I get back on track with blogging and then the chaos starts!! It seems that every time I get back to blogging events occur that make it impossible to continue. This time I decided I would still make an concentrated effort to carry on :).
I updated my blog, and BAM poor mom gets sick. At 94 being sick is not just, well, being sick....she lost consciousness in the bathroom, on her feet! Thank goodness I was there so she didn't fall. It was the scare of my life. Anyway, we called 911 and the paramedics took her to Inland Valley Hospital in Murrieta. After they accessed that she wasn't in danger, we waited in a room for over 15 hours. NOT fun. To the hospital's defense, things were done during that time, blood work, ekg, Cat scan, etc... once all of those came back clear I asked for them to do a urine test - and bingo, she has a severe UTI. Very common in the elderly - she ended up being hospitalized.
Now here is an "info- mercial" lol. I signed mom up for a non profit health plan called Inter Valley Health what a blessing this plan is - for those of you that don't know - there is Medicare part A and B and then D for scripts - instead of using straight Medicare you can opt to sign up for an HMO that takes your Medicare premium and provides you care. It doesn't cost you a dime more, and the coverage far out weighs the governments plan. So look into it if someone you love is 65 or older! Just be sure you shop around - and DON'T use AARP's plan - it is horrible. Find a not for profit plan. I worked in the health field for many years so I had an advantage when I selected mom's coverage, and I will gladly help anyone that emails me for help - as I know how important it is to have a good coverage.
OK - back to mom - she was admitted to the hospital, and I found out that not only does she have Alzheimer's and Dementia - she now has Parkinson's - I had noticed slight shaking, but assumed that it was due to age - WRONG. So if you have an elderly parent and they are shaking - even slightly - get them tested! Mom's UTI is under control now and she will be coming home today - thank goodness. Another note here - if you have an elderly parent and they get frequent UTI's ask your doctor about preventative antibiotic therapy. Basically this is a daily dose of antibiotics for an extended period of time. Normally this would not be recommended for a younger person (to much chance of building up an immunity to the antibiotics) but in an older person it may be just the ticket to ensure quality of life.
So today just may not be a glass working day, as I have to see what mom needs in regard to care etc...but at least she is home and resting.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Back in Action!!
It can't be possible that so much time has passed since I have visited my blog!! I have been in Murrieta CA for a year and 8 months. Where has the time gone??? So much has happened since I last wrote. My brother has been gone for 2 years now - it was 2 years on February 1, 2010 - doesn't seem possible, it feels like yesterday, but forever all rolled into the same emotions. I suppose that will always be the case. At times I am sure he is just a phone call away.
So much has happened since I moved to Murrieta. My son and lovely daughter-in-law, plus my beautiful grand-daughters relocated here 7 months ago. It was a big surprise to me. They called me about 9 months ago to say they had decided that Joe (my son) would be looking for jobs in California. Of course I was happy, but certainly didn't expect it to happen so quickly. Joe was flown out for an interview in May and they gave him the job the next day. By July 4th they were here - as quickly as that. The funny thing is that it was almost a year to the day that I had moved here. God is good! My niece and nephew had purchased a lovely home less then a mile from the home I am in (which, if you have been following this blog, you will know is also one of their homes) and they were wonderful enough to allow Joe and Marcy to rent from them. Honestly, they have been such a blessing to this family.
Anyway, to make a loooong story short - my mom and I and my sis were living in the larger home, but my sis really loved the smaller home down the street (not to mention, that she also longed to live alone again, lol) so we did a switch. Now Joe, Marcy, me and grandma (she celebrated her 94th birthday on January 16th) , plus the grand-babies live in the larger home and Carol lives just down the street in the smaller home. To be honest it isn't a squeeze at all, this house is HUGE - over 2800 square feet with a lovely yard and in-ground pool. Plus we have the best landlords anyone could ever pray for. So that is my catch up story for now.
I have learned a lot since being in Murrieta. I finally feel like I know the streets and I don't get lost as often...lol, and I know where the good stores are! I have discovered Trader Joe's - such a cool place - it is a different world in there. The customers talk to each other, and give hints and tips on foods etc..., they don't just stroll the aisles talking into their cell phones - such a treat to actually meet people once again in the store, ahhh the good old days!
I learned that the winds can get really strong in the summer - and that anything you are reading will end up in the pool if you don't weight it down - trust me, it isn't fun to remove an entire newspaper from a pool. It seems to get bigger and bigger, and then it just crumbles into small peices of gunk - UGH.
I have joined Hospice as a volunteer and hope to get a family assigned to me soon. Since I used Hospice for both my dad and then my brother, I know what a blessing having their help can be. So this is my small way of paying back.
OH and I quit smoking - June 16, 2009 - gained weight, but now I am at the gym daily so that is good. I was amazed at the difference not smoking made at my first work out. I used to get winded after just 5 minutes on the treadmill or bike - now I am breathing just fine at 20 minutes on both - that just blows me away. I had smoked for 35 years - started in my teens and never quit! One day I opened my email and found an ad for e-cigs - its an electronic cigarette that produces air mist instead of smoke and doesn't harm your body. It hasn't been approved yet as a quit smoking aide, but let me tell you, it truly is. I purchased one and now I am smoke free!! If you are reading this and are interested in finding out more, just email me at denise @ glassbeadz.com and I will gladly share the info. I don't want to turn my blog into an advertisement, but I would love to help someone as addicted as me quit :).
I also learned that humming birds are beautiful little creatures, and I really enjoyed having feeders in the yard, until I learned that bees love the feeders and swarm them - that was a scary lesson - lol. So I am not sure if I am going to continue filling the feeders. Sigh!
When I first moved to Murrieta, I would sit out in the yard at night and hear all these dogs in the distance. I remember thinking, wow, people here really have alot of dogs. Well, I have since learned that the "dogs" I heard were coyotes - lol. Now, I find it quite exotic to sit in the yard and listen to them yelp and carry on.
Speaking of dogs, my two little furry friends love the weather here, and they really love the yard. I almost lost Buster a month or so back, he had a slipped disk in his neck, but thanks to The Doctors Clinic in Murrieta, he is on the mend and doing really well. He does miss his buddy Carol though, they had a special bond. But, she is just down the street, so he gets to see her still. It is nice to have so much family near by.
I think one of the best things about being in Murrieta is getting to know my great-neice Grace. What a special little girl - well not little girl - young lady - she is. She is talented in music and school, as well as just being a nice human being. Hard to find that in a 12 year old these days. When I first came here she sensed that I was lonely and would just pop in for visits, it was nice to know that she thought of me. Now she is a bit more busy, and of course she has her NaNa (my sister) here now, so I don't see her as often, but I keep hoping to change that :).
I am also so grateful to be able to share a bit of life with my grand-daughters Natalie and Giannia - 3 and 2 years old. Such precious little girls. Full of energy and fun. To be able to hear their little voices in the morning is so special. Watching them grow and learn every day is a blessing beyond measure.
OK - so I have caught you up on my life in Murrieta, next time I will show you some of the glass I have been working on and we will get back to bead business :)
Hugs to all!
So much has happened since I moved to Murrieta. My son and lovely daughter-in-law, plus my beautiful grand-daughters relocated here 7 months ago. It was a big surprise to me. They called me about 9 months ago to say they had decided that Joe (my son) would be looking for jobs in California. Of course I was happy, but certainly didn't expect it to happen so quickly. Joe was flown out for an interview in May and they gave him the job the next day. By July 4th they were here - as quickly as that. The funny thing is that it was almost a year to the day that I had moved here. God is good! My niece and nephew had purchased a lovely home less then a mile from the home I am in (which, if you have been following this blog, you will know is also one of their homes) and they were wonderful enough to allow Joe and Marcy to rent from them. Honestly, they have been such a blessing to this family.
Anyway, to make a loooong story short - my mom and I and my sis were living in the larger home, but my sis really loved the smaller home down the street (not to mention, that she also longed to live alone again, lol) so we did a switch. Now Joe, Marcy, me and grandma (she celebrated her 94th birthday on January 16th) , plus the grand-babies live in the larger home and Carol lives just down the street in the smaller home. To be honest it isn't a squeeze at all, this house is HUGE - over 2800 square feet with a lovely yard and in-ground pool. Plus we have the best landlords anyone could ever pray for. So that is my catch up story for now.
I have learned a lot since being in Murrieta. I finally feel like I know the streets and I don't get lost as often...lol, and I know where the good stores are! I have discovered Trader Joe's - such a cool place - it is a different world in there. The customers talk to each other, and give hints and tips on foods etc..., they don't just stroll the aisles talking into their cell phones - such a treat to actually meet people once again in the store, ahhh the good old days!
I learned that the winds can get really strong in the summer - and that anything you are reading will end up in the pool if you don't weight it down - trust me, it isn't fun to remove an entire newspaper from a pool. It seems to get bigger and bigger, and then it just crumbles into small peices of gunk - UGH.
I have joined Hospice as a volunteer and hope to get a family assigned to me soon. Since I used Hospice for both my dad and then my brother, I know what a blessing having their help can be. So this is my small way of paying back.
OH and I quit smoking - June 16, 2009 - gained weight, but now I am at the gym daily so that is good. I was amazed at the difference not smoking made at my first work out. I used to get winded after just 5 minutes on the treadmill or bike - now I am breathing just fine at 20 minutes on both - that just blows me away. I had smoked for 35 years - started in my teens and never quit! One day I opened my email and found an ad for e-cigs - its an electronic cigarette that produces air mist instead of smoke and doesn't harm your body. It hasn't been approved yet as a quit smoking aide, but let me tell you, it truly is. I purchased one and now I am smoke free!! If you are reading this and are interested in finding out more, just email me at denise @ glassbeadz.com and I will gladly share the info. I don't want to turn my blog into an advertisement, but I would love to help someone as addicted as me quit :).
I also learned that humming birds are beautiful little creatures, and I really enjoyed having feeders in the yard, until I learned that bees love the feeders and swarm them - that was a scary lesson - lol. So I am not sure if I am going to continue filling the feeders. Sigh!
When I first moved to Murrieta, I would sit out in the yard at night and hear all these dogs in the distance. I remember thinking, wow, people here really have alot of dogs. Well, I have since learned that the "dogs" I heard were coyotes - lol. Now, I find it quite exotic to sit in the yard and listen to them yelp and carry on.
Speaking of dogs, my two little furry friends love the weather here, and they really love the yard. I almost lost Buster a month or so back, he had a slipped disk in his neck, but thanks to The Doctors Clinic in Murrieta, he is on the mend and doing really well. He does miss his buddy Carol though, they had a special bond. But, she is just down the street, so he gets to see her still. It is nice to have so much family near by.
I think one of the best things about being in Murrieta is getting to know my great-neice Grace. What a special little girl - well not little girl - young lady - she is. She is talented in music and school, as well as just being a nice human being. Hard to find that in a 12 year old these days. When I first came here she sensed that I was lonely and would just pop in for visits, it was nice to know that she thought of me. Now she is a bit more busy, and of course she has her NaNa (my sister) here now, so I don't see her as often, but I keep hoping to change that :).
I am also so grateful to be able to share a bit of life with my grand-daughters Natalie and Giannia - 3 and 2 years old. Such precious little girls. Full of energy and fun. To be able to hear their little voices in the morning is so special. Watching them grow and learn every day is a blessing beyond measure.
OK - so I have caught you up on my life in Murrieta, next time I will show you some of the glass I have been working on and we will get back to bead business :)
Hugs to all!
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