we need an ongoing thread to share our failures ond / or accomplishments each day. some of them could be pretty humorous. remember in morgan county indiana we say " it aint braggin if ya done it.
lol .. im working for a very educated oral surgeon with two wonderful college educated sons ,. i sent one of his sons a text the other morn and told him to s*ck a d* ck .. hahaha. being the gentleman he is, he responded by asking me if i was texting the right person and to chill out , take a few deep breaths. he he .. these gentlemen are too brilliant to even p*ss off .. lovely people, i learn from them every day . theylle learn i guess . my texts always say s*ck b*lls , eat a d* ck , etc. it always means i care about you and am thinking of you . im an hour late with ednas breakfast but damnt im trying to get her little truck going .. i lived with edna for a year during my divorce 14 years ago . at first she was apprehensive about my methods but eventually she learned that " maniac " gets things done . i poured fuel in a bee nest , left a trail and lit it one time and i kid you not , we had burning bees flying thru the air . she liked that cause theyd stung her multiple times ..
Today is a no-failure day. No excuses, no negativity. That's all there is to it. I refuse to acknowledge any failures today.
Accomplishments (so far): -Brother just left with Mom to take her to the parade. I am FREEEEEE - for a couple of hours, at least. Will I spend it lounging, nibbling bonbons and sipping champagne while watching soap operas? No - I'll spend it working. But that's ok, because I can do it in peace. I'll eat breakfast without having to cook and serve for someone else. I'll watch what I want on TV (or listen to it while working, or turn it off if I want). The point is that I'll be able to do all this on my own without having to worry about what Mom wants, needs or is going to demand next. She's all his for the next couple of hours.
-Got several hours of sound sleep, and awoke feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed - and that's quite a feat, given my latest work schedule. I'm topping out at 70 hrs a week right now in an attempt to have enough money for vacation, the house renovations (floor refinishing & paneling off the walls and painted) plus new furniture pieces and the regular bills. Oh, and the dog & cat need to go to the vet. Thankful I have a job that I can increase/decrease hours when needed. (Helps to be your own boss!)
Planned accomplishments:
-Going to tackle Dad's room today. He's been gone almost a year and a half, and I have yet to take care of his clothing, etc. I've slowly been donating a little at a time, but it's time to get the rest of it done. His room has become the repository for whatever doesn't fit in the rest of the house. Time to do a major cleanout and take some to my storage unit, and re-arrange the rest. When we go on vacation, the floor & wall work will be done, so I have to put all the furniture and appliances somewhere....so Dad's room and mine are the only options. Need to find the will and Mom/Dad's marriage license too, so hopefully those are somewhere in there too.
-Cleaning off this horrible messy desk of mine. I still have stacks of Dad's medical bills that slipped through the Medicaid cracks and have to be re-submitted, my 401(k) paperwork that has to be submitted from my old job, bills to be organized and paid, coupons to clip, etc. Tired of working in a mess all the time.
-And then there's the usual housework, laundry, dishes, etc.
My accomplishment to is I tackled declutterong 2 closets. One closet is filled with craft supplies that I decided to toss. When and if I have time to get back to crafting, the paints will be to dried to use.
my gosh i got grim with some gmc today . worked 5 hrs on stone then hit jim like a hurricane. new cab corner , rocker panel , fender on passenger side, extra steel where i thought i wanted it beefed . everything coated heavily in rustoleum , excellent worksmanship . no bolts missing and maybe a couple i didnt even need . 2 - 3 more days like this and ill have what amounts to a new truck . all body joints sealed , oversized bolts in the rockers , door seals resealed in place . i told a fellow yesterday that jim was the nicest truck ive ever had but quickly repaired that comment to the old 51 chevy . the 51 is the s**t , jim is just more relaxing to drive after a hard days work .. i once yanked a 5 ton bobcat machine out of a mudhole with the old 51 . jim aint got that kind of guts .. jims 4 wd tho , saves my azz in the wintertime .. once had a 2 ton chev delivery van cram old 51 in the azz when i was at a dead stop -- construction zone . that plastic truck was all over the interstate , driver left the scene in a medivac chopper . lol . i drove bigfoot home , struggling , busted exhaust , but unfazed .. this body panel replacement is childsplay compared to some of the projects ive tackled .. im hungry g - damnt i could sure groove on some of emjos turkey necks right now . celery and potatoes joan , is that asking too much ? resoundingly F sweetpotatos, cant do it , ill eat uncooked rice first ..
I have a relatively new job (since January) and I'm finally getting the hang of it, I think. Sad thing today, my sil let me know that mom in nh has been worried that her blood pressure reading was hign. Called my mom, she told me " bottom number was 55, so high for me"had to explain that no, that's not high. They take it every week, but she thinks they haven't taken it in months. This is such a sad disease.
I discovered today that one of the habits I do in order to deal with hurt feelings is go and take care of myself immediately afterwards. So after Mom threw another dinger I drove around the neighborhood, took myself out to dinner, than a nice walk in the rain and back to my desk to finish working on a client project. I did indulge in some dessert but in small amounts. The all you can eat Asian buffet was a steal: about 8.50 plus a tip. No guilt here!:) And I forgot what mom said that got me started!! ha
I've enrolled in a medical assistant course, then will move on to social work. It will improve the opportunity for employment in a assisted living facility or agency. I am looking to change things up a little. I enjoy my work, in home private care but I often find myself agreeing to long shifts because it's hard to say no. Through my experiences, I surprisingly found that I got fairly good at arranging and implementing care for a few clients. ...contact with physicians, therapists, medical equipment companies, medications, scheduling nursing care as most of my clients needs are 24/7, hospice. Finally understood the insurance system and handled bills (now that everything has changed, I'll have to re-learn it) . Pretty much everything that everyone here has done while caring for family.
I am hoping to finish soon with the administrative duties to my father's estate. I have signed up for a few classes over the summer because I would like to steer toward geriatric care managment. I guess I will have to give up my new addiction to this site for a while. I've gained information, knowledge and peace from reading the articles and post on this site. I appreciate the stories and experiences shared along with lots of good humor. Best wishes to everyone in your journey. ~Summer
Thank you for the welcome! I'm new at being a caregiver. I didn't know how hard it was. I am totally exhausted by the end of the day. Thank God I have an abundance of patience! I enjoy reading all y'all's post.
Ben and Jerry's ice cream sounds so good right now. Sure wish I had some.
We're all doing so good today! :-) Great to see that.
I forgot to list yesterday: I paid it forward while at the Dollar General grabbing laundry soap. Made me feel good, and the guy thanked me about 15 times. I was smiling all the way home.
And...The DISHES ARE DONE! Ta-dahhhh! In the process of wiping everything down now. Can't wait for Brother to pick Mom up on Saturday for the parade so I can have some alone time. I am SO looking forward to that.
I was gonna list an apology to MIL as an accomplishment for today (I lost my patience with her earlier...posted the story on the "daily whine" thread this morning)...BUT she never brought it up during supper, and in fact she seems to have forgotten it ever happened, sooooo...I figure as long as that proverbial dog is sleeping I'm just gonna let it lie.
I did however mange to get 20 minutes in on the stationary bike.
Failure: I did not get around to cleaning the bird's cage...again. Meh. Tomorrow's another day.
Boni - that pint of B&J's was a well deserved indulgence! I'm jealous! Sounds soooo good!!
6:22 P.M. and I actually accomplished lots. Phew....
Cleaned moms room ( she throws everything on the floor) Bathed her ( y'all know what that's like) 2 loads of laundry, mowed front and back yard... pulled those darned thigh high weed alongside the living fence (?) oh hey, made garbage day as well..... grocery shopped, and grilled ma a fine burger and yellow corn.
I love this thread. Nobody (Mom) seems to notice how much I do accomplish every day,and it feels good to share. Really big one today.....I did NOTHING! It was one of "sisters" rare generous days and I had from 1 till 8 to MYSELF! Normally if she's gone, I throw myself into projects I can't do when she's hovering around. So today I RESTED! Failure......eating a pint of Ben and Jerry's for dinner.
this thread is labeled well and for everyone who wants to count their blessings or complain . i got the current facet of my stonework done today , got home and had the gmc body parts . im gonna spend about 4 days making a new truck out of a 91 , very exited .. my next job is cutting firewood in the forest , i need jim to do that ..
dad had a perky day.. found him down by the road when I came back from errands, Drove him back to the house and asked Mom if she lost someone..LOL He was wanting to clean up the hedgerow on our neighbors property. Then we transplanted the seedlings into bigger pots. Then he wanted to dig in the dirt.. so I left him dig a 3x4 area for the seedlings when we move them. This man would not even go for a walk last week.. he may not be able to move tomorrow but today he felt useful! And I caught him in time! Go me and Dad!!!
After a pretty unproductive "middle of the day"...I got moving again this afternoon and hit the yards again...got a LOT of overgrown shrubbery and such cleared out shaped, and/or pruned....now we can see all of Mama's pretty roses....yay me!!! love how it feels to get a good hot shower after all that hot dirty work and enjoy my handiwork with my evening cups of coffee...
Failure for today: dishes still not done. I did, however, get water and soap in the sink and get them soaking. Just no time!
Accomplishments for today:
MAJOR SUCCESS! After 4 days of no shower, Mom FINALLY showered, which brightened my mood considerably. I *hate* it when she won't shower. I keep thinking of the all the germs, fungi and bacteria growing in her skin folds and other unmentionable areas. Ick. She is prone to yeast growth on her skin if not cared for properly, and 4 days without a shower is NOT cool.
Also, I asked Sis #2 if she would be around this weekend to take Mom to the Mem Day parade in the next town over for their big festival. Nope. But apparently she said something to Brother, who messaged me this morning and said he could pick her up Sat a.m. and take her to the parade. YESSSSS! Oh my gosh, I will have 2-3 hours of uninterrupted blissful peace and quiet! I won't know what to do with myself! Oh, wait...I have to work. LOL Oh well - at least it will be quiet and I'll have some alone time. Incredible! Maybe it's not *my* accomplishment, but it makes me happy, anyway.
Those two things alone are enough to brighten my previously-dark mood!
Hi Brenna~Welcome! It's wonderful that your father is getting around so well at his age. I'm sure that your parents appreciate the care that you give to your mother. Best Wishes:) ~Summer
Hi, My name is Brenna. This is my first time here. I take care of my elderly Mother who is 84. My dad is 90 but he still gets around good and is amazing. My Mom can't walk and it's hard lifting her from the bed to the wheelchair but God helps me each day. She is a blessing. I'm so thankful I still have both parents. They have been married for 68 years.
Hope all of you are having a good day. Thanks for listening. Brenna
The main thing I think for all who are visiting a caregiver and their loved one to remember is....please be considerate and don't outstay your welcome...and then, unless you can help and contribute in a useful way, leave at a reasonable time....
I found out last night my cousin may have some serious health issues on the horizon so I will give her a pass. :)
these gentlemen are too brilliant to even p*ss off .. lovely people, i learn from them every day .
theylle learn i guess . my texts always say s*ck b*lls , eat a d* ck , etc.
it always means i care about you and am thinking of you .
im an hour late with ednas breakfast but damnt im trying to get her little truck going .. i lived with edna for a year during my divorce 14 years ago . at first she was apprehensive about my methods but eventually she learned that " maniac " gets things done . i poured fuel in a bee nest , left a trail and lit it one time and i kid you not , we had burning bees flying thru the air . she liked that cause theyd stung her multiple times ..
Today is a no-failure day. No excuses, no negativity. That's all there is to it. I refuse to acknowledge any failures today.
Accomplishments (so far):
-Brother just left with Mom to take her to the parade. I am FREEEEEE - for a couple of hours, at least. Will I spend it lounging, nibbling bonbons and sipping champagne while watching soap operas? No - I'll spend it working. But that's ok, because I can do it in peace. I'll eat breakfast without having to cook and serve for someone else. I'll watch what I want on TV (or listen to it while working, or turn it off if I want). The point is that I'll be able to do all this on my own without having to worry about what Mom wants, needs or is going to demand next. She's all his for the next couple of hours.
-Got several hours of sound sleep, and awoke feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed - and that's quite a feat, given my latest work schedule. I'm topping out at 70 hrs a week right now in an attempt to have enough money for vacation, the house renovations (floor refinishing & paneling off the walls and painted) plus new furniture pieces and the regular bills. Oh, and the dog & cat need to go to the vet. Thankful I have a job that I can increase/decrease hours when needed. (Helps to be your own boss!)
Planned accomplishments:
-Going to tackle Dad's room today. He's been gone almost a year and a half, and I have yet to take care of his clothing, etc. I've slowly been donating a little at a time, but it's time to get the rest of it done. His room has become the repository for whatever doesn't fit in the rest of the house. Time to do a major cleanout and take some to my storage unit, and re-arrange the rest. When we go on vacation, the floor & wall work will be done, so I have to put all the furniture and appliances somewhere....so Dad's room and mine are the only options. Need to find the will and Mom/Dad's marriage license too, so hopefully those are somewhere in there too.
-Cleaning off this horrible messy desk of mine. I still have stacks of Dad's medical bills that slipped through the Medicaid cracks and have to be re-submitted, my 401(k) paperwork that has to be submitted from my old job, bills to be organized and paid, coupons to clip, etc. Tired of working in a mess all the time.
-And then there's the usual housework, laundry, dishes, etc.
once had a 2 ton chev delivery van cram old 51 in the azz when i was at a dead stop -- construction zone . that plastic truck was all over the interstate , driver left the scene in a medivac chopper . lol . i drove bigfoot home , struggling , busted exhaust , but unfazed ..
this body panel replacement is childsplay compared to some of the projects ive tackled ..
im hungry g - damnt i could sure groove on some of emjos turkey necks right now .
celery and potatoes joan , is that asking too much ?
resoundingly F sweetpotatos, cant do it , ill eat uncooked rice first ..
GREAT! What classes will you take
~Summer
I enjoy reading all y'all's post.
Ben and Jerry's ice cream sounds so good right now. Sure wish I had some.
I didn't get that prize for doing dishes!!
Grrrr
Enjoy Susan, you've earned it love!!
I forgot to list yesterday: I paid it forward while at the Dollar General grabbing laundry soap. Made me feel good, and the guy thanked me about 15 times. I was smiling all the way home.
And...The DISHES ARE DONE! Ta-dahhhh! In the process of wiping everything down now. Can't wait for Brother to pick Mom up on Saturday for the parade so I can have some alone time. I am SO looking forward to that.
I did however mange to get 20 minutes in on the stationary bike.
Failure: I did not get around to cleaning the bird's cage...again. Meh. Tomorrow's another day.
Boni - that pint of B&J's was a well deserved indulgence! I'm jealous! Sounds soooo good!!
Cleaned moms room ( she throws everything on the floor) Bathed her ( y'all know what that's like) 2 loads of laundry, mowed front and back yard... pulled those darned thigh high weed alongside the living fence (?) oh hey, made garbage day as well..... grocery shopped, and grilled ma a fine burger and yellow corn.
I shall just go drop now :)
Failure......eating a pint of Ben and Jerry's for dinner.
my next job is cutting firewood in the forest , i need jim to do that ..
P.S. We take complaints too! LOL
Failure for today: dishes still not done. I did, however, get water and soap in the sink and get them soaking. Just no time!
Accomplishments for today:
MAJOR SUCCESS! After 4 days of no shower, Mom FINALLY showered, which brightened my mood considerably. I *hate* it when she won't shower. I keep thinking of the all the germs, fungi and bacteria growing in her skin folds and other unmentionable areas. Ick. She is prone to yeast growth on her skin if not cared for properly, and 4 days without a shower is NOT cool.
Also, I asked Sis #2 if she would be around this weekend to take Mom to the Mem Day parade in the next town over for their big festival. Nope. But apparently she said something to Brother, who messaged me this morning and said he could pick her up Sat a.m. and take her to the parade. YESSSSS! Oh my gosh, I will have 2-3 hours of uninterrupted blissful peace and quiet! I won't know what to do with myself! Oh, wait...I have to work. LOL Oh well - at least it will be quiet and I'll have some alone time. Incredible! Maybe it's not *my* accomplishment, but it makes me happy, anyway.
Those two things alone are enough to brighten my previously-dark mood!
Hope all of you are having a good day.
Thanks for listening.
Brenna
I found out last night my cousin may have some serious health issues on the horizon so I will give her a pass. :)