I had to scale my planned costume and backdrop back quite a lot, but I'm still glad I was able to put something together.
The dress is a 1930s piece with snaps on the side and tiny buttons in back. The fabric is taffeta-like, and has a moiré pattern. I need to do another post showing how it is constructed in up close photos. I found it at a thrift store hanging with the nightgowns and slips. Always check the undergarment section-I've found more things mistakenly shoved there by someone who didn't know about vintage. The necklace is French Jet (glass) stamped Germany. The gloves were found new with tags and are having their first wear here. Black gloves would have been better but I didn't have the energy to go looking for them.
I had to change after getting photos as it is freezing here. This brushed nylon and quilted polyester was perfect for greeting Trick or Treaters. We only had a handful, but I had prepared bags on a table outside that they could grab without having to open the door but I could still say hello and see the costumes. We had a baby dressed as a bee which was adorable, and a toddler dressed as a ladybird/ladybug which was equally adorable.
Ooops-that top is a little too revealing when I bend forward and this isn't that sort of a blog!
A pair of black cats are always appropriate, but all the more so at Halloween.
Jazz hands!
The day before Halloween I finally wore this dress I purchased several years ago. The 70s sure had some wild maxi dresses.
I had my long awaited medical appointment on the 29th and it went well. Unfortunately the hospitals are full of covidiots and booking non-emergency procedures is tough right now. He was apologetic (because everyone agreed it was absolutely an emergency but not by what the state has decided gets priority) and said they're going to try to pull some strings but even something as straightforward as being scoped is now being booked months out. Obviously, that's a problem. At one point he left to bring in another much older doctor who again, apologetically tried to come up with some sort of plan. For the moment that means drinking liquid supplements all day long. As swallowing is difficult and there isn't much room once things do hit my stomach, it means drinking my way through these things a few tablespoons at a time. It reminds me of when Danny was a baby and it would take close to an hour for him to finish a few ounces of formula-and then he'd promptly throw up and we'd have to start all over. Hopefully I won't require around the clock feeding every two hours (I am NOT setting an alarm to get up in the night and drink a bottle of supplement). They wanted me to work with a nutritionist but they're only available if you have diabetes or need bariatric treatment! A speech pathologist is also going to be needed at some point because this is a throat problem too. So yeah, it was nice to have someone acknowledge that I'm not "Just constipated" as the last doctor I saw decided and that I don't need to be taking the completely unnecessary reflux medication he insisted I take because (as I said at the time) I don't have heartburn. This doctor agreed. Someday I'll have to post about that last doctor-he probably shouldn't have gone into medicine. But we'll save that story for another time. Anyway, I have to try and stop losing weight which under the circumstances isn't something I have much control over. I did get through a couple bottles of those supplements today but it was hard, and the pain going down was enough to discourage me being eager to try again. I will, but it wasn't a pleasant experience. So enough about that because I never wanted this to be a chronic illness blog.
Didn't find much this week on my Thursday shop, but these were too inexpensive to reject.
And that's about it. I'm trying to take things slowly, drink my food, and try to manage. I have my winter coats out of storage airing out on our balcony. I hope I don't bring them in and find a squirrel in the pocket. I could imagine that happening.
Hope you had a fun Halloween if you celebrate it, or a nice weekend if you don't.
You may feel like S____T but you look wonderful in your Halloween inspired outfits. Glad you had some fun.
When I lived with my parents long ago, my father would dress up like a witch and give out candy to the kids that came to our house. . He would let them ( make them ) come up to the plastic caldron as he sat on a rocking chair to pick out a piece of candy. It was a riot. One year I had a boy friend that brought over his Black Sabbath record and we blasted it out into the neighborhood. Now I live in a rural type road so I have only had 2 Trick or Treaters in 30 years. The memories of my Dad in the homemade witch outfit still satisfy my halloween yearnings.
I am loving your "Cruella DeVille but more elegant" look with the black taffeta 30s dress as well as your divine 70s maxis! I seem to recall the Carnation Instant breakfast mixes as being more tolerable than most of the liquid supplements I tried on my "liquids only" year of gastric issues. (not that that helps much in your situation. Eggs are by far the most easily digestible form of protein (and healthy fats, choline, lecithin, vitamins) so try adding some in. That's the unfortunate reality of the US healthcare system, you often have insurance accountants making your medical decisions rather than you or your doctors. It does sound like you've got some empathetic and intelligent docs for a change (is healthcare in Nebraska particularly awful?) I noticed in my years in the US healthcare system, I noticed most gastric issues in women are written off as neurosis by lazy docs who can't figure out the real issue in 15 minutes. Take care & hang in there! xox
Yes, indeedy, one can discover a classic Vionnet-inspired evening gown slithering amongst the undies and jammies at Goodwill. (But then there's the feather-trimmed 30s bed jacket moulting in the blouse section.) Looks like your black taffeta has a knee-height flounce, the better to swish when moving!
Having two doctors fighting for you is better than one, especially if the elder can enlist others in your cause by calling it an interesting case. My team captain resembled an miniature Dr. Fauci. When he trotted down the halls at an ungodly hour the staff actually did head-bows like Japanese business men. You should be so lucky.
Please keep spooning -- a sterling silver tablespoon from the family chest, perhaps? -- down the nutritional liquids! Have you tried the Hormel pureed foods? Chum of mine was on the dysphagia diet and liked their meatloaf!
fabulous helloween themed outfits! and i would be very thankful if you can shed some light - literally - on that 30s gown...... i wish you from the deep of my heart that your health problems can get sorted out as soon as possible. a doc who is calling another one sounds like someone who´s sensible and cares. all fingers crossed. do you like coconuts? coconut cream (organical if possible) has a lot of good stuff in it - i´ve read that a human being can live only on coconuts - juice and flesh - without getting malnourished....... just saying :-D xxxxx
Even if I'm not really into Halloween - it's not exactly a tradition here in Belgium - I'm loving your Halloween themed outfits. That first one is absolutely stunning, and I'd love to see that 1930s in detail. I'm also loving the "wild" 1970s dress. I'm glad to hear the appointment went well - or as well as can be - and I do hope the doctors can pull some strings so that you can get the assessment and treatment you need as soon as! Keeping my fingers crossed for you! xxx
Those Halloween outfits are amazing! Especially the all-black number from the 1930s, which is so timeless that you could wear it all year long.
It's a real travesty that you can't be assigned a dietitian unless you're diabetic or preparing for gastric bypass surgery. Did they discuss the possibility of booking you for an endoscopy with an in-network provider who is outside of Nebraska if that means having the endoscopy sooner? Or is that against the rules for your insurance plan? Out-of-state travel can be especially inconvenient if you're not feeling well, but if it means getting the endoscopy done sooner, it might be worthwhile.
Beth is right, it's good to have two doctors who are aware of your case, even if one of them is only informally involved. Sometimes a medical mystery is easier to crack when multiple professionals are apprised of the situation.
@Gail Your Dad sounds like he was loads of fun. What a great memory to have.
@Bibi If anyone dared to try writing me off as neurotic at this point it might get ugly. I did have a young resident try treating me like I was senile-that didn't go well for him. The Carnation packets are still good. I like them and like Ovaltine can be dissolved and blended into other stuff.
@Beth The dress has a slit in the front of the flounce which is oh so nice for ease of movement. They did manage to get me scheduled for an appointment in the second week of December which is fast considering they've been booked months ahead. I think the DR. was annoyed when he found out I'd waited 5 months to be seen and that my Primary hadn't called for an urgent appointment. So now things are starting to move along. I've avoided pureed baby food at this point as it feels too depressing. It might get there, but for the moment I can tell myself hummus isn't babyfood although that's pretty much a stretch.
@Beate The most interesting thing about the gown is how un-finished it looks inside. I think it was made with the expectation it would be taken in and let out over the years. Old clothes were made to be altered not thrown into a landfill like today's. That's good to know about coconut. I wonder if I can make myself some sort of non-alcoholic cocktail with coconut and pineapple juice? That might be a mood lifter too. Thanks for the idea.
@Ann Halloween used to be more of a children's holiday, but these days children aren't permitted to go roaming the neighbourhood in search of candy and most of their events are planned parties. The adults have turned it into drunken reveling in fancy dress.
@Emily They finally found me a dietician. I think she deals with stroke patients so might have some insights into the swallowing issue. I'm not expecting much, but you never know when someone will come up with something helpful. The person we saw after my husband was diagnosed with diabetes was awful and put such fear of food into him that he hasn't had a potato in close to a year. Yes, quinoa is better than a potato but sometimes you just want a potato! There was no sense of balance, just get rid of the rice, replace it with cauliflower, etc. etc. I guess my case is a little different.
@Vronni I'm getting them down, though I have to laugh at the packaging that makes it look like a milkshake in a frosted glass. Hardly! The cream brooch is ceramic and backed with some sort of cardboard. I can't tell if it was handmade, but it looks it.
@Sheila Thank you. I enjoy seeing your outfits and have lurked over at your blog for quite some time. You have fantastic taste.
@Mim After five months of waiting for an appointment I guess they're just trying to make up for lost time. I have a test on Tuesday morning scheduled so that caught me off guard. It was almost like after all this time I didn't get a chance to mentally prepare for it. I'll be there, of course, just didn't expect such quick action.
Love your fab halloween outfits, so stunning!. The orange and quilted patchwork dress is particularly fab, and I keep on loving your photo 'Hamlet posing' with the pumpkin. Glad that you finally received proper attention by some (real) doctors. Hoping for the best! besos
You may feel like S____T but you look wonderful in your Halloween inspired outfits. Glad you had some fun.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived with my parents long ago, my father would dress up like a witch and give out candy to the kids that came to our house. . He would let them ( make them ) come up to the plastic caldron as he sat on a rocking chair to pick out a piece of candy. It was a riot. One year I had a boy friend that brought over his Black Sabbath record and we blasted it out into the neighborhood. Now I live in a rural type road so I have only had 2 Trick or Treaters in 30 years. The memories of my Dad in the homemade witch outfit still satisfy my halloween yearnings.
Please take care !
Best Wishes always
Gail from Pa.
I am loving your "Cruella DeVille but more elegant" look with the black taffeta 30s dress as well as your divine 70s maxis!
ReplyDeleteI seem to recall the Carnation Instant breakfast mixes as being more tolerable than most of the liquid supplements I tried on my "liquids only" year of gastric issues. (not that that helps much in your situation. Eggs are by far the most easily digestible form of protein (and healthy fats, choline, lecithin, vitamins) so try adding some in.
That's the unfortunate reality of the US healthcare system, you often have insurance accountants making your medical decisions rather than you or your doctors. It does sound like you've got some empathetic and intelligent docs for a change (is healthcare in Nebraska particularly awful?)
I noticed in my years in the US healthcare system, I noticed most gastric issues in women are written off as neurosis by lazy docs who can't figure out the real issue in 15 minutes.
Take care & hang in there!
xox
Yes, indeedy, one can discover a classic Vionnet-inspired evening gown slithering amongst the undies and jammies at Goodwill. (But then there's the feather-trimmed 30s bed jacket moulting in the blouse section.) Looks like your black taffeta has a knee-height flounce, the better to swish when moving!
ReplyDeleteHaving two doctors fighting for you is better than one, especially if the elder can enlist others in your cause by calling it an interesting case. My team captain resembled an miniature Dr. Fauci. When he trotted down the halls at an ungodly hour the staff actually did head-bows like Japanese business men. You should be so lucky.
Please keep spooning -- a sterling silver tablespoon from the family chest, perhaps? -- down the nutritional liquids! Have you tried the Hormel pureed foods? Chum of mine was on the dysphagia diet and liked their meatloaf!
fabulous helloween themed outfits!
ReplyDeleteand i would be very thankful if you can shed some light - literally - on that 30s gown......
i wish you from the deep of my heart that your health problems can get sorted out as soon as possible. a doc who is calling another one sounds like someone who´s sensible and cares. all fingers crossed.
do you like coconuts? coconut cream (organical if possible) has a lot of good stuff in it - i´ve read that a human being can live only on coconuts - juice and flesh - without getting malnourished.......
just saying :-D
xxxxx
Even if I'm not really into Halloween - it's not exactly a tradition here in Belgium - I'm loving your Halloween themed outfits. That first one is absolutely stunning, and I'd love to see that 1930s in detail. I'm also loving the "wild" 1970s dress.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear the appointment went well - or as well as can be - and I do hope the doctors can pull some strings so that you can get the assessment and treatment you need as soon as! Keeping my fingers crossed for you! xxx
Those Halloween outfits are amazing! Especially the all-black number from the 1930s, which is so timeless that you could wear it all year long.
ReplyDeleteIt's a real travesty that you can't be assigned a dietitian unless you're diabetic or preparing for gastric bypass surgery. Did they discuss the possibility of booking you for an endoscopy with an in-network provider who is outside of Nebraska if that means having the endoscopy sooner? Or is that against the rules for your insurance plan? Out-of-state travel can be especially inconvenient if you're not feeling well, but if it means getting the endoscopy done sooner, it might be worthwhile.
Beth is right, it's good to have two doctors who are aware of your case, even if one of them is only informally involved. Sometimes a medical mystery is easier to crack when multiple professionals are apprised of the situation.
Sending well wishes your way!
What totally gorgeous outfits! Loved them all. I'd love some close ups of the 1930s dress.
ReplyDeleteHaving to drink supplements sounds awful but a bit at a time is a good plan. Good luck.
Loved those brooches; especially the cream coloured one. Beautiful.
xxx
You have an amazing collection of gowns here! Wow! I have a few crazy 70s maxis and dresses - they really did go all out on designs.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your chronic illness. That really sucks.
@Gail
ReplyDeleteYour Dad sounds like he was loads of fun. What a great memory to have.
@Bibi
If anyone dared to try writing me off as neurotic at this point it might get ugly. I did have a young resident try treating me like I was senile-that didn't go well for him.
The Carnation packets are still good. I like them and like Ovaltine can be dissolved and blended into other stuff.
@Beth
The dress has a slit in the front of the flounce which is oh so nice for ease of movement.
They did manage to get me scheduled for an appointment in the second week of December which is fast considering they've been booked months ahead. I think the DR. was annoyed when he found out I'd waited 5 months to be seen and that my Primary hadn't called for an urgent appointment. So now things are starting to move along.
I've avoided pureed baby food at this point as it feels too depressing. It might get there, but for the moment I can tell myself hummus isn't babyfood although that's pretty much a stretch.
@Beate
The most interesting thing about the gown is how un-finished it looks inside. I think it was made with the expectation it would be taken in and let out over the years. Old clothes were made to be altered not thrown into a landfill like today's.
That's good to know about coconut. I wonder if I can make myself some sort of non-alcoholic cocktail with coconut and pineapple juice? That might be a mood lifter too. Thanks for the idea.
@Ann
Halloween used to be more of a children's holiday, but these days children aren't permitted to go roaming the neighbourhood in search of candy and most of their events are planned parties. The adults have turned it into drunken reveling in fancy dress.
@Emily
They finally found me a dietician. I think she deals with stroke patients so might have some insights into the swallowing issue. I'm not expecting much, but you never know when someone will come up with something helpful. The person we saw after my husband was diagnosed with diabetes was awful and put such fear of food into him that he hasn't had a potato in close to a year. Yes, quinoa is better than a potato but sometimes you just want a potato! There was no sense of balance, just get rid of the rice, replace it with cauliflower, etc. etc. I guess my case is a little different.
@Vronni
I'm getting them down, though I have to laugh at the packaging that makes it look like a milkshake in a frosted glass. Hardly!
The cream brooch is ceramic and backed with some sort of cardboard. I can't tell if it was handmade, but it looks it.
@Sheila
Thank you. I enjoy seeing your outfits and have lurked over at your blog for quite some time. You have fantastic taste.
I'm glad they're taking your ilness seriously and doing their best to make you a priority. Do keep struggling on with your supplements!
ReplyDeleteYou've had some fab outfits for Halloween - those maxis look lovely and cosy.
@Mim
ReplyDeleteAfter five months of waiting for an appointment I guess they're just trying to make up for lost time. I have a test on Tuesday morning scheduled so that caught me off guard. It was almost like after all this time I didn't get a chance to mentally prepare for it. I'll be there, of course, just didn't expect such quick action.
Love your fab halloween outfits, so stunning!. The orange and quilted patchwork dress is particularly fab, and I keep on loving your photo 'Hamlet posing' with the pumpkin.
ReplyDeleteGlad that you finally received proper attention by some (real) doctors. Hoping for the best!
besos