Friday's Here!
Good Morning Ladies!
I was going to get on here 1st & post at 5am when I returned from dropping Jazz off at school for her trip, but decided to go back to bed instead. Now I see there was no need to rush....still the 1st on here.
I was really sorry to read Mary's post about Jim. The 7 doctors were probably amazed at how much fluid retention he had given Mary's description & b/c he has taken no meds to stop the progression. I hope they put HIM on an anti-depressant he will take b/c he is going to drown in his own fluid if he does not comply with doctor orders. He just seems so depressed & to have given up! Still, it is hard on the family/caretakers to have to deal with this.
Mary, missed you posting, but hope all is going okay with Jim and you can get some rest. Hospitals...particularly the ER are never fun!
Vickie, I sure hope you get what you need from the doctor so hospice can get in soon! I am glad you got some down time as you are SO overdue. I pray for you & Butch every night...
Christine. I think that with your excitement over the weight loss and performing with your band you would willingly go naked you are so pumped....lmbo...you have really done so well! Your enthusiasm about your group is definitely contagious! I bet you'll have a lot more 'staying power' than you had previous to WLS.
I am going to hop off & do some things around here, but will check in later.
Everyone try to have a good day!
Kathy
Good morning Kathy and everyone......
It does seem that our people are posting later again. This is not unusual in the summertime. People just do so much more outside and things. It gets pretty quiet on here.
I am just checking in today. Too much pain to do much posting. Know that I love you all. I will be by later to check in again. Just can't say I will be adding much. High temp today 66 with a low of 39. Humidity 86%. Thunderstorms off and on. Yesterday it was 85 with a low of 59....damn fluctuations!!
Prayers as always to our special OFF Family and their families. Special prayers for Vickie and Butch.
Lots of love and hugs to everyone.....connie d
Good Morning Kathy and OFF,
I hope Jazz has a blast at Hershey Park. When I taught in Jersey, I had the privilege of chaperoning two trips to Dorney Park. What a blast. I got to ride all the rides, with the students. It was a reward for all of the students who never got disciplinary referrals all year. Each grade got their own day for the trip, as it was a middle school.
I was sorry to hear what happened with Mary's Jim yesterday. I sure hope he buckles down and starts to follow the doctor's instructions. I had a problem with extreme water retention in my lower legs. Docs say I have venous insufficiency, or incompetence. The veins in my legs don't pump the blood back up like they're supposed to, so the blood pools in my feet, ankles and calves. Thus, retaining the water. That's why I landed in the hospital for a couple of weeks back in 2012. My wound from a fall just filled up with blood, then a clot, and had to be drained with surgery. Didn't help that I was on Coumadin either.
Vickie, I love that you have your flowers and patio. I know what a refuge they are for you at this time. It's great that you can go out there and relax in the evenings, especially now. I'm sure you will find just the right hospice care for Butch. You are very thorough, and I'm sure you ask the right questions.
Today is the Wacky Olympics at the kids' school. They do relays and games, with a silly twist. One example is the game Duck, Duck, Goose. They use a small cup of water instead of just tapping the person on the head. It's a tiny amount of water, and they play outside. Another is a relay race with the kids' shoes. They have to run down, find their shoe, put it on and run back.
I almost had a panic attack this morning. I could not find my glasses for love nor money. Took me almost 40 minutes. They were tangled in my blankets. That is the only thing I hate about wearing glasses, not finding them in the morning. I go absolutely nuts when I can't find them.
Eileen, I have kept up with your updates about What's His Name, and I am now praying for his Mom. Poor dear, I pray he doesn't hurt her. From everything you've shared, it sounds like he's been dealing with behaviors of a drug addict for a while now. Problem is, he could also have a comorbid mental illness at the same time. I'm just guessing, based on my own experience for myself, plus working with clients who were dual diagnosis at the psychiatric hospital.
Connie, I hope you are feeling better today. I'm proud of you for walking everyday.
Must scoot.
Love, Hugs, and Prayers,
Trish
Albert Schweitzer
Hi my OFF family:
I got a call at 5 a.m. from you know who's mom, Betty. She needed the name of the hospital where he had the seizures last summer. Even though I was half asleep, I gave it to her. Seems he had some big seizures early in the morning and she had to call 911 to take him to the hospital. He was twitching and pinching himself and mumbling. At the ER, he was pinching himself so much, the nurses had to put him in restraints. She's hoping he will get into a treatment facility (but you know he has to want to stay). She understands he has an addiction and a mental illness. Poor Betty! She had her other son there; I talked with him for awhile ... he sounds just like you know who. I'm glad she has him for support. I really hope he will get some help. I just don't want him to hurt anyone else.
So I didn't sleep all that well last night. I woke up a couple times coughing, then the phone call, then at 9 a.m. when I was trying to go back to sleep despite the coughing, the postman knocked on the door. So finally I just gave up and got up. I have been coughing on and off ... basically as soon as I get up to do anything. And I'm just so tired this morning. I really could just stay home and sleep all day ... but I do need to go to work because I only have two personal time off days left, and I'm using one when my brother Gary comes down at the end of June.
And again, I don't remember who posted what ... although I hope your granddaughter enjoys her trip to Hershey Park. My brother and I went there once, but we just did the inside of the store and the little ride inside. It was April and raining and I'm really not into theme park rides. I do like water rides but some of them involve walking up a lot of stairs, which is trying for me with my bad right knee. Gary enjoys the rollercoasters ... anyway, we were on our way down to Williamsburg so we didn't stay long.
Connie, I hope you can conserve your strength for when Gracie comes. I know you enjoy her visits.
Sorry, don't remember anything else. Have a good day.
Hello Again Everyone!
Wanted to post before I forgot everyone's responses...
Trish, Jazz called about a half hour ago & is having so much fun. I love hearing the excitement in her voice. she is such a good kid...just messy & LOUD...lol! I wish I knew how to post pictures on here...I'd put her picture up. But anyone who wants to request me as a friend on Facebook can see pics...I am under Kathy Green. shortened my last name so clients could not easily find me.
I am not into regular rides at amusement parks, but sure miss the water rides like the old log flume. I would have loved to have gone w/a class of kids as their enthusiasm is so refreshing! We did a lot f work w/teens when I was doing adolescent addictions counseling, and showing them you could have fun clean & sober was one of our ongoing goals. we used to take them jet skiing, boating, hiking & the such, but my weight, age & knees got the best of me w/that job about 10 years ago!
I wonder if I have a fluid retention problem like you mentioned, Trish. I ankles & feet are always swollen. all the doctors say it is the weight, but I have has this as far back as my late 30's when I was 'only' about 50-75 pounds overweight. My daughter had a venous procedure b/c of vein issues like you described, but did not swell. I think I may go to a vein doctor b/c it is really embarrassing!
I often push my glasses onto the top of my head when I have finished my book before going to bed & get ready to turn in. Then I panic b/c I can't find them! If I am like this at 58 there is NO hope at 68. But I can understand that panic!
Eileen, everytime you hear another story about YOU KNOW WHO or talk to his mother about what he is up to must be a relief in some ways that you got him out of your apartment. SHEESH! It sounds like w/all the twitching he was going thru some kind of drug withdrawal? As dangerous & annoying as he was it is a shame the US does not have the facilities to take care of these folks properly. We used to have hospitals, prisons, psych wards, family members & friends drop off ppl at the shelter I managed...ppl who had serious mental illnesses who were a real threat to other clients, men released from prison after 25-30 yrs w/no skills who always returned to crime to survive, elderly ppl w/advanced dementia who would pee in our hallways & common areas & wander around at night getting into other clients beds...heroin addicts going thru physical withdrawal. I won't get political here, but it is just so frustrating that services we need for our own are not 'affordable' and the 1st to be cut by the government.
Connie, I felt so bad to read about your level of pain today. My heart goes out to you! Wish I could do something for you. And this weather is something else. I couldn't wait for that dang coldest, darkest weather to end and now we are right into this mess!
Kathy
Hello everyone,
Work has picked up pace so I really need to get on here and post early, before the day gets away from me! But anyway, here I am for another fly by post. I am reading everyones updates and sending prayers and love to you all, but I lose track of the details. So sorry for that! I do promise personal updates tomorrow when things settle down.
Kathy, contrary to popular belief I would not perform naked!! LOL No, no, no. I do love singing and performing though, you're right about that. It's been a lifesaver for me in so many ways. For tomorrow night I will be happy if I can get my jeans to stay up without falling down - I may actually need to wear a belt!!!
Eileen, you are a wonderful soul to put up with he who shall not be named, and to continue to take middle of the night calls from his family. Hope you're continuing to pursue all your legal protections; I have a bad feeling about his family staying in contact with you.
Connie, dear, I wish I could send you some relief from this pain you have to deal with day in and day out. I am sorry I can't be on here more often but just know you're always in my thoughts and prayers!
Mary, so sad to hear about your Jim, but not totally surprised; you've been telling us of his ignoring the doctors so I guess it was a matter of time. As others have said, I'm hopeful its not too late to turn things around, and I'm sending him and you all my prayers. Hugs to you!
Vickie, I think you will feel better working with your own local doctor, someone who knows you and Butch. My thoughts and prayers to you, of course... I cannot even imagine being in your position. You're amazing.
I know I've missed so many and I apologize again for being a slacker. I will catch up with everyone this weekend, I promise.
Hugs and love to all
Christine
________
137 pounds lost - from a 24/26W to a size 8/10!
I have come to love his mom and feel so sorry for her. In a way, she reminds me of my grandma who put up with my Uncle Jay (aka Bum) for some many years. Grandma Briesch was an enabler; she let him drink, lie, steal from her ... he was her baby and she wouldn't let anything bad happen to him. When he was dying of cirrhosis of the liver, she begged my dad to get him into a regular hospital instead of putting him in the VA hospital. My dad said the VA hospital was good enough for him to get his hips replacement at so it was good enough for Jay. Grandma cried and cried about that ... she was so upset with my dad. But he wouldn't budge. When he died, my dad said I didn't have to go to the funeral because my uncle did nothing for us. That's how much he hated him. I think you know who's brothers feel the same. I hope Betty gets tough with him, though.
But every time I think about it, I start getting anxiety attacks and panic attacks. And I'll hearing noises coming from the spare bedroom (not really, but I hear them) ... or I'm afraid to come into the house at night. It's caused me to have some emotional eating habits, too, which I talked about with my health coach today. I feel like a train wreck.
