So glad Feb. was a short month. I know they are calling for a big snow storm here in PA in a few days,but hoping this month will be better for all of you.I will try to look at the good things and look forward to Spring and seeing green grass again.For once it will be nice to have to mow and sneeze my head off.Happy Spring to all!
SO it's March.....big deal! Right now the temperature here in Southern Maryland is 65 degrees........& by this time tomorrow we are supposed to have between 5-8 inches of SNOW. WINTER GO AWAY!!!! SO in a little while I'm going to the Veterans Home to see my Sweetie & feed him dinner, because I'm sure that I won't be going tomorrow & probably not Tuesday either. Tomorrow it's supposed to snow through the afternoon & Tuesday it's supposed to be cold & cloudy so no sun to melt the snow. Yes........ I have the staples of life....... milk, bread & toilet paper. I have to laugh when snow is predicted here. People run to the store & stock up like they are going to be stuck in the house for weeks. I'll check in tomorrow & give you an update.
We are having the cold now then are sending it east!! Right now it is 26 degrees with freezing rain. Tomorrow is forecast high of 54. Will try to send that warmer weather east too!!
Hb continues to have problems with finding words. I am getting good at the 'word' game to fill in what he is trying to say. Problem is, I am having the same problem but he can't fill it in !!!! Also having more problems figuring out the remote. He does love that with no football there is lots of hockey to watch.
This week I hope to stop procrastinating and go to talk to the VA. I need to find out the wait time here for a PCP and neurology. If it is too long, I may have to pack up and move back to the Portland area. Since he is showing more signs of loosing ground, I need to have someone closer than a 6 hour drive away.
It came in like an angry lion here in CA with the storms. We badly need rain but not the winds..Things calming down now...We do need much more rain though.
Still in the low single digits here in Minneapolis. Meteorologist said that the frost is 73" deep. If it doesn't hurry up and thaw out, it's going to be winter again. Sheesh, I just hate winter.
I cannot believe what the weather is doing. It was 80 degrees in South Georgia yesterday!! The azaleas are trying to bloom and some of the smaller snakes have crawled out of hibernation (yunk). Of course it will turn cold again and then the plants and peach trees will suffer. What a crazy ride this winter has been.
In the past hb always seemed to be able to remember where we parked. Learned today I can't let hb take stuff to the car at Costco. He usually takes the stuff out while I get our hot dogs. Today was the second time he could not find the car - first time I was able to tell him where it was, today he was too confused and had him come back in to eat. Another loss :-(
I took a moment and ran a search looking back at the comments I posted between March '13 to March '14 It was truly a mind boggling experience. Posts ranged from the depths of this disease we caregivers experience, life at the end stage, to the death of a the love of your life, to grieving, to starting life anew all in one year. Reviewing how life has evolved this past year reawakened memories of so many moments that when re- read the posts I started with tears in my eyes and ended with feelings of joy. Tomorrow is my birthday. The special lady in my life just keeps saying we're going to enjoy a very special day. She's got the whole day planned out. It's been so long since I been able to think in terms of someone caring about my happiness, it's a bit overwhelming I hope March ' 14 continues to be a positive whole new world. BTW I've been volunteering with Hospice and they discovered that my having patient contact was a violation of their one year rule. I met with two of their Psy staff and after a 1.5 hr interview they waived their one year waiting period. If fact, they want me to assume a training leadership role.. My advanced training program for Volunteers starts next week. This year truly defines the roller coaster or peaks and valleys
I am beginning to see an analogy between this winter, and the life of a dementia caregiver. That is not to say that the weather has a direct affect on our LO's, although it may, I simply mean that weather, like dementia, has highs, lows, stormy periods and days of calm and sunshine.
After a brief period of above freezing temperatures and sunshine, We are headed for below O F temperatures tonight (definitely below normal). After a period in respite (so that I could deal with some health issues of my own), my DH is home, and seems farther down the dementia road than ever before.
I shouldn't complain, we live in a warm house, we haven't run out of firewood, as have so many others, and our neighbors make sure that our driveway is plowed. I shouldn't complain, my DH is usually pretty complacent, and doesn't lash out at me when I try to help him.
I am tired of this winter, will it never end? I am tired of dealing with dementia, will it never end?
bqd, I am so with you. I am tired of living with AD. I can't complain about weather living in Georgia. I think if it were any season I would be ready for the next one. Hoping there would be a change, I don't know what kind of change. Right now I am thinking if running far away again. If course I would never do it. Just a thought that crosses my mind, what if. Anyway, not feeling good about March.
The 26th I go in for minor procedure, day surgery, which has brought me to the point that I need to stop procrastinating and get paperwork done. I already have the DPOA's done. Mine I gave to my sister, but the one for my husband I need to get to my former DIL who has agreed if anything should happen to me, she would take responsibility. Plan on taking up to her this weekend. Also, need to get living wills done - which are not hard, just need to get done. I also need to write up instructions and info that would be needed like bills, credit cards, etc that may have balances to deal with. Only have one more year on my hd's life insurance then the cost goes up to an amount I can't afford (it is a term life).
Basically this upcoming procedure is making me realize I need to get paperwork in order.
Today is another beautiful sunny day. I am sorry for those still getting snow storms from the rain we had a few days ago. Will try to get this nice weather to go your way!
I LOVE March! It is the beginning of Spring, my favorite season. The sign, after a long and tough winter, that new life springs up. Everything is more colorful and lush! More light in the evening hours just makes me feel more alive and energetic! And, 57 yrs ago today, my parents were blessed with one of their finer works....ME! I had an idelic family with strong Christian values and was very blessed to be placed in their loving arms and care! I honestly don't think I would be able to sustain this AD battle w/o the assurance of better things to come. The JOY of my salvation is what sustains me! Happy Spring everyone!
Happy Birthday Aunt B. I too love Spring and the renewal of life lain dormant all winter. However, I think Spring will be late this year, if at all, in the Northeast.
Marty--the Alzheimer's Association also has a one-year rule in terms of facilitating a support group. However, about 3 or 4 years ago, they waived it and asked me to assume that role. I guess both of our experiences show that the rules aren't concrete and anyone who wants to get involved in dementia-related community service probably can at any point. It helped me accept Steve's illness while he was still alive and I hope to continue in the future for as long as I can.
Yesterday we noticed a flood back by our water bay. I was searching everywhere to find where it was leaking. Was not the hose so feared it was a pipe somewhere inside the motorhome but could not see any water leaking out anywhere. Art noticed water bubbling up out of the ground just behind our back tires. A pipe under our motorhome broke so we had to move it about 10 feet forward so they could fix. Never saw a pipe buried so deep - must have been 4 feet down. Of course this cause a lot of stress having to pack things up enough to move it. Their two hour job took 5 hours. After an hour of baling water I told water I told him he needs a sump pump. After almost three hours he finally got one - went a lot faster then. Went out to dinner at Taco Bell at 6 - they forgot our order so when it came the manager gave us a refund. Loved that!
We got backed up and most of outside done by dark - guess daylight savings time can have a plus! Today we leveled it up so more but still needs a little more on the drivers side. Will deal with that later. Of course this morning he had no memory of yesterday - thought things were as they were because we took it in to get some work done on it.
At least the weather was warm (until the sun went down) which was better than if it was winter. It was the third break they have had this week. The park is 10 years old and that is about when pipes start breaking!
Charlotte, your posts are always so interesting. How else would I know what it's like to live in a motor home? Find myself thinking of you often, wondering what new challenge you're facing. You're certainly very capable!
The thing is if I'm out there bopping around already why do I need a license to have "feelings". Aren't they just a state like any other 'label'. Yes they are Virginia.
Meantime the band is playing "Flying Down To Rio" while the old B&W talkie 'Road to Rio" is playing on the tube. I worry about Rio. My goodness what are they doing over there? Don't they have any feelings? Nope.
Bob, Bing, and LaMour, Road to Rio, 1947 B&W
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH86_MvAYc0
(My mother cheated at Solitaire. I asked her about it and she explained she felt better when she put the game up. I'm ok with that but is moving the cards around for the exercise? She didn't know what I meant.
What I mean is the thing is as empty as our experience of it. I learned early though that if people can cling to the form of a thing even though they know full well it isn't the thing, they can be satisfied by the surface appearance of the thing without actually having the thing at all.
When we're up against the fridge with someone we like and we hear something fall over in the fridge what we do next tells us which group we are in. Oh yes it does. Because passion is never ruled by order and order is never ruled by passion. You are one or you are the other and the 'tells' are everywhere on everyone for all to see. The mistake the huckster makes is that you can easily fool most of the people most of the time if you do it occasionally. But keep doing it and sooner or later someone is going to see through you like a window.
I paid for this level of reality with blood, sweat, and tears and I'm not trading that in for cardboard. On the other hand I'm fine with mom having her fun too including feeling good about winning at solitaire.)
Wolf, I can't believe you took your tree down! Does the room seem weird? This year we had our first fake tree ever, none of the kids were able to be here before Christmas and the ritual of hunting the tree, cutting it and drinking hot chocolate in the woods isn't much fun alone. So I bought a little fake one, then left it up for 3 months, the sparkly lights are nice during the dark winter months!
Charlotte your Costco story sure rings a bell, dh used to always get lost in malls and wouldn't leave his phone on. Due to my dh's difficulty walking he doesn't shop with me anymore. Every time he tries to watch a movie the remote controls totally baffle him, if he leaves it on tv he is ok (unless he pushes something by mistake.)
Just got back from one week in Florida (Palmetto) visiting our daughter and s-i-l. It was a great trip, and very busy with activities. Fortunately, my wife did well while I was gone and seemed happy to have me back. I live just upstairs from her LTC (in an independent living apartment). Temperature when I left FL was 72 and reversed when I got back to Maine - 27!!!!
Marsh - good to hear from you and that you had a good visit.
Finally took the step to cut expenses by signing up with Consumer Cellular. Will be about 25 less a month plus will have texting which we don't now. Won't use it much but my DIL keeps complaining cause I don't.
Charlotte - you seem like a very tech-y person to me. I bet you pick up texting in no time. Once your DIL starts sending you messages, you will want to reply and teach yourself to do it. Onward and upward. Wouldn't we be isolated messes without all of these ways to stay connected!
This makes me laugh because I have texting turned off on all of the families phones. We have Verizon's cheapest plan, restricted to customers who threaten to leave Verizon. No free texting and the only texts I ever got were from telemarketers (yes, it was illegal but that doesn't stop them). So people don't understand when I explain that getting an iPhone would cost me over $1,000/year in higher cell phone charges.
But I might have to give in on texting because I am finding more services, many of them security related, assume that you text with your phone.
This makes me laugh for a totally different reason. We cannot get cell phone service at our house, although I do have a cell phone (pay as you go) and use it for telephone calls, texting and as a time piece when I am away from home. Our son lets all his telephone calls go to voice mail. So, if I am home and need to contact him, I have to call our daughter and tell her to text him for me!
Charlotte, texting is not difficult - I don't have a smart phone, so it takes me a little longer to text than it otherwise might.
And on another topic, its snowing tonight, AGAIN! I am really beginning to hate this winter!
Charlotte, I have texting and that is how I know I will get a response from my daughters. My sisters to for that matter. I have gotten where I prefer to text. If I just need to ask them a questions or tell them to have a nice day. It is really easy once you get use to it. That way I know I will not be on the phone for long. We do call each other too. But usually I can count on being on the phone for quite some time with my sisters.
I am leaving to go to DC today for the weekend. Text messages are good for this type of event. My daughter can text me without her dad knowing she is telling me how it is going. Our oldest daughter is coming to stay with her dad. She has a 4 month old, so I hope she has the energy for him and her dad. But, I have lots of family close so she can call if she needs them. I am going to see our other daughter in DC. I am really excited about getting away for a few days.
I have the nurse from LTC come and evaluate my DH on Wednesday, when I get back. I am going to start someone in the house a couple of days a week. I want him to get use to someone else being around. I just hope that it goes well. I am going to tell him that she is here to do an evaluation to keep his Long Term Disability payments coming. I am not telling him anything until she is here.
My son usually has his cell turned off. I have to remind him to turn it on if he goes out. When away I usually send him a message from iPad or iMac and he picks it up on his iPod Touch. He has never texted with his cell.
I have looked into switching carriers but I have to be sure to have unlimited calls between family members with all of the calls L makes. Otherwise we never use more than 1/2 of our monthly minutes. Pay as you go would not work at all for us as long as L can use a cell.
Paul,there are ones that have unl i unlimited for $45 a month. I would get one of them but hb will still carry and use a phone so I can keep in contact.
With children three time zones away, a simple text of "are you still up?" is a welcome precedent to a phone call that might wake me up. And texting is a godsend for the hard of hearing and deaf - it is literally an open life line. I don't have cable TV but I gladly pay for the ability to text. I am thankful everyday for the amazing technology of hearing aids, smart phones and computers. It is hard to imagine what the isolation would be like without them.
My base pay is $45 month plus $10 per phone. I replaced L's phone recently so I am stuck for a year or two. I think once my son goes to college I will have to bite the bullet and get a smart phone. But I might also have no money then.
yes,, money wise I could only afford the flip phones which are fine. I only want one with a camera so like people have suggested here to get a recent pic of him in case he gets lost or something. So texting will not be that easy. Once he no longer can use the phone I will probably go to a more high tech phone which will be about the same price monthly
Beautiful sunny day - not as warm as it has been. When I think about complaining I think of all you that have had a horrible winter and many still are (like Susan up in Maine).
I love txting and keep in touch w children daily w pics also BUT dh and phones is another story... He first had a flip phone but broke it in his recliner, then I gave him my old side flip phone with a nice keyboard and he could actually txt back to people but couldn't figure out how to initiate contact, somehow he broke that one in half. So my daughter sent him her old side slide phone which was similar to side flip and.... He washed it. I was at book club and asked if anyone had an old phone I could buy so one of them dug out an old flip and gave it to me. It will only stay charged if it is plugged in and so old it doesn't even have a pic in our account but he can answer txts and talk to kids. Ahhh he does good with it but sometimes he turns it off and calls me in to fix it...at least it is tethered to wall by his chair.
Oh also my last question to ask.com was how do I get superglue off a wood table without ruining the finish....you don't even want to know.... Just another thing to hide in basement!
Unfortunately not with superglue since it bonds into the polyurethane... He also did this to a laminate counter and I read him the riot act but of course he forgot... I should have moved the glue then but of course I forgot.
Yesterday I had my minor surgery for a uterine polyp. A neighbor lady took me while hb stayed home. Glad he did cause even though I was scheduled for 2, as expected I was late getting in until around 4. I was out of there and home by 6. No pain except a headache when all the drugs they gave me wore off. They said I could have cramping but had none.
Sitting here last night and the light above him goes out. Forgot about it until tonight so tomorrow will have to take it down and see if it is a loose wire - bulbs are good - or the fixture is bad. We will take the one back by the bathroom and put it up front (would have to be the light right over him). Then dig one of the old light fixtures out of somewhere in one of the bays and put it back up in the bathroom area. When we first got the MH we replaced most of the lights down the middle with fluorescent tube type. The type we replaced take bulbs like the ones that go in tail lights.
Then my goal this weekend is to de-clutter the MH. We have things sitting here that we have never gotten to the storage unit we rented last fall.
Charlotte, shouldn't you be trying to take it easy? At least a little? Don't over-do it, even though you feel fine, your body might need a bit of rest and recuperation.
Marsh, on another thread, you wrote that you are going for cataract surgery at the end of the month. I'll be thinking of you and wishing you the very best. You will enjoy your new vision - it is miraculous!