Hi everyone, long time, no see. A hugely busy few weeks, triggering a fibro flare ( worse I've ever had) and very little time spent on computor as its not particularly comfortable to do anything much at the moment.
Glad the exam stress is over for you with dau, JM. Not a nice time for anyone! I felt for you with the bleaching and hair colour - youngest is very much into all that at the moment, and with her its the usual issues with mess and being careless. I sorted about 8 or 9 towels that were a tiny bit shabby or already stained with bleach into a cupooard in the bathroom, and she was well warned to use ONLY them when dying/bleaching her hair. She took so much notice of that, that I ended up insisting she replace another 3 bath towels out of her own pocket. Another mini row over that, of course - and then just two days ago, after she and a friend had a colouring session (dau now had blue, tourquiose and purple hair!), yet another 'good' towel found with bleach stains
Know exactly what you mean about finding yourself suddenly reminded about how things have changed - and not always in the way you expect - when it comes to dementia. I can't believe Mil is still going, so many health problems, nearly 12 years since diagnosis. She remains really calm, which is a massive blessing - but she is often unwell now with her breathing, and we are just on a sort of alert all the time. Just 3 days ago, another late evening call, a duty doctor summoned to the home because of her breathing, and because she had had a fall - he wanted to admit her to hospital, but OH, after ascertaining that she wasn't in pain, that there was no evidence of any serious injury (or even minor injury) or pain after the fall, that her breathing wasn't causing any stress (she is more or less used to the coughing ad occasional panting, it seems) and that in reality, it was more or less a case of the GP covering his back, said No - and again reiterrated that she is only to go into hospital IF she is suffering and admitting her is the only way to relieve it. DNR is in place, there have been so many discussions about hospital admissions and teatment, but as soon as you add either new or agency staff or a locum GP to the mix, we have to go through it all again. Its like you having to pull the agency/care company on the same things over and over - so wearying and it just shouldn't have to be done xxx
2Jays, I hope things have started to get brighter for you, my love. Sending big squishy hugs and I prescribe a trip to the canaries - 68 days till we go again, its good to have something lijke that to look forward too xxx
Slugsta, hope the biopsy results are good, and they can sort out the other problems for you . Sending you some hugs too. Hows Sky Cat doing by the way - I often think about her? xxxx
Spamar, Hope you were able to get out - we had two weeks of what felt like constant rain, on the run up to the blessed garden project being finished - the turf, due to be laid over a week befor the 'grand' opening, couldn't be lifted due to the waterlogged fields - in the end, they finally got some to us at 4pm on the day before the opening, and it resulted in the landscapers, myself and a couple of volunteers staying till gone 8pm that night to get it finished.
The garden project is, I think, the biggest reason for the fibro playing up. The last 3 weeks of it caused a level of stress that was horrendous, as well as demanding long, long hours, in order to ensure it was finished on time. It was finished, opened by the Mayor, with a lot of guests and high ups from the charity I work for in attendance- and it looks fantastic, the feedback was amazing, and - most importantly - the young people I supported to get it done were incredibly thrilled with the result. I was determined it would include as manyof their ideas and wishes as possible, and I am proud that I managed to juggle the budget, orginse the work and work crews and deliver just about everything they wanted. But it was delivered at a price, and I will never, ever commit to a project like that again. There was a distinct lack of support, no allowances made for what it involved, and so many unecessary hurdles and issues caused by several of the 'agencies' that I had to work with, especially my employers. I actually had nightmares about the darn thing towards the end, and it totally took over my life. And as I said, left with a flare up of the fibro which is taking a hell of a long time to ease off.
The Sunday after the opening, Dau was in the RAH, perfoming with her theatre group. OH and I travelled down to Londoon, to see her, and although I would not have missed it for the world, 5 hours there and five hours back on a coach really added to my discomfort - timing couldn't have been worse, I weas in so much pain through the whole day. And so cross that a work project had resulted in me not being able to enjoy the whole thing as much as I otherwise would have done.
We have all been missing Busta very badly. Even now, I forget for a split second and look round for him, or call him for a treat or food. At the same time, the house feels 'wrong' with just two dogs here - 3 work really well for us. So, we had started talking, with no time frame, and we had decided that we would (eventually) get another dog.
Then, 3 days ago, daughter came and showed me an ad she had found - when we were looking for Luna, she signed up to several sites and is still getting notifications through. The picture was of a 13 week old Bichon Frise - and she said 'something about it had just grabbed her'. I looked at the pic, and *ping* - I fell in love. However, I told her No, not yet - and then when she went to work, spent the afternoon researching the breed. When OH came home, I showed him the ad and the photograph. Half an hour later I was on the phone to the current owner. She has always had Bichon's and had sadly lost her brother and sister pair just a few months earlier, within 9 days of each other (they were 15). She had finally decided to get another pup, chosen, paid for and arranged to collect this little fellow - and then broke her leg, very badly - around 6 months in plaster ahead, and then surgey followed by at least another 6 months till she is back on her feet. She called herself stupid for thinking she could cope, and still taking the puppy at 12 weeks - because within 24 hours, she realised she couldn't cope. She couldn't train him, walk him, stuggled to clean up after him - and so she made the best decision for the pup, though it was obviously heart breaking for her and looked for a new home for him. We were the last of maybe a dozen enquiries since she had placed the advert that afternoon. And we clicked - I apparently asked all the right questions, she wanted the pup to go where the new family were doggy experienced and had other dogs. So, the next day, off we went to Liverpool and . . .
Meet Gryff
Seamus and Luna have really taken to him, though Seamus is slightly bemused about this bold tiny white creature who has no respect for him at all - even so, Seamus' tail is constantly wagging. Luna just adores him - plays with him, so gentle with him, even very maternal and grooms him, lol - and he is her shadow.
He obviously isn't Busta, and can't replace him, no dog could - but he already has his own place with us, and it feels right. There's all the usual hard work associated with a puppy involved, but its not a chore - he has, like Luna and Shay before him - just fitted right in.
Sending masses of love to you all, as always xxx
Glad the exam stress is over for you with dau, JM. Not a nice time for anyone! I felt for you with the bleaching and hair colour - youngest is very much into all that at the moment, and with her its the usual issues with mess and being careless. I sorted about 8 or 9 towels that were a tiny bit shabby or already stained with bleach into a cupooard in the bathroom, and she was well warned to use ONLY them when dying/bleaching her hair. She took so much notice of that, that I ended up insisting she replace another 3 bath towels out of her own pocket. Another mini row over that, of course - and then just two days ago, after she and a friend had a colouring session (dau now had blue, tourquiose and purple hair!), yet another 'good' towel found with bleach stains
Know exactly what you mean about finding yourself suddenly reminded about how things have changed - and not always in the way you expect - when it comes to dementia. I can't believe Mil is still going, so many health problems, nearly 12 years since diagnosis. She remains really calm, which is a massive blessing - but she is often unwell now with her breathing, and we are just on a sort of alert all the time. Just 3 days ago, another late evening call, a duty doctor summoned to the home because of her breathing, and because she had had a fall - he wanted to admit her to hospital, but OH, after ascertaining that she wasn't in pain, that there was no evidence of any serious injury (or even minor injury) or pain after the fall, that her breathing wasn't causing any stress (she is more or less used to the coughing ad occasional panting, it seems) and that in reality, it was more or less a case of the GP covering his back, said No - and again reiterrated that she is only to go into hospital IF she is suffering and admitting her is the only way to relieve it. DNR is in place, there have been so many discussions about hospital admissions and teatment, but as soon as you add either new or agency staff or a locum GP to the mix, we have to go through it all again. Its like you having to pull the agency/care company on the same things over and over - so wearying and it just shouldn't have to be done xxx
2Jays, I hope things have started to get brighter for you, my love. Sending big squishy hugs and I prescribe a trip to the canaries - 68 days till we go again, its good to have something lijke that to look forward too xxx
Slugsta, hope the biopsy results are good, and they can sort out the other problems for you . Sending you some hugs too. Hows Sky Cat doing by the way - I often think about her? xxxx
Spamar, Hope you were able to get out - we had two weeks of what felt like constant rain, on the run up to the blessed garden project being finished - the turf, due to be laid over a week befor the 'grand' opening, couldn't be lifted due to the waterlogged fields - in the end, they finally got some to us at 4pm on the day before the opening, and it resulted in the landscapers, myself and a couple of volunteers staying till gone 8pm that night to get it finished.
The garden project is, I think, the biggest reason for the fibro playing up. The last 3 weeks of it caused a level of stress that was horrendous, as well as demanding long, long hours, in order to ensure it was finished on time. It was finished, opened by the Mayor, with a lot of guests and high ups from the charity I work for in attendance- and it looks fantastic, the feedback was amazing, and - most importantly - the young people I supported to get it done were incredibly thrilled with the result. I was determined it would include as manyof their ideas and wishes as possible, and I am proud that I managed to juggle the budget, orginse the work and work crews and deliver just about everything they wanted. But it was delivered at a price, and I will never, ever commit to a project like that again. There was a distinct lack of support, no allowances made for what it involved, and so many unecessary hurdles and issues caused by several of the 'agencies' that I had to work with, especially my employers. I actually had nightmares about the darn thing towards the end, and it totally took over my life. And as I said, left with a flare up of the fibro which is taking a hell of a long time to ease off.
The Sunday after the opening, Dau was in the RAH, perfoming with her theatre group. OH and I travelled down to Londoon, to see her, and although I would not have missed it for the world, 5 hours there and five hours back on a coach really added to my discomfort - timing couldn't have been worse, I weas in so much pain through the whole day. And so cross that a work project had resulted in me not being able to enjoy the whole thing as much as I otherwise would have done.
We have all been missing Busta very badly. Even now, I forget for a split second and look round for him, or call him for a treat or food. At the same time, the house feels 'wrong' with just two dogs here - 3 work really well for us. So, we had started talking, with no time frame, and we had decided that we would (eventually) get another dog.
Then, 3 days ago, daughter came and showed me an ad she had found - when we were looking for Luna, she signed up to several sites and is still getting notifications through. The picture was of a 13 week old Bichon Frise - and she said 'something about it had just grabbed her'. I looked at the pic, and *ping* - I fell in love. However, I told her No, not yet - and then when she went to work, spent the afternoon researching the breed. When OH came home, I showed him the ad and the photograph. Half an hour later I was on the phone to the current owner. She has always had Bichon's and had sadly lost her brother and sister pair just a few months earlier, within 9 days of each other (they were 15). She had finally decided to get another pup, chosen, paid for and arranged to collect this little fellow - and then broke her leg, very badly - around 6 months in plaster ahead, and then surgey followed by at least another 6 months till she is back on her feet. She called herself stupid for thinking she could cope, and still taking the puppy at 12 weeks - because within 24 hours, she realised she couldn't cope. She couldn't train him, walk him, stuggled to clean up after him - and so she made the best decision for the pup, though it was obviously heart breaking for her and looked for a new home for him. We were the last of maybe a dozen enquiries since she had placed the advert that afternoon. And we clicked - I apparently asked all the right questions, she wanted the pup to go where the new family were doggy experienced and had other dogs. So, the next day, off we went to Liverpool and . . .
Meet Gryff
Seamus and Luna have really taken to him, though Seamus is slightly bemused about this bold tiny white creature who has no respect for him at all - even so, Seamus' tail is constantly wagging. Luna just adores him - plays with him, so gentle with him, even very maternal and grooms him, lol - and he is her shadow.
He obviously isn't Busta, and can't replace him, no dog could - but he already has his own place with us, and it feels right. There's all the usual hard work associated with a puppy involved, but its not a chore - he has, like Luna and Shay before him - just fitted right in.
Sending masses of love to you all, as always xxx