More snow this morning. This has to be the coldest winter in a long time here in North Texas. It looks like the home health aide will not be able to make it this entire week. I guess it is at times like this that I wished we lived in town and not 12 miles away.
I think this has been the coldest winter so far in SC. Today it has rained ALL day up to now and it is cold. At least we don't have snow and ice and I hope those who do are managing to stay warm.
We've survived the Great Chicago Blizzard! Today is the first time we ventured outside of our driveway. We had 5 foot drifts on it. During the height of the blizzard the gate across our driveway blew off! It was lying in the middle of the drive and I was afraid it would blow into something, so I dragged it onto the snow-covered grass. The wind was howling and the snow was hitting me sideways. I'm glad no one saw me stomping on the gate, as though I was dancing, so it would stick in the snow and not blow away again. We are very fortunate as at the beginning of winter I check with the college sophomore we know to make sure we could count on him again. He came after the storm and I don't know how he did it, but he tackled the 5 foot drift and worked on the rest of the drive for hours, there was so much snow. I wish I had taken a picture of it before the snow-blower cleared the drive. I don't believe I've ever seen anything like it (although after the '67 storm the snow reached the second floor windows!
Absolutely everything up here is covered in snow. We got another 4 inches this afternoon. Lots of snow this year and as usual the neighbors did my driveway and walk right away. I haven't shovelled once this year. I was trying to help a friend with a computer problem over the phone; but, they had to call support and got someone in India. That person had never seen snow they said. Made me think of how hard it must be to come to a new country and start fitting in. Imagine what that Indian person would think if I said the whole country will be watching the cheeseheads go against the terrible towels tomorrow.
They're going to leave it all on the gridiron. The quarterback sneaks out of the pocket. Can the air attack break the steel gate? The floating safety grabbed the pig with one hand and ran.
That poor guy would have no clue whatsoever. Steelers by 3.
Trying to dress my husband in Black and Gold today as most people at church will be sporting the colors. He's oblivious as to why but since I don't own anything gold I thought I could take him as my mascot :-) Oh, the things we do in the name of SPORT!
As my DD asked, the house is stocked with football food. That is our dinner tonight. Junk food:) Don't care who wins just like a close game down to the wire type. Hope everyone has a great day and your team wins!
I am for the Packers. As an ex-Brit I don't have any ties to either state but Aaron Rogers has eyes just like my favourite brother who passes away 20 years ago but I still miss him! That's as good a reason as any. VBG.
Ever have one of those weekends where you spouse keeps trying to put on multiple pairs of clothing, like two pairs of trouser, and then half of your closet too!
Aaaaaaaaargh!
P.S. I wish I could get DH to sit down long enough to watch one quarter of the big game, or the half time show, or even one of the infamous Super Bowl commercials!
I have to call a neighbor to see is he is going to a super bowl party. I don't like football at all and would not enjoy this BUT DH would like to go..so fingers crossed he goes and I can get some things done..or play with my photography...
This morning my wife surprised me. I got her up and sitting on the toilet, and then went to start breakfast. When I got back to check on her she was in the bedroom, had put on her camisole (correctly) and was starting on her dress, which she also did correctly. All I had to do was put on her shoes and knee-highs (in reverse order!!). This is the first time in probably 2 years that she has dressed herself. She has also brushed her teeth the last 2 nights without any argument or problem. I guess hospice was right when they rejected her last week.
A beautiful sunshiny day here in KY, and warmer too! But...more cold, snow, icy roads coming in this week. Hurry spring!
Went to breakfast with a small group of friends but was a little late - had the ' lost my wallet' time, so the hunt was on - but finally did find it.LOL
Marsh, it will be interesting to see if this continues.
Getting ready to go to watch "the game" with a couple we know frm church. I hope DH can sit still long enough to watch the game (although I don't think he can actually follow the game anymore). I made Reuben sandwiches to take along (yum!). DH will have a few beers & with any luck it will help him sleep through the night. GO PACKERS!
I don't care for pro sports nor did Charlie. We liked college sports better and basketball better than football. However, he DID watch the Superbowl. He loved the commercials and the half time show but rarely cared much about the game. I, of course, live near " Steeler Nation" and my step-son is a Packers fan so all I have to say is may the best team win.
I don't care who wins - I'll just be glad when it's over. I live five miles due south of the Stadium and it has been chaos around here for the last month getting ready for the big' game. The freezing rain, zero temps, ice and snow this past week haven't helped.
Someone mentioned about all the $$$ that the community gets. Unfortunately, most all Arlington gets is just the game. All the big events are either in Ft Worth or Dallas since we don't have hotels or big venues.
Thanks to all who posted in Eric's memorial book and RosieUK, sorry I hadn't recognized your name from the Spouse site. In spite of doing all I could do before the death, there is a lot of paper work and details to take care of now, and it is not all smooth sailing. I've asked for a change of trustee officers at the Royal Trust who are the executors. Here's one small example of why: The day after Eric died, she phoned and wanted to know the assessed value and the lot numbers of property he owned on an island. I took the phone to the file where I thought it was, couldn't find it, and asked her to phone the co-committee (guardian), who, as a chartered accountant, would be able to give it to her quickly. She said,"Oh, I wouldn't want to bother him." I had a nightmare about Eric last night. I dreamt that he was sitting in his wheelchair slumped over as if he were dead, but he wasn't, he was dehydrated. And so I was trying to prop up his head with one hand while I gave him water with the other, but the water kept running out. I woke up then. The caretaker mode apparently goes on automatically. When my brother was here for the funeral, and we were sitting in a cafe with friends we'd know in high school 60 years before, I put his fork in his hand and moved his water glass in front of him, as I would have done for Eric 4 months ago. My brother is a young 80-year-old who had the grace to laugh and tell everyone that "Mary's been treating me this way all my life." I find attending lectures at UBC, going to church, keeping up with 2 small groups I belong to, and the support of friends and family are keeping me afloat with the occasional slump in courage and wave of grief. My love to all.
Good day -= got taxes filed. Ours are real easy - just SSDI, my unemployment and his portion of his dad's IRA.
Another beautiful sunny day. Had long conversation with DIL - says the kids are making all these plans they are going to do with us when we return. Makes it hard considering we are thinking of not returning any time soon.
I posted sometime ago about my worry trying to get disability for my husband. I took the advice you all had given me, especially Phrank who told me to work backwards. The advice on this web site was extremely helpful. I downloaded a form from " disability secrets" and took it to the doctor to fill out. Great idea. I had past employers write letters. After too much stressing the day came for the hearing. It was so obvious to the judge, DH's condition, that she just asked me all the questions. We didn't have a lawyer. Anyway, we won our case and DH will be getting Soc Sec disability. I am finished with closing the business, too, which was a nightmare. With all that out of the way I am having a good day. I'm going to make valentine cookies with the grand kids!
Mag-Congratulations for winning your case! I had been very lucky with my first attempt after working with a super person at the local Social Security office... so had felt guilty when I read of your struggles earlier.
Tough weekend at my house. DH is fully incontinent even on a good day, Right now he has an intestinal virus so I had to leave work and pick him up from day care yesterday, after only being there 20 minutes. Wondering now when I will get it. The only good thing is, because he is sick, he isn't shadowing as much. So now I can work on all of the clean up from DH being sick , laundry, ice dams on the roof, bills, taxes, waiting list applications...and of couse the list goes on! Too bad I am out of chocolate...
Okay, Dog, I have been feeling sorry for myself this morning but I see things could be a lot worse. For the 3rd time in the last 10 days Mr. Wonderful has taken off his underwear during the night and he and the bed was wet. Found him talking to the man in the mirror and neither one had any bottoms on. Not a pretty sight. He did not want to get in the shower but I finally got him in and cleaned him up. He announced that he could take care of himself and I wasn't doing anything around here to help him. I'm thinking about running away from home....Anyone want to join me???? Okay, pull up your big girl panties, Grace, and get to work stripping the bed and washing bed linens. I'll have to search for my sense of humor so everybody pray for me. It could have been much worse. It was only pee not poop....
@ Mag, I'm glad you won your case. One less thing to worry about.
Sun out and we should be above freezing today. Maybe some of this snow will start melting. We are going to my sister's 50th birthday surprise party this evening. I hope my husband handles it well. He knows most of the people who will be there but I'm worried about keeping him away from the dessert table that will be there so others will get some :)
Mag...another victory in the fight for alz.....congratulations on getting the disability...I just wish it had been approved the first time....without a judge
Okay, Bama, a prayer going up for your search for your sense of humour, although it seems that you've found it. I couldn't help but smile at your picture of DH bottomless talking to the man in the mirror, also bottomless.
indeed your sense of humour has never left bama. you handled that chaotic event just fine as usual. it strkes a chuckle to thinkof that scenario but who am i to chuckle?? i have had lots of those eyebrow raising events here too. hang in there. hopefully things will be normal again whatever that is:)
divvi, where were you when I needed you this morning? I want to thank you for all you taught me about "Poop & Pee". You have been my teacher on this subject.... I wonder if you know how many of us love you?
i am sitting here fighting yet another uti for DH today after several long sleepless nights and worry. so my emotions are already high. yall are gonna make me tear up yet. :)
if i can be remembered for poop and pee teachings and how to get thru it , then i feel prvileged to have this legacy = grin! just dont pass me the crown anymore please.
Must add my poop exp here, not to enter the competition for queen or anything like that. Hb is not incontinent. At least usually. Anyway Monday morning the stench was overwhelming. I FINALLY got him up and to the bathroom: briefs FULL and very ugly from having slept in his mess. No apparent urine, though. He was very uncooperative when I was trying to clean him up. Job finally done, but I hope I never have to do it again; I was sweating. Caregiver, who lives about 45' away and comes once a week to supervise showering because hb won't let me help, told me if it happens again, to call him and he'd come to do the clean-up job. Nice guy.
Dear Divvi, sorry that you have this to worry about, on top of lack of sleep. It is difficult to watch these complications develop, and you can only do what you can do. Much love and many prayers sent your way for both of you.
Sometimes things happen for reasons to come. Was upset when PJ's co cancelled health ins for retirees and went to "contribution" and us to find own coverage. Good thing turned out to be - back to dermatologist we couldn't use for last 2 years. For ever so long, PJ's one wish has been to walk Scottie and unable to walk himself. Have had many specialists, vein surgery 2 yrs ago, and recently 2 docs saying Exercise and Diet. Went in Jan 25 for derm to look at skin growths on his legs which were so swollen that shoes wouldn't fit. He immediately said Elephanitis which is later stage of Lymphedema. Took 10 days to locate and get initial appointment. Therapist (only one in County) says she can guarantee help and that he'll walk again.
Of course blog yesterday helped with Neuro suggestion this week to change to Aricept 23. By the way he says not the same as 2 Aricept 10s. But no mention of the one possible problem that would not work with therapy starting in March. So --- Also therapy will increase incont problem as fluid is pushed from legs through lymph glands and eventually OUT. So today read all your comments about Flomax. Better get a 2nd mop too.
Treatment initially will be 2 hrs/5 days/week for at least 4 weeks. AZ means takes 2 hrs to get out the door. Only appt available is 1 pm. Means I can't work for entire month except by phone and email. Did call today to locate house cleaning help. Wish somebody would grocery shop and put everything away (maybe do dishes, guess paper plates may get used). Daily schedule for this will run about 5 hrs. Lots of McDonald's.
Same day as PJ diagnosis, Scottie had major knee surgery. Thank goodness he defied the odds and didn't need phy therapy that had been prescribed.
Will let you all know if we really get this ray of sunshine in our lives. It would help as long as he doesn't become a wanderer.
Just landed on site - Mom is happier at new Alzheimer's unit in Assisted Living than in regular assisted living. She is almost 93 and we moved her the end of January. Now to L., my spouse. He's been on Aricept & Namenda 18 months but I guess I would say he's at stage 2 or so. Time, place, money, visual direction & planning are poor. We just went away for a few days. I let him drive some. I must have said keep going straight (for the next 90 miles) at least once every 5 minutes. Every neuro test is fine except the performance ones. I am considering a full work-up somewhere, maybe Emory. Weirdest new symptom has to do with questioning sounds. I have a lot of reading on this site to do. Really related to all the 3rd or 4th post at the beginning of the blog about having to do it all and always being the one in the wrong. We did talk some this weekend. When he had cancer, it was easier to blame the disease and get to complain about what's happening. Now, blaming the disease seems personal for him & me, so I can't complain without guilt. Funny thing though, I was never a big complain-er. Now, though...
we;come right=here--dear. me too cute name but we all get the message. :) lots of info here and since you are early in the disease you will benefit from those ahead of you and their info. glad you found the forum, lots of new friends who care. divvi
Welcome, right-here-dear; good sense of humor will take you far--ya gotta have it to survive. Anyway, you've come to a place of info, encouragement, and caring. Helpful to follow threads as my hb and I move along the interstate of dementia farther from "home." You'll find info and answers to whatever's happening.
For those that go on Facebook - a woman named Susie Reeves Orengo husband passed on. She has come here I think a few times. If I remember right she has teenagers at home. She is part of the Alzheimer's spouse group on FB.
I got a workamping job up in Eastern Washington so when weather permits we will head north - probably later part of next week. I will be working 18 hours a week for our spot, we will be a 4 hours drive to the grandkids and hb can get his doctor appointments taken care of later this summer. The job goes through October and if I can pinch pennies we can come back south for the winter.
Good for you, Charlotte. SOunds like quite a drive. Warm welcome to right-here-dear. (We need a short version of that!) You have come to the best possible place.
Did some yard work today. We've got several thousand snowdrops in clumps all over the place (we are famous for it in this village) and the crocusses are starting to bloom but are hardly visible beneath the winter debris. It was a lovely day, just a bit brisk and I got a good start on it while dh was at day care. Then when he got home I still had to do some grocery shopping, had to take him along. I avoid this if possible because he has become quite insistent about buying baked goods (he has diabetes) and sometimes actually REMEMBERS when he gets home. But this time I was successful in steering him around that corner by asking him to get the bread. Which he actually did. He was in bed and asleep by 7:30. Long evenings. I watch a movie almost every night, either something I've recorded from tv or a dvd.
I checked an ALF out today and got the grand tour. They have 3 apartments in the ALF side and the one I think would suit my DH would be $109.00 per day. All apartments and rooms are private. I know DH isn't ready but decided to check the place while I was in the area. I got a folder with information in and showed it to DH. I thought he would be upset that I checked but he wasn't! He knows he isn't ready yet but is willing to go check the place for himself. When/if he wants to see it for himself I will check on a waiting list and if you stay at the top if they call and you refuse placement at that time. I'll wait a while and then try and get him to go while he is still "with it". Even the room on the other side of the facility are private. That is for the people who need more care so if my DH does go I think it would be quite a while before he would go to that section. I did notice over there they have key pads on all the doors leading to the outside. DH thinks he wouldn't need to go to an ALF for at least another year and I am inclined to agree...but who knows what will happen.
Today I faced a new problem. Last night, for reasons that are not clear, my right shoulder became very painful. Since I had it replaced 4 years ago I was afraid it might have something to do with the prosthesis. I managed to get an appointment with the doctor who did the surgery. Fortunately, I had already arranged for a woman to sit with my wife while I went out to a meeting, so she took over while I went to the doctor. He decided it was probably a pulled muscle, but I don't know when I would have done it. Anyway, I now have my arm in a sling and am taking potent pain medicines. Margo (my "Andrew") stayed through dinner to help me with that and then help put DW to bed. She (Margo) will return tomorrow morning to help me get her up and take her to day care. In 2 weeks all three of our kids will be here for the weekend (they live in MA, IL, and NM. We are in ME) to plan what to do with DW if for any reason I become incapacitated. I should have waited 2 weeks to get this problem.
Marsh, I thought your place was a continuing care facility...with you in Independent Living now..but Assisted Living/Nursing/etc. being available at the same facility should the need arise. That seems like it would be the perfect arrangement. Take care of yourself. This is Heart Month..and one of the Heart Symptoms is pain in the jaw sometime radiating down to the shoulder.... odd - but factual. Doctors tend to not take good care of their OWN health for some 'silly' reason...and you've got a lot of living to do.....
Nancy, I did get help from the nurse in arranging transportation for me and being sure I had care for my wife. There is no space available now in Assisted Living. Also, it is cheaper for me to hire Margo for the few hours I need her. She has gone home now (9:00 PM) and will return to help me get DW up in the morning. Fortunately, she stays in bed all night. I am trying to take care of my own health.
But you are saying your facility DOES have all of the levels of care, right? Perhaps there will be an opening when the time comes. I think it is MARVELOUS that you found Margo..and she can ease much of the pressure you feel having to be there all the time for your wife. You are one of the rare ones that does all of this work himself.. I will be the first to tell everyone that it is much harder for the man to be a caregiver. Phranque has shared so many of his challenges with us, too. Kudos!
Heart month..and we got bad news. Not about me or hubby but his cat, Cookie. We knew she had a heart murmur based on the vet reports from VA. What we didn't know is how bad it really is. Last Thursday I took her in for her checkup and to see about having her teeth cleaned. Sure enough she has a heart murmur...a 3+ with the worst being a 6. Not all heart murmurs are deadly. So we went ahead and she got her teeth cleaned and they kept her over night just to be on the safe side. She came home on Friday and seemed ok about things..not happy with ME..but she was eating and drinking..but by Sunday she was off base and on Monday about 10:30 pm I was about to call it a day and took her to her kitty box..she didn't need it..she got out, took a few steps to the kitchen and then just flopped down and sounded one meow. I didn't like what I was seeing so I scooped her up and rushed her to our Pet ER just 5 min away. They checked her out and did 2 films and it turned out she has cardiomyopathy. The next day she spent at the vet clinic and a specialist did an echo on her and as worse luck would have it she has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with an " extremely guarded" prognosis. She has 4 meds to take and pilling her is really hard..she becomes fractious and that stress is not good for her either. Since she started her meds all she does is sleep..I am upset that we even cleaned her teeth.. I suppose this turn of events would happen at some point but out of the blue when she was in such a happy state last Thursday and then a week later is not the same girl..if you have been on FB you have seen her pictures..She is a tux cat and sweet as they come..but tonight she gave her "daddy" a superficial tooth mark..drew a little blood so got him all cleaned up..and everyone's shots are up to date..
Just what we need,, DH with cardiac problems and a kitty too..
I have cardiomyopathy, Mimi, and I always take antibiotics before I have my teeth cleaned. OMG, I need to be sure to floss more than I do. There is something about dental work that frequently causes blood infections, I think..is that true? Your poor little kitty. What has the vet that cleaned her teeth said? Have you callled him??? I am such a pet lover, I just feel so sad for her AND for you. Nancy B*