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Linda: You are a very special person and I envy the relationship you had with both your mom and your dad; but beyond that, there is something very loving and special about you. It's not just how you were raised, it's something in you; some sort of special gift of loving kindness.
Cricket: I could never see you saying anything to intentionally judge another person. You are always supportive to everyone and I didn't take your comment in any sort of negative way. You are another special angel who is able to keep giving to parents. I don't know how you do it, but your positive way of looking at things must play a huge role.
For me, I think actually taking some steps on the Medicaid application gives me a sense of empowerment because I am taking back some control over my life. I owe myself and my husband something more than constantly caring for my parents. At the same time, taking some action really makes me feel guilty too. Like Linda said, "You are damned if you do and damned of you don't."
I will say this, none of my sibs have any objection to me saying I don't want to do this anymore and I'm grateful for that. Notice I am not saying, I can't do this anymore. I could. I could do it till the day I dropped dead, but I don't want to. So I guess I just have to put my big girl panties on and stop looking for more validation.
Everyone's situation is truly different. Diane and Deef have home concerns and that just adds another layer of worry to the guilt. Fortunately, that's not my case. In Diane's situation, I feel that placing her mom is necessary to her mental and physical health above all else. Diane deserves a healthy and happy life and I'm sure her mom would want that for her.
All of us have walked the care giver path for many years. None of us just upped and walked away when our parents needed us. How long we can do it or want to do it is a personal decision we have a right to make for ourselves.
I think the subject just strikes a cord with each of us because it is not an easy decision.
Oh, by the way, my dad has been unable/unwilling to get in the shower since last Monday. He goes into a deep sleep after breakfast and has even skipped lunch. Dinner no problem, he eats everything. Another fun thing is that he has not had a decent BM going on 3 days now and that worries me. I get him on the toilet and he says he's done and ....(I'm so sorry, I know this is gross) but it's like he has poop coming out of his behind and the more I clean him up, the more it just keeps coming. Not diarrhea and not a hard stool. Seems like it would be pretty easy to get rid of it he just gave it the old college try, but he just doesn't seem to want to do that. So today, I gave him a pancake and two eggs for breakfast. I know the pancake with syrup is a BM motivator and sure enough about 10:30 am his little eyes opened and I rushed in to get him to the toilet. Yeah!!! we hit the mother load. HaHa. So I did my little happy dance (on the inside only) and proceeded to clean him up and then SUPRISE dad, you are going in the shower. So I got him all sparkly clean, hair washed and then onto the next ordeal of the oil and cream ritual absolutely necessary for his dry skin. I'm starting to sweat like a pig now because I have the space heater in the bathroom going full blast so he won't be cold.
Moving right along, I decided he was getting a needed hair cut too. After that, I went after the nose hairs with the little whirley gig, gave him a shave and trimmed those wild eyebrows. I felt like Wonder Whart Hog when I was done and he looked and smelled good.
Mission accomplished Cat! I need to get mom's hair cut but she is so busy dying everyday she won't let me take her anywhere. I may go at it myself if she messes around much longer. I can't even get my own hair cut. It's been two weeks since my last pacheck and I won't have another for 2 more weeks. I had to charge mom's pull-ups and soap today. I'll just do what I have to do and my sister can rot in hell.
I tried to get mom to sit on the front porch so I could mow the lawn. That lasted 10 minutes and she started dying again. I'm so fed up of these anxiety attacks she has and swears she is dying. I don't mean to be so cold, but I'm fed up today. I've had my fill of crap.
Let me see if I can direct this anger into cooking a good dinner. Maybe I will make shrimp creole or curried shrimp. Mom would probably prefer the curried shrimp.
Thanks ladies for the nice comments. I wasn't upset but rather got the impression that I might have offended someone so I just wanted to clear it up. Diane I am north of Miami and South of Orlando...I think it's about a 4-5 hour drive south of Bobbie but I'm not exactly sure. The storm looks like it's headed right for Bobbie that's why I offered my place to her just in case. Bobbie the offer stands always.
Cattails, I try to help my Dad clean up too, but he prefers the aids to help him with his shower so he can hit on them, or in his delusional mind impress them. LOL BTW.... it's your turn. :)
Linda, My FIL Charlie was just like your Pa and I was happy to do anything I could for him. It is like night and day when caring for someone who genuinely is grateful for the care and considerate. I kept Charlie with me until he had a gallbladder infection followed by his heart attack then he wanted me to call the paramedics so I did, but even then I felt the same way about others not knowing how to care for him. I really love my Dad and try to do everything I can for him but he has a totally different attitude. He does say thank you occasionally but he mostly expects me to wait on him hand and foot and I wouldn't mind it at all except for the fact that he is very capable but wants to be lazy and feel sorry for himself. That is very hard to deal with, so many times I reply "Dad I could do that for you but it's better for you to do it for yourself" I hate having to talk to my Father that way but this experience has taught me that I have to or he would run me into the ground and not think he is doing anything wrong. My Father thinks Women are good for two things... sex and servitude. He's always been very chauvinistic where women are concerned.
Dtflex I am so sorry your sister is such a jerk-she will get her judgement someday-of course that does not help you now-I just can not believe some sibs thinking-but one of my brothers never think of calling my Mom and I am the one she does not like.
Another hour and half dinner with mom, but she ate a very good meal. She likes shrimp so she ate a big portion of shrimp creole with rice. She also had fresh sauteed swiss chard from the garden and fresh green beans. I seemed to have pulled a muscle in my low back and its twinging with pain. Mom gets harder and harder to pull up when she is having her dying spells. I had to laugh this afternoon. She got mad at me and amazingly she was able to get out of the recliner all by herself. Doesn't that sound like it's all mind over matter why she can and can't get up by herself? I know everything you read says they have no control, but I really think she knows how to play me too. I was watching the National Memorial Day Concert at the Capitol but it looks like weather has cut the performance short. That's too bad, but I know they don't want people to be in harms way either.
I'm going to relax for a bit before mom starts whining that she needs to go to bed. Have a good evening everyone. Everyone in Beryls way, stay safe.
My cold is better after spending much of the last 2 days in bed. So glad merry was here to help with mom. Her cold still sounds nasty, but her lungs are clear and her cough is loose. her nose is oozing disgusting stuff too. But the worst thing is another UTI. So I have doubled up her maintenance antibiotic and give her 2 in the AM and PM. She was more coherent tonight. No fever, but night sweats and up and jabbering most of last night, so I was too. Hoping for a much better day tomorrow with her. If not, doctor on Tuesday, after I go for my 6 month appt. Cricket, I noticed my name in your apology. Just to let you know, I was not in the least offended by your comments!!! An opinion is simply that, an opinion and the only time I would take offense is if someone directly attacked another person with their opinion. Everyone's comments are valued here. The fact that we all feel differently about our situations is what makes this thread and site so valuable to us all! By the way, I'll be 61 in August, and I sure know what feeling like 100 is!!! I often wonder if I will get to enjoy my "old age" after Mom is gone. The good news is I can collect SS next year. That is if there is any $$ left to collect!!! I like to think of myself as a young 60, but I'm sure life will catch up to me someday. Cattails, Mom has what we call "sh!t fits". She has PD so her body functions do not work too well anymore. When she needs to have a BM, she gets almost catatonic. She hyperventilates, throws her head back, sticks her legs out straight in front of her, and won't or can't communicate to us that she has to go. So we find many surprises when we toilet her. Fiber powder is my favorite friend! Diane, look up Wellnesbriefs (one word). Find their website for space diapers. They are a lifesaver. I but the cheap Walmart pullups and line them with the long maximum absorbent pads. We usually just have to change the pad and not the pullups. Put the pad up high in the back to catch poop, too! I also line the Wellnessbriefs at night for added protection. Now I just use 1 diaper /night and the bed stays dry. They don't do pullups, but that's okay! They save me lots of $$ for sure. Mom used to be afraid of her own shadow when she first started all this PD and dementia. Now she is too far gone to even think that way, but I feel your pain for sure! As for your sister and cleaning, tell her to get her mop and do it herself!!! I have 2 apartments to keep clean. Mom's and mine. Neither are very clean. I'd rather knit when I have a few moments to myself! Linda, you are so right! When they can still communicate with you, it makes it a lot easier to care for them. Severe alz./dementia is the hardest. merry worked in alz. units for 15 years and highly recommends home care if and when possible. I'm just lucky to have her in my corner! Austin, I just finished another knitted shawl and used the "sewn bind-off "method. It took forever!!!! But it looks great. Going to work on a cotton shrug for my daughter next. knitting is a lifeline for me for sure! I did manage to get 4 flower pots ready and took them to the cemeteries this morning. been doing it with mom for 30 years, but I was alone this year. Shame on the rest of my family! Bobbie, Stay safe!
Deefer I admire knitters -since I started crocheting I have not gone back to knitting-we are starting our Christmas project at our craft group a different NH this time -last year we made over 300 shawls for one NH near us -it was the one my friend Winnie was in and it was so nice to see the ladies wearing them when I went to see her. I will have lots of time to make shawls when I go on vac. and I am going with my daughter so can take loads of yarn which I can not when going by bus-if anyone goes to the Kuztown Fair look me up my sister is a crafter known as the wheat women. Our craft group has the most amazing talented women and they are all so willing to teach others.
While I understand your initial reaction of disgust, has your mom been diagnosed with any cognitive issues? If not, it would be a good idea to speak with her doctor and have a neurological evaluation done. If she has been diagnosed with dementia or alzheimers, I would contact one of the organizations than can provide you with appropriate strategies to handle situations like this. It might be a good idea to hide her hygenic items (i.e., toothbrush, hairbrush, etc.) and only take them out when she is supervised. Best of luck to you.
Do you sometimes feel that we just get a weird post out of the blue? Hello, no, I think you have the wrong number.
Deef, glad you are feeling better. If my dad ever does than catatonic, stick your legs out straight number, he's out of here. Don't know how you do it. Cattails.
By the way, my dad has had war movies going all day and hubby has Nascar. Gag me will a frickin fork lift. One funny thing, I was in the kitchen making dinner and heard from my dad's bedroom...(John Wayne voice I thing)..."Ok, everybody in the swamp and keep moving." I just cracked up. Sounds like our lives. Hahahahha, breath, hahahaha. Too funny.
New posters: look at the thread date of origin; look at the number of frickin posts! Over 23 THOUSAND!!! People! Please! Learn about Context! Get beyond the end of your nose! Why am I bothering? Ridiculous. They think their post comes after the hair in the toothbrush post. I give up. Carry on, Caregivers. Love reading your gross descriptions of bodily functions. Reading about showers and trying to get things done while elders fuss and think the world revolves around their dying brings back such menories. I didn't say what kind of memories. Close to insane and aggravating. My Mom was never one to care about others or their feelings, not like Linda's Dad. He is a Prince and a blessing. A towering majestic oak in the landscape. Mother is more a beautiful rose with too many thorns: pretty but able to draw blood and cause pain. I'm sick right now with a bronchial infection. Cricket, you are so open and honest. That could not offend anyone--could it? Haha! Thanks for your friendship:) xo Diane, did you post your Shrimp Creole on Favorite Recipes that Cricket started last year? Also, please post the curry shrimp, too. I would appreciate it:) TY Tomorrow we are grilling and roasting. Kids are coming over and my son is bringing 2 friends, one is a chef. Oh boy. I'm fixing ribs. Kids are all bringing something. My son makes great Skinny Margaritas. I hope you all have a blessed Memorial Day. Love you, Christina xo
Well, as long as you keep your sense of humor, you know you are holding your own. I truly feel the same. I have been helping my great aunt for about a year. The most recent episode was when Adult Protective Services called me up to tell me my great aunt had a skunk in her house and was spraying everywhere! LOL I went to class and every week, student would ask me what was the next saga with my great aunt! All I can do is laugh because if I really think about all the things that have happened, I would curl up in the fetal position and never get out of bed! Mind you . . . I am two courses away from completing my Masters in Gerontology, so I'm trained in this field! God Bless all those who take care of family members and are trying to take one day at a time! Keep laughing . . . even if they think you are slipping away into madness! LOL
Ild, welcome to the asylum! The skunk story is priceless. Did your aunt think she was letting the cat in? How did you ever get the house cleaned up? Christina, Mom and I are both sick here with a nasty cold. Hope you feel better soon. Austin, Your craft ladies sound wonderful! It's so nice that you make all those shawls for the NH's. I crochet too. And you are right about it being faster than knitting. I have been doing a lot of lace knitting with sock and fine yarns. It takes a long time to finish a piece, but the pieces are so beautiful when done. I had never knit from a chart before, but now that I do, it is so much easier to read a complicated pattern by chart than sentences! Jen, How are you doing? Need I ask? Off to get Mom up and showered. Taking her to the ER after all. She had another bad night and needs to get a stronger med for UTI. The cold is nice and loose and not in her chest, but she is loonier than a loon from the UTI. Her maintenance antibiotic took the edge off, but didn't help enough. As for me, I'm coughing up all kinds of gross stuff that is making me gag. Maybe the ER is where I should be too! Hope you all have a good day!
Thank you, Deef and cattails. xo You feel better, too, Deefer:) xo It's actually nice when things go over one's head. I wish I missed more stuff sometimes. Kind of a happy happy existence; as LindaHeart says, "lalalalalala." The ribs are soaking in coca cola--the only thing I ever buy it for--and I am mixing up the dry rub. Hubby is feeling lousy today, too. I was trying to figure out how I got sick and I started my paranoid mental investigative process, which always ends up with me dying young, tragically, unexpectedly. It's just imagination, not what I really think! Now you will know how really weird I am, if you didn't already know. This is what I came up with: last week we were going to have a picnic with future SIL, his parents and us as local regional park. I bought a cheap beach ball at Target along with some other toys in the $ bins . I thought it would be fun to bat around and safe for the little guy. When we got to the park, I started to blow it up--my lung capacity is huge as a vocalist. It didn't stay full--CHEAP-- so I blew it up a few more times. Later on in the week, when my lungs started to hurt, I got to thinking: beach ball, blowing it up, maybe some of the air mixed with the CHEAP Chinese-(no offense, anyone) chemically infused plastic--may even intentional for stupid Americans who are merchandise happy and buy every little gadget for their spoiled brat kids-- and now, I have contracted an exotic but lethal lung disease that no one can find the cure for. See? haha Really, I am only dramatic in my mind and in real life I would never go so far. I am hoping the Cipro does the trick. I did not cough at all last night as I did the night before, so moving on. I will live. Hi to Jen, Bobbie, Kuli and all others who are laying low. Remember our Fallen Heroes today and Give Thanks on this Memorial Day:) Love you all bunches, Christina xo
Despite Beryl I had a lovely day in Charleston. We started out with a very nice tea at St. Matthews Lutheran Church. The tea is the annual fundraiser for the church's Outreach Ministries which they hold every year during the Spoleto Festival. Afterward we took a carriage tour. All with no rain!! Now that I am home the rain has come down for a little and I hear the skies rumbling up above. Another nice treat when I got home my brother had cooked dinner for us. I definitely have to consider this a very good day :)
Deefer and Christina I hope you feel better soon. I hope Bobbie is safe and dry and will check in soon. Christina, I'll have to see if I can write a recipe for my shrimp Creole and Curried Shrimp since I just throw stuff in the pot until it smells good.
Have a good night dear friends and I'll check in tomorrow. Stay safe everyone!
Diane: What a special day and treat for you and BF. I'm so happy for you and how wonderful to come home to a ready meal. I am thrilled you have a great day to yourself. Love ya, Cattails
And here comes comment 23,212 (or so) on this thread! I understand the newcomers' confusion. I'm a newcomer myself. But I have to say, the first time I found this thread, I just about LMAO'd at the number of comments! In fact, I'm LMAOing now.
Deef, you need a nice long vacation, I am thinking six years will be about right...
It is crazy BB....I've been here since what June or March two years ago? I can't even recall. Can't imagine NOT having found it...
Been to cemetery for Memorial Day. We visit the dead more than the living. That is Mother's Day, Grandma's birthday, their anniversary, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and today. Have seen other relatives, twice in one year. Very telling. Put flowers on grandmas grave and imagined the funeral for fp...And it made me very very happy....
Hi Jen: Remember what Bobbie said about the dirty poop diapers, sheets, etc. Well, when Fart Pants dies, we will each send you a disgusting supply on each holiday you visit the cemetery. Flowers for everyone else and shit for the shithead.
jsomebody - good to hear from you . i sure hope u win the lottery . cricket -- sprinkle some of your magic sprinkles on jsomebody ....
christina - u had me grinnin ! imagin u sucked up some chemicals made in japan for some brats lalala , i just thank god ure still breathing . i am begin careful what i buy nowdays , after hearing stories about pet food is deadly to the pets here . walmart in japan , ow ow ow i be deathly afraid to walk in thier store , fear what would be climbin on me eeek ! love you chistina ! u had me grinning ...when u said pa was a prince and ur mother is a beautiful roses with thorns . lala
cattails , u had me smiling , sorry wrong number , lol !! just a joy to get on a bit ago and smiling and grinnin away . just what i needed ,
seems the nasty colds are attackin us all . elders catching a cold is a nightmare and scary ! once dad got sick realy bad and his chest rattled the whole house and yet the xray shows its clear . what the hell ... all the crap he had in his throat wasnt going into his lungs and yet he drowned in his own fluid , oh gawd i cant talk about this , shit bring me back down again . that was a horrible sight to see my pa my prince suffer like that . i could never understand why a good man who fought in war , fought in the jungle of long lost world full of philipines jumping out and say booo , hide in mud puddles to stay alive , get eaten by a weird bugs and all the pure hell he has gone thru and comes home as lovin as he can be ,. why did my pa have to suffer like that ? fartpant gets to sit in front of tv and make noises .. jsomebody i can help u with fartpant . we ll give him a rollercoaster ride on his wheelchair ... do u live on the hills ? :-) ... now that was mean to say . forgive me ...
thundering and lighting on this end , i didnt realize what bobbie was talking about the other day , it finaly hit me oh ok thats the hurrican she was talkin about gawd where was my head at ! i meowed at bobbie last night , no reply . praying shes all good and her kitty and the boat . the wind here was great yesterday kept us cool in some ways . sis said oh that wind is comin from south theres hurrican out there , thats when it hit me . oh gawd bobbie are u ok ?
slept all weekend , got my hubby worried as hell . slept 13 and half hrs straight , took a 3 hr nap before that , hubby ask me why i sleep so long , i told him i was happy sleeping , good dreams and i see myself smiling and i was happy and it felt good . open one eye thinkin oh hell go back to sleep and i did , happy again , i dont remember what the dreams were about but all i know i was smiling and i was happy . sleeping was the best weekend ever ! didnt sleep good lastnight , woke up at 430 am decided to fix hubby his bfast , today he is going to the heart dr and have a heart moniture set up on him then he s going to work . his heart has been flutterin alot . :( . prayers plz . i have stack of bills here and it just kept growng , i just dont care anymore , been a bookkeeping for 32 yrs and i decided to quit , lol .. you all have a happy tues , love ya !! xoxox
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Cricket: I could never see you saying anything to intentionally judge another person. You are always supportive to everyone and I didn't take your comment in any sort of negative way. You are another special angel who is able to keep giving to parents. I don't know how you do it, but your positive way of looking at things must play a huge role.
For me, I think actually taking some steps on the Medicaid application gives me a sense of empowerment because I am taking back some control over my life. I owe myself and my husband something more than constantly caring for my parents. At the same time, taking some action really makes me feel guilty too. Like Linda said, "You are damned if you do and damned of you don't."
I will say this, none of my sibs have any objection to me saying I don't want to do this anymore and I'm grateful for that. Notice I am not saying, I can't do this anymore. I could. I could do it till the day I dropped dead, but I don't want to. So I guess I just have to put my big girl panties on and stop looking for more validation.
Everyone's situation is truly different. Diane and Deef have home concerns and that just adds another layer of worry to the guilt. Fortunately, that's not my case. In Diane's situation, I feel that placing her mom is necessary to her mental and physical health above all else. Diane deserves a healthy and happy life and I'm sure her mom would want that for her.
All of us have walked the care giver path for many years. None of us just upped and walked away when our parents needed us. How long we can do it or want to do it is a personal decision we have a right to make for ourselves.
I think the subject just strikes a cord with each of us because it is not an easy decision.
Cattails.
So today, I gave him a pancake and two eggs for breakfast. I know the pancake with syrup is a BM motivator and sure enough about 10:30 am his little eyes opened and I rushed in to get him to the toilet. Yeah!!! we hit the mother load. HaHa. So I did my little happy dance (on the inside only) and proceeded to clean him up and then SUPRISE dad, you are going in the shower. So I got him all sparkly clean, hair washed and then onto the next ordeal of the oil and cream ritual absolutely necessary for his dry skin. I'm starting to sweat like a pig now because I have the space heater in the bathroom going full blast so he won't be cold.
Moving right along, I decided he was getting a needed hair cut too. After that, I went after the nose hairs with the little whirley gig, gave him a shave and trimmed those wild eyebrows. I felt like Wonder Whart Hog when I was done and he looked and smelled good.
I tried to get mom to sit on the front porch so I could mow the lawn. That lasted 10 minutes and she started dying again. I'm so fed up of these anxiety attacks she has and swears she is dying. I don't mean to be so cold, but I'm fed up today. I've had my fill of crap.
Let me see if I can direct this anger into cooking a good dinner. Maybe I will make shrimp creole or curried shrimp. Mom would probably prefer the curried shrimp.
Have a good afternoon,
Diane
Cattails, I try to help my Dad clean up too, but he prefers the aids to help him with his shower so he can hit on them, or in his delusional mind impress them. LOL
BTW.... it's your turn. :)
Linda, My FIL Charlie was just like your Pa and I was happy to do anything I could for him. It is like night and day when caring for someone who genuinely is grateful for the care and considerate. I kept Charlie with me until he had a gallbladder infection followed by his heart attack then he wanted me to call the paramedics so I did, but even then I felt the same way about others not knowing how to care for him. I really love my Dad and try to do everything I can for him but he has a totally different attitude. He does say thank you occasionally but he mostly expects me to wait on him hand and foot and I wouldn't mind it at all except for the fact that he is very capable but wants to be lazy and feel sorry for himself. That is very hard to deal with, so many times I reply "Dad I could do that for you but it's better for you to do it for yourself" I hate having to talk to my Father that way but this experience has taught me that I have to or he would run me into the ground and not think he is doing anything wrong. My Father thinks Women are good for two things... sex and servitude. He's always been very chauvinistic where women are concerned.
I was watching the National Memorial Day Concert at the Capitol but it looks like weather has cut the performance short. That's too bad, but I know they don't want people to be in harms way either.
I'm going to relax for a bit before mom starts whining that she needs to go to bed. Have a good evening everyone. Everyone in Beryls way, stay safe.
Love ya,
Diane
Cricket, I noticed my name in your apology. Just to let you know, I was not in the least offended by your comments!!! An opinion is simply that, an opinion and the only time I would take offense is if someone directly attacked another person with their opinion. Everyone's comments are valued here. The fact that we all feel differently about our situations is what makes this thread and site so valuable to us all!
By the way, I'll be 61 in August, and I sure know what feeling like 100 is!!! I often wonder if I will get to enjoy my "old age" after Mom is gone. The good news is I can collect SS next year. That is if there is any $$ left to collect!!! I like to think of myself as a young 60, but I'm sure life will catch up to me someday.
Cattails, Mom has what we call "sh!t fits". She has PD so her body functions do not work too well anymore. When she needs to have a BM, she gets almost catatonic. She hyperventilates, throws her head back, sticks her legs out straight in front of her, and won't or can't communicate to us that she has to go. So we find many surprises when we toilet her. Fiber powder is my favorite friend!
Diane, look up Wellnesbriefs (one word). Find their website for space diapers. They are a lifesaver. I but the cheap Walmart pullups and line them with the long maximum absorbent pads. We usually just have to change the pad and not the pullups. Put the pad up high in the back to catch poop, too! I also line the Wellnessbriefs at night for added protection. Now I just use 1 diaper /night and the bed stays dry. They don't do pullups, but that's okay! They save me lots of $$ for sure. Mom used to be afraid of her own shadow when she first started all this PD and dementia. Now she is too far gone to even think that way, but I feel your pain for sure! As for your sister and cleaning, tell her to get her mop and do it herself!!! I have 2 apartments to keep clean. Mom's and mine. Neither are very clean. I'd rather knit when I have a few moments to myself!
Linda, you are so right! When they can still communicate with you, it makes it a lot easier to care for them. Severe alz./dementia is the hardest. merry worked in alz. units for 15 years and highly recommends home care if and when possible. I'm just lucky to have her in my corner!
Austin, I just finished another knitted shawl and used the "sewn bind-off "method. It took forever!!!! But it looks great. Going to work on a cotton shrug for my daughter next. knitting is a lifeline for me for sure!
I did manage to get 4 flower pots ready and took them to the cemeteries this morning. been doing it with mom for 30 years, but I was alone this year. Shame on the rest of my family!
Bobbie, Stay safe!
Deef, glad you are feeling better. If my dad ever does than catatonic, stick your legs out straight number, he's out of here. Don't know how you do it. Cattails.
Sorry guys but I couldn't resist. lol I guess it was a twilight moment going on there.
Deef I'm glad you weren't offended. Sorry to hear about your Mom's UTI and everything else. Are you feeling any better?
Well I'm off to bed... nighty night all.
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(¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ Chirp Chirp Cricket Hugsღ
Over 23 THOUSAND!!! People! Please! Learn about Context! Get beyond the end of your nose!
Why am I bothering? Ridiculous. They think their post comes after the hair in the toothbrush post. I give up.
Carry on, Caregivers. Love reading your gross descriptions of bodily functions. Reading about showers and trying to get things done while elders fuss and think the world revolves around their dying brings back such menories. I didn't say what kind of memories. Close to insane and aggravating. My Mom was never one to care about others or their feelings, not like Linda's Dad. He is a Prince and a blessing. A towering majestic oak in the landscape. Mother is more a beautiful rose with too many thorns: pretty but able to draw blood and cause pain.
I'm sick right now with a bronchial infection. Cricket, you are so open and honest. That could not offend anyone--could it? Haha! Thanks for your friendship:) xo
Diane, did you post your Shrimp Creole on Favorite Recipes that Cricket started last year? Also, please post the curry shrimp, too. I would appreciate it:) TY
Tomorrow we are grilling and roasting. Kids are coming over and my son is bringing 2 friends, one is a chef. Oh boy. I'm fixing ribs. Kids are all bringing something. My son makes great Skinny Margaritas.
I hope you all have a blessed Memorial Day. Love you, Christina xo
Christina, Mom and I are both sick here with a nasty cold. Hope you feel better soon.
Austin, Your craft ladies sound wonderful! It's so nice that you make all those shawls for the NH's. I crochet too. And you are right about it being faster than knitting. I have been doing a lot of lace knitting with sock and fine yarns. It takes a long time to finish a piece, but the pieces are so beautiful when done. I had never knit from a chart before, but now that I do, it is so much easier to read a complicated pattern by chart than sentences!
Jen, How are you doing? Need I ask?
Off to get Mom up and showered. Taking her to the ER after all. She had another bad night and needs to get a stronger med for UTI. The cold is nice and loose and not in her chest, but she is loonier than a loon from the UTI. Her maintenance antibiotic took the edge off, but didn't help enough. As for me, I'm coughing up all kinds of gross stuff that is making me gag. Maybe the ER is where I should be too!
Hope you all have a good day!
Check in asap to let us know you are okay. xoxo
I'm following the storm and saying prayers for Bobbie.
Haven't heard from Meanwhile for sometime. Hope she is ok too.
It's actually nice when things go over one's head. I wish I missed more stuff sometimes. Kind of a happy happy existence; as LindaHeart says, "lalalalalala."
The ribs are soaking in coca cola--the only thing I ever buy it for--and I am mixing up the dry rub.
Hubby is feeling lousy today, too. I was trying to figure out how I got sick and I started my paranoid mental investigative process, which always ends up with me dying young, tragically, unexpectedly. It's just imagination, not what I really think!
Now you will know how really weird I am, if you didn't already know.
This is what I came up with: last week we were going to have a picnic with future SIL, his parents and us as local regional park. I bought a cheap beach ball at Target along with some other toys in the $ bins . I thought it would be fun to bat around and safe for the little guy. When we got to the park, I started to blow it up--my lung capacity is huge as a vocalist. It didn't stay full--CHEAP-- so I blew it up a few more times. Later on in the week, when my lungs started to hurt, I got to thinking: beach ball, blowing it up, maybe some of the air mixed with the CHEAP Chinese-(no offense, anyone) chemically infused plastic--may even intentional for stupid Americans who are merchandise happy and buy every little gadget for their spoiled brat kids-- and now, I have contracted an exotic but lethal lung disease that no one can find the cure for. See? haha Really, I am only dramatic in my mind and in real life I would never go so far. I am hoping the Cipro does the trick. I did not cough at all last night as I did the night before, so moving on. I will live.
Hi to Jen, Bobbie, Kuli and all others who are laying low.
Remember our Fallen Heroes today and Give Thanks on this Memorial Day:)
Love you all bunches,
Christina xo
Despite Beryl I had a lovely day in Charleston. We started out with a very nice tea at St. Matthews Lutheran Church. The tea is the annual fundraiser for the church's Outreach Ministries which they hold every year during the Spoleto Festival. Afterward we took a carriage tour. All with no rain!! Now that I am home the rain has come down for a little and I hear the skies rumbling up above. Another nice treat when I got home my brother had cooked dinner for us. I definitely have to consider this a very good day :)
Deefer and Christina I hope you feel better soon. I hope Bobbie is safe and dry and will check in soon. Christina, I'll have to see if I can write a recipe for my shrimp Creole and Curried Shrimp since I just throw stuff in the pot until it smells good.
Have a good night dear friends and I'll check in tomorrow. Stay safe everyone!
Love ya,
Diane
OK here, NOT!
Hope bobbie is safe, and doing well.
Deef, you need a nice long vacation, I am thinking six years will be about right...
It is crazy BB....I've been here since what June or March two years ago? I can't even recall. Can't imagine NOT having found it...
Been to cemetery for Memorial Day. We visit the dead more than the living. That is Mother's Day, Grandma's birthday, their anniversary, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and today. Have seen other relatives, twice in one year. Very telling. Put flowers on grandmas grave and imagined the funeral for fp...And it made me very very happy....
christina - u had me grinnin ! imagin u sucked up some chemicals made in japan for some brats lalala , i just thank god ure still breathing . i am begin careful what i buy nowdays , after hearing stories about pet food is deadly to the pets here . walmart in japan , ow ow ow i be deathly afraid to walk in thier store , fear what would be climbin on me eeek ! love you chistina ! u had me grinning ...when u said pa was a prince and ur mother is a beautiful roses with thorns . lala
cattails , u had me smiling , sorry wrong number , lol !!
just a joy to get on a bit ago and smiling and grinnin away . just what i needed ,
seems the nasty colds are attackin us all . elders catching a cold is a nightmare and scary ! once dad got sick realy bad and his chest rattled the whole house and yet the xray shows its clear . what the hell ... all the crap he had in his throat wasnt going into his lungs and yet he drowned in his own fluid , oh gawd i cant talk about this , shit bring me back down again . that was a horrible sight to see my pa my prince suffer like that . i could never understand why a good man who fought in war , fought in the jungle of long lost world full of philipines jumping out and say booo , hide in mud puddles to stay alive , get eaten by a weird bugs and all the pure hell he has gone thru and comes home as lovin as he can be ,. why did my pa have to suffer like that ? fartpant gets to sit in front of tv and make noises .. jsomebody i can help u with fartpant . we ll give him a rollercoaster ride on his wheelchair ... do u live on the hills ? :-) ...
now that was mean to say . forgive me ...
thundering and lighting on this end , i didnt realize what bobbie was talking about the other day , it finaly hit me oh ok thats the hurrican she was talkin about gawd where was my head at ! i meowed at bobbie last night , no reply . praying shes all good and her kitty and the boat .
the wind here was great yesterday kept us cool in some ways . sis said oh that wind is comin from south theres hurrican out there , thats when it hit me . oh gawd bobbie are u ok ?
slept all weekend , got my hubby worried as hell . slept 13 and half hrs straight , took a 3 hr nap before that , hubby ask me why i sleep so long , i told him i was happy sleeping , good dreams and i see myself smiling and i was happy and it felt good . open one eye thinkin oh hell go back to sleep and i did , happy again , i dont remember what the dreams were about but all i know i was smiling and i was happy . sleeping was the best weekend ever !
didnt sleep good lastnight , woke up at 430 am decided to fix hubby his bfast , today he is going to the heart dr and have a heart moniture set up on him then he s going to work . his heart has been flutterin alot . :( . prayers plz .
i have stack of bills here and it just kept growng , i just dont care anymore , been a bookkeeping for 32 yrs and i decided to quit , lol ..
you all have a happy tues , love ya !! xoxox