Friday Tidbits: Help and Fun

Easy reading for fibro-brain!  And so much fun.

It's Friday and we've all survived another week! Yay! Hopefully everyone's health and family crises have been at a minimum. 

I've tried to start a Friday piece that would come out each Friday (imagine that!) but it's difficult to commit to anything when you're sick with CFIDS/ME/fibro and the dozens of other problems that tend to plague us.  There's always severe insomnia, migraines, Fibro-brain, and a hundred other problems that get in the way - indeed, often simply surviving seems to be miraculous.

But I've finally decided that if it's possible to do so, I'm going to give it a try.   It will just be quick observations or tips of any sort or anything that I've thought of during the week (or month!) but somehow never got a chance to mention. I've held off on any kind of commitment but have finally decided that if on some Fridays I don't get around to writing a post, who but the CFIDS/ME/fibro and spoonie communities will understand, right?  You've seen a couple of attempts so far and I'm going to keep the title "Friday Tidbits." We'll see how it works out.  So here we go!

• For about four days this past week I came down with very itchy skin on areas around my left leg.  It was the sort of itchiness that was actually getting to the point that the scratching was making it raw and I was beside myself.  To complicate matters, it was my left leg that was affected and that leg has a lot of numbness, the sort that you feel after the dentist gives you a shot of novocaine and it starts to wear off, yet the nerves are still not completely revived - and then you accidentally bite your tongue.  (I certainly hope I'm not the only person who's experienced this!)

At any rate, after just one evening the knee was raw, but after four nights, the back of the knee, above and below the knee were starting to look scary.  The antihistamines I take prophylactically for hives were not helping at all.  Then I finally realized that my air cleaner was off!  I'd written about this air cleaner before and just started laughing, thinking, "you got that one right!"  The electricity had gone off in the house for a second and that was long enough to stop the air cleaner.  Within a day of turning the air cleaner back on, the itchiness disappeared - like magic.  If only most of our problems were dealt with so easily!  But it shows just how much that air cleaner really does help some of my problems, and not just with the skin but with breathing and a tiny list of other problems I don't even realise until something goes wrong.

• There is definitely a bug of sorts going around town and I'm glad that I have a clock/thermometer next to my bed as my body temps start to go into serious yoyo mode.  I get clammy, I get hot, I get cold, I get chills, and so forth - this and more, all within minutes, repeatedly.   At least when I look at the thermometer I know it's me and not the room, one less factor to consider, as I discussed in a previous post.

• And finally, a bit of fun to get us away from all this sickness and to just enjoy.  I'd recently mentioned (ha!) that "Project Runway" is the show that hubby and I look forward to each week, almost a guilty pleasure. 

And Mondo was back as a judge last night!

Oh boy. Last Thursday's episode, the team efforts, reminded me of every wedding or other occasion that I've attended as far back as I can remember when you got a bunch of Russians and Ukrainians in the same room.  (As I shake my head and huge eye-rolls start in.)  Dmitri and Olana reminded me yet again of the nightmare seating chart at our wedding and the saving grace the Italians were because the Russians sat on one side of the Italians and the Ukrainians sat on the other side of the Italians.  But that's all besides the point.  (Of course!)  

I've been in love with Tim Gunn, the would-be designers' guide on "Project Runway" for years.  He's such a kind and optimistic teacher/mentor, in addition to being brilliant, a gentleman and almost a lost breed.  His new book came out on Tuesday and it's so good that as soon as I received my copy from Amazon, I immediately ordered a copy for my BFF.  Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible: The Fascinating History of Everything in Your Closet is just great fun to read.  I'm still having trouble reading and it continues to shock my family and very close friends (Irene without a book in her hand???) but this is great for me at the moment (year?) because I can pick it up and put it down. If I can't concentrate because of pain or because of a problem that needs to be addressed, it's no biggie.  There's nothing you have to memorize (as in a plot).  It's all just fun reading - and feeling as if Tim Gunn is there beside you telling you these fascinating tidbits of fashion history, weaving it all into a brilliant story.   If you want something far from all your troubles, this may be the ticket.  And I've already come up with an idea of something that might help me with a problem I'm having with my legs...I'll keep you posted.

I always feel that you never know when, where nor how you'll find something that helps you deal more easily with your health problems...or life ones also, for that matter.

At any rate, hoping all are doing the best they can be, only better.  Have a great weekend, ciao and paka!


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Just For Fun...

My incredible workhorse, Temperley's Elemis Safari Traveler, on board

                        

One of my favorite beauty lines is the luxury British brand, Elemis.  Yes, it is rather pricey (ahem) but I've found that for the most part, using the much more affordable brands all too often wreak havoc with my CFIDS/ME and fibromyalgia funky skin, so much so that hubby begs me to stop trying to save money in this one area, skincare, as well as makeup. Yes, this is yet another example of one of what I call "the hidden costs" of CFIDS/etc.  Others include, though are not limited to, trying to find help for the dozens of jobs you can no longer do yourself, like cook or clean, cut the grass, pick up your meds, go to the store for anything whatsoever.  But I digress.

I finally broke down and made my first Elemis purchase when my absolutely favorite blogger, Ruth-the-model (versus my absolutely other favorite blogger, my dear Internet ME daughter, Ruth-the-Cambridge-student, as the two Ruths are known in this house) showed the readers/viewers of her blog and video a treasure which Alice Temperley, the hot current British designer Ruth-the-model had introduced.  Being an American, I'd never heard of this British designer who'd created such a wonderful beauty products bag for Elemis, filled of course, with a few Elemis products.  After much hemming and hawing, I finally broke down and bought it.

Little did I realize that shortly thereafter I'd be going to Kuala Lumpur, during which one of my four (!) flights going TO KL was canceled, causing me to spend the night in an airport hotel and thus causing me to arrive in KL one and a half days late.  But that gorgeous, very convenient and well-designed bag was by my side going there, while there, and coming home.  It was even with me as I took a luxurious shower during a long layover in an immaculate lounge in the famous Singapore airport - words I never thought I'd ever write, much less actually do, on so many levels.  Flying halfway around the world?  Asia?  Using a public toilet, much less a "public" shower?  I swear that airport was so incredible that I'm almost ready to make plans to fly to Singapore just for the airport experience alone!   It was just that incredible. Amazing.

The Elemis products which came with the bag truly are some of my favorites.  I seriously doubt that I'll ever be able to find another bath treatment better than the "Skin Nourishing Milk Bath."   (Cleopatra, with all due respect, eat your heart out!)  After a good soak with the milk formula in the bathwater, I find any areas of my body which might be dry, and even the occasional "chicken skin," vanish.  (Lovely pictures I describe of myself, no?)  I'm saving up my pennies (dollars!) for another purchase and need to do so soon, especially with this latest complication of the hypothyroidism and the out-the-wazoo dehydrated skin. 

The facial cleanser, "Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser," works like a charm and I've had very good results with it.  It DOES have a bit of a sting to it and once hubby was almost paralyzed with fear when he happened upon me doing a facial DIY in the tub and caught a look at my face.  He warned me that it was very red, but by the time I'd finished up and looked in the mirror, all redness was gone and I was very happy with the results, as always.

The moisturizer, "Pro-Collagen Marine Cream" I reviewed here.  And YES!  I now remember that's the one which was so successful this past weekend, which I couldn't remember in yesterday's post.  (Darn those slow neuro-transmitters!) 

One last aside which will (eventually!) come back to the discussion at hand: "Project Runway" is our guilty pleasure. Hubby has rarely been able to resist any sort of competition and so when I started watching it, he joined me in order to spend a relaxing hour together.  However, he made me SWEAR that I'd never tell a soul that he watches the show and I honored that pledge.  Let's just say that hubby hates to wear anything that looks nice on him and rarely am I not embarrassed being by his side, purely clothes-wise, I hasten to add.  Oh, he cleans up very well when he wants to, but normally he likes to dress with the most atrocious things he can find.  I think he actually enjoys frustrating me and considers it part of his "identity."  (He actually thinks this part is very funny!)

At any rate, after a few seasons of watching "PR" - the things that would start coming out of his mouth!  He now talks about proportion, loudly and proudly, and often chides those who pick out a fabric which will be a mistake, gets frustrated when a designer makes a huge error with a feature that "does the model no favors," (parroting Michael Kors' words, I believe?), is exasperated when a designer constantly repeats the same errors or does not "grow" and often accurately predicts the winner well ahead of time.  Again, the things that come out of his mouth are incredible!  Who knew he had this talent? 

But when Mondo lost a couple of seasons ago, hubby was so upset that he went around saying "Mondo was robbed!" to just about everyone he came in contact with, be it lawyers, truck drivers, teachers, it mattered not who it was, nor if they'd even seen or heard of the show - or cared!   Well, after that, I was released from my promise of no disclosure. And after all this time, he's still upset about Mondo - and still quite vocal about it.

So imagine the hooting and hollerin' (by moi) that went on when Alice Temperley was a guest host on "Project Runway" recently.  I was so excited that I was "in the know," as I commented on Ruth-the-model's blog, just yesterday.  It was just plain fun watching this designer's opinions - and thankfully liking what I heard.

Yes, indeedy, hubby and I get our jollies wherever we can, within reason.  (Eye roll!)

But if you want to try out a really fantastic line, I don't think you can go wrong with Elemis.  And if you can afford the Temperley Safari bag, you may want to treat yourself and go for it - it's right up there with one of my best and most successful purchases ever.  (For purchase, it's available at Bliss.)

And if you want a really great beauty blog to read, Ruth-the-model's blog, A Model Recommends is a lot of fun, filled with humor, insight and insider information. 

Do you have a favorite "luxury" purchase you treated yourself to and are still delighted that you made that difficult decision, be it beauty-related, to anything at all, even a lamp tucked away in a favorite nook in your house?  I'd love to hear about it, especially as I know how difficult decision-making is for the CFIDS/ME and fibro person - or anyone else for that matter!

In the meantime, I hope all are doing the best they can be, only better.  (I embrace my fibro-logic!)  Ciao and paka!

How do baby-boomers find fashion and beauty on line?

So, I'm over fifty and because I'm basically glued to this bed 24/7, I need to 
do whatever shopping hubby dearest can't do himself, on-line.  Thank goodness we 
now DO have that option.  I often think that these on-line stores could very 
well go out of business were people like me (us?) to stop ordering from them - 
the people who are just too ill to shop.

I have my books covered, drugstore needs, even "beauty" needs, thanks to 
drugstore.com, beauty. com, Sephora.  I can even keep up with any fancy-shmancy 
cooking, baking and dining needs when I add in Williams Sonoma and King Arthur's 
Flour, both on-line.

But the clothing situation is still a huge mystery and a way-too-expensive 
proposition.  

First of all, I think all of us who are over fifty have a bit of of a problem 
finding fashions which are just right.  The market seems to cater to those who 
are youngsters, a look that is pitiful on those of us who are, ahem, shall I use 
that word yet again, "mature"?  But "mature" doesn't mean "dowdy," and that's 
the look I often find...things my 80+ year old mom would wear - on a very bad 
day.

This is a situation that is particularly frustrating to the over-fifty crowd 
because we were spoiled all of our lives: we were the baby boomers and thus the 
demographic that the marketing world wanted ever so much.  No matter what our 
age was - be it fifteen and Noxema, nineteen and being revolutionary with 
pantsuits, thirty and disposable diapers for our babies, fifty and luxury cars - 
our buying habits, budgets and dollars were catered to.

I even thought that the trend to coddle to us would last well into our eighty's.  
How often have hubby and I looked at each other after a commercial and burst out 
laughing saying, "God, but it's good to be a baby-boomer...they just never stop 
trying to get our dollar!"

But it looks as if that ship has sailed, somewhat.  The beauty industry still 
wants us, as is evidenced by all the anti-aging and firming products out there.  
The pharms want us as is evidenced by all medication such as once-a-month 
calcium, cholesterol-lowering drugs, as well as the happy-in-bed market I won't 
name here.  

But the only industry that seems to have really given up on us is the fashion 
industry.  Look at the shoes alone.  The platform shoes out there today aren't 
really platform...they are simply a westernized version of the era in China when 
women were not meant to walk at all, just hobble along for a few steps.  

How crazy is it that the shoes of today have become so unnatural that there are 
places on YouTube that actually teach you how to walk in these crazy shoes?  I 
mean, hey, I'm all for high heels and suffering for beauty in general.  On the 
night of that infamous blind date with hubby, I came down with 13 blisters - 
yes, 13! I counted!  - because of my sexy brand new high-heeled sandals and 
future hubby's desire to find a certain restaurant in the Village, the only one 
where my friend could eat due to religious dietary restrictions.  We walked all 
over the place trying to find that tiny inconspicuous place. Well, I hobbled.  A 
month into our "courtship" I was finally dragged by future hubby to go shopping 
with him for my first pair of flat shoes since about the age of 16 when I 
received my learner's permit and no longer needed to walk.  But New York City: 
eek!  They walk!  

The fashions today?  I keep thinking they are very similar to the ones of the 
80's, the era before the football player size shoulder pads, an era when no one 
could get a handle on what was going on.  And how many dresses or looks today 
won't even allow a bra?  The fashion editor who guides the designers on "Project 
Runway: All Stars" finally got fed up last week when Michael's latest creation 
was yet another design which only lovely, young and very thin models could wear, 
not real women who actually buy said fashion. No bra?  It's a sorry sight for 
most women, much less those over 50.  Ouch!  Those dresses with the cinched 
waist and full skirt?  Uh, if you're into "I Love Lucy Shows," or worse Minnie 
Mouse.  Besides, the suggestion/advice is that if it was in style when you were 
young and it's now on its second time around, please do not buy that style...it 
won't suit!

I've shopped at Eddie Bauer, and Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic.  They're good for 
some looks.  I've shopped on-line at Nordstrom and not been too overly happy.  
Most has to be returned and then you end up messing up your credit card balances 
with the returns that take forever with the credit card companies.   Everything 
is either too young or too old.  I've searched the Internet for fashion for 
women over fifty and am not getting good results.  Heck, even the couple of 
times I've been in a store in person at Macy's or Saks, I've had to dig to find 
anything suitable and usually end up buying something only out of desperation 
and not because I've fallen in love with said garment.  

Of course, why would I need clothes when I basically live only in long cotton 
nightgowns?  Well, a girl has to have something to wear to see her doctor or get 
her hair cut every few months.  I still have SOME standards.

Any suggestions for on-line shopping for the over-fifty's?  Let me know!  It's 
getting a bit tough to laugh about anything as serious as fashion. ;)