"Quality of life"......a gift that just keeps on giving.

@johnbishop, Thank you so much for these specific brands and order locations, John. Because of extreme feet numbness and more concern now about shoe fit and constriction of circulation. Having a choice of warmer sizes will further help!

Although we rarely have snow that lingers past a day, we had a rare and glorious 7+ inches days ago and it was a marvel to experience.
With increasing p.n. hand numbness, looking into the hand/foot heat paks will aid those frigid day walks, too! You are a treasure to us all!

Thank you, @johnbishop for the bookmark tip and reminder. I've kept a running word doc of helpful links, suggestions, tips for many months and now find that drilling down through them means I sometimes "overlook" an important one. Would that I had created a folder with diff topics early on...we live and learn, yes? Short term memory is another issue..for another day and forum. Smiles.

@ess77, So happy that you eventually found an accurate diagnosis for MS and helpful treatments from the Mayo Clinic! As many of us can attest, not all medical teams are created equally and finding a great one can make all of the difference in our quality of life!

I am glad to hear I am not alone. I just knew there had to be someone else out there like me, in that one small way. We do manage, don't we? I am about to take in a roll of film to be developed. Everyone laughs when I pull out my camera. They say "Is that a camera that uses film?" Yes, it is! I have one of the other kind, but have not attempted to use it. It belonged to my father-in-law and is now mine. I like to hold a photo in my hand. If I caught images of wildlife that are good, I like to send them to friends with a handwritten note. I have a friend here who turns out great photos and makes note cards out of them. I just received a new batch. Now I will use them to tell friends I am thinking of them. I am told by friends that they love to receive these notes. My mother and grandmother both sent notes and letters to many people. I carry on the tradition and think of them. @joybringer1 aka as a Luddite.

Was your thumb surgery at Mayo Clinic and who was your Dr? Thanks

@fiesty76 Do I have you confused with someone else? I was thinking that you live in Hawaii but I can't imagine cold and snow in Hawaii.

All medical teams are not created equal, that's for sure. That's why I now go to Mass General in Boston for almost all of my health care except for my PCP. I am sure there are some good doctors here - I live outside of Manchester, NH - but there are more doctors who are just not very good diagnosticians.
JK

Oh, @joybringer1, From Luddite 2 to Luddite 1, vbg, Like you, I like to take photos with my reliable "point and shoot camera" and also like you, (and much like preferring to hold "real books" rather reading online), I appreciate having the tactile pleasure of holding photos and sharing them with others. Although my new "smart phone" certainly has photo capability, we are still on very uncertain terms in my ability or desire to capitalize on its features. I may never succeed in learning to "upload" photos to share.

Another shared trait is still resorting to written notes of appreciation and news. Only takes a minute and a couple of sentences to let another we are thinking of them. Just mailed notes to both my computer "magic man" for installing a new webcam and then following up with a phone call to see how the dreaded Zoom visit with doc went and then a note of appreciation to the doc for offering, unasked, to put me on the virus vacc list. Now, I can both be seen and heard on Zoom and have started building my own antibodies thanks to the 1st Moderna vacc.

I appreciate that my daughter has taught the grands to dash off a thank you note for gifts as well. One yr, I couldn't tell, until reaching the signatures, which of the grands had printed their notes...one 8 yrs; another 13 yrs and the oldest a college graduate...lol My handwriting isn't stellar either, but it was truly funny to realize they faced similar penmanship challenges! The thought that counts, though, right? Smiles to you and all!

Ahh, JK, what a lovely place to visit is Hawaii!

Good to learn that I am not alone in easily confusing who "lives where" among members, @contentandwell, vbg! I live in west Texas and prefer putting up with the wind storms and droughts over the heavy snows encountered during 2 younger years each in Tonopah, NV and Duluth, MN. Happy for the experiences both places but happier still to be in a warmer clime.

With aging and more health conditions to consider, my growing list of docs grows and thanks to this forum, I've become more of a patient advocate in determining which I will continue seeing and which need to change. Hope a smile finds a way to your day and other members' today!

UGH! I'm so confused, fiesty76. I thought we were getting to know each other so well......When did you leave MN? I thought you lived in heavy snow, cold MN and travel to NM/Texas to a home you have there! Wow! What happened? I must have missed something somewhere.

Update: My kitty, Samantha, is in love with her new kitty towers at windows in 2 BR and den. She truly enjoys them for sleep, watching the outside activitiy, just meditating or watching me. What a joy for me to enjoy her enjoying her new spots. I love making her happy.....actually, I was emailing with a group of older folks at my church and one of the gals sent everyone a 'huge virtual hug'.....of course we were thrilled, but made me start thinking.

You know, I haven't had a single human hug since last March, 2020. Not one! Kitty hugs if you can call them that. Puppy died so don't get her loving....do miss her.... but you know, folks, that's really a long time to go w/o any human to human physical touching......of course, other than shots and tests and helping w/gowns, and hospital/doc stuff. That don't count one whit!

I used to teach volunteer classes for folks helping isolated elderly, buying them groceries or taking them to the store or delivering meals or taking them out for lunch or whatever. But, it is known that the human being requires 13 hugs per day. 13 hugs.....daily.....for good emotional health. My goodness. Let's not think about my emotional health! Or possibly yours or others during this pandemic.

This forum, Mayo Connect and my Connect friends, have saved me. I am immensely emotionally healthier than before I began this site. I am thanking you every one for contributing to my emotional well being.....and pass it along to all the other sites, please....we truly must be thankful for each other. For sharing. For the love and kindnesses and understanding that flow through these messages.

Thank you all. Blessings. Elizabeth (Florida)

Yes, John, you are a dream! Funny, when I first read your message about toe warmers, I giggled and had to think about that a bit to figure it out. I've never had such a thing, but must admit my poor toes do have a tough time sometimes at night getting warm.....but now that I have the weighted coverlet/quilt I got myself as a gift...and love.....my toes do warm up on their own now. My quailtiy of life is much better now. Hope you are enjoying your warm toes! And you shovel snow????? Good man. Blessings, Elizabeth