Hi everyone. I’m joining #WeekendCoffeeShare again. No more coffee for me today, as it’s nearly 8PM. Please grab yourself a cup of your favorite beverage though and let’s chat.
If we were having coffee, first I’d talk about the weather. It’s been all over the place. We’ve had rain, sunshine, temperatures around 9°C and freezing nights. In the province of Groningen, there was a code red weather warning for ice.
If we were having coffee, then I’d share that I haven’t been very physically active again this past week. That is, I did go for walks almost each day, but I didn’t do any other exercise.
If we were having coffee, I would share that I however was quite crafty over the week. I made a bracelet and tried making another one. I also tried to work with a texture mat on polymer clay for the first time today. The result was interesting.
If we were having coffee, then I’d tell you that the homemade granola I baked last week was a great success. I made another batch on Wednesday, this time adding instant coffee. This one didn’t turn out as awesome as the previous one and I’m not sure whether it’s the nuts maybe having gotten slightly burned or it’s the coffee flavor not matching well with the other flavors. I gave some to a fellow resident who likes trying homemade food, but he didn’t like it.
If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I finally heard from the Center for Consultation and Expertise (CCE) consultant. I received a short note describing recommendations she’d make to my care team. She’s going to provide continuing education to the care team on these things.
I don’t know how to feel about the whole thing. On the one hand, I’d like to see her saying she’s going to educate the team as a sign that I don’t need to change but the team’s approach to me does. On the other hand, it still stings that she hardly spoke to me and not at all without the staff being present. I still have quite a lot of questions, but her work with me has ended with this letter.
If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that the occupational therapist came by here this week to shed some light on ways to help me cope with my hand tremors. She hoped a weighted wristband would help. I was initially quite optimistic, but on the first try when my hand was trembling, I noticed it not only made no difference in that respect, but the thing was in the way when I tried to operate my iPhone.
I from noticing that got rather frustrated once again about the doctor not being clear about what causes these tremors. She claims it’s aging, stress and maybe medication, yet refuses to taper my meds more quickly. I’m kind of worried that, like the CCE consultant and practically everyone involved in my care, she’s not giving me the full story. I know I have a right to information regarding my medical care, but there are exceptions to this when the clinician believes this information would significantly harm the patient. If this is the reason I keep getting only vague comments about my medical situation, I want to tell my physician I’ve already envisioned the worst and the uncertainty is more harmful to me than it would be knowing I have, like, a neurodegenerative disease.
If we were having coffee, lastly I’d share that my ears are blocked and I hardly hear a thing out of my right ear. I will get them syringed on Sunday.
A Multitude of Musings 
Our weather is all over the place as well and it is so frustrating at times, granola isn’t something I eat I like it I just don’t eat it. Having a tremor is not easy and not knowing the cause is frustrating and feeling like you are being left in the dark isn’t good
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Thank you. I realize there are other possibilities besides me purposefully being left in the dark about the tremors, but it’s all frustrating nonetheless.
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Our weather in Atlanta has been the same – mostly cold though. Sounds like your week wasn’t as good as it could have been. Glad the clay experiment came out well.
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Thank you. My week wasn’t horrible, but it could’ve been better indeed.
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Making bracelets and working with clay sound enjoyable. I like crafting. I’m sorry to hear things are going well with your occupational therapist. I wish I had advice to offer because I know how frustrating it can be. Send you best wishes.
Stopping in from Weekend Coffee Share: Coffee and my big news – Brewing Coffee, Twisting Words & Breaking Pencils
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Thanks so much. My crafty endeavors were indeed enjoyable.
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It sounds like you’ve had all the weather, it’s been mostly raining here and a little bit colder than you. Good job with the walking and crafting. I would take the CCE woman talking to your care team as a good thing and that you don’t need to change, they do. I totally get that about you wanting the information about your medical care. Not knowing is the worst, I know if I was in your situation I would be thinking all sorts of things.
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Thanks so very much. I do try to take the CCE woman’s letter as a positive. Re the tremors, it’s only my assumption that the doctor is purposefully keeping me in the dark and I know she might genuinely not know what’s wrong. Then again if she herself (she’s around 20 years older than me) went to her GP with similar issues, she wouldn’t be brushed off with a comment about getting older, like I was.
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Homemade granola sounds really good! I am not sure about putting coffee in it though! Much as I love coffee, I don’t know if I’d enjoy it in granola! I’m sorry your getting vague medical info about your condition, I hope it isnt anything too serious. Xx
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Thank you. I love coffee too, so was a little surprised that I didn’t like this granola as much as the other one. I really do hope my tremors aren’t anything serious indeed.
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If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I also suffer with tremors. In 2011 I was told it was either parkinsons or essential tremor. The neurolist opted for essential tremor. It is SO frustrating. Anxiety and stress makes it worse. I do hope you find a solution. HAve you tried hypnotherapy?
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Thank you for your supportive comment. No, have never tried hypnotherapy but doubt it’d work for me due to my being on high alert a lot due to having complex PTSD.
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Good job with the walking and crafting. I hope you’ll receive more clarity about your health condition. Thank you for your weekend coffee share.
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Thanks so much for your kind comment, Natalie.
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I hope your hearing is back to normal by now, how frustrating for you.
I think walks are the best exercise their is. I love going for walks. I aim to take a walk every day and I do it most days.
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Thank you. Yes, my hearing is back to normal and my wife also cleaned my AirPods, because these were pretty filthy too, causing me further problems when talking on the phone with her.
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Wonderful!
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I am glad you heard back from the CCE on your care. I really hope your care team follows what she put in place to help you. Good job on the walking and getting some crafting done. I am really thinking seriously about trying to make some granola… the coffee might be something for me to give a try with, but I think I will stick to pretty basic the first batch. Time to look up some recipes and see what I need from the store. Hope your week is going well. Thanks for the coffee and chat!
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Thanks for your lovely comment. I’m indeed hoping the staff will put the CCE’s recommendations into place.
Granola is very easy to make. A basic recipe consists of just rolled oats, honey and sunflower oil or another oil that’s safe to use in the oven. The other things, like nuts, pumkin seeds, instant coffee, etc., are great as add-ins but not required.
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You’re welcome. I think my first basic add in would be either raisins of dried cranberries, love them both.
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Ah yes, good choices. I do believe you don’t need to bake those with your granola, but can add them in later. When I use nuts, I do choose raw nuts and bake them to give them a little extra of the granola flavor.
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I just thought of something today. I have seen an item advertised on Facebook for a company that sells raw honey. It is espresso infused honey. I wonder if that would work better than using instant coffee?
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I’ve never heard of that but it sounds interesting indeed.
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