This seems to be a question that is not asked enough or we think what we are feeling is not as important as what our loved one is going through. This job we have taken on is a tough one and there are days when I think my "stress rope" cannot be pulled any tighter. Then there are other times that make those bad days just a memory. Do you feel like banging your head against a wall one day? And then the next day your loved one is attentive and loving and comprehends whatever you say? There are some who keep those feelings bottled up within themselves; others take the time for outside resources and others who look at sites such as this for some understanding. I do better when I have someone else to bounce my feelings off of. Let's face it....we aren't superhuman and besides ourselves and perhaps a family to take care of we now have taken on the responsibility of another human who is incapable of taking care of themselves. Do you breeze through the care giving without a problem? If so, I would like to know how you do it, maybe you can offer some new ideas; do you have feelings of frustration and need to talk about those? Come and talk and know that you can speak freely and without judgement and without finger pointing.
I am caring for my mother-in-law and have been for about 1 1/2 years. She has moderate dementia and incontinence. Other than that she is very healthy. Sometimes that short amount of time feels like 10 years and I wonder how long I will be able to do this job. I get so very tired of hearing the same thing day in and day out, but I have to remind myself that to her, each time she sees me, she is offering new information. At times I have no problems communicating with her, but it seems like more and more she cannot retain a thought longer than 5 minutes. We have had to make signs for her so she will know what she can and cannot do. So far it's working, but for how long? Maybe I will have to end up making her a "Book of Do Nots". She is on memory drugs, which don't seem to make a difference. So why do I continue to dole them out to her? I guess I'm afraid of what might happen or how she might act without them. I might have to rent a boat or buy a helmet! Sometimes I see something in her that leads me to believe that she could get aggressive and what would be my reaction to that? At the end of each and every day, after she is tucked into bed, I breathe such a sigh of relief. The "inner beast" is quiet at last, or at least for a few hours.
Pull up a chair and visit........I would like to know how you are coping everyday..be it good or with handfuls of stress.
Also, now you're nasal spray will work properly. What's dumb about that? :)
Today though is their AL's Thanksgiving with staff and residents. Since I work at a bakery I am providing the rolls. Later this afternoon they are having a bell choir perform so no happy hour.
Does anyone know if there's an ingredient in the nasal spray that is also in the after-surgery painkiller? I had noticed after surgery, that every time I I clicked the IV painkiller, I got this terrible headache. After the 3 3rd time, I decided that I can handle the surgical pain without having to use the drip IV painkiller. It's just that this headache feels different from my regular ones. When I get up, I'm going to Google for more info.
You did get your ears checked at the same time? If the ringing gets worse, go back - could be an infection.
I have good luck with the very old tried and true Clora-trimanton (sp) anti-histamine, 4 mg. Yeah, they make me feel sleepy, but I can deal with that :)
Just taking the antihistamine and the nasal spray, I didn't have a nosebleed today. Yippee!! I dread taking it tonight. I took a Tylenol today and it took a Long Time for it to kick in. I'm too scared to take Excedrin or Motrin because the asprin might make it bleed again.
Thanks for the advice about hydrating. I tend to forget to drink fluid daily. I usually just drink one small can of ice coffee in the morning. That's it. I don't drink anything for lunch or dinner. So, I do appreciate you reminding me that I need to hydrate while taking these stuff. Well... correction...does ice cream count as fluids? I've been eating ice cream daily.
Oohh. I just gave a big yawn. I can never stay too long on AC now. Oops. another big yawn. Yawn #3.... time to go. I'm going to keep yawning until I stop reading here on AC. Later. Yawn #4.... You all have a good day today. I'll sneak back here after I shower. Yawn #5. ....
Also be aware that while I'm sure you're trying to address the headaches,
if you are taking medications such as Tylenol, Motrin, Aspirin.........this stuff is going to thin the blood. If your blood is thinned out......then you could possibly get the nose bleeds again.
I have a neighbor who has very bad varicose veins, and even had a couple procedures for it. She always overdoes house work, lifting and moving things.
So she ends up in pain from arthritis. Recently, she started to mention several times she was taking Aleve. Her varicose veins are actiing up, the very same ones she was operated for. They look terrible, and doctors do warn people such as her, to avoid taking these kinds of meds, because it could cause the bleeding.
Do make sure that you are hydrating, as I think it was Countrymouse who suggested this to you. Many of the meds, can also have the opposite effect, they get rid of the pain, however they also may act as a diuretic, which means it's super important to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I am talking about water here, not sweetened beverages or anything of the sort.
I hope you feel better.
Hugs,
Much Love & Light! Margeaux
I didn't read about you eating the ice cream. I hate to have to tell you this......
ice cream is one of the worst things one can be eating, especially if you have it every day, for any kind of sinus, stuffyness problems in the head. Lot's of sugar,
then well if you're saying you don't drink water whatsoever.........there you go,
you are setting yourself up to get the headaches. It sounds as if you may need to get in touch with your diet. Maybe if you become aware of what different foods do,
and the action it has on the body, you will be able to address your headache/siinus issues. I suffer from them tremendously, so I kind of know the drill.
Hope this helps, because it is miserable.
Much Love & Light! Margeaux
As always "read the label"
I should be downstairs dusting the house as we will be doing Thanksgiving dinner on this Sunday. The grocery store did the cooking for me, and I picked up the box this afternoon along with all the heat-serve fixings. Oh well, my parent's eyesight isn't all that good, so it's a very quick dusting, they won't see the dust anyway :P
Thanks. I didn't know that.
Good to know this, too.
Much Love & Light! Margeaux
With sinus, colds, any head stuffiness avoid dairy. Try to give ice cream a rest for a week to see if it helps. Maybe switch to the frozen coconut milk treats or sorbet which is dairy free. Do you have Trader Joes there? They are supposed to have some excellent non dairy frozen desserts.
I've been so tired today. I don't know why. I took about.... 3 mini naps today. I don't know why I'm so tired. I thought it was just only when I come on AC. But today, I didn't even get on the computer. And I had to take a nap at 9am, 11am, 3pm. I was exhausted again at 5pm but I fought it. Too close to night time. I don't want to take a nap and then cannot sleep tonight.
All well.. I've been reading my ebooks. The current new series I started is not as attention-grabbing as the other 2 series I finished. It's slow going with lots of skipping. Really. For a mystery book, that female main character spent most of her time fascinating on the handsome main character and his 'attributes.' Really had to do a lot of skipping. Even looked at the cover to make sure it's a Mystery and not a lousy Romance. When I'm fighting depression, romance stories make me more depress. So, I've finished book 1 with lots of skipping. Hopefully, book 2 is Not the same vein.
In the sweets and chocolate aisle, say to yourself "you'll be sorry. Put them back!"
In the cakes and cookies aisle, try reading the label. By the time you've digested words such as "di-glyceride" and "ammonium phosphate" they look a lot less appetising. Hydrogenated fats? Eeeuw! Added to this, I tell myself "if you want cake, make a cake." I then happily go home and can't be bothered to bake. It really helps!
It's hard when you have to keep things in the house because somebody else enjoys them. You could try labelling the tub with your father's ice cream in it with a big bold sign saying "Dad's - KEEP OFF!" Then at the very least you'd have to get past that to eat it. I find that the slight hint that I'm actually stealing food from my mother keeps me out of the packet as long as I'm concentrating.
On the other hand. There is no reason on earth why you shouldn't have the occasional ice cream if you enjoy it. If you're lactose intolerant, what about sorbets? If they're properly made, they can be lovely and creamy-feeling, if not creamy-tasting; plus you're getting all that fresh fruit which is actively good for you. So then all you have to worry about is the sugar content, which I agree is not great. Oh dear. I'm not sure we can win this one, sigh...
I wrote a long long post after the first paragraph. But I keep deleting it. In the end, I've decided to keep it to myself. To see it written, makes me seem so paranoid. Or real. I'm going to have to do more thinking on this.
Sorbet is awful! I tried it. Verrrrrry Sweeeeet. {{shudder}} That sugar might tip the scale and I end up diabetic. Whatever is happening, the food that I used to love eating, I can't stand it. The food I avoid, I find delicious. I think, on Wednesday, I'm half day.... I'm going to treat myself to Tony Roma's. Well, I will do take out, and bring lunch to fave sis and her daughter and new born. Spend the afternoon with them. Or maybe not. I don't feel like being with people. Maybe I eat at the restaurant by myself, then go to the Mall, sit at the food court and read. It will be much more relaxing than being with sis. I need to hibernate from social niceties. If I can just find a good humorous book.....