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Today my ears were laying back, sig other called me at work saying such and such company truck was out front of the house... they are here to spray the bushes and trees for insects, etc.... whoa, stop the presses, I never gave authorization to such and such company to do that, in fact I never spoke to them on the phone nor in person regarding this.

Yes, said company left a zip lock bag with a leaf in it plus a brochure at the front door last week, the leaf looked like someone took an old fashioned one punch hole to it making it look like an insect took a bite out of it.... I threw it out. Not interested. I am the type that lets nature takes it course.

Now I can see how elders can get snickered into services they never asked for. Maybe in a moment of lapse they forgot they spoke to someone to come out. Or the company is just taking a chance knowing a senior lives in that house.
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I know what you mean about clean toilets and clean litter boxes. Not to be gross but I usually develop diarrhea right after the toilets been cleaned to a sparkle and my one cat sits by the litter box and as soon as its cleaned jumps right in.

Susan my prayers go out to you and your dear mother. She sounds like my dear Mom. She never used to complain and always minimized all her aches and pains.
Take advantage while she is in the hospital and get some much needed rest.
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Hubby went to a hospital today to have a pint of blood drawn off. He was given the usual pile of paperwork to sign giving permission for everything under the sun. So he said he wasn't signing all that c**p and proceeded to cross out and initial the stuff he did not like. the he was handed a slip to sign that said he had recieved a copy of the patient's bill off rights. he was asked "why not" Well he said you haven't given me the bloody thing yet" as some point he went up to the desk and a very condescending voice asked"and what brought you here today hon?" Very seriously he replied "My motor car" While she was picking her jaw up off the counter a couple of other clerks were wetting their pants round the corner. I always wear a brown paper bag over my head when I go out with him.
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Very funny Veronica!
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Haha..Veronica. love it. ..

Susan,I'm so sorry your Mom is having such a time if it. .hope edge is better soon.
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Im so sorry. .i meant she. .not edge...

The mother board is gone on my laptop so I'm getting a new one. The man is going to set it up for me. .yay..it will be nice to have one again. This swyping is driving me batty
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I am hanging in there on not stepping up to take my cousin to the doctor, and believe me she had tried. Today she said another cousin was suisse to take her and i said. "Good". That's exactly what should have happened in the first place. This gal lives next door to her and my cousin has handed them money all their lives. .so time for them to return the favor. ..a load of my mind
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Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! I don't know why I didn't insist on the EMS taking my mom to the ER to have her checked over after she rolled out of bed onto her head/shoulder 2 hours ago. She has a red bruise but it is not swollen. She said her ankle hurt but she could wiggle her toes and there was no swelling when EMS were here, she was alert and talking, and her bp and heart rate were excellent. One EMS said he wished his bp was that good. They got her back in bed, helped me put the safety bar in that I just bought but couldn't get in on the one side and put pillows around her. The bar isn't where I want it but better than nothing for now. She keeps pulling on it and pulls herself down on the bed then I have to pull her back up. I have been sick the past few days I think from spraying for ants the past several weeks. I am wiped out and struggling to keep up with her care. The last thing I need is to continually have to pull her up in bed. Anyway, I have been checking on her and she seems alright. She ate her salad for dinner and is drinking too. I sat down to read posts and thought about Susan's mom. Than it hit me that I have no idea what the signs are for a concussion. What am I suppose to look out for? So now I have to google it. If I was thinking at the time the EMS was here I could have asked them. They did tell me if there were any problems to just give them a call back...as if I wouldn't...I know that isn't what they thought but it just struck me as odd.
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Shilo, have you got a slide sheet? If not, Google them under mobility aids, or bed bound patient aids, and get one. They are as cheap as chips and the single most useful item you can have in your caregiver's tool box.

Confession: I may, just may, occasionally have repositioned my mother when it was only borderline necessary because the slide sheet made it so easy - wheeeee!!! Straight up the bed, just like that..! I was in love.

Ref the ?concussion - where's the bruise? Did your mother actually hit or bang her head against anything, that you know of? If not, and the paramedics have checked her over thoroughly, and there are no changes you can observe, just wait watchfully. No point slogging her down to ER if they're not going to do anything you can't do just as well or better at home.
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Susan, so very glad a better doc came on shift for your Mom.

Last year this time I was dealing with 3 different docs (out of 4 total staff) at the ER in my parents' town, who all agreed that my Mom didn't need to be in hospital despite going from zero falls ever to 3+ per DAY. Nothing on the MRI so they kept sending her home. I finally flew out and had her ambulanced to a larger hospital in the city, where ER doc's evaluation was "this is a very sick lady and she's not going anywhere except upstairs".
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Shilo8, WebMD has a good list for "concussion"... too long to post here. From what I read, it doesn't sound easy to diagnose, as CountryMouse said just wait watchfully.
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I know they say if you suspect concussion you should wake the patient up every hour or so. But if your Mom had a concussion she would be feeling dizzy and probably would have a bad headache.

I suffered a concussion when I was in my twenties. The hospital sent me home with my heavy pot smoking boyfriend at the time. I knew he couldn't be trusted to wake me up so I set my alarm clock every two hrs. to wake me up. Ah....those were the days.:)
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My boss is the town crier.... oh my gosh, I heard from a business rep who I only met once last year, and he send me email hoping I am feeling better.... good grief, who doesn't know about my broken shoulder?

I know I told everyone here about it because of the challenges of dealing with elderly parents when you can't drive them for 2 months, etc.... but in my personal life hardly anyone knows unless I bump into someone on the street and they see my sling.

He's even told people about my previous health issues that were REALLY PERSONAL and I had chatted with him about it because his wife had also been diagnosed at the same time, so he had questions, etc.... oh well, this boss would be good for one of those BRAVO reality shows the way he can stir the pot and gossip :P
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Excuses I can make to the children to explain why after six months and several tearful attempts I am still not using the expensive iPod touch they very sweetly gave me for Christmas.

It fell in the fire.
I trod on it while temporarily blinded (with rage).
The dog ate it. With cream cheese that had got on it somehow.
A jogger ran off with it (his backpack was hanging open irresistibly).
I think I must have run over it in the car. By accident. A few times.
I mistook the earphone leads for spaghetti and boiled it for ten minutes.
Apple confiscated it after it reported physical abuse to them.
It flew out of the top floor window.
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A bit of happy news. My cousin brought her father ( my dads brother) and my aunt for a visit. Went great!!!! He did recognize his brother! My cousin said dad actually was talking. They enjoyed a beer on the patio and my cousin took some photos which I will have to reproduce for his room. Sad to say he probably will not remember this tomorrow but at least a nice visit.
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Thanks for the tips everyone...they have been helpful. So far no headache...I keep asking her. Thanks for the comment about setting the alarm too. Since I have been sick I have been falling asleep and it is difficult for me to get up so the alarm is being set tonight. I think the redness on her head could have been from her scrapping her head on the table that was next to the bed, not from the floor. One EMS person suggested one of those floor mats too. Now I have 'Whitty' on the floor on one side of the bed. Whitty is my mother's big stuffed dog. Three years ago when we had an aide I found her dancing with Whitty as she and my mom listened to her music. The aide said she couldn't resist he was so soft and cuddly.
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I hope today will be a better day for everyone. It really helps me to take things a day at a time because you never know what may hit tomorrow. I wonder if all this hyper vigilance and bracing for the next thing will cause PTS at some point?
I am also still down from the passing of my best friend's mother, whom we knew for nearly 45 years. Did some more gardening yesterday and that helped my mood a little.
I don't know much about concussions...is there something in a person's pupils that indicates there may be a concussion?
Shilo, I hope your Mom is feeling better today. That is a good sign she ate well.
Susan, I hope you got some sleep and that your Mom is also doing better. It could be medication that made her act drowsy and out of it.
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SusanA43: This brings back memories from when my mom used to get sick. I will continue to keep you and your mom in my prayers as I know how hard this is for you. Don't forget to squeeze in some re-charge moments even though you are very busy with work and your mom. It only takes about 10-15 minutes. You can even take a few minutes at work to just look up at something else besides your work (I used to look at a blank wall sometimes) just to give your eyes a rest and think of something else or even nothing for a few minutes. Keep us posted.
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Shilo..as the others have said, just be watchful over her, as i know you will be. .not wanting to sound any alarms but sharing what happened to Mama in December 2013 that started us on this whole bedfast thing. ..By that time mama pretty much lived in her lift chair. The chair potty was right beefier her and i would help her up and down. Well, she was getting up and suddenly she went down. ..whether her ankle cracked and caused her fall or whether the fall caused the fx, i called the EMS as i could not get her up and needed to have her checked. They came got her all checked out checked her ankle, al vitals good, told me she looked fine. .call if i needed em. ..Mama is not a complainer but by the next day i noticed her ankle looked like their was an enormous blood bruise all around her ankle. .not swollen really but i knew something was wrong, called the ambulance sure enough ankle was broken. ..so even though they said ok..just be watchful. .praying for her and you. ..

Re the sliding your Mom up..one of my friends many years ago had told me about the slide sheet which absolutely is a godsend. Also, i raise the foot of the bed and the gravity plus the slide sheet makes keeping Mama up in the bed almost effortless. .....just dint forget to let her feet back down. . :)
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Finally one of my sisters is coming to visit my mother. Despite the fact that they all live within 45 minutes of my house - they rarely come see her. I asked if she could tell me how long she would be here in hopes that hubby and I could go out and get some errands done. She tells me probably only an hour. Jeez thanks - living where I live it take 20 - 25 minutes to get to the nearest store. I guess I will use my free hour to take a walk....not much else I can do in an hour. Since this is the first time she has seen our mother in three months - how generous of her to offer up an hour of her time.
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TTC, Oh how that would frustrate me if I was thrown a bone like that and you are suppose to feel grateful! I know you have to take the hour when your are given it however it is as if someone is throwing salt on the wound. I wish it could be a few hours longer so you could enjoy a little more time to yourself.
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PS to Hope's reminder to put the foot of the bed back down - it's also a good idea to put a pillow on its side against the headboard so that as you whoosh her up the bed she doesn't go into it whammo.
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Hmmm TTC would your sister leave your mum alone if you weren't there? Just a thought hun. She may never visit again but I would go do my errands and let her stew about being longer than need be and ooops you forgot your mobile - how silly of you!!!!!!!! grins
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Trying, as your sister said "probably" seize the day and tell her - nicely, but tell her, don't ask her - that you would appreciate it if she could make it a bit longer so that you have a chance to get a few errands run. Put an approximate time limit on it - two hours, or three - and say you'll set up a movie or something for her and mother to watch together. The worst that can happen is she says no.
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Mothers lower bases in her lungs are full of fluid today,even with the 3 breathing treatments a day and lasix.Her legs are huge and tight and get worse as the day goes on.I beg her to put her legs up as she sits in her lift chair all day every day sleeping on and off but she just wont do it because she says she will fall asleep and she doesnt want to sleep the rest of her life away,but she falls asleep anyway.Before the Hospice rules changed,she was diagnosed with Adult Failure To Survive,but now is listed as COPD.The nurse couldnt wait to tell me,she is going on another vacation for 2 weeks at the same time as Mothers bathaid.I hope someone we know from our Hospice is here when Mother dies.Other than this,I continue to trudge on,like many of you are.
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So far my mother isn't showing any abnormal signs but still watching her this next week. I contacted her in-home nurse who already saw her this week but she is going to come see my mother again this afternoon since she took a tumble. I am trying to find a bed that will lift but no luck so far. She had one of the medical beds from medicare but it was a twin bed and it did not work out at all. It was only a semi-automatic so I had to crank it to raise it up and down. First time I did that I strained my hip and my left leg has been bothering me ever since. The nurse and the physical therapists tried to use it once and never again. My mother could not roll back and forth in the bed and it agitated her so much her heart rate was in the 120-140 range not to mention all the bruises she had on her shoulders and legs from the rails. She is one that usually keeps her legs bent because of the arthritis and you can't easily change a person in a small bed when they have their legs bent. So I got rid of the medical bed and now is search of one that is build for an adult not a child!
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Im loathe to ask the question but has anyone noticed that a discussion is missing? yipppppeeeeeeeee
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Jude, the euthanasia one? Gone but not forgotten since it's continue on the Did Hospice rush thread. Very intelligent intense discussion but... and I do feel empathy but and this many not be the right thing to say but... there's a saying about a horse and beating it. Gads

We are under a heat advisory, it's gonna hit 100 plus here and that is a big deal for the end of June in Oregon. 9:15 a.m. and already 80 outside. No end in sight... it's just too hot!!!!
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Yes, it is too hot Jeanette. ..i know my lawnmower is sitting down there Bamford m

Too hot is right Jeanette. .i don't remember it being this hot in June. ...ugh...my lawnmower is sitting down there yelling at me and i guess i have ignored it long enough.

Shilo, oh how i wish you could get the HH or Hospice so they could provide a bed for your mom. ..would help you
Both so much. ..Just seemswrong that you can't get it. .but then that's one of those governmental things i don't understand. ..there's a lot of that going on these days.

My happy note is i get to pick up my new laptop today. I found a good smaller local business who services what they sell and will provide help whenever needed. ..also easy to get to, and in and out of..so a lot better than the big box folks
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Awesome Hope!! LOL, it was getting a bit challenging deciphering your words ;) ;) ;) My lawnmower is doing the same and the dandelions are a growing like you know, weeds. They had a big news thing on mowing in this heat, apparently a house burned down due to the heat/mowing, so... I will wait.

My big pibble is getting so restless... she's been tossing tennis balls around all morning in the house. Whoops, one just got deflated and torn into itty bitty pieces.

Lisa, the lady whom helped me with mom works with a pretty independent lady several days a week, now this lady does not shower/bathe what have you...in this heat I asked her if she has AC at least?!?! Yikes!!
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