Joan's (The Mom) Progess Blog

After the Fall

2011-02-25T13:00:00.002-05:00

Well, I am totally a lot better now. The bruises are gone, and the swelling has all but disappeared. But I’m still wheelchair bound, and I am no longer able to use my walker. Woe is me – having to be wheeled everywhere. Yeah, right. I’ve been secretly just waiting for this day to arrive. I was so sick and tired of that walker. They made me walk everywhere with it, and I was super slow. Plus, walkering (not a word, I know, but that’s how I term it) just from my room to the dining room was an ordeal. I had to stop and rest every so many feet, just to catch my breath. But boy howdy, did I show them. After so many falls, especially that last one, they finally got the message and let me have this cool wheelchair. It’s not motorized, but who cares. I’d probably run somebody over if it was motorized. And I actually like the idea of being wheeled around. I’m practicing now for the wheelchair races we’re bound to have – anybody seen my checkered flag?

Seems like my memory’s not what it used to be, at least that’s what they tell me, I’m not sure. I can reminisce about the old days and days gone by, but I can’t remember what I had for breakfast. They say that’s normal. They did have me on some kind of dementia drug, but that didn’t work – I forgot stuff anyway, and it made me way too sleepy all the time. So I’m back to regular meds now, I think.

This lady I share my meals with is 97 years old. And I thought I was old at 88. She’s from some farm in Pennsylvania where she lived most all of her life. Guess living on a farm is good for your longevity. I wouldn’t know. I was kept too busy moving around all over the world and raising kids. If that don’t want to make you forget things, I don’t know what will.

Oh well, it’s back to the hair dresser. I do love getting my hair done, makes me feel good and pretty again. So until next time, we’ll talk again – unless I forget to post.

Oh, one more thing. I've put together a couple of digital books specifically for the Kindle library. If you've a mind, look for them under the JPH Publishing Ventures byline.

Joan

PS - Don't forget to check out my EReader site at http://jphvideoventures.com/ereaders.

Glory Be - I'm Back

2011-02-05T12:15:00.004-05:00

I am telling you, it has been a frightful last2 - 3 weeks. I told you all about the fall (I think). Then about getting shuffled off to the other rehab place (I think). Well, that didn't work out to well, and my daughter Carrie and my eldest Dick decided to move me back home to Summit Place. Boy Howdy, was that ever a good move, and now I'm back. Does it feel good to be home. Al, the Summit Place driver and dispenser of all good things mobile, came to get me from the clutches of that other place. Actually, they did a good job of trying to rehabilitate me, but soon discovered it's no use. I am, in the words of my middle daughter, Melissa, "incorrigible, irascible, and at times implacable." 'Nuff said on that.

Since the fall, then the hospital stay, then the rehab place, I can no longer use my walker, and am wheel chair bound. My legs have just gotten too weak. That's what one of the theories behind my multiple falls have been, failing leg strength, but nobody knows for sure. Whatever, I now have to be wheeled around from place to place. Oh me oh my, what a dreadful predicament. Having to be catered to and wheeled around everywhere. What's a girl to do. Actually, they got me a new wheel chair with big wheels I can wheel myself, but that's going to take some more physical rehab. Slowly but surely, we'll get there.

But it really is good to be back. I missed everyone (I think). Now - where is that girl who said she'd wheel me to dinner. (That's what I call rehab).

Where has the Time Gone? And Where am I?

2011-01-25T16:39:00.003-05:00

What? It's been since mid December since I last posted? As strange as that may seem, it's true. But in my defense, a lot has happened to really slow me down.

I took a really bad fall a little over a week ago, and I was laid up in the hospital for about a week. Then, when they didn't want me anymore, they couldn't do anything more for me, or the benefits ran out (take your pick), I was shuttled off to a specialty rehab center. I got myself banged up pretty good, and I got sort of discombobulated so they thought vocational rehab might be just the ticket. So that's where I am now. I mean, what's an 88 year to do?

Talk about getting really spread out. Now I have 2 places, my old one in assisted living, now this one. If you want to know specifics as to where i am, you'll have to email my son because I really don't have a clue as to where I actually am. The hospital docs said I had early onset dementia, so maybe that's why I feel geographically challenged.

You all won't believe this, but I now have an actual roommate. Me? A roommate? What's next? Assisted Co-habitation? Anyway, her name is Mae, and she's originally from New Jersey, and a Philly fan. Go figure.

I'm not sure what my short term prognosis is. I guess they'll keep working me here until I either get back to where I was, or until I just can't do nothin' no more. I am not having any more fun, let me tell you.

Well, the physical therapy people are waving to me, so I guess I had better get motoring. I can't use my walker anymore till my legs get stronger, so I'm wheelchair bound for now. Anybody wanna race me to the dining room?

Till next we meet again,
The MOM

Grandma Reviews EBook Readers - the Downside

2010-12-14T08:37:00.004-05:00

What's a girl to do. I've finally got my tree all up and decorated (thanks to my daughter and daughter-in-law, Carrie and Sally), but it's still not the same. I guess it's because I miss all my kids being around, you know, that pitter and patter of little feet as they ooh and aah around the Christmas Tree, wondering what Santa's going to bring them this year.

Then I remember, oh yeah, all my kids are grown, and half of them even have kids of their own, making me a grandma. And two of my grand kids even have kids of her own, making me a great grandma. Wow - now that's some living. Maybe I don't need all that pitter and patter around here after all - that's a lot of little feet. After all, this is only a 1 room apartment.

Now I feel better - and it's time to move on to other things.

I know I've been touting ebook readers for awhile now, what with all their obvious benefits and all, but there are also some negatives you've got to be aware of before you take this particular plunge.

By that I mean, everything comes with its downside too. Here are a few of the reasons why digital book readers may not be for you.

1) Powered By Electricity

One of the first obvious drawbacks of the eBook reader is that they need electricity to work (unlike physical books). You will need to check the battery life of any reader you buy to see whether it suits you (especially if you travel a lot - as having to charge your reader could limit just how portable it really is).

2) The Cost and Availability of the eBooks

When it comes to buying eBooks, many people expect them to be far cheaper than physical books due to the fact that there are fewer materials involved. However, at present eBooks are almost the same price as physical books. Another major drawback is that the title you are looking for may not be available in eBook form. eBook availability is constantly growing, though.

3) It’s Not the Same As Reading A Real Book

There’s no getting around the fact that reading a book has a certain feel that handheld eBook readers can’t quite match. E-Ink is far better than reading a computer screen, but still not the same as paper - especially when you consider the fact that eBook readers are not yet available in color. However, designers make sure that readers are as comfortable as possible, and you will generally get used to them in no time.

4) eBook Readers Are Not More Eco Friendly

Some people argue that, though eBooks save on paper, they are not more eco friendly due to the electricity, plastic and other factors that go into making handheld eBook readers. However, the sheer amount of printed books and paper that could be saved as a result of the eBook reader should outweigh these concerns.

5) The Cost

There’s no escaping the fact that handheld eBook readers are going to cost you a lot more than a book - however, this cost will be made up for over time the more you use it. You will have to be more careful not to damage your reader, though!

6) I Don’t Need A Whole Library of Books With Me, and What About the Books I Already Own?

Some people claim that they don’t need to be able to take thousands of books wherever they go, which is understandable. If you travel often, then an eBook reader is probably useful due to the fact that you don’t need to carry as many heavy books. However, a major drawback is the fact that you can’t convert the books you already own to digital format unless you buy them again (and they are available as an eBook).

7) Can’t Share eBooks

Lastly, many book lovers get joy from sharing their books with others, and selling them on, or giving them away, when they are done reading. This isn’t possible with eBooks, and you’ll each need to buy your own copy, which could work out more expensive depending on your book reading habits.

Conclusion

There are, inevitably, some drawbacks to using handheld eBook readers - and they won’t be for everyone. However, many people are already enjoying the new technology and finding that it can help them access books they would previously have just left on the shelf unread!

To check out our variety of ebook readers, just go to http://jphvideoventures.com/ereaders

Till we talk again,
Joan "The Mom, Grandma, and Great Grandma" Hale

Thanksgiving Day at my Daughter's

2010-11-26T10:41:00.007-05:00

Hale, Hale, the gang was all there. Well, at least 1/3 of them anyway: my daughter Carrie and my oldest Dick, along with Sally & Susan. What, you might ask? Well, Thanksgiving Day feasting of course. And it was grand, I must say. Roasted turkey and all the trimmings, with baked ham, the traditional green bean cassarole, smashed taters, "roasted in the bird" stuffing, "from scratch" cranberry sauce, and a whole bunch of tasty apps (food, not cell phone). I might not eat a lot, but I did at least taste everything, and it was good, good, good. Miz C did the bird, ham, stuffing and taters (see, I TOLD you there was no P in taters), while Dick did his (now infamous) GBC, Lowe's did the wine and desert, and Sally and Susan helped with just about everything else. Me? I sat and watched "Miracle on 34st Street," a fitting Christmas movie on Thanksgiving Day.

But that was yesterday, and today's what they call Black Friday, and I just had to pass along something I just learned from Amazon.Com. Today, starting at noon Eastern Time, the Kindle 2 will go on sale for $89. That's a heck of a deal - free 3G access, the whole shootin' match except for WiFi capability. Compare that to $189 for a K-3 with the 3G option. Even if you yourself are not in the market for an ebook reader (which the Kindle is), you probably know someone who is, at that is the lowest price I've ever seen for a Kindle.

Look to you right, over there >>>, and you'll see where I've posted the links for both the Kindle sale, and the other Amazon Black Friday deals going on today. But if you link over there before noon EST, (9 AM PST), the price will show $189. So be patient.

Or you can click HERE for Your Kindle Black Friday at Noon link. Trust me, it doesn't get any better price wise, than this. So go check it out. And yes, Virginia, I do get a small commission from each sale. But a couple, and I might be able to afford a new shawl for my bony, cold shoulders.

This is a short post, I know. My main goal was to tell you about yesterday, and the Amazon ting, so TTFN and toodle-do! Till next time, when I may tell you about the "Real Denizens of Summit Place."

Lordy, Lordy, Do I feel Groady

2010-11-17T17:46:00.005-05:00

Actually, not really. These folks around here do a good job of taking care of me. When they discovered I wasn't showering as often as I should, leading to overly dry skin, they made sure I did on a more regular basis by helping me in and out of the shower. Let me tell you, that is a big help. I also have the physical therapist helping me with my shoulder movements, which has been hurting lately (my shoulder, not the therapist). Sometimes I wonder, where doesn't it hurt anymore.

We had a Halloween dress-up awhile back (cannot remember that far back, actually), but I didn't dress up or anything. I felt I was already dressed for Halloween without any extra help.

I seem to be making a lot of visits to the doctor lately. Actually, I don't mind because it gets me out of Summit Place for awhile. But he's constantly checking me for this and that. I let either Dick or Carrie worry about that, though. I wouldn't remember what he told me, anyway. Had a bronchial thingy for awhile, but it cleared up. They were worried it might be pneumonia, but I fooled them. I just want my leg and back pains to go away. Can't walk, can't dance, and they say it's too wet to plow, so I might as well watch the Weather Channel some more.

Leave a comment, drop me a line, give me a call, whatever. Sitting around here on my fanny gets boring and I could use the distraction.

TTFN, or Ta Ta For Now as we used to say in prehistoric times BFS - before Frank Sinatra.

Docs, Docs, and more Docs

2010-06-28T16:36:00.003-04:00

This is going to be a short post - my back is killing me.

We went to Conway today (me and my eldest) to see Dr. Mills, my Ortho Doc. Now I have to get fitted for a special ankle brace (so maybe I can walk better), get an MRI (whatever the heck that is), then see Dr. Mills again before I can get some diagnostic treatment, all for this lower back pain that just won't go away. And I am sick and tired of being sick and tired - seems like all the time. But maybe he'll order me up a cortisone shot like last time. That seemed to do some good. And if it does, we're hoping we can get my geriatric doctor to cut back on the meds some. Well, it's a thought.

I've taken some minor falls recently, and we're wondering if it's the meds making me disoriented and unable to stay on my feet. Cut back on the meds, increase the wine, and howl at the moon, now that's a plan.

Where has the time gone?

2010-06-24T16:40:00.000-04:00

I just realized it's been over 2 months since I last posted. My goodness, where has all that time gone? Down the old rabbit hole I suspect. But that's neither here nor there, because I've recently made a great new discovery.

This place actually has a computer we can use, and it's connected to the Internet. Glory be, I never, and I mean I never, thought I'd ever get close to a computer, much less the Internet. But some of my buddies here wanted to show me something called Facebook, and how they could keep up with their grand kids on this Facebook thingy. What a cool thing.

I only know keyboards from my old typewriter days, and it looked somewhat the same, so at least I knew where the letters were. But to actually operate a computer, then see what all is on Facebook was way too confusing for me, and I was afraid my ancient brain just wouldn't absorb it.

But after watching over my friend's shoulder for awhile (several awhiles, actually), I started getting a better feel for what she was doing, and seeing those results was pretty amazing. You see, most of her grand kids are in her "friends" list (why weren't they on her grand kids list?), and she was able to write things directly to them on their "wall." Well, my dearly departed husband used to call this OJT, or On the Job Training, so (with my friend's help), I was able to try my hand at this Facebook thing. She showed me how to do searches, and lo and behold, I found Rachel, Jonathon, Abby, Kendra, Keith, Teresa, and more. What a glorious surprise.

I didn't want to create my own account just then (I'm still not sure I want to, we'll see) but I did appreciate my friend letting me use hers to poke around in. Who knows, this could start a whole new avocation for me. And maybe I'll have a whole lot more to talk about next time, and sooner.

Till then,

JPH

PS: maybe I can figure out how to use this thing to make me some extra spending money. You know, folding cash. We'll see.

When is it Too Much?????

2010-04-15T12:24:00.006-04:00

Life has a strange way of coming at you. Just the other day, I was talking to my friend "what's her name" at breakfast, and she was going on and on about headaches, and how her constant money worries kept her head in a constant state of "woe is me" pain. In fact, she was giving me a headache. To counteract her parsimonious ramblings, I asked if she had any spare aspirin she could load me. Well she did, but made me promise I'd pay her back. No problem, I said, I've got some Tylenol in my room. Trouble is, I had no Tylenol in my room (forgot about that little tidbit). I used to have some, but the wise state of South Carolina passed a law awhile back that said folks like me who lived in assisted living facilities weren't allowed to have dispensable meds in their room, and Tylenol was considered a dispensable medication. So they took them away from me, and now I have to ask for some when I need them (which can be quite often).

After rediscovering the fact that I really did not have any Tylenol in my room, I asked the nice people who dispense the meds if it would be OK if I could pay my friend back from my personal stash they keep for me, and they said they'd need an authorized statement of intent not to distribute signed by both parties, and notarized by our head nurse before that could happen. Huh? I'm not talking meth here for God sakes, or crack, just 2 tablets of Tylenol. Makes no difference they said, the laws the law.

Well, I was not about to sign such a foolish statement, or have my friend subjected to such a degrading insult. The nerve. So my friend never did get her payback, and now says I owe her for the cost of the 2 aspirin, somewhere around $10 (she kept on talking about carrying fees, inventory costs, shipping and handling, covert hidden fees - where she kept her stash hidden, and the such). Anybody got $10 I can get a hold of?

Actually, most of the above rant is not true. I did need to borrow some aspirin, but after that, it's just me making stuff up (except that part about not being able to keep Tylenol or any kinds of meds in my room. That part is true, and for good reason when you think about it - most of us suffer from that age old disease (or is it old age) CRS ).

My back's been bothering me quite a bit again, but that's nothing new. My geriatric doc (it's him that's geriatric, not me), gave me some stronger pain pills. Maybe that will work, we'll see.

We did have an Easter Egg hunt here at the home, Easter I think. We tooled up and down the halls looking for (you guessed it) candy eggs. Well, it was quite a sight, to see all these young-at-heart folks, who are on walkers (like me), and who have the devil of a time bending over, actually collecting these eggs. Me? I just trailed along behind, snickering, but after awhile, my legs got to bothering me so bad, I had to quit. No candy eggs for this old gal.

And speaking of holidays, Mother's Day is coming up (hint, hint). Just whatever you do, don't send me any candy eggs. That's a bit too much of a reminder - send money or buy something from my Amazon Store. Look to the right sideline and consider something from that Endless Store. Anytime you buy from those links, I get a commission. I'm saving up to go West Coast Surfing with my aspirin toting cheapskate friend.

JPH

Well, it's close to bedtime, and my one glass of wine time, so I'll wrap things up for now. Keep me in your hopes and prayers, and we'll talk again.

Speeding and gas pedal recalls

2010-03-10T11:20:00.003-05:00

I have been watching all those latest news reports about people claiming their gas pedals are sticking, causing them to go really fast uncontrollably. Uh-huh! I'm sure some of those stories were true, what with Toyota trying to wriggle out from underneath and all, but I am sure there are a lot of highway patrolmen out there who will hear that excuse more than once.

Sometime awhile back (I forget when), I had the same problem. Seems I was going a little too fast. But I solved my problem quickly - I ran into a police car. Too bad I wasn't driving a Toyota. But they were real nice about it an all, and no one was hurt (except my pride and all), but a cop car? Come on!

But I have been doing a little research about this runaway vehicle problem, and have come up with some driving hints if it happens to you:
1. Do NOT turn off your ignition. That will kill the power steering, which will make the car almost impossible to handle at increasingly higher speeds.
2. Shift into neutral. That's easy for a manual transmission, but automatics can be a lot trickier. It can be done, even on models that have more complicated automatic transmissions, but it can be done. All it takes is practice. Know where neutral is, then practice shifting into neutral while you're moving without taking your eyes off the road. Do it a lot till you're comfortable doing it, and you should be alright.
3. Step on the brake pedal as hard as you can. Do this while you're putting the car into neutral. Really lean into it, bearing down on that brake pedal. Put your weight into it. But do not pump, just hold it down.
4. If it's the carpet or something else is causing the accelerator to rev, try to get your toe under the accelerator to lift it up.
5. If you still can't stop, or slow down, try guiding the side of your car against a retaining wall, guardrail, any barrier that is running along the side of the road. This will probably cause damage, but it's better than an all out head on collision.
6. Forget the hand brake, unless it's a last resort. These are usually not strong enough, and yanking them up could cause you to spin out of control like a stunt driver. If you must use it, engage it slowly to minimize potential spin.
7. Once stopped (and you will eventually stop), turn the car off and wait for a tow. Do NOT try and drive it again.

BTW, once you get slowed down to a manageable speed, it's OK to turn off the ignition so you can coast to a stop.

Don't just listen to me, do your own research. This is a really quick post and I wanted to highlight the major steps.

Well, because of that cop car incident, my family took my keys away, sold my car, and put me in this unassisted living place. Or was it because I kept getting confused. I forget.

Till next time .....

Where's my Tylenol?

2010-02-04T12:47:00.004-05:00

That's been my most favorite refrain lately. Where's my Tylenol? Here I go and buy a big ole' bottle of the stuff, just so I can relieve my back pain at night, and they take it away from me. I ask about it, but they tell me I am not allowed to have any medication whatsoever in my room. They have to keep it for me, and dispense it when I ask for it. Something about it being a state law. STATE LAW? Hah! I think that's just their excuse. They want to confiscate all my meds just so I can't have them when I want them.

So I call my son, Dick, to see if he can bring me some Tylenol. He says to ask the staff here at Summit Place to give me some. I don't like doing that, makes me look weak and needy. I've been a strong and independent woman all my life, self sufficient, raised 6 kids, lived all over the US and the Far East, and took care of all and everything, and now they don't trust me to take a Tylenol when I need it? State law my fanny.

You know, being stuck here and all, I feel like I can't get out to take care of things. Seems like I have to ask my son or daughter for almost everything, especially personal things. But I'm maintaining OK. I just wish they'd get me a motorized wheelchair. Boy, could I have me some fun then.

I know things are tight right now, so Dick suggested I try my hand at some Internet stuff, you know, like trying to sell some stuff over the Internet. Well, with his help, I managed to set up some web pages. The books and videos have to do with the stock market and investing, and all. Way over my head, but he researched it and said they were good courses just about anybody could follow. We put some pictures here on the blog, and if you're interested, just click on the picture to take you to the sales page.

Here's a secret, if you buy the video course, the ebook about Tailwind Trading comes as an extra bonus. So don't buy both, just the one. But if the video course is not your thing, then the ebook could be exactly what you need.

Uh-ooh! My back is killing me. Gotta go call Dick to get me some Tylenol. Oops, forgot. I'll have to ask those "other" people. All this is just too confusing, I have to go lie down for awhile. But look for me next time, when I talk about wheelchair time trials.

Here Comes the Mom

2010-02-01T16:06:00.003-05:00

Editor's Note: Reprinted here from the Beachmiser's Blog

This is too fun. My first attempt at this thing called "blogging." It's been right at a year since THEY have stuck me here at Summit Place, and I guess it's not too bad, but I still really miss my old place, especially my house back in Marble Falls, Texas. What fun we had there, me and Dad, away from everything and everybody. We were truly isolated. But we liked it. It made our trips to the post office all that more exciting.

Then Dad had to go and die on me. That spoiled everything. My "children" told me I was tooooo isolated for my own good, stuck way back in the rolling hills of Texas Hill Country. Especially what with Dad gone and all, they were concerned about my living out there all by myself. I guess they were right, but I still can't help myself. I really liked my little house, and I miss it terribly.

At first, since I wanted to stay close to family, they got me an apartment somewhere in Austin close to my son Paul and his family. It was also supposed to be close to my son Peter and his family as well, but the up and moved themselves out to California, so Paul and Teresa had to put up with me.

Then my oldest bought this place out in South Carolina at the beach, and he talked my daughter Carrie into moving out there to live in it. Well, that's when they had the bright idea I'd like to go there as well, which at the time wasn't all that bad an idea because I really wasn't liking that apartment living all that much. Too many whiny kids and noisy neighbors to my liking. I was really missing my Marble Falls home.

So Carrie moves out to South Carolina, and my sons Paul and Dick move me out there as well soon after. I stayed with Carrie first off, then got my own little place just a block away soon after. It was a nice little 2 bedroom duplex close to the beach, with nice neighbors, and fairly close to shopping, and of course, the Post Office.

But then I started getting confused about which meds to take when, and THEY decided I needed assisted living, especially since I was now having to use my walker full time, and could no longer drive. Glory be, one little accident with a local cop car and you'd think the world was ending. THEY decided I could no longer drive (or so THEY said), so between the medication merry-go-round, no driving scenario, and walker bound, it was off to assisted living I went. Oh Joy, oh rapture.

Well, that was about a year ago, and now here I am, in Summit Place, living out my days in Bingo Wii heaven. It's not perfect, but then again, what is. I miss Dad terribly, and my house in Texas Hill Country, but I guess, all in all, I shouldn't complain too much. I've got my own room with cable TV, 3 squares a day, outings with the girls, and people to look out for me when I fall, which seems to be quite often these days. The doctors office is just down the street, and they have people (namely, Al) who take me there and back. Plus they monitor my meds. But I tell you, getting old's a bitch, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

That's it for now, I just wanted to catch you all up. Till next time, keep the faith and pray for surf.

The MOM.

Life amongst the Geriatrics

2009-04-10T07:41:00.003-04:00

Well, so far, Mom seems to be settling in there at Summit Place. She's taking part in a lot of extra curricular events, bus trips to outside places, etc. She still refuses to go "with the girls" shopping to WalMart on Wednesdays, but other than that, she's doing good. She even lets the Summit Place driver, Al, take her to her doctor's appointments now. Yip Yip Yahooie!

She still gets forgetful, not remembering this or that, but mostly little stuff, like where'd I put my keys, or when's that next doctor's appointment? Short term memory stuff, like we all have now and then. But that's to be expected.

Her walker is now her constant companion. She really cannot go anywhere without it. But she manages. When they take a bus trip someplace, there's always someone around who's willing to "wheelchair" her in her walker to get her to where she needs to be. She just sits in the walker seat and they wheel her down the hall, or where ever.

We're still waiting on the VA benefits. Should know something by June, we hope. They are really backed up, from what I hear, which isn't much.

We're going to have a yard sale for all the stuff she didn't need or want anymore when we moved her out of the apartment. Should be pretty soon, now. We're waiting for Spring to really sprung.

If you read this, leave a comment or two. Let me know you're out there.

It's Friday the 13th - No Jason Here!

2009-02-13T08:24:00.008-05:00

That's right. It's Friday the 13th, and all is well at the Summit Place. Her wrist seems to be healing normally although she complains of pain (which I hope is normal for the healing process). She's in a soft cast, which is a whole lot better.

She needs extra closet space, so we're trying to figure that out right now. Ideas appreciated.

We finally met with the VA Benefits guy over in Conway (yesterday) and her app for VA Benefits as the widow of an AF Top Kick Vet has been sent off in good form. It took awhile to get this whole package together, mainly because of the Marriage License. Seems like it took FOREVER to get that sent to us, mostly my fault, because I did not use the correct address the first time and had to resend. Also had to wait on her Doc to do his part. But it's done, and sent. The bad news is that it will take 3 - 4 months to get this thing processed, approved, and eventually set up. That means we'll have to fund her Summit Place fees for that same 3 - 4 months. For that, I need help, advise, and ideas. Let me know (but not here, use email).

The good news is, that once approved and set up, the benefits are retroactive, in her case to March 1. That's a good thing. We've just got to get over the next 3 - 4 month hump.

If you get the chance, send her a Valentine's card. Her status at Summit Place seems to be tied to the number of visitors she gets, and the amount of mail, especially in the form of cards, etc. So you all do your part, and let her know she's in your thoughts and prayers.

Keep your eyes on this space - something's coming up in the next few days.

TTFN - And we'll see you next post.

She's settled right nice.

2009-02-03T13:08:00.004-05:00

So far, Mom seems to be taking to her new abode rather well. The people at Summit Place are really nice, thorough, and professional. Also, she continues to meet new residents there, swapping stories, having "walker" races, bingo, and I just don't know what all.

We got her hard cast off yesterday, much to her delight. She can now take a shower, carefully. The Doc looked at the x-rays and said everything was healing nicely. She's now in a soft cast that she can take on and off.

This place is expensive, but we think everything will be alright once we get her VA benefits applied for and approved. I'm off to the VA office next week (2/12) to submit all her apps, etc.

We were waiting on her Marriage License, and the young lady who runs the archives out in Olathe, Kansas, finally found it and emailed it to me. Want a copy? She scanned it in and mailed it too me as an attachment. Too cool! I think that's that when it comes to proof of this and proof of that. So its off to the VA. Without their help, she cannot afford this place, so keep all fingers and toes crossed.

BTW, she does not have a room phone. We're still cogitating over that one, but she does have her cell phone you can call her on. Just let it ring and ring (she has a hard time finding it, then actually answering). Don't leave a message, she'll never retrieve it. Just call back if you don't get an answer. You can always call the main switchboard at Summit Place to get her a message. They are very good about doing that. 843-399-5662.

What with Valentine's Day fast approaching and all, Mom wanted to remind everyone not to forget it. We've set up a special link for her through Amazon.Com, just for Shopping for Valentines Day. This is a 30% off link, so go take a look, buy something, help defray Mom Costs.

That's it for now, so TTFN, and we'll report stuff as it happens (or not).

Summit Place has a New Resident

2009-01-28T08:30:00.003-05:00

Well, she's now a new resident of Summit Place. We moved her in yesterday. She's got a nice little room very close to the dining room and all. It's expensive, but with no rent, utilities, gas, etc. etc. now to pay for, and with additional VA benefits (which we're still working on), she should be OK.

We're still in the process of getting stuff out of her duplex (some stuff to storage, the rest to either a yard sale, charity, or trash), the place cleaned up (to get the deposit back), and her settled in her new digs. Last night was her first night there. I'm taking her to a bone density appointment later today, so I'll see how she fared last night. Actually, once I get her various appointments properly scheduled, Summit Place will take care of getting her to the doc stuff and back. We're leaving her car there for now, but she cannot drive it (the place is right on highway 17, and she is NOT allowed to drive on 17), and we'll probably wind up selling it.

I'll email her new address, but she has cell phone, and you can always get a message to her via the Summit Place switchboard, 843-399-5662. We're debating whether she actually needs a room phone. We're hoping the cell phone will suffice, since a room phone costs extra.

She still has her scooter, which I'll hold onto till she's convinced she really doesn't need it anymore.

She's given Keith whatever furniture she could not fit into her new place, plus some other odds and ends. And since she no longer has to cook for herself (she now gets 3 squares a day in a wait staffed dining room), there's a lot of kitchen stuff to box up.

That's it for now - it's been very busy of late, but as soon as we get her old place squared away, we should calm down a bit.

We're Getting Closer

2009-01-18T09:39:00.003-05:00

One of the final hurdles is getting all the checkups, TB shot, and paperwork completed by her doctor. Hopefully, that happens this coming Wednesday. He also has to do the VA paperwork so we can apply for VA assistance. Without that, all this comes to naught because she can't afford this without the VA assistance (about $900 a month extra). So keep your toes and fingers crossed.

Carrie and I are going to be going through what she absolutely needs for Summit Place. The rest will go to storage. She's seen her new room, and seems OK with it. She really likes the idea that all of her meds will be handled by the staff there at Summit Place. A major plus. BTW - the place has a Wii - you all should visit just to play that game. The seniors use it to exercise.

We sent off for a copy of her marriage license from the county seat in Olathe, Kansas. I mean, they actually had it. That's a major hurdle overcome because without she can't apply for extra VA benefits. Whew!

We've got a lot of work yet to do before we can get her settled, and she's going to be stressed. So any personal encourage calls would be greatly appreciated. Just remind her Carrie and I are not from some evil empire.

That's it for now - more later.

Mom's on her Way

2009-01-14T11:28:00.002-05:00

Well, we've finally had to bite the bullet. After another fall, in which Mom suffered a small hairline crack in her wrist, trouble now getting around (constant use of the walker, one handed), increasing forgetfulness (cannot remember which meds when), and a boatload of other maladies, we've signed her up for assisted living in a place called Summit Place in Little River. It's expensive, but between Social Security and some extra benefits from the VA (which she should qualify for), she should be OK. We plan on moving her before the month is out.

Her wrist is currently in a cast that comes off the first week in February, we hope. But she has a lot of trouble doing the everyday things with that cast on, like buttoning and unbuttoning. But even though that infirmity will be going away, she still needs help with every day activities, and her living alone doesn't help. She needs assistance, and people around her (even though she says she doesn't), and something to do other than watch the weather channel every day.

I think what convinced her (besides my bitching at her all the time) is the fact she knows she needs help with the meds. Right now she has a hired girl to help her in the mornings, and Sally does what she can for laying out weekly meds, night dressing, etc. I make sure she keeps all her various appointments, but we cannot be there 24/7 for her. These people are really well staffed, are 24/7, and can help her with meds, dressing, and a myriad of other things.

There's probably more, but I can't think of it right now.
So TTFN, and we'll keep you posted.

PS - Check their site at Summit Place.

Pretty Much Back to Normal

2008-10-05T08:13:00.005-04:00

Well, Mom's back in her own place. Has been now for a couple of weeks. The personal care person has been there pretty much 5 days a week, helping her around her duplex, driving her to hair appointments, etc. We're cutting back, though, to 3 days a week. But it has been a great help.

We did have a scare the other night. She had fallen in the bathroom, and could not get up by herself. It was around 5 in the AM. Well, she pushed the help button on the device she wears around her neck, which alerted the call box in her living room, and the people on the other end of the call box were able to call me, Carrie, and the EMT's. I got over there, got her squared away, the EMT's showed up, made sure she was OK, lots of commotion. Everything worked out fine, and except for being a little shaken up, Mom was A-OK. This alert system really does work. The thingy she wears around her neck, once pushed, send a signal to the call box located in her living room. The call box, when activated, calls the alert center, who can talk to her directly, and call others using the call list we set up. The sensitivity of the 2 way speaker on that call box is really good. They could hear her from all the way in the back of her place. And they heard me when I came in the front door. It's kind of like OnStar for the home. Pretty cool - and now we know it works really well.

Carrie and I are seriously thinking about an assisted living place now. The fact that she could not get herself up off the floor under her own power is unsettling to say the least. So we're going to start looking around here. She's already said she wants to stay in the area, around here.

Also, she now has new owners for her duplex. We all met yesterday, and the guy is really nice and knows how to treat his tenets. He did NOT raise her rent, and he agreed to a month to month rental instead of a years lease in case we do have to move her to another, more supported, living environment. We're taking this a step at a time.

She's doing well, and in case something else happens, I probably won't be posting here for awhile.
So put this on your blog role, or get an RSS feed to alert you when I do.

BTW - one more bitch. If any of my siblings are actually reading this, you all sure don't show it. Post a comment or 2 here, something. I feel like the proverbial mushroom.

Till next Time,
Old Bro

We're coping, Mom's coping, as are all God's Children

2008-09-19T10:19:00.000-04:00

A quartet of things:
1. The back problem is still prevalent, but Sally found some Tylenol for Arthritis that seems to be helping. Strong stuff which she says does nothing but we know better, based on the fewer number of complaints. We're seeing her geriatric doc on Monday, maybe he can prescribe something that will alleviate the pain. We're also going to ask about a physical therapy prescription.
2. We've signed Mom up for an in-home care giver service also starting Monday. They'll do stuff she cannot easily do herself (light housekeeping, meal prep, errands, I-don't-know-what all). 3 hours a day, Mon-Fri. This way she can still live at her own place AND get some help. We're going to try this for a couple of weeks, see how it goes until (1) she's strong enough to be more self sufficient again, or (2) she drives the care giver batty, whichever comes first. What do you all think? Vote now. She'll be back in own place starting Monday.
3. We're also signing her up on a monitoring program. She'll wear this push button device like a dangling necklace so if she falls while alone and cannot get up, all she has to do is push the button for help, the call goes out to a pre-determined call rotation, and somebody will know what happened and get her help. Kind of like that Life Alert you've maybe seen advertised on TV. OK - who wants to be on the top of the call list? Volunteer now - the life you help may be your mother's (or in-law).
4. Lastly, Carrie and I are going to start looking around for an unassisted seniors living place, where she can be around other seniors, still live by herself, but with supervised help readily available. Most everything around here is assisted living, and expensive because their plans include meals, which she does not want. AND, it doesn't necessarily have to be here at the beach. If any of you guys have any good unassisted senior living homes in your area, speak up.

That's all I can think of for now. Mom's using her walker to get around the house, and doing better each day. At least it seems that way. Let her know you're thinking of her.
TTFN - AMF - LOL
Dick

We're back to normal - back pain that is

2008-09-16T11:12:00.000-04:00

Well, Mom's still staying with us for right now ( I mean that literally, she has temporarily moved into the guest bedroom here at our beach house). And the problem that plagued her in the first place, her back pain, is back with a vengeance since she's left the womb of hospital care. Tylenol Extra Strength doesn't seem to be doing the trick. BUT, her other problem, the one she was admitted to the hospital for, has diminished significantly, if not all together. I just asked. So it's back to door number 1.

Doc appointment next Monday. Maybe he can prescribe some relief. In the meantime, I've been doing some research on homeopathic remedies, and came across something called Rhus toxicondenron. There's also Bryonia, and Cimicifuga. If anyone out there reading this has any suggestions or additional knowledge on these remedies, please post a comment.

A 30C daily dose of Rhus toxicondenron is supposed to help relieve painful joints that are worse in cold weather, same dose of Bryonia for stiff and/or painful joints that feel worse with motion, and Cimicifuga (same dose) if you have achy muscles that are worse with cold weather and in the morning. I think I need to do some more research.

We've already talked with one home care company, have another lined up for today, and a feeler out to a free lancer. There's also a med alert device we're thinking about getting that she can wear on her person, She just presses a button press to have a base unit call a preprogrammed help number (like mine), or a service. With her tendency to fall expectantly, when on her own, she may not be able to reach a phone. So this little devise could be very helpful. Think med alert, but different.

Once we get her home care service set up, she should be able to go home. Maybe in the next couple of days.

OK - enough chatter for now. Call her and say hi, let her know she still got family out there. She's real tired of me bitching at her.

Mom's Progress - Post 3

2008-09-13T20:33:00.000-04:00

Well, Mom's escaped from the hospital and is resting with us until she gets stronger and can get around mo' better on her own. Her last blood count was really good, and a final back xray did not show any abnormality, so it must be arthritas.

She's really weak from being bed ridden since last Monday afternoon, so it's a day at a time till she feels more like herself. Call here if you want to talk, say hi, whatever. And thanks to everyone for calling and emailing your support.

I am thinking about starting a Mom Blog just to post progress and other thoughts, what do you all think? That way you could comment, we could do a dialogue, pass the news along to others.etc. As you can see, I've already done just that. Comment if you dare.

That's it for now, more later ..................

Mom's Progress - Post 2

2008-09-13T20:32:00.000-04:00

OK..... Here's the latest skinny!

I talked to the admitting doc after the colonoscopy, and they did find an ulcer in the large or sigmoid colon, the one causing the bleeding. That's what they are treating. So that's solved.

Now they have to put her on the correct protocol to heal heal the thing (meds, diet, etc.).
She may get out tomorrow, more than likely Saturday.

The back pain is another problem. We'll ask some questions tomorrow, but I have a feeling that's a whole different problem, something her regular doctor is going to have to address. He's already said it arithritus, duh! Wait and see I guess. But she's now resting easily, eating a little (and I mean a little) regular food.

More later, Old Bro, Dick.

Mom's Progress - Day 1

2008-09-13T20:28:00.000-04:00

Just to catch you all up, Mom's in the hospital. So far nothing serious, they just have to figure out what's happening.

She had noticed blood in her BM's, so I took her to see her regular Doc on Tuesday AM.
He was concerned enough to put her on immediate fluids and ship her down to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center,
where they are still running tests to figure out what might be causing the blood leakage into her lower GI tract.

They have already tested for a stomach ulcer, and ruled that out - no ulcer. She is going to have a colonoscopy this afternoon to look for
other potential problems. Also, she had been experiencing back pain more severe than usual about a week before noticing the blood,
and we're concerned they may be related, which is something the docs here are keeping in mind.

We thought that the blood might have been originally caused by her taking strong Advil or Tylenol for her back pain, and that had caused weaking
of the stomach lining, causing blood from the stomach to leak into the GI tract. But even though that might have been the early case (which they now doubt),
the fact they found no bleeding ulcer (they've ruled that out) or other problems of that sort, they are doing the colonoscopy.
We're hoping that will provide some answers.

I'll try and keep you all informed as we go along. I am writing this on the laptop in Mom's hospital room right now, but no connectivity,
so I'll not be able to send this until later. By that time, I'll know more and add to this email.

Her spirits seem up, but she's having to take that crap that totally flushes your system out, necessary before any colonoscopy. So she's
feeling pretty empty right now - literally. She's on pain meds for her back right now as well, so that problem is somewhat mitigated,
at least for now. Not solved, just mitigated.

She's in a private room, and her room number is 1204. 843-692-1204. And she just said that she's having no fun. More later ........................

OK - she's headed down for the procedure now ...... I'll post more later. BTW, she''l probably be asleep most of the afternoon after this procedure,
so maybe hold off calling until later this evening. Who knows, they might just let her out, but I kind of doubt that.

Do not call her cell phone, she doesn't have it with her. Call me on mine, if you want to know a status . Or call Carrie on hers, she explains stuff better than I do.