Good morning...it is Friday....what is new??

Good morning everyone....

I went to sleep last night really early. The Vicodin I took knocked me out. Now it is 2:00 AM and I am wide awake. I had a feeling this would  happen. I just couldn't stand the pain anymore. 

So here I sit. I just checked Thursday's posts and noticed Eileen checked in later so I replied to her. I guess I will go on Facebook for a little while. I am munching on fresh strawberries. They are so good!! 

I am having a different cleaning lady today. She will be here at 8:30 AM.    I don't do mornings well but this is her only available time. My regular lady was in a bad car accident. She will be out for at least a month yet. Next week the new lady will be coming at the regular time at 1 PM. That will work better for me. 

I will check back in later to see who else might be posting.

Wishing you all a beautiful day!!

Prayers for all of our sweet OFF Family and their families. 

Special prayers for Vickie and Butch. Vickie is going to have a long few days. I am glad Carrie and her mom will be there to help. I know Butch will be fine in his sister's care.  

Vickie...no more worrying that needing a little time to re-group. You are balancing so many balls. I don't know how you are doing it. You are amazing that is how!!! I love you my sister!!! 

Loads of love  and bushels  of hugs to all.....connie d

Well, good morning Connie!!  You're the Early Bird who caught the worm!  

I was going to post earlier, but decided to wait.  I had no problem getting up this morning --- because I never went to bed.  I didn't even try because I knew it was going to be a rough night.  Jim has not been doing well and gets up several times a night, and I knew last night was going to be tough.  As I mentioned before, one of the characteristics of his illness is sleeping all day and being awake most of the night.  Thank goodness I no longer work, I wouldn't be able to stay awake.  What I have to do is open up the spare room and clear it out (lots and lots of "stuff" that I will have to get rid of) and get a bed for that room so I can get out of the living room into a bedroom.  I used to have Jim sleep in the living room, but then I felt "trapped" in the bedroom.

I get to have Taylor again this weekend.    My daughter, Maura, is not feeling well, so I'll pick up Taylor this afternoon.  Although she got a kitten for Easter,  so I hope she doesn't put up a fuss about leaving her at home!

Hope everyone has a good day.  I know Vickie is busy moving her Mom this weekend.  She definitely needs a break.  And prayers to you, Judy -- you've suffered too many losses this year. Christine - hope you recover quickly and get home.  Things did not go smoothly for you, that's for sure.  I'm glad things are looking up!

Good morning Mary.....

Yup....here I am....I went back to bed at 5:30 and slept until 6:30. Then I got up and got ready for the day!! My sleep schedule was messed up because I slept so early in the evening on Wednesday. Hopefully it will straighten out tonight.

I definitely would clean out that spare room. At least have it free to get to a bed. You need to be out of the living room!! No wonder your sleep is messed up!!  HUGS!!!!!!

I am so happy Taylor is coming for the weekend. You always brighten up when she is around!! Sorry Maura is not feeling well. I hope it isn't anything serious.

My cleaning fairy is here now. She is doing a great job. Really a fun gal! 

IT IS SNOWING!!!! It is coming down hard and there are big flakes. Everything is already covered. We are going to get a lot!!! I am glad I won't be out in it!

Have a good day...love and oodles of hugs.....connie d

Hi Connie and my OFF family:

I got up way too early this morning. Woke up after 6 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep, so I got out of bed and made coffee. Now I'm starting to get sleepy again. 

Connie, as for Richard and why he has problems walking ... he gets lightheaded and out of breath. He has tried walking a half block and has to sit down. It's a symptom of his illness. 

My brother Gary is going to be down here around noon. Can't wait to see him. We talked a bit last night. He said the assisted living center administrator talked to my oldest brother and said mom is being difficult. She wants mom to talk to a psychologist and maybe get on antidepressants. Ed (my oldest brother) doesn't want her on drugs. I only asked Gary what she was being difficult about ... she can be impatient. I'm sure my brothers didn't ask the right questions. 

Anyway, Gary will be here and we can have a whole weekend to visit and talk, and I'll show him around Evansville. It'll be fun to see him. He's staying at a motel, which will be good for him rather than trying to fit him into my apartment with Richard around (although Richard offered his bed).

Anyway, that's all for me. Have a good day.

Good morning Eileen.....sorry you couldn't sleep later.

Does Richard have COPD? I have COPD problems like that. I can be very hard to deal with!! I will be praying for him.

How are you doing? I hope you get that pain cream for your knees soon. I hate to see you hurting so bad.

I am sorry to hear that your mom isn't doing well. I hope your brother will allow her a med so she isn't agitated. I think you are right, your brothers probably don't as the right questions.

I forgot that Gary was coming to visit. I hope you have a great time while he is there. It will be fun for you to just go out and look around and talk about things! 

Have a good rest of the day!!

Love and hugs to you.....connie d

Connie, Richard has chronic renal dysfunction. He gets lightheaded and dizzy and sometimes passes out. He did it not so long ago in the kitchen. Went to reach up to for something on a high shelf and just fell backward on the floor and hit his head. I was so worried. He didn't even remember what happened. Plus, he had brain damage from the seizures he suffered last year. It affects his short-term memory, his judgment and his ability to work under pressure (which kills his ability to work at a newspaper ever again ... although that's a dying industry as we know). He has tried walking outside and didn't get more than a half block before getting tired and having to sit down. He was gone for an hour that time because he was sitting down most of the time. 

My brother Gary said he feels mom was being difficult because she was without her TV at that time. Because that's really all she does, is watch TV. Plus, she's terribly impatient. And these people have more people to help than just her. She forgets that. 

I took a little nap and now feel better. 

Hi again Eileen...I feel even worse now for Richard!! Oh my goodness how does he manage. He needs to walk with a walker so he can sit when he needs to...although it doesn't sound like he is even aware of when these things happen. I remember now about his brain injury. That must be awful to live with...poor guy! It is wonderful that he has a great friend like you at this time in his life. I am definitely keeping more prayers going for him and you too!!! This post just brought tears to my eyes.

So your mom has a TV now right...I thought Gary took her one. She must have felt lost without that TV. Little things like that are important at her age. It is hard to be in a assisted living place. There never seems to be anyone around when you need them. Budget cuts are a big part of that!! Plus those aides and nurses have way to many people to care for at once!! That isn't fair to the residents. Not much can be done about that. Prayers for her as well. God Bless her.

I am glad you managed a short nap...that can be so refreshing. 

Have a good evening...love and hugs....connie d

Yes, Connie, Mom has a TV now ... an older, 19-inch TV, not a flat screen. It works well, though. My older brother Ed has decided to buy her a new one for Mother's Day/birthday to replace that old one. So we'll all chip in (because none of us knows what to buy her. 

Yes, Richard has lots of issues. I have to be patient with him knowing his issues. His OCD is showing through now because he's off one of his meds. I will have to see if I can get that for him. Running out of money now; all I have left is what's on my HSA card and there's not much left there. He is starting to drive me a little crazy. Once he's on that med, then he calms down. But I don't know if we can wait until Thursday when I get paid. 

Hi Eileen...I sure hope you or someone can help Richard get his meds. It sounds like it is important that he has it. Isn't there an agency around there that could cover the med for this month? We have Catholic Charities, First Call for help, and Salvation Army. They provide services like that. 

Chipping together on a new TV for your mom will be a good gift.

Love and hugs to you....connie d 

Good Morning Connie and OFF,

I have to get out the door to the orthopedist.  I have had a sore in my foot for weeks now.  It has kept me up at night.  Need him to check it out.

Didn't get much done yesterday.  Was feeling sick overall.  Head, stomach, everything.  Not enough to need the doctor, just enough to keep me on my rocking chair.

Posted an article about a woman being the first to officiate NFL games, and asked my son's opinion.  He didn't think it was newsworthy.  He grew up in a totally different era.  I remember when Barbara Walters broke ground in the news, and then when women broke ground in sportscasting.  I remember life before Title IX.  Hmmm.  Different generations have different perspectives.

Hugs and Love, especially for Vickie, Butch, Judy, and everyone in need lots of Prayers,

Trish