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Hello Sailors,
I've been overwhelmed again with caring for mom but she is all better from her uti and clean and shiny.

I need to take her back to the place today because I am shot. I did it for 4 days and am exhausted because I'm still not recovered from 5.5 years of 24/7. I've only had a few days off when you tally up working all that time in nj and nik hurting his back and me taking care of him for a week+.

whine whine whine. Thanks for letting me gripe.

lovbob
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Dtflex, I know exactly what you mean. I need my days away from my mom too. It doesn't mean I don't love her. We need our breaks!!
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Hi everyone,
Like everyone else on here, today had it's challenges. Once again mom's day sitter couldn't come to work. I ended up at home until 1pm until another sitter could arrive. Needless to say my boss is getting very tired of the situation. I really thought I was going to get canned today. I really need my job on so many levels. I like my work and as sad as it is to say, I like my escape from mom too.

Maxine, I don't know you or your story, but anger is a very normal phase of the grieving process. Grieving is not an overnight process and needs time. Don't beat yourself up for having these emotions.

Giles, sorry you are having such a rough time with grandma. It does seem to go in cycles that you're at a different doctor everyday and then it settles back down. I'll keep you in my prayers.

SS, you are such a kind daughter. I know how tough it is to care for one person far less being responsible for three. I know it is difficult to see our loved ones disappear before our eyes.

Bobbie, you too are a kind daughter. I wish I was more compassionate like you and SS. I get so impatient.

Pam, I love my garden too. It is definitely my therapy. It is so nice to be outside and seeing everything blooming or coming to life. I know in LA you can probably grow year round, but in SC this is our gardening season.

Maybe I'll catch you guys on the boat soon! I hear a margarita on the beach calling me.

Have a good day everyone!
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BTW, I'm registered for the conference in May. Now I just have to make sure there are good people here to take care of Mom. I WILL work it out. I must!!
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I have nothing much new to report. Got a railing for the side of Mom's bed. It's not as wide as I had thought but it will keep her from rolling out of bed and will help her getting up and down if she uses it. We are missing one of her hearing aids and I was hoping it was under the bed but we moved it today and I did not find it. Lord knows where it is. Also, Mom broke her glasses for the second time. She rolls over on them. I have got to keep a sharper eye on them, no pun intended. :) I hope everyone is having a tolerable day. God bless you all.

love,
miz
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Giles, my heart goes out to you. Sending sunshine and prayers your and your grandma's way. Yes, "it's always something," turns into "this too, shall pass." And I know the feeling. I'm always "something-ing" with my folks right now.

Miz, you're so sweet! And a great friend to all. Bless you.

Maxine, (Austin) hang in there, sweetie. I can remember the "I'm being abused" day, which were so heart breaking. You've come a long way. Be gentle with yourself. You're so supportive of everyone else.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

I just left my dad's. He's wearing his second pair of brand new pants, since he outgrew everything. I took him several to choose from two days ago, and two of three fit. Now I know what size to complete his new wardrobe with. It's hard putting pull-ons over his head. And he outgrew all his shirts, too. Got new socks as well. They're giving him foot soaks nightly, and have replaced his dark dyed socks for white ones. I hauled away bag fulls of too-tight clothing, and with all his new ones, he's looking quite spiffy! Loving daughter strikes again. The staff are always thanking me for my involvement. They say it makes them so sad for the family members of those who don't have any visitors. Staff becomes the "family" nurturers. I love those ladies! They really go the extra mile with our loved ones, and are good to us as well. No place is perfect, but they're doing what we cannot.

With three elders to look out for, we are like a one legged man in a snake pit these days. It truly is always something. Eventually, though, it will be something else. So, tired as we are, we just keep plugging, one day at a time. Trying to raise and homeschool is challenging in itself, but trying to advocate for three, plus care for a home 200 miles away is even more so.

Longing for a boat ride and another walk on the beach. Or a long vacation. Would love to visit friends in their respective states. Again, dreaming...
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Giles I know how you feel it always seems to be something I was not very gracious about repeated visits to docs esp when they were a waste of time but he so enjoyed them of course it took all day what with getting him ready and luging the wheelchair around and so on and do so hope things settle down for you.
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giles, you and your grandma are in my thoughts and prayers. And, if I could bottle up some sunshine and send it your way I would be so happy to. :)
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Maxine, it's normal to be bitter and even resentful under those circumstances. It will pass in its own time. In the meantime, don't judge yourself, just acdept it as part of the whole process. Know that someday, you may be able to look back on all of it with a different perspective. Hang in there.

Bobbie, glad to hear you're bringing your mom home for a few days. She's probably happy as a peach about that. You truly do spoil her and that is awesome. She's so lucky!

Pam, if gardening truly is good stress relief...then you ought to be the most stressfree person we know right now! Hope that's the case. If so, I may have to try it myself. Happy gardening. It rained here today too, so mudpies it is!

Miz, glad you're having beautiful weather today. That always helps to lift the mood and spirits. It's very cold and dreary here today and is weighing heavy on me at the moment. But I'm entirely too broke to turn the heat back on at this point. Bottle some of that sunshine and send it my way.

Hope everyone else is hanging in there. Grandma seemed to be doing better cognitively yesterday during my visit at the rehab place, even if maybe a little weaker. This morning they called me and said that her blood counts are down and that she'll be going to the hospital for a tranfusion tomorrow. Gotta go along with her this afternoon to get all of her labwork done. Any thoughts and prayers would be greatly appreciated in the next few days. We just seem to be back into one of those ruts where "it's always something". We went through one of those last fall where we were always at some doc or another for something and then it slowed down. I think I got spoiled in the slow time. Now we're heading back into high gear again, it seems. Eeek! I don't know if I'm ready.......
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Was a gorgeous day here today. I love the Spring. Everything is new. :)
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Maxine, give it some more time. Please don't be too hard on yourself.
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Hi guys Maxine here it is finally spring and have been outside a lot and trying to give my son support and trying not to sound like my own mother and also getting to doc appointments like a normal person now that I am not taking care of the husband-it has been 10 months I wonder how long for me to think of our happy times and not be so pissed at him for his behaivor I really need to forgive him.
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We actually had some snow on our forsythia last week, but it is officially Spring! We attended our first outdoor BBQ April 2. My little guy was out blading and sidewalk surfing on his ripstick today. The shrink wrap is coming off the boats. We've seen some fisherman out & about.

How goes your boat shopping, Bobbie?
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And KelleyBean!!

Yes SS and Pam and Miz

Where's the rest of the crew? Roll Call when you sailors get a minute! Catch us up!

Hope everybody is doing well and making progress.

SS, is it still winter up there and how is your son?

lovbob
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Pam, that's nice of you to do your mom's gardening for her, since she no longer can!

Anybody seen Nutz? Seems as though it's been awhile... and how about PirateGal, and Rep???
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Bobbie glad to hear things are going well with your moms walking pooie on that pt guy, they don't know it all anyway.

DTFlex sorry about your delima, hope things work out.

Miz hope things are OK with you.

SS thx for the line you dropped on the boat.

Where's Maxine?

And hello to everyone else.

I'm working in moms back yard putting up fiberglass redoing one entire side of her gate and gardening. It rained last night so I get a break today but come tomorrow I'll be right back there working.
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Where are you going to post those pics, Bobbie?
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TY SS.

I'm printing out pix of the boat and mom has a giant grin on her face. showed her her room. She thinks that's hilarious, that I call it 'your room' as in ...'and here's your room...' harharhar.
What? har har.

Good to see her laughing.

HI MIZ DEMI!! love you girl.

BOAT!

lovbob
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Bobbie, your mom is so blessed to have you looking out for her best interests. Bravo, daughter!
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Dtflex, I have had the exact same thing happen to me with the agency we use. It's so frustrating and upsetting. It's like you want to be understanding but it's hard. And, it's not like you're going shopping or something. It's for work. Right now I have a very reliable person coming to stay with Mom. It makes everything run so much smooother. I feel your pain, dear.

love,
miz
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SS, that was a beautiful post and I feel you in your appreciation for the CNAs that are so patient. Very sweet.

Dtflex, that sux and hope you can get rid of that awful stress.

I brought mom home with me yesterday to have a few days at home so I can get her back up to speed after the UTI, etc. She was stressed out and I have had enough of a break that I can do it for a few days. she goes back Tues or Wed but in the meantime she's getting lots of water and organic vegetable juice and she's sleeping and drinking good stuff, and peeing, peeing peeing... which is GOOD! Her ankles were swollen and edema is a very big deal with mom because of her heart and we've run so much water and juice through her, her ankles and feet are almost back to normal.

The caregivers at mom's place are also very very sweet and loving and patient and they were the ones to point out that mom's ankles were swollen. We all kept an eye on it over the last few days and i made the decision to take her home Sat night and went to get her Sunday morning. She was pretty happy and had a carrot juice and then right to bed to sleep like a box of rocks. I feel less stressed because I can keep a close eye on her.

I think that the people at the place are pretty cool because they know that it takes a team to take care of someone and the best caregiver, Jill, laughed when she saw mom get out of the wheelchair and get right into my car without any hesitation. Remember, mom is the same woman the idiot PT guy thought couldn't walk. Mom got out of the car in the garage of our building and took her stick and walked all the way to the elevator and then we went upstairs and she walked all the way from the elevator to the apt.... (All the way across the couryard)

Right now she's knocking back a bowl of veggie pasta and I bet she'll sleep again in about an hour. Healing. Good.

Love you guys and check in later.

lovbob
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Dtflex, Hope it resolves for you quickly.
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Hi ladies,

I'm feeling very frustrated today. Rough weekend with mom and then this morning her sitter for the day called to say she couldn't come to work. The agency is trying to find someone so I can get into work, but so far no luck. I know I need to be at work today since I have a group leaving tomorrow yet I need to be home to care for mom. This tug-of-war has me so stressed out. I just needed to vent.

I hope you all have a good day!
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SS, what a beautiful post. Those wonderful CNA's are a God send. That lady that you fed was an angel also, IMO. Nursing homes are so hard to visit. I go there sometimes for my work, but more often to assisted living places. I have a very dear and old friend in a nursing home here. I go and visit her some but not as often as I should. You post has inspired me, dear one. :)
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Miz, I think you won the 1000 prize.

Thanks for your kind words, ladies. I don't think of me as an angel at all. But, I won't discount that my presence there means something. I'm so glad I'm not cold, uncaring and unconcerned. Hardly angel material, but he's my dad. And the God-given human compassion is so strong. It hurts to see our loved ones fail. Wow.

Looking at those pitiful people makes me so sad and depressed for them. I watch people literally decline before my eyes. Dad's been there for about 16 months. I see him, and others decline. It's not a pretty picture. I kind of fear/dread seeing my dad's final days. What a torturous way to go! How sad to lose abilities. I watch those people folding napkins, and throwing things. I watch them cry, wince, get angry, or just give up. It's very moving. I sometimes wonder what it will be like for me (but don't dwell on it). None of them chose to end their days like that. We really aren't in control of how we end our days. We can only control our right now moments. Best to make some good choices. Sorry. Don't mean to sound so morose; or depressing. Looking at Alzheimer's and being in the nursing home can kind of be a downer. Though, it's not all bad. Sometimes we can bring a smile to another.

While sitting with my dad during dinner, two CNAs were very busy feeding three of four at the table. One gal asked me to feed the lady next to me. What an experience. She ate readily and heartily. She kept whispering, "I love you." I sang Amazing Grace to her, because I know it's her favorite song. As I was walking my dad back to his room, after a declined offer to cut his hair, she caught me by the arm. She said, "I love you. What's your name?" O, my. I can't articulate how that felt. My heart cries to see these poor, pitiful, dying people. I mean, they are alive, but in various stages of fading. Death is literally at the door for some. You can see it in their faces. Not a pretty picture. And I watch the kindness of the CNAs, and their patience, and am awed and humbled. Not all, but some, are truly ministering angels. These people are needy and broken. They need love and tenderness and compassion. Sorry for the ramble tonight. Just filled with emotion.

Mom's a whole other strain of thought. It struck me that these same CNAs may be ministering to my mom some day, and that is a quite the idea. I can't go much further with that tonight.
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LOL bobbie. You're so funny!! :)
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ow SS. hard. good thing that you're there for him. Angel Award.

Today I took mom a variety of colorful cloth table napkins to fiddle with. She wants to pick at and fold tissues so I thought what about some pretty cloth napkins. Just the right size and she got right into them. Just kept arranging and straightening them. I got a speech therapist to go see her and she recommended some things and then I went to the Alzstore online and got a baby doll and a lap activity doohickey.
lap activity.
man, if we weren't on the Caregivers site that would be a whole different way to go....

They have some fine looking baby dolls and I got the one that looked like it was about to laugh.
Hope they're not creepy looking.
Hey mom! Meet Chucky!

You guys are amazing and BOAT!

lovbob
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I'm sorry about your dad, SS. That must be so difficult to deal with. I think about my dad and I just can't imagine. You're a good daughter. :)
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Hello Bobbie, Miz, et al. Hope everyone has had a good weekend.

I just got back from visiting my dad at the nursing home. He refused a haircut from the barber the last two times, so my hubby brought up my grooming tools for me to do it. Dad wouldn't have anything to do with that. Fortunately he gets up to eat, but then goes right back down to bed. He spends a lot of time napping. But they say he's up more than he used to be. I love it that I asked for his Ativan to be decreased. He seems much more alert on wake times, and less groggy. Thank God for the opportunity to be his advocate! He's not communicating much anymore, as the Alzheimer's takes its toll, but he's still able to smile once in awhile. Watching the decline is difficult, nonetheless. Fading into the sunset...
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Is there a prize???? ;)
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