Missing In Action

Do You Wonder Where I Have Been?

 First, how is everybody doing? Is everything going okay? What have you been up to lately? Did you miss me? Did you wonder where I vanished to? Well, I sure missed all of you.

Okay, now here I am trying to sneak a minute and write a quick post.

I’m fine, just popping in to say hi and hello. I know it’s been way too long since I wrote a post so, I thought I’d better do it right now. My being busy is no excuse, even if it is the truth.

I really hope that some of my ‘things to do’ will lighten up a bit real soon.  It seems the more I do, the more I NEED to do. It’s crazy and it’s exhausting. This Caregiving journey is no picnic. It is a real job, no “if(s)-and(s)-or-but(s)” about it!

There’s a lot more I could say about caregiving and being overly busy and exhausted. But, if I try to do that here I will never get this post finished and published. Hopefully, I can fill you in on what’s been going on with me one day soon.

I hope you have had a good week. Here’s wishing you a relaxing and peaceful weekend.

Until next time…

Good Night! 

Trying To Make Life Easier

I’ve been away caregiving and such again. So I have not been able to get on the computer to do anything for a really long time. There is always something...Grandson is home from school today sick.

I got a text from his mommy at 2:00 am this morning saying he had a fever of 103 degrees along with the shivers. And, he would not be going to school come morning. They got here about 7:15 am. It is almost 4:00 pm now. He’s eating again, so I’m stealing time to post a quick note to you.

While I was away I spent a lot of time wondering how in the world I could Blog more often. Ideas are constantly running through my head as I work. But, I never seem to have the time to put my thoughts into writing. That started me thinking about how I could remedy the situation. I need a way to make blogging easier.

I thought about my “Dragon”.

Remember?  I bought the Dragon Naturally Speaking Voice Recognition System a few years ago. I did not use it often though. When I did use it, I found it relatively easy to use. It was a lot of fun watching my spoken words pop onto the page like popcorn popping in a microwave oven.

Then, I got busy with life. I put my Dragon aside while I maneuvered through the potholes and obstacles of daily life. In the process, I did not use the Dragon to my advantage.  

Now I find myself STILL overwhelmed with a multitude of everyday routines and other caregiving things to do. So I started searching for voice recognition systems in order to make my life a little easier. Blogging was at the top of my list of reasons for wanting a voice to text system.

As soon as I started my search, I realized I already had a system so I clicked on my Dragon icon on my laptop. It didn't work. I kept getting error messages. I tried everything my "non- tekky”  self could think of, but nothing worked.

My Dragon was dead!

Oh well, what else is new? That’s the way it goes around here. I just wanted to say hi to you and to let you know what’s happening with me. I hope you are having a nice week so far. 

All About Me

The loud buzz of the alarm jolted me out of a sound sleep at 8:45 Saturday morning. I crawled out of bed with the speed of a snail dragging through cold syrup. I made my way to the kitchen to make Mama’s breakfast so she could take her morning medicine.

I told her I was headed back to my bed to go back to sleep and I would see her later in the morning. I plopped back into bed and pulled the covers snuggly under my chin. “SLEEP, here I come!!!”

I wanted to stay in bed all day, doing absolutely nothing. The only other thing I wanted to do besides sleep was to get up to eat or to take care of personal needs. That wasn’t about to happen though.

Two hours later it was time for Mama’s morning snack (because of her diabetes). Okay, I have got to do something different. I need some “ME” time. I made a plan to do just that, and I did it.

For the rest of the day, I gave Mama her snacks, her meals, and her medicine … every two hours.  Once her needs were met, I headed back to my bed. I sat propped up searching for something good to watch on television, playing Free Cell on my computer and tablet, or EATIING and snacking. I finally ate my breakfast about 12 or 12:30 pm. Ummm, yummy!

Half the time I found myself slouched down in the bed falling asleep. Oh mannnn, that was GOOD! Being able to “laze” (made that one up) around in bed was just what I needed. I’m going to have to do that more often.

What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon. It was extremely liberating to take some time just for ME.

How are you doing? What have you been doing lately? I popped in especially to say hi and to let you know what’s happening with me. I hope you have a great week!

Another Quiet Sunday Afternoon

Easter Sunday’s weather was mostly cloudy and pleasantly cool, not much sunshine. I slept in just a little bit, not much. Grandson left on Friday to spend the weekend with his dad. Mama left going back to my brother’s (also on Friday) and I really would have preferred to stay in bed all day long to catch up on some much needed rest.

I got up only because I had decided the night before not to cook and, I had to figure out what I would eat for the day. Thoughts of rotisserie chicken, caesar salad, golden corn-on-the-cob, mac & cheese, and King’s Hawaiian rolls already cooked from Kroger danced around in my head.

Domino’s pepperoni pizza, bacon cheeseburger pizza, and a tasty oven baked chicken-bacon-ranch sandwich were second on my list for things to eat that I did not have to cook. I didn’t feel like getting dressed to go to Kroger. So, Domino’s pizza it is! I called and placed my order for delivery.

That takes care of what to eat. Now, I can concentrate on enjoying this lovely cloudy Easter Sunday resting up from my duties as caregiver.

I love, love, love, quiet Sunday afternoons! This one is perfect for so many restful things. Sitting propped-up on my bed with my laptop to blog will be so much more fun since I don’t have to cook. Now, if that pizza delivery guy would only hurry up and get here, I can begin my pizza feast. With dinner ordered and on the way, I was ready to relax.

How was your Easter Sunday? What did you do all weekend? Did you do anything fun and interesting? Would you care to share? We’d like to hear all about it. 

Have a great week everyone! 

Happy

WOW, is all I can say right now!  What an awesome day! I am alive, and I am healthy. What more can I ask? Nothing, I have it all. Thank GOD.

The weather here is overcast with clouds in the background, not a hint of sunshine anywhere on the horizon. The wind is high out today, tree limbs and leaves sway gently. Bags, paper, and other debris float by every once in a while. Absolutely gorgeous overcast day, I love it!

 I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I am to be here writing this quick post today. I’ve been away caregiving my mama AND my 5 year old grandson. I have not been able to get on here to do anything.

This post will be very brief because it’s almost snack time for both of them and medicine time for Mama. So, I will post this and run to get their needs met.

There is so much I want to say, so many questions I want to ask, but I have to go take care of these two care receivers and their tummies and their medical issues.

I just dropped in for a minute to say hi to everyone, wanted to let you know where I’ve been.

Okay, I'll stop for now. If not I’ll never get this finished and published. I will be back as soon as I can, take care. See you all later.

Have a great weekend! 

Crazy

Things continue to be crazy around here for me. Mama came Friday for her week to stay with me. She was with my brother the week before. It has been so cold I don’t get a chance to go outside for breaks like I do when the weather is nice. So we are (and have been much of that time) stuck in the house looking at each other looking lost and forlorn.

As usual, it has been a steady round of bringing, fetching, carrying, and doing. It’s up early in the morning to give her breakfast and medications at nine am. Next is her eleven am snack, no meds. One o’clock, and it’s time for lunch. There’s another snack time and a fluid pill at 3 pm.

It’s dinner/supper time at 6 pm and time for her night time meds. She used to go to bed at five o’clock in the evening, but she seems to be staying up later and later these days. A couple of times since she’s been here, she has been up past seven pm.  Ummmm, interesting, huh?

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a whole lot more busy-ness going on, but I had better stop so I can post this. If I try to tell it all, that won’t happen.

Anyway, I am just checking in to update you on where I have been and what’s happening with me. How are you? I hope you had a good weekend, did you? What did you do? I didn’t do anything print worthy, but the weekend was okay. 

Have a great week everyone! 

Image source 

The Caregiver Forgot to Feed Mama Lunch on Sunday

Mama’s caregiving schedule is pretty well set. Certain things get done at specific times. Mama’s day starts with breakfast and morning medicines at 9:00 am. Her mid-morning snack is at 11:00 am. Then it is lunch time at 1:00 O’clock. Three O’clock is time for her mid-afternoon snack and medicines.

Sunday the caregiver got a really late start. Chores that had been put on hold occupied all of her time. She tackled the chores with a vengeance, made a big dent in things that needed to be done. Caregiver was on a roll, the girl was making headway . . .  big time!

The caregiver got so much done, she surprised herself. She couldn’t believe she had done so much in such a short amount of time. At 3:30 pm, my daughter Jordyn, returned home from her errands. Mama asked Jordyn, “Can I have some lunch?”

Jordyn was perplexed, to say the least. She questioned her grandmother and the caregiver to get to the bottom of things. It didn’t take long to find the answer. Caregiver had been SO busy, she forgot about Mama’s lunch.  

WHAT!?!?

Who is this caregiver?!

ME! OOoops, I was the caregiver. I guess I am going to have to set myself an alarm from now on.

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I found this Caregiver Check List. I hope it helps get me on the right track toward getting better organized.

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Fever-Free Week

I have been trying to get here to post since Thursday. I didn’t quite make, but here I am, finally. Last week was relatively uneventful as far as new illnesses or problems go, thank God for that.

Jace was able to go to school every single day last week. He remained fever-free all week. He now only has the remains of a cough. The coughing was rather disconcerting so, Jace’s mommy called the doctor.

While Mommy was on the phone, the doctor heard Jace coughing in the background. She did not like the sounds of that and, she changed Jace’s cough prescription on the spot over the phone. The new prescription worked, Jace’s cough is now much better.

Mama left Friday around noon headed back to my brother’s for a while. Thankfully, her week here was plain old routine, of meals, snacks, and meds at scheduled times. Every once in a while we were able to throw in a short walk outside, if the weather permitted.

Okay, enough already. I just wanted to let you know how things are, how they were, and what I have been up to. Next time, I will TRY to post something other than our issues and problems.

Thank you for stopping by to check on me and for the warm encouraging words. Much love to you. I hope you had a wonderful weekend. 

Caregiving Is a Full Time Job!

Well, here it is October already. Normally, I would ask that old familiar question…”where did the time go”? For once, I don’t need to ask because I know exactly where the time went.

8:00 am - I’m up in the morning making Mama’s breakfast and medicines for the 9:00 am scheduled time. Wash her dirty clothes, dry them, and get them ready for her to fold.

11:00 am – Snack time, no meds.

1:00 pm – Lunch time, no meds.

3:00 pm – Snack time. Time for 3 pm meds

6:00 pm – Dinner time and time for 6 pm meds. Time to get ready for bed, she goes to bed with the chickens.

This is just the things that are scheduled. There are many more that are not listed here. And, so the day goes in the life of this caregiver.

Wheeeew!!!

Image source - Bing-Images

Friday Update: Where Have I Been?!

It’s August already, where in the world did July go?! The past two weeks have been really busy, chaotic would be more like it though. Mama came (my turn to do the care giving) on Tuesday the 22^nd and left to go back to my brother’s yesterday, July 31^st.

My daughter has done a ‘bang-up’ job of planning and preparing Mama’s meals while she’s in the kitchen cooking up something for herself or for grandson, Jace. When she (my daughter) is done, all I have to do is heat the meal and give it to Mama. WHAT a blessing and a sanity-saver! That means one less thing I have to do as care giver. Thank God for my beautiful caring daughter!!!

Even with food preparation eliminated from the list of things to do, care giving remains quite a task. I still have to administer medicines three times a day, get meals and snacks to her at specific times, help her get a shower, and more.

Thankfully, I have help. What a blessing that is. I don’t know how people manage who don’t have any help at all. I especially don’t know what I would do without help.

Among the blessings and the chaotic goings on, I AM one tired woman…hoping to get some much needed rest starting shortly.

How much do you know about care giving for the elderly? Have you ever had to provide care giving for a loved one? Do you have any suggestions for making the process less complicated? 

Who Tha’ Bleep is Dan Perrin?

It is very irritating to find  this same type of letter in the mailbox every week  (sometimes several times a week) literally frightening old people out of their money. Here is how it begins ...

  The recipient's name and address have been changed to protect the innocent. 

RED markings belong to Dan Perrin.

 Does anybody know Dan Perrin?  Has anyone heard of Dan Perrin?  Have you heard of Dan Perrin’s organization, the Seniors Center @ P.O. Box 96692 – Washington, DC 20090-6692?

After much urging and begging and such, here's how the letter ends. Well, almost ends because there's a lengthy PS. 

Somebody help me! I ~dellgirl~ need all the help I can get before I do something stupid.  I have been known to ‘shoot-myself-in-the-foot’ a time or two.  I've even gone so far as to ‘cut- off-my-nose-to-spite-my-face’ because of a little pimple on my nose. I am now in the process of figuring out what to do about Dan Perrin’s constant and frequent solicitations for money from old people, starting with my mom.

So, before I get started calling this man a bunch of ugly names and besmirching his reputation, I want to know if you have heard of him.  Let me know real soon,   before I post about how I really feel about what he's doing to old people.  Soliciting donations for fake charities is shameful. And, using scare tactics about losing social security benefits three or four times a week borders real close to the edge of elder abuse, in my opinion.  

Okay, enough already! I’m just wondering, what are your thoughts on groups and organizations coercing or deceiving old people out of their hard earned money? I’m ready to put an end to this harassment!!!