WAHOO!!
John did it!
He had his final board of review two weeks ago. HE is now an EAGLE Scout!!
I am soo very proud of him! We won't know the date of his Eagle Court of Honor until later.
Great Job John!!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Yikes! It has truly been AWHILE!!
Oh my Goodness!
It has truly been a long while since I last posted!
Sorry! My bad!
I'm still here!
The last year plus has been a blur of all sorts of events.
My father-in-law passed away in early June 2010 after a long struggle with cardiac problems. Mimi, my mother-in-law, suffers from Alzheimer's. We had put in place in-home care for her both during the daytime and at night. She didn't like the idea of having 'someone watch her day and night'; not to mention, she balked at the cost. What she couldn't comprehend was that care was truly necessary. But what can you do? You have to give a little sometimes to keep everyone happy or at least reasonably so.
We dropped two days a week of the daytime care while supplementing additional extended visits that we would make each week. This meant making sacrifices and doing some extreme juggling of schedules.
Then, she fell in early November. We think she either slipped on the small kitchen rug by the sink or her leg just gave out on her and caused her to lose her balance and fall. Yes, she had a LifeAlert on; however, she forgot she had it. The fall occurred within 30 minutes of us having been with her. The night-time aide arrived and found her on the floor. She sustained a left tibial plateau fracture---in layman's terms, she broke her left knee by shearing off the bigger bone right below the knee--a nasty fracture!
Someone aged 30 -50 who leads an active lifestyle would undergo surgery (pinning and plating), be off it (non-weight-bearing) for three months, go through rehab....but an 89 year-old woman with severe osteoporosis who's mobile --you can't have them off it for three months and expect them to ever walk again. For them to ever have the chance at walking again, you have to make them bear weight on it as early as post-op day two and begin rehab.
Which is what we did. Surgery. Rehab. Trust me the path included both major and minor bumps along the way. If there is a positive to be drawn from this, it would be that all of the family finally came to the agreement that Mimi just could not remain living alone in her home. All agreed that once her stint at rehab is finished, she would go to an assisted living/nursing---where ever her needs placed her.
Well, a month ago, that would have been nursing home. Totally not what she wanted. Granted she wanted to go home. But finally, we got her to admit/agree that wouldn't be the best. We also explained to her what she had to be able to do without assistance (consistently) to be considered for assisted living. Meanwhile, insurance and Medicare have a say in how long one is allowed to stay in rehab--or at least under their nickel. LOL
I am happy to say that she passed whatever test to be considered for assisted living versus requiring the nursing care. She is still pretty much wheelchair bound, but she is able to do her own transfers. She will continue with physical therapy and begin learning to use a walker over the next several months. And I'm even happier to say that she officially moves into her brand new assisted living apartment tomorrow. YES, tomorrow!! Granted it is only one or two floors up from the rehab floor and room where she is currently....but to her, it is HUGE.
We moved some select pieces of furniture from her house to the new apartment on Wednesday. We packed several boxes of personal items; some of the boxes we have unpacked for her and some she will have the honor. She is very excited. We bought her a brand new 37 inch flat screen TV and a mini microwave. She won't have a cooktop or stove. We still need to get her a small drop-leaf style table. Hopefully, as she gets more settled, we will be able to go from twice daily visits to possibly three times a week.
Baby steps!!
It has truly been a long while since I last posted!
Sorry! My bad!
I'm still here!
The last year plus has been a blur of all sorts of events.
My father-in-law passed away in early June 2010 after a long struggle with cardiac problems. Mimi, my mother-in-law, suffers from Alzheimer's. We had put in place in-home care for her both during the daytime and at night. She didn't like the idea of having 'someone watch her day and night'; not to mention, she balked at the cost. What she couldn't comprehend was that care was truly necessary. But what can you do? You have to give a little sometimes to keep everyone happy or at least reasonably so.
We dropped two days a week of the daytime care while supplementing additional extended visits that we would make each week. This meant making sacrifices and doing some extreme juggling of schedules.
Then, she fell in early November. We think she either slipped on the small kitchen rug by the sink or her leg just gave out on her and caused her to lose her balance and fall. Yes, she had a LifeAlert on; however, she forgot she had it. The fall occurred within 30 minutes of us having been with her. The night-time aide arrived and found her on the floor. She sustained a left tibial plateau fracture---in layman's terms, she broke her left knee by shearing off the bigger bone right below the knee--a nasty fracture!
Someone aged 30 -50 who leads an active lifestyle would undergo surgery (pinning and plating), be off it (non-weight-bearing) for three months, go through rehab....but an 89 year-old woman with severe osteoporosis who's mobile --you can't have them off it for three months and expect them to ever walk again. For them to ever have the chance at walking again, you have to make them bear weight on it as early as post-op day two and begin rehab.
Which is what we did. Surgery. Rehab. Trust me the path included both major and minor bumps along the way. If there is a positive to be drawn from this, it would be that all of the family finally came to the agreement that Mimi just could not remain living alone in her home. All agreed that once her stint at rehab is finished, she would go to an assisted living/nursing---where ever her needs placed her.
Well, a month ago, that would have been nursing home. Totally not what she wanted. Granted she wanted to go home. But finally, we got her to admit/agree that wouldn't be the best. We also explained to her what she had to be able to do without assistance (consistently) to be considered for assisted living. Meanwhile, insurance and Medicare have a say in how long one is allowed to stay in rehab--or at least under their nickel. LOL
I am happy to say that she passed whatever test to be considered for assisted living versus requiring the nursing care. She is still pretty much wheelchair bound, but she is able to do her own transfers. She will continue with physical therapy and begin learning to use a walker over the next several months. And I'm even happier to say that she officially moves into her brand new assisted living apartment tomorrow. YES, tomorrow!! Granted it is only one or two floors up from the rehab floor and room where she is currently....but to her, it is HUGE.
We moved some select pieces of furniture from her house to the new apartment on Wednesday. We packed several boxes of personal items; some of the boxes we have unpacked for her and some she will have the honor. She is very excited. We bought her a brand new 37 inch flat screen TV and a mini microwave. She won't have a cooktop or stove. We still need to get her a small drop-leaf style table. Hopefully, as she gets more settled, we will be able to go from twice daily visits to possibly three times a week.
Baby steps!!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Darn Dog!!
Indoor track season is in full swing. It adds one more layer to the stress, constant schedule conflicts, and never-ending whirlwind of daily chaos in our household. Dinners have become a race against time before heading out the door for yet another activity. I've seriously thought about funding a drive through sandwich shop in the little shopping center close to the high school. Of course, that would only solve part of the craziness.
True to form, Cody always manages to add his part to the mix. Thanks to Cody, last night's dinner required a change of menu. As I left to taxi off to yet another activity back up at the high school, I warned Bill to keep an eye on Cody. I even told him, "I just took the roast out of the oven."
When I got back, he was washing the cutting board. I glanced around the kitchen looking for the roast.
"Where's the roast?"
"What roast?"
"Dinner"
"I don't know, where did you put the roast?"
It didn't take much deductive reasoning on my part to ascertain that the dog was guilty. So, I quickly asked him to put the cutting board in the dishwasher.
"He ate that whole roast?"
"Where else did it disappear to? I left it on the cutting board. Neither of you moved it. He's guilty."
True to form, Cody always manages to add his part to the mix. Thanks to Cody, last night's dinner required a change of menu. As I left to taxi off to yet another activity back up at the high school, I warned Bill to keep an eye on Cody. I even told him, "I just took the roast out of the oven."
When I got back, he was washing the cutting board. I glanced around the kitchen looking for the roast.
"Where's the roast?"
"What roast?"
"Dinner"
"I don't know, where did you put the roast?"
It didn't take much deductive reasoning on my part to ascertain that the dog was guilty. So, I quickly asked him to put the cutting board in the dishwasher.
"He ate that whole roast?"
"Where else did it disappear to? I left it on the cutting board. Neither of you moved it. He's guilty."
Monday, July 14, 2008
Happy Monday
Thunderstorms played havoc last night bringing us an unusually mild summer day today!! Our high temp was around 87 and definitely with less humidity. I made good use of the gorgeous day! I made a pretty big dent in the tangled mess of weeds that has been trying to overtake my front flower bed. I also made a pretty big dent in my 'to-do' list, too! YEAH ME!!
We're headed off to the beach tomorrow...after I complete a small flurry of errands, first. One of my sil's is coming, too! My first beach house guest!! More furniture is scheduled to arrive this Thursday. That should be the end of my furniture buying for awhile. The loft and office both still need 'real furniture'--but the loft is where the kids play Wii and construct elaborate cities...so having large amounts of open floor space is a huge plus!
I have some 'before' pix of the empty rooms and will be taking some 'after' pix--I promise to share them. And now that the beach house is mostly furnished, I hope to convince you to come visit!
We're headed off to the beach tomorrow...after I complete a small flurry of errands, first. One of my sil's is coming, too! My first beach house guest!! More furniture is scheduled to arrive this Thursday. That should be the end of my furniture buying for awhile. The loft and office both still need 'real furniture'--but the loft is where the kids play Wii and construct elaborate cities...so having large amounts of open floor space is a huge plus!
I have some 'before' pix of the empty rooms and will be taking some 'after' pix--I promise to share them. And now that the beach house is mostly furnished, I hope to convince you to come visit!
Friday, July 11, 2008
I need a holiday from the 'testosterone'
OMG!!
Two days straight now, our pool has been the un-official party central for the boys. My cupboards are barren of even the remotest crumb resembling junk food. Yes, there is still food in my pantry....just nothing that a 'tween or teen would allow the general public to see them ever consuming. And Yes, I've been commanded that a trip to the grocery store is vital to their health.
I think I have heard & seen every possible way to make 'fake fart' noises. I didn't realize that boys in groups can scream just as loud as girls. And don't even ask about the jokes....Help! I need a vacation from these testosterone units!!
Two days straight now, our pool has been the un-official party central for the boys. My cupboards are barren of even the remotest crumb resembling junk food. Yes, there is still food in my pantry....just nothing that a 'tween or teen would allow the general public to see them ever consuming. And Yes, I've been commanded that a trip to the grocery store is vital to their health.
I think I have heard & seen every possible way to make 'fake fart' noises. I didn't realize that boys in groups can scream just as loud as girls. And don't even ask about the jokes....Help! I need a vacation from these testosterone units!!
Relief!!
Yesterday, I had my appointment for the additional magnified digital mammogram. As many of you know, I do not like waiting whenever there is a potential negative outcome. The waiting is over. A radiologist reviewed my previous mammogram and read the additional magnified views on the spot--yes, while I waited.
She determined that the single microscopic calcification seen on my mammogram in May '08 was a non issue and there is no evidence of cancer or precancerous tissue (from a mammographic standpoint)in my breasts. WHEW!!
Thank you for your prayers as I really do appreciate them. I am thankful that I can look forward to another screening mammogram next year. I am also incredibly thankful for being given an answer on the spot. Do yourself, your loved ones and me a favor---don't forget to do your self breast exam each month and schedule your screening mammogram when needed. Preventative medicine is power over cancer and other diseases.
She determined that the single microscopic calcification seen on my mammogram in May '08 was a non issue and there is no evidence of cancer or precancerous tissue (from a mammographic standpoint)in my breasts. WHEW!!
Thank you for your prayers as I really do appreciate them. I am thankful that I can look forward to another screening mammogram next year. I am also incredibly thankful for being given an answer on the spot. Do yourself, your loved ones and me a favor---don't forget to do your self breast exam each month and schedule your screening mammogram when needed. Preventative medicine is power over cancer and other diseases.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
New Vacuum Really Cleans
Today, I went to Target, one of my very favorite stores. I can never leave the store without spending over $50. Today, was no different. The boys needed extra swim suits and shorts. Who can resist Target's prices!! Oh! And their thirsty thick cotton towels are on sale. I grabbed a half dozen for the beach house.
While I was back in the home goods department, I noticed that they had their Bissel vacuums on sale and offering a $20 gift card. I've been reading about how the Bissel vacuums have special features which make vacuuming pet hair a breeze. Those of you with Labrador dogs know how hard their fur is on vacuums. I have to vacuum everyday and still there is dog hair tumbleweeds.
Since I have to get a vacuum for the beach house, I decided to purchase one of those Bissel's. I didn't expect to have to assemble the vacuum, but there is some assembly required. I powered that new baby up and took it for a spin around my family room. I was amazed at how quickly the canister filled up with dirt, dog hair and crud. I emptied the canister six times on that one room. I could really see a difference in how clean the carpet looked. It looks like I'm going back to Target tomorrow to get a second one.
While I was back in the home goods department, I noticed that they had their Bissel vacuums on sale and offering a $20 gift card. I've been reading about how the Bissel vacuums have special features which make vacuuming pet hair a breeze. Those of you with Labrador dogs know how hard their fur is on vacuums. I have to vacuum everyday and still there is dog hair tumbleweeds.
Since I have to get a vacuum for the beach house, I decided to purchase one of those Bissel's. I didn't expect to have to assemble the vacuum, but there is some assembly required. I powered that new baby up and took it for a spin around my family room. I was amazed at how quickly the canister filled up with dirt, dog hair and crud. I emptied the canister six times on that one room. I could really see a difference in how clean the carpet looked. It looks like I'm going back to Target tomorrow to get a second one.
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