alilou's Adventures in Wonderland 2 - all over the map

[kedrin]

I really enjoyed this post- both the memories and the history. I've never been to Australia; it's definitely on my list.

 

[Alilou]

I really enjoyed this post- both the memories and the history. I've never been to Australia; it's definitely on my list.

Thanks so much Kedrin. I really enjoyed writing this post; sometimes the writing flows easier.

 

[Alilou]

It's been a while! I took a little break. There's been a lot happening, most of it pretty challenging. 2023 was a LOT!

2023: Sideswiped!

It’s December 17th. We’re going to Montreal to have Christmas with family. The plan is to drive our car to a friends’ place where they will keep it in their underground parkade for the time we’re a…

alisonanddon.com

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[nlloyd]

Thanks for your honest, wise and humorous reflection on coming to terms with aging, @Alilou. I found it insightful and helpful. It's difficult to accept hard limits on one's life that haven't been there before, especially when they are integral to our sense of self. So sorry you have gone through so much in recent months, but I appreciate you sharing your meaning making.

 

[Alilou]

Thanks for your honest, wise and humorous reflection on coming to terms with aging, @Alilou. I found it insightful and helpful. It's difficult to accept hard limits on one's life that haven't been there before, especially when they are integral to our sense of self. So sorry you have gone through so much in recent months, but I appreciate you sharing your meaning making.

Thank you; I really appreciate it so much when what I write is helpful to others. It's been a journey for sure. And not over yet (thank goodness)!

 

[kedrin]

Echoing what @nlloyd said. I have a few more years until I'm at that point in my life, but we all get there in the end, if we're fortunate enough to live long.

 

[sk8pics]

It's been a while! I took a little break. There's been a lot happening, most of it pretty challenging. 2023 was a LOT!

2023: Sideswiped!

It’s December 17th. We’re going to Montreal to have Christmas with family. The plan is to drive our car to a friends’ place where they will keep it in their underground parkade for the time we’re a…

alisonanddon.com

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Wonderful writing, ali! I'm sorry all of that happened to you but I love the way you're processing it and responding. The doctor only did an ultrasound? I had all kinds of other testing. I DO have significant plaque buildup in my left carotid, genetic in my case. Sounds like your intention to find a different doctor is a good idea! Sorry too the statin did not agree with you; there are a number of variations, maybe they'll find another one for you that is helpful, if they decide you need it.

 

[Alilou]

Wonderful writing, ali! I'm sorry all of that happened to you but I love the way you're processing it and responding. The doctor only did an ultrasound? I had all kinds of other testing. I DO have significant plaque buildup in my left carotid, genetic in my case. Sounds like your intention to find a different doctor is a good idea! Sorry too the statin did not agree with you; there are a number of variations, maybe they'll find another one for you that is helpful, if they decide you need it.

Thanks @sk8pics. I hope they find good medicine for you, in all ways. I've had a taste of what it's like to live with an inner, hidden issue and didn't like it at all!
I'm actually feeling much better since seeing the report that the atheroma is in the early stages and does not IMO require medication, though I'm seeing a specialist at the end of the month.
Plus - statins are not what they're cracked up to be. There's a meta-analysis of 21 clinical trials involving 140,000 patients. The findings are, um, interesting: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/have-the-benefits-of-statins-been-overstated

 

[sk8pics]

Thanks @sk8pics. I hope they find good medicine for you, in all ways. I've had a taste of what it's like to live with an inner, hidden issue and didn't like it at all!
I'm actually feeling much better since seeing the report that the atheroma is in the early stages and does not IMO require medication, though I'm seeing a specialist at the end of the month.
Plus - statins are not what they're cracked up to be. There's a meta-analysis of 21 clinical trials involving 140,000 patients. The findings are, um, interesting: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/have-the-benefits-of-statins-been-overstated

I tend not to read articles like that because I don't have the medical training to really evaluate them properly. My cardiologist is very good and my cousin is a doctor and he advises me too at time. The lipitor worked fabulously well for me and dramatically lowered my LDL and it may have raised my HDL, and that's good. With the genetic defect I have it's important to keep my LDL as low as we reasonably can; too much LDL will only lead to more plaque buildup for me. I have relatively minor issues that may or may not be due to the lipitor; I'll discuss it with my doctor in a couple of weeks. I think statins probably work well for some people, less well for others, and of course the different statins work differently. For my case, there is no question of the value.

 

[Alilou]

I tend not to read articles like that because I don't have the medical training to really evaluate them properly. My cardiologist is very good and my cousin is a doctor and he advises me too at time. The lipitor worked fabulously well for me and dramatically lowered my LDL and it may have raised my HDL, and that's good. With the genetic defect I have it's important to keep my LDL as low as we reasonably can; too much LDL will only lead to more plaque buildup for me. I have relatively minor issues that may or may not be due to the lipitor; I'll discuss it with my doctor in a couple of weeks. I think statins probably work well for some people, less well for others, and of course the different statins work differently. For my case, there is no question of the value.

I can see our situations are quite different. It helps me that Don's work life involved research for medical-legal cases so I have him verify what I find as to whether or not it's valid research or just badly researched nonsense.
I'm glad the lipitor works for you. Given my experience with Crestor I'm very reluctant to try another statin, especially as it's most likely I don't need it. One of the ironies in this is my doctor never even checked my cholesterol (which has never been high!) before prescribing the statin for me. Grrrr. I could go on and on about her, but I don't want to give myself high blood pressure

 

[sk8pics]

I can see our situations are quite different. It helps me that Don's work life involved research for medical-legal cases so I have him verify what I find as to whether or not it's valid research or just badly researched nonsense.
I'm glad the lipitor works for you. Given my experience with Crestor I'm very reluctant to try another statin, especially as it's most likely I don't need it. One of the ironies in this is my doctor never even checked my cholesterol (which has never been high!) before prescribing the statin for me. Grrrr. I could go on and on about her, but I don't want to give myself high blood pressure

Yes, and wow that your doctor did not check your cholesterol! I’ll say that my cholesterol has always been good but I still have this one particular problem. So definitely see another doctor, and make sure there really is no need for meds. BTW, a friend of mine had terrible problems with Lipitor but is totally fine on Crestor, so maybe check with a different doc!

BTW, I did not mean to come off harsh. I get tired sometimes of people, when they hear you are on a particular med or have a particular issue, immediately telling you all about how it’s bad or dangerous or wrong. Not saying you did that.

 

[Alilou]

Yes, and wow that your doctor did not check your cholesterol! I’ll say that my cholesterol has always been good but I still have this one particular problem. So definitely see another doctor, and make sure there really is no need for meds. BTW, a friend of mine had terrible problems with Lipitor but is totally fine on Crestor, so maybe check with a different doc!

BTW, I did not mean to come off harsh. I get tired sometimes of people, when they hear you are on a particular med or have a particular issue, immediately telling you all about how it’s bad or dangerous or wrong. Not saying you did that.

Oh no! You didn't come off harsh at all! And I totally get how you could get tired of the peanut gallery, so I apologize for that.

 

[Alilou]

A new blog post! It's about Australia's love affair with the beach ⛱🏝🏖

The Hallowed Heart Of The Nation – Australia’s beach culture

A memory: age about 25 or 26. Living in Australia’s far northwest. Working in the only hotel in a tiny isolated iron ore mining town. Along with a group of friends driving an hour through the deser…

alisonanddon.com

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[Alilou]

New blog post Dogs at the beach!

The Gods Of Frolic – dogs at the beach, a photo essay.

About a year ago we were in Australia and had rented a house at the beach at Malua Bay for two weeks. For four days my niece and her dog joined us, so we were on the hunt for beaches where dogs cou…

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[kedrin]

Puppies!

 

[Alilou]

Puppies!

So much fun!

 

[Alilou]

New blog post: Nippers at the beach! ⛱ Surf Life Saving Australia
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Nippers At The Beach – surf lifesaving in Australia

February 2023 — As I look down the beach I can hardly believe what I’m seeing! It looks like it could be a surf lifesaving carnival and I’ve never been to one. Or some kind of carnival anyway…

alisonanddon.com

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[Alilou]

A new blog post - Surf's up!

Surf’s Up! Aussie surf culture: a metaphor for life.

Not a single one of them seems to be afraid. They approach the water as if it’s holy. Surely it is holy, a sacred space that calls to them over and over. And they answer the call with jubilation, e…

alisonanddon.com

 

[Alilou]

New blog post - almost to the end of my posts about Oz. This one is a photo essay of street photography in Canberra.

Visual Storytelling – street photography in Canberra

All of these photos – chance encounters and random incidents – were taken in Canberra, but this is not a post about Canberra so much as it is about people; most of them could be anywhere western re…

alisonanddon.com

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[Alilou]

New blog post. This one is about a half day river cruise in Oz. Sweet. Peaceful. Jellyfish! Thousands of jellyfish!

Bhundoo Dreaming – cruising the Clyde River

10 February 2023 It rises in the Budawang Mountains 220 kilometres (137 miles) south of Sydney and 50 kilometres (30 miles) inland from the coast. The Aborigines call it Bhundoo, meaning Big Water,…

alisonanddon.com

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[Alilou]

I've just published a new blog post - it's a photo essay of people in Greece.

A Portrait of Greece

It’s been almost two years since we were in Greece, and all the while these photos have been languishing in an abandoned file waiting to become the chosen ones. At last their time has arrived. Any …

alisonanddon.com

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[kedrin]

I look forward to the next post!

 

[Alilou]

I look forward to the next post!

I'm having such a good time going through all my photos and notes from that trip. It truly was epic.

 

[kedrin]

I collect pins from places I've travelled to. I recently rearranged them- it's fun to relive old memories!

 

[Alilou]

I'm so excited to be sharing this! In 1980 I was part of a 4-month trans-Africa expedition from Johannesburg to London. This is the first blog post about that epic journey.

The Drums Of Africa – Johannesburg to London 1980

Soper Lodge, Johannesburg, 6 August 1980 Washing underpants and socks in the washbasin of a cheap hotel room. Back on the road again. Everything is run-down and dirty, including me. Desperately tir…

alisonanddon.com

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[kedrin]

Great post- and I love the old-school photos. I was in Kenya in 1982- a different time.

 

[Alilou]

Great post- and I love the old-school photos. I was in Kenya in 1982- a different time.

Thanks Kedrin. Kenya in '82 - so you know how it was back then. A different time for sure!

 

[Alilou]

The continuing saga of Africa Overland 1980 - post 2

Tanzania Mania – Africa overland 1980

This is the second instalment of a four-month trans-Africa trip from Johannesburg to London that I did with Exodus Expeditions in 1980, camping and living in a truck. We were not sightseeing, thoug…

alisonanddon.com

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[Alilou]

Part 3 of the Africa 1980 saga! Game parks! Giraffes hippos ellies zebras yeah!

Wildlife And Tribal Life In Kenya – Africa overland 1980

This is the third instalment of a four-month trans-Africa trip from Johannesburg to London that I did with Exodus Expeditions in 1980, travelling by truck and camping. We were not sightseeing, thou…

alisonanddon.com

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[kedrin]

I remember being struck speechless standing on the edge of the Rift Valley.