Hi once again

11 years ago

Hi
Just popping in since I can't remember the last time. Moms altzheimers finally got to the point where we had her moved into a nice retirement (assisted-living) home I think it was last March and she's been quite happy there. Then it was cleaning out her house, putting it on the market, and all that goes along with that. It was a huge weight lifted off me and my sister once that was over with. However the decline has continued to where she requires more substantive care and she's on the waiting list to get into a really nice place still not too far away from my sisters out in the country where most of my family lives about 30 miles east. The call could come any day now according to the new home. So that will be good. Moms still active, loves to go shopping etc but she really is living in the present and the past is really muddled so you just go along with it. For instance when we look at old pictures from back in the 30's 40 etc before she came to Canada where I was born she'll talk as if I was there. Loves her flowers as she always did but now she couldn't tell you what any of them were called other than they're pretty. That's difficult to witness because she has a masters degree in Botany and could reduce a plant down to the cellular level in the past. I guess the worst day will actually be when I walk in and she stumbles on my name and eventually has no recognition but I'm pretty much prepared for it.

Most of my "cooking" these days is nothing extraordinary so we won't go there LOL.. I actually focus more on baking breads etc which I enjoy more and find relaxing.

What else.. well I still go to the gym 4-5 times a week excepting where I had one of the worst bouts of sciatica hit me in late September and only cleared up about 2 weeks ago.. Geeze did that hurt.. I know it wasn't life threatening or anything but I tell ya, some days it sure brought tears to the eyes LOL I have had it before but it had been perhaps 10 years since the last go round. I just ordered one of those inversion tables, hang upside down things. Sister and brother in law swear by theirs. So we'll see.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell. I'll just lurk around a bit in the background. Keep my eye on things.. make sure they don't get outta hand again like they always do when I'm away :)

Take care everyone.

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Comments (10)

annie1992
11 years ago
Aw, Pete, I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom. Elery's Mother also died with Alzheimer's and I'm dealing with stepmother, who has the "beginning stages" of dementia. Hugs to you and your family.

I'm also sorry to hear bout your sciatica, nothing can slow you down like chronic pain. I hope your inversion table works.

Yes, you've got to hang around, just to beat me into submission. I've been getting way out of hand here, LOL.

Annie
mustangs81
11 years ago
So good to have you back but so distressing to hear what you have been going through. Like most, Alzheimer's scares me on so many levels.
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doucanoe
11 years ago
Glad you checked in, it HAS been a long time.

So sorry to hear of your mom's health issues. As Cathy said, Alzheimer's scares me on many levels as well.

That inversion table sounds intriguing. I may have to look into that myself!

Take care and post when you have time. You've been missed.

Linda
momto4kids
11 years ago
Hi Pk...I remember you used to post a lot back in the days when I used to come around here more often. So sorry to hear about the things you've been facing. Come out of lurkdom more often!
pkguy
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks all.. This getting old stuff is for the birds LOL
colleenoz
11 years ago
Well it beats the alternative :-)
jessyf
11 years ago
Hey Pete good to see ya...come sit by me
pkguy
Original Author
11 years ago
JessyF you know me too well.. LOL.. I'd take the one on the left but maybe in a red or burnt orange ha.

On the mom front we just received a call this afternoon from the long term care home mom was on the waiting list for and she has to move in Monday. That's a big relief because they have a resident doctor and nurses on staff. The place is pretty new and very nice, not hospitally like some older ones around here are and basically everything is covered by her old age pension so nothing out of pocket except for the difference in cost between a semi-private and private room.
Whew.
riverrat1
11 years ago
Hi pk, I't nice to hear from you! I'm sorry about the challenges your facing. SO NOT FUN! Good to hear that Mom will be getting a wonderful place to spend her last years. You are a good Son. ;-)

I've been looking at the Inversion Tables. Let us know what you think about it. I'm very interested because I need disk space between two herniated disk. PT is great but I'd like another alternative. No surgery over here for now. Never for the disk but I may have a Laminectomy for spinal stenosis in the future. Siatica really is a challenge. Feel better!
annie1992
11 years ago
Peter, I'm so glad to hear that your Mom is going into such a good place, that's such a weight lifted from the family.

RR, Elery had a laminectomy some years ago, he says he would absolutely advocate that procedure, the pain was awful before and non-existent after. One night in the hospital and he was home and that was years ago, it's probably even better now.

Good luck, I'm sorry to hear about your back.

Annie

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