Posts by neonpanther15

Well, I believe I have finally pinpointed the root of my issue... everything I’ve been experiencing seems to stem from two common denominators—anemia and low blood pressure. That must be it...👍

My stitching feels fine, at least it did about six months ago.

I had my period just a few days ago, so that isn't the issue.

Lately, I've been sleeping under two blankets and a comforter, even though back in the summer I could get by with just a single light blanket and a quilt. And of course, I can never seem to get my socks to stay on my feet...

So, when it hits 59 degrees Fahrenheit, I am basically drowning in the cold. I was dressed in a full tracksuit, wearing long-sleeved shirts underneath, socks, sneakers—I didn't have any skin exposed at all, no bare midriff or anything, just completely bundled up. And yet, I managed to last "only" three minutes before my husband told me to get inside because my face was already turning blue. My lips and fingernails turn blue and I start shaking uncontrollably... even my teeth start chattering. And we are talking about 59 degrees here...

Why is this happening? What am I supposed to do?

I have never been a warm person my entire life, and I honestly don't understand people who claim they can't sleep because it's 104 degrees outside, but I'm starting to think this cyanosis might not be quite normal... 😕

Taylor Swift!

That is perfectly fine by me...

Thanks again...

FBI:

The baseline cerebral activity consists of alpha waves at 8-10 Hz with moderate voltage. Interpolar beta activity is observed between 12-18 Hz at lower voltages, along with occasional, higher-voltage slow alpha waves and infrequent, higher-voltage theta activity, which shows a slight rightward predominance.
Blocking is well-maintained.
No paroxysmal activity is recorded.
Analogous changes occur during photostimulation.
The findings indicate a mild irritative pattern, primarily localized to the right hemisphere.

I went to see a psychiatrist. Since you only get about fifteen minutes with one when you're using insurance, I decided to pay out of pocket for a private specialist instead. She told me that she can't provide a definitive diagnosis after just one session, as it seems there is something much more profound going on beneath the surface. I trust her judgment, though; I’ve known her personally for quite some time outside of her clinical practice, so I am certain she didn't
just schedule me for follow-ups merely to drain my bank account.

My CIA scan came back normal, but apparently, the results from the FBI scan "aren't exactly stellar"—at least, that's how they put it to me—but I honestly cannot make heads or tails of those findings...

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this...

It was a brief period of muscle paralysis, though I remained fully conscious throughout the entire episode.

To describe how it unfolded for me last night: I was sleeping, then I woke up and glanced at the alarm clock. It read 2:16 AM. Suddenly, I realized I couldn't move a single muscle in my body—not even my jaw to wake up my husband. Since I had been lying on my back, completely relaxed, my jaw was hanging slightly open. I managed to force out a few loud, garbled sounds just to get his attention. He tried shaking me, tapping my face, and kissing me, but I could only lie there, motionless, with my eyes wide open.
I felt somewhat lightheaded, yet my mind remained perfectly lucid. My thoughts were focused entirely on how to signal to my husband that I was actually awake... I considered asking him to pose yes-or-no questions so I could respond using specific vocalizations—perhaps one sound for "yes" and two for "no." I was also preoccupied with the fact that I am on my period and worrying about whether he would need to call 911, as I wasn't sure if I was having some kind of mental breakdown. I even caught myself calculating that our bedroom clock was ten minutes fast, meaning it wasn't actually 2:16, but 2:06.

The whole ordeal lasted perhaps a minute.

An hour later, it happened again, exactly the same way.

That night, I suffered four such episodes. The final one occurred around 6:00 AM and lasted a very, very long time... maybe five minutes. I managed to wake my husband by yelling, but this time, I couldn't even force my eyelids open.

The attacks seemed to occur in pairs: the first, followed by a second a few minutes later; then in the morning, a third, followed shortly after by a fourth.

After the fourth episode, I climbed out of bed, showered, and went to see my primary care physician. He referred me for a CT scan and an EEG, and also sent me to a neurologist, who informed me that he cannot make any determinations until he reviews those results.

I am going to a private clinic this Thursday for the CT and EEG so I don't have to wait for the public appointments, as they wouldn't be able to see
me for another month.

Now, I am afraid to fall asleep. Does anyone have ANY insight or similar experiences to share?

Thank you in advance.

I finally placed my entire order today and got everything locked in (with Charlotte, naturally). 🙂 Uh...
...one less thing to worry about...
Here is what I went with: a raspberry mousse base topped with orange chocolate (all beautifully wrapped in marzipan) plus 5 lbs of those rich, creamy pastries (think decadent fudge brownies, white chocolate blondies, and "triple delight" bars). I decided to skip the tea cookies for the reasons I mentioned before 🙂

Morgan Stewart50 said:😂 Oh, you are just too sweet! Honestly, it never even crossed my mind that a professional pastry chef would ever present a cake on a scrap of cardboard... hehe... First of all, when someone crafts and sells a masterpiece worth anywhere from $1,200 up to $2333, surely they can afford to gift, lend, or even rent out a proper cake stand to display it properly... and secondly, I actually ended up making a custom stand myself and brought it straight to the bakery. The baker loved it so much she actually bought it from me! She mentioned she already had a new client requesting a similar style for an upcoming order.
So, neonpanther15, if you're feeling anxious about it, just come visit me in Chicago; I'll take you straight to my glass specialist, and he can whip up a custom stand just for you (it could even be made of mirror!).
And here is a quick look at my little cake (which had melted just a tiny bit 🤷....)

Oh, that’s nothing compared to the dark thoughts that constantly race through my mind 😠
As for the whole cardboard thing—it's an old phobia of mine... back when I was celebrating my 5th birthday, my neighbor made the cake. Since this was over 20 years ago, she just brought it over sitting on a piece of cardboard. In that exact moment, my "brilliant" grandmother remembered she wanted to move it onto a crystal stand (you know, those round ones on a pedestal, like a fancy wine glass). My neighbor was being so lovely, telling her she should just trim away the excess cardboard from under the cake so they could all place it together on the stand. But no... Grandmother had to do things her way, and the whole thing ended up crashing onto the floor 😠😠😠 , leaving my 5th birthday without any cake, but filled with plenty of tears...
So, now you see why 😁

Anyway, I was in Charlotte today. We finalized the cookies, but I am still feeling quite indecisive regarding the cake. We picked out four slices to taste-test right there. Everything is delicious, but the selection at that bakery is just so limited (though everything they have is truly top-tier). Today, specifically, they maybe had about ten different kinds, and they were all chocolate or two types of cheesecake. Not a single fruit option (I don't count Black Forest as a fruit cake), and that is exactly what I need—a light, fruity cake (but not a cheesecake).
Has anyone here tried one of their fruit cakes? I am willing to take a gamble even though I’ve never had one before. I really don't think I can go wrong; everything they make is tasty.

The desserts on the table will be creamy—chocolate varieties, plus some Raffaello and white chocolate pie. That is precisely why I want a fruit cake.
As for tea cookies (like those crescent rolls or the little jam-filled stars), I don't even want to look at them, let alone order them and pay for them. It's a small wedding and most of the guests are younger (there's only one older lady), and from everyone I know who is attending, nobody eats those "tea" cookies, so there is really no point in getting them.
Today, a rather "clueless" neighbor suggested I get those tea cookies too, just so "there would be a rich variety on the plates," and I was absolutely livid!!! Hello—I am ordering ten types of creamy desserts so people actually enjoy eating, not so we can fight over a single Canadian cookie hidden among jam stars... ugh, she really irritated me 😠 (of course, that neighbor expects us to "bring her a little something" after the wedding, even though she isn't even coming. Well, what do you think—should I buy her half a pound of jam stars and just drop them off? Brilliant idea, right? 😉 )

Jupi!!!!!!

thanx so much, you’ve truly made my day... 🙂

stormyraven46 ( or anyone else who might have an answer ); what kind of base does Charlotte use for those cakes? Is there a specific platter or something similar involved? I really wouldn't want to be stuck transferring a cake from a scrap piece of cardboard onto a more elegant serving tray 🙄

Oh goodness, please stop... reading this just makes everything ache all over again...

I am actually preparing for the exact same procedure. I suffer from chronic crepitating tendinitis—a direct result of sports overuse and overtraining. At first, my tendon was just clicking while I walked, but then the inflammation got so intense that I couldn't even set my heel on the floor. After that, it was three weeks in a walking boot, followed by several rounds of physical therapy. Now, I’ve developed these contractures, and my doctor told me they have to "open it up and scrape it out"... sounds absolutely lovely, doesn't it? 😢

Since I am pregnant right now, undergoing the surgery is impossible, so I haven't really started looking into the specifics yet. I honestly have no idea how the actual process works...

What kind of issues are you having with your tendon? Is it painful? For me, Lakota helps quite a bit. I gave up on all those glucosamine supplements and other various preparations a long time ago. They don't work for me—it's as if my body is immune to them—but Lakota is the real deal 👍

stormyraven46, thanx 👍

How many people were you expecting? I’m looking for a smaller cake and just a few pastries... I have my doubts about whether they'll even want to bake treats for such a small group; honestly, it probably wouldn't be worth their time or effort... 🤷

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edit:
Yes!!!!

I just got off the phone and settled everything with the manager at the bakery!!! 🙂

We can do both the cake and the pastries!!! 👍

stormyraven46 said:I really have to mention this—if you haven't already tried, seen, or even heard about... "Charlotte" from Salesforce!
Absolutely flawless! Everything! The pastries, which aren't just your run-of-the-mill stuff, they're special, and that cake? Perfection. Everyone was completely blown away. Seriously, I cannot recommend them enough!

We are actually thinking about ordering our cake from them too!!!! They were the first thing that popped into my head yesterday. 👍

Does anyone know what their policy is on those small finger foods and bite-sized pastries? We only need treats for about 13 people, so I'm wondering if they allow orders for such a small group?

Also, what is the situation with Vincek regarding those same types of small pastries for a smaller crowd?

I am so incredibly grateful for ANY suggestions or advice for catering to such a tiny group, because the restaurant turned us down and now I'm starting to panic... 🙄🙄