Quarantine and chill and kindness chatty clubhouse: Jump in and join the conversation! All is welcome!

[lynxstch]

Just wanted to say hi @Breezy_Carol Long time no see!!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Hugs dear Lynn and please stay warm and dry. The possible transport chair issue is that the brakes appear to be in the back. I would need them reachable in the front. I will look again. I would be surprised should the owner agree and quickly to modifications. I agree with you that especially given the age of the building and lack of upkeep that the bathroom door probably is structural. Worth having it looked at though.

Dear Carol, hug and what a lovely surprise to see you! Our current floors are not completely level and truly hard and unforgiving. At least the floors in this awful facility are smooth. Dad has had foot trouble ever since these floors were installed. Great point about a wheelchair on carpet. I would think any carpet would not be super thick. We would need to see a sample. Harder floors if better quality than what we have could definitely work. Thank you for so many years of home pt care. Want a job in CA? Thank you also for the sandal suggestion.

 

[lynxstch]

Grass dried out quickly from the stiff breeze, lawn is all mowed and neat again, so tomorrow will be my day off, except for groceries and errands, lol

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Tomorrow ought to be your day off period, dear Lynn!

Good afternoon and early evening friends. Dad left a little while ago. We had a nice visit. Sonia, our management contact said she will reach out to the owner. Dad will let her know we want 100% level floors period. New laminate would be great as long as this time they are level and shock absorption material is put underneath them. Lack of any feet cushioning protection is the biggest problem with our current floors.

I did hear back from Vivian who said she was glad to hear from me and that I am progressing so well. She is available to work with me twice a week. She is contracted through two pt companies. Dad and I initially when we first met her went through one of the companies. We were still paying out of pocket because they are not affiliated with my insurance. We later switched to contracting directly through Vivian which we may do again. The second pt company may accept my insurance. I just left them a voicemail message to ask that and if I did use their services can I choose my provider. I will pass this information onto R from social services.

It meant a lot to me to hand out the last of my thank you cards to kind people here that I've gotten closer too. I gave Jessica and Susan cards and small gifts last Friday.

God willing, I will have more of a going home update later or for sure tomorrow. R did tell me the discharge procedure is just my filling out a couple forms and is quick. That was good to hear.

My bathroom sink here is such a mystery. Last Wednesday, it leaked all over the floor. Then it was fine until the wee hours of Sunday. Last night my friend and CNA E put a trash can under the exposed pipe. She turned the water on for a couple of minutes and everything was dry. Her brother A was my morning CNA. He did the same test and again no leak. M, the maintenance man said he will come look at it. He said usually this happens when both the hot and cold water are turned on full force (which I never do) at the same time. Only here can a sink choose when it wants to leak

Hugs and good evening with love to all.

 

[easyas123]

“””@easyas123 I might’ve missed it, where are you planning to move to? Maine? You have a busy“”

Pea-
We are busy, but at the same time, we are trying to taylor our lives so that we can have more free time! But we’d rather be busy than bored or sitting around that’s for sure, no, not moving to Maine, either farther down the lower shore of the eastern shore of Maryland or southern Delaware. MD taxes are starting to kick our butts, DE would be better for the bottom line but we also would love to stay on tidal water… for sure the next few years will be important for the next part of life & decisions will need to be made if we want to be partially retired by 60 which is the goal.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Extra hug, Easyas and good night with love and sweet dreams to you and all of our Quacker family.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Mona,

There’s little question they aren’t going to want to fix the doorway, and will make all kinds of excuses.

The thing is, it’s federal ADA law, with some state laws mixed in, so they are required to, and if they don’t, they can be severely penalized.

CA and MA laws are similar. When my brother was a landlord (had just a duplex) a renter applied who had Section 12 housing status. That meant my brother had to spend thousands to update his house to comply with those laws, and if he didn’t, the fines would be worse. He did it, but sold the house soon afterwards and bought a single family.

These things aren’t optional. Know your rights and pursue them if turned down. There are law firms that specialize in this.

I’m kind of a live and let live person, but something like this I’d be pushy about.

And I agree with Carol on the carpeting, was thinking similarly. Will be hard to move a wheelchair on carpeting unless it’s very firm - which sort of defeats the purpose - right? There can also be air quality issues with carpeting and molds, etc. I also agree with a sturdy shoe as opposed to grip socks.

I hope you can find a smaller wheelchair, it’s going to be a challenge. My mom’s transport-style wheelchair has brakes on the wheels in the same place a regular wheelchair has. You will just have to do an exhaustive search to find what you’re looking for. I’m sure it’s out there, it’s just a matter of finding it. You might have best luck looking for a pediatric transport chair.

I was actually in my hospital today and saw a smaller seated regular wheelchair and went over to check it out. The seat was small but the huge wheels made it a lot wider. I didn’t have anything on hand to measure size. And it was very heavy.

 

[Snowysmom]

Carol Good to hear from you. Great advice for Mona.

Pea Hope you are taking care and recovering from chemo.

PollyannaMom Good thoughts and prayers for your Dad.

Mona You are getting alot of good advice here. It is nice to see everyone brainstorming to help. Carol mentioned Teva sandals. Those are comfortable and slip resistant. I wear them all summer. I hope Vivian's second company takes your insurance. Social services should look into that for you. They should also help with finding a transport chair or small wheelchair for you.

Lynn Busy as always. Hope the stores are quiet today and you can relax after errands.

Good morning. Today is finally supposed to be sunny. The ground here is waterlogged. I hope to get to the lake today before it rains again tomorrow. Tomorrow I go into the office and then have a dentist appt in the next town.

Have a good day.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Chemo went well @Snowysmom. Traffic was rough. I stopped by my work afterward to say hello and to drop off some treats we’d made for Nurse’s Week. It was really good to see everyone. Lots of hugs. Some didn’t recognize me at first as I’m wearing a large bandana and DH was with me, lol - thought initially we were patients or something. Steroids kept me awake much of the night, and I’m off again this morning for a DH appt and DD’s going to run to Urgent Care at the same time as she hasn’t been feeling well after eating hot peppers with seeds on a sandwich last weekend! She’s had food poisoning in the past and it messed up her bowels. She generally likes hot peppers but never had them with seeds like that before. I guess there is something in the seeds called capsaicin that can bring on these types of reactions. So she’ll see if there’s anything they can give her to help with relief. Another busy day. When I get home I’ll be able to get some rest. DH needs a driver after his procedure.

Thanks for asking.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Thank you everyone so much for being a special part of our Quacker family. I appreciate each of you and all your prayers, loving care, and wonderful suggestions more than I can say. Extra hugs to all.

Dear Pea, you are extra in my heart and prayers. From across the country, I sure am sending out care and cheers to you, my friend. I believe in you and am here. We all do and are. I also thank your brother for being a conscientious and I'm sure caring landlord.

Dear Snowysmom, I'm so glad Tevas work so well for you. I sure have learned the importance of supportive and comfortable shoes! I will call the company Vivian works for again later. I will definitely pass that information on to R from social services and request that he look carefully into transport chairs with wheelchair front brakes (thanks, Pea). I will also look. I know any chair will take time to come and I still would so love to be home by my birthday.

Good early morning everyone. Wishing each of you a wonderful Winds-Day. I will check back and God willing update later.

 

[lynxstch]

Good morning, sunny and finally a day with no chance of rain for the first time in 5 days. 2 of the days it didn't rain, the others it either rained on and off, or at night. Everything is nice and neat outside, so I don't have to worry about it for a couple of days.

I have been binge watching Poker Face on Peacock, kind of strange, but I finished the first season.

Another long call with Walmart yesterday about being able to order non grocery items for delivery to the house from the store, but can't order grocery's, and no one can figure it out. Been going on for 2 1/2 months now. They keep escalating it to the tech dept, but no one is doing anything to fix the issue. Some people on my road can get them (I know because Summer delivers to them), and some of us can't. I'm going to talk to the store manager today when I am in there and see if he has a direct connection to someone who can fix the problem. The weird thing is I can order groceries from a Walmart 53 miles away, but not from my store which is less than 3 miles away. I don't want to order groceries that are going to be melted or sitting in heat for 53 miles!

Off to do errands and get groceries, have a good day everyone

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Big hug dear Lynn. That is crazy and sounds like logic that would be used here! I truly hope Walmart straightens this all out for you.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Mona, another thought as far as assistive devices in your home. Many services organizations have lending closets. Our local Lions club have commodes, shower chairs, wheelchairs, walkers available. You might look into that. Also other service clubs like VFW. Worth a shot.

And someone may have said this already, if you got a commode chair you could use it outside the bathroom until you could walk in comfortably. Then move it in over the toilet to elevate the seat and have arms to push up.

And, often with a walker, if you turn sideways and side step you can fit though a doorway.

My job in the patient's home was to offer suggestions to solve problems. I can't help still trying to do that.

 

[lynxstch]

Mona, I second checking with the local Lions Club. That's where I donated all of Don's things when he passed away. The commode chair, commode, his wheelchair, walkers, canes, bed rails, etc. They loan things out all the time.

 

[easyas123]

I've just had a thought - now, I'm no medical professional like Carol or Pea of course, but perhaps going the route of renting or borrowing items would keep you from inadvertently coming dependent on them. As if let's say the PT says you should be able to walk w/o the walker in 4-6 weeks, and you have borrowed it for that length of time vs. bought it...you'll be more likely to be thinking 'move forward, I should be able to walk w/o this in a few weeks' vs. 'I should be able to do this in a few weeks, but if not I'll still have this walker and can use it for a long time if needed.'

Just a thought.

And I agree with those of you who are asserting that it's not a ask, rather a requirement of a landlord to provide these ADA compliant features.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Thank you all always! I love your thinking dear Easyas! I pray to walk normally by early summer!

Dear Carol and dear Lynn thank you both so very much for all your kind and wonderful suggestions. Lynn, extra hug and thank you for making a lovely difference through your donation.

I thought I had a positive update. Vivian is contracted through two pt companies. God had me meet her through one of them. That company (I spoke with them) does not accept my insurance because it's HMO. The other company replied to my email saying they do accept it! They asked me for Vivian's name so they can verify and I gave it to them. The company apologized for, "the misunderstanding." They said they would not be able to bill my insurance. I would have to go through a home health agency. Vivian has said she will work with me privately again. Even at her kind discount, it's expensive. Dad God willing will be herr soon and we will talk then.

Dad also has yet to hear back from Sonia. We will try her again while he's here. I will also call a Lion's Club then, too. More later.

Afternoon hug to all

 

[bobbiwoz]

@flyingdumbo127, that’s a great goal to work towards!

It was a beautiful day here. Last night, I read that goldfish can have oatmeal and it provides nutrients for them. Today, I saved some, and sure enough they ate it all up. None was left on the bottom of the pond. I do try to vary their food, and glad I have a new treat for them.

Our clematis does not do well in summer heat. I am always happy to see it blooming in spring, because each fall I am never sure if I will see it again. So, I’m sharing my bloom!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Such vibrant colors dear Bobbi. Thank you for sharing, my friend. How are you and Tom feeling?

Dad just left. He will call Sonia again when he gets home. I still pray to be home on my birthday. The sooner I get out of here, the better! I did tell dad during our visit that if I am still here on my birthday, (which of course, I do not want to be), I would love to somehow get my therapy benefit reinstated for a few more weeks. At that time, God willing I would feel safe in the bathroom with just the walker. Trying to always I pray see the potential positive Depending on what happens later today and early tomorrow, I will reach out to insurance again. I also need to give R an update and ask him whether there is any way insurance could pay for Vivian to come. More to come. Thanks, dear friends, always for listening.