Overloaded ATVs and Wild Flowers
Posted in: My Life | Comments (0)
Last night I had to go to the store, so I had my nephew come keep an eye on things in case dad needed anything. I really hated to do it, since he is sick, but he was the only one in the family that will actually come and hang out with his grandfather whenever I need help. I just have to hope now that he has not given his grandfather his cold.
So, I went out and picked up the needed dog food and groceries. As I was strapping everything onto the ATV in the parking lot of the local Wal Mart a nice gal paused and talked to me, delightful conversation that just kind of meandered and filled time as I was getting the things on the ATV. I suspect she just wanted to see if I really could fit all of that on that little ATV. The shopping cart was *FULL*, plus a 44 pound bag of dog food and 24 pack of toilet paper on the bottom deal by the wheels. I got it all onto the ATV, however, using two boxes I had picked up from inside to create a carry space on the front rack, two boxes of soda (one of them being my babysitter payment) sat between the matching card board boxes, creating a space where the bread could ride without risk of getting squished. I then bungee corded everything in place. The dog food went on the back rack, the toilet paper side-by-side with a full-sized backpack that held several bags loaded with groceries and my purse and a month’s supply of Kleenex for my dad.
I got a lot of long sideways looks, but what are ya going to do when your only transportation is a small Honda Rancher? Yes, I have a van, but the thing has a busted headlight, the speedometer does not work and it has not been road tested. Until I can crawl under it and repair the speedometer cable I can’t even take it up to the store because I won’t know if it’s going 30 or 60 - well… I could guess on that, but I wouldn’t be sure if it was going 55 or 60 in a 55 mph zone, and I sure as heck can not afford a speeding ticket at the moment.
So, I took the ATV to the store. Stopped off on the way home when I spied a bunch of wild growing daises and picked a few that were growing behind bushes were no one would even see them. I then added in some fireweed and vetch and a few bluebells. Dad just absolutely adored the bouquet I brought him for the 4th of July and wants me to get some daisies and bluebells planted out in the yard.
We had daisies before, but they were killed when the area they were growing got plowed over by a bulldozer at one point over the years. Mom’d always wanted to replant them, so maybe me and dad can get that done if we’re here in the spring next year. I’ll see if I can still get some planted this year, of course, but am not going to hold my breath on it.
Admin @ July 3, 2009 | Comments (0)
Astro needs worked on
Posted in: Uncategorized | Comments (0)
I think I commented here that me and dad picked up an old Chevy Astro at an impound auction last month. I’ve finally got the chance to get better acquainted with the poor thing and it needs some serious help in the mechanics department.
The engine sounds great and the thing seems to drive okay, but there is some stuff that I have to fix - like busted door handles, a broken speedometer and blown out headlight. It’s mostly minor things that I am noticing for now, so that is good.
I called the local NAPA today and they are going to find me a Chilton’s manual on the thing so I can tear into it and start getting the mechanical stuff like the speedometer repaired.
Admin @ June 28, 2009 | Comments (0)
Livin’ the crazy life
Posted in: My Life | Comments (0)
May was just pure chaos, then as we careened into June things got crazier as me and my dad got into a unexpected trip to Washington to watch one of my nephew’s graduate from high school.
We’re back home now, been home a while actually, but recovery from ‘relaxing’ vacation is often longer than the vacation itself was. So, I am getting back to the websites now and will be hunting up things that are of interest to family caregivers again soon.
Admin @ June 24, 2009 | Comments (0)
A Caregiver’s Guide to Swine Flu
Posted in: Educating Family Caregivers, Help for Family Caregivers, safety | Comments (0)
As family caregivers, we are the first line of defense for our care recipients when it comes to protecting them from things such as the flu, so with the current concerns about Swine Flu going around, I thought it would be a good idea to do a little research about just what Swine Flu is and what family caregivers should know about keeping their care recipients safe and healthy.
Swine Flu, or H1N1 Influenza, is a respiratory disease of pigs that is caused by type A influenza virus. This is a common flu among swine, and is most often seen in outbreaks during the fall and winter months - just as the normal flu season for humans. The H1N1 was first isolated from a pig in 1930, so it’s been around a good while.
H1N1 is, like all influenza viruses, constantly changing and adapting itself. Since pigs are able to carry viruses that affect not only swine, but human and even avian, the pig is a perfect host in which these viruses can undergo alterations that result in a new influenza virus being generated.
While most viruses generated from pigs are the H1N1 virus, there are other types that have been isolated from pigs: H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1
The H1N1 normally does not spread to humans, however, it can happen. Most cases are from direct contact such as “children near pigs at a fair or workers in the swine industry”* The news has said that one of the factors in this outbreak that is different is that the virus is spreading human to human, however, according to the CDC this is not the first time that has occurred.
…an outbreak of apparent H1N1 flu infection in pigs in Wisconsin in 1988 resulted in multiple human infections, and, although no community outbreak resulted, there was antibody evidence of virus transmission from the patient to health care workers who had close contact with the patient.
The symptoms of H1N1 in humans is similar to any flu virus and can include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. The CDC reports that some that have contracted Swine Flu have also reported symptoms that include runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The primary factor with the Swine Flu, according to news reports, is to stay calm unless you would have normally sought medical aid, if you would have gone to the doctor with the symptoms you experience were it normal flu, then go, if you would not have gone to the doctor then you are safe continuing treatment at home. I would suggest anyone that has a care recipient contact the care recipient’s doctor and go with the doctor’s advice, and if you have the flu, take normal precaution to avoid spreading it to your care recipient since the standard flu vaccine is ineffective against Swine Flu.
It is important to note that Swine Flu can not be contracted by eating pork. The process of cooking pork, to an internal temperature of 160°F, kills bacteria and viruses - including the H1N1 flu virus. The Swine Flu is contracted just as normal flu is, through sneezing, coughing, and touching of infected items then touching your nose or mouth.
The CDC has a page of information to help you care for a sick family member at home. Be sure to read the entire page before you need it, then review it if you need to care for a sick person at home. Or print it out and keep it tucked into the medicine cabinet.
The page includes information on how Swine Flu spreads, medications that can help lessen symptoms (check with your care recipient’s doctor or pharmacist on what they can take with their current medications), how to lessen change of spreading the flu to others in the home, and how to care for laundry/dishes/etc in the home.
Basic points to keep in mind are as with any cold or flu:
- wash hands often
- cover up if you cough or sneeze
- use antibacterial hand sanitizers when you can’t wash hands readily
- ask others to reduce visitation with care recipient if they are sick and for up to two weeks after symptoms subside
As stated, if your care recipient shows symptoms of the flu, contact your care recipient’s primary care physician for specifics on what to do in your care recipient’s particular situation, and if you would have normally taken them to the doctor, take them now.
Also, be sure to check with your care recipient’s doctor and/or pharmacist before giving any over the counter medications to be certain there is no conflict with the medications they take - then doublecheck yourself at the Safe Medication website - a medications website by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists®.
* - http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/key_facts.htm
For more help see:
Admin @ May 1, 2009 | Comments (0)
Just when I was getting a chance to drive - I lose the car
Posted in: My Life | Comments (0)
My dad’s been going to the shop to hang out the past couple of days, which is not much of a deal, but night before last no one even bothered to tell me that he was going to be staying there overnight. Made for a very very stressful night without sleep for me, because I had no idea if someone was about to head home with him or what was going on. He was finally brought home around noon or 1 yesterday afternoon - just in time for him to get his pills a couple hours late.
Then last night my sister and her husband showed back up around 10 pm, hung out for a while, then she started looking for the keys to the car she had given mom years back after dad had his stroke. I was puzzled, but once I figured out what she had been looking for (had to ask her) I got the keys (which I had setting by my purse because I was going to be driving said car), and handed them to her. Turned out she wants to take the car and I need to clear my stuff out of it. As I write this that’s been done and they have the car and I am sitting here carless after having thought I had a car for taking dad where he needed to go and for doing the shopping. Silly me.
What the backstory is… after mom died - the day she was buried, we followed her to Anchorage in the white Cadillac. We stopped on the way home and I filled the tank so it would be ready when I needed the car in the spring because at that time the price of gas was supposed to go up still, so at roughly $5 a gallon I filled the tank in the Caddy.
As I was filling it Helen moseyed around and asked me what I was going to do with the car, because she had apparently heard that I had asked my brother about him driving the car when dad needed to go anywhere since I didn’t like driving in the winter and he lives next door. I’ve not driven much, it has bad brakes, I prefer the professional race car driver to be driving in icy conditions rather than me. She seemed to think I was giving him the car, I said to her, “You gave it to mom, I know that. If anyone other than Dad gets it it’d be you.” She replied with, “Oh no! It’s dad’s car, and I want you to keep it and drive it, I just don’t want anyone else driving it because they would ruin it.” We talked for a bit and I made it clear I would not drive it in the winter, I’m not a good enough driver to feel safe on the road with the lunatics that need to relearn winter driving every year, I’d wait for Spring then drive it. She seemed to have no problem with that, car was dad’s and I was to drive it so me and dad had transportation. She made a few hints I should drive some before the snow hit, but I never got the chance to and didn’t really care to drive until the brakes got fixed on it. So I left it parked for the winter.
I kept paying the insurance every month, faithfully, just to be sure it would still be insured this month when I could safely drive it. Car was parked, but I paid the insurance, because I knew I would be driving this spring.
Now, last night… she takes the car away from me. No forewarning, no comment, just searched through things for the keys and without a word on what she was up to took the car. I had to dang near pull teeth before she admitted that yes, she’s keeping it and I have to empty my things and mom’s and dad’s stuff outta it. At first she’d commented that it would be up here a lot so I could get things any time I wanted to, I chose to get stuff today since the car didn’t start last night. They were back around noon today with a wrecker and took it away.
They also have dad down there, which is the second night in a row he’s spent the night down there - in same clothing he had day before yesterday, sleeping on a recliner in the garage rather than them bringing him back home to sleep in his bed. I expected him to be back when they came after the Caddy, but they didn’t bring him home then. Called a while ago, nephew said he had no idea and would have his mom call me back, haven’t heard from her yet though. No idea when, or if, dad’ll be home. Which means he won’t get a chance to rest before I have to go to the Saturday Market deal in the morning to try and kickstart a new home based business to try and earn money to help make ends meet. They were supposed to take dad so I could go get that going, but I’m uneasy now after two full nights sleeping in a chair in a garage. That can’t be good for his health, but I have no way out at this point, I have space reserved (have for a couple weeks now) and everything, all I can do is let them keep him one more night and go to the Saturday Market and have dad brought home tomorrow evening.
I’m not amused at any of it, in case it don’t show. (And this is only the things I can growl about publicly - sheeeeesh).
So, this evening I’ll have my brother drop off medications, clothes and PJs so at least Dad has had a change of clothing down there and something more comfortable than corduroy pants to sleep in. Then I’ll get ready for the Saturday Market I am supposed to be at starting at around 8 or 9 in the morning.
I had planned to take Caddy up to it, now I will be figuring out how to get my quilting things onto my ATV, since my brother has other things he needs to be doing at that time.
Don’t ya just love family? No wonder mom used to watch Momma’s Family and Rosanne and say she watched because it made her feel like her family was normal.
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(And no, I’m not joking - they live upstairs of the garage and he can’t get up there, so he sleeps in recliner downstairs in the garage with the cars when he’s at her place. I don’t like but can’t stop it either cause he wants to see other peoples and they don’t visit him here very much - plus, they let him smoke all that he wants to, I limit him to a cigarette every half hour.)
Admin @ May 1, 2009 | Comments (0)