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Captain, captain, captain.....
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Bless your heart Jeanette....I understand...Mama has those too. While Mama is totally bedfast now, I got used to the really good days and then all of a sudden for no reason seemingly, a totally opposite effect...It's emotionally hard on you especially..I know it is on me...I guess it goes with all this...keeping you in my prayers....Mama has had another good day here, a little quieter but had some moments of laughter with her again and those sweet greetings this morning sure perked me up a bit...hope you'll have more of those soon...
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Jeanette, the little changes happening in their brains can have big effects. I was hoping you would have a lot of good days. This is discouraging to read. You and your mother are in my thoughts and prayers tonight.
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Good grief. The 78-stroke thread now has 341 messages and has gone nowhere. Pretty soon it join our How are You? and Dysfunctional threads in being our longest running.
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Something weird is going on. Mom has been so good for days now, yesterday we went for a long ride to Eugene, an hour away. I put her in her transfer chair, went into Best Buy and she was fine!! On the way home she said she felt sick... I stopped and got her some gingerale...she's been nutter's ever since. Paced, didn't sleep last night, up all day, no appetite... what happened in such a short amount of time?
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Lol I was referring to the time with your mom, not missing kitty.
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hope22 I so needed that mental picture today. Thank you for sharing the sweet moments
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i wish i had a big old yeller dog today . hed be sittin by the stove wrapped in ace bandages and idda been at work sportin a full length fur coat . i s*it you not , i worked today on " cracky's " behalf and it was so cold the dam bulldozer was frozen in its tracks .
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Well dad is sleeping better on the new meds.. but I have noticed something lately that is driving me nuts! When anyone is in the house that is not the 4 of us, no matter who.. dad gets 50 years younger and tougher. He is always talking about fighting, etc. He was never like that.. and does not DO anything.. just talks about how he is gonna beat someone or did beat someone.. doesnt matter if it a gal or a guy! Hubs cousin is here alot (it;s hunting season) and my friends/daughter stop by.. he is always gonna Straighten someone up or teach them a lesson... not the people here.. just someone in general. We keep telling him we dont talk that way, he would be a mean guy.. you name it! And since he has been sleeping more he is talking more, and It;s all nonsence these days.. Almost as exhausting as the no sleep times!! But I'd rather he talk than walk, so thats how it is!
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Jeanette, I'm so tickled you look out for your neighbors dogs too...I know what you mean, can't stand to think of them being out in the cold either...maybe they'll start keeping in now that they know someone might be watching.. :) I do have a little worry today, I thought all my kitties were in last night and when I started to bed I did my head count and then realized that one was not in. I figured she was hiding somewhere cozy and warm in the house but after a search, no baby....she still has not come home...I went out looking for her and it is not like her to be out in this kind of cold. I have already gone all over the premises and no kitty....We have a horrid coyote problem here which is why I make sure they are in at night, but I am so upset with myself that I thought she was in and was not...thinking back I now remember when I took the bag of trash to the big can she followed me and she did come back to the house but did not want to come in and I let her stay out a bit longer...it was not late at that time, but I feel so bad about this....There has been a big black kitty hanging around and I am hoping she may have followed him or something and if so she will be back..She is fully vetted and he is too so that shoudl not be an issue...still not like her to be out in cold weather...come home kitty...
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Yall are sweet...thank you so much for caring about Mama and me. I got up this morning, and as with every day, we never know what is going to come our way, but when I went to her bedside she was alert, and I said good morning to her and she just beamed and said "Morning"...I asked her did she sleep well and she said "I slept fine"....she is alert and has had her breakfast (ensure with applesauce blended in) and now is snoozing again..but she even had a little coffee with me and now her little cat is back beside her...all curled up nice and warm.... the sun is out..it is still cold, cold, but just so thankful for another pretty day with Mama....
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Hope, Love and Blessings
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Hope I think that's the nicest "whine" I've read so far! I'm so glad you had this good time.
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Well, it has been a few days of a roller coaster ride...Mama has stopped throwing up, her fever has left and she has started talking, drinking her ensure and asking for water again....I got to sit beside her and talk today for the first time in almost two months...The hospice nurse does not think she is in the "active" stage now and so it seems she may have had one of those horrid flu bugs all winter so far...I don't know, I think I may be seeing another miracle....She is nice and warm and her little cat is curled up beside her....Veronica, seeing your suggestions reminds me of something I do for Mama to keep her head and ears warm.. I have one of those snuggies things and it is plenty long for her hospital bed and so I lay it on her like a blanket and the arms I wrap around her head and it is perfect to keep her nice and warm...I am so thankful for the day we have had together today...I think at one point we spent about thirty minutes just holding hands and looking at each other...she had the sweetest little smile on her face...she even laughed..a lot ...today....I know that often times there will be a sudden burst of energy and liveliness so I am aware of that...but this seems different...I have experienced that before, but she seems genuinely so much better and almost like she was before the fall began and she took such a downturn....I don't know...I do know I am just so thankful....what a great day!!!
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Hey Christine, I too wonder after all is said and over... just what will I do then? Mom's been pretty good lately so it's not so OMG stressful right now. She actually went for a long drive to the city so I could take my touch screen lap top back and repair the screen that cracked after a rough housing with the dogs.. all my fault.

Stopped on the way out and introduced myself to "the neighbor" with the pibble on the leash in the cold :/ according to her they bring him in at night but while at work he's out.... I volunteered to give her an extra X-Large dog transport (with covered lid) that I have plus a cushy blanket. She said her husband was making him a dog house... hmmm. I shall see. He wasn't outside today/tonight so maybe she got the hint? Veronica, no, I am not afraid for my dogs, they are indoor dogs and very well cared for.

2 more weeks until my son arrives! It's either going to be a big YAY or a big reality bite to him. I'm thinking reality myself.... one never knows what one is going through until they live it. Plus, I'm saving work for him... hehe, I'm sure he will be ecstatic about that!
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Not much of a whine for me, more of just a ho-hum... I went to my parents house to get Mom's grocery list. When I went into kitchen I didn't see the list on the counter as I normally would see. Ah ha, bet Dad forgot to tell Mom to get the list ready. Sure enough I was right.

So we spent quality time going over the pre-printed list, line by line. Mom's hearing aids weren't working real well.... I would be asking in one ear if she needed MILK... if she didn't hear, Dad would be asking in the other ear. Once Mom caught on what we were asking she would quickly rattle off how many of said item she needed, what brand, what size, and in some cases the last 4 digits of the bar code that is on the product, and if she had a coupon.

Dad said he wants to take Mom back to the hearing doctor as the new hearing aid isn't working correctly. Well, one has to actually place the hearing aid far into the ear for it to work, and Mom is afraid doing that would hurt her ear.... [sigh]. Told Dad it's not the hearing aid, it's Mom's ears, there isn't anything that can be done to help her, and I can understand that frustration.
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I had a whine moment yesterday. MIL, who has early-mid stage dementia, got up on the wrong side of the bed and was in a bad mood all day. When I got home from work she lit into me with more than the usual list of complaints, she was trying to pick a fight. She lives with us, and my husband and i both work full time on opposite shifts. He can ignore her better than I can. And I get her during the worst part of the day, late afternoon...sundowning a little. My main problem is that I don't really like her. She is vain and self centered. She acts like a three year old a lot of the time. I know it is the disease, and keep taking deep breaths and going for being kind instead of getting mad. I was glad that I didn't react to a thing she said yesterday, just made her a cup of coffee and gave her some chocolate and that seemed to settle her down. I used to come home from work to a quiet house and my own activities. Now I come home to whining and complaining on a good day, and nastiness on a bad day. I have no time to myself anymore, she requires someone to be tending to her all the time or she gets mad. My FIL lived with us for six months, and he had advanced dementia, he was a thousand times worse. After having that experience, we are more aware and will relocate MIL to a facility sooner than later. We waited too long for FIL, and after driving us crazy for a few months, he fell and broke his hip and died in the hospital. MIL is grieving, but he was abusive so she doesn't know how to feel. Plus her cognitive ability is very shaky right now. She is vision impaired and hearing impaired, added to the cognitive disability it is hard to get through to her. Sad to watch. I wonder if after this is over I will be sitting on the couch wondering what to do with myself, as someone else posted. :) Thanks for listening to me whine.
Christine
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get a lockbox for the thermostat if you want to have a demented enemy for the rest of their / your life . my mom needed to live at 82 - 85 degrees too . i just spent a lot of time in my room with a window ac unit tossing fresh air in .
still too cold here to work outdoors so im gonna bake bread and look into this blackberry jam a lady gave me . actually cleaned my kitchen too . isnt this the point where im supposed to be named time mags man of the year or something ?
bad thing about being single -- theres no one here to hear about how great i am .
ill have to settle for a clean ( fairly ) kitchen and the cleanest fingernails ive had in 6 months .
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Jessie - get a lockbox for the thermostat. They make clear plastic ones that require a key to open.
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medicine is changing at a blinding pace in the usa too CM . some of our hospitals sit empty because walk in clinics and triage units have replaced the function of emergency rooms . we watch the euro cousins for workable ideas but as often as not i feel they are looking right back over here to see what were doing . everybody wants to badmouth obama but by the end of his 2nd year in office all medical records and medical administration itself was digitized as hed proposed . i just wish hed killed the insurance companies but i suppose too many ( sham ) jobs would have been lost .
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Jeanette have you considered reporting your neighbor dog owner to the ASPCA? Or are you afraid for your own pets? if you can't give a blanket throw some food in, even a loaf of stale bread would help.

For anyone this would help a huge amount of heat is lost from the head so if mom or dad could be persuaded to keep their head covered it would help even in bed. Fingerless gloves with long cuffs are good especially for men. for women an old fashioned muff hanging from the neck an be on moms lap for her to slip her hands into is warm. Make some cloth bags filled with rice can be warmed in the microwave and used in various ways as warmers. I made a tiny one that I slip into my sheepskin mitts when I go to the lab to get my fingerstick for warfarin. The phlebotomist loves it!
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Would any of your parents benefit from the sorts of chemical hand warmers and foot warmers that are sold these days ?
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This isn't a whine, it's a giggle - an article from a satirical blog I got sent. Translation note: A&E stands for "Accident & Emergency" = ER.

*****
A&E waiting times would improve if you weren’t such idiots, say experts
06-01-15


ACCIDENT and emergency waiting times have worsened because Britain is so full of cretins, experts have confirmed.

Researchers found the key issue affecting hospital A&E provision was not funding or organisation, but the sheer heft of Britain’s collective stupidity.

Martin Bishop, a 33 year-old man who is currently sitting in an A&E department in Stevenage, said: “I’ve got a bit of a sore throat.”

Professor Henry Brubaker, from the Institute for Studies, added: “For f**k’s sake.”

According to the Institute, A&E waiting times have increased as Britain’s educational standards have plummeted.

Professor Brubaker said: “We experts call that ‘correlation’. Don’t look it up in a dictionary, because you’ll probably end up setting fire to yourself.

“In fact, don’t do anything or go anywhere. Just sit in the corner and shut your idiotic face.”

*****

Many a true word spoken in jest!
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Oh yeah... the ribbon is an excellent idea. Before dad passed... it could be 95 outside and mom, myself and the 2 dogs would be gasping for air since he would turn the heat up full blast... God bless him, I couldn't bare to turn it down ( too often)... I think I lived outside during the first summer. The thermostat was/is right behind his recliner and I would sneak up and pretend to fluff his pillow and make a swift down turn on the thermostat! LOL I think he knew... I got him a heated blanket for his chair near the end. d*mn... I miss him.

How about a "dummy" thermostat? Like you can turn it on the outside but inside it's locked and stays where you put it and she can dial it on high all she wants too! Or... now this is a long shot, you can put your heater chord inside a chew proof tubing so the bunnies won't electrify their life :) and be safe n warm in your haven.

If nothing else, I've learned to adapt to the inside weather changes here... and we won't mention the h*ll of menopause my first year... thank GOD that's over.

Stay warm tonight... you and the bunnies!
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Oh, about the heater for the bunnies and me -- I would have to set it in a place where they couldn't chew the cord. That would be next to wood and the walls, so I would worry about fire. The sensible answer is what we had been doing -- set the thermostat on 72-73, then her getting under the covers. The rules changed tonight.

In her defense, I have to say that I know she is getting cold now. She is getting near the end of her life. My father was always freezing the last few years of his life. He would push the thermostat all the way up anytime he went past it. I've been going through the thermostat wars for 5 years now. Maybe we should have a ribbon "I'm a thermostat war survivor."
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She has electric blankets. We have space heaters, but I wouldn't trust her around one at night. She wouldn't think anything of throwing something over it and starting a fire. She sleeps in 2 places -- her bedroom the first part of the night and the sofa the second part. I thought about putting a control box over the thermostat, but anyone who knows my mother knows there would be no peace.

A tiring thing about it all is she battles at me so much, then blames me for being the one doing it. I get weary always being the bad guy.
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Jessie, why don't you get her a portable heater for her room? I pre-warm moms room and put her electric blanket on so she's warm and stops the complaints. Better yet, get YOU and the bunnies a portable (safe) heater!! No reason to be miserable ALL the time!

Well, sigh, not as if she can really complain anymore... so I just do it, and close my vents and open my windows.
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I can sympathize. Tonight the rabbits and I will spend the night in cold bedrooms after my mother pitched a fit about me turning the heat down to 73. She said I should close my vents because she gets so cold. She acted like I was a terrible person because I didn't want her to stay warm. So I closed off the vents and turned up the heat so her part of the house can stay warm. Still she went to her room and was crying because no one understands how hard it is to get old.

I would turn the heat down after she goes to bed, but it doesn't do any good. She gets up several times a night and puts the heat back on 80, so right now I'm being left with a choice of baking or freezing, since it is so cold out. But I do guess it is better than being on a park bench. :-/
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Ha! I have 3 dogs and 1 cat. An 18 year old, a 13 year old... ( I brought with me) a cat whom I rescued 18 months ago whom is 4 and a big pibble, she is 4.

As much as I'd love to debate how much shelter there is available for our homeless, it's so hard to actually determine whom is actually homeless by choice or by circumstances. There is a difference. I won't even go into how many foreclosed and abandoned houses sit empty and rotting.
Whenever there is a natural disaster, cold spell, hurricane, tornado... shelters open up for everyone. Now... those who choose to live homeless... that's another topic.

Pet's, unwanted tossed away pets, unwanted puppies, kitties, starving horses, cows, sheep, goats, lions, tigers ( oh yeah, lions n tigers are skin n bones in awful places) well, they do not have an option. They do not have voices.

Thankfully your pets had a nice warm loving place with food to go :)
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Poor dog.

Our dog and 3 cats came in from the weather last night and tonight also.

Are there enough homeless shelters for the number of homeless in society?
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