Cheese.

[smokeyblue]

Lots of respect for you buddy! You've got this!

 

[BigAlsGal]

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Willy, I hope today is as good as yesterday for you. You've earned those good days.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Sending prayers and

 

[DawnM]

Sorry.

Who is with her during the day? Or do you work at home?

 

[loves to dive]

The cheese is really good. . . spared no expense.

I think this situation would have called for some smoked gouda or even a splurge on some brie. Cheese and a pickle solve many problems (I would have had a glass of wine with mine though). Hope today goes better and mom is feeling better, I was the caregiver for both my parents toward the end of their lives and I know it can be difficult.

 

[Vernie822]

I don't post on the CB too much but I wanted to say, my grandmother lived with my parents for a few years while I was in college. It took a lot out of them but I believe it made all of our lives much richer by having her there. She loved her time spent there and thanked my parents time and time again for letting them take care of her. My parents don't regret a thing and you could tell, as my grandmother got ill, how thankful she was that she spent her time there and not in a nursing home (while she was still able to live there).

So while you may not know it, I am sure she appreciates you more than you know. And, it is a blessing to be able to spend that kind of time with her!

That is some pretty great cheese, BTW.

 

[King Schultz]

Sorry.

Who is with her during the day? Or do you work at home?

Hey Dawn. . .

I took an indefinite leave of absence from my job a year ago to take care of her full-time. I looked into having someone stay with her while I worked but it would cost more per hour than I make so it made more financial sense for me to do it.

Plus, I don't know how much longer I'll have her around so I want to take care of her as long as I can.



And again, thanks to everyone who commented- yesterday couldn't have been calmer and hopefully today will be a good one as well.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Sorry to hear about mom's fall and all, Willy. You are a good guy, but you know I've said that before. 's

 

[King Schultz]

Sorry to hear about mom's fall and all, Willy. You are a good guy, but you know I've said that before. 's

Thanks Dan.

Hope all is well with you and Marie.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Thanks, Willy. We are both coming along well.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Oh, glad I finally opened this! I thought it was actually about cheese, lol.

No, seriously, it's nice to read these stories. I agree with others, Willy - you are a good man! You and your mother are fortunate to have eachother!

Your story reminded me of the one I posted about the other day - may aunt with Alzheimer's. I helped my cousin with her, but like you, he was his mom's sole caregiver, and it was difficult. Also like you, he gave it his all and did a great job by her. He kept her at home as long as he could. Eventually he hired a companion two days a week, and the other three days a bus took her to an elder day care center, which kept her safe and occupied while he was at work. She had begun wandering, and would often wind up in the local ER. (Make sure your mom has some ID on her at all times. You can find links for ID bracelets on the Alzheimers.org website.) When it finally became too much at home, she entered a memory care assisted living facility, and eventually, a nursing home. I went to her care meetings to help from a medical standpoint, and my family attended events at the home. DD, when she was nine or ten, would sometimes read to the residents there, or help with other things, paint nails, go walking with my aunt, etc.

My mother has lived with me for the past 22 years. She'll be 91 soon, and thankfully, she's still pretty healthy, although she really can't walk too well anymore, and we've experienced some falls, too. It has its challenges, but it works for us. DD takes her to medical appointments and helps her run errands. DS loves spending time with her (and it doesn't hurt that she can still make him his favorite meals!). DH and I help her with whatever she needs.
DH's mom passed a few years back and she was on Hospice for six months. One of her kids or grandkids stayed with her every night so FIL could get an uninterrupted sleep each night as he cared for her during the day. DD wrote about these experiences on her application for nursing school this year. The time she's spent caring for and helping these three elderly ladies in her life will, no doubt, help shape her nursing career as she calls on the feelings she had with them as she works with others.

I do agree with pp's that you have to try to take care of yourself, too, although I can relate that it gets difficult sometimes when you're so stretched caring for others. But it is important. And for those reading and in similar situations, I'll recommend a book I've been reading myself called, "Being Mortal" by Atul Gawande. The author is a physician who talks about the aging process from a universal standpoint, how we've approached elder care in the U.S, and how we can do better. It is a good read and helps us all think outside the box about life and death.

Hang in there, Willy! We're here with you!

 

[King Schultz]

Oh, glad I finally opened this! I thought it was actually about cheese, lol.

No, seriously, it's nice to read these stories. I agree with others, Willy - you are a good man! You and your mother are fortunate to have eachother!

Your story reminded me of the one I posted about the other day - may aunt with Alzheimer's. I helped my cousin with her, but like you, he was his mom's sole caregiver, and it was difficult. Also like you, he gave it his all and did a great job by her. He kept her at home as long as he could. Eventually he hired a companion two days a week, and the other three days a bus took her to an elder day care center, which kept her safe and occupied while he was at work. She had begun wandering, and would often wind up in the local ER. (Make sure your mom has some ID on her at all times. You can find links for ID bracelets on the Alzheimers.org website.) When it finally became too much at home, she entered a memory care assisted living facility, and eventually, a nursing home. I went to her care meetings to help from a medical standpoint, and my family attended events at the home. DD, when she was nine or ten, would sometimes read to the residents there, or help with other things, paint nails, go walking with my aunt, etc.

My mother has lived with me for the past 22 years. She'll be 91 soon, and thankfully, she's still pretty healthy, although she really can't walk too well anymore, and we've experienced some falls, too. It has its challenges, but it works for us. DD takes her to medical appointments and helps her run errands. DS loves spending time with her (and it doesn't hurt that she can still make him his favorite meals!). DH and I help her with whatever she needs.
DH's mom passed a few years back and she was on Hospice for six months. One of her kids or grandkids stayed with her every night so FIL could get an uninterrupted sleep each night as he cared for her during the day. DD wrote about these experiences on her application for nursing school this year. The time she's spent caring for and helping these three elderly ladies in her life will, no doubt, help shape her nursing career as she calls on the feelings she had with them as she works with others.

I do agree with pp's that you have to try to take care of yourself, too, although I can relate that it gets difficult sometimes when you're so stretched caring for others. But it is important. And for those reading and in similar situations, I'll recommend a book I've been reading myself called, "Being Mortal" by Atul Gawande. The author is a physician who talks about the aging process from a universal standpoint, how we've approached elder care in the U.S, and how we can do better. It is a good read and helps us all think outside the box about life and death.

Hang in there, Willy! We're here with you!

Thank you for the kind words. . . I'll make a point of finding that book and giving it a read.

 

[NFLDERS]

Oh, glad I finally opened this! I thought it was actually about cheese, lol.

No, seriously, it's nice to read these stories. I agree with others, Willy - you are a good man! You and your mother are fortunate to have eachother!

Your story reminded me of the one I posted about the other day - may aunt with Alzheimer's. I helped my cousin with her, but like you, he was his mom's sole caregiver, and it was difficult. Also like you, he gave it his all and did a great job by her. He kept her at home as long as he could. Eventually he hired a companion two days a week, and the other three days a bus took her to an elder day care center, which kept her safe and occupied while he was at work. She had begun wandering, and would often wind up in the local ER. (Make sure your mom has some ID on her at all times. You can find links for ID bracelets on the Alzheimers.org website.) When it finally became too much at home, she entered a memory care assisted living facility, and eventually, a nursing home. I went to her care meetings to help from a medical standpoint, and my family attended events at the home. DD, when she was nine or ten, would sometimes read to the residents there, or help with other things, paint nails, go walking with my aunt, etc.

My mother has lived with me for the past 22 years. She'll be 91 soon, and thankfully, she's still pretty healthy, although she really can't walk too well anymore, and we've experienced some falls, too. It has its challenges, but it works for us. DD takes her to medical appointments and helps her run errands. DS loves spending time with her (and it doesn't hurt that she can still make him his favorite meals!). DH and I help her with whatever she needs.
DH's mom passed a few years back and she was on Hospice for six months. One of her kids or grandkids stayed with her every night so FIL could get an uninterrupted sleep each night as he cared for her during the day. DD wrote about these experiences on her application for nursing school this year. The time she's spent caring for and helping these three elderly ladies in her life will, no doubt, help shape her nursing career as she calls on the feelings she had with them as she works with others.

I do agree with pp's that you have to try to take care of yourself, too, although I can relate that it gets difficult sometimes when you're so stretched caring for others. But it is important. And for those reading and in similar situations, I'll recommend a book I've been reading myself called, "Being Mortal" by Atul Gawande. The author is a physician who talks about the aging process from a universal standpoint, how we've approached elder care in the U.S, and how we can do better. It is a good read and helps us all think outside the box about life and death.

Hang in there, Willy! We're here with you!

I was going to say this was probably the most beautiful reply I've ever read on the Dis but, I realize I've probably read a previous post of your's on this subject Pea-n-Me. God bless you!