Steps:
8.12. 9281
9.12. 11029
10.12 7459
11.12 4541

Week 2's Group Challenge has been posted and begins tomorrow (12/12/21). Watch each day for a new picture and activity. Enjoy!

Here's the link:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10850791/december-week-2-challenge-activity-candy-cane#latest

BlueSkyNomad wrote: »

Hello

Can you please remove me from the team? I'm having some personal issues and need to take time off.

Thank you and best wishes for everyone

@BlueSkyNomad I've asked the MODS to remove you. Hope you find the time you need and we'll welcome you back whenever you're ready. Take care!
Jessica

justanotherloser007 wrote: »

Thank you all for the prayers, mother-in-law is out of the hospital and while they have no idea what happened they did diagnose her with dehydration... again. I am trying to figure out how to get her and Pa to drink more, and also eat less junk food. Taking suggestions! They are 75 and Pa has severe dementia Ma has moderate dementia.

Are your in-laws obese, or why is there a need for them to eat less junk food? I ask because literally all elderly people I know and need to somehow care for are eating too little, and we are resorting to sneak tactics to add calories to everything. If that’s the case with your in-laws, ”junk food” aka energy dense food might actually be helpful. Vitamins they can get from a pill if needed, calories not so much.

Anyway, adding more drinks might work similarly: strategically place drinks and beverage they like everywhere so they’re within reach, and make sure it’s easy for them to enjoy. That means placing water bottles, juice boxes or whatever they like to drink not only in the fridge, but also on their dining table, next to the sofa, on their bedside tables etc., wherever it’s within reach from where they spend their time. Also, make sure the beverages are in containers that area easy for them to open. For example, there’s no point in putting a can of soda in front of them if their hands are too shaky to open it or if the water bottle has a cork that’s too tight. Even just a pitcher of water and some glasses can go a long way if they actually drink water. My experience is clearly different, but if they’re dehydrated enough to be hospitalized (fairly common, I think) it’s probably more critical for them to get enough fluids than to make those fluids super healthy. So, if they want to drink sugar juices or soda all day and there isn’t a health condition that directly prevents them, I’d say let them. We spent several years feeding our grandpa chocolate, crackers and most calorie-dense meals possible because he wasn’t eating large enough quantities. Chocolate isn’t very healthy, but sneaking the calories in by simply leaving boxes of chocolate lying around his house sure helped a lot.

jennifersusanmcdougall wrote: »

Lw was 180.6
Cw 180.1
Today is my birthday and I am going to enjoy it.

Enjoy your birthday @jennifersusanmcdougall ...I removed all calories from this cake!!
Jessica

@LaurieWrobo so sorry to hear about your husband. Sending good vibes and thoughts your way.

@jennifersusanmcdougall Happy Birthday!!🎁🎈

Hi team! How was everyone’s weekend, and what are your plans for next week?

Today was a fun, albeit long day. My husband went to play dungeons&dragons with a group of friends at our daughter’s future godparents’ place, so her godmother evacuated herself to our place for some relative peace and quiet. We hung out with the baby, ordered pizza and decorated my christmas tree. After coming back home, my husband made dinner and now I get a 3-hour evening of alone time while he takes care of the baby. I’m going to take a long shower, put on fresh pj’s and watch the silliest holiday movie I can find from netflix. And eat ice cream, of course.

Next week is going to be busy but fun - we have something happening most days, and our daughter’s Christening party is on Sunday. It’s also the last workweek of the year for my husband, as he is taking his winter vacation and his last week of together-with-mom paternity leave* around the holidays.

*For the curious: in the current Finnish system, dads get 3 weeks of paid paternity leave they can take while mom is on maternity leave or parental leave, and 6 paid weeks they can take when mom is working. Moms get 4 months paid maternity leave, and there’s a roughly 7-month paid parental leave that either parent can use. After these, either parent can stay on a very poorly paid care leave until the baby turns 3 (the big benefit is not the money but the fact that this leave is a legal right that employers can’t deny, and the parent has the right to return to their old job). My husband took first 2 weeks of paternity leave right after the baby was born, and saved the third week for Christmas. He’s working from home, though, so he’s able to help out which is nice. He’s planning on staying home for at least a few months after I go back to work next fall, possibly even a full year.

Don't forget to pop in on the Candy Cane Activity Challenge for the week. Here's the link:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10850791/december-week-2-challenge-activity-candy-cane#latest

@jennifersusanmcdougall Have a wonderful happy birthday!!
@hipari The reason why junk is a concern is they are both diabetics, and they have both lost weight in the past couple years due to the dementia we think. Dementia lessens hunger and thirst big time. I don't think either of them are taking a daily multivitamin, which would be really nice. But I am really concerned about getting nutrition in them, and any liquids. But they seem to absolutely prefer sugar in everything, which is the tough part.

When I took care of Pa while Ma was in the hospital, Pa ate 4 nutter butter cookies for breakfast (???) a couple bites of a cream cheese kolache for lunch (???) and almost half of the meatloaf that his youngest son sent him. He ignored the two vegetables not even taking one bite of either of them. He also ignored the water I placed next to him all day. He drank 6 oz of coffee in the am, 12 oz of dr pepper at dinner. And 6 oz of water with his am meds and 6 oz of water with his pm meds.

I am really concerned about the sugars not about obesity. In a bit to get some sort of nutrition in them I have discussed providing some nuts. They are nutrient dense, and you don't need to eat a ton to get calories. But the hubby thinks the in laws won't eat the nuts as a snack/meal unless they are covered in sugar (of course!). I think in view of what I saw him eat, that would be preferable, since nuts at least have minerals in them and usually some vitamins.

Hi @jessicakrall8

I’m so sorry I disappeared this week. Been looking forward to the new group but my Dads been in and out of the hospital and looks like I’m headed back tomorrow.

Can you put me on the temporary suspension list please? I’ll be back as soon as I can!

Cynthia

ncfitbit wrote: »

Hi @jessicakrall8

I’m so sorry I disappeared this week. Been looking forward to the new group but my Dads been in and out of the hospital and looks like I’m headed back tomorrow.

Can you put me on the temporary suspension list please? I’ll be back as soon as I can!

Cynthia

@ncfitbit Cynthia, you and your family will be in my prayers. I'll tell the MODS...hope he gets better soon...just try to breathe...I know you feel helpless in the situation...been through it many times...take care!
Jessica

@justanotherloser007 I went through the same situation with Type 2 Diabetes with both my grandmother and mother. I know what you mean. We removed ALL sugar from the house and only had splenda packets on hand so they could use for cereal and coffee. My mother suffered from dementia for the last 16 years of her life due to strokes she had throughout that time. If you can use the assistance of someone to be home with them during the day (even if only a few hours), it helps immensely and they can remind them to eat on schedule and keep them hydrated. In the beginning I even took my mom to senior daycare and that helped. PLEASE don't be afraid to ask for help, whether it's from family, friends, neighbors, church or community. Self care is vital when being a primary care giver. It's the hardest job there is...

We're here for you to vent...that's important too. **HUGS**
Jessica

JessicaKrall8
Monday Weigh-in
PW: 303.5
CW: 302.6
LTD: 77.4 lbs