What did you do today?

[highup]

Dang it, Z, that’s rough. We went through the same thing with my old man and it’s a tough job. Funny how sometimes he would forget to take his medication but he never forgot to eat.

Right around this time of year is especially a tough time because everywhere you go someone has holiday treats out for you. Christmas cookies, peanut brittle, fudge. I don’t do fudge anymore cus some people make it with Velveeta and I just won’t take that chance. Then you got the whole liquid side of the equation. Hot cider, hot cocoa, egg nog and foofy alcohol drinks. I don’t drink most of those mentioned things but can sure as hell make egg nog disappear faster than I can beer . Same thing with a pack of Oreos. What is a serving size of Oreos anyway. 3? Should be one half of the package cus that’s what I’m gonna eat.

What's a serving size for Doritos? I think they include those suggestions to humor us.
.... Velveeta ....in fudge? ....what?

 

[Tile Tom]

What's a serving size for Doritos? I think they include those suggestions to humor us.
.... Velveeta ....in fudge? ....what?

1 bag, no?

 

[Floorist]

What's a serving size for Doritos? I think they include those suggestions to humor us.
.... Velveeta ....in fudge? ....what?

13 chips, I think.

 

[highup]

13 chips, I think.

Yeah, but that's if there's only 13 in the bag.

 

[highup]

Lays Sour Cream and Onion chips say 17 chips. I've never noticed that before... maybe because it's at the bottom of the bag.

 

[Floorist]

Guess I should listen to my youngest son. 409 lbs, a couple years ago, 209 lbs now.

 

[highup]

That's quite a drop. I just weighed myself. I'm 209.4 with my headphones on.
My "normal" has been 214 for a long time.
I think my max was 226 at one point an honestly I felt sluggish. That small difference very noticeable to me. I feel better now at 209.

 

[zannej]

Rusty, I hope you get feeling even better now that you've had infusions again and didn't have a bad reaction.

My healthiest weight was 150. I was that weight through high school & most of college up until my early 30s when I had a bad ankle injury that impaired my mobility. Was up around 220 range for a long time. When I went to the doctor on Friday I weighed 198. Last 2 visits before I weighed 199. I was feeling nauseous and doctor was worried about me. It was something I ate, but he was still concerned and told me a way I might be able to qualify for health insurance/medicaid. Since I am Mom's caregiver she could start paying me and we could put she pays me $50 week or so and that it would be low enough to qualify, but I'm not sure how the taxes would be filed. Have to talk to someone who knows about taxes on that.

I read the requirements for Louisiana Medicare coverage of continuous glucose monitors and having had 2 or 3 hypoglycemic events or having serious problems (such as dka) means someone qualifies. The doctor can check boxes to say she meets the criteria and see if it will cover it. Don't need to buy the monitoring device thingamajig because it can link to a cellphone. So, she can keep her phone charged and on and it will get signal from the sensor. Sensor is ready to transmit in about 15min and lasts 10 days. They improved the method of attaching it and covers are sold to protect the sensor while showering. The sensors themselves aren't so high in price but I know Mom will want it covered. The app is free to download and you scan the QR code on the applicator thing that attaches the sensor and it will register it and let you start using it.

Visited Mom in ICU on Friday and today. She was in a recliner on Friday but moved herself back to the hospital bed without help (aside from us moving her various cables and stuff she was hooked up to out of the way). Today when we arrived she was in the surgery area for a stent to try to remove the kidney stone. It was too large to pass through so they moved it aside to stop it from blocking the flow of urine. It had blocked and caused stagnation which led to the UTI. Her bp is still high because of it. They said it has to be broken up with a laser and the specialist for that comes in Wednesday. She's not thrilled about having to stay that long. She wants to go home and I can't blame her. There is a toilet in her room but no grab bars or anything for her to hold on to and it is not ADA height. They took the catheter out for the stent and they might have to bring her a portable commode.

Stopped to eat at a chinese buffet in Eunice before heading home. Napped and then went to the store to get storage bins, food, etc. Found some cambpbells chicken broth for Mom. She can't keep anything but water down for now and probably will need to be on liquid diet when she gets home. They said to start with clear liquids and jello and move up to things like Ensure. It's going to be a bitch sorting her diet out. Our gp is eager to see her again. It as super foggy and dark on the way home from the store so I couldn't even see my road and missed it. Had to back up and turn in after I checked gps to see where tf I was.

Tomorrow my brother works a bit earlier so we won't get to stay as long and won't stop to eat on the way home. So we might have to eat before going if we wake up early enough. The route there is twisty and the roads are terrible but its got pretty scenery. Trees hanging over the road in some spots, open fields in others. Rice fields, cows, etc. Saw a neat house with a 3 car garage and then a separate detached 2-story garage with giant doors. I like that setup.

Been communicating with 2 of Mom's sisters (lost contact info for one of them and she's the one who contacts us the least). Mom's oldest sister and youngest sister have been very concerned about her. Youngest sister wants to come out here and help clean things up but she lives in California. She's a sweetheart. Also been keeping my sister up to date on stuff. My dad's brother has also been concerned for Mom. I'm not in touch with my cousins/extended family too much because none of them live nearby. Dad's family are out in NJ & VA area. Mom's family are mostly in California.

 

[highup]

Well, I took my 1989 Crain tacker apart before I toss it. I thought maybe it could be the trigger.
Nope, the circuit board passed away.
....bored. ...so I had to take something apart.

We've had just over 4" of rain in the past 24 hours, so no good reason to step foot outside.
Breezy too, but at least it's not cold. It's 58 degrees now and supposed to stay that temperature for the next 24 hours straight...... Not normal for sure.

 

[zannej]

Well, I'm pretty sure you can't find those boards anymore except maybe on ebay. That's a bummer.

Went to visit Mom and brought her a bunch of stuff. Some of it she didn't like so I'll return it to the store. Others she did like. She likes the sleeping cap I got for myself from Amazon better than the new cap-- new one was way too tight. I'll be returning it. Socks will be regifted to a friend. My friends always appreciate warm socks. LOL. She was most excited about the toilet paper. The tp they have in the hospital sucks and I brought the Charmin ultra strong mega roll. She actually said "Yay" when I handed it to her.

Put air in one of the tires, grabbed a triple burger from Dairy Queen to try, went to post office for packages, went to Walmart for RX and groceries, dropped off a rotisserie chicken at friend's house, unloaded stuff, dissected rotisserie chickens, fed dogs & cats, fed the moo cows some sweet feed, and did some minor cleaning.

My brother is getting on my last nerve. Kicked 6 more bottles out of his room into the hallway and doesn't even try to move them out of the way. Trash is full so I need to take it out and then clean the bottles up. Still need to haul out the trash that I emptied litterboxes into. Lots of stuff to do.

Friend wasn't able to come over today bc his daughter was sick but he'll come over tomorrow after work.

Forgot to mention that I really miss the garage forum that was a sister forum to this one. I get garage envy every time I pass this one house in Mamou on the way to visit Mom.
First off, they have a nice long driveway that gets wider near the house.

Second, it has a 3 car attached garage

3rd it has a shop garage as well. Hard to tell how large it is but when I pass by there is a truck parked out front and that 2nd garage is massive.

 

[kwfloors]

I got into a creepy mess today trying to find a shut off for an ice maker on a fridge. Usually under the sink, not there so find the crawl space which was a mission. Downstairs in a bedroom closet there was another closet with a 2'x2' access door on the wall. Climbed in there with my light and panned around the area and it was full of spiders. I've never seen that much of an infestation ever. Anyway the exterminator is coming tomorrow to deal with that. Crazy what we run into.
Also on the final stages of demolishing the trailer houses on my property. Took a year to evict and get it cleared off.

 

[havasu]

Yeah, I miss garage forum. That was fun to share ideas with others.

 

[Floorist]

Yeah, I miss garage forum. That was fun to share ideas with others.

Did he fold it over into this one like the painting forum I ran.

 

[havasu]

They all seem to get folded except my coffee forum. That was a great little forum and spoke to lots of coffee producers. One was from Costa Rica. We became good friends until he passed away.

 

[Floorist]

They all seem to get folded except my coffee forum. That was a great little forum and spoke to lots of coffee producers. One was from Costa Rica. We became good friends until he passed away.

I liked the painting forum because I know very little about painting and Keith put me in charge.

 

[zannej]

Yesterday when I drove by the house that gives me garage envy they had a frickin' HELICOPTER in the driveway right in front of the shop garage! Couldn't take a pic bc I was driving.

Today I got up early, cleaned my toilet, swept the hallway, swept the kitchen, took out empty boxes, took out trash, had my brother get the trash full of litter out bc it was too heavy for me, went to visit Mom with my brother along, stopped to eat, went to pick up friend, got him some food, brought him back to our house and he helped me tackle cleaning up her bed. Stupid dust buster I got doesn't work worth crap so we had to sweep. Filled up multiple laundry bags, plastic bins, and a couple of 55 gallon trash bags. Got stuff better organized, but not perfect. Just enough that we could clean off her bed, change the mattress pad, sheets, pillowcases, & blankets. Still need to do more, but both of us were exhausted and needed to rest. Friend found some new curtains she'd bought and put them up. There's still another set to put up but I'm not sure where he put them. I'll do it tomorrow if I can find them. I think he's gone to bed for the night so he didn't answer when I asked where they got put. He might not remember. Got the dog steps situated where Fippy can easily run up them to get on the bed without them being in Mom's way. Then got some stuff moved out of the way in the bathroom. Needs major organizing and cleaning, but there was only so much we could do in a few hours. My back started waving a white flag. Took friend home and then went to Walmart to get cleaning supplies.

Will have to clean the carpet either tonight or tomorrow morning. Waiting til tomorrow morning to haul some stuff out bc I can't see to haul it out at night. Lights don't work. And landline went out. Not sure what is wrong with it but there's nothing but static and no dial tone. And the trash bags are blocking the phone box outside.

On the good news front: Laser procedure went well for Mom. Kidney stone was broken up and passed. She ate solid food and they made her take an actual shower for the first time in 15 years. She didn't like it-- doesn't like water coming down on her hair for some reason. Her bp and sugar were good and she called when my friend was over to say she may be released tomorrow. She was so happy about that. But man, she didn't remember that she crapped and peed in the bed or that we got her a bed pan and she used it. Still need to thoroughly clean that. And the toilet. Ugh. That toilet is so disgusting. And the floor under it wobbles so that needs to be fixed eventually.

Need a subfloor repair and new vinyl sheet. Also need new kitchen flooring. Might as well tear up the hallway carpet and put in LVP because the pets have destroyed that carpet. One or more of the cats keeps having diarrhea on it.

Lots of work to do, but still happy Mom will be coming home.

 

[highup]

Zan, they use the helicopter to avoid traffic getting to the airport where they get a board their G 650 to fly to New York, have dinner and watch a Broadway play.
That's not how you do it?

 

[highup]

I'm glad your mom's coming home. I never even liked working in them.

 

[C.J.]

I just pulled the fattest tick off of my cat. Those things creep me out.

 

[havasu]

Yuck!