What we are eating and what's eating us. Friday!!

Does anyone know what day it is????  Thank Goodness!! 'Tis FRIDAY!!  We have moaned,wept,and fought our way through another week. WE ROCK!!
B-2 Cheese Sticks and a Kashi Granola Bar (I eat breakfast in 2 meals). L- Grilled Chicken Mandarin Salad, great greens in it!! D- Cantalope and Cottage Cheese..MMMM. S-Yogurt
If someone Cheeses you off today, look at them and give them a HUGE SMILE, it will either confuse them, or make them think you are crazy, either way, it will make YOU happy!
   

Good morning - we made it through another week.

Plans for today:
* work
* rest
* play date with Matthew and Melanie
* foods, same as every other day.

Time to  and start the day.
Kisses
Annette

Yay!! You get to play today! You know I love the shower icon...smile.
I hope the day was great for you!!
Hugs!
  

Hi Linda!

Down another 1/2 lb. Have my year visit with surgeon in a couple of weeks. Hope I can keep it here or even get to goal by then! He offers a plastic surgery procedure at cost... I don't have the $ but sure would be nice to get rid of some of this skin!
B-oatmeal and raisins
S- yogurt and kashi
L- ham and cheese rolls and cherries and just a couple of crackers and peanut butter
S-fresh peach
D- out with friends
S-yogurt and kashi

One more day of going in early,,,I hope.
Have a GREAT Friday!
Cheryl

Linda,

Yesterday I visited Mom.  She has been retired for 24 years but was talking about getting a job as a sales rep (she has never done work like that).  "Do you think anyone would hire me?" she asked.  Ah, no.  Then she said, "The problem is finding a place to live."  I told her she could stay where she is.  "Well, I'd like that, and find work nearby so I don't have to travel far everyday."  She went on and on about finding wor****il I finally said, "You don't need to worry about that, Mom.  You don't have to work now.  You get social security and a pension."  She was quiet for a minute, then said, "But what am I doing to do with the rest of my life?"  What, indeed?

For the rest of the visit, she spun out all these wild confabulations, and I didn't know whether to play along with her, gently correct her, or what.  I'm clearly getting the message that Mom feels useless the way she's living now.  I told her she could read, or knit, or watch TV, or visit with the other residents.  She said, "The other residents?  I don't think so.  They have their own groups and they don't include me because I'm from away."  In fact, I have observed many of the other residents greeting Mom very warmly, chatting with her, even hugging her, but the nurse and administrator tell me that when Mom is invited to join a group activity, she refuses (unless ice cream is involved).

So when I got home yesterday, I went for a very brisk 40 min. walk.  It was that or drink an entire bottle of wine by myself...The walk did help, then I described the whole thing to my husband when he got home from work and we actually got some chuckles out of it.

Today's food:

B: caramel apple protein shake
S:  iced decaf latte (skim milk & SF cinnamon syrup)
L:  2 oz steak, 2 oz cucumbers in Oikos yogurt
S:  3 oz light yogurt
D:  2 oz brown sugar & mustard salmon, 2 oz brocamole
S:  4 oz SF pudding

Jean

Hijack!!

Jean,  We have a very similar situation with my mother in law.  Her Dr. told us not to correct her just let her ramble. When Eva says what is she going to do with her time?  I tell her we'll help you figure it out as we go along, seems to work for her.  My mother in law makes grocery lists from the sunday newspaper,  kinds of things she'd never eat anyway, tears out coupons,, I thank her for those and tell her I'll use them this week.  When we leave I'm sure those thoughts, memories are gone as she never brings it up, just starts new.  Eva does(?) wordsearch books. not really... just circles letters. My MIL love ice cream too.  I'll PM you or you me if you'd like to chat about alzheimers. We've been going through it with mom since Jun 05 when her husband died.
It is hard but we also try to focus on the part that she is safe where she is and medically her body is doing great. We also get some chuckles out of things she says....better than crying.
Hugs, Paulette

Paulette,

Thanks for your post.  I think I will have to try the tactic of just letting Mom ramble, because she tends to get alarmed when I try to bring her back to reality.  But sometimes she says such outrageous things, and expects me to answer her, and I'm literally struck dumb!

I think Mom is doing the same thing with her books as your MIL is doing with the word search books.  I think she's just staring at the pages and turning them every now and then.

I'm glad you mentioned that the thoughts and memories just go away anyway.

Jean

Jean, I so feel just what you are feeling now. I went through all of this with mom and my heart would break each time.

I just took the saying "I have to laugh or I would cry" and live that. It became a very important part of my everyday life. Some of the things that mom would say and do did indeed deserve a chuckle. That is alright.

Just remember that you will get through this~even during times that you think you can't take more. I am here for you to vent to if you ever need to do that. I am sending love, lots of hugs and special prayers for you and yours.

Brenda,

I do appreciate your sympathy.  As you say, the situation is both heart-breaking and funny.  Thank goodness my husband is so tolerant, understanding, and good-humored.  Yesterday when I told him about the way Mom inserts any word she can find when she gets stuck in a sentence, even if meaningless, he laughed and said, "My mother has talked that way the entire time I've known her!"

It's so weird that my MIL is such a flake, and always has been, but is by no means senile, while my mom, who was always so sharp, has basically lost it.

Thanks,
Jean

I am sure they can find some things for mom to do, that is what they are there for. Every lady has her price, your mom's is ice cream,that is so cute.
Hope all is going well.