Kat,

I have an extra inner tube around just in case!!

Deb,

Gosh, I sure hope that's not what they said you have is tonsillitis!! But since your glands are swollen, and your having sinus headaches, I would think you probably have a bad sinus infection and swollen glands! Lol

Hope your feeling better soon. Give it a few more days, and those antibiotics should start kicking in. I've had that once or twice, and it is very painful. Drink lots of hot hot liquids, and that throat spray is really good too. Really numbs it pretty good.

Also try a cup of hot tea, melt two throat lozenges in it, put in honey, lemon, and a little brandy, (not too much with the codeine) and it works wonders. Really, try it.

Keep warm,
Jackie

Hi Everyone!
I thought I would pop on for a minute and tell everyone that even though I haven't
been on and posting much lately that there isn't a day that goes by that I don't
think about each and every one of you.

I have been working an unbelievable schedule so it I haven't had time to post much.
Since I work for FedEx this is our BUSY time of the year I have been working 9 - 10 hours
a day and 6 days a week. On the one day I do have off I am playing catch up on things
I didn't get done during my work days. I am not complaining because I am Thankful that
I have a good steady job.

BF and I made it through the 1 year anniv. of BFM passing. I opted to work tht day so that
I wouldn't be sitting around thinking about it to much. We (BF and I) did go to the cemetary
that day and released 17 balloons in honor of BFM and BFD (12 for her and 5 for his Dad).
BF seemed to like the idea of doing that and it seemed to bring him comfort knowing that
I cared as much about his Mom (I never had the chance to meet his Dad, since he passed
away a few months after BF and I met) to homor her in that way.

Daughter is doing OK I guess, she is feeling pregnant!!! ha ha Actually there is still some
major concerns about her weight and the baby's weight due to the kidney problems she is
still having. The doctors are keeping a very close eye on her and because of that we are not
sure if they are going to make it down here for the holidays. The Mom part of me
really hopes they get to come but the logical side of me knows that it is a risk for her to
travel that far and be that far away from her doctors. She is 7 months so anything can happen
now.

Other than being busy with work and fighting sinus problems for working out in the rain and cold
we are doing pretty good.

I will try to check back in as much as possible and if I don't make it know that each of
you are having prayers sent out to help you along the way.

Hug to One and All!!!!!

It's good to hear from you Denise.
My daughter and her three daughters release balloons on he husband/fathers birthday. It seems to help the girls feel like they haven't forgotten him.

Soon the holidays will be over and maybe you can cut down on the work.

I know what you mean about wishing you daughter could be home for the holidays because I feel the same way about my daughter. She isn't pregnant but they both work and they can't afford to take time off. Not the way the economy is now. Guess we'll both have to be satisfied with a phone call.

Merry Christmas to you and BF

Thanks so much for popping by with an update Denise!
((((hugs))))
Carol

Denise,

So nice to hear from you my friend. Gosh, I didn't realize it had been one year already for BF's mother. I like the releasing of the ballons, that was really a wonderful way to honor her. And I do believe that your boyfriend realized long ago how much you thought of his Mom. And doing that with him just comfirmed what a wonderful girlfriend he does have. Most would not do what you did Denise.

I can understand your mixed feeling on your daughter coming in for Christmas. Seems like our logic always has to overrule our want, but that's ok, that's what moms are for. Their safety and well being always must come first. You'll have another time to visit, and hopefully it will be when that new grandchild of yours will be born. I remember how excited you were with the first.

Boy, you're still continuing to have those darn sinus problems huh? It has to be miserable for you with the work you do. You are one tough lady. But please, take care of yourself and stay nice and warm. Have you ever tried that Nasaline Syringe? I recommended it to many, and they say it helps wonderfully. I don't have sinus problems myself, but my niece talked about it one time, and how much relief it gives her, so I've been telling everyone that says they have sinus problems about it, and they say it works great for relief.

Yes, check in when you can. Thanks for coming and keeping an eye on us. All you that have lost their loved ones, always go above and beyond for us. We really appreciate you always coming to see how we are.

Talk soon

Jackie

My daughter called last night to tell me she got a Christmas Hat for her deceased husband.

Strange first sentence, isn't it.
He husband was killed four years ago and she has since remarried a very understanding man. He first husband's pictures sits on the fireplace mantle and there are other pictures of him and the kids around the house. After all, he is the kids father.
She did the decorating and told her husband that she needed a Christmas hat for Bob. When they went shopping this weekend, he found stickers and bought them. When they got home, the two of them sat at the table and decorated the picture frame and then her husband put a hat on the picture. The kids watched their two crazy parents decorating the picture.
Now Bob is all ready for Christmas and back on the mantle.

How can a new husband be any more understanding?
He certainly doesn't feel threatened.

Maybe I should mention that husband #1 and husband #2 were best friends in college.

Oh Joyce what a wonderful story. Your daughters second husband is quite a guy. What a wonderful thing for the children to see in their step father. Not many around like that. His parents should be complimented!

Jackie

His parents call to see how Bill and I are doing more often than Bill's sibs. But once a year would be more than they call.
They have been included in our family Thanksgiving since the kids got married two years ago. This Thanksgiving, she thanked me for inviting them and I told her they were family. Then she thanked me again for thinking of them as family.

Joyce,

So nice to hear that. It's not often that someones inlaws take a caring interest. You can see where your son in law gets his very wonderful heart and soul from.

Jackie

I think this is absolutely wonderful!

I think that is so beautiful.

I have a daughter from a previous marriage and even though she is 25, my husband's parents don't pay her the time of day. Never send her a birthday card, ask about her, nothing. Then again, they do the same with me, too:(

I always love it when family can come together and just love each other and support each other no matter what the circumstances. This world needs more of that, I think.

It's started out as a wild morning. Bill woke up at 6:30. it's now 7:25. He wouldn't let me near him and was fighting to get out of the bed. Hospital bed with full rails. He can't stand but he was scooting to the foot of the bed trying to get around the bars. I gave him an ativan along with a seroquel but he is still going. I raised the foot of his bed so he couldn't scoot down and turned off the light and left the room. I have a video monitor on him so I can see what he is doing. Right now he has both legs up in the air and is using the blue pad he pulled out from under him to polish his legs, I guess. He has one end of it in each hand and is using it like a shoe shine rag.. I called hospice and they said to give him another ativan which I did and he is still going. They will call me back in a half hour to see if he has calmed down. If not they will send a nurse out. As long as he can't get out of the bed, I'm staying away from him. Now it's one leg up in the air just making big circles.
I would like to go in there but I'm afraid it would upset him more. I just hope the second ativan kicks in, if not guess I'll have to go for the morphine..
This is the first time he has been like this for this long. Usually I can talk him down but not this morning. I thought he was slowing down but he's started again. This could be a long morning.

I'll let you know how things are going later.

Joyce,
How are things going? Has Bill calmed down a bit? Boy, is that camera a good idea. Let us know what's going on. Another good idea for things to come is getting a video camera.

Mom is getting into a habit of going up and down the two stairs that I have to go up to her room. She did that the other day 6 times. She goes up there and of course forgets why. Thank God I only have two stairs, but I have to keep following her anyhow. She finally stopped, but I am considering getting one of those gates that they use for kids. Any thoughts on that?

I was going to send my husband out that same day for one, but he seems to think it will make it worse as she'll keep questioning why the gate, and also may possibly try to climb over it. It's been a few days now since she's done that, and it seems at least once or twice a week it happens.

Any ideas??

jackie

Things haven't settled down yet. I have kept Bill calm with the ativan every 4-6 hours. I don't dare try getting him out of bed. I could get him in the lift and have him kick out or start fighting. So he has spent most of the time in bed.
I got him up for lunch yesterday but by 1:30 he started getting very anxious so I got him back into bed before he got too bad. He's been there since.

He has taken his meds and he has been eating (I have been feeding him in bed).

The doctor put him on bactrim, sp?. Didn't do a urine sample because he said it didn't make sense putting him through that. They would have to catherize him and he said that would be a three person job. He figured if he had a UTI the medicine . would help, if he didn't it wouldn't hurt.

Who knows, maybe tomorrow he will be better. Or this could just be the start of something new. The volunteer called this evening and said he would be over tomorrow so I could get out for awhile.

As for the gate Jackie, The only steps I have lead to the basement. I had a friend build me a gate to go across the top of the stairs. He put a simple lock on the inside of the gate so Bill couldn't see it but I could just reach over to slide it over when I wanted to go down.
That was when I also put locks on all my bedroom doors and closets, bathrooms every room but Bill's had a lock on the door. He would go to the door and try to open it. When it didn't open, he just went to the next one but didn't seem to get upset when he couldn't get the door open. He would just shrug and say "Guess I won't go in there".

If you use a baby gate, maybe you can get one with the pressure (or whatever they call it) and you can then raise the gate high enough that she couldn't climb over it. Just make sure she can't go under it.

I had a gate across the stairs leading to our up stairs when we were up north and since Bill always thought other people were in the house, I just told him "they" didn't want us to go in their room. No problem with that answer.
t

Joyce,

Boy, Bill is really on a roll huh? It must be very frustrating for you. I'm glad to hear the doctor sent the bactrim. I've been trying to get a sample from Mom, and have missed every time. So I may do the same thing tomorrow and see if she will just send me an antibiotic. I think she may have one also.

Thanks for the suggestion about the pressure gate. I never would have thought of putting it up a little higher. Although I just looked over by my stairs and I won't be able to put it up too high because of the railing. She has stopped going up and down the last few days, but if she starts again, I am going to get one and try it. My only problem is that she still understands alot, and trying to think of a "why" I put it up will be quite a challenge. Lately she questions everything I do, and I can't stand her going on and on and on. But I guess I'll have to decide which is worse!

Keep us updated on Bill, and hopefully your getting some much needed rest with him in bed more. Take advantage of it while you can, cause as we all know, the next change will come soon.

talk soon
Jackie