Monday, April 9, 2018

Monday, Money saving madness

It was a very hard week end with mom.  We were at the hospital on Saturday afternoon and really nothing was wrong.  She was working herself into a fit.  I keep asking myself what happened to my mother.  I just could not believe her behavior.  She was bound and determined  to ruin our last weekend together.  Just mean and nasty.  My sisters have given up trying to deal with her.  The attending doctor suggested taking her off all meds and perhaps seeking hospice.  So that is something I will work on with her doctor.  I just don't think she is ready for that. This is just so hard. I keep saying that like it is going to help.  Today she seems to be very happy.  She is showered dressed has eaten and is ow watching the Mid wife.  Don't know how long this mood is going to last.  I have appointments all day into the evening so I can't take her anywhere and I hope she does not act up.



     I made a big pot of bean soup on Saturday.  Hub's asked me to come up and do something with it.  Does that mean he won't eat it for dinner?   Good to know as I have a he!! of a day ahead of me.

    We took the final three hall doors down on Saturday to have them replaced.  The upstairs hall will be done and ready to repaint.  I just am going to love the way it will look. Twenty years of those awful doors was long enough.

     Friday afternoon and part of Saturday before mom started to act up Sis and I cut out and sewed two denim skirt duplicates.  At our twenty year class reunion she bought us matching denim skirts from Talbots.  I wore mine to shreds and she has wanted to duplicate this skirt for years.  We were finally able to do it.  I had to fire her several times.  But they are done and they are beautiful.  I have the old cut up skirt to make myself one.  I also made her a double gardening apron out of some old curtains.  I am also going to make my Lil sis new pillow covers out of the rest of this material.  I should have taken pictures, but Saturday was so chaotic.

     All I can do is keep going.  Say a prayer and keep going.  Swear a little and keep going.  Cry a little and ......

     Monday, money saving madness April 1st-7th 2018

1. All meals home cooked except one.  Hubs and I went Effie's for a $20.00 date long over due.
2. Used up the Easter ham and bone, will freeze what is left of soup.
3. Took all of my free coupon items to Albertsons and cashed them in for $29.16 worth of freebies. Cheese, tomato sauce, corn, ibuprofen, donuts, bread, cupcake wrappers.  Nothing too extravagant but free is free.
4. Continued to work on my second bath rug.
5.  Went to second hand store with Hubs and found two really nice gifts.
6.  Bought 8 pairs of wool pants on dollar day at a thrift store for a wool rug I am going to start work on.
7. Received a bag full of bread bags for another project.
8. Sewed two very nice skirts for Sis.  These would have been over $100.00 each at Talbots.
9. Reused a set of curtains for aprons.
10. Stayed home a couple of days and spent no money.
11.  Sis bought me a new gardening basket for weeding that I am going to love.
12.  Fixed many items in the shop with product on hand saving me money

I just pray all will go well today with mom.  Her church group is coming to get her for book club.  I hope she behaves.

Look at those side totals.  I will brag tomorrow.:)

Have a great and productive day staying positive while your are in the negative.

Kim





25 comments:

  1. I thought a doctor had to give a person six months to live to be able to use hospice. Will she be at home? (she can be) or somewhere else? What did you mean that you had to fire her several times? It made me laugh. He had better eat bean soup for dinner...lol. It seems you need some help on several fronts. Sorry it is so hard.

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    1. That is a common misconception of hospice. Although most do die within six months, it is possible to received hospice benefits longer with recertification. As a nurse, I've actually seen it where patients have come off hospice (no longer having a need) and lived for a few more years.

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    2. Initially, the doctor has to certify six months to live. However, I do know people who were on it who lived longer and still stayed on hospice. And, I have heard of people coming off hospice because they improved and did live.

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    3. This seems to support what I said. Maybe not.
      https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+to+get+hospice+care&docid=608015600129281740&mid=8D1056A8CAF084BA47DB8D1056A8CAF084BA47DB&view=detail&FORM=VIREHT

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    4. My parents both went through hospice and both for different lengths of time. Our experience was positive, they hospice team was there for every need and if we needed or if my parents no longer felt hospice was necessary, they could return to their own physicians for care.

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    5. My poor Sis who by the way can do anything she puts her mind to, made so many mistakes while sewing the first skirt I just kept firing her. It was a joke.

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  2. While I haven't had to deal with this situation personally, I have watched many friends do so, and I understand the frustration you are going through. Praying for you. As far as 'firing' folks--when I was a teen, my mom tried to quit smoking cold turkey. She ended up firing five people--two of whom didn't work for her! Oh yeah, and she fired me from being her daughter once or twice during that week.

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    1. Yes we fire each other regularly. It is a family joke,

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  3. I am so sad the final weekend devolved into such a mess. The good thing about hospice is that they will then be in charge of your mom's medical routines, and that in itself could be very freeing for you.

    Solidarity! I can tell we are about to have a Mom breakdown. They seem to be cyclical for her and she is showing all signs of it being imminent. I think I will try cussin' first. It won't help anything but it might make me feel better.

    I am ready to fire Mother Nature. She is doing a very bad management job with the Witch of Winter this year.

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    1. I am sorry. All I can say is good luck. Also the weather witch is up here. How can she be down there. And why are only women witches?

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  4. My friend from Romania left his mother there while he was in the US. He got word that she was going downhill and it all started with being hateful and unreasonable. As a PhD, she was having a rough time with her status--old, not in control, and abandoned as she saw it. He went back and immediately had the doctor take her off her meds. She recovered and was more reasonable. Of course, part of her problem was her only son being so far away. Then, people assumed she needed more meds, which she did not.

    Of course, you have not left her, but your being not where she wants you to be seems to trigger a lot of this behavior. I suppose the stroke is not helping things.

    I have thought about going back to school and studying gerontology/geriatrics to see what is happening to all of us older citizens. Well, me anyway.

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    1. You are right on one account here. People like mom need a routine and consistency. With all the company mom was not getting that.

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  5. You have a full plate, it is NOT easy taking care of a parent. It is exhausting and at times thankless. But, take it day by day, and go with your gut when it comes to important decisions.

    Hang in there and treat yourself to a cherry dip cone! Your deserve it!

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    1. But, but, but it is not on my diet, plus they are like $1.97. I am too cheap:)

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  6. I'm sorry, Kim. I won't pretend to know what you're experiencing, but the stress of my parents relatively peaceful final years (but with many bad days) I understand. Take care of yourself.

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  7. Oh bless you all! As a nurse, I have seen many patients taken off all their meds and they make a remarkable improvement. I don't know how many meds. your mom takes, but some patients are way over medicated and it can cause all kinds of side effects, including behavior issues. On the other hand, there are also psychiatrists that deal exclusively with geriatric patients like your mom. You may want to research that??? I like the idea of making skirts from the same skirt( as a pattern) that you both loved. You are very talented.

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    1. Thanks. I am taking mom off all her meds right now. We will see.

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  8. How in the heck did you get out of Effie's spending a mere $20? Did you share an eighth of a burger? lolz
    Hang in there.....

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    1. Well we did not have drinks. We bought the onion rings. $5.00 and the cheese burger with the works. $12.00 and left the change for a tip. Those burgers are huge! Well you have seen them.

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  9. I'm so sorry about your mom! But I know, kind of, what you're going through. My MIL has days like that when she just is a bear. She's had two falls in the last month. Breaking a hip will be the next big thing I think...

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    1. Oh McVal you are so brave. My sincere blessings and prayers.

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  10. Hey...if she doesn't behave she doesn't go! She may not be ready for hospice but perhaps you are. Is there any such thing as part-time hospice??

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  11. Catching up on blog reading and I am so sorry to hear about your mom, Kim! Aging parents are a very difficult thing to handle. BUT, I would like to remind you that, from all you have posted here on your blog, you have been a very good, very patient daughter! I really hope that your family is able to come to a decision that is right for everyone including you and your siblings. Hugs and positive thoughts to you!

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