Me either! I didn't know much about that TAKS thing--sucks! Standardized tests are so ridiculous. The things they think we should know! It's been a long long time but I remember thinking "this is total bullshit" in high school, especially in American History class, LOL!
That is great news. I bet she'll want to become a permanent. I just know it I hope this becomes a great turn of events for you. You definitely deserve some good things these days.
I wouldn't bother weighing yourself right now. You've got enough to deal with atm, so just do the best you can with the food/exercise and don't worry about it.
Glad you had a better football weekend than did..lol. Michigan and Mich St got their butts kicked, and the Lions lost as usual..haha. Maybe they can make it through the season without winning a single game. Now that would be something.
HOpe you had a GREAT day today, sugar lips. I haven't called you that in ages.
I called Ms. Elinor before leaving the house and she was in shock..
She said that her family must have ordered this for her and she didn't need a CareGiver. She was upset. I told her I was sorry and that I'd arrive at 10AM.
This made me so nervous..lol...
Once I arrived, she was telling me how she didn't need any care/help.
I said,
"Ms. Elinor, just think of me as a friend coming over for coffee and a visit.
I can see that you are very able and sound - we're just gonna have a great time chatting and if anything comes up where ya need help, I'll give ya a hand as your friend." *I winked at her.*
She smiled and agreed.
We had some coffee and started chatting.
All of a sudden this big turtle came out of nowhere 'running' across the floor!
Scared the crap out of me!!
The fastest turtle I have ever seen..
His name is Mojo and she's had him since a baby. He's 15 now.
(he's big!)
He runs all over the house like a dog. LMBO!
Ms. Elinor has demencia pretty bad so each time she told me the same story, I just acted like it was the first time hearing it. (bless her sweet heart.)
I had to repeat my info. over as well bc she'd forget.
The family prepared me that she does not eat much and I really need to make sure and try to get her to eat.
Sure enough at lunch she told me she was not hungry at all.
I let it go for a few minutes and then mentioned 'how hungry I was...'
I asked if she would eat lunch with me and she was all about that.
Now, I know how ta get her to eat. I'll just invite her to eat with me each day..heehee...
When it was time for me to leave, she was giving me big hugs and said she couldn't wait to have me over the next day..
I have to stop at the store on the way home from work to pick up much needed stuff we are out of and then rush in to get ready for concert.
*******
Val: Hey doll.
Yep, the tests have no purpose or merit in my opinion..
All they do is confuse the 'teacher's' and students!
When Bush was our Gov. is when he came up with that dumb idea.
Teacher's have even told us how stupid they are and how they have to change the way they teach to fit the dumb tests.
Most of the year is spent on taks prep and testing.
Kids 'round here really don't learn crap/much needed skills..
Does that make any freakin' sense?! (No)
If math didn't give me such a problem, I'd homeschool Cory again.
That's the main reason I had to stop.. (I homeschooled him for 3 years. We were also members of a large home school association in our city, so he made a ton of friends he still has today and we did lot's of great things with them.
Field trips, book clubs, potlucks/game night, etc. I started a science club and it's still going today! )
He learned soooooooooooo much during that time and so did I from teaching it!
I really wish we had the money for a math tutor or for Sylvan bc I'd homeschool again.
Sam:
Thanks sweetie!
I just may luck out bc Ms. Elinor told me yesterday her house means everything to her and she's stayin'..lol..
I think she will fight the family on assisted living apartments.
So, they may decide to let her have her way and stick with the in home care.
Kimberly:
HeeHee.. Yep, it has been a while since I heard Sugar Lips! *Smoochies!*
I agree, I'm stayin' away from the scale for now.
So sorry about yer teams!!
That stinks.
******
Have A Great Tuesday Everyone!
Gotta get my lunch packed and finish up with gettin' ready..
Bless your heart for being so kind, patient, and clever with Ms Elinor! What a great job you did! I think a lot of people get uncomfortable when faced with a person who suffers from dementia or Alzheimer's, so you're an exceptional sweetheart who handled it beautifully! I hope it works out for you!
I hope they also eliminate those tests--I have strong feelings about the educational system and how it fails at teaching practical skills!
Ms. Elinor is just too cute...When I pulled up this morning she was waiting for me on the porch.
She was so excited that I was back. I could just squeeze her to death..lol..
Lunch was harder today bc she just wanted iced cookies and tea..
hahahaha!
I finally managed to get a small salad down her and some yogurt..
Man, I'm sooooooo tired..Just got out of the shower and I'm heading for bed.
Cory's concert was great and they did 2 songs in Latin.
Here is my handsome boy all grown up!
^ Laughed my ever lovin' tail off when I noticed ZuZu in the window with the curtains on her head!! HAHAHA! ^ She panics when we leave/go outside..She wants to be with us 24/7..lolI laughed so hard I snorted.
Hey!Im so happy to hear about the new client and how you handlered her and such. My grandma had dementia, we always listened to her and talked to her and answered the same questions over and over.The only hard thing was having to always tell her where my ex was and explain to her that i never left him, lol, he left me...but eventually she stopped asking.
Im working in the same field as you are.And I think a big part of what makes us so good with the clientel is that we are moms, I mean i know some ppl who are great withthem and arent parents but those I know that arent parents have a background of working with children.Most of what it takes is having a great big heart and patiences.I love my job...Nights suck but I wont be on them forever, I still get a fair amount of interactionw ith the guys!
Your story of your new client warmed my heart!
Your son is very handsome indeed!
Keep your head up honey, things are gettin better!
I am so happy that things with Miss Elinor are going so nicely!
She sounds like a doll. I think we have the love for older people in common. I totally think the way your taking care of her is amazing and I just really love it! That is too funny about the turtle, lol...
Your son looks so handsome and I bet your such a proud mama!
That is awesome that you were able to homeschool him for a time and it sounds like it had lots of great things come out of it. From what i hear homeschooling is definitely an advantage and can really do great things for a student.
I agree you handled Ms. Elinor perfectly. You have definitely found your calling. There's no way I would've handled that situation as well as you did. Well done! Her family is lucky to have you as a caregiver.
I can see that Corey resembles you quite a bit--only a lot taller and male..lol. He was lookin' pretty sharp all dressed up.
Cinderelly: Awwww...Thanks so much sweetie.
I will be doing a lot of research this weekend re: dementia.
There has to be project ideas and foods that can help, even if it's just a little bit.
~~~
Sam: Hey sugar.
Thanks so much.
I guess my love for senior's comes from having such a great relationship with my grandparents.
I only have 1 left now.. ( My Nannie - Dad's mom)
She is like a mother to me. We are super close!
She is plum crazy and so much fun.
Always coming up with off the wall things to say and joke about..
For example:
She told me last week she needed some extra money and was gonna start a whore house and run it by hand!!
LMAO!
I swear I laughed so hard I cried.
Thanks for yer sweet comments re: Cory.
They grow so fast dern it!
I cannot believe he'll be 15 in Jan.
I can still see him running around the house in a diaper w/his blankie.
*HeeHee* I miss those days sometimes.
Then, there are other times where I'm ready for him to be in college!! HAHAHAHA!
That's mainly when he's havin' a sassy mouth week. lol
Teen hormones are the pits!
~~~
Kimberly:
Awwww, thanks Kimberly.
Re: Cory - Yep - he looks like both of us.
With some pics he really looks like his dad, and other pics he'll look like me. lol
Thursday & Friday were difficult days w/Ms. Elinor..
Our fall weather has arrived and the mornings are really chilly.
Ms. Elinor kept going to the gas stove and turning on all the burners full blast and then would lean over the stove trying to turn the oven on while I was tryin' to tend to other things!!
I'd run over and turn everything off and then get her away from the stove.
I showed her where the heater was and how to use it a dozen times, but her dementia is so bad, she'd forget. (bless her sweet lil heart!)
I was plum scared to even go to the bathroom!
I'm gonna make large signs in bold/big print this weekend to hang above the heater to remind her that's what she needs to turn on and how.
I will make another one for the stove saying to keep it OFF/Don't Turn On.
I may put on there that it is BROKE.
I called her daughter once I was home and let her know what was going on and that it may be a good idea to make sure someone is ALWAYS with her.
There are times she will be left alone for an hour or two.
That worries me sick!
When I leave at 3PM, she is alone for an hour until her daughter arrives home.
I set Ms. Elinor up in her bedroom with a snack and the t.v. before I leave.
I hope that keeps her in bed.
I crank up the heat as well so she won't feel the need to get up and mess with the stove..lol..
It really does concern me.
I call her 2 x to check on her before the daughter gets home!
(we're not supposed to do that once we are off, but I don't care.)
So far, she has stayed in the bed bc I can hear the t.v. on full blast. (she is hard of hearing of course.)
******
Plans for Today:
I have ta make a small grocery list out and get my tail to the store.
I had a small check yesterday bc it only had 3 days on it due to the slow period.. It came out pretty well though bc I also had 20 miles logged from one client and we get .65 cents a mile.
My check was $102.83
That's grocery money!
My hubby has been so sweet and thankful re: my working.
His new pet name for me is his "lil workin' mama."
(we call each other mama and daddy.) We are so old fashioned!
We both get insulted if we call each other Dave/Stacy.
It could be worse tho - As we could call each other "Ma & Pa."
It's not our fault, it just happend bc of bein' parents I guess.?.
I need ta get some chores caught up as well today.
I just want to be a bag of lazy bones tomorrow and do nothin'.
I'll stay in my pj's all day.
Hey there workin' mama! My parents never call each other ma, pa mama, daddy or anything like that..lol. Once when they were car shopping a salesman kept referring to my mom as "mother." Man was she PO'd!!
Glad you're looking out for Ms. Elinor. I guess if the heat is kept up high enough she won't try to turn on the stove. If she is determined not to go in a nursing home, maybe telling her if she keeps doing that her family will have no choice. But then again, she'd probably just forget you told her, right?
Your granny's whorehouse idea is hilarious. Hey, I'll be looking for a new job in a few months...I've heard there are guys out there with pregnant women fetishes...lmao..........
Hey Stac~
Sorry I haven't been poppin' in on ya.
Know that I have been keeping up though, just no time to write.
Maybe you could tak the knobs off the stove? That is what a friend of mine did with his mother. Works like a charm since they can no longer turn it on.
I am glad that things seem to be turning around for you. You have waaaay more patience then I would have had.
Glad to hear that you have found a job that you really enjoy.
*Laughing* at you and Dave calling each Momma and Daddy. Gil and I do the same thing. I remember when I was younger, like 8-9, their was this older couple who use to do that all the time. I remember asking the wife if that was her dad! LOL She just laughed and laughed.
Catch ya later.
The family is getting her ready for an assisted living home that is like a hospital in a way. (not a nursing home - just a medical type complex where everything is located inside the main building.)
The CareGiving service is not enough for her needs bc she has to be watched like a hawk every second, and as I mentioned - she is alone too often after the service.
I cleaned house all day yesterday, so I didn't have a chance to check in..lol
I have a meeting at work tonight at 5:30PM
We better be paid for it!
The office is 35 mins. away and I'll have to fight rush-hour traffic to get there! I'll have to leave super early.
What a pain.
*******
Sunday Nov. 2nd will be my DAY - 1 for Weight-Loss/Getting back on track.
I'll only have 1 week left with Prednisone by then!
Also, my dumb cycle will be over.
I tell ya, I'm gonna be scared to weigh-in Sunday.. I can tell that I have GAINED! I'm hoping most of it is possible water weight from meds!? I will still need to get a 2nd opinion re: vision/what's wrong with me in case my current doc is wrong?... We feel I should be better by now and that my vision should be back if it was an inflamed optic nerve.
I have been on Prednisone since Sept. 16th!!
I only have a couple of bad days per week now with dizzy spells and seeing bad floaters(moving dots)/flashes of light...
I still have to wear sunglasses while on puter and I still have trouble reading small print. (like with a newspaper/bible.)
That drives me CRAZY!
I want to GET WELL and back to NORMAL for cryin' out loud!!
Anywho,
I'll head to your diaries now to see how yer all doing.
You sound in good spirits given the circumstances. Sorry about Ms. Elinor but I definitely understand--turning on the stove thinking it's the heater??? SCARY!
I hope you get more work soon
Um, the optic nerve thing--sounds scary. Sept 16th was a long time ago to be on Prednisone. I agree with you on that you should be feeling better than you are. Ugh, I hope your situation improves!
Love, Valerie
I didn't know much about that TAKS thing--sucks! Standardized tests are so ridiculous. The things they think we should know! 
Hi ya gang,
What a great job you did! I think a lot of people get uncomfortable when faced with a person who suffers from dementia or Alzheimer's, so you're an exceptional sweetheart who handled it beautifully! I hope it works out for you!
(she is hard of hearing of course.)
