Lot's of people know that Thursday is named for Thor's Day and Wednesday is named for Woden's Day. That's right, you speak Norse. Who knew? And Monday is Moon Day and Sunday is obvious. Also July and August which just ended are named after Julius (Ceasar) and Augustus (Ceasar) (not related). You've got to love how the English language borrows from everywhere.
The important thing about September is that I was born in it. And even though I'll only be 9 years away from 70 (shiver), I've still got miles to go before I'm done. Look, people that are 80 or 180 or whatever have already had their time. I'm legally entitled to a full lifespan here and I notice there isn't that much quality control going on. There isn't even a complaint department. Where's the customer service?
I don't mean WalMart type customer service. "Thank you for shopping at WalMart. I hate my life."
I mean glossy brochures that explain everything. Like what to do when poop is flying around horizontally. Or as one of the spellbinding topics here contemplates - BM is too soft or too hard, when is it just right? Or as someone said, don't eat a banana while reading that.
Last month we not only lost the little sleeping ceramic mouse my wife bought in Barcelona - she used the jagged edge to carve hyroglifics in the rosewood cabinet. We also lost the toilet and my favorite pyrex pot. There are lipstick markings on the gucci handbag that won't come out so I let her play with it. Most expensive thing she bought in her life. Gucci would weep.
Whatever. It's September. The rugrats are back in prison, the teachers are back at work, and Ghaddafi is in Nigeria hawking his jet to pay for a bit of quiet real estate. With no basketball this year because who wants to play for 8 million, I suppose it's going to be the Bachmann-Perry-Romney slugfest for entertainment with Palin co-incidentally being wherever the media is. I want to be her. Maybe the politics thing isn't going to work out but rich and famous isn't a bad consolation prize.
Happy September everybody. I'm looking forward to more poop stories. (gag) (strangled asphyxiation sounds trailing off) (rolling of eyes)
Thanks for "starting" September's roll call w/a bit of humor, Wolf. Need it after doing a bit of clean up here, but I won't go into detail. HOT in northwest IN. Son-in-law power-cleaned the basement of a future rental house Friday evening (w/a gas-powered washer). Opened all windows in house, but there was no fan or breeze. Ah, you're ahead of me. Carbon monoxide got to him, but he wasn't aware of it until he was outside lying in the grass. Had phone in pocket so called 911. Is fine and taking it easy. Grandson and buddies are planning an air gun war in the woods beside us today. Several friends have offered to stay w/hb an hr or two at a time. Nice, but what if he decides to "spray" the floors while they're here???? That seems to be his "thing" at the moment (hope it only lasts a moment). Oh, sorry that sort of stuff is on another thread. Have a great day.
Wolf-I know it won't make your day-but the MrClean magic sponges may get the lipstick off your wife's Gucci. With so much bad stuff sometimes it is the small things that get you down. Was the sleeping mouse a Lladro?
Spent a very hot afternoon at a chicken roast in honor of my cousin's 64th birthday which would have been today. She died two weeks ago from cancer and forbid a funeral. She donated her body to science and asked only that we have a party to celebrate her life. Her husband had died almost exactly a year ago. Her wonderful children honored her request and a good time was had by all even though we did it through our tears.
Zibby—so glad s-i-l survived his mistake. During the hurricane here last weekend a few people did not.
No Wolf, they don't ask. Or so we assume. Maybe we did and just forgot. Maybe this is like a really hard level in a cosmic video game.
I, meanwhile, am trying to remember the kind of September when life was slow and oh so mellow. Wait, it actually is pretty slow these days. But I'm struggling with mellow.
Jeff, meanwhile, is struggling with everything but luckily he really has no idea that that's the case, so maybe he's the mellow one. I hope he remains mellow when we start with an in-home helper next week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
I would really like a nice big slice of coconut cake about now.
Happy Labor Day Weekend to all. We haven't done anything different on this weekend for years,so status quo here!! Just hoping for a little rain out of TS Lee so I can stop watering the grass. Have been painting the new sunroom and put up the ceiling fans yesterday. Hb loves to be out there and watch the birds and squirrels. So happy we did that. I am now 11 months past my broken leg and it only bothers me in the night,seems strong through out the day. I think hb has forgotten that I fell off a ladder and broke it, he just watches me as I paint and installed the fans. Emily, I'll bake the coconut cake, I have a killer recipe, and anyone that wants a slice is welcome to join us.!!
Happy Labor Day Weekend to all also :) I did bake me a cherry chip cake yesterday, Emily you could come over for that. I love a cherry chip cake with cherry icing. I looked all over town on my birthday back in April for it. Found the cake mix at one store and icing at another. Bought two of each, one for my birthday and the other I made yesterday. I have a day off on Monday and my plans are to not cook and not get out of my pj's all day. Already told DD she can do what she wants, I just am not available to give rides! She reminded me that she can start driving next year :{
I once had a great recipe for a coconut pound cake. I will look for it. I threw out so many good recipes when dh had his heart attack in 2002. Now dh eats what he wants; has forgotten about the heart attack and what he shouldn't eat. Far be it from me to try to enforce a heart-smart diet when he doesn't eat meat (developed an aversion to meat in the last two years). Only way to get meat into him is to take him to Arby's or McDonald's which I do. At this stage of the game, his happiness means a lot to me.
Happy Labor Day Weekend. Having dinner at my parents' today and made a chocolate eclair cake and mini cheesecakes. The weather has really cooled off so it won't be bad being outside.
Happy September to everyone. Here is Louisiana we are dealing with the remnants of Lee. Not nearly as bad as the effects of Alz. Today it is not raining but cloudy and cooler. Getting a hint of fall and it feels good...... I hope this month is mellow for all of us and we get a breath of fresh air before the next round. Prayers for all of us for strength and peace....
Missed all the action in the US..been in and am still in Iceland for two more days..dread coming home for lots of reasons..miss the hubby and the house and the cats but not the crap going on in the nation as a whole..the peace and calm and warmth of the people are better than any Calgon moment!
Nothing exciting in PA. A little rain but not as much as predicted but it has cooled off after the 90+ temps we've had the last couple days. To be 64 tomorrow. I will enjoy that more than sun and a picnic.
78 here in KY at 7:30 p.m. Rest of the week in the 50's - 60's range! Whoopee! Tomorrow will make a big batch of chili to freeze. DH loves to chop onions and peppers. And, even better, it's supposed to rain for the 3-4 days! Hopefully, my brown lawn will turn green.
In the 90s here. Son called hb yesterday to tell him he was leaving today for Florida. Someone as promised him a job doing some kind of camera work for a show on the Outdoor Channel. He has no experience so have no idea why they offered him the job - they paid his plane fare there. Cameraman work is hard physically from what a former employer who was a cameraman on Monk and other shows. Son would not call me as I am the one that called him a deadbeat dad and would not give him money for his truck payments. Now maybe he can start paying his child support!
Trying a new wine today - Sweet Merlot. I like it so far and think of the few I have tried, it is the best.
Today my wife surprised me. Usually she stays in bed until an aide comes to get her up, and then protests. This morning, when I got back from my shower, and was still only in my underwear, she decided to get up. This meant I took her to the bathroom, changed her depends, and got her dressed, all before I could get dressed. I had to call down to Assisted Living to tell them I didn't need the aide this morning. One good part of all this was that she had not wet the bed, so I didn't have to do laundry or change sheets. Every day seems to be different.
The weather is pretty nice here in Northern Illinois. Had a really nice Labor Day weekend. Went to a parade with my daughter and grandchildren and the had a lovely birthday dinner at her house. The rest of the week I had lots of phone calls and texts, wishing me a Happy Birthday. On my day, another of my children brought her son and a beautiful birthday cake. We had cake before dinner that day! So, September is starting out very well. Husband is doing well, I have some kind of virus today, but, all in all, everything is good ---- at least for a while.
How many of you text? Especially the older ones. I wasn't sure about the texting, but now I love it. I get instant communication with the grandchildren, especially the older ones. So, now we can keep in contact, even if it's only a few words at a time.
I text all the time now. I have spoken, through texts, with my daughter more now that at any time in the past. It seems the kids will answer texts way faster than a phone call.
I've become a textaholic. Started texting my daughter a couple of months ago -- seems to be the best way to keep in touch with my kids, especially when DH does something interesting. This morning since we had run out of jelly for his morning raisin bread toast he decided to use ketchup on it. What's really interesting is that he hates ketchup! Had to text all four kids about that one -- didn't know whether it was a LOL or sad -- probably a little of both!
I love texting, easier to reach the kids that way.
And the other day DH put ketchup on his baked sweet potato. DD started to say something, and I gave her a look to stop. If DH enjoys it that way it's fine. Like you, funny in a way, but fine. I do think DH is losing his ability to taste. He now says every meal I make is the best :)
You're lucky that your DH says that every meal you make is the best. If I ask my DH how he liked the meal he shrugs his shoulders and says, "Well, it's not a schnitzel." I can't win! And talk about "caregiver dementia" -- this morning I realized I had Nutella spread in our pantry that he could have used on his toast yesterday. Some days I think my memory circuits are blocked too!
I am surprised at the number of younger people who are in shock that I text! It's like everyone over 65 can't do it! If I want to get my son texting is the only way. Usually get a quick response.
DH is losing ground....and weight. He doesn't seem to know what to do with food. He'll ask me what he should do with it. I will tell him to put it in his mouth which sometimes works but more than not he just plays in it. He is so thin his shoulder blades stick out like a starving animal. He is also so confused and talks about whether the food is for the "females" or "nurses" etc...... Not making any sense at all.
My DH is not eating very well anymore-sometimes I have to feed him in order to get him to eat.I know he must be hungry because he does not snack,but he nevers asks for food or drink-I just keep fluids close to him all the time as I am afraid he will dehydrate. He says the food all tastes the same.
Bak...This has to be part of the disease. Maybe taste buds are controlled by the brain. The only taste buds my dh has are for sweets. He will only eat hamburgers at McDonalds and roast beef at Arby's. He used to eat a variety of meat before but now he barely touches it. He is anemic, won't take his iron meds and he isn't bad enough where I can disguise them in food. I have visions of his being in the hospital connected to tubes receiving blood. I feel so helpless when I can't at least keep him physically healthy.
I know what you mean about feeling helpless Shirley,I try to see that dh eats and drinks and goes to the bathroom like he should to keep him in resonabily good health,but it is so exhausting to keep up with everything.
I am seeing more sad changes too these days and I don't think it is the moon..Since I got back from Iceland, I see his walking suffers more, is balance is worse and doctors want him to keep moving as much as he can to keep circulation going. His memory is a shorter loop now too. What he used to recall for 10 minutes is now a 5 minute loop. His eating is iffy, sometimes he will eat quite a lot other times no.When he watches TV he seems interested in the program but I don't think he really keeps track of what is going on with the plot...so empty anymore...I am not shocked anymore by much of it..just feel another kick in the gut.
I don't text - have it blocked on our phones. It cost extra with the plan we are on and our phones are just phones so trying to text is really hard.
My husband likes old programs that he has seen over and over, Criminal Minds, and game shows.
Today was in the 90s again - hot but will be sad to see it go. That will mean the season is coming to an end and we will be heading west to rain country for the winter. We both would much more like to be heading to Arizona but finances prevent it. It will be sad to leave but knowing we will be back her April 1, 2012 helps.
My DH is eating like he should, but still losing weight. He seems to be smaller and smaller every week. This has been going on for at least 3 years. I guess it could fall under failure to thrive. I try my best to keep him happy and all in all he seems to be. The other thing, I have to test his blood sugar twice a day three times a week and now it seems so hard to get any blood out. I don't know what to do.
Thanks bluedaze I will give that a try. My poor, poor DH just lets me stick him and smash his finger to get the blood out and has never fussed once about it.
Blue - FD still takes his own blood sugar and he has so much trouble getting blood because his hands are always ice cold. He does run warm water over them and that will help. When the nurse takes it she sticks on the side of his finger tip and gets blood more easily. The callouses aren't so tough there. FD refuses to do that but I think it works better than what he does.
My dear husband is now 58. He did so well through the BD holiday that I couldn't believe it. Even a small birthday dinner with a sibling went really well. We are not even having problems with the full moon this month. I always enjoy the good times and this September is treating me good. I just make sure that I don't get used to it.
Tomorrow is my hb's 64th birthday. Seems unreal that he will be that old - 63 didn't seem so old but 64 sounds older. He says it is just another day - no big deal. I may go out to lunch before I go to work - somewhere other than fast food. Unfortunately his SSDI does not come until the 3rd Wed. of the month which in this case is next week. I hate it cause one month it is 4 weeks, the next 5 weeks and repeats that pattern. Wish it was the 1st of the month - period.
The last of everything that they loved is hard.......yesterday was Hubby's 62nd birthday. I brought him to one of his favorite places in his life......Manteo, NC So many wonderful memories for him. But last night putting him to bed saw the nightmare his night could be, not finding bathroom and if he does find it peeing in the toilet not the floor or himself. The only time I really can't help him :( I am such a sound sleeper (a blessing and a curse) So now I have awakened early wondering what his night has been and what mood his day will hold......and realizing that his ability to travel is now over, this is the first time since last January I have taken him away, huge change since then. I quess when you stay on home turf you forget how everything is unknown to them. I think it must be like living in a foreign city and you don't know the language and your lost......a nightmare for us and it's their life :(
That's ok. Maybe some parts of his favorite places did sink in. Look at the love you are offering him by taking him there and realize that he probably isn't being hurt by seeing what he is missing - you are. But you try for him anyways.
In fact read through the last dozen or two posts here. The love and support and help leave no doubt about what people can be and what they can't be.
It is painful for me to watch. Because I know enough about people to know that if this topic were printed in a newspaper explaining these are Alzheimer's spouses speaking to each other - it would bring tears to many eyes because the humanity of giving is so overflowing in it.
And yet, even though we are creating this humanity by talking to each other as we go through this experience, humans are so incapable of giving that to themselves.
The readers of this topic in those newspapers would see immediately that everyone here is full of love. It's unfortunate that the suffering blocks that feeling for ourselves so much.
That the giver of so much love feels none for themselves is not logical. It is however very human.
I don't do it pretty. Yah, style points are 10%. I do it out of duty. Yah, duty is love of honor. I never even liked him that much. Yah, that's bonus points. I hate doing this. Yah, that's double points for doing it even though you hate it.
I can't give myself any of the sacrifice, help, love, support, or endurance I gave my spouse. Ahhhh.
Today is one of THOSE days. DH has been having trouble walking this last week. He'll be fine one minute and then just start stumbling. Was able to get him a walker but the weakness continues and while I was shaving him this morning his knees just buckled and he ended up in a heap on the floor. It makes me worried about taking him out even with the walker. He's also been babbling all do. Nothing has made sense and he is crabby. Don't know what all this is leader to.............
Thank you Wolf, your words always give me comfort and strength ......Thank you. So last night in this ever changing disease, evident by phil4:13 rough day, my hubby in a quiet moment yesterday turns to me and say's ....."you know I am getting worse fast" And I calmly said you can only get worse but your holding your own right now. "no I am getting worse faster than before" don't know where this brief moment of clarity came from, my heart sunk, my eyes filled up and I took a deep breath and said I will love you to my last breath and protect you with all my being......I've never painted a picture but what was real to him, won't insult him that way, plenty of time for that later. I thought of your words Wolf and Franks and many others loving care of their spouses from this and other posts. This disease and exhaustion is our enemy.....can't fight the disease it will win this battle but exhaustion is the one I need control and beat and somedays I will and some I won't, I think because this disease changes the rules daily the exhaustion battle is relentless
Terry, my husband has said the same thing to me many times. It is the saddest thing I have faced - for him to KNOW he is getting worse. I wish he DIDN'T KNOW. God help us all on this terrible trip!