Grossed out and need to vent—I just caught Mom using my toothbrush to comb her hair!

Good Afternoon My Crew of Angels,
Well i did not get to sleep until about 530 am......This seems to be my new pattern lately. Thanks to my angels and the information on the web about grieving, i realize now that this is pretty normal, all that i have been experiencing. Honestly, i never imagined that grief takes on this whole meaning for me now. When i was 18 my older brother passed away in a freak accident, i understand now somewhat what my parents went through and why they became so isolated for so long. i think i was young and did not really understand. Having the opportunity to take care of papa was a great gift, although this sadness is so overwhelming i am beginning to understand why i feel the way i do. Getting more snow here tomorrow 3-5.... not to bad..... kind of looking forward to it for a change. So thank you to all for all of your help and guidance. OK here is a papa story...... Just before he passed while he was still awake part of the day, i went in to change him and we talked and he did not realize who i was so he was telling me that he was so glad that his daughter left her job to care for him, he said " oh she is peach and he was glad it was her and not anyone else: then i left the room for 2 min , went back in and he told he how he was talking to this real nice girl with glasses like mine. I just smiled and said is that right..... miss papa, but i know that the angels up there are taking good care of him..... love all you...... angie

miz,thanks for the info. I 'll check into it one of these days.
ssk

sskape, if the Tinnitus gets to be too much for you they DO making hearing aids that mask the ringing. I have it too but the hearing aids that I wear for my hearing take care of the ringing too. Just an FYI in case ya didn't know.

Hubby is out snow blowing, bless his heart. He's gonna take me to work and my wedding ring to the jewelers to replace the little diamond that came out. We have some small loose diamonds so hopefully one of those will work and it won't cost us much. I told him I want that ring fixed before our vacation. :)

Hi, speaking of hearing, I have Tinnitus, ringing in the ears, and dr says just have to live with it. I have gotten used to it now, but in the begining it would drive me nuts. Now I only notice it if it's really quiet or if I think about it, like now . Shoot, I'd better think of something else. Linda, walking in the snow with the dog sounds nice. hi miz and bobbie and whoever else is here.

Wow. You too, Linda? Yes, it's so good to hear and not just nod and smile cause you don't know what someone said. I should try that at work. When people come in and b$##%, I just say excuse me and take em out. ;) I'm glad your pa is feeling better. Well, I gots to go eat some lunch. Don't work too hard.

love,
miz

good morning crews .
shoveld snow while ago , lookin like 3 inches .
gonna stop at 1 am friday so im thinking maybe we will get 7 nches after all . :-) i just love snow ,
pa s lookin better today . ate pancake and now is sleeping .
he manage to pull the pillow from under the sheets , one strong man ! it wore him out tho , that pillow is feather pillow and heavy :-) takes him a while and he gets louder and louder when hes workin so hard to get that pillow . ah thats a good feeling , pa s getting better . :-)
miz u wear hearing aid , isnt that wonderful ! i wear em too . scarlet fever took away my hearing , damn bastard ! i thank god everyday that i am able to hear with hearing aid , alot of deaf people cant wear em cuz they still cant hear with it . i count my blessing everyday . thank u lord ..
good thing about it when u dont want to hear whiney ass people just turn the hearing aid off :-) and say lalalalaaaaaaa .
works for me !
have a good day you all . laundry time , pissy clothes to wash . kitchen to clean . i done shovel while ago , may have to goback out and do it again , will going to wlak my dog , she be happy camper ! walkin in the snow and flakes fallin down on us , great feeling , i truely do love snow . xoxo

You're a great poet. Stop rhyming I mean it, now give me a peanut.

In the Yard
On the Hard
Like to write poetry
but I'm no Bard

Burma Shave

Good Morning, to thee MOST Beautiful People I know!
Guess I got 8 hours, except for getting up twice with Mother. Boy, MucinexDM and Sudafed PE work really well, if any of you get the sinus, nasal drip thang. I'm sure in the cold you do different things. The heat did go on in our house last night, but no white stuff outside:(
When I went to the chiropractor yesterday, I had a new girl do my treatments. She asked if she was hurting me, I said, no, I'm tough, she said, I sort of sensed that, I said, really? Then I told her: I'M A CAREGIVER. WE'RE MADE OF STERNER STUFF.
Sister is coming today for her bi-monthly visit, might have to drive in the famous winds of Southern California, although it is not Santana time. She likes to let me know what she has to do to GET HERE. My head just keeps shaking, like I'm getting a tic. Or maybe I'm a new bobble-head in the backseat with a red t shirt that reads: Caregivers Do It ...yada yada yada
Have a wonderful day where ever you are, friends, and thanks for being here. Love and Hugs, christina

Good morning everyone! Spent most of yesterday getting things done around here. Mom had daycare. I thought the ice would cause them to cancel.
More snow and ice cleanup. Shoveled snow off the pool so it won't cave in from the weight. Chopped ice, ran errands, cooked like crazy and did some catching up on chores that have been neglected.
Headbanger, welcome. You were definitely writing about my Mom!
Kuli, The pee smell is the one that will forever be burned in my brain!!! I too, have 1 daughter and wouldn't trade her for anything!
Linda, hope Pa is feeling better today. Love that Vicks! One of my favorite childhood memories!
Angie!!!! Great Dad stories. Are you ready for more snow tonight?
Peach, Nice picture! Glad you're all tuned up and your motor is running smoothly.
Diane, patience? What's that? Lost mine a long time ago. Not much we can do, except keep on plugging! Hope you fell better.
Cuz, dust??? I think I have more dust than furniture!!! My excuse is my asthma acts up when I disturb the dust!!!
Rossella, Same issue with toilet paper here. Use as little as possible! Mom rarely remembers how to wipe herself now. We have to do it for her these days.
Which brings me to.... What do you all think about inventing a poop scraper? I don't know about the rest of you, but Mom will poop her pull-ups and not tell us. When we finally get to changing her, it's a big pancake of poo stuck to her bottom!!! Thank goodness for Walmart's huge packages of wipes! Can't flush them, but they are big and thick. What do you think? A patented poop scraper for caregivers? Could make millions!!!!
Well, got to get some errands done. Going to get another 4 to 6" of the white stuff overnight.
Hope you all have a great day!

Good Morning Everyone. So nice to see activity on the thread. It snowed here last night and will get more today but probably not more than 4 inches. Ifn it's gonna snow I would almost rather have it be a foot. Or not. Gots to get out in it and go to work but not til 1:10 so maybe the roads will be good by then. They do a pretty good job around here. K, I'll sign off for now. Be back later. Love yous.

miz

cuz, I wear hearing aids. Have worn them for 7 or 8 years and I'm only 51. No big deal. I'm just grateful I have them. :)

Peach, I am so glad you are going to see the doctor. :)

Thank you, Cuz, and Miss Peach, for another day of great humor and distraction!
Your list of remedies reminded me of the many uses for Bounce sheets. I think I have it in my drafts and will fwd to GP.
Night everyone, you have said it all, another day is done.

sleep well !! thank you for sharing ...

Love it, just copied and pasted and emailed them to my boyfriend , he like me, loves this stuff... And he was a tremendous during papa's last days with us.....

Hey you beautiful caregivers.
I have to hit the sheets cause I have to take my ma to the Dr tommorro. Night to all and will catch up later

luv ya Cuz

This is lovely to read - to think about - to keep
Enjoy.........

OLD AGE

The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being old.
I was taken aback, for I do not think of myself as old. Upon seeing
my reaction, she was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that
it was an interesting question, and I would ponder it, and let her know.

Old age, I decided, is a gift.
I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have
always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over
my body . the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt.
And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my
mirror, but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving
family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become
more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own
friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not
making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't
need, but looks so avant garde on my patio. I am entitled to overeat,
to be messy, to be extravagant. I have seen too many dear friends leave
this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes
with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 a.m.,
and sleep until noon?

I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60's,

and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body,
and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying
glances from the bikini set.

They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful.
But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten .
and I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken.
How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a
child suffers, or even when a beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken
hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A
heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of
being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turn gray,
and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.
So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could
turn silver. I can say "no", and mean it. I can say "yes", and mean it.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive.
You care less about what other people think.
I don't question myself anymore.
I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old.
It has set me free.
I like the person I have become.
I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here,
I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying
about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day.

Author unknown!

DUSTING!!

"A house becomes a home when you can write "I love you" on the furniture."
I can't tell you how many countless hours that I have spent CLEANING!
I used to spend at least 8 hours every weekend making sure things were just perfect - "in case someone came over".
Then I realized one day that no-one came over; they were all out living life and having fun!
Now, when people visit, I find no need to explain the "condition" of my home. They are more interested in hearing about the things I've been doing while I was away living life and having fun. If you haven't figured this out yet, please heed this advice.

Life is short. Enjoy it! Dust if you must.......

but wouldn't it be better to
paint a picture or write a letter,
bake cookies or a cake

or

plant a seed, ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time, with rivers to fish and mountains to climb, music to hear and books to read, friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there

with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow, a shower of rain. This day will not come around, again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind, old age will come and it's not kind.

And when you go - and go you must - you, yourself will make more dust!

Share this with all the wonderful friends in your life.

I JUST DID.

Its awesome.... I knew a few of things but i am def saving this list... for sure... You are a wealth of info... Excellent... love it keep it coming lol

Angie
Some of this stuff I have saved since 2002. A lot of it I can't read anymore cause it was on windows 98 and xp won't read it
luv cuz

Did you know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost
immediately -- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional
pain relievers."

Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with
mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids
peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.
Achy muscles from about of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in =
cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a
massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.
Sore Throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1
tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two
tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms.
Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly
even though the product was never been advertised for this use.
Eliminate puffiness under your eyes..... All you need is a dab of
preparation H, carefully rubbed into the skin, avoiding the eyes. The
haemorrhoid ointment acts as a vasoconstrictor, relieving the swelling
instantly.

Honey remedy for skin blemishes... Cover the blemish with a dab of honey
and place a band-aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin,
sterile,
and speeds healing. Works overnight.
Listerine therapy for toenail fungus... Get rid of unsightly toenail
fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic
leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection... To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from
loosening,
apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of
the screws before tightening them.

Coca-Cola cure for rust... Forget those expensive rust removers. Just
saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The
phosphoric
acid in the coke is what gets the job done.
Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer... If menacing bees, wasps,
hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the
insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground
instantly.

Smart splinter remover... just pour a drop of Elmers Glue all over the
splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter
sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt's tomato paste boil cure... cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste
as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the
boil
to a head.
Balm for broken blisters... To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few
drops of Listerine... a powerful antiseptic.
Heinz vinegar to heal bruises... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and
apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the
blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Kills fleas instantly. Dawn dish washing liquid does the trick. Add a few
drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to
avoid
skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.

Eliminate ear mites... All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil
in
your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily
for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and
accelerates
healing.
Vaseline cure for hair balls..... To prevent troublesome hair balls,
apply a dollop of Vaseline petroleum jelly to your cat's nose. The cat will
lick off the jelly, lubricating any hair in its stomach so it can pass
easily through the digestive system.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief.... It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix
2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the
microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands
for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

The above post was so awesome and so true.... My parents were the same way..... Dad mostly.... Never threw away a thing, still finding stuff in the basement lol Excellent.... Angie

maybe i have to come to italy, just won't take the wife

You're a Keeper


I grew up with practical parents -- a Mother, God love her, who washed aluminium foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it...

A Father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, dishtowel in the other.

It was the time for fixing things -- a curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy.

All that re-fixing, reheating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful.

Waste meant aff luence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But then my Mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any 'more.'

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return.

So ... while we have it ... it's best we love it ..... and care for it ..... and fix it when it's broken.....and heal it when it's sick.

This is true ..... for marriage ..... and old cars ..... and children with bad report cards ..... and dogs with bad hips . and aging parents ..... and grandparents.

We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.

Some things we keep.

Like a best friend that moved away -- or -- a classmate we grew up with.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special.....and so, we keep them close!

I received this from someone who thought I was a 'keeper'! Then I sent it to the people I think of in the same way. Now it's your turn to send this to those people that are "keepers" in your life.

Nice one, Cuz. In Italy though, it is the same as in Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma and so on!

English
I Love You

Spanish
Te Amo

French
Je T'aime

German
Ich Liebe Dich

Japanese
Ai Shite Imasu

Italian
It Amo

Chinese
Wo Ai In

Swedish
Jag Alskar Dig

Lithuanian
As Tave Meliu







Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi , Kentucky, North Carolina, West Virginia, Vermont & Virginia.






Nice tits-- Get in the Truck!

True!!
You are amazing. Great post and congrats again on the cool job.
Sorry your mom won't walk again. and you're right, you just tell her you love her and that she's safe. My mom loved to hear that she was safe and she was.
You are a good daughter Elizabeth.

Kuli!! Glad your daughter is coming tomorrow, it's always so nice to have good conversation. you are angel and I love GPs and Cuz's jokes too. what a great thing to wake up to or check into and see.

Angie, loved the story about your dad and glad for you too that you have a great daughter.
I still lose it over my mom and it's been a bit so ya, you do what you want to.

more later,
lovbob

Hey, I don't write 'em!
Indian Mating Season

Two Indians and a Tennessee Hillbilly were walking through the woods. All of a sudden one of the Indians ran up a hill to the mouth of a small cave. 'Wooooo! Wooooo ! Wooooo!' he called into the cave and listened closely until he heard an answering, 'Wooooo! Wooooo! Woooooo! He then tore off his clothes and ran into the cave.

The Hillbilly was puzzled and asked the remaining Indian what it was all about. 'Was the other Indian crazy or what?' The Indian replied 'No, It is our custom during mating season when Indian men see cave, they holler 'Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!' into the opening. If they get an answer back, it means there's a beautiful woman in there waiting for us.'

Just then they came upon another cave. The second Indian ran up to the cave, stopped, and hollered, 'Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!' Immediately, there was the answer. 'Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!'from deep inside. He also tore off his clothes and ran into the opening.

The Hillbilly wandered around in the woods alone for a while and then spied a third large cave. As he looked in amazement at the size of the huge opening, he was thinking, 'Hoo, man! Look at the size of this cave! It is bigger than those the Indians found. There must be some really big, fine women in this cave!' He stood in front of the opening and hollered with all his might 'Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!'
Like the others, he then heard an answering call, 'WOOOOOOOOO, WOOOOOOOOO WOOOOOOOOO!'

With a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face, he

raced into the cave, tearing off his clothes as he ran.

The following day, the headline of the local newspaper read....

(Get ready, this will kill ya),





NAKED HILLBILLY RUN OVER BY TRAIN

Rossellmex
Thanks for the answer of the repeats. My father-in-law would say the same thing over again every 5 min. I would just listen to him again and not say anything but his daughter would get mad and holler "you just said that" He never realized he was doing that.
Bobbie
It could be the meds with my ma. She was on high doses of morphine for the pain cause she couldn't swallow. That laster for almost 3 hrs before she could take a dose of liquid meds. Then she started to sraightn out. She still lives alone. Pretty independent for being 86. but slowing down
you will have to e-mail me about the boat thing. I don't know if you allow old fat guys with hearing aids on the boat
luv ya Cuz