Early Risers.

[NGT6 1315]

Morning all...

 

Simon - this does sound like a sad story - my sincere sympathies . Likewise to Dd - this all reminds me of the time when my grandma died back in 2003, which really hit home badly.

 

Slow morning thus far - car will have the tyres changed later and I assume I'll have to run some errands then.

 

Have a good day!

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

Rather a wet morning here - the full 8-oktas and raining. Still, maybe it will brighten up later.

 

Have a good day everyone!

[skipepsi]

Morning all bright sunny day again but chilly again.

[Tony_S]

Morning.

 

It is rather a nice morning here. Washing is now on the line. I'm feeling a bit whatever the motoring equivalent of jet lagged is so I'm not planning to do much today apart from finding the tools I said I would take for the club session tomorrow (Saturday).

 

Tony

[eldavo]

Morning All, Started bright here but the oktas seem to be creeping in. I have to go into the office today as one of my colleagues is thirsty so I'll have to do lunch!

 

Cheers

Dave

[45156]

Morning All

 

A bit tired after a bad night's sleep, late finish last night at work, followed by an early start.

 

I might think of something to write later! However, Simon, thanks for sharing your sad story with us - you'll find us ERs a sympathetic bunch really, even if we do seem to banter a bit.

[AndrewC]

Simon, my sympathies. I'm convinced that people don't adjust to change as much as we would like to think we do. Especially older people who equate their homes and stuff as a comfort blanket.

 

My aunt had been in her own cottage in a centre for over 20 years. She got to the point where they felt it better and safer for her to be moved into an apartment in the main lodge. The morning of the move she just didn't wake up. My mum was in a similar situation. Terminal cancer but loved her apartment with an amzing 15th floor view of the rocky mountains. We moved her into a flat in the same building as my younger brother. She went down hill very quickly and was gone in under 2 weeks.

 

Another day here. My back is still b*ggered. Looks like an MRI is on the cards next week. I'm in the middle of changing GP's as well because my current one is as useful as a chocolate teapot. Was hoping to have at least one module framed up before the club day tomorrow. Doesn't look like that will happen.

 

Have a good day all, and a great weekend.

[gordon s]

Morning campers...

 

Hi Simon/Andrew. Welcome to the funny farm. You'll see we're a pretty harmless bunch down here...

 

Thanks for those insights regarding moving elderly relatives. Both sad stories, but there was some comfort in Simon's post that your mother was very happy in her new place until she had to be moved into a nursing home. My mother is 87, recently widowed and living 60 miles away. Her neighbours do keep an eye out for her, but she is lonely in the evenings and very sad at losing my father after 64 years of marriage. You really are torn between encouraging her to move nearer to her family with all the issues that may raise or leaving her in the family home with a different set of problems. You're damned if you do, damned if you don't...

 

If she could have six more years of happiness, then I'd be very pleased, so thanks for those postings.

 

Nice pic Jam. Close up pics of nature really show the wonder of everyday things we take so much for granted.

 

Hoping to get some work done on the layout today before domestic chores kick in.

 

Busy weekend. Expo EM and the Cup Final Saturday, Monaco and 20/20 cricket final Sunday...

[DDolfelin]

Very touched by Simon's experience.

 

SWMBO is working with In Laws at the moment and helping BiL to move in.

Not going well.

At 2am MiL shouted repeatedly that there was someone at the front door (there wasn't) but another night of broken sleep not helped by SWMBO castigating herself for losing £70 cash yesterday somehow.

SWMBO is very tired and I've told her to come home today.

 

FiL is hanging on in spite of continued serious health problems. He's able to get out of bed sometimes.

 

Some may remember that I organised a bungalow for them locally which came to nothing because they changed their minds.

It's no pleasure to realise how much easier it would have been.

 

Our decision is to keep them in their home with paid personal care as necessary ... BUT anyone smacking of social services will have trouble getting past their front door.

As well as being pixilated, MiL is very proud and, if problems arise with control of functions I can't imagine how that will be dealt with.

 

I know others have had or are having similar problems and I don't envy anyone in a similar situation.

[Tony_S]

My mother refused to go back "home" 4 years ago after a long stay in hospital so we really had very little choice in the decision about the move to sheltered accommodation. The flat she bought was really quite nice and it was very near my brother's house. She had been even started to overcome many of the phobias that had affected her for years. The move to Droitwich also coincided with her regaining useful sight after cataract operations. She did complain about the fact that the flats were full of old people who she said were "dropping like flies" this winter. I can never ever remember my mother claiming to be happy or well but she certainly seemed more positive for her last three years. She couldn't keep a pet in her flat but she liked visiting my brother's house to visit his cats and I think the best part of her visits down here for her was the amount of time she could spend with Robbie.

 

Tony

[AndrewC]

Thanks for the welcome Gordon. I've been around but not really vocal on this thread before.

 

Dealing with aging / ill parents is one of the most difficult things in life to manage. Been there, done that, and will have to go through it again with the out-laws one day. My only advice is to ensure you have 'me' time to escape the stress and to recharge your own personal batteries. Most of all don't second guess yourself after the fact. There is no use in thinking back about 'what if I did X differently? or 'I wish I had spent more time doing .....' There is nothing to be gained by that except more stress and anguish.

 

Tony, see you tomorrow? (unless my back goes into spasms again)

[Guest dilbert]

Bonjour, Mon Dieu, the ciel is not bleu encore today...

 

The emotional strain of dealing with aging parents is very wearing - there is also that 'independence streak' to deal with, which makes simple things that more complicated...dilbert

[SouthernRegionSteam]

I feel saddened to hear all your stories

My Great Aunt passed away a week yesterday, she had deteriorated suddenly and taken to hospital for a few days where she started to recover before taking a turn for the worse. She had a good life although suffered with arthritis and lived on her own in her house. We shared the same birthday and she was one of those people that never complained and looked out for everyone else.

 

I certainly feel for you all with the strains of ageing relatives.

 

Jam

[gordon s]

I certainly feel for you all with the strains of ageing relatives.

 

What you forget Jam, is that most of us ARE aging relatives.....

[Tony_S]

In my case I'm an aged parent of a teenager. This I think is not a bad thing as long as one has a sense of humour!

 

Tony

[SouthernRegionSteam]

What you forget Jam, is that most of us ARE aging relatives.....

 

You said it (there you go - a prime example of the humour that Tony_S is on about!)

[skipepsi]

Being an orphan ain't all it is cracked up to be either

 

 

Sorry this was tactless I can only say I was having I miss my Mum moment.

Edited May 14, 2010 by skipepsi

[gordon s]

In my case I'm an aged parent of a teenager. This I think is not a bad thing as long as one has a sense of humour!

 

Tony

 

Aren't you an aged Uncle, Tony...?

[Tony_S]

Aren't you an aged Uncle, Tony...?

 

Matthew has a cousin who is the same age so I suppose I am.

Matthew has just tested my sense of humour by trying to explain his philosophy presentation at college today. He assumed I was joking when I said I had no idea about Wittgenstein and private language. I think it is good that children become aware of their parents limitations, however I suspect that Matthew became suspicious of mine many years ago when I couldn't remember the names of all the Pokemon characters and had to be reminded about the numbers on Thomas trains (I always got Oliver's number wrong!)

 

Tony

 

 

 

[JohnDMJ]

Evening all,

Sorry to read all the bad news floating around.

 

In my case I'm an aged parent of a teenager.

Tony: Jam is the teenager of ageing parents!

 

 

Being an orphan ain't all it is cracked up to be either

I agree with you there! Having said that, however, if I wasn't now an orphan, I would still be in the railway doldrums and a 24/7 live-in carer to two octogenarians in poor / deteriorating health.

 

I wonder if a few piccies of Snowdon and Betws y Coed might raise the mood?

 

Llanberis station

 

At the summit - fine drizzle, 9 oktas!

 

Betws y Coed and the railway museum with its miniature railways!

 

Tomorrow: The Welsh Highland Railway, starting with a works tour at Dinas.

[Tony_S]

My brother just phoned and gave me a link to Google maps streetview and our mum is looking out of her kitchen window. Not a lot went past her flat without her noticing ( after the cataract operations!) so actually I'm not surprised she is on Google Street view.

 

John, nice pictures. Whenever I get near a mountain railway it seems to drizzle! Except last year when instead of a drizzle we were drenched (though we were at a place that is supposed to have "the world's worst weather").

[SouthernRegionSteam]

I wonder if a few piccies of Snowdon and Betws y Coed might raise the mood?

 

Certainly has! Nice photos

You'll make us jealous soon

Look forward to seeing more photos as you travel around!

 

 

 

Tomorrow: The Welsh Highland Railway, starting with a works tour at Dinas.

 

I'll look forward to the photos

[skipepsi]

The cranks on the loco look like model ones used to look....

[45156]

Just to add to the fun, our vet who is brilliant, has run further tests on the dog's ear holes, and is now at a loss to get to the bottom of the recurrent ear problems, so he's sending us to St Helens to see a specialist, who has much more sophisticated (read expensive) equipment and knowledge. Managed to get a cancellation slot on Tuesday, so now had to book a day off to get there. Initial estimates of costs for consultation, investigation and treatment is "from £800!" Thank the powers that be for pet insurance.

 

I'll keep you all posted.

 

Stewart

[Tony_S]

Just to add to the fun, our vet who is brilliant, has run further tests on the dog's ear holes, and is now at a loss to get to the bottom of the recurrent ear problems, so he's sending us to St Helens to see a specialist, who has much more sophisticated (read expensive) equipment and knowledge. Managed to get a cancellation slot on Tuesday, so now had to book a day off to get there. Initial estimates of costs for consultation, investigation and treatment is "from £800!" Thank the powers that be for pet insurance.

 

I'll keep you all posted.

 

Stewart

 

Hope all goes well with the ear consultation. Fortunately Robbie only needs his ears cleaning as the silt builds up after his ditch diving but he doesn't seem to mind me cleaning them. My mothers Schnauzer had terrible ear problems as hairs grew towards the middle ear.

 

Tony