2017--This Year is Our Year!!!
Replies
-
Jean - that's a heck of a way to lose weight. Here's hoping you rebound fast!
We discovered Wednesday that the pipes under our kitchen sink were leaking. So we cleaned up and I immediately stopped using the sink and the dishwasher. What a PITA! Finally had a plumber here yesterday morning to fix it. DH fixes most things but even he admits he's not much of a plumber.
That was our first time of sequestering the cats since Indy got here. She was not amewsed.
We're watching the news about Sears. This house is full of Kenmore appliances (including a stove which is barely over a year old). We are really hoping someone buys Sears' Kenmore division or we've got problems. They've sold the Craftsman division to Stanley Black & Decker and hopefully someone will buy Kenmore.
Rained really hard here yesterday. That means the bowls at the colonies will be muddy. Can't wait.0 -
I went to dietdirect.com to buy pancake mix (LOVE it) and stumbled on a 20% off wonderslim sale. Says 33 more hours (it's 2:44 Sunday afternoon Eastern time right now).
Code is WSALLWK17
I added one or two things from their weekly sale and got to free shipping easily.
0 -
Poor Jean and poor Midnight. I hope both of you are feeling better. I've often thought the same thing when my cats barfed. The first time it happened, they acted scared and afraid of being in trouble. DH showed them sympathy and and said ppor kitty. After that, they get sick and just walk away with no concerns about being in trouble. It would have been nice if they'd learned to do it on the tile floor. AT least there was a 6 pound benefit from having that nasty flu.
Pam, that's amazing news about your neighbor's homecoming. Just goes to show you can't count out the human spirit and determination even when things look grim.
0 -
I think my neighbor's hubby may not come home on Tuesday, after all. I had lunch with her on Thursday at the hospital and while we were eating she got a call from his nurse saying he had fallen while moving from a chair to the bed. He wasn't hurt, but he's so weak that he's not able to do things unassisted and he's too stubborn to get help. His wife is a tiny lady title woman, so she won't be able to do much to help him transfer from bed to a chair, etc. I really don't know how they are going to do this and she's got a lot of fears and concerns as well. I asked her briefly about assisted living, but I could tell she's not ready for that discussion. I advised her to ask for a meeting with his discharge planner to discuss options and follow up. They also continue to have issues with low blood pressure and low blood sugars, so it doesn't sound to me like he's ready to leave the rehab facility.
Jean, I'm so sorry you've been sick. I hope you get your strength and energy back quickly. Wasn't last week your spring break? If so, what a way to spend it.
I just came home from a bridal shower for the daughter of one of my grad school friends. I have literally known her daughter since before she was born, as her mom was pregnant with her during our last year in school. It was a lovely shower in a beautiful home fairly near me, so I didn't have any added stress from dealing with traffic to get there, which was a nice bonus for me. Now I'm just relaxing and having a quiet afternoon. I think we are supposed to have storms and lots of rain for the rest of the weekend, so I will probably stay in for the rest of the day at least.0 -
Pam - that would be so disheartening. I know after my accident we had problems because DH couldn't do things like lift me from the floor. I know I couldn't lift him. I think the medical community has come to rely very heavily on family and that doesn't always work well and is sometimes downright dangerous. I realize it's a financial necessity for the medical providers in some cases but still it doesn't seem right. Insurance ought to keep folks in rehab until it's safe for them to be released. They probably need to push insurance hard.0
-
When DH came home from rehab, a nursing service came over to evaluate him. Medicare wants them there within 24 hours of discharge. He needed nursing services for a couple of weeks, and in home PT for two weeks. He was evaluated for occupational therapy but didn't need that. The whole point of the evaluation and accepting help is to keep the patient from ending back in the hospital.
Your friend should talk to the medical social worker about having the evaluations done and what the purpose of having the help is. If he understands that it's probably short term and is designed to make sure he can manage on his own so he doesn't end up back in the hospital, he might be more accepting. Hearing what he needs from the social worker may carry more weight than hearing it from his wife.
They only came 2-3 times a week and stayed for about an hour so it's not that intrusive. DH had some problems with his medications when he first came home and the nurses were wonderful working with him on that problem. Dh came home with 17 medications after the heart attack and we were totally overwhelmed with what they were for and when to take them. Te nurse wrote out a schedule so we could figure out what nhe was taking and when to take it. Fortunately, he was able to get off a few of the drugs in a month or two.
They could help her husband figure out the low blood pressure and blood sugar issues once he's home. Having been in your friend's position, I can understand the fears she has of being home alone with him. Working with home health workers can give her the skills and confidence she'll need. Feel free to share my post with her. If necessary, she should make the arrangements to have them for her own mental health and even if she has to listen to his complaints about it.0 -
Helene, thanks for the information. I will make sure to pass it on for her. I fear she will quickly get overwhelmed trying to care for him by herself. She is a breast cancer survivor, and I think she feels like it's her turn to take care of him after he helped her through her illness. Admirable, but if she makes herself sick trying to care for him then they'll really have a problem. At this point, I don't think he would be safe at home since he is too weak to walk more than a few steps, using a walker. Their home isn't huge, but just walking from the bed to the bathroom may be more than he can manage right now. And she is too small to be able to physically help him get up and down or into or out of the car. I hope they get everything figured out before they send him home, but I know she has been frustrated by a lack of communication from the social worker and discharge planner. And the one who has been working with his case is taking some days off, so now she is dealing with someone new. Maybe this one will communicate better with her.0
-
It's not even a matter of her feeling she has to care for him. It's a matter of what is safe for the two of them. Since she's s tiny and he's a large guy, she could hurt her back or drop him and he could break bones.
He may need a wheelchair in the house and she needs someone to teach them how he can safely transfer from bed to a chair or to a wheelchair. They probably need grab bars in the bathroom so he has support getting in and out of the shower. The occupational therapist suggested getting an elevated seat for the toilet. It fits right into the existing seat and it has bars built in so the person can use them for support getting up or down. She also suggested getting a shower chair for use in a tub or shower. That presumes he can get in and out of a shower or tub. That's where the grab bar comes in. The shower chair is an actual plastic chair with support bars built in. My mother in law used a shower bench instead of a chair. Part of the bench sits outside the tub and the rest sits within. She'd sit on the outside part and then slide herself along the bench so she'd be sitting in the tub. It has adjustable legs to take up the difference in floor heights inside and outside the tub. The home health care person could advise her on what type of devices she needs for the home and show them how to use them.
He may need a hospital bed when he gets home. She can rent one if he needs it. She needs a lot of information on the types of adaptive equipment he'll need before it's safe for him at home. I was lucky that DH was willing to spend the time he needed in the hospital and rehab. He never pushed to come home before he was medically cleared to be at home. That's half the battle right there. A medical facility won't force you to stay but if you push to come hiome, they may release you after telling you it's against medical advice.
Do they have a handicapped placard for parking? It took us about 6 weeks to get DH's. Maybe TX is more efficient than MA. But she'll need the parking placard to be able to take him anywhere. Do you think she's strong enough to get a folded wheelchair in and out of the car trunk? His other alternative would be to use a walker but it doesn't sound like he's strong enough yet to use a walker from a parking lot to traverse into a doctor's office.
The whole process can truly be overwhelming. She needs the support of trained professional to help her get through the transition. I'm sending prayers that everything works out for her.0 -
Thanks Helene. I know they've worked through a lot of this, but I'm sure there will be lots of things they haven't thought about or won't know until the issue arises. They do already have a permanent handicapped license plate due to injuries she received in a car accident several years ago. I don't think she is strong enough to lift a wheelchair due to her double mastectomy. I think she is restricted to not lifting more than ten pounds and even the lightest wheelchair weighs more than that. The one my MIL has is termed a transporter as opposed to a standard wheelchair. The difference is in the wheels. A transporter has four 6" wheels instead of the large back wheels you see on a traditional chair. The advantage to that is reduced weight but the disadvantage is that it requires someone to push it as the user can't easily propel it. Even so, a transporter weighs close to twenty pounds. She is borrowing my walker and was arranging to borrow a shower bench, but I don't think they were planning to get a hospital bed at this point. He may sleep in their guest room for awhile as it has an adjustable bed and it is a shorter distance to the bathroom than it would be from the master bedroom. He will continue to go for dialysis three times a week, so while he is there she will get a bit of a respite. He's scheduled to come home tomorrow, which will mark day 70 of this odyssey. I'm hoping for the best for them. What an ordeal it has been.0
-
Pam - it really sounds like they are going to have a struggle. My sister told me once that they discovered that when her step MIL was in assisted living (and these were people with money) there wasn't nearly as much "assistance" as you might imagine. Very scary to think about.0
-
Pam, I'm praying for a good outcome for them. I hope she asks for help when she needs it instead of trying to tough it out. We have a transport chair from the days of caring for MIL. I can easily fold it up and put it in the trunk. We never weighed it but it never felt like it weighed as much as 20 pounds. But of course, I don't have her health challenges. Friends and family will probably ask how they can help. She could make a list of things like helping get him to and from dialysis. If she gets enough offers, she could spread it out so each is doing oncer a week or maybe even every other week. If she starts right away with her list, she'll probably get more responses. Most people want to help but she has to let them know what's helpful to her. If she active in a church, she'd probably find willing volunteers there. As I understand it, dialysis takes several hours so perhaps she can use some of that time for errands or just time for her needs.0
-
Jean, have you recovered from your flu yet? I hope you're feeling better.
Maryanne, how is your friend doing that used to feed the colonies? Has anyone else stepped forward to help you?
Pam, did your friend's husband get discharged? I hope all goes well for them.
I'm off to the chiropractor today. I've been going every 2 weeks lately and he's rally gotten all my aches and pains under control. I convinced DH to make and appointment for himself when I go in 2 weeks. He goes when we're back home but didn't think he needed help here. I want to be sure all his joints are aligned before we start the drive home in early May. He's complained about his hip off and on over the winter so I want to be sure the hip is in place vbefore a 1,500 mile ride. He actually thought it was a good idea.0 -
My friend's husband came home on Tuesday after more than 70 days in the hospital. He has lost 50 pounds and is extremely weak, but thrilled to be home. So far things are going ok, but he frequently gets severe shakes where his arms and legs shake uncontrollably. This has happened a couple of times while he was trying to eat, which of course resulted in a huge mess to be cleaned up and required a change of clothes for him. And I'm sure he was embarrassed by it. They don't know what is causing this. I'm going by tomorrow morning for a brief visit, so maybe I will learn more then.
I have an appointment tomorrow with a spine specialist to try to figure out what I can do about my back pain. The episodes are getting more frequent and causing me more problems. I woke up Tuesday morning and out of the blue, was suddenly in pain again. This time I couldn't identify anything I had done to precipitate it. I began taking my muscle relaxer and within 24 hours it was much better, but still feels a little tight. I expect the doctor will order X-rays and possibly an MRI, so it will be awhile before I have any answers.
Helene, I hope you and DH both get yourselves in good shape before your long drive home. I guess it is getting to be that time for y'all. It seems as if the time has gone by quickly.
Jean, I hope you've recovered fully from the flu by now and have your energy back.
Maryanne, you're right about the amount of help they provide in assisted living. My MIL gets very little help, other than basic housekeeping services. They do manage and deliver her medications to her and she can call for help, if she needs it, but she's left alone most of the time. If she needs help with bathing and self-care, there are additional charges. So far, she has been able to do those things on her own, but I'm sure the day will come when she won't be able to. It gets very costly, very quickly once that stage is reached, not that it isn't expensive already.0 -
The original caretaker for these colonies is doing better right now and is on a break from chemo. She wanted to dive right back in and take over but we convinced her she needs to get her strength back so she's doing 3 days a week and when I need someone to feed because my van and I are loaded for a fund raising event. Plus, to be honest, I've spent so much time and money on these colonies that I didn't want to walk away completely and have to start all over one of these days when she has to go back into chemo.
0 -
Wow, I had not heard this. So much for being super fit being good for your heart? http://pagesix.com/2017/02/27/biggest-loser-host-bob-harper-suffers-serious-heart-attack/?_ga=1.169749666.224469258.14915878780
-
I've seen Bob Harper on a couple of shows and the article in the link isn't the full story. He said that his mother had heart disease so there was a genetic factor at work. It wasn't clear to me if she'd died from the heart condition or not. He mentioned that he should have been checking his cholesterol and he'd had some symptoms like dizziness that he assumed were from other reasons. He mentioned that his clogged artery was the one they cal the widow maker. I think that's one of the one's DH had a blockage in. He had it stented. Bob didn't go into details on whether of not he got stents or had surgery. I doubt it was surgery because I think the news reports would have mentioned that. Bob was probably sedated at the beginning as was DH. He had been intubated so they kept him unconscious for 2 days so he wouldn't try to pull out the tube. That my have been Bob's situation as well. I believe Bob is vegan so I'll bet most of his risk factors were genetic. he certainly ate healthy, did exercise and was a healthy weight. Stress is also a factor in heart attacks and his job sounds high stress to me. He was lucky the attack happened at a gym with an AED and a couple of doctors were there exercising. They actually resusitated him. There was a lot of luck involved in getting him quick medical intervention. He said he will never exercise anywhere that doesn't have an AED on the premises.0
-
What in the world is this country coming to? Warning: the replies to this article have more than the usual number of 4-letter words (which seems to be completely appropriate): http://jezebel.com/nuisance-laws-discourage-domestic-violence-victims-from-17941281140
-
That's unbelievable that the victim is forced out of her home and town for reporting an abuser more than once. Did the police think a single call was going to make this man see the light and treat her right? You're not kidding that the world is a mess. People get more chances than that for false alarms when the burglar alarm goes off and there's no break in. You're right the language is bad but you can feel their frustration. I only read a couple of pages but I think most posters were on the victim's side.0
-
I believe - but would not swear to - that Jezebel monitors replies to keep out the trolls. A lot of the posters are pretty funny usually but this story got everybody riled up.
Basically just another law that benefits business owners. Everyone feels empowered to screw the little guys right now. Wonder why........0 -
Icanhazcheesburger is now running ads from a Donald Trump PAC. I don't ever have my speakers on when I'm at the computer so luckily I've never had to listen to it but I'm really disappointed in cheesburger right now. Donald Trump's PAC and funny animals memes/videos SO don't go together (except for the fact that the Donald is often referred to as a cheese puff or other cheese related phrase).
(And why the heck is the Donald still campaigning? Time to start governing - yeah, I know how funny that is.)0 -
I've had a busy week. I went back to work before recommended so I was exhausted each evening. I faithfully wore my Fitbit and upped my walking this past week as well as watching what I ate. My reward was a 2 pound gain.
I've basically quit hanging out on sites much lately. I am so tired of political stuff, false news repeated and repeated, etc. I just do my thing and hope to survive regardless of what the Donald does.
There was a detailed article about Bob Harper which I read some time ago which went into his heart issue. This is a more recent one:
http://www.today.com/health/biggest-loser-bob-harper-opens-today-about-recovery-t1099560 -
Jean - I'm so sorry about the 2 pound gain. What a PITA! I hope you got a little rest this weekend.
That article does say Bob got 2 stents.
I spent the weekend working on CROM stuff and got a lot done. I was sort of like the Energizer Bunny; I just kept working through the piles. That's always a good feeling!0 -
Jean, I'm so sorry about the weight gain and I sympathize. I hope you get your energy back soon after your bout with the flu.
I have been struggling as well with weight gain. I think I've mentioned that I have had several bouts of back pain recently, and was prescribed medication for it. I've noticed that every time I take it, I immediately gain a couple of pounds. This, while the doctor tells me I need to lose weight, of course. I saw the spine specialist on Friday, and he basically told me that my back pain is caused by the combination of spinal compression caused by aging resulting in an imbalance between my back flexibility and my core strength. So the recommendation is to try to improve my core strength with physical therapy and an exercise program, which I will start on Wednesday. And he wants me to continue on the drug that makes me gain weight. I reluctantly took it that day, and the scale showed a 1 pound gain the next day, so I've stopped taking it again. I will use it when I have a flare up, but I'm not going to take it routinely.
We went to a fun birthday party for one of my friends Saturday night. Our hosts set up a slider bar along with a couple of delicious salads and several appetizers. It was a nice evening so we spent the early part outside on their patio enjoying drinks and appetizers. We went inside for dessert, which was a lemon cake with raspberry frosting that I had made. Afterward we played reverse charades and that was hilarious. We played men against women, but gave up keeping score after a couple of rounds, so I have no idea who won. I was surprised that the men got into it and played enthusiastically. One of them refused to participate, but the others (including my DH) seemed to really enjoy it.
I saw my friend's husband on Friday. He is doing well at home so far. Over the 70 days he was hospitalized he lost 50 pounds, so he is looking a bit gaunt right now. I'm going to make him a coconut cream pie this week as that is one of his favorite things. I asked if it was ok for his diet and she said it is if I use sugar free ingredients, so that's the plan. They've had to make a few modifications to their home, but so far they are managing pretty well. I'm still concerned for her as she is such a social person and that is completely curtailed now because she doesn't feel she can leave him alone at all. Before this, she would typically have at least ten or more social events or meetings a week.0 -
Once her husband's been home a couple of weeks, maybe she could look at respite care once or twice a week. That would give her time to go out and see friends. Or if friends are asking how they can help, maybe some would be willing to sit with him for an hour or two so she can get out. Maybe they could play cards or even watch TV with him. In time, she'll feel more comfortable leaving him for alone for short stretches. I stayed with DH 24/7 for the first couple of weeks because I was afraid to leave him alone. As he got stronger and our anxiety leveled out, I'd ask him to sit in his recliner and read the paper or watch TV while I was out. He was fine with that and I was able to run a couple of errands or get a hair cut. Within 3 months, we were back to a normal rountine. If I'm going to be out most of the day, I encourage him to come along. But he's fine on his own for several hours. He'll even do minor DIY projects while I'm out. But it takes time to regain that sense of security.
Jean..I hope you're finally on the mend. That's so discouraging to see a gain when you've been careful with eating and exercising. I'm sure it's fluid. Maybe you should ignore the number on the scale and go by how you feel and how your clothes fit. Maybe some of th medications you take are making you retain fluid as Pam's been experiencing.0 -
-
I went to the storage unit yesterday, unloaded the cat feeding supplies and loaded the flea market supplies. I forgot one table so I have to go back! Drat! Oh, well.
Today I need to go to the grocery store and then hunker down and get some work done!
I'm still not back on my diet full bore. Hopefully I'm easing back into it!
0 -
I'm off to Bonnie's today to load for the flea market. I took my aleve and have my special socks and shoes ready. Standing for hours on a concrete floor does a number on me any more.0
-
I'm surprised they are dong a flea market on Easter weekend. Do you think shoppers will show up on such a busy weekend?
We had our last choir rehearsal last night. We're a seasonal choir and most of the members will be heading for home over the next couple of weeks. One of the members decided to surprise our choir director at at restaurant where he plays piano and sings several nights a week. She made a reservation for a large table next to the piano and all but 2 members were able to make it. And we all had our spouses along for a group of 14. Scott was amazed and so pleased to see everyone. We had just ended our rehearsal 30 minutes before we walked in. The food was delicious and it was lovely having more tme to get to know everyone. Towards the end of the evening, Scott played Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and we all spontaneously joined him on the choruses. A number of other customers wandered over to see who this impromptu group was. It was so special and Scott was very touched. Our waiter told us he'd never seen Scott smile so wide. We're singing tonight at church and again on Easter for the final time of the season.0 -
Helene - I was a little surprised they scheduled it for this weekend. If I had to guess, I'd guess we won't see any impact on the crowd. We'll see.
That was a really special event for your choir!
One of my biggest regrets from teaching school was it cost me my singing voice. Using my voice wrong in an often unheated or underheated classroom just did a job on it. Apparently you can't have laryngitis over and over again and still have a singing voice.0 -
Maryanne, that's so sad about your singing voice. I've always loved to sing but never did anything about it. I was never in any organized singing groups until I joined the choir here 3 years ago. The choir director had a notice in the bulletin asking for volunteers to join them. I spoke to him after Mass and he invited me to the next practice. The experience in the group widely varies. Some people are cantors in their home parishes and many read music. I don't read music and just pick it up by ear as we learn a song. At my first practice, Scott asked if I knew my vocal range. I didn't but I have a low voice so I told him I was probably an alto. We sang a few lines and then he told me I was an octave lower than the altos. He asked if I'd mind singing with the tenors. I not only didn't mind, I really found my niche. I sit between the other two tenors so I can hear them and not the basses because I'm singing by ear. DH had to make a sacrifice for me to join the choir. His preference would be to go to Mass at 8:30 AM but the choir sings at 10:30. He cheerfully accommodated me. Because he did that, I'll make the sacrifice to go at 8:30 once choir ends for the season this Sunday. The great thing about choir is that it's so welcoming. The members make everyone feel a part of the group. We have people who are with us for a month or two and members who are there for the season. By mid April, people are starting to go back home and there are only about 5 people in thre group who live her year round.0
This discussion has been closed.