Count your blessings...

Had a singing concert today, mom on the kids piano, and all of us singing old songs. My mother was cute clapping her hands and moving her legs to the music. Stayed in my pajamas all day. Love these lazy days.

"smeshque,"

I'm so sorry to hear about the dear man you used to see prior to this pandemic. If he died from a broken heart, that is truly sad. I've actually heard of people dying from a broken heart even though it sounds cliche. Sounds like he didn't have any other family or friends to stay in touch with him. You brought life into his life - God bless you for that and the time you did try to spend with him.

My mom hasn't wanted to do anymore outdoor visits I guess because of the heat. But, I'm going to ask her if she'd like to do one on my birthday in the next couple of weeks. If she agrees, I'll bring her a piece of birthday cake.

Thank you for your prayers for us and I pray for you and your family too!

NHWM-How are you? Thank you for that. It was much needed. How you brought joy to my heart with your words. I have missed our chats. I am around and I stop in as often as I can. I am so unorganized with time. I miss you all. YOU are always in my prayers.
I hope we can catch up soon.

Nobodygetsit-I can imagine how difficult that has been not having been allowed inside a new place. That is tough. I am glad you continue window visits, I know that too is difficult. We lost a Dear Man in August and hadn't been allowed to see him for months before he passed. I believe he passed from a broken heart. It is so important to show love however we can and you are doing that. What a shame about the root beer floats. I do hope you get another outside visit and maybe one of these times things will go smooth. Prayers for you and your Mom.



Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalms 19:14

A blessing is someone who is kind enough to meet you where you are in life. You do that Smeshque! How are you? Long time no chat. Will always remember your kindness to me when I had difficulties in my caregiving days.

Always grateful for your heartfelt prayers.

Hi "smeshque," -

Thank you! My husband and I went last Saturday for an outdoor visit. It was so windy that it kept knocking the plexiglass partition down so they actually let us inside. We have never been inside her new facility that she moved into in May after leaving the hospital/rehab facility when she was recovering from severe dehydration and COVID. It was somewhat unsettling not having been in her world for 6 months and especially not being able to hug her or give her a kiss. We brought root beer floats again for the three of us but, they wouldn't let us drink them.

I'm still doing "window visits" at least two-three times a week. They aren't ready to do indoor visits on a regular basis - they just made that exception that day.

God bless you too, smeshque!

Nobodygetsit- I know the visit may not have went perfect. But I am sure it meant the world to her even though it was tough on her. I am sure it meant the world to you as well. I hope the next visit will go well. Please take advantage of them as much as possible.
God bless you!

"And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of."
Genesis 28:15

Hi "smeshque,"

Yes, I saw her on the 8th. It didn't go as well as I had hoped and left feeling pretty down. I brought her flowers and a root beer float for both of us. They had a hard time getting her ready so they were late bringing her out for our 11:00 am appointment. We live in a very hot climate and it was too much for her. It turned out to be an overcast, windy day so the mister they placed on the ground never went towards her too much and she started to dry heave. I had to pound on the door and the nurse came out and took her back inside. I felt terrible thinking I shouldn't have had an outside visit but, I was of the mindset that I may only have a small window of opportunity to take advantage of these outdoor visits because they expect another round of the virus this fall.
I'm taking my husband with me tomorrow for another visit but the minute I see her start to show signs of issues with the heat, I'll shorten the visit.
Thank you so much for asking - I really appreciate it! Good verse "smeshque!" - take care.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23

Nobodygetsit- Did you get to see her yet? If so how did it go?

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
John 15:7

Thank you "smeshque," - My husband and I and my mom have been through so much, it's very hard to believe it's been half a year since we've been able to be together. I've never been away from her that long. Actually, I lived at home until I was nearly 35 when I got married. My greatest anxiety will be seeing how thin she's become. I've only gotten momentary glimpses of that through her window so I hope I can maintain my composure.

It is a blessing and I thank God for being merciful toward us throughout this whole crisis we've been in with her sharp decline after surviving severe dehydration and COVID!

That is wonderful Nobodygetsit. So happy for you and your Mom. What a blessing.

“The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places...”
Habakkuk 3:19

I haven't seen my mom since February 28th. After the lockdown a little over a month later, she was near death when her previous ALF neglected her to the point of severe dehydration/COVID/bi-lateral pneumonia and a severe UTI. Once she was transferred to a rehab facility, I thought she wouldn't make it as she was too weak to do any therapy and had lost nearly 20 lbs but, at least at that point I was able to do "window visits."

We went ahead and moved her into a new facility in their memory care unit and I picked an apartment with two windows so we could at least continue our "window visits."

Now, for the first time in six months, I will be able to do an outdoor visit for 1/2 hour and for that I'm very grateful. It will be hard not to be able to give her a hug and a kiss but, I will be bringing her a rose and two root beer floats for us to enjoy together!

I was ever so grateful to be able to sit outside after services and enjoy the breeze and watch the animals with my family. It was such a gift. Thank you Lord.


O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
Psalms 8:9

I love you all, and keep you in my prayers. God has been so very good to me, and I am so blessed and thankful.

“Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.”
Psalms 86:11

I am thankful that all is well here.

All Glory and Praises be to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
1 Timothy 3:16

"Sendhelp" - if you go to youtube, key in Psalm 121 Susan Ashton in the "search box." The first one should show the CD cover, "My Utmost for His Highest - The Covenant" and you can hear her sing the whole song. I'll have to find her story!

Thank you for your kind comments!

Getsit,
Could not find her rendition of the song, but found Don Moen sing it. Susan Ashton sings well, and has quite a story that was interesting. Thank you for sharing.

You are a faithful daughter to be singing to Mom at your 'window visits'.

@"Sendhelp," That is one of my mom's favorite verses. At one of our family reunions in 1996 we had a talent show and that was the song I sang.

When my mom was near death this past April/May I would sing it to her over the phone during our "window visits." I love listening to Susan Ashton sing it from one of her 1996 CD's. Beautifully, done!

Thankful to have the bible!

Psalm 121


1 
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
2 
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 
He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 
indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 
The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 
the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.
7 
The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
8 
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

I know for an assurance that God is blessing me each and every day. I give Him praise, glory and honor for all that He has done for me. I have to remain focused on Him and look above and beyond what I am feeling, dealing with my mother. This is the hardest thing I have done, so far, in my life. Some days are good, some days are not-so-good. Some days I am upbeat, some days I am crying continuously. But as one of our Pastors taught in a bible class the other night - I can expect the best from God. He works everything out for good to them that love Him. EVERY DAY, I pray for His strength, power, wisdom, patience, compassion, protection, love, grace mercy and peace. I need all these things from the mighty God! Thank you, Jesus - I know you are with me. I don't get it right most times, but I strive to do better every day.

Another Month has ended, and I see how the Lord blessed us and took care of us.
I am thankful for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for HE is the way, the truth and the light.

My mom is back to her baseline self, smiling, appetite is great, drinking her fluids. So grateful for these blessings.

Mom is doing well today
Sun is shining bright.
Taking it easy today, oh those lazy days of summer!!

Thankful for new neighbor who put up a beautiful fence. He put the nicer side facing us. he did not have to do it, I would be ok with the other side. Told him I would split the cost and he smiled and said no, his family and friends were helping to put it up. Our thirty year old fence fell down a few years ago after a storm. Got an estimate about a year ago, the cost was about $20,000 for entire fenced in yard. So grateful, had a lot of work done, new roof and other projects not too long ago so funds were limited. Thank you God for this blessing!

I am so thankful for the slightly cooler weather. For the work that the Lord has blessed my DH and I with. That Mom and AB are doing well.
I am thankful for Jesus and the Lord's mercy and grace.

I really love this song.

There Was Jesus
Dolly Parton, Zach Williams

Every time I try to make it on my own
Every time I try to stand, I start to fall
And all those lonely roads that I have traveled on
There was Jesus

When the life I built came crashing to the ground
When the friends I had were nowhere to be found
I couldn't see it then but I can see it now
There was Jesus

In the waiting, in the searching
In the healing, in the hurting
Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces
Every minute, every moment
Where I've been or where I'm going
Even when I didn't know it
Or couldn't see it
There was Jesus

For this man who needs amazing kind of grace (mm-hmm)
For forgiveness and a price I couldn't pay (mm-hmm, mm-hmm)
I'm not perfect so I thank God every day
There was Jesus
There was Jesus

Beautiful and peaceful music is a blessing. I can't imagine living life without music to enjoy. Listening to Claude Debussy's "Clair De Lune" and "Reverie" right now. Even though I'm only 57, my parents were forty years older than I so I grew up hearing the music they used to listen to. My dad passed away at the age of 82 back in 2004 and my mom is 95 with Alzheimer's related dementia.

So thankful I led my dad to the Lord two weeks before he passed away. Now, after planting many seeds my mom accepted Jesus as her Savior on June 8th - I waited a very long time for that moment. That burden is now lifted off my shoulders as that's the only thing that truly matters.

Thankful for the smell and sound of a gentle rain. Love nature and animals especially my Dachshund, Chloe - she pulled her blanket out of her bed and brought it next to my chair to lay down beside me until it's officially bedtime!

Thankfully, neither my husband or myself have contracted COVID. We are trying so hard to take care of ourselves as I'm an only child and caregiver for my mom. I can't afford to get the virus.

So thankful to the Lord for saving my mom from nearly dying in her LTC facility of severe dehydration, COVID-19, bi-lateral pneumonia and a severe UTI. I would have never seen her again otherwise and couldn't be with her in the hospital. Now she is in a new facility in the memory care unit where I was able to get her an apartment with a window so I can "window visit." Hadn't been with her in person since February 28th.

Especially, grateful that my husband has been able to keep his job of 27 years after going through two layoffs right before the virus struck.

Wishing you all peace during these difficult times and may you too be able to find at least one thing to be grateful for today!

I am so thankful for the Lord's mercy.


Psalms 118:4 
Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

Well this will sound a bit shallow in comparison to the other posts here below but I'm feeling sooo grateful for my AC right now ... bless you AC and who invented you. Amen.

Thanks, Lord, for all the wonderful freedoms we have in this country, including the freedom to worship You.

Please bless Smeshque and her mother, and all the caregivers and loved ones on AgingCare.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

Grateful for our freedom
grateful for my health
grateful for family
grateful mom is happy
grateful for all you wonderful caregivers on this forum
grateful for my religious freedom

Have a safe and enjoyable Fourth. God bless each and everyone of you!!

Hugs, Smeshque, praying for you and your mom. Hope she gets to feeling better soon!