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hahahah.....I also am bad about running to the basement to get something out of the dryer and the other day I almost tripped and fell (same basement stairs Mama fell down three plus years ago) and it dawned on me the horror of not only falling but being found like that...a horror for me and whoever found me...so now I put something on...

Jeanette the doctor said he felt like it was most likely a bug or virus as there are still a lot of them going around...told me I was doing exactly what I needed to do and to let the nurse know if it continued and they could prescribe something for the nausea ...he asked me did she take pills well and of course she does not any longer so he said he could write a script for the suppository type thing of phenargan or however that stuff is spelled or if that's even it...

I'm so excited about my little truck being "home"...I think I'm going to drive it to the grocery and get the stuff to make a big tub of chili...it's supposed to be really really bone chilling tomorrow and it is cold enough today...10 degrees out there in the sun..wow...that's cold for the south....

I love my truck...I think I love it so much because it was the last little truck Daddy bought and he took such good care of it..looked new until my nephews got hold of it and almost destroyed it..but little by little I'm getting it back to the way it was..it's kind of a journey I'm making with Daddy...and it rides so good and drives like a dream....can't wait to go for a spin..short though it will be...but so far today Mama has kept her breakfast down and is continuing to drink her water well...
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Re the funeral thing...I know you all may think I'm crazy..and who knows maybe I am..but to me, it seems somehow fitting for me to disappear from this earth via coyotes taking me back to their den for their pups...ashes to ashes...I would much rather that be my final epitaph than being buried under the ground....seems to me it would be kind of freeing...that or the indian way of being put on a wooden platform in a blanket over a bonfire...again, freeing....and why on earth I think on this stuff so much these days I don't know..but I think about it so much that it doesn't bother me one bit to talk openly about it...but I find it creeps everyone else out...a LOT
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Maybe it's just that those of us here live our entire lives surrounded by illness, frailty, dying and ultimately, death...it's just a normal topic....I may be a little mean but sometimes I actually enjoy the looks of horror that some people exhibit when I am telling them what I want....
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Thinking of the funeral thing....Dad was cremated and we released his ashes at his favorite fishing spot, where it flowed into his and Mom's favorite of the Great Lakes. I made sure to take the metal tag identifying the ashes out before we dumped them - though to be honest, I wouldn't care if the DNR was standing there watching and hit me with a $500 fine or jail time for dumping them - I'd gladly pay it. In my mind, there is nothing wrong with returning biological, human remains back to the earth.

Mom has always told us kids that if we don't spread her ashes in that same lake, she will come back and haunt every one of us. I believe her. She's just stubborn enough to do it.

Today we're playing the shower game. I tell her it's time for a shower, she looks at her bed (and I *know* what that look means) and says, "No, I'm going to lay down now." Lays down for 10 minutes, then gets up and showers. It's a power game...that's all it is. She is not *truly* tired. She just doesn't want to shower because I asked her to. It's like dealing with a 2 year old some days. Love her to pieces, but .....sheesh.....
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My attitude was so good 2 weeks ago. Now I'm beyond frustrated. The referral authorizations I've been waiting for, for my mother's supposedly STAT medical issue? I've been on the phone with her health ins and the doctors for 2 weeks now, trying to expedite the process. It didn't do any good. I finally got the paperwork in the mail yesterday, so first thing this morning, I started calling to make appointments. I called the surgeon first, as it seems the most urgent. They told me they couldn't do anything, since the diagnosis code on the form is incorrect. They said they would follow up with the health insurance, but I went ahead and called them too. I also had a question with Referral #2. There was either a problem with the printout, or maybe it's a duplicate of a service that will be provided by Referral #1, but it didn't provide all the details of the service -- only a few numbers that are the same as a service on Referral #1. I asked them about that, and they had no answer whatsoever, so they will...guess what???? Call me BACK! My husband suggested I call the doctor's office that submitted the referral requests in the first place to see if they could use their muscle, so I called them too. They told me that they only submit the requests, they don't receive any other paperwork after that, so it's on me to follow up. Which I DID, obviously.
Knowing that I'll have to face my mother again in person is something I'm dreading. I've been scrambling at work trying to make sure I'm all caught up every day, just in case I have to take a few days off with no notice. All other plans are non-existent--I just want to FACE this, and get it over with. Now, I fear that another week will go by, and I won't have any idea what's in store, where I need to go, what I need to coordinate. Guess it's a good thing my husband and I decided not to travel to visit his parents in a few weeks :( I HATE being unable to plan.
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looloo...isn't all that paperwork and red tape mind boggling??? If you're not sick before you start it you will be before it's all over with....our insurance system is such a mess anyway..all kinds....I spent most of my career dealing with it and it always felt like as much as they loved taking your money, they enjoyed even more ways of keeping you from getting what you needed when you needed it..same with all this doctor stuff...what we went through back when Mama needed her tooth pulled, also when we were trying to get her meds approved...the insanity they put me through...and they would tell me this one had not done this, and so you would call this one and then they would say that one had not done that...so you called them back..and on and on it went..it felt like in reality they just wanted me to give up....I think of the hell we went through for almost four months with all that tooth stuff and then in reality, it took all of 45 minutes from the time she left the house til she was back home and it was DONE...and all the while she had to endure all those abcesses etc...it just infuriates me.
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Susan the games are indeed fun. I was thinking this morning how Mama will lie here and look at me like she is either not knowing who I am or she is ignoring me altogether..and when the doctor was here, she shook her head either in agreement or disagreement with all his questions..so she understood him well enough...it is so maddening that she just looks at me...I have gotten to where when it starts I just go on about my business and then in a bit come back and try again and then she will usually comply...it truly is like she's playing a game of wits....
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ive been sick with stress for nearly a week knowing that since its too cold to work cracky ( my helper ) would be attacking me for money about any time . wants a hundred bucks , wants me to bring it to her . its 11 below zero wind chill outside and im not going to rip the starter out of my truck for something that could wait till tomorrow . when she started that guilt / shaming me sh*t i decided i could keep stressing myself sick or tell her to cram it till tomorrow . i told her to cram it till tomorrow . im the one allowing this stress to happen and im the one who has to stop it . i worked 3 days last week , she worked 5 , now wants my wages too . " has to pick up her kid from school " . thats freakin malarkey , we have school buses .
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take care of yourself captain...I have learned if you don't know one else is going to for sure....I feel for ya re the cold..freezing here too
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I have seriously just HAD IT. One son won't speak to me because I insist on him being a responsible adult and taking care of his responsibilities. So he just cuts all of us off entirely because of that. Now my daughter is refusing all offers of help and dragging her kids with her into yet another unpredictable situation where I have no idea if they will be safe or not, instead of accepting help to get on her feet the RIGHT way and not jumping into living with someone she barely knows, just to get out of the situation she's in right now, which isn't good.

Add that to the technological challenges I've faced in my work today (websites not working properly, emails not going out on time because of it), plus Mom's memory issues (yes, Mom - the birds were covered last night - no, Mom - I didn't leave the electric fireplace on last night - yes, Mom - you have to shower right now - MOM, you need to get out of the shower, you can't sleep in there - Mom, you need to put underwear on....)

I have a splitting headache. I celebrated "National Drink Wine Day" last night with a single glass of Moscato. I think I will be celebrating again tonight.
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Hope, I guess I am not alone in thinking that maybe it best if wild animals just eat my remains and I would truly go back to nature...I was thinking of how fast huge alligators would eat one.(of course this would have to happen after a few shots of booze I suppose, if I were still alive and wanted to speed things up!) I too get strange looks where the person does not know if I am kidding or not.
I like the idea of green burials, as long as there is someone there to do the work of fulfilling one's wishes. I have also heard of something called the Neptune Project, I believe, where a person's ashes are scattered over a coral reef and become part of the reef. As for running around the house with no clothes...it is way too cold here for that, but I have forgotten my robe before and done this. I hear it is to be even colder tomorrow and we are in the minus digits....I have an extra warm night gown on Mom tonite!
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Colonoscopy tomorrow...need I say more?
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the last colonoscopy i checked in for , the desk nurse exchanged some information with me then smiled and told me where the restroom was located . evidently that is everyones next question after checking in .
i have an endoscopy on march 10 . ( the other end )
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Babalou, hope all goes well tomorrow and the bathroom holds up.
never doing that again. 1st and last time. No more anti freeze for me too poisonous. 2 episodes of A fib and 4 migraines during and after.
You should be fine, it's just me being a bloody minded old woman.
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Veronica91, I feel the same way about the colonoscopy I had....been there done that. They got what they wanted all was clear so I am so done. The prep was awful, but even worse after I woke up from the procedure my blood pressure dropped so low I thought all was over. The nurse kept telling me to sit up and I had to fight off the feeling of passing out from low BP. The feeling finally went away but it was a scary thing to go through just for a test. They should have given me some juice or something upon waking up.
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Babaloo, Hope all goes well. It will be nice to have that overwith! Make sure they give you some juice afterward so you feel better after all that prep.
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Susan.. every night is beer night for me... LOL Enjoy that wine!
Babaloo.. good luck with the scope, I keep avoiding that and I am 56.. I know my time is coming soon...
Both dad and I want to be cremated. A friend of my MIL passed with those wishes, and we buried her at our place at the river as she requested. With a simple wooden cross. I guess if we ever sell the place we will just take the cross down. I would not mind being there also!
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I've been putting off the scope but was informed by my PCP that under the new healthcare regs, I have to have a scope, mammogram, BMI and flu shot. And fill out a bunch of new paperwork. Apparently, having not seen the doc in three years because one is healthy is now frowned upon ...... I admit while I watch my husband's health stuff, I tend to back burner mine.
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Oh, I've had a colonoscopy before, did my first at 51 and this is ten years later. Lovely outpatient surg, center that I go to takes very good care! Thanks for all the encouragement.
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Let me guess on the colonoscopy prep - they have you drink magnesium citrate, and once you do, you better not be more than 5' from the nearest bathroom. In fact, you should probably put a "do not disturb" sign on the door and camp out in there for a while. Right?

Never had a colonoscopy, but had more delicate surgery done in a nearby area and they wanted my colon to be "flat and empty" so that it wouldn't be in the way. Trust me....it was.
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Good luck tomorrow Babalou!! I guess the only good thing from having a colonoscopy done is the drugs. Of course getting great results is a plus also!! Yes, Cap, I know you disagree ;)

Susan, as much as we want to help our grown kids, we can't. Especially now that we take care of our mother's. It's just too much at times. Lately, I've decided to devote ALL my time towards mom and not worry about what my son is doing. He's a grown man. Yes if he's in dire straights I will help, other than that. Just can't do it anymore.

Nice to see so many people would rather be cremated and sprinkled in the lovely outdoors. Even a green burial is asking to let nature take it's course. I'd like to be near a river ... the water is so relaxing to me, dad isn't too far from a river but not sure if I can float that far or not as a spirit? haha, guess I can float wherever I want by that time eh?

Downloaded this nifty a** app for my Geocaching! What! So much easier now using your phone vs the way we did it 10 years ago. There must be a hundred just around my small area.... I'm excited to give it a try tomorrow! Today however, was spent using my new/used mini rototiller!... wow but it's a strong little beast. It even cultivates.... just switch the blades around and voila`, instant weed be gone! It was supposed to be a bit rainy this afternoon but the sun came out around 1:00 and it's been gorgeous ever since. Low 60's... I even burned some brush in the fire pit. We didn't have any marshmellows in stock or mom would be a sticky mess!!
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Thanks, Jeanette. The problem is that my daughter *is* in dire straits - yes, she put herself there, but that doesn't change the fact that her stupid decisions have put her children in a bad situation right along with her. That's my major concern.

I've had to put it aside for now, though, because she is insistent on doing this her way instead of taking a chance to get a leg up in life, and she's dragging her kids with her. Instead of getting herself back on her feet, she's staying right in the gutter where she's been for years already. I finally just stopped talking and told her to let me know where she lands. I offered help, she rejected it - all I can do is hope she doesn't put her children in a worse situation than they already are.
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susan,
imo you not only have to let em go but theres times you have to give em a shove . my youngest kid has for years thought that me and my little business existed solely to make sure he stayed high . i lost my sh*t with him over a year ago and hes went uphill ever since . good engine building job and his own apartment . if i get one email from him a year its ok with me . you cant manage their lives for them and wouldnt be doing them any favors if you did .
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It's been over 10 years since my last colonoscopy.... I was able to mix the prep with Gatorade, and ever since then I haven't been able to drink Gatorade ever since :P

Back then I could roll the TV, with rabbit ears, to the bathroom so I could watch TV while I [ahem] wait. Guess with today's technology one can bring with them their iPad.

I need to schedule another one but I keep putting it off as my parents are getting older. I keep saying "next year", every year.
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i hope the va dont use the same scope for colonoscopy and endoscopies . just one more thing for me to worry about now ..
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thanks, cap....not really trying to manage her life, just trying to make sure she doesn't put her children in harm's way. But at this point, all I can do is sit back and watch, because she's determined to go her own way. I'm sure all the other moms here can identify with my concern for the grandbabies. They don't have a choice in the situation - they get dragged along for whatever wild ride she decides to take them on.
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i didnt want to starve all night last for my last procedure so i drank two cans of clear chicken boullion while i was up all night . probably wasnt supposed to but i never heard any fuss about it .
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I decided I didn't have any errands to run today and didn't really want to because it's so freaking cold out, but I was having a fit to drive my little truck so I just put my coat on over my loungewear and away I went..just drove up and down the highway for about 20 minutes then back home. And I am so excited. It drives like a dream now. I think they even washed it for me...That place is awesome..Young guy who has been working with his Dad since he was 8 yrs old...so he knows all the ins and outs of vehicles...When you find one like that, imo it is better than all the fancy a$$ shops combined....I think my brother was shocked I just got it handled and didn't bug him with any of it...so happy and proud to boot!
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Sorry Capt I wouldn't guarentee anything these days at the VA or anywhere else. The scope for the endoscopy is smaller than the colonoscopy. When you are having both they usually do the top end first.
They have stopped using the ones in question now so everyone should be safe. Just another feast for the lawyers!!!!!!!!
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This one person has viciously attacked this site with the most spam that I've ever seen on multiple threads! So many, that I ended up just reporting them to AC rather than go to each thread individually. Why do these people do this? What a waste of time!
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