General topics.

Gershun...Love it! Thank you for my smile. This brightened my day!

Madge, you inspired me to write a poem. It's entitled Barefoot in Pee.

There was a time, years ago,
When I walked in my bare feet, come rain or come snow, that's how I liked to go
People would say, you'll catch yourself a cold
But, I didn't care, it made me feel bold

Fast forward to today and things are not the same
I'm still the same girl, I still play in the rain
But now with my shoes on, not quite as carefree
Cause the last time I tried it, I stepped in Mom's pee

I could laugh, I could cry, but now I don't bother
Cause it was just the same with my now deceased Father
I'm still the same girl, who wants to live free
But never in bare feet cause I may step in pee.

Ta Da!!!!!
Dedicated to all my caregiving friends who've stepped in pee.

CM

What happened to Kane today ?

Lost
It doesn't help much in the heat of battle but
This too shall pass

Can't tell you how many times I stepped barefoot into pee only to have mom say it was just water from her hands

I am so tired of ALL OF THIS. She had her lunch, what wasn't pocketed in her cheek, and was trying to clean up the nastiness in her room, and I nicely asked her to sit in her chair. She narrow her eyes at me and tells me to mind my own business. I wanna say something bad, but, of course I don't because I know it's the AD. But some things really drive me. I should start drinking, heavily. Then I may fit in with all the pissin and shittin. Forgive me.

Book, while it is sometimes true that a fracture won't be obvious on an x-ray, it is beyond shullbit to state baldly that they don't show up until they've healed. If you're feeling strong of stomach, Google it.

I hope he also checked for a minor dislocation (can't be a biggy or you wouldn't be sitting up and typing). Any swelling in your forearm? If your elbow doesn't start to settle down or you notice any change in that forearm (compare it with the other one) go back. If this does happen, don't worry - any orthopaedic surgeon will be able to pop it back in place before you can say "AAAAARGGGH get off me!"

There's an article on the front page of USA Today about the number of guns in homes of the elderly
One retired cop with dementia accidentally shot his wife
Fortunately she was able to phone for help but faced a difficult recovery

bookluvr, oh I can sympathize with you. It brought back memories of my broken upper arm and having it x-ray. Oh my gosh, the pain !!! Yep, the x-ray showed a hairline fracture. Who would think a hairline would be so painful. I had to wear a sling for a couple of months, hopefully you won't have to, otherwise the muscles in your arm could freeze... then comes rehab to straighten the arm out.

Ah yes, those ice packs were a lifesaver especially at night trying to sleep. You might have to prop your arm on a pillow to get a comfortable position.

Cwillie
I don't know what is worse either

Book
You have lots of common sense
Feel better and yes ice can be soothing - just don't leave it on more than 10-15 minutes at a time

Book, it sounds as though you found a very compassionate doctor. I hope your arm settles down and heals - how will you be able to work?

My calendar just informed me that today mom has been at her current nursing home for one year, although she was at the initial one for a couple of months before that. I'm still torn between thinking she can't possibly live another month to thinking she could just keep this up indefinitely. I don't know which is worse.

Last Saturday, I came home after working in the morning. We had a storm Wednesday night and so our front porch was awful - leaves, dirt, etc... Of course, sis rarely sweeps the porch despite being a heavy smoker and needing to smoke practically every hour - day AND night. I came home and was disgusted how the front cement porch looked. I took the broom and started sweeping. oooohhhh. that's pain on my right arm that's been slightly hurting since my fall on July 1st. I kept sweeping but found ways to sweep and less pain. Pain got worse as the day went by.

Sunday, I went at 5:30am with fave sis to the flea market. Only available seat was behind the front passenger. So, I had to use my right arm to open/close the door and the seatbelt. Went to 2 different flea markets. My right arm started hurting by the time we went to the 2nd one. All day, the pain worsened.

So Monday morning, I called the clinic and made an appointment for today at 4pm. I'm calmly sitting there as the doctor asks me questions. Pain level? 4. He asked where's the pain. He touched my inner elbow. No, here. I angled my body (learned that if I turn my arm left or right -Pain!!!) and touched the outer elbow. He said "here?" and pressed it. I answered, "OWWWW!!!" He jumped back quickly and apologized. He said that I'm just sitting there calmly and he just didn't.... I said, "I have a high tolerance for pain."

After the xrays, my elbow was in severe pain. Xray with my arm straight (ow!!). Now turn your elbow still upright but to the left, hooolllddd (ow!!!). Now, this angle, hoooollldd (ow!!!) and finally, right angle (ow!!!)… I was sitting, waiting for the doctor, cradling my right arm across my body, with my left hand reaching across and cupping my right elbow. I was rocking myself because the pain was baaaaad.

When the doctor walked in, he noticed my body position. He asked if I was in pain. I said very calmly, "I'm really hurting in my elbow." Then I continued with a deeper tone slowly for emphasis: "I Mean I'm Really, Really Hurting Inside My Elbow.  It's Throbbing Inside My Elbow. Not anywhere. Just Inside My Elbow."

He asked if he was the one to cause that pain. I shook my head and said, "The x-ray." When the nurse brought an ice pack and put it on my elbow, I sighed loudly with relief, "Ohhhh, that feels sooooo good. I never thought to use an ice pack for my pain!" … Anyway, the xrays show no fracture but the doc says that he didn't expect to see one because fractures don't show on xrays. It can only be seen after the bone heals up and then we see the calcium buildup where it healed - weeks after the injury fall.... So, I'm too skinny to fit their smallest elbow support. I'm now using the wrap around bandage to hold my elbow and a sling to help support my hurting arm. He insisted that a 600mg Motrin will help the pain than my Excedrin... I give him kudos. My elbow's pain was increasing. I couldn't handle the pain. I took the Motrin. sigh... I don't feel any sharp stabbing throbbing pain inside my elbow... I went and bought one of those cold pack. I used my cold eye mask for my face when it was swelling from the fall. I just didn't think to use it for my elbow..... Like my dad told me while growing up: 'You have no common sense.'

He is quite a poppet, isn't he? Reminds me of D2's fiancé, though it's mainly the beardy thing. SMH. Young men today...

Between him and Gareth Southgate's waistcoat it's like they're all travelling back in time to the 1910s. And actually HK does also bring to mind a young King George V. "Are they by any chance related?" as Private Eye magazine would ask.

I shall be relieved when it's all over and we can look forward to the Rugby World Cup in Japan next year. Much more civilised.

Can't remember where this came from, but famously: "football is a game for gentlemen, played by hooligans. Rugby is a game for hooligans, played by gentlemen."

CM
I'm all in on England now - that Harry Kane is a good looking guy

I heard on the radio there's some drunk seagulls in England - smell like beer and fall down when walking - folks don't know where they're getting their supply 🍺

I think I'll take mom back her purse and fake money - won't be able to hide peppermint candy and lifesavers in it anymore though - she might choke

Ali,
Yes it is - for some reason, I thought it might be told from a humorous perspective when I stumbled upon it - obviously I didn't read any reviews ahead of time !!

This is one weird movie... 😳 But I like it, it's interesting enough.  I'm referring to Where Is Kyra? I did end up falling asleep during it, then accidentally saw the end already, now I'm going back to watch the rest of it. Interesting topic for caregivers... plus the way it's shot is like a Hitchcock or Scorsese thriller. Weird. And entertaining enough.

Sorry about the Sweden match, MsMadge. 30 million people watched it here. There's only 67 million in the entire country, and quite a lot of them are Scots, Welsh and Irish and don't care either way. 30 million minus 1, that is - I was in the hairdressing salon, where I'd managed to snap up a mystery cancellation, looking forward to seeing the match in the evening and blissfully unaware that I'd got the time wrong.

So now we have to go through it all again on Wednesday. Oy. It's not the losing, it's the hope I can't stand. Oh no not again...

Madge my Mom was always asking about her purse too so your post reminded me of that. I'm glad for you that she had what sounds like a better day.

Ali, I wouldn't say the movie was good.............but that's just my opinion. Let us know what you think if you rent it.

Madge... ((((hugs)))).... your post about what your mom remembers, or doesn't remember, or acts like on a particular day... It brought back memories of my grandmother. I wasn't there to see her decline from day to day throughout her last 10 years, but I was there to see her in her last year. And on different days she was chatty or not, loving or angry, hungry or seemed to have given up on food. It always seemed like the present day was the only day, in that regard. Whatever was happening that day was all that mattered.

Thinking of you and your mom. You're doing so good by her, I'm proud of you, and happy for her, and wish I could give you both a big (((((hug))))).

Blah. The search for the movie resulted in my signing up for a many-years-overdue subscription to Netflix. I had been sponging off a friend for the past 4 years or so, but that well seems to have run dry, lol, and rightly so. So I signed up for my own account. The movie isn't on Netflix but it's on Amazon for $4.99, though! I'll spend the money... sounds like a good movie. :-) Yay!

Given the horrible heatwave, I missed Friday night fiesta with the Viking, and she was sleepy head when I popped in yesterday after lunch, so even though I still had errands to run, I got to hoca during dinner tonight and brought mom some real food- she hates the purée

Glad I went - she was alert, seated upright and tried feeding herself

It was too hot to go outside after dinner so we sat by the window and looked out - when she went to rehab last year with sepsis, I ditched her purse and fake money, but on occasion she still asks about her purse and thinks mine is her sometimes
She asked me to hand her the purse and though it took her a bit to unzip it and she didn't have the energy to look through it much , I could tell it is still an item of importance to her

A couple of weeks ago she couldn't get through prayers but tonight she knew all the verses to the Lord's Prayer

I'm going to find this movie and watch it right now... Or watch part of it before I fall asleep. haha

Gershun, I appreciate your rant. Most everything in advertisements looks better than real life, but in the case of elder care, I get your point. It's so very much different than the reality.

One of my kitties is hijacking this post. I think I'll go over to Caregiver's Cats and post about this rascal. :-)

Send, definitely not uplifting but realistic. I mean let's face it, most of the time caregiving is not exactly uplifting. Which brings me to my next comment. I probably should post this on the whine thread but anywho...........

I know this topic has been covered before but I'd really like to call out the advertising giants who think it's okay to portray aging care facilities in such a ridiculous way. I watched one today. The place is called Shannon Oakes. Old people dressed in their best, playing cards, getting served in a white tablecloth dining room being served by waiters dressed in their best tuxedo like clothes serving shrimp and all the finest cuisine. Not a trace of drool or feces anywhere to be seen.

I watched this and immediately felt guilt at where we placed my Mom. What must old folk think when they watch these commercials and end up where they end up. I know I did the best I could for Mom but I've often wondered if she felt that she should have been somewhere better. They must stop with these commercials......all they do is make caregivers who can't afford all the trimmings feel bad and guilty and place unrealistic expectations in their loved ones.

There, rant over.

I looked at the spoiler reviews. id like to watch, that's a recent movie too. I hope I can see on Netflix some day.

Reviews: The darkness, shot in shadows, with an anxiety producing score.
Was it a sad or uplifting movie?

I cannot watch it yet on Roku. But want to know if any caregivers here sold the rights to their story. Hmmmmn.

Maybe for me, I should be watching The Never Ending Story.

Ms Madge, that's hilarious. I watched that movie last night too. I didn't quite know what to think about it too. When I watched the beginning of it I really felt sad for her and her Mom and even started to cry a bit. But as the movie progressed, I didn't know what to think.

I don't want to give anything away if someone else wants to watch it so I'll leave it at that.

I watched a movie on cable last night with Michelle pheiffer and Keifer Sutherland

Not sure how I feel about it - basic premise was a single woman trying to find work after caring for her elderly mom

Where's Kyra?

The Russian Croatian quarterfinal today was very exciting

Alas, no more Vikings left as Sweden fell to England