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Things have been improving at least for my mom's sleep. Melantonin is helping her sleep. Mom is taking celebrex now and seems to be helping. She has been going to adult daycare in her wheelchair just to make sure her legs feel better and stronger. Next week she will go back on the bus in the mornings...i've been taking her back and forth, going to work and trying to do my errands. Mom is having valentines day party at her daycare center tomorrow and I had to guilt trip my brother into taking 2 hours off work to go with me. His initial comment was if you are going why do i have to? My response you need to do things with your m other while she is still here. He is addicted to sports if he can take time off for that he can go to a little party for an hour. I just want to scream and punch someone everytime he is here she is confused or agitated about something and he seems to think its something new. I emailed my two brothers and sister but my brothers will remain in denial. Oh well I have told them over and over again. My sister is getting the reality especially now her in laws that live close to her are going through the early stages of dementia.

Happy VAlentine's Day everyone...I thought I hid my m om's gift well enough but obviously not i came into my room tonight to find her miniature rose in middle of my bed with soaked sheets...guess she tried to water her rose. Looks like I'm sleeping on the couch unless i get the bed cleaned up soon. Of course its the dogs fault LOL
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Oh dear, Lavender - not having THAT, thank you very much, eh? Sorry it didn't work. It has to be really snug, and wrapped so that her forelegs are pinned by her sides - I'm probably making it sound a bit brutal. Certainly you do have to put up with being rather unpopular!
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Lav, you've seen how they swaddle babies..... nice and tight and snug.... she won't like it, and will probably be mad at you for a little while... but it works... the way I do my cat, is take ahold of her top jaw,open quickly and push the pill in as far as I can... key word here... QUICLKY....
If she keeps having problems, get the vet to give you a liquid.... you can open her mouth the same way and put the meds down the inside jaw of her mouth... they are forced to swallow as opposed to it going straight down... I know you are worried about sweet Jazzy..... hope the furbaby cooperates so you can help her get well..... love ya
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I heard you can hide pills in soft cat food and they will eat it ok.
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Did you, Austin? HAHAHAHAHAHAhahahaha…

Not. In. A. Million. Years. Lovely clean dish with lovely clean pill sitting in the middle of it, that's what you get.
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It's like trying to trick the elderly dementia with putting their pills in their pudding, etc... they will eat the pudding, and then spit out the pill. I don't think that works, when you really think about it. If I was eating plain ice cream with no nuts or fruits, and I happen upon a solid object in my mouth, I would automatically spit it out. Because it doesn't belong like the rest of the food. I giggled at your description of the - lovely clean dish and lovely clean pill in the middle...
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Ugh! Enough already!! More snow tomorrow up to 10 inches!! I can't take it anymore!! I am so tired of shoveling.…...
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Lav-
I've also seen Greenies at Petco where you can insert the pill into a pocket. It is a product that they make especially for dogs, I know, just haven't looked to see if there is a cat equivalent. I'm sure there must be. I have also heard that putting them in wet food as Austin said will work for some as well.
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Happy Valentines Day...still haven't figured out what I'm cooking for our Valentines dinner...I hate menu planning...still trying to keep MIL able to eat dinner with us but there are so many things she either can't or won't eat and some of the stuff she wants is so dull and uninteresting...and the fact that she ate it last time has nothing to do with what she may do with it the next time I serve it to her...SA hope they can fix your heater quickly and cheap. I feel so blest that my husband can fix almost anything...calling a repair man for everything that goes wrong would have put us in the poor house long ago.
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That proves it my cat is not the smartest but can be sweet of course he thinks my boyfriend only comes to see him-they are buds for sure. Making peanut butter cookies-1 egg 1 cup peanut butter 1/3 cup honey mix oven 350 drop by teaspoons on parthment paper bake about 5 min till they get slightly brown on the edges leave for a min out of the oven they will be soft-peanut butter is a good fat for gall bladder sufferers like my boyfriend. I do not have to worry about a meal tonight-he is snowed in but did cook a chicken yesterday-put it in parchment paper for 1 hr and a half-staple it closed then open and insert an meat thermometer -if it has a pop up timer in the chicken it will not pop up so you have to use a thermometer-even a cheap chicken will come out moist-I get the plumpest chicken available about 8-9 lbs.
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Settled for pot roast...a nice juicy rare steak sounds so much better but if MIL sees any pink it's a no go and I refuse to cook a good steak to the point of shoe leather... right now she's having her tomato soup and grilled ham and cheese sandwich for lunch...soup in a mug is much easier for her to manage and the grilled ham and cheese keeps it from falling apart in her hand...any thing she has to pick up with utensils gets half skipped because of her blind spots...working as hard as I know how to keep from having to spoon feed her. I thought the cereal bars were going to work but this morning she wanted her bowl of cereal back...said that's what she likes and what she's used to...of course she choked several times and spilled about a quarter of it into her bib...then she announced that she had already read todays paper before...I get so tired of trying to unscramble things for her I just said ok and put it in the trash...she says she can't understand what's written but still wants to look through it every day...what ever keeps her happy.
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I just want to say - this little bottle of Lavender oil that I bought for a few bucks is really a nice thing to have on those days where I'm feeling more frazzled. I usually take a tissue, blot a little oil on it straight from the bottle and swipe on pillowcases or bedding around the area I'm going to sleep in… but not directly onto my own pillowcase, I think that would be too much. One day when bro was giving me conniptions, I dabbed on my sweater, sort of like using garlic against vampires? Giving me a little "safe" sphere of lavender calm in the middle of the storm.

Anyway, for a few dollars, it seems to work, help soothe the frayed nerves on days that are more difficult. I'm glad a caregiver on here talked about it many months ago, and I've made it part of my self care routine. I highly suggest. :)

Hope you guys are doing good out there.
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Lovely stuff, Alison. Easy to grow, too, if anyone's interested? A pot of it is a soothing thing to have to rub on your way out of the front door, for example.
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I'm tired..... mentally & physically
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Me, too. Totally drained. Soooo tired....
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I think lavender is a sleep aide too. I love it.
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Hello Friends, I haven't been on in so long, getting harder to find time for "ME" I do think about all that I have come to care about on this site and need to play catch up on the new ones. Prayers and Hugs to all... Think Spring, I am so over this snow!!
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I'm sorry some of you are having so much bad weather to deal with...here they are talking about water rationing again...one of the worst droughts on record here...keeping up with MIL laundry (the same as when I had babies to care for) may put us in the poor house...(rationing = jacking the prices through the roof)...at least she can't get to the sink on her own any more...used to forget to turn the faucet off in the back bathroom and it would sometimes run for a long time before I found it...The physical therapist is going to release MIL next week because she is not willing to practice any of her exercises during the week and flatly refuses to try and practice with her walker other than moving from her recliner to her bed (maybe 10 feet) so she is not getting any stronger. Part of the problem is that she can't remember which steps to take to be safe, but at least she has shown me several tricks of the trade to make it much easier for me to handle her and help with her transfers, between wheelchair and recliner, and bed. Some days she seems clear as a bell (almost) and others she has no idea where she is or what is going on. Sometimes hard to tell which part is dementia and which is not being able to see or hear well enough to know what's going on. At any rate I hope you all had a nice Valentine's Day...hubby brought me flowers...(first time in 46 years) I'm pretty sure it was more of a "thank you for doing this"...I feel bad that he feels bad about what we're going through. It is what it is and we are doing the best we know how to do...not sure I could do it without his love and support.
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I have trouble growing lavender outside-maybe will try a small plant in the kitchen. Expecting more snow today -now the piled up snow from the driveway is taller then me-I can't get to my birdfeeders so put some seeds on the top of an inverted garbage can cover-I did get out Tue and Wed this week but now it will be another few days before will get out again-I had to stop cleaning the drive myself after a bad fall 2 weeks ago. I guess I will watch sappy love stories on TV both my boyfriend and I will be snowbound in our homes today.
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Hey DK, good to see you!!!! Try to find time and catch us up on what's going on with you.... you have been missed... lots of hugs.

I will say again... I do not know how all of you that live where it snows, can handle it...we have a few freezing days and we are all mumbling and complaining.... the worst winter by far for so many of you.

Red, we have been in a serious drought for over three years... it is finally starting to not be as bad.... It is the first time I have ever seen the stock ponds full..... so I know what you mean.... its horrible... and frightening... and we had a devastating wild fire that destroyed a whole town.... so hope for all of us, we can have some kind of normal spring and summer....

Sending you all hugs today, whatever we are dealing with.... need to run errands and come get some things done in this house... want things nice and clean before my job hunt starts.... find one thing to be grateful for today...
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Austin, good luck with the lavender. It likes it dry and sunny, with a good soak every now and then, as far as I remember. Enjoy your weepy movies x
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Ladee, with this bad winter Chicago has had this year, I find myself thinking/joking to myself… "do people KNOW they can move away from here?" Lol! Having lived in Nevada and California, I just now have a new perspective on cold weather… WHY would anyone choose to deal with it? And yet… sigh… I'm looking at getting job/apartment in the area, so I guess I'm choosing to stay in this FREEZING COLD place, too. :/ I guess its all a testament to what human beings can deal with once they are used to it. Hugs.
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I'm in a pissy mood. Irritable. Grouchy. You name it. I can't sleep and when I do I have god awful dreams.

Nightmare one: I was living in this house but instead of just taking care of my mom, I had Sonja(a long time family friend that died a few years before my mom)here, too, and I was taking care of them both. I woke up thanking God it was just a dream.
Nightmare two: Sean and I had taken my mom to this huge mall. My mom could still walk some and had to go to the bathroom. She proceeded to make an incredible mess that involved crap the size of what a T Rex would produce and it was everywhere and I had nothing, not a single wipe to clean her with. I was glad to wake up from that one.
Nightmare number three, last night's: My mom was still living and all these strangers were in the house. She was giving away all our stuff, cars, furniture, you name it and there was nothing I could do but watch this happen and seethe. I woke up in a bad mood.

That's just the last 3 nights. In another one about a week ago my mom and I were outside in the middle of nowhere. She couldn't walk or stand and needed to be changed. I was trying to wrestle with her to help her but wasn't getting anywhere. In that dream I was wondering how I was going to manage to get her home. I was trying to pick her up and carry her, but she was dead weight and it wasn't working and I was beginning to panic...

If I sleep just a few hours at a time I'm doing good. Everything is on my damn nerves at this point.

Sean is still smoking Spice. In fact, since we got the down payment for the land and he got his share of it, he's spending, and I know this for a fact, between $20 and $40 a DAY on that shit. You add it up. When he gets the rest of the money from the land sale there is no doubt in my mind that unless he pulls his head out of his ass he'll be completely broke within a year or two at the most. I told him that I wanted this house, and the other one we have, in my name, too. He's not arguing about it. I'll be getting more money than he is from the land sale and that's a good thing. Damned if I'm going to lose these houses because of his stupid drug habit. And that's yet another worry on my already overloaded mind. We won't even discuss his loser buddies... They'll all be sniffing around looking for money.. I have a strange feeling all hell is going to break loose soon because my temper is headed south a little bit more every single day. He doesn't know it but I'm at the slow simmer stage. This shit keeps up it's going to get real ugly. But before it does, bet my name will be on these properties.
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SA, you have so much to deal with! I am thinking about you often. I was always concerned that everything was left to Sean. It is very difficult for these young adults to manage wisely, and I was one of those when in my 20's. It looks like a fortune and they think it will last forever. Be very, very, careful about how you get him to transfer title on the properties! You do not want to end up in a situation where you have to pay taxes on any of it. You should see an attorney, maybe put everything in a trust managed by someone else. Then each time Sean needs something he would have to justify it to them. You could do it under the guise of protecting assets for his future. I just do not know what to tell you. Just some ideas. Remember there is the AVVO website where you can research and ask attorneys questions, free of charge, receive responses, and see attorney ratings by peers and clients.
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Thanks for the warm thoughts and support, Glad. *hugs* It's a bitch. As for taxes, that's exactly why I want my name on these properties. Who do you think is going to end up paying them? I am. And I will. I will NOT lose this house and I won't lose the other one either. I'm not asking him to transfer the title into my name alone, I'm asking him to put me on there with him so that we own these assets jointly. That way I have some say in what happens and he can't just do what he wants. God forbid he beggers himself on drugs then starts thinking of selling this house for more money for that shit. Over my dead, mouldering body. I've discussed all this with him. He KNOWS he's f'ing up. He admits it. But he doesn't STOP it. He knows that putting me on here is kind of a..hell, I don't know what to call it...a barrier..to stop him from pissing away everything. He doesn't want to lose these properties either, but at the same time he acknowledges that his spending on drugs is out of control. He's not fighting me about adding my name to the houses. I think he knows that's all that will stop him ending up homeless. Spice is no joke. It can get hold of you, addict you, really quick. I'll admit to smoking weed in my 20's and 30's, but marijuana isn't physically addicting. When it came time to stop it, I simply stopped and that was that. I haven't smoked in years...not that I wouldn't right now if I could find a dealer. lol I'm not much for drinking and I could damn sure use SOMETHING for my nerves. What I need to do is go back to the doc and refill my ativan prescription. I don't know how much longer I can deal with all these worries without something to calm my nerves. It's getting ridiculous.
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ABB, well happy to hear you have made some choices about your living arrangements... and 'there we are, where ever we go' right!!! Just as so many can not deal with out Texas summers.... it may not be as bad this year with the fact we are almost out of the drought.... but they are buggers.... so I have really enjoyed our cold this winter.... we haven't had a cold winter in many years...but I do feel bad for all of you that is having snow on top of snow... I couldn't stand being cooped up for days on end...and the shoveling....

What happens if you don't shovel? I mean like the whole sidewalk or the driveway... I understand about the driveway... but if you can't go any where, what would happen if you don't? Do cities have ordnances about that kind of thing....?? Just curious.... I see all these people shoveling in the snow.... hope you don't think it's a stupid question... but I am wondering...

Met with the fav dil and son yesterday for coffee.... C shorted me on my check... no big surprise there.... and I will get my money.... still waiting on the severance , guess the kids will pay that... doesn't matter to me where it comes from..... there is also a principle involved here..... just so grateful I don't have to see C's face...

The kids say she is really milking it... being all depressed because no one believes her.... gag!!! Poor Gene... and the dogs....they need to be in a NH, but guess the family will procrastinate and talk talk talk until one of them gets hurt or something worse..... all I can do is pray for her when all of it starts going on thru my head... she doesn't get to live in my head rent free....

Things to do today and then the great job hunt starts.... on to the next adventure..... love to all.
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Ladee just came in from shoveling and it s*cks!! And yes cities have ordinances about shoveling your sidewalk, if you don't do it you will be fined! I don't live in the city but driveways, porches,decks and pathways all need to be shoveled. If I didn't do it it would pile up and I wouldn't be able to open the doors and it would never melt when the sun finally comes out. Believe me not everyone shovels a path to their door and it's treacherous trying to walk through unshoveled snow!!!

I asked myself every winter why I stay here in MA, but that's where I'm from and of course so is the job!!!

Every winter I say I'm not going to complain about the heat in the summer, but I still do! LOL But at least I don't have to shovel that!
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CM thank you for plant advice I need it-but my basil plant I bought at the grocery store a few weeks ago is still alive so I feel I can move onto something else. We do get snow but usually it is not too bad and other parts of the country get hurricanes more and in CA the state may fall into the ocean they say so will stay in NY the snow will melt in time and I just do not go when the drive is icy .
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Oh I complain plenty about the heat!!!! It's funny how we get used to living somewhere and we take the bad with the good.... no place is good all the time.... and depend where we have put our roots down... thanks for asking the question about what will happen if you don't shovel snow.... do a lot of people have snowblowers or are they really expensive??? Sorry, I 'd have to give up chocolate and save for a snow blower!!!

The birds are going crazy here today... sounds so good to hear them... the way we tell when our winter is over, is when the pecan trees start to put on leaves.. we don't pay any attention to our weather men here unless it's stormy... we do get tornadoes in the spring.... but we don't have cellars here so all it does is scare us half to death.... no where to run and hide.....

and no, we don't have shovel heat.... thank god.... hope you keep your booty warm!!!
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*answering the question*, not asking the question... I need more COFFEE!!!
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