So this is it. Starting this weekend, that's tomorrow, we move "B" into a senior living facility. My house is a disaster. "B" is beside herself. She's a little embarassed with her belongs stewn about, out in the open being sorted and stacked. I have to go through each piece of paper to make sure nothing important is "sandwitched" in. I found insurance policies in between Haband (you know these ads from the Sunday paper) offers. Pictures of "S", "T" and "L" I've never seen before. But this is not what this post is about.
As I poured through B's papers (I threw away 8 grocery bags of paper waste), frustrated, tired and overwhelmed in 90+ heat with humidity so high it made my chest heavy breathing I found this:
You tell me that I'm getting old;
I tell you that's not so.
The "house" I live in is worn out,
And that, of course, I know
It's been in use a long, long while;
It's weathered many a gale,
I'm really not surprised you think
It is getting somewhat frail.
The color's changing on the roof;
The windows getting dim,
The walls a bit transparent
And looking rather thin.
The foundation's not so steady
As once it used to be
My "house" is getting shaky,
But my "house" isn't me.
My few short years can't make me old;
I feel I'm in my youth.
Eternity lies just ahead,
A life of joy and truth.
I'm going to live forever there;
Life will go on-It's grand.
You tell me I am getting old?
You just don't understand.
The dweller in my little "house"
Is young and bright and gay,
Just starting on a life to last
Throughout eternal day.
You only see the outside,
Which is all that most folks see.
You tell me that I am getting old?
You've mixed my "house" with me.
author unknown
My load was lifted.
Love to all.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Life In The Fast Lane
The meeting/evaluation went very well on Friday. By a stroke of luck an apartment at Greenpoint will be available for Barb within the MONTH!!! It usually takes months on a waiting list. Barb is excited and overwhelmed. This is a great apartment. It is one of the larger 1 bedroom, with balcony apartments. She will be on the main floor where the activities and dining room are. It is a good walk as she is down the hall a bit. Since she knows at least one person from church living there, she will not feel alone. This facility is also 5 blocks from where she lived for over 40 years. I'd place my last dime on the line that she will know someone else once she moves in, being from that part of town.
Some of the activities include, choir, arts & crafts, cards (including pinnocle), exercise classes (yoga, chair, aerobics, and the arthritis foundation comes in as well with their exercises), daily happy hour (I wonder if I qualify to live here?), weekly outings (casino, restaurants, shopping). There is also a hairdresser and bus transportation (the facility's) to get her to doctor appointments. But it's the Arthur Murray dance lessons (twice a month) that caught her attention. To go along with the dance lessons there is an outing once a month to LeMoyne Manor for a buffet and big band dancing. Barb's question, in all seriousness, "Well, are there any MEN???" :-)
The part that had Terry and I most concerned is the med management. Barb sets her pills up with no problem. She knows EXACTLY what each drug is and what the side-affects are. The problem lies with her not taking them the same time each day. We also see meds strewn about the house. There are pills in two different dressers, the bathroom, her sitting room and on her dressers. She has also put them in old Rx bottles with the labels removed. The facility has a machine that they set up for 20 days of meds. At the same time each day a cup will dispense and fill with the meds. If she does not pull the cup out within a certain time limit, the machine calls her PHONE. When she answers there will be a recording "Take Your Meds, Take Your Meds." If she does not answer the phone, someone will be dispatched to her room. I just can't give her that. The facility also takes care of all the refills and Rx renewals. Especially nice during harsh winter storms.
It is overwhelming at the home front at the moment. I sat down with her last night and showed her how much of her treasures and storage units (credenzas, dressers, coffee table, file cabinets, bookcases etc.) she will be able to take with her. And it's quite a bit! I also showed her how instead of using boxes to store out of season clothes we will use the vacuum space bags and switch them out seasonally. They will be in her apartment. She can see them, she'll know they are there and that is important. There are more kitchen cabinets in her apartment than my house. Barb will not be doing *any* cooking. She will have a microwave, toaster and a 4 cup coffee maker. Her breakfast and dinner are in the main diningroom. They want the residents up and started with their day. This will be a major shift in Barb's routine. In 7 years she has not used the stove at home, no need to start now. So most of the cabinets can also be used for spacebag storage of clothes. She'll have a few plates, glasses and silverware. Barb does like the Lean Cuisine dinners. We'll make sure these are always in her freezer. These are good for lunch. Mostly, though, she has a yogurt. I explained that she will have everything she needs and most of what she wants. We will move all the needs when we initially move her. We will not be going anywhere until Spring 2008 so it's not like our house has to be emptied in 2 weeks (God forbid!!)so we'll get her her wants (to a point). Included in her rent is weekly housekeeping. Seriously, when can I sign up??? I am taking the last week in June off to work with her as well as every night I'm home. Still have to kick it up the Bunko and Bookclub Babes.
Now to the fun part. Laurie S has suggested we have an afternoon tea for Barb. This is a major life change. All her life she has either lived in her parent's home, her husband's home or her son's home. Barb is actually moving into her first own apartment. It will be a foo-foo kind of afternoon with petit-fours, teacakes, finger sandwiches and church ladies. I'm not sure quite how to word the invite to include gift suggestions for what she may need. I have a list. Do I just include it in the invite??? For all you folks in Virginia or way north of the city or way out northwest how about joining us via web-cam? Unless you can come in person :-) We do want to keep this a surprise. The date is June 30th at 2:00. I think it will be nice for her to feel special and in the limelight for a couple of hours.
I believe we will see a more vibrant Barb emerge. She is home all day, everyday with no one to talk with and no one to do the things she will now have available.
Hugs to all,
Debbie
Some of the activities include, choir, arts & crafts, cards (including pinnocle), exercise classes (yoga, chair, aerobics, and the arthritis foundation comes in as well with their exercises), daily happy hour (I wonder if I qualify to live here?), weekly outings (casino, restaurants, shopping). There is also a hairdresser and bus transportation (the facility's) to get her to doctor appointments. But it's the Arthur Murray dance lessons (twice a month) that caught her attention. To go along with the dance lessons there is an outing once a month to LeMoyne Manor for a buffet and big band dancing. Barb's question, in all seriousness, "Well, are there any MEN???" :-)
The part that had Terry and I most concerned is the med management. Barb sets her pills up with no problem. She knows EXACTLY what each drug is and what the side-affects are. The problem lies with her not taking them the same time each day. We also see meds strewn about the house. There are pills in two different dressers, the bathroom, her sitting room and on her dressers. She has also put them in old Rx bottles with the labels removed. The facility has a machine that they set up for 20 days of meds. At the same time each day a cup will dispense and fill with the meds. If she does not pull the cup out within a certain time limit, the machine calls her PHONE. When she answers there will be a recording "Take Your Meds, Take Your Meds." If she does not answer the phone, someone will be dispatched to her room. I just can't give her that. The facility also takes care of all the refills and Rx renewals. Especially nice during harsh winter storms.
It is overwhelming at the home front at the moment. I sat down with her last night and showed her how much of her treasures and storage units (credenzas, dressers, coffee table, file cabinets, bookcases etc.) she will be able to take with her. And it's quite a bit! I also showed her how instead of using boxes to store out of season clothes we will use the vacuum space bags and switch them out seasonally. They will be in her apartment. She can see them, she'll know they are there and that is important. There are more kitchen cabinets in her apartment than my house. Barb will not be doing *any* cooking. She will have a microwave, toaster and a 4 cup coffee maker. Her breakfast and dinner are in the main diningroom. They want the residents up and started with their day. This will be a major shift in Barb's routine. In 7 years she has not used the stove at home, no need to start now. So most of the cabinets can also be used for spacebag storage of clothes. She'll have a few plates, glasses and silverware. Barb does like the Lean Cuisine dinners. We'll make sure these are always in her freezer. These are good for lunch. Mostly, though, she has a yogurt. I explained that she will have everything she needs and most of what she wants. We will move all the needs when we initially move her. We will not be going anywhere until Spring 2008 so it's not like our house has to be emptied in 2 weeks (God forbid!!)so we'll get her her wants (to a point). Included in her rent is weekly housekeeping. Seriously, when can I sign up??? I am taking the last week in June off to work with her as well as every night I'm home. Still have to kick it up the Bunko and Bookclub Babes.
Now to the fun part. Laurie S has suggested we have an afternoon tea for Barb. This is a major life change. All her life she has either lived in her parent's home, her husband's home or her son's home. Barb is actually moving into her first own apartment. It will be a foo-foo kind of afternoon with petit-fours, teacakes, finger sandwiches and church ladies. I'm not sure quite how to word the invite to include gift suggestions for what she may need. I have a list. Do I just include it in the invite??? For all you folks in Virginia or way north of the city or way out northwest how about joining us via web-cam? Unless you can come in person :-) We do want to keep this a surprise. The date is June 30th at 2:00. I think it will be nice for her to feel special and in the limelight for a couple of hours.
I believe we will see a more vibrant Barb emerge. She is home all day, everyday with no one to talk with and no one to do the things she will now have available.
Hugs to all,
Debbie
Friday, June 8, 2007
Moving On
This afternoon we have a nurse coming to evaluate my mother-in-law. At her request she would like to move into a senior living community. This is a very healthy move for her and us. She needs social stimulation. Everyone does better when you have daily interaction with people. Right now Barb is living in a vegetative state (well close). Her conversation at dinner the other night revolved around an orange tabby in the front yard that went to the back yard and into the woods. That was her highlight. Not good. Granted, Barb has been out to lunch and dinner 3 days a week for the last 2, but that is a one on one and it's over in a couple of hours (2 is the average).
Barb is having difficulty with her med management. She can set her pills up properly but lately we've noticed pills here and there or not taken. Barb will start to take them, get distracted (letting a cat out, getting a drink), THINKS she has taken them and never does. One of the services will be med management. The staff will make sure she takes her meds at specified times. We believe this will improve her focusing skills.
The facility will offer her daily activities, outings and even meals are in the central dining area so she will be among peers. Barb knows at least one person there who is very outgoing, so it's only a matter of time before she will have new friends.
So in about an hour the process begins of getting Barb in an enviroment suited for her needs.
Barb is having difficulty with her med management. She can set her pills up properly but lately we've noticed pills here and there or not taken. Barb will start to take them, get distracted (letting a cat out, getting a drink), THINKS she has taken them and never does. One of the services will be med management. The staff will make sure she takes her meds at specified times. We believe this will improve her focusing skills.
The facility will offer her daily activities, outings and even meals are in the central dining area so she will be among peers. Barb knows at least one person there who is very outgoing, so it's only a matter of time before she will have new friends.
So in about an hour the process begins of getting Barb in an enviroment suited for her needs.
Monday, June 4, 2007
It's A Boy
Terry and I were out driving around on Friday evening. He had to make a delivery to one of his customers about 45 minutes from our home. I decided to go along for the ride. Besides Terry said maybe we could stop for dinner along the way - ooohhh twist my arm.
As we were driving I was looking at houses. Across the front door was a bright blue streamer - IT'S A BOY!!!!! It took my breath away.
The day before, on May 31, 2007, William Lane "C" was delivered and placed in the palm of his mother's hand. He was already in the arms of the Lord.
This was the 3rd miscarriage for my daughter. It just doesn't seem fair. One at 8, 12 and now 16.5 weeks. We already knew it was a boy 3 weeks prior. WHY was this one taken from us???? No, it is not for the best. The best would have to have the baby. Three weeks ago it was developing normally. Right size, right activity. Everything was perfect.
So my daughter and her family left the hospital. Josh(4) pushing her in the wheelchair (almost took out an orderly) and she carrying the Shrek glass with the hand picked flowers Ben and Josh picked that morning. There was also a handmade card from them. They will survive, but from that day forward William will always be in their hearts and ours.
Peace
As we were driving I was looking at houses. Across the front door was a bright blue streamer - IT'S A BOY!!!!! It took my breath away.
The day before, on May 31, 2007, William Lane "C" was delivered and placed in the palm of his mother's hand. He was already in the arms of the Lord.
This was the 3rd miscarriage for my daughter. It just doesn't seem fair. One at 8, 12 and now 16.5 weeks. We already knew it was a boy 3 weeks prior. WHY was this one taken from us???? No, it is not for the best. The best would have to have the baby. Three weeks ago it was developing normally. Right size, right activity. Everything was perfect.
So my daughter and her family left the hospital. Josh(4) pushing her in the wheelchair (almost took out an orderly) and she carrying the Shrek glass with the hand picked flowers Ben and Josh picked that morning. There was also a handmade card from them. They will survive, but from that day forward William will always be in their hearts and ours.
Peace
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
