I'm tired of cooking/preparing 3 meals a day. It's just the two of us but boy oh boy can that woman eat!! She stays slimish, I get fattish. It's bad enough I do everything here much less start making her one thing and me the other. At times I feel guilty when I buy her fast food cuz of the nutritional value....not to mention I eat it too.
I stopped awhile ago. There is just no point in it anymore. Life is easier. I know they care and love mom, they just don't want or can't witness her decline.
I was thinking about taking mom to the coast again to visit her brother. He's in his 80's, but decided not to. She doesn't know who he is and I think it was hard on him. Maybe I should just call and ask permission first?
Jessie, two words ... Cattle Prod :D JUST KIDDING!!! (or am I) funny, my mom is the opposite. I say we are going somewhere and she's up walking around all in a tither until we go. I'm the one that's in no hurry and need the Cattle Prod :)
In all honesty, this is showing huge inconsideration of me. She has wasted another chunk of my day. But if I say anything, she say "You're fussing at me." And if I tell anybody around here what I go through I'll be guilty of violating the Family Caregiver Code of Silence.
I gave up years ago, so now I don't have extra sheets for the beds... what's on the bed gets washed and put back on.... of course, there are those times when it is around midnight, you're dead tired and you forgot to make the bed :P
btw , screw spell check ..
You fold so things tuck away nicer. gives you more space.
My son leaves all his, wait, used to leave all his clothes in the dryer, he'd de-wrinkle every morning before work. I'd come along, do laundry, pile his on top of dryer, when I took mine out, he would put his back. HA!! Why do I miss him so much?!?!
Yes, the washer was off balance, it's one of those "he" high spin thingee, and sure enough once I got brave enough to get near the washer and open it, the bedspread was huddled on one side.... had to push the washer back into place, reset the bedspread, and stand guard for the spin cycle. Whew, at least that spin was panic free.
Goldengirl, you need a few days away to get some really good rest and re-charge yourself. It really does help.
ff... sounds like the washer was off balanced? LOL, does indeed make a loud racket like a wrecking crew!! Mine does that when I wash jeans. I detest doing laundry....wait, I don't mind doing laundry, I detest the folding and putting away part!!
No whines for me today. I love Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays!! Those are the days my caregiver comes and I get to leave and do whatever I want :) ahhhh...... ok, something cute... you know how I've mentioned mom's perception is way off, this afternoon we went for a little walk and there was this sunbeam going across the driveway.... she stepped HIGH over it!!....also when we walk into the grocery store, she steps HIGH over ALL the yellow lines :))) tragically cute!
Countrymouse your birthday idea sounds ideal, cept Id probably have the whole bottle vs half ;)
I had to throw the bedspread into the washer as it had the certain smell that tends to develop in elder homes. The washer didn't like the bedspread on the spin cycle, sounded like a wrecking ball was busy in the basement. I was ready to call a tow truck to get that wet bedspread out of the washer.... threw it wet into the dryer and hoped for the best. It came out pretty good :)
That sleeping pattern *is* odd. I don't know what to make of it. Is anything hurting her or worrying her, in particular? Has anyone else come across this, is it just a treat in store that I've got to look forward to?
A belated happy birthday to you! Mine has just been, too. I don't think the kids forgot, exactly, so much as each of them thinking the others were planning something, sigh… But after last year's fiasco nothing can bother me any more. My perfect birthday, in the unforeseeable future, will be just me, a half bottle of good Champagne, fresh croissants with cold butter and strawberry jam, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, with HOT milk (I haven't worked out how all this is making its way to my bedside without my having to get up and fetch it, by the way - a specially trained assistance dog, perhaps?) and a pile of crisp newspapers and extravagant magazines. Then popcorn and my top five films on DVD - and NOBODY interrupting. Sorted!
I actually have bananas in the freezer and was going to try her on the banana "ice cream" idea to see if that's acceptable to her. Crossing my fingers.
Mom's been in an odd state for a few days now - she normally has a very odd sleeping cycle anyway - has for years. But just lately, she's sleeping 10 mins, then back up, then down again an hour later for 10 mins, then back up again for an hour or two, then down for maybe 30 mins or an hour, then back up. Her "sleep time" is the only chance I get to have something like a small break, so I find myself getting a little irritable when she's down for 10 mins, then right back up again - and I know I shouldn't be.
Oh, and FreqFlyer - guess who wished me a happy birthday today and apologized for forgetting? LOL I knew I was making too much of it, but it just really bothered me at the time. Still no word from the other kids, but at least one of them finally remembered.
Berry smoothies with a little water and a few handfuls of raw spinach, frozen kale, fresh greens of any sort are delicious. If she has a constipation problem a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed will help make going to the bathroom easier.
Best wishes. It's very hard to stay positive and loving when your "loved one" feels more like your enemy. I know.
Not sure what's going on with Mom lately - she hasn't asked for milk in about 2 months, and every time I bought it, it went sour before the container was even opened, so I started buying smaller containers, and then I stopped buying it at all. (I don't drink it myself.) Last week, she asked for it, and I didn't have it - so she asked me to buy some small containers for her to have when she wants it. Ok...so I bought 2 of the lunchbox-size containers for her. Gave her one this morning with her breakfast, and she said, "I don't want milk!" - so back in the fridge it goes to spoil, I guess! Last night, when offered dinner (3 times), she kept saying "No, I don't want to eat now" - I stopped asking after 8pm. She ate an entire container of strawberries (argh) and then got up this morning wondering why she was so hungry. I guess it's just part of the aging issues she's facing, but some days it's like dealing with a grouchy toddler.
I am working towards getting her eating healthier, and so far, it's helping - she's lost a couple of pounds in the last week or so, despite the fact that she's completely inactive and just sits all day, walking a grand total of about 50 steps all day (that's footsteps, not stairs) between her chair, her bed and the bathroom, so *something* is working, and I'd like to believe it's the new way she's eating. Less sugar, less wheat, less starch, more protein and healthier veggies. She won't eat most vegetables, so I have to work around that with salads and such, but she's open to most of the changes. I'm learning I have to watch her portions, though - if I give her a carton of berries so she can have a few, she will mow through the entire carton in 5 minutes flat. So that's got to stop. But overall, she's eating better - no candy in the house, so she doesn't even ask for it. If she wants something sweet, I give her some fruit. She still likes her ice cream, but I have her eating low-sugar ice cream bars instead of full sugar ones - and if I don't watch her, she'll eat 3 in a row. Small steps, I guess.