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I am so sorry about Midget.. it is so hard to lose them. But perhaps in time you will be ready to get another dog, who will bask in all that love you gave Midget and return it to you.
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RIP little doggy!
I remember Midget.
She is so much a part of your Mom's story, and your story.
So sad for your loss. 🐶
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Polar bear, just love your little Sandyand enjoy her. They are so worth the time.
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Ali, you are correct, the attachment to Midget included my mom. It’s like I lost another piece of my mom. It’s harder this time because of the memories associated with my mom. It will get better.
NHWM, yes, they are a part of our family. It is so hard to put them down, but all the years of love and companionship they give is worth it for me. It’s a personal choice.
countrymouse, you are so correct, she is chasing socks for eternity.
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RIP Midget. So happy your mom, and you, had her, Sharyn. She sounds like she was a very fun dog. I remember you writing about Midget often several years ago. Sorry for your loss. I'm sure it's a very sentimental time for you. (((((hugs)))))
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Sharyn,

Our dogs become part of our family. It’s terribly sad to lose them.

I miss having a dog so much. My mini schnauzer and greyhound lived to be 13 years old.

We are never ready to say goodbye to them.

I miss having a dog but don’t think that I can go through losing one again so I haven’t gotten another one.

They bring us so much joy and all they want in return is to be loved. I can tell that you loved your pooch with all your heart.

So sorry for your loss. Midget sounds like she was a special little dog.

Take care.
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Oh Sharyn, I am sorry. May she be chasing socks instead of rabbits in Heaven.
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Sharyn, so sorry about Midget. It must have been so hard to have to part with Midget. I can't imagine. Dogs truly are man's best friend and family.

I also have a poodle, a mini poodle, Sandy. She helped save my sanity during the most difficult times with my mom. I love her so much. I dread the day I have to do what you did for Midget.

So sorry Sharyn. Have a good cry and think about the good memories of Midget.
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Sharyn, what a fun story to remember and read. I do remember you writing about midget. I am so sorry.
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Hello everyone, today has been a very sad day for me. I want to share a great memory with you, some may remember me sharing this when it first happened.

in April of 2013, we moved our mom into assisted living. Memory care would not have a room available for a couple weeks. mymom had her dog Midget with her since she could still take of her

i had gone over to the factory get my mom a shower. I put clean clothes out on her bed, turned on the shower. When I returned to the bedroom, my moms socks were gone. Midget had taken her socks and was stuffing them in between the couch cushions. I got the socks back , came back, came back in the bedroom, my mom had put away the clothes. This placed out 3 times repeating until I shut the bedroom door. It was like a Laural and Hardy movie. Finally my mom got a shower.

sadly I had to put Midget down today due to kidney failure. She would have been 13 in July. This is a normal life span a small poodle.

this is my best and favorite memory of Midget and my mom together. Losing Midget has been hard because of the connection to me mom. She had a great life and was very loved.
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Polarbear,

My wife and I have had ours a week and they are great. My physical therapist likes them, but her husband who has to work all day on the computer finds them to be very helpful. Here is some information that I found online plus a link to an article.

"An overabundance of blue light from ever-present computers and cell phones can cause daytime fatigue and upset our natural rhythms. While there’s no strong scientific evidence that blue light from digital devices causes damage to your eyes, there is a growing concern that blue light can have long-term effects on our health. "

https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/blue-light-and-vision
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Yoda, that's interesting. I haven't heard of blue light affecting the eyes. The glare does bother my eyes though. But I don't think that is blue light.

How long have you used the glasses? Do they help much?
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Hi, this is an FYI update. I have found and my wife has found relief from eye strain from being on the computer too long through buying anti-blue ray glasses which do work. I found the ones that block 99%, but my wife got the ones that block 90%. Blue rays from the computer screen hurt our eyes and reduce the amount of natural melatonin in our bodies that help us to fall asleep at night. BTW, the same ones you see on Amazon are much cheaper than you can find on eBay.
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Ali as ususal your posts give me a altenate perspective of growth and healing.

I am just checking in. I used to be able to say I am not updated but it seems there are much less posts and members.

My update is I am scared to say but good, I got so much accomplished last week and felt so good. I was scared to push in fear of a set back. I dont know what was wrong with me but it was physical spiritual and mental.

I left my mother in a tearful mode like when I found her on floor. I hugged her and told her not to cry, not to worry dont be sad because it makes me sad. she asked for candy. I promised to bring her a nice piece of cake which I have bought.

Dont know what I will find when I get home. But I am so thankful to feel good inside and out. aside from the hip.

This forum is a life saver for me in so many ways, thank you all for sharing.

Happy Easter. Love and healing to all.
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I was watching American Idol and Lionel Ritchie said "It's when we leave our comfort zone that growth starts to happen" That resonated with me.

Ali you've been doing a lot of growing. I'm proud of you too.
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Ali, just look at you. now! A few short years ago you too thought your situation was hopeless and inescapable! I am so proud of you and the growth you have worked very hard to achieve. It was all possible, after all.

There is always a way out, it is the courage to completely change our lives, leave what is familiar and create an alternate route, that is difficult to muster up. Many of us have worked through this.

Congrats to all that developed the way! We all deserve a peaceful life without conflict. But, we have to choose it and make it happen. We need to do it largely without help in our lives. But here, you will find the support.

Giving up only allows the dysfunction to continue to suck us in, over and over and over.
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Ali, I loved that poem.

I gave my daughter a copy of this poem when she was in school. I also think it can apply to caregivers, really anyone that needs confirmation of their strength. Plus, the oak tree has always been my favorite tree!

The Oak Tree
Johnny Ray Ryder, Jr.

A mighty wind blew night and day

It stole the Oak Tree’s leaves away

Then snapped it’s boughs and pulled it’s bark

Until the Oak was tired and stark

But still the Oak Tree held it’s ground

While other trees fell all around

The weary wind gave up and spoke

“How can you still be standing, Oak?”

The Oak Tree said, “I know that you can break each branch in two

Carry each leaf away

Shake my limbs and make me sway

But I have roots stretched in the earth

Growing stronger since my birth

You’ll never touch them, for you see

They are the deepest part of me

Until today, I wasn’t sure

Of just how much I could endure

But now I’ve found with thanks to you

I’m stronger than I ever knew.”



Don’t we all feel ourselves swaying at times, as if we could snap in two?

It’s good to remember our strong roots that lie underneath.

I know that I need my roots to hold me steady right now as I visit my mom in the end of life hospice facility with end stage Parkinson’s disease. She’s 95! She’s completely bed bound now.

It’s hard for me to go through this last chapter with mom even though I have been through it with my dad dying in 2002.

My brothers and I have had our ups and downs but are remaining civil with each other for all of our sakes.

I don’t post on this thread a lot but I read it. It’s a nice group of people that meet here.
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Duck,

I used to get that sick feeling going into the house when I was taking care of the place and my dad. I would get really angry sometimes, too. Either way, it isn't good. Your brain is telling you to RUNNNNN, RUN AWAY! But I very much get it that it isn't that simple.

Life is complicated and caregiving situations to dysfunctional family members are super complicated at times. Extracting ourselves from the layers that keep us in a place that makes us feel sick is a process. Keep going, hon; keep working on it as best you can. Everyone deserves a peaceful life if you're a peaceful person, you know? It's taken me many years, too, to figure out how to limit the dysfunction and drama I inherited and grew up in. It helps that some of my closest family members also seem to have changed... grown... through the years, and civil interactions are now the norm and not the exception. I've learned to do my part to keep them that way, too.
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Hi everyone, and thanks for the perspective and support. The poems were good source of reflection.

Ali that walking into the hole poem was awesome. Seems even though I find another street the hole is still there waiting.

Golden it is absolutely true no matter how much couseling and advice is given nothing will change. This is why I found it useless to speak up and cry out about all the issues and insidences that have accumulated over the years.

For me its like the hole in the street. The same old stuff for years. I see myself slowly truly accepting things. This truth has been obvious all my life I dont know why I find it so hard and painful to witness or accept.

The toll of the stress has scared me. It felt like my life force was drained and I couldnt hardly build it up.

I cry reading Ali's post about the weakness and diziness. Very similar and scary, I am still not up to parr but getting better. I must say that sometimes when I enter the house or know I am on my way home my stomach gets sick.

Its good to hear post from people who know this and been there. Its almost like I am growing up temporarily. Because there are times that the stress builds up so much that my demeanor at work is much less tolerant and no nonsense. Its weird.

Being a scapegoat so long is almost fierceless in certain situations, now even when the stress has decreased my intolerance of certain things I used to let fly by gets stronger.

I thank God for being my strength and my shield. It a lot worse when l forget this.

I miss my grands, I miss inticmacy and love. My life is my mother and this dysfun ctional environment of deterioaration of the house and those of us inside. The account is in effect no after they clear some invoices the care will start so its right around the corner and not years. its all I have been waiting for and I am hoping its not an aide who is open to my sister's beautiful maze of manipulation. Even if it does get revealed.
So much to do and I need to get personal things accomplished before this heat sets end.

I pray everyone is safe in spirit and health. I have much love for you all. MUHH
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This is a great topic because it does create another layer of stress we really didn't need. In my case my brother and sister hate me and I'm the care taker. Frankly I don't like them either! If I say black, they say white. It's been that way all our life (the family of 3 sibs...always 2 against 1). It's gotten uglier over the years and I know it bothers dad. I doubt we'll ever speak again once he's gone and I'm dreading the funeral whenever that might be because we'll all be together and they'll be critical of everything. My sister has done NOTHING for dad and my brother had him at his house but his wife did everything for him. My brother sat around and chatted with him and took him for haircuts. Both are completely unrealistic in what dad is capable of and accuse me of domineering him. They are jealous because they know that I'm dad's favorite and he disapproves of things they are doing. They make my life miserable frankly. My husband despises them too. My sister in law is a good egg so that's at least something. I will have zero family once dad is gone so it makes me sad but I dont' intend to ever see them again once I don't have to.
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Feeling much better today, just drained.

I've had mixed results with roommates in past few years. Most are great, or if they're annoying it's very minimal and stuff you'd experience anytime you're sharing living space with someone else.

If I want to save money each month, and pay for my school as I go (trying...), then I have to rent the extra bedrooms. Most of the time, I enjoy having the company. Structuring the lease as month-to-month gives me a lot of ability to stop tenancy of people who are bad for my mental health. Seems like both extra bedrooms will be open for a bit around mid-April and I'm ok with that. Would be nice to clean everything out. Seems everyone who moves in leaves a little something behind in freezer, pantry, or bathroom shelves.
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Ali, feel better soon. Hope it's not covid. Remembering your health issues, it could very well be anxiety causing symptoms. Good for you doing what you can to get the roomie out as quickly as you can. Will you need to find another one, or can you manage without one, and then avoiding that stress.
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Hope you feel better soon, Ali.

My daughter has had roommate issues in the past and it caused anxiety for her too.

Hoping you will have harmony in your life soon.
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Today, I've come as close to a full blown anxiety attack as I've had in a few years. What is triggering this..? I think I'm ill and have been having some minor symptoms that make me think I have a slight fever and something else. I've been very dizzy feeling. If I have the energy, I may try to find a rapid results covid testing spot to get that ruled in or out tomorrow. I'm upset because this anxiety feeling is limiting my ability to do my homework. I can't focus. So, I took a hydroxyzine and hopefully some sleep will help me feel better (I've been sleeping a lot the past two nights, even without sleep aids) and I'll skip the usual morning coffee for now.

I have a bad roommate situation that's come up in the past few weeks and I think that is contributing to my extreme anxiety, but I don't think it's responsible for all of it. I'm just amazed, I guess, that this level of anxiety is still there under the surface after some years of feeling much better each day.

The roommate situation will resolve (I've given her 30 day notice to move out already) and my physical funk will get better, but today... I can't do much of anything. I remember this feeling. It isn't good and I'm just hoping it's gone in a day.
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AliBoBali, I LOVE that!

I have cut & paste a copy to keep. Thankyou 🤗
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Reminded me of this poem I read just today in my Psych textbook, describing stages of psychological change. I love it for it's simplicity and truth. It's by Portia Nelson.

Chapter I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost… I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it there.
I still fall in… it’s a habit… but,
my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter V
I walk down another street.
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Thank you for sharing NoTryDoYada. !💕
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I'm very sorry for all of us who have dysfunctional families. Thus, the creation of this thread. Here's a poem about one problem, we often face.

This is Who I Am and Always Will Be

 
What a cop-out to say this is who I am and always will be
because of a dysfunctional family
 
Years of being in therapy.
can set one free.
 
Once one has seen the light
one can't claim ignorance in the fight
 
The choices now made,
can't be blamed on those others made,
 
What a cop-out to say this is who I am and always will be
because of a dysfunctional family
 
One can say the end and chose to be free.
Such freedom takes hard work in therapy.
 
To excuse the lack of personal responsibility
keeps oneself inflicted by one's dysfunctional family.
 
Empower oneself,
Stop empowering the old self
 
What a cop-out to say this is who I am and always will be
because of a dysfunctional family
 
Stop waiting for others to repent,
Its wasted energy can be better spent.
 
To still wallow in the pain,
Produces no gain.
 
Stop empowering it,
by holding on to it
 
It's time to say the ending,
and now the beginning.
 
What a cop-out to say this is who I am and always will be
because of a dysfunctional family
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Aw, Duck, I'm so sorry that you are under such stress.

It sounds like there is light at the end if the tunnel with getting a Home attendent for mom, yes?

Stay well and safe.
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duck - the stress sounds great. I know it is a hard and painful process coming to the realization of how screwed up our families are. In the long run it is a good thing to accept it but that is not easy. I am really sorry to hear about your mum's UTI and cellulitis. and hope she is recovering with the treatment. It's fine for APS and all to lecture you and the others about family pulling together, but they don't know the extent of the family illness. Anyone could have lectured my sister all they wanted but it would not have changed her. Always find ways to look after yourself. You are in a very toxic environment.
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