Polar Monday

ei34 · December 15

I hope everyone had restful / enjoyable moments this weekends. Vibes to anyone feeling the feels following more awful headlines.

ei34 · December 15

We got fairly heavy snow here - it stopped by yesterday afternoon, I think the roads could be slightly more cleared, but otherwise happy to have it. Wouldn't mind a real feel above 20 though, single digits isn't fun. Safe travels to anyone else who got hit.

Weekend was nice. The Christmas-themed pizza and movie on Friday were a nice way to wind down from a long week. My sister's birthday brunch on Saturday was a lot of fun, and the cousin Christmas Cookie decorating party yesterday was too. My next couple of evenings aren't too busy, thankfully, bc I need to assemble all of the kids' teachers' gifts. Schools are in session through 12/23 here but I'd like to have all gift giving wrapped up by this Friday.

CharmedPam · December 15

That’s cutting it close to Christmas @ei34. When do they go back?
Suuuuuuper low key weekend but Saturday was a success at least. I had a few friends and my brother to knock out, and I went to a craft fair. Literally went down the last aisle (and it was a BIG one) and halfway down it, I’m like “well this was another bust. Guess I’m going to go home and amazon it”. Then the booth appeared. Halfway down the last aisle right before giving up hope. I thought it was a candle booth, where the candles were made of fake rocks so I was wondering if they all melted when burned. The guy was “are you confused?” when he saw me sizing them up. I asked “a candle?” Because I saw a wick sticking out from it. He showed me. They were oil burners! So nothing melts. Oil burners made out of rocks and fossils. Done. Christmas shopping completed for 2025. Now, over lunch I have to get bags and boxes to wrap which is literally the worst part. I hate wrapping! A lot will fit into gift bags, but I need to wrap some stuff too. Booo. Who wants to do it for me?

MNNEBride · December 15

I love wrapping gifts, but I don't do it much anymore, as we don't have many to buy for. I used to do a big session, get everything out and organized, put on Christmas music and go for it.

We are doing Christmas "lite" this year. I decorated, but didn't pull out all the stuff. Most is snowpeople, snowflakes and gnomes that can stay up all winter. We haven't done a tree inside for a couple of years due to the cat. She would climb the branches and bite the lights. We do put one on the deck that we can see from the living room.

I have a craft project to finish up for a client. She is to drop off the blanks today. The vinyl is already cut, so I just need to apply it.

I'm meeting with the new supervisor tomorrow and hope to gain more clarity on my job duties going forward.

charlotte989875 · December 15

I also love wrapping- I usually take PTO to do it but now M will be home all week. Hoping one of the grandmas will help out and take him for a bit so I can still get some done!

Snowy and cold here, just how we like December in Buffalo! Here’s some very happy snow kids!

ei34 · December 15

I like wrapping too. I'm taking off this Thursday to get it all done. RIP the days of the kids being fast asleep by 7-7:30pm.
We are off from 12/24 - 1/4 @CharmedPam, a nice 12 days

I host on Christmas Eve, and bc it fell on a Tuesday last year, they threw us the Monday off as well which was amazing. But most years we go til the 23rd, depending on what day of the week things fall.

banana468 · December 15

BRRR!

Also, I'll ship the packages to you for those who like wrapping. I will say half of it is that doing it is in such cramped spaces it's such a PITA for me.

Casadena · December 15

Weekend was nice! My parents came in Friday and Saturday we had my company Christmas party. Usually a pretty fancy affair - this year rented out a museum downtown for happy hour, dinner, and dancing. Carpooled with a work friend who lives nearby and it was so nice to not have to drive! My parents left yesterday to spend christmas with my sister and her bf in Europe. I have no presents wrapped and still a few things to purchase. My holiday motivation is pretty non-existent this year. I did get the boys Bluey christmas pajamas to wear on Christmas day though and i'm psyched. tHey're so cute. The boys have been up in the night SO MUCH lately. I'm so tired. Probably going to bed at 8 when they do tonight, lol.

CharmedPam · December 15

banana468 said:

BRRR!

Also, I'll ship the packages to you for those who like wrapping. I will say half of it is that doing it is in such cramped spaces it's such a PITA for me.

My stuff is coming along with Banana’s

Sounds like a great night, @Casadena and those jammies will be so cute! Love matching clothes on kids.
@charlotte989875 this is cuteness overload!

Casadena · December 15

oh, and I had my first mammogram this morning and OUCH. People have told me, but yikes. Hope all is well. My PCP recommended an early screen because of my mom's diagnosis 8 years ago (she's all good now).

ILoveBeachMusic · December 15

Weekend was good but snowy. We went to Dayton on Saturday morning. We got to Jungle Jim's by 11:30 and the snow was just starting. Bought cheese, some delicious clam chowder and gift for DD's in-laws. I wish we had never started exchanging gifts with them. Then we headed to the outlets where there is a Lindt store so I bought all the candy for stockings. H noticed his boots were falling apart (he swears it happened while we were walking around the mall) so we went to the Merrill store and got him and me new boots. We drove back to DS2's house as the snow was coming down like crazy. We made it just fine. We had dinner at a nearby Agave and Rye - delicious. DS2 and I watched Oh What Fun (with Dennis Leary and Michelle Pfeiffer) and Merv(Zoey Deschanel and Charlie Cox). Highly recommend them both for light holiday movies. They are both on Prime. We got home yesterday in time for a special meeting at our church and for me to attend a Spin class girls' Christmas party - no exercise just food, drinks and conversation.

Today I'm getting the house ready for book club tomorrow night. I'm doing a little at a time because my back isn't having it.

Love those pictures @charlotte989875!

short+sassy · December 16

@ILoveBeachMusic, I went to Jungle Jim's when I was in Cincinnati in August! What a wild place with the sheer variety of things from all over the world. I liked it.

They have all kinds of exotic meats I want to try, especially kangaroo. I'd wished we had gone earlier in our trip when we were still staying at an extended motel in Cincy. But we stopped on our way to Dayton to stay with my cousin. I didn't want to be like, "Hello Cousin, that I haven't seen in person in 25 years, can I use your stove to cook kangaroo?" Lol.

short+sassy · December 16

My work's Christmas party was on Saturday. It was a lot of fun. They always throw a good shindig. The project scheduler is being laid off this month also. We had a cathartic vent discussion and what our next plans were. We also laughed about how up shit creek without a paddle they were going to be. There's one poor guy in Houston that has had to learn what he can remotely, in less than a month, to replace both of us. But mainly I got to say good-bye to a lot of people that I don't normally see.

On Sunday, I went to an art market with my neighbor friend. Then we went back to her house for a long gab session with mimosas.

CharmedPam · December 16

That’s so sad @short+sassy, they’re loosing some good hard working people (I can’t speak for them but for sure you!)
@Casadena, I think those mammograms get better as time goes. Although I do have implants so I don’t know if it makes it worse or better? I do need extra imaging. I had an early mammo as well since they wanted one without them in as a baseline, and I was really close to my 40th anyway. I honestly cant remember what it was like on my first one, but the ones after haven’t been bad.

Edit to add @short+sassy, kangaroo meat just reminds me of this seasons 90 Day. Lol!

ei34 · December 16

@Casadena Ughh mammos are the worst (I mean, they're great, I'd never skip a year) but so painful. I'm 41 with no family history, so I've only had two, maybe it gets better as time goes on I hope. Healthy vibes your way for a clean report back.

banana468 · December 16

Ugh. I'm small chested and have a bit of a misshapen bone issue so it always feels like my mamos involve them reaching into my socks to pull up as much as they can. And I have to get mamo/US everytime due to my dense tissue.

CharmedPam · December 16

Serious question/poll?

is there anyone who doesn’t come up with a dense tissue diagnosis? I have been dense since starting mine and everyone I speak to says they are too. Is that just the new norm?

edit to add my AI search. Thanks AI

About 40-50% of women have dense breasts, meaning they have more fibrous and glandular tissue than fatty tissue, making mammograms harder to read and slightly increasing cancer risk, with density decreasing as women get older. Radiologists categorize density, with roughly 40% of women falling into "heterogeneously dense" (Category C) and 10% into "extremely dense" (Category D), while 10% are almost entirely fatty (Category A) and 40% have scattered density (Category

.

Casadena · December 16

I got that diagnosis too in my results letter today. They recommend US in addidion to mammogram in the future. I don't understand why both are necessary.

CharmedPam · December 16

Casadena said:

I got that diagnosis too in my results letter today. They recommend US in addidion to mammogram in the future. I don't understand why both are necessary.

I’ve been told ultrasounds will catch more than a mammo. But I also don’t know if all insurances cover it, so check with them on that! But yeah wouldn’t it be US over a mammo, why both?

Casadena · December 16

CharmedPam said:

Casadena said:

I got that diagnosis too in my results letter today. They recommend US in addidion to mammogram in the future. I don't understand why both are necessary.

I’ve been told ultrasounds will catch more than a mammo. But I also don’t know if all insurances cover it, so check with them on that! But yeah wouldn’t it be US over a mammo, why both?

Exactly. If it's clearer or more accurate or whatever, idk why mammo's are even a thing?

MNNEBride · December 16

I do not, but my sister does!

levioosa · December 17

Regarding US vs Mammogram, mammogram is technically the only modality that has been proven to reduce Breast Cancer Mortality rates. It's not perfect of course and it is uncomfortable. The reason we don't automatically suggest ultrasounds is because ultrasounds aren't great at catching microcalcifications. Unfortunately the denser the breast tissue, the less sensitive the Mammogram is to catching it. US is great for being able to differentiate cysts vs other types of suspicious masses. I do suggest getting an Ultrasound with dense breast tissue, especially if there is family history of any type of breast cancer. I have caught a few cases of early breast cancer by ordering US when Mammogram returns with "dense breast tissue." Maybe one day we'll just have a reliable blood test to screen first but, you know, women's health and all that. So for now the tatas get tortured.

And, as a PSA, never feel ashamed or like you're wasting someone's time to repeat imaging if something new pops up. I don't care if your mammogram was 3 weeks ago and normal, if you notice a new lump, or nipple discharge, skin changes, breast pain, etc, follow up asap with your doctor.

Casadena · December 17

levioosa said:

Regarding US vs Mammogram, mammogram is technically the only modality that has been proven to reduce Breast Cancer Mortality rates. It's not perfect of course and it is uncomfortable. The reason we don't automatically suggest ultrasounds is because ultrasounds aren't great at catching microcalcifications. Unfortunately the denser the breast tissue, the less sensitive the Mammogram is to catching it. US is great for being able to differentiate cysts vs other types of suspicious masses. I do suggest getting an Ultrasound with dense breast tissue, especially if there is family history of any type of breast cancer. I have caught a few cases of early breast cancer by ordering US when Mammogram returns with "dense breast tissue." Maybe one day we'll just have a reliable blood test to screen first but, you know, women's health and all that. So for now the tatas get tortured.

And, as a PSA, never feel ashamed or like you're wasting someone's time to repeat imaging if something new pops up. I don't care if your mammogram was 3 weeks ago and normal, if you notice a new lump, or nipple discharge, skin changes, breast pain, etc, follow up asap with your doctor.

thank you for this! I was hoping you'd chime in

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