Jan 26 - Feb 1
Lastchancelj
Posts: 1,356 Member
LW 220.2
TW 221.1
Avg 221.0
AVG 220.6
Starting to eat a bit more...Still on soups and toast (and bacon in the am) but haven't incorporated anything more substantial yet.
Moving MIL to the couch today I think. Hubby said it took him an hour to get her upstairs yesterday. I ordered a gait belt with various handles as well. Hubby and I talked about getting her on a routine that works with our schedule to get up and eat and take her meds etc. He agreed and we agreed between 9 and 10 (that's when she usually was up) but he's not gone in to wake her up yet. He sees on the camera she's sleeping soundly but he won't wake her up. I need him to take control of this part. I am working and can't spend an hour getting her up but she needs to eat and move around. Oh I don't have the energy for this.
Ok...that's my rant.
TW 221.1
Avg 221.0
AVG 220.6
Starting to eat a bit more...Still on soups and toast (and bacon in the am) but haven't incorporated anything more substantial yet.
Moving MIL to the couch today I think. Hubby said it took him an hour to get her upstairs yesterday. I ordered a gait belt with various handles as well. Hubby and I talked about getting her on a routine that works with our schedule to get up and eat and take her meds etc. He agreed and we agreed between 9 and 10 (that's when she usually was up) but he's not gone in to wake her up yet. He sees on the camera she's sleeping soundly but he won't wake her up. I need him to take control of this part. I am working and can't spend an hour getting her up but she needs to eat and move around. Oh I don't have the energy for this.
Ok...that's my rant.
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Replies
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LW: 124.2
TW: 124.4
I'm stuck in a range. I do better when I'm aiming for an event. We booked our trips for the year (fingers crossed that Covid will cooperate), and we have a trip to Maui set for the end of March into April. I'm going to aim for that. . still want to see 120 like I did in 2011.
Lois, I'm so relieved you and hubby tested negative and are getting better! I agree with you and Sarah about getting help for your MIL. Like you said, you don't have the energy (or the time) to do what it's going to take to care for her. Has she been tested for Covid? Hopefully it's not that, but age that is making her so exhausted. I'm so sorry she's not doing well.
Sarah, I like Hoka shoes. I've had Brooks also, but I'm on my 3rd or 4th pair of Hoka Cliftons. If it ain't broke, right? . . I have a very high arch (no wet footprint other than the very outside of my feet) so I use a butterfly lace at the top to cinch them up for more arch support. My feet / ankles are pretty strong, so I don't need a lot of support, but prefer how light they are, and with good cushioning on the bottom of the shoe. My floors are pretty hard, but my gym has the rubber mat type flooring, so I can't speak to tile floors in the mall. I wear hiking shoes when I hike outside, but Hokas (different pair for outside) when I walk on the sidewalk.
My trainer's youngest tested positive for Covid . . poor kiddo. He's 5 or 6, so unvaccinated. I'm on my own for training for now. I hope he gets well quickly. It seems like kids bounce back pretty fast from Omicron. I plan to get a weight training session today on my own.
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LW: 130.4
TW: 130.6
I have more or less held steady this past week with a low of 129.8 and a high of 130.6 (on two days). For the first time today, I walked with my new walking buddy at 12 noon instead of 5 or 5:30 pm. Her working hours have been changed for the next three months. I can't walk mid-day every day, but should be able to do this many days. Last night I walked alone, but picked up a partner for a couple of rounds. This lady and her husband walk regularly and she usually walks several rounds alone because she walks further and faster than him! She's an interesting person to talk to. She works for Politico.
My 7-day average steps for Wednesday through Tuesday were 11,777, but my average burn was only 1,690. My main goal for next week is to get that higher. I have added some push ups to my arm exercise. I use the bathroom vanity and my body weight. I stand about two feet from the vanity, step up on my toes, then lean in using my arms until my mid-drift touches the cold quartz and then using my arms, push myself back to the starting position. I can really feel it in my upper arms.
On Saturday, a first cousin who lives in Florida and is only 60 died from congestive heart failure. He was retired Navy. In addition to heart problems, he has also suffered from recurrent kidney stones and other kidney problems for many years. I suspect that some of these issues were hereditary and some were lifestyle. He was overweight and smoked for many years. Makes me grateful that I'm still as healthy as I am.
I am going to have make this quick as I need to make some phone calls and also order flowers for the funeral.
Lois, I'm glad you doing so much better. Don't let your hubby put more than your fair share of work on your shoulders. It also sounds like you have the more demanding job. I hope you can soon find the time and energy to look for help and that the person you find will be a good fit for your MIL. My Mom loved her caretaker. They were real buddies.
Kelly, the happiest of anniversaries to you and Shawn. It is great to have known you since before you even met and see your life progress. I hope you can do something special celebrate.
Sheesh, I'm so glad your SIL is so much better and I hope no one else in your family gets this virus. Let us know how everyone is doing. I know you'll be happy when you can hold the new granddaughter again.
Looking forward to hearing from everyone and will check back later.0 -
Nice to hear that you're all doing well!
So glad you're improving Lois! I could definitely feel your frustrations in your rant. I wouldn't be able to shoulder all of that myself either. In the end, she really needs to do stuff for herself if she wants to be mobile and live. Of course you and your hubby can and will assist but it is HIS Mom lol Sorry had to be said. It sounds like you are far more busy and it shouldn't be your #1 concern for sure. Glad you guys chatted about it though and hopefully a routine can be set up so he knows exactly all of things that need to be done...that you've been taking care of. I can imagine it would be a pretty big stressor on your relationship at times.
Great job with the steps Sarah! Man, I wish it was easy for me to get back to that place. Unfortunately, it's just not my focus at the moment. I need to make it one though...I know.
Sorry to hear about your cousin. Geez there sure seems like there has been a lot of loss this past year.
Sheesh - Super jealous of your planned trips! We're not at the point of Covid where we can even start to officially plan anything for trips, other than in our own province unfortunately. We really have missed traveling so much, as we normally go away to Mexico or somewhere hot every winter. It's now been 2 year of no winter warmth. Tough when we're back in a deep freeze too. I need a motivation of a trip or planned event too in order to get my butt in gear. Or at least it sure does help. It's hard when there's no event to look forward to and everything is so up in the air.
Our biggest thing that has happened recently is that we traded in our 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee and upgraded to a 2021. It's a better class and has soo many features that I'm not sure we'll ever figure out how to use, but it's pretty awesome.
Ok.. I have a meeting right away for work, so I better run. Stay warm all!0 -
Sarah, good job with your walking and it's great that you're doing push ups. Strength is so important, as you know, and will help you burn more calories. I'm so sorry about your cousin. . 60 is far too young to die of congestive heart failure. Like Kelly said, there has been so much loss the last 2 years. . it's very depressing, but it has focused me on living each day, and being aware and appreciative of the positive things in my life. I forgot to tell you that I have held my granddaughter since their Covid ordeal. . .
Hubby got a recipe for his sister-in-law's chili and has made it a couple of times (yay, he's finally cooking), so he doubled it one day last week and we took it and some corn bread out to them. We all wore our N-95 masks, distanced, and hubby and I took turns holding her. I can't stand it when I don't see her. Last night on family zoom she recognized us, and had a big smile!! So far everyone else is still healthy and hasn't gotten Covid. SIL is recovered, but still working from home in his new basement office. That's great for my daughter who also works from home and can have the office completely to herself now, lol. She has more zoom meetings than him, so it works great.
Kelly, it's so fun to get a new car! And, lucky, because I hear they are hard to get these days. All the new bells and whistles are great, but there is a learning curve, ha ha! I try to avoid driving my hubby's car for that reason. . I should just take some time to learn. Like Sarah said, it's been awesome to have known you as your life has changed. I remember when you met Shawn as well. And now, kids, a new home, job changes . . thanks for sticking with us and sharing through the years. Happy Anniversary!
I really hope we will be able to keep our travel plans as we've set them, but we'll see. Hawaii is pretty strict, so there might be changes, testing, cancellation . . who knows. But, we decided we will just make some plans and be flexible and resilient, and try to not feel disappointed if there is change. We planned a Disneyland trip with our kids in the fall, and hubby and I are going on from there to Laguna Beach. Also, a camping trip to the Tetons with our kids in the summer. (They'll camp, we rented a cabin, lol) We'll do more golf outings and maybe trips if we can, and go see our grandchildren if possible. We decided to try for a better year! We're getting too old to wait.
I'm staring down the big seven zero this year, lol.
Lois, I agree with Kelly and Sarah, and I hope you'll find a way to get MIL on a schedule that doesn't depend on you for so much. It's exhausting. I had 4 siblings (well, really it was more me and my sister who did the most) and we still had to get home help at first, and then later when she couldn't get out of a chair or bed, we had to put her in assisted living, where we still rotated among us checking in on her daily. My sister and I couldn't lift her even together. I was still working full time, and my sister wasn't in great health herself. Anyway, you definitely need help in my opinion. I'm sending supportive thoughts. Keep us posted.
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Well guys, MIL is in the hospital. She has covid, double pneumonia, and congestive heart failure. Wednesday night after my initial rant, she just refused to move. No fever etc. She ate dinner well - even tho she said she wasn't hungry and still full. I sat with her until hubby got home. No sign of being sick, just refusing to move. I went to bed. I was awoken by some noise, and I came downstairs to see MIL sitting on bottom step. She couldn't keep her legs locked, they were flopping like a rag doll. Fortunately, I had ordered and received a gait belt with various loops/handles that day. Seg had it on her. I told him to move her to the couch. When he did, she was really a rag doll in his arms. I was wide awake at that point. Put the oximeter on her and got the bp cuff. It took three different fingers to get the oximeter to read - 87. And her bp was 99/77. The hospital is 3 miles away with four lights so we popped her in the car and headed to ER. They kicked us out at 630 am because she is now covid positive. So.... ugh. Hubby and went round and round at how we missed it.. We checked her daily for fever. She was normal every day. She was not around us for any length of time and hubby sprayed the house routinely with Lysol. Her coughing was normal coughing...stopped when I made her hydrate... so that wasn't an obvious issue. Anyway, she will be in the hospital for a few days. The good news, she has not been put on oxygen...she's only been on room air. Last night's update was she slept all day and was awake to take her medicines and was not in distress. I spoke to a social worker and when she comes home, we will have some nursing assistance, but we are going to hire someone from Home Instead again at least as a companion/helper for us.
We're actively putting Christmas away. Goal is to have it all down today and go to storage tomorrow to retrieve her bed and put away the Christmas stuff. Then during the week and next week, empty the den into the garage and move her furniture down into the den and my office upstairs. We are still resting. I worked on stuff for an hour or two, and then rested for an hour or two. So we are still taking care of ourselves as well.0 -
Wow, Lois. You have been dealing with so much lately. I am so sorry to hear about your MIL, but relieved to hear that she is not so bad that she's on oxygen. I hope she gets to come home soon and that helper from Home Instead will make a very positive difference for her and for you and Seg, too.
My cousin's funeral was yesterday, and I just learned that my oldest cousin (about 5 years older than me) could not attend because he has covid. Omicron is so contagious, it's really scary. I just hope that none of the older relatives come down with it from attending a larger in-person service. I had hoped they'd limit the attendance, but apparently the church was full, including the balconies.
There's nothing much to report from here, which is good, I guess. The storm passed to the north and east of us. Our beaches have a foot of snow, but we just got enough to make the ground white. However, the wind is fierce, and we didn't get out of the 20's (actual temps) yesterday, so other than taking my walk, I'm sticking to home. We are finally taking down our Christmas tree today! We took down the wreaths and outside lights a couple of weeks ago, but since our living room is in the back of the house and you can hardly see the tree from outside, we decided to keep it up and enjoy it for a while. But we are at that point. It's time to move on.
Hubby finally cleared out our storage unit and let it go. I hate that in a way, because it was climate controlled and our unit was a large one near a huge window, so the location was great. And it's nice to somewhere besides here to store things. We also came to know and like the couple who live onsite (there's an apartment within the building for them), but the cost was soooo steep and we really can't afford it on one income. Now comes the fun of determining what to keep and where to put it!
Thinking of everyone and hoping that things take an upturn soon.
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My gosh, Lois. You've really been hit with a lot. I pray your MIL will be home and okay very soon and that you'll get the help you need as soon as possible.
Sarah, I'm glad the storm passed you, and that you're still getting your walks. It's very cold here, but sunny. I'm just not going out in super cold air, so it's indoor walks and Apple workouts inside. I hope you're still doing your arm exercises too
I'm always anxious to take down Christmas as soon as possible, lol. Since my Oregon family stayed until Jan 4, it was up longer than normal. Clutter makes me feel anxious, and Christmas decorations start to feel like a lot of clutter to me. My tendency is to shove everything into bins and into the storage room in the basement . . so, now that room is overdue for attention. It sounds like we are all digging into those type of projects.
My Oregon daughter sent me the chart below, and it made me very sad, but yet proud of our grandchildren. They're mostly on track, and learning on grade level. This whole thing could have been over with by now if people had just gotten vaccinated as soon as they could have.
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Lois - So sorry to hear what you guys are going through! Thoughts for your MIL and hopefully she recovers fast.
Sarah - Glad to hear the storm past you. We're in the middle of one of the worst ones yet this year. We already have more snow than we've had in years and last night it rained... yep, rained. Now it's snowing and the winds are gusting to 80-90km/hr (50-55 miles/hour), so you can imagine what it's like outside. Happy to be able to work from home for sure today! My hubby had to drive to work this morning though and he said it was the worst drive he's had this year by far. Couldn't see where he was driving in lots of places.
Sheesh - OMG I hate clutter too. It gives me anxiety. So I also put away the Christmas decorations rather quickly. This year it was Dec 27 when I put them away, but normally it's Boxing Day lol I put them up pretty early in December, so by the time Christmas is over, I just want it all gone.
I've seen that school chart before and it's pretty scary. Definitely not good for their lives or the future. I'm just happy they are back in school in person and I know they are too. They said they learn way more when they are there and they seem much happier.0 -
WOW. Sarah - happy the storm past you by. And I can understand with the storage issues. Hubby and I do have A LOT of stuff, but we have it organized in bins so it's neat. We just got the storage unit when mom moved in so we have her house stuff in there. It had some spare room so we moved some of our bigger boxes of holiday stuff in there this week. I will keep the unit going as long as we can afford it...it's not cheap. It is a luxury and not one we did until Mom came. We couldn't fit her excess stuff in our area so we got the unit. Like you, if we go to one income, it will have to go.
The garage and the storage unit are very very organized. I was chatting with my sister who helped our brother move a year or so ago and she made the comment, "I wish his garage was like yours. Everything is box/contained and grouped together. It's so organized. Can you show him how to do it? " hahaha.
I love Christmas and so we do keep the decorations up a wee bit longer. They go up Friday/Saturday of Thanksgiving and come down typically the weekend after Little Christmas.
Mom is still in hospital. her pneumonia and heart are giving us some challenges. They're doing more testing this morning so hopefully they can figure out what's going on. They also think she may have a stroke so they're bringing in some speech therapy and other things. I may be repeating myself, but we are fearing she didn't take her medications timely while we were ill. We have since ordered a 30 day pill organizer and we'll be dispensing it to her daily - whether she's capable or not. Had we done this prior, at least we would have been aware.
Kelly/Sheesh - that chart is a wee bit scary. Life has been so wacky. Please be careful with your weather. The storm sounds scary. We feel like we're going to get some rain, but dang, nothing like what you're going through.
Hubby and I are on the mend. Doc started me on steroids and another round of antibiotics yesterday. Today my chest feels like only a toddler sitting on it and not a grown person. So I'm pretty happy this morning. I've been receiving phone calls and emails galore from home care peeps. Pricing is what I was thinking so it hasn't gone up too drastically since we used a service in 2016. Once Mom is home then I will contact and start interviews with Mom. I feel a little less pressure on that side. I've also reached out to some of the private home nurse places - those are a bit more pricey, but if she needs it - we will do it.
Ok..back to work.0
