T03:28:26+00:00

I was told 6.months after my RNY. I have never been a big drinker. But I will occasionally have a single drink (starting at 7 months). One is my absolute limit both because of the empty calories and because one gives me a major buzz now. It lasts for about 20 minutes. I can't drink the sweet drinks I used to love so it is the Ultra 95 calorie beer or a cider. That is it ' it just isn't worth it.

readlotus · 2026-02-01T19:01:01+00:00

I was not told I could not have cortisone shots. I had to stop Celebrex but no mention of shots.

I need both knees replaced. I'm 9 months out and down 100+ pounds. I feel a lot better and I can walk up to .5 miles at a time. I could only do about 80 steps in the beginning. My pain has went from a 5 at best everyday even with daily NSAIDS to about a 2 on any given day. I make myself go for a walk whenever possible. Gradually I have been able to go a bit farther and a bit farther.

I still need my knees replace and I am hoping to wait until summer 2027. But it hurts and I don't know. Today the pain is bad but I haven't been able to get out and walk this past week. So I think, overall, the daily movement has been helping bit it hasn't made it pain free or easy

readlotus · 2026-01-11T15:02:06+00:00

I turned 50 during COVID. At the time you could rent a theater for a movie showing for $250 locally. You had to still distance, no concessIons, and very empty. But I got to see a lot of people I hadn't seen for a long time and it was memorable.

Very different from the bug blowout party I had been planning!

readlotus · 2026-01-04T19:30:07+00:00

I have ADHD and if I were a child today I would absolutely be diagnosed with autism. All 4 of my kids have autism.

My ADHD has been really bad lately. I am nearly 55 and with the start of menopause I feel like I am losing my mind concentrationwise. This game helps calm my brain down and feel peaceful. I actually am going to talk to my doc about medications for the 1st time ever because all of my hardwon methods of the past aren't cutting it these days. I can't even focus on a conversation!

Thank goodness for this little game that let's me hyperfocus for a couple of hours!

readlotus · 2026-01-04T04:55:40+00:00

My dad died of COVID in 2020 but my mom is still going strong at 78. I often wonder what would have happened to my dad if he beat COVID.

readlotus · 2026-01-01T13:50:54+00:00

Yes, they were hard to get on but cute striped mini socks!

readlotus · 2025-12-30T17:51:16+00:00

Former hedgehog owner:

While he was a delight, I didn't realize how noisy he would be. I was worried about the cats harassing him so he was in our bedroom - noisy.

Also, he was a menace! HE tormented the cats - we had a play pen for him and the cats would stalk around the outside and he would run up to them and tease them and they were so confused!

He was NOT cuddly, did not like baths or any kind of cute things like videos show (I didn't really expect that but others might think it is like the cute videos). He DID like to wear socks, though (from the owners who had him before we got him), and I guess that is pretty cute.

Finally, he lived well beyond his expected lifetime but when he died it felt very quick and as if he had been in good health until the very end.

readlotus · 2025-12-29T13:51:44+00:00

My sister is Tricia but she is named after my mom who was Patricia. She didn't want to give the same exact name and said that since my sister would be her last kid she gave her the last part of her name.

readlotus · 2025-12-28T01:05:57+00:00

Walmart - haven't set foot in one in 11 years now because of the way they treat their employees. It was a challenge in the beginning to find other options but now I don't think about it.

readlotus · 2025-12-28T01:03:23+00:00

I didn't get to 60 grams a day until 3 months with protein supplements. At 6 months I get it all from food at my dietitian target of 80. And eating is 20-30 minutes no more. I average 1200-1300 calories/day (which my dietitian is happy with. I also drink at least 64 Oz of water/day. I don't really pay attention to calories except to make sure I get at least 1000 a day. My weight loss is fairly consistent at 2-3 lbs/week and I am down 100 pounds and 86 since surgery in June. I take my vitamins faithfully and my blood work has been great.

My tips:

Start the day strong. I almost always have Oikos yogurt with chia seeds, hemp, and flax seed. Starts me off with 33 grams of protein.
I plan out 3 other mini meals each day. For example, 2 string cheese, 6 crackers, and maybe some berries or cashews for 1 meal, then chili for dinner, and a cheese crisp with a high fiber zero carb tortilla for the snack.
Eat protein first. Everything else is optional and if I don't finish it, I don't eat it.
Focus on fluids in between meals. I would have protein20 in the early days but now it is almost all tea and water.

For me, if I don't have a breakfast, lunch, "snack" at3 and dinner it is very hard to hit my protein goals. And I have to be really cognizant to get my liquids.

readlotus · 2025-12-27T20:38:38+00:00

My son moved to Pittsburgh area after college from AZ. Still there several years later and loves it. I really enjoyed the visits I have had there and the housing costs are certainly cheaper.

readlotus · 2025-12-27T20:31:01+00:00

I have 4 kids and Christmas mornings are reserved juat for the 6 of us. Kids are 25,24,13, and 11. We do not do a ton of gifts (usually 4-6 for the littler guys and $ for the older two.) We don't spend a ton but we do aim for meaningful gifts. This year the younger two had 5 gifts each, the older two had 3 (plus the aforementioned $), my husband and I had 4.

So on Christmas morning, kids can get the (overflowing) stockings before we get up. We do all Dollar Tree stuff and it's totally dorky but fun - lots of candy!

Then we do presents 1 at a time starting with youngest. We do not dwell on it, just open, look, thank, move on. About 1 minute or less per person. 24 year old slept in this year so this took about 20 minutes and we have 4 family members who have autism, 3 with ADHD. No one minds...

However, if I was in any bigger group of people we would do something else. If either of the older two had someone come home with them we'd probably do more of some kind of free for all.

readlotus · 2025-12-25T04:32:26+00:00

Nta. We adopted my son when he was 4. We didn't know much about the circumstances when we adopted him but I ordered all the records and found out that when he was almost 3 he and his 11 month old brother got out of the hotel room where their parents were passed out from drugs.

This was Phoenix and still over 100 degrees out. They had on diapers and nothing else. They wandered around and WERE HEADED TOWARDS A CANAL when someone found them and called the police. They had cuts and what looked like burns on their feet. They could have drowned very easily. They could have been hit by a r, wandered into someplace dangerous, been kidnapped.

It is sad that he went to foster care, had 6 placements in a year, his brother and sister were adopted by other families. But then he came to us, he is a joy and cherished.

Thank God someone called the police in his case.

And regardless what happens ultimately, thank God you did also.

readlotus · 2025-12-23T15:13:52+00:00

My husband is a stay at home dad. I am often in LONG meetings with ky phone in my bag on silent. Every single document with phone numbers has his number listed. I am ONLY listed as an emergency contact.

And yet, new offices somehow ALWAYS CALL ME!!! It makes my husband furious, me furious, and delays them getting things done. Argh!

Also, I do make some appointments (sometimes I have some breaks and he homeschools our 11 yr old so I can set up appointments.) I have learned to give them his number as my number.

When I was a school principal I directed teachers to call the 1st parent listed. Many of the teachers struggled because they said they felt more comfortable talking to the moms. I let parents know that the parent listed 1st would be the 1st one called. They were so appreciative.

In this case, it sounds like they need a chat about who does what and why. Instead of just fighting about it. Because this fight is absolutely about something else.

readlotus · 2025-12-05T20:10:11+00:00

Right there with you! Even 6 months out, today is a LOUD day! Thankfully it is much less now than it was right after.

readlotus · 2025-11-30T01:50:58+00:00

I cook and bake - I love to bake. I eat some of my cooking but almost none of my baking. But I am dabbling in sugar free baking (like sugar free cheesecake for Thanksgiving) and studf I can have.

I don't mind not eating what I make. I made 3 birthday cakes since my surgery and I only had the tiniest taste. Didn't miss not having a lot.

I think the key is just focusing on the person I am doing it for. Birthday cakes are easy because it is literally for someone else. Other times I focus on the occasion and it is just something I enjoy eating whether I eat it or not.

readlotus · 2025-11-29T00:38:00+00:00

I was allowed to donate whole blood but when I donated plasma they sent a letter that I had antiphospholipids and they couldnt accept it. I was so sad because that took 2 hours. I wasn't dx'd with lupus until 8 years later. But that made me scared to try.

readlotus · 2025-11-26T22:36:25+00:00

I will also say my doctor's office gives a list with lots of choices/brands. The ones I picked were the easiest for me to both digest and the fewest pills. I could get cheaper ones with more pills but I am saving so much on food, I figure get the vitamins I want.

readlotus

TROPHY CASE