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PrintableAsthma sucks... I know the "breathing through a straw feeling" all too well 
 Get well and get adjusted, hopefully its not asthma but a temporary thing. All my love to you and your beautiful lungs, may they stay clear.
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MrsMdiver said: We hope they figure out what is going on and make her feel better real soon.
I went through the same thing several years ago. Went through every test imaginable. In the end, my Aunt took me to her Neuromuscular Therapist in St Pete. It turned out to be the muscles in my chest tightened up so much that they were effecting my lungs. She went up under my rib cage with her hand in a way that I never thought possible. It hurt like hell but when she was done my chest pains started to get better and I was able to breathe again. They did find a few things that were going on with my heart when I had all of the tests. So it was a good thing to get a full check up. I hope it is something that they can resolve quickly.  That's crazy! What exactly did she do with her hand?? | |
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Do you live near a construction zone? | |
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PunkMistress said: I'm so frustrated, you guys.
I feel like I'm having to fight so hard to get the clinicians to listen to me. They just want to get me out of here. I'm now having the same shortness of breath and difficulty speaking that I had when I came in here, even with the steroids. I told the nurse that I'm still symptomatic once again, and in this condition would be unable to work and care for my family. That is not okay with me, especially when they haven't even given me any pulmonary function tests yet. (PFTs would give them information on how my airways are functioning, and could rule out COPD and other serious conditions that haven't been addressed by the tests they've done so far) They want me to go home and schedule the PFT with an outpatient doctor. I'm here in the fucking hospital! Do it here, bitches! It's not even like they have to take my word that I'm not better. You can hear my voice being forcibly pushed out, I'm hoarse and struggling to speak, cords on my neck are standing out just from talking. The nurse assured me that he would call the doctor and pass that on. He went out in the hall and called the doctor, and I heard him tell the doctor simply that I'm ready to be discharged but "the patient wants to stay." Nothing about my symptoms, nothing. I got up out of bed, walked out into the hall and said, "I can hear you! I don't just want to stay here, I am still in the same condition I was admitted for and I have no answers! Put him on the phone with me and let him hear how I sound right now. I want to get BETTER!" He turned bright red and repeated my words to the doctor. The doctor immediately ordered them to hold the discharge and give me pulmonary function testing tomorrow (or as soon as a lung specialist is available.) Why should I have to fight so hard for that? This is a hospital. Oh, did I mention I was woken up this morning to be handed a bill for $3,000.00? That's with insurance. I'm trying so hard to keep my head up. And we're told we don't need health care reform. Rant over.  That absolutely sucks.
PM, has anyone even mentioned the possibility that you're having an allergic reaction to something that you may have inhaled which is causing the asthma attack??? I've suffered from asthma all my life and lived in the hospital most of my first 7 years of life. The climate in Panama is very similar to Florida and all that vegetation and other stuff could be causing this asthma attack. But, in the 30 years I've been in the US, I've NEVER been admitted to a hospital. I attribute that to the change in climate when we moved here. Also, a lot of asthma suffers can "outgrow" it OR have a sudden onset at an older age (which sounds like your situation). At any rate, ask them if they've ruled out an allergic reaction and if not ask them to or prescribe some type of anti-allergy medication. For me, the best way to avoid an asthma attack is taking allergy meds when I feel an attack coming on. If I wait too long, I'll have a full-blown attack. Another ?: Have they given you any breathing treatments. If not, they need to do that IMMEDIATELY. Just some food for thought.
And why the HELL have they not already done a pulmonary function test???  That's the first thing my family practioner does when I go in for an attack that I can't stop on my own and then I get a breathing treatment IN his office.  [Edited 2/26/10 18:24pm] | |
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paintedlady said: Do you live near a construction zone?
No, but I work with lots of smokers who don't stay in their designated smoking area. And the building I work in used to be part of a chicken coop, is over fifty years old, and is literally crumbling. | |
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SCNDLS said: PunkMistress said: I'm so frustrated, you guys.
I feel like I'm having to fight so hard to get the clinicians to listen to me. They just want to get me out of here. I'm now having the same shortness of breath and difficulty speaking that I had when I came in here, even with the steroids. I told the nurse that I'm still symptomatic once again, and in this condition would be unable to work and care for my family. That is not okay with me, especially when they haven't even given me any pulmonary function tests yet. (PFTs would give them information on how my airways are functioning, and could rule out COPD and other serious conditions that haven't been addressed by the tests they've done so far) They want me to go home and schedule the PFT with an outpatient doctor. I'm here in the fucking hospital! Do it here, bitches! It's not even like they have to take my word that I'm not better. You can hear my voice being forcibly pushed out, I'm hoarse and struggling to speak, cords on my neck are standing out just from talking. The nurse assured me that he would call the doctor and pass that on. He went out in the hall and called the doctor, and I heard him tell the doctor simply that I'm ready to be discharged but "the patient wants to stay." Nothing about my symptoms, nothing. I got up out of bed, walked out into the hall and said, "I can hear you! I don't just want to stay here, I am still in the same condition I was admitted for and I have no answers! Put him on the phone with me and let him hear how I sound right now. I want to get BETTER!" He turned bright red and repeated my words to the doctor. The doctor immediately ordered them to hold the discharge and give me pulmonary function testing tomorrow (or as soon as a lung specialist is available.) Why should I have to fight so hard for that? This is a hospital. Oh, did I mention I was woken up this morning to be handed a bill for $3,000.00? That's with insurance. I'm trying so hard to keep my head up. And we're told we don't need health care reform. Rant over. That absolutely sucks.
PM, has anyone even mentioned the possibility that you're having an allergic reaction to something that you may have inhaled which is causing the asthma attack??? I've suffered from asthma all my life and lived in the hospital most of my first 7 years of life. The climate in Panama is very similar to Florida and all that vegetation and other stuff could be causing this asthma attack. But, in the 30 years I've been in the US, I've NEVER been admitted to a hospital. I attribute that to the change in climate when we moved here. Also, a lot of asthma suffers can "outgrow" it OR have a sudden onset at an older age (which sounds like your situation). At any rate, ask them if they've ruled out an allergic reaction and if not ask them to or prescribe some type of anti-allergy medication. For me, the best way to avoid an asthma attack is taking allergy meds when I feel an attack coming on. If I wait too long, I'll have a full-blown attack. Another ?: Have they given you any breathing treatments. If not, they need to do that IMMEDIATELY. Just some food for thought.
And why the HELL have they not already done a pulmonary function test??? That's the first thing my family practioner does when I go in for an attack that I can't stop on my own and then I get a breathing treatment IN his office.
[Edited 2/26/10 18:24pm] Get. This. Shit. A new nurse just came on duty. She's wonderful, compassionate and concerned. She looked at my chart, and breathing treatments were ordered every six hours when I was admitted. I haven't gotten ONE since last night. And yes, they have mentioned the possibility of an allergic reaction, but have not tried allergy meds. I just don't get it. | |
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PunkMistress said: paintedlady said: Do you live near a construction zone?
No, but I work with lots of smokers who don't stay in their designated smoking area. And the building I work in used to be part of a chicken coop, is over fifty years old, and is literally crumbling.  Allergens, baby girl, allergens. Once your body builds up to a certain level of exposure to allergens, you can have a major asthma attack.
Cigarette smoke makes my asthma flare up instantly. When I was a waitress, I was constantly having attacks, that turned into respiratory infections (you may need antibiotics), which became pneumonia. Tell these fuckas, SCNDLS said they better get right or else!  | |
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PunkMistress said: SCNDLS said: That absolutely sucks.
PM, has anyone even mentioned the possibility that you're having an allergic reaction to something that you may have inhaled which is causing the asthma attack??? I've suffered from asthma all my life and lived in the hospital most of my first 7 years of life. The climate in Panama is very similar to Florida and all that vegetation and other stuff could be causing this asthma attack. But, in the 30 years I've been in the US, I've NEVER been admitted to a hospital. I attribute that to the change in climate when we moved here. Also, a lot of asthma suffers can "outgrow" it OR have a sudden onset at an older age (which sounds like your situation). At any rate, ask them if they've ruled out an allergic reaction and if not ask them to or prescribe some type of anti-allergy medication. For me, the best way to avoid an asthma attack is taking allergy meds when I feel an attack coming on. If I wait too long, I'll have a full-blown attack. Another ?: Have they given you any breathing treatments. If not, they need to do that IMMEDIATELY. Just some food for thought.
And why the HELL have they not already done a pulmonary function test??? That's the first thing my family practioner does when I go in for an attack that I can't stop on my own and then I get a breathing treatment IN his office.
[Edited 2/26/10 18:24pm] Get. This. Shit. A new nurse just came on duty. She's wonderful, compassionate and concerned. She looked at my chart, and breathing treatments were ordered every six hours when I was admitted. I haven't gotten ONE since last night. And yes, they have mentioned the possibility of an allergic reaction, but have not tried allergy meds. I just don't get it.  And they didn't tell you this?
The earlier breathing treatment explains why you were feeling better before and the fact that they didn't continue the treatments explains why you're regressing. They have to keep doing that until your crisis is over and they determine what the problem is and a proper course of treatment.
Is this nurse gonna arrange a treatment for you? | |
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SCNDLS said: PunkMistress said: Get. This. Shit. A new nurse just came on duty. She's wonderful, compassionate and concerned. She looked at my chart, and breathing treatments were ordered every six hours when I was admitted. I haven't gotten ONE since last night. And yes, they have mentioned the possibility of an allergic reaction, but have not tried allergy meds. I just don't get it. And they didn't tell you this?
The earlier breathing treatment explains why you were feeling better before and the fact that they didn't continue the treatments explains why you're regressing. They have to keep doing that until your crisis is over and they determine what the problem is and a proper course of treatment.
Is this nurse gonna arrange a treatment for you? Yes. She was shocked that I wasn't aware of the order and hadn't gotten any treatments. They gave me one in the ER yesterday evening, but that was it. She immediately called Respiratory Therapy and told them to get up here. I'm waiting for them now. | |
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PunkMistress said: SCNDLS said: And they didn't tell you this?
The earlier breathing treatment explains why you were feeling better before and the fact that they didn't continue the treatments explains why you're regressing. They have to keep doing that until your crisis is over and they determine what the problem is and a proper course of treatment.
Is this nurse gonna arrange a treatment for you? Yes. She was shocked that I wasn't aware of the order and hadn't gotten any treatments. They gave me one in the ER yesterday evening, but that was it. She immediately called Respiratory Therapy and told them to get up here. I'm waiting for them now. Fuckin' ridiculous.
But that dumbass was insisting you were ready to be discharged when he didn't even SEE the order on your chart that she spotted right away. When you're feeling better, get that bitch fired.
But I'm glad you're gonna get a treatment soon. Relief is on the way. 
PS: Try to get a copy of your chart with the order.  [Edited 2/26/10 18:48pm] | |
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SCNDLS said: PunkMistress said: Yes. She was shocked that I wasn't aware of the order and hadn't gotten any treatments. They gave me one in the ER yesterday evening, but that was it. She immediately called Respiratory Therapy and told them to get up here. I'm waiting for them now. Fuckin' ridiculous.
But that dumbass was insisting you were ready to be discharged when he didn't even SEE the order on your chart that she spotted right away. When you're feeling better, get that bitch fired.
But I'm glad you're gonna get a treatment soon. Relief is on the way.
PS: Try to get a copy of your chart with the order.
[Edited 2/26/10 18:48pm] Feeling a bit better after the breathing treatment, and she gave me some ativan to bring my stress level down. She also brought me some chocolate ice cream. 
Going to try and get some sleep now. Many thanks to my friends for making me feel less alone, and encouraging me to advocate for myself. Extra special thanks to JerseyKRS for coming in and cuddling with me in my tiny hospital bed even though he's totally claustrophobic, and our kids for giving me the sweetest hugs and love. I'm blessed! | |
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Sorry to hear of your ordeal. It's bad enough to be sick and in the hospital...it's a thousand times worse when you have to deal with idiots "caring" for you. My daughter landed in the hospital for like a week when she was 18 months old. The ER visit was a living nightmare. My wife was 3 months pregnant at the time and slept on a f*cking sidechair for 2 nights. You'd think that people whose job is to care for others would be more concerned? But he had to stay because she basically HAD to raise hell for my daughter to get proper treatment. Anyway...don't settle for anything less than 100% of what you feel you deserve. Alot of these people working in hospitals become for jaded that they don't even realize that they're dealing with human beings anymore.
...and have Jersey bring you plenty of Haagen Daaz (none of that crappy hospital ice cream!) By St. Boogar and all the saints at the backside door of Purgatory! | |
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PurpleJedi said:
Sorry to hear of your ordeal. It's bad enough to be sick and in the hospital...it's a thousand times worse when you have to deal with idiots "caring" for you. My daughter landed in the hospital for like a week when she was 18 months old. The ER visit was a living nightmare. My wife was 3 months pregnant at the time and slept on a f*cking sidechair for 2 nights. You'd think that people whose job is to care for others would be more concerned? But he had to stay because she basically HAD to raise hell for my daughter to get proper treatment. Anyway...don't settle for anything less than 100% of what you feel you deserve. Alot of these people working in hospitals become for jaded that they don't even realize that they're dealing with human beings anymore.
...and have Jersey bring you plenty of Haagen Daaz (none of that crappy hospital ice cream!) I bought her a Naked Blue Machine at Target 
but then I drank it. | |
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PunkMistress said:[quote] SCNDLS said: Fuckin' ridiculous.
But that dumbass was insisting you were ready to be discharged when he didn't even SEE the order on your chart that she spotted right away. When you're feeling better, get that bitch fired.
But I'm glad you're gonna get a treatment soon. Relief is on the way.
PS: Try to get a copy of your chart with the order.
[Edited 2/26/10 18:48pm]
I am so angry that you didn't get your breathing treatments!!!! they are playing with your life OHMIGOD! that just made me so mad!!! Baby please rest, try not to stress too much. Thank God for the good nurse who actually reads a chart. KRS: Every hospital has a patient liason. tomorrow when the doc comes in you need to tell the doc that you want to see the liason and file a formal complaint against that unprofessional asshole of a nurse she had earlier today and give cudos to the one who knew how to do her job. 
We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color. Maya Angelou | |
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JerseyKRS said: PurpleJedi said:
Sorry to hear of your ordeal. It's bad enough to be sick and in the hospital...it's a thousand times worse when you have to deal with idiots "caring" for you. My daughter landed in the hospital for like a week when she was 18 months old. The ER visit was a living nightmare. My wife was 3 months pregnant at the time and slept on a f*cking sidechair for 2 nights. You'd think that people whose job is to care for others would be more concerned? But he had to stay because she basically HAD to raise hell for my daughter to get proper treatment. Anyway...don't settle for anything less than 100% of what you feel you deserve. Alot of these people working in hospitals become for jaded that they don't even realize that they're dealing with human beings anymore.
...and have Jersey bring you plenty of Haagen Daaz (none of that crappy hospital ice cream!) I bought her a Naked Blue Machine at Target
but then I drank it. 
Now forget the Haagen Daaz...get her some Godiva!  By St. Boogar and all the saints at the backside door of Purgatory! | |
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JerseyKRS said: PurpleJedi said:
Sorry to hear of your ordeal. It's bad enough to be sick and in the hospital...it's a thousand times worse when you have to deal with idiots "caring" for you. My daughter landed in the hospital for like a week when she was 18 months old. The ER visit was a living nightmare. My wife was 3 months pregnant at the time and slept on a f*cking sidechair for 2 nights. You'd think that people whose job is to care for others would be more concerned? But he had to stay because she basically HAD to raise hell for my daughter to get proper treatment. Anyway...don't settle for anything less than 100% of what you feel you deserve. Alot of these people working in hospitals become for jaded that they don't even realize that they're dealing with human beings anymore.
...and have Jersey bring you plenty of Haagen Daaz (none of that crappy hospital ice cream!) I bought her a Naked Blue Machine at Target
but then I drank it. Can't blame you, they are delicious  "We may deify or demonize them but not ignore them. And we call them genius, because they are the people who change the world." |
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Sorry to hear you're feeling like this. I hope things get better for you and I hope they look into the possibility of allergies. I recently had some medical problems that they weren't sure what was happening or why and it turned out Im allergic to a bunch of things. I had similar symptoms that you've mentioned and now that I know what Im allergic to and have been able to adjust my lifestyle I feel like a different person.
Hope those doctors get their thumbs out of their asses and do something to help you soon | |
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Hope they figure out how to help you feel better soon.
A good friend of mine developed chronic headaches when we worked together in an old brownstone, which I *know* had asbestos in it. (They told us it was properly contained.) I also think there was mold and there was gross pigeon poop outside the windows. She bought some sort of air quality test and brought it into her office. Maybe you can look for one of those and test the air at your building. Since it used to house chickens, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if there are weird things in the air. The check. The string he dropped. The Mona Lisa. The musical notes taken out of a hat. The glass. The toy shotgun painting. The things he found. Therefore, everything seen–every object, that is, plus the process of looking at it–is a Duchamp. | |
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PunkMistress said: johnart said: Good to hear.
Can I still come down sometime and kick your ass?  How about rubbing some lotion on it instead? Set the scene, how many  in am I?? | |
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Way to go, girl. DO NOT let them discharge you until you are safe. I can't fucking believe that you have to tell doctors that you're not safe when you can't breathe.
I had an aunt -- not very old, pretty healthy -- who up and died from an asthma attack because she wasn't being properly treated. Not to freak you out, just to cheer you on in fighting for yourself. Time is critical. Until that shit is under control, you need to be within 60 seconds of an endotracheal tube. I wish that were obvious to the staff there.
I know how scary it is to be unable to breathe. I'm really sorry, hon. Hang in there. Once they sort out the right meds for you and you figure out what's triggering it, you'll be ok. "What's 'non-sequitur' mean? Do I look it up in a Fag-to-English dictionary?" | |
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bboy87 said: JerseyKRS said: I bought her a Naked Blue Machine at Target
but then I drank it. Can't blame you, they are delicious Love them...(((punk))) Health care in the US SUCKS. "Let love be your perfect weapon..." ~~Andy Biersack | |
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Get well soon...  Prince, in you I found a kindred spirit...Rest In Paradise. | |
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PunkMistress said: MrsMdiver said: We hope they figure out what is going on and make her feel better real soon.
I went through the same thing several years ago. Went through every test imaginable. In the end, my Aunt took me to her Neuromuscular Therapist in St Pete. It turned out to be the muscles in my chest tightened up so much that they were effecting my lungs. She went up under my rib cage with her hand in a way that I never thought possible. It hurt like hell but when she was done my chest pains started to get better and I was able to breathe again. They did find a few things that were going on with my heart when I had all of the tests. So it was a good thing to get a full check up. I hope it is something that they can resolve quickly. That's crazy! What exactly did she do with her hand?? She managed to get it up under my rib cage and get a hold of the muscles that were in knots around my lungs. It was the strangest sensation but it worked. I was so glad because I was struggling to breathe for weeks and no one could figure out why. I hope you feel better soon. I must say, sadly, you have to stay on top of the hospital. It is a damn shame considering the amount of money they charge for your stay.
After I had surgery in Spring Hill hospital for a procedure that was supposed to be day surgery, it was clear to my mom and ex that I was not right and should not go home yet. They were getting really pushy with me even though I was having trouble coming to after the surgery and puking fresh blood. Finally, my mom got really pissed off at the recovery nurse and told her to get the surgeon to come back and take a look at me. He was called back to the hospital to look at me. Ordered for me to stay overnight, I was clearly not ready to go home. The staff was just trying to clear beds and moving us around like cattle.
Stay strong and hopefully you will get the good nurses that know what the hell they are doing and get you the right treatment.
We have been thinking of you guys. [Edited 2/26/10 23:59pm] | |
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Erin, im so sorry you have been getting the run around from a lot of the staff...it sounds like a lot just "treat" you like a number, instead of doing the job they were trained to do (and in the case of your 6 hourly treatments, instructed to do)
heal fast, we miss your bad arse around here 
seems that i was busy doing something close to nothing, but different than the day before   | |
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tackam said: Way to go, girl. DO NOT let them discharge you until you are safe. I can't fucking believe that you have to tell doctors that you're not safe when you can't breathe.
I had an aunt -- not very old, pretty healthy -- who up and died from an asthma attack because she wasn't being properly treated. Not to freak you out, just to cheer you on in fighting for yourself. Time is critical. Until that shit is under control, you need to be within 60 seconds of an endotracheal tube. I wish that were obvious to the staff there.
I know how scary it is to be unable to breathe. I'm really sorry, hon. Hang in there. Once they sort out the right meds for you and you figure out what's triggering it, you'll be ok. No, it really truly helps to hear that I'm not just being a whiny pain in the ass. because that's how they make you feel. Like you're just trying to suck up their time and resources instead of TRYING TO BE ABLE TO BREATHE. PurpleJedi and prb, I think you're right about some of the staff being jaded and cynical and not feeling as if they're treating human beings anymore. I'm making sure to be extra appreciative of the staff who are doing a great job. butterfli, I think we will do just that.
I just woke up and am sucking on a nebulizer right now. Along with my home family, my Org family is making this easier to bear. [Edited 2/27/10 4:58am] | |
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RodeoSchro said: She's in my prayers and on the prayer list at church.
That is so touching. The church chaplain came in and prayed with me yesterday. Even though I'm non-religious, it was nice. | |
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Hope you feel better soon Now I'm older than movies, Now I'm wiser than dreams, And I know who's there
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PunkMistress said: RodeoSchro said: She's in my prayers and on the prayer list at church.
That is so touching. The church chaplain came in and prayed with me yesterday. Even though I'm non-religious, it was nice.  | |
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JerseyKRS said: PunkMistress said: That is so touching. The church chaplain came in and prayed with me yesterday. Even though I'm non-religious, it was nice. You ignorant-ass.... 
Don't hate just because The Great Physician in the Sky is laying hands on me and not you. | |
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Good to hear you're pushing them when need be and that there's at least one nurse who's on top of things.
Hang in there, lady. Things have to turn out OK, so they will. This has always been my philosophy and eventually they always do. |
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