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I think we all have hearts to care for stray animals, injured or neglected and that is also why we are the ones caring for our loved ones. We caregivers really are gifted with large hearts. We are also old souls to see things beyond the surface. Not many people in this world are willing to look past what is important to themselves and their own goals "to get" and see what is really important in life. Experiencing the frailty of life or the end of life with another human being we all come to know how love is what really matters to all of us in the end.
I do feel really fortunate to be able to go out in the boat even for a couple of hours to get a break and enjoy the wind, sun and fresh air. I am going to try to take some pictures and I will share them over on our facebook page, maybe even take a mini video to post if conditions and time allow me to do it. *´¨) ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨) (¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ Chirp Chirp Cricket Hugsღ
Cat, I loved the baby owl story. My husband once rescued a full grown great horned owl, that burned its wing on an electrical transformer. He had to stop the guy that was with him from killing it with a shovel. He brought it home and put it in a rabbit hutch. It was quite wild,but fed it raw meat for a couple of months. The feathers grew back, and we took it out the the Pecos river, where it flew away without so much as a backwards glance. Beautiful bird. We raised a baby raven one time too. He hung around all summer, kept stealing things from the neighbors. Anything bright and shiny he would carry home and stash in his tree. Even got the neighbors car keys one time. He would come and land on your shoulder. But, we let him fly off come fall.
You know, I really hate pigeons, Cricket, but I would've had to put him in my shrimp bucket too! What is with people who are just so callous that they can block out another critter's suffering? My mother, for as difficult and negative as she can be, always let us kids bring in an injured animal. Other kids in the neighborhood would bring injured or baby animals to our house when their parents wouldn't allow it. We had squirrels and birds (lived in the city, so not much more than that) around the house a lot in shoe boxes, bird cages, fish tanks. Kept a kitten that was thrown out of a bus window one day. She wasn't hurt, but my brother was pretty shocked to see her chucked out the window like a little flying fur ball and land in front of him. He tucked the terrified little thing in his jacket and brought her home. Our family dog was a half starved stray who used beg for food at the gas station that my dad used to go to. She joined the family of misfits and I swear, she was grateful. What an awesome dog she was. When my brother got hit by a car, she sat next to him on the road until help came. I wish I could go on a boat - lucky you! Fresh air, sunshine and the ocean... Sounds like heaven.
I feel so blessed to be around the truly wonderful people here. Cat I love the baby Owl story! Judy, I hate how people can just walk by an animal who obviously needs help. We saw this earlier in the year with a pigeon at the boat launch. It had a broken wing and vultures were starting to circle and people would just walk right by! We didn't have anything to put it in but a shrimp bucket but at least we got it out of harms way and the local wildlife preserve people came and got it. It cut our outing time in half but it was well worth it! Seems like it's been forever since that happened now. It's time to get out on the boat with my Husband for a few hours. There's nothing like breathing in fresh air and soaking up some sun while moving out to sea on a boat on a beautiful day. I hope you all are enjoying this day and get a little time for yourself in somehow. xoxo Cricket
good morning, I"m taking a break from sorting thru Mom's stuff, and my stuff. I set the timer for 60 min at a time and work at it, then take a break. Cat, I enjoyed reading your baby owl story. :)
Judy and Deb and all you other animal savers and wailers: You are my heroes. I've had cats, dogs, owls, crows, dove, etc. If we ever want to swap stories, I've got some good ones to tell you. Our owl, baby-baby, was an amazing guy/gal? We raised him from a baby with literally no feathers. He was the ugliest thing I ever saw. Kind of a fraggle looking freak. He was given no odds for survival, but we did out best and he grew to be healthy. We had a big indoor/ outdoor cage for him, but sometimes we would let him stay free in our house. He loved to sit on a big plant stand and we would toss little stuffed toys and let him swoop down on them. Sometimes, I just could not stand to put him in his cage at night and my hubby would say, "OK, let's let him stay in the house on the plant stand." He just looked so happy and peaceful there. So we would turn off the lights and go upstairs to go to bed. This silly owl would be asleep, but when we turned off the lights, it was like, "Well if you are going up stairs to bed, I'm going with you." He would fly up the stairs behind us and roost on the door to our bedroom. I feel like a total fool telling you this, but we would play Mr. Wiggley, which meant that Warren would wiggle his toes under the covers of the bed and Baby would say, "looks like kill to me" and swoop down on his toes. Somehow, Baby knew that we were not really road kill and he would never use the full force of his talons and beak. He knew it was just his crazy parents playing games with him and he would make this little giggle, like he was having such a fun time. In the morning, when we woke up, first thought is where is the owl. Not on the door, no where in sight. So down the hall Warren would go and out of nowhere came Baby, landing on his shoulder and giving his sweet giggle.
Our vet would come to our home to see Baby. He was a joy to behold, but we knew that he needed to be free and learn to hunt for real. We placed him with a rehab owl place that received dead baby chicks from foster farms. Every day there were 80 barn owls lined up for their food while they were given the time to learn to truly hunt their prey and make their way in the natural world. I pray baby found his way and enjoyed the company of his own and eventually found a mate. What a precious creation of God he was.
Now please don't think that my house is a pig pen. I truly do keep a clean camp, but I did, on occasion, make room for a creature of God to have it's freedom. The owl was never as messy as two long haired Shelties I currently have running in and out all the time.
Blessings to all you have a heart for animals. Love you, Cat.
Hey, Deb, I'm glad the Rugrat did so well with your mothering. The last rabbit that I delivered to the vet a few weeks ago is doing well. I call the rehab lady once in a while (she's nuttier than me, so she doesn't mind). Its such a relief when it ends well, isn't it? That last rabbit was an eye opener for me. I drove the kids in my car pool to school and saw him on the curb struggling. It was hot out already at 7:30am, but I saw plenty of people out walking and thought that someone would pick him up. I had no time to stop and nothing to put him in - had two schools to stop at and a car full of boys. On my way home, 20 minutes later, the bunny was still there in the sun. All the people that walked, biked, jogged and drove by him, never picked him up. I stopped the truck and walked up to him, thinking he was dead, and he began to struggle again, so I scooped him up and rolled him in the folded up bottom of my tee shirt and cried all the way home, wondering to myself how people can be so mean and just leave him there to die. (I was having an emotional day anyway, and bunny just was the straw that broke the camel's back for me). Lots of times, they just sort of run into car tires and get stunned and bloodied noses. I've had a few that I've just released after a day or two after they come out of their stupor. Their backs break easily but lots of times, if their backs aren't really broken, like the little struggler that I just picked up, the vet just gives them a shot of an anti inflammatory, and they're pretty much okay - just need rest, food and rehab. This little guy spent the night in my laundry room before I could get him to the vet because my truck went into the shop that day and the vet was closed by the time I got it back. So, bunny beat the odds and is recovering. The bunny before him, had pellets in his leg (what is wrong with people?), and he was doing well too. I either have to drive with blinders on or keep a dang box in my truck because the rest of the neighborhood is a bunch of assh*les. Do you remember Gloria on All in the Family? Remember how she cried with her mouth wide open in a wail? That's what I was doing the day I picked the struggler up. Men-tal. I'm losing it! Anyway, long blab just to say that I'm glad Rugrat did well.
Cat, I am so sorry to hear your dad is not doing good that he his last stages. You are both in my prayers. You are doing the right thing for your dad. Hugs to you.
Good Grief I had no idea that taking care of a baby squirrel was just like taking care of a baby. I was getting up every 4hrs to feed that little booger n boy was he a squirmer when it was his feeding time. We had call our local vet n she had no expereince on about taking care of a squirrel. We started researching organizations on the website on how to properly care for him. We then called our local Oxbow Meadow WildLife Center where they were very helpful in connecting us to the right people for the best interest for the baby squirrel. I also want to thank everyone on here for the time you all took to research on how to help take care of Rugrat. We kept him for a week as we watched him grow stronger day-by-day. We even got to see his eyes open during that week n he had little teethies that I could feel as I gave him his kitten formula milk.
With Judym taking care of the rabbits n Catatil taking care of owls n her I am taking care of a squirrel, I guess u can say that, "we r just- loving-careing-suckers for all types of animals." : ) They were out of the Esbilac formula at the time so the lady said that the kitten replacer milk was okay that I used. He was up to 8 cc during break n dinner n sucked down only abour 4 cc at lunch n midnight. He only weighed about 3.5 almost 4 oz before we took him to the lady that has been taking care of squirrels for yrs. She had one that was 14 yrs old. I had no idea they could live that long. I sure do miss the little fellow but in a way it is best for little Rugrat to move on. I guess when I get some time I will post some on my fb if anyone likes to see little Rugrat. Debbie Starks
Judym, That website is a great website for anyone neededing help for that is one of the website that the Wildlife Rehabiliator recommended for me. For those who made need the site here it is just in case. www.squirreltales.org and the other one she recommended was, www.squirreslandmore.com
Some people just ask the weirdest things, don't they? Such a nerve to ask "why" you didn't marry. I had my first 3 kids in 3 years and I actually had people say "dont you know what causes that by now?" when I was pregnant with the 3rd one. So rude. So irritatingly rude. I have a friend who is single and when someone asks her "why", she just says she's still looking for Mr. Right, and changes the subject. Still, she shouldn't have to say that much.
Bookworm, next time some guy asks you that say "yes, and I'm picky about who I talk to about my personal life too" followed by a "now, how can I help you?"
Deef, I hope you're Mom calms down now and you can relax over the weekend. I've always managed my dads meds but I would allow him to keep the weekly pill boxes in his room and daily check to make sure he was taking them right, but what happened was he got up in the middle of the night and thought it was morning and took them, then again later when he woke up again before I even checked. Now I moved all the medication out of him room and just take him what he needs when it's time.. it's not that much of a change except it's apparent that his AD is progressing :( My other parents that I cared for til the end of their lives didn't have AD so all the information I have learned here from everyone has helped me tremendously to know what to do and how to do it before it happens, most of the time. lol I will remember "wellness briefs" for when we need to use them too. thanks!
Austin, good for you speaking up for yourself!
Have a great weekend everyone.. *´¨) ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨) (¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ Chirp Chirp Cricket Hugsღ
Book I am sorry you have to deal with rude people-I guess all the assholes do not live in NY after all. I was going to church the other night and a guy was right on my ass almost pushing my car then when I parked in the church driveway he followed me in and said I was a bad driver -I asked him if he was the jerk on my tail he said yes I said my driving was fine but did he know there was a speed limil of 35 going past the two schools and library plus that road has lots of sharp curves and accidents very often.
I had a customer come in this week. He asked me if I was married, children -then asked why not? Too picky? Haven't found the right one? .... I really, really hate this! Why do people think they have the right to ask such personal questions to people who are NOT related to them? Well, I hate it,too when relatives ask it....So how does one answer these questions in a NICE way? Remember, most of the times, these are asked at my work setting. I must always remain professional. But...I get so irritated and defensive and feel as if I AM LACKING. I hate that feeling. My response: "I was too busy taking care of my parent."
Then he does the usual praises that people say - which I just want to roll my eyes: "Oh what a good daughter you are. To take care of your parent. I admire you for it.etc..."
Then he added insult to injury # 2 (#1 for not being married and no children) by Comparing caregiving with parents as with taking care of Children!! Oops, my mouth was too fast for my brains to stop it...I replied, "It's not the same! Children grow up. And are independent."
In order to stop him from going on and on, I kept saying thank you. Didn't work...
Wow Maxine!! You are really getting those shawls done! I'm sure they are well loved by everyone who gets one. I haven't shopped for yarn in a while. I have a huge back stock of all kinds, so I will be busy all fall and winter making projects to give as gifts and to sell for much needed extra $$. Some I will use to buy more yarn, of course! Keep up the good work! Cricket, Good move with dad's meds. Even people with mild dementia cannot be trusted to take their meds properly.Dementia wreaks havoc with one's sense of time even in the early stages. I've been managing Mom's meds for 4 years and even I get confused occasionally! Luckily for me, her PD has made it necessary for her to be in a wheelchair the last couple years, due to many falls caused by weakness on her left side. And of course the dementia makes it impossible for her to realize that she could no longer get around safely on her own. Although it is nice to be able to let them get around on their own, when safety becomes an issue, it's sometimes better to have them in a wheelchair for a good part of the day, otherwise we would have to constantly be following their every move to keep them and ourselves and homes safe. Stoves are a huge hazard. Mom used to try to clean the stove and would turn on the gas while wiping it down. Of course she had no clue what she was smelling and scared the crap out of me a few times when she was still getting around on her own. Restraints are not allowed in facilities, but should be used in a home setting for many safety reasons. I know from experience that all we have to do is go to the bathroom or even turn our back for a second, and BAM, they are down on the floor, or out the door on the run, or messing with a source of power, and any other number of harmful deeds that they no longer can understand the danger of doing. I'll sure be glad when this full moon night is over!!! Mom has been off the wall all week!!! When I picked her up at daycare today, I could not get her to sit in the car!!!! That must have been some sight, watching me trying to get her to sit, and her standing stiff like a board with her head thrown back mumbling some gibberish and refusing to bend at the waist to sit. As it is, I have to park the chair right next to the car and haul her up and turn her around to sit her on the seat. Then she can't figure out how to lift her legs into the car!!. By the time I get her settled and I'm ready to close the door, she has one foot back out of the car. We live less than a mile from the facility, yet she tries to open the car door to get out when I stop at an intersection. Then I have to reach over and close the door again.By the time we got home this afternoon, I was so hot that I put her to bed for a nap and jumped in the pool to cool down. Same thing happens to me in the morning. One hour of struggling to get her up and ready, does me in for the day! Okay, time for bed! Oh yeah, one more time. For all of you having problems with wet bedding in the morning, I can't say enough, Wellness Briefs!!!!!! You can find them online or on Facebook. Best thing since Pampers changed the world!! Night! Deef
I've been back and forth to the Hospital yesterday and today. Dad is home with me safe and sound once again. The night before last night he got up in the middle of the night and thought it was morning and took him morning meds, went back to sleep, woke and repeated. We all sat down at the table for breakfast and Both Chuck and I looked over at Dad and watched his eyes roll back into his head, I grabbed Dad and told Chuck to call 911. All said and done we are moving into the next phase of dementia.. I will no longer be able to observe him taking his meds out of his pill boxes daily. From here on out I will be dosing him throughout the day. It is sad to watch him decline. And one good thing, they didn't have to drug him while at the hospital to make him behave with the nurses.. that was like "twilight zone" weird to experience for a change.
Cat, You know you have my love and prayers. I know it hurts. And all of us are here for you and praying for you and your Dad. xoxo
Captain Bobbie, I knew there was something going on with you. I was planning on giving you a call right before Dad's episode. A Cornea infection sounds really painful, I'm sorry. Glad you are on the mend though, I miss you!!
Deef Deef deef, what is it about your name! I like saying it too. My Husband's business is a one man crew.... Himself. He sits at his desks from sunup til sundown and works like crazy. I don't think I've ever seen anyone work as hard as him. I'm taking over the books to help take some of the stress off of him. Caregiving has become much easier for me now that I learned how to deal differently with Dad's passive aggressive behaviors. Basically that means that when he asks me to do something for him that he is capable of doing I say NO and let him get mad or whatever and detach. Once I made new boundaries and enforced them he stopped treating me like I was his servant. That was a huge hurdle for me but it's over and has been for about 6 months now. I think I'm starting to become more "Linda-like" finally! It's a really good change.
I hope everyone is doing well. Love you all! Cricket
Deefer -good to hear from you. I am continuing with the crocheting-my son moved back into his home so I do not have to be as quiet-but still crocheting the shawls or rather started again we made about 100 for a NH/Rehab and they gave those out and now are doing them for a facility that has seperate Rehab building and a NH so we have to do loads for them I have a friend there in rehab so I have to get a count of how many we will need and I am the only member of my Knitwit group at the senior center so I go in every Fri and crochet in case anyone wants to get involved - I can teach both knitting and crocheting and two members besides me may come back-I friend bought a large amount of yarn for me at a thrift shop so I have been using that which helps my budget out and I joined a wholesale club which is near another better yarn store and with gas at $4.15 a gallon I can do two things at one time so that helps after this will go back to lap robes.
What is it with the eye stuff..I have a dr appointment this morning for a what the hell fell into my eye that I can't get out visit...Good timing as they are being reluctant about refilling my damn prescription. I go to a clinic and see a different dr every time, so the one who filled it has moved on already...I run out today people...Gonna use the time and cover everything in one go. I can't just go to the dr here.....
Hi to Bobbie and deef and thoughts and prayers with cat.......
Bobbie!!!!!!! Ouch on your eye!!! Good news about the boat angel!! My neighbor just got his CAT scan results and they are great!!! Pancreatic cancer is almost undetectable after 6 treatments. He was dancing in the street last night! Amazing people out there fighting their toughest battle. Boat sounds like she's going to be a beauty when all is done. Hope to see it someday! How's Ted doing? Wish him well for me. Just shot off another e-mail to Pirate! She's so much fun. Rossella is hanging in there too! Not much translation work, so she needs to let Daniella go and try to reinvent herself to make $$ to continue caring for her mom. As you know, she is a lot like mine dementia wise, only still ambulating and getting into trouble. Such fun!!! Linda!!!! Retired!!!! Yay!!! Too bad you have to wait a few years to get Social Security! I'll be able to start collecting next year. Can't wait!!! Cat, sorry to hear of your father's decline. Your decision to keep him comfortable is a good one. Hope his passing is easy for you both. Bookworm, I can't even imagine being in your shoes!!! You are definitely doing the best you can. Keep on reading! It can take you away to far off places for a little bit of peace. Jen, how's it going for you? Got a box with your name on it. I'll let you know when to expect it. Austin, how's the crocheting going? I found it too hot to knit much this summer, even with cotton yarns. Cricket, you always sound so busy! How's your husband's business doing? Diane, How are you doing with the application? Any changes to mom's meds yet? If they could get the right mix she would be so much easier to care for. Making sure yours are working for you is also very important. As for weight, I'm at the heaviest I have ever been, and the hot summer has only made it worse. Hoping for a cool down so I can get back to walking every day. Legs have been swelling all summer. Very unusual for me! For everyone else that I've been reading posts from, this is the place to be to vent and get support and information from. A lot of us have been doing this for years and have much experience with all aspects of care giving. Can't shock us with any subject matter! Been there, done that!!! Hope everyone has a good day and a better weekend. Deef
Good Morning Crew, Cat, you are doing the right thing. You're smart and loving and we all know how difficult this is. You are a precious daughter to your precious father. Love you Cat and I know that we all are sending you angels to help you get through this.
Crew, I have been MIA due to a corneal infection. Extremely light sensitive but I have read each and every post and teared up when I saw how many posted for Cattails. Everyone has such a loving heart.
Meanwhile, you said it best with your post above.
You women are amazing and I long for a day that we can all meet each other in person, indulge in adult beverages for those who indulge and maybe even have something 'special'.... right Linda?
DEEF! I dunno, just like saying DEEF! It was good to see from you! Please tell Pirate that I said hi and that I think of her often! Cuz! hilarious as always. Austin/June/Maxine I am here! Just have had trouble looking at a screen. On the mend though and hope you are ok and having some kind of fun up there. Rip! hope you are doing ok and it's been 2+ years for me and I still wake up crying for my mom or dad or both. At the end of the day we are still kids.
Linda! Miss you and hope that you and Deb can come and hang out one day again.
Kuli and Jen and JudyW and Diane! and Cricket!! and I know I am missing so many but please forgive me. Love you guys and like Cat says: You all are making a positive difference in her life, my life and each other's lives. Thanks everybody for being here.
The boat angel is still here and he is doing ok too. Thanks for your prayers you guys. We are out of the paint shed and on a floating dock. The guys have finished the pilothouse roof as well as the boat deck and the teak boards on the Portuguese bridge have been reefed and recaulked. Now the sides of the boat are covered in epoxy where the pain has been ground out and the fiberglass epoxied. This boat is going to come out better than I thought! The boat angel is way neater than me so the entire boat is squared away and spic and span. (Linda! You wouldn't believe it!) This is just too much boat for one person to be sanding on and caulking on and scrubbing on, etc etc. Bless his sweet heart and I pray that he stays in remission because he is laughing and smiling. We are eating right and doing our best.
Love you guys and I promise that I will check in more often now that it doesn't hurt to look at the screen!
A Catholic Priest, a Baptist Preacher, and a Rabbi all served as Chaplains to the students of Northern Michigan University at Marquette in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop. One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really all that hard, a real challenge would be to preach to a bear. One thing led to another, and they decided to do an experiment. They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it to their religion. Seven days later, they all came together to discuss their experiences. Father Flannery, who had his arm in a sling, was on crutches, and had various bandages on his body and limbs, went first. 'Well,' he said, 'I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found him, I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a lamb. The Bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion and confirmation.' Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, had one arm and both legs in casts, and had an IV drip. In his best fire-and-brimstone oratory, he exclaimed, 'WELL, brothers, you KNOW that we Baptists don't sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And then I began to read to my bear from God's HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me.' 'So I took HOLD of him and we began to wrestle. We wrestled down one hill, UP another and DOWN another until we came to a creek. So I quickly DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the day praising Jesus... Hallelujah!' The Priest and the Reverend both looked down at the Rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast and traction with IV's and monitors running in and out of him. He was in really bad shape. The Rabbi looked up and said: "Looking back on it.... circumcision may not have been the best way to start.
A drunken man walks into a biker bar, sits down at the bar and orders a drink. Looking around, he sees three men sitting at a corner table. He gets up, staggers to the table, leans over,looks the biggest, meanest, biker in the face and says: 'I went by your grandma's house today and I saw her in the hallway buck-naked. Man, she is one fine looking woman!'
The biker looks at him and doesn't say a word. His buddies are confused, because he is one bad biker and would fight at the drop of a hat.
The drunk leans on the table again and says: 'I got it on with your grandma and she is good, the best I ever had!'
The biker's buddies are starting to get really mad but the biker still says nothing.
The drunk leans on the table one more time and says, 'I'll tell you something else, boy, your grandma liked it!'
At this point the biker stands up,takes the drunk by the shoulders looks him square in the eyes and says....................
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I do feel really fortunate to be able to go out in the boat even for a couple of hours to get a break and enjoy the wind, sun and fresh air. I am going to try to take some pictures and I will share them over on our facebook page, maybe even take a mini video to post if conditions and time allow me to do it.
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(¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ Chirp Chirp Cricket Hugsღ
I wish I could go on a boat - lucky you! Fresh air, sunshine and the ocean... Sounds like heaven.
Cat, I enjoyed reading your baby owl story. :)
Our vet would come to our home to see Baby. He was a joy to behold, but we knew that he needed to be free and learn to hunt for real. We placed him with a rehab owl place that received dead baby chicks from foster farms. Every day there were 80 barn owls lined up for their food while they were given the time to learn to truly hunt their prey and make their way in the natural world. I pray baby found his way and enjoyed the company of his own and eventually found a mate. What a precious creation of God he was.
Now please don't think that my house is a pig pen. I truly do keep a clean camp, but I did, on occasion, make room for a creature of God to have it's freedom. The owl was never as messy as two long haired Shelties I currently have running in and out all the time.
Blessings to all you have a heart for animals. Love you, Cat.
I also want to thank everyone on here for the time you all took to research on how to help take care of Rugrat. We kept him for a week as we watched him grow stronger day-by-day. We even got to see his eyes open during that week n he had little teethies that I could feel as I gave him his kitten formula milk.
With Judym taking care of the rabbits n Catatil taking care of owls n her I am taking care of a squirrel, I guess u can say that, "we r just- loving-careing-suckers for all types of animals." : )
They were out of the Esbilac formula at the time so the lady said that the kitten replacer milk was okay that I used. He was up to 8 cc during break n dinner n sucked down only abour 4 cc at lunch n midnight. He only weighed about 3.5 almost 4 oz before we took him to the lady that has been taking care of squirrels for yrs. She had one that was 14 yrs old. I had no idea they could live that long.
I sure do miss the little fellow but in a way it is best for little Rugrat to move on. I guess when I get some time I will post some on my fb if anyone likes to see little Rugrat. Debbie Starks
Judym, That website is a great website for anyone neededing help for that is one of the website that the Wildlife Rehabiliator recommended for me. For those who made need the site here it is just in case. www.squirreltales.org and the other one she recommended was, www.squirreslandmore.com
Deef, I hope you're Mom calms down now and you can relax over the weekend. I've always managed my dads meds but I would allow him to keep the weekly pill boxes in his room and daily check to make sure he was taking them right, but what happened was he got up in the middle of the night and thought it was morning and took them, then again later when he woke up again before I even checked. Now I moved all the medication out of him room and just take him what he needs when it's time.. it's not that much of a change except it's apparent that his AD is progressing :( My other parents that I cared for til the end of their lives didn't have AD so all the information I have learned here from everyone has helped me tremendously to know what to do and how to do it before it happens, most of the time. lol I will remember "wellness briefs" for when we need to use them too. thanks!
Austin, good for you speaking up for yourself!
Have a great weekend everyone..
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(¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ Chirp Chirp Cricket Hugsღ
Then he does the usual praises that people say - which I just want to roll my eyes: "Oh what a good daughter you are. To take care of your parent. I admire you for it.etc..."
Then he added insult to injury # 2 (#1 for not being married and no children) by Comparing caregiving with parents as with taking care of Children!! Oops, my mouth was too fast for my brains to stop it...I replied, "It's not the same! Children grow up. And are independent."
In order to stop him from going on and on, I kept saying thank you. Didn't work...
Cricket, Good move with dad's meds. Even people with mild dementia cannot be trusted to take their meds properly.Dementia wreaks havoc with one's sense of time even in the early stages. I've been managing Mom's meds for 4 years and even I get confused occasionally! Luckily for me, her PD has made it necessary for her to be in a wheelchair the last couple years, due to many falls caused by weakness on her left side. And of course the dementia makes it impossible for her to realize that she could no longer get around safely on her own. Although it is nice to be able to let them get around on their own, when safety becomes an issue, it's sometimes better to have them in a wheelchair for a good part of the day, otherwise we would have to constantly be following their every move to keep them and ourselves and homes safe. Stoves are a huge hazard. Mom used to try to clean the stove and would turn on the gas while wiping it down. Of course she had no clue what she was smelling and scared the crap out of me a few times when she was still getting around on her own. Restraints are not allowed in facilities, but should be used in a home setting for many safety reasons. I know from experience that all we have to do is go to the bathroom or even turn our back for a second, and BAM, they are down on the floor, or out the door on the run, or messing with a source of power, and any other number of harmful deeds that they no longer can understand the danger of doing.
I'll sure be glad when this full moon night is over!!! Mom has been off the wall all week!!! When I picked her up at daycare today, I could not get her to sit in the car!!!! That must have been some sight, watching me trying to get her to sit, and her standing stiff like a board with her head thrown back mumbling some gibberish and refusing to bend at the waist to sit. As it is, I have to park the chair right next to the car and haul her up and turn her around to sit her on the seat. Then she can't figure out how to lift her legs into the car!!. By the time I get her settled and I'm ready to close the door, she has one foot back out of the car. We live less than a mile from the facility, yet she tries to open the car door to get out when I stop at an intersection. Then I have to reach over and close the door again.By the time we got home this afternoon, I was so hot that I put her to bed for a nap and jumped in the pool to cool down. Same thing happens to me in the morning. One hour of struggling to get her up and ready, does me in for the day!
Okay, time for bed! Oh yeah, one more time. For all of you having problems with wet bedding in the morning, I can't say enough, Wellness Briefs!!!!!! You can find them online or on Facebook. Best thing since Pampers changed the world!!
Night! Deef
I've been back and forth to the Hospital yesterday and today. Dad is home with me safe and sound once again. The night before last night he got up in the middle of the night and thought it was morning and took him morning meds, went back to sleep, woke and repeated. We all sat down at the table for breakfast and Both Chuck and I looked over at Dad and watched his eyes roll back into his head, I grabbed Dad and told Chuck to call 911. All said and done we are moving into the next phase of dementia.. I will no longer be able to observe him taking his meds out of his pill boxes daily. From here on out I will be dosing him throughout the day. It is sad to watch him decline. And one good thing, they didn't have to drug him while at the hospital to make him behave with the nurses.. that was like "twilight zone" weird to experience for a change.
Cat, You know you have my love and prayers. I know it hurts. And all of us are here for you and praying for you and your Dad. xoxo
Captain Bobbie, I knew there was something going on with you. I was planning on giving you a call right before Dad's episode. A Cornea infection sounds really painful, I'm sorry. Glad you are on the mend though, I miss you!!
Deef Deef deef, what is it about your name! I like saying it too. My Husband's business is a one man crew.... Himself. He sits at his desks from sunup til sundown and works like crazy. I don't think I've ever seen anyone work as hard as him. I'm taking over the books to help take some of the stress off of him. Caregiving has become much easier for me now that I learned how to deal differently with Dad's passive aggressive behaviors. Basically that means that when he asks me to do something for him that he is capable of doing I say NO and let him get mad or whatever and detach. Once I made new boundaries and enforced them he stopped treating me like I was his servant. That was a huge hurdle for me but it's over and has been for about 6 months now. I think I'm starting to become more "Linda-like" finally! It's a really good change.
I hope everyone is doing well. Love you all!
Cricket
Hi to Bobbie and deef and thoughts and prayers with cat.......
Good news about the boat angel!! My neighbor just got his CAT scan results and they are great!!! Pancreatic cancer is almost undetectable after 6 treatments. He was dancing in the street last night! Amazing people out there fighting their toughest battle.
Boat sounds like she's going to be a beauty when all is done. Hope to see it someday! How's Ted doing? Wish him well for me.
Just shot off another e-mail to Pirate! She's so much fun. Rossella is hanging in there too! Not much translation work, so she needs to let Daniella go and try to reinvent herself to make $$ to continue caring for her mom. As you know, she is a lot like mine dementia wise, only still ambulating and getting into trouble. Such fun!!!
Linda!!!! Retired!!!! Yay!!! Too bad you have to wait a few years to get Social Security! I'll be able to start collecting next year. Can't wait!!!
Cat, sorry to hear of your father's decline. Your decision to keep him comfortable is a good one. Hope his passing is easy for you both.
Bookworm, I can't even imagine being in your shoes!!! You are definitely doing the best you can. Keep on reading! It can take you away to far off places for a little bit of peace.
Jen, how's it going for you? Got a box with your name on it. I'll let you know when to expect it.
Austin, how's the crocheting going? I found it too hot to knit much this summer, even with cotton yarns.
Cricket, you always sound so busy! How's your husband's business doing?
Diane, How are you doing with the application? Any changes to mom's meds yet? If they could get the right mix she would be so much easier to care for. Making sure yours are working for you is also very important. As for weight, I'm at the heaviest I have ever been, and the hot summer has only made it worse. Hoping for a cool down so I can get back to walking every day. Legs have been swelling all summer. Very unusual for me!
For everyone else that I've been reading posts from, this is the place to be to vent and get support and information from. A lot of us have been doing this for years and have much experience with all aspects of care giving. Can't shock us with any subject matter! Been there, done that!!!
Hope everyone has a good day and a better weekend. Deef
Cat, you are doing the right thing. You're smart and loving and we all know how difficult this is. You are a precious daughter to your precious father. Love you Cat and I know that we all are sending you angels to help you get through this.
Crew, I have been MIA due to a corneal infection. Extremely light sensitive but I have read each and every post and teared up when I saw how many posted for Cattails. Everyone has such a loving heart.
Meanwhile, you said it best with your post above.
You women are amazing and I long for a day that we can all meet each other in person, indulge in adult beverages for those who indulge and maybe even have something 'special'.... right Linda?
DEEF! I dunno, just like saying DEEF! It was good to see from you! Please tell Pirate that I said hi and that I think of her often!
Cuz! hilarious as always.
Austin/June/Maxine I am here! Just have had trouble looking at a screen. On the mend though and hope you are ok and having some kind of fun up there.
Rip! hope you are doing ok and it's been 2+ years for me and I still wake up crying for my mom or dad or both. At the end of the day we are still kids.
Linda! Miss you and hope that you and Deb can come and hang out one day again.
Kuli and Jen and JudyW and Diane! and Cricket!! and I know I am missing so many but please forgive me. Love you guys and like Cat says: You all are making a positive difference in her life, my life and each other's lives. Thanks everybody for being here.
The boat angel is still here and he is doing ok too. Thanks for your prayers you guys.
We are out of the paint shed and on a floating dock. The guys have finished the pilothouse roof as well as the boat deck and the teak boards on the Portuguese bridge have been reefed and recaulked. Now the sides of the boat are covered in epoxy where the pain has been ground out and the fiberglass epoxied. This boat is going to come out better than I thought!
The boat angel is way neater than me so the entire boat is squared away and spic and span. (Linda! You wouldn't believe it!) This is just too much boat for one person to be sanding on and caulking on and scrubbing on, etc etc. Bless his sweet heart and I pray that he stays in remission because he is laughing and smiling. We are eating right and doing our best.
Love you guys and I promise that I will check in more often now that it doesn't hurt to look at the screen!
lovbob
Love, Cat
A Catholic Priest, a Baptist Preacher, and a Rabbi all served as Chaplains to the students of Northern Michigan University at Marquette in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop.
One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really all that hard, a real challenge would be to preach to a bear.
One thing led to another, and they decided to do an experiment. They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it to their religion.
Seven days later, they all came together to discuss their experiences.
Father Flannery, who had his arm in a sling, was on crutches, and had various bandages on his body and limbs, went first.
'Well,' he said, 'I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found him, I began to read to him from the Catechism.
Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a lamb. The Bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion and confirmation.'
Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, had one arm and both legs in casts, and had an IV drip.
In his best fire-and-brimstone oratory, he exclaimed, 'WELL, brothers, you KNOW that we Baptists don't sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And then I began to read to my bear from God's HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me.'
'So I took HOLD of him and we began to wrestle. We wrestled down one hill, UP another and DOWN another until we came to a creek. So I quickly DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the day praising Jesus... Hallelujah!'
The Priest and the Reverend both looked down at the Rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast and traction with IV's and monitors running in and out of him. He was in really bad shape.
The Rabbi looked up and said: "Looking back on it....
circumcision may not have been the best way to start.
A drunken man walks into a biker bar, sits down at the bar and orders a drink. Looking around, he sees three men sitting at a corner table. He gets up, staggers to the table, leans over,looks the biggest, meanest, biker in the face and says: 'I went by your grandma's house today and I saw her in the hallway buck-naked. Man, she is one fine looking woman!'
The biker looks at him and doesn't say a word. His buddies are confused, because he is one bad biker and would fight at the drop of a hat.
The drunk leans on the table again and says: 'I got it on with your grandma and she is good, the best I ever had!'
The biker's buddies are starting to get really mad but the biker still says nothing.
The drunk leans on the table one more time and says, 'I'll tell you something else, boy, your grandma liked it!'
At this point the biker stands up,takes the drunk by the shoulders looks him square in the eyes and says....................
'Grandpa;.......... Go home!
lovCuz