Update
Hi all. I haven't been on here as much lately because our new puppy is home and taking a lot of my time (and attention, and snuggles!). She is so cute and I can't wait until her vaccines are done we can go out and about in the world.
Steplife is pretty quiet. On the last family zoom call, Bratty McBratFace mentioned the basement of the communal house they are sharing with 11 others flooded with the heavy rains a few weeks ago. An aunt mentioned getting a sump pump to get rid of the remaining water. I laughed looking at Bratty's face and wondered why this Aunt would think this idiot knew what a sump pump was LOL.
DH's mom (Grandma McBratFace) unfortunately had a fall in her home. She didn't seriously hurt herself but was taken to the hospital and the blood work showed some kind of infection (which probably made her dizzy and caused the fall). At 89 her recovery is slow and once the antibiotics were done she was sent to a nursing home for physical therapy to regain some strength (she is struggling to feed or care for herself). DH - forever the optimist- thinks this will be temporary and she will get back to her home and living independently. I told him while I hoped so, statistics indicate that at 89 once she's in a nursing home she may not leave. But, I hope I'm wrong. She is a sweet mother-in-law and I am praying for her.
Other than that, the year is off to a great start! Looking forward to watching my little floof grow up this year.
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Comments
Puppies are a joy!
Puppies are a joy!
Poor Grandma McBratFace. :( What about assisted living?
A joy bundled with lots of work...
But I find that work to be a joy too. Pup is sleeping soundly now through the night for a full 8.5 hours so I don't feel as sleep deprived as I did the first week or two.
Grandma McBratFace was essentially doing assisted living with DH's sister (lives 10 min away) stopping by daily to help her. We will see if there is an option under her insurance for day help but this fall happened at night and it sounds like (to me) - (1) her confidence is shook and (2) she had already accepted nursing home as part of her future. It is the same nursing home her husband went to (DH's father) after his stroke and it sounds like she feels this is the next inevitable progression.
Her accepting the idea of a
Her accepting the idea of a nursing home would reassure me. My own mother refused all idea of help (fortunately she had been in assisted living for years due to my father's health problems) and tried to conceal all of her falls. She refused to wear the necklace that alerted the staff of her falls.
Please do what you can to liven her daily life - a visit from your pup would be just the ticket!
She doesn't like dogs
And we live far from her (west coast vs. mid west US). But we still plan to visit soon. She had 7 kids total so between all of the visits (we try and space them out to not overwhelm her and to keep her occupied) she should be just fine :). Thanks!
My mom's fall
My mom99 had a fall at 96. I realize that's older than your MIL but Mom was a strong, healthy person. That fall, like your MIL's, put her in the hospital then in rehab. She seemed to be progressing in rehab but the wise nurses and social workers assessed her professionally, not with my rose-colored glasses, and advised the move to long-term care. They were right. I saw that her dementia really ramped up during the hospital/rehab/long term moves but since she's been settled down, it has slowed considerably.
My takeaway was to pay close attention to what the professionals at rehab recommend. Good luck, its a journey.
Yes professional assessment
I think they will advise on the level of independence she can have going forward. Good news is her mind is still so sharp. We enjoy our calls with her and hope to visit in late spring when our pup is old enough to be boarded.
Assisted living
I hope she can go to assisted living. My mom loved it. But now, she needs more care. AL was much more fun, lots of activities, happy hour, boyfriend, etc. Her assisted living place had 3 levels of care. She went from an independent cottage, to an apartment to a room in the separate assisted living building. Now she's in a different facility which provides excellent care but which she finds boring. No happy hour, no Mardi Gras only bingo. Lol.
Thanks
Not sure what level of nursing home care she is in now (I think rehab) but I assume we'll hear over the next few weeks what they think. She had long term care insurance so it's basically what they think and what she wants. But what I hear - she isn't feeling safe or trusting herself on her own anymore. But maybe she regains some of that, who knows.
oh!
congrats! And Im sorry for your MIL. Ouch.
Thanks cLove
Hope things are well and peaceful in steplife for you as well!
Sounds like
Sounds like your MIL is being realistic about her care needs which is wonderful
Thanks
Yeah she is sharp and realistic. I hope to be as sharp as her at that age, if I'm lucky enough to get to 89!
Great Report
A new puppy!! Yeah!! I'm a dog lover...my sweet pup will be two in April. I'm just finished with repairs from his puppy days. LOL But all worth it. So much love from these fur babies.
I'm sorry to hear about your MIL but she does seem to be facing truths so that's good.
Most important, glad that StepLife is quiet.
Thanks
Yes they are worth it! Love my fur babies. Thanks Cajun Mom and hope all is well with you!
Yay!! Pup is here!! Congrats!
Yay!! Pup is here!! Congrats!!
My little golden girl was barely crated. We started leaving her out (when we weren't home) at probably 4 months and she slept out of the crate at night almost from the start... she was house trained at 10 weeks. Maybe we got lucky with her haha. My lab on the other hand was a PITA at night haha. He is looking at my whining right now because I made eye contact and wants to be pet.. big baby.
Hopefully DHs mom recovers! Wishing the best!
Thanks MissK!
Actually she is 13 weeks and pretty much potty trained! Smart little thing. We hung potty bells by our backyard slider and she connected the dots of door opening + bells ringing equals potty. So now she alerts us by ringing the potty bells when she needs to go! No accidents for 3 weeks already! She is a land shark though so we are on constant chew patrol haha.
I'm sorry to hear about your MIL.
Not many at her age make it back from the retirement home after checking in.
My dad is 80. Extremely fit, and still thinks he is bullet proof and bounces instead of going splat. The recent TX ice storm dropped countless trees and branches. My parents live in a forest. Dad is cheap, uneccessarily, and was planning on climbing a 25ft extension ladder to trim the trees. I had to lobby hard for that not to happen.
As incredibly fit as he is, a fall is not something any 80 year old should risk. Fortuneately he did forego the ladder though he did chain saw an incredible amount of wood and haul it to the curb for pick up. With the help of the young man who has worked with them periodically as a handy man. That young man is a God send.
Now, if I could convince my mom, 78, to go easier on herself (she has a heart like a fire pump but it beats naturally at 40 or so BPM and needs a pacemaker to keep her awake, two replaced knees in 2010, and just had a MOHS surgery to remove a carcenoma from one of her ears). She works harder in retirement than anyone I have ever known did during a very successful career. Amazing meals and bake-fests constantly, creating dozens of amazing quilts your round, a home that looks like a Better Homes & Gardens focus property for each season, etc..... She wears herself out because she loves it all and is hell bent on making everything perfect and special for everyone all of the time.
I am extremely relieved that my brother and my SIL moved back near our parents. Their home is about 14miles from M&D. My neice and her DH live 4miles from M&D. My nephew and his DW are 5hrs away from M&D.
I struggle with some guilt over not being closer. But..... My bride and I have our retirement to finish funding. M&D would never ask us to move home though their ardent dream is for DW and I move in with them and retire early to travel witht hem. We all get along great. Though if DW was not part of the deal, they have said repeatedly that I am only tolerated at best. They always make it a point to 'let the wind out of my sails'. Thanks M&D. I'm feelin the love.
I hope your DH's hopes for his mom happen.
Dad on a ladder
Reading about your dad wanting to get on a ladder to trim trees made me think of DH's ladder days. He has a fetish about his gutters being completely pristine and used to get outside on an aluminum ladder in the middle of thunderstorms to make sure they flowed well. I always had visions of him being struck by lightening. We finally had a gutter guard system installed. Phew, bye, aluminim ladder.
Lol. I installed gutter guards on their home
in 2001. I had to release my entire department when the semiconductor bubble imploded in 2001. Since there is no need for a Sr. manager without a team to lead, I got released as well. I worked around mom and dad's house and our house for months just to keep busy. I installed gutter guards, nearly a dozen ceiling fans, moved large garden rocks around mom and dad's 'castle' in the woods. Not small rocks but several hundred pounds. I used skid sleds, dollies, etc..