The Caregiver... How are YOU doing today?

Good Morning Posse!

Oh my goodness Rossella! What an awful time you had. I hope you and Mom have rested and perhaps this won't even be a memory for mom. I had to put 12 staples in hubby's head last winter when he slipped and busted open the back of his head on the deck during an ice and snow storm. Couldn't get out even if I could have talked him into it.

stormy......try to copy everything down and send it to me in an email. Not here please.

seeme.....sounds like you may need to take mom's shoes off and give her a cigarette....:) I hope you have a good day.

emjo.....hope you are continuing to feel better every day. Did you ever decide on a name for the horse?

starri......are you all packed yet and ready to go? I envy you the freedom to just go....been a long time since I could do that.

Heather is here again today, so I know things will be fine. Going to try and get some things done around here that I keep putting off. Like getting the hot tub up and running. I think my back could use it about now. And I'm trying to find just the "right" comforter for my bed. I had one that matched everything perfectly, but the reverse side is dark brown and that doesn't work well with a JackRussell/Chihuahua/Pigpen shedding dog. Her hair gets everywhere! I would love to find a beige down comforter, but they only seem to make those in white. I may have to break down and make my own. Last resort!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day.......will check back later, need to get my day started.

Love and Hugz to all,
Jam

Stormy..is there a good er around there that the docs that could help dad work at? I had a bout of not knowing...ended up taking dad to er and they admitted him.. May be one way to find out what is going on! Course they never could give us a diagnosis because dads problems are neurological. But in your case it may help. Maybe Jam could give you advice as to where would be best.
Am so sorry for you, dad and sis...prayers and prayers coming your way.

Stormy, I am sorry that you didn't get any news. I do know that my mom had a vacular surgeon in Ikllinois who went to school at UNC-Chapel Hill. He saved her left foot that had turned black from a blockage in her left thigh. If you went to Duke yesterday, and that doctor said you needed a vascular doctor, he should have given you the referral right there and set up the appointment. Once you are in the Duke system, they will keep using their doctors and change the city if you request it. So, call that doctor you saw yesterday, TELL the receptionist you want to speak to the doctor's nurse, Tell the nurse your doctor said you needed to see the vascular doctor, TELL her to get the ball rolling and you need an appointment NOW. "The squeaky wheel gets the grease." My favorite saying. If your sister is the one running the show, tell her what we all advised. BE ASSERTIVE. You two are going to have to take control. You are probably nice, quiet, respectful ladies, and sometimes that doesn't always get you where you need to be. You will feel much better about the whole situation if you get the ball rolling. Please know that I say this with the best of intentions and concern for you, sis, and your dad.

Geez, mom is sitting on the stool saying "cigarrette....barefoot" over and over again. Looks like this is going to be a GOOD day. Guess I better get her cleaned up and feed her. Will be back later to address some more issues with Rosella and YR...................Later........

Jam, hey there I hadn't thought about the cancer treatment center but i will see if sis wants to do that. I don't see why she wouldn't because every dr we see it's like a roadblock. We have never seen anything like this before in our lives. We just do not know why is it so difficult to give us some answers. We are scared now about him maybe losing his legs because now they both are looking bad. No open wounds. He told me the other day that they are hurting some where as they have not been hurting him before. I have been asking him every day do they hurt and he has said no until about 2 days ago. If he loses one or both of his legs we will not be able to handle him because he is a big man. Height is like 6' 2' and his weight is 212. And he has lost alot of his upper body strength he use to be a strong man. But from the arithtis(sp?) and that blood clot in his right humerus bone he lost his strength and from just not using them. He would not be able to get around on his own. We would have no choice but to put him in a nursing home and we do not want it to come to that. The blood clot in his arm the dr said months ago that the blood clot had died in that arm and it was sealed off. I guess no chance of it moving. We use to think that maybe he had a pancoast tumor because he was having all of the symptoms of that in his arm. And we even had one of his dr write down on a diagnosis pancoast tumor. And he said that we needed to have a mri of that arm and shoulder. And then we had someone to tell us that drs sometimes have to write down a diagnosis so that the ins will pay for the mri. Had the report read from same butthole we saw yesterday and he said he did not have that.sis has got the cd of the pet and we looked at it yesterday on the computer once we got back to dads. But we couldn't tell anything about the pictures. Can you tell me what black and white mean on a pet scan the images? I also have the impressions that they wrote down. I would like to write them down to you today but I do not have time to do that now. I will try to type them in to you today but it is kinda long. So it may take me awhile cause i will be at dads and he will be calling me every so often so i will have to quit to check or do stuff to him. Maybe you or your husband can make heads or tails of it. Thanks Jam for your help in this situation. Love ya
Ros- I am so sorry to hear of your moms fall and cut and then for your wreak I know you were freaking out. I know how you feel about not being able to see at night I used to be like that too until I had the lasix surgery on my eyes now i see fine to drive at night. I was so happy to see better. I bet you needed a nerve pill once you got to the hospital. I know how you feel about having to walk with your mom I have to walk behind dad too. He has gotten unsteady on his feet in the last couple of weeks. I consider myself pretty strong but i just don't know if i am that strong to handle dad if he falls. He has already fallen one time and I had to catch him from behind and lower him to the floor before he broke something. Scared the shit out of me. He was very dehydrated and that is why he fell we had to call the ambulance because he was not acting right after the fall. I thought he was dying on me. My heart goes out to you! Love ya! Try to take care of yourself too and don't work to hard. Prayers for you and your mom.
Emjo - glad you are feeling better from your SH$# attack! lol thank you for your concern about dad. We are very worried about him also. Maybe we can find someone to see him today or tomorrow. It needs to be SOON................................
Well, I guess i better go for now got to get in the shower and start my lovely day. NOT! Take care everyone. Sorry if i missed anybody I will check in later today. Love and (((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))))))) to all of you! Stormyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.............................

Sounds like you are going to have your hands full Ros, good luck with convincing Mom to go to bed early, is she staying up late to watch TV? if so, maybe you could put a TV in her bedroom, that way she is safely tucked in, and can still watch her shows..

Stormy, Personally, I would quit asking, I'd start telling, if like you said, dad has to have the referral, call the doctor or even his regular doctor, tell them you need a referral to the vascular doctor (Jam, what is the name of it? lol) and you want him in as soon as possible, even put you on the cancellation list. and don't let them lie to you, they have the list, people do actually call in and cancel appointments, so you could be put in one of their spots, you'd just have to be able to move quickly..

Hello to everyone else here, not much in the way of plans for today, getting the brother from the car rental, then swinging by the mechanics and see how much it is going to be to bail out the truck from having it fixed.. and from there, I am not sure...

Oh Starri hi! And hi, everybody I didn't mention.

Hi girls! Sorry if I will miss someone... I had many posts to read!
ladee: welcome back! I hope you are settled and computerized as soon as possible!
Stormy: yes I agree. That doctor can't give you more than he has already given you. I guess he doesn't know what to tell you. Time to go to a more "specialized" one.
Seeme: my mother is as exhausting as yours. (see below....)
Shawna: I am very sorry for your friend. A good friend is so important and lose one of them must be terrible.
Heidi: you were very brave in doing a "field trip" with two handful people!
Emjo: we are country girls and when nature calls.... We have to find a spot and do it!
Jam... Nicky is better and better and tomorrow I want to make a short movie of her and post it on Facebook.
Now I tell you a little bit of my ordeal of yesterday morning. It was 5 in the morning of tuesday for me (monday night for you) and I woke up, I had fallen asleep on the couch as usual. My mother was still on her chair and I know it's bad, I should put her to bed "before" i collapse on the couch, but she refuses to go to bed early in the evening and I try to leave her some degrees of freedom (well it has to change, unfortunately!) To cut a long story short, I was still half asleep, I didn't hold her too tightly and while walking toward her bed, she fell and I don't know how, she cut her leg. A long cut which bled a lot, so I decided to carry her to the closest emergency room which is in a small town half an hour from my village. The problem is that in the night I don't see anything (I am very shortsighted) so the trip to the hospital was a nightmare; I was with my nose glued to the windscreen and I drove so badly that after an hour the motor started to make strange noises and the car didn't work well. I guess it happened because I was driving very badly. I stopped the car along the road, it was still dark, and I had sort of a nervous wreck! I tried to calm down a bit and after 10 minutes the sky was getting clearer so I decided to give it another go. And as I was calmer, I drove better and the car worked well. I managed to get to the little town at 6.30 (after one hour and a half!!!), I found a woman in the street whom I would have hugged, and asked her where the hospital was. I arrived to the hospital, gave my mother to the ER doctors and while she was in, I asked another patient a cig and I relaxed and felt very very well because it had been a victory, to arrive there. The doctors gave my mother two stitches and we could have a coffee and go back home...
I understood I can not give my mother any more freedom, I have to keep her tight when she walks, put her to bed even if she doesn't want it; but she is a very rebel person, she has always been and with the disease this has worsened. Of course I force her to change and wash, but I hoped I could let her choose at least the moment to go to bed. It's very sad that a person who loves freedom as much as I do has to become bossy toward another person, but I am afraid it is too dangerous to permit to my mother to have even the slightest degree of freedom! I have to do things while I am awake and I mustn't do them while I am too tired and half asleep.
Good night! It's wednesday morning for me. And I have to do some work!

stormy have you considered taking Dad to the Scotland Cancer Treatment Center? Why don't you call them tomorrow and see if you can get Dad in? If he does indeed have the beginnings of a venous stasis ulcer, he is going to need to be seen in a wound care clinic. He will need to be watched carefully if his skin starts to break down since he is diabetic. Call the Treatment Center and tell them that you need a new physician, preferably specializing in Internal Medicine. Or perhaps an Oncologist. Take all the test results and scans. You need to start over from the beginning and stop messing with that primary physician. He is not helping your Dad. Today, you should have had answers to all of your questions, and you are no closer than you were 2 weeks ago. Time to take a different route to get the answers you need.

Thanks ya'll sis was looking on the net tonite and found some pictures and i swear they look like what dads legs look like except he does not have any open sores YET. Has discoloration (red, brown) skin peeling. The name of it is called venous leg ulcer! Also we found a site today when we got back from the dr that said that gall bladder stones could cause alot problems. And when we were reading this article it sounded like we were reading about dad. Basically what the article said was that gall bladder stones, could cause swollen lymph nodes, leg ulcers, swollen stomach( dad stomach looks like it has swollen some) fluid retention, and some other things that i can not think of right now. But some how we think that it could all be connected to one another.
Starri- dad has got to have a referral to see a vacular dr. so we got to find one of them and then make a appt. He needs someone to look at his legs. Well I better get off of here and try to get some sleep. Didn't get much last night!! Hugs stormyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Stormy – (((((((hugs))))))) I was afraid of that – sounds like a REAL JERK! – apologies to target but they can be sometimes. – same as everyone I guess, but when ur loved one’s life is hanging in the air u need some straight answers and to be treated with respect – and you can be sure he got paid well for telling u nothing useful – aaaargh - went through some of that when Gordie was dying – not much thankfully and the ER doc was straight and kind
Shawna –u 2 - and having to get ready for the sale isn’t easy – hope ur allergies r better and the sale goes well – may be good for u to have a distraction right now –good luck hope things sell well
Ladeeee - so good to hear from u and that the BS is getting sorted out – please look after the leg – I meanreally!!! I wonder if u will ever get caught up – just jump in – and float – go with the flow…
Seeme – so sorry about mum deteriorating – that is really hard to watch – no one wants to see a parent go downhill - – it is exhausting - please look after you – so glad u have Kathy to help u – it will be interesting to see how she reacts when ur sis comes – Gary can lasso a horse – saw him do it –just coil the rope and throw it – have to get a long one for u – apple and peach pies from scratch – u talented lady – put a cookie sheet under it next time for run overs -some days just don’t go well sorry hubby did the back up thing
YR great to see u posting – and that u got some help from hubby – poor dad - ouch – collapsed disc and maybe a cancer area – not good news – so hard to see this happening to him. I agree there are some others around that are less than helpful – tears are OK – sometimes we need them and it is OK to come here and share
Jam – moohaha – that’s a good one and cucumber salad does sound better – pretty good today thx
Starri – amen to what u said – please get your rest, eat properly etc and take a nap if u need one - you have been going through so much u r burned out – be good to u
Visited dd and g’babies this afternoon – doing well, apparently the gut thing I had a few days ago was a flu as they had it too, but over it now, mother told dd (daughter) she had lost some stuff – then mother said she had found it and then mother told me that she had lost it so I guess she forgot that she had found it and let’s take another whirl around the merry-go-round - maybe we will get the brass ring – oh no, they found it -= under the sink – this could send me mental (English version of nuts)
Love, hugs and prayers to all ♥♥♥
jo

Stormy, do you have to have a referral to see a vascular doctor? if you don't, break out the phone book tomorrow and find you one, if you do, call that doctor you seen today and tell him to find one and refer you...to hell with waiting for these doctors to get off their a** and do something.. you deserve answers and deserve them now.. that doctor today might not have been able to tell you what it was or what the pet scan said as he might not have known how to read it to begin with.. Jam might be able to help you with finding the doctor that can actually help.. They have these fancy titles that it is hard to tell who does what and where .. Time for me to go hide in the "bat" cave..lol..

YR, Sorry to hear about dad's spot on his back.....Is anyone going to look into it? I had a spot on my back taken off a few years ago just to be safe, it was so black...precancerous. Hubby worked on the flightline all his military career. He has so much sdin keritosis, basil and squamous cell cancer, that he would look like a quilt if he ever had it all taken care of at once. Some places can no longer be burned.

Starri, the black hole almost sucked me in this morning. We need someone with a lasso to get us out of this quagmire.

{{{{{{{{{{{{Stormy}}}}}}}}}}}} Still here waiting........ready when you are.....

Got a short note from Ladee today....she should be in business on Friday. She got a computer and has taken it to someone to get her stuff on it..............can you tell how computer illiterate I am??? Anyway, it should be ready on Friday.

Made an apple pie from scratch today and cheated with the peach, except for the crust, which to me is the best part. Apple pie ran over so much, Kathy baked the peach for me at her house. Course that always costs me pieces of apple.

Hubby took cans and such to the recycle place and somehow ended up backing into a truck there with the trailor. Had to give the man some cash money to make it all go away. I don't do things that half-assed. I total them....have 2 under my belt!! lol

Everyone have a good evening. My house is quiet, everyone in bed. Talk to you all tomorrow.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Well ya'll are not going to believe this! That dr. didn't tell us sh#$ either. We carried the pet scan cd up there for him to look at and he did but we did not see what it showed. We told him about dad's lymph node in his groin area being swollen and showed him what dads leg looked like. He said that we really need to get a vascular dr to look at his leg asap. He could not tell us if it was cellulitis or if it looked like it. He said dad did have fluid in his lungs(we already knew that). He said that the swollen lymph in his groin would not be causing his leg to look like that. He said he did have some swollen lymph nodes in the chest area around where the windpipe is.(this is also where dads original tumor was at and it had grown into part of his windpipe and they had to do reconstructive surgery to take out part of his windpipe). But get this what he said when he walked in the room. He handed the pet cd to my sister and said ,"This is of no importance to me". I wanted to cold cock him right there. If he saw the look on my face. It was saying "eat shit and die". And then he said basically we need to go back and see the dr that ordered the ct and pet. The same dr that is on vacation for another 2 weeks. He will not be back until aug. 30!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Me and sis are at our wits end as to what to do next. So basically we don't know nothing............................................ I might be back in a few minutes but i wanted to let ya'll know before it got too much later. Love and hugs stormyyyyyyyyyyy

YR, your right about there being evil people, and sorry to say some of them have found their way here, and will try to bully people, treat people like "sh**" under the guise of grace and comfort.. comfort my ass when you are treating those who are reaching out for help like shit.. I have to worry about their charges, just how safe are they with people like that around.

"Moohaha?" is that like the boogie man? lol, getting kinda tired, been balancing on the edge today, ugly hole is doing it's best to suck me in.. Hope that everyone has a easy, peaceful night.

Good Evening Posse!

Maybe Shawna will have good luck now.....COW PATTIE!

ladee......so good to hear from you! And sorry to hear about your leg. Get the ice packs out......

seeme.......frustrating I know. And the only thing you can do is walk away if possible. Tonight the col was helping me fix her dinner and she started talking about the "moohaha" that is waiting until it gets dark to steal her purse.....alrighty then, what are we going to do about that? She decided it wasn't that important when she saw the cucumber salad I had made. Food works every time.....:)

starri and emjo...........hope things have been good for you today. A nap sounds good starri.

Hoping to hear from stormy.........

Hello to all and hope everyone is having a good evening...will check back later.

Love and Hugz,
Jam

Hi all. Stormy sending some peace your way. And you to Shawna. Oh heck......I'll just send some to everybody!!
Well, I took Dad to the dr. today. I called hubby and asked him if he could leave work early and help me. And he said sure. It is getting much more difficult to get Dad out.
Well, the dr. knows that I will not go for anything aggressive for my dad. I'm all about the comfort. So he gave me a scrip. for tramadol/tylenol for pain, he thinks one of dads discs collapsed and an antib. for an area on dads back that he is treating as an infection first but he agrees with me that it is probably cancer.
Oh and also some steroids to increase his appetite
So we will see. Last Sept. dad weighed 137 and now he weighs 122. My poor, little dad. He is just wasting away and someday he will be gone and his chair will sit here empty and if I don't stop right now I will be crying.
So.............. hey, I was lurking on some of the other threads and you know there are some real nasty people who come on this site to bully us burdened caregivers when we vent. I say that sucks!!!
Well, I luv ya guys. Peace and prayers.

Hey Everyone, Shawna, hope that the allergies and nerves have calmed down, Jo good to see you and that you are doing better, Seeme, take it easy if you can, I went through a few of those arguments with Mom, and like you had to walk out of the room, I'm tired today, think that I am going to go lay down for a while.

Ladee, good to see you posting, looking forward to you being back online with us, how is everyone else doing this evening? Stormy, check in with us and let us know how things turned out.

Sorry I haven't posted in a while.....just trying to face reality and needed some space. Seems like I am dealing with dementia more than I thought I was. Mom's brain damage from the brain aneurysm has gotten worse. Has it been diagnosed ?.... officially, no, but I am seeing signs. She went off on me this morning about a shower. She sweated through 3 pair of PJ's last night and once peed in her diaper cause I couldn't get it down fast enough to her. It was stuck from sweating. Naturally she was getting a shower today since she had to go to the dentist. We must have argued for 15 min, her standing buck nekked in the bathroom, water running and making the room humid and hot, and leaking from the fistula. And she says she is NOT getting in. Yea, I won, but she complained it was a power thing for me, always having to get my way. What??? Mom, why did you come hre? She didn't know cause it sure didn't turn out like she thought it would. I told her I thought she came to me cause she knew I would take care of her. Right then she hated me and told me so. Well, that didn't bother me, but at 2:30 am when she wouldn't listen to me, I know my blood pressure shot up so high I had to leave the room. Was up till after 4. I was shaking from anger. After the anger comes the blues, right? Kathy came over and washed her hair, tomorrow she will get it cut and styled. Kathy got her lunch and only after lunch, when Kathy went home to change clothes cause she took mom to the dentist, did she ask to go to the bathroom......3 hrs!.... yesterday I know I took her 20 times. I've taken her once and she wanted to know how to turn the toilet on. "Walk with me" means she has to go to the bathroom. She can't remember "bathroom". It coul be "that place", but only after someone says "walk where". Very little that she says actually makes sense anymore. I don't have to worry about her turning violent, cause she is short and in too much pain, way too fragile, but it is more exhausting mentally. When sis come slater this week, we will see if mom can pull it together. That will be an interesting test.

Still waiting for Stormy, hope she and her sis are OK. Dad, too, but the worry falls to them.

Shawna.....good luck!!!

Mom just talked to me for the first time since her shower. About 3:45 EDT. She could remember THAT for a long time today!!! Will try to check in later.....hear mom choking.........

Hey everyone,,, Ladee checking in.... God I miss everyone so much.... Finally got everything moved yesterday, in this heat.. I am tired, my leg is swollen and sore, and boy am I cranky,,, here in Texas they call it BITCHY ,, yeah uhhuh...... i do not have time to get caught up with everyone but want you all to know how much I love and miss all of you..... just a little while longer and I will have a computer at the BS, then have mercy, we are gonna do some talking and getting caught up.... I miss ya'll so much... I am having withdrawals myself... more tomorrow when I do not have so much to do.... so much to tell ya'll and want to know everything going on with ya'll ... love hugs, and hugs across the miles.... I'll be back tomorrow for a short while.... love ya'll, just can't say it enought....

I am doing okay ... one minute fine the next minute crying. Yes emotional roller coaster. I watched a few of our favorite videos yesterday and worked on some artwork. Trying to get stuff ready for the fair which is tomorrow! hoping my products get here soon so I can start packing and getting ready. I decided not to take anything in a box everythings going in totes as the last time with the rain some of my mug boxes got ruined so everything is going in totes so its safe. I have to get a few more things done and laundrey washed as my sister is picking mom and I up in the truck tomorrow at 12... I also need to get to the store to get bologna for sandwhich spread. my sister is making. My allergies were bad bad this morning. Eyes swollen shut so bad that not even a hot shower moved them wakled half blind to the store to get meds my friend was working got a hot washcloth and got the meds cashed me out then dosed me I am doing better now can see though nose is still going haywire. Maybe its the house dont know ... but anyway I will let you know how everything went on monday.... as we won't be home till probably late sunday night...

(((((Shawna)))) - thinking of u - I know u r going through an emotional roller coaster now too.

Let us know how u r doing

Heidi - glad u had a good time and that supper sounds amazing - and healthy!!! thumbs up!!!

starri - glad to see u back in form

ladeeeeeeee - where r u????? we r all suffering from ladee withdrawal lol

cut back on the Zyrtec again and doing well - think i will be finished weaning in a few days -
wrapped the heating pad around my thigh again last night and going out yesterday seems to have not made it worse so maybe that is the answer for the next few weeks till it heals
need to do laundry
need to communicate with the ladies in the basement - found a roll of carpet in the garage that one of them brought here - whoa - this is my house - I chose the carpet that is in the basement and don't want it changed or fiddled with and while you are at it please put the metal bed frame back under the bed - if any moisture gets onto the floor the bed will be ruined. One of these dear ladies is a pack rat and works at the dollar store so you can imagine the junk (that the dollar store cannot sell and throws out) that is accumulating down there - also she buys stuff here - made in the orient and at great cost mails it back to her homeland - they could buy it there at much less cost!!! so I have my own cols only they are cyls lol - but sweet people and I love them - just don't understand how they function sometimes and i am sure it is mutual
hi all the rest of you out there - looking forward to hearing how u r doing
((((((hugs))))
jo

Good luck, Stormy. Prayers sent your way today. We are thinking of you.

more ((((((((hugs)))))))) stormy
love and prayers with you today
you can do it!!!!
we will be here when you get back and can tell us what is going on
deep breaths...
♥♥♥

(((((((Stormy)))))), big hugs my friend, do your best to try and stay calm, falling apart in front of dad will not be a good thing right now.. It's a tough one I know, I had a very hard time not letting Mom see that I was about to have a breakdown.

Take care and let us know how things are going.

ABCDEFGHIJK............... If ya'll haven't guess I'm going crazy and insane!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are going to leave about 8:30 this morning to head to Duke. I am so nervous........................ I feel like I'm about to jump outta my skin. I woke up this morning and it was like someone wound me up in speed mode. Trying to calm down some but it's not workinggggggggggggggg. I bet I didn't sleep 3 hours last nite. Got in the bed and couldn't go to sleep and then when I fell asleep red woke up calling mama. That was at 3 this morning and then i woke up at 5:30. 1 minute before my alarm clock was suppose to go off. Well wish us luck got to get on the road to the daycare and then to dads. Love and (((((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))) Stormyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy...............

Well ya'll just wanted to let everyone know that i will inform ya'll of what I find out tomorrow when we get back. So guess I better get to bed so I can wake up in the morning. Ya'll take care!!!! Love and (((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))))))) Stormyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy......................................

Hey Heidi, can't blame you for hiding after that day, but glad the inlaws ended up enjoying themselves and all things considered I hope that you did as well... your FIL sounds like my Mom, you would not believe the amount of stuff that we have given away, thrown away and still have more to go.. I can't begin to tell you the amount of un-opened stuff I found from like fingerhut, pch, etc.. we use to call her the catalog Queen of Westminster, and told her she kept the post office alive herself with all the postage.. Bless her heart though she'd see something she thought one of us kids could use and she'd order it.. What time you serving dinner? that sounds wonderful..

I love my pasta, so cheating isn't going to hurt every once in a while, think it is the 80/20 rule, good 80% of the time, you can be bad the other 20%..lol.. hope your night goes well.

Good afternoon all!
First, I am truely sorry to hear of everyones struggles, ailments, challenges and losses. Life on life's terms I guess. Still rough.
The botanical garden was fabulous. Once we could get MIL and FIL in the groove of looking at the surroundings, enjoying the day, the beautiful breeze, the sun, they seemed to finally settled down and enjoy themselves. I thought it was wonderful and pushing them in a wheelchair around the gardens certainly got me my exercise for the day.
But.....Monday hits. Not a good nights sleep at all. Me and the dog, Magnolia, were both restless. PT this morning here at the house (actually a God Send), then lunch out (Pasta House - ugh) and finally picking up their new glasses. what a fiasco. Neither can remember picking out the frames they did (which took an hour+ visit), and were both worried they did not match their hair, skin tone etc. well enough. What is this a beauty contest at 84? How about changing our clothes, showering, brushing teeth for starters...... add to that both wanted new cases but did not want to get rid of their old cases (especially FIL - Mr. Hoarder himself) then MIL proceeded to forget her new reading glasses there. Sent hubby to go get them, got FIL & MIL settled with the tv and needless to say I am hiding out in my room upstairs. Too much exposure somedays is more than I can handle! I guess I will figure out dinner then go to the store in a while. How does roasted red pepper soup with seared sea scallops and a spinach salad sound? Need to make up for the unhealthy lunch today LOL.
Thinking positive thoughts for all of you.
xo - Heidi

((((Stormy)))) Take it easy if at all possible, I know that you would rather the brother isn't there, but right now, it's important that he is, I could have done without the Eldest there, Mom didn't want any of them there, but they had to have their moments before hand..

Still kinda out of it, Glenn is really chomping at the bit, he wants out of here and wants out of here now...lol... soon enough.

Hope that everyones days have settled down..

Good Morning Posse!

We're having a nice gentle rain, started a few minutes ago. Target running around trying to get the dogs outside, even took the blind one outside!!!!!!!!!!! Someone asked one day about her age, she turned 15 in May. She sleeps a lot, but there are days when she gets out in the yard and hops around like a bunny....it's funny to watch. The other two, the chihuahua and jack/chi think they can ask to go out, step out the door and come right back in and they will get a treat...hah! I'm onto their little game. They all do very well sharing a food bowl and will allow each other to finish before taking their turn.

With the rain I won't take the col out, so I will take my computer down later and we will cybershop. She had so much fun the last time we did that. She loved seeing all the different things she could pick out and all the color choices, even though pink and purple are her favorites. She looks fantastic in blue, but nope, wants pink. And yes, she is still feeding the dog.....he rather resembles a round balloon.

emjo and starri.....glad you are feeling better.

stormy.....Try to take a little time today for yourself and see if you can get your mind in a calmer place. Remember the main character right now is Dad and he will need your support. You and sis will support each other, but you all will need to give love and hugs to Dad. And I know, brother acts like an ass, but maybe he is also a little scared and doesn't know how to show it. I think it's commendable that he wishes to be there with you all. Remind him beforehand that this will not be the time for tempers or for acting like the south end of a mule. In most physician's offices they have a conference room. Why not ask if they do and that is where you would all like to be while you talk about the test results. Give each other a little elbow and breathing room....a place where everyone can sit, especially Dad so he can be comfortable. And don't allow the doctor to give you a glossed over, quick medical diagnosis and leave. Have your questions ready so you won't forget anything. And don't take any meds other than what you are supposed to take before.....you need to be clear-headed so that you understand what the doctor will tell you. Don't want you nodding off in the middle of a conversation......you wouldn't like it when your forehead bounced off the table....:) We are all supporting you and will be thinking of you tomorrow.

Shawna....I'm so sorry to hear about your friend, ovarian cancer is such an insidious disease. And how brave and loving your friend was to cope with it and not say anything to you.

ASG......I'm sure you're busy getting the kids ready to start school and avoiding the HR as Auntie goes zipping from room to room.....how many door frames has she wiped out?

ladee......hopefully you will be at the library tonight checking in. And I bet it's too much to hope you might get some of this rain. I think it's moving southeast and will completely miss Texas.

seeme......I am so glad you have rested. You have a clean house and mom slept and some rain....what more could a girl ask for?

Vic, YR...we'll have to wait until the weekend to hear from you, Heidi, John...keep up the good work on the diet and the man-cave, Rossella is probably asleep standing up somewhere.....take care of yourself! Yell at me if I have missed anyone!

Love and Hugz to all of you,
Jam