Some of you have been so kind to send me boxes of iris and I am so happy to have them. I need to find some super duper vitamins to reb up my energy level so I can get them all planted!!! Anyone have any vitamins they take that seem to help with the energy level???

Just keep plugging away, plant a few every chance you get, and once you see the beds start filling in its good incentive to keep going. I find the actual planting goes pretty quickly, but the preparation of the beds is what takes time and stamina. A good multi vitamin certainly couldn't hurt though. I have seen some energy boosting supplements at the health food stores, you may want to check into those. I quit smoking in April and have found I have a lot more energy these days- probably should check into some supplements myself...

Wonderful on the quiting smoking. You won't regret it My brother is still here at age 89 because he quit it.

Good going Neal, I you had mentioned earlier that you had quit, but since I hadn't heard an update wondered how you were doing with that.

Sending good, good, good! Good vibrations your way!

Check into the vitamins. They help give energy. Also make sure your staying hydrated cauzennof enough can cause you to lack energy.

Thanks Richard! I am a water drinker always have a glass full of ice water with me so i think I got that part covered. Something I didn't mention is that I am having a knee replaced (again, same knee) in November and that slows me down cause it has never felt right since my first surgery almost 2 years ago. Hoping a year from now that I am happy that I had it redone.. At this point I wish I had never had it done the first time!

Oh -- so sorry to hear about the knee.............

Omigosh Neal -- you just quit smoking -- good for you!! I quit a 3-pack-a-day habit thirty years ago. And I thank God every day that I did. Lucy's right -- you'll never be sorry.

Good for you for quitting smoking Neal! Are you still missing it? Keep up quitting. Think of all the money you will now have to spend on more iris!

Good point!! And you never stop missing it. Never. But it stops being an insistent demand. That's good enough.

Ouch on the knee.

I hate Tylenol, it is really bad for kidneys and livers; but sometimes the pain makes us tired. Since having the rotator cuff surgery, I am much more tired, probably because the pain wakes me up too. I have taken a bit of Tylenol on the really bad days. I am very blessed to be able to take aspirin if I take 2 Tums with them. Yay. It is the only anti-inflammatory I have not reacted badly to (except for spices). It doesn't kill pain as well as Tylenol.

As far as vitamins go, most are not very good quality. New Chapter are good, but pricey. I have found them for 1/2 the price of health food stores on eBay. I also like Innate products. Don't take them after 10 a.m. or the B vitamins can keep you awake. I cut my New Chapters in half. They are too strong and I dream vividly.

For speediness, a good cup of tea keeps me going better than coffee and it is an awesome antihistamine too.

Neal, I'm so glad you quit smoking. I hope it hasn't been too hard.

Lynn, so sorry to hear your knee replacement wasn't all it was cracked up to be... From what I've heard, knees are harder than hips, and shoulders are the worst... On the plus side, it's amazing that they *can* replace those parts now.. I hope the second replacement does the trick for you.

Thanks for the support everybody! Cravings hadn't been too bad till recently, but I've been really stressed, so I suppose that's to be expected.

Lynn, have you ever checked into yoga? There are a lot of forms of yoga, both for healing after surgery and for energy and stamina. My partner recently fell from a ladder and ended up with a broken pelvis and sacrum, and amazed doctors by recovering so quickly, due to yoga both before and after the fall.

And attitude, everyone. Gardeners seem to have the best attitude and seem to rebound better from things that keep other people down. Keep your spirits up because life is too short to despair.... and it helps with healing! Glad you are still quitting smoking, Neal! I hope it is permanent.

Good luck with the knee this time around, Lynn. I have heard good and bad reports about that type of surgery. Hope it turns out well for you this time.

Yoga is good for body and soul and everyone should try it.

Broken bones..... foot, knee, ribs, clavicle, nose and head but I have not broken anything for the past few years. I decided to stop climbing trees to cut off limbs, big ladders to the roof, and rocky cliffs...... well, most rocky cliffs.

Oh my...I've only broken a finger. I tend to need sutures for things rather than casts. Head and fingers, mostly.

Fell off a ladder? Wow! So sorry for all the injuries.

A Dr. now retired wanted me to have a hip replacement because of a very arthritic left hip. I said 'no' knowing that I would not be able to garden at all. glad that I turned him down.

irisarian said:Fell off a ladder? Wow! So sorry for all the injuries.

A Dr. now retired wanted me to have a hip replacement because of a very arthritic left hip. I said 'no' knowing that I would not be able to garden at all. glad that I turned him down.

I would NOT be having this knee done again if it had healed properly the first time around. I just can't imagine living with this pain the rest of my life when there is a chance that second time will be much better!!

Go for it!!!!

I hope that this time fixes the problem.

Lynn, all 3 of my sisters have had knee replacement, and all say they're really glad they did it. Surely this time will have you dancing next summer! Sending good healing vibes