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Closing on lot and water tap the end of the month. Contractor will get a construction loan to build. YIKES! Water taps here are astronomical, but not so bad as surrounding areas that are up to 50K. And I am getting it before the next price increase coming in the next week. Tap is reserved at current price.
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Dori, we must have posted at the same time. I’m happy to hear the extra help is helping you, less stress and able to have a life again! I so wish USA had the health care system Canada has. It is so awesome!!
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Hi Sharyn! Just caught your post after mine before I closed out. Yay for the new phone! The extra help is amazing - 2x a day every day (dinner and bedtime), plus the morning shift on dialysis days, plus my 2 respite blocks. I wish we'd been able to access that level of support sooner. Not that mom would have accepted it! But she is sick enough to let them help her now, and the stress load off me is huge. She keeps asking me who's paying for it, how is it free. I don't want her to know it's palliative care, so I just say I needed the extra help so I asked for it, it's covered by BC health care, and the medical equipment is supplied under the workers' occupational health and safety rules!  None of that is a lie, either.
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Good morning,

Becky, I hope your results today show nothing too serious.

Dori, how is the extra home health working out for you?

Golden, good to hear your mom has not gotten the flu. For many, getting over it has been a real problem.

Glad, getting a new home is exciting. I love our new home, no hidden problems to contend with like our old one. It seemed whenever I tried to redo something, there was a bigger problem found.

Trying, I think we are done with snow here for the year. Raining today, highs are in the 50’s and something’s the 60’s.

Replaced my phone over the weekend. Today I open again but close Thursday and Friday. I will need to stay busy after work so I stay awake later, or I will have to take a nap.

We found a restaurant for fish and chips. It is a restaurant that is better than fast food but not as expensive a Red Lobster. We will go back again, it was very good.
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Hey all, just popping in for a few minutes, will catch up on reading after I write. Just menopause, waking me up again.

Been kind of up to High Do around here the last couple of days. Mom's been sick - threw up in the car yesterday. And her hospital bed arrived yesterday, too - had to get rid of the old one and clean out the room first, all while she was out. Ciggie burns in the rug, good thing this is not a rental!  Then catching up today on the other chores I didn't do yesterday, fitting them around my respite break and best guy friend coming over for dinner. 

This delusion mom has had about being kidnapped by the telephone company....it seems to be persisting, but only for a few hours after dialysis. I guess dialysis is really starting to make her loopy, but she doesn't seem troubled by the delusion, or hallucination, or whatever she is experiencing.

I can't really get the whole story out of her, but I THINK she believes she's been transported somewhere far away, as she is always amazed that we are right back in town when she exits the hospital. And also the "girls" at the phone company are out on strike ("Good for them!" she says - ever the union woman), which is somehow connected. And she is constantly asking how we (me and the nurses, I think) "pulled it off," like it was a surprise party that actually caught her by surprise. I'd love to know what's going on in her head!

The phone company isn't on strike by the way. But I'm learning to go along with whatever she says. Yesterday I even started singing "Solidarity Forever" in the car on the way home, and she totally joined in! I should see if I can find a copy of Norma Rae for us to watch.

Hope you've all had a good night. I said I'd catch up, but I'm feeling dopey again....think I might try to catch a couple more hours myself....
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Golden, I go back to teaching 3/19. Last Thursday and Friday I checked on my classes before they went on spring break. They've moved my classes and my office to the first floor so that I could come back.

Trying, Snow here has been bad. Our backyard has mountains of snow from the driveway. Haulers are coming next Monday to haul it off to the snow dump. Hope yours has stopped.
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Trying, enjoy the time off and remember, if you are like me, those hot summer days you will be yearning for a good snow storm!

Golden, yes, have a contract on a lot, house plan chosen, contractor lined up. Should be under way by early April. Exciting and absolutely terrifying. It will be great, last home I owned was built in 1896, it was always something to get done or fixed. A new home will be wonderful, planned for south facing driveway.😊

How is that phone, Sharyn?
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Thanks Golden. It's good to be here. I hope your Mom dodges the flu and I hope your lenses both come in. ...and so true, Woks Rock :) !
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We don't get any more till next week, but it is piled high in the front and back yard. The front faces north and it doesn't completely melt there till mid April. Temps are above freezing on the whole which is great.

dori - hope things are working better with more help for you. Look after your back while lifting!

sharyn - the pits about your cell phone.

trying - good to see you back. I understand about needing a week to detox.

Becky - I saw somewhere you are teaching again Yay! When I retired at 73, it took me about 6 years to adjust. I had worked all my adult life.

Glad - building a new place is exciting! Do you have the lot chosen? bought?

everyone - check in and let us know how you are

I have not been sleeping well, so am going back to sleep after R leaves around 6 in the morning -It is a totally new routine and taking some adjustments. It means I am lucky if I am fully woken up by noon.

The NH had a flu outbreak, so I had to OK a 10 day course of Tamiflu for mother. I haven't heard that she got it. She hasn't had flu in years.

Still waiting for both my lenses to come in to the eye place. I have had several calls about the right one , but no one seems to know anything about the left one, I am beginning to wonder if they ordered it or if they are there, but in different places.

Love my new copper pot and have used it several times. The wok is very large which will be great for all the veggies you add to a stir fry. I think I can use it for braised red cabbage also, as the cabbage is usually too big for any pot/pan I have used.

Take care all and have a good day!
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Ugh! Two more days, I sympathize Becky. I think ours is ending later tonight. I hope so! So far no power outages that I have heard about. That's a blessing.
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It keeps snowing and snowing. Weather Service says two more days. We're going to have to have the snow haulers again - third time this season.
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Snow day today. Not too bad in our area. More of a snow storm, not a blizzard. I'm not fond of snow days. It means the school schedule is extended another day into the summer, bleh. Paras don't get paid for snow days or any school vacation time, we actually don't have paid vacation at all, it's mandatory time off without pay. Pay is based on a fixed number of days a year, at a fixed hourly rate. Same for teachers but they get paid at a much higher rate. Anyway, it is what it is. I'm going to make the best of being home. Today I want to practice crocheting. I could not get the hang of knitting but crochet looks promising :) I might also make a big pot of chicken soup, I can bring some to M+D on Sat.

Hope you all are doing well!
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Enjoy the rest of your day Sharyn!
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Just worked a 3 hour shift this morning. Deli manager had gall bladder surgery, regular opener quit so I’ve been opening the last 2 weeks. I have an appt at 11 and had requested the day off. The manager is back to work but can’t lift for a month, so I went in and made breakfast and opened the deli. The breakfast is self serve only on weekends. I’m hoping to replace my phone tomorrow. I’ve been up since 4 am and I’m sure by the time I’m done with my hair appointment, I’ll be done for the day.

It’s a beautiful day here, spring is definitely on its way. Close to 60 degrees but nights are still chilly down to 25-27 degrees. Have a good day everyone!
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Dori, I suspect it is too late, lol! Google says to turn the phone off immediately which I could not do with a black screen.
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So, I had to google "airing cupboard."

Sharyn - it's best to avoid trying to start or shut it down for about 48 hours. Otherwise you might steam-fry some of the circuitry.

I have killed 3 laptops with spilled water, and one with a bowl of raisin bran (earning me the nickname "Cereal Killer" for awhile), if it's any consolation. Oh, and I also dropped a sound mixing board on another. (The mixer survived, at least.)
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Sharyn, at least it is telling you something.😕
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Now this is why Americans need airing cupboards, s.m.h... It's a crying shame the tradition has died out in the US.

Pop it on a clean fluffy towel and leave it somewhere pleasantly warm and dry, Sharyn. It may forgive you.
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Thanks glad, I will. I did plug it to the charger and it shows the battery as uncharged. However, I have to be at work at 7am so I don’t want to leave it plugged in unattended. I’m afraid of it over heating. It’s an iPhone so I can’t remove the battery.
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Sharyn Google companies that dry cell phones and check a Staples store near you
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I have the phone covered in a bowl of rice but so far, it’s still not working. I’ll leave it for a few days and see what happens. I tried to turn it off, but I can’t tell since the screen is black.
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Sharyn, I did that last year to my phone. I blew it dry with hair - not on the hot setting - then put it a bowl of uncooked rice. Rice did the trick.
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Oh no, Sharyn! Did you put it in rice? Sometimes that actually works....
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Thank you guest for clarifying this question. It’s important to know just what is involved with it and what is required.


I accidentally dropped my phone in a glass of water. Yes it died even though I pulled it out immediately. Not my day today, ugh!
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Guest, great answer.

East, The waivers or allotment to pay caregivers in MA are hard to come by and take awhile to obtain. More importantly, you have your own and your husband's health to consider. Just keep saying NO!
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East, please note that you will NOT get paid for 365 days, 24 hours caregiving by the State of MA. At most, it's about a max of $18,000 per year - and that is total paid for caregiving. If you calculate it out, it's about $2.05/hour for 24/7 availability. And your brother probably thinks he can assert the caregiver exemption for the Medicaid lien if you care for Mama in her home. Ha! the only person that gets an exemption is YOU. So unless he is providing the care only YOU will have your share exempt from the lien. You would only be further abusing yourself. They can only walk on you if you lay down. You have to qualify as caregiver under MA rules which means they can inspect premises, they can require foods follow state guidelines, and that you have to report as INCOME and pay TAXES on all caregiver monies paid. no..no..no.
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Medicaid may pay a family member in some states. There may be certain requirements and qualifications needed.
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Eagle, brother said government will pay family member to care for elder parent. Is this true? I thought that they would not pay unless to a facility. Just curious. I am fairly new to the forum and am stunned by the things siblings will do to get an inheritance. I'm glad that the Drs have said 24/7 care for mom, this is a step forward. Best of luck.
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East eagle, keep saying no. You and your husband have your own health to put first.

Everyone on the east coast, stay safe and hoping power outages are very short.
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Hi EastEagle - you must have been around before I joined, because I would have noticed how much your mother sounds like mine! Like, except for the specifics of her injuries/surgery/etc., that could be my mom - telling untruths about her falls and injuries, or not telling anyone at all; not wanting home care and resenting them; wanting to be left alone.....stubboritis!

I moved mom to my town - she's been here nearly 3 years, and I've been staying with her since June. I regret it! All of it! Don't do it! I am sticking with it right now, b/c my mom has been given a diagnosis of less than 6 months....but honestly, even then I'm not sure how long I'm gonna make it.

In all honesty, I think it's WORSE because it's me who's her caregiver. With home support (now that we have some), nurses, etc., she is sweet, polite, and cooperative. With me, her daughter, she is combative and resistant, and everything - every little thing - becomes a huge fight. I think she basically wanted me as her caregiver because I'm her daughter, and she still thought she had authority over me.

And if your mom is so much like mine.....yup, I think everything will be a fight. Also....you're still going to need home support - for YOU (nobody can do this alone) - and your mom won't like it, so that will probably be your first big, nasty fight with her.

I was a desperate mess when I found this forum/thread. My mom stole my happiness as well as my life.  I was in a near-constant rage. She was killing me with her absolute refusal to cooperate in her own care, and again, because I'm her kid, it didn't bother her one bit to get nasty with me about it. Sometimes I'm still surprised I made it this far.

Anyway. Don't do it, that's my advice.
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