Monday, December 19
Dec. 19th, 2023 01:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gottawonderToday I am grateful for:
Still lovely weather.
Getting good sleep.
My Sweetie got to wear some of his new clothes today. I hope he felt good about them.
When I got up, I called the vet's office; I was supposed to have someone call me back last week to talk about the results of the extra tests I got done for Sprite. I get the distinct impression that they got lost in the shuffle, and had I not called, no one would have contacted me.
The vet who saw us did call me back at the end of her day, and the results were all within normal levels. So, from this, it looks like there's nothing out of the ordinary for kidney or pancreas.
Sprite has been eating well and acting normally, so, perhaps her two days of not eating well and vomiting was something fleeting.
It's okay to have done the testing etc., though, because she would need to have a check up now and again anyhow, and now we have some good baselines for what is normal for her.
I went to town for pottery, and I brought some things for D to look at, to see if they might fit her. They did not, so I guess they will go on to a thrift store next.
The conversation ran fairly deep today. I talked about Trainwreck, and D talked about her issues with her elderly parents who just moved into a place in town. D has been run off her feet trying to help them adjust; they seem to demand help from her every day, and she can't seem to keep them happy. There's always something else coming up.
I feel like our family got lucky with Mom, and how well she's settled into the care facility. She was hard to care for when she was still living at home, and it was hard to get her to doctor's appointments and so on, but the facility where she is, is connected to the hospital. Overall, she seems pretty content.
It makes me have a lot of concerns about aging, because I don't quite understand what kind of place D's parents are in, but it sounds like it's not an actual care home, but an assisted living place. You have to pay extra for laundry services, and it doesn't sound like they have a way to help residents get to appointments.
What on Earth is someone supposed to do if they don't have any kids to help them?
I also don't see this happening where Mom is. They don't charge for laundry, and everything from meals to a weekly bath is all inclusive. If Mom had no family, they still would take care of appointments and so on, or at least I think they would. I'm sure they wouldn't be quite as vigilant as family members.
I glazed several pieces, uncharacteristically in a fairly simple manner, and all the same glazes. Hopefully the glaze I chose looks nice, or all of them will suck!
I finished up in good time, so for once I didn't feel rushed about groceries.
I stopped in at Winner's and got shampoo and conditioner, and I looked around a bit but told myself I didn't need anything else today, since we had a good shopping day over the weekend.
Groceries went well. I surprised myself by still getting a fair amount of food, though I thought today might be lighter than last week. I did get some extra things for my husband (he gets treats) and some nice things for Christmas.
I am very grateful for being able to get groceries myself.
My husband helped me put everything away, and we talked a bit about his day. He went climbing again today, and it sounds like he's making good progress and really enjoying himself.
I learned about the song "Jingle Bells": "Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known[1] and most commonly sung[2] songs in the world. It was written in 1850 by James Lord Pierpont at Simpson Tavern in Medford, Massachusetts. It was published under the title "The One Horse Open Sleigh" in September 1857"
It was not really meant as a Christmas Carol, but a rowdy song about sleigh racing. The kind you'd sing in a tavern like the one where it was written.
It was heavily derivative of many other similar songs, in a very similar style.
Verses that are not in the version we typically hear include racing around with pretty girls, tipping over the sleigh, and so on.
Lots of fun but nothing about Christmas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingle_Bells
Still lovely weather.
Getting good sleep.
My Sweetie got to wear some of his new clothes today. I hope he felt good about them.
When I got up, I called the vet's office; I was supposed to have someone call me back last week to talk about the results of the extra tests I got done for Sprite. I get the distinct impression that they got lost in the shuffle, and had I not called, no one would have contacted me.
The vet who saw us did call me back at the end of her day, and the results were all within normal levels. So, from this, it looks like there's nothing out of the ordinary for kidney or pancreas.
Sprite has been eating well and acting normally, so, perhaps her two days of not eating well and vomiting was something fleeting.
It's okay to have done the testing etc., though, because she would need to have a check up now and again anyhow, and now we have some good baselines for what is normal for her.
I went to town for pottery, and I brought some things for D to look at, to see if they might fit her. They did not, so I guess they will go on to a thrift store next.
The conversation ran fairly deep today. I talked about Trainwreck, and D talked about her issues with her elderly parents who just moved into a place in town. D has been run off her feet trying to help them adjust; they seem to demand help from her every day, and she can't seem to keep them happy. There's always something else coming up.
I feel like our family got lucky with Mom, and how well she's settled into the care facility. She was hard to care for when she was still living at home, and it was hard to get her to doctor's appointments and so on, but the facility where she is, is connected to the hospital. Overall, she seems pretty content.
It makes me have a lot of concerns about aging, because I don't quite understand what kind of place D's parents are in, but it sounds like it's not an actual care home, but an assisted living place. You have to pay extra for laundry services, and it doesn't sound like they have a way to help residents get to appointments.
What on Earth is someone supposed to do if they don't have any kids to help them?
I also don't see this happening where Mom is. They don't charge for laundry, and everything from meals to a weekly bath is all inclusive. If Mom had no family, they still would take care of appointments and so on, or at least I think they would. I'm sure they wouldn't be quite as vigilant as family members.
I glazed several pieces, uncharacteristically in a fairly simple manner, and all the same glazes. Hopefully the glaze I chose looks nice, or all of them will suck!
I finished up in good time, so for once I didn't feel rushed about groceries.
I stopped in at Winner's and got shampoo and conditioner, and I looked around a bit but told myself I didn't need anything else today, since we had a good shopping day over the weekend.
Groceries went well. I surprised myself by still getting a fair amount of food, though I thought today might be lighter than last week. I did get some extra things for my husband (he gets treats) and some nice things for Christmas.
I am very grateful for being able to get groceries myself.
My husband helped me put everything away, and we talked a bit about his day. He went climbing again today, and it sounds like he's making good progress and really enjoying himself.
I learned about the song "Jingle Bells": "Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known[1] and most commonly sung[2] songs in the world. It was written in 1850 by James Lord Pierpont at Simpson Tavern in Medford, Massachusetts. It was published under the title "The One Horse Open Sleigh" in September 1857"
It was not really meant as a Christmas Carol, but a rowdy song about sleigh racing. The kind you'd sing in a tavern like the one where it was written.
It was heavily derivative of many other similar songs, in a very similar style.
Verses that are not in the version we typically hear include racing around with pretty girls, tipping over the sleigh, and so on.
Lots of fun but nothing about Christmas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingle_Bells
no subject
Date: 2023-12-19 08:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-12-20 08:27 am (UTC)A) Most of the friends we make are not going to be much younger than ourselves.
B) What are the odds that they are going to be a reliable and stable source of assistance when things get tough?
Sure, maybe you could count on the neighbor kid to shovel your snow for a year or two if you also paid them, maybe another friend might pick something up for you if it wasn't out of their way, but that is not the same as who is going to help you if you start having problems with mobility or memory?
It doesn't seem even useful to just think you could check yourself in to a care facility. They have long waiting lists, and if you aren't deemed "bad enough" you don't get in.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-22 08:59 am (UTC)It's probably a good idea for seniors to stick together as time goes by for all of the reasons you mentioned.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-22 10:12 pm (UTC)My oldest sister E has taken good care of herself, is staying active by walking the dog in town every day, eats reasonably and has maintained a healthy weight, smoked when she was young but not for long, and is determined to stay busy now that they've moved to town. She has a friend with a consignment shop and she helps her put things out and clean the store, she still has her horse boarded with a friend and goes out to that farm to see it and help her friend with things. She is still doing things for her MIL in the city, and on and on. She wants to go swimming more and find a good yoga group.
She's in her 70's and mentally sharp, and no real health problems other than the general hearing loss and such.
It makes a huge difference if you try.