Headed to Huntsville

I woke occasionally through the night to throw off the blankets and fell asleep again. I am not sure when I got up because my watch band broke so I wasn't wearing it. I brushed and swished and read e-mail. Chris read e-mail, too, and took a shower. I washed up and got dressed. I made and ate breakfast. I packed my suitcase. Chris brought a cart up from the ground floor. He put the cold food back in the cooler. We loaded all our stuff onto the cart and took it out to the car. He checked out and loaded the car. Then we drove to the gas station. I filled out the gas book while he pumped gas and put in as much as he could.
Then we headed for Huntsville. It rained and we ran into accident traffic. But it was nice to listen to the book on CD. I never quite fell asleep. We snacked on eggs and carrots. We stopped once at rest area but it was too rainy for me to get out, so I just waited for him.
We got to Huntsville about 3. We went straight to the post office and picked up the mail before going home. We unloaded the car. Chris got the house mail. I unpacked the food boxes, then called Faye. She was driving Dad home from a therapy appointment. I unpacked my suitcase. I opened mail and the delivered boxes. The book I ordered for Chris came in and I gave it to him to open. I made more vitamin mix. I poured boiling water into the water bottles to sterilize them. I read e-mail, and checked on a money snafu at church. Guess I'll have to go there tomorrow.
I read more e-mail. I watched one episode of TQS while eating a can of soup, and sprouts with olives as a salad. I had coconut flakes for dessert.
I looked up how to get all my unread g-mail in one spot and deleted at least half. I felt anxious about the darkness and rain outside. I tried to remember what my routine was. I looked for studies on transdermal vitamin patches, but didn't find what I was looking for. I listened to an interview on EMF protection. I turned on the air purifier in the bedroom.
We watched about 3 episodes of The Mandelorian. It took my mind off of the dark and stormy night. Then I boiled turmeric root to make tea. I drank that while typing up my blog post. I jotted notes of things to be done tomorrow so I don't forget. The weather report is for more rain, but I am still hoping for sunshine.
* This is the snow we had like three weeks ago. *

New Year's Day

Last night Dad was sleeping when I laid down on the blow-up mattress. But he heard me and woke up, had to use the bathroom. When he laid down, I stretched him again, and he went to sleep. So I turned off the lights, but that woke him up and he had to go again. It seemed far too soon, but he went again. Then I stretched his legs again, and he went to sleep.
I had trouble sleeping due to breathing issues, so I got up and took some Enguard, which is an essential oil blend in tiny gels. Then I laid down and did a lot of tapping. I wore eyeshades because of the light. I dimly remember Dad getting up twice during the night. He did not need assistance. I woke up at 6:45. I saw his Wednesday synthroid was gone so he must have taken it during the night. I started getting myself ready for the day. At 7:30 I woke him up, stretched him and cued him to dress himself. It was slow, but he could do it. Then he went out to the den to put his shoes on. I heard Patrick cue him while I packed. I added air to the mattress. Chris hardboiled eggs for the trip. Chris was upset at all the batting and fabric I was bringing. I was going to go through all the fabric scraps in bins and pick out just the ones I wanted. But somehow Chris got them all in the car while I was making and eating breakfast. Patrick was sorting stamps in the den. Dad made and ate his breakfast. I made sure he had a fat bomb and Patrick promised to see that Dad got fat bombs in the future.
At 10:40 I walked with Dad down the road. He had to stop twice to rest, but he said it was because he was marching. When we got back, Chris had the car all packed. We took preemptive potty breaks, and then got on the road.
As we drove to Bristol, we listened to the rest of our book on CD. I slept off and on, but I think I got the gist of it. Then we started a second book. I had more trouble following that one. Traffic was light.
At 4 we got to the hotel. We laid down for awhile, then went across the street to Puerta Nueva, a place that serves Mexican food and seafood. I got a seafood cocktail, and tried their salsa bar. I figured spicy food would help with congestion. It was delicious, but I was still a little congested.
After dinner, we walked next door to the GoodWill, which was open, much to my surprise. We wandered around for a while. Then we went to the theater next door and bought tickets to “Knives Out”. We were the first people in that theater room. So we sat for awhile before the ads started, and then some more before the presentation started. It was a good movie, with an unexpected ending, and some big name actors.
We went back to the hotel, and called Michele. We wished her a happy new year. She gave us her Disney Plus info so we could watch “The Mandelorian”. It was not interesting to me at first, but by the end of the first episode I was seeing potential. She was just getting into the second season of Lost in Space, which we had just finished. We tried not to spoil it for her. After watched one episode, I hooked up my computer, deleted a bunch of e-mail, and wrote my blog post for the day.
*My seafood cocktail doesn't look like much compared to Chris' dinner. *

New Year's Eve

I slept in the livingroom with Chris, at first. I woke up at 4 to use the bathroom. Then I heard Dad calling Fern, Fern like he'd been at it for some time. So I went into his room and found him sitting on the floor against the bed with his knees pressed against the dresser. I tried to cue him to get on his hands and knees, but he had already expended all his energy to get as far as he did. He said he fell an hour before. I shoved a raised toilet seat under him to get his butt off the floor, but it still wasn't high enough. So I called out for Chris. When I didn't hear a response, I rang the buzzer and he arrived. He said he was already on his way. The buzzer also woke Patrick, so it's good. Now to get Dad to use it...
Chris got behind Dad and pulled him up and the two fell onto the bed. He was wet so I changed him. Then we covered him up and I spent the rest of the night in his room. I turned the lights off, but not being able to breathe kept me awake.
Dad got up around 7:30 to use the bathroom. He took his synthroid too. I handed him some clothes and took a break while he dressed himself. Then he went to the den to get dentures and such. He was tired and had to be cued for everything – except breakfast. I finally got my own breakfast. My stomach hurt on the left side all night, and breakfast didn't stop it. I was tired and worried.
At 10:30 there were strange cars in the driveway and then Faye arrived. The ladies came in the back door with Faye. It was a nurse and Dad's new caregiver. We all sat and talked. The nurse examined him and asked questions to fill out forms. Faye took the caregiver in the back and talked to her at length. Finally the nurse left, and Faye drove the caregiver around to all the places Dad will go for appointments. While they were gone, Dad and I went for a walk. He was not energetic and had to stop and rest at one point. When we got back, he sat in his chair and dozed.
I read some e-mail until Faye came back. I was still not feeling well and did not have any energy. She took my temp but it was normal. We went through the hall closet to weed out what Dad didn't need. Mom's craft supplies were in there. I took some batting and templates. Faye gave me almost a dozen bins to go through later. Kevin came over to cook, but Chris was already cooking so Kevin went home. Faye fed Dad a banana and something else, then took him for a walk. I wasn't hungry. When they got back, Faye demonstrated Dad's homework exercises. They looked easy on paper, but there were a lot of reps. Neither one did all of them. Then Faye went home to get some sleep before going to work.
Chris fixed a bowl of burgundy beef for each of us for dinner. I was skeptical about eating, but I had some of the broth and it set pretty well. So then I ate the rest of it and felt better.
Chris and I sat on the couch to watch Lost in Space while Dad was still eating. Chris got up to check on him and he wanted more. So Chris gave him more. We watched some more. Then Dad wanted me to write a check. We discussed it at length, but there was no talking him out of it.
I suggested he do his dentures. Chris and I resumed our episode. When I checked next, Dad was taking his shoes off. We watched some more. Patrick told me to look in the bedroom. Dad was sitting on the bed. I laid out pajamas for him. When I came back later, he had undressed but did not see his pajamas. I handed them over, and sat with Chris to finish the new season of Lost in Space. Then Dad was dressed. I cued him to lay down and we did his stretches and put his feet up. It took him two hours to get himself ready. I filled all my water bottles for tomorrow. I went to the dining room to write my blog and got sidetracked reading new year wishes on Facebook. I wanted to post something, but I was too tired. I typed up my blog and got ready to sleep in Dad's room because things only go right when someone is there. Did I mention that I hate having a cold, and a pile of dirty tissues, and dry lips?
* I didn't take any pics today, but I found this one that Kurt took. *

First therapy session

When I got up this morning, Dad had taken his synthroid and was half dressed. I helped a little, and picked pants for him. My voice was so hoarse that I could barely speak, and he could barely hear.
Then he went to the kitchen to put on his shoes and get his dentures and hearing aid. He also made his own breakfast and ate it standing at the sink. I threw his sheets in the washer, got myself dressed, and did some of the usual morning stuff, then made my breakfast.
I was still eating when a man from Executive Care came by at 10 with some papers for Dad to sign so they could take funds from his checking account weekly to pay the day nurse. Dad signed his name really well, three times. The man said the day nurse would come by tomorrow to meet with us at 11. I texed the info to Faye who wants to be there. He also said they charge .75 a mile to take him to appointments, and that the caregivers do not do any manipulations with patients (like stretches).
I read e-mail for a bit, then went to the bedroom. I was in Dad's closet arranging the shirts and pants into matching pairs so he could choose easily. Chris noticed the time and started cuing Dad to get his coat on. I went to the den to help. We got Dad in the car and a rollator in the trunk.
Chris drove all of us to Sheltering Arms for therapy. He let us out at the front door and went to park. Dad rolled inside and sat down while I waited to check in. Then we waited for his therapist to come for us. I followed Dad and the therapist back to the gym. She gave him a 6 minute walking endurance test, which he passed. In fact, though he said he worked hard, his blood pressure stayed the same. She had him do exercises standing at the sink with a therapy band tied around his legs. She also had him practice standing and sitting. Then he was free to go and we took him home.
He and I had some lunch. I looked for yogurt in the fridge and found a large one full of mold. No telling how long it had been there. I threw it out. After lunch, he rested in his chair with his feet up. Chris and I made his bed. I folded laundry and hung Dad's up. I listened to some audios online.
Dad and I went for a walk about 4. It was the usual 15 minutes to the end of the street and back.
Chris went to the grocery store and then made dinner. It was a sirloin tip roast, tiny potatoes, and snow pea pods. He made the roast rare, like I prefer, but it was too hard for my dad to chew. (It was a little hard for me, too) So he just ate the vegetables. I gave him some applesauce too.
After dinner he rested and Chris and I watched Lost in Space while sitting together in the living room. After one episode I went looking for Dad. He was in the bathroom and looking confused. I got him right and then went back to Chris. We watched another episode. When I checked on Dad, he was getting ready for bed even though it was only 8. He had taken his evening pills, and cleaned his dentures. I helped him get dressed for bed, knowing he was probably worn out from the therapy. I stretched his legs and hips, then put the wedge under him and bid him goodnight. Patrick came home. I watched one more episode with Chris, then checked again. Dad was sleeping comfortably.
I sat down to write to my blog. Patrick asked if he could have one of Dad's subs. I figured Dad would say yes so I said yes. My stomach did not feel good, so I put some peppermint oil in water and drank it. When my blog was written, I got dressed for bed and helped Chris unfold it and put the blankets on.
* I didn't take any pics today so here is one from the other day when I washed the dresser scarves. *

He sleeps alone

It was a long night. He slept restlessly all night, keeping me up. I turned the lights off while he was sleeping, but each time he woke up, I turned them on with the clicker. He was able to go to the bathroom by himself. But I did have to get up to straighten the covers and move the cushion.
Dad woke up about 7. He went to the bathroom and I thought he took his synthroid. I had a sore throat, but Dad seemed to be fine. I checked on Chris and he seemed sick like me. I waited until 8, then called Faye to tell her we couldn't go to church. He wanted to go, so I helped him get dressed, doing only the most lengthy parts. He made his own breakfast and ate it while I boiled water to sterilize all my water bottles. I brushed and swished. Dad was ready to go so I suggested going for a walk. Just as we got outside, Faye arrived. I supervised him walking down the ramp to her car. She took him to church.
My head itch came back. I used tea tree oil drops diluted in vodka and the itch subsided. I squeezed a lemon into hot water and drank it. I made vitamin water and breakfast. Then I boiled the squeezed lemon and some cinnamon sticks and cloves. I ate breakfast, and read e-mail. I drank the lemon water I made for Chris because he didn't want it. But he did accept a packet of vitamin C.
I looked all over for a spray bottle so I could clean the bathrooms with Hydrogen peroxide. I did not find one. I looked up DIY fog juice. It's the glycerin that makes the fog! This information could come in handy.
I swept the kitchen floor twice, getting a pile of dirt each time. Then I mopped it twice. I also mopped the strip of floor I could see between the livingroom and the diningroom. I put on a nitrile glove and used disinfectant wipes to clean the back bathroom. I had just started on the hall bath when Patrick came in. I told him to go ahead, thinking he'd only be a few minutes, but apparently it was time for his hour shower. I used the wipe to do a bunch of doorknobs, then put the cannister away.
Chris went to the grocery store to get stuff for supper. I laid on the couch to rest and put on a podcast to listen to. Patrick finished his shower and came out. He started talking to me. But he must have been late for something. He rushed around, then finally left. I laid down again, and then Chris came home with pork chops. We watched a show together, and then Faye and Dad came back. She made a list while I took him walking. Then they went shopping, but only to one store. They came back with groceries while Chris was cooking supper. We all ate together at the diningroom table. Faye wanted to talk about the meeting tomorrow and what duties we need a nurse to perform for Dad during the day while Faye works. The conversation went on for some time and Dad seemed very interested. He thought we did not need Darleen to stay with him at night, so we proposed having him sleep alone tonight. We told him to get himself ready for bed. He did, though not in the most timely manner.
Faye had to go home. I supervised Dad getting into bed. I stretched his legs and hips, and put the cushion under his calves to reduce the swelling. He refused to have anything to do with the alarm buzzer. He insisted he could call out my name loud enough to reach me in the livingroom.
I sat with Chris to watch Lost in Space for 20 minutes. I checked on Dad who was asleep and then finished the episode. I checked again and Chris took rice pudding out of the oven. He and Patrick had some. I drank some of the cinnamon water that had been simmering all day. We watched two more episodes of Lost in Space. I checked on my dad, took my bedtime supplements, got dressed for bed and wrote my blog post. Chris and I dressed the hide-a-bed in the livingroom and I slept there, hoping Dad would be fine.
* More Christmas lights from last night. *

Words with friends (and family)

I woke up 7:30. Dad had had his synthroid already. Kurt gave him a shower, and cued him to get dressed. I got ready while he put in his dentures and shaved.
Kurt and Chris hadn't much luck trading out hard drives because he hadn't a boot-up disc. I did a search and found a link for Windows 8.1. Kurt downloaded 8.1 on my laptop and tried to transfer it to a USB drive, but ran into problems. So instead, he burned it to a DVD. He and I walked Dad while the laptop labored. Dad rested afterward. Kurt left with Patrick. I got Dad and myself some lunch. I made several batches of fat bombs. I collected linens and potholders and stuff Kurt left behind. I threw them in the washer, except for two things that were too delicate. Then I took Dad for his second walk. It took about 15 minutes for him to walk to the far end of the street and back. He did not need to stop and rest.
Then I handwashed two things: a dresser scarf and a wallhanging that covers the sewing machine table. I hung those and some others out to dry. I went through some e-mail.
Faye came over, Kevin was close behind. Dad got ready and Faye put him in her car. Kevin rode with her and we followed in Chris' car. We passed a lot of Christmas light displays on the way to Karen's house. She and William made supper for all of us. Patrick was already there. We sat at their table and Kevin passed out salad to everyone. After we ate that, William and Karen fixed plates of chicken, beans and cauliflower in the kitchen. William handed them out. As we all ate, we talked about all sorts of things. The food was good and there was never a lull in conversation. After a while, Patrick left so he could walk home and see Christmas lights on the way. The conversation continued. As it got late, the rest of us got ready to go and thanked our hosts. Karen suggested we go by another street to look at their lights. So while Faye and Kevin put Dad in her car, Chris and I went to see the lights. They were quite impressive. I took pics with Chris' phone.
Then we went back to Dad's house, where Faye had already gotten Dad inside. She was cuing him to get ready for bed, to see if he could do it all by himself once told to do so. That didn't quite work because he wanted to know what he was supposed to wear tomorrow and why there was no medication set out for Monday. Faye talked to him at length. She gave him a small alarm that he could play to alert Patrick if he fell in the middle of the night. She laid on the blow-up bed and I laid beside Dad and we continued talking. Then she went to talk to Patrick about his schedule. I took my evening supplements and sat down to write my blog. Faye talked to me again before she left, and then Patrick talked to me. But finally I got to finish my blog so I could spend the night in Dad's room.

The amazing Earl

I woke up about 8. I went to Dad's room to get him up for his synthroid. But, to my amazement, he said he had gotten up at 6 and taken it all by himself. So, I supervised him getting dressed for the day. Then he walked out to the kitchen to put in his dentures.
Patrick helped me vacuum the living room and dining room. I moved chairs while he swept. Dad made his breakfast and ate it standing at the countertop. Then he sat down and I gave him a banana and yogurt and a fat bomb. He rested while I made and ate mine.
In preparation for the meeting with the agency that provides in-home care, I cleaned dining room table, and called William to find out where the broom was. I had to go to the shed to find it. I swept the kitchen floor and utility room. I washed dishes by hand. I set chairs around the table in the dining room. Dad sat in one and I sat in another. We talked as we waited for the agency people to arrive. Dad wanted Kurt to be here. Faye called, expecting the lady from the agency to be here. Because the lady wasn't here yet, Faye called them. Then she called back to tell us they weren't coming until Monday – no explanation.
Kurt and I took Dad for a walk. Then he rested while I jotted notes. Kurt and I discussed the current movies and which might actually be good. Kurt talked to Faye and they decided to see Knives Out. I gave Dad something for lunch and then we went for another walk before dark.
Kurt went to the library to pick up Patrick while Chris cooked supper. Faye came over. Kurt came in with Patrick. The bunch of us were chatting when there was a knocking at the door. The man across the street came for a visit. He told us about his granddaughter, then left after Kurt, Faye and Patrick left for dinner and a movie.
Chris put together a plate for Dad. Dad sat down to eat while I made a plate for myself. After supper I ate a chocolate fat bomb with coconut flakes. It was pretty good. I set some jars of coconut oil on the register in the kitchen to melt. I washed a section of the diningroom, removing the tablecloths on a side table. They were dirty and stained so I put them in a bucket to soak.
I watched one episode of Lost in Space with Chris. Then I cued Dad to get ready for bed. He decided to wash himself with Attends, possibly thinking it would get him out of having to shower tomorrow. But it won't. I scrubbed some Corelleware with a magic eraser to get the stains off. I also washed the stove and the front of the microwave.
I jotted more notes for my blog. Then I went back and read a book while supervising Dad out of the side of my eye. When he got in bed, I ran him through a few stretches. Meanwhile Kurt and Patrick came home. When Dad was resting comfortably, I went out to talk to Kurt. He told me he had seen Knives out three times now and it didn't get old. I downloaded f.lux to eliminate the blue light from my computer screen. I typed up my blog and then went to bed with Chris. Kurt offered to spend one more night with Dad.
* Palpatine? *