So, new game-plan for my Mom. She and her Husband, starting on December 7th, will have four-hours-per-day, seven days a week, of Home-Health-Care! YA! And a Skilled Nurse, every Week-End, to fill up BOTH their Med-trays, and Eva, dear-sweet-blessed-Eva, will come once a week, and over see, the entire Health-Care-Team, and for FREE??!!?? They 'can' afford to pay her, but she was afraid this would not happen, if she asked for just $440.00 additional cash, out-of-pocket, per month, which is just ridiculous, but how very kind she is!!! BIG *SIGH* OF RELIEF!

I still can not Un-Ring that APS call bell. A litle wprried it will come back to bite me you know where, but was at my WITS-END! You ALL know how utterly useless, they are, and in this case I hope so!

Got home at 1:00am. It was "1" degree at the Airport, and my Car was frozen solid! About five hours of sleep, and here I am. This was the HARDEST visit, EVER! Tom makes it so much harder? But Mom called him "The Love Of My Life!" I think he may be the last, but the ONLY? Anyway, she is deeply In-Love with the old coot!

Sky, I'm so glad to see your Mom and Tom will get daily Home Health. I can't imagine how you've done all this long-distance but your hard work is paying off! Good for you! I hope things go well and your mind can rest a little more at ease.

You are all in my prayers.

Thank-You Same U, it is difficult. The words Hopeless, and Helpless, come up a lot! I talked to Mom & Tom tonight, and they had just finished their first week, of four hour per day, home health care. I held my breath, because it seemed too good to be true. Mom liked her a lot (says she doesn't think they need her for four hours, but TRUST me, they do!) Tom is not FIGHTING it so far, because it buys him a driver. Tom goes to his second Neurology Appt. tomorrow, I took him to his first one, which ends up being an all day event (Oh, how I hate Kaiser!) Anyway, Mom's Primary thinks Tom has Dementia too, gee, REALLY? My Sister is trying to PROVE that he doesn't, saying it is a med mix up, or overdose, or side effects, because Heaven-Forbid, he can no longer TAKE-CARE-OF-OUR 85 Year-Old Mother w/ AD & Insulin Dependent Diabetes???? At least I have THAT info, in a dated E-Mail, she actually wrote this to his Doctor! So, she is still fighting me on every front. I think she is trying to *kill* me, really.

The worst news I got, was that both my Sisters are trying to get my Mom to stay in that Hell-Hole, for as long as possible, even after Tom dies??!!?? Because it is CHEAP, and my middle sister just does what ever my elder sister wants. Sickening. My eldest also informed me that she would NEVER allow my Mom to go into Assisted Living (even if she desperately needed too???) she would take her to New Mexico, to live with her instead? So, there you have it, visit Mother in Hell (I swore I NEVER would again, it's too, too, hard on me!) or never see her again, so everything is not roses.

O.K. Some good news for a change! Mom & Tom went to the Nuero, and although he didn't give them any 'bad' news, he said that as soon as he felt up to it, he could go take his Driver's Test! I think it was the Doctor's way of letting DMV, be the bad guys, I really don't think he'll pass it. And now they have Hazel taking them to Lunch every day, and giving Mom her shot, and helping her get dressed, etc, maybe he will just decide he likes having a driver!

I sent Mom an early Christmas Present, sent it Saturday morning, and she got it today? Santa must have actually flew it there? They were a pair of leather caramel colored, fur lined gloves, and a scarf to match. She LOVES them, and they will look so pretty, with her new coat. So, so far, so good, they still have rats, and black mold, and a human skull living with my Mom, but she sounds happy & good today.

That sounds like a great situation! Congrats.

.....with you!

Just so I'm clear on the names...........Are you talking about a REAL skull or have you changed from calling Tom "The Old Coot" to "Mama and The Human Skull" she lives with?

Actually you've shed new light on how to deal with my brother. I'll smile, nod and picture: The Human Skull, flapping its jaw!


(I certainly mean no offense to your worry of the situation, but I gotta tell ya, this made me laugh again! Haven't done that in a while. Thanks.)

Sky, you should definetly write a book on all this. As sad as the situation is with your Mom and the Old Coot, I have to agree with Sam, you did make me laugh in the way you present their situation. Thank God we have you to put some humor in this awful disease!!!

Direct Sam to the old pictures to see the Damer room. Don't think she knows about that! That will really make her day.

Keep it up Sky. For being a long distance caregiver, your doing a wonderful job with them.

Jackie

*Sigh* Thanks. Yes, a REAL-HUMAN-SKULL Sam? Look on my Blog, (there is a link to it, in these posts) and scroll down a few posts, there is a slide-show, of where & how she lives. It should not have been so hard, to get this extra care for them? My sisters (either of them) will probably never speak to me again, and that has to be O.K. My Mom is, and always will be my top priority, and I can not have ANYONE, preventing me from getting her the help she needs, and that Tom needs now too. I HATE that she has to live there, but she is oblivious, and happy so....I am thinking next time, if there is a next time, I will not give the helpers the time off, I will just love on my Mom, and try to spend some quality time together.

Maybe I'll stay in a Hotel!