Up for Raven.

Yes I did thanks terilyn. It says it is off the market now.

Like I said, the sign is still up.

Humm strange maybe they are waiting to see if they have the financing.

Today we decided to also start looking online at properties in Louisiana. I would like to go back there but he doesn't want to because Texas is a better place for retirement benefits. He is reconsidering however since we can't find a house here.

Raven you do not have to decide immediately. You can if you wish move to Louisiana but keep Texas as your domicile state if you intend to return some time in the future and live here permanently.

If at some future point you decide you are not going to return then Louisiana would be your domicile state.

Maybe you all could just rent a place for the short term? It sounds like Freedom is getting crowded for you.

Raven if you have not lived in an apartment for a while you would be amazed at how they have changed and all the amenities they have. And some of the nice apaertments around here have leases for as little as 3 months because other people rent an apy so they can look at houses as their leisure.

Husband will never do apartments. He is past that stage he wants to retire with some property and a little shop to do wood working. He may have to build a shop. We love Freedom but I am having a problem being comfortable. I hate the sleep number bed. I can't imagine why anyone would pay good money for one. It's like sleeping on a big beach ball and trying to get the right amount of air in it. I am not sleeping well. That is my main concern.

We need to look into that Lucille about domicile.

There are very limited houses available to rent and we don't have any belongings or furniture so we would have to get everything. I would prefer to do that to go with the house we buy. With so many people in the same situation housing is limited.

That's why we are now considering Louisiana. I have always wanted to go back home so I could be around family and friends. We found a house we really like there so a trip home may be a priority.

We have the rv tech here today trying to find out why our furnaces won't come on. I am ready for warmer weather.

Raven, We have a Serta mattress like Sleep number in our house. I don't like it either, but my husband does. What I have learned. You both have to lay down on the bed and then set the sides for how hard or soft you want it. The air pressure changes if you are on it. Say you set it and are not on it. When you get on the bed it will be firmer. Only go up or down a small amount at a time.

My son got a mattress he likes at Costco. I don't know the name, but it is memory foam, but one of the ones that keeps you from overheating like some of them do.

Finding a house is hard and I've sorry you've had a couple of disappointments. Just keep looking, and you will find a house that works for you.

Raven, I understand your probably frustrated with comming up empty in your search..not sleeping well is making it more difficult not to mention how important sleep is when your body is fighting a battle. Wish I was close to you so I could tuck you into one of my famous beds for a good sleep. You will find YOUR home, its out there waiting for you...than the fun will begin. At least in making it yours you know how to do it better than anyone. Keep your spirits up and keep on keeping on... (God I hate that saying lol)

How's the baby? (Mia)

Mia is doing well. And we have good news today! Our wonderful rv tech was able to get our furnace fixed and the heat pumps working too. So we have lots of heat now. But I would prefer not to need any. Beautiful weather would be a treat for everyone.

Raven, so happy you have your furnace fixed! That must be a huge relief. You WILL find a home, just don’t give up or give in. The right one will find you.

Raven, you must just feel exhausted all the time. Too bad that last house already had an offer on it. It was so cute. How long has it been since the first flood? Seems like the bad stuff keeps going and going but there's so many ways you can count your blessings. There will be an end to it all, though!

Raven, finding the right house can be so discouraging even under better circumstances. The perfect place for you, Mr Raven and Mia is out there. Thank goodness you have Freedom and heat.

The other day, on the news, they mentioned many victims of Harvey are still living in tents. That.....makes me sad. It has been so bitterly cold.

The right house will come along.

I still see a lot of houses for sale and some leases, but I doubt you are looking for a bunch of houses, packed together like sardines in an HOA. You can't keep the RV in the yard permanently either. I am envious of a local neighborhood with ranch style houses and an acre or two of land. I think it's getting harder for them to maintain the peace as Houston moves outward. Land around them is being repurposed and all of us outsiders are moving in.

Summer, I heard about the tents too. I felt a little guilty because I enjoyed the snow and those poor people were having to live in it or find other accommodations. The 24 degree weather was even worse.

I was talking to my dd's 13 year old friend whose house flooded. They only had three inches of water, but even that destroys so much. The friend and family are back in their house, but she said there was still a lot of work to be done. Their furniture was ruined, but they were able to keep the mattresses. The whole family is sleeping on mattresses on the floor. I don't know anyone who flooded who has their living quarters back to normal yet.

adellabedella_usa - We don't hear much news about the victims, so that was shocking to me. Here in Canada the temperature has been in the double minus digits. I dislike the cold immensely, but my house is warm. When I hear of the plight of so many, I have no right to complain. Life is not fair sometimes.

So many of the houses had to be gutted to the studs. Even with all the water in our house, the walls are okay, because we had already stripped out the sheetrock and the house is old and has double walls. But the floors are ruined. The house shifted and now the only door in the house that will close is the front door. It is tiring...that is for sure. People who know me say," you don't want to sell that place....you love that house." It's not that I don't love the house, we are not physically able to do all the work it needs to bring it back again.

Just found out yesterday that my husband has Asbestosis. He has had trouble breathing for at least a year and can't physically do the work he used to do. He won't quit trying....is working on his boat today...but everything takes much longer.

Oh Marilyn that's not good news at all I sure am sorry to hear that. Is there anything they can do for him.?

I have seen the TV shots of the families still living in tents down around the coast where the hurricane actually destroyed their homes. They got much worse than just the water they got total destruction. Those areas just don't have anywhere for them to go, not enough hotels or residences available. Just so sad. We are definitely fortunate to have FREEDOM. I feel guilty when I complain because compared to many we have a great place to live.

Yesterday my rv tech was telling me that he had been working with fema and a local rv store. Fema bought all the stock of used travel trailers and hired them to get them all fixed to their specifications. Then fema is going to be distributing them to harvey victims still not able to get in their homes. I have no idea where they are going to be putting them. I know a lot of people in my subdivision got rvs and put them in the driveway. But those people were not familiar with using an rv. It takes a special electrical hookup for the bigger ones. It takes a septic dump to be able to dump the rv tanks black and gray water. It takes running water from somewhere to the rv and in these cold temperatures pretty much any hose running outside froze up solid. We have a long heated hose we bought a few years ago that thank God survived the flood and works but even using it we had very slow water one morning so it was getting close to freezing up. My friend that was living in the rv resort in a rental that is set up as a park model, solid connections, had her water turned off for a few days so it didn't freeze up.

Marilyn I'm so sorry to hear about the asbestosis diagnosis. Does your husband qualify for social security disability?

Marilyn, I'm so sorry to hear about Jody's diagnosis. Is there anything that can be done to help him?

Oh, Marilyn, I'm sorry to hear that news about Jody. My dad also had asbestosis. I sure hope your house sells soon.

I can only imagine how bad the housing nightmare is around the coast. Some of those people didn't have the money to flee during the actual storm. I had also heard there were people in the Woodlands living in tents.

There was a segment on the news the other night where a family is living in an RV and the house still needs work. They appear to have electricity because they were watching tv inside the house.

Another lady had a FEMA trailer in her yard, but had never been inside because she has never had the clearance to use it. I can't remember the reason they gave. It either isn't set up yet or it was paperwork red tape. I think her house was livable or almost livable. She said something like "Thanks FEMA for killing my grass."

We are living in the motorhome in the driveway of our flood house. We thankfully do still have power. Not all of the circuits are working in the house but the special one for the rv is.

Just read this in a recent article.

Nearly 11,300 families were still living in hotel rooms funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as of Dec. 15, according to The Texas Tribune.

Those were the lucky ones that were able to find a hotel vacancy. We never could find one.

Marilyn, I'm so sorry to hear Judy's diagnosis.

Marilyn, I am so sorry to hear about Jody's health.

Marilyn, that's awful about Jody's diagnosis. ((hugs))

I don't know yet what they can do about it. His lung doctor told him to go get tested....I think he told him to do that because you can get money if you have it. They advertise on tv about it all the time. Both of his brothers were tested and have it, but neither one of them have any problems breathing, like Jody does. His oldest brother died from pancreatic cancer, and they still send his wife money for it. He has to go in and sign papers in a few days. So he will be getting some money from that...not sure how much or for how long. He has the same lawyer that his brother had. He is already on social security. He is 71 years old. He has another appointment with his lung doctor in a few days and I plan to go with him. Getting information from Jody is like pulling teeth. I don't know if he doesn't want me to worry, or what, but he will never give you a straight answer. Plus, I doubt he asks very many questions of his doctor either. He is so hard headed. He will work until he drops dead. I am sure of that. :(

Marilyn, for sure "you" go to the doctor with Jody and "you" ask questions. Men usually won't. Ivan and I go together to each others appointments, but I am the one who does the questioning.

So sorry to hear this, all I can do is send hugs and say some prayer s

Hugs and Prayers being sent for you and Jody. I I hope the doctors have a way to help him with his breathing and to manage the illness. All the best.

We both go to every Dr appointment together. I definitely will ask questions and have our medical information ready. He rarely says anything he prefers for me to do the talking. I am fine with that I just want to make sure everything is clear and covered. So I agree go with him and get the essential information. Does he use a nebulizer or anything?

No, no nebulizer. I was kind of surprised that the doctor hasn't ordered one for him but when Jody is just sitting around, he breathes fine, and I wonder if the doctor even knows how badly he breathes with any exertion.

I am excited for you to find a new home! You are very resilient. Marilyn_c...., my best wishes

Marilyn, use the video on your phone and take a video of Jody when he is having breathing issues while trying to work. That way you can show the dr how bad it gets.

Marilyn, is the doctor Jody is seeing a pulmonary doctor? My pulmonary doctor puts me through a breathing test every so often to check lung function. I am on the Nebulizer that uses albuterol and also have a handheld Spiriva thing to use daily. My breathing seems fine when I am just sitting too. It's a different story when I am moving around.

Taking a video is exactly what I did and finally my doctor understood exactly what I was going through. I have a nebulizer and inhalers.

Raven, does your Nebulizer use albuterol and if so, does it make you extremely shaky? Mine does that to me. I just hate that feeling and it lasts for hours.

I use albuterol and yes sometimes it does make me shaky but only for a short time. Before I started using a nebulizer, i had an inhaler that made me very shaky. I can't remember which med it was but the Dr switched me to something else. Is there a fast acting alternative to albuterol?

Yes it can make me shakey. My inhaler does not have that effect in fact I can sleep so much faster and better when I use my inhaler at bedtime. I also use Dulera inhaler when I am worse.

Thanks Moonie and Raven. My Spiriva inhaler doesn't make me shakey, but that albuterol in the Nebulizer sure does. It also causes my heart to race. I don't know if there is any alternative to albuterol. It's a chore having to disassemble and wash all the Nebulizer parts after each use.

A video is a good idea. Yes....he is going to a specialist at UTMB, which is the University of Texas Medical Branch....so a medical school and he sees the top guy. They test his breathing with something that he breathes into and they do xrays of his lungs. He also has a heart specialist there. When he got Vibriosis...fleash eating bacteria....at first they thought he had congestive heart failure (when I took him to the emergency room) and told me to take him to the doctor on Monday...it was Friday. That night I took him to the emergency room at UTMB. They admitted him and did all kinds of tests. I can't remember the name of the test on his heart that is like in 3 D but it showed his heart was perfect. Then a few months ago, they said one chamber of his heart isn't working right. Now they say it is perfect again. The cardiologist said, "You will never die from a heart attack." Plus he has no cholesterol problems or high blood pressure. His blood pressure is excellent. I asked them if his lung problems came from the Vibrio....they said possibly, but they really don't know for sure. The only medication he is on is lasix.

Marilyn, Do Jody's feet and ankles swell? I ask because to the best of my knowledge Lasix is for water retention. If he has swelling was he advised to elevate his feet above heart level at night?

No, it is because he has fluid in his lungs.

I pray that the Lasix works to rid the fluid in Jody's lungs.

My sister has severe COPD and has that problem a lot. She gets so much fluid and she goes into congestive heart failure. She is in the hospital frequently. The Lasix does help her. But she is on a nebulizer and inhalers and constant oxygen now. However she was a heavy smoker most of her life.

Linda, let your dr know how you react to the albuterol. Mine makes me shaky and sort of wired, but doesn't last too long. I only use the inhaler as needed a few times a year, but it does happen. Also a new inhaler will especially do it to me.

He went to the doctor yesterday. She gave him something for his sinuses which were draining in his throat and making him cough. Also nebulizers. She said he has asbestosis....now tell us something we don't know. She said it wouldn't get any worse than it is now. She said when he comes back in 3 mo., they might put him on prednisone, and he said, no, he won't take that, and she didn't disagree about it. He wasn't coughing this morning when he got up. Usually he is. He left to go work on his boat. Jody has never smoked, and never did drugs...or drank. Last person you would expect to have something wrong with his lungs....and always been self employed, but I know they used to wrap the mufflers on the boat with asbestos. So I guess that is where he got it.

Yes, just being exposed to the asbestos used for wrapping the mufflers would do it. I hope he can get compensation when he talks with that lawyer. I'm glad the meds she gave Jody for his sinuses is working.